CHAPTER 43
The Analyst
Chimaera – 2 BBY
Convincing Assistant Director Ronan to allow Eli access to the report Director Krennic had provided them had proven far more difficult than Nerah imagined. She had forgotten that to much of the Empire, his transfer to the Ascendancy was unknown, and it was assumed that he was actually dead…which in turn meant that if he was alive, he was a deserter. Nerah hated deserters almost as much as she hated terrorists, but she had done her best to convince Ronan of Eli's innocence.
It had gone about just as well as she should've expected, spending most of that time basically talking at him while Faro tried to pull the man away to speak to Thrawn. Once the Grand Admiral spent enough time wearing him down, Ronan finally agreed to allow Eli to analyze the data for the pattern they needed.
With…one condition.
She could almost feel Ronan's breathing against the back of her neck as she sat beside Eli at Faro's desk, the middle-aged man standing with a suspicious expression while Eli stared at the data. Nerah could see Eli's eyes twitch periodically as he keyed the board, scrolling down the line of virtually meaningless clusters of numbers in her eyes. Even so, despite the inactivity, she could see him zeroing in on…something.
It had already been an hour, and Nerah hadn't allowed boredom to dominate her. She could watch Eli do this forever, the anticipation of his great discovery spurring her forward just to see the great reveal…and the hope that maybe, just maybe, Ronan would get tired of watching and finally leave the two of them alone.
Turns out, Ronan's suspicion far outweighed his boredom.
"Have you found anything?" Ronan asked, crossing his arms tightly.
Eli took a moment to finish whatever thought he was processing, and then nodded. "I've got a lead I'm following, but I'll need more time to confirm it."
Nerah smiled to herself. She knew it.
Ronan shifted, his cape flapping slightly as he started to look obviously antsy. At first she thought it was just his suspicion…but then she remembered how he reacted during the grysk attack, and wondered if he was just pissing his pants.
She imagined both could be true simultaneously.
Eli tapped another key, and then pointed at the screen. "There. You see it?"
Ronan leaned in, then frowned. "See what?"
"The shipments," Eli said, zooming in on the line of numbers. "I've cross referenced the cargos with the convoys that were attacked, and I think there's a pattern."
"How? They were all attacked at different areas in different sectors across the transfer points. Every lane has been affected. Did you simply delete some to make your theory more sound?" he accused.
"Well that's just it, sir," Eli explained. "Most of the attacks are meaningless and unsuccessful, as these reports show. No more than a fighter or two straying into a trade route, sometimes a smuggler freighter. I've also noticed that some of these reports are curiously vague, suggesting mostly nonsense in the explanation, but denoting the shipment as attacked to make the route appear compromised like the others."
Nerah cocked her head. "You think…someone is funneling the shipments to a place where they can effectively steal them?"
"Maybe," Eli nodded, giving her an approving smile, to which she blushed slightly. "This effort is too coordinated to just be a massive coincidence. The probabilities don't add up."
Ronan cursed through his teeth. "B-but…that's impossible! No one has access to the shipping routes other than Director Krennic himself! Not even I am allowed to see them all!"
Eli considered that as he looked at the numbers again, then frowned. "That…does mess with the numbers a bit. Are you sure he's the only one?"
"Of course!" Ronan said, sure of himself. "The regional governors only know the routes that pass through their territory, but not even how many governors are a part of the operation."
"So they're secluded…" Eli pondered. "Then…maybe…"
Eli didn't have his answer ready, but Nerah was already thinking. All this naval jargon made little to no sense to her, but after Eli had simplified it, her training started to set in. Thrawn had also taught her to piece things together, and just because she couldn't connect a bunch of numbers on a screen didn't mean she couldn't decipher the details and implications.
This smelled like the same cloak and dagger tricks that Admiral Vorchenko had pulled on her for the past decade. Throwing small fighters just to scare off shipments from supply lines, not at all with the intention of destruction…but merely taking advantage of the growing and incurable disease that was Imperial incompetence. All it took was for one of those regional governors to declare a route compromised, and the Admiral could check another off the list, grinding their options down to virtually nothing…and Nerah imagined that these governors losing the trust of Director Krennic was out of the question in their minds. Even now, they could be hiding the fact that they'd lost multiple shipments to real and serious pirate attacks to merely keep those ships coming through their territory.
