The Krytos Trap (13 page)

Ackbar rose from his chair and slapped a hand against the table top. “In that case, Councilor Fey’lya, you will also be required to recuse yourself from any decisions in this matter.”

“What?”

“There is no known case of any Bothan being afflicted with the disease.”
I have no doubt Iceheart wanted you Bothans to survive so you could help split the Alliance
. “Sullustans and Shistavanens have been infected, leaving open the very real possibility that Wookiees could find themselves susceptible to the virus. Quarren have died from it, leaving the Mon Calamari population vulnerable. I have heard of no Elom who have become ill, but Twi’lek, Gamorrean, and Trandoshan populations have, so the possibility of the disease jumping to the Elom is not out of the question.”

The Bothan’s fur rose on head and shoulders, but Ackbar ignored the signs of Fey’lya’s anger. “Moreover, from a public health standpoint, your plan of therapy centers is more of a risk than it is a help. The facilities you suggest would call for vast numbers of people congregating in an environment where contact with infectious fluids is not difficult to imagine. And, even if there were studies to show bacta mist did kill the virus, using it carelessly promotes the chance of a bacta-resistant strain of the virus being passed among people who believe they are being protected from it. If such a strain does appear, we will be powerless to stop the plague from destroying the galaxy.”

The Bothan kept his voice low. “What, pray do tell, would you suggest, then?”

“First and foremost, we secure the water supply. We have evidence to suggest the virus was introduced into the planetary water supply, and for all we know, there are pockets of virus frozen in the glaciers just waiting to be melted before they become virulent again. Second, we continue the intensive therapy to control and cure those populations we know are infected. It is important to note here, I think, that
human medtechs have been tireless in caring for victims of the virus. Their immunity to the disease certainly means they have less to fear than others, but that immunity in no way makes it incumbent upon them to help out the way they have.”

Ackbar held a hand up. “Third and final, we need to deal with the black market. The rumors of a supply of bacta arriving on Coruscant have depressed the prices, but estimates of how much we got from Zsinj are grossly high. When the truth comes out, prices will begin to rise, and selling off portions of the supply will become very attractive. If we don’t have our supply depleted through profiteering, we stand a good chance of buying enough time to obtain more bacta from Thyferra and solving our problem once and for all. If not, we will find ourselves bankrupt and dying of the virus.”

The Bothan opened his hands. “So you think we should just continue to proceed in the manner in which we have gone about things so far?”

“No, by no means.” Ackbar looked around the room and then up at the misting system. “We argue here whether bacta-mist therapy has any value, yet we have a system installed here to protect us. All of us, including the humans, know affluent members of our populations have purchased bacta on the black market to use in their own preventative therapy. And, I have no doubt, people have come to you since the news of our victory has leaked out, asking you to procure bacta for them. While I know none of us would agree to such a thing, the perception that we might, and that there is special treatment for some selected folks going on, is one that will heighten the panic our people are feeling.”

Sian Tevv sniffed. “This virus is more than panic, Ackbar. It is real and deadly.”

“Agreed, but our actions make it deadlier still. If one person believes there is no hope for himself, that there will be no cure when he needs it, he might not seek treatment. A day’s delay not only can cost him his life, but can infect his family and friends. The fact is that if we project the image
that says the virus can and will be defeated, everyone will do what they can to defeat it.”

Leia smiled. “It’s the same morale-building technique that kept us going during the dark days after Derra IV and Hoth.”

The black-furred Wookiee councilor’s bark flowed into a murmur, and Leia’s gold protocol droid translated. “Ambassador Kerrithrarr suggests treating the virus as an enemy against which everyone is enlisted. With discipline and direction the spread can be minimalized.”

Ackbar nodded at the Wookiee. “An apt analogy.”

Borsk Fey’lya’s eyes narrowed. “A military model might well be sufficient to deal with the virus, but do you suggest we use it to curtail black market trading? Having storm-troopers breaking into private homes to deprive people of bacta supplies will hardly endear us to our people.”

