Chapter 31 – Return of the Sith
Guided by a flight of clawcraft the Millennium Falcon descended toward its assigned landing platform at Almashin's governmental port. It was night above the capital Anmedra, and as Han guided the ship down, Anakin took his time in studying the city's layout. The lights formed straight lines that ran from the city-center outward, or inward, like the image of a star. The melancholic mood he had found himself in ever since the last battle on Nirauan had not faded away. On the contrary. He felt as if something was amiss, as if a part of himself had gone away somehow. But he clung desperately to what he had told Padmé not so long ago. She could fill him with life again, could make his heart beat once more. He wished fervently that she were here with him now. Sighing, he leaned back in his seat just as the freighter touched down gently.
"Are you all right?" Han, seated at the controls, asked quietly.
"I try," Anakin replied gruffly and clumsily opened his flight harness with his remaining hand to rise. "But it is damn hard to keep calm when I know that we're on the very verge of a catastrophe."
"Thrawn will manage," the Corellian tried to reassure him.
"Perhaps he will. But the balance we have achieved now is so very fragile. It could tip either way."
"But you have to admit that our chances are better than before," Han insisted.
"We shall see. I still don't know what the Yuuzhan Vong are truly after. They attacked Bilbringi, yes, but why? To test our defenses? I do not think so. This is no conquest, Han, this is a game."
"You're good at games."
Anakin smiled at the younger man. "Only if I know the rules."
Han, who had powered down the ship and moved to join him at the door, shrugged. "You could always bluff, until you know what you're at."
"Takes too much time. I need to know now."
"What about this Cor'dan business? Doesn't that help?"
"It does. But in all the wrong ways," Anakin whispered as he palmed the door open. "I know how they think, but what they are doing runs contrary to that knowledge. They aren't using the tactics I am expecting them to use. They should have tried to crush us, but instead they only launched planet-changing organisms."
"My lord," Andarack, who had appeared noiselessly before them, bowed deeply. "An escort has arrived. They request your presence with the Council of Syndic."
"All right. "
The three of them made their way toward the entry hatch, where General Sa'lym'a and Voss Parck were already waiting. Nodding at the two commanders, Anakin stepped down onto the landing platform and waved wearily at Naas Deron and Puket to join them. The two Sith warriors had flown their modified clawcraft here, and that for a good reason. Anakin planned on using those further. They followed their escort into the governmental building, a complex of simple elegance the Dark Lord found intriguing. Passing a wide courtyard, they proceeded toward the meeting hall.
Inside the grand chamber Syndic Bal'maw'narda was already waiting for them, surrounded by the rest of the council. A young Chiss wearing the olive uniform of the Chiss navy stood a bit apart, his arms crossed behind his back. What Anakin noticed immediately about the man was his strength in the Force. His presence was fairly glowing. Intrigued, the Dark Lord kept an eye on the young man as he neared the council. But once he had come within a few meters of the senior Chiss leaders he stopped and performed a small, respectful bow.
"Lord Skywalker, General Sa'lym'a, Admiral Parck," Syndic Bal'maw'narda said pleasantly. "We welcome your presence here in these trying times. Your companions?"
"Captain Han Solo of New Republic Intelligence and Andarack clan Rim'kai," Anakin replied.
"He does bear a resemblance to Master Chi'in," the old Chiss commented.
"Chi'in clan Rim'kai is my great-uncle," Andarack explained.
"I see. Welcome, both of you. And Ambassador Naas Deron. I am pleased to see you again, you and your companion."
The icy edge in the Syndic's words were unmistakable, and Naas Deron reacted instantly. "My apologies for having left so abruptly, Syndic, and without explanations. Dire business called me away," he explained.
"So it would seem," Bal'maw'narda replied graciously. "Very well. Syndic Mith'raw'noruodo has sent a messenger to give us an update on his progress, and of course that report is available for you, Lord Skywalker. I might add beforehand that the Syndic requests your presence with his secondary task force. They will be awaiting you at Lounia."
"Excellent," Anakin breathed. "I trust the fleet is progressing well?"
"Apparently that is the case. I will also entrust Commander Al'than'erudo to you before he leaves us to travel to Coruscant." Here the Syndic indicated the young Chiss Anakin had noted previously.
Turning toward the commander, the Dark Lord nodded thoughtfully. "I remember Admiral Parck telling me that my son and Nuron Sarin were to join your command. I do not see them here with you –"
"Your son is well," the Commander hurried to assure him. "Both he and Nuron Sarin are well."
"Then where are they, if I may ask?"
"They are safe and will rejoin us in a week at the latest. They are currently on a world called Ooonda, where Master Skywalker is leading negotiations on behalf of the New Republic alliance."
