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

over the Free-dom's hull. Concussion missiles peppered the smaller ship, opening
huge holes in the hull. Explosions wracked the Free-dom, spraying debris in all
directions.
Yet even before the Lusankya's attack left the Freedom adrift in space, the
Imperial Star Destroyer blasted back at the Super Star Destroyer. Turbolasers
drilled through the dorsal shields and stabbed fire deep into the Lusankya's
heart. Blue ion lightning capered and danced over the hull, teasing fire-balls
to life in its wake. The Lusankya shook with the vio-lence of those explosions
and others.
Drysso shouted at his staff. "Damage reports!"
Waroen was first. "Ventral shields, down; dorsal shields, down; bow shields,
down; starboard and port shields, down."
"You mean to tell me I only have aft shields?"
Another explosion shook the ship. "Not anymore, sir."
"Captain," yelled his communications officer, "I have a priority message from
Director Isard. She's ordering us out of here. We're to follow the shuttle."
"What?"
"That was the message, sir. She said you should get out of here before you get
killed."
"Killed!" Drysso's laugh quieted the bridge. "Killed? We are winning here. The
Freedom is dead. Freighters are dying.
That War Cruiser is next and we've weathered the worst those X-wings can throw
at us. We have won! She can run if she wants, but the Lusankya stays here. If
she wants to aban-don Thyferra, I will take her place and reap what she has
sown."
The crew stared at him, gape-mouthed and silent for a moment, then a cheer
spread through the bridge, beginning at Lieutenant Waroen's station and building
around through the crew. For a handful of heartbeats Drysso thought they were
cheering him, but those nearest the viewport stared past him, prompting Drysso
to turn.
Out there, hovering off the Lusankya's port bow, was the Virulence.
Drysso clapped his hands. "It's the Virulence and they have our TIE squadrons.
Order Virulence to deploy its fight-ers! Now nothing stands between us and total
victory!"
40
Three squadrons of fighters poured from the Virulence and entered the fray.
Wedge's heart had sunk when Gate reported the launch-ing of the Virulence's
fighters. He brought his X-wing around and resigned himself to one last glorious
battle. That Impstar only carries six TIE squadrons. I always sort of figured
Rogue Squadron would go out in a blaze of glory, and this looks like it is it.
"Gate, target me one of Virulence's fight-ers."
The droid complied with a beep. Wedge glanced down at the image the droid
painted on his monitor. "That's an A-wing."
Gate corrected him with a bleat.
"Okay, a Mark II A-wing." Wedge shook his head to clear it. A-wings? Where did
Isard get A-wings?
A familiar voice crackled through Wedge's comm unit. "Ace Lead to Rogue Leader.
Mind if we crash your party, Wedge?"
"Pash Cracken? Where in the Emperor's dark heart did you come from?"
"Booster's flagship. The gravity well pulled my unit out