X-wing_ The Krytos Trap Part 22

"The eyes of the Warlord are upon us," Gavin quipped. "TIEs inbound."

Nawara flipped back to his lasers and broke to port with Pash. Coming up over the top, they climbed toward the in-coming eyeb.a.l.l.s. He punched all power to his forward shield and prepared for a head-to-head pa.s.s. He dropped his crosshairs on the growing speck that was an approaching TIE starfighter. He watched the range close, then popped a quick shot off. A pair of laser-bolts glanced off the eyebali's port panel, imparting a spin to the ship. Nawara started to dive after it, but with his speed, he overshot it. "I got the other half of it, Six."

"Thanks, Gavin." Nawara evened out his shields and pulled back up.

Inverting his ship, he completed a big loop and followed the rest of squadron back into the fray. In the boiling cloud of fighters, friend and foe flashed past so quickly that it was impossible to account for everyone's posi-tion. Nawara knew a number of the other pilots in the squadron had a "situational awareness" that was superior to his own, but he figured this battle had to be taxing even them.

And if you take long enough to line up a shot . . . The hiss of lasers gnawing away at his aft shield completed his thought and sent a jolt through him. "I have one on my tail. I'm going to try to shake him."

Nawara hit the right rudder pedal, swinging the X-wing's aft to port. He kicked the ship up onto the star-board S-foil, then pulled the stick back and curled down into a corkscrew dive. He throttled back a bit, hoping his pursuer would overshoot him, but the aft scan showed the pilot pulling a twisting roll and dive that covered more distance, keep-ing him in behind Nawara.

The Twi'lek punched the throttle forward and enlarged the gap between them, then broke hard to port and started to climb again. Maybe that will get rid of him.

Lasers hissing on his aft shields again told him the tactic hadn't worked. Nawara rocked the X-wing back and forth and bounced it up and down, making it a tough target to hit, but the TIE pilot stayed with him.

! have to do something. Sweat formed on his upper lip and leaked in at the corners of his mouth, coating his tongue with the taste of copper.

His lekku twitched in their fabric prisons. Maybe if I run into the Graveyard . . .

He started to pull up and head for the asteroids, when something behind him exploded. He glanced at his aft moni-tor and saw no TIE there.

"Thanks."

"My pleasure, Six." Erisi seemed pleased with herself. "My wing would be distraught if you were hurt."

"I owe you, Four, for the both of us."

"Acknowledged, Six."

Aril Nunb's voice broke in on the comm channel. "Lambs are running."

"Thanks, Twelve, let them go." Wedge's voice lacked none of its earlier vehemence. "We've got plenty to do here."

Nawara brought his X-wing up and evened out the shields. Trailing Erisi back in toward the fight, he saw two or three TIEs explode. Another came shooting out of the dog-fight, then barrel-rolled in on Erisi for a broadside shot at her.

"Four, break up!" Nawara snapped his fighter up on the port S-foil, then climbed. He swooped in on the eyeball, stayed with it as the pilot juked down, then hit his trigger. The first pair of laser-bolts only melted holes in the starboard solar panel, but the second hit the ball c.o.c.kpit dead on. The TIE began to spin out of control, then exploded in a cloud of brilliant incandescent gas. Debris sparked off his forward shield as he flew past the outer edges of the fireball.

"Lead, Five here. The TIEs are breaking off. They're heading for the Graveyard."

"I copy, Five. Rogue Squadron, let them go."

"You can't be serious, Lead."

"I am, Gavin."

"But what they did--"

"Doesn't matter right now. They're dead and they know it. I don't want any of us getting dead. Regroup in your flights and stand by." A momentary squeal ended Wedge's transmission, telling Nawara that the commander was shift-ing over to a different comm unit frequency.

Nawara rolled his fighter and dove down to where Pash and the other two members of Two flight were orbiting. Peer-ing out through his c.o.c.kpit canopy, he got the first good look at the remains of the convoy. If humans can bring themselves to do this to a convoy of ships hauling bacta, I am glad I'm not human.

A few of the freighters were still recognizable as such. Hull compartments had been blown open by explosions. Bacta that had geysered out through the holes had flash-frozen into monuments to the terror the ships' crews must have felt. Fires burned deep in the hearts of several ships, consuming the last remnants of atmosphere. Pieces of other ships drifted through the area, slamming into one another, breaking up yet further to careen into other dead hulks.

The worst image Nawara saw was of one small ship - one barely bigger than the Skate - that appeared, from the prow to midships, to be intact. Back of that point the ship did not really exist--at least, nothing recognizable as a ship. Turbolaser fire had hit so fast that the latter half of the ship had been liquified. An amorphous blob of metal fringed with condensed metal mist, like the down from a silvery bird, trailed in the ship's wake.