"Chi'in clan Rim'kai?"
"He is also alive, and on another mission to aid us."
Anakin drew a deep breath that was both relief and joy. "Good. Then I will hear your detailed report, Commander, and have a look at the one Syndic Mith'raw'noruodo has sent."
Al'than'erudo gave him a small nod. "As you wish."
Han felt slightly uncomfortable, having a feeling that he was somehow being left out of the picture. Of course, Anakin had given him an update on the situation here in the Unknown Regions, but he knew that he himself would have asked a lot more questions. The Dark Lord, though, simply sat in an adjoining room and quietly read the report Thrawn's messenger had brought to Anmedra a few days ago. Meanwhile Andarack and Al'than'erudo were conversing in the other corner of the room they shared with Han, as all three waited for Anakin to finish and question the commander. Undoubtedly the Noghri would be asking after his great-uncle or something. When finally his future father-in-law entered the room once more Han was relieved to see a smile on the older man's face.
"Better?" he asked casually, and Anakin nodded.
"Much better. And I won't be needing you here. You may return to Coruscant if you wish."
"Really? You sure?" the Corellian asked, but only out of courtesy. Even though he felt a certain pull of the adventure that undoubtedly lay ahead of the rest of the team, his desire to be with Leia gained the upper hand easily.
"I am very certain. And I want you to tell her and Padmé that the council will be convened as we have planned. You will take Commander Al'than'erudo with you, as representative of the Chiss Empire. You can pick up one of Piett's staff on the way."
Han's face fell. "Oh. Okay." If he gave Leia that message she would undoubtedly be very busy indeed. Well, it could not be helped, and he would rather be with her, no matter how much she had to do, than stay out here and twiddle his thumbs.
"Good. That's settled then."
"What will you two be doing?" he asked, nodding at Andarack.
"We will join the Grand Admiral's secondary task force, just as he requested, along with Naas Deron and Puket."
"And that's all I get to know, I suppose," Han commented drily. "Shouldn't you get that repaired first?" he added, pointing at the Dark Lord's missing forearm. Anakin looked down, seemingly surprised.
"Hm? Oh, that. No, not yet, I think. Perhaps when we're with the fleet I'll find the time."
"Who's leading that task force? Needa?"
"Yes. I will take over part of the operations once we're on board, though. A change of tactics to confuse the enemy."
"How're you going to change those tactis, then?" the Corellian asked with a mischievous grin at seeing Anakin's blue eyes shine with anticipation.
"Ever heard of an explosive force?"
"Not in so many words."
Anakin laughed. "Well," he explained, "it just means that we'll give them some nasty surprises."
"Oh. Good." Han's smile wavered. "Just be careful, okay? I know a few people who want you back in one piece."
Looking at him pensively, the Dark Lord kept silent for a while. "I will come back," he said at last.
Somehow Han felt that there was more to the other's words, but he did not question further. He remembered Leia's plea, to keep an eye on her father. She had even claimed that Anakin needed him. But apparently the Dark Lord saw that differently.
"Well," he said at last. "I'll be with the Falcon. Commander, you can join me anytime you're finished here."
"Thank you, Captain Solo. I shall be with you shortly."
Just before the door closed behind him Han could hear Anakin ask: "And now you will tell me exactly where you have been."
Grand Admiral Thrawn sat brooding over a star chart, tracing his fleet's progress in their current operation. His task force was in transit from Immeria to Ju'lal, insignificant worlds with next to no population. But Almashin and Csilla had reported that they'd lost contact to the colonists living there, and the Grand Admiral had reasoned correctly that the enemy might have already invaded those worlds to establish outposts of their own. They had found no survivors on Immeria, only a strange change in the planet's vegetation. The Yuuzhan Vong troops stationed there had stood no chance against the Admiral's Star Destroyers, and again Needa's tactics had taken care of their star fighters. Thrawn smiled a bit to himself. If Needa was keeping to their time-table the fleets would be passing one another exactly – now. The secondary task force would make another strafing run at Immeria, to verify the primary task force's success. Then they would continue to Lounia, where the Dark Lord would join them, hopefully.
He had decided to have the two task forces criss-cross each other's path, to confuse the enemy as well as to maximize their efficiency. This way none of them had to remain at a given target for too long, and should one of their fleet's – against all expectations – become trapped, the other would still be able to continue the offensive. The two task forces were made up of exactly the same ship-types and numbers, so no distinction would be possible at a cursory glance from the enemy. Plus, he and Needa had different styles in deploying their troops, so the enemy commanders would not be able to make accurate predictions at this point. Additionally, he had sent messengers both to Csilla and Almashin to rally the remaining task forces to them. The closer his forces came to the heart of the Chiss Empire, the more ships would join them, and the more ships would be available for defense.
