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Luke expected Wialu to refuse that imposition, but she surprised him. “You are asking me to create a major projection of something I have never experienced,” she said. “It seems it would be to the good of all if you would demonstrate first, and then you can judge my practice.”

A’baht glanced at Corgan. “Colonel?”

“Well, there are about twenty ships from the Fourth due to join us in”—he glanced at his chrono—“about half an hour. Would that do?”

“I would like to be as close to the phenomenon as possible,” said Wialu.

“There’s an observation bubble on the maintenance rover,” Marano offered. “I think we can probably squeeze the seven of us in there. If you don’t object to the presence of skeptics, that is—”

“Your beliefs are irrelevant to me,” Wialu said. “I am empowered by mine.”

When the rover had reached the fifty-kilometer boundary of the arriving task force’s jump target, General Etahn A’baht tapped the driver on the shoulder from behind.

“That’s close enough, son,” said A’baht. “And drop us a few kilometers below the entry track. I don’t wish to have the command staff erased by a navigational error.”

“I’m more worried about being erased by an error of enthusiasm by some gunnery lieutenant,” said Corgan. “Those ships are jumping into a hot zone, and they’re not going to be expecting us to be sitting here waiting for them.”

“Akanah will address that,” said Wialu. “The ships will not see us.”

“What do you mean?” asked A’baht.

“General, just take her at her word,” Luke said. “If I had wanted it that way, you wouldn’t have known Mud Sloth was in the neighborhood until I’d parked it in your space.”

Corgan shook his head disbelievingly, but there was no opportunity to pursue the issue.

“Here they come,” said Maiut’ta.

One after another, the great ships emerged out of the center of overlapping white flashes of radiation, like new stars winking on in the night. Cruisers and attack carriers, Star Destroyers and gunships, all quickly closed the distance to the rover, roaring by overhead in a spectacular display.

“Are we allowed to talk?” asked Corgan.

“Patience,” said A’baht, gazing up with his fingers laced together behind him. “Patience and attentiveness will both be rewarded, I suspect.”

“I don’t take your hint.”

“How many ships were we expecting?”

“Twenty-two.”

A’baht nodded. “I have counted thirty so far.”

Corgan and Morano stared, gaping, as the broad hull of a fleet carrier sliced the vacuum above their heads. “That has to be a mistake.”

Luke caught A’baht’s faint smile. “I’m confident I can still count to thirty,” he said. “I suggest you check with Tracking.”

Maiut’ta was already reaching for his comlink. “Sweep the arriving ships,” he ordered. “Give me a count.”

“Thirty-eight—forty—forty-one—still clicking over.”

“Are they all normal tracks?”

“Everything as expected—wait a minute, some of the IDs are duplicated. Colonel, do you want to tell me what’s going on now?”

“No, Lieutenant. Stand by,” Mauit’ta said, switching off the comlink.

A’baht turned to the other officers. “Well, gentlemen, we have our demonstration.” He gestured with his hand as a gunship rumbled by just a kilometer away. “Which ones are real? That one? The next? I can’t tell—I suspect even Tracking can’t.” He turned back to Akanah. “Thank you. I am quite satisfied.”

In the next moment, half the battle group passing in review vanished. Wialu sagged noticeably and sought her seat immediately afterward. Akanah settled beside her protectively.

“General, what did I just see?” the rover driver asked in an awestruck voice.

“Nothing, son,” said A’baht. “Officially and literally nothing.”

“But—”

“Don’t ask about it and don’t think about it,” the general said. “Just get us back to the barn as quickly as you can.” He glanced at Luke. “We all have a lot to do.”

They were on final approach to Intrepid when they were waved off for the launch of a flight of fighters. Morano’s face immediately took on a worried expression.