Mon Mothma shook her head. “No such thing is advocated. General Cracken is devoting a certain amount of his energy to this problem, and is working to put the New Republic Security Force together. The NRSF will replace the old Imperial Sector Ranger force, and is meant to be a law enforcement and counter-insurgency force. It will be some time before the force will be ready to administer all that needs to be dealt with here, but we have an offer for dealing with our law enforcement needs in the interim.”

Mon Mothma used her comlink. “Please send Vorru in.”

Ackbar saw the hackles go up on Fey’lya and felt his own flesh crawl. The doors to the chamber opened, and through them walked a small human with a thick head of white hair. From his size, which was not that big, even for a human, he could have easily been dismissed as benign, yet a warrior’s instinct told Ackbar that was just an image Vorru sought to project.

He’d met the man once before, when Fliry Vorru, then an Imperial Moff, had been a guest of Tarkin. The two men were physical opposites, but so alike in temperament and spirit that Ackbar had wished they would turn on each other and destroy one another. That didn’t happen, though circumstances soon conspired to get Vorru sentenced to Kessel,
where he had remained until he had been freed and returned to Coruscant as part of the Rebel operation to take the planet.

Vorru looked up and Ackbar read pure cunning in his dark eyes. “I thank you for seeing me, esteemed Councilors. I thank you for my freedom. I find myself in a position to repay the debt I owe you.”

Leia’s head came up. “You don’t consider your part in the liberation of Coruscant to have canceled that debt?”

“If the truth be told, Princess Leia, I do not.” Vorru stiffened formally, then bowed his head. “The liberation of the planet would have been accomplished more smoothly and efficiently if not for the treacherous behavior of one of my lieutenants. While I did not know Zekka Thyne was working for Imperial Intelligence agents, I must accept responsibility for his actions. In effect, the liberation proceeded without my help, so my debt to you remains.”

A pained expression passed over his face. “You brought me here in the hope that I could revive Black Sun and turn it into a force that would aid the effort to take Coruscant from the Empire. I did what I could, but the fact is that the Imperial effort to expunge the remnants of Xizor’s organization were as ruthlessly efficient as only Darth Vader’s vengeance could be. What little of the leadership remained was destroyed in internecine battling. When I arrived here there was a paucity of leadership and an insufficient amount of time to once again establish control over the various factions present on Coruscant. Durga the Hurt and others resist unification, so Black Sun is effectively dead.”

Ackbar sat back in his chair. “I would have expected more regret in your voice at that pronouncement.”

Vorru shrugged. “Black Sun was Xizor’s dream, not mine.”

Fey’lya folded his arms across his chest and remained standing. “And your dream is …?”

“Freedom, the same as your dream.” Vorru smiled. “The Empire treated criminals the same way it treated you Rebels. With the Empire’s grip broken, you Rebels have become the New Republic and have gained legitimacy. The
criminals who have long been repressed by the Empire are not all evil, but many have been trapped in a cycle of lawlessness precisely because they knew they could expect no mercy from the Empire. While they were not Rebels, they were no less victims of Imperial repression.

“To bring things to the point quickly, we no longer wish to be treated as criminals. We want a chance to gain legitimacy and lead normal lives. For this we realize we need to offer you something of value, and so we shall. We know the ways of the black market. We know how to disrupt it and break it. We know the ways of criminals and how to disrupt their activities. We know the underworld of Coruscant and we know how to bring to justice those you want to punish.”

Doman Beruss stared at Vorru. “You want us to make you the Commissioner of the Coruscant Constabulary?”

“I do not think you that foolish, Doman Beruss. I knew your father and mother and I know you cannot be easily deceived.” A smile came readily to Vorru’s face—a smile Ackbar did not trust. “What I want is for my people to be allowed to administer the law in the underworld here. Your Security Force will have more than enough to do with the areas of Coruscant where you can project power. We already have various off-world populations forming their own militias and civil defense corps, so why not tolerate a similar force created out of my people?”

Mon Mothma arched an eyebrow at Vorru. “Very few others have as colorful a history as you do, Fliry Vorru.”

