Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II by Sean Williams

hoped.
    “Undo another button. Loosen the collar. Roll up the sleeves, too, and mess the hair more. “
    “Are you sure this is an improvement, Captain Eclipse?” the droid asked her.
    “As sure as I can be, PROXY. Let’s keep our fingers crossed. “
    There was no guard at the briefing room entrance. Ackbar and Juno slipped to the back of the room as PROXY strode to the podium at the front. Pilots slouched in their seats and didn’t rise to attention when their commander entered. Although she had left the Empire more than a year ago, Juno’s blood still boiled. These guys were giving pilots everywhere a bad name.
    No one looked twice at PROXY’S modified disguise. His preamble was brief. “Forget the flight schedules you already have, ” he said. “I’m giving you a new assignment-practicing honor rolls over the city. All of you. “
    There were groans from pilots who had only just come off an active shift. “Is this something to do with the shuttle that arrived last night?” asked one.
    “That is classified, ” said PROXY without missing a beat. “I want you in the air in five standard minutes. Dismissed. “
    The pilots complained and griped but slowly began to move. Some even managed a semblance of urgency. Five minutes would have been a very quick turnaround even for a well-practiced flight wing. Juno wouldn’t have put a credit on this lot making ten, maybe not even fifteen.
    Still, time was tight for the conspirators to get to where they needed to be next.
    “Good work, PROXY, ” Ackbar told him when the room was clear. “Now back to the rendezvous point. “
    They retraced their steps through the secure compound, past the still-unnoticed checkpoint and into the city proper, where PROXY returned to his normal appearance. No alarms sounded; no shouts rang out. Everything appeared to he going according to plan, so far.
    The five Quarren were waiting for them in the shadowy lower levels, rehydrating themselves in the rippling water. They communicated by hand signals that the charges were laid and the triggers set exactly as required.
    So far, thought Juno, so good.
    “Bail and Tels should’ve been here by now, ” she said, checking her chrono and counting off the minutes. The TIE fighters of the 181st would be in the air soon, even by her most conservative estimate. “Search for them in the city’s security grid, PROXY. Maybe they’ve been picked up somewhere…”
    “No need, ” called the Senator himself from the top of the ramp. He jogged down to meet them with Tels in his wake, pushing their prisoner ahead of them. “Sorry to hold you up. Our friend here moves more slowly than we planned for. “
    “What is the meaning of this?” blustered the real Evir Derricote, commander of the 181st fighter wing. He looked even scruffier than PROXY had portrayed him, although perhaps that was a result of his capture. “You’ll never get away with it!”
    “Take those binders off him, ” said Ackbar when the commander was before him. “We have a message for the Emperor. Get off Dac, and stay away from the Mon Calamari system, or…”
    Something moved in the shadows. Ackbar reached for his blaster, and so did Juno. The Quarren huddled in closer to one another.
    “Who’s there?” called Organa. “Come out!”
    “I think they’ve said enough,” called a voice. “Take them. “
    “It’s a trap!” gasped Ackbar.
    Two dozen stormtroopers stepped into the light, weapons trained on the knot of conspirators they encircled. At their head stood a tall, thin man in the uniform of a senior officer in the Imperial administration. So senior, in fact, that she had never seen the insignia in person before. He had a nose like a knife-blade and eyes to match, and his cruel mouth was practically lipless.
    It was clear that Ackbar knew him. He instantly raised his blaster to shoot at him, but a well-rimed blaster-bolt from one of the troopers knocked the weapon from his hand.
    “There’s no point