Doriana sighed. Unfortunately, he had already reached that same conclusion. Mitth’raw’nuruodo had come into contact with Car’das and his shipmates, and he might easily touch the edge of the Republic again. Until all the witnesses to Darth Sidious’s betrayal of Outbound Flight had been silenced, the mission would not be complete. “Regardless, for the moment we still need him alive,” he said. “How have you arranged for us to reach this second programming level?”
“I will have a relay control,” Kav said. “Once Mitthrawdo’s failure is apparent, I will bring the starfighters back under my control, and will complete our mission.” He cocked his head. “Unless you have further objections?”
Doriana shook his head. “Though we’ll have to make sure we’re on his bridge when the battle begins.”
“I leave that to you,” Kav said. “He is a fool in other areas, as well. Did you know he has taken twenty of my starfighters and linked them together by twos with a spare fueltank between them?”
“What good does that do?” Doriana asked, frowning.
“Those starfighters run on solid-fuel slugs.”
“I imagine he was inspired by Outbound Flight’s design.”
Kav said contemptuously. “He is probably regretful that his tanks are too small to fit six starfighters around each.”
“You’re sure they’re fuel tanks?”
“What else could they be?” Kav countered, getting to his feet. “A pleasant evening to you, Commander.”
The Neimoidian walked away, and Doriana returned to his meal. Somehow, the food didn’t taste as good as it had five minutes earlier.
“There,” Captain Pakmillu said, pointing a flippered hand at the planet visible through D-1’s bridge viewports.
“Roxuli, our last stop in known space. From this point on, we enter territory never before seen throughout all the ages of Republic star travel.”
“It’s indeed a historic moment,” Obi-Wan agreed.
“With your permission, Captain, I’d like to send a signal to Coruscant through Roxuli’s HoloNet connection.”
“Certainly,” Pakmillu said, gesturing aft. “The secure comm room will be at your disposal as soon as our guest is finished.”
Obi-Wan frowned. Less than an hour since Outbound Flight had made orbit, and already they had a guest? “One of the local officials?”
“Hardly,” Pakmillu said drily, his eyes swiveling toward the aft blast doors. “Ah.”
Obi-Wan turned, and felt his mouth drop open. Localofficial, nothing. Their visitor was none other than Supreme Chancellor Palpatine himself.
“Master Kenobi,” Palpatine called as he crossed the bridge toward them. “Just the man I need.”
“This is an unexpected honor, Chancellor Palpatine,”
Obi-Wan said, scrambling to find his voice. “May I ask what brings you to this edge of the Republic?”
“The same thing that moves all of us across the stars these days,” Palpatine replied with a wan smile. “Politics, of course. In this case, trouble between the Roxuli central government and the system’s asteroid mining colonies.”
“It must be serious if you had to come out personally,”
Obi-Wan commented.
“Actually, they don’t want me at all,” Palpatine said drily. “All they want from me is to obtain for them the services of the hero of the Barlok negotiations, Master Jorus C’baoth himself.”
Obi-Wan looked at Pakmillu. “I’m not sure Master C’baoth will be interested in the job,” he warned Palpatine.
“As a matter or fact, he isn’t,” the Supreme Chancellor confirmed. “I’ve already spoken with him, and he flatly refuses to leave Outbound Flight.”
“We could delay our departure until his negotiations have finished,” Pakmillu offered. “There’s no reason we couldn’t spend a few days here.”
“No, I’ve already suggested that option,” Palpatine said, shaking his head. “He will not change Outbound Flight’s schedule. Or leave Outbound Flight at all, for that matter.” He looked back at Obi-Wan. “But there is another alternative.
Perhaps you would be willing to mediate in his place.”
Obi-Wan blinked in surprise. “With all due respect, Chancellor Palpatine, I don’t think that’s a substitution thatwould satisfy them.”
“On the contrary,” Palpatine said. “I’ve just spoken with them, and they would be most gratified if you would lend your assistance.” He smiled again. “After all, there were other heroes at Barlok besides Master C’baoth.”
