This time, it seemed even the colors of the holographic communication symbolized the grief and mourning that had struck the New Republic's Provisional Council.
Leia looked in turn at General Bel Iblis, silent and gloomy as if he'd been hit with a wet fish, at Mon Mothma staring blankly ahead...
Even Borsk Fey'lya didn't look as provocative and obnoxious compared to his usual state.
"Two-day search by the First and Second Fleets yielded nothing," the Corellian's voice sounded hollow.
And Councilor Organa Solo was sure the reason was hardly faulty communication equipment.
"No leads at all?" Leia asked in a whisper, as if afraid to wake someone with the loudness of her voice.
But it was all in vain — the children were on Coruscant, under the reliable protection of Winter, Chewbacca, and Wookiee guards.
Not to mention the heightened security measures throughout the Imperial Palace and Coruscant's orbit in particular.
And here, in her quarters on Sluis Van, she had no one to fear waking: Han hadn't been sleeping nights anyway, tirelessly inspecting starships under repair like a machine.
The number of which had increased over the past time — Admiral Argentis Duplex had brought his starships that had survived the battle with Imperial Space forces and the Red Star squadron. They were being serviced now, but it would take considerable time.
The Sluissi had begun to openly grumble in light of recent events that had spread through the galaxy like a wildfire.
Another broadcast by Grand Admiral Thrawn on the HoloNet, in which he briefly but thoroughly told the populations of tens of thousands of planets how amateurishly the New Republic forces had tried to lure his forces into a trap, how great the defeat of General Antilles's formation was, and what losses the New Republic warriors had suffered during the Battle of Brentaal IV.
Curiously, Thrawn for some reason "was too modest" to talk about his successes at Rendili.
Probably, if he'd told how he'd pulled the Lusankya out from under the New Republic's nose, Coruscant would have ceased to be the capital of anything larger than a single sector.
"Scouts followed the Lusankya's possible hyperspace exit points according to the jump vector — and nothing," General Bel Iblis said as if reciting a mantra. "The ship has vanished from galactic metric."
"So not a single one of our outposts, spies, or observation posts detected the Lusankya's movement?" The fur on Fey'lya's neck bristled, and his eyes bulged as if ready to pop out.
"The enemy made a good effort," Bel Iblis admitted. "They struck all specified bases simultaneously, councilors. And deprived us of our early warning system. Then they vanished. How exactly — we don't know."
"They probably left via regional routes," suggested Han, sitting beside Leia.
"Possibly," Bel Iblis agreed. "The ship doesn't respond to communication system hails. So we can't even determine who controls it now. Not to mention, as I already said, where the Super Star Destroyer is located."
"Are you saying you used the Lusankya as a trap for the Imperials, Isard, and Thrawn, but didn't bother to equip the ship with beacons and tracking systems?" Fey'lya asked. "Don't tell me you didn't consider that possibility, General!"
"Tracking devices are on the ship," Bel Iblis confirmed. "And they worked steadily for three hours from the moment the ship disappeared from the Rendili shipyards. Either they were disabled mechanically, or there are other possibilities."
"Possibilities, General?" On the hologram, the Bothan's fur could be seen rippling. "What possibilities are we talking about when discussing the disappearance of a Star Dreadnought that cost our budget a couple billion credits and an ocean of patience?"
Leia placed her hand so her nails dug slightly into Han's palm — he was already poised to say something that many who heard it would regret their limited vocabulary.
"Yes, Councilor," Bel Iblis replied calmly. "Possibilities. The ship could have been damaged during capture and fallen out of hyperspace somewhere in interstellar void with non-functional systems. It could have ended up in a star's corona or near a black hole. It could have made a blind jump somewhere the Deep Core's light doesn't reach and the HoloNet doesn't work. It's also possible the equipment was deliberately removed by the enemy. There could be many possibilities, and you know that. Right now we're groping in the dark and know absolutely nothing about the fate of this ship or our people who were aboard at the moment of the jump."
"I think we already have an answer to what happened," Han couldn't hold back.
Mon Mothma looked at him with such a weary gaze, full of pain and despair, that Leia's heart clenched.
In that brief moment, she understood the reason for the Provisional Council's stubbornness.
The very foundation that made them unwilling to believe the obvious.
The Rebel Alliance, and the New Republic after it, had been through a lot.
Through victories and defeats, loss of comrades in battle and hypocritical betrayals.
But they had won.
Not always, but defeats had been followed by victories.
And now...
Not only had they lived all this time with the thought that they were being outplayed.
Always.
Everywhere.
At any time of day or night.
On any planet.
Every action of theirs — known to the enemy in advance.
Yes, this could be because a spy in the Imperial Palace had yet to be found, but she strongly doubted their involvement in the latest events.
Bel Iblis had only shared with the Provisional Council his intentions to eliminate several of the New Republic's enemies at once. But never and nowhere (as far as she knew) had he discussed the plan's details with anyone except his admirals. Each new phase — on a different ship, excluding personnel movement between starships.
The logical connection doesn't hold!
Those who discussed the operation against the Empire, Thrawn, and Isard were never privy to the Provisional Council's other plans, and vice versa.
And yet the information had reached at least Thrawn!
And who could doubt he would use it to maximum advantage.
"There's no data confirming the Lusankya has been sighted in the Dominion," Bel Iblis declared.
"And do we even have agents there?" Borsk Fey'lya inquired, examining his nails.
The Bothan's feigned grief and sorrow seemed to have already faded, and he had returned to his favored manner.
"That's known only to General Madine," Mon Mothma said.
"Who isn't here with us," the Bothan noted. "I dare to remind you that we claim Thrawn doesn't have the Lusankya, yet at the same time we also know he already has one Star Dreadnought, which he demonstrated at the Battle of Soulex. Coincidence that no one saw that one either?"
