Star Wars_ X-Wing 04_ The Bacta War - Michael A. Stackpole [17]
Gavin raised a hand. “What about that ship that Alderaan loaded all of its weapons on when it demilitarized? I can’t remember the name, but I thought it was supposed to go through space and return if needed. Maybe Princess Leia has a way to summon it or something.”
Winter shook her head. “You are thinking of Another Chance. While it is not as much of a legend as the Katana fleet, or Jorus C’baoth’s mission outside the galaxy—the ship did exist—it is not the solution to our problem. The Another Chance was actually recovered by Rebel sympathizers prior to the debacles at Derra IV and Hoth. The weapons recovered were all of Clone Wars vintage and suited for use by infantry. They were useful in filling the gap caused by the loss of the convoy at Derra IV.”
Gavin’s shoulders slumped. “Oh, I never knew all that.”
“Not that you should have, Gavin.” Winter smiled. “Aside from the individuals who found the ship, a few smugglers who helped transport the merchandise, and higher-ups in the Rebellion, no one does. The Empire devoted resources to trying to find and take it, diverting them from pursuing us.”
“Finding a miracle ship is not our only hope, people.” Wedge held a hand up. “One of the things Winter has done for the Rebellion is locate old Imperial supply dumps. Most of them have been thoroughly stripped, but not everything is accounted for. We’re going to go back over some of those sites and see what we can find. In fact, we have one mission that will be heading off tomorrow. Mirax will be taking Corran and you, Gavin, to Tatooine. One of the arms caches we found a couple of years ago had been plundered by Biggs Darklighter’s father.”
Gavin raised an eyebrow. “Uncle Huff?”
“The same. He said at the time he used some of the cache to arm his own security force then sold the rest off. But I don’t buy it for a moment. There is no way he would have gotten rid of everything.” Wedge smiled. “So, you’re going to go home, Gavin, and talk your uncle into sharing the wealth with us.”
“I don’t know if he’ll listen to me.”
“That’s why we’re sending Corran, too. Your uncle has secrets to hide, and I expect Corran can ferret them out. That will help.”
Gavin’s face froze for a moment, then he began to smile. “I can get behind this. Serves him right for always seating me at the children’s table at family gatherings.”
“Gavin, he did that because you were a kid. Big, but a kid.” Corran scruffed up Gavin’s blond hair, then looked at Wedge. “While we’re on the world that water abandoned, what are the rest of you going to be doing?”
“We’re moving to our new home.” Wedge held his hands up to calm the sudden buzz of voices. “This move is a covert op, so we’ll be taking a lot of precautions to get there. There’s no chance we can keep the location secret from our enemies forever, but as much time as we can get up to that point is what we want. Pack your things and get ready to move. The Bacta War is about to begin.”
6
Corran Horn sneezed violently, initiating a wave of dust rippling across the cantina table toward Mirax. “How can anyone live on this infernal world? Even the dust has dust.”
Mirax stretched languidly. “It’s really not that bad, Corran, as worlds go. On Talasea things would mildew from plate to mouth.”
“Sure, but there you had ovens to bake things, not a whole world to do it.” Corran swiped a hand across his forehead, then shook the perspiration from it in a spray that spattered a pair of hooded Jawas, who themselves stank of ronto sweat. “I hate this.”
She looked at him over the lip of her Corellian whisky glass. “At least it’s a dry heat.”
“So’s a blast furnace, but that doesn’t make it any less hot.” Corran arched an eyebrow and tapped the stained and patch-welded top of the round table where they sat. “And why are we here? This table has seen more combat than most of the squadron’s X-wings. The patrons here make this place look like a maximum security compound at