All the while, continuously perpetuating the illusion of a completely compromised system of transfer unintentionally…and Admiral Vorchenko wouldn't have to raise a finger. Only, Eli didn't know the full extent of the Admiral's capabilities, and likely wouldn't be able to come to that conclusion. Nevertheless, her theory had one, fatal flaw: how has she been able to even know about these routes in the first place? If Krennic was the only one who had access…
Nerah felt her eyes widen.
Fulcrum.
They had known everything before…what was to stop them from gaining access to this information too? Then again…how did the grysks become involved?
Before she was able to begin to unload her theory, however, the door slid open, and Thrawn stepped through. "Any progress?" he asked, seemingly just as Eli was about to open his mouth as well.
"Yes sir," Eli nodded. "We were discussing possible theories, and I think I have one."
Once Thrawn was caught up on their discussion, his hands clasping behind his back, he inclined his head. "So these attacks are merely scare tactics," Thrawn noted.
"We think so," Eli said, and then pressed two keys that abruptly funneled the data into color coded groups, bringing an impressed smile to Nerah's face that she quickly hid. "They funnel the routes to force them to consolidate, then hit them exactly where they are most vulnerable. What's interesting is the cargo, however. They seem to prefer Venisium-313, as they are present in nearly all of the stolen shuttles."
Nerah glanced up at Thrawn, to which he looked back and prompted her to continue. "Venisium-313 is a compound required to keep one of the rebel super soldiers alive. It is exceedingly rare and hard to manufacture and come across. We thought we had stopped their supply when we rooted out a rebel spy on Lothal, but it appears they have other means of acquiring the substance."
"Just a minute!" Ronan interrupted, glowering at her. "You're not seriously suggesting the rebels have infiltrated Stardust! I can understand pirates perhaps stumbling upon a lucky information leak more than that conclusion. The Project is the most secure there is within the Empire. No one could quietly pull this off."
"No one, except…" Thrawn let the sentence hang, still looking at Nerah. She almost sighed…of course he'd noticed she'd already figured something out.
"Admiral Reyna Vorchenko," Nerah said.
Eli's eyes widened. "You mean…you think she's still alive?"
"Ridiculous!" Ronan exclaimed. "Now we're resorting to ghost stories?!"
"It is hardly a ghost story, Assistant Director," Thrawn said calmly. "I have been tasked by the Emperor himself to track down Admiral Vorchenko. Had it not been for this assignment, I would still currently be doing so."
Nerah watched Ronan's breath catch in his mouth before he was able to retort, and finally it seemed like the man could tell that Thrawn wasn't lying. Were the upper echelons of the Empire truly unaware that the woman still lived?
"But it appears that Grand Moff Tarkin's initial assumption may in fact have merit. If Admiral Vorchenko has managed to discover the shipping routes away from the Stardust project, its entire security could be at risk," Thrawn continued. "It only makes our mission that much more imperative."
"There's more," Eli jumped in, drawing all attention back to the screen. "After crossing Governor Pryce's sector off the list as part of the conspiracy, I believe I can narrow the true compromised routes."
He tapped away at the keys, and Nerah watched the galaxy map appear, showing a jumbled display of disgusting intersecting lines that slowly began to fade away. Once the map adjusted to Eli's findings, they were left with seven distinct lines…ending in only two systems.
One of them was the red giant system they had sent High Agent Gideon to.
She was so happy for Eli, she felt she could kiss him even more than she already wanted to. "Admiral…" she gasped, forced to once again stifle her smile.
"I see it," Thrawn said, turning to Ronan for confirmation. The human was just staring, his mouth slowly opening wider and wider as it all set in.
"Who..." he growled. "Who is doing this?!"
"That, we must discover," Thrawn said. "Excellent work, Lieutenant Vanto. Now, I have another assignment in mind for you…the three of you."
