One of the Fondorian fighters eased out of the line and past Bloodstripe. It advanced slowly toward Zekk, who was holding position on Jacen's starboard wing.

"Steady," said Zekk.

The Fondorian slowed almost to a halt and then suddenly peeled off to one side. Zekk matched its maneuver instantly and harried it for ten kilometers at close range until it swung around and headed back to the line behind Bloodstripe. Now all the vessels pulled forward to form a line level with the Corellian cruiser.

"They're going to go for it, Zekk," said Jaina.

"Yeah, I feel it . . ."

"Here we go."

Jacen said nothing. Bloodstripe didn't move, but the ships to either side of her did. They spread farther apart, and for a moment he wondered if they were simply going to try to draw Alliance ships away.

But the picket ships at their back had orders to remain on station. Their laser cannons could very nearly cover the whole run of Centerpoint's access bays, and Jacen was sure Bloodstripe's commander knew that. This was a gesture. This was provocation.

"Hold steady," said Jacen.

Then the Atzerri freighter picked up speed and came straight at them. Jacen had it on visual now. It was an old ship and lightly armed to deter piracy. But it was picking up speed.

"He's coming right at you, Jaina," said Jacen. "If he hasn't changed his mind at two kilometers, give him a reminder who's in charge here."

"I'll buzz him."

"You be careful," said Zekk.

The freighter showed no signs of slowing. It was coming at the picket head-on, and its course appeared to be about to take it between the XJ7s and within three klicks of one of the Alliance destroyers. The only question was when it was prudent to block its path.

"That's close enough," said Jaina, and edged forward to skim over the freighter's casing, nearly shaving its antennae. The freighter didn't waver.

"He needs another reminder," said Jacen, and set off after Jaina to block the freighter's path.

"Bonadan cruiser breaking on the far side." Zekk's voice was a whisper. "Leave that to me."

Resolute, one of the picket destroyers, cut in on the shared comlink. "Laser cannon targeted, Rogue Three, just in case he gets any ideas."

The cruiser was a legitimate target; it was an armed warship. The Atzerri freighter, though, needed more careful handling. Firing on a civilian vessel was a political risk, not a military one. Jacen set a head-on course for the freighter's long panel of viewports set across the width of its nose. Jaina had looped back and was making a second pa.s.s to block the ship.

"Blink . . . ," said Jacen.

The freighter held its course.

"Go on . . . blink."

They were on a collision course. It wasn't high speed, but in s.p.a.ce even a low-velocity collision could be disastrous.

"Don't play this game with me, friend," Jacen said.

He could now see the figures moving on the freighter's brightly lit bridge. He was close enough to see the color of their overalls. Not yet. Red, blue, a few green; humans, all of them. Not yet.

Thirty seconds more on this course would smash him into their viewport.

Steady...

If he didn't pull up in twenty seconds, he'd be dead. He was no longer aware of Jaina, or Zekk, just the rust-streaked ship with its band of white light that now filled his field of view. He became a pilot again: not a Sith Lord-in-waiting, or a Jedi with all the knowledge of generations, but a pilot at one with his fighter.

Ten seconds .. .

Jacen surrendered himself to instinct. He jerked the controls and the XJ7 climbed high and fast just as the freighter made a last-second dip below the plane of collision. Jacen knew he had missed the hull by meters. When he reached the top of his climb he looked down and saw that the freighter's aft ports had opened: small laser cannons were trained on him.

Not all ships had all their armament mounted forward; freighters expected sometimes to be chased in pirate-infested s.p.a.ce lanes.

"Got you," said Jaina. "Jacen, I'm targeting their cannons-"

There was a staccato exchange of white and blue streams of fire beneath Jacen as he arced down into a dive and came up behind Jaina. The freighter fired again, and then Jaina was clear of the stream and coming about for a second time. Jacen watched one cannon mounting shatter and break into a shower of shimmering particles, and then the other.

The freighter slowed and began to turn. Jacen sent a one-word message to Jaina in the Force: Fire.

He felt her resist him.

He switched his comlink to Jaina's channel alone. "Finish it, Jaina."

"I've disabled both aft cannons. He's heading back."

"He opened fire. Do it."

"Jacen, the ship's damaged and he's retreating. I can't continue the attack."

"You know the rules of engagement."

"I won't do it. It's a civilian vessel and right now he isn't presenting a threat-"

"That's an order."

"It's outside the ROE."

"It's legitimate. I repeat, take him out."

"Colonel Solo, I'm refusing that order."

Jaina cut her comlink and swung back to the picket line. Jacen seethed. She was crazy.

Civilian or not, the freighter had opened fire. Retreating or not, it still had functioning cannons. It was a clear threat.

Jacen lined up the icons on his console and sent a spread of five torpedoes into the freighter.

"Jacen, what the-"

That was all Jacen heard from Zekk. A ball of gold light plumed from the starboard side of the freighter's hull, then another and another, and suddenly half its flank was in fragments and hitting ships alongside. The line flanking Bloodstripe broke and scattered.

On his screen, Jacen saw the pinpoint images of small lifeboat ships disgorging from the cruiser to go to the freighter's aid: half of the ship had blown away.

"Rogue squadron, bang out now." Resolute's commander cut in. "We're opening fire. Get out of there."

