Star Wars_ X-Wing 04_ The Bacta War - Michael A. Stackpole [42]
Vorru opened his hands and spread them. “Our problems in dealing with him are significant at this point. We do not know where he is, so mounting a strike against him is impossible.”
Isard folded her arms over her chest. “We will begin operations to locate him.”
“Of course. I have already begun to spread word through the various smuggling networks and criminal organizations offering a substantial reward for reports on his operations. They will bear fruit soon, I am certain.” Vorru allowed himself a smile. “Until then, by manipulating the price and supply of bacta to punish those who deal with him, we can vilify him and cut him off from his bases of support. To wage his little war against us, he needs supplies and allies. If Antilles were not who he is, we would consider him of no more importance than a pirate.”
Isard raised a clenched fist. “I would still take steps to crush him. I will have my ships fly cover missions for our convoys.”
Vorru hissed as if he’d been stung. “Be careful, Madam Director.”
“You caution me? Don’t overstep your bounds, Vorru, or you will be dealt with.”
“I recall the fate of Kirtan Loor, Madam Director, and I have no desire to be trapped in the belly of the Lusankya.” Vorru raised his open hands. “I merely wish to point out that if we accept full responsibility for the protection of our convoys, then Antilles will be our problem alone. This means our resources will be spread too far and will be too diluted to deal with him and his people.”
Isard’s chin came up. “You have an alternate proposal?”
“Certainly. We require the customers to protect our deliveries to their worlds, otherwise we deem their worlds too dangerous for shipments. We bring our convoys to certain destinations and demand our customers meet us and complete their journeys by themselves. If Antilles and his people hit them after the tankers leave our protection, they will anger a neutral party to their dispute. The Rogues will fight people other than our pilots, saving us personnel and equipment, both of which we no longer have in an unlimited supply.”
Isard’s right eyebrow arched. “This would also save us on shipping costs, increasing our profits yet again.”
“True. It also allows us to prepare an ambush for the Rogues at a time and place of our choosing. Mind you, this will be later as opposed to sooner because we need time to let Antilles’s actions utterly destroy his reputation. We want him to be cut off, with nowhere to hide, when we move to eliminate him.”
Isard pursed her lips as she considered what he said, giving him more of a visual indicator of her mood than he had ever seen before. “The steps you are taking have merit, though the delay they necessitate annoys me. Finding myself impatient is also annoying. Antilles has managed to survive and even prosper during the time I should have dealt with him. Horn escaped from the Lusankya. Both of them, and their companions, have chosen to oppose me directly and openly, which has robbed me of the detachment I had when dealing with the Rebel opposition to the Emperor.”
Vorru inclined his head slightly, impressed by her self-analysis. She is loath to entertain fantasies about herself or her situation, no matter how inviting they might, in fact, seem. She has not lost her mind … yet. Whether or not she will is another thing.
Isard stared off over Vorru’s head. “The flaw Rogue Squadron has, a flaw the Rebellion has, is the fact that they have been able to overcome all the challenges thrown at them. Not since the days of Derra IV and Hoth have they known defeat. They are accustomed to winning, and this self-pride can be used against them.” She nodded once, then focused on him. “Carry on,