Outbound Flight Read online

  "Not as of when Anakin and I left," Obi-Wan said. "I haven't heard anything since then, either. Why?"

  "It just bothers me somehow," Windu said. "We have a human help to launch a missile, which is then stopped in the nick of time by another human. Coincidence?"

  Obi-Wan felt his eyebrows creeping up his forehead. "Are you suggesting C'baoth might have set the whole thing up himself?"

  "No, of course not," Windu said. But he didn't sound en­tirely certain. "Only a Jedi who'd turned to the dark side would be capable of such cold-blooded manipulation. I can't believe he'd do that, not even for something he believes in this strongly."

  "On the other hand, we suspect there may be a Sith out there somewhere," Obi-Wan pointed out. "Maybe . . . no. No, I can't believe it, either."

  "Still, we can't afford to take chances," Windu said. "That's why I asked you here tonight. I want you and Anakin to find C'baoth and ask to go along with him. Not all the way to the next galaxy," he hastened to add as Obi-Wan felt his jaw drop. "Just through the Unknown Regions part of the exploration."

  "That could take months," Obi-Wan protested. "I have work to do on Sulorine."

  "Sometimes a Jedi's most important duty is to stand and wait," Windu countered mildly. "I presume you've mentioned that to Anakin on occasion?"

  Obi-Wan grimaced. "Not more than twice a day," he con­ceded. "Did you have any suggestions on how to convince C'baoth to turn around when we reach the edge of the galaxy and take us back?"

  "That would be an interesting conversation to sit in on," Windu said drily. "But no, my thought was to put a Delta-Twelve Skysprite aboard one of the Dreadnaughts for you. It's a bigger, two-seat version of the Delta-Seven Aethersprite you've been training on, only with the weapons packs stripped off. Kuat Systems is hoping to put them on the civilian market sometime in the next few months."

  "No internal hyperdrive, I take it?"

  Windu shook his head. "It uses the same TransGalMeg hyper­drive ring as the Aethersprite."

  "I don't know," Obi-Wan said doubtfully, running the num­bers in his head. "We're talking an awful lot of distance for something that size. Especially with two people aboard."

  "It would be tight, but doable," Windu assured him. "Espe­cially since both you and Anakin can use Jedi hibernation to stretch out the supplies of air and food."

  Obi-Wan spread his hands. "If that's what the Council wishes, Anakin and I stand ready to obey. If C'baoth will have us, that is."

  "Just find a way aboard," Windu said, his eyes darkening. "However you have to do it."

  10

  What is your profession?" Thrawn asked in Cheunh.

  "I am a merchant trader," Car'das said carefully in the same language, forcing the odd sounds through unwilling tongue and lips.

  Thrawn lifted his eyebrows politely. "You are a fishing boat?" he asked, switching to Basic.

  Car'das looked at Maris. "That's what you said," she con­firmed, an amused smile on her face.

  He lifted his hand slightly, let it fall back into his lap. "I am a merchant trader," he said, giving up and switching over to the Minnisiat trade language.

  "Ah," Thrawn said in the same language. "You're a merchant trader?"

  "Yes." Car'das shook his head. "I really said I was a fishing boat?"

  "Pohskapforian; Pohskapforian," Thrawn pronounced. "Can you hear the difference?"

  Car'das nodded. He could hear the difference between the aspirated and unaspirated p sounds in the second syllable, all right. He just couldn't make the difference with his own mouth. "And I practiced that all evening, too," he grumbled.

  "I warned you Cheunh would most likely be beyond your physical capabilities," Thrawn reminded him. "Still, your increase in comprehension level has been quite amazing, especially after only five weeks. And your progress with Minnisiat over the same period has been nothing less than remarkable. I'm impressed." His glowing eyes shifted to Maris. "With both of you," he added.

  "Thank you, Commander," Car'das said. "To have im­pressed you is high praise indeed."

  "Now you flatter me," Thrawn warned with a smile. "Is that the correct word? Flatter?"

  "The word is correct," Car'das confirmed. Whatever progress he and Maris might have made with their studies, Thrawn's own work on Basic had far surpassed them, a feat ren­dered all the more remarkable given how much less time he'd had to devote to language studies. "But I would argue with the usage," he added. "Flattery implies exaggeration or even false­hood. My statement was the truth."

