Vision of the future

Twenty seconds later she was back in the cockpit. 'Report?' she asked as she slid back into her seat.

'We've lost starboard maneuvering,' Elegos said. 'The engines appear to be trying to go into a feedback instability.' He glanced at her. 'I certainly hope this is part of your plan.'

'Trust me,' Leia assured him, trying to feel as confident as she sounded as she keyed the comm.

'Ishori cruiser, this is the freighter Millennium Falcon. We're in serious trouble and urgently request assistance.'

There was no answer. 'Ishori cruiser—'

'This is the Ishori War Cruiser Predominance,' an angry-sounding Ishori voice snarled from the speaker. 'Identify yourself.'

'This is New Republic High Councilor Leia Organa Solo aboard the freighter Millennium Falcon,' Leia said. 'We've lost maneuvering and power control in our starboard engines. Our current course has us passing too close to your hull. I need you to move immediately out of our path while we try to regain control.'

There was another long pause. Leia watched the warship looming ever nearer, uncomfortably aware that if the Ishori commander chose he could easily turn this whole thing to his own advantage. He had only to use her request as an excuse to speed up his drive toward the Sif'krie skiffs...

'I ask you to please hurry,' Leia said. A thought occurred to her, and she reached over to blur the fine-focus of her comm a bit. Just enough to let some of the other ships beyond the Ishori eavesdrop on the transmission... 'My passenger, Trustant Elegos A'kla, is attempting to effect repairs, but I'm afraid the equipment aboard is not within standard Caamasi technical expertise.' Without a word, Elegos unstrapped and got to his feet, disappearing out through the cockpit door. 'Ishori Cruiser Predominance, do you still copy?' Leia added. 'Repeating—'

'No need to repeat,' the voice snarled again. Leia felt automatic anger stirring in response to the tone, forced herself to remember that all the emotion in the Ishori voice meant there was some serious thinking going on. She shifted her eyes to the cruiser again and held her breath... And abruptly, the Ishori's advance toward the skiffs slowed, its stern rotating instead out of the Falcon's path. 'We stand ready to assist you and Trustant A'kla,' the Ishori bit out, his voice already sounding calmer. The thinking was over, and it was time for action. 'Lower your shields and prepare for acceleration impact,' he continued. 'We will attempt to lock a tractor beam onto you to slow your rush.'

'Thank you,' Leia said, keying off the shields. They didn't affect tractor beams all that much, but there was no point in making a tricky high-speed grab any harder than it already was. 'Once we're in your beam, we'll try a cold shutdown and see if we can bring this under control.'

'We stand ready to provide any assistance you and Trustant A'kla require,' the Ishori said.

'Stand ready...'

The Falcon jerked as the tractor beam caught it, wobbled a moment, then settled down as the lock firmed. Reaching across to the engine controls, Leia threw the shutdown switches. The engine whine ran down the scale and faded into silence. On the control board, indicators turned red; around her, the lights flickered once as battery power took over. 'We read successful shutdown,' the Ishori reported. 'If you wish, we will bring you aboard our ship to assist you in your repairs.'

For a moment Leia was tempted. Having a Caamasi aboard one of the most outspoken and confrontational species' ships might help stretch the peace out here. But on the other hand, it could also be misinterpreted as Elegos's tacit endorsement of the Ishori's anti-Bothan stance. 'Thank you again,' she told the alien. 'But we have an urgent appointment with President Gavrisom that we can't delay. If you could escort us over to the group of New Republic ships, we would very much appreciate it.'

'Of course,' the Ishori said with only the barest hesitation. The Diamala had reached the Sif'krie skiffs now, the four of them standing together in quiet defiance against any further action. The chance had been missed, and the Ishori knew it.

As did the rest of the armada. All around them, Leia saw, the other ships were starting to settle back into their taut, watchful waiting.

The flash point was safely past. Or at least, this flash point was.

She keyed off the comm. 'You're really taking a beating this trip, aren't you,' she murmured, patting the Falcon's control board sympathetically. 'I'm sorry.' The door behind her slid open. 'I see it worked,' Elegos said, slipping into the copilot seat again.

'You have a fine and unique gift of diplomacy, Councilor.'

'And sometimes I'm just lucky,' Leia said.

Elegos lifted his eyebrows. 'I thought Jedi didn't believe in luck.'