Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 21_ The Unifying Force - James Luceno [61]
“The Yuuzhan Vong showed up about a month ago,” Garray was saying. “And it’s been steady fighting ever since. Our defense platform is history, and for the past local week we’ve been under constant siege. But it’s become clear that the Vong want to occupy Caluula rather than raze it, or they’d have dropped a moon on it or poisoned it like they’ve done elsewhere.”
“Occupation seems a good guess,” Leia said. “One of the ships we saw on our way in is a yammosk vessel.”
Garray nodded. “That’s already been verified.”
“Still, it’s curious that the Yuuzhan Vong would choose Caluula,” Leia went on. “I don’t know a great deal about the Tion Hegemony, but I do know it lacks most of the resources the Yuuzhan Vong usually come looking for.”
“No argument, Princess. Caluula’s mostly been a haven for scientists, because of some sort of natural phenomenon that occurs down there every so often. Our best guess is that the Yuuzhan Vong want to use Caluula as an entry point into the Tion Hegemony and the Corporate Sector. Then there’s the shipyards at Lianna, though they haven’t been turning out much since Sienar Systems pulled up stakes.” Garray took his lower lip between his teeth and shook his head in exasperation. “But the Vong have to go through us to get there, and, thank the Force, that hasn’t happened yet.”
“If they’re looking at occupying the rest of the Tion Hegemony, they’d have concentrated their efforts at Lianna,” Han said. “For one thing, it’s closer to the Perlemian, which they pretty much control anyway, from Coruscant to the Cron Drift.” He shook his head. “They’ve got something else in mind. Maybe using Caluula as a staging area for an attack on Mon Calamari.”
“We considered that,” Garray said. “But I don’t have to tell you that Caluula’s well removed from the easy space lanes. Mon Calamari’s three microjumps direct, or you return to the Perlemian by way of Dellalt and Lianna, which takes just as long.”
“So what do the Yuuzhan Vong want with Caluula?” Leia asked.
Garray looked at her while they walked. “Captives. The Vong commander of the battle group even intimated as much.”
“You’ve actually spoken to him?”
“Tattooed head to toe,” Garray said, “and soon to be black with blood, if we have anything to say about it. He promised us noble deaths and everlasting life.”
“Tough offer to turn down,” Han said.
Garray snorted. “Personally, I’ll take the here-and-now.”
“Where are you from, Commander?” Leia asked.
“Abregado-rae.”
Han was surprised. “You’re a long way from the Core. Why’d you leave?”
“It was raining Vong fireballs, and I started to feel like I was in the way.”
Leia nodded contemplatively. “There’s no safe corner left.”
Garray sighed with her. “Not if the Yuuzhan Vong have their way. One more major push from them at this point … Well, who can predict how things will turn out, right?”
“Expect surprises,” Han said.
“There’s a small resistance force operating downside on Caluula. But if this station falls, I don’t see how they’ll be able to hold out against a full-scale invasion.”
“Just how bad off are you?” Leia said.
“Well, you’ve seen our starfighters. They’re held together with spit and glue, just like we are. Ever since the HoloNet went down, we’ve had to rely on courier communication with Mon Cal, and that takes anywhere from three to five local days. In fact, we dispatched a ship just hours before you arrived. Galactic Alliance command hasn’t been able to spare us any matériel, in any event. So we’re critically short on food, munitions, spare parts, bacta. Many of the volunteers who came to our support are wounded. We’ve a lot of sick and dying.” Garray paused, becoming more somber by the moment. “I’ve been fighting the Yuuzhan Vong for four years.