Part 34 (1/2)

”Shuttles away. ” said Jet.

Ula fell back into the copilot's seat, watching the telemetry confirming let's simple statement. The combined Imperial-Republic fleet had obeyed his order to deploy. Their mad plan might actually work.

In the next hour, four thousand people would converge on Sebaddon singly, there to recombine as attack squads to take out primary and secondary objectives. The Jedi and the Sith would lead the attack on the equator while ordinary soldiers, including Larin, would attack the master factory at the pole. Another two thousand would remain in orbit, keeping the skies clear of hexes and providing occasional bombardment of the ground below. The rest would provide vital support from several distributed HQs, two of which were on the Commenor and the Paramount.

All reporting to him.

And to Jet and Clunker.

The smuggler had refused all offers of security details, comm officers, and gunners, on the grounds that he didn't want a potentially fractious crew. Choosing one side over another would be politically fraught.

”Don't we at least need someone to help defend us?” Ula had asked him, slightly aghast at how vulnerable that would leave them.

”Not at all. Clunker can operate the tri-lasers by remote from the bridge. ”

”So what was all that on Hutta about needing a crew? Why have you ever needed a crew at all?”

Jet had smiled. ”For the company. ”

Ula now wondered if it was for an entirely different reason: for a cover. He had noted how silent Jet was most of the time. When he wasn't playacting the role of a dissolute smuggler, he was watching and listening to everything going on around him. And now, somehow, he had inveigled himself into the center of everything. He was privy to every order that came through the Auriga Fire. Every piece of information on which Ula based those orders was filtered through Jet's sensors. If Jet pulled the plug, the combined fleet would be left leaderless.

Ula rea.s.sured himself that this wasn't Jet's style, that if he were ever to try to change the course of the battle, he would do so in a much subtler fas.h.i.+on. Still, Ula would be on the ball for anything at all, and had armed himself with a new holdout blaster, just in case.

”Deploy fighters, ” he ordered the fleet. ”Commence bombardment of primary targets. ”

Instantly the dots in the main display began to s.h.i.+ft. Four squadrons of mixed Mk. VI Imperial interceptors and Republic XA-8 starfighters would strafe the orbital sh.e.l.l of hexes with laser cannons and proton torpedoes, creating holes in four crucial locations. Two of those locations would allow the all-important troop transports access to lower orbit, there to discharge the free-jumpers, Larin among them. It was vital they weren't interfered with en route. The other two orbital holes would provide critical windows for the bombardment from Paramount, mainly by B-28s with Imperial pilots. In the first engagement, 20 percent of the missiles launched at the planet had been disabled during descent by interfering hexes. Every shot fired now had to count.

The interceptors and starfighters. .h.i.t the sh.e.l.l of hexes. s.p.a.ce lit up with explosions, sparkling almost delicately in the distance. The Auriga Fire maintained a respectful distance from both main attack forces and the combined Republic-Imperial fleets, stationed at a point equidistant between the planet and its moon, but it wasn't the only s.h.i.+p ranging freely across the battlefield.

”We're receiving a hail from the First Blood, ” said Jet.

”Put him on. ”

”I'm noting an increase in subs.p.a.ce communications” said Dao Stryver in miniature. His face was one of several at the bottom of the Auriga Fire's main holodisplay. The crescent of his s.h.i.+p swept across the battlefield in a silver streak. ”Since the black hole warps all attempts to communicate outside the system, I suggest that these are all short-range messages, originating on Sebaddon. ”

”The hexes, ” said Ula. ”Could this be how they communicate with one another?”

”It's a strong possibility that this is the voice of the coordinating intelligence. We've detected no other meaningful signals by radio or microwave. ”

”Can you locate the source?”

”I'm working on it. With two more ears listening, I'll be able to triangulate. ”

”Consider it done, ” Ula said, making a mental note to requisition the resources from Colonel Kalisch and Captain Pipalidi.

”Launches, ” announced Jet.

”Us or them?”

”Them. ”

Two locations on the globe of Sebaddon had been highlighted. Six missiles were rising on ion engines, their payloads most likely intended to patch the holes the interceptors and starfighters had made in the orbital defense.

”Get those transports through, ” Ula broadcast to the fleet's commanders. ”Those holes might not last long. ”

Confirmation came from both sides. A dozen medium-sized vessels broke ranks, accelerating at the maximum capacity of their drives. Imperial Vokoff-Strood VT-22 light troop transports raced Celestial Industries NR2 light transports, each carrying hundreds of men and women, humans and aliens, Jedi and Sith, and combat droids, all intent on doing what they could to crush the hex threat.

Already he regretted pressing Larin onto Captain Pipalidi's staff. It had been worth it for the look of surprise and delight on her face, but what if something were to happen to her? Was that a cost he was willing to bear?

”Don't forget what Stryver wanted, ” said Jet.

”I haven't, ” he said, although it had entirely slipped his mind. ”Put me through to Colonel Kalisch. ”

The Imperials claimed a lack of resources, and so did Captain Pipalidi when he got through to her. It could well be true, Ula thought, but it was still frustrating.

”Not even one s.h.i.+p?” he pleaded. ”It doesn't have to be battle-worthy. We can be the third ourselves, if necessary. ”

”All right, ” she said. ”You can have my personal transport. Its arms and s.h.i.+elds were stripped, so don't put it in harm's way. ”

”You have my word. Thank you, Captain. ”

”Transports through, ” said Jet.

Ula kicked himself for not paying attention to the bigger picture. The descending troop transports had powered through the temporary gaps in the orbital sh.e.l.l. Most were unaffected, but one was releasing its jumpers prematurely, fighting a swarm of hexes released from a close-pa.s.sing missile. All were accompanied by interceptors and starfighters, which would remain under the sh.e.l.l once it closed, to do what damage they could from underneath.

”Launch second bombardment, ” Ula ordered. Anything to keep the hexes busy while the free-jumpers fell.

”Confirmed, ” said Jet. ”No, wait. Kalisch wants to attack a different target. Some of the missiles came from a location that wasn't on our grid. He's requesting permission to take it out. ”

Ula ground his teeth. On the one hand, it was good that Kalisch had asked permission first. On the other, there wasn't any doubt in Ula's mind that he would do what he wanted regardless what Ula said. The Paramount was the s.h.i.+p most at risk from ground launches. As the largest in the combined fleet, it was only natural that the hexes would target it first.

”Tell him to stick to the plan” Ula said, ”and next time I ask for resources, he'd better comply. He can hit that target in the next round. ”

Jet grinned as he relayed the order. Kalisch's response was curt, but he did obey.

”Where are my ears?” asked Stryver.

”Uh, on their way, ” said Ula, hastily noting that Pipalidi's shuttle had left the Commenor and was awaiting instructions. Jet sent the pilot permission to obey Stryver's orders, within reason, and synchronized its comm with the First Blood's.

”We're your third s.h.i.+p, ” Ula told the Mandalorian. ”You can use our location as a fixed receiver. ”

”Don't forget to share your data, ” said Jet. ”If Clunker can work out their code, we might gain ourselves a better tactic than just blowing things up. ”

”You think you could slice into their command systems?” Ula asked.

”I'm not promising anything. ”