{"id":119,"date":"2012-04-02T12:00:52","date_gmt":"2012-04-02T18:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/?p=119"},"modified":"2012-03-29T18:02:27","modified_gmt":"2012-03-30T00:02:27","slug":"the-new-jedi-order-siege-counterpoint","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/?p=119","title":{"rendered":"The New Jedi Order: Siege – Counterpoint"},"content":{"rendered":"

The bridge of the Cathleen<\/em> was quiet in the predawn hour. The fighting was already heating up, with skirmishes between the Yuuzhan Vong\u2019s scouts and the entrenched Iridonian defenders. The usual bridge crew was largely absent, getting a few desperate hours of sleep before full-scale combat erupted again.<\/p>\n

Halyn stood at the tactical hologram, watching blotches of red appear as reports of contact with Yuuzhan Vong forces filtered in. The comm officer was present and handling the tactical updates, but he was the only one of the regular crew present. The few others in the battered command center were those he trusted most: the Wookiee berserker Anishor; the Jedi Kelta Rose and his own sister, Kativie Lusp; Kryi Rinnet, now acting as the planetary starfighter coordinator; Ceikeh Alari, the Senator; and Lenn Kaman, who now headed up one of Halyn\u2019s special operations squadrons.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat will the Yuuzhan Vong do now?\u201d Halyn asked aloud to the room. \u201cWhat will their strategy be now that we\u2019ve devastated their landing forces?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe force they landed at Rak\u2019Edalin is going to have a tough time taking the city,\u201d Kativie spoke up. She was dressed in light combat armor with a cloak thrown over it. Her lightsaber hung prominently at her belt, advertising exactly who and what she was. \u201cThey landed a lot less forces than they expected. Assuming they don\u2019t try to pull their army back out\u2014and they won\u2019t, because the Vong don\u2019t retreat\u2014they have to be thinking there\u2019s a chance they will fail to take the city.\u201d<\/p>\n

<So they have to change the equation,> Anishor confirmed. <Either by bolstering their own forces, or reducing ours in some way.><\/p>\n

Halyn nodded. \u201cSo what are our likely scenarios?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother landing attempt,\u201d Ceikeh offered. The Senator was dressed in dark clothes, military-cut but without rank or adornment. \u201cPerhaps by bringing more of their heavy ships down into atmosphere this time; after all, they traded a large part of Rak\u2019Edalin\u2019s defenses for the destruction of one capital ship. Given the Vong\u2019s willingness to self-sacrifice, that wouldn\u2019t be out of the question. It\u2019d definitely get more boots on the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot that the Vong wear boots,\u201d Lenn muttered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s more likely the Yuuzhan Vong will attempt to reduce our defenses,\u201d Kelta spoke up. She had forgone armor for a simple brown cloak over loose clothing, both her lightsabers clipped on her belt and mostly-concealed. \u201cThey are stubborn and prideful, but not stupid. They wouldn\u2019t attempt another landing if they haven\u2019t been able to reduce the effectiveness of the aerial squadrons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn swung around to focus solely on Kelta. \u201cHow would they do that?\u201d he asked, his bright green eyes unreadable.<\/p>\n

The Jedi shrugged uncomfortably. \u201cThe Vong prefer a straight-up fight, but they\u2019re not above deception in warfare. They\u2019ve done it in at dozens of places\u2014feint somewhere, land the real blow somewhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the feint and what\u2019s the blow?\u201d Halyn asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cAm I saying what you already know?\u201d Kelta asked suspiciously.<\/p>\n

