"Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose," Natasi muttered to herself as she studied the summons that had been delivered a moment ago by a page. Her dark eyes scanned the text once more to make sure she hadn't misread it. She had not. An aide appeared at the door, the result of her summons, as Natasi crossed back over to her desk. "I need Westaway," Natasi said brusquely.
The aide glanced nervously at the bank of clocks on the wall opposite the desk, the one labeled New Sterandel showing it was the wee hours.
"Right away, please," Natasi said firmly.
She shrugged into her blazer and adjusted her chestnut hair before the comlink on her desk buzzed. She touched the control. "Your Majesty," a weary voice said. Natasi could almost see the Prime Minister blinking sleep out of her eyes. "Or -- Senator -- what do I call you, now, anyway?"
"Natasi," said the Supreme Leader. "When it's just us. Sorry to wake you but something has come up here. I can't discuss the specifics via the communicator, but -- tell me, do you still have contacts in the refugee space from your days as the head of the Refugee Council?"
"Certainly do," Renata said. Natasi heard a muffled slurp, then the whir of a computer. The Supreme Leader smiled inwardly. "You need me to start spinning something up?"
"Start local. With people you can trust. If there are any prefabricated structures you can part with -- medical supplies, too, rations. Whatever you can spare, and whatever you can get from your contacts. I don't have a delivery point. Not -- "
Silence for several seconds. "Ma'am -- Natasi?"
Natasi gazed at the map of Aegis framed on the wall under the clocks. "That may be more efficient," she mused.
"What would?" Renata asked, but Natasi was already moving. The aide had popped her head in to let Natasi know the Senate was convening. She didn't want to be late.
"Sorry, Prime Minister" Natasi said, already circling her desk. "I'll be in touch. Let my office know as soon as possible what supplies we could spare and -- just for kicks -- how many sentients the Renascent Republic could accommodate on a refugee basis." She disconnected before Renata could answer and checked her appearance once more in the mirror by the door before heading for the session. She entered her pod with her aide and settled in with her datapad, scrolling through preliminary data.