Star Wars_ X-Wing 04_ The Bacta War - Michael A. Stackpole [115]
Vorru half-closed his eyes. She won’t surrender, so there must be some new atrocity she is planning.
Isard slowly smiled. “I believe it was you, Minister Vorru, who noted that we could not destroy Antilles until we determined where his base was. Your reports in regards to the search for that base, I have been told by you, have been fruitless because Antilles and his people are very cautious in how they accept goods from outsiders—only the people he trusts are allowed to come all the way into his base.”
Vorru nodded. “That is the problem, Madam Director.”
“No longer. Antilles could operate without taking chances because we gave him time to do so. I intend to deprive him of that time. The Rebels always worked best when no pressure was placed on them and they were allowed to operate on their own time scale.”
“You have found a way to make him act faster?” Erisi’s questioning tone underscored Vorru’s own thoughts. “Threatening an innocent world might do it, but to move sufficient forces there to do such a thing would leave Thyferra vulnerable.”
Isard barked a small, triumphant laugh. “You’ve not seen it, neither of you. I have found a way to pressure Antilles and make Thyferra more secure. I put together an analysis of the bacta production here and determined that the bacta industry needs only one point eight million Vratix to operate all the facilities we have at one hundred percent efficiency. This means there are a million surplus Vratix on the world. I have ordered the round-up and internment of a thousand Vratix a day for the next thirty days. At the end of that time I will have them all killed and begin collecting two thousand a day. I will continue in this manner until we have downsized our worker population or Antilles tries to stop me.”
Isard’s smile marked how proud she was of herself for coming up with the plan, and Vorru found himself inclined to agree with her. Its simplicity and elegance made it a plan that could be implemented immediately, and the deadline factor meant Antilles would have to react. This could bring him out after us and, if it does, expose his base to our ships.
Erisi raised a hand. “Madam Director, I am assuming you will present this policy and plan as something for Thyferran consumption only—making it appear as if it were being used as a means to suppress the Ashern. To challenge Antilles openly would be to raise his suspicion. He is not a stupid man, so he will be careful, but there is no need to make him think things through one more time.”
Vorru immediately chimed in. “An excellent suggestion, Madam Director. If news of the program comes from locals it might appear as if you were trying to keep it a secret. Antilles will certainly feel the pressure to intervene. An added benefit is that we will have increased chances to pick up on Antilles’s local covert communication network and disrupt it.”
“Indeed, those are added benefits. While I would hate to have it thought I was cravenly trying to hide information from Antilles, I could affect an air of disdain, as if the whole thing were, like him, beneath my notice.” Isard opened her hands, then pressed them together, fingertip to fingertip. “I approve of your amendments to my plan. We implement it tomorrow.”
Vorru smiled. “I will alert my operatives to be especially attentive to any of Antilles’s activities.”
Erisi mirrored his smile. “And my people will be ready to pit themselves against the Rogues, either here or at their lair.”
“Excellent.” Both of Isard’s hands curled down into fists. “A month. Antilles has a month yet to live. Then, once he is eliminated, the Empire will rise again and the natural order of things will again be established.”
31
Fatigue made Corran’s eyes feel as if Tatooine’s twin