Tag turned those sharp eyes on Leia, "If not a particularly popular one."
Leia shrugged, "I'd rather be fair than popular...fortunately." she added wryly
Tag smiled just slightly at that. "I stand by it." She added, though she glanced down, Leia feeling that she was uneasy at saying so aloud.
"May I ask you a question?" Leia said breezily, the memory of Tag's studied expression at the meaningful look between Mon and Madine still foremost in her mind.
Tag smiled, "On or off the record?"
Leia too smiled at that; never try to get smart with an Intel Officer. "Off. But then you knew that."
"Go on?" Tag invited.
"If you were outside of this situation - an impartial observer - given the characters and the present leadership here... what do you think the outcome of this debate will be?"
Massa glanced down, walking on for a short time in silence, Leia not pushing her as she turned that pin-sharp mind to the question, running through all possible scenarios.
"Given the disposition and the objectives and the history involved, particularly in General Madine's case... I think they'll go for an assassination attempt. I think the General will push for it because he has his own agenda and logic and I think Chief Mothma will back him for two reasons; firstly because this has seriously rattled her- she generally has a pretty good handle on the Emperor but in this instance she didn't see it coming and has no idea what Palpatine's doing though this is a major, major event. And secondly because she and Madine work well together; she trusts him and Madine seems so sure of the necessary actions and response. He'll pressure her into a decision because he's ex-Imperial military and they're used to having their own way and because there's no more fervent-an anti-smoker than someone who's just quit. Madine still feels he has something to prove here- he still wants to hurt the Empire and he's still smarting that The Wolf just walked in here and took everyone in, himself included. Admiral Ackbar will try to be the voice of reason, but Mon Mothma will sway his opinion because he's Mon Cal and they respect authority, and because he and Chief Mothma have a long history. And finally there's yourself; but your opinion in this matter is considered - forgive me - somewhat biased; you had a close relationship with The Wolf when he was here and you now have a very close relationship with..." she paused, looking significantly at Han, no more needing to be said. "So yes, I think they'll go ahead. Despite your continued objections."
She glanced apologetically to Leia, forced amusement in her face, "But that's just a personal opinion, you understand. I haven't run it through any programs."
Leia smiled again without looking up, "And in your personal opinion...is that right?"
The smile fell away from Massa's face and she let out a long breath, "No. I don't think we should be lowering ourselves to the Empire's level. We don't assassinate people on a whim; we put them to trial by jury. If we can't maintain that basic tenet then I think we should seriously re-evaluate our ties because we don't deserve to associate ourselves with the values of the Old Republic. And I also think your assessment was valid- The Wolf has never made an unprovoked move against us. That may seem like splitting hairs to some, but given the subtle plays which define the circles in which he moves, any gesture, however small, would have been carefully considered by himself and therefore should be be taken into account by us."
Leia glanced down, blessing Han for giving her this opportunity - and an unexpected ally. Massa was one of the very few beside those directly involved who knew the full story of Luke Skywalker; it was considered necessary to her position.
"I would add one thing, Ma'am," Massa offered, stopping in the corridor to face Leia, "I've watched him a long time and read every psyche profile and incident report, and I think I know him well enough to tell you this much- if they do decide to make an assassination attempt, then I will do my level best to make sure it's flawlessly executed and hope with all my heart that it will be successful... because Force help us all if it's not."
.
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Luke sat in the huge, coffered-ceiling dining room in his private quarters eating breakfast, the tall balcony doors flung open to the morning, dispelling a little of the stuffy gloom that always encapsulated the dark-paneled room.
"So what is my title?" he asked doubtfully of Wez Reece, who was sat at the table with him, the medic Hallin beside him. Between them Reece knew they constituted the total number of people Luke believed he could trust on Coruscant.
Neither men ate, of course, but it was amazing how comfortable Skywalker had become with the fact that there always seemed to be an inordinate amount of people who found it necessary to be close to him at any given hour of the day.
Right now there were, beside Hallin and Reece, two footmen on the other side of the door, waiting to clear the table - there was a standing order that no servants were allowed to attend in the actual room - being dutifully watched by two plainclothes members of the Palace Guard always referred to as 'escort', who trailed the Commander around the Palace, other than when he was with the Emperor. Two Royal Guard were always on sentry duty outside the apartments, with a further four on duty in the Guard House, a small suite just inside the door, this opposite the larger suite of Staff Rooms, in which two Court Ministers, two adjutants, three advisors - whom Skywalker had never once consulted - a chamberlain, a chief steward, three stewards and two equerries.
Three stories down but connected internally to his apartments were various attendants, harbingers, cooks, house staff, and a wardrobe master. Aside from servants, most of his in-house staff were military or ex-military, as were all members of his retinue. Though few made it this close of course; his entourage had remained pointedly small, restricted to the half-dozen or so people whom he genuinely trusted, another half-dozen allowed to remain not-quite-as-close in order to belay the Emperor's suspicions.
An awful lot of people, requiring an awful lot of managing to keep them always subtly removed from the Commander - now the heir - a fact that Reece, whose job this was, assumed would continue to cause him headaches in the near future. Though he had a feeling that his next major hurdle was looming right now-
"Highness." Reece said simply, identifying the Commander's new title and waiting for the anticipated reaction.
It was now three days since the official announcement had been made and though he hadn't said as much, the Commander was clearly trying his best to keep a low profile which was difficult within the Palace at the best of times, a steady stream of Courtiers, politicians and military climbers contacting his secretaries and requesting permission for an audience to congratulate the new heir, none of which had been granted as yet. Many others who knew his reclusive ways opted to leave messages or gifts, believing this the more politic choice.
Neither would work of course, since the Commander hadn't wanted the title in the first place and placed little store by it anyway - this was in fact the first time he had even asked his title, prompted by Reece's insistence that certain matters of State needed to be dealt with, a string of gradually more insistent communique's arriving from the Ministry of Court Protocols.
So all in all Reece had been braced for a less-than-enthusiastic reaction.
Luke practically balked, "Really? Couldn't it be something a little less... pretentious?"
Reece raised his eyebrows, his tone both formal and familiar, something he had spent the last three years developing. Ten years Luke's senior, he had been recruited to his present post by Saté Pestage, and regarded a large part of his job as grooming the younger Commander - now officially heir - for his future position.