[Thrawn Trilogy] - 02(155)

“So they’re concentrating on just the one,” Captain Brandei nodded. “That’s where we’ll hit, then. The Rebels will be in far less of a hurry to open fire on a ship that has their own people aboard. Still just the one starfighter squadron moving to intercept?”

“Yes, sir. The Escort Frigate and other two squadrons haven’t yet responded. They must have been caught off guard.”

“Perhaps.” Brandei permitted himself a slight smile. So it always went with rebels. They fought like crazed animals when they had nothing to lose; but give them a taste of victory and a chance to enjoy the spoils of war and suddenly they weren’t nearly so eager to risk their lives anymore. One of many reasons why the Empire would ultimately defeat them. “Order the drop ships into defense formation,” he instructed the communications officer. “And have Starfighter Command launch two squadrons of TIE fighters to intercept those X-wings.”

He smiled again. “And send a message to the, Chimaera. Inform the Grand Admiral that we have engaged the enemy.”

For a long minute Han gazed out the bridge observation bubble at the approaching Imperial ships, doing a quick estimate of times and distances and ignoring the fidgeting tech men waiting nervously at the bridge doorway. “Shouldn’t we be going?” Luke prompted from beside him.

Han came to a decision. “We’re not leaving,” he said, thumbing on his comlink. “We’d get the transport out of the docking bay just in time to run into those drop ships and TIE fighters. Lando?”

“Right here,” Lando’s voice came tensely back.

“What’s happening out there?”

“Imperials on the way,” Han told him, moving over to the bridge firecontrol panel and gesturing the techs to join him. “Rogue Squadron’s moving to intercept, but it sounds like Fey’lya’s crowd is going to run for it.”

Lando swore under his breath. “We can’t just sit here and let Wedge tackle them alone.”

“We’re not going to,” Han assured him grimly. “Get busy back there and see what shape the power coupling to the turbolaser batteries is in. We’ll check the fire control up here. And make it fast-once they break formation we won’t be able to hit them.”

“Right.”

Han stuck the comlink back in his belt. “How’s it look, Shen?”

“Looks pretty solid,” the tech’s muffled voice came from underneath the control board. “Kline?”

“Connections look good here, too,” the other tech reported from a board across the room. “If we can get the computer to enable the system : there we go.” He looked at Han. “You’re all set.”

Han sat down at the weapons panel, running his eyes over the unfamiliar arrangement of the controls and wondering if all this effort was more than just spitting in vacuum. Even these full-rigged, computer-centralized, slave-circuit-equipped Dreadnaughts still required over two thousand people to fly them.

But the Imperials wouldn’t be expecting a derelict ship to fire. He hoped. “Here we go,” he muttered to himself as he keyed for visual targeting. The drop ships were still flying in tight formation, using their overlapping shields to protect them from any loose shots from the approaching X-wings. The faster TIE fighters had caught up with them now, sweeping around the group on all sides and starting to pass them.

“You’ve got just one shot at this,” Luke murmured.

“Thanks,” Han growled. “I really needed to hear that.” He took a deep breath, held it, and gently squeezed the fire control triggers.

The Katana lurched, and as the multiple blazes of turbolaser light flashed outward he felt the double thud of a disintegrating capacitor bank through the deck. Luke had been right-the ship’s first shot had been its last. But it had been worth it. The laser bolts hit the drop ship formation dead center; and suddenly the whole Imperial force seemed to come apart in a blaze of multiple explosions. For a few seconds everything was hidden behind secondary explosions and clouds of debris. Then, through the destruction, a handful of ships shot out. A few more joined them, this group moving with the distinctive limp of damaged property.

“Looks like you took out five of the drop ships,” Kline reported, peering through a set of macrobinoculars pressed tightly against his face. “A few of the TIE fighters, too.

“They’re going into evasive maneuvers,” Luke added.

“Okay,” Han said, getting up from the chair and pulling out his comlink. “That’s it for that game. Lando?”

“Whatever you just did, it made a real mess back here,” the other’s voice came back. “Took out the firecontrol power coupling and at least one of the generators. What now?”