Undoubtedly a messenger would be waiting for him at Ju'lal. They had ceased transmitting reports, since they had no way of telling whether the enemy could intercept and decypher those or not. Of course there was also a risk in using messengers. Should one of them become captured, though, the commanding officer would know, and plot a new way and strategy until he could contact his fellow commander again. Thrawn was well aware of the fact that the enemy would at one point recognize the pattern in his strategy, and a confrontation was inevitable. Perhaps it would even happen at Ju'lal.
He had instructed Needa to be ever vigilant and trust no one and nothing. Even though strictly speaking they were working together, each was also on his own. That independence had to remain for now, until Thrawn could determine a new strategy. The flaw in the current tactics was, that he had no idea how the enemy was reacting to his advance, since he left no troops behind on the liberated worlds. There were probes, yes, but they were in no way as responsive as a sentient would be. Well, this was unfortunate, but could not be changed for now. Still, the Grand Admiral had had enough opportunity to study the enemy's tactics, and that, in addition to what information he had gained from Roj Kell, was sufficient to plot for the next few exchanges.
The Yuuzhan Vong would force a stand, would want to deliver a crushing blow to the Chiss defenses. All he had to do was to offer a target. But that was not so easy a choice. Looking up from the star chart, the Grand Admiral gazed into the distance pensively. This enemy was cunning, and through long years of conquest also commanded a sound strategical and tactical knowledge. Yet the one flaw they had was their reliance on living organisms. That was the other aspect of his strategy. With his maneuvers he did not give the enemy a chance to establish long-term bases and no chance to rest or recover. If they did not want to lose they had to chase after his ships or else watch their newly conquered worlds slip out of their grasp again one by one.
The goal for both combatants was to annihilate the other. There was no other choice. Unfortunately the Grand Admiral had the nagging feeling that they had not yet seen the full range of the Yuuzhan Vong's weaponry. He smiled grimly to himself. But we are learning something new every day, are we not?
He stood at the viewport of the small room he had used as a refuge to find some solitude to study the Grand Admiral's orders and report, watching the Millennium Falcon rise toward the upper atmosphere of Almashin. Han and Al'than'erudo would make a stop-over at Bilbringi to pick up a representative of the Confederate Zone to join the War Council on Coruscant that Mon Mothma would propose at Leia's suggestion. Only a short jump seperated Bilbringi from the New Republic's capital, and he suspected that not only Han would be overjoyed at his returning to Coruscant. Leia and Padmé would have reached the glowing planet by now, and informed the president of what was currently happening out at the border to the Empire and the Unknown Regions. And Al'than'erudo would complement their report with his on the Unknown Regions themselves.
Anakin could see it all spread out before his inner eye, could speculate on Mon Mothma's reaction, Padmé's course of action, yet he had a hard time ignoring the heart-ache that had replaced his melancholy once he had learned of the source of his inexplicable dark mood. Al'than'erduo had not seen Roj Kell die himself, but he had heard Chi'in's and Luke's account of the execution, and had relayed the details to the Dark Lord during his initial report. So he was truly dead. The memories of their last meeting on Nirauan became painful now, and Anakin scolded himself for not having realized earlier what his accepting the ancient Sith's gift had truly meant. Yet he had always clung to the truth of the old man's existence, that he was a survivor, that he had lasted for three thousand years already, and was not easily killed, as he had proven time and time again
But now he was dead.
Anger flared in his mind as he recalled the events Al'than'erduo had described to him, the cruelty with which Kell had broken Luke's ideals to forge them into something stronger; the cold calculation with which he had forced the boy to watch his death. How dare he! The promise he had made to Padmé what seemed like ages ago again made itself known, that he would not let the old Sith scar his children the way he had scarred their mother's very soul. He had failed. But Luke had his own shields, Anakin knew, his unfaltering belief in the good of people, his innocence and idealism. He would prevail, as he had proven already on the world called Ooonda. Al'than'erudo for one had seemed very impressed with the young man's resolve and insight. Anakin smiled all of a sudden. He had always known that it would not be his deeds that would found a new order, and now he had the confirmation for that knowledge.
The Sith were returning.
His heart-ache struck him with a bitter-sweet note as he realized that he had been fighting the inevitable for no reason at all, that it was not even his decision that had truly ended the legacy of the Jedi, even though in the past he had done his best to eradicate that order. He shivered at the memories. Yet Luke did not know the truth, he had no knowledge of the ancient times, he was merely following his instinct.
"Lord Skywalker?"
Turning around abruptly, Anakin gave Syndic Bal'maw'narda a questioning glance. "Yes?"