Obi-Wan grimaced. Under other circumstances, he would have been only too happy to help out. But with all that was happening aboard Outbound Flight, he’d decided to ask the Council for permission to extend his tour. Now, suddenly, that decision was being cut out from under him.
Because if C’baoth wasn’t willing to postpone Outbound Flight’s departure for himself, he certainly wouldn’t do so for Obi-Wan. If he and Anakin left now, they wouldn’t be getting back aboard. “How serious is this problem?” he asked.
“Serious enough,” Palpatine said, the lines in his face deepening as his small attempt at levity faded away. “If violence erupts, vital ore shipments to half the systems in this sector will be cut off. Depending on how much damage the mines sustain, the scarcity could last for years.”
“I’d have to consult the Council,” Obi-Wan pointed out.
“With time becoming critical, I’ve already taken the liberty of doing so,” Palpatine said. “Master Yoda has given his permission for you to leave Outbound Flight here instead of continuing on.”
And even with it couched in terms of permission, Obi-Wan nevertheless knew an order when he heard one. “Very well,” he said with a sigh. “I presume I’ll be bringing my Padawan, as well?”
“You can hardly let him go running off to the next galaxy without you,” Palpatine agreed, the lines smoothing out a bit, and Obi-Wan could sense his relief. “I’ll take the two of you down in my ship. After that, I’m afraid I must return to Coruscant, but I’ll leave one of my guard and his escort ship to bring you back when you’re finished.”
“Thank you,” Obi-Wan said, wondering briefly if he and Anakin should instead take the Delta-12 Skysprite that Windu had set up for them in D-3’s hangar. But it would take time to activate and prep, and time seemed to be of the essence here. Besides, one of Palpatine’s escort ships would undoubtedly be more spacious and comfortable, even if it did mean putting up with one of those humorless men Palpatine always seemed to be hiring as his guards these days. “I’ll have Anakin start packing. We’ll be ready to go within the hour.”
“Thank you, Master Kenobi,” Palpatine said, his voice low and earnest. “You may never know how much this means to me.”
“My pleasure, Chancellor,” Obi-Wan said, feeling a twinge of regret as he pulled out his comlink. “We Jedi live only to serve.”
“There it goes,” Anakin murmured as Palpatine’s shuttle dropped toward the hazy atmosphere of the planet below them.
Obi-Wan looked up, but where Outbound Flight had been there was no longer anything but empty space. “They have a schedule to keep,” he said.
“I suppose,” the boy said, and Obi-Wan could hear some of his own unhappiness echoed in the other’s voice. “I wish we could have gone a little farther with him.”
“Who, Captain Pakmillu?” Palpatine asked.
“No, Master C’baoth,” Anakin said. “He’s a really good leader—always seems to get things done. Cuts straight through the clutter and finds a way to make everyone do what’s best for them.”
“He does indeed have that gift,” Palpatine agreed.
“There are so few like him in these troubled times. Still, our loss is Outbound Flight’s gain.”
“I’m sure they’re pleased to have him aboard,”
Obi-Wan murmured.
“But he has his task before him, and we have ours,”
Palpatine continued, handing Obi-Wan a data card. “Here’s all I have on the Roxuli dispute. You’d best familiarize yourself with it before we land.”
“Thank you,” Obi-Wan said, taking the card and slipping it into his datapad. “No doubt the complainants themselves will provide any details you’ve missed.”
“No doubt,” Palpatine said drily. “Settle yourself in, Master Kenobi. It’s likely to be a very long and weary day.”
Ar’alani’s inspection group returned to Crustai from the Trade Federation battle site nearly two hours before Thrawn made it back from the inspection tour the admiral had sent him on. His report, not surprisingly, went quickly, and he was back with Car’das and Maris for a quick language session less than an hour later. If he realized something significant had happened in his absence, Car’das couldn’t find it in his face or voice.