Star Wars - X-Wing - The Bacta War

take another course to draw off pursuit. The trio of ships would change off, and

  some of the damage on the exterior of the ship suggests it ran off more than one

  pirate raid on Another Chance. If Emtrey can talk it into opening up its logs

  we'll be able to confirm that idea."

  Wedge gave her a big grin. "That's a lot of information tor so little time to

  research the ship."

  Winter's hair spread out in a white veil across her shoulders as she shook her

  head. "Most of it is information I remember from reading histories when I was

  younger and by correlating little bits of data I picked up in the Organa

  household or when I worked with Princess Leia aiding her father. When the

  Another Chance was recovered, it was clear that a massive power surge had fried

  circuits, including the controllers for the external communication arrays that

  allowed ship-to-ship communication. Since Valiant queried Tycho's X-wing when it

  broadcast the Another Chance's IFF code, and followed his lead in picking

  targets, the Valiant was clearly assigned to protect the Another Chance. Three

  War Cruisers and a War Frigate frequently comprised a patrol in the Alderaanian

  fleet, so I concluded there must have been three War Cruisers. The Valiant and

  the other two were the last three built in that class, were commissioned, and

  then were immediately decommissioned. Unlike the other ships the Alderaanians

  had used in the Clone Warswhich were strapped and melted down into peace medals

  that were presented to the crews and surviving families as mementos there were

  no records of scraps being sent out to crews. Nor are there records of crews

  having served on them, so I have concluded that they were immediately refitted

  with droids to accompany the War Frigate Another Chance."

  Booster's jaw hung open. "You remembered all that and figured it all out?"

  Mirax laughed. "Winter has a holographic memory. She

  remembers everything she sees, hears, or experiences, including that dumb look

  you're giving her."

  Booster snapped his mouth shut, then shook his head. "Then remember this Never

  have children."

  Wedge snorted out a quick laugh. "Crumbs don't fall far from the Hutt's mouth,

  Booster."

  "Thanks a lot, Wedge." Mirax gave him a hard stare, but softened it with a

  smile.

  "Sorry, Mirax. Winter, what are the chances that Courage and Fidelity are still

  out there?"

  "Won't have any way of estimating that until we get a look at Valiant's inner

  workings. Emtrey thinks he can find a way in, and he now has Whistler helping

  him slice some code. Zraii is nearly shedding his carapace over a chance to work

  on the Valiant, so my guess is that they'll have it open and functioning to our

  satisfaction within a couple of weeks."

  "That's something, then." Wedge glanced at Booster. "You want the Valiant, or is

  it too small for you?"

  "I'm sure you can find someone else who is better suited to commanding it."

  Booster forced a yawn. "Overseeing a crew of droids would be more boring than I

  care to imagine. You should give the job to that protocol droid of yours."

  Corran laughed. Trying to visualize Emtrey on the bridge of a ship issuing

  commands produced ridiculous images in his mind. "By the time he informed his

  crew of his qualifications, they'd mutiny."

  Wedge and the others who had worked with Emtrey joined Corran in laughter. Wedge

  ended his laugh with a cough, then cleared his throat. "I think Emtrey is better

  suited to be an Executive Officer, not a Commander. I do think, however, we've

  got someone who has the skills we need and could get more out of a droid crew

  than anyone else." He reached out with his right hand and touched Aril Nunb on

  her left shoulder. "You've flown more than fighters. Interested in commanding a

  War Cruiser?"

  Her deep red eyes widened in surprise, then she nodded. "That's a job I can

  handle. I may need Emtrey to help me."

  "He's all yours." Wedge gave her a nod, then smiled at the others. "Okay, I

  think we've got some directions in which

  we can head and some operations to plan. We got lucky this time, but from here

  on out, we manufacture luck. The good we'll keep and the bad will go to Isard.

  She missed her best chance to kill us off, and I see no reason to give her

  another one."

  26

  The apathetic mask Fliry Vorru had fitted onto his face cracked. He'd managed to

  keep his expression utterly impassive as Ysanne Isard dressed down Erisi

  Dlarit. Both women had maintained rigid control at first, wielding civility and

  titles with razor-kiss efficacy. Polite phrasings bottled up vitriol; but

  Vorru knew if he'd tossed a pair of lightsabers between them, they'd have minced

  each other in a nanosecond.

  Then Ysanne Isard had said, "High Admiral Teradoc has withdrawn the Aggregator

  from my service and that is your fault!"

  Erisi exploded. "My fault? What algorithm did you use to calculate that

  conclusion? Sir."

  "The calculations were simple enough that I would have thought any provincial

  mind could have grasped them." Isard's eyes narrowed as her hands balled into

  fists. "Your pilots were on both the Aggregator and the Corrupter. It was your

  pilots who were supposed to deal with the snubfighter threat. They failed,

  costing me the Corrupter and now making me the laughingstock of the galaxy.

