The Unifying Force

by James Luceno

  Then Jakan placed himself among their midst, his hooded eyes surveying the lumps and welts that slayers had administered to the Brigaders before they had been shuttled down to Yuuzhan'tar.

  The high priest moved on to the Yuuzhan Vong warriors and summoned their commander, Bhu Path. A towering warrior with inadequate skill for command, his escalation had come about only as a result of persistent petitioning by members of Domain Path, which included several important consuls.

  w many captives did you deliver, Commander?" Jakan asked. Path pivoted slightly to salute Warmaster Nas Choka. "Six

  ckets-

  -nearly five hundred.'

  T- km shook his head in disappointment and glanced up at .-1 "Less than half the minimal amount required for a ceremony

  Of such magnitude."

  Shimrra gazed stonily from the hard bed of his palanquin, but said I ing even when the seers began to consult their divination biots and moan in distress.

  Nas Choka separated himself from the procession and gestured to Bhu Path and his subalterns.

  "Our warriors acquitted themselves well by destroying many enemy fighters and reclaiming two of the ships that might have escaped with the rest. One warrior in particular is noted for having saved our own escort vessels from destruction, in addition to other acts of bravery."

  "Bring this one forward," Shimrra said, "so I might cast my benevolent gaze on him."

  "Commander Malik Carr," Nas Choka called. Nom Anor couldn't believe his ears. After the calamity at Fondor, Malik Carr had been demoted and removed from battle. Now here he was, standing in Shimrra's gaze, a hero! Would everything reverse itself in due time?

  Carr genuflected to Shimrra, then Nas Choka, and remained on one knee. At a motion from the warmaster, a subaltern hurried forward with a command cloak, which Nas Choka draped over the horns implanted in Carr's shoulders.

  "Rise as Supreme Commander Malik Carr," Nas Choka intoned, reinstated because of his courageous actions at Selvaris. We will soon ssign him to a command more worthy of his station."

  Malik Carr snapped his fists in salute and returned to the ranks.

  Dread Lord," Jakan said a moment later, "occurring as they did

  n arena of battle, the death of many infidels at Selvaris counts for

  -thing. But as I say, the captives on hand number too few to con-

  e an appropriate appeal to the gods. We must offer more than

  his Paltry lot."

  Commander Blu Path risked a forward step. "My Lord, we not let these virulent Peace Brigaders substitute for those the surrendered?"

  Path's proposal met with a few shouts of approval, though most] from members of his domain.

  "Such acts of replacement are not without precedent—" Jakan started to say, when Shimrra silenced him with a look.

  "They are not worthy of honorable deaths," Shimrra said. "Not only did they allow their league to be infiltrated by enemy spies, but several of their ships also abandoned the arena at the first sign of engagement, taking with them supplies and a number of sacred objects that were en route from Obroa-skai."

  Shimrra stepped down from the litter, causing a stir among warriors and priests alike, a group of whom unfurled a living carpet in advance of Shimrra's steps. Onimi followed, capering as he trailed his master.

  "On which worlds are we currently engaged in surface contest?" Shimrra asked Nas Choka.

  The warmaster thought before speaking. "I could name twenty, Great Lord. Fifty."

  Shimrra grew angry. "Name one, Warmaster."

  "Corulag, then."

  Shimrra nodded. "Corulag it shall be. See to it that the Peace Brigaders are implanted with surge-coral and sent to the front to join the ranks of our human thrall. In battle, perhaps they will redeem themselves."

  Nas Choka saluted. "Your will be done."

  Shimrra turned then, and beckoned to Drathul and Nom Anor.

  "Momentous plans require momentous ritual. Therefore, the sacrifice can neither be delayed nor interfered with. Make certain that the consuls and executors in your charge be advised that I will brook no further upsets. Should anything untoward occur, I will look upon you and your charges as I would any who seek to meddle in our holy venture."

  "Understood," Drathul and Nom Anor responded in unison.

  Nas Choka waited patiently for Shimrra to settle himself on the palanquin before saying, "A suggestion, Great Lord."

