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Patience, Wedge thought.

“Perhaps you aren’t aware that the Yuuzhan Vong have means of tapping our communications,” he said mildly.

“Perhaps it hasn’t occurred to you that you might have just passed on important intelligence to the enemy.”

“If we obliterate that enemy, what they learn will be of little consequence. I don’t know why you want to hold them here. They still don’t have a decisive advantage—we can win this, if we attack instead of—whatever you’re doing. And with a few reinforcements, we could certainly prevail.”

“Commander, I understand this is your home system. I understand that for you, this fight is personal. That is, in fact, one of the many reasons I am in charge of this operation and you are not. You agreed to fight under my command, and you will do so. Do you understand?”

“I understand you have bungled this from the start. We could have won in the first few hours if you had followed my advice.”

“That is your opinion,” Wedge replied. “It is not mine, and mine is the one that counts right now.”

The Duros’s eyes narrowed. “When this is over, Antilles—”

“I suggest you worry about the present, Commander. The Vong are trying to punch through and open two fronts. If they succeed, this reduces our future options considerably.”

“You are the one limiting our options. Two more frigates—”

Wedge cut him off. “Get used to this idea, Commander,” he said, “and get used to it quickly—there are no reinforcements. Nor am I yet prepared to abandon this system. Do your part, Commander, and everything will go well.”

Col remained unconvinced. “I warn you, General Antilles,” he snapped, “if you don’t explain this to me, I will force your hand.”

“You will follow your orders, period,” Wedge replied.

“General—” the Duros began, but Wedge waved the contact off and studied the reports. The attack looked like a feint to draw his net tight in one place while they hit it in another. But where?

The battle computers searched for the answer. By Wedge’s reckoning, unless the Yuuzhan Vong pulled off something amazing, he would be able to hold them off for five or six hours without significant losses. That should be enough.

He studied the on-spec chart their sensors were building of the system—after all, the Yuuzhan Vong had occupied it for more than two standard years now, which meant his intelligence of it was probably a bit behind, to say the least. At this point, an unfortunate surprise was the last thing that interested him.

When the surprise came, it came not from some hidden Yuuzhan Vong trap, but from within his own ranks.

“Sir,” control reported, “Dpso, Redheart, and Coriolis have broken formation, as has all of Duro Squadron.”

“Have they.” Wedge took a deep breath. “Get me Yurf Col again, immediately.”

A few moments later, the Duros’s hologram reappeared.

“Commander,” Wedge said, trying to keep his tone even, “there must be a glitch in our communications. You seem to be forming an assault wedge when you were ordered to hold position.”

“I have removed myself from your command, General Antilles,” Col replied. “I will not have my people sit idle in their own system, not without a good explanation. You have refused to give me one. If you will not sustain the reconquest of Duro, I am forced to do it myself.”

“You’re committing suicide and placing this entire mission in jeopardy.”

“Not if you join me.”

“I won’t.”

“Then our deaths will be on your head.”

“I’m not bluffing, Commander Col.”

“You laid this course, Antilles.”

“Commander—”

“You cut me off earlier. I return the favor. Join us or not.”

The connection ended, and Wedge watched helplessly as the Duros ships dropped out of the perimeter, formed up, and drove straight for the largest concentration of enemy ships.

“Sir,” Cel said, “the Duros ships are taking heavy fire.”

“I can see that,” Wedge told her.

“Sir, what are they doing?”

“They’re trying to make me attack,” Wedge said.

“Then it’s a bluff, sir?”

A lightning storm was raging between