  Teradoc had the gall to say to me that he'd only lend me toys if I would promise

  they would not return broken! The Emperor would have had his guts for floss over

  such a remark. Because of you, I am subject to such indignities!"

  "Begging your pardon, but the orders placing my pilots on those ships came from

  you. I asked you to use our Elite pilots for the mission, but you picked a green

  unit."

  "Their evaluationsreports you preparedwere outstanding."

  "Yes, but they'd not seen combat before." Erisi's blue eyes burned intensely.

  "You sent them out after a unit that is arguably the best fighter squadron in

  the galaxy."

  Isard raised an eyebrow. "Even with your participation no longer needed or

  welcome?"

  The sniped quip seemed to pass unnoticed by Dlarit, but Vorru had no doubt she'd

  cataloged it. "My Elite Squadron is the equal of Rogue Squadron. If you had sent

  us after them, Teradoc would be prostrate before you, begging you to accept his

  allegiance. He is laughing because you destroyed three squadrons, because you

  didn't heed the warning he offered by refusing to send his own pilots against

  Antilles."

  Vorru saw Isard preparing for a counterargument and knew if Isard were not

  checked Erisi might pay with her life for her frank audacity. In the space of a

  heartbeat, he examined his options. If he said nothing, Isard would destroy

  Erisi Dlarit, throwing the Dlarit family into further disrepute. The fact that

  the Ashern had humiliated her father clearly fueled her desire for r etribution

  on the forces arrayed against the Bacta Cartel. She had wanted to fly on the

  mission to Alderaan, but Isard had refused that request. To turn around and then

  blame Erisi for the mission's failure was frustrating enough that Erisi might

  wish for death.
r />   Intervening on her behalf would open him to Isard's wrath, but the price might

  be worth it. Erisi and her family still had considerable influence within the

  Bacta Cartel. If Isard had to be removed, having Erisi as an ally might make

  such an operation possible and certainly would smooth over the consequences of

  it on Thyferra. / could even claim to the New Republic that I joined Isard

  specifically to work against her from the inside like this. The idea that the

  New Republic

  would have to accept him as the leader of the new Bacta Cartel broadened the

  grin Erisi's defiance had put on his face.

  "I think, Madam Director, you cannot discount the fact that the Rogues clearly

  had planned ahead against the eventuality of betrayal. Granted an Alderaanian

  War Cruiser is an antiquated ship, but coupled with the X-wing squadron's

  strength, it was enough to make Captain Convarion pay for his recklessness."

  Isard rotated her head around to glance at him over her shoulder. "You presume

  Convarion made a mistake to blind me to the fact that if our operation was

  betrayed to Antilles, it was doubtless through a spy you have failed to locate."

  Vorru caught Erisi's eye, and in a moment he felt he had earned her gratitude.

  Part of him began to list the various ways she could make it more manifest.

  Because of her beauty and strength, the idea of a physical union to consummate

  their alliance in opposition to Isard came to mind, but he dismissed it. He had

  no doubt it could happenand might well happen yetbut their need for each other

  had higher purposes than sating lust. If we are to be allies, our first

  conjunction must be full of purpose and confirmed by reason, not dictated and

  muddled by emotional involvement.

  Vorru knew he could fall victim to Erisi's charms, because she realized that it

  was possible to play to his vanity and desperation. He had always been vain, but

  he had kept it in check. His age attacked both his vanity and ambition,

  reminding himself that he had little time to accomplish all the goals he had

  set out for his life. His time on Kessel had gotten him no closer to the heights

  he had once seen as his due, and now he knew that unless he acted quickly, his

  chances of even approaching them would wither and die.

  "That possibility cannot be discounted, of course, Madam Directornor can it be

  proven, as you are well aware. The fact is that Antilles has been very cautious

  throughout his career. That he has lived this long is ample proof of that. The

  precaution taken against our interference could have been nothing more than a

  concern over whether or not he could trust his trading partner."

  Isard turned so she could watch both him and Erisi. "Yes, his trading partner. I

  want Karrde dealt with."

  Vorru shook his head. "Under no circumstances. If we treat Talon Karrde any

  differently than we do now, he will realize we have an agent among his people,

  and we lose a very valuable resource. Moreover, Karrde's loyalty can be bought.

  We will have him when, if, and however we want him."

  He opened his hands. "As for your assertion that Commander Dlarit is to blame

  for the failures of her pilots, this, too, is disingenuous. Her pilots were

  inappropriately matched against Rogue Squadron. Captain Convarion always

  believed the appearance of his vessel would strike terror into the hearts of his

  enemies. He expected them to panic and run precisely because they ran the first

  time he ambushed them. Antilles has not lived this long by repeating mistakes.

  Convarion should have insisted on having the best pilots possible flying with

  him. He did not, because he assumed their contribution to his victory would be

  incidental."

  Isard brought her head up. "Ah, well, then it seems I am wrong about

  everything!" The rising ironic tone in her voice did nothing to hide her anger.

  "Perhaps you would like to tell me how things are going to go from now on and

  what we should do about them."