"You transport stands ready. I wanted to inform you personally. You seem – troubled." The aged Chiss walked over to the table to take a seat on the single chair. He regarded the Dark Lord thoughtfully, but there was also a hint of expectation lurking in his glowing eyes. "You have doubts in the Grand Admiral's strategy?"
"Doubts?" Anakin gave a low chuckle. "Not, not at all. Forgive me if my absent-mindedness scared you, Syndic, but I am confident that together we will be able to weather this crisis."
"Yet you suspect a traitor to work against us."
"Yes." He nodded gravely. "It is better to guard against all eventualities than experience some nasty surprise."
"Which is why you requested General Sa'lym'a to join the court on Csilla?"
"Indeed. His experience will be valuable to the Emperor and the defenses of the capital."
Bal'maw'narda inclined his head in agreement. "Yes. I must admit that ever since this war started I have been hard-pressed to keep up with the ever-changing implications of this struggle." He gave Anakin a hard look. "Once this is over nothing will be the same again."
Anakin kept silent for a while. Would it be so different from the past? "Things are always changing, Syndic. Stability can only be achieved through change. If it does not come about willingly, only then chaos will spread. And yet," he added with a smile, "a wise man once said that there is order in chaos. One ony has to know which chances to take."
"What chance would you advise me to take, then?" the Chiss asked quietly.
"You said it yourself, things are changing. We are moving into another era, and perhaps we should stop looking to the past for guidance and instead focus on the future now."
"There is much to learn from the past," Bal'maw'narda offered quietly.
Anakin smiled, remembering all the lessons he had been put through, all the catastrophes and challenges that had forced him to grow in many ways.
"The past," he replied quietly, "can merely offer guidelines. But ultimately the past is as much of a mystery as the future, and the only way to go on is to trust your present needs and measure your future by your own ideals."
Padmé stared at the report that Mara had printed out on hard flimsiplast, feeling somehow left out of the picture. The agent sat across from her, a bored expression on her face, as she waited for Padmé to acknowledge the importance of the thing. Importance! If they'd had this beforehand ...
"I assume Talon Karrde will do his best to confirm these predictions?" she asked quietly, still studying the words in front of her.
"Sure. He never leaves things to chance."
"Good. According to this we will not have much trouble in the Unknown Regions."
"If you call a wholesale massacer not much trouble, you're probably right," Mara countered drily.
"You know what I mean. What about Nar Shadaa?"
"What about it?"
"They will try to get the Seeker, won't they?"
"It may sound strange, but I believe the Seeker can take care of itself."
Padmé smiled at the younger woman's comment. But this was simply astounding. The report was not very detailed, understandably, since the data it relied on was not truly up to date. A lot of it was speculation, but as had been the case with the Seeker's original counterpart, speculation was synonymous with certainty. Mostly.
"Well, all I can say at this point is that we have an ace up our sleeve that I intend to play on a few fronts," the former queen said at last. "And I will not keep you and Jix. As I recall Leia wanted you to act as liaison to the Empire."
"Well, it has turned into more of an undercover mission now, hasn't it?" Mara replied lightly. "But I don't think Hah Kima is so smart as to know what we know."
"Yes. I, too, doubt Tious Markhan let much on about his experiments," Padmé agreed. "But do not forget that he can probably fall back on Sarreti's knowledge. At least that would have been my choice."
A memory resurfaced, an off-hand comment, almost forgotten. I have sent him on an errand. Boba Fett had been on his way to Byss, even before the disastrous news from Hah Kima had come in. Kell had claimed that he had the bounty-hunter deliver a message to Yana Dar. But according to the Seeker he must have anticipated Hah Kima's betrayal. So what was Fett's true mission objective?
"I just hope he did not misjudge them completely," Mara said quietly. "If Yana plays her assigned part we'll be okay, but what if she isn't strong enough? Okay, okay," the red-head corrected herself when she saw Padmé's expression. "It was a stupid assumption. She's her father's daughter, after all. Speaking of, where's Leia?"
"Assisting Mon Mothma and Telmann Page with a few preparations for the first council meeting." Padmé gave Mara a thin smile. "That will be all. Please be careful on Byss. We rely on your insight."
"That won't be a problem," the other woman replied coolly as she rose. "But you should also take some care. Karrde will keep you posted on new developments on Nar Shadaa, I am sure."
"Good."
Once Mara had left, Padmé leaned back in her seat tiredly, her eyes blank. While the report had made a lot of things easier, it also had made a few others more complicated. She could not tell Mon Mothma of the where and how of this new information, she could only afford a very few initiates to her cause, now that it was clear that Hah Kima would do anything to please his new masters. Resting her chin in her hand pensively, she pondered the implications of these new revelations. Up to a certain point Roj Kell had not known what game was being played, which was why he had allowed this entire disaster to happen in the first place. But then he must somehow have realized the truth of what his former student had planned.
