Enemy Lines II_ Rebel Stand - Aaron Allston [32]
“Ooh.” She smiled and considered the idea.
“So how do we do it?”
“Do what?”
“Rig the election.”
“I have no idea. I was following your lead, remember? I’ve never rigged an election.”
Han sighed. “Well, you’d better figure it out fast. Or I’ll have to take your temporary scoundrel’s license away.”
Borleias
Jag sat propped up against the side of his clawcraft, engrossed in his datapad. The special operations docking bay was, for once, comparatively quiet, only a few clankings and swear words floating in from the far corner to indicate mechanics’ activities. He was not too engrossed, though, to see the pair of booted feet appear before him.
He looked up, and up, into the blue features of Shawnkyr Nuruodo. A Chiss officer, she’d been his wingmate on his first trip into New Republic space at the start of the Yuuzhan Vong crisis, his sole partner during his recent return, and his second-in-command when he’d founded Vanguard Squadron on Hapes. Now, while he flew with Twin Suns Squadron, she led the Vanguards.
“Colonel, may I sit?”
“Of course.”
She lowered herself and sat cross-legged opposite him.
“I heard that Vanguard Squadron had been classified as fit for elite and special operations,” Jag said. “That you were going to be stationed groundside with the rest of us. Congratulations.”
“It’s just a matter of training, motivating, enforcing discipline.” Shawnkyr shrugged. “I came to you because it would be inappropriate for me to reject their promotion, however well intended, without first talking to you, since you founded the squadron.”
“Why would you refuse it?”
“Because I don’t intend to lead the squadron much longer. Nor should you return to it. It’s time for us to leave.”
“Explain that.”
“Our plan was specific, Colonel. We came back to evaluate the threat the Yuuzhan Vong posed to Chiss society. We’ve had time to make that evaluation. Now we should report back with our findings.”
Jag regarded her levelly. He’d anticipated this confrontation for some time. “And what would your report tell our high command?”
“That the Yuuzhan Vong are a significant threat to us, to the Empire, to any societal structure that does not resemble theirs. That the New Republic is shattering on all fronts, and that it is only a matter of time before the Yuuzhan Vong mop up here and spread out to reach us.”
“I agree with your conclusions.”
“Then let’s go.”
He shook his head. “I’ve come to additional conclusions that suggest we should stay.”
“May I hear them?”
“I believe that this engagement, here on Borleias, will be the surest test of Yuuzhan Vong determination and character. Only in seeing how this campaign plays out can we provide a definitive analysis of the enemy that our people will someday face.”
“So it is your plan to return to Chiss space immediately upon the fall of Borleias.”
“No.”
“Then I have failed to understand you.”
“I didn’t describe all my conclusions. A second one, not related to the first, is that my presence here may affect coming events, in a small but perhaps measurable way, and that to abandon this campaign now would not only do it harm, but eventually do harm to our people as well. Any damage I do to the enemy here is damage the enemy cannot do to us when they reach us.”
“So you will not leave at all.”
“I will leave … eventually.”
Shawnkyr considered his words silently. The distant swearing increased in volume, to match a sudden spate of hammering that sounded like revenge rather than repair, before fading to its normal levels. “May I speak freely? Pilot to pilot?”
“Of course.”
“I think that sentiment is clouding your judgment. I think that the notion of not being here when Jaina