Nerah felt her stomach churn with disgust.
"Excuse me?" Ronan narrowed his eyes. "I was directed to keep watch over this operation. I cannot do that if I'm gone!"
"The reason for you to go is extremely important," Thrawn said. "If this is in fact a conspiracy, then you must be a direct witness of that proof, otherwise Director Krennic will never take my word to heart."
Ronan seemed to catch his meaning, but it still didn't make Nerah feel any better. She needed to be here with Thrawn, watching his back…but then again…he said three. Was he seriously implying…
"Lieutenant Vanto will join you to confirm any new data, while Commander Nerah will serve as your escort and protection," Thrawn explained.
"To go where?" Ronan asked.
"The other world, of course. High Agent Gideon is already investigating one of our suspect worlds. We must investigate the other to attain our proof."
Nerah's joy at the prospect of running off alone with Eli instantly evaporated. Ronan already didn't like either of them and Thrawn was willing to risk that fact all on this theory. It was a pretty good one, and have a very good chance at being true…but…
She cursed to herself. She wasn't thinking about the mission, only thinking about her disappointment…and that was unacceptable. Thrawn had given her a mandate, and she'd best follow it. Maybe she'd get to sneak a few words in with Eli regardless.
Who looked just as repulsed as she.
"Fine," Ronan agreed, biting it out.
"Excellent. I will have a shuttle prepared in the next half hour. In the meantime, Lieutenant Vanto, I would like you to meet me on the command walkway in five minutes. Commander Nerah, I must speak to you privately immediately," Thrawn ordered, prompting Nerah to rise at attention to her feet.
"Yes sir."
She considered at least giving Eli a brush of her hand against his shoulder…but Ronan was still watching her, so she pulled away. "I'll…see you…Lieutenant," she said.
He inclined his head. "Right on time, Commander."
Nerah smiled…then ducked her head to avoid eye contact with Ronan, before heading down the hallway to Thrawn's office, where he had the door locked behind her.
"You will speak Cheunh for this exchange," Thrawn commanded, already speaking the said language.
"Um…yes sir, as you say," she replied, furrowing her brow in confusion. "Is there…something going on?"
"Indeed there is, Commander," he stopped by one of the sculptures he had on display, stroking his chin with his hand. "I understand your rather strong feelings you have in regard to your sister," he said, meeting her with a sideways glance.
Nerah winced. So now was the time for him to scold her about her outburst at Ar'alani. She'd known it was coming…dreaded it as much so. "I send my apologies to the Admiral for my behavior," she said.
Thrawn didn't answer immediately, turning back towards the sculpture. "You are right to keep your guard up, nonetheless," he said. "Vigan'ara has shown tendencies to be…extremely unpredictable, which makes her inherently dangerous, despite her many uses. Ar'alani has a rather strong attachment to the woman, which can make her…irrational. Even so, I was forced to grant her one request…one that could very well spell the end of my career within the Empire…perhaps even my life."
Nerah stifled a gasp. What could Ar'alani have asked him to render that level of risk? Why would Thrawn even accept it in the first place?
"Sir…" she stopped herself. They were speaking Cheunh, the door was locked…and right now it seemed like Thrawn needed a voice more true to herself. "Thrawn…I know Ar'alani has been your companion for many years…but what risk is too much?"
Thrawn turned to her. "Against the grysks, I believe all risks must be considered and taken," he paced. "There are some things in this galaxy that are truly and inherently evil, and it is our duty to not only defeat them, but utterly destroy them. There are not many in this galaxy that understand that simple truth, which means we cannot be…intolerant of our allies."
Nerah frowned, now dreading this answer far more than the scolding she anticipated. "Thrawn…what did she ask you to do?"
It wasn't much of a pause, but it felt like an eternity.
"Nara will be aboard the Chimaera, assuming the alias of Irizi'ar'astov, or 'Ziara', as we will call her."
Nerah's throat turned to ice. Nara…would be here…aboard the Chimaera? But…that was treason…Thrawn would be committing treason.
