And just to add spice to the whole thing, all three of the entry routes were being patrolled by small warships of a completely different design.
“So you think this is the system the refugee ships came from,” she said, looking up at Thrawn again. “You further think they’re under blockade by these other ships.”
“Less a blockade than an interdiction,” Thrawn said. “You can see the patrol ships’ configuration is mainly designed to control access to the main planet. The asteroid stations aren’t as heavily guarded and are therefore more accessible.”
“But they are still guarded,” Wutroow pointed out. “And I’m only counting three good paths in and out of the system.”
“Only if you want the planet,” Thrawn said. “If you want the asteroid station I’ve indicated, there are several other workable vectors.”
“At least until the blockaders get a few more ships,” Ar’alani said.
“Indeed,” Thrawn agreed. “It therefore seems to me that if we want to do this, we have to do it soon.”
“How long did you sit out on the edge observing them?” Ar’alani asked.
“Only three days,” Samakro said.
“A full three days,” Thrawn corrected. “Long enough for me to analyze their patrol pattern and learn how to penetrate it.”
“Again, unless they’ve gotten more ships in the past fifteen hours,” Ar’alani said.
Thrawn’s lip twitched. “Yes.”
For a few moments, the conference room was quiet. Ar’alani gazed at her questis, pretending to study it, weighing the options. For anyone else, she knew, three days wouldn’t be nearly enough to analyze an alien patrol pattern, let alone figure out a way through it.
But for Thrawn, three days probably really was enough, Samakro’s doubts notwithstanding. Ar’alani couldn’t have come up with a plan herself this quickly, but she could see that Thrawn’s had a good chance of working.
On the other hand, this was hardly going to be a sleepwalk. Thrawn’s proposed course should get them in well ahead of any pursuit from the handful of patrol ships watching the outer system, but if the blockade’s commander detached some of his closer-in planetary forces he might catch the two Chiss ships in a pincer. “What about exit strategy?” she asked. “We’ll need one immediately, and you’ll need one eventually.”
“There we have two interesting options,” Thrawn said. As if, Ar’alani thought wryly, this whole thing didn’t come under the heading of interesting. “The typical box system is bounded for the most part by external flux patterns interacting with solar wind. These two points”—he tapped his questis—“mark the outer system’s two gas giant planets.”
Ar’alani smiled tightly as she saw it. “Planets which carve out small holes in the solar wind as they travel along their orbits.”
“Holes you can pop in and out of without confusing your hyperdrive or your sky-walker,” Wutroow said. “Huh. Hard to hit from the outside, though, unless you’ve got really good planetary data.”
“But not as difficult going from the inside,” Ar’alani said, “since you know right where the planets and the gaps are.” She looked at Thrawn with sudden realization. “That’s how the refugee ships got out past the patrols, isn’t it?”
“That’s my assumption,” Thrawn said.
“And now, of course, we’ve also got the planetary data we need,” Wutroow added. “So we go in through Shadow Number One and exit through Shadow Number Two?”
“Exactly,” Thrawn said. “And the Springhawk can subsequently leave through either. They’re close enough together for your purposes, but far enough apart that the blockaders won’t be able to sufficiently guard both, if they even wish to do so.”
“Unless, as we all keep saying, they’ve found more ships,” Wutroow pointed out.
Thrawn nodded. “Yes.”
“Okay, I’m confused,” Wutroow said, frowning at her questis. “You don’t blockade a place unless you want to take it over. I’m sure it’s a great place to live, but why would anyone else want it?”
“Box systems have some advantages,” Samakro said. “As we’ve already noted, they’re easy to defend and don’t get much random traffic passing through. As such, they’re ideal as supply depots, staging areas, and maintenance facilities.”
“But easy to defend also means easy to bottle up,” Wutroow pointed out.
“Our unknown opponents do display a certain degree of arrogance,” Thrawn said. “Something we’ll be able to use against them when the time comes.” He looked at Ar’alani. “If the time comes,” he amended. “Admiral?”
Ar’alani pursed her lips. It was a gamble. But then, so was all warfare. “All right, let’s do it,” she said. “Pick your spot, and we’ll rendezvous there.” She lifted a finger. “Two things first. Before we head out I want your sky-walker and her caregiver moved to the Vigilant. You’re going into danger, and I want them safe. You can do a jump-by-jump to get out and then rendezvous with us to get them back.”
“I agree that Sky-walker Che’ri should join you,” Thrawn said. “But I’ll need Thalias to remain with me.”
Ar’alani frowned. “Why?”
“The alien clothing and the positioning of the bodies suggests the males hold their females in high esteem,” Thrawn explained. “If I have a female with me—”
“A moment, Senior Captain?” Wutroow put in, frowning. “What do you mean, from their clothing and body positions?”
Thrawn shook his head. “I wish I could explain it, Senior Captain,” he said. “I can see it. I can understand it. But I can’t really put it into words. The point is that if I have a woman with me, I believe any guards we encounter will be less likely to attack before listening to our explanations.”
“I thought you said the mining stations were deserted.”
“I believe they were,” Thrawn said. “But as Admiral Ar’alani pointed out, it’s been fifteen hours since our last observation. It’s mostly a precaution.”
“And you really think a woman can talk them down?” Wutroow persisted. “How?”
“Let’s skip the how for a moment and focus on the who,” Ar’alani said. She could sympathize with Wutroow—she’d certainly had her share of trust-me moments with Thrawn—but she also knew there was a point at which he simply couldn’t put his analysis into words. “Thalias is a civilian, which limits what you can order her to do.”
“I believe she’ll be willing to volunteer.”
“That’s not the point,” Ar’alani said. “If you want a woman to accompany you, there are plenty of female officers to choose from.”
Thrawn shook his head. “I need the Springhawk to be at full combat capability in case something goes wrong. That means every officer and warrior at their posts.”
Ar’alani shifted her attention to Samakro. “Mid Captain?” she invited.
“Unfortunately, Senior Captain Thrawn is correct,” Samakro said reluctantly. “We’re not exactly shorthanded, but we have more than our fair share of inexperienced personnel aboard. If Thalias is willing, she’s probably the one who should go.”
Ar’alani looked back at Thrawn. “You really think you can prove this is where the refugees came from if you get aboard that station? Even if there are no people or bodies or anything else aboard?”
“Absolutely,” Thrawn said. “There’ll be designs and patterns that will quickly settle the question.”
At which point…what? Ar’alani had no idea what Ba’kif’s plans were once Thrawn located the origin of the destroyed ship.