  Vorru smiled and took a half step toward Isard as he turned to face her. "I

  would guess, despite the possession of the War Cruiser, Antilles and his people

  will continue their"he glanced at Erisi"as the pilots so colorfully put it,

  'hit-and-hype' raids. In actuality you've seen those raids are minimally

  effective. I would imagine they will also try to infiltrate some of the tanker

  crews so they can hijack more shipments. Our lossesand we will have

  someshould be minimal."

  Isard's eyes half-closed. "Minimal losses to us will still be enough to let them

  finance their war against us."

  "True, but the fact is that time runs in our favor, not theirs. We have a number

  of ways to deal with them, but their threat will not be ended until we locate

  their base and destroy it."

  Isard pressed two fingers against her lips for a moment.

  "The elimination of their base has always been the way to deal with them. What

  other plans do you have in mind?"

  Vorru smiled hesitantly. "The prime method of eliminating their ability to

  fight against us is for us to open up our storage wells and make an abundance of

  bacta available."

  "No!" Erisi and Ysanne looked at each other in surprise as their joint

  denunciation of that suggestion echoed loudly through the room. Isard shook her

  head. "That would kill the price of bacta and loosen the dependency of others

  upon us."

  "Agreed, but we can survive the momentary weakness, Rogue Squadron cannot. The

  strength of the bacta price is their strength. Take it away, and they are left

  penniless. Karrde won't speak with them. They will be unable to maintain their

  spacecraft and will no longer appear to be friends worth protecting. Make bacta

  abundant, offer a reward to bring Antilles and his people in, and hint that

  bacta will remain abundant if they are captured or betrayed to you and Antilles

  is done."

  Even as he outlined the plan, Vorru knew Isard would reject it. It is the

  easiest and most bloodless of the plans needed for getting rid of Antilles. She

  will reject it because it does not satisfy her sense of revenge. She wants him

  to suffer, not wither. I doubt she recognizes she should reject it because of

  the backlash she will suffer among the Xucphra people when their standard of

  living crashes.

  Isard slowly shook her head. "Antilles has defied me directly and has killed

  one of my Destroyers. I want him dead, I want Horn dead and the others, but I

  want them to know I was the hand behind it, not market vagaries. Moreover,

  relinquished power is power that is not easily recovered. Next."

  "The other plan is the current onea plan that requires vigilance and patience.

  We keep seeking information and then pounce when we know where he is." Vorru

  shrugged stiffly. "The problem with this plan is that it is frustrating, since

  we cannot act until we know where he is based. That could take three months,

  six, a year."

  "Unacceptable." Isard shook her head adamantly. "I am not going to sit back and

  allow Antilles free rein while I just wait. This situation cannot be allowed to

  mature further. We

  1

  I

  need action. I want to kill something, and I want
to use her pilots to do it."

  Isard pointed an unwavering ringer at Erisi. "If your pilots are truly elite,

  killing something should not be beneath them."

  Vorru felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Halanit was a disaster, yet she

  would repeat it. "Madam Director, a raid right now would be a waste of people,

  parts, munitions, and goodwill."

  "But it will show High Admiral Teradoc and that fool Harssk that they should not

  trifle with me and laugh at me. And what need have / of goodwill? Do I not own

  all the bacta there is? Others should please me with their actions, not seek to

  be pleased by me."

  Vorru held his hands up. "There is no question you have power others would do

  well to respect, but attacking another place like Halanit will inspire more fear

  than you want."

  Isard gave Vorru a predatory smile, all sharp tooth and pitiless. "But fear is

  exactly what I want, Minister Vorru. However, I take your point. I will still

  have my attack, and Commander Dlarit's people will do it, but we'll spare

  off-worlders for the moment."

  She blithely turned her attention on Erisi, and the Thyferran woman paled. "You

  will plan a mission that punishes the Ashern for their boldness in resisting me.

  Their antics have been hardly damaging, but I want them to know that to defy me

  is to court death. Find somethinga munitions dump, a rebel camp, a sympathetic

  village, anything. Find it and destroy it. No warning, no mercy." She smiled.

  "No question who the true power here is."

  I

  27

  Mirax Terrik found herself surprised by the delighted smile on Talon Karrde's

  face. A crescent lined with white teeth split his moustache from his goatee and

  gave him the rakish air of a space pirate. What surprised her was not that

  Karrde could smile so handsomely, but that he dared to, given the scowl on her

  father's face. Karrde can't be ignorant of my father's temper, so he thinks

  he's anticipated our trouble.

  Karrde, alone in his cabin, waved both of the Terriks to chairs. "I'll dispense

  with greetings because I suspect you'd doubt my sincerity after what happened at

  Alderaan." Karrde came around to the front of his desk, then leaned back on its

  edge, crossing his long legs.

  Mirax sat in the chair she'd been offered, but her father remained standing. He

  rested his hands on the back of his chair, then leaned forward to bring his eyes