  Shimrra granted him a gaze. "Proceed, Warmaster." «Ve are presently engaged in a campaign to occupy a world ,n as Caluula. If you would permit our efforts to be doubled the planet will fall and many captives will be available to enrich pply. Why not let the brave defenders of the orbital complex to compensate for our dearth of illustrious sacrifices?"

  "Caluula, you say."

  "Distant from Yuuzhan'tar, Great Lord, but vital to our ultimate

  designs."

  Shimrra looked to Jakan, then the seers, who nodded.

  "Let it be done."

  I

  it f* f

  r

  JB" he da

  he damage looks much worse from out here," C-3PO said, staring up at the belly of Millennium Falcon from the foot of the landing ramp.

  Han glared at him from under the ship, where he, Leia, and a Caluula Station mechanic were compiling a list of needed repairs. "Who asked you, Threepio?"

  The protocol droid adopted a posture of inquisitiveness. "No one, Captain Solo. I was only remarking—"

  "Threepio," Leia cut him off. "That's enough for now."

  "Of course, Princess Leia. I know when I'm not wanted."

  "That'll be the day," Han said.

  Cracken, Page, and the rest of the rescued officers were standing off to one side, fielding questions from several other Caluula mechanics, who had dropped what they were doing to surround the Falcon the moment she had settled on her landing disks.

  The ship was blistered, dented, and punctured.

  "She's a storyboard for the whole war," the mechanic said.

  Han nodded. "You got that right."

  The mechanic wedged his forefinger into a hole in the underside of the outrigger cockpit. "I'll bet this one's not half a meter from the pilot's chair."

  Han swallowed audibly. "I've had closer calls." T eia glanced at the mechanic. "You might have heard, he's a regular moving target."

  7 The mechanic grinned and clapped grit from his hands. "Well, ,s taken a bruising, but I figure she'll live. It's just a matter of ulling together replacement parts."

  Han looked relieved. He had his mouth open to thank the chanic when a tall, purple-complected humanoid wearing military utilities approached him.

  "Welcome aboard Caluula Station, Captain Solo."

  Before Han could reply, a silver-haired human officer stepped in

  and saluted him.

  "Captain Solo, sir. I was with you at Endor."

  Han thought for a moment. "Uh, Denev, right?"

  The man beamed. "I'm proud that you remember me, sir."

  "Likewise, Captain."

  Leia folded her arms across her chest and stared at Han. "That's the tenth person who's recognized you. What is this, a gathering of your fan club?"

  Han frowned at her. "Very funny."

  "No, really, Han. Maybe you should have become an actor instead of a war hero. Just think of the following you'd have."

  Han grabbed hold of his own chin. "You'd pay good credits to see this face, blown up a hundred times normal size?"

  Leia pretended to think about it. "When you put it that way ..."

  "Captain Solo," someone said.

  Walking briskly toward the Falcon was a portly but energetic human major general.

  "Base Commander Garray," the man said, extending his hand to Han.

  Han shook hands and gestured to C-3PO and Leia. "Our droid, and my wife, Leia Organa Solo."

  Leia elbowed him gently in the ribs. "Thanks for second billing, arling,n she said through a clench-jawed smile.

  Ha
n caressed his ribs and eyed Leia. "The droid's generally well

  aved." He indicated Page, Cracken, and some of the others, intro-ducing them by name.

  130

  Garray nodded his head several times. "Glad to meet all of yOu His gray eyes returned to Han. "Captain Solo, please tell me Mon Cal command sent you."

  Han compressed his lips. "Wish I could, Commander. The truth is, we got hit hard during a rescue mission at Selvaris, and Caluula was the only place the Falcon could go."

  Garray's obvious disappointment was fleeting. "We're proud to have you on board, regardless—all of you." He turned to his even more portly adjutant. "Chief, see that Captain Solo's passengers are treated for injuries and well fed."

  The adjutant saluted. "If you'll follow me, sirs," he said to Cracken and the others.

