Star Wars_ X-Wing 07_ Solo Command - Aaron Allston [82]
Chewbacca grumbled something and indicated the sensor board. Wedge spared it a glance. It showed a lot of air traffic, most of it moving in what appeared to be patterns unrelated to the Falsehood’s flight. One group of signals, their number indeterminate because of their proximity to one another, followed in their wake at a distance of more than two kilometers; they faded in and out of the picture as they dipped down below the level of ground clutter and emerged at intervals. “That’s Kell and the Drakes,” Wedge said. “We still need to be sure we’ve been spotted by the world authority—”
A strong signal, a blur representing six or more starfighters, appeared to the north, closing fast.
“There we go,” Wedge said. “Let’s bounce out.”
Tycho said, “Consider it bounced.” His X-wing vectored straight for space.
“Oh, no,” Squeaky said.
Wedge hauled back on the controls and the Falsehood followed.
Kell saw Tycho and the Falsehood’s sudden flight for space, and the signals from the distant pursuers just as abruptly showed altitude gains. He put his interceptor in an upward course—a near-intercept course aimed at a point not far behind the pursuers of the Falsehood.
As they climbed, he got a clearer look at the group behind the Falsehood. It was a full squadron, identified by the sensors as TIE fighters. They’d be on the top of Wedge and Tycho pretty soon, certainly before the Falsehood left the atmosphere.
“Drake Squadron, this is Kidriff Primary Control. Please disengage pursuit of official government forces. This is an internal matter.”
“Kay Pee See, this is Drake One. We’ve been hoping to evaluate your pilots. Rumor rates them pretty high. Shall I go back and tell the admiral that you wouldn’t let us?”
“That’s affirmative, Drake One. Break off pursuit now or we’ll have to view your action as a hostile one. We’ll apologize very sweetly to the admiral and your survivors.”
Kell cursed. Not every aspect of Kidriff security was sloppy. He put all discretionary power to thrust and gained even faster on the Falsehood’s pursuers.
Just as the air thinned to the point that the stars shone with brilliant, unblinking clarity, the first laser blast sizzled past the Corellian freighter’s port side. “A long-distance shot,” Wedge said.
Tycho’s voice came back, “Easy to hit a flying bathtub like the one you’re driving even with a long-distance shot. Permission to engage?”
“Not yet. Wait until it gets complicated.” Wedge spared a moment to look at his sensors. The squadron of TIEs was only a kilometer back. Kell’s Drakes were only half a klick behind them and closing fast. And a new signal was on the board—a second full squad of TIEs from the ground base. It was going to get complicated soon.
Moments later, a shot hit the rear shields. On the sensors, Wedge saw two wingpairs of TIE fighters peel off and curve around toward Kell’s group. “That’s it,” Wedge said. “Rogue Two, you are free to engage. Chewie, you have the controls.” He unbelted and moved aft.
“Sir?” said Squeaky. “You’re not leaving this disagreeable ball of hair in charge of a whole ship? Sir?”
Wedge clambered into the upper gunport turret and powered up. His targeting grid immediately lit up with glows, most of them red—enemies. Two were out ahead of the others, firing as they came, probably aiming to overtake the freighter, turn, and fire from ahead, forcing Chewbacca to adjust the ship’s shields on a constant basis.
The first of the lead TIE fighters shot past, firing; a laser hit rocked the ship. Wedge let that one go, but timed its passage, then sent his gun turret swinging in its wake even before the second TIE reached him. That TIE flashed through his crosshairs and he fired.
The TIE erupted in a ball of expanding gases. And abruptly Rogue Two was darting out from beneath the freighter, tucking into the lead TIE fighter’s wake, firing quad-linked lasers. The TIE pilot, having lost sight of the X-wing on his sensor