At that point he had persuaded Yana Dar to send the Seeker to Talon Karrde for safe-keeping. But was it burden or blessing? Probably both. He had talked to her about responsibility that she would have to share with her husband, and now she understood what he had meant. If she continued this way she would turn into a traitor against the New Republic. And she would turn her daughter into a traitor too, if this ever became public. Did it matter, now that she knew what was to come? She gave a bitter laugh. Nothing mattered really. Nothing but the future. And it was not as if the means she was about to employ were particularly cruel, or cold. They would ensure their all survival.
Padmé rose from her seat with a sigh and went to her office door. "Anja," she called her assistant. "I need an appointment with General Page. Could you please arrange that? As soon as possible."
The arrival at Ju'lal was uneventful. Wreckage littered a sector of space, where the invaders had tried to hold off the attacking fleet. But there would be no survivors, Gilead Palleon knew. That had been one directive the Grand Admiral had issued: no quarter. It served as a warning as well as a precaution. That way they could minimize the risk of suddenly having another enemy fleet at their backs, this one warned. Therefore he was a bit startled when the officer manning the radar station reported an anomaly. Soon, a small ship could be seen approaching them from within the field of wreckage. Exhaling slowly, the Captain smiled. This would be the messenger Needa had left behind.
"Commander, I want a flight out there to secure the area and confirm identification."
"At once," Teer Shikay answered smoothly.
If the man felt uncomfortable with his position he did not show it. After all, the Eisenhart had started out under Lorth Needa's command, with Teer Shikay his second. Now that the Star Destroyer had become the Grand Admiral's flagship Shikay was third in line of command.
"Captain, the newcomer has identified himself under Code 17444-Z. It's Master Chi'in," the commander reported a few moments later and turned toward Palleon. "Shall we give him a free ride?"
"Do that. And make sure the ship's weapons are powered down when we draw it into the hangar."
Watching the small ship being fixed into a tractor beam, Palleon felt apprehension gradually fill his mind. Chi'in had gone missing weeks ago, reportedly captured by the enemy. A fact that had been confirmed even by Naas Deron. That he would come back now was more than concidence, had to be. So, either this was a not so clever trick by the enemy, or else the Noghri was even luckier than Palleon had thought.
"What do we have here?" a smooth voice asked right by his ear. Startled, the captain spun around to give Thrawn a salute.
"Sir, an incoming ship. The pilot has identified himself under the code we had arranged for Master Chi'in."
"You assume it is someone else?"
"It could be someone else," Palleon said quietly. "We are taking the ship in on a tractor beam."
"Good. Where did he come from?"
"The wreckage over there," the captain answered, gesturning vaguely toward the remains of the enemy fleet.
"Ah. In that case it will be safe to assume that it is indeed Master Chi'in. He is not stupid. Hiding inside that wreckage was an excellent choice, in case another fleet showed up. And it was a smart move if he wanted us to know he's friendly. The enemy would have placed the bait differently."
"Perhaps they are simply picking up on the way you think, Grand Admiral," Palleon joked, but Thrawn's glowing eyes regarded him earnestly.
"Perhaps. You will notice that I did not, in fact, call your precautious measures off."
"Yes, sir," the captain murmured, embarrassed.
"Admiral Needa will have reached Lounia by now. If the enemy picked up his trail at Immeria he will be engaging them very soon."
"Do you believe Skywalker made it in time?"
"I am certain of it. A shame we cannot contact them directly. Hellermann will have brought them to Almashin first to report back and get an update. That means Needa has one Star Destroyer too many."
"Ah. So that's how you had wanted them to realize they are fighting two fleets?"
Thrawn gave him a thin smile. "Oh, I am pretty certain that they have figured that out by now. If not, all the better. The ship is secured, it would seem." Flicking a switch at the comm station before him, Thrawn contacted the officer on duty overseeing the hangar bay they had drawn the newcomer into. "Report, please," the Grand Admiral ordered smoothly.
"The ship is secured, sir," the officer replied just as calmly. "Squad is moving in to intercept, just in case. We have a visual now." There was a small pause. "It is Chi'in," the man said at last, obvioulsy relieved.
"Good. Have the ship searched thoroughly and have the squad escort our guest up here."
Chi'in followed his escort calmly. When he had left Ooonda several days ago on Luke's orders he had had to rely on Ishare Luvo's scouts to find the Grand Admiral's fleet for him. Now he was very glad that the Lappa was not as witless as impatient. The young Jedi's plan was simple, designed to complement the two warlords' abilities and resources, regardless to how many ships Thrawn and the Dark Lord had left. And it would cement the alliance Luke had brought about on the Star People's enchanting homeworld. Of course that alliance still lacked the approval of the Chiss Emperor, but Chi'in was almost certain that the leader of such a defense-orientated race would welcome an offer of peace.