  Han kept silent until everyone had moved off. "What's the situation here, Commander?"

  Garray tilted his head to one side. "Take a walk with me, and I'll explain."

  He led Han, Leia, and C-3PO on a slow tour of the docking bay, in the strobing light of arc welders, past technicians and soldiers who looked every bit as scarred and patched up as the ships they were working on. Humans appeared to comprise the majority of Caluula's personnel, but mixed among them were Brigians, Trianii, Bimms, Tammarians, and other species from star systems proximal to Caluula. Nearly every individual and craft reflected the war's years of savagery. Some of the ships combined so many disparate parts, they were unrecognizable.

  "The Yuuzhan Vong showed up about a month ago," Garray was saying. "And it's been steady fighting ever since. Our defense platform is history, and for the past local week we've been under constant siege. But it's become clear that the Vong want to occupy Caluula rather than raze it, or they'd have dropped a moon on it or poisoned it like they've done elsewhere."

  "Occupation seems a good guess," Leia said. "One of the ships we saw on our way in is a yammosk vessel."

  Garray nodded. "That's already been verified."

  "Still, it's curious that the Yuuzhan Vong would choose Caluula," Leia went on. "I don't know a great deal about the Tion Hegemony,

  T do know it lacks most of the resources the Yuuzhan Vong usu-

  v come looking for."

  argument, Princess. Caluula's mostly been a haven for scien-

  because of some sort of natural phenomenon that occurs down

  e every so often. Our best guess is that the Yuuzhan Vong want to

  Caluula as an entry point into the Tion Hegemony and the Cor-

  rate Sector. Then there's the shipyards at Lianna, though they

  h -en't been turning out much since Sienar Systems pulled up

  •rakes " Garray took his lower lip between his teeth and shook his

  head in exasperation. "But the Vong have to go through us to get

  there and, thank the Force, that hasn't happened yet."

  "If they're looking at occupying the rest of the Tion Hegemony, they'd have concentrated their efforts at Lianna," Han said. "For one thing, it's closer to the Perlemian, which they pretty much control anyway, from Coruscant to the Cron Drift." He shook his head. "They've got something else in mind. Maybe using Caluula as a staging area for an attack on Mon Calamari."

  "We considered that," Garray said. "But I don't have to tell you that Caluula's well removed from the easy space lanes. Mon Cala-mari's three microjumps direct, or you return to the Perlemian by way of Dellalt and Lianna, which takes just as long."

  "So what do the Yuuzhan Vong want with Caluula?" Leia asked.

  Garray looked at her while they walked. "Captives. The Vong commander of the battle group even intimated as much."

  "You've actually spoken to him?"

  "Tattooed head to toe," Garray said, "and soon to be black with blood, if we have anything to say about it. He promised us noble deaths and everlasting life."

  "Tough offer to turn down," Han said.

  Garray snorted. "Personally, I'll take the here-and-now."

  "Where are you from, Commander?" Leia asked.

  "Abregado-rae."

  Han was surprised. "You're a long way from the Core. Why'd you leave?"

  'It was raining Vong fireballs, and I started to feel like I was in the

  vay."

  ^

  Leia nodded contemplatively. "There's no safe corner left."

  Garray sighed with her. "Not if the Yuuzhan Vong have their va One more major push from them at this point . . . Well, who can nr diet how things will turn out, right?"

  "Expect surprises," Han said.

  "There's a small resistance force operating downside on Caluul But if this station falls, I don't see how they'll be able to hold out against a full-scale invasion."

  "Just how bad off are you?" Leia said.

  "Well, you've seen our starfighters. They're held together with spit and glue, just like we are. Ever since the HoloNet went down we've had to rely on courier communication with Mon Cal, and that takes anywhere from three to five local days. In fact, we dispatched a ship just hours before you arrived. Galactic Alliance command hasn't been able to spare us any materiel, in any event. So we're critically short on food, munitions, spare parts, bacta. Many of the volunteers who came to our support are wounded. We've a lot of sick and dying." Garray paused, becoming more somber by the moment. "I've been fighting the Yuuzhan Vong for four years. I feel like I was a lot younger when this war started."

