Lorana looked out at the hyperspace sky. "Somehow, I don't think so."
Ma'Ning shook his head heavily. "No. Neither do I."
It had been a long and tiring day, but the last group of droid starfighters had finally been unloaded and deployed across the asteroid's uneven landscape. Now, his growling stomach reminding Doriana of the lateness of the hour, he made his way to theDarkvenge 's Supreme Officers' dining room to get something to eat.
Kav was already there, seated alone at one of the corner tables, his expression daring anyone to interrupt him. Doriana took the hint and directed the serving droid to one of the tables on the opposite side of the room. The vicelord had been in a thunderous mood all day, which was almost funny in a species as cowardly as the Neimoidians. But no one else aboard had dared to laugh, and Doriana wasn't going to try it, either. Even cowards could be pushed too far.
He was halfway through his dinner when Kav suddenly stood up and made his way across the room. "This Mitthrawdo," he said without preamble as he sat down across from Doriana. "You think him a genius, do you?"
"I consider him a highly effective military commander and tactician," Doriana said, eyeing the other. Where wasthis suddenly coming from? "His abilities at art or philosophy I can't vouch for."
"Amusing," Kav growled. "But he is not even a good tactician. He is, instead, a fool." Pulling a datapad from inside his robes, he dropped it on the table in front of Doriana. "See the reprogramming he has ordered for my starfighters."
Doriana glanced at the datapad's display, covered with droid-language symbolics. "I don't read tech," he said. "How about giving it to me in plain Basic?"
Kav snorted contemptuously. "He has programmed the starfighters for close-approach attacks."
Doriana frowned back at the datapad. "How close?"
"I believe the term ishull skimming," Kav said, tapping the display "The chief programmer informs me the attack is set for no more than five meters above the hull."
Doriana rubbed his cheek thoughtfully. Tactically, it made good sense to cut in that close to an enemy's ships. It put the attacker inside the defender's point-defense weaponry, as well as permitting the kind of targeting accuracy that made for efficient destruction of vulnerable equipment and hull-plate connection lines.
The catch, of course, was that it was enormously difficult to get inside those point defenses in the first place. "I don't suppose anyone thought to mention to him that Dreadnaughts come with a very good point-defense system?"
"The programmers did not think it their place to speak out of turn."
"And neither did you?"
"I?" Kav feigned innocence. "You, of all people, should know better than to question the orders of a military genius."
Doriana took a deep breath. "Vicelord, I strongly suggest you remember our ultimate objective here. We've been sent to destroy Outbound Flight. Without Mitth'raw'nuruodo's aid, we have no chance of doing that."
"Yet a being of his genius is certainly capable of grasping technical readouts," Kav said blandly. "Perhaps his plan is to throw our starfighters against Outbound Flight in an awesome display of disintegrating metal that will frighten Captain Pakmillu into submission."
Doriana let his gaze harden, utterly disgusted by this pathetic excuse of a military commander. "So in the end all you care about is your pride," he said. "You don't even care if Darth Sidious executes us both as long as you can find some small point where you can feel superior to Mitth'raw'nuruodo."
"Calm yourself," Kav said, resettling himself comfortably in his chair. "There is no reason why my pride and my victory cannot coexist."
"Explain."
"I have not told Mitthrawdo of the flaw in his plan," the vicelord said with spiteful satisfaction. "But Ihave instructed the chief programmer to create a secondary attack pattern for the starfighters, which has been overlaid across Mitthrawdo's primary pattern. Once he has wasted the first wave in his foolish close-approach attack, I will take command and switch to a more effective line of attack."
Doriana thought it over. Thatwould probably work, he decided. "It still loses us a full attack wave," he reminded Kav. "Not to mention the element of surprise."
"What surprise?" Kav scoffed. "As soon as they see theDarkvenge they will know to prepare for droid starfighters."
Doriana pressed his fingertips together. Surely even a Neimoidian vicelord couldn't bethis dense. "I don't suppose it's occurred to you that Mitth'raw'nuruodo might have off-loaded the starfighters precisely because he doesn't intend to let Captain Pakmillu see theDarkvenge?" he suggested. "That, in fact, he doesn't intend for theDarkvenge to participate in the battle at all?"
Apparently, ithadn't occurred to Kav. "That is ridiculous," he protested, his eves widening. "No military commander would refuse to bring a battleship of our might into his fleet."
"Except maybe a commander who's already seen how easily they can be destroyed?" Doriana couldn't resist asking.
Kav's whole body stiffened. "I perceive that you have come under Mitthrawdo's spell, Commander," he said evenly. "But do not be swayed by his learned manner and cultured voice. He is still a primitive savage. . and no matter what the outcome, in the end he will have to die."
Doriana sighed. Unfortunately, he had already reached that same conclusion. Mitth'raw'nuruodo had come into contact with Car'das and his shipmates, and he might easily touch the edge of the Republic again. Until all the witnesses to Darth Sidious's betrayal of Outbound Flight had been silenced, the mission would not be complete. "Regardless, for the moment we still need him alive," he said. "How have you arranged for us to reach this second programming level?"
"I will have a relay control," Kav said. "Once Mitthrawdo's failure is apparent, I will bring the starfighters back under my control, and will complete our mission." He cocked his head. "Unless you have further objections?"
Doriana shook his head. "Though we'll have to make sure we're on his bridge when the battle begins."
"I leave that to you," Kav said. "He is a fool in other areas, as well. Did you know he has taken twenty of my starfighters and linked them together by twos with a spare fuel tank between them?"
"What good does that do?" Doriana asked, frowning. "Those starfighters run on solid-fuel slugs."
"I imagine he was inspired by Outbound Flight's design,"