Star Wars_ X-Wing 03_ The Krytos Trap - Michael A. Stackpole [0]
The X-wings came around on a vector that brought them straight at him. Corran cut his throttle back and dove at a slight angle so he would pass beneath their incoming vector. One X-wing inverted and pulled up through a loop to drop on Corran’s tail while the other broke the other way. Corran knew the second pilot had made a mistake, and instantly acted to make the most of it. Cutting his throttle back, he turned hard to starboard and then back again to port.
Corran throttled up and closed with the X-wing. You’re mine now. He pushed the Interceptor into point blank range and started to fire, then he saw a blue crest on the X-wing’s S-foils. Though no words accompanied the crest, Corran knew they should have.
Rogue Squadron!
The second he recognized the crest, his finger fell away from the trigger. He didn’t know why he didn’t fire. Fear crystallized in his belly at the sight of it, but he knew he wasn’t afraid of the Rogues. It was something else. Something was wrong, hideously wrong, but he could not pierce the veil of mystery surrounding that sensation.
Suddenly something exploded behind him, pitching him forward.…
A woman’s voice spoke to him. Her words came tinged with anger, bitten off harshly and clearly meant to hurt him. “You have failed, Nemesis One.”
STAR WARS: THE KRYTOS TRAP
A Bantam Spectra Book/October 1996
SPECTRA and the portrayal of a boxed “s” are trademarks of Bantam Books, a division of Random House, Inc.
®, TM, & © 1996 by Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.
Used under authorization.
Cover art by Paul Youll.
Copyright © 1996 by Lucasfilm Ltd.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or by any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publisher.
For information address: Bantam Books.
eISBN: 978-0-307-79623-3
Bantam Books are published by Bantam Books, a division of Random House, Inc. Its trademark, consisting of the words “Bantam Books” and the portrayal of a rooster, is Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Marca Registrada. Bantam Books, 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036.
v3.1
DEDICATION
To the memory of
Patty Vardeman
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thank the following people for their various contributions to this book:
Janna Silverstein, Tom Dupree, and Ricia Mainhardt for getting me into this mess;
Sue Rostoni and Lucy Autrey Wilson for letting me get away with all they have in this universe;
Kevin J. Anderson, Timothy Zahn, Kathy Tyers, Bill Smith, Bill Slavicsek, Peter Schweighofer, Michael Kogge, and Dave Wolverton for the material they created and the advice they offered;
Lawrence Holland and Edward Kilham for the X-Wing and TIE Fighter computer games;
Chris Taylor for pointing out to me which ship Tycho was flying in Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi and Gail Mihara for pointing out controversies I might want to avoid;
My parents, my sister Kerin, my brother Patrick and his wife Joy for their encouragement (and endless efforts to face my other books out on bookstore shelves);
Dennis L. McKiernan, Jennifer Roberson, and especially Elizabeth T. Danforth for listening to bits of this story as it was being written and enduring such abuse with smiles and a supportive manner.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
ROGUE SQUADRON
COMMANDER WEDGE ANTILLES (human male from Corellia)
CAPTAIN TYCHO CELCHU (human male from Alderaan)
CAPTAIN ARIL NUNB (human male from Sullust)
LIEUTENANT CORRAN HORN (human male from Corellia)
LIEUTENANT PASH CRACKEN (human male from Contruum)
OORYL QRYGG (Gand male from Gand)
NAWARA VEN (Twi’lek male from Ryloth)
RHYSATI YNR (human female from Bespin)
ERISI DLARIT (human female from Thyferra)
GAVIN DARKLIGHTER (human male from Tatooine)
RIV SHIEL (Shistavanen male from Uvena III)
ASYR SEI’LAR (Bothan female from Bothawui)
INYRI FORGE (human female from Kessel)
M-3PO (Emtrey; protocol and regulations droid)
WHISTLER (Corran