Koyan gulped. “Launch authorized. Admiral Delpin, I also authorize you to fire the weapon. Don’t wait for me to authorize. Fire when you think the moment is perfect.”
“Acknowledged.” Delpin raised her comlink. “Force Yimi, move in. Force Zexx, all squadrons, make your jump and commence your attack.” She paused long enough to hear two confirmations, then turned back toward Koyan. “We’re committed.”
Chapter 17
ABOARD THE ANAKIN SOLO
The little personnel speeder, Caedus at the controls, hurtled down the main passageway of the Anakin Solo, causing crew members, uniformed pilots, and civilian observers to leap cursing out of its way. In the passenger’s seat, strapped down tight, Allana laughed, a child’s throaty chuckle Caedus could hear even over the roar of the repulsorlifts.
Ordinarily he would have been charmed. Now he was simply alarmed. He would remain so until he was off the Anakin Solo and away from whatever it was Leia had brought aboard.
Nor could he leave in the vehicles he knew and trusted most, his shuttle and Tahiri’s StealthX. They were in the same hangar as Leia’s yacht. So he raced toward the main starfighter bay. He’d take out something fast and well defended, and stay far enough away from the Anakin Solo that Allana would remain safe if a bomb detonated aboard.
He hadn’t forgotten his negotiations with Captain Ho-claw, but they were no longer important.
He sideslipped into a pedestrian down ramp, causing a half squad of infantry to dive over a railing to avoid him. Allana laughed again.
He glanced at her and forced a smile. “Having fun?”
“Lots of fun. Can I drive?”
“Next time, sweetie.”
Finally, there they were-double doors leading into the main starfighter bay. They slid aside at his approach. He roared in, clearing mechanics standing on either side of the door by a hand span. He glanced at the arrayed ranks of starfighters-old and new, trusted and experimental-and veered toward the line of various TIE series.
One in particular-an experimental design he’d flown once-drew his eye. The prototype TIE Reconnaissance Fighter, nicknamed the Blur by GA pilots, resembled the old TIE bomber-it had low-profile, curved solar array wings and two cylindrical fuselages mounted side by side, making the vessel look curiously like a pair of macrobinoc ulars mounted between a pair of cupped hands. Unlike the situation with the original bomber, the port-side pod on the Blur was an electronics housing, carrying a modern-era hyperdrive, astronavigation computers, a shield generator, life-support systems, and sophisticated electronic countermeasures; it was the closest thing to a StealthX to come out of Sienar, its manufacturer. This Blur was painted in black, undecorated except for small Galactic Alliance symbols on the outer wings.
Caedus slewed to a stop beside the Blur and was unstrapping Allana as a mechanic ran up to him. “Can I help you, sir?”
Caedus lifted Allana out of her seat. “I’m taking the Blur out.”
“Uh, yes, sir, but Captain Olavey is doing a test run in fifteen minutes, a sweep near the Confederation task force…”
“Push it back.” Not waiting for a boarding ladder, Caedus leapt atop the Blur and lifted the boarding hatch. “You fill out the forms for me.”
“Yes, sir.”
Caedus’s comlink beeped. Carefully, he clambered with Allana down into the cockpit, pulled the hatch shut, and settled into the pilot’s couch before answering. “Yes?”
It was his sensor officer. “Sir, sixteen squadrons of starfighters have dropped out of hyperspace. They’re heading toward us at full speed. The Confederation capital ships are also moving in.”
“Signal Admiral Limpan. Tell her to bring her task force in now. Launch all starfighters from all vessels.” As he spoke, Caedus powered up the Blur and glanced his way through an abbreviated preflight checklist. “Move the Anakin Solo to the rear of our formation and do not, repeat, do not bring up our shields until the last possible moment, or until the diagnostics that are running pronounce them safe, whichever comes first.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m launching now.” Allana in his lap, Caedus finished pulling webbing tight over the two of them, then activated the Blur’s repulsors. In his haste, he caused the vehicle nearly to jump up off the hangar floor.
Alarms filled the air and suddenly mechanics were everywhere, running to the squadrons of starfighters in the hangar, prepping them for the imminent arrival of pilots. The glow rods surrounding the main hangar doors in the floor lit up, signifying that the atmosphere containment field had been activated. The doors themselves began to draw aside, revealing starfield below.