Star Wars_ Legacy of the Force 01_ Betrayal - Aaron Allston [78]
But as Jaina’s stolen shuttle neared the intersection, she and Zekk recognized some of the traffic up on the Five Brothers overpass—a formation of X-wings, tucked neatly among the groundspeeders, and also pursued by a CorSec speeder doubtless piloted by a very annoyed officer.
She keyed her communications board. “Hardpoint, this is Purella-Tauntaun. We have you on visuals. Over.”
Luke Skywalker’s voice crackled back instantly. “Are you spaceworthy—wait, I see you. Isn’t that a little conspicuous? Sand panthers? Over.”
“Best we could do on short notice. And we’re ready for space. Over.”
“Begin your ascent. Out.”
“Belt in or hang on!” Jaina shouted. The jubilant tone in her voice came from being able, finally, to escape the restrictions of slow-paced traffic and a ruined operation. Not waiting to see if her teammates complied—they’d been told to belt in the instant they originally took off, after all—she used her repulsors to raise the shuttle’s nose.
The pursuing CorSec vehicle crowded up on her rear a little too fast from a little too close. Jaina heard a clang of impact as the groundspeeder banged into her main drive unit. She fired her accelerators, just enough to splash thruster wash over the hood of the CorSec vehicle, and gave the pilot two seconds to get clear. Then she put her thrusters and repulsorlift units on full.
The shuttle leapt into the sky.
It didn’t leap as nimbly as the X-wings on the bridge ahead. They stood on their tails and rocketed skyward. By comparison, her shuttle rose like a lazy balloon.
But it was better than being in traffic.
Four of the X-wings reduced speed and dropped into position behind her, forming a protective box beyond her stern. Three maneuvered into position around her, one above, one to port, one to starboard, a protective triangle. And Luke and Mara took point.
Jaina grinned. She’d prefer to be out there with them, in a nimble starfighter protecting a more vulnerable target…but if she had to be shepherded, to have Luke and Mara doing the honors was about as good as it could get.
CORELLIAN SPACE
The ships of Admiral Klauskin’s task force pulled away from Corellia’s gravitational attraction. It would be some time, long minutes, before they were far enough away from the gravity well to make the jump to hyperspace.
The vessels of the Corellian fleet moved in, forming up in small groups of four and five ships. “But they’re not moving in for the kill,” Fiav Fenn said. “They’ve recalled their fighter squadrons.”
“We’re just going to get harassment fire, then,” Klauskin said.
“Probably.”
“How’s their frigate?”
“Floating dead in space. Minimal casualties as far as we can determine, but a confirmed kill. All their escape pods have been picked up by their side.”
“Good, good.” Klauskin nodded absently.
The forward elements of Klauskin’s task force, including Dodonna, reached the leading edge of the reconfiguring Corellian fleet. Dodonna began shivering as she sustained long-distance laser battery fire. But as Klauskin had predicted, nothing heavier hit her; nothing threatened to batter down her shields.
Harassment fire.
The admiral grinned. “In about half an hour, they’ll wish they’d tried to blow us out of the sky.”
“Yes, sir.” Fenn’s voice sounded dull. Klauskin wondered what had happened to diminish her enthusiasm for her job.
As they passed through the harassment screen, Dodonna shook and vibrated, but Klauskin never felt genuinely threatened. Reports continued to flood into the bridge. GA ship after ship reached the point where they could enter hyperspace. Preliminary starfighter losses from the skirmish were assessed. The role of the accidental intruder, Millennium Falcon, in