"Michael Stackpole "The Bacta War"" - читать интересную книгу автора

there they'd get another exit vector that would put them on a straight line for
the Yag'Dhul system, but the speed and dura-tion data would suggest they were
going to another system well beyond Yag'Dhul. She'll be anticipating calling in
a strike on Folor in the Commenor system.
Corran smiled as he thought about the surprise the con-voy would be in for
during their journey. The speed that was being set for them would allow them to
slip past the Yag'Dhul system in hyperspace, but Booster had thought of a way to
end their journey prematurely. The gravity well pro-jector he'd gotten from
Karrde and had grafted onto the sta-tion would create enough of a gravity shadow
to pull the convoy out of hyperspace. The premature end of the flight would
deliver the goods where they were most needed and
would be a trick clearly meant to conceal the location of the base from
outsiders.
Which ought to be enough to make Carniss think secrecy is still important to us.
Corran dearly wished he knew the full extent of Wedge's plan to deal with
Isard's forces, but he respected the security provided by the
compartmentalization of such information. / doubt I'll know everything that goes
on unless or until this is all over and I get debriefed.
Corran brought his X-wing around on the appointed exit vector and chopped his
throttle back to 51 percent of thrust. In hyperspace, the X-wings were twice as
fast as the freight-ers, save Carniss's Diadem and Mirax's Skate. By dropping
his thrust to just over half, the X-wing would arrive in-system just before the
freighters and could head off any ambushes.
The other X-wings pulled up off his S-foils. "Nine to Skate. Escort is ready to
head out."
"Lead on, Nine, and be careful."
"As ever, Skate. Wouldn't want your father to be disap-pointed in me."
33
Melina Carniss managed to keep a smile on her face and a light lilt in her voice
despite being anxious to leave the Yag'Dhul station. "No, Mirax, no need to
apologize. I've en-joyed your company over the last two days. I would have felt
quite out of sorts and lonely had you not taken me under your wing."
Mirax smiled. "I'm glad you feel that way. I am some-times accused of being
somewhat smothering."
Somewhat? Lady, you could smother a Givin, and they don't need to breathe.
"Again your company was appreci-ated. And let your father know I'm sure Karrde
won't have a problem with my having been kept here awaiting payment. He's very
understanding that way."
Mirax stepped back away from the turbolift opening. "See you on the next trip."
"I'm sure. Good-bye." Melina remained smiling even af-ter the door closed. Be
just like her father to have security holocams set up here in the turbolift. I
have to maintain the charade until I'm back aboard Diadem.
Carniss had hoped to be away from the Yag'Dhul station as quickly as possible,
but the delay in payment meant her
ship was the last of the convoy to leave. Despite being a huge station,
Yag'Dhul's docking bays were mostly in use, requir-ing a piecemeal unloading of
the convoy. That delay meant the shipments couldn't be verified, hence the
reason payment was late. Mirax's insistence that she leave Diadem and enjoy the
station's facilities meant she had no chance to send a message out to Thyferra
to report the location of Rogue base.