Jacen dropped immediately under Resolute's arc of fire and headed back to Ocean, picking up Zekk and Jaina as he went. He could feel Jaina's fury as she trailed him in silence.

Zekk opened the comlink. "Anyone want to tell me what happened back there? Jaina, why did you break off?"

Jacen answered for her.

"Colonel Solo refused a direct order," he said carefully. It broke his heart, but he had no choice. My sister. I've really lost her now. Why won't she see what has to be done?

"She's now suspended from duty."

PRESIDENTIAL OFFICES, CORONET, CORELLIA: 1830 HOURS.

"Do take a seat," said Thrackan Sal-Solo. "I wasn't expecting to see you back so soon."

The doors to the office were open, and a couple of Sal-Solo's staff sat at desks in the adjoining room. Fett perched on the edge of one of the fine brocade chairs and motioned to Han to sit down. Mirta simply stood to one side, arms folded. Sal-Solo didn't seem to expect to be introduced to Fett's new a.s.sociate.

He'd meet him soon enough.

"Did you have second thoughts?" asked Sal-Solo.

"Just seeking clarification," Fett said. He noted the position of the door that led to the emergency bunker. "Can we discuss this in private?"

"How private?"

"Is this room soundproofed?"

"Yes."

"Then shut the doors and give your staff the rest of the evening off."

For a man like Sal-Solo it wasn't an unusual request. Fett was counting on it; he hadn't been paid to silence any bystanders. The doors closed, and they were as alone with Sal-Solo as they were ever likely to be.

There was a panel of comlinks on the desk. Fett was pretty sure one of them would be a priority b.u.t.ton to summon help. He was also sure that Sal-Solo carried more than one blaster.

Don't make a hash of this, Solo. Clean shot. I should never have let you tag along, but you're my ticket to my daughter now.

"Tell me again what you have in mind for Centerpoint."

His HUD showed n.o.body in adjoining offices. Beyond two rooms, the penetrating radar became less efficient. Why will I give anything to see Ailyn now after fifty years? Amazing, the power that mortality has over your mind. He rested his hand on his blaster rifle. He always carried it rather than sling it across his shoulder; Sal-Solo seemed unperturbed by it.

Mirta didn't take her eyes off him. Han was silent but visibly tense. Fett could see it in his shoulders.

"Once Corellian forces breach the blockade, we can resupply the station with technical equipment and reactivate it. We'd hope to position your men inside to stop further sabotage. It's a huge station to make intruder-proof."

Okay, watch me carefully...

"Like I said, one million credits per man per month." Fett counted the seconds. Han twitched.

"Cheaper than an army, I suppose," Thrackan said at last.

"A hundred Mandalorians is an army," said Fett.

And then Han leapt from the edge of his seat and slammed across Sal-Solo's desk, knocking him flat into the wall and upending his chair. Sal-Solo pulled a hold-out blaster from his jacket while they struggled, and Han head-b.u.t.ted him. The blaster went flying.

You moron. You blew it. Han pulled off his helmet with one hand and had his cousin by the throat.

"You sc.u.m-"

Fett launched himself across the desk and pinned Sal-Solo down. "Just do it, Solo," he snapped. "Kill him. Or I will. It's not sport."

Mirta covered the doors with her blaster. At least the girl knew what she was doing.

"I've waited years for this, Fett."

"Make it fast, then." Fett a.s.sumed Han wanted to make his cousin suffer before he killed him, which was sloppy, but then family feuds were always too emotionally charged.

"Remember what you agreed."

Han had a stranglehold on Sal-Solo's throat. The man's eyes bulged. "Never again, you sc.u.mbag." He dug his fingers into the skin. "You never mess with me or my family again."

Sal-Solo found a defiant, strangled voice. "You think the bounty hunter I decoyed you all with on Coruscant is the only one hunting you?"

"What do you mean?" Fett grabbed Han's wrist to stop him choking Sal-Solo before he answered. "What decoy?"

"I tipped them off about her. Too busy following her to worry about the others. They're coming, Han, and you don't know how many. You'll never be able to sleep soundly again."

Ailyn. You set up Ailyn. You used my little girl.

"Back off, Solo-he's mine," said Fett, and held the blaster to Sal-Solo's head.

"No, he's mine," said Mirta, and rolled across the desk to fire three bolts into Sal-Solo's forehead.

It was a split second of total silence and then two seconds of chaos. Han was cursing that he'd been cheated; Fett put two rounds into Sal-Solo to be sure he'd finished him. And that's for Ailyn, too.

"You should learn to shoot first, Solo," said Fett. "Now get down that pa.s.sage fast. Run for it."

"But I wanted to take him-for all he's done to me."

"Go on, then-put a few more through him. Have your vengeance. Then shut up and get moving."

The room might have been soundproofed, but the sound of blasterfire could penetrate a long way. Fett wasn't sure Han could do it. But Sal-Solo was dead already and Han no longer had to face shooting him in cold blood. At last he fired. Fett grabbed him and shoved him through the door to the pa.s.sage as Mirta retrieved the spare helmet.

She was a smart kid-even if she had taken a shot she shouldn't have.

They ran down a single flight of steps and into a long pa.s.sage lit by yellow emergency lamps. Fetes helmet sensors picked up movement two rooms above; running feet. Someone was coming. He took the full set of security blades out of his pocket and set their interference pattern to block all comlinks except his own. This wasn't the time to let anyone call for backup.