PROLOGUE
PART ONE
PART TWO
“What are you doing here?” Sherlock asked, staring at his arch-nemesis standing on his doorstep.
“I knew you’d ask that. You really are very predictable, Sherlock,” Moriarty said. “In any case, I’m here with a warning: they are coming.” With that, he turned on his heel and left.
Sherlock bounded down the stairs after him. “Wait! Who’s coming?”
“The people we defeated in that sham of tournament, the Empire. Cerberus just got word to me that one of their main bases are under attack. They suspect the Empire is searching for their missing planet-killing space station. Once they realize that neither Cerberus or the Rebel Alliance have it, Earth will certainly be their next target. They may be on their way here already.”
They were out on the street now, where a black towncar was waiting at the curb. Moriarty opened the door and climbed in.
“Are you coming, or not?” he asked the detective.
“Where are we going?”
“We need to get out of the city. This will be one of the first places they attack. I have a base in the country, with a few surprises for them.”
Over the running engine of the car and the noise of the street traffic, Sherlock heard a high-pitched roar.
“It’s too late,” he said. “They’re here.”
“There’s something wrong, sir,” Owen said from the weapons console in Foxfire Station’s control room. “All weapons systems have gone offline, and I’ve been locked out of the computer control systems. Our shields our down as well.”
“The same thing has happened to our propulsion systems,” Preston Vogel, Owen’s counterpart at Cyberbiotics, announced. “We’re completely powerless. The enemy fleet broadcast a pulse transmission a few moments ago, which probably triggered the lock-out protocol.”
Xanatos and Goliath stood beside Halcyon Renard on the command deck. They had watched the Imperial fleet enter the Solar System, and had fire on the lead ship the first chance they got. Goliath had urged them to broadcast a warning and ask the fleet to surrender, but Xanatos didn’t want to give up the element of surprise.
“What about our communications?” Xanatos asked.
“Still operational. All other systems appear unaffected,” Owen said.
“Renard, how many of the fighters were you able to equiped with your automated control package?”
The elderly man looked frail in his powered chair, but his mind was still sharp as a razor. He realized at once where Xanatos’s plan was going. “We have over two hundred fighters at our disposal. We can launch them all within fifteen minutes.”
“Get started. We can’t be completely defenseless when those ships arrive. Owen, Preston, find out how they locked us out of our systems and fix it. I trust you’ll be able to perform some kind of magic. After all, our home planet may depend on it.”
“And what to we do?” Golaith asked.
“We find out exactly who we’re dealing with over there,” Xanatos said, gesturing at the communications console. “And try to buy ourselves some time.”
The invasion was preceding as planned. Six Star Destroyers had already peeled off from the fleet and were entering Earth’s atmosphere, disgorging scores of TIE fighters as soon as they crossed the thermal boundary. They were each bound for one of Earth’s major cities, Vader couldn’t recall all their names. Four more Star Destroyers remained in orbit around Earth, prepared to fire on the planet’s surface from space, in case the humans needed a demonstration of the Empire’s capabilities.
The remaining eight Star Destroyers, including Chimaera, were headed for the Death Star. Without weapons or shield, the station could be boarded easily. Once on board, Vader would restore control of the Death Star and have his revenge on the Earthlings. It would be a great shame if Thrawn’s forces were still on the planet when that happened, but so be it. In the confusion and shock following the planet’s destruction, Thrawn’s command deck would be in disarray. Even the ysalamiri would be unable to protect Thrawn from the weapons officer Vader had met with earlier. A simple Force suggestion, and the officer would be compelled to draw his blaster and gun the admiral down, even at the cost of his own life. All too easy.
Thrawn stood on the command deck of the Chimaera as the squadron approached the station. His communications officer spoke up from the pit. “Sir, we’re receiving a transmission from the station.”
Thrawn’s mouth drew into a predatory grin. “I assume they’ve called to surrender?”
