Vision of the future swhot-2

by Timothy Zahn

  The clutching fingers never got there. Leia caught him in midair in a Force grip, redirecting the direction of his leap to send him soaring instead over the monitor ring to land in a confused heap at the back of the bridge.

  "Guards!" Av'muru shouted. "All guards!"

  Leia turned back to the helm, again increasing the ship's speed. Her senses flared with warning, and she snatched up her lightsaber just as two other guards on the far side of the room brought their blasters up. They fired, their stun bolts scattering uselessly from her glowing blade. Again she snatched the weapons away, this time bringing them flying across the bridge toward her and slicing them neatly in half with her lightsaber.

  "You will stop this at once," Av'muru snarled, stalking with an even, deliberate pace toward her.

  "Otherwise, I will declare a state of war to exist between the Ishori Confederene and the New Republic."

  "This entire system is in deadly danger," Leia said in a loud voice. "You've refused to take steps to oppose this danger. I have therefore done so in your place."

  "You risk war between Isht and Coruscant," Av'muru shouted, still coming toward her. "You have until I reach you to cease this action and return this vessel to my command." Out of the corner of her eye, Leia saw Gavrisom trotting over toward Av'muru's side... and there was now exactly one card left for her to play. "There is no need or reason to involve the New Republic," she told the Ishori. "I hearby resign from the High Council, and the Senate, and the Presidency. I am no longer anything but a private citizen."

  "Then you also renounce all diplomatic privileges," Av'muru snapped. Gavrisom had reached his side now, pulling slightly ahead of the Ishori as the two of them continued toward Leia. From Gavrisom's gait, Leia could tell he was trying to reach her first. Probably hoping to stop her himself, with an eye toward minimizing the political damage to the New Republic that she had just caused. But it was too late for that, and Gavrisom surely knew it. "You are aboard an Ishori war vessel," Av'muru continued. "The penalty for mutiny aboard such a vessel is death." Leia felt her throat tighten. And that, she realized bleakly, was that. The captain had spoken the word "mutiny," automatically invoking the highest level of Ishori war-law. If she didn't back down before Av'muru reached her, he would have no choice but to bring the entire might of his warship to bear against her.

  Could they stop her? Probably not. Certainly not before they reached the comet. But at what cost? Though she could hold them back, she could almost certainly not do so without the eventual shedding of blood. And if her actions led to death, even deaths from ricochet shots from their own weapons, her fate would be sealed. The strict code of Ishori war-justice would demand her death in return.

  And for the sake of unity within the New Republic, she would have to submit. Av'muru and Gavrisom were nearly to her now...

  And then, to Leia's amazement, Gavrisom turned sideways and abruptly stopped, his long flank stretching across the aisle between two consoles, blocking Av'muru's way. "I think not, Captain," he said calmly. "I am declaring this war vessel to be under direct New Republic command."

  "So it is treason from the New Republic Presidency as well?" Av'muru screamed, trying to push Gavrisom bodily out of his way. "Move aside or die alongside her."

  "There is no treason involved," Gavrisom said. His voice was still calm, but he hadn't budged a millimeter. "Unless you bring such a charge upon yourself by refusing an official New Republic emergency requisition of your vessel as per Section 45-2 of the Treaties of Allegiance." Abruptly Av'muru stopped pushing. "You speak nonsense," he said, screaming now at the top of his lungs. "There has been no official requisition."

  "The Treaties are vague about how such a requisition is to be made," Gavrisom said coolly.

  "Deliberately so, for an emergency situation by its very nature requires flexibility." He waved a wing toward Leia. "In this case, the requisition began when High Councilor Organa Solo—"

  "She is no longer a High Councilor, by her own statement!"

  "When High Councilor Organa Solo," Gavrisom repeated, emphasizing each word, "began moving this vessel toward a perceived source of danger."

  Av'muru glared at Gavrisom, transferred the look to Leia, turned it back on Gavrisom again. "You cannot seriously believe the Confederene will accept such a ludicrous claim," he bellowed.

  "What they will or will not accept is a matter for future discussion," Gavrisom pointed out.

  "Regretfully, the Diamalan jamming has eliminated any chance for you to communicate with your governments for counsel."

