[Hand Of Thrawn] - 01(119)

“You have a duty to Mara, too,” Karrde countered. “For that matter, you have a duty to the rest of the New Republic. You saw one of those ships-you know we’re dealing with an unknown culture here. If that fortress she saw is made of the same material as the one on Hijarna, they’ll be able to sit in there and shrug off any attack we could throw at them. And -“

“All right,” Skywalker said. “I’ll go.”

Karrde blinked, taken slightly aback by the suddenness of the decision. He’d expected to have to argue at least a few more minutes and probably throw in something concrete before the other agreed.

But he also knew better than to question a decision he was already pushing for. “Good,” he said. “Tell me what you need in the way of equipment or supplies, and we’ll get it for you. You’ll want a bigger ship, of course. Dankin, what do we have available?”

“No time for that,” Skywalker said before Dankin could answer. “My X-wing’s over in Docking Rectangle 16. If you can download a copy of the nay data to Artoo, we’ll get it refueled and be on our way.”

“You can’t carry a passenger in an X-wing,” Faughn objected. “If she’s hurt-“

“Then we take her ship and leave the X-wing behind,” Skywalker cut her off. “We’re wasting time.”

“You won’t get very far in a Defender,” Karrde reminded him, keying his board on a hunch. Yes, the timing and distances would work. “Let me suggest a compromise: you leave here in your X-wing and I’ll have the Dawn Beat bring the Jade’s Fire to meet you off Duroon. Her droid won’t be activated, but you and your R2 should be able to fly it without any trouble.”

Skywalker shook his head. “I don’t want to try to sneak onto Nirauan with a ship that big.”

“Then leave the Fire hidden somewhere in the outer system and ride your starfighter in,” Faughn suggested. “The docking port should handle an X-wing without any problems.”

Skywalker hesitated a heartbeat, then nodded. “All right.”

“Good,” Karrde said. “Dankin, get onto spaceport control and have a fuel order cut for his X-wing. Number one on the priority list, and you can bribe or threaten whoever you have to to get it there. Then put together the most comprehensive survival kit you can that will fit an X-wing’s cargo hold. Two cubic meters and 110 kilograms, as I recall.”

“Got it,” Dankin said. “What kind of backup are we going to send in behind him?”

“As much as we can throw together,” Karrde told him, keying for a list of available resources. His organization’s fleet was impressively large; but scattered around the entire New Republic the way it was, it would take precious time to collect any kind of attack force together.

“I don’t want any backup,” Skywalker cut into his musings. “Bringing in the Jade’s Fire is risky enough; the more ships in the system, the better the chances one of them will be spotted. It’ll be better for me to try to slip in by myself.”

“But you can’t get her out alone,” Faughn said.

“I can,” Skywalker said softly. “I have to.”

“You can’t,” Faughn insisted. “Karrde? Tell him.”

For a long moment Karrde studied the younger man, his mind flicking back to that first meeting between the two of them aboard the Wild Karrde so long ago. Even back then Skywalker had never been what he would have called brash; but looking at him now Karrde was struck by the quiet maturity ten years had added to his face. “It’s his call, Faughn,” he said. “If he says he can do it, then he can.”

Skywalker nodded. “Thank you,” he said.

“I think the thanks are all on the other side,” Karrde pointed out, trying to force a smile. “All right: fuel and supplies, and the Jade’s Fire at Duroon. What else do you need us to do?”

“Just what you’re already doing,” Skywalker said. “Keep looking into these riots, and if you find anything get the information to Leia.”

“Done,” Karrde said. “Anything else?”

“Yes,” Skywalker said, a shadow crossing his face. “Could you get word to Leia on Coruscant and tell her where I’ve gone?”

“I’ll go myself,” Karrde promised, getting to his feet again. “We’ll leave as soon as you’re gone.”

“Thank you,” Skywalker said. He turned and beaded for the office door&mdash

“You said you saw Mara in a vision,” Karrde called after him. “What was she doing?”