Chimaera opened fire. The battle with Daala’s scrapyard fleet had begun.
MANDALORIAN BOARDING PARTY; ASSAULT SHIP ORAR APPROACHING IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER BLOODFIN, ACCOMPANIED BY TRA’KAD
“What would you like to be today?” Orade said, scrolling through the list of spoof transponder codes for the assault vessels. “Hopelessly lost Nallastian freighter, fuel bowser, Death Star?”
“HNE combat broadcast unit, “Carid said. “Nobody swerves to avoid them, but they’re not tactical targets. Plenty around. And they get in stupid positions.”
Fett had to admire Daala’s timing. Imperial ships that had been protecting Bloodfin from predatory strikes while the battle raged inside her now had urgent problems of their own with the arrival of the Maw Fleet.
“A lot of trouble to go to for a few Moffs, “Fett said. He now had a link to Bloodfin’s mutineers. He thought that term was a delicate legal point if their admiral had been assassinated. “Reige, what’s your situation?”
“We’ve rigged the drives and weapons to blow if anyone tries to board her, “Reige said. “Once the troops breach our bulkheads, we’re finished-we’re not equipped for close combat down here.”
“As long as you don’t try to repel MS, we’ll be fine, “Fett said. “Who have you got on board?”
“The senior Moffs on the flag officer’s staff-and their boss is Quille now, I suppose. The rest of the Moffs with command status are still with their ships.”
“So you left the B-team Moffs at home… Well, I’m not fussed if I remove them dead or alive. Can we breach the hull and let in some nice cool vacuum without killing you?”
“No, they’ll be in the command center. The citadel’s hardened anyway. We’ve activated the fire control bulkheads to seal off the compartments around the citadel. If you go in via the replenishment hatches, that’ll put you much closer to the command center, and you won’t have to fight for every meter if you run into company.”
“And you’ve got a Jedi on board, “Jaina said quietly. “Tahiti Veila.”
“I think she’s forfeited her lightsaber now, Solo, “said Fett.
“I meant that she might be extra trouble.”
Bloodfin was effectively dead in the water, with all weapons and propulsion offline. It was just a matter of getting to her without attracting too much attention, then boarding, and then neutralizing the troops who were trying to regain control of the ship. The Moffs were stuck in a metal box; they either had to find some way off the ship or regain control before Niathal, Daala, or even the Fondorians blew her out of space.
Jaina was subdued. It was a bad deal with Pellaeon. She had a look in her eye that said she could easily have been a woman who’d embark on a bloody vendetta if the Jedi hadn’t educated that natural human reflex out of her.
“I shouldn’t have let you hear Daala’s recording, “Fett said. “But when you’re hunting scum, Solo, recognizing the voices is part of making sure you kill the right barve.”
“I’m not squeamish, “she said.
Mirta, helmet in her lap, gave Fett a look. It could have been leave her alone, or even try harder.
“It was still a man you’d known for a long time, “he said. “And a Jedi killed him.”
“It’s bad enough that Tahiri did it, but it’s hard to think of anyone waiting outside a room until someone’s dead.”
Fett saw her point. He tried to work out how many beings he’d killed-no, can’t even guess, have to check the archived accounts, give it up-and he couldn’t remember leaving someone to die the way Pellaeon had been left. The barves should have finished him off cleanly. He didn’t much care for the Moff class anyway, and Daala had made clear what he had to do.
Nobody was familiar with the Remnant’s new Turbulent-class “pocket” Star Destroyers, but Daala had transmitted a deck layout, and its two hangar decks opened at the stern. Fett located the replenishment access. “Reige, where are the troops?”
“As far as we can tell, apart from the ones pounding us, they’ve positioned them at the main exterior hatches. They were relying on the frigates to prevent boarding.” “I think Bloodfin just lost top cover…” “And look out for Jacen Solo-he’s probably planning to extract Lieutenant Veila. Good luck, Fett.”
Fett turned to Jaina. “Added complication. He’ll be facing the same challenges that we are.”
“I can’t locate Jacen in the Force, but I can find her, so she’ll be his transponder.”