Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 05_ Agents of Chaos 02_ Jedi Eclipse - James Luceno [123]
Chine-kal’s sadness endured for only a moment. “Well executed, Jedi. But you have doomed us all.”
A shudder passed through the ship even as the words were leaving his mouth.
“The yammosk controls the ship,” Randa explained. “The pilot dovin basals are now in the throes of death.”
Chine-kal grinned faintly. “No one gets out of here alive.”
Kyp returned the grin. “This won’t be the first time you’ve misjudged a situation, Commander.” He scanned the attendants, then set his gaze on Chine-kal. “Any or all of you are free to come with us.” When it was obvious that none of them were going to budge, Kyp shrugged. “Suit yourselves.”
He backed into the passageway, Ganner to one side, Randa to the other. Another death-throe spasm sent the three of them pitching against the bulkheads. Regaining his balance, Kyp started off the way they had come, but Randa stopped him.
“I know a more direct route.”
They had just entered an adjacent module when Kyp’s comlink toned.
“What’s your situation, Kyp?”
Kyp recognized Han Solo’s voice. “We’re outward bound. The ship’s destroying itself.”
“A splinter group of Yuuzhan Vong warships are on their way. Not much chance of our holding them off.”
“Then don’t risk it.”
“Somehow I knew you’d say that. Where are the captives?”
“They’re being moved to the module we punched through.”
“How many?”
“One hundred, give or take a few.”
Solo muttered something. “The Trevee is defenseless. We’ll have to cram everyone aboard the Falcon.”
“Can you bring the Falcon close enough to extend a cofferdam?”
Han snorted. “That’s the least of our problems.”
“There’s an airlock in the central module, but from the outside you probably won’t be able to identify it. Look for our signal flare. Otherwise, I’ll have Deak or someone lead you to it.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll find it.”
“Somehow I knew you’d say that,” Kyp said. “By the way, can you accommodate a Hutt?”
Solo launched a surprised laugh. “A Hutt? Sure, the more the merrier.”
“Then you’ll be glad to hear that one of the captives asked me to send his regards.”
“Who?”
“Roa.”
“Take the shot!” Sal-Solo hissed through his clenched teeth. “Take it!”
“For the Mrlssi,” a more plaintive voice added.
“For the sake of the New Republic,” the captain said.
“No, my boy, no,” Ebrihim and Q9 said.
As many voices vied for prominence in Anakin’s mind as in the control room. He heard the heartfelt words of his mother and father, the harsh voice of Jacen and the understanding voice of Jaina, the counsel of Uncle Luke …
Anakin ignored all of them and looked at Jacen. “Tell me,” he said.
Jacen responded quietly and calmly, almost as if he had subvocalized the response. “You are my brother, and you are a Jedi, Anakin. You can’t do this.”
Anakin took a deep breath and moved his hand away from the handgrip trigger. The tension in the room broke with a collective exhalation of disappointment. The technicians grumbled and the Mrlssi hung their heads in defeat. The next thing Anakin knew, someone had shoved him forcibly from the control seat.
“I’ll take the shot,” Thrackan Sal-Solo shouted angrily as his hand closed on the trigger.
Led by the Yald, the task force from Commenor decanted outside the orbit of Fondor’s outermost moon. Following them into realspace came the Battle Dragons and battle cruisers that made up the Hapan fleet, positioned to engage the Yuuzhan Vong armada at close range.
Commodore Brand had allowed Leia to join him on the bridge, where she stood just behind his command chair, gazing through the wraparound viewport at the reverting Hapan warships. Closer to Fondor, explosions flared in the night as vessels and shipyards succumbed to the enemy onslaught.
“Fleet