Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order_ Dark Tide 02_ Ruin - Michael A. Stackpole [81]
“No argument there, and we’ve not had another Sernpidal in this second wave, so the Vong leadership seems to be approaching things in a more logical manner.” The Corellian Jedi shrugged. “Standard defense, then? Engage in space to make landing troops difficult, then fight them as they come down and on the planet?”
Kre’fey nodded. “I would prefer to stop them in space, but to neglect a planetary defense would be silly. We have some elite troops, both from the New Republic and Imperial Space, that can take up positions on the ground. They’re disciplined enough to work within the Ithorian strictures, at least until hot light starts flying.”
The New Republic admiral looked to his Remnant counterpart. “That decision, though, will be up to you, Admiral.”
Pellaeon looked startled. “What are you saying?”
Kre’fey smiled carefully. “You are the senior officer here, with far more experience than I have. I’ve fought the Yuuzhan Vong several times and never come away with a clean victory, so I am not seeing something. I would like you to be in command of the defense of Ithor.”
Corran arched an eyebrow. “Well, the politicians won’t like that at all.”
The Bothan flashed fangs for a second. “We can package the defense nicely, all this joint planning and everything, but when the battle comes, I still want you in charge, Admiral. By that point it will be too late for them to object.”
The human admiral nodded slowly. “You will be second in the chain of command, of course.”
“Honored, yes.”
Pellaeon smiled quickly. “And then who? Master Skywalker?”
The Bothan glanced at Luke. “Jedi fought on the ground at Dantooine and again at Bimmiel. Will they have a role here?”
Luke pressed his hands together, and Corran caught a faint impression of emotional pain from his Master. Jedi were not combat troops, but were trained to fight in ways that would be very useful on Ithor. Because Ithor teemed with life, it fairly well pulsed with the Force, so Jedi would be drawn to defend it, as well. Still, things they might be called upon to do would be outside the boundaries of strictly defensive action.
The Jedi Master glanced at Corran. “Your thoughts?”
“No question we have to help with the defense.” Corran sighed. “In essence, the whole of the planet will be held hostage. I’m not sure there is anything we could do here, short of slaughtering innocents, that would be of the dark side. And I’m fairly certain there will be no Vong innocents on the planet.”
“If there are Yuuzhan Vong who surrender?” Pellaeon asked.
Luke shook his head. “The slaves they use as proxy troops can’t surrender, and the Yuuzhan Vong themselves, well, I have a hard time believing they would surrender to us.”
“I don’t know as how I’d trust any of them who would surrender.” The Corellian frowned. “On Dantooine, didn’t Mara run into some who had killed civilians, then used ooglith masquers to take on their appearance for the purpose of slaughtering more civilians?”
The Bothan tapped a talon on the table. “Good point. We will have to review normal rules of engagement and inform our people that surrenders may not be respected. Not knowing about the Yuuzhan Vong, about their culture and traditions, makes the task of figuring out how to fight them so much more difficult. We can guess, we can make inferences, but we just don’t know.”
Pellaeon smiled. “Grand Admiral Thrawn set great store by studying the art of a culture as a key to understanding it. I don’t know what he would make of the Yuuzhan Vong, but the few Chiss that came in from the Unknown Regions took to fighting them very eagerly.”
“Yes, the Chiss in their clawcraft.” Kre’fey smoothed fur at the back of his neck. “You can rest assured that Coruscant did not like hearing that there was a whole contingent of Thrawn’s people lurking out there. I’m sure many of them fear you’ll use the Chiss to carve a new Empire from the New Republic.”
The human admiral shrugged. “I might have, had