about this puzzle ever since our world's destruction.'
He gave a full-body shrug. 'My own belief is that while the saboteurs were probably threatened or blackmailed into their action by Palpatine or his agents, there was something more personal involved. Some dark secret those particular Bothans held that they feared the Caamasi knew and might someday reveal.'
'But you don't know what that secret might be?'
Elegos shook his head. 'I don't. Others of the Remnant might have learned that memory, but if so are probably unaware of its significance.'
Leia frowned. 'Learned the memory?'
'There are certain unique qualities to Caamasi memories,' he told her. 'Someday, perhaps, I'll tell you about them.'
'Councilor?' Sakhisakh's voice cut in sharply over the intercom. 'Trouble ahead: twelve degrees by four.'
Leia looked out that direction. An Ishori war cruiser on the near edge of the swarm of ships seemed to be drifting toward a pair of much smaller Sif'krie skiffs. 'Looks like he's trying to get into a lower orbit,' she said.
'Unfortunately, that particular space is already occupied,' Elegos pointed out.
'Yes,' Leia agreed, frowning. Odd; despite the hopeless mismatch in size and firepower, the skiffs were nevertheless holding their ground...
And suddenly she saw why. Coming up fast on the skiffs' far side were a pair of Diamalan blockade carriers.
Elegos saw them, too. 'I believe,' he said, 'someone has decided to force the issue.' Leia glanced across the rest of the gathered ships. Others were starting to react to the imminent confrontation, starting to drift out of their confining orbital slots or opening fighter bay doors or rotating so as to better target the nearest of the opposition.
The Sif'krie skiffs were starting to waver now, clearly not eager to be at the center of a massive firefight. The Ishori, recognizing their hesitation, increased its speed toward them; in response, the two Diamala also picked up their pace, splitting formation into a flank/crossfire stance.
'They're going to run down those Sif'kries,' Elegos murmured. 'Or else the Diamala will open fire on the Ishori to prevent it. Either way, both sides will claim the other was the instigator.'
'And either way, the shooting starts,' Leia said tightly, running her fingers down the sensor data. New Republic ships—there had to be some New Republic ships out there somewhere. If one of them was close enough to intervene, or even get in between the Ishori and Diamala... But there were only three Corellian Corvettes carrying New Republic IDs, all on the far side of the pack of ships. No chance at all that they could get to the confrontation in time. Which meant it was up to her.
'Everyone hang on,' she called toward the intercom. Without waiting for a reply from the two Noghri, she turned the
The engines roared to life, the acceleration pushing Leia momentarily into her seat before the compensators could catch up. 'I trust you have a plan,' Elegos said calmly over the noise. 'Do bear in mind that your High Council authority will not likely be enough to stop them.'
'I wasn't even going to bring that up,' Leia said, glancing at the nav display and easing the helm yoke back just a bit. The
'Keep us on this course.'
'Understood,' Elegos's voice came distantly back to her as she sprinted down the tunnel and skidded past the exit hatchway toward the aft cargo bay bulkhead door. She stretched out to the control switch with the Force as she approached, sending the door sliding open—
'Councilor?' Barkhimkh's anxious voice called from the upper quad laser.
'Stay there,' Leia called to him as she ducked into the cargo bay and crossed to the starboard side of the ship. Through one more door, and she came at last to the access grill protecting the starboard power converters and ion flux stabilizer.
Han was going to kill her, but it was their only chance. Igniting her lightsaber, clenching her teeth, she jabbed the glowing blade into one of the power converters and dragged it across into the stabilizer.
And grabbed for a handhold as the
