Star Wars_ The Dark Lord Trilogy - James Luceno [386]
“We saw Chewbacca’s tree-city in flames,” Cudgel explained. “There’s no way to know whether his family escaped in time.”
“I promised him the transport,” Starstone told Jula.
Jula looked at Cudgel. “We’ll get it refueled as quickly—”
“No need,” Cudgel cut her off. “Chewie knows that it’s too late. He figures he can do more for his people as a fugitive than he could as a captive.”
The Wookiee affirmed it with a melancholy roar.
“You’re speaking for all of us, Chewbacca,” Starstone said.
“So,” Cudgel continued, “we’re wondering, Chewie and I, if we could ride out of this with you.”
Jula’s comlink toned while she was nodding yes.
“Captain, we’re T-ten for the jump to hyperspace,” Brudi said from the bridge, almost casually. “Assuming everything goes according to plan.”
“Have you been able to notify the other ships?” Jula asked.
“As best I could. And I’m trusting that that Interdictor isn’t eavesdropping on every comlink frequency.”
“See what jump options the navicomputer provides,” Jula said. “I’ll join you in a moment.”
She moved away from Starstone and the others to gaze at Kashyyyk’s waning crescent of bright side. Tears streaming down her face, she said in a quiet voice: “I love you, Roan. I thank the Force that I got to know you for a time. But I’ll miss you more now than I ever did.”
In command of the Detainer parked above Kachirho, Captain Ugan normally refused to allow himself to be disturbed when he was on the bridge. But Ensign Nullip was so insistent about seeing him that he finally granted permission for the young technician to be escorted onto the command deck.
A swarthy man with blunt features, Ugan remained seated in his chair, his dark gaze shifting between projected holoimages of the invasion on Kashyyyk and the viewport panorama of the planet itself.
“Be quick about it,” he warned Nullip.
“Yes, sir,” the ensign promised. “It’s simply that we’ve been monitoring some unusual readings from one of the Separatist ships that was left in orbit after the battle here. Specifically, a Commerce Guild Recusant-class support destroyer. I’ve tried repeatedly to convince someone in tactical to bring this to your attention, sir, but—”
Ugan cut him off. “What makes these readings ‘unusual,’ Ensign?”
“They are initiation readings, sir.” In response to the captain’s dubious look, Nullip continued: “I know, sir. I was puzzled, too. That’s why I took it upon myself to check the scanner recordings. Much to my surprise, sir, I learned that the destroyer’s central control computer had been remotely enabled to run a diagnostic, and then to bring several of the ship’s systems online.”
When Ugan’s expression of perplexity deepened, Nullip activated a small holoplate he had placed on the palm of his right hand. A grainy recording shone from the device.
“You can see two craft entering the destroyer, just here, at the forwardmost docking bays.” Nullip’s forefinger fast-forwarded the recording. “Here, you can see the craft leaving. We’re still trying to determine their destination.”
Ugan glanced from the recording to Nullip. “Salvagers?”
“That was my first thought, sir. But, in fact, when the craft exited, the destroyer itself was in motion.”
Ugan stared at him. “In motion? What’s its heading?”
“That’s just it, sir. It’s heading toward us.” Turning to the forward viewports, Nullip indicated a dark shape moving through the greater darkness. “Just there, you see?”
Ugan swiveled to an officer at the tactical duty station. “A Separatist ship is approaching our port side. Scan it, immediately!” Rising from his chair, he walked to the viewport, Nullip a step behind him.
“Captain,” the tactical officer said, “the ship is a Confederacy droid-piloted support destroyer—”
“I already know that!” Ugan said, whirling around. “Does it pose any risk to us?”
“Checking, sir.”
The officer spent a moment studying the duty station’s array of display screens, then turned toward Ugan, ashen-faced.
“Captain,