  Thrawn inclined his head. "Then I accept the tribute as given." He turned to Maris. "And now, Ferasi, I'm ready with your special request."

  Car'das frowned. "Special request?"

  "Ferasi asked me to create a description of one of the art­works aboard the Vagaari pirate vessel," Thrawn told him.

  Car'das looked at her. "Oh?"

  "I wanted some extra practice with abstract terms and adjec­tives," she said, meeting his eyes coolly.

  "Okay, sure," Car'das said hastily. "I was just wondering."

  She held his gaze a fraction of a second longer, then turned back to Thrawn. "May I ask which piece you've chosen?"

  "Certainly not," he admonished her with a smile. "You'll have to deduce that from my description."

  "Oh," she said, sounding momentarily nonplussed. She glanced at Car'das, then set her jaw firmly. "All right. I'm ready."

  Thrawn's eyes seemed to defocus as he gazed across the room. "The changing of colors is like a rainbow's edge melding into a sunlit waterfall . . ."

  Car'das listened to the melodious flow of Cheunh words, struggling to keep up as he studied Maris out of the corner of his eye. She was struggling a little, too, he could see, her lips occa­sionally moving as she worked through some of the more com­plex terms. But behind the concentration he thought he could sec something else in her eyes as she looked at Thrawn.

  Only it wasn't the kind of look a language student should be giving her teacher. It most certainly wasn't a look a captive should be giving her captor.

  An unpleasant sensation began to drift into his gut. She couldn't actually be falling for Thrawn, could she? Surely she wouldn't let herself be drawn in by his intelligence and courtesy and sophistication.

  Because she wasn't just Qennto's partner and copilot, after all. And while Car'das had never seen Qennto in a fit of jealousy, he was pretty sure he didn't want to.

  . . with a deep sense of disconnection and strife between the artist and his people."

  "Beautiful," Maris murmured, her eyes shining even more as she gazed at Thrawn. "That was the flat with the carved edging, wasn't it? The landscape with the darkness growing upward from the lower corner?"

  "Correct," Thrawn confirmed. He looked at Car'das. "Were you also able to identify it?"

  "I—no," Car'das admitted. "I was mostly concentrating on understanding the words."

  "One can concentrate so closely on the words of a sentence that one thereby misses the meaning," Thrawn pointed out. "As can happen in any area of life. You must never lose focus on the larger landscape." He looked over at a series of lights on the wall above the door and stood up. "Today's lesson is over. I must see to my guest."

  "Guest?" Maris asked as she and Car'das also stood up.

  "An admiral of the Chiss Defense Fleet is on her way to take possession of the Vagaari vessel," Thrawn said as they all headed to the door. "Nothing you need concern yourselves with."

  "May we observe the welcoming ceremony with you?" Car'das asked. "This time we should be able to understand what's being said."

  "I believe that will be permissible," Thrawn said. "Admiral Ar'alani will certainly have heard of your presence from Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano and will want to see you for herself."

  "Are they both from the same family?" Maris asked.

  Thrawn shook his head. "Senior officers of the Defense Fleet belong to no family," he said. "They're stripped of family name and privilege and made part of the Defense Hierarchy in o
rder that they may serve all Chiss without deference or prejudice."

  "So military command is merit-based, and not something that comes from Family connections?" Maris asked.

  "Exactly," Thrawn confirmed. "Officers are taken into the Hierarchy once they've proven themselves, just as the Ruling Families themselves select merit adoptives."

  "What are merit adoptives?" Car'das asked.

  "Chiss brought in from outside a Family's bloodlines to en­rich or diversify or invigorate," Thrawn told him. "All warriors are made merit adoptives when they're accepted into either the Defense Fleet or the Expansionary Fleet." He tapped the bur­gundy patch on his shoulder. "That's why every warrior wears the color of one of the Families."

  "Which one is yours?" Maris asked.

