Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 04_ Agents of Chaos 01_ Hero's Trial - James Luceno [59]
Poinard paused above the most forward of the crew pits. “Any signs of activity?” he asked a technician standing at one of the consoles.
“Negative, sir.” The woman glanced at a readout, then up at the two commanders. “Forward elements report all quiet.”
“Looks like Admiral Sovv’s tacticians have us misdirecting our efforts,” Poinard told Sutel in confidence.
“This came down from Intelligence,” Sutel said.
“Even worse. Ord Mantell has little strategic value.”
Sutel cut his eyes from the starfield to Poinard. “Did Ithor? Did Obroa-skai? The Yuuzhan Vong are waging a psychological war. You of all people should understand. Didn’t your brother once command an AT-AT division?”
“Walkers had their place.”
“As prodigal terror weapons,” Sutel said. “The Yuuzhan Vong obviously mean to terrorize us in the same way—to break us by demoralizing us.”
“But Ord Mantell,” Poinard said dubiously. “Gamblers and tourists are the only ones they’ll demoralize.”
“Admiral Poinard,” the woman in the crew pit interrupted. “Forward elements report enemy vessels emerging from hyperspace and shedding velocity. Performance and drive profiles confirm Yuuzhan Vong warships.”
Poinard swung to the crew in the pit on the opposite side of the walkway, as banks of threat assessors began to talk to one another in machine code.
“Go to full alert status. All nonessentials are confined to quarters. Engage sublight drives and pull us tight to number-two moon.” He turned back to the female tech in the first pit. “How many vessels?”
“Sir, two corvette analogs, five frigate analogs, three light cruiser analogs, one warship analog.”
Someone behind Poinard and Sutel spoke up. “Sirs, wing commander reports from target approach point that fighter deployment is complete. Awaiting authorization to engage. Tactical bridge reports the call board as clear and all systems enabled.”
A holoprojection of the theater resolved above a light table in the forward pit. Poinard and Sutel studied it in silence.
“Looks like we’re evenly matched for once,” the general commented after a moment.
“Save for one advantage,” Poinard pointed out. “They don’t know we’re here.”
FOURTEEN
Han leaned his right shoulder against the pitted bars of the cramped jail cell and gently massaged the swollen knuckle of his left ring finger. “Good fight,” he said. “I really enjoyed it.”
Fasgo and Roa were seated on the squalid floor, backs against an equally fouled wall, the former with a comically swollen right ear, the latter looking remarkably unscathed.
“Some mess,” Roa said around a grin.
Fasgo gently fingered the tip of his nose. “Feels broken,” he muttered.
Roa clapped his former tax-and-tariff agent on the shoulder. “Next time remember that keeping out of range is often the best defense.”
“I’m only sorry the big one didn’t die,” Fasgo said.
“Give him time,” Han said loudly, gazing deliberately at the three Trandoshans in the cell directly across from theirs.
Fasgo held his thumb and forefinger close together. “The chair missed him by that much.”
“Tough break for that poor Bith at the next table,” Han said.
“We’re lucky he thought one of the Trandoshans threw it,” Roa interjected.
Fasgo nodded. “Having that group of balloon heads on our side definitely helped.”
“Keep your voice down,” Roa advised quietly. “They’re only two cells down the corridor.”
Fasgo waved a hand. “Half the crowd in the Bet’s Off is in here.” He glanced at Han and laughed. “We really started something.”
“Yeah, and security finished it.” Han chuckled. “No wonder the Wheel doesn’t allow armed blasters.”
A gate in desperate need of lubricant slid open down the corridor, and in short order a burly security guard in a gray uniform