Star Wars_ X-Wing 07_ Solo Command - Aaron Allston [73]
From the back of the briefing hall, Chewbacca uttered a sustained grumble that left the pilots no doubt that the Wookiee didn’t think much of the freighter.
Wedge continued, “Chewbacca and I will pilot the Falsehood to Tobaskin Sector and land in one of those forest tracts. We’ll let off a couple of intelligence operatives who are going to try to make contact with any surviving pro–New Republic factions there. But our main job is to wait there until we’re seen, then take off for space.”
“Which accomplishes what?” Janson asked. “Actually, I know the answer. But I thought you ought to have at least one shill in the audience.”
“Good to see you’re developing a skill you can use in civilian life,” Wedge said. “This allows the apparent Millennium Falcon to be seen well within Zsinj’s territory on a world where Zsinj knows there has been pro-Rebel activity. It’s one piece of data that will pique his interest. We’re going to do this again and again. At a certain point, when the Falsehood has developed a predictable pattern of mission activity, Zsinj will, we hope, show up to destroy her.”
Lara raised a hand.
“Notsil.”
“Um, I don’t know whether this has entered your mission planning, sir, but if you go to an Imperial world, they’ll probably want to kill you. And if you do land and let yourself be noticed later, they’ll probably want to kill you then.” She gave him a look as though she were an ingenue full of pride in her sudden tactical realization. Pilots around the amphitheater laughed.
“This had occurred to us. Data on the Kidriff system suggests that their security is very lax in order to promote fast, efficient trade—they’re far more interested in making sure cargo gets taxed than in protecting government and military installations, which tend to be buried very deep and hard to hit. So our belief is that we can just fly the Falsehood in. We’ll kill our transponder stream once we’re low enough, so they won’t know where we landed. They’ll assume it’s a smuggler’s ploy and look for us. We’ll be going in with Captain Celchu’s X-wing coupled to our hull, and he’ll detach to act as our escort on the trip back out. But before we go in, the Wraiths who are assigned TIE interceptors will go in and make a preliminary landfall. If their security queries are more difficult than we suspect, they can signal us and wing out of there. Otherwise, they’ll be on hand to join Tycho for escort duty on the flight out. The rest of the Rogues and Wraiths will be orbiting the planet’s primary moon to offer additional support when they chase us off-world.”
Wedge looked among the seated pilots. “We’ll be taking out targets of opportunity, mostly enemy starfighters, on the way out. Our mission is to disengage with as little loss as possible. Does anyone see any specific flaw in this operation?”
Runt sneezed. He looked around, embarrassed. “Sorry. No flaws. Just bacta tickle in our sinus cavities.”
“Which brings up another point,” Wedge said. “The medical reports of the Wraiths who sustained burns look good. I don’t see a sign that any Wraith has not recovered sufficiently to be part of this operation. But if any of you does still feel that he’s not up to the mission, let me know privately. Believe me, no one will hold it against you.”
There was silence.
“Any more questions? No? Tomorrow morning we’ll get the final flight data, drop out of hyperspace outside the Kidriff system, and execute this thing. Until then, get some rest. Dismissed.”
As they filed out of the briefing chamber, Elassar said, “I don’t know. I have a bad feeling about this one, a bad feeling.”
“Why?” Face asked. “When we were going into the briefing, you were as happy as a bantha on a mountain of blumfruit.”
“Runt sneezed.”
Face looked the younger pilot. “Why, yes he did. I forgot about that. Doomed the whole lot of us, did he?”
“No, this is serious. He sneezed right when the commander got to the point where the commander asked about