The sheer violence of the attack that had destroyed that ship shook Nawara. The transparisteel c.o.c.kpit panels on the ship had blown out. He realized the Super Star Destroyer's turbolasers would have superheated the atmosphere in the ship. The crew would have been cooked inside and out in the blink of an eye. They would have been dead before they knew what had happened to them, but their last moments must have been full of terror because of the SSD's presence.

Nawara keyed his comm unit. "Hypothetical question: you're part of a convoy with minimal arms and you come out of hypers.p.a.ce in the shadow of a Super Star Destroyer and a Strike Cruiser that's deployed its TIEs. Do you pro-voke an attack?"

"Ooryl cannot see how anyone would be that suicidal."

"Right, so you'd surrender and tell the SSD that you're hauling bacta, which is currently very valuable." Nawara frowned. "It makes no sense for anyone to have killed the convoy."

"That's why to know Warlord Zsinj is to wonder about his sanity." Disgust filled Pash's voice. "He's definitely some-one who needs a lot of killing."

"Count me in."

"Me, too."

A squeal came through the comm unit, then Wedge spoke. "I've just had word with the TIEs. They're giving up---they were uneasy with the mission and they don't like the fact that we showed up. They're going to recon the han-gar sections of Termagant and see if they can reboard."

"Why, that hulk's not going anywhere? The engines are in the other half and it's headed for the Graveyard."

"I noticed, Four. They're going to check for survivors and try to pick up enough oxygen to survive for as long as they can. Pash, ! want you to take Two flight out of here and make for Tatooine. It's about eight hours out, give or take. Gavin can guide you in to Mos Eisley. Refuel there and hire a freighter that can carry a dozen TIEs. Get it here and haul the pilots clear. I'm sure your father would like to debrief them, so you should probably bring them to Coruscant with you."

"As ordered. We fly cover for the freighter in case our friends have any ideas about trying to commandeer it?"

"Right, though I don't think you'll find much opposi-tion."

"How so?"

"Scan the debris. There's a lot of TIE parts out there and--"

Nawara looked at the readout his R5 scrolled up his screen. "X-wing debris. But we didn't lose anyone."

"No, we didn't." Some of the anger drained from Wedge's voice. "Of course, that's not what Zsinj's people say. They say they already killed off Rogue Squadron, right here, defending the convoy the way it was supposed to. Then we arrived and showed them we were tougher to kill the second time around."

Nawara blinked. "But that makes no more sense than attacking the convoy in the first place."

"No it doesn't, but there's no time to try to figure it out now. You get to Tatooine. We'll check for survivors here, then head back to Coruscant and report. See you there in a day or so." Wedge sighed. "If by then you come up with any brilliant thoughts on what's happened here, I know I, for one, will be more than willing to listen to them."

3O.

Kirtan Loor would have been trembling with outrage, but the lethargy of despair had a higher priority. He knew his days were numbered, and he wouldn't have bet on double digits even if given the longest of odds. He freely a.s.sumed the only reason he still lived was because Ysanne Isard enjoyed the thought of him cowering in fear, dreading each new day.

Yet even facing certain death at her hands, Loor did greatly admire how lsard had gotten him and Warlord Zsinj and the New Republic in one simple set of maneuvers. Rogue Squadron would also have been caught in the trap had their operation not fallen behind schedule--and if ! had not been playing my game.

Within 24 hours of the ambush at Alderaan, Zsinj had sent a message to Coruscant via what was left of the Imperial HoloNet system, indicating he and his people had attacked the bacta convoy because, according to his sources, the bacta was tainted and would have exacerbated the Krytos virus problem. He further claimed that Rogue Squadron had been present, had indicated they knew the bacta was tainted, and had fully intended that it should be distributed on Coruscant to "get rid of the xeno-trash"

the Empire had left behind. He said he had no choice but to destroy the convoy and Rogue Squadron, then beseeched people to overthrow the New Re-public's government and flock to his banner.

The only problem with his message, which was broad-cast worldwide, is that it followed by roughly six hours a report about the attack on the convoy. This attack report had been delivered by the government and included ho-lographic images created by and with commentary from members of Rogue Squadron. Zsinj's claim that he had de-stroyed the unit were proved false, and helped make the rest of his comments appear likewise untrustworthy.

Loor shook his head. Ysanne Isard had clearly leaked to Zsinj the information about the convoy. His report that he was sending a Rogue Squadron of his own to eliminate the convoy clearly would have arrived too late for her to get it to Zsinj. Loor had only given her 16 hours'

notice of what he was doing, yet the timing of Zsinj's message to Coruscant suggested strongly that it took him at least a day to make it to Alderaan from wherever the Iron Fist had been.

