Alan Foster - The Approaching Storm

Shu Mai watched the Ansionian and the Corellian approach.

Except for the three of them, the exhibition rooms were empty. The expression on the Senator's face reflected concern. As for Tam Uliss, he made no attempt to disguise his displeasure.

"You've heard" was all the president of the Commerce Guild murmured. She already knew the answer.

It didn't stop the industrialist from nodding emphatically. "Ansion has voted to remain in the Republic." He glanced sharply to his right. "You didn't deliver, Senator."

Running a long-fingered hand through his mane, Mousul replied stiffly. "I did everything I could. The decision was not up to me. I vote here, in the Senate-not on the Unity Council. My ability to influence them is limited."

"This was not the Senator's fault," Shu Mai put in quietly. "If those Jedi had not made a peace between the town dwellers and the nomads, the Unity would have voted for secession."

"It doesn't matter." The industrialist's tone was curt, his manner impatient. "You've both already agreed. We move for ward now-with or without Ansion's withdrawal."

"What about the Malarians and the Keitumites?"

Tam Uliss was unyielding. "Without their withdrawal as well."

Shu Mai let out a long sigh. "You know my opinion, and that of the rest of the guild. Without the impetus that would have been given to our movement by Ansion's secession, we cannot declare ourselves and our intentions openly. Without the provocation the withdrawal of Ansion and its allies would have provided, we cannot count on sufficient support for our actions."

Mousul nodded confirmation. "With Ansion, the Malarians, and the Keitumites still in the Senate, we have insufficient grounds for presenting our demands."

"That's not what you said last week." Clearly, Tam Uliss was not to be denied. "You remember what you agreed to?"

"Yes, I remember." Shu Mai started to her left toward a cor ridor. "I am not comfortable discussing this matter further here. Others may arrive to view this art exhibition. I've taken the liberty of arranging for a secure conference room in Bror Tower Four. Precautions have been put in place and personally checked by my staff. Security droids are now active on station. If you will follow me?" She smiled. "I'm sure we can resolve our differences."

"There's nothing to resolve." Uliss was adamant. "We decided this last week, during the conference in the aircar."

The fellow is so full of himself, Shu Mai thought disapprovingly as they moved out of the exhibition area and down the wide corridor.

Uliss spoke as they walked. "There comes a time when senti ment will no longer be denied. The others have been ready to declare the movement publicly for nearly a year now." He searched the Guild president's face.

"They would continue to wait, if you had not thrown your support to them." There was no anger in Shu Mai's voice, no rancor. Only a simple statement of fact.

Uliss shrugged diffidently. "I'm sorry for this disagreement, but it can't be avoided. You would have had us wait indefinitely."

"Not indefinitely," Shu Mai corrected him as she turned and led her companions toward the skyway that led to the next tower. "Only until the time is right."

"And when is that to be? After another year of waiting? Two years? Three?"

"Whatever should prove necessary, my friend." Their footgear clicked on the smooth floor. Removing a control unit from her waistband, she used it to scan the skyway ahead to make certain it was clear. It wouldn't do to have some wandering office functionary stumble into them. "I would hope it wouldn't be that long, but whatever it is, it is."

Next to him, Mousul was nodding. "What you and your friends fail to understand, Uliss, is that when it comes to politics, patience is one of the most powerful weapons one can wield."

The industrialist shook his head regretfully. "There is time for patience, and then there is a time to move. You're not going to win this argument, you know."

"If we reveal ourselves too soon, no one will win any argu ments," Shu Mai replied with conviction. "I'm sorry we disagree on this, Uliss."

The industrialist smiled. "No hard feelings, Shu Mai. Not even you can win every battle."

They turned into the skyway. Beyond the transparent walls and roof of the pedestrian walkway that connected Bror Towers Three and Four, Coruscant shone resplendent in the scrubbed light of day. Strings of vehicles tracked traffic lines of force through the afternoon air. Automated service craft zipped among the soaring buildings on preprogrammed missions. A fine place, Coruscant. The center of modern civilization. Sooner or later any who sought power, be it political, financial, or artistic, came to Coruscant. Those who sought to influence the affairs of worlds eventually found themselves residing within or standing before the Senate itself, the greatest and most important deliberative body in the galaxy. Each sought to sway its members in his or her or its own way. A little guidance, Shu Mai knew, was all that was needed. A few appropriate suggestions.

But they must be made at the right time, and under the proper circumstances. She lengthened her stride. Alongside her,

Mousul did the same. Idly observing the city outside, Uliss fell a few steps behind.

Reaching the far end of the skyway, the president of the Commerce Guild whirled. Beside her, Mousul did the same. Raising the unprepossessing device she carried, Shu Mai touched a control.

Tarn Uliss looked understandably surprised when he bumped up against the field. It was quite invisible, and quite impenetrable. The industrialist's face sped through a remarkable range of expressions in a very short time. His words, which to judge from his appearance were rapidly growing increasingly irate, did not penetrate the barrier that had unexpectedly materialized between him and his companions. Neither did his hands and body.

The president of the Commerce Guild and the Senator from Ansion contemplated their fuming colleague unblinkingly. The Ansionian's expression was blank, that of the Guild president thoughtful. A look of dawning alarm came over Uliss's face. Turning abruptly, he tried to retrace his steps back to Bror Tower Three-only to find himself blocked by a second barrier identical to the one that had materialized in front.

Stepping up to the barrier, Shu Mai studied the now panicky individual trapped within the skywalk. All the industrialist's money, all his important contacts, were of no use to him now. It was too bad. While she had not particularly liked Tarn Uliss, she had respected him. Not a hand-length from her face, a furious and frightened Uliss was now screaming threats and imprecations at his fellow conspirators. The barrier continued to block the indus trialist's words as well as his fists.

For a long moment, Shu Mai gazed into the face of her former associate. "Patience, my friend, is the one weapon we cannot afford to waste," she whispered softly, even though the object of her admonition could not hear her. Turning away, she walked back to stand alongside Mousul, who had retreated slightly into the hallway behind them. The Senator looked on as Shu Mai touched several small controls in quick, practiced succession.

A slight creaking noise filled the end of the hallway, quickly rising to a groaning. Uliss stopped pounding on the unyielding barrier. His rage turned to uncertainty, then to surprise. Metal failed, composite dissolved. Both palms pressed against the barrier, the industrialist was still looking at Shu Mai and the Senator as the entire skywalk broke away first from Bror Tower Three, then from Tower Four, and plunged toward the surface 166 floors below.

Walking right to the edge of the opening that had been torn in the side of the building, Shu Mai leaned over and looked down. Even amid the noise of the great city and given the distance to the ground, the skywalk still made a very loud splintering, shattering sound when it struck. The president of the Commerce Guild gazed thoughtfully down at the wreckage for a long moment before turning and moving back into the hallway that was now exposed to the air outside. Across the intervening gap, an identical hole had been torn in the side of Bror Tower Three.