[Dark Nest] - 1(153)
A cone of iridescent energy shot out from beneath the Falcon, swallowing both the Gorog missiles and the swarm beyond. A series of fiery blossoms erupted as the missiles interpreted the repulsion beam as impact and detonated. The dartships were harder to defeat. The pilots increased power, and the cloud of ships hung in stasis, still struggling to ascend the shaft.
But as the Falcon continued to descend, the beam grew stronger. Soon the Killiks’ primitive rocket engines began to overload and explode. Some dartships fell out of control and crashed, while others began to tumble back down the shaft. For several moments, Han and Leia continued to catch glimpses of dartships rolling around inside the beam, smashing into each other, spontaneously exploding, erupting against the pit’s icy walls.
Han slowed their descent until the eruptions grew less frequent. Finally, the boiling cloud of rubble dispersed, and nothing lay below them but a jagged star of darkness that had once been a dartship launching bay. He brought the Falcon to a full stop and activated the intercom.
“Okay, Juun, you’d better shut down before something blows up.” Han looked over at Leia and winked, then added, “And shift that power diverter back to the shields.”
THIRTY-SEVEN
The Battle Dragon and its escorts were floating nose-down above Qoribu’s blast-tattered rings, trading fire with two Chiss cruisers as the Great Swarm swept down to join the fight. Jaina’s and Zekk’s cockpit speakers crackled to life with Hapan comm officers demanding explanations and Colony Joiners outlining Unu’s plan, but the two Jedi paid the exchange little attention. They were two hundred kilometers behind the Swarm, with a third StealthX slaved to Jaina’s controls, and their mission was completely independent of the Killik assault. UnuThul was still angry about the spoiled ambush, and he had planted one notion firmly in their minds before allowing them to launch: Jaina and Zekk were to find Lowbacca and leave.
The Great Swarm reached the Hapan fleet and swallowed it in a flickering cloud of rocket exhaust, then streamed past to engulf the maelstrom of starfighters battling for the crucial space midway between the two sides. The Chiss cruisers redoubled their fire. Brilliant bursts of crimson and sapphire blossomed inside the Great Swarm, three or four a second, but the Colony continued to descend, a dozen dartships vanishing every time a turbolaser struck. The Killiks did not even break formation.
Hoping to locate Lowbacca before they entered hostile territory, Jaina and Zekk quieted their minds and reached into the Force… and were so surprised that they gasped. Together.
That feels like Master Skywalker, Zekk said through their shared mind.
Both of them, Jaina confirmed. And Mother and Kyp and others… hard to tell. Pretty shut down.
Trying to hide, Zekk agreed. But having a bad time. Wonder if Unu knows?
UnuThul must know, Jaina replied. Though she and Zekk were hundreds of kilometers from the nearest Taat, and not currently in touch with the larger collective mind, they could still feel the Colony’s Will. UnuThul was too powerful not to know when so many Jedi entered the system. Wonder why Unu hid it from us.
Unu’s will began to press down on them, and their thoughts turned back to Lowbacca.
After a few moments of searching, they found their friend, groggy and confused and barely conscious, down below Qoribu’s southern pole in the heart of the Chiss command group.
Drugged, Zekk said in their thoughts. Not surprising.
Predictable, Jaina agreed, growing impatient. We’ll have to move fast.
Unu’s will pressed down, and their hands grew too heavy to lift toward their throttles. Their turn would come later-once the Great Swarm prepared the way.
By the time the Colony’s command ship-an outdated Lancer-class frigate operated by the Unu-appeared, the first dartships were closing with the cruiser escorts. Jaina’s and Zekk’s tactical displays turned white with propellant trails and did not darken again. The Chiss escorts flickered and vanished one after the other, and the Killik barrage fell on the cruisers themselves. Both vessels lost shields within seconds and withdrew under fire.
The lead cruiser took a drive hit and was overtaken. Its turbolasers continued to fire for another few seconds, then it suffered a hull breach and began to belch flame. Once its weapons had fallen silent, the Great Swarm stopped attacking and streamed after the surviving cruiser.
The Hapan squadron started to follow, moving to secure the hole the Killiks had opened in the enemy’s lines, but Jaina and Zekk were in no mood to wait. They needed to retrieve Lowbacca before the Chiss withdrew to Ascendancy space.
Unu’s will grew lighter, and Jaina and Zekk shot past the nearest Hapan Nova, passing so close to the bow that they saw the bridge pilot squinting at the shadowy silhouettes of their SiealthXs.