Now it all made sense. That's why he was sending Ronan away…because he needed to make sure no one not loyal to him would report that he had allowed a terrorist aboard his ship. He was putting his very life on the line, all to placate a request from Ar'alani? The woman who had looked down upon her as far too soft to ever be of use…the woman who had chosen her sister and subjected Nerah to unimaginable pain and agony at her father's hand.
The woman who was about to get Thrawn killed.
To hell with Ronan. To hell with Wraith. To hell with Suduri. In one stroke, she had outdone them all, taking advantage of Thrawn's own respect for her just to make sure her student was the one who landed the killing blow against the grysk threat.
How…how dare she?! I should kill her where she stands! I should—
A hand was on her shoulder, a hand that adopted the same tenderness she felt when Thrawn had come to meet her next to that operating table…the hand that had wiped her rushing tears away as her unbearable pain continued to mount. It remained there, drawing her eyes to it, before looking up at Thrawn once again.
"Your concern is unwarranted, as is your hatred," Thrawn said, letting his hand drift back behind his back.
"But…what if it goes wrong? You can't ask me to leave you here once they find out!" she pleaded.
"I'm asking you to trust me," Thrawn said evenly. "They will not, I assure you…and your sister is not the monster you imagine her to be. She grows weary of being apart from you, and she is still adamantly loyal to the Ascendancy."
Nerah frowned. "But you said—"
"I said she was dangerous. I did not say towards us."
She swallowed, her heart beating at a slower pace. She remembered the last time she saw Nara before she entered that room…the kiss her sister had pressed against her forehead, the concern in her eyes…the worry…the love.
No matter how much she tried to hide it, Nerah still loved her sister…but that didn't mean she should forgive her so easily.
"Do you understand what must be done?" Thrawn asked.
There was no other answer…and perhaps…perhaps this terrible risk could reconciliate her greatest regret.
"I do."
Nara swore she could see her breath whisp up like vapor as she shivered, standing beside Vah'nya and Ar'alani on the Chimaera's command walkway as they waited for Thrawn to finally arrive. It had been bittersweet to find that Ar'alani had kept her old dress reds from before, and had the chance to wear them once again now…but had quickly rediscovered that her body had become acclimated to much more insulation. Without her armor, she was cursed to freeze until that acclimation finally wore off.
"Are you alright?" Vah'nya asked in Cheunh, which silently reminded her that she wasn't allowed to speak Basic, even if every Imperial officer around her was convincing her brain otherwise. So far, it seemed Thrawn's theory about them not knowing her face was holding out…and while Nara had done her best to keep that the truth on her own time, she wasn't entirely sure.
"Yeah…just…cold," Nara said in the same language, stifling a teeth chatter. "I don't spend a lot of time on ships anymore."
"I see," Vah'nya said. "I usually try to keep moving to keep myself warm, but of course, that's not much of an option here."
The old 'you have to keep moving' advice was about as old as Csilla's most ancient icebergs, and it had served her well when she walked the surface of that freezing planet. Now, she just wanted a damn blanket…or a really warm hug.
She just about froze back over again when Thrawn finally did appear.
"Have they been briefed?" Ar'alani asked in Cheunh, just as the Grand Admiral reached their position, flanked by Eli Vanto…and her sister, Nerah. Her hot breath seemed to turn red against the crimson glow of the woman's eyes as she kept their deadly gaze fixed upon her…a gaze that once radiated calm warmth and security within her heart.
All she wanted to do was tell her how sorry she was…but she couldn't. There was too much at stake, and by now, she had to follow Ar'alani's lead if she was going to make it out of here alive, and not strapped to a torture chair. She didn't think Thrawn would do that, but she was pretty sure someone else would.
Like she'd let them anyway.
"They have," Thrawn said, turning to Vanto. "Aside from the final point."
Eli frowned, but remained attentive…while Nerah continued to stare at her with angry, yet hurt eyes. Nara did her best to keep looking away, but her resistance faltered, and she gave her sister the best apologetic face she could, before turning away.