  "The Eighth," Thrawn said. "My position is actually differ­ent from that of most warriors, as I've been named a Trial-born of the family. Most warriors' positions automatically cease when they leave the military, but mine carries the possibility that I will be deemed worthy and matched permanently to the Family. I may even be granted the position of ranking distant, which will tie my descendants and bloodline into that of the Family."

  "Sounds complicated," Car'das commented.

  "Sounds smart," Maris countered. "The Republic could use a lot more of that, instead of always going with straight blood­lines, or the highest bidder."

  "Mm," Car'das said noncommittally. This was not the time to get into a discussion about Republic politics. "And you said there are nine of these Ruling Families?"

  "There are nine at present," Thrawn said. "The number fluctuates with events and political fortunes. At various times over the centuries there have been as many as twelve and as few as three."

  They reached the welcoming chamber to find it had already been configured for the new arrival. The wall and ceiling hang­ings were totally different from those featured for Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano's arrival, and to Car'das's eye the arrangement seemed less elaborate. Perhaps even a senior military officer didn't rank as highly as a distant relative of one of the Ruling Families.

  "The ceremony will be considerably shorter and less formal than the last one you witnessed," Thrawn said as he gestured them into positions flanking him but two paces back. "You should be able to follow." He seemed to consider, then favored them with a small smile. "The admiral's appearance may surprise you a bit, as well," he added. "I'll look forward to hearing your thoughts later."

  He turned toward the door and nodded to one of the war­riors. With a melodious chiming that reminded Car'das of a water carillon, the door slid open and four black-clad Chiss war­riors came through, taking up flanking positions on either side. Wondering what Thrawn had meant by their guest's appearance, Car'das straightened into his best approximation of military at­tention as a tall female Chiss stepped into view.

  Only instead of the normal black uniform, she was dressed from collar to boots in dazzling white.

  Car'das blinked in surprise as she strode past her escort into the welcoming chamber. Every Chiss warrior he'd seen up to now had invariably worn black, except for the clearly family-based guards who had accompanied Chaf'orm'bintrano. Was it because she was connected to the Defense Fleet instead of the Expansionary Fleet?

  The admiral stepped to the center of the room and stopped. "In the name of all who serve the Chiss, I greet you, Admiral Ar'alani," Thrawn intoned, taking a step toward her.

  "I accept your greeting, and greet you in return, Comman­der Mitth'raw'nuruodo," the admiral responded. Her words were to Thrawn, but Car'das could tell that her eyes were on the two humans standing behind him. "Do you guarantee my safety, and the safety of my crew?"

  "I guarantee your safety with my life and the lives of those of my command," Thrawn said, bowing his head low. "Enter in peace, and with trust."

  Ar'alani bowed in return. "Who are these who stand behind you?" she asked, her tone subtly changed.

  And with that, apparently, the ceremony was over. "Visitors from a distant world," Thrawn told her, half turning to ges­ture them forward. "Car'das and Ferasi, may I present Admiral Ar'alani."

  "We are honored, Admiral," Car'das said in Cheunh, trying to duplicate the bow he'd just seen Thrawn make.

  Ar'alani seemed to draw back. "Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano didn't tell me they spoke Cheunh," she said, an unpleasant edge to her tone.

  "Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano didn't know," Thrawn coun­tered politely. "He spent little time here, and showed no interest in learning about my guests."

  Ar'alani's eyes flicked to him, came back to Car'das. "The re­port said there were three of them."

  "The third is otherwise occupied," Thrawn said. "I can sum­mon him if you wish."

  Ar'alani lifted her eyebrows. "He is allowed to roam freely through an installation of the Chiss Expansionary Fleet?"

  Thrawn shook his head. "All three are under constant sur­veillance."

  "You are studying them, then?"

  "Of course," Thrawn said, as if that was obvious.

  Car'das suppressed a grimace. He'd known from the start that this was one of Thrawn's reasons for keeping him and the others around. But it was nevertheless a little discomfiting to hear it stated aloud.

  "And what have you learned?" Ar'alani asked.

  "A great deal," Thrawn assured her. "But this is neither the time nor the place to discuss it."

  Ar'alani's eyes flicked to Thrawn's warriors, still standing at attention against the welcoming chamber walls. "Agreed," she said.

