Vision of the future

'Don't trouble yourself, Major,' a familiar voice called from behind Disra. 'The freighter in question is currently docked in your number seven hangar bay.'

Slowly, disbelievingly, Disra turned around. It couldn't be. It couldn't. But it was. There he stood, in the center of the archway leading to the aft bridge. Admiral Pellaeon.

* * *

The element of surprise was gone, the fratricidal battle over Bothawui cut short sooner than the Imperials had most likely hoped. Even now, Leia saw, the last lingering shots of that conflict were dwindling away as the various combatants woke up to the greater danger on their flank. But even in its brevity the fight had taken a heavy toll, she realized as she studied the Predominance's tactical display. Out of the nearly two hundred ships that had been fighting, fewer than a hundred ten were arraying themselves for battle against the three Star Destroyers now moving toward them.

'We're outgunned, aren't we?' Gavrisom said quietly from her side.

'I'm afraid we are,' Leia conceded. 'And even the ships that can still fight have all taken damage. Those Star Destroyers are fresh and rested.'

'And not all of our ships may actually stay with us once they compute the odds for themselves,' Gavrisom said, twitching his wings. 'Even with my general summons under Section 45-2, the fact is, we are still asking them to fight in defense of Bothawui and the Bothan people.' Leia nodded grimly. 'Something which at least half of them aren't really interested in doing.'

'Leia?'

She lifted her comlink. 'I'm here, Han,' she said. 'Are you all right?'

'Oh, sure,' he said, dismissing the danger casually. 'They gave up shooting at us a long time ago. Look, Elegos has been counting the ships you've got there, and neither of us is very happy with the numbers he's coming up with.'

'Neither are any of the rest of us,' Leia said. 'Gavrisom has a call in to any New Republic forces nearby, but so far there's been no response.'

'Yeah, well, maybe I can come up with something,' Han said, his tone studiously casual. 'You know if Fey'lya's on Bothawui at the moment?'

Leia frowned. 'Actually, I believe he is. Why?'

'You know how to reach him?'

'His private comlink frequency's in the Falcon's computer, listed under his name,' Leia said.

'Why?'

'I'm going to try a little diplomacy,' he told her. 'See if you can stall off those Star Destroyers a little.'

He clicked off. 'Right,' Leia murmured to herself. 'Stall them off.' Beside her, Gavrisom shook his mane. 'There is one other matter of immediate concern, Leia,' he said. 'This fleet is made up of beings who, by and large, do not trust each other. We need someone in command who all will trust, or at least tolerate.'

'That one I may be able to solve,' Leia said, rekeying her comlink. 'Lando?'

'Yes, Leia?'

'Lando, at the request of President Gavrisom, I'd like you to accept immediate reinstatement into the New Republic military,' she said. 'We need you to take command of this defense force.' There was a short pause. 'You are kidding,' he said.

'Not at all, General,' Gavrisom assured him. 'As a hero of Taanab and Endor, you are precisely the one we need.'

There was a faintly audible sigh. 'I'd argue if I thought it would do any good,' Lando said reluctantly. 'All right, I'll do it. It would have been nice if you could have given me a bigger fleet to work with, though.'

'Hey, no problem, buddy,' Han's voice broke in. 'It's all taken care of. Take a look behind you.' Leia stared at the bridge's aft-view display, feeling her mouth falling open. Rising rapidly from the surface of Bothawui were over a hundred ships, everything from Z-95 Headhunters to Skipray Blastboats to even a few small capital warships. And more were still rising through the atmosphere.