Star Wars: Clone Wars Gambit II: Siege by Karen Miller

Author:Karen Miller [Miller, Karen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-79598-4
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: 2011-05-04T04:00:00+00:00

ONE BY ONE, Yoda looked at the holoimages of his fellow Councilors. He’d never felt so alone in this place he loved, this Council Chamber that was a home within his larger home of the Jedi Temple. The war had swallowed his colleagues completely. At no other time in his memory had the Council been this scattered, its cohesiveness this endangered. It wasn’t simply a question of companionship. In weighty matters the Council functioned best when its members shared the same space, the same moment. When the Force could weave its way effortlessly among them and their separate strengths and talents combined to become something greater and more powerful than each of them alone. That was impossible when they were separated by light-years, represented only by a coalescence of shallow particles.

But even with those limitations, he knew that in this matter they felt with one heart.

“Then agreed we are,” he said. “Insist we must that leave Kothlis Mace Windu should to assist with freeing Lanteeb from Count Dooku.”

“Indeed,” said Ki-Adi-Mundi. “And I am at a loss to understand why Palpatine is so intransigent on the matter. Why will he not be guided by us in this? After Chandrila it is plain that Lanteeb has the higher priority.”

“So you would think,” he said. “But always a politician Palpatine is.”

“You’re concerned he seeks to protect his own dignity and entitlements at the expense of innocent life?” said Adi Gallia from her ship in the depths of the Aostai region. “That doesn’t seem like him, Yoda.”

“Concerned he is that Kothlis and Bothawui offended will be by our withdrawal of protection,” he said. “To Dooku he thinks they might turn if abandoned by us they consider themselves.”

“He’s worrying for no reason,” Mace Windu said flatly. “Kothlis and Bothawui will never leave the Republic. Yoda, he’s going to have to accept the Council’s decision. I’ll leave enough clones here to satisfy the Ruling Council’s need for security. Tell Yularen that Dagger and I will rendezvous with him at the battle group’s pre-approach coordinates.”

Soberly the other Councilors nodded their support, then disconnected from the holoconference. In the end only Mace remained, his image gently flickering.

“You’re not happy about this,” he said. “Do you know something I don’t?”

Yoda let his chin sink to his chest. “Usurped Palpatine will feel, when told of our decision he is.”

“That’s too bad,” said Mace, shrugging. “Palpatine’s wrong. Durd’s our greatest danger now. It’s not enough for us to hope that Obi-Wan and young Skywalker can pull off a miracle on Lanteeb. They need our help—or Chandrila will only be the beginning.”

Yoda sighed. “This I know. But this also I know—a wedge between the Jedi and the Supreme Chancellor will this unfortunate business drive.”

“Politicians don’t tell the Jedi what to do, Master Yoda. And smart politicians take our advice even if they don’t always understand our reasons. That’s how it’s worked for a thousand years and for a thousand years it’s worked just fine.” Mace snorted. “Palpatine should be more worried about offending us than Kothlis.

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