All of this meant the message that had been routed to Loor and warned of the squadron's mission had also, some-how, made its way to lsard. She had acted based on that original message, then got Loor's follow-up message later. The appearance of his Rogue Squadron meant that Zsinj didn't wait around for the genuine unit to put in an appear-ance--he just struck and destroyed them all. Rogue Squad-ron had embarra.s.sed him in the past, and this was his chance to get back at them, which he truly believed he had.

The tainted bacta story clearly was an afterthought to mollify those people who might be upset by his destruction of so much bacta.

The loss of the bacta had struck quite a blow to the hopes of people on Coruscant. Coupled with that was a re-port from a governmental accounting office that indicated there was less ryll available than previously thought. Several Provisional Council members suggested it had been stolen, but statisticians showed how the shortage was actually an artifact of good distribution. The previous supply, which had been supposed to last for two months, was down to seven weeks because more was getting out to more people.

It struck Loor as amusing that the gover~ment was still fight.i.t~g the Emperor's ghost; it was the Empire's doing that had p.r.o.n~pted everyone to look for the truth behind goveri1- ment statements. The fact that the Republic might be telli~g its citizens everything there was to tell did not stop people from thinking there i~light be st~mething nlore to the story. Teaching trust is a long process; lear~ing it is a~ even longer one.

And Ysal~ne Isard has, in short order, lear~zed she calz no lollger trust me.

Had he done nothing and simply relayed the message to her when he got it, her plot would have discredited Zsinj, resulted in the loss of the bacta, and caused the destruction of Rogue Squadron. While stle had no proof that he intended to steal the bacta and use it for his o~'i1 gain, he knew she didn't need proof to condemn hinl. She knew he was smart enough to see how powerful that bacta could have made him. If he had succeeded he would have ama.s.sed end)ugh power to begin to play on her level. Now he was just a failure.

And failures; as far as she is co~zcerned, are worthless. She would discard him as solon as the optimal use for him arose. Wl~ich mea~ls I must find somethiltg to do with myself befc~re she does.

Loor allowed himself to laugh and banish some of the fear. He had plans to make, big plans. Plans for the future and plal~s to get me to the future.

Gavin I)arklighter cleared his throat and rapped gei~tly on the dot)rjamp of Conllnander Antilles's office. "Excuse me, sir."

Wedge looked up from his desk, a bit haggard and bleary-eyed. "What can I do for you, Gavin?"

"I'd like to speak to y()u if I might. In private, sir." Wedge straightened up in his chair, then nodded and waved Gavin to the seat in front of the &sk. A couple of keystrokes killed the holographic lists of numbers hanging in the air above Wedge's holopad. They looked like quarter-master reports to Gavin, but he couldn't be certain, since he was reading them from the back side (~f the hologram.

"What is it, Gavin?"

How to begin? Gavin seated himselL then looked down at his hands. "Ah, sir, we, the squadron that is, have been discussing the situation at Alderaan. It was really preuy bad. I mean, those of us in Two flight got to see it a second time when we went to get the TIE pilots, and the destruction seemed even worse than we'd thought."

Wedge nodded and rubbed his eyes. "I know. I helped edit and narrate the government's report on the ambush. Warlord Zsinj's Iro~ Fist did a first-cla.s.s job of ripping the convoy up from one end to the other."

Gavin frowned. "When ! talked to the others, they said you've been preuy quiet about all that--about Mirax dying and all. I mean, I didn't know her nearly as well as you did, of course. I got to know her on the run into Coruscant when we came in secret, and I liked her. Not romantically, you know---not that there was anything wrong with her, but even I could see she was interested in Corran. Anyway, I remem-ber you coming to talk to me about Lujayne Forge when the Imps killed her, and how much it helped and I thought--"

"You thought it w(~uld help me to let my grief show?"

"Well, your best friends aren't here for you. Captain Celchu is in jail, Princess Leia has dropped out of sight, and you and Mirax were close, so . . .".

Wedge smiled and sighed, then leaned back in his chair. "I appreciate this, Gavin, more than you know. I guess, with Mirax, I'm still in shock.

There was no trace of her or the Pulsar Skate, so part of me wants to believe she had an astro-gation error and jumped someplace else, that she wasn't there at all."

"I think we'd all like to believe that, sir."

"It's ridicul~us, of course, but that's part of the reason I'm not ready to let her go, you know." Wedge frowned. "It seems as if everyone I know, all the friends I make, are get-ting ground up by the Empire or some malignant little off-shoot of it. Fighting against the Death Stars--well, sonleone dying there somehow had meaning. The convoy, though, they were just bringing bacta to a sick world. Even though their deaths have catalyzed the Provisional Council into making a decision concerning Warlord Zsinj, their lives were wasted, and I guess I'm tired of that sort of waste."