  He tossed his mane. "It is your decision, Captain. You must base it on the requirements of the law, my position as New Republic President, and the word of a Jedi Knight that your ship is in deadly danger."

  Av'muru was trembling with emotion, his eyes flicking back and forth between Gavrisom, Leia, and the view out the canopy. Leia stole a glance out there herself, confirmed that the Predominance was indeed moving toward the comet.

  "Helmsman?" Av'muru shouted.

  "Here, my captain," the other replied, stepping hesitantly forward.

  "Resume your post," Av'muru ordered, his voice starting to calm down. "Continue on the course which the Jedi Knight Organa Solo has put us on." He paused. "And increase to flank speed."

  "Yes, my captain," the helmsman said, brushing gingerly past Gavrisom as the Calibop moved aside. Leia stepped aside as well, and he sat warily down in his seat again. " 'Course and speed as ordered, my captain."

  "Come, Councilor," Gavrisom said, gesturing to Leia with one of his wing tips. "Let us move back out of their way."

  Together, they retreated again behind the monitor ring. "Thank you," Leia said quietly.

  "I was only doing my job," Gavrisom said. "I have often heard it said that Calibops are long on words and short on deeds."

  He ruffled his mane. "Sometimes, though, it is the words that must come first."

  "Yes," Leia murmured, gazing out the canopy at the comet. She could only hope that the deeds that followed would be in time.

  * * *

  "We have them both, Captain," the starboard tractor beam officer called up to the command walkway. "Two freighters: a YT-1300 and a Corellian Action II."

  "Very good," Nalgol said, still seething over the unexpected and unannounced change in their carefully precise schedule. The strike team on the surface, he promised himself ominously, would have some serious explaining to do when this was all over.

  But in the meantime, the Tyrannic was ready to do whatever needed to be done. And the first job on that list would be to take care of those spies out there. "Bring them in closer, Lieutenant," he called. "Make sure they don't break away."

  "They won't, sir," the tractor officer promised.

  Nalgol felt a movement beside him. "You sent for me, Captain?" Oissan said.

  "That priority/threat list I asked for," Nalgol said shortly. "Where is it?"

  "The preliminary list has been filed," Oissan said, sounding a bit flustered. "We were expecting to have more time to complete it."

  "Well, you didn't, did you?" Nalgol bit out, thoroughly disgusted. First the strike team, now Oissan. "Get back to work. We still have an hour or two before the battle out there winds down to where we'll be entering it."

  "Yes, sir," Oissan said stiffly. "Will you be wanting my staff to interrogate the prisoners?"

  "What prisoners?"

  "Why—" Oissan floundered. "The crews of those freighters out there." Nalgol shook his head. "There will be no prisoners."

  "But you said—"

  "I said to bring them closer, that's all," Nalgol cut him off tartly. "I don't want any debris floating outside the cloaking shield where someone might notice it."

  He looked back out the viewport. The YT-1300 was twisting madly in the grip of the tractor beam, still trying to escape, the larger Action II curiously quiet. "Another minute or two," he added,

  "and they'll be taken care of. Permanently."

  * * *

  "There
!" Lando snapped, pointing out the Industrious Thoughts's viewport. "Didn't I tell you?

  The Ishori have recognized the danger and are heading out to take a look."

  "They are merely running in an attempt to save their skins," Senator Miatamia countered calmly.

  "Or else feel that the heightened maneuverability available in deep space will serve their defense better."

  "Fine," Lando said. "Either way, you can't just let them go."

  "The Diamala seek no vengeance against anyone," the Senator said. "We have thwarted their unprovoked attack against Bothawui. That is sufficient for now."

  "But what about the threat I warned you about?" Lando demanded. "We bet on it, remember?"

  "If such a threat exists, and if the Ishori are indeed searching for it, they will surely discover it on their own," Miatamia said equably. "There is no reason for any Diamalan ships to expose themselves to danger."

  Lando glared out the viewport at the departing ship. However she'd done it, Leia had gotten the Predominance to move against the comet and whatever surprise the Imperials had hidden out there. But with Thrawn pulling the strings, the surprise was likely to be a memorable one. Almost certainly too big for a single Ishori war cruiser to handle by itself... "I see," he said, striving to keep his voice casual, the tone of a disinterested party who has nothing to gain one way or the other. "I'm sure the Ishori are just as happy to get away from you, too."