Al'than'erudo would have made a stop-over at Almashin to inform Syndic Bal'maw'narda, who was closer to the conflict than the central government on Csilla. What the commander was to do then depended on the circumstances. The Noghri himself was looking forward to gaining a real update on the matters of war. How many resources they had, how many troops, what information the latest engagements had yieled. Nolyane had finally agreed to let him see the transcripts of the Yuuzhan Vong history, and he and Al'than'erudo had spent long hours with the Star Keeper, trying to put some sense into the mess they were presented with. Now he was fairly certain that the Yuuzhan Vong, or Jen motha, had been hunted by the surviving Massassi, who in turn had sought to carve a new living from the ashes the Jedi had left of their culture on Yavin 4 out here in the Unknown Regions.
A turbo-lift took him and his escort up to the bridge level, but instead of leading the Noghri to the upper command center, the soldiers veered off toward the ship's interior. They came to a halt in front of a non-descript door that Chi'in supposed would open the way into the Grand Admiral's personal meditation chamber. Indeed, as the door slid open and the commander of his escort waved him in, he found himself plunged into darkness.
"Master Chi'in, welcome back," Thrawn's smooth voice intoned from the shadows.
The Sith Lord did not need long to find the Chiss' presence, and carefully made his way over to join him. "Thank you," he answered at last and stopped in front of the rounded chair the Grand Admiral was seated on. Glowing red eyes studied him curiously.
"It took you some time to return."
"That was not entirely my own choice."
"Please," Thrawn told him and snapped his fingers once. A chair rolled out from the wall and the Noghri took the offered seat gracefully. "I would hear your report now."
"Very well. I was captured at Miecona, as I am sure you already know ...." An hour later Chi'in finished his tale and Thrawn was silent for a long time.
"An alliance," he said at last. "A splendid idea. And no one knows safe you and I, and a few other, select initiates. Excellent." Steepling his fingers in front of his face, the Grand Admiral pursed his lips thoughtfully. "And if Syndic Bal'maw'narda agrees to using Almashin as battle-ground we will have more space to move."
"Grand Admiral," Chi'in began gravely, "what news from your side?"
"For obvious reasons we are maintaining radio silence. But I have been made aware of a breach of that directive by one Captain Ardos. Apparently he informed Byss of our defeat at Nirauan."
"Did that entail any unpleasant surprises for your fleet?"
"No. But I do not rely on outside support. Captain Ardos is under my command, and I have made certain that he will follow that command, as well as his fellow Imperial collegues. We have not heard anything from Captain Hellermann's Chimaera yet, but she should be joining Admiral Needa's task force at Lounia, along with the Dark Lord."
"Admiral Needa?" Chi'in asked, surprised.
"Yes," Thrawn answered with a tight smile. "Lorth Needa managed a small miracle at Nirauan. We lost the Executor, but he saved the fleet. Most of it. But what losses he had to deal with we would have suffered anyway, probably."
Chi'in took a deep breath. "I was already wondering why you had chosen the Eisenhart as your flagship. So the Executor is gone ... But I can see you are doing well without her."
"We have no choice but to make do with what we have, is that not so?" the Grand Admiral offered philosophically. "It is unfortunate to hear that Lord Kell chose to end his part in the game."
The Noghri did not reply. He was undecided whether the ancient Sith Lord's death was fortune or disaster. But he also suspected that Kell had had his reasons for making that sacrifice. The gathering on Ooonda had proven that. Had Nolyane not seen what she had on Laa'kuan she might not have stood for Luke's plans concerning an alliance. But she had approved, and the others had followed her lead. Startled by the prolonged silence, the Noghri lifted his head abruptly to gaze at the Chiss seated across from him.
"Forgive me," he mumbled. "I was just thinking..."
"Of course," Thrawn replied smoothly. "But I wonder, just as you did right now, what benefits he thought to gain through that suicide mission."
Chi'in revealed sharp teeth in a mirthless smile. "Does it matter?"
The Grand Admiral huffed a small laugh. "No it does not, Master Chi'in. We have the bait for our prey and now we only have to position it so that it can be found."
"What about Lord Skywalker?"
A discreet noise rang into the darkness surrounding them, and Thrawn accepted the call at the comm installed into his chair, waving the Noghri into silence. "Yes?"
"Grand Admiral, Captain Ardos wishes to speak to you," came the reply. Chi'in recognized Gilead Palleon's voice.
"Does he now. Send him down."
"Yes, sir. At once."