  "I presume you'll wish to tour the captured vessel before you take it in tow," Thrawn went on. "I have a shuttle waiting."

  "Good," Ar'alani said, reaching to her belt and touching the smoothly curved shape of a Chiss comlink fastened there. "Let me summon my passenger, and we'll go."

  Thrawn's eves narrowed, and for the first time Car'das sensed a flicker of surprise in his face. "No passengers were men­tioned."

  "His presence is not officially sanctioned by the Defense Fleet," Ar'alani said. "I brought him here as a favor to the Eighth Ruling Family." Behind her, a young Chiss male stepped into view, his short robe and tall boots composed of a patchwork pat­tern of gray and burgundy, a slight smile on his face.

  Thrawn stiffened. "Thrass!" he breathed. He stepped toward the other as he entered the chamber, meeting him halfway. Reaching out his right hand, he grasped the other's right arm at the elbow as the other gripped his in return. "Welcome," he said, smiling. "This is a surprise indeed."

  "An achievement I have rarely achieved," the other said, in­clining his head. He was still smiling, but Car'das could see hints of tension lines around his eyes as his gaze shifted over Thrawn's shoulder.

  Thrawn obviously noticed the shift. "My guests," he said, re­leasing the other's arm and gesturing at the humans. "Car'das and Ferasi, K'rell'n traders from the Galactic Republic."

  "Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano's description didn't do them justice," Thrass commented, looking them up and down. "Par­ticularly the clothing."

  "Their regular shipments of style-design from Csilla must have been delayed," Thrawn said drily. "Car'das and Ferasi: this is Syndic i'Vlitth'ras'safis of the Eighth Ruling Family." He smiled a little wider. "My brother."

  "Your brother?" Maris breathed.

  "And they speak Cheunh?" Mitth'ras'safis said, his tone darkening a little.

  "After a fashion," Thrawn said. "Admiral Ar'alani and I were on our way to visit the captured pirate vessel. Would you care to accompany us?"

  "That's the main reason I'm here," Mitth'ras'safis said.

  "The main reason?" Thrawn asked.

  The other's lip twitched. "There are others."

  "I see," Thrawn said. "But we'll speak of them later. If you'll come this way, Admiral?"

  For the most part, the trip around the side of the asteroid was made in silence. Thrawn occasionally mentioned something technical in the pirate ship's design as they approached, but nei­ther the admiral nor Mitth'ras'safis seemed interest
ed enough to respond with anything more than grunted monosyllabic com­ments or an occasional question. The admiral's escort, as befit proper warriors, said nothing at all.

  Once or twice along the way Car'das noticed Mitth'ras'safis frowning at him and Maris, as if wondering why Thrawn had brought non-Chiss along for the ride. But he never asked for an explanation, and Thrawn never offered one.

  The alien bodies had long since been removed from the ship, but there were many other details and deductions that Thrawn was able to point out as the group passed down the corridors, everything from the probable physical characteristics of no fewer than three different species of Vagaari slaves all the way to the equipment their masters had probably permitted them to use.

  Car'das hadn't heard any of this analysis, and listened in fas­cination to the commander's monologue. Again, Ar'alani and Mitth'ras'safis absorbed the information in silence.

  Until, that is, they reached the treasure room.

  "Ah—there you are," Qennto’s deep voice boomed from one of the back corners, waving with one hand as he clutched what looked like an ancient decorated battle shield with the other.

  "What's this alien doing here?" Ar'alani demanded.

  "He's helping catalog the items for me," Thrawn replied. "Some of the systems plundered by the Vagaari are in Republic territory, and he has some knowledge of their origin and value."

  "What did he say?" Qennto called, looking at Maris.

  She looked questioningly at Thrawn. "In Sy Bisti, if you please," the commander said, switching to that language. "We don't want to leave the admiral and syndic out of the conversa­tion."

  "Yes, Commander." She turned back to Qennto and trans­lated Thrawn's last comment.

  "Oh, I'm helping catalog, all right," Qennto said, eyeing the newcomers suspiciously. "I'm also picking out the items I'll be taking home with me."

  "What items are these?" Ar'alani asked in Cheunh, her glow­ing eyes narrowing. "Commander?"