Star Wars_ X-Wing 01_ Rogue Squadron - Michael A. Stackpole [89]
The pilot flipped a switch on the shuttle’s command console and the wings retracted. The Lambda-class shuttle settled down on the dorsal hull of the cruiser. Retraction clamps clicked into place. A tremor shook the shuttle as the docking tunnel bumped the ship from below and formed an airtight seal around the shuttle’s exit ramp.
Kirtan freed himself from his restraining straps. “Lieutenant, download all the feeds and probe data onto separate datacards, then wipe this ship’s memory.”
“Yes, sir.”
Kirtan left the cockpit and descended the ramp into the Expeditious. Captain Rojahn greeted him with a curious light in his eyes. “Welcome back aboard, Agent Loor. Your timing was rather precise. We were not waiting long.”
“I don’t imagine the Ravager’s crew has the same perspective on our timing you do.”
The shorter man shook his head, then adjusted his grey cap. “Perhaps not. We might ask them about that if we are allowed to recover escape pods.”
“ ‘Allowed’ to recover them?”
“Most are going toward Vladet, but some are heading out into space. They probably assume the Rebels will take the world.” Rojahn shrugged his shoulders. “I would recover them, but I have strict orders to head out to the Pyria system the moment I have you aboard.”
The Pyria system was one of the candidate systems Kirtan had pinpointed. Borleias was the name of the inhabited world in that system. The Empire maintained a small base there overseen by General Evir Derricote. It was unremarkable, except that it was on his list of target systems for the Rebels.
Kirtan raised an eyebrow. “The orders came from Imperial Center, from Director Isard?”
Rojahn nodded. “There are sealed orders awaiting you in your cabin.”
Kirtan thought for a second, then nodded. “Take us out of this system. If we pick up some escape pods before we jump, I have no problem with that. You will have to plot an evasive course to our destination. If the pods can concentrate themselves in our exit vector, they are all yours.”
The Navy captain smiled. “Thank you, sir.”
“No thanks are needed, Captain. We are all in this together.” Kirtan refrained from smiling despite the feeling of power growing in his chest. I trade time for loyalty—something I did not know to do on Corellia. With every lesson I learn I become more deadly to the Rebellion.
Finally he did smile. And the more deadly I am to the Rebellion, the more useful I become within the Empire. That usefulness translates into power, and in the Empire, power is the very stuff of life.
23
Corran pushed himself back on his bunk, leaning against the bulkhead and drawing his knees up. “What brings you guys here?”
Rhysati, sitting down at his feet, frowned. “We just heard you were confined to quarters and could be facing a court-martial. How are you doing?”
The Corellian shrugged. “I’m fine.”
Erisi Dlarit brushed black bangs away from her face as she sat on Ooryl’s bed. “Aren’t you angry? To be treated like this, after what you did.”
He hesitated before answering her. Upon their return to the Reprieve Wedge had pulled him aside and said General Salm intended to bring him up on charges of insubordination, disobeying direct orders, and pirating a squadron of bombers. Wedge had said he thought he could get the charges quashed in light of how things went at Vladet, but until then he wanted Corran to consider himself confined to quarters. In disciplining him in private, he gave Corran the chance to keep the matter private until it was adjudicated.
“I guess I’m not angry.” Corran was surprised to hear himself saying that, but he didn’t feel the throat-constricting rage that had characterized how he felt after his father’s murderer was turned loose without so much as an arraignment. “General Salm has no choice