Nerah's gaze finally left her.
"Final point, sir?" Eli inquired.
"Yes," Thrawn turned to Nerah, still speaking Cheunh. "I imagine Assistant Director Ronan will attempt something…underhanded. If he does so, I order you to allow him to do so."
Nerah frowned…and Nara suppressed a sigh. Only Thrawn would think letting someone get away with betrayal was a good thing. "You want me to…let him betray us…sir?"
"I do," Thrawn nodded. "And in the process, he will neutralize his own threat for us."
Ar'alani, of course, didn't seem so convinced. "Explain yourself."
"I'd rather not at this moment. Perhaps another time, in a more private setting," Thrawn offered, turning back to Vanto. "In that case, you must remain at Nerah's side at all times to ensure your own safety."
"That's fine with me," Eli agreed…and she swore she caught his cheeks flare pink for a moment, before fading away entirely. Turning to her sister…hers were as purple as she had ever seen them.
No…way.
This scrawny little numbers boy had drawn the attention of the overly emotional super soldier? Admittedly, he was kind of cute, but a little too fidgety for her taste, and would probably spend more time looking at a display of data than he did looking at her.
Nara almost wished she could take notes to submit to a Holovid studio and live off the royalties from the production…the warrior woman who wanted the analyst to plow her into the next week. Oh…it was just too good.
It was almost a shame she couldn't tease her sister about it.
"Is something amusing, Commander Ziara?"
Nara stiffened as soon as Ar'alani's voice snapped her back to reality. "No, nothing amusing at all ma'am."
The Admiral fixed her with one of her warning glares, and Nara had to pretend it worked on her to sell the illusion. Nerah, of course, wasn't stupid enough not to notice. Thrawn, on the other hand, was probably just too dense.
Once Ar'alani turned away, however, Nara made sure that her sister knew she understood exactly what was going on. She got a flushed expression that morphed into a glare for her trouble.
And a slight, unseen elbow into her back from Ar'alani.
Vah'nya twitched for some reason…probably just taking the hint about what was going on.
"I imagine it should go—" Eli was interrupted by a muffled double slap of hands against metal down in the crew pit, and they all turned to see someone pick themselves up after tripping on the steps. Nara found herself twitching in response…but noticed that Vah'nya didn't. "—it should go perfectly fine with her along," Eli finished.
Nara narrowed her eyes as she thought on it. It seemed rather meaningless…but it wasn't the first time she'd seen someone react that way. She pursed her lips in thought…trying to recall…
Alhara.
Sometimes, when Bo Katan would give the girl lessons on how to shoot, Alhara would twitch before the blaster discharged if she were caught daydreaming. Nara hadn't regarded it as anything more than meaningless, but after it had occurred multiple times, and Bo Katan had gone on about how she'd seen Alhara be able to avoid blaster bolts with a relative ease…she wondered if Vah'nya had the same abilities.
This, of course, could all be just one big coincidence…but then again, when Un'hee had met Alhara, the two girls seemed to connect with each other. Not to mention the fact that Un'hee had called her sister…an alien the girl had probably never seen before.
If Alhara really did have Third Sight…then did it have something to do with how her mother and father were able to move objects with their minds? Did Vah'nya have that power too?
Nara felt her throat run dry. If that was the case, then—
Out of the corner of her eye, she looked down the command walkway to spot the white-dressed and caped officer known as Ronan staring at Vah'nya, seemingly trying to hide his shock. Nara felt herself tremble slightly, prepared to turn to Ar'alani and demand that the two of them follow her before the man started shooting…but instead Ronan remained, apparently recanting his own thoughts. A primal, protective instinct gripped Nara's heart as she stared back at him, her hand clasped around the hidden sidearm at her belt. Bo Katan had told her the stories of what the Empire had done to the Jedi Knights, and force sensitives in general…and she would be damned if anyone dared to do the same to one of her people.
Nara looked away against her instincts, knowing it would be best not to confirm Ronan's thoughts with a warning glance…but she swore to herself.