“Er, not exactly,” the comm officer said. “They say they’ve been able to restore power to their main weapon, and our demanding that we surrender to them. They also appear to be launching fighters. Two hundred so far.”
“Impossible,” Vader said. “They could never have broken the encryption.”
“Of course they’re bluffing. We’d detect the power spike if they weren’t. They just want our attention,” Thrawn said. “Put them through.”
The bearded man that Vader knew as Xanatos appeared on the command deck, in holographic form.
“Greetings. I come in peace!” the Earthling said. “Well, not entirely. I’m sure you don’t come in peace, either. David Xanatos. To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?”
“I am Grand Admiral Thrawn of the Imperial Navy,” the Chiss said calmly. “You have something that belongs to us.”
“Bought and paid for,” Xanatos said. “Would you like to see the receipts?”
“Nevertheless,” Thrawn said. “We’re taking it back.”
“You’re welcome to try. We have over two thousand fighters on board, ready to launch at my command.”
“Launch them. I have fighters of my own.”
“I was hoping that we could avoid any unnecessary loss of life. Obviously we could slug it out with our fighters, but I doubt you’re willing to risk damaging the station. We can’t fire on your ships directly, but our fighters won’t let you through. It appears we’re at an impasse. I believe I might have a solution.”
Thrawn appeared to consider the Earthling’s words. “You make a valid point. though your fighters are little threat to me, I’d rather not see them wasted. What to you have in mind?”
Xanatos stepped out of view and the holoprojector refocused to allow for a much larger creature to be displayed.
“I am Goliath. I am given to understand that you once encountered members of my race.”
“Yes, a long time ago on a planet far, far away,” Thrawn said. “I killed the last of them with my bare hands.”
“A mistake you will regret. I challenge to you to a Trial of Vindication. You and I shall face each other in single combat.”
Vader knew little about Thrawn’s society - in fact, no one knew very much about his race - but he knew that they took matters of honor very personally. That they would engage in duels to settle matters of honor did not surprise him. In fact, Vader respected it.
“We are not on Csilla, and you are not Chiss,” Thrawn said. “The Rules of Vindication do not apply.”
“You committed an atrocity against my people. You seek to destroy my home. You are in the wrong, and by the Words of Chiss and the honor of your House, you must be called to account.”
Thrawn seemed to be taken aback. He clearly had not expected Goliath to challenge him with the sacred words of Chiss culture. “Very well. I accept your challenge for single combat. I believe I have the right to choose the weapon?”
“That is your right… if you are afraid to face me unarmed.”
“I’m not afraid, I’m just not a moron. I choose swords.”
“As you wish. If you can defeat me, you will be absolved of you crimes and free to do what you wish. If you are defeated, you must agree to leave this planet alone, and never return.”
Vader could not believe that Thrawn would agree to such terms, knowing the gargoyle’s straight and speed, but he did.
Detective Elisa Maza rushed into the clock tower above the 23rd Precinct. It was just after sunset, and the clan had just awoken from their stone slumber. Brooklyn, Lexington, and Broadway had already gathered around the television to play video games, while Hudson had settled into his armchair with Bronx at his feet.
“Turn on the news!” she shouted. “Where’s Goliath?”
“He went with Xanatos to that infernal artificial moon,” Hudson said. “What’s going on?”
“The military says that there are some kind of spaceships entering the atmosphere. They say we’re being invaded by aliens!”
“Sure,” Lexington said. “And they’re riding on flying pigs.”
Hudson stroked his beard. “Golaith mentioned something about an evil Empire that might someday return to take revenge for the defeat they handed them on that planet. Could this be them?”
A high-pitched roar filled the tower. Elisa and the gargoyles rushed outside to see the sky had filled with square-winged ships. Further above, they saw an enormous white wedge descending through the clouds.
“I’d say that’s a safe bet, Hudson,” Elisa said grimly. “Boys, it’s going to be a rough night.”
TO BE CONTINUED
