"This absolutely won't do, Your Excellency the Prime Minister! If the Duchy of Dawn doesn't send troops, the Trade Federation is finished! No—not just the Trade Federation, we Neimoidians will be finished too!" Newt Gunray threw caution to the wind and loudly berated Francis.
Francis Underwood's expression was grave as well. He said in a deep voice, "It is not that I do not wish to help you, Mr. Newt Gunray. But the Duchy of Dawn cannot risk going to war directly with the Galactic Empire by sending troops at this time."
"Then are we supposed to just wait for them to destroy us completely?" Newt Gunray roared at Francis. "I want to see Tang Xiao! I want to see the Grand Duke!"
This was completely unlike the cowardly Neimoidian's usual demeanor. Normally, if he did not have a hundred or so battle droids around him, he would not even have the courage to speak with an officer.
"The Grand Duke... ah, you know he is currently busy handling matters in the Unknown Regions. He will not be returning anytime soon," Francis said. "And due to the recent hyperspace turbulence, communications with the Grand Duke have not been smooth either. However, he had long since entrusted his wife, First Lady Adele Ulan, with full authority over all affairs of the Duchy of Dawn."
"Then if I go to Adele Ulan, she can send troops?" Newt Gunray asked anxiously.
Francis sighed and shook his head. "I will notify her immediately, and then a top-level summit will be convened to discuss how to handle this."
After saying that, he pressed a button and instructed his assistant to send out the notice proposing a meeting.
In fact, before his assistant could even send the notice, Adele Ulan's side had already issued a meeting