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The controller looked up from his station. “Sir, Duro Squadron is requesting the honor of protecting our flank.”

Wedge hesitated infinitesimally. Duro Squadron was a bit of a wild card, a collection of pilots—some with military experience, some without—dedicated to the liberation of their home system.

The fact that it was precisely that system they were fighting in right now could be a problem, for various reasons.

But it didn’t look like he had any other choice.

“Tell them yes, without our thanks,” Wedge said.

“Three more ships just reverted, sir,” Lieutenant Cel informed him, a catch in her voice that might be the start of panic.

“That’s it,” Wedge said. “Or it had better be. Get me General Bel Iblis.”

A moment later, a hologram of the aging general appeared.

“The reinforcements are here,” Wedge told him. “Listening posts have them coming through the Corellian Trade Spine, so they’re most likely our buddies.”

“Is it too many to handle, General Antilles?” Bel Iblis asked.

“I hope not, sir. Is your force ready?”

“We’re on our way. Good luck, General.”

“And to you.”

The image vanished. Wedge set his mouth grimly, watching the battle reports.

They had already spent a standard day in heavy fighting, driving through the outer defenses of the Duro system in a matter of hours. The inner system had put up more of a fight, but they’d been close to mopping up when Yuuzhan Vong reinforcements arrived.

Wedge had been expecting the reinforcements—counting on them, really—but they’d hit hard and fast. A reassessment of the situation put the odds marginally in favor of the Yuuzhan Vong, which again was no surprise.

It was also okay—they hadn’t come here to win, but they couldn’t leave yet, either.

“Prepare interdiction,” Wedge said.

Four more Yuuzhan Vong frigates jumped into the Duro system, changing the odds yet again.

“Sir?”

“Interdict,” he said.

The great ship’s gravity-well generators came on-line, as did those of Memory of Ithor and Olovin.

Positioned as they were around the Yuuzhan Vong force, they would prevent the Vong from leaving the system, at least until the interdiction perimeter was reduced to dust.

Of course, none of the Galactic Alliance ships could leave, either.

“Break off the attack and form up in containment positions,” Wedge said calmly. “I don’t want any of those ships reaching hyperspace.”

“What about Duro, sir?” Cel asked.

“Duro is no longer our concern, Lieutenant.”

“Yes, sir,” Cel said, clearly baffled.

Good. If his own people were confused, hopefully the Vong were more so.

The Alliance ships broke off their push toward the planet and retreated into a broad hemisphere, putting the Yuuzhan Vong fleet with the planet at its back, handing them back the defensive advantage that Wedge’s earlier push had taken from them, but also trapping them more securely in the system.

“Hold the line,” Wedge commanded. “We stick here.”

Spreading the battle group so thinly gave the Yuuzhan Vong an obvious advantage, but the Vong ships seemed to hesitate, perhaps suspecting another of the traps they had been so often led into lately.

Still, caution was not natural to the Yuuzhan Vong, and they now clearly had the advantage in numbers. Several destroyers began forming up for an assault on the wall the Galactic Alliance had built.

“Do they have any interdictors of their own?” Wedge asked.

“No, sir.”

“Good.”

“Yes, sir. Sir, Commander Yurf Col is requesting communication.”

Wedge repressed a sigh. “Put him on.”

A moment later a holo of the Duros commander appeared. His flat face was unreadable in terms of human expression, but Wedge had enough experience with Duros to know he was radiating a cold fury.

“Commander,” Wedge said, nodding.

The Duros came bluntly to the point.

“What in the space lanes are you up to, General Antilles? I’ve lost good pilots today, and now it appears you’ve given up our target.”

“I’m sure you are as aware of the situation as I am, Commander,” Wedge said. “The reinforcements make further assaults untenable.”

“Then why are you interdicting? That