Star Wars_ The Han Solo Trilogy 02_ The Hutt Gambit - A. C. Crispin [105]
“We’ll show ’em we’re not dumb!” yelled a smuggler from the back.
“That’s right, we’re gonna show ’em. What we’re gonna do is make it look like we’ve thrown everything we have against the first Imp ships to cruise up to Nar Shaddaa. That’ll be those recon ships and, approaching more slowly, the skirmish ships. Look here, and we’ll show you.”
Mako nodded at Han, and he took up the narrative, while Mako used a holographic image and pointer on the large tri-dee screen to illustrate the battle plan for their troops.
“All right,” Han said, “as you can see from Mako’s diagram, we’re gonna split up our ships into two groups, the First Strike Element and the Main Strike Element. The First Strike Element will be all the small ships without exceptionally heavy armament, plus a couple of the merc captains with those modified Customs patrol ships. So, listen up. I’m going to read the ship and captain names of the First Strike Element, while Mako puts your names up on the display.”
Han read off the list. “Okay, then. Before we’re through, you people will know where you have to go, and what you have to do, and when you have to do it. What we’re here for today, as we said, is to show you what part you’re going to play in the Big Picture.”
Mako handed Han the pointer, and then took over. “Okay, now for the Main Strike Element. That’s gonna be all our big ships, plus the freighters with heavy weapons, and the starfighter squadrons. We’ve got six Y-wings, some Cloak-shape fighters, and assorted types of Z-95 Headhunters. Here’s the list.”
As Mako read off the list of the Main Strike Element, Han kept augmenting the holographic display. Soon the huge tri-dee screen in the casino auditorium looked like an elaborate pattern of different colored lines and squiggles, interspersed with three-dimensional representations of ships.
“Okay, so now you people know which Strike Element you belong to. Anyone not know?”
Several newcomers raised their hands, or paws, or tentacles, and were hastily assigned to one or the other element. Mako then went on: “The First Element will attack first, just like it sounds. Stay in the pairs we’ve assigned you to, please! Two ships can cover each other and are more than twice as effective as two single ships!”
Han leaned close to the podium. “And, everyone … watch out for the turbolasers on the Imp cruisers. They can blast you out of space with one shot. Keep your ships dodging whenever you’re in range of the bigger Imp vessels. Got that?”
“Yeah!” the pilots shouted.
Mako resumed. “Remember, fellow smugglers, that mixed in with these bigger Imp recon and skirmish ships will be dozens of TIE fighters. They’re fast, real fast, and they have okay lasers, but they’re fragile. One good hit, and they’re blown to pieces. They’re too fast for a lock-on, so you’ll have to shoot by eye. Take your time and lead your targets. Since most of your freighters have some weapon that can shoot behind you, use that one to keep the TIEs off you while you hit the picket ships. You with me?”
“Yeah!” the crowd yelled. “Kill those TIEs!”
“Okay, so this is still early in the battle. We’re gonna hit the recon pickets with what they’re going to think is everything we’ve got. With luck, we’ll drive off a couple of these Imperial picket ships, kill some recon TIEs, maybe even disable one of the Carrack-class ships, though even Lando wouldn’t bet on our chances to do that.”
Mako paused for the general laugh this remark occasioned. Someone yelled at the young gambler, “Hey, Lando, what odds are you giving?”
Han took over again. “Somewhere in here the Imp commander will commit his lighter skirmish vessels, order them to increase to full speed and attack, ’cause he’s thinking that he’s seen all we’ve got, and now he’s going in for the kill. He’ll most likely hold the big cruisers back for now, saving them, planning to bring them in when he goes to strafe Nar