"And isn't it a coincidence that the fully operational Lusankya was lost at the Rendili shipyards, which just a few months ago was an Imperial world, and it was you who insisted the ship be repaired there?" Han couldn't hold back.
"Are you implying something, General Solo?" the Bothan inquired in a tone as if speaking to a droid or a piece of furniture.
"No, Councilor, I'm speaking plainly," the Corellian hissed. "Thrawn told us he has the Lusankya. Wedge and Madine are, if not dead, then prisoners. The Dominion fleet has gained one Star Dreadnought and almost a dozen lesser-class ships, but that doesn't make us any better off."
"And what is this angry tirade supposed to tell me?" the councilor asked.
"I think Captain Solo means that Thrawn's actions, if he really has the ship, were planned in advance," Bel Iblis said. "The Rendilians were repairing the Lusankya. They could have disabled the tracking devices too — given all the time they worked on the ship, they could easily have found them."
"Are you saying the Rendilians were involved in the Lusankya's disappearance?" Fey'lya seemed not to have changed his posture, yet somehow the Bothan seemed to straighten, and his gaze became sharper, more piercing, more evaluating.
"This fact cannot be ruled out," Leia declared, trying to keep her voice steady.
Borsk gave her a long, intent look.
He undoubtedly understood what lay behind the words about Rendilian betrayal.
It was a veiled attack on him — after all, he was the one who had brought Rendili and Bestine IV into the New Republic's fold.
And if it now turned out that the assumption was correct and the Rendilians were indeed involved in Thrawn's plans to steal the ship, a very awkward, very dangerous situation would arise.
This wasn't just a blow to the Bothan's prestige, which still hadn't recovered from his defeat at Ciutric IV, but a crisis for the New Republic.
Distrust, suspicions of sabotage... This could cost the young democracy dearly.
First and foremost — good shipyards and professional specialists.
Who would, without a doubt, simply abandon their membership in the New Republic, taking a neutral position, while raising prices for their services, as Kuat had done.
Or defect to the Empire's side, which would be even worse.
Because then the New Republic's enemies would gain another excellently equipped full-cycle shipyard — exactly what they lacked.
It would be enough for someone to voice such suspicions of collusion to steal the Lusankya to the leadership of Rendili StarDrive, which had direct influence over the system's government, and that would be it.
Leia entertained the thought that what was happening might be much simpler than it seemed.
But she couldn't yet understand why, occupied with thoughts about whether she should propose launching an official investigation.
Alliances are built on trust, not on fear and suspicion.
Such a crisis is almost impossible to overcome — only if the actual culprit comes forward and confesses, fully revealing their scheme.
"General," she said hastily, addressing her husband's compatriot. "Tell me, could someone from the technical staff have disabled the tracking devices?"
The question puzzled Bel Iblis, but not greatly.
"If they had a portable signal detector and a couple weeks of free time to wander through corridors of a ship that has neither atmosphere nor gravity to speak of, then yes. Or if the enemy possesses powerful sensor or communication installations capable of intercepting signals emanating from the ship and localizing their source."
Leia felt disheartened.
"So we're saying that both individuals and the entire corporation could be involved in what happened," Borsk Fey'lya said, grasping the subtext of the Alderaanian's questions.
"And that tells us absolutely nothing," Han declared.
"Exactly," Bel Iblis agreed. "The agent could have been any of the technicians who remained on the ship. Suspecting any of them is a rather slippery business, because sorting through their backgrounds and finding the agent, if there really was one, quietly and quickly won't be possible. We'd need the security files from Rendili StarDrive, and that's classified information."
"The corporation will surely be interested in helping us with the investigation," Mon Mothma declared. "A Republic military vessel hijacked from their shipyards — that's not the kind of advertisement their management dreams of. Especially considering they clearly miscalculated with the ship's and shipyards' security."
"That's precisely why Rendili StarDrive approached me," Borsk Fey'lya unexpectedly declared, "with a proposal..."
"Who would've doubted it," Han muttered, quietly but loudly enough that everyone present pretended not to hear.
"They'll conduct their own investigation," the Bothan continued as if nothing had happened, "after which they'll hand over the culprit to us. Of course, if one is found and is somehow connected to the corporation. All they ask is that there be no official investigation on our part. They don't need extra publicity..."
"Is that so," Bel Iblis grimaced. "They were repairing our ship, changing estimates and amounts along the way, eventually lose it, and yet they ask us not to interfere with how they try to save face..."
"The proposal really is worth considering so as not to lose the Rendilians' trust," Mon Mothma declared. "I don't think all of them are involved. Surely the conspiracy, if it exists, isn't as big as we think. Probably individuals or a small group of embedded agents that neither Rendili security nor our counterintelligence could identify."
"As I recall, to speed up the completion of repairs, the Rendilians brought in a large number of workers from outside their own staff," Han scratched the back of his head. "Agents could have been among them too. If there's one thing that's no problem for experienced Imperial intelligence officers, it's fooling standardized background check forms."
"It's also possible that Isard's 'sleeping agents' were activated," Leia suggested.
And everyone present felt somewhat sour and sad.
After all, she was the one they'd intended to capture.
"And Rendili StarDrive has no intention of building a replacement ship as compensation for the loss?" Bel Iblis asked, giving the Bothan a probing look.
"It's doubly strange that they're approaching you directly, Councilor," Mon Mothma added, "rather than the Provisional Council."
From the expression frozen on the Bothan's face, it became clear that these remarks had no answers in the arsenal Councilor Fey'lya possessed at this meeting.
But even Leia, who had almost no doubt that the Bothan had either before or after Isard's capture started working with the Imperials, didn't risk crossing the line into directly accusing Fey'lya of treason.