The call disconnected, and suddenly the lights came on. "Master Chi'in," the Grand Admiral addressed the Sith once more, "I would ask you to keep in the background."
Nodding, Chi'in slipped off his seat and trotted over to stand beside the door. He shared a tight smile with Thrawn, and then they waited, both lost in their own speculations of what was to come.
The Grand Admiral assumed a relaxed position as he waited for Ardos to arrive. Chi'in was almost invisible, his gray skin and black clothing making him fade into the wall beside the door easily. In that he was a perfect epitome of what the Sith had been for the past millennium. Elusive, mysterious and feared. Even knowing that Chi'in clan Rim'kai and his allies were on his side in this conflict, that their ideals were very different from those of the late Emperor and Sith Master, even then a slight uneasiness remained. An uneasiness that was fueled by the memories of the Dark Lord's cunning in the last battles between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance, and the devious shrewdness of the late Lord Kell. Both were, and had been, masters of deception and manipulation, excellent players in the most dangerous game there was.
But Chi'in was no player, and neither were his students. The Dark Lord's son had trained with the last Jedi Masters, and his daughter had learned much from her father. They were the next generation, the new order of Force-users, or perhaps more than that. But there was no clear directive anymore, and the question was, whether the Jedi or Sith would prevail in that union of darkness and light. I do not assume that you understand the Force, Roj Kell had told him so contemptuously when they had first met about a year ago, and Thrawn still lacked that understanding. But he did understand that there were distinctions. Or were there? Were they still valid now? He gave Chi'in a pensive glance that the Sith Lord returned impassively.
This was no game anymore. It had moved far beyond the rules of the playground and into reality. Things were changing in a great many ways.
When the door opened to admit Captain Ardos, Thrawn gave the Imperial commander a very cold look.
"Captain. What can I do for you?"
Ardos, to his credit, noticed Chi'in fairly soon, and was obviously disturbed by the Sith's presence. Nevertheless he gathered his courage again and faced the Grand Admiral once more. "Grave news has reached me, sir. The enemy has attacked Byss, and the Empress is missing."
"Did I not order an absolute radio silence?" Thrawn interrupted him icily.
"This reached me on the security channels. I really could not have interfered with that transmission," Ardos explained, flustered.
"I see. Continue."
"The surviving leaders of the Empire have requested the return of all Imperial armed forces to their respective bases in Imperial Space. I cannot refuse that order."
"The Empress issued the fleet's deployment. Who is countermanding it?"
"Moff Hah Kima, sir."
"Ah." Not bothering to elaborate on that ominous comment, Thrawn rose from his seat elegantly. "Of course I understand your leaders' concern, and I must honor it, even though this comes at a most unfortunate time."
"Sir, if I could, I would stay," the captain assured him sincerely.
"Thank you for your commitment, but if your leaders request your presence elsewhere I will not make demands of you. I will rather make demands of Moff Kima."
"Sir?"
"You will contact him over the security channels, tell him that I will not interfere with your command, but that I expect him to decide where he stands. If the Empire is still with us, I expect you and your comrades to show up at Almashin in seven standard days at the latest. If he is not with us, he can expect retribution for this betrayal once we have finished these invaders. I do not doubt that Lord Skywalker himself would agree with me."
Ardos' face turned very pale, and he unconsciously took a step back. "Yes, sir. I understand," he managed.
"Good. See to it that Moff Kima does understand, too. Dismissed. And," Thrawn let a smile flash across his features ever so briefly, "safe voyage."
Once the captain had rushed from the chamber, the Grand Admiral resumed his seat once more, where he was promptly joined by Chi'in.
"You suspect treason?" the Noghri asked quietly.
"No. I expect treason. War makes profiteers, and what more profit could one gain than the survival of one's people? And it is very convenient for us to let our possible traitors know where we will amass our forces."
"What if they second-guess you and also expect reinforcements to show up for us?"
"They won't expect the reinforcements we will be getting, Master Chi'in. If you had seen those in action you would know what I mean. No, Hah Kima will expect reinforcements to come out of the New Republic, and will do everything he can to prevent them from joining us."
Smiling to himself, the Grand Admiral imagined the gleeful triumph Hah Kima would undoubtedly feel once news reached him. But that triumph would not last for very long. And yet, the Yuuzhan Vong war master might suspect a trap.
"Master Chi'in," he continued softly. "There is a position open for an advisor of your skills and abilities at my side. A post Cronn previously occupied, and that I have offered you before." He gave the Noghri a hard look. "I would appreciate it very much if you would not refuse again."
The short warrior returned his gaze, black eyes unblinking. "I would be honored, Grand Admiral," he said at last.
"Excellent. Then let us set to work."
