For some time after PROXY was gone, and even as he threw himself into the complicated issue of slaving the ship to his commands, Starkiller wondered at the droid's parting words. They had been stated with great significance, but he didn't think they were intended as an attack on his own motives. PROXY wasn't trying to imply that he was suicidal-he hoped. And he hoped his motives weren't remotely bent that way. The plan wasn't half as crazy as others he had been party to. It was just the voice of Ni-Ke-Vanz again, adding to his uncertainty.

Insanity. Psychosis. Suicidal tendencies.

But for that, he told himself, crashing a frigate from orbit into a planetary shield generator might seem a perfectly sane thing to do.

The image of the Rodian commodore had long flickered out for good. Starkiller assumed Kota had passed on the decision, and the disposition of the fleet bore that out. Starfighters converged on the Salvation, offering covering fire while he was distracted with realigning the ion engines and turbolasers. The frigate's shields bore the brunt of everything coming his way, and that situation was certain to worsen when the Star Destroyers' commanders realized what his intentions were.

Slowly, the damaged frigate came about. All seven ion engines flared to full thrust. Every forward turbolaser and cannon fired continuously at the planetary shield below. Starkiller adjusted the Salvation's trim so it was aimed directly at the shield generator. A chron began to count down in the main display, estimating how much time remained before impact.

There would actually be two impacts, Starkiller reflected as the frigate picked up speed. First, against the shield; second, against the surface of the planer itself. There was no way to tell how far apart they would be spaced. It would depend on how successfully the shield managed to keep the Salvation at bay. Not long, he estimated, but even a second could significantly reduce its momentum, to the point, perhaps, where the frigate didn't so much ram the generator as simply fall on it.

That would still be enough. He was sure of that much. Nothing was designed to withstand an impact like that.

Not even him.

The planet grew large ahead of him. The Imperials gradually figured out what the frigate accelerating toward them was intending to do. Energy weapons and TIE fighters came in wave after wave, attempting to destroy the Salvation before it got anywhere near impacting the shield. The Rebels literally threw themselves between him and the Imperials, taking hits for him in an attempt to ensure the success of his last-ditch gambit. A Star Destroyer rumbled by, too slowly to physically intercept the falling frigate. He wondered who had issued the order to attempt a ram-Darth Vader or the ships commander. Probably the former. If anyone could guess who was at the controls of the Salvation, it would be him.

And Darth Vader, of all people, would know what Starkiller was capable of. On Raxus Prime, he had changed the course of a Star Destroyer using nothing but the Force.

" What is mass?" Kota had asked him. "Concentrate on what's important. "

Kamino loomed large ahead. Already he felt the faint fringes of atmosphere.

Starkiller clung tightly to the edge of the main display and held an image of Juno's face steady in his mind.

Chapter 17