  "We all were, Commander," Han said.

  He recognized Garray's type: done in by years of command; of sending soldiers to their deaths. A man who no longer needed to prove to himself that he was a hero. He was just doing his job, and hating himself for it.

  Garray forced himself to brighten. "But don't worry, we'll get the Falcon repaired, and we'll have you on your way in no time."

  "We don't want to take your personnel away from their jobs, Commander," Han said firmly. "Leia and I will see to the repairs ourselves." He paused, then added: "Between you and me, Garray, if Cracken and the rest weren't expected on Mon Calamari, we'd be staying behind to help you."

  Garray smiled. "I appreciate that, Solo. Reinforces everything I've heard about you all these years." He glanced at Leia. "Will the two of you join me for lunch?"

  "We'd be honored," Leia said. She deliberately fell behind Han to

  per, "Everything he's heard all these years . . . One day they're , to build a statue of you."

  gestured broadly. "These are the people who deserve

  tues every last one of them."

  They continued to walk and talk and bump into people who

  v or recognized Han—and Leia. Caluula seemed to have drawn

  celebrated soldier, mercenary, and ne'er-do-well from within

  thousand parsecs. Commander Garray excused himself to attend

  business, but promised he'd rendezvous with them in the mess

  hall.

  They were emerging from one of the transparent connectors that

  linked the station's separate modules when Han heard what he thought was a familiar voice. The source of the voice was a dark-haired man as old as himself, dressed in a worn gray flight suit that was cinched at the waist by a broad red belt. Of medium height but broad-chested, he was sitting cross-legged atop a cargo crate, in a murky area of the module, between a golden-furred Bothan and a tall Calibop whose wings were folded behind him. Surrounding the trio stood roguish-looking human and alien warriors in similar gray flight suits, who might have made up a separate starfighter squadron, or just as easily a criminal swoop gang from Nar Shaddaa.

  "Another fan?" Leia asked.

  Han rubbed his stubbled jaw. "I definitely know the voice from somewhere. But I can't place the face."

  "So ask him."

  Han nodded and sauntered over to the soldiers, every one of whom monitored his approach with a mix of amusement and wariness.

  "I'm Han Solo. Am I right that we've met?"

  The man looked at him askance, almost as if to dis
play the ragged scars on the side of his furrowed and somewhat dark-complected face.

  "XT •

  N°t in the flesh, Captain, though we have come close. I guess that means that we're not entirely strangers." He extended a meaty hand. "Hum."

  Han tried out the name twice, then shook his head. "Doesn't ring £11. But you're sure we never served together? During the Rebel-lio«> maybe?"

  Hum shrugged. "I've one of those faces that used to appe familiar to everyone."

  Han caressed his jaw. "Ever been to Dellalt?"

  "Don't think so."

  Han nodded uncertainly, then tipped his head in parting walked away.

  Leia waited until she, Han, and C-3PO were out of earshot of th group to ask, "Did he mean 'familiar' before the Rebellion, or befor all the scars?"

  Han glanced over his shoulder, and shook his head in ignorance But any response was drowned out by the sudden blare of klaxons Instantly, the station was thrown into managed chaos. Everyone knew precisely where to report and what to do—except Han, Leia, and C-3PO, who weren't sure whether they should go to the nearest battle station or simply stay out of everyone's way.

  Appearing out of nowhere, Garray put a quick end to their confusion.

  "Enemy reinforcements have arrived. Another entire battle group."

  Leia was astonished. "They must be desperate to have Caluula to spare so many ships."

  Garray agreed. "Our shields should hold."

  The commander's adjutant came running to report that the station's long-range scanners had zeroed in on something unusual. Garray led everyone to the nearest display screen, on which the adjutant called up a holocam view of what looked to be a colossal space slug, with a wedge-shaped head, a dorsal pouch, and a mouth that had to be eighty meters wide.