Part 32 (2/2)

Plarx shouted. ”They are not to approach. Do you hear? They will not approach.”

”You can't stop us,” Wedge put in. ”Move out of the way; we're coming through.”

”No!” the Frezh shouted. There was a jabber of a hissing, guttural language, and then the comm abruptly shut off. Wedge took a deep breath, preparing himself&mdash And suddenly the Frezhlix battle-wagons opened fire. ”Evasive!” Wedge snapped, twisting his X-wing hard to starboard as the laser blasts blazed past, one of the shots nearly taking off his upper portside engines. There was another snarl of hissing gutturals, and another salvo of laser fire shot by. ”Rogues, reform,” he called. ”Return to fleet.”

Turning his nose farther around, ducking under one final blast of enemy laser fire, he headed back toward the Peregrine.

But the Dreadnought was no longer there. It and the rest of the New Republic fleet, reconfiguring into the general's favorite combat formation, were moving decisively toward the Frezhlix blockade force.

Something that sounded like a wheezing squawk came over the comm. ”New Republic force!”

the Frezhlix commander snarled. ”What are you doing? You have no right to move against me.”

”On the contrary, Speaker Plarx,” Bel Iblis said, his voice suddenly blade-sharp. ”I have every right. You have just opened fire on New Republic s.p.a.cecraft. Surrender immediately, or prepare to be destroyed.”

”I protest!” Plan gasped. ”Your s.h.i.+ps provoked us into defending ourselves.”

”Last chance, Speaker,” Bel Iblis said. ”Surrender or face the consequences.”

There was a snarl of gutturals; and as the Rogues reached the Peregrine and curved around again into their positions in the battle formation Wedge saw that the Frezhlix s.h.i.+ps had abandoned their blockade and were turning their guns to face the oncoming New Republic force. Fleetingly, Wedge wondered if Bel Iblis would be gracious enough to simply hold position in the standoff now that he'd broken the blockade, or if he'd insist on making the Frezhlix pay for their aggression.

Plarx took the decision on himself. In an awesome blaze of laser fire the two Kruk battle-wagons opened fire as the Jompers pursuit s.h.i.+ps leaped forward to meet the incoming X-wings. ”New Republic forces,” Bel Iblis said coldly. ”Engage at will.”

”The Frezhlix government has delivered a sharp protest to me over your actions a few hours ago,” Admiral Ackbar's gruff voice came over the Peregrine's comm speaker. ”They claim you launched an unprovoked attack on a peaceful delegation.”

Standing a respectful distance from the general's chair, Wedge caught Corran Horn's attention and rolled his eyes in a silent gesture of disgust. The other grimaced in agreement. ”On the contrary,” Bel Iblis told Ackbar. ”They were engaged in a clear violation of free economic movement. Besides which, they attacked first.”

”That's not the way the Frezhlix tell it,” Ackbar rumbled. ”They say you clearly overstepped New Republic authority.”

”I'm sure they do,” Bel Iblis said. ”Do you wish me to stand for an inquiry?”

”Don't be absurd, General,” Ackbar said; and for the first time since the conversation had started the Mon Cal's voice seemed to Wedge to have relaxed a little. ”We need all the good commanders we can get. And I don't doubt the Frezhlix deserved whatever you delivered to them. You said there was a smuggling s.h.i.+p in among the other freighters?”

Bel Iblis glanced up at Corran, who nodded. ”Yes, sir, without question,” the general confirmed. ”One of Booster Terrik's. The Sif'krie authorities have impounded the s.h.i.+p and are checking for contraband.”

”I can imagine the conversation that will take place on the Errant Venture sometime in the near future,” Ackbar said, his voice going a little odd. Mon Cals had a long hatred for smuggling and smugglers, and the admiral was undoubtedly finding a certain poetic humor in what had happened. ”Though the justification of your position will be dulled if there was indeed no contraband aboard.”

”The regulations don't care whether the search comes up dry or not,” Bel Iblis reminded him. ”Or are you suggesting that President Gavrisom might not choose to see it that way?”

”The President is bound by certain diplomatic and political necessities,” Ackbar said.

”However, I'm certain that he will read your report on this incident before rendering any judgment. Still, I suggest you cut your patrol circuit short and return to-”

Abruptly the signal squealed and vanished. ”Comm station, what's going on?” Eel Iblis demanded.

”The problem's not at our end, General,” a new voice reported. ”Looks like the HoloNet carrier's been cut off.”

Bel Iblis threw a look at Wedge and Corran. ”Trouble on Coruscant?” he asked the comm officer.

”I don't know, sir. I'm checking the other relays . . . no, sir, it's not Coruscant. Looks like the relay at Mengjini has gone down.”

”Sir, we're picking up a general alert on the secondary net,” a new voice put in. ”The relay at Mengjini has allegedly come under attack from a small group of, quote, dissident elements,' unquote.”

”Acknowledged,” Bel Iblis said. ”Navigation, plot us a fast course for Mengjini. Comm, relay the alert to all New Republic forces and bases in the area. Tell them we're going in and request backup reinforcements.”

He got acknowledgments and turned again to Wedge and Corran. ”It looks as if your reports will have to wait,” he said. ”Get back to your squadron, and get ready to fly.”

”Not good,” Corran puffed as he and Wedge jogged down the Peregrine's ventral corridor toward their docking bays. ”When they start messing with long-range communications, you know they're getting serious.”

”We don't have any proof it's this Vengeance group,” Wedge pointed out, dodging around a Dresselian crouched over an open access panel.

”Maybe not,” the other countered. ”But I never mentioned Vengeance. You thought of them on your own.”

Wedge grimaced. ”Yeah,” he agreed. ”I did, didn't I?”

”Yes, you did,” Corran said. ”And you're also thinking that between killing riots, overt interplanetary attacks, and now long-range comm-kicking, this has gone way beyond a few zealots protesting Bothan involvement in Caamas.”

”Yeah,” Wedge agreed soberly. ”I can hardly wait to see what happens next.”

CHAPTER 19.

”Read and cry,” Lando said, laying his sabacc cards down on the table. ”Twenty-three-a Pure Sabacc run.”

”Interesting,” Senator Miatamia murmured, his leathery Diamalan face unreadable as he studied his own cards. ”I presume the reference to crying is not a literal part of the game as you play it. A Pure Sabacc run, you say?”

”Yes,” Lando confirmed, an uncomfortable sensation tickling at the back of his neck. The Senator had made this same dramatic pause on the sabacc pot hand in exactly five out of the eight complete games they'd played since the Lady Luck's hurried scramble off Cilpar.

Five games that the Senator had also happened to win.

”Unfortunate,” Miatamia said, laying his cards almost daintily on the table. ”I have an Idiot's Array. I believe that wins?”

”Yes, it wins,” Lando said, shaking his head in disgust. Make that six out of nine. ”I can't believe you haven't played this game professionally,” he grumbled, starting to gather up the cards.

The Diamal flicked his fingers in the air. ”You don't truly believe the Diamala have created our vast financial and business empire from mere common sense and hard work, do you?”

Lando paused, half the cards still on the table, eyeing the Senator suspiciously. Was he actually implying-?

No, of course not. Ridiculous. ”That was a joke. Right?”

”Of course,” Miatamia said, flicking his fingers again. ”Common sense and hard work are all any being or species require to succeed. Luck is merely an illusion, trusted by the ignorant and chased by the foolish.”

With an effort, Lando fought down a flicker of annoyance. His professional gambling days were long in the distant past, but the Diamal's obvious contempt still rankled a little.

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