The Ul\u2019akhoi snorted. \u201cI\u2019ve long since learned that I don\u2019t know all the answers. I have a pretty good idea of what the Vong will do, but I need to hear other viewpoints. And you don\u2019t need to hear mine until I know yours.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelta sighed wearily. \u201cOur strongest defense right now, judging from yesterday\u2019s action, are the starfighter squadron reserves. You\u2019ve kept a lot more firepower in reserve than the Vong would have guessed\u2014enough so that you severely weakened their landing force before it ever set down. They need to land troops, but not only that\u2014they need to get supplies down, too. And the only way to get supplies is via aerial support.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd\u2026?\u201d Halyn prompted.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d guess they\u2019ll try to divide the squadrons,\u201d she stated flatly. \u201cSend in a lot of forces, maybe even using some empty or old ships to make their assault forces look larger than they are. Send drop groups in all over Iridonia, force us to divide the defense squadrons, and once they\u2019re all committed\u2026\u201d She trailed off with a poignant shrug. \u201cThen they either overwhelm one of our defense groups, land more forces, or do something else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn nodded. \u201cAnd what do you suggest doing, then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t fall into the trap,\u201d Sandarie spoke up from the bridge\u2019s hatchway. \u201cDo something else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn smiled faintly at the Twi\u2019lek. \u201cNaturally I was interested in a little more detail than that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNaturally,\u201d Sandi repeated.<\/p>\n

<Keep forces in reserve,> Anishor rumbled. <A reserve strong enough to react to whatever the Vong choose to do.><\/p>\n

\u201cLogistics problem,\u201d Lenn pointed out. \u201cLet\u2019s say we keep six squadrons in reserve as a reactionary force. What if the Vong choose to strike a city halfway around Iridonia, rather than land more forces here at Rak\u2019Edalin? We\u2019d have seventy-two fighters sitting somewhere where they can\u2019t do any good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn watched the tactical hologram as the front between Zabrak defenders and Yuuzhan Vong aggressors continued to grow red, still silent. Kativie finally spoke up again. \u201cThe Vong are most likely to strike here, at Rak\u2019Edalin,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019ve already got a large army in place, and I doubt they\u2019re willing to sacrifice it in its entirety, no matter how committed they are to their cause.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Kelta\u2019s right,\u201d he said at last. \u201cThey\u2019re going to try to divide the squadrons while they achieve their objective. But we\u2019re not going to play their game,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

<What\u2019s your plan, then?> Anishor asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe strike first,\u201d Halyn said firmly. \u201cWe send four wings to launch a preemptive strike on the Yuuzhan Vong fleet, before they can dispatch another attack group.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFour wings against a Vong fleet?\u201d Lenn asked in disbelief. \u201cThat\u2019s suicide.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a committed battle,\u201d Halyn assured him. \u201cHarassment\u2014a strike to disrupt whatever they\u2019re planning, throw them off-balance, and attrite their forces. We definitely don\u2019t want to commit to a full-scale battle at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the ground forces?\u201d Kryi Rinnet asked. \u201cFour wings will deplete most of our fighter defense around Rak\u2019Edalin, which means our troops will be fighting on even footing against the Vong without the benefit of air support.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHere I thought you didn\u2019t care about the troops,\u201d Ceikeh said dryly. \u201cBeing the starfighter coordinator, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kryi snorted. \u201cI just don\u2019t want to hear the whining afterwards when the forward units take heavier losses than they\u2019re expecting right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn raised a forestalling hand. \u201cNeither the fighter defense nor the troops on the ground can win this without the other,\u201d he said calmly. \u201cNo different than the Fleet\u2019s inability to keep the Vong off. We can\u2019t pin our hopes on any single force.\u201d He lowered his hand. \u201cRemember, our ground forces have only to hold the Vong at bay, not push them back. I don\u2019t doubt they\u2019ll launch a renewed, full-scale attack to try to distract us, but our forces can hold without air cover for a little while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen do you want our fighters to launch?\u201d Lenn asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as you and Kryi can assemble the force,\u201d Halyn said. \u201cNothing slow\u2014tap our TIE squadrons, our A-wings, our X-wings. The assault fighters should stay here.\u201d<\/p>\n

<Do you have assignments for us?> Anishor asked.<\/p>\n

Halyn nodded. \u201cAnishor, I need you and your berserkers standing by\u2014we\u2019re going to need you as a reactionary group if the Vong manage to break our lines somewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Wookiee nodded and bared his teeth, unsheathing both of the rykk blades hanging from his back. \u00a0<Understood, General.><\/p>\n

