Timothy Zahn - Outbound Flight

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 interested 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?”

“In Sy Bisti, if you please, Admiral,” Thrawn reminded her.

“This is not an interspecies conversation circle,”

Ar’alani countered tartly, ignoring the request. “What exactly have you promised these aliens?”

“They’re merchants and traders,” Thrawn reminded her, his own voice going a little stiff. “I’ve offered them some of the items as compensation for their weeks of service.”

“What service?” Ar’alani demanded, shifting her glare to Car’das and Maris and then to Qennto. “You’ve provided them with food and living quarters, taught them Cheunh—and for this they deserve compensation?”

“We’re also teaching the commander our language,”

Maris offered.

“You will not speak to an admiral of the Chiss unless first spoken to,” Ar’alani told her brusquely.

Maris reddened. “My apologies.”

“There’s plenty here for both our visitors and the Ascendancy,” Thrawn said. “If you’ll come this way, there are some details of the engine room I’d like to show you.” He took a step toward the door.

“A moment,” Ar’alani said, her eves back on Qennto and the shield he was still defiantly gripping. “Who will decide which items your humans will be permitted to take?”