Star Wars_ X-Wing 03_ The Krytos Trap - Michael A. Stackpole [50]
“That was normal for a covert op.”
“But you had to wonder if there wasn’t really a traitor in your midst, correct?”
“No.”
“No?” Ettyk’s head came up. “You’re a friend of Captain Celchu’s, aren’t you?”
Pash hesitated. “I’m in his squadron. I know him. I know what he’s done. He’s saved my life.”
“And you think you owe him something?”
“I said he saved my life.”
“And you don’t want to be testifying here against him, do you?”
“No.” The response came emphatic and strong.
“And, in fact, I had to compel your testimony with a subpoena, didn’t I?”
“Yes.”
The prosecutor looked up at the Tribunal. “I’d like permission to treat this witness as hostile.”
Nawara winced. “Not good.”
“Why not?” Tycho asked in a whisper.
“In direct testimony the questions are supposed to be open and nonleading. On cross-examination you get to lead the witness toward the answers you want.” Nawara scratched at his throat. “A witness who is forced to answer questions always leaves the impression he’s covering something up, so it makes even innocent things seem condemning. Pash is trying to do my job for me, but he’s just making it tougher.”
Ackbar waved a hand toward Ettyk. “Permission is granted to treat Lieutenant Cracken as hostile.”
“Thank you, Admiral.” Ettyk smiled. “Now you’re a smart man, Lieutenant Cracken. You attended the Imperial Military Academy under a false identity your father created for you, correct?”
“Yes.”
“And the operation that took you to Coruscant involved your arriving under a false identity, correct?”
“Yes.”
“So you have some understanding of what it takes to operate covertly in a hostile environment, just as any spy would, correct?”
“Yes.”
“It would be natural for a smart man like you to use what you had learned to try to check and see if you could detect any signs of a spy in your midst, correct?”
“It would seem that way.”
“It really was that way, wasn’t it, Lieutenant?” Halla Ettyk opened her hands. “You certainly found yourself evaluating people and trying to decide how much you could trust them, yes?”
Pash’s frown deepened. “Yes.”
“And Captain Celchu figured high on your list of suspect individuals, didn’t he?”
“On a scale of one to infinity he ranked about a five.”
“But that was higher than anyone else there, correct?”
“You’re making it sound wrong.”
“I move for the answer to be stricken as nonresponsive.”
“So ordered.” Ackbar again looked down at Pash. “Just answer the questions, Lieutenant.”
“The ranking you gave Captain Celchu was higher than anyone else’s ranking, wasn’t it, Lieutenant?”
Pash nodded reluctantly. “Yes.”
“Thank you. Now, on the night, two weeks ago, you were preparing to fly a mission that would aid in our conquest of Coruscant.”
“Yes.”
“What was that mission?”
“Five of us were going to fly cover for the rest of the squadron as they tried to bring the planetary shields down.”
“To do that you needed fighters, correct?”
“Yes.”
“And you had them?”
“Yes.”
“Where did they come from?”
Pash took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Captain Celchu had purchased them during his time here on Coruscant.”
“And he had even flown a mission here, correct?”
“Yes, the mission where he saved us.”
Ettyk turned back to the prosecution table and studied the datapad. Iella Wessiri came around to face her. “That night you witnessed a conversation between Captain Celchu and Corran Horn, did you not?”
“I did. I wasn’t a party to the conversation, though.”
“But you did overhear it?” Ettyk turned and spitted the witness with a forthright stare.
The pilot hung his head. “Yes.”
“Did you hear Captain Celchu tell Lieutenant Horn that he had checked over the fighter Horn would be using?”
“Yes.”
“And did you hear Lieutenant Horn threaten to work to expose Captain Celchu’s treason once he returned from the mission?”
“Yes.” Fatigue dragged at the red-haired man’s reply.
The prosecutor smiled. “And what was Captain Celchu’s response to that threat?