'The war's still going on,' Bel Iblis reminded him.
'Yeah. Well ...'
'What does Fey'lya think ought to be done about it?' Lando spoke up. Bel Iblis's lip twitched. 'Oh, Fey'lya has some rather personal and highly unsurprising ideas about the reapportionment of power. But that's Bothans for you. Give them a sniff of the soup pot and they climb all over each other to be in charge of the ladle.'
'Especially when they can claim to have been valued allies of the winning side,' Lando said. 'Unlike others I could mention.' Sena stirred in her seat; but before she could say anything, Bel Iblis waved a hand at her. 'You're wondering why I didn't join the Alliance,' he said calmly. 'Why I chose instead to run my own private war against the Empire.'
'That's right,' Lando said, matching his tone. 'I am. Bel Iblis gave him a long, measuring look. 'I could give you several reasons why I felt it was better for us to remain independent,' he said at last. 'Security, for one. There was a great deal of communication going on between various units of the Alliance, with a correspondingly large potential for interception of that information by the Empire. For a while it seemed like every fifth Rebel base was being lost to the Imperials through sheer sloppiness in security.'
'We had some problems,' Han conceded. 'But they've been pretty well fixed.'
'Have they?' Bel Iblis countered. 'What about this information leak I understand you have right in the Imperial Palace?'
'Yeah, we know it's there,' Han said, feeling strangely like a kid who's been called on the carpet for not finishing his homework. 'We've got people looking into it.'
'They'd better do more than just look,' Bel Iblis warned. 'If our analysis of Imperial communique's is correct, this leak has its own name-Delta Source-and is furthermore reporting personally to the Grand Admiral.'
'Okay,' Lando said. 'Security. Let's hear some of the other reasons.'
'Ease off, Lando,' Han said, glaring across the table at his friend.
'This isn't a trial, or-'
He broke off at a gesture from Bel Iblis. 'Thank you, Solo, but I'm quite capable of defending my own actions,' the Senator said. 'And I'll be more than happy to do so ... when I feel the time is right for such a discussion.'
He looked at Lando, then at his watch. 'But right now, I have other duties to attend to. It's getting late, and I know you really haven't had time to relax since landing. Irenez has had your baggage taken to a vacant officers' efficiency back toward the landing pad. It's small, I'm afraid, but I trust you'll find it comfortable enough.' He stood up. 'Perhaps later over dinner we can continue this discussion.'
Han looked at Lando. Such convenient timing, the other's expression said; but he kept the thought to himself. 'Sounds fine,' Han told Bel Iblis for both of them.
'Good,' Bel Iblis smiled. 'I'll need Sena with me, but we'll point you in the direction of your quarters on our way out. Unless you'd rather I assign you a guide.'
'We can find it,' Han assured him.
'All right. Someone will come to get you for dinner. Until later, then.'
They walked in silence for probably half the distance to their quarters before Lando finally spoke. 'You want to go ahead and get it over with?'
'Get what over with?' Han growled.
'Chewing me out for not bowing and scraping in front of your pal the Senator,' Lando said. 'Do it and get it over with, because we have to talk.' Han kept his eyes straight ahead. 'You weren't just not bowing and scraping, pal,' he bit out. 'I've seen Chewie in a bad mood be more polite than you were back there.'
'You're right,' Lando acknowledged. 'You want to be mad a little longer, or are you ready to hear my reasons?'
'Oh, this should be interesting,' Han said sarcastically. 'You've got a good reason to be rude to a former Imperial Senator, huh?'
'He's not telling us the truth, Han,' Lando said earnestly. 'Not the whole truth, anyway.
'So?' Han said. 'Who says he has to tell strangers everything?'
