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The Chief Navigator looked up from the pit where he worked. “We’re coming in as scheduled. The station is in orbit around Yag’Dhul, occupying an orbit outside of that of the largest of Yag’Dhul’s three moons, with its position always opposite that moon. We are coming in on the only good entry vector that won’t run us afoul of the world, its moons, or the system’s sun. The station should be clear for an attack once we close into range.”

“Very good.” Drysso glanced over at his communications officer. “Ensign Yesti, when we revert to realspace, please inform the Virulence that we expect it to come in below us at a range of twenty kilometers. Inform Captain Varrscha she is not to power her weapons up except under my direct order.”

“As ordered, Captain.”

Drysso continued to walk forward until he reached the viewing station. The light tunnel through which the ship sped began to break down into long shafts of light. They, in turn, resolved themselves into unwavering gemstones set in a black blanket. Directly ahead of the ship’s distant prow, the system’s sun burned brightly. Yag’Dhul and its moons appeared as colorful spheres hanging in space. Silhouetted against Yag’Dhul’s gray face, the space station appeared to be little more than a cross—insignificant and defenseless.

“Captain, we’re showing signs of snubfighter deployment at the station.”

“Very well, tell Colonel Arl he is free to deploy his fighters in a defensive screen. Have you spotted the Alderaanian War Cruiser yet?”

“Negative,” reported Drysso’s aide. “We are clear for a hundred kilometers around us, and Virulence is reporting similar clearance.”

“Push the sensor sphere out to two hundred kilometers, Lieutenant Waroen, and keep scanning the fringes of the system for that War Cruiser. Time to engagement?”

“Ten minutes to range.”

“Bring our shields up to full.”

“As ordered, sir.”

Drysso stroked his goatee as he watched the station grow larger. The scrambling of the station’s snubfighters did not surprise him. That was the only reaction they could have, which is why he countered with deploying his fighters in a screen. It would be difficult for the X-wings to work their way through his screen and, while engaging in dogfights, all but impossible for them to maintain the sort of unit cohesion needed for a crushing volley of proton torpedoes to be launched at his ship. While proton torpedoes and concussion missiles were certainly a danger to his ship, they were only a danger in vast quantities—far more than three dozen snubfighters could possibly deliver.

“Captain, the snubfighters are going to lightspeed.”

“Thank you, Waroen. Please confirm they are outbound for Thyferra.”

His aide’s surprise rang through his reply. “Yes, sir, that’s it exactly.”

“Good. They will arrive there after twelve hours in tiny cockpits, short on fuel and sleep. The Thyferrans can deal with them. We’ll make certain they have no place to return to.”

Light laughter greeted his comment, then the communications officer raised his voice above the din. “Captain, we have an incoming message from the station.”

Drysso turned and pointed to a holoprojector pad to his left. “Please, Ensign Yesti, route it here.” As the image began to resolve itself into that of a tall man with one artificial eye, Drysso raised himself to his full height. “This is Captain Joak Drysso of the Lusankya. Your fighters have deserted you.”

“I sent the fighters off to play with something more their size.” The tall man’s hologram posted its fists on its hips. “I’m Booster Terrik, and this is my station. Your rate of closure puts you five minutes out from your preferred range for this sort of operation. I’ll give you those five minutes before I destroy your ship.”

“You’re rather bold, Terrik, for having a station with minimal shields, a half-dozen laser cannons, and ten turbo-laser batteries.”

Terrik’s image laughed. “We’ve made some modifications to the station.” The figure nodded to someone outside the image area.

Drysso felt the Lusankya rock a bit. He immediately signaled for Yesti to cut off the transmission,