The Krytos Trap by Michael A. Stackpole Read Free Book Online Page A

firepower to the wing. We’ll pull the TIEs out and away from the station and the B-wings will drop on them and help us kill them. The Y-wings will continue in toward the space station and start working on its defenses with their ion cannons.
    “Following us in will be a half-dozen assault shuttles and then enough bulk-cruisers to haul the bacta away. This is a hit, hold, then run operation.”
    Gavin smiled. “Sounds like a dew-run.”
    “Maybe.” Pash Cracken leaned forward in his chair. “Where’s the Iron Fist supposed to be?”
    Wedge shook his head. “I’ve been given no data concerning the Iron Fist .” Warlord Zsinj’s flagship was one of the Super- class Star Destroyers created by the Kuat Drive Yard’s shipworks before the Empire collapsed. The ships were, for all intents and purposes, fleets unto themselves. They carried 144 fighters, had a crew of over a quarter of a million people, and bristled with over a thousand missilelaunchers, ion cannons, and turbolaser batteries. Though the Rebel fleet had managed to destroy the Executor at Endor, everyone knew that ship had died because of luck, not skill.
    If the Iron Fist showed up at Yag’Dhul, the operation was doomed. Wedge knew it, as did all of the pilots in the room. “While I am as concerned about the appearance of Iron Fist as any of you, I know the bacta is too valuable to risk on an operation that could be so easily jeopardized. I have to assume that Intelligence has the Iron Fist located and that it won’t interfere with the mission. If it does show up, all we can do is pull out.” And hope no one gets left behind .
    Rhysati Ynr, the blond woman sitting next to Nawara Ven, raised her hand. “Do we just fly cover when the assault shuttles go in, or are we going to land and go in-station, too?”
    “Right now we’re just flying cover. If things change, you’ll be the first to know.” Wedge sighed. “We’re heading out in twelve hours, so you’re now all under security quarantine. Report to your quarters, get your gear, and go to the hangar. Once there you’ll get a more specific briefing and run through a basic simulation of the exercise before we leave. Any other questions?”
    Gavin looked around nervously, then nodded. “Sir, won’t Nawara’s heading out on a mission compromise Captain Celchu’s defense? I mean, shouldn’t Nawara be here setting things up?”
    A question I asked myself . “Your concerns, Gavin, are valid, but not terribly important in the face of what we’re doing here. We’re already one pilot light because of Corran’s death, so we need everyone we can get. The fact is that obtaining the bacta is far more important to the future of the New Republic than Tycho’s trial, so that is our priority.”
    “Besides, I have Whistler and Emtrey doing a lot of computer fact-finding for me right now.” Nawara sat forward and slapped Gavin on the shoulder. “The lawyering part of all this comes later. It occurs to me that if we do get the bacta and things begin to calm down, someone might start listening to reason instead of political pressure, and this case will be dumped in some black hole, where it deserves to be.”
    “May the Force be with you in that regard.” Wedge smiled openly. “If that’s it, get going. Everyone should be in the hangar in an hour at the very latest.”
    As the pilots started to leave the room, Wedge caught the eye of a black-and-white-furred Bothan female. “Sei’lar, if I could have a moment of your time.”
    “Yes, Commander.”
    He watched Asyr as she waited for the others to leave, then walked toward him. There was no overt challenge in her stride, though the fire in her violet eyes did reveal a strong streak of Bothan pride running in her. Splotches of white fur covered her from throat to belly, gloved her, and slashed down from her forehead over her left eye to her cheek. They almost succeeded in diluting the predatory power in her petite frame. She stopped before him and