She wasn't about to make baseless accusations founded on what could barely be called even circumstantial evidence.
The fact of his capture and the deal with Isard that had led to even worse results were, of course, fairly weighty arguments.
But to launch a full investigation — it wasn't enough.
Nothing Fey'lya had done was enough to remove him from power.
Because the moment you voiced the reasons why the Bothan couldn't be trusted — questions would arise about everyone else.
About Bel Iblis, about herself, Han, the children, Luke, Calrissian...
About everyone who had been held captive by the Dominion and could have fallen victim to Isard's manipulations.
Not to mention that in such a situation, despite the case being heard in a closed tribunal session, they'd have to lay their cards on the table — cards the Provisional Council was trying with all its might to hide from the public.
So far, the New Republic had only indicated that the Lusankya had left Rendili, supplementing this half-truth with outright lies about a supposed secret mission the ship's crew was carrying out.
This was a necessary measure Leia didn't like, but she had heeded the advice of Karrde, Winter, and Calrissian.
Revealing the true state of affairs would break the New Republic's already fragile spine.
Which the enemies of democracy would immediately use to conquer more and more territory.
And Fey'lya knew this perfectly well.
The Bothans, more than anyone, knew how to sense which way the wind was blowing and understood under what circumstances their positions wouldn't be shaken.
And since toppling Fey'lya from his post would require sacrificing most of the Provisional Council, this would have to be forgotten.
The Bothan met the former princess's eyes and gave a sly smile.
He fidgeted for several minutes before Leia broke the silence.
"We can resolve the situation so that both we and the Rendilians are satisfied," Leia said.
She had lost this battle, of course, but she understood where to strike after the capitulation.
"I'd like to hear your proposal, Councilor Organa Solo," Mon Mothma spoke before the Bothan could say anything.
"Neither we nor the Rendilians want to publicize the discouraging conclusions that will inevitably follow the investigation," Leia said. "Rendili StarDrive wouldn't have approached Councilor Fey'lya with a request to ban public disclosure and proceedings."
"Those who don't feel guilty don't act this way," Bel Iblis grimaced.
"That's most likely exactly what they think," Han perked up. "If it turns out they had Imperial agents working for them, or they hired new workers who turned out to be such, Rendili's reputation will take a colossal hit."
"As will ours," the Bothan declared, "when it becomes known that we ourselves lured Thrawn — or whoever captured the ship — into a trap. From which he escaped, destroying one of our fleets, wiping out two-thirds of another, and snatching a Star Dreadnought to boot. Not to mention that quite high-ranking officers were taken prisoner..."
"We don't need the publicity either," Leia agreed. "So, I propose a compromise. Under our agreement with Rendili, they ensure the security of all New Republic ships at their shipyards during construction and repair phases. In effect, the Imperial attack repelled by the forces of our two patrol cruisers constitutes a failure to meet contractual obligations. Both we and Rendili understand that the Lusankya was most likely stolen by our enemies. For a change, it's worth believing Thrawn at least once and accepting, until proven otherwise, that he was the one who did it. And if that's the case, then Rendili StarDrive has lost a combat vessel of the New Republic Defense Forces."
"Forgive me, Councilor, but I don't understand where you're going with this," Bel Iblis said.
"Compensation," Leia explained.
A smirk appeared on Fey'lya's holographic face.
"You want to take money from the Rendilians in exchange for silence?" he asked, showing the tips of his snow-white fangs.
"Yes, that's exactly what I'm proposing," Leia said. "We invested enormous sums in the Lusankya — and now we've lost it due to the contractor's fault. In such a case, by law, even Imperial law, compensation is due."
"We were just discussing that a proceeding would benefit neither side," Fey'lya began.
"That's precisely why the Rendilians will agree to a deal," Mon Mothma declared decisively. "We'll set the compensation amount equal to the Lusankya's value. The sums spent on repairs will also be included in this line item."
"But that's billions," the Bothan waved his hands. "We'd take all their profit, and they'd clearly refuse to work with us in the future."
"Is that important?" Leia asked. "Let's admit that the Lusankya is most likely lost to us. Thrawn presumably has two Executor-class ships. Kaine has one. Consequently, we're in the minority. We've lost both the Lusankya and the Crimson Dawn. This might sound wrong, but why don't we build a similar ship ourselves?"
"And where?" Bel Iblis asked. "Our shipyards are known to the enemy. If his intelligence works, he'll instantly know where the ship is laid down. And with two Star Dreadnoughts, it won't be much trouble for him to attack..."
"That is precisely why I propose we hand over construction of the new ship to the Mon Calamari," Leia concluded. "Their sector is defended ten times better than any Imperial fortress world. A large fleet as defense forces... Such defenses are practically impossible to breach without catastrophic losses for an attacking fleet."
"Not to mention that the Mon Calamari are our long-time allies and are already busy building us starships to replace the old fleet," Bel Iblis added. "But the idea of building something akin to a Super Star Destroyer in the Corellian style... That might not be the best decision. Their new designs — the MC90 and the earlier MC80b — would serve us far better. And they can be built much more quickly."
"However, it's unlikely they could go toe-to-toe with multiple Executor-class ships," Han declared. "Especially if we assume Thrawn is upgrading not just the Victory-class and Imperial-class ships, but every vessel he has. In that case, the Lusankya and her sister ship would become something far more dangerous than what we've already faced."
"Your aspirations are admirable, Councilors," Borsk Fey'lya stated in a caustic tone, "but I must point out that you're spending money you don't actually have. Not to mention that the requested sum might not even exist within Rendili's own coffers."
A point not without merit.
Not to mention that building a ship capable of standing up to the Lusankya or any of her counterparts could take a considerable amount of time.
