Timothy Zahn: Hero of Cartao 2. Hero's Rise

He took the chair beside Roshton, holding up the holoprojector so that both of them could see and hear. Without waiting for an invitation, Tories moved over to the seat on Roshton's other side. Doriana flashed him a look, but said nothing.

"...with ten fully loaded LAAT/i gunships at your disposal," General Tiis was saying as Tories sat down.

"That's only four hundred troops," Roshton pointed out doubtfully. "Not going to do much good against three C-9979s' worth of droids and AATs unless you can knock out their control ship."

"Thank you for the suggestion," Tiis said dryly. "We had in mind to do just that. The gunships will be dropped in five minutes; ETA your position in thirty. We'll commence our own attack on the control ship in fifteen." The image vanished. "How's that going to work with the Cranscoc timing?" Doriana asked.

Binalie shrugged as he consulted his chrono. "Sunset's in about ten minutes. By the time the gunships arrive, it'll be nearly full dark."

"So we have a chance of getting the Separatists out before they can retool," Doriana concluded. "Excellent. What's the plan from this end, Commander?"

"Basically, to engage the enemy," Roshton said, pulling out his comlink.

"Between the incoming gunships and my own clone troopers, we should be able to cause a fair amount of chaos out there. With luck, that may distract the Neimoidians long enough for us to get in through the tunnel and retake the plant."

"You can't do that," Binalie objected.

"We'll be as careful as we can," Roshton said.

"That's not what I meant," Binalie said. "That Neimoidian commander- Ashel-said they'd sealed their end of the tunnel."

"Sealed it so well that a Jedi with a lightsaber can't get in?" Roshton shook his head. "I doubt that very much."

"You'll still be risking damage to Spaarti," Doriana pointed out. "Why not wait until the control ship has been destroyed? The Neimoidians certainly won't put up a fight once their army's out of commission."

"Two reasons," Roshton said. "One, because I wouldn't put it past Separatists to start wrecking things as soon as they know they've lost. And two-" he grimaced. "I should be out there with my men, not skulking around down here. The sooner I can get into action, the better."

"That's a pretty poor basis for tactical decisions," Doriana warned. "And Lord Binalie is right: we don't want any fighting inside the plant."

"Tell that to the Neimoidians," Roshton said shortly. "As of nineteen minutes from now, that'll be their decision, not mine."

"Just a minute," Tories said slowly as Roshton lifted his comlink, bits and pieces of an idea starting to swirl around in his mind. A strange, dangerous idea, but one that might work for all that. "What if we could get all the droids to come outside to fight?" "And how do you persuade them to do that?"

Binalie growled. "Neimoidians are cowards-they wouldn't just send their guards marching away. Especially not with a possible tunnel attack to guard against."

"Unless they thought the tunnel was secure," Tories pointed out. "And thought the factory perimeter wasn't." Binalie blinked. "You've lost me."

"Of course," Roshton said, sitting up straighter. "Like I said, they know a Jedi can probably break through the tunnel. They also know, from bitter experience, what it's like to face one in battle."

"So what are you suggesting?" Doriana asked, frowning. "That we put Master Tories outside with your clone troopers?"

"Exactly," Roshton said. "Leading a charge against, say, the plant's east door. They'd have no choice but to throw everything they have at us." Doriana snorted gently. "Sounds suicidal."

"Not for a Jedi," Binalie said, his voice and sense suddenly tense with cautious hope as he saw a chance of getting his factory back intact. "You could do it, Master Tories. I know you could."

"Please?" Corf added, gazing pleadingly at Tories. "Just a moment,"

Doriana put in. "I'm not at all sure I can authorize an action like this. An attack of any sort will put the plant at serious risk."

"It's that, or the plant stays in Separatist hands," Roshton pointed out.

"Who's side are you on here, anyway?"

"Don't be insulting," Doriana said coldly. "You want to keep the enemy busy while the Whipsaw tries to take out the control ship, go right ahead. But keep away from Spaarti."

"Trust us, Master Doriana," Roshton said. "Or rather, trust in the Jedi."

Doriana grimaced. "Well, when you put it that way... all right." Roshton looked at Tories. "Master Tories?"

"Let's see first if I can get through the droids upstairs," Tories said, getting to his feet.

"Let's see if we can get through them," Roshton corrected, standing up to join him. "Like I said, I need to be with my men." "You're both insane,"

Doriana declared. "But if everyone else is going, I might as well, too."

Roshton shook his head. "Sorry. No offense, but I don't want any bureaucrats getting in the way."

"None taken," Doriana assured him. "But as the Supreme Chancellor's representative here, I not only have the right to come with you, but I'm more or less required to do so." Roshton grimaced. "Fine-have it your own way. Then if we're ready...?" Corf took a breath - "No," Tories said firmly before the boy could speak. "You and your father are staying right here." "But-"

"Corf," Binalie said warningly.

The boy subsided. "Right," Roshton said, clicking on his comlink. "Let's get this off the launch pad."

Doriana never did learn how many droids the Neimoidians had left inside the Binalie mansion. All he knew was that there were eight of them between the three humans and the outside door. Tories dealt with all eight swiftly, efficiently, and amazingly quietly.

There were a few others on patrol outside, strutting around in the gathering dusk as if they owned the place. The Jedi dealt with those, too.

It was over five kilometers to the staging area Roshton and his lieutenant had settled on during their brief comlink communication.

Fortunately, two of the clone troopers had managed to sneak a small landspeeder through the droid patrols and were waiting for them at the eastern edge of the Binalie estate. A short ride, with frequent zigzags and occasional pauses under cover, and they were there.

The clone trooper lieutenant was waiting when the landspeeder pulled up, standing quietly in the concealment of a group of trees perhaps a kilometer from the blank walls of the Spaarti plant. "Welcome, Commander," he greeted Roshton as the newcomers stepped up to him. "Glad you could make it."

"So am I," Roshton said. "Situation?"

"I've pulled together two hundred troops," the lieutenant said, gesturing around him. Doriana looked around, but wherever the troops were hiding, they were doing a good job of it. "The rest are still in the city, dodging the droids' house-to-house search," the lieutenant continued. "At last report the gunships were still approaching from the south; they should reach missile range in approximately five minutes, and laser-cannon range two minutes after that. Their first salvo will be our troops' signal to attack."

"What about the control ship?" Roshton asked.

The lieutenant nodded his helmet slightly upwards. 'That attack seems to have already begun."

Doriana looked up. It was difficult to tell through the light clouds drifting across the sky, but he thought he could see faint flickers of laser fire. "Any idea how it's going?" he asked.

"General Tiis hasn't taken the time to keep us up to date," the lieutenant said, a bit dryly.

"That's all right," Roshton said. "If and when he destroys it, it should be easy to figure out. What's the local enemy status?"

"The Number Two C-9979 is approximately three kilometers to our south," the lieutenant said. "Most of their troops have been deployed to the spaceport and eastern Foulahn City, but there are at least three AATs and probably two hundred battle droids standing by on guard duty."