Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 08_ Edge of Victory 01_ Conquest - J. Gregory Keyes [57]
The old master shrugged. “For the glory of the shapers and the Yuuzhan Vong, I wish you success.” He sounded doubtful.
“You may observe anytime you wish,” Mezhan Kwaad said. To Nen Yim it seemed as if her master was taunting Yal Phaath.
But the old master ran a negative ripple through his tendrils. “Among other things, I’ve come to take my leave. The new project awaits me, a shaping that will end this Jeedai threat forever.”
Mezhan Kwaad stiffened a bit. “Oh?” she said politely.
“Indeed. Under interrogation, the infidels who serve us admitted that they were tricked by those who presently harass our ships in space. From this information came a most interesting item, about a certain sort of beast, one that can sense and hunt these Jeedai.”
“The infidels knew where to find these beasts?”
“No,” Yal Phaath said. “Not those on this moon, at any rate. But we have sources in their senate, and one of them was able to discover and provide the information. As it turns out, the beasts are native to a world already in possession of our Lord Shimrra, a planet the infidels call Myrkr. I am to oversee the shaping of these beasts.”
“Interesting, about these beasts, if true,” Mezhan Kwaad allowed. “For the glory of the Yuuzhan Vong, I wish you well. I also wish you success in leaving the system. Apparently the infidels have been quite successful in preventing outgoing traffic.”
“I have no fear,” the ancient master replied. “If Yun-Yuuzhan wants my life, it is his to take. But I suspect he has many tasks for me yet.”
“Captain, one of the Yuuzhan Vong warships has broken orbit,” H’sishi said. “It has a substantial escort.”
Karrde stroked his mustache. “Get Solusar up here. Meanwhile, close distance, and have the Etherway and the Idiot’s Array lay down a barrage. Let’s keep her in the gas giant’s mass shadow for as long as we can.”
“Yes, sir,” Dankin, the pilot, returned.
“And get Solusar up here,” Karrde repeated. “We’ll need him for this.”
“I’m already here, Captain Karrde.”
Indeed, Solusar was standing just behind him. “Ah. Perfect. The Yuuzhan Vong are trying to punch a ship through our defenses, presumably to leave the system. My question is, should I let them go?”
“You haven’t let any others go,” Solusar pointed out.
“True. But none of those tried in such force. If we fight here, I’ll lose ships, more than we can spare. If I thought relief was on the way, I might risk it. As it is, I need to know—are there Jedi on that ship?”
For an instant, Karrde saw a twinge of what might pass for fear in the Jedi’s eyes.
“I can’t be certain,” Solusar said stiffly.
“Why not?”
“I can’t sense the Yuuzhan Vong in the Force. Their ships might as well be lifeless asteroids as far as my senses are concerned.”
“Then I should think the children would stand out in quite a spectacular manner.”
“They should, and they don’t. If it weren’t important, I would say there are no non–Yuuzhan Vong on any of those ships. But it is important. If I’m wrong, we might end up letting them go—then we’d be fighting here for nothing.”
“How might you be wrong? I don’t understand.”
“The Yuuzhan Vong not only don’t exist in the Force—they make me doubt my Jedi senses altogether. They make the whole area … murky, somehow. I’ve no better way to explain it.”
Karrde looked back at the screen. The Yuuzhan Vong had scrambled fighters.
“I can’t wait much longer, Solusar. I have to decide. Forget the ships; try to sense them on the moon. If they’re still there, they can’t be on that warship.”
“I’ll try,” the Jedi said. He closed his eyes.
Karrde watched the enemy fighters race closer. So far, he had managed hit-and-run operations at minimal risk to his people. He’d made good use of mines and asteroids and other classic guerrilla weapons of intrasystem war.
But if he had to stop that ship, he would have to commit to a real stand-up-slug-it-out battle, a battle