“But some of those who have equally notorious backgrounds are continuing in service to the government, though the leadership and philosophy have changed.”

Ackbar slowly nodded. The realities of governing a vast panoply of worlds necessitated using the Imperial governmental apparatus to maintain communication and order. While a wholesale replacement of the bureaucracy would have been ideal, the fact was that, just as the Rebel military had relied on people with Imperial training, so the government was being forced to rely on clerks and administrators who had faithfully served the Empire until it fell. While most of these people had an allegiance to their jobs and not to the
government, the tacit clemency granted to them in return for continuing to work did not sit well with many of the Rebels.

Fliry Vorru presented an interesting case. He
had
directly contributed to the winning of Coruscant. While he underplayed his contribution, Vorru could easily have turned Rogue Squadron over to the Imperials, preventing the Rebel conquest of the planet. His support, despite the betrayal of subordinates, had facilitated the Rebel victory, making him a valuable ally.

And his request of us is an ally’s request for trust
. Ackbar half-closed his eyes. Vorru’s request also made sense from a purely pragmatic position. While Cracken’s law enforcement organization would soon be functioning fully, it would never have been as effective in the underworld as Vorru would be. The Palpatine Counter-insurgency Front, black marketeering, and a dozen other problems needed attention on Coruscant, and yet Cracken still needed to attend to intelligence matters involving Warlord Zsinj
and
Ysanne Isard, wherever she was.

Vorru opened his hands. “The question I place before you is this: will you grant me and my people the trust we have earned?”

Leia’s eyes hardened. “The Empire was a common enemy we had between us, hence our alliance. In acting against them you
have
earned trust, but I suspect you see the account more fully than we do.”

“This is true, Leia, but Vorru’s point is well taken.” Mon Mothma pressed her hands gently against the table top. “The fight against the Empire is truly what bound the Alliance together. We must build on that basic level of trust if we expect the Republic to thrive. As long as Fliry Vorru’s people are willing to abide by the conduct standards we set for our law enforcement and militia forces, they will remain within the bounds of our trust. If they step outside those guidelines, they will be outside their lawful duty and will be dealt with in a suitable manner.”

“You will find me a most able and loyal servant in this matter, Mon Mothma.”

“So I trust, Fliry Vorru.”

“So we must
all
trust,” Ackbar murmured.

Something dark flashed through Vorru’s eyes as he turned toward the Mon Calamari. “I would have thought you above veiled threats, Admiral Ackbar.”

“I
am
above them.” Ackbar’s mouth dropped open in a Mon Calamari grin. “I merely meant that we must take your word concerning your loyalty because your previous masters are all dead, and the greatest of them through our efforts. If you choose to read a threat in
that
set of facts, I cannot stop you from doing so.”

“But if I get out of hand you will destroy me?”

“You have earned trust.” Ackbar leaned forward and gave Vorru a wall-eyed stare. “Spend it unwisely and I will do what I must to settle your account.”

12

All the while in the back of the grav-cab, Wedge tried to puzzle out what Mirax had found on the
Pulsar Skate
that could threaten the Alliance. With anyone else Wedge would have made an allowance for hyperbole, but Mirax had never been prone to melodrama.
In fact, she tends to see issues and emergencies rather clearly
.

Wedge shivered. Once before the Ashern rebels of Thyferra had inserted a virus into bacta shipments that induced an allergy to bacta in those who were treated with it. This, in effect, left them without treatment for a whole host of ills. If Mirax possessed evidence that the batch of bacta stolen from Zsinj had been similarly contaminated, not only would it doom millions of people to die from the Krytos virus, but the withdrawal of the bacta from the health services system on Coruscant would spark riots that would kill many more people.

That would surely rip the Alliance apart
. Non-humans would say that the bacta was being hoarded for use by humans in case the Krytos virus jumped species and began to kill them. Humans would also be blamed if non-humans were hurt or killed by the contaminated bacta, and any attempt to blame the contamination on the Ashern rebels
would be decried as false and part of a human conspiracy, since it was well known that the Zaltin and Xucphra combines were run by humans.