"And the conflict's always dispersed?" Mothma half-stated, half-asked, prompting Tag to look up without finishing, nodding just slightly in reply.
"Certainly it seems a deal less contentious, yes."
"But he is loyal to the Emperor?" Leia asked, feeling something important was being left unsaid.
"His psyche profile lists him as such." Tag said.
Which didn't answer the question, Leia knew. "And in your opinion?" she pushed.
"Opinions are biased, Ma'am." Tag said flatly.
"Please..." Leia soothed, inviting Tag Massa on. She was a balanced, thoughtful woman, young for her post at two years Leia's senior, having taken it on the death of her predecessor Odin Latt, who had been lost in an Imperial raid just eight months ago.
He'd been grooming the sharp-witted Massa for almost a year previously, but many had worried that her experience wasn't yet up to the task. For herself, Leia found the woman's inexperience an asset- she tended to veer away from many practices common in the Intel community, and this ability to 'think outside the box' made it difficult for her Imperial opposites to predict or lead her. Possessed of a quick, enquiring mind, she seemed unlikely to be intimidated by either mass opinions or flights of fancy and as such, Leia respected and trusted her judgement enormously.
Tag glanced down as if considering, then looked Leia in the eye, "In my personal opinion," she emphasised, "I question whether The Wolf has any explicit loyalties within the Empire. He accords every respect to Palpatine but he appears to make no friendships outside of the professional, maintaining a discreet distance from Court and the Emperor's entourage as much as possible... He remains, to all intents and purposes, outside of the society with which he is theoretically allied. Most of his own small entourage and known associates are military or ex-military, and he seems to spend time away from Court whenever possible, travelling with the Fleet in the Core and Colony Systems. Which is - in my personal opinion -"
She again paused to emphasis this, "The reason for his accession to Heir. I believe he will find it very difficult to remain outside of Imperial Court or political life now. Beings from across the board will attempt to connect themselves to him - it will be seen as a good long-term political investment, particularly as it now comes with the Emperor's seal of approval. Court will, effectively, be built up around him, whether he wishes it or not. Palpatine will still remain the Emperor, unassailable - but The Wolf will be inescapably dragged from a predominantly military position into a hierarchy he has thus far deliberately avoided."
The table remained very quiet for long seconds, in which Tag looked nervously down to her automemo. "In...my opinion." she finally added.
Leia blinked, taking all that in. Tag Massa had certainly given the issue some thought - but then, that was her job. "And Lord Vader?" she asked, moving the conversation on.
"Lord Vader would never have been given the Empire, Ma'am, not with The Wolf in the sidelines. Palpatine would always have held back power for him- it's clearly what he's been prepared for."
"Why?" Madine prompted, never one to mince words.
Tag considered before answering, "As far as we're aware, no-one outside of Palpatine's most trusted allies were aware of The Wolf's existence until he was presented to Court aged twenty-one, and awarded command of the Core Systems the following year, a reasonable age, considering his future position and his responsibilities. Despite his reluctance, he remains attached to Court and has a position of power second to none- the Emperor always keeps him close at hand..."
"I thought that was because he's considered unpredictable?" Madine said.
"If the Emperor considered him so very unpredictable, I would question why he was given control of the most affluent, influential planets in the Empire with the Core Fleet." Tag countered evenly, back on familiar ground now. "All our profiles indicate that he's in a highly favoured position with the Emperor and he always has been. Taking all of this into account, the unsubstantiated reports that he's Palpatine's son rather than those that he's Vader's may well be correct."
"I don't believe that. It just doesn't ring true." Leia maintained, searching in vain for facts to back up her gut feeling on this. "If he were Palpatine's son, why not declare him earlier? Why wait until he was twenty-one before presenting him to the Palace?"
"He would be better able to defend himself effectively by then." Admiral Ackbar said. "From both external and internal threats." he added pointedly.
Leia frowned, unconvinced. "If that was Palpatine's concern, then why send him out on missions as dangerous as infiltrating the Alliance?"
"Perhaps Sk..." Ackbar almost said it, Leia knew; almost committed what had become the unforgivable mistake of referring to Luke by the name he'd used whilst spying on the Rebel Alliance. But he recovered admirably, continuing without further pause, "Perhaps he felt the need to test himself, to gain some practical experience - it would certainly increase his standing within the military. Or perhaps Palpatine felt the same?"
"It's too much of a gamble. Would you risk your son and heir by sending him to infiltrate the Alliance - it's like throwing a lamb to the wolves..." Even as she said it, Leia knew her error, given the nickname which had rifled through the Empire's military circles since Luke's promotion to Fleet Commander. Surprisingly it was Mon Mothma who called her on it.
"Considering his success, it seems that it was rather more like throwing a wolf in among the lambs. Perhaps Palpatine knew it would be the same."
There was a long silence at this, everyone stewing on the past; Skywalker's alias was first heard from the Bothan spy network immediately following his return to the Empire after infiltrating the Alliance, his codename whilst working as a spy first made reference to by Black Sun. But that was all they had - that was all anybody had on him; a few disjointed accounts and untraceable details. Everyone remained silent in consideration of the conundrum he still represented.
"I would argue that given his new position it's immaterial whose son he is." Mon Mothma said at last, bringing everyone's minds back to the present. "It's what he will be that concerns us."
It was Crix Madine who voiced what everyone had thought but no-one would be the first to utter. "It would seem reasonable for us to break the chain - to stamp out this line of succession before it's established."
No-one reacted, no-one made eye contact. It fell to Leia to speak it out loud; "Are you talking about assassination?"
"I would say yes." Madine said, meeting her gaze. "It would be difficult, but not impossible, given that he travels around the Core Systems regularly, unlike the Emperor."
Leia squirmed in her seat, deeply uncomfortable with this, "No-one would ever get close enough."
Had she said that? Was she inviting discussion? She felt her cheeks heat- what would her father have said? He had believed that there would eventually be a diplomatic solution- believed it with all his heart. What would he have said now?
"There are other ways." Madine said, all business now. As an ex-Imperial, Leia always felt he believed he had something to prove- and he was never afraid of getting his hands dirty. He retained that particular confidence that all Imperial Officers enjoyed; the absolute conviction that he was right- that whatever means he saw fit was an acceptable action, no matter how... blunt. "There are numerous methods which require no direct contact and therefore would be difficult for even a Sith to trace. Methods on a grander scale."
Leia frowned, uncertain she wanted to hear this. "Like what?"
Madine shrugged elaborately, looking to Mon Mothma for support. "A bomb perhaps?"