"My proposal serves only one purpose," Leia explained. "We cannot allow the Imperials — in whatever form they present themselves to us, be it Imperial Space, the Pentastar Alignment, the Dominion, or otherwise — to dominate this class of ship. Our parity and the truce became possible only because we had more ships. We could easily form battle groups to repel any invasion. The Imperials knew this and also feared that any offensive they attempted would end in defeat if we committed the Crimson Dawn and the Lusankya. Now our available forces are bloodied, and a string of defeats is turning us into a fairly easy target. If we had our own Super Star Destroyers, we could once again deter the enemy from attacking."
"That didn't stop Thrawn," Borsk Fey'lya stated. "On the contrary, I would say that our possession of ships in the 'Super Star Destroyer' and 'fast dreadnought' classes spurred him to launch a series of operations against us."
Han and Bel Iblis exchanged a glance, after which both Corellians fixed the Bothan with such an "earnest" look that Leia inwardly braced herself for what was coming.
Her husband wasn't even deterred by the fact that she was gripping his arm tightly.
"Be that as it may," Mon Mothma raised her hand, cutting short what was about to become a heated argument, "first we need to work out the matter of possible compensation with Rendili. But that doesn't mean we should simply abandon the search for the Lusankya. As long as there remains even one chance that the ship hasn't fallen into our enemies' hands, we are obligated to keep looking."
"My people will continue the search," Bel Iblis assured her, and Leia knew a Corellian's word was unbreakable. "However, I'd like to raise a matter that still concerns us. Apologies, General Solo," he looked at Han, "but this is for Provisional Council members only."
"No offense taken," Han assured him. "I've been getting a bit too involved in your discussions lately anyway. I've already finished my portion of the report."
Leia watched her husband leave the room with a grateful look.
Han, though an impulsive man, was understanding and knew when to leave her alone with her work.
It was one of his many facets, the very reason she had fallen in love with him.
After the door closed behind Han, only four of them remained.
"The destruction of a dozen and a half Star Destroyers from Imperial Space will allow us to calm the population for a time," Mon Mothma began.
"Admiral Duplex demonstrated to the Imperials that we are capable of fighting," Bel Iblis continued. "But eleven destroyers fled the battlefield, and the intervention of the Red Star squadron derailed the plan's execution in that regard as well."
"As I understand it, this victory came at a heavy cost?" Leia inquired.
"I wouldn't call it a victory," Fey'lya stated. "The rout of a small group of Star Destroyers is certainly a success for our valiant armed forces, but it's not a victory. We merely bought time by calming the civilians. Of course, if you can call it calming, given Thrawn's latest vid, in which he exposed the destruction of Rogue Squadron, the defeat of the operation to capture him, the annihilation of General Antilles's fleet, and the latter's capture... It's a good thing Thrawn didn't inform the galaxy that we offered to trade the Lusankya for the Jedi Skywalker. Considering how widely our plans to use that ship were publicized, a single footage from a Super Star Destroyer's bridge would have been enough to spark unrest and start losing sectors."
"And that's strange," Leia stated. "Thrawn has never before sought to conceal his achievements. If he captured the Lusankya, why isn't he announcing it?"
"Perhaps the ship simply hasn't reached him yet," Mon Mothma suggested.
"Or perhaps the Grand Admiral has no intention of informing the galaxy that the Lusankya has changed hands," Bel Iblis stated. "This is likely the next part of his plan."
"If so, what plan?" Mon Mothma asked.
"Perhaps he intends to assault Coruscant," Fey'lya suggested. "If he has two Super Star Destroyers, a fast dreadnought, and a considerable number of other ships, he could easily capture the capital and hold it for as long as he needs."
"I don't think his target is Coruscant," Bel Iblis countered. "I firmly believe he will attack Sluis Van and Sullust, where we've concentrated all the ships captured from the Empire that were previously used for cargo transport. It's such a tempting target that he won't be able to resist the temptation — a single strike to capture a large number of starships he desperately needs. Slowly, but surely, we're wearing down his fleet. Not as much as we'd like, admittedly, but still. He's losing heavy cruisers and has no source of new ones — which is why he's been capturing captured Imperial ships from us, ships his crews and technicians are familiar with."
"He also didn't disdain Mon Calamari ships," the Bothan reminded.
"Yes, and he's stopped doing that," Mon Mothma noted reasonably. "At Brentaal IV, his forces could have easily captured three to five MC80s, but the Grand Admiral's subordinates didn't board them."
"That's probably because eleven Imperial Star Destroyers defected to their side," Bel Iblis suggested. "However, whether that's the case or not, I'm already preparing a trap for him at Sluis Van."
"Are you certain that planet will be the one attacked?" Skepticism was evident in the Bothan's voice. "There are also Imperial ships at Sullust — in a more ready state than those at Sluis Van."
"Yes, but the slips at Sluis Van house Star Destroyers, heavy cruisers, Interdictor cruisers, and other large vessels in our possession," Bel Iblis stated. "While Sullust holds light cruisers, Clone Wars veterans, corvettes, frigates, and other support ships. Thrawn is losing line starships — there's no point in increasing his light forces when he has to fight star cruisers. No, his target is Sluis Van."
"He could have deliberately misled us to draw our ships away from his real objective," Fey'lya noted.
"That's precisely why I've prepared a hot reception for him," the Corellian smirked. "But I'd like to discuss something else. Lianna."
"Are you serious, General?" Fey'lya asked in surprise. "After all the losses we've suffered, you intend to attack that planet, which is defended almost as well as Coruscant?"
