Looking at the numerous stations, the orbital ring encircling the planet, and all the commotion created by hundreds of ships, I found myself thinking abstractly about how many more places like this were hidden across the Galaxy. And the Sith were most likely not involved in this, as this project had begun to develop long before Sidious, Plagueis, and even Tenebrous. One could only guess what had motivated the Kuat Drive Yards magnates to create such a production base—one that, for a moment, was scarcely inferior to the capabilities of Kuat itself. Did they foresee that, after a millennium of peace, a war would erupt and engulf the Galaxy? Or was it all the machinations of the Force? I would most likely never know the answer to that question…
However, my lengthy musings were interrupted by a call from Master Unduli.
"You arrived late, but the reason for your tardiness is valid."
I silently spread my arms, conceding that she was right.
"The situation in the Wild Space is far from pleasant. We lost Aduba, and my squadron suffered serious losses in the battle with Grievous's forces."
"So he's here after all?"
"He was here three days ago, but intelligence has no information about his current whereabouts."
"So… what now?"
"Knight Vikt, you will have a separate assignment. According to our information, Separatist raiders have advanced to the planet Nadiem, far to the north of here. Our patrol corvette was forced to leave the system, as well as that area of Wild Space. The clankers have probably already landed on the surface. You and your squad will head there and drive the droids off the planet."
"What is known about the planet?"
"It was colonized a hundred years ago, and the number of colonists is about one hundred thousand. They are completely peaceful and have several police squads, but that is all. The main industry is agriculture."
"Then… I'm leaving?"
"The sooner the better, Knight Vikt. And may the Force be with you," replied the Mirialan.
***
Riyo Chuchi grabbed the back of the pilot's seat, and Cal barely managed to steady her as the corvette shuddered once more.
"Damn bastards!" the captain of the CR90 cursed savagely, utterly unabashed by the senator's presence. But there was little he could do to help. The two remaining Gozanti-class ships were desperately holding off the pirates' vessels and fighters. The forces were unequal—even though they had traded two of their ships for four pirate vessels and half of the enemy fighters. Still… the three remaining pirate ships were pressing the defenders toward the planet, preventing the corvette from escaping the gravitational well.
"Where are the fighters?" Cal Cho asked.
"They've just launched!" replied one of the Pantorans accompanying them.
"They won't make it in time! We'll have to—" The captain of the Senate Guard snapped an energy cell into the carbine's receiver with resolute precision. "We can't allow the senator to be taken prisoner. We'll fight—"
The Pantoran woman turned to her husband. He answered her look by firmly placing his hand on his holster.
After all the necessary rituals and formalities had been observed, Riyo had hurried to Coruscant to return to her duties as a senator. Cal had followed her, assuring her that he could help, and the girl—no, alredy a woman—had agreed, unwilling to part with him. Who knew when she would have another opportunity to visit Pantora? But no one could have imagined that, as soon as the Senate corvette left the atmosphere, pirate ships would enter the system and have the audacity to attack not only one of the transport ships, but their own vessel as well. What are we to do!
Riyo rushed to the receiver, calling the clone lieutenant.
"Lieutenant! What should we do?"
"I think, ma'am!.. Listen. Your course is three-seven-four; we'll cover you." Apparently, the clone had forgotten to turn off his microphone, as his orders continued to broadcast openly. "Remove the fuses! Deactivate the cooling circuit! Er-Five, cover the corvette with your hull! I'm moving toward the pirate ships—I'll try to cut them off!"
"What are they doing?" Riyo asked.
"It looks like they're taking the reactors out of safe mode…" the captain began uncertainly, but he was interrupted.
"They're sacrificing themselves so we can get away," the captain of the guard explained mercilessly.
Riyo watched in despair as one of the ships broke away and the second Gozanti flew closer. Ten minutes of tense flight passed before the captain shouted joyfully:
"It worked! They did it! We can jump!"
Cal snatched up the headset.
"Fighters, cover the Gozanti! Attack the pirate ships!" Then, turning to her, he added quietly, "It's the least I can do for them."
***
TH-07 stood motionless, observing as the landing barges slowly emerged from the Lucrehulk's hangars and, under the cover of Vulture droids, methodically and unhurriedly set course for the planet's surface.
"Sir, the second wave of troops will reach the planet's surface in forty minutes," reported the captain of the Recusant-class destroyer—an OOM-series droid designated Q-456.
"What about confirmation of the intelligence, Captain?"
"There is no confirmation, but the probability of such an outcome is seventy-five percent."
Zero-Seven froze for several seconds.
"Prepare for loading the third wave. Begin deployment of planetary infrastructure according to plan EE-12/i…"