"You've got just one shot at this," Luke murmured.
"Thanks," Han growled. "I really needed to hear that." He took a deep breath, held it, and gently squeezed the fire control triggers.
The Katana lurched, and as the multiple blazes of turbolaser light flashed outward he felt the double thud of a disintegrating capacitor bank through the deck. Luke had been right-the ship's first shot had been its last. But it had been worth it. The laser bolts hit the drop ship formation dead center; and suddenly the whole Imperial force seemed to come apart in a blaze of multiple explosions. For a few seconds everything was hidden behind secondary explosions and clouds of debris. Then, through the destruction, a handful of ships shot out. A few more joined them, this group moving with the distinctive limp of damaged property.
"Looks like you took out five of the drop ships," Kline reported, peering through a set of macrobinoculars pressed tightly against his face. "A few of the TIE fighters, too.
"They're going into evasive maneuvers," Luke added.
"Okay," Han said, getting up from the chair and pulling out his comlink. "That's it for that game. Lando?"
"Whatever you just did, it made a real mess back here," the other's voice came back. "Took out the firecontrol power coupling and at least one of the generators. What now?"
"We get ready for a boarding party," Han told him. "Meet us in the portside main corridor just forward of the docking bay. We'll see what kind of defense we can set up."
"Right."
Han shut down the comlink. "Let's go," he said.
"This had better be some defense," Luke commented as they left the bridge and headed back down the portside corridor. "Especially when we're talking maybe forty-to-one odds."
Han shook his head. "Never tell me the odds," he admonished the other, glancing at his chrono. It could be any time now. "Besides, you never know when the odds are going to change."
"We can't just abandon them," Leia said again, dimly aware that she was talking to Fey'lya as if he were a child. "That's my husband and brother out there, and a dozen good X-wing pilots. We can't just leave them to the Imperials."
"One mustn't place personal considerations above one's duty to the New Republic, Councilor," Fey'lya said. His fur rippled, perhaps with appreciation of his own insight. But the blaster in his hand remained steady. "Surely you understand that."
"It's not just personal considerations," Leia insisted, fighting hard to keep from losing her temper again. "It's-"
"One moment," Fey'lya interrupted her, touching the intercom switch. "Captain? How soon to lightspeed?"
"Another minute," Virgilio's voice came back. "Perhaps two."
"As quickly as you can, Captain," Fey'lya said. He shut the intercom off again and looked back at Leia. "You were saying, Councilor?"
Leia consciously unclenched her teeth. If Fey'lya's aim would only shift-even a little-she might be able to risk jumping him. But as matters stood, she was helpless. Her rudimentary abilities with the Force weren't nearly strong enough for her to grab or deflect the blaster, and he was nearly a meter out of reach of her lightsaber. "Han and Luke are vitally important to the New Republic," she said. "If they die or are captured-"
"The Katana's firing," Karrde commented calmly, getting to his feet as if for a better view.
Leia glanced out the bubble as the distant Imperial ships were engulfed briefly in flame. "They know a great deal about the workings of the New Republic, Fey'lya. Do you want the Empire to get that knowledge?"
"I'm afraid you're missing the Councilor's point, Leia," Karrde said, walking over to where she sat. He passed in front of her, dropping a data pad casually onto the tracking console beside her as he did so. "You're concerned about your family, of course," he continued, walking on a couple of paces before turning to face Fey'lya. "Councilor Fey'lya has a different set of priorities."
"I'm sure he does," Leia said, her mouth suddenly dry as she looked sideways at the data pad Karrde had set down. On its screen was a short message.
Turn on the intercom and com.
She looked up again. Fey'lya's blaster was still pointed at her, but the Bothan's violet eyes were turned toward Karrde. Setting her teeth, Leia focused on the board behind him and reached out with the Force : and without even a click the intercom was on. Another effort and the comm was, too. "I don't understand," she said to Karrde. "What other priorities could Councilor Fey'lya have?"
"It's simple enough," Karrde said. "Councilor Fey'lya is motivated solely by his own political survival. He's running away from the fight because he's put his most ardent supporters aboard this ship and he can't afford to lose any of them."
Leia blinked. "He's what? But I thought-"
"That this was the normal crew of the Quenfis?"
Karrde shook his head. "Not at all. The captain and senior officers are all that remain, and they were mostly on his side in the first place. That's why Fey'lya wanted a few hours before leaving Coruscant: so that he could shift duty assignments around and make sure everyone aboard was fully loyal to him." He smiled thinly. "Not that any of them realized that, of course. They were given the impression that it was a special security arrangement."
Leia nodded, feeling cold all over. So it wasn't just the captain. The entire ship was on Fey'lya's side.
Which meant it was over, and she had lost. Even if she was somehow able to take out Fey'lya himself she had lost.
