Star Wars_ X-Wing 07_ Solo Command - Aaron Allston [129]
“I don’t know, sir. It’s not to us. It’s from us.”
“I didn’t authorize—Oh, Melvar, we’re in trouble. Communications, put that message up where I can see it.”
The holoprojected status board was replaced by a face—that of Gara Petothel. She had goggles pushed up on her forehead and was leaning in close to the holocam. Her expression was somber. The view behind her was of the back wall of the crew pit. Zsinj looked down at her seat in the pit; it was empty.
“General Solo,” the woman said. “If everything has gone correctly, Iron Fist is now in the Selaggis system with her hyperdrive inoperable. Other portions of Zsinj’s fleet are continuing on to their rendezvous points and won’t be able to get to him for a little while—minutes in some cases, hours in others. I recommend you come by and take a look. Oh, bring your fleet, too. Lara Notsil out.” The image faded.
Zsinj stood there a moment, his mind a blank. For the first time in years, he couldn’t think of anything to say. He did notice the deadly quiet that had fallen on the bridge.
Finally, he turned to Melvar. “Dispatch Security. Have her found and brought to the interrogation chamber.” He took a deep breath. “I intend for her death to be so horrible that it will give me nightmares.”
Melvar nodded and brought out his comlink.
Zsinj addressed the navigator. “We’re at Selaggis. Selaggis is normally on our charts. What does that suggest to you?”
“Our charts have been tampered with, sir. I’m already restoring them from our archives.”
“Very good. You just saved your own life.”
Zsinj turned his attention to Captain Vellar. “How soon can we reassemble the fleet here?”
“If they’ve already launched for the rendezvous points,” the man said, “about six hours for the other units of Group One, four for Group Two, two and a half for Group Three. But, sir, Groups Two and Three had no urgent reason to leave Vahaba. If they’ve lingered, they’re only minutes away.”
“Communications! Direct a holocomm signal to any remaining units at Vahaba. Bring them here.” Zsinj returned his attention to Vellar. “Bring in Second Death. We may actually have to use her in her primary role. Bring in any stray vessels under my command in this region. Bring in any pirate or mercenary forces we’ve used in the past. Hire any vessel of any sort operating in or near this system. Find a good spot in this system for us to hide until our reinforcements arrive or our hyperdrive is fixed.” He took a deep breath to calm himself. “And prepare all our starfighters to launch. We’re in for a fight.”
At a half trot, Lara followed the tiny utility droid down the busy corridor, and Ensign Gatterweld followed her. “Should you be doing this?” Gatterweld asked. “Aren’t you supposed to be on station?”
“No, I’m not,” she said. “I’m tending to an emergency.”
“What’s with the droid?”
“It knows where to go.”
The droid pulled over to stop beneath a utility access hatch. Lara typed numbers into the keyboard beside it. “If this weren’t authorized, would I be able to open this?” The hatch offered up a clank of confirmation and swung open. Beyond, in the narrow access shaft, waited another utility droid. A broad box was strapped to its top.
“I suppose not. Where are we going?”
Lara reached in, opened the box partway, and fumbled within it. Her hand rested first upon a trigger housing. She grabbed the weapon’s grip and switched the weapon over from blast to stun settings. “I’m going to go get killed. If you’re not smart, you will, too.” She reached back with her free hand to give him a shove, rocking him back on his heels, then she turned and shot him.
The stun beam caught him in his midsection. He fell backwards, hitting the corridor’s metal flooring with a clang. Passersby—officers, crewmen, pilots rushing toward their launch bays—stared in momentary surprise, and some lunged toward her.
She stepped into the access shaft and yanked the hatch closed. The hammering of fists sounded against the hatch.
Lara pulled the empty package from the utility droid’s back and discarded it. Then she tapped the droid three times.