Star Wars_ X-Wing 01_ Rogue Squadron - Michael A. Stackpole [48]
“As a result the Empire is falling apart and the Rebels are threatening to supplant the Empire with their own New Republic.”
Kirtan nodded. “And you wish to restore the Empire.”
“No.” Her denial came cold enough to freeze carbonite. “My goal is to destroy the Rebellion. Imperial restoration can only be accomplished if the Rebels are eliminated and that can only be accomplished if we blunt their military, sorely stress their administration, and crush their spirits. These goals are interwoven and I have operatives, like you, working on all levels to bring my plans to fruition. Can you withstand the pressure of so vital a mission?”
Kirtan slowly nodded. “I can. How may I serve you?”
This time she did smile and Kirtan wished she had not. “Your target is to cut the heart out of the Rebellion. You will be the death of Rogue Squadron.”
“Excuse me?” Kirtan frowned, wondering if he had heard her incorrectly. “I am no fighter pilot. I know nothing about Rogue Squadron.”
“Ah, but you have the expertise I want and desire. You served on Corellia and the unit’s commander is Corellian.”
“Wedge Antilles, I know.” Kirtan raised his hands. “But that is not to say I know him. I don’t. I don’t even know anything about the squadron.”
“But you can learn.”
“Yes, I can learn.”
“And you shall learn.” She nodded slowly toward him, then brought her head up abruptly. “You will also find you have a personal stake in this.”
Kirtan aborted a wince. “Yes?”
“Our source within the squadron tells us that a friend of yours is a flight leader of remarkable skill.”
One of Isard’s earlier statements ran through his mind again. A man is best evaluated by his enemies. “Corran Horn.”
“You see, you already know more about them than you thought you did.” Ysanne Isard gave him an even stare. “Do you accept being the instrument of Rogue Squadron’s destruction?”
“With pleasure, Madam Director.” Kirtan smiled to himself. “With the utmost of pleasure indeed.”
13
Corran forced himself to relax. Though Commander Antilles had cast the trip as an exercise in astronavigation and hyperspace jumping, deep down in his gut Corran thought a lot was being left unsaid. He was certain that if they had been going out on a formal patrol or escort mission Wedge would have told them so. The fact that he hadn’t said anything conflicted with the mission requirement of packing up and stowing their personal gear in their X-wings. This left Corran thinking something more than an exercise was taking place.
Because of his training exercise scores, Corran had been promoted to Lieutenant and given the command of Three Flight. As an officer he had expected Wedge would trust him enough to let him know what was really going on. Even so, with his background he had great respect for security, and that put a brake on his uneasiness.
Those concerns don’t matter. Getting through the drill does. Heading outbound from Folor’s scarred grey surface, Corran flew lead for Rogue Squadron’s Three Flight. Ooryl was back to starboard while Lujayne and Andoorni were off to port, similarly staggered front and back. Within the unit they had comm unit call signs of Rogue Nine through Twelve respectively, though for this exercise they would be operating as a semiindependent flight.
“Let’s keep it close, Three Flight. Whistler will send you all our jump coordinates and speed parameters. Have your R2s double-check it, then lock the route.” He checked his datascreen for the positions of the first two X-wing flights and Tycho Celchu bringing up the rear in a captured Lambda-class shuttle, Forbidden. “We follow One Flight on this leg, then Two Flight on the next one. After that we’re leading, so let’s be prepared.”
The members of his flight signaled their readiness to jump, so Corran keyed his comlink over to the command frequency. “Three Flight ready to jump on your mark, Rogue One.”
“Good. All flights, five seconds to mark.”
With Wedge’s reply Whistler began counting