any Imperial spies that the ships are secretly being assembled in the outer regions of the Kothlis system for the defense of Bothawui, should that become necessary.'
'That should work,' Bel Iblis said. 'Provided they don't head to Kothlis and take a look for themselves.'
'Two Rendili Space Docks have already been moved to the Kothlis system,' Ackbar said.
'They'll be equipped with dummy ships carrying the proper IDs and markings for the benefit of any Imperials who happen by.'
'Interesting.' Bel Iblis cocked an eyebrow. 'So this isn't just some slice-of-the-moment idea Gavrisom came up with last night. This has been in the works for some time now.' The Mon Cal nodded his massive head. 'The preparations were begun the day after the riot at the Combined Clans Building on Bothawui,' he said. 'With General Solo's implication in that incident, the President knew it would no longer be possible for the New Republic government to make any overt political moves without our motives coming under fire.'
'I understand the reasoning involved,' Bel Iblis said heavily. 'Ord Trasi it is, then.'
'A liaison team from my office will be waiting there when you arrive,' Ackbar said. 'Good luck, General.'
'Thank you, Admiral. Bel Iblis out.'
The general touched a key, and the transmission ended. 'Which doesn't mean I entirely agree with it,' he commented under his breath to the blank display as he turned to Wedge. 'Well, General. Comments?'
Wedge shook his head. 'I was on an information raid once, back when we were trying to get data on Grand Admiral Makati out of the Boudolayz library,' he said. 'I think the bit-pushers estimated afterward that we were about eighty percent successful. And that was Boudolayz, not Yaga Minor.'
'Yes, I've read the reports on that raid,' Bel Iblis said, stroking his mustache thoughtfully. 'This is definitely not going to be easy.'
Wedge grimaced. 'Meanwhile, Bothawui keeps collecting warships like a floodlight collects night insects. Eventually, sir, someone's going to try to take advantage of that.'
'I agree,' Bel Iblis said. 'Which is why I asked you to come up here with me this afternoon.'
'Oh?' Wedge said, regarding him closely. 'Then you knew this was coming?'
'Not the Yaga Minor raid specifically,' Bel Iblis said. 'But I had a feeling Coruscant would turn down my request to stay here and keep order. It also occurred to me that if my task force was ordered away—as we now indeed have been—that Rogue Squadron isn't technically part of that task force.'
Wedge frowned. 'You've lost me, General. I thought we'd been permanently attached to you.'
'To me, yes,' Bel Iblis agreed. 'But not to my task force. It's a fine but very important technical distinction.'
'I'll take your word for it,' Wedge said, trying without success to sift confirmation of that point from his own memory of the New Republic's military regs. 'So what does that mean?' Bel Iblis swiveled the encrypt station chair around and sat down. 'It means I agree with you that someone is likely to take advantage of this mess,' he said, folding his hands in his lap. 'Possibly this shadowy Vengeance organization that keeps throwing riots and demanding the Bothans pay through the snout for their part in the destruction of Caamas.'
'Yes,' Wedge said slowly as a sudden thought hit him. 'And since the Bothan contribution to that attack was to sabotage the Caamas planetary shields...?'
Bel Iblis nodded. 'Very good. Yes, my guess is someone's going to try to take out Bothawui's shields.'
Wedge whistled softly. 'Do you think that's even possible? The Bothans are supposed to have one of the best shield systems in the galaxy.'
'They did once, back at the height of the Empire,' Bel Iblis said. 'Whether they've kept it up I don't know. But of course an enemy wouldn't have to take down the entire grid to do serious damage. Dropping the shield just over Drev'starn would open up a hole you could pour a lot of turbolaser damage through.'
'Yes,' Wedge murmured. 'Trouble is, it wouldn't be just the Bothans who'd get hammered.'
'That is indeed the problem,' Bel Iblis agreed soberly. 'At last count, there were over three hundred megacorporations with their headquarters on Bothawui, plus thousands of smaller companies and at least fifty pledge and commodity exchanges.'
Wedge nodded. It wouldn't exactly mean universal economic chaos if they were hit, but it would add a considerable degree of extra anger and resentment to the stew already heating up out there. And with all those warships trying to stare each other down overhead, it might do considerably more than just heat the stew. 'What do you want me to do?'
