[Hand Of Thrawn] - 01(153)

“Identification transmitted,” the other said. “No response.”

“Incoming ships have changed course,” the sensor officer called. “Now on intercept vector with the Chimaera.”

Ardiff hissed tensely between his teeth. “Steady, Captain,” Pellaeon advised him. “Lieutenant, get me a full sensor scan of the incoming ships. Weapons capabilities and hull markings in particular.”

“Acknowledged, sir-“

“Admiral!” another voice cut him off. “Incoming ships have reconfigured into attack formation.”

“I think, Admiral,” Ardiff said, his voice hard, “that we have Bel Iblis’s answer.”

Pellaeon closed his left hand into a fist at his side. “Any hull markings, Lieutenant?” he called.

“It’s coming up now, sir … yes, sir, there are. The gunships are carrying Corellian Defense Force insignia. The others … the same, sir.”

“Thank you,” Pellaeon murmured. He could feel Ardiff’s eyes on him, and the heat of the other’s anger and bitter vindication. “Captain, you’d best prepare the Chimaera for combat.”

“Yes, sir.” Ardiff half turned toward the portside crew pit. “All pilots to their fighters,” he ordered. “Ready to launch on my command. Deflector screens powered up; all turbolasers energized and ready.”

“And tractor beams,” Pellaeon added quietly.

Ardiff threw him a puzzled glance. “Sir?”

“We may want to bring in one or more of the ships,” Pellaeon explained. “Or some of the battle debris.”

Ardiff’s lip twitched. “Yes, sir. All tractor beams, activate.”

Pellaeon took a few steps closer to the forward viewport, moving away from the heightened buzz of activity from the crew pits and aft bridge. Could that really be Bel Iblis out there, blazing toward the Chimaera in full battle formation?

No. Ridiculous. He’d never met Bet Iblis in person, but everything he’d ever read about the man indicated a strong sense of honor and dignity. A man like that wouldn’t pull what was essentially a cowardly sneak attack, not in response to an honest request for parley. Even in Bel Iblis’s losing battles against Grand Admiral Thrawn he’d maintained that same dignity.

His battles against Thrawn …

Pellaeon smiled tightly. Yes, there it was. A way, perhaps, to find out whether or not that was really Bel Iblis leading that motley attack force out there.

There was a movement of air at his side. “It’s possible he’s just being cautious,” Ardiff said, the words coming out with obvious reluctance. “The shield overlap that comes from an attack formation like that makes it useful for defense, as well. And he may simply not want to transmit his identity until he’s closer.”

Pellaeon eyed the young captain with mild surprise. “You impress me, Captain,” he said. “One of the most important attributes of a good commander is the ability to think beyond his own expectations.”

“I want to be fair, sir,” Ardiff said stiffly. “But not at the risk of your ship. Do you want me to launch TIEs or Preybirds?”

“Not yet,” Pellaeon said, looking back out the viewport. The incoming ships were visible now, tiny specks rapidly growing larger. “Whatever happens here, I want it clear that we did nothing to provoke hostilities.”

For a long minute they stood together in silence and waited. The incoming ships grew steadily larger …

And suddenly they were speeding low across the Chimaera, raking the Star Destroyer’s upper surface with a blaze of turbolaser fire. They pulled up, heading directly for the bridge-someone in one of the crew pits behind Pellaeon yelped with surprise or fear&mdash

And then they were gone, branching to either side around the command superstructure and pulling for the safety of distance.

Ardiff let out a hissing breath. “I think that proves their intentions, Admiral,” he said, his earlier nervousness vanished into an icy professionalism. “Request permission to attack.”

“Permission granted,” Pellaeon said. “But with turbolasers only.”

Ardiff gave him a sharp look. “No fighters?”

“Not yet,” Pellaeon told him, searching the sky for the attackers. Probably still making their way around after that mad plunge aft. “I have something else planned for the Preybirds.”

Ardiff threw a quick glance around them. “Admiral, I respectfully urge you to reconsider,” he said, his voice barely loud enough for Pellaeon to hear. “That battlecruiser is packing some serious weaponry. It went by too fast this time to do any major damage, but that kind of skittishness isn’t likely to last. If we don’t use the fighters to keep them at arm’s length we’ll just be begging for trouble.”