  "What does it matter how the Ishori see things?" Miatamia said.

  "Oh, no reason," Lando said with a shrug. "I was just thinking that if they decided they wanted to make a real fight of it, they'd need to call in reinforcements. And of course, once they're out of range of your jamming, they'll be able to do that."

  Miatamia's ears curled over. "Surely they would not do such a thing."

  "Why not?" Lando said. "Remember, they think the whole Bothan species should pay for their part in the destruction of Caamas. If I were them, I'd figure that the space over Bothawui would be the perfect spot to hash out their differences with the Diamala."

  He nodded back in the direction of the planet beneath them. "Especially with part of the planetary shield collapsed the way it is. Any battle debris that falls through that hole is just a bonus as far as they're concerned."

  Miatamia was already at the intercom, speaking urgently into it. Lando stared out the viewport, holding his breath...

  And then, to starboard and portside, he saw the other two Diamalan ships turn ponderously toward the departing Ishori war cruiser and begin to give chase. A moment later, he felt the slight tug of acceleration as the Industrious Thoughts followed suit.

  "We will keep them silent until the Drev'starn shield generator is repaired," Miatamia said, rejoining Lando. "But when that is done, they will be free to leave if they wish."

  "Good enough," Lando said. "You're just bringing the three ships?" Miatamia gazed out the viewport. "I have suggested to the captain that all Diamalan ships also be summoned to our side."

  "Just in case I'm right after all?"

  The Senator's ears twitched. "As I have said to you before, the unanticipated may sometimes happen," he said evenly. "The Diamala believe in being prepared for such an eventuality."

  * * *

  "Hang on," Han gritted, throwing the Falcon hard over first to starboard and then to port. No good; the tractor beam still had a solid grip on them. Reaching to the weapons board, he shifted the aim of the upper quad laser, now firing continuously toward the Star Destroyer. Like the swivel maneuver, all the firepower was doing no good, either.

  "The portside stabilizer is flickering again," Elegos announced, peering at the monitor displays.

  "You may do serious damage to it if you continue this way."

  Han bit back a curse. Yes, he might blow the stabilizers. He might also burn out a section of the sublight drive, or melt the quads, or even crack the hull.

  But he had no choice but to do whatever was necessary to get clear, even if he had to tear the life out of the Falcon to do it. A cloaked Star Destroyer meant an ambush... and the last thing an ambushing Imperial would want would be to leave witnesses behind.

  Elegos, though, hadn't figured that one out yet. "Perhaps we should attempt to surrender," the Caamasi suggested.

  "Yeah?" Han grunted. "Why?"

  "To prevent our destruction, of course," Elegos said. "Besides, Carib and his group seem to have already done that."

  "What do you mean?" Han asked, frowning as he searched the sky. Preoccupied with his own part of the fight, he'd completely lost track of the Action II.

  "I mean they aren't struggling against the tractor beam," Elegos explained, pointing out the viewport.

  He was right. There was Carib's freighter, a little to starboard and considerably closer to the dark hull than the Falcon was. Making no attempt at all to escape.

  But that didn't make sense. Surely Carib knew even better than he did that there was going to be no such thing as surrender here. Had he and the others already been killed?

  Or had their newly professed allegiance to Leia and the New Republic never been anything more than a trick?

  "Solo?" a voice crackled out from the speaker. "This is Carib. Get ready."

  "Get ready for what?"

  "What do you think?" Carib retorted. "And look; if we don't make it, I want you to see to it that our families are taken care of. Deal?"

  Han threw a frown at Elegos. What in space—?

  "We have a deal," Elegos called toward the comm, looking as puzzled as Han felt but apparently willing to play along. "Don't worry."

  "All right. It's been nice knowing you."

  The comm clicked off. Han stared out at the freighter, a sudden premonition sending a chill up his back—

  And then, all at once, the Action II exploded.

  Beside him, he heard Elegos gasp. "What—?"

