“And hope that my assessment of General Yiv is correct.”
“Right,” Ar’alani said. “Let’s really hope that.”
“They’re calling us,” Che’ri announced. “That light, right there.”
“I see it,” Thalias said, her head pounding with a tension that had nothing to do with the extra weight of the hard-crust makeup once again creating the hostage-marking ridges and shallow plateaus across her face. With both the Nikardun and the Vaks here, the entire Primea system was enemy territory.
And she and Che’ri were all alone in the middle of it.
She looked at the girl, leaning forward a little over the fighter’s control board, her eyes narrowed with concentration. At least half of her expression was covered by the same makeup that Thalias was wearing, but there didn’t seem to be any tension there. Was she feeling any of the qualms Thalias was? “You’re awfully calm,” she said.
“Aren’t I supposed to be?” Che’ri asked, throwing a puzzled look at Thalias. “It’s all under control, right?”
“Well…sure, I suppose so,” Thalias said. “I just…”
“You trust him, don’t you?” Che’ri pressed.
“Yes, I guess so.”
“Because we’ve both seen him do some amazing stuff,” Che’ri went on, still frowning. “Getting that shield generator, getting you off Primea, battles and other stuff. You’ve seen all that, too, right?”
“Right,” Thalias said. “Only this time…”
“There’s no difference, really,” Che’ri said. “It’s all under control.”
“Of course there’s a difference.” Thalias said. “All the other times, Thrawn was here with us. If something went wrong, he could adapt or come up with a new plan.” She waved a hand around the cramped command deck. “Here…Che’ri, we’re on our own.”
“But he gave us our instructions,” Che’ri said. “We know what we’re supposed to do.”
“I know that,” Thalias said. “I’m just saying it’s not the same.”
“Oh,” Che’ri said, the part of her face that Thalias could see suddenly clearing. “It’s not that you don’t trust Thrawn. You don’t trust yourself.”
“Of course not,” Thalias said, hearing the edge of bitterness in her voice. She’d been aware of that nebulous feeling ever since Thrawn first proposed this plan. But up to now she’d never dared to even think those words. Now, with them out in the open, she felt a sudden weight of fear and doubt and inadequacy. “Why should I? What have I ever done to make him—to make anyone—think I could be trusted with something this big?”
“Well, you’re here,” Che’ri said. “That must mean he trusts you.”
“I asked for a reason.”
“We don’t always get reasons,” Che’ri said earnestly. “Whatever he sees in you, it was all he needed. He trusts you.” She paused. “So do I, if that helps any.”
Thalias took a deep breath, gazing at Che’ri’s eyes. The enhanced maturity she’d seen in the girl back aboard the Vigilant was still there, and for a moment Thalias noted the irony of a nine-year-old comforting an adult. “You know, when I was your age I remember being terrified of my future,” she said. “It was all so big and unknown, and I had no idea what my place in it would be.”
“I used to feel that way, too,” Che’ri said. “Not so much anymore.”
“Which all by itself is crazy,” Thalias said. “The future you’re facing—for that matter, the future you and I are facing just today—is way less secure than anything I could have dreamed of.”
“You just said it,” Che’ri said. “Dreams. I never knew what to dream. I mean, I was just a sky-walker. I didn’t know if there was anything else I could ever do.”
She gestured at the control board in front of her. “But then Thrawn taught me how to fly. In just a couple of weeks he taught me how to fly.” She smiled, her whole face beaming with happiness and accomplishment. “If I can do that, I can do anything. Do you get it now?”
“Yes,” Thalias said. “And I’m happy for you.” She took another deep breath, willing the tension away. An accomplished warrior like Thrawn; an accomplished pilot like Che’ri. With them trusting her, how could this go wrong? “You said the Vaks had hailed us. Do we need to send a message back?”
“Whenever you’re ready,” Che’ri said, pointing to the mic. “Got your speech ready?”
“I’ve got Thrawn’s speech ready,” Thalias said, forcing a small smile. “Good enough?”
“Good enough.” Che’ri touched a switch. “You’re on.”
Thalias braced herself. This was it. “Greetings to the people of Primea,” she called in Minnisiat. “I am Thalias, companion to Senior Captain Thrawn of the Chiss Ascendancy. In his escape from your world some time ago, he inadvertently took this fighter craft with him. It has been repaired, and my pilot and I are here to return it.”
“You have stolen from the Vak Combine,” a harsh voice came in the same language. “What makes you think you won’t be punished for your crime?”
“I would beg the Combine to accept my visit and the spacecraft’s return as a gesture of goodwill,” Thalias said. “I’m certain that I can explain from Thrawn’s thought line the reasons behind his actions.”
There was a pause. “There is never a valid reason for theft,” the Vak said. But to Thalias’s ears he sounded a little uncertain.
Exactly as Thrawn had predicted he would be. “I would again beg your indulgence,” she said. “I bring a written explanation and an overture of peace and reconciliation from the senior captain. Will you permit me to land and bring it to your military leader?”
Another pause. “You may land,” the Vak said. “I’ve activated a navigational beacon to guide you.”
“Che’ri?” Thalias murmured.
The girl nodded. “Got it. Shifting course now.”
“Thank you,” Thalias said. “I will bring the document with me. I was ordered to place it directly into the hand of your military leader. I beg you to permit me to fulfill my duty.”
“Land first,” the Vak said. “Once we’ve examined the craft and assessed any damage, we shall see about your document.”
“Thank you,” Thalias said. “We shall look forward to seeing you soon.”
There was a click as the Vak closed off the transmission. “So far, so good,” Thalias said, trying to sound casual.
“It’ll work,” Che’ri assured her as the fighter angled down toward the lights of a city far below. “Thrawn’s got this. We’ve got this.”
Thalias nodded. She still wasn’t sure about herself, but she was confident in Thrawn’s skills.
Because, really, when had he ever been wrong?
MEMORIES XII
It was a high honor, Ar’alani had been assured, when an alien government invited a Chiss military officer to travel to their world. The fact that Security Chief Frangelic had specifically said the Ruleri would be present had added an even deeper layer to the honor.
And so, as she and Thrawn left their shuttle and walked to the cluster of waiting Garwians, she tried very hard not to be overwhelmed by the mix of a hundred strange odors swirling around her like a morning fog. It was thick enough, and intense enough, that she nearly turned around and headed back to the shuttle and the olfactory security of the Destrama.