She would be watching him…and if he tried anything, she would be there to make sure he never got the chance to tell his precious Empire about his discovery.
Ever.
"I won't let you down, Grand Admiral," Nerah promised, inclining her head.
"I know," Thrawn let himself smile a little. "Go now…and warrior's fortune be with you."
It wasn't long after Nerah, Vanto and Ronan had departed that Thrawn and Ar'alani got right back to arguing with each other. This time it seemed to be about giving Vah'nya the entire bridge to work, as Ar'alani argued, and Thrawn seemed to want to keep one of his Imperials present for…whatever reason. Nara understood what they were saying, of course, but had elected to tune it out, instead staying close to Vah'nya to avoid the cringe of the occurrence in front of so many humans pretending not to notice.
"Um…Ziara?" Vah'nya asked, making sure to use her assigned name, as in Cheunh, Nara sounded just the same as it did in Basic…and eventually someone would be able to pick it out. The name was a pretty one, so she didn't mind it, and the fact that it had been Ar'alani's old core name gave her a little hint of pride…and belonging. Admittedly, she had dreaded the reality of seeing the Admiral again, but thus far…she could feel that old attachment to the woman manifesting once again. The knowledge that she would have to leave eventually to return to Bo Katan broke her heart a little…but that was later.
"What's up?" she said, their conversation drowned out by the current argument.
"Is this…normal…for the two of them?" she asked, her fingers fidgeting with each other in her grip. "I have been with Ar'alani for a few years, but it seems you have known her since the early days of her career."
Nara nodded. "Yeah, this is normal."
Vah'nya cocked her head. "They remind me of…fire and ice. Ar'alani is like an indomitable blaze, while Thrawn is like an ancient, immovable cold…always at odds with each other, and yet respectful. It is…inspiring."
"That's a fancy way of looking at it," Nara quipped. "Are you always this poetic?"
Vah'nya smiled a little. "My fellow officers sometimes say the same thing. I have heard Thrawn likes art, but the physical kind. I've always been interested in the intangible…words and feelings expressed with nothing but air."
Nara regarded her inquisitively. "Like music?"
She nodded. "Yes."
"So, I'm guessing you sing, then?"
Vah'nya seemed to pull into herself bashfully, but her smile broke through. "A little. My younger navigator sisters ask me to do it sometimes…but usually my caretakers were always better."
Nara snorted. "Well, your current caretaker definitely isn't better than you, I can guarantee that."
Vah'nya chuckled. "That's good to know. I'll keep that in mind next time I try," she winked.
Nara didn't expect Vah'nya to be so open with her. Usually navigators were pretty insular…but they were also usually eight or nine years old, not twenty. Only then did she realize that she'd probably pegged her wrong, and should be treating her as a friend instead of a junior ward.
Which got her thinking.
"Any boys?" she asked, drawing Vah'nya's eyes into a narrow. "Or girls…I've delved into that too."
Vah'nya seemed to catch her meaning, and immediately rubbed the back of her neck before adjusting her hair. "Oh…you mean…" she shook her head. "No, or at least, not anymore."
Nara frowned. "Not anymore?"
She was about to answer, but the argument between Ar'alani and Thrawn finally seemed to die down, leaving the Admiral with an inclined head, and a look of bitter defeat.
"And the great Admiral Ar'alani falls to Thrawn once again," Nara whispered, mostly to herself. "Kind of hard to watch really."
"Kindly keep your bravado to yourself, Commander," Ar'alani turned a sideways glance, forcing Nara to stiffen.
"Yes ma'am, sorry ma'am. Won't happen again ma'am, of course ma'am."
Vah'nya seemed to scoot away from Nara, probably to avoid the inevitable death ray that was about to be blasted in her direction…but instead, Ar'alani's lips thinned into a small smile, and she paced back to the two while Thrawn began to speak with his Commodore.
"I thought I worked that troublesome mouth out of you," she commented, hands crisply behind her back. "It seems you have been out of my command for far too long."
