Star Wars_ X-Wing 09_ Starfighters of Adumar - Aaron Allston [54]
Iella slid out of her cloak. Today, she was not dressed in garments suited to social affairs; she wore trousers and boots in brown and the standard Adumari flare-sleeved tunic in a subdued rust-red. She sat at one end of the sofa. “All right, Wedge.”
He remained standing. “You told me earlier that when you got here, you weren’t supposed to send messages offworld—your employers wouldn’t let you—but that you did anyway. I inferred from your words that you were able to smuggle in or get access to a holocomm unit for your reports to your superiors.”
She nodded.
“I need access to it.”
“I can’t give it to you. Orders.”
“Yes, I know. You’re under direct orders from your superior not to permit any communications with the New Republic without his review. I’m asking you to break those orders.”
A touch of distress worked through the armor she wore instead of expression. She quickly got herself back under control. “Maybe you’d better explain that.”
“All right. First, I know that your boss, the regional head of New Republic Intelligence, is Tomer Darpen.”
This time her expression didn’t change. “I can’t confirm or deny that.”
“I don’t want you to. I’m not trying to wring some sort of admission out of you, Iella. This is just something I figured out … eventually. Darpen kept speaking on behalf of the local Intelligence head, as if he were privy to his thoughts. He kept issuing me orders and expecting me to follow them, meaning that he’s either very stupid or very used to having his orders obeyed, both out of keeping with the sort of role he was playing. So I conclude that Darpen is not just a diplomat, but also a major player with Intelligence.
“Anyway, he came to me today and ordered me to stop doing my sim-weapons training with Adumari pilots. Some of them are picking up the habit, which means we aren’t playing this diplomatic game by their rules, and he thinks that’s a very bad thing.”
Iella managed a soft smile. “He ordered you.”
“I’m usually pretty good about taking orders—”
“If occasionally reinterpreting them rather thoroughly—”
“But only when there’s a clear chain of command. Tomer Darpen isn’t in it. My fear is that he’s going to get in touch with General Cracken and get the confirmation of his orders that he needs … but in such a way that Cracken is still not aware of what it means. The live-weapons dueling, me and my pilots having to kill a lot of eager flyers who just want to achieve a little personal honor …”
Iella nodded. “So you want to give Cracken the whole story, so he can issue orders, or refuse them, based on the complete picture.”
“Yes.”
She sighed. “Wedge, I can’t help you. My chain of command is very clear, and so are my orders. What you’re doing now, provoking the regional Intelligence head, is a sort of contrariness that Admiral Ackbar or the Chief of State will excuse you for. What you’re asking me to do is deliberate disobedience of direct orders. I can’t.”
“Oh.” Suddenly deflated, Wedge sat on the opposite end of the couch. “Well, then. I’ll find a new plan. Perhaps I’ll send Janson and Hobbie back in their X-wings to deliver my message. It will just take longer. Maybe too long.”
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Me, too.”
“Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“Yes.” Stirring from his momentary depression, Wedge faced her. “Admiral Rogriss is in command of the Agonizer. I need a way to get in touch with him without alerting his subordinates … or our people.”
Her eyebrows went up. “Better not let my superior hear about that. He’ll think you’re conspiring with the enemy.”
“I hope very much to conspire with the enemy. Can you do it?”
“I think so. It may take some time. Anything else?”
“No.” He sighed. “Wait. Yes, there is.”
She waited.
“Iella, if General Cracken orders me to play Turr Phennir’s game with