Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 05_ Agents of Chaos 02_ Jedi Eclipse - James Luceno [104]
“Grown?” one of Isolder’s female officers asked.
Brand nodded. “With the permission of the Hutts, the Yuuzhan Vong transformed the planet to serve as a sort of weapons garden, similar to the ones at Belkadan and Sernpidal, from which these fighters have been harvested and equipped with the organic devices that both propel and shield them.”
A new image took shape in the well’s cone of projected light: a close-up view of the coralskippers attaching themselves like barnacles to the spindly arms of an enormous Yuuzhan Vong carrier analog. Elsewhere warships were maneuvering into battle groups, encircled by swarms of coralskippers.
“The enemy is massing for a strike,” Brand remarked unequivocally, “and judging by the numbers of ships involved, they have their sights set on a target of greater significance than Ithor, Obroa-skai, or Gyndine. We have determined that target to be Corellia, which we have deliberately left inadequately protected in the hope of inviting an attack.”
Leia’s eyes widened in alarm as a holographic image of a moonlet-size sphere resolved above the projector.
“Centerpoint Station is the heart of Corellia’s defense,” Brand went on. “A repulsor and gravity lens, the station is capable of creating an interdiction field that will stretch from Corell clear to the frontier of the Outlier systems. At this moment, the station is on standby alert and prepared to initiate the field on our command.”
“Commodore,” Leia interrupted.
Brand turned to her and nodded. “Yes, Ambassador, your sons are already aboard Centerpoint. I apologize if some of this comes as a surprise, but all information regarding Centerpoint has been issued on a need-to-know basis.”
Leia looked away from Brand to hide her distress. She also refused to acknowledge Isolder’s inquisitive stare.
“When the Yuuzhan Vong fleet emerges from hyperspace in the Corellia system, the interdiction field will rob them of the ability to go to lightspeed, and will essentially hold them fast. When that much has been achieved, many of the warships anchored here, and at Kuat and Bothawui—all of which have been retrofitted with hyperwave inertial momentum sustainers produced by the Fondor shipyards—will launch, penetrating the interdiction field at its farthest extreme, and advance through a series of microjumps to engage the enemy.”
Brand swung to an ancillary holoprojector, above which was displayed a schematic of the HIMS. “For those of you unfamiliar with the hyperwave sustainer, the device relies on a gravitic sensor to alert a ship to an impending interdiction field, as well as to initiate a rapid shutdown of the hyperdrive. Simultaneously the sustainer allows for the creation of a static hyperspace bubble, which, while incapable of furnishing thrust, holds the ship in hyperspace while it is carried forward by momentum.”
Brand turned to his audience. “Our ships will have one heck of a time trying to maintain formation, but they will be able to get the drop on the enemy fleet.”
He looked over at the Hapans. “Prince Isolder, since your ships are not HIMS-equipped, your command will be responsible for preventing Yuuzhan Vong vessels from attempting an escape through the Outlier systems. The reasons for assigning you this task are twofold. Your Battle Dragons carry pulse-mass mines, which can effectively extend the limits of Centerpoint’s interdiction field. To assist you in this, we are placing at your disposal four Immobilizer 418A Interdictor cruisers. But more important, your ships’ weapons-linked battle computers provide for pinpoint accuracy against single targets, which is precisely what is required to dumbfound the dovin basals that protect Yuuzhan Vong vessels.”
“Ordinarily we prefer swift, ruthless strikes,” Isolder said. “But if surgical strikes are called for, then you shall have them, Commodore.”
Leia managed not to wince.