The Good That Men Do - Andy Mangels [143]
Of course, even a world as wealthy as Coridan Prime lacked the resources to conduct a full-scale planetary evacuation in a matter of mere days. The central world of the Coridan system, which supported more than three billion people, was simply too populous to allow such a plan to be carried out effectively. However, it was at least conceivable to move many millions of people to the regions of the planet considered least vulnerable to the aftermath of a catastrophe like the one about which Archer had warned them.
Though he felt some justifiable pride in the government’s alacrity in handling the crisis, the ambassador was well aware that factors other than the welfare of Coridan’s people had influenced the chancellor’s quick response to the looming disaster. With her government now on extremely vulnerable footing because of Coridan’s ongoing civil upheavals, Chancellor Kalev had no choice other than to appear to be decisive and strong.
And although Lekev wasn’t at all sanguine about Chancellor Kalev’s self-serving political motivations- Lekev had always considered her an inveterate opportunist, forever pandering to her people’s lowest common political denominator- he harbored no doubts about his own purpose: he had simply been determined to do everything he could to save as many lives as possible.
“Ambassador.”
Lekev turned toward the voice, leaving Coridan Prime slowly turning behind his back.
“Yes, Chulev?” the ambassador said to his unassuming young assistant, who seemed to have conjured himself out of thin air just inside the observation chamber’s door.
Chulev bowed his head deferentially. “The last of the chancellor’s cabinet members are finally on board, Mister Ambassador. Captain Solnev plans to move the ship to a higher orbit now, as a safety precaution.”
“Thank you, Chulev.”
“Sir, do you think the Coridan Defense Fleet stands any chance at all of intercepting the attack?”
Lekev offered his aide what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “There’s always a chance, Chulev.”
Certainly there was a chance of detecting and stopping this lethal but so far invisible threat that was now headed straight for Coridan Prime at many multiples of light-speed. A threat that could arrive at any moment, and from any direction, far faster than any eye could register it.
There was indeed a chance. But even with two full days of advance warning, that chance was as infinitesimally small as the Coridan system was gigantically large.
“Is there anything else, Chulev?” Lekev said.
Chulev nodded. “I also came to see if there was anything further you required of me before I retired for the evening.”
Lekev hadn’t thought about it until just now, but he imagined that faithful young Chulev had probably not gotten any more sleep than he himself had over the past two days.
“No, no, nothing, Chulev. Thank you. Go now, and get some rest.” If you can, he thought.
Chulev nodded again, then turned back toward the door.
Another thought suddenly occurred to Lekev. “Wait, Chulev.”
Chulev paused in the doorway. “Yes, Mister Ambassador?”
“Your family, Chulev. Do you know if they were able to get out of Uridash City?”
Chulev’s normally bland, businesslike mien grew bleak. “I haven’t been able to reach them, sir. I can only hope they made it onto one of the evacuation transports and got themselves to safe ground.”
Safe ground, Lekev thought. The phrase referred to the relatively few land regions on Coridan Prime’s surface that weren’t so laced with subsurface deposits of dilithium, pergium, and other energy-rich minerals as to become potential deathtraps when the attack finally came.
“You and your family have my hopes as well, Chulev,” Lekev said before dismissing his assistant again.
Once