"Yes, I do," Bel Iblis stated. "And I would have done it sooner if Thrawn hadn't been muddying the waters. Or do I need to remind you, Councilor, that the future of the New Republic depends on our successes? The battle at Brentaal IV will occupy our citizens' minds for a day, two, maybe five, but we need an unconditional victory. The enemy's capitulation. Our ships are still blockading the planet's shipping. We know who will come to Lianna's aid and in what numbers. Crush the primary supplier of TIE-series starfighters for the Empire, and we cripple their defensive capabilities. With every battle, their small craft will dwindle."
"I disagree with your reasoning, General," the Bothan stated. "Admiral Duplex's report shows that both the Imperials and the Dominion used Xg-1 gunboats against him. Gunboats that, incidentally, have not been mass-produced by Cygnus for a long time. Where did they get those ships? Are they building them or buying them? Is Lianna as important to Thrawn and the other Remnants as we think?"
"Lianna is an important industrial world in its own right," Mon Mothma stated. "Furthermore, Lady Santhe has allowed herself to violate our contracts and is accusing us of privateering."
"Speaking of which — she's not the only one," Fey'lya sneered. "Grand Moff Kaine is also reporting that we are supposedly operating in the rear of his supply lines."
"Another of Thrawn's tricks," Leia stated. "We've already concluded that he's using ships previously captured from us for disinformation. Therefore — isn't it obvious that Lianna is his victim, not his accomplice?"
"Are you suggesting the Pentastar Alignment is also a victim?" Bel Iblis asked. "I doubt that. Kaine is many things, but a fool he is not. If someone were stealing his supplies, destroying search parties under his nose, and attacking Ubiqtorate bases, he would have attacked us long ago. But he hasn't. So I'm leaning towards the view that this is nothing more than a staged performance. Most likely, Kaine and Lady Santhe are supplying Thrawn with equipment this way. Meanwhile, they're shifting the blame onto us, using this propaganda to turn their own populations against us and to blacken our name in the eyes of the public."
"Let's say that's true," Borsk Fey'lya narrowed his eyes. "But what are you proposing then, General?"
"An attack," Bel Iblis stated confidently. "We'll take control of Lianna while Thrawn licks his wounds. After the current battles, he'll need at least two weeks to repair his ships. He'll use that time for his own purposes, and we'll use it for ours."
"I cannot agree to this," Leia stated. The holograms of the other three councilors looked at her with interest. "Don't forget, we are fighting someone who essentially used Prince-Admiral Krennel to force us to attack the Ciutric Hegemony, thereby painting us as the aggressors. Imagine for a moment that Lady Santhe genuinely does not support him — either openly or directly. Why can't we accept the possibility that Thrawn is deliberately setting us up as aggressors against Lianna to pull the same trick on us that he did with Krennel? We'll think Santhe and Thrawn are allies, and attack Lianna. It turns out Thrawn has been manipulating us all along, waiting for us to crush Lianna's defenses ourselves. Then he swoops in at the last moment with his ships and destroys our fleet. We become the aggressors again, and he's clean. Correct me if I'm wrong, but does he even need to fully repair his ships if our fleet is heavily damaged after fighting Lianna's defense forces? Especially considering that aid will undoubtedly come to Lianna from the nearest Remnants?"
The three councilors fell silent for a few seconds, pondering the woman's words.
Leia was no expert in military art, but she understood a simple thing — the Force was telling her she was right.
And after all, Thrawn had already used this trick on them once.
And they'd fallen for it.
He had built his career on the tactics of ambush, provocation, disinformation, and manipulating the enemy.
Therefore, the former princess believed the Grand Admiral would act exactly this way.
"It's logical, isn't it?" she said. "We know Thrawn wanted Lianna's orbital factories. Lady Santhe refused him. So he surrounded her with our alleged ambushes, ruining our relations with Lianna and breaking our contracts. Simultaneously, he inflicts defeats on us, and we start to feel a shortage of small craft. We turn to Santhe. Out of desperation, we're forced to attack her to secure production of small craft. And Thrawn attacks our ships at the very moment we're busy smashing Lianna's defenses. He told Lady Santhe himself that when she begged him for protection, he would come to destroy the threat — but would take whatever he wished..."
"But in that case, Thrawn has around fifty Imperial-class Star Destroyers alone to face the fleet we can move against Lianna," General Bel Iblis stated. "Because, by our calculations, he brought every Star Destroyer he had to Brentaal and Sarapin — even the upgraded ones, which would have been better held back for an attack on Sluis Van. He can't just conjure ships from thin air, steal them, or seize them from someone..."
A cold chill ran down Leia's spine.
She recalled Lady Santhe's words with sufficient clarity.
"Oh, no," she groaned.
"Leia, has something happened?" asked Mon Mothma, puzzled by her reaction. "Are you overworked from Sluis Van? Or are you perhaps unwell?"
The Sluissi, watching irritably as Thrawn struck the New Republic, had already told Leia in no uncertain terms that they doubted the New Republic's ability to protect them.
Since Coruscant had been using their shipyards for military purposes, Thrawn had clearly chosen them as legitimate targets and pointed this out without hesitation.
The potential costs of rebuilding and other consequences of the Grand Admiral's strikes on their orbital industry had made many Sluissi seriously consider whether continuing to cooperate with the New Republic was worthwhile.
And, more sadly, they weren't the only ones.
Sullust, though to a lesser extent, was also thinking along the same lines.
And the longer the conflict with the Dominion dragged on, the more effort Leia had to expend to keep the allies from throwing in the towel and declaring their independence.
Perhaps the Grand Admiral wasn't destroying hundreds of New Republic ships at once, nor conquering dozens of its planets in a single day, but he was achieving what many could not.
He was outplaying his opponent on an ideological level.