  "Just watch," Han cut him off, gripping the helm yoke. "And like the man said, get ready." The flare and dust of the explosion cleared, blown away by the expanding air from inside or snatched away by the tractor beam—

  And suddenly, from the cloud of debris, a dozen TIE Interceptors burst out. It took the Imperials no more than five seconds to react to this new and completely unexpected threat. But in this case, five seconds was far too long. The TIEs swarmed close in across the hull, dodging through the frantic turbolaser fire with casual ease, systematically blasting the tractor beam emplacements.

  Han watched in fascination, memories of Baron Fel's legendary flying skill flooding back. Only this time, it was a dozen Baron Fels running interference for him.

  And with a jolt that cracked his teeth together, the Falcon was free.

  "Hang on!" he snapped, cutting the ship around in a tight circle and pouring power to the sublight drive. The Star Destroyer's turbolasers were starting to open up behind him now as they saw their quarry escaping, and he threw the Falcon into a corkscrewing evasive maneuver as he drove hard toward the invisible edge of the cloaking shield. "You still have the comm ready to transmit to those idiots over Bothawui?" he added, watching the rear deflector indicator warily. If the shields collapsed before they made it out, the Imperials could still win.

  "I'm ready," Elegos said. "As soon as—"

  He broke off with a gasp. Han twisted his head to the side as the familiar shape of a TIE

  Interceptor suddenly appeared alongside. Reflexively, he grabbed for the weapons board—

  And relaxed just in time. Emblazoned on the TIE's solar panels was the New Republic insignia. Beyond the TIE the rest of Carib's unit was forming up on his flank—

  And suddenly the darkness around them vanished, and they were surrounded by stars again.

  "That's it," he said. "Get busy with the comm."

  Elegos cleared his throat. "I don't believe," he said, "that that will be necessary." Puzzled, Han turned to look.

  And caught his breath. Driving resolutely toward them from the direction of Bothawui were a group of over a dozen hea
vy warships.

  The comm crackled. "Han?" Lando's voice came.

  "Yeah, Lando," Han called back. "Watch yourselves—there's an Imperial Star Destroyer under that cloaking shield."

  "Understood," Lando said. "Are those TIE interceptors with you?" Han smiled grimly. "You bet they are. Can you whistle up some more help?"

  "Captain Solo, this is Senator Miatamia," a new voice spoke up. "We are transmitting your warning to all ships allied to the Diamala and requesting their assistance."

  "Great," Han said. "I suggest you invite the Ishori in on this party, too. We're going to need all the help we can get."

  "Han?" Leia's voice cut in, sounding breathless and relieved and tense all at the same time. "Han, are you all right?"

  "I'm fine, hon," he assured her. "You still with the Ishori?"

  "Yes," she said. "The captain's still not sure—"

  She broke off abruptly. "Leia?" Han barked.

  "Never mind," she said, a sudden grim tone in her voice. "I don't think he has any doubts anymore."

  Han frowned, swinging the Falcon around in a tight circle and looking back. The Star Destroyer, its ambush now thwarted, had dropped its cloaking shield.

  Only it wasn't just a single Star Destroyer pulling away from the comet toward the incoming fleet. It was three of them.

  He took a deep breath. "Okay," he said. "Now it's a fight."

  CHAPTER

  41

  "Report from Base Command, Admiral," the comm officer called from the portside crew pit.

  "Enemy Star Destroyer has disabled two more of the tractor beam emplacements."

  "Have repairs begun immediately on those emplacements, Lieutenant," Thrawn said coolly. "And order Base Command to lock three more beams onto the target."

  Standing a little way off to Disra's left, just aft of the command walkway, Paloma D'asima muttered something under her breath to Karoly D'ulin. "A question?" Disra asked, taking a step toward the two Mistryl.

  The older woman nodded toward Thrawn. "I was telling Karoly I don't like any of this," she said, her tone disgusted. "He's playing with them. Why not just blast them and be done with it?"

  "Grand Admiral Thrawn is a very subtle man," Disra said, hoping the loftiness of his tone would discourage her from asking questions he couldn't answer. As a matter of fact, he didn't understand what Tierce had in mind with this one, either. But the major was standing straight and tall at Thrawn's side, exactly as a good aide should, so presumably everything was still going according to plan. Thrawn must have overheard the comment. He murmured something to Tierce, got a nod of agreement, and the major turned and walked back to where Disra and the two Mistryl stood.