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“Then you believe the planet itself is alive, sentient, as Yu’shaa claims?”

“That’s the rumor. That’s what your shaper is here to find out, right?”

“Among other things. I’m not entirely certain I understand Nen Yim’s interests.”

Three different castes, three different agendas, Corran thought.

They reached the top of the ridge in a few moments, which gave them an excellent view of the valley below. In fact, Corran could see the wrecked Sekotan ship, which was good. If anyone came looking from the air, that’s what they would spot, and they would be near should such a search come.

But not too near if the searchers were unfriendly.

“What is that?” Harrar asked.

Corran turned and looked the other way.

The priest wasn’t pointing. He didn’t have to. Rising from the forest were three gigantic identical metal vanes. They looked to be at least three hundred meters tall. They were utterly familiar, but it still took him a long moment to recognize them. When he did, he felt suddenly light-headed.

“I’m not sure,” he lied.

“Perhaps we should investigate.” Did Harrar sound suspicious?

“Not today,” Corran said. “It’ll be dark in a few hours, and we’ll want to have the important stuff moved up here by then.”

“Very well.”

He was just delaying the inevitable, he knew. But given Harrar’s little speech just now, when the Yuuzhan Vong did figure out what those vanes were, they weren’t going to be very happy. Not happy at all.

He wanted a little time to prepare for that.

TWENTY-TWO

Wedge had a hurried conference via hyperwave transceiver with his commanders, and then began transmitting battle plans. Their only hope now was to do the very thing they had begun as a feint—knock out one of the interdictors. If they tried to run, the ships would just follow them.

“We’ll line up for the outsystem interdictor,” he said. “Spoke formation. We’ll cut a fire lane and hope some of the starfighters can get there in time. Pick your squadrons, commanders.”

“Wedge, do you see that?” Pash Cracken asked excitedly.

He had, and he didn’t believe it. More than half the approaching insystem force was dropping away from the fight. The interdictor was still there, and a healthy force to guard it, but now the fight was suddenly more or less even.

What were the Yuuzhan Vong up to?

“Five minutes until maximum firing range, sir,” Cel reported.

“Very good,” he said, still staring at the monitor.

The retreating ships increased their speed and suddenly vanished into hyperspace.

“What in the space lanes—?” he wondered.

Suddenly he felt a little smile carve itself on his face, and he vented a brief laugh.

“Sir?” Cel asked.

“This worked better than we ever dreamed it would,” he explained. “They’re so convinced this is a feint they’ve sent half their ships someplace else.”

“I wonder where?”

“Who cares? The odds are almost even, now. Attack groups, lining up for an insystem run. Ithor, you take the outside.”

The massive ships began turning their backs to the outsystem forces, which were now greater than those toward the shipyards.

“Accelerate half speed,” he said.

“New estimation for maximum firing range, two minutes,” Cel said.

“Thank you.” The Yuuzhan Vong in the outer system seemed to be holding their ground, perhaps suspecting he wanted them to abandon the interdictor. That was fine; he didn’t want a two-front battle.

He continued to study the tactical readouts, and saw something else strange. Some of the coralskippers were breaking formation, streaming toward the insystem interdictor, probably anticipating his push for it.

Then he saw that wasn’t what they were doing at all. They were dropping into its artificial gravity well at steep angles.

“They’re doing the Solo Slingshot!” Lieutenant Cel exclaimed.

Even as she said it, the first of the skips slingshoted around the massive spicule, whirling with terrific speed toward the Alliance battle group.

“Minimum range.”

“Fire when ready. Clear a lane to the lead capital ships.”

Laserfire stretched out between