Gavin looked up. "We're going after Zsinj?"

Wedge tapped his datapad. "I was going over informa-tion concerning our supplies for deployment against him. I don't know many details, and couldn't tell you any of them if I did, but this convoy hit has made Zsinj a big target. Admi-ral Ackbar wants this data rather quickly, so I really should get back to it."

"If you say so, sir."

Wedge leaned forward on his elbows. "Look, Gavin, I appreciate your coming here and talking to me about Mirax. I don't think I'm ready to go into this all the way right now, but I'm coping. It hurts, but I'm coping."

Gavin nodded. "Yes, sir." Walling it away just delays things. "If you ever decide you want someone to talk to--"

"You'll be the first person I call." Wedge smiled and sketched Gavin a brief salute. "Go get yourself some rest-- and that goes for the rest of the squadron. If we're going to be going after Zsinj, I want us ready to move as fast as possible."

Borsk Fey'lya stood behind his desk and smoothed the creamy fur around his face. "Please, Asyr Sei'lar, do come in. I am honored that Rogue Squadron's newest ace has time to visit with me."

The black-and-white-furred Bothan bowed her head re-spectfully, then stood at attention as the door closed behind her. "I am honored a member of the Provisional Council noticed me."

"Noticed you? My dear, you are quite impossible to refrain from noticing.

Aside from your performance in the squadron, you were positively stunning at the Dan'kre party the other evening. Please, be seated. No need for formality here, is there?" Fey'iya remained standing until she had taken her seat. She moved with an ease and strength he re-called possessing in his youth. Though he was not that long past his physical peak, he could already see how much he had lost from when he was her age.

Borsk Fey'lya also realized that had he been her age again, he would have been lovestalking her. He found her quite attractive, freely acknowledging that the white blazes in her fur gave her a dangerous look.

The fire in her violet eyes likewise threatened to seduce him, but with maturity-- unlike humans--he had moved away from personal vanity. Whereas a man might take a mistress her age to prove his continued virility, for Fey'lya that choice would prove he had not yet sufficiently focused himself on what was truly impor-tant in life.

The pursuit of power.

"I wish to communicate to you, Asyr, the congratula-tions and adulation of the people of Bothawui. You are well on your way to taking your place in the constellations of Bothan heroes like the Martyrs and even your predecessor in Rogue Squadron, Peshk Vri'syk. You liberated Coruscant and now fly with the New Republic's most famous fighter squadron. Your parents are very proud of you, and other Bothan parents everywhere have virtually no reservations when it comes to their children choosing you as a role model."

"Thank you, Councilor." Asyr's violet eyes blinked. "I would think parents could find far better role models for their children than me."

"Perhaps, but I should not be concerned about your liai-son with the human, Galen." Fey'lya purposely misidentified her lover and was rewarded by a flash of anger rippling the filr of her neck and head. "Xenophilia is not unknown among us, and your dalliance adds a hint of romance to your image. Your Galen seems very capable of handling himself in a wide variety of situations--case in point being the way he defused the Kre'fey problem. Moreover, you are quite dis-creet--admirably discreet, actually."

"His name is Gavin, Gavin Darklighter. His cousin was one of those who died destroying the first Death Star."

"And our Martyrs died to enable the Alliance to destroy the second Death Star. It is fitting that heirs to two heroic traditions should find comfort together." Fey'lya raised a hand to calm her. "Please, forgive me if this mention of your personal affairs angered you. I did not mean to cause you any discomfort. I fully understand the sort of bonds that can be forged between people who endure adversity together. Others are not so accepting of things they see as different."

"Thank you, Councilor." Asyr frowned heavily. "Some other members of the Bothan community here are positively imperial in their xenophobic att.i.tudes."

"That is not good at all. If you will permit me, perhaps I can help you with this problem. I have ample opportunity to speak with various groups- -Bothan and other--here and back on Bothawui. It does no one any good for you to be persecuted for things that really are beyond your control. I was young once. I know how hot one's blood can be. I will use my influence to get att.i.tudes to change."

"That would be most kind."

"I'm glad to be of service." Fey'lya smiled. "In fact, I had hoped to be of service to you when I invited you here, but this was not the subject I wanted to address." Asyr met his gaze unflinchingly. "Yes, sir?"

"You were part of the mission to Alderaan, as I recall, yes?"

"Yes. I flew wing for Commander Antilles. I got the kills I did because he hung back and covered me."

"I see." Fey'lya pressed his hands together, fingertip to fingertip. "The timing of your arrival in the Alderaan system has become a point of interest for those conspiratorially-minded individuals within the government and without. You were late and the convoy was destroyed."