"No," she said hoarsely. "I'm fine. I understand why Thrawn didn't announce his capture of the Lusankya. And also why he absolutely doesn't need Star Destroyers to get what he wants on Lianna. The Force told me..."
"Oh, these wonderful Jedi insights," Fey'lya said with a mocking snicker, but Bel Iblis and Mon Mothma took her words very seriously.
"Lady Santhe told me that during her meeting with Thrawn, he said her refusal to sell him the orbital assembly facility would have consequences," Councilor Organa-Solo stated. "In his words, when the New Republic attacked Lianna with a fleet led by the Lusankya, she herself would turn to him for help."
"And he would get everything he desired from her," Mon Mothma noted. "We know that. But we don't have the Lusankya..."
Bel Iblis's hologram went pale.
"But 'Thrawn' does. Along with dozens of our star cruisers. With which he will simulate an attack on Lianna with his own forces. Then he'll arrive and 'drive the New Republic away.' I'm sure that by then, only ruins will remain in orbit where the defense systems once stood. And no one will be able to prevent the Grand Admiral from taking whatever he wishes."
Leia felt her fingertips go numb.
All the secrets of the company founded by the Sienar and Santhe families, now in the hands of a single Grand Admiral who had even found effective use for outdated Star Destroyers.
If Thrawn got what he wanted on Lianna, the New Republic would face a slaughter.
* * *
When the second — and evidently the last — visitor to the interrogation cell entered, the double of Isard did not react in the slightest to the appearance of the red-haired woman in the form-fitting combat suit.
Though they had never met in person, the original had known perfectly well (to the best of her ability) who this was and how dangerous she was.
"I should have guessed that Grand Admiral Thrawn would attract a fair number of talented individuals to work for him," Iceheart's double said in a neutral tone, leaning back in her chair.
Dressed in a red admiral's tunic with no insignia, the woman crossed her legs, then folded her arms over her chest, watching with interest to see what her uninvited interlocutor intended to do.
Calling her a "guest" hardly seemed appropriate.
"The same could be said of you," Mara Jade's voice carried a challenge, a provocation.
"It was my wish to swear allegiance to the Grand Admiral and the Dominion."
"Just like that? Of your own free will, with no ulterior motives, no grand plan to deceive everyone and come out on top yourself?" A thin, red eyebrow arched.
"Believe it or not," the Isard double replied calmly. "It's not every day you learn you're a clone of one of the most bloodthirsty beings in the galaxy and that no matter where you go, there will always be some vigilante out to finish what the original couldn't." Ysanne reflexively touched the scar on her face.
"Did Isard try to kill you?" Jade asked incredulously.
"There's hardly a sentient in the galaxy who could confidently say that the Iceheart hasn't tried to hunt them," the Iceheart double replied philosophically.
"Considering she even hunts herself," Mara Jade smirked. "You know Thrawn captured her, right?"
"I think you're overestimating my importance in the Dominion," the clone stated. "I work with strictly defined tasks. I'm not kept informed of the latest news. But thank you for telling me. I'm glad."
"Really?" the redhead looked at her interlocutor skeptically. "I think you must understand what they'll do to her."
"Oh, I have a pretty good idea," the woman laughed unexpectedly. "I'd pay a tidy sum to see how Shohashi deals with her."
"I doubt he'd remain impartial if he saw two Isards at once," Jade snorted.
"Oh, not at all," the Iceheart double assured her. "He'd kill us both. Just like anyone else who ever suffered at Isard's hands. In such a situation, it's pointless to try to establish cause and effect. The truth is always somewhere nearby, but inaccessible to most."
For a while, both women sat in silence, deliberately averting their gazes, pretending that the standard cell's interior was so captivating that they were literally devouring it with their eyes.
One didn't need to be a Jedi to sense the awkwardness that had seized them both.
They sat like that for about five minutes before the Isard double broke the silence:
"You do realize that if we don't do what we're locked in here for, we're just wasting time?"
"I'm slightly younger than your original, but certainly not dumber," Mara Jade bared her teeth in a strained smile.
"I can see that," Ysanne responded calmly to the rebuke. "I propose we settle a few things. I am a clone. I'm no more than three years old. I didn't choose to come into existence. I didn't choose my appearance, my memories, or how I should live. Isard made those choices for me. I have her memories. I harbor no emotions toward you — neither negative nor positive. I know what you went through when Isard's operatives captured you and broke you in the dungeons of the Imperial Palace. But I won't apologize for her actions or ask for forgiveness. I am not her. I have no debts to you, and I have nothing to apologize for. I have no negative feelings toward you."
"Convenient logic," Jade snorted, shooting an interested look at the young woman sitting across from her. "'It wasn't me, it was the original.' May I ask a purely personal question?"
"Why ask?" the clone grimaced. "Just ask it. If I don't think it warrants an answer, you'll be the first to know."
Jade glanced at the left wall of the cell.
Shiny, with a mirrored reflection, it clearly revealed itself as a one-way mirror, so one didn't need to be a Jedi to understand they were being watched.
Mara concentrated, shifting her Force focus from the Iceheart double to the space beyond the wall.
But, quite predictably, she discovered that despite the abundance of life forms around, there was exactly no one in the observation room itself.
However, it didn't escape the young woman's notice that the Iceheart double's fingers were forming a specific pattern.
Don't be fooled. Upper right corner.
That was the message the clone had conveyed to her using Stormtrooper Corps hand signals.
At her interlocutor's prompting, Mara almost immediately spotted a tiny holocam lens in the indicated location behind the Isard sitting opposite her.
Well, that made sense.
Thrawn hadn't sunk to spying on them through a one-way mirror — he was in an observation room several decks higher, enjoying the camera feed.
The red-haired vixen didn't believe there were no surveillance devices behind her either.
