[Dark Nest] - 3(54)

Wuluw expelled air through her respiratory spiracles, then turned her head around and resumed climbing. A moment later, she began to drum her chest, relaying the other nests’ pleasure at how well the battle was progressing. Kolosolok would be attacking the perimeter soon.

They finally climbed above the vapor layers into the remains of the jungle canopy. All the foliage was gone, of course, leaving the great mogos scratching at the rain clouds with the crooked fingers of their naked crowns. The artillery barrage had opened surprisingly few holes in the gray expanse, and there were even a few confused birds still circling low over the wet treetops.

To Jaina’s relief, thousands of Rekkers had survived the dangerous climb from the jungle floor. They were already advancing through the rain, springing from treetop to treetop with a power and grace that even Wookiees would have envied-had they been able to overlook the Rekkers’ six limbs, antennae, and long pendulous abdomens.

The Jooj were advancing somewhat differently, winding across the treetops in huge sinuous blankets, circling gaps in the canopy or creating long boiling bridges out of their own bodies. The Chiss artillery continued to savage the jungle below, occasionally sending the crown of a mogo plummeting into the poisonous tangle while panicked Killiks leapt to safety in adjacent treetops.

But mostly, the Colony’s advance was unhindered. Rekkers and Jooj continued to rise into the canopy behind Jaina, and as far as the eye could see ahead, an unstoppable tide of insects was boiling across the jungle top toward the Chiss lines.

Jaina turned to Wuluw. “How good are you at jumping?”

“Bub bu,” the insect admitted.

“That’s what we thought,” Jaina said. She turned her back to the Wuluw. “Hop on.”

The Killik leapt up and wrapped all six limbs around Jaina’s body.

“What about you two?” Jaina asked the Squibs.

They folded their wet ears flat. “Don’t worry about us, doll,” Scarcheek said. “We’ll be right behind you.”

“Sorry-didn’t mean to insult you,” Jaina said. She nodded them toward the Chiss lines. “Why don’t you lead the way?”

They fixed their dark eyes on her for a moment, then slung their repeating blasters across their backs and scampered away on all fours. When they came to the end of the limb, they spread their arms and glided nearly twenty meters into the crown of the next tree.

When they stopped to wait for Jaina, she paused to speak over her shoulder to Wuluw.

“What do the nests know about those two?”

“Urubu bubu rbu,” Wuluw answered.

“I know they’re Squibs!” Jaina said. “What are they doing here?”

“Bubuu urrb.”

“Besides killing Chiss,” Jaina said.

“Ruubu bu,” Wuluw answered. “Ub rur uru.”

“It’s not enough,” Jaina said, exasperated. “People don’t cross most of the galaxy just to fight in someone else’s war-especially not Squibs.”

“Urub r buur.”

“What thing sent them?” Jaina demanded.

“Urub u ur r Buur.”

“Just The Thing?” Jaina asked. “We’ve never heard of The Thing.”

“Rburubru uburburu buu,” Wuluw explained. “Urb u?”

“Okay.”

Jaina clicked her throat in irritation, but knew there was no sense in interrogating Wuluw any further. Insects had unsophisticated motivations, so if a trusted transacting partner offered to send someone to help fight the Chiss, the Killiks were not likely to ask a lot of questions. She warned Wuluw to hold on tight, then began to Force-leap after the Squibs.

They were perhaps halfway to the MetaCannons when a descending whine broke over the jungle. Jaina looked toward the sound and saw the dark flecks of an AirStraeker squadron approaching through the rain.

“Son-of-a-Sith-harlot!” Jaina cursed.

Zekk and his swarm had visited a battering on the AirStraekers during the initial landing, so she had not expected the Chiss to risk what remained of the wing in the middle of a downpour.

Jaina pointed at the center of the formation, then reached out in the Force and began to shove one of the AirStraekers toward a wingmate. The second evaded, and the first aircraft began to struggle against her grasp. The rest of the squadron opened fire a second later. A wall of smoke erupted in the jungle canopy and began to roll toward her.

“Tell Zekk to get the Wing Swarm down here, now!” Jaina said over her shoulder.

“Bb.”

“No?” Jaina screeched. “We’ve got fireflies!”

Wuluw explained that UnuThul’s orders had been clear. The airborne swarm was not to attack until the Chiss began to evacuate.