"So you can imagine," Karrde went on off handedly, "how reluctant Fey'lya is to risk losing any of them over anything so outmoded as loyalty to one's comrades. Especially after having worked so hard to convince them of how much he cared for the average fighting man."
Leia threw Karrde a sharp look, suddenly seeing where he was going with this. "Is that true, Councilor?" she asked Fey'lya, putting disbelief in her voice. "All this talk about being on the side of the military was nothing more than a play for political power?"
"Don't be foolish, Councilor," Fey'lya said, fur rippling with contempt. "What other use are soldiers to a politician?"
"Is that why you don't care if the men of Rogue Squadron die?" Karrde asked. "Because they prefer to stay out of politics?"
"No one cares if their enemies die," Fey'lya said coldly. "And all those who are not on my side are my enemies. He gestured with his bllaster. "I trust, Captain Karrde, that I need not say more."
Karrde raised his eyes from Fey'lya to the view outside. "No, Councilor." he said. "I believe you've said enough."
Leia followed his gaze. Between the Quenfis and the Katana, in twos and threes, Fey'lya's X-wing squadrons were heading to Wedge's support. Deserting the politician who had just defined the limits of his consideration for their welfare. "Yes," she murmered. "You've said enough."
Fey'lya frowned at her; but even as he started to speak the door to the bridge slid open. Captain Virgilio stood there, flanked by two soldiers. "Councilor Fey'lya," he said stiffly. "I respectfully request you return to your quarters. These men will accompany you."
Fey'lya's fur flattened. "I don't understand, Captain."
"We're closing off this room, sir," Virgilio said, his voice respectful but with an edge. Stepping over to the Bothan's seat, he leaned toward the intercom. "This is the captain," he called. "All hands to battle stations."
The alarm, promptly went off : and in Fey'lya's eyes Leia could see the sudden shock of understanding. "Captain-"
"You see, Councilor, some of us don't consider loyalty to be all that outmoded," Virgilio cut him, turning turning to Leia. "Councilor Organa Solo, I'd like you to join me on the bridge at your convenience. We've called for a Star Cruiser to back us up, but it'll take awhile to get here."
"We'll just have to hold them until then," Leia said, standing up. She looked at Karrde. "Thank you," she said quietly.
"Not for you or your war," Karrde warned her. "Mara and my people could be arriving at any time. I'd just as soon they not be facing a Star Destroyer alone."
"They won't," Virgilio said. "Counc
ilor?"
"It's a lost cause," Fey'lya said, trying one last time as he surrendered his blaster to one of the soldiers.
"That's all right," Virgilio said, smiling tightly. "The whole Rebellion was considered nothing more than a lost cause. Excuse me, Councilor: I have a battle to run."
The Chimaera was touring the region Pellaeon had privately dubbed the Depot when the report from the aJudicator came in. "Interesting," Thrawn commented. "They've responded faster than I'd expected."
"Karrde must have decided to be generous," Pellaeon said, skimming the follow-up report. Five drop ships and three TIE fighters destroyed; one of the Dreadnaughts apparently under Rebellion control and joining battle. It looked like a major scrap was shaping up out there. "I recommend we send another Star Destroyer to assist, Admiral," he said. "The Rebellion may have larger ships on the way."
"We'll go ourselves, Captain," Thrawn said. "Navigation: set us a course back to the Katana fleet."
The navigation officer didn't move. He sat at his station, his back to them, unnaturally stiff. "Navigation?" Thrawn repeated.
"Admiral, message coming through from the sentry line," the comm officer reported suddenly. "Unidentified Lancer-class Frigate has entered the system and is approaching. They insist on speaking with you, personally and immediately."
Thrawn's glowing eyes narrowed as he tapped the comm switch : and suddenly Pellaeon realized who it must be aboard that ship. "This is Thrawn," the Grand Admiral said. "Master C'baoth, I presume?"
"You presume correctly," C'baoth's voice boomed from the speaker. "I would speak with you, Grand Admiral. Now."
"We're on our way to assist the aJudicator," Thrawn said, his eyes flicking to the still-motionless nav officer. "As you perhaps already know. When we return-"
"Now, Grand Admiral."
Moving quietly in the brittle silence, Pellaeon keyed for a course projection on C'baoth's ship. "It'll take at least fifteen minutes to bring him aboard," he murmured.
Thrawn hissed softly between his teeth; and Pellaeon knew what he was thinking. In the fluid situation of a spontaneous battle, a fifteen-minute delay could easily be the difference between victory and defeat. "Captain, order the Peremptory to assist the Judicator," the Grand Admiral said at last. "We'll remain here to consult our ally."
"Thank you, Grand Admiral," C'baoth said; and abruptly, the nav officer gasped and slumped in his chair. "I appreciate your generosity."
