Chapitre 39: Intermediate results (II)
Han glanced into the room, noticing his wife gazing silently at the deck, her eyes fixed but not truly seeing the text in front of her.
Leia stared at the screen, her eyes almost unblinking, as she absently stroked her stomach. There was a tension in her posture, more intense than usual, a telltale sign she had just returned from a meeting with the Provisional Council.
"Did something happen, sweetheart?" Han asked gently. Leia blinked as if waking from a trance. "You seem tense."
"Yes," she attempted a reassuring smile. "Just a little tired."
"You know you can't fool me with those aristocratic tricks," Han sighed, moving closer and sitting beside her. He casually took the deck from her hands to set it aside, pulling her into an embrace, but his eyes inadvertently caught a glimpse of the text.
"Is this for real?" he asked in disbelief. "Has the sector fleet been destroyed?"
"Not entirely," Leia replied, her expression somber. "One Mon Calamari star cruiser managed to jump to hyperspace, but most of the battle forces at Sluis Van have long since been converted into cargo ships. The Imperials seized the opportunity and launched an attack."
"Eight systems simultaneously?" Han muttered, ignoring the classified stamp on the upper right of the document as he read further.
"Nine," Leia corrected. "When the fleet arrived from Christophsis, they sent ships to all known systems. In the F'Dann system, two Imperial Star Destroyers weren't chasing traders; they were capturing asteroids."
"How do we know this?" Han asked, frowning.
"A merchant who waited for them in the asteroid belt reported it all to General Cracken from Intelligence," she explained.
"A simple merchant can reach our top intelligence officer?" Han doubted.
"He's not just a merchant," Leia sighed. "He's a smuggler and information broker named—"
"Don't say it," Han interrupted with his signature grin. "Let me guess. Talon Karrde?"
"Yes," Leia nodded slowly. "Do you know him?"
"Remember when I flew out to negotiate with smugglers?" Han reminded her. "That's when his name came up. He supposedly took over after you tightened the noose around Jabba's neck."
"Please don't remind me," Leia winced. "It still makes me sick."
"Well, I don't know," Han teased. "You looked pretty amazing in that outfit..."
"We have sector-wide problems, and you're back to your jokes," Leia sighed, though a smile tugged at her lips. "I'm being sent to Filve and other damaged planets. They're even assigning Rogue Squadron as an escort. We'll show up as heroes of the Rebellion to reassure local governments that we won't let this happen again."
"But can we stop it?" Han asked, knowing well the empty promises of the Provisional Government. Just last year, he had hung up his general's insignia, bidding farewell to military service in the New Republic.
"I'm not sure," Leia admitted. "Most of the sector fleet was destroyed, and some ships are still unaccounted for. The base on Ord Pardron was obliterated. The Imperials didn't even bother landing for an assault. Investigators think they bombarded the base from orbit with turbolasers and then dropped asteroids on it. What's left is a crater the size of Lusankya and chunks of space rock. They used a similar tactic after our star cruiser escaped in the Crondre system. This time, they also dropped a Golan II defense station from orbit, crushing our medical base and all supplies. There are no survivors—at least none found yet. But there's plenty of debris from the station and asteroid fragments. It seems the Imperials decided not to risk subduing the station and simply knocked it out of orbit to land near the base on Crondra, destroying it with the shockwave."
"It's a wasteful strategy," Han complained. "How many Star Destroyers attacked Crondre?"
"Four," Leia answered. "Two started the assault, and two more sprung a trap when reinforcements arrived."
"And on Ord Pardron?"
"I don't know—there are no survivors to tell us. But I think three or four Destroyers must have been there."
"Every Star Destroyer has ground troops on board," Han recalled from his academy days. "It's unwise to destroy bases, especially medical ones. There are valuable resources there, and I'm sure Ord Pardron had something worth looting in its warehouses."
"Ackbar is convinced the operation in the Dufilvian sector was meant to intimidate local governments," Leia explained. "They could have easily taken the sector. Mon Mothma spent hours assuring the planetary governors that secession from the New Republic was too dangerous. I'm not sure they believed us, though. The fleet was decimated, and at least one ship was captured—a Carrack-class light cruiser from the Filve self-defense forces. The Imperials did severe damage to the sector's logistics by attacking the transports. Fey'lya wants to recall all disarmed ships and organize a raid on Imperial territory. Ackbar might have agreed, but you know him—he's cool and methodical, not thrilled that the idea came from politicians. So, he reluctantly announced that convoy escorts would be strengthened. Mon Mothma resisted, arguing it would only disrupt our interstellar trade recovery plan. Fey'lya only calmed down after being promised six warships would be sent to Bothan space for added security."
"Since when does Mon Mothma bend to Fey'lya's will?" Han was surprised.
"She made the decision after the meeting," Leia admitted. "Fey'lya almost threw a fit in the Senate, claiming Bothan territories would be next. Since we've decided to keep our defeat under wraps for now, to save face, Mothma agreed to send reinforcements—shock frigates and a Star Destroyer."
"Oh, how we could use your Rebel's Dream destroyer," Han mused. "But a year has passed since it was captured at the Battle of Storinal."
"Yes," Leia agreed, remembering the Star Destroyer that had served under Darth Vader in the Death Squadron, albeit under a different name. The rebels had captured it at a refueling station, but it had served under the rebel flag for less than two years before being recaptured. The entire crew became Imperial prisoners. Fortunately, Leia had been on Coruscant at the time. "Ackbar even suggested buying Booster Terrik's 'Errant Venture.'"
"Yes, an Imperial II-class Star Destroyer wouldn't be out of place," Han agreed. "But I bet old Terrik didn't come cheap."
"He asked double the price," Leia explained.
"Has Booster lost his mind?" Han blinked in disbelief. "Why buy one Star Destroyer when that money could build two or even three Mon Calamari cruisers?"
"What difference does it make if we have no money?" Leia sighed. "Mon hinted that I should fly to the Hapes Consortium and ask for help..."
"The last time you did that, you nearly married a Hapan prince," Han noted, his voice tense. That incident had nearly cost him the love of his life.
"But I was offered to become queen mother of a state with sixty-three developed worlds," Leia teased. "And their wedding gifts included a fleet... Twelve Star Destroyers."
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Han smiled. "When I remember Mon Mothma saying, 'It would be better for the entire Republic if Leia agreed to marry Prince Isolder,' my jaw clenches, and I lose my appetite."
"I don't regret my choice," Leia kissed him. "The Millennium Falcon is the only ship where I feel truly safe."
"I've done my best to make you comfortable there," Han smiled. Then, seeing her calm expression, he asked, "Should I get the Falcon ready to take you to the Dufilvian sector?"
"Do you know why I chose you over the Hapes Consortium and their fleet, and why I'll never doubt that choice?" Leia looked into his eyes.
"Well, I don't know," Han joked. "A dozen Star Destroyers would be nice... but I get it."
"Exactly," Leia smiled. "No amount of wealth or even three dozen Star Destroyers could compare to how well we understand each other."
"I agree," Han pulled her close. "How about four?"
Leia playfully elbowed him, and he didn't ask any more questions. Why would he, when happiness was right there? Take as much as you want.
But the words of his old smuggling colleague lingered in Han's mind.
The Empire has another Grand Admiral.
Meeting with Karrde and discussing everything became a necessity.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone