\u201cSir, the Yuuzhan Vong have made landfall,\u201d Kryi said tersely. \u201cNo transports are left airborne. Our squadrons are strafing targets on the ground now, with limited success.\u201d<\/p>\n
Halyn grimaced. With the Vong on the ground, they can concentrate their voids entirely on defense. To take them down is going to take extended time over target, and\u2026<\/em> \u201cReports of ground resistance?\u201d he asked sharply.<\/p>\n \u201cYuuzhan Vong have moved anti-aircraft weap\u2026er\u2026creatures into position,\u201d Kryi replied after a moment. \u201cThe wings are taking losses.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOrder a fallback,\u201d Halyn instructed. \u201cWe need any fighters with enough fuel to fly to stay overhead and cover our troops inside Rak\u2019Edalin. They\u2019ve already lost major ground.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIssuing the order now, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood. Comm, patch me through to Red Leader.\u201d<\/p>\n There was a moment of hesitation before the comm coordinator replied. \u201cSir, we no longer show Red Leader on the comm waves.\u201d<\/p>\n Halyn frowned and turned to Kryi. \u201cRinnet, where\u2019s Kaman?\u201d<\/p>\n Kryi searched her status displays, then shook her head. \u201cHis transponder cut off about a minute ago.\u201d<\/p>\n The Ul\u2019akhoi grunted. \u201cHe wants to stay and fight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Kryi said with a shake of her head. \u201cSir, he disappeared before I issued the order.\u201d<\/p>\n Halyn\u2019s blood ran cold. Lenn, what the hell are you up to?<\/em> \u201cCan we get a visual contact with his fighter?\u201d<\/p>\n Kryi was slowly shaking her head continually now. \u201cI just ran backward through the sensor log, and I had a good tracking feed from one of the other interceptors up there. His trio punched through the Vong defenses over their encampment; all three of the fighters disappeared. Two of them were destroyed in the air, and it appears Lenn went down.\u201d<\/p>\n Halyn closed his eyes. Dammit. No, Lenn, not you.<\/em> \u201cStart rotating squadrons in for refueling. I want a heavy CAP in place until sundown.\u201d<\/p>\n Without another word, he turned and walked out of the Cathleen<\/em>\u2019s bridge. Eyes followed him as he did, some accusing, some sorrowful, but none, to his perspective, forgiving.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Darkness fell across Rak\u2019Edalin. As in previous days, the Yuuzhan Vong and the Zabrak forces withdrew to lick their wounds and count their dead. Squad leaders issued orders, reorganized forces, devised new tactics. Battalion commanders \u00a0rotated battered squads of fighting men off the front line, moved fresh units into play. Zabraks dug in for another day\u2019s siege, tearing up duracrete with power tools to create defensive positions, fortifying rooftops with heavy weapons.<\/p>\n In spite of the mortal danger, the silent night found Zabraks eating food scrounged from now-abandoned homes, playing sabacc around glowlamps, and trying to sleep. Some drank a bewildering array of alcohol, from Iridonian home brews to Corellian whiskeys to Kashyyykian brandies powerful enough to put lesser races under the table.<\/p>\n Kativie found her brother where she had the night before: deep in the battered hull of the little Gallofree freighter. Tonight, however, he was not clearing debris; instead, he was up to his shoulders in the freighter\u2019s guts, wiring and rewiring, swearing on occasion as the vessel punished him for his mistakes with cuts, shocks, and burns.<\/p>\n The Jedi Knight shook her head as she watched him from the forward hold\u2019s entryway. \u201cYou should be sleeping, big brother,\u201d she advised at last. In spite of her admonishment, Halyn showed no trace of exhaustion\u2014only pain from the day\u2019s events.<\/p>\n \u201cNot now,\u201d he contradicted. He was silent for long moments as he struggled with a bundle of cables that had been cut and fused together, carefully separating individual lines with a vibroblade. \u201cIt\u2019s too easy sometimes,\u201d he finally said as he carefully split the fused lines. \u201cToo easy to order attacks and watch the consequences unfold. It\u2019s nothing but numbers and statistics in a hologram, sometimes.\u201d<\/p>\n Kativie had already known what would be troubling her brother. \u201cWhat happened to Lenn wasn\u2019t your fault.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I was the wing commander of the 118th<\/sup> back at Zephyr Base, it was completely different,\u201d Halyn continued without acknowledging Kativie\u2019s assertion. \u201cI knew every pilot under my command, to a greater or lesser extent. When I ordered an attack, made a tactical mistake, it was something I felt to the bottom of my soul. Every dead pilot is etched into me for all eternity.\u201d He growled as he cut apart another fused line. \u201cThese people, these Iridonian, these Zabraks\u2026their blood is no less on my head than the members of the 118th<\/sup>, but I don\u2019t know them, don\u2019t feel them.\u201d He sighed and switched the vibroblade off as the last two fused lines came apart. \u201cIt\u2019s too easy to order an attack that sacrifices lives for a short advantage.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLenn\u2019s death isn\u2019t your fault,\u201d Kativie said again.<\/p>\n \u201cI shouldn\u2019t have ordered the fighter wing to press in. I knew they\u2019d take heavy losses.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe would\u2019ve taken more\u00a0losses fighting that many more Vong on the ground,\u201d Kativie pointed out. \u201cYou made the right call.\u201d<\/p>\n Halyn snorted as he picked up a fuser and a handful of couplers, leaning into the open panels again to reconnect power and data lines. \u201cMaybe I did,\u201d he finally said. \u201cBut that doesn\u2019t make Lenn\u2019s death any less my fault.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHalyn, you need to sleep,\u201d Kativie said. \u201cYou\u2019re not thinking straight. The General Lance I<\/em> knew during the Civil War would kick your ass right now.\u201d<\/p>\n The Ul\u2019akhoi turned finally to look at her. \u201cOh? Why do you say that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause he understood something you\u2019ve forgotten. Big brother, Lenn joined you here knowing he could very well die in the fighting. He believed Iridonia was a cause worth fighting for, and he was willing to follow your orders doing so. He placed himself in the game.<\/em> So now, quit your moping around; you know he wouldn\u2019t be.\u201d<\/p>\n Halyn grimaced as the fuser drifted too near his hand, filling the cargo hold with the sickly scent of burnt skin. \u201cMaybe you\u2019re right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know I\u2019m right. Honor his sacrifice by moving forward. Don\u2019t let Rak\u2019Edalin fall because you\u2019re mourning one of your friends.\u201d Kativie closed her eyes. \u201cYou know very well that Lenn won\u2019t be the only one of us\u2014those of us closest to you\u2014who will die during this. You can\u2019t let yourself get caught up in that, or all of us who don\u2019t make it will have died in vain.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cQuit the guilt trip,\u201d he said sharply, but his tone softened. \u201cYou should get yourself cleaned up, you know. The blood-and-guts look really isn\u2019t your thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Kativie looked down at her blood and mud-spattered armor and shrugged. \u201cYou\u2019re probably right. Are you going to sleep?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the best I\u2019m going to get out of you, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPretty much.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Li Coden poked his head into Halyn\u2019s quarters on the Cathleen<\/em>, with Abi Ocopaqui right behind him. The darkened room was still. \u201cHello?\u201d<\/p>\n <Come in, Li,> a Wookiee growled. <And the Twi\u2019lek with the scatter pistol.><\/p>\n Li frowned for a moment. \u201cAnishor, is that you?\u201d<\/p>\n <Of course.> The light slowly raised in the room. <I forget sometimes you furless can\u2019t see as well in the dark.><\/p>\n \u201cThanks,\u201d Abi said shortly. \u201cWhere\u2019s Halyn?\u201d<\/p>\n <When did you get here?> Anishor asked instead. <I haven\u2019t seen you since, well, since the fighting moved from orbit to here.><\/p>\n Abi started to retort, but Li cut her off smoothly. \u201cWe figured today was a good day to break the blockade. We wound up on the wrong side of the blockade when they pulled this ship out of orbit.\u201d<\/p>\n <Then you would\u2019ve been with the Zabrak fleet, wouldn\u2019t you?><\/p>\n \u201cAdmiral Saret decided to leave one of her frigates behind,\u201d Li explained. \u201cOut past the orbit of the furthest planet. She was afraid that the Vong would find and destroy the out-system HoloNet relay and cut off communications. So we\u2019ve been sitting out there, alongside the frigate\u2019s regular fighter complement, waiting for a good chance to make it to the surface.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo now that we\u2019re here, we wanted to talk to Halyn and find out what he\u2019s done about the traitor.\u201d<\/p>\n <I don\u2019t know if he\u2019s done anything about it,> Anishor said with a trace of irritation. <If he has, he hasn\u2019t told me anything about it.><\/p>\n \u201cWonderful.\u201d Li\u2019s voice was more frustrated.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s Halyn,\u201d Abi said simply. \u201cWe warned him once, so he has to be doing something about it.\u201d<\/p>\n Li turned to the blue Twi\u2019lek. \u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure. He wouldn\u2019t just let something like that go. It\u2019s potentially a huge blind spot that could come back to haunt him at the worst possible moment. So, he would\u2019ve put someone he trusted completely in charge of rooting out the traitor. Until then, he\u2019s probably compartmentalizing information to prevent leakage from sinking any of his strategies.\u201d Abi shrugged. \u201cIntelligence ops were never his strong suit, but he understood the need for it.\u201d<\/p>\n <Maybe that\u2019s what he\u2019s really got Sandi doing,> Anishor suggested. <It\u2019d make sense.><\/p>\n Abi\u2019s face twisted in professional distaste. \u201cAbi Number Two is here?\u201d<\/p>\n Both Li and Anishor laughed at the almost-forgotten nickname. Back during the Galactic Civil War, on several different occasions Sandarie had been asked to impersonate Abi Ocopaqui to accomplish some goal in regards to Halyn. Abi and Sandarie had developed a friendship of sorts, though Abi still harbored a grudge about her identity\u2014hard-crafted as a bounty hunter and fighter pilot\u2014being stolen by a dancer<\/em>.<\/p>\n <Yes, she is,> Anishor confirmed. <She was actually here before Ryian Coron and the Dauntless<\/em>, and was in Rak\u2019Edalin when the Vong broke through the defenses.><\/p>\n \u201cSo where\u2019s Halyn?\u201d Abi asked again.<\/p>\n <I\u2019m not sure,> Anishor confessed. <He left the bridge while I was in a discussion with Kelta Rose and my berserkers, and I have not seen or heard from him since.><\/p>\n \u201cFine, we\u2019ll start searching the ship,\u201d Abi grumbled.<\/p>\n <I have a better idea,> Anishor said. When both of the Intelligence operatives turned back to him, he gave them a toothy smile. <These are Halyn\u2019s personal quarters. He\u2019ll be back here tonight, or at the very least, you can catch him when he meets with the inner circle before tomorrow\u2019s fighting starts up.><\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019ll work,\u201d Abi said, clearly still unhappy.<\/p>\n Li frowned. \u201cWho will be at the meeting?\u201d<\/p>\n <All the usuals,> Anishor said. <Halyn, myself, Sandarie, Kryi\u2026> he trailed off, then smiled. <I understand.><\/p>\n Li nodded. \u201cWhat do you think, Abi?\u201d<\/p>\n The Twi\u2019lek flashed a predator\u2019s grin, and her scatter pistol was in her hand as she replied. \u201cIf we see the traitor, we shoot first and ask questions later.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The grey-and-red astromech whistled in low tones. His exterior was battered and dirty, but he seemed otherwise intact\u2014an analysis that was strongly backed up by the droid\u2019s behavior and excited whistles, bouncing back and forth on his wheels.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re lucky to be intact,\u201d Kelta Rose told the astromech. \u201cYou\u2019re probably the only thing that came out of that building in one piece.\u201d<\/p>\n The R2 unit whistled, and Kelta had to dig out a datapad to translate his droidspeak into Basic. There are a few people who can translate that without a computer, but I\u2019m not one of them. Halyn always could, though.<\/em><\/p>\n THANK YOU FOR DIGGING ME OUT, the astromech\u2019s translated speech flowed across her datapad. GENERAL LANCE WOULD BE UNHAPPY IF I HAD BEEN LOST.<\/p>\n Kelta frowned as she identified the droid. \u201cDeuce?!\u201d<\/p>\n AFFIRMATIVE.<\/p>\n She shook her head. The Force is either guiding me, or has a twisted sense of humor<\/em>, she thought darkly.<\/p>\n The R2 astromech \u201cDeuce\u201d had been Halyn\u2019s backseater and partner for nearly two years of battle. He had been dispatched on a shadow operation on Halyn\u2019s orders right about the time the Zabrak had recruited her to keep his flight academy in order, and she had only met the droid a few months before the battle of Endor.<\/p>\n IS GENERAL LANCE INTACT? the droid queried her.<\/p>\n \u201cMore or less. \u00a0Why?\u201d Kelta asked.<\/p>\n PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ORDERS. PRIMARY ORDERS, IN THE EVENT OF THE DESTRUCTION OF MY NORMAL AREA OF OPERATIONS, ARE TO RETURN TO GENERAL LANCE. SECONDARY ORDERS, IN THE EVENT GENERAL LANCE IS INCAPACITATED, ARE TO SEEK OUT KELTA ROSE.<\/p>\n Kelta frowned. \u201cHalyn must not have updated your orders in a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n MY CONTINGENCY ORDERS WERE UPDATED TWENTY-SEVEN HOURS AGO.<\/p>\n The Jedi\u2019s frown deepened. \u201cWhy would Halyn send you to me?\u201d<\/p>\n SECONDARY ORDER SET INCLUDES INSTRUCTIONS TO DISPLAY ENCRYPTED HOLOGRAPHIC RECORDING. HOLOGRAM IS LOCKED UNLESS GENERAL LANCE IS CONFIRMED AS INCAPACITATED.<\/p>\n Kelta pondered that for a few moments. Why would he send Deuce to find me and not Kativie or Anishor?<\/em> she wondered. He would expect Kativie to step up and take his place, with Anishor backing her up. He still doesn\u2019t trust me\u2014as his skifter, he\u2019s got Kat now, not me.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIt just doesn\u2019t make sense,\u201d she murmured aloud. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t care about me.\u201d<\/p>\n AVAILABLE DATA INDICATES A CONTRARY CONCLUSION, the astromech whistled as the translation continued to display on her pad. GENERAL LANCE INDICATED CONSIDERABLE INTEREST IN JEDI KNIGHT KELTA ROSE AS RECENTLY AS TWENTY-SEVEN HOURS AGO.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? How would you know?\u201d Kelta asked skeptically.<\/p>\n I HAVE BEEN SERVING WITH GENERAL LANCE SINCE HIS CONSCRIPTION INTO THE REBEL ALLIANCE, the droid tootled. MY MEMORY HAS NOT BEEN WIPED SINCE THAT TIME. DURING MY SERVICE, HE HAS EXPRESSED POSITIVE STATEMENTS ABOUT KELTA ROSE APPROXIMATELY TWENTY-TWO THOUSAND, SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SEVEN TIMES. COUNT IS NOT EXACT DUE TO OVERLAPPING STATEMENTS AND PROGRAMMING CONFLICTS ABOUT CLASSIFICATION OF STATEMENTS AS SEPERATED OR CONJOINED.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>Kelta shook her head. This is why I don\u2019t like droids. But still, after all this time?<\/em> \u201cDeuce, can you play me the message Halyn left for me?\u201d<\/p>\n NEGATIVE. MESSAGE IS LOCKED UNTIL GENERAL LANCE IS CONFIRMED AS INCAPACITATED.<\/p>\n \u201cFigures,\u201d Kelta muttered. Another thought occurred to her. \u201cDeuce, what can you tell me about Halyn\u2019s history after the battle of Endor and he and I parted ways?\u201d<\/p>\n The astromech paused silently, the only sign of activity a flashing red\/blue light. It went on long enough that Kelta started to worry she\u2019d tripped some fail-safe when the R2 finally answered. MEMORY IS FRAGMENTED.<\/p>\n \u201cWhatever you can would be great,\u201d Kelta assured him.<\/p>\n SPECIFY TIME PERIOD. REPLAY OF TWENTY YEARS OF INFORMATION WILL REQUIRE MORE TIME THAN IS ALLOWED FOR INFORMATION RETRIEVAL WITHOUT OVERRIDE.<\/p>\n Kelta closed her eyes. How much do I really want to know?<\/em> she asked herself. Halyn\u2019s not even shared that information with Kativie.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cCancel the information request,\u201d she said quietly. Let Halyn\u2019s past stay in the past. If he wants me to know, he\u2019ll tell me himself.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTell me, Tactician,\u201d Triak Kraal said slowly as he studied the impertinent world below him. \u201cHave we lost the favor of the gods?\u201d<\/p>\n Ret Kraal was slow in answering. \u201cSupreme One, I would think that a question posted to the priests, not to a warrior.\u201d<\/p>\n Triak waved a hand at the insignificant speck that was the homeworld of the Zabrak infidels. \u201cWe risk the loss of our own people, an entire domain shamed, because of the mistakes of another warrior at Borleias and the loss of his fleet. To test our worthiness, we are sent here, to an isolated pocket of space, to vanquish a single race and their handful of worlds.<\/p>\n \u201cYet unlike so many of the infidels we have crushed, they refuse to submit. They fight to the death instead of surrendering. They do not seek peace<\/em> with us. Even with their fleet shattered and driven from orbit, our own forces laying siege to their capitol, they refuse to submit.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are infidels still, yet they fight like Yuuzhan Vong. Unlike other races in this galaxy, they engage our warriors in honorable combat, standing toe-to-toe with us, using filthy tools instead of living weapons, but fighting nonetheless. I know the thought on the minds of all our warriors: shall we find our redemption here, or are we doomed to be Shamed?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Ret mused his Commander\u2019s words for long moments before answering. \u201cIf this is truly a test of the gods for us, the truest method would be to withdraw their succor. They let us stand and fight these Zabraks, an almost worthy race if not for their heretical beliefs. When we conquer them, we prove we are still Yuuzhan Vong, the children of the gods, and their support lies with us. Fail, and we die alone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou believe we fight on our own two feet then? Without the aid of the gods?\u201d<\/p>\n The tactician paused before answering. Triak\u2019s statement bordered on heresy, and it could very well be a trap that would devour Ret. Yet it made no sense for his Commander to lay such a trap, when Triak leaned heavily on his advice for strategies and tactics in the war they now waged. \u201cAs you say, so I believe, Commander,\u201d he affirmed at last.<\/p>\n Triak smiled slowly. \u201cWhen we conquer these stubborn Zabraks, we will be mightier than any domain,\u201d he said with swelling pride. \u201cFor no other domain dares fight without the approval of the gods. None will stand against us with the gods\u2019 power behind us.\u201d<\/p>\n If we defeat these Zabraks<\/em>, Ret amended silently.<\/p>\n \u201cCommander,\u201d a villip tender interrupted with bowed head. \u201cA communication for you.\u201d<\/p>\n Triak snatched the villip out of her hands and dismissed her haughtily. As the tender retreated, Ret studied the horned visage. \u201cThe traitor at last makes contact.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI apologize, Commander, for my silence,\u201d the Zabrak traitor said shortly. \u201cYour recent actions have left me little time nor room to make contact.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat information do you have to offer?\u201d Triak asked. \u201cMore tricks and treachery?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy master,\u201d Nylah said, \u201cI offer only what I know. The Zabrak warmaster is aggrieved. Your action yesterday resulted in the death of one of his inner circle. His attention wanes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you take me for a fool?\u201d Triak snarled. \u201cWhile your General may be a heretic and infidel, his attention does not budge from the battle.\u201d<\/p>\n Nylah inclined her head. \u201cYet now lies the opportunity. Test my words again for truth. Press your attack, move swiftly, and see if the defenses stand or crumble.\u201d<\/p>\n Triak stared at the villip. \u201cYou play a dangerous game,\u201d he said at last. \u201cBetraying your own. Even without your aid, we will conquer this world; if you play me for the fool, you will die screaming.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen so be it,\u201d Nylah said with another incline of her head. \u201cMy contacts will be even more brief in the future. New allies of the General have arrived, and they may unmask me if I am not careful. They were infiltrators of the Peace Brigade, and may recognize me on site in spite of the efforts I have taken to conceal myself.\u201d<\/p>\n Ret Kraal couldn\u2019t help but lean in with interest. \u201cWho are these allies?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPilots and New Republic agents. They slipped through your blockade while you were landing your reinforcements.\u201d<\/p>\n Triak frowned. \u201cThe New Republic prepares an invasion in force, then?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. These two are renegades, operating without orders. The New Republic has shown no interest in defending a planet that will not evacuate in the face of danger. Besides, there are few in the New Republic\u2019s hierarchy that would lift a finger to help a race that is traditionally their enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n Triak and Ret exchanged glances. \u201cDo not attempt to mislead me,\u201d Triak warned again. \u201cYour race is no friend to the Empire that came before.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot them, no,\u201d Nylah said. \u201cTo the Sith<\/em>. Ancient history.\u201d<\/p>\n Triak nodded slightly. \u201cGo, and bring me something of more value than intrigues and the state of your commander\u2019s mind. Bring me the information I need to conquer these infidel world, and you will be elevated greatly; fail me, and your children\u2019s children will bear the pain of your mistakes.\u201d Before the traitor could answer, Triak inverted the villip, breaking the connection.<\/p>\n \u201cI still do not trust this Nylah,\u201d Triak said after a deep breath. \u201cShe promises much but brings little.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is the way of all these infidels,\u201d Ret risked commenting. \u201cThey turn against each other so often, what little she offers is all she has. This Halyn Sanshir understands the treachery of his own people even more than we do.\u201d He shrugged. \u201cThis Nylah may yet be the key to his downfall.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAssassination?\u201d Triak suggested.<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps. If she is truly among his inner circle, as she claims, she could manage the task. If not, perhaps the information necessary for us to eliminate him would be acquirable.\u201d<\/p>\n Triak\u2019s eyes glinted in the dim light. \u201cEliminating the Zabrak warmaster would do much to win this war.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe must wait, then, for her to again make contact. I will ensure the\u00a0orders are issued, if you do not handle it personally.\u201d<\/p>\n Triak waved off the statement. \u201cI shall provide the instructions. In the meantime, step up the attempts to unmask this traitor\u2019s identity. With that leverage, we will either make her truly our tool, or destroy her for betraying us.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cSir, the Yuuzhan Vong have made landfall,\u201d Kryi said tersely. \u201cNo transports are left airborne. Our squadrons are strafing targets on the ground now, with limited success.\u201d Halyn grimaced. With the Vong on the ground, they can concentrate their voids … Continue reading