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By Root 773 0

—it had low-profile, curved solar array wings and two cylindrical fuselages mounted side by side, making the vessel look curiously like a pair of macrobinoculars mounted between a pair of cupped hands. Unlike the situation with the original bomber, the port-side pod on the Blur was an electronics housing, carrying a modern-era hyperdrive, astronavigation computers, a shield generator, life-support systems, and sophisticated electronic countermeasures; it was the closest thing to a StealthX to come out of Sienar, its manufacturer. This Blur was painted in black, undecorated except for small Galactic Alliance symbols on the outer wings.

Caedus slewed to a stop beside the Blur and was unstrapping Allana as a mechanic ran up to him. “Can I help you, sir?”

Caedus lifted Allana out of her seat. “I’m taking the Blur out.”

“Uh, yes, sir, but Captain Olavey is doing a test run in fifteen minutes, a sweep near the Confederation task force—”

“Push it back.” Not waiting for a boarding ladder, Caedus leapt atop the Blur and lifted the boarding hatch. “You fill out the forms for me.”

“Yes, sir.”

Caedus’s comlink beeped. Carefully, he clambered with Allana down into the cockpit, pulled the hatch shut, and settled into the pilot’s couch before answering. “Yes?”

It was his sensor officer. “Sir, sixteen squadrons of starfighters have dropped out of hyperspace. They’re heading toward us at full speed. The Confederation capital ships are also moving in.”

“Signal Admiral Limpan. Tell her to bring her task force in now. Launch all starfighters from all vessels.” As he spoke, Caedus powered up the Blur and glanced his way through an abbreviated preflight checklist. “Move the Anakin Solo to the rear of our formation and do not, repeat, do not bring up our shields until the last possible moment, or until the diagnostics that are running pronounce them safe, whichever comes first.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’m launching now.” Allana in his lap, Caedus finished pulling webbing tight over the two of them, then activated the Blur’s repulsors. In his haste, he caused the vehicle nearly to jump up off the hangar floor.

Alarms filled the air and suddenly mechanics were everywhere, running to the squadrons of starfighters in the hangar, prepping them for the imminent arrival of pilots. The glow rods surrounding the main hangar doors in the floor lit up, signifying that the atmosphere containment field had been activated. The doors themselves began to draw aside, revealing starfield below.

Caedus didn’t wait for them to finish opening. He banked across and dropped through the half-opened portal, eliciting a squeal of delight from Allana.

And then he was outside, away from the life-threatening explosion he was sure the Anakin Solo represented. Caedus breathed easier for a minute. Outside, surrounded by hard vacuum, with enemy starfighters and capital ships racing in his direction, at last he felt safe.

ABOARD THE ANAKIN SOLO, JACEN SOLO’S PRIVATE HANGAR

Leia marched through the doors and Jag hit a series of buttons on the keypad beside them, closing and locking them.

Han, visible through the viewport of the Love Commander cockpit, waved, then his voice crackled across the comlink. “Sweetheart, get aboard. We’ve got it, and it’s time to fly.”

Leia put on a Force-augmented burst of speed and dashed up the yacht’s boarding ramp. She heard Jag hurrying in her wake. Zekk was just inside the yacht’s main cabin, standing by to seal the exit hatch. Leia moved forward to the cockpit where Han occupied the pilot’s seat, Jaina the copilot’s.

Leia dropped into the captain’s chair, which Lando formerly had occupied. “We’re in deep space about halfway between Coruscant and Corellia. Jacen’s occupied talking to the Corellians. Now might be the time to go.”

Han half turned and cocked his head at her. “Maybe, maybe not. They’ve already tried to lock you out, lock us in, and depressurize this hangar. They don’t want us to leave. The question is, are they tractor beam angry or turbolaser angry?”

“Good question. But Zekk disabled the tractor beam.” In the manner of a