Thrawn reached to his board, and with a vicious flick of his wrist cut off the comm. He looked down into the crew pit and motioned to two bridge guards. "Sick bay," he told them, indicating the now-shivering nav officer.
"Where do you suppose C'baoth found that Lancer?" Pellaeon murmured as the guards helped the nav officer out of his seat and carried him aft.
"He most likely hijacked it," Thrawn said, his voice tight. "He's been sending messages for us over distances of several light-years, and he certainly knows how to take control of people. Apparently, he's learned how to meld the two abilities."
Pellaeon looked down into the crew pit, a shiver running up his back. "I'm not sure I like that sir."
"I don't much like it myself, Captain," Thrawn agreed, turning his head to look out the viewport. "It may be time," he added thoughtfully, "to reconsider our arrangement with Master C'baoth. To reconsider it very carefully."
Chapter 28
The Katana's turbolasers flashed, disintegrating the center of the Imperials' drop ship formation, and one of Wedge's X-wing pilots gave a war whoop. "Will you look at that?"
"Cut the chatter, Rogue Seven," Wedge admonished, trying to see through the cloud of flaming debris. The Imperials had gotten a bloody nose, but that was about all. "They've got lots more TIE fighters in reserve.
"Wedge?"
Wedge switched channels. "I'm here, Luke."
"We've decided not to leave the ship," Luke said. "We'd run right into the Imperials, and you know how well transports fight. You might as well get your group out of here and go whistle up some help."
The surviving drop ships, Wedge saw, were reconfiguring into an evasion pattern with the TIE fighters moving ahead to clear a path for them. "You'll never be able to hold out," he told Luke flatly. "There could be three hundred troops aboard those drop ships."
"We'll have a better chance against them than you will against a Star Destroyer," Luke retorted. "Come on, get going."
Wedge clenched his teeth. Luke was right, and they both knew it. But to abandon his friends here-
"Rogue Leader, this is Gold Leader," a new voice abruptly came on the comm. Requesting permission to join the party."
Frowning, Wedge threw a glance out the back of his canopy. They were there, all right: the Quenfis's two X-wing squadrons, coming up behind his group for all they were worth. "Permission granted," he said. "I didn't think Councilor Fey'lya was going to let you come out and play."
"Fey'lya doesn't have any say in it anymore, the other said grimly. "Tell you about it later. Captain's turned things over to Organa Solo."
"First good news I've heard today," Wedge grunted. "All right, here's the scheme. You detail four of your group to hit those drop ships; the rest of us will concentrate on the TIE fighters. With luck, we can clear them out before the next wave gets here. I don't suppose we've gut any backup of our own coming?"
"Captain says there's a Star Cruiser on the way, Gold Leader said. "Don't know when it'll get here, though."
Probably not soon enough, Wedge told himself silently. "Okay," he said aloud. "Let's do it."
A new set of drive trails had appeared near the Star Destroyer's docking bay: the second wave of TIE fighters had launched. That was going to be trouble down the line; but for the moment, the X-wings had this batch of Imperials outnumbered. And the Imperials knew it. They were spreading out, trying to draw their attackers apart where they couldn't cover each other. Wedge did a quick evaluation of the situation- "All X-wings: we'll do a one-on-one," he said. "Choose your target and go."
Closer now, he could see that two of the Imperial starfighters were the faster and more advanced TIE interceptors. Picking one of them for himself he broke formation and headed after it.
Whatever erosion the Empire had experienced in the way of ships and trained personnel over the past five years, it was quickly clear that their starfighter training program hadn't suffered a lot. Wedge's target TIE interceptor slipped adroitly away from his initial attack, doing a sideways skid that simultaneously braked him out of the X-wing's way and swiveled his lasers around to track along its flight vector. Wedge threw the X-wing into a drop loop, wincing as the other's shot came close enough to trigger the starboard engines' heat sensors, and turned sharply to starboard. He braced himself for a second shot, hut it didn't come. Bringing the X-wing out of its combination loop/turn, he looked around for his opponent.
"Watch your back, Rogue Leader!" the voice of Rogue Three snapped in his ear; ana Wedge again threw the X-wing into a drop loop just as another laser blast sizzled past his canopy. Not only had the Imperial not been fooled by Wedge's corkscrew maneuver, he'd even managed to follow him through it. "He's still with you," Rogue Three confirmed. "Go evasive-I can be there in a minute."
"Don't bother," Wedge told him. Through the spinning sky outside his canopy he'd caught a glimpse of another Imperial moving past him to portside. Hauling hard on his controls, he broke out of his loop and drove directly toward it. The TIE fighter jerked slightly as its pilot suddenly became aware of the threat bearing down on him and tried to veer out of the way.