"They're here!"
Looking up from the most recent scout report from Lounia, Lorth Needa gave the ensign standing in the doorway a nod. "Thank you. Please see them in."
They had reached Lounia after a short stopover at Immeria, and they would not stay for long. Lounia had never been invaded, as he had known beforehand, but it did not do to make too perfect an impression on the enemy. And it would distract their pursuers from their real route. He could hear the sound of approaching boots and straightened when the newcomers passed the threshold. With a smile, he gave the Dark Lord a salute, balked a bit at seeing him with just one arm, but did not let his irritatioin show.
"Good to have you back, Lord Skywalker," he offered sincerely.
"And even better to hear about your progress," the other replied cheerfully. "I am impressed. But then, I did not really expect anything less from Grand Admiral Thrawn, and yourself." Needa beamed. "He left orders for me?"
"Well," the admiral replied, "he said you were to do whatever you thought necessary. He does not trust the peace. They will find us out sooner or later after all." Needa hesitated. "I was also given to understand that you would arrive on board the Chimaera."
Nodding, Skywalker took a seat and waved the rest of his companions in. Needa knew two of them, Naas Deron and Puket, but the third was an unfamiliar Noghri.
"The Chimaera didn't make it. We came to Almashin on board the Millennium Falcon. This is Chi'in's great-nephew, Andarack," the Dark Lord introduced the silent warrior. "I am sure his hunting skills will be of great use to us."
"Didn't make it?" the admiral echoed, startled. "Well, I suppose we should have expected this. Is he Force-sensitive?" Needa asked as he studied the Noghri more closely.
"Yes, although I must stress that this is not necessarily an advantage. I heard of your excellent performance at Nirauan. Congratulations on your promotion, Admiral."
"Thank you. But if I may, perhaps it would be of some advantage to have Andarack clan Rim'kai join the operation I am planning, along with Naas Deron and Puket."
The Dark Lord frowned. "What operation would that be?"
"A special flight. Their star fighters are still giving us trouble, and they also seem to have living objectiles that latch onto our ships and can even survive hyperspace. Those things chew right through the hull."
"Tough. How do you get rid of them?"
"Our technicians are working on new shielding for our TIE fighters," Needa said with a small smile. "Not the conventional type, though. I would like your crew to test it, since I still do believe they have an advantage, and would be able to handle any difficulties better than the average pilot."
"We have brought modified clawcraft with extra-strong shielding," Skywalker mused aloud. "Think your technicians can use those?"
"I'll tell them to have a look. That is not all. You have been briefed on the Grand Admiral's strategy?"
"Yes. And I have some good news for him, that is, Chi'in will give him that news. We will get reinforcements, but they will meet us at Almashin. I have already talked to the Council of Syndics there. Syndic Bal'maw'narda agrees on my choice of target."
"You want to make a stand there?"
The Dark Lord nodded. "It is convenient. For the enemy, a strike at the heart of our defenses would mean a great victory."
"But they might suspect a trap."
"Perhaps. But they are not yet so strong that they could take on the rest of the galaxy, They have too many troops and ships out here. If they want to advance they have to knock us out first."
Pursing his lips thoughtfully, Lorth Needa took a seat at his desk. "Is there a way we could restrict them from hyperspace?"
"Excuse me?"
"Obviously they could sneak past our defenses. If we could prevent them from entering hyperspace we could contain them here in the Unknown Regions."
"An excellent idea, but impossible to achieve, I fear. We know next to nothing of their technology, and frankly I do not care. They must seek shelter somewhere, or else their ships won't survive. Another point." The Dark Lord said as he leaned toward Needa. "We have a traitor in our midst. Personally, I suspect someone within the Empire."
"Are you certain of that?" Needa asked with a frown. If that were true, they might be in trouble.
"My daughter has sent some agents to confirm this, but we are pretty certain. The attack at Nirauan was too untypical for this race. They had to have had additional instructions and information."
"What about the Empress?"
"I am not sure. Her status will be confirmed, too."
Lorth Needa closed his eyes briefly, gathering some calm once more. Then, gazing at the warlord steadily, he said: "Very well. We do have an advantage in that we know these regions better than the enemy does. Grand Admiral Thrawn is planning on using both conventional and unconventional tactics against their ships, meaning we will use their own weapons against them. Admittedly I seem to lack some creativity in that part, and I was hoping you could be of assistance there."
The Dark Lord smiled nastily. "Excellent. I will leave the traditional approach to you, of course, since you have already proven your mastery in that field. As for special operations, I do indeed have some ideas. One question. When do we expect the next engagement with the enemy?"
Looking at his wrist-chrono, Needa raised his brows ever so slightly. "In exactly three standard hours."
TBC