Nara winced, now starting to feel a bit guilty. Her instincts told her to mess with people, and there was no greater prey than Ar'alani herself…but sometimes it was a bad look in front of her officers. In private, the two usually spoke rather casually, although it was still obvious that the Admiral was in command…but that was no excuse for it to carry over, even if those around them didn't know what they were saying.
She bowed her head apologetically. "Sorry Admiral…I was just…trying to lighten the mood a little."
"That is one of your useful specialties," Ar'alani pointed out, turning to Vah'nya. "You can stop hiding now."
Vah'nya blushed, running her fingers through her hair as she returned to their circle. "Right, of course."
Nara cleared her throat. "So…what's the plan?"
Ar'alani's eyes turned fierce once again, but it faded quickly. "Vah'nya will be leading us to the system with the grysk base, thanks to Un'hee…unfortunately, Thrawn has insisted that his Commodore Faro remain on the bridge while the other Imperials clear it to allow Vah'nya to work uninterrupted."
Vah'nya shook with anxiety for a moment, but Nara patted her back gently, before pulling away again. "Did he say why?"
Ar'alani almost rolled her eyes. "Of course you weren't listening," she huffed, only getting a shrug out of Nara. "He said that if she is allowed to stay, then the Chimaera will be more prepared to leap directly into battle if necessary."
"Seems reasonable," Nara shrugged again, only tightening Ar'alani's glare.
"I do not wish for aliens to understand chiss navigational methods. It is the only thing keeping us ahead of the grysk forces."
Nara recalled back to Un'hee…the girl she was forced to leave behind in the Steadfast to ensure Vah'nya and the Admiral's safety. She had promised her she would come back, but knew it was one she had a rather high chance of not being able to keep. Un'hee needed to be hopeful now more than ever, however, so the slight lie was necessary.
Here's hoping the girl's realization of that lie wouldn't damage her too badly.
"What do you think they learned from Un'hee?" she dared to ask, not expecting an answer.
To her surprise, Ar'alani turned to Vah'nya, nodding her head to speak. "Not anything more than they've learned from non-chiss navigators," Vah'nya answered, trembling slightly. "They tried, but Un'hee was too young to know."
Nara growled to herself. The grysks had pried into the mind of a then-five-year-old girl, probably torturing her in the process. It only made her hate them more than she already did, forced the savor the memory of plunging her wrist blade into the one she had killed over and over.
"They're not so tough," Nara bit out. "I took one out easily enough."
"I had assumed that was your handiwork," Ar'alani said. "Vicious, yet efficient, although our autopsy without much of their face intact proved not quite as useful as it could have been, but still. However, comparing them to a woman of your skill, much more a—" Ar'alani paused, making sure to not say the Basic word Mandalorian for all to hear. "…perhaps is not the most accurate comparison we should cling to."
"Probably not," Nara conceded…hesitated…but decided to bring it up anyway. "All the more reason to convince them of the threat we will all eventually face."
Ar'alani's eyes panned down, a hint of dread in her expression. "I…agree…but let us focus on that later. Right now we have more pressing dangers ahead of us."
Nara stiffened. "Ready to act when ordered, Admiral."
Almost with perfect timing, Thrawn called out in Cheunh. "Is Navigator Vah'nya ready?"
Vah'nya nodded in confirmation, to which Ar'alani accepted. "She is."
"Excellent," Thrawn said, and then switched to Basic. "Commodore, you may now clear the bridge."
As the order rang out, it really hit her.
This was where the blood would start to fall.
TIE Advanced – 2 BBY
Vader had been hunting.
For a long time he had turned up empty, lead down various insidious paths to dead ends and harsh truths. He did not falter. He never would.
He could feel them in the Force…distant…fading…but unmistakable.
The Jedi.
They were out there…they were growing. His master had suspected as much…and yet neither could see them.
Something was blocking their vision…but who, or what, could have the power to do so? Was it a Jedi? A natural cause?
Kenobi?
Vader felt his false hands clench his sticks even tighter. His hatred gave him strength, and he would use it…he would find the Jedi.
Starting with the Apprentice of Anakin Skywalker.
See ya soon.
