Star Wars_ X-Wing 02_ Wedge's Gamble - Michael A. Stackpole [17]
She laughed lightly and Wedge smiled in response to the sound. “Keeping Han and Luke out of trouble has often been far more easy, to be certain. There are times it feels as if this Rebellion could be measured in decades, not years.”
“I was thinking centuries, but your point is well taken.” Wedge shook his head. “Are all the Council meetings this difficult?”
“Some are. This one in particular is prickly. Borsk Fey’lya has some issues he wants dealt with and he has taken steps to see to it that he gets his way.”
“I think Admiral Ackbar is holding his own.”
“That’s because Fey’lya is playing for a longer game. He has things well thought out, and he is a stickler for details.”
“What do you mean?”
Leia looked at him with a mixture of surprise and pity in her eyes. “Oh, Wedge, you wouldn’t believe how well Fey’lya has orchestrated things to work against Admiral Ackbar.”
“Try me.”
“You’re on.” Leia swept a hand out to take in the nearly treeless landscape. “Fey’lya arranged for this meeting to be held here, on Noquivzor. He is right at home here—these savannahs closely resemble his home range on Bothawui. Mon Mothma, you, me, and the other humans find the climate and setting pleasant enough that we are at ease. Kerrithrarr, the Wookiee Councilor, does not like a world with wide blue skies and a lack of trees. Asking him to live underground is to come within millimeters of violating his personal honor, and you know how touchy Wookiees are about that.”
“Yeah, now that you mention it, Noquivzor and Kashyyyk have very little in common. Admiral Ackbar and the other Mon Calamari don’t like the dry air here.”
“Sian Tevv and his Sullustans find it a bit hot here.” Leia shrugged. “As a result, most of those who oppose Borsk Fey’lya are ill at ease here. It will be easy for tempers to flare and people to decide someone …”
“Admiral Ackbar …”
“Right, someone is being stubborn. This could influence votes and could go against Ackbar and his plans.” The Princess sat back and smoothed her gown against her thighs. “Of course, Ackbar knows all this, which is why he advanced the blockade plan. He knew it would not work, so now if he retreats from that position, he shows himself to be reasonable and willing to compromise. This means the other side must compromise, too.”
Wedge frowned because until after the meeting, when Admiral Ackbar had explained these things to him, he’d completely missed the significance of what Leia had just indicated was blatantly obvious. “I think finding enemy ships and shooting them up is easier than this politics stuff.”
“Possibly, but it’s a matter of scale. You lead your people against several dozen Imperials at a time. Each of us represents millions and billions of individuals and our goal is the overthrow of billions. We cannot afford to be so direct or free.”
“Once upon a time we could.”
“True, but then we were all self-elected members of an outlaw movement. Now we speak and act for whole worlds.” Leia reached over, took Wedge’s hand, and gave it a squeeze. “Back in those days I scarcely dared dream we’d have these problems to deal with in the future.”
Wedge patted the top of her hand. “Yeah, in those days it seemed as if our children and grandchildren would still be fighting the Empire.”
“Indeed.” She laughed again. “So, Wedge Antilles, any prospects on the horizon for you contributing to the Rebellion’s next generation?”
“Me? I have all the children I need in my squadron.” He saw sadness wash across her face. “It’s not that bad. I have friends, I just don’t have the time to go courting. You found someone, and you weren’t even looking. It seems to happen that way, so I’m not terribly worried. Now what about you and Han?”
“We’re happy, when we get to see each other. It’s kind of rough on a woman to finally admit you love someone and then have him frozen in carbonite for