X-Wing Wraith Squadron by Aaron Allston

Author:Aaron Allston [Allston, Aaron]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: 7 ABY
Amazon: B00513E5GG
Publisher: Bantam Books
Published: 1998-02-02T03:00:00+00:00

blast charred what it hit but did not penetrate; it merely illuminated the

attacker.

It was a floating mass of machinery. The main portion was a roughly

spherical body, the top and bottom hemispheres divided by a narrowed

equator that Wedge knew allowed the two portions to swivel independently.

A half-dozen articulated limbs trailed below it. The designation A3 was

painted on the upper hemisphere. The spherical portion was studded with

sensor ports and blaster nozzles. The top hemisphere rotated, bringing one

of those blaster nozzles in line) almost instantly.

Wedge ducked behind the console support as the thing fired. The blaster

shot hit the console, burning through it, showering Wedge with sparks.

Imperial probe droid. Wedge came up in a half crouch, running behind this

console and the one adjacent. Beyond it he could see Kell's foot. The big man was not moving.

Wedge grabbed Kell's leg and hauled him behind the console. The probe

droid fired again, the shot melting into slag the metal deck where Kell had

just been lying.

Tyria ducked behind one of the carts loaded with TIE fighter viewports.

She fired at the oncoming droid, hitting it once, twice beside the characters

A2 painted on the upper hemisphere. Surface armor charred a little but the

thing was not slowed.

It fired a return shot. It hit the TIE fighter viewport Tyria hid behind.

The viewport instantly opaqued and the laser blast did not penetrate; the

transparisteel slowly began to fade to glasslike clarity.

She breathed a sign of relief. These viewports had already gone through

their phototropic shielding treatment. They'd stop anything short of the blast from a tripod-mounted laser cannon.

The probe droid sideslipped to get around the impedi - ment of the

viewport. A blast fired by Phanan hit one of its sensor eyes, shattering it,

but the droid returned fire almost instantly; Tyria saw Phanan duck back

behind the doorway to the op center.

"We're under assault," Wedge said. "A probe droid, military model. Our hand blasters aren't going to do it much harm."

Kell's eyes opened. "I know that."

"I'm talking to Jesmin," Wedge said. "They're under attack by another one."

"Shouldn't we be keeping comm silence?"

"If the probots are active, the locals know we're here, Tainer."

"I can kill ours." Kell lifted his head and groaned. "But I'd like a nap first."

"No time for a nap. You're going to use explosives?"

"Of course."

"How do you plan to plant them?"

Kell grinned. "I was sort of hoping you'd lead the droid around so I could

get a good approach on it."

"Great."

When the droid glided around the side of Tyria's cart, she broke the other

way, running straight toward one of the repulsorlift carts. Phanan fired a

steady stream of blasts to cover her movement; the droid returned fire,

superheating the op center's metal doorjamb to a dripping, golden, glowing

mass.

Tyria jumped into the driver's seat and fired up the engine. Immediately the

cart rose a meter into the air. It held a load of large windows, her only

protection. She threw the cart into reverse and backed straight at the droid.

It fired at her, the blasts stopping against her transparisteel cargo.

Then the cart hit the probot, the great mass of vehicle and cargo pushing it

backward.

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