"You're younger than the original," Jade stated. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but at the time of your creation, you should have perfectly matched the Iceheart's appearance. And aged much faster..."
"Those questions aren't for me," the clone stated. "Before Devian nearly killed me, my appearance was as ordinary as can be. Maybe they tested some drug on me that slightly slowed the aging. That would be logical, given the Grand Admiral's cloning lab. I'm sure the data on partial aging deceleration came as part of the package."
No one asked my opinion about rejuvenation.
"Fine," Mara replied. "Let's get back to the main question of this meeting. Why are you here?"
"An incorrect question," Isard declared. "I am here because the guardsmen brought me here."
"Fine," Jade said through clenched teeth with a strained smile. "Isard couldn't have created you with free will. You must obviously be programmed — like all clones. It's unlikely that your program is to help the Grand Admiral in his endeavors."
"I was created as a backup plan to save Iceheart herself, and activated for the sole purpose of guarding the prisoners of the Lusankya, whom the real Isard had hidden away before she was defeated at Thyferra," the clone explained. "Fighting the program is quite difficult, but I manage."
With these words, the woman, without any warning, began unbuttoning her tunic.
"I think a personal inspection isn't necessary," Mara said awkwardly, looking away as the clone opened the upper part of her crimson tunic.
"Don't flatter yourself," the Isard copy advised her, showing a small medallion. "This is a gift from Grand Admiral Thrawn. Inside is a crystal. Which kind exactly — I haven't figured out yet, but it positively affects my psychological stability and concentration of thoughts. Through observation, I've noticed that while I wear it, thoughts about the program don't visit me as often as before."
"Oh, really," Mara shrugged, experiencing, to her great and unconcealed surprise, a pang of jealousy. "You must be a valuable employee, if they give you Jedi crystals."
She felt a tiny, impersonal aura of the Force emanating from the medallion. So insignificant that it was lost against the general emotional background of the Sub-Iceheart. Which was already like a block of ice.
"This helps with work," the Isard copy declared, closing her tunic. "Besides, you're not one to talk about gifts. On your belt hangs a lightsaber of a fairly well-known design. I won't be wrong if I assume it belonged to Master Windu of the Jedi Order."
"You have a good memory," Jade praised. "Yes, the Grand Admiral gave it to me because my previous one was... lost."
"I use the memories of the original," the clone reminded. "However, these are conversations about nothing."
I wouldn't say that, Mara thought, not interrupting her observation of the interlocutor's emotions in the Force for a second.
And the results did not please her.
This woman was calm, confident, and for some reason did not want to betray.
"Fine, let's return to the interrogation," Jade agreed. "Are you helping Thrawn of your own free will?"
"Yes," she answered. "Same as you. He knows how to find the right motivations for recruitment. Now my question. Is your role with him the same as before?"
"That is, am I the Hand, as I was under Palpatine?" the red-haired girl clarified.
"If you have other roles with Thrawn, you can be frank," from the slight fluctuation in emotions, Mara understood that this point interested the interlocutor quite strongly.
Interesting, why would that be?
"I don't intend to," she went on the provocation not without inner pleasure. "I am conducting this interrogation."
"Don't take on more than you are," Isard advised. "This is a mutual interrogation, if you haven't realized yet. I am evaluating you, you are evaluating me. I assume that from the outside, they are evaluating both of us."
Don't you doubt it, Mara replied using the same sign language.
Isard did not react, but her fingers also moved.
Stop playing games. Time is short — each of us has plenty of work.
"What is your role with Thrawn?" Jade asked, not intending to simplify the dialogue. "The same as with Palpatine?"
Provocation was her style, and she had no intention of deviating from it.
Especially with the clone of Iceheart.
Who acts as if she is the mistress here.
"I understand where you're going with this," Mara smiled inwardly when she noted the irritation in the clone's emotions. And this negativity with a personal tinge. So she wasn't as hardened as the original. "I am a simple agent. An analyst. I am given a task — I carry it out."
"And that's it?" Mara raised an eyebrow. "What about personal motives?"
"I am loyal to Thrawn and work for him," the clone's voice took on a durasteel edge. "I am quite satisfied with my position and the trust placed in me."
"Similar to what the real Isard had under Palpatine," Jade smiled, feeling some inner satisfaction that the woman sitting across from her was getting annoyed. "You know, there were persistent rumors that a certain kind of relationship existed between those two. And that the Lusankya was given to Iceheart not for exemplary work. And now I find out that the Grand Admiral intends to give you that trophy..."
"Enough with the hints," the clone advised, and Mara felt that she was starting to calm down. "I have Isard's memory, and I understand what you're talking about. No, if the Lusankya does come into my use, it will be dictated solely by operational necessity. No personal motives."
But she was clearly lying about the last part.
"You know, the Grand Admiral has three such ships," Mara continued in an oily voice. "One for you, one, as I understand, he will take for himself. And the second... promised to me."
The clone was silent, boring her eyes into the girl.
"So, you can stop thinking you're special," Jade advised with a smile. "Since Thrawn has placed us under the same conditions and the reward is the same, there's only one conclusion. We are equally useful to him. The only difference is that he recruited me deliberately, while you just sort of tagged along by chance..."
Isard stared at her for a few seconds, giving Mara endless pleasure from the cocktail of negative emotions emanating from the Sub-Iceheart.
It smelled of the Dark Side, of course, but since when do women draw the line when dealing with those of their own gender who behave deliberately provocatively.
Mara stopped herself.
Deliberately.
Provocatively.
They.
Behave.
The feeling of joy evaporated so quickly, as if a decompression had occurred in her emotional field.
But the Isard copy smiled unabashedly.
Politely, correctly, without malice.
