"Aaron Allston "Iron Fist" (STARWARS. X-Wing #6)" - читать интересную книгу автора

of the secret financial empire whose edges we detected... and
a more direct appeal to the unaligned governors that previ-
ously belonged to the Empire and now belong to the Empire's
successors. I think this means using Iron Fist in actions of di-
rect interdiction that benefit these governors more than Zsinj
himself, an effort to bind the governors to him in debts of
gratitude."
"And your recommendations for ways to counter this?"
"Examine the resources of unaligned governors, find out
which one it would best serve Zsinj to court, and cause that governor problems only Zsinj can solve... luring him to that system and confronting him directly."
"You're very erudite in this mind, Runt."
Runt's body language changed back to normal; he once again seemed lanky, overtall, a little awkward. "But it makes our ego puff up like a gas giant." He sat. "Piggy ?"
The Gamorrean stood. He cleared his throat. Once upon a time, that would have blasted the Wraiths with a burst of sta-tic, but his throat translator had since been reprogrammed to squelch a wider variety of irrelevant sounds. "In the last few weeks, as we were nibbling at the edges of Zsinj's organization, we found three anomalies. One was the network of manufac-turing corporations owned within unaligned and even Alliance-controlled space by Zsinj under false identities. One was his attempt to hire a pirate nest made up of outlaws somewhat un-der his usual standards. And the third was the presence, at one of his companies, of prison-cell components identical to the cell where I was raised after Imperial scientists altered my bio-chemistry." The scientists' alterations were what gave Piggy his unusually temperate personality-for a Gamorrean-and his inhuman mathematical acumen, both traits that allowed him to become a proficient New Republic pilot.
Piggy waved, his gesture taking in Myn Donos, the 3PO
unit Squeaky, and Castin Donn. "My group feels that the
industrial connection is something better suited for New Re-
public Intelligence to pursue, so we eliminated it from our rec-
ommendations. Of the two that remain, the site where I was
scientifically modified and reared is of great interest to me per-
sonally, but we all feel that we would have a greater chance of
discovering Zsinj by disguising ourselves as a pirate band and
trying to impress Zsinj enough for him to employ us. This



would keep us in close association with starfighters and play to the strengths that I think we demonstrated in the pursuit of Ad-miral Trigit and the Implacable." "Well put, Piggy. Face?"
The onetime actor stood. "Well, first I have to admit to a certain dissension in my own group. Lieutenant Janson and Ton Phanan here think that Runt's idea is best. Dia Passik and I both favor Piggy's pirate scheme. But since I was obliged to come up with a tactic, I have.
"Intensive analysis of Zsinj's history suggests that he draws much of his inspiration from the performances of small theatrical companies. I suggest that we pose as a traveling troupe of players performing the sorts of works he seems to have the most affection for."
Confused, Wedge scanned his records of the proposals the group leaders had generated. Face's was on top, but its con-tents did not match what he was saying.
"I've discovered that Kell has a pleasant tenor singing
voice, and Runt is actually an accomplished mime, a skill that
few know is widespread on his homeworld of Thakwaa. By in-
tegrating modern holographic technology with traditional
song-and-dance routines, we could capture the warlord's
attention-"
By now the other Wraiths were snickering. Wedge caught Face's eye and glowered. "Perhaps you could give us the set of conclusions you turned in to me, Loran?"
Face had the gall to look surprised. "Oh, those. Sorry." He sobered. "I think the Iron Fist is of tremendous importance to Warlord Zsinj, not just as a powerful weapons platform but also as a symbol, both of his career and his power. If Warlord Zsinj were more like us than he were like himself, I think he'd launch an expedition deep into the territory governed by Ysanne Isard's successors, make a strike on the Kuat Drive Yards building facilities, and steal the next Super Star De-stroyer in production."
Wedge gave him a look of amusement. "That presupposes
that Kuat is working on another Super Star Destroyer. They're
horribly expensive. And even though they can do an incredible
amount of damage, they can be destroyed by a much less ex-pensive enemy force... though usually at a tremendous cost of life."
Face nodded. "Correct. But Zsinj doesn't admit anyone is his equal in military intelligence, so he thinks he can keep it in-tact. And I keep remembering that he, Zsinj, hinted that he was promoting Admiral Trigit to a better position. We all thought maybe he meant captain of the Iron Fist, but what if he meant another Super Star Destroyer?"
Phanan spoke up. "Don't forget your goofy ideas that never made it into your final proposal."
Face waved him away, but Wedge asked, "What goofy ideas?"
Face looked unhappy. "Just an idea. Ysanne Isard is alive."
"What?" Wedge looked as stunned as if someone had picked up a chair and broken it over his head.
Ysanne Isard had been the head of Imperial Intelligence when Emperor Palpatine died years ago. She survived Palpa-tine's successors, a consortium of Palpatine's advisers, and gradually assumed control of the Empire herself-though not in name. Months ago, she had died, killed fleeing the planet Thyferra in a battle-equipped shuttle, shot down by Rogue Squadron's Captain Tycho Celchu.
"Follow me on this," Face said. "Months ago, Ysanne
Isard is chased off the world of Coruscant. Actually, she aban-
dons it voluntarily to let the Krytos Plague infect the non-