Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 06_ Balance Point - Kathy Tyers [136]
“Uldir,” Dacholder asked suddenly.
“Uh-huh?”
“Do you think we can beat them? The Vong?”
“That’s a crazy question,” Uldir replied. “Of course we can. They just got a jump on us, that’s all. You’ll see. Once the military gets its act together and brings the Jedi into the equation, the Yuuzhan Vong will be on the run soon enough.”
Dacholder was silent for a moment, watching the ship grow larger.
“I don’t think we can beat them,” he said softly. “I don’t think we ought to be fighting them in the first place.”
“What do you mean?”
“Look, they’ve kicked our butts right from the start. If they make another push, they’ll have Coruscant before you can blink.”
“That’s pretty defeatist.”
“It’s pretty realistic.”
“Then what?” Uldir asked, a little heatedly. “You think we ought to surrender?”
“We don’t have to do that, either. Look, there aren’t that many Vong. They already have as many planets as they need, they’ve said so themselves. They haven’t made a move since Duro, and they won’t—”
The console got Uldir’s attention, so he didn’t hear the rest of what Dacholder was saying. “Hold that thought,” he snapped, “and hail that ship.”
“Why?”
“Because she’s playing dead, that’s why. All her systems just came on, and she’s trying for a tractor lock.” He quickly began evasive maneuvers.
“Let her have us, Uldir,” Dacholder said. “Don’t make me use this.”
To Uldir’s astonishment, this was a blaster his copilot had pointed at his head.
“Doc? What are you doing?”
“Sorry, lad. I like you, I really do. I hate doing this like drinking acid, but it has to be done.”
“What has to be done?”
“The Yuuzhan Vong warmaster was very specific. He wants all of the Jedi.”
“Doc, you fool, I’m not a Jedi.”
“There’s a list, Uldir, and you’re on it.”
“List? What list? Whose list? Not a Yuuzhan Vong list, because they couldn’t possibly know who went to the academy and who didn’t.”
“That’s right. Some of us are in high places.”
Uldir narrowed his eyes. “Us? You’re Peace Brigade, Doc?”
“Yes.”
“Of all the—” Uldir stopped. “And that ship. That’s what’s going to take me to the Yuuzhan Vong, isn’t it?”
“It wasn’t my idea, lad. I’m just following orders. Now, slow her down like a good boy, and let them have their lock.”
“I’m not a Jedi,” Uldir repeated.
“No? I always thought your hunches were a little too good. You seem to see things before they come.”
“Right. Like this, you mean?”
“Doesn’t matter anyway. What matters is they think you’re Jedi. And I’ll bet you know things they would be interested in.”
“Don’t do this, Doc, I’m begging you. You know what the Yuuzhan Vong do to their victims. How can you even think of making deals with them? They destroyed Ithor, for space’s sake!”
“The way I hear it, a Jedi named Corran Horn was responsible for that.”
“Bantha fodder.”
Dacholder sighed. “I’m giving you a three-count, Uldir.”
“Don’t, Doc.”
“One.”
“I won’t go with them.”
“Two.”
“Please.”
“Thr—”
He never got it out. By the time he got to the end of the word, Dacholder was in vacuum, twenty meters away and still accelerating. Uldir sealed the cockpit back up, ears popping and face tingling from his brief brush with nothingness. He glanced at the missing acceleration couch.
“I’m sorry, Doc,” he said. “You didn’t leave me much of a choice. I guess it’s just as well I never told you about all of my modifications.”
He opened the throttle, gaining quick ground on the yacht. By the time they overcame their inertia and started to gain, Uldir had punched into lightspeed and was gone.
To where, he didn’t know. If he survived the hyperspace jump, would he be safe?
And if he wasn’t safe, what about the real Jedi? His friends from the academy?
He couldn’t hide from this. Master Skywalker had to know what was happening. He could think about himself after that was done.
Swilja Fenn tried to stay on her feet. Such a basic