\u201cLenn, you\u2019ll be leading the starfighter attack. Kryi, you\u2019ll be coordinating from here. You\u2019ll also want to have squadrons on standby all over Iridonia in case the Vong manage to get coralskippers through.\u201d Both pilots nodded in acknowledgement at the orders.<\/p>\n

\u201cKativie, I want you out on the front lines with our defenses. It\u2019ll be good for them to see a Zabrak Jedi leading the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

The woman nodded, pulling her hood down to reveal her horns. She bared her teeth, not unlike Anishor, as she lifted her unlit lightsaber even with her face. \u201cOf course, Ul\u2019akhoi.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCeikeh, Kelta, I want both of you here for now. You\u2019re part of our reserve if it comes to that. Ceikeh, I need you helping me coordinate our ground units. Kelta, any insight you can provide would be invaluable.\u201d The senator and the human Jedi both nodded in silence\u2014they were content with being off the frontlines for now.<\/p>\n

Halyn turned at last to look at Sandarie. \u201cI have a special assignment for you,\u201d he said to the Twi\u2019lek woman.<\/p>\n

Sandarie raised an eyebrow. \u201cOh? What\u2019s that? I\u2019m not a pilot or a soldier.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but when I leave you alone, you tend to get yourself in trouble,\u201d he said dryly.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what do you have in mind, General?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

Halyn smiled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kativie was at the foot of a Muurian transport when she heard running steps, followed by a voice calling, \u201cKat! Wait a second!\u201d<\/p>\n

The Zabrak Jedi sighed and turned. \u201cWhat is it?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

Ceikeh Alari skidded to a stop before her. \u201cKat, what\u2019s Halyn doing?\u201d he asked between gasps for air.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d the Jedi asked impatiently. I don\u2019t have time for this<\/em>, she thought. There\u2019s open skirmishes going right now, and I\u2019m still standing outside the <\/em>Cathleen instead of fighting.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ceikeh\u2019s voice dropped in pitch and volume. \u201cAnishor told me about the traitor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kat felt as though she was struck by lightning. \u201cTraitor? What?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo New Republic agents told your brother that there\u2019s a traitor in the ranks,\u201d Ceikeh said in a hushed whisper. \u201cOne of his inner council. Anishor said it was one of the Zabraks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kat\u2019s eyes narrowed. \u201cI hadn\u2019t heard anything about this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceikeh shook his head. \u201cThe big Wookiee said it was Allanna, Kryi, or Nisia.\u201d His voice was barely audible. \u201cNisia wasn\u2019t present this morning. Do you know where she was?\u201d<\/p>\n

The Jedi shook her head, her dark braid swinging back and forth across her back. \u201cNo. I just thought she hadn\u2019t gotten out of bed yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re closer to him than anyone,\u201d Ceikeh continued. \u201cWhat\u2019s he doing about this traitor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Kat said quietly in return. \u201cThis is the first I\u2019ve heard of it. He hasn\u2019t said anything about a traitor being reported.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Nisia is a Vong agent, she could be sabotaging us right now,\u201d Ceikeh said urgently. \u201cShe could be relaying\u2026\u201d he paused, his expression dark. \u201cShe could be telling the Vong everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe,\u201d Kat allowed tightly. \u201cBut she wasn\u2019t on the bridge, so she couldn\u2019t be telling the Vong what we\u2019re doing. She wouldn\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

The former Senator slumped. \u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy did Anishor tell you about the traitor?\u201d Kat asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said he was concerned that Halyn wasn\u2019t taking that seriously, so he asked me to make some inquiries to see if he had anyone working on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he does, I don\u2019t know who it is,\u201d the Jedi replied. \u201cIt\u2019s certainly not me, and apparently it\u2019s not Anishor or you. Sandarie, maybe? The assignment he gave her would give her the freedom to root out anyone who\u2019s not on the level\u2014not a lot of accountability with that job.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe,\u201d Ceikeh acknowledged. \u201cI didn\u2019t think that\u2019d really be her specialty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAccording to Hal, she spent a lot of the Civil War gathering intelligence,\u201d Kat said slowly. \u201cNot working for Intelligence the organization, but gathering info for use by the Alliance. She\u2019s probably better at rooting out the truth than what you\u2019re thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe,\u201d Ceikeh repeated, not sounding convinced.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure my brother has someone working on it, even if it\u2019s not Sandi,\u201d Kativie reassured him. \u201cHe\u2019s got people specializing in certain parts of the battle. I doubt he\u2019d completely neglect Intelligence\u2014wars have been won or lost on less.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceikeh shrugged. \u201cMaybe I\u2019m chasing shadows here. But\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

He was cut off by a chirp of his comlink. He frowned and brought the device up between himself and the Jedi and flipped it on. \u201cAlari here,\u201d he identified himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cSenator, this is Elibet Dav,\u201d the speaker identified herself. \u201cDo you have contact with the Ul\u2019akhoi?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Ceikeh answered with a puzzled frown. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s refusing to answer calls from the Council,\u201d the other said, clearly irritated. \u201cWe\u2019ve been trying to meet with him again, but my calls keep routing to automated answering systems. He never seems to reply.\u201d<\/p>\n

The senator shrugged helplessly at Kativie. \u201cI doubt I can change that, Councilor,\u201d he said slowly. \u201cHe asserted after the last meeting that he no longer answers to the Council, given his title and powers as Ul\u2019akhoi.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat may or may not be true, Senator,\u201d Dav said irritably. \u201cBut that doesn\u2019t mean the Council can just be ignored, especially with what happened with the Lusps.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCouncilor, I think the Lusps are the reason the Ul\u2019akhoi is<\/em> ignoring you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPossibly, but we have to persuade him from this course of action. He refuses to evacuate Rak\u2019Edalin; hundreds of thousands are in danger even now from this Yuuzhan Vong invasion,\u201d she insisted. \u201cHe may be Ul\u2019akhoi, but that does not absolve us of our responsibility to the people here. He risks all their lives in our battle against the Yuuzhan Vong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid there\u2019s nothing I\u2019ll be able to do about that,\u201d Ceikeh said helplessly. \u201cHe refuses to allow any evacuation of civilians beyond the noncombatants he\u2019s had brought aboard the Cathleen<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes he intend to use it as an escape craft?\u201d Dav asked dubiously. \u201cI was under the impression it was not flyable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not,\u201d Ceikeh confirmed. \u201cThe entire internal support structure was shattered in the crash. It\u2019d be like a Zabrak with every bone in his body broken attempting to get up and walk.\u201d<\/p>\n

A long-suffering sigh emerged from the comlink\u2019s tinny speaker. \u201cThen why bother housing them there?\u201d she asked at last.<\/p>\n

\u201cDefensibility,\u201d Kativie offered. \u201cIt\u2019s easier to protect children and non-combatants inside the armor of the Cathleen<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJedi Lusp, is that you?\u201d Dav asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is,\u201d Kat said with a bow of her head, even though the Councilor couldn\u2019t see it. \u201cI\u2019m just preparing to head to the front lines.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose you, too, cannot talk sense into your brother?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suspect what makes sense to my brother has its own logic,\u201d she said dryly. \u201cI understand what he\u2019s doing, though, and I won\u2019t support any attempts to evacuate, either.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was stunned silence from both Ceikeh and Dav. \u201cJedi Lusp, I thought the Jedi fight to preserve life,\u201d Dav said after a few moments. \u201cBy refusing to evacuate, we are responsible for the blood of all those Zabraks who will die in the bloodbath we\u2019re set for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCouncilor, if we retreat, those same Zabrak will die\u2014in vaporized ships, in starvation, or gasping for air. The Vong have proven over and over they\u2019ll chase down anyone who flees. If we stand and fight, united, we have a chance of beating them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA chance,\u201d Dav repeated. \u201cJedi Lusp, you truly are cut from the same cloth as the Ul\u2019akhoi, aren\u2019t you?\u201d She didn\u2019t wait for Kativie to answer. \u201cI understand your reasoning, and the Ul\u2019akhoi\u2019s. However, I can\u2019t keep the Council at bay forever. The failure of the Lusps\u2019 challenge has polarized the Council between those who support the Sanshirs, and those who believe your brother may destroy us all. I don\u2019t know how long I can keep them under control.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou support the Sanshirs, then?\u201d Ceikeh asked with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we don\u2019t have anyone else qualified to lead the defense,\u201d Dav said coolly. \u201cThank you for your time, Senator.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you, Councilor,\u201d Ceikeh acknowledged before the comlink channel went dead. He looked up at Kativie. \u201cI\u2019m going to trust you and Halyn for now,\u201d he said shortly. \u201cBut if he doesn\u2019t flush the traitor out soon, well\u2026\u201d he left the threat unspoken.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrust,\u201d Kativie advised as she turend and marched up into the waiting transport. \u201cMy brother\u2019s got a plan. He wouldn\u2019t let a traitor just float around, sending our most valuable secrets to the Vong. He\u2019s got it under control.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope so,\u201d Ceikeh muttered as the landing ramp retracted.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lenn Kaman strode confidently across the hangar deck towards his starfighter for this operation: a rebuilt Hoersch-Kessel T-wing interceptor.<\/p>\n

During his time as an Imperial pilot, he had fought pirates flying the craft in the Outer Rim, and had nothing but disdain for the starfighters at the time. The design had been an Alliance castoff, deemed inferior to the fragile but faster A-wing. He had three kills on T-wings from two separate engagements, and had spent years believing the craft were one more inferior craft in a galaxy littered with them.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until the General had recruited him that he\u2019d actually flown one of the craft. Granted, the T-wings filling Iridonia\u2019s hangars were a far cry from the early, cobbled-together versions he had destroyed years prior. Hoersch-Kessel had refined the design under their exclusivity contract with the Iridonian military, making the craft faster, more hardy, and better-armed.<\/p>\n

The fuselage was not dissimilar to an X-wing\u2019s hull, but it was a mere two-thirds of the length. Three engines provided the craft with propulsion, each mounted on a stub s-foil. An astromech droid barely managed to slot itself between the cockpit and the top engine, providing an extra edge in combat flexibility.<\/p>\n

It still wouldn\u2019t hurt if it were a bit sleeker<\/em>, Lenn thought as he approached the fighter. Even with all the improvements, it doesn\u2019t have the sleek lines of an X-wing or TIE Interceptor. Still, it\u2019s faster than the X-wing and can take a lot more beating than the Interceptor. And for the kind of disruption mission we\u2019re launching, the classic hit-and-fade, this will work better than almost anything else Iridonia can field in numbers.<\/em><\/p>\n

He let his hand trail across the smooth underside of the hull as he ducked under to reach the ladder leading up to the cockpit. His hand slid through the grooves of the missile alleys, carbon-scored black from successful launches. The maintenance crew has better things to do than worry about a little discoloration.<\/em><\/p>\n

Lenn was surprised to note another figure seated on the cockpit ladder. \u201cHello, Nisia,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The Zabrak woman smiled sweetly. \u201cOff on another mission?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Lenn said firmly. \u201cGeneral\u2019s orders. We\u2019re going up topside to disrupt whatever it is the Vong are planning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust leaving without saying goodbye?\u201d Nisia asked coyly.<\/p>\n

Lenn raised an eyebrow. \u201cYou were tired.\u201d<\/p>\n

She laughed aloud. \u201cOf course I was. I\u2019m surprised you weren\u2019t, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ex-Imperial pilot finally smiled. \u201cI wasn\u2019t spiced up, too. That takes a lot more out of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMakes it more enjoyable,\u201d Nisia winked. \u201cYou really should try it, Kaman. Makes the sensations far more\u2026intense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought they were plenty intense the way it was,\u201d Lenn said dryly. He hesitated for a moment before asking, \u201cLast night\u2026I didn\u2019t\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTake advantage?\u201d Nisia asked. She laughed again. \u201cNot at all. I thought I\u2019d made that abundantly clear last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did, yes,\u201d Lenn admitted. \u201cJust wanted to make sure you still thought so after your head had cleared.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nisia watched as Lenn zipped his black flightsuit up tightly to his throat, then picked up the battered flight helmet sitting a step above her on the ladder. \u201cSo does the General have a plan to win the war today?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he does, he\u2019s not letting the rest of us in on it,\u201d Lenn grunted. \u201cFeels like we\u2019re just buying time, not winning the war.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nisia shrugged, then turned the motion into a back-arch that drew Lenn\u2019s eyes. \u201cDoes Jess have any orders for me, or am I free to find\u2026other ways to make myself useful?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lenn laughed. \u201cIf he had orders for you, he didn\u2019t give them to me. Of course, I doubt he thought I\u2019d be seeing you before I left.\u201d<\/p>\n

Throughout the hangar, and the hangars adjascent, shrill whines began to fill the air. Starfighter engines roared to life, repulsorlifts shrieked, and hangar doors began to slowly rumble open. Nisia smiled. \u201cAnd here I thought he would be, after his spy saw us on top of the Cathleen<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHis spy?\u201d Lenn cocked his head for a moment. \u201cNever thought of her that way. Maybe that\u2019s why the General asked her to come here.\u201d He shook his head, then raised his flight helmet up to pull it on. \u201cBesides, it wasn\u2019t like it was just the two of us up there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope.\u201d Nisia leaned in and stole a quick kiss before Lenn could pull his flight helmet on. \u201cBut Jess isn\u2019t dumb. If he doesn\u2019t know already, he will soon enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lenn smiled and pulled his flight helmet down. \u201cYou\u2019d better get clear,\u201d he said as she moved to allow him to ascend the ladder. \u201cI\u2019ll see you when we get back from turning some coral into pebbles.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou fighter pilots are always so romantic,\u201d Nisia said with a snort. She softened it with another smile. \u201cSee you soon, flyboy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lenn tossed her a salute as the canopy descended around him. The T-wing\u2019s astromech, an R3 astromech painted in greens, had already managed most of the preflight checklist, but the pilot turned his full attention to the task anyways. No time for distractions<\/em>, he told himself. Good way to get yourself killed.<\/em><\/p>\n

The T-wing\u2019s engines screamed to life, adding their distinct howl to the shrieks filling the hangar. He watched as Nisia ran for safety, then flicked his comlink on. \u201cThis is Red Leader,\u201d he said into the command channel, identifying himself with his designation for this operation. \u201cSquadron leaders report in by readiness.\u201d<\/p>\n

A veteran of a hundred battles, he barely listened to the reports\u2014he already knew what they would say. Iridonia had been blooded, with the enemy at the gates and pressing hard. The Zabrak squadrons would be raring for battle and eager to shed some blood in return. They may be distracted, but it won\u2019t be for long. Once we\u2019re in the air and moving, their heads will be where they need to be.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cRed Leader, this is Control.\u201d Kryi Rinnet\u2019s voice betrayed no emotion.<\/p>\n

Lenn pondered that for a moment. She was, by all accounts, an incredible fighter pilot. The General told me once she was even better than he was, but she didn\u2019t have the discipline for command. Wonder what happened between then and now?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou are cleared to launch,\u201d the starfighter coordinator finished smoothly, interrupting Lenn\u2019s brief musing. \u201cGood hunting out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Control. Launch by squadrons. We\u2019ll assemble over Rak\u2019Edalin, and then head up to the black.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The bridge of the Cathleen was quiet in the predawn hour. The fighting was already heating up, with skirmishes between the Yuuzhan Vong\u2019s scouts and the entrenched Iridonian defenders. The usual bridge crew was largely absent, getting a few desperate … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-119","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-njo-siege"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p52rlt-1V","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=119"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":133,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119\/revisions\/133"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=119"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=119"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=119"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}