"Well, well, well," she said, watching as Mara chewed her lower lip. "Interesting, interesting."
"I don't know what you've imagined, but it's not what you think," Jade declared.
"Oh, denial," the Sub-Iceheart stated. "A predictable reaction."
"Shut up," Jade hissed. "I don't know what you thought, but it's clearly the delusion of a mentally defective clone."
"Then why are you yourself upset about it?" Isard asked her. "My thoughts are my thoughts. No one can limit them."
"Don't play with me, Isard, and don't even try to think that you've figured me out in any way," Jade advised. "The Force has many ways to turn your brains to mush. I doubt you want to spend the rest of your days drooling and staring at a turned-off holovision."
"Whatever you say," Isard smiled again.
Mara felt dismay, seeing how triumphant the Sub-Iceheart looked at that moment.
It will be interesting with you, she transmitted the message in sign language.
Go to a Sith! Mara replied to her.
"Well," the Isard copy said as if drawing a line. "I have drawn my conclusions about you. Do you still need time for my evaluation?"
"No," Mara said hollowly.
"You are satisfactory," the women said simultaneously, without prior agreement.
Each of them had their own motives and judgments for saying this.
But the answers matched.
Though this did not bring even the slightest smile to either of them.
"It was nice to chat, Hand of Thrawn," said the Sub-Iceheart, rising from the table. "My opinion is that you are a professional whose work will benefit the Dominion."
"I can't say the same," Mara declared. "We probably have enough agents to keep alive someone who looks like the most disgusting woman in the entire universe."
The clone simply ignored her jab.
"I consider the conversation to have been constructive," the interlocutor didn't bat an eye. "I am sure that in the future, communication of this kind will benefit us both. Exchanging experience and points of view is useful in operational work. However, I do not insist on it. Good luck in your work."
"May you fall into a smelting pot," Mara smiled strainedly, leaving the interrogation room.
* * *
In the silence of the compartment, temporarily being used as an observation post, there was a sparse but polite applause.
"Bravo, Grand Admiral," said a woman in an orange prisoner jumpsuit.
Her hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail at the nape of her neck, and her mismatched eyes gleamed with mockery.
"Truly, there is no worse enemy for a genius than himself," continued Iceheart. "To pit two operatives against each other so that they evaluate one another, letting them understand that they are both important to you, but at the same time placing the one they both hate as their evaluator... That is so masculine. But I won't say it's not inventive. Worthy of applause."
The prisoner clapped her hands for a few more seconds.
"Now I'm even curious what you will do with this," Isard asked with a polite smile on her face.
In the light streaming from the holo-screen, in the room with the overhead lights turned off, the woman looked particularly grim.
"You won't need that knowledge anyway," I stated.
"On the contrary," the real Isard assured me. "I don't know if you noticed, but they are both personally loyal to you. All that talk about the Dominion and the rest is nothing but chaff. Perhaps it was so initially, but not now. And by promising each of them an identical ship, you just communicated to two female nexu that they are equal in your eyes. The rest... I think it's not worth commenting on here."
"Indeed," I agreed, looking at the woman. "It is not. Especially in your position."
"You won't execute me, Thrawn," Isard smirked. "I know too much of what you would like to know. So, let's talk about what the conditions of my confinement will be. As I recall, you have three Executors, don't you? Two you've already given away... By the way, I appreciated the generosity of the gesture. Palpatine managed to give such a ship to only one of the women close to him. However, I could tell you right now what the fate of one of these star superdestroyers will be, but... In any case, I am willing to be on the third and even help you, providing information."
"A decent offer," I agreed, making a surreptitious beckoning gesture with my hand.
The light from the holovision illuminated me well, so the one who was watching from the darkness understood me correctly.
"But I must decline," I said. "I don't need you alive."
"Surely you think the clone will help you, but that's not the case," Isard assured me. "She doesn't know much of what I know after Thyferra. And that is very valuable information..."
"My specialists will figure it out," I said. "The data from your mnemo-copying will soon be processed..."
The smile disappeared from Isard's face.
"You copied me while I was wounded," she understood.
"Yes," I confirmed. "You don't need to be a prophet to understand that you would bargain for your life. But the problem is that it no longer belongs to you."
"That's precisely why I'm offering mutually beneficial cooperation..."
"I'm sorry, but I must refuse," I declared, getting up from the chair and straightening my tunic. "Your fate is beyond my competence."
"What the...?" Isard frowned, but immediately was knocked off her chair by a powerful right hook.
Finding herself on the floor, the woman jumped up, assuming a combat stance, looking around.
The light panels began to flood with brightness, dispelling the darkness...
The first thing she saw was a pair of guardsmen standing by the door, which I was approaching accompanied by Rukh.
But she was clearly interested in another figure — in a naval officer's uniform.
"Good day, Director," Commodore Shohashi said in a calm tone, shooting Iceheart in both legs.
The woman collapsed to the floor, after which Eric kicked her in the face, knocking her onto her back, and with shots rendered her arms useless.
After that, the man walked over to a small anti-grav cart, placed his blaster on it, and slowly took a folded sealed suit from the top panel, the kind medics use when working with dangerous diseases.
Light but durable, it protected against many things.
But in Shohashi's case — from anything that could spoil his uniform.
Taking off his tunic and donning the snow-white suit, the man pulled out a cleaver with a heavy half-meter blade and a massive kitchen meat tenderizer from the cart's compartment.
Then he took a step toward the helpless Isard.
"When he finishes, collect biological samples," I ordered the guardsmen.
"It will be done, Grand Admiral," the senior guardsman of the detail replied.
I left the shower stall that housed our little performance, accompanied by sounds that testified that Shohashi had not gotten his nickname for nothing.
I frankly do not envy Baron Fel.