The shuttle took him to the Yavvitiri Spaceport, a few kilometers from the Preparation Center where all the preliminary work on Outbound Flight had taken place. Palpatine and the Senate had tried to keep a low profile on the project, perhaps fearing a backlash about all the money they were spending, and for the most part they'd succeeded. In his various official and unofficial travels over the past six weeks, Doriana had found virtually no one who had even heard of it.

Still, here at the very center of the project, it could hardly have been ignored. But to his mild surprise, he didn't hear a single word about Outbound Flight's departure as he walked through the spaceport's corridors. True, the work had for the most part moved up to the Dreadnaughts themselves four weeks ago, taking the project out of the public's day-to-day view. But he still would have expectedsomeone to have raised his head out of the mud long enough to take note of such a historic event.

Perhaps in these days of growing political and social turmoil, he mused, even historic events were soon forgotten. In this particular case, it was just as well.

He'd left his own ship berthed on the far side of the spaceport, in the restricted zone reserved for diplomats and high governmental officials. Passing through security, he headed through the maze of corridors to his docking bay. He keyed open the hatch and went inside, locking it again behind him, then made his way to the cockpit. Seating himself in the pilot's seat, he punched for the tower. "This is Kinman Doriana of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's Office," he identified himself when the controller answered. "Requesting a lift slot in thirty minutes."

"Acknowledged, Doriana," the other said. "Thirty-minute lift slot confirmed."

"Thank you." Shutting off the corm, Doriana keyed for full-