"Full scan." I ordered as soon as we dropped out of hyperspace in the Merokla system. There was a single planet and a very big and heavy asteroid belt.
It was the kind of asteroid belt you could see in the Hoth system, not the much more common belt with tens of thousands of kilometers between them.
Everyone was on their posts and ready, the Jedi standing to the right of my pillar. I could have simply have let the Jedi handle this entire thing...but honestly, I didn't trust them not to fuck it up. It was my people that were on the line so I'm making sure it is done right.
There was a moment before Jack spoke up "There is a strong energy signature on the equator of the planet. No ships on the scope."
I nodded "Miss Tel'te, set a course. Put us into geostationary orbit above the base."
She nodded and the ship started to move as I brought up the planet data in front of me. Inhabitable...barely. It was as if somebody took Tatooine and put it in an orbit like Hoth's. It was an ice desert.
Dry and very cold.
"Are you sure we should not try to remain hidden in the asteroid belt for now?" Qui-Gon asked with a small frown.
Dooku shook his head and spoke up before I had time to answer "They already know we are here. We dropped out to close to the planet."
I shrugged my wings "The asteroid belt is relatively close to the planet's orbit. If we dropped out at a safe distance outside the belt, instead of inside, it would have taken too long...and if we were discovered anyway we would have been unable to intercept any ships leaving. Better to be seen than let them escape."
The transmitter hidden in a bar of Aurodium worked as advertised. Now we just needed to hope that this was their main base and that the bossman was here. If not, well, it's a place to start looking.
"Transmission from the planet, Captain." Jack said after another couple of moments.
I nodded "Very well." and pressed a couple of buttons on my pillar to put it through.
A hologram formed in front of my pillar and I raised my head feathers happily "Mr. Krayt. Exactly the person I was looking for."
The crime boss with the short hair and the cybernetic eye frowned "You are Atreus." he finally said.
I simply nodded and tightened around my pillar "Correct. How did you like your payment, Mr. Krayt?"
He scowled and motioned for somebody off-screen "You put a tracer in it." he said.
"I did indeed. That's the problem with the illegal business, wouldn't you say? You never know who you can trust."
Krayt simply shook his head "You should not have done this, Captain. If you check your sensors, you will see that my base is heavily shielded. I have three cruisers within three days of here. You have a converted frigate, there is no way for you to punch through the shield before they arrive. Leave now and I might forget this...for a price."
"I think not." I said "Surrender now and I will simply take you prisoner....or you can fight and die. You threatened my flock. You do not get away with that. As you said...nothing personal. Just business."
He just laughed and shook his head, cutting the connection.
Swan sighed from the navigator's station next to Tel'te. Technically her seat was in front of my pillar, but she felt more useful actually having something to work on when on the bridge.
"Well, he got something right...from these energy readings we could bombard that shield of his all week and we wouldn't break it. We would need a small fleet." She said as she leaned back in her seat.
I ignored her 'I told you so' look and turned my head to the Jedi "Would you happen to have a fleet in range? Preferably to arrive before the cruisers do?"
Dooku shook his head "No. Closest reinforcement is four days away. Besides, our mission is to capture this Krayt, not destroy his base from orbit. Our best chance is for my padawan and I to take our fighters and land outside the perimeter before infiltrating the base."
"Skipper, they are launching fighters. I have ten targets." Jack said as he interrupted the Jedi.
I nodded and pressed a button on my pillar as a plan started to spread its wings in my mind "Drones, take flight. Search and destroy. Turrets are weapons-free, Commander." I ordered before I turned to the two Jedi "No."
Dooku stared at me for a moment "Excuse me, Captain...what do you mean with no?"
"No. As in you are not landing. I'm taking down that base from orbit. If you only capture Krayt, his closest underling will simply take control of his organization. I need to take out that entire base...and preferably those cruisers as well."
He looked up at me "Captain, we had a deal. You would help us find his criminal and we help you be rid of his hold over you."
I nodded "Yes...I have altered the deal. That shield changes things." I explained before I turned to my second in command "Commander, take the helm. Miss Tel'te, I want you and Miss Mara in the shuttles, ready to launch as soon as the skies are ours."
Swan moved to switch place with my Twi'lek pilot who stood up and walked up to me "What do you have planned, captain? The shuttles are not armed." she asked.
I purred softly as I squeezed my pillar "Sometimes, Miss Tel'te, the situation calls for a scalpel and a gentle touch. And sometimes it requires a really heavy hammer."
She left the bridge with a small frown and I turned to look at the Jedi "If you wish to make yourself useful, you can take control of the turrets. From the consoles over there." I said, motioning towards the weapons controls.
"Are you sure I can not convince you to allow us to try to capture him before you try something foolish?" Dooku asked in annoyance.
I shook my head, turning my attention to the tactical map as I brought it up "If he surrenders or tries to escape, feel free." I said as I watched the flock of drones meet up with the blimps that indicated the enemy fighters.
Let's see how they handle proper military-grade fighters instead of a freighter.