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“But we don’t have enough ships to divide our forces that much,” Roa said. “If we do, we’re likely to lose everything.”

“If we don’t, we’re likely to lose Nar Shaddaa,” Lando pointed out. “I’m no ex-Imp officer like Han here is, but it seems to me that we’ve got to do whatever it takes to keep these big ships from turning and blasting away at our moon’s shields. They’re old, and it wouldn’t take too many salvos to disable them. Then they’d level the place.”

“Lando’s right,” Shug Ninx said. “We need something to keep those big ships occupied so the mercs—or whoever—can make a flank attack. Maybe we can … I don’t know … divert their attention somehow.”

“Well, a formation of ships coming at them head-on would certainly get their attention,” Salla said. “Question is, where do we get them? We’re going to have our hands full over here”—she pointed into the holographic display—“fighting these skirmish ships and TIEs.”

Han had been staring into the holographic display, thinking how real the minuscule fleet appeared, down to the tiny TIE fighters. Too bad, he thought, we can’t project a hologram at the Imps and make them believe they’re under attack …

The idea suddenly coalesced in his brain. “That’s it!” he shouted. “That could work!”

Conversation around the table ceased, and everyone stared at the Corellian. Han grinned at his friends excitedly. “Hey, I think I may know somebody who can provide us with that head-on attack force. We can use them as a diversion, for long enough to distract those heavy cruisers!”

Chewbacca had obviously followed Han’s thinking. The Wookiee banged his fist on the table and roared his approval.

The remainder of the group, however, stared at Han, confused, apparently completely in the dark. “Huh?” Lando said. “Who? What?”

Han ignored his friend. Leaping to his feet, he gestured at Mako. “I’ve gotta put in a call—does the manager here have a comm unit?”

The manager of The Chance Castle was only too happy to allow Han to use his unit. All of the big casinos knew that a major Imperial raid would be very bad for business …

Bria Tharen stood beside Sarn Shild on the observation platform of the space station orbiting the planet Teth. The observation platform was enclosed mostly by force fields, so there was nothing visible between them and the surrounding vacuum. Bria could look straight ahead, to her left, her right, and overhead, and see nothing but naked space or the massive, turning shape of the planet. The young woman repressed a shiver as she thought of the cold, airless blackness scant meters away.

Despite her unease, the brilliant, adoring smile on her face never wavered. When she’d taken this assignment, Bria had already been a fairly good actress, able to conceal her true feelings automatically.

But by now, she thought grimly, I probably deserve an award. Too bad there isn’t an “Undercover Agent of the Year” trophy …

The thought was so ridiculous that it made her smile genuine, for a brief second. Moff Shild put an arm around her and squeezed her shoulders, pointing. “Look, my dear! Here they come!”

The small contingent of VIPs on the observation platform began applauding as the Imperial fleet hove into view.

Bria smiled and clapped as the skirmish ships, the recon vessels, the bulk cruisers, and the Dreadnaughts glided slowly toward the reviewing platform. TIE fighters swooped and darted around the bigger ships like small insects poised to feed off a herd of grazers.

Shild was grinning ecstatically as he beheld his squadron. He gave Bria’s shoulders another hug, and she kept herself from shrinking away by an effort of will. “Today marks the beginning of a new era of law and order in the Outer Rim, my dear!” he said, in his “political” voice. Then he added, in a conspiratorial whisper, “And the beginning of a new life for us, Bria!”

Bria looked up at the Moff inquiringly. “Really, Sarn? How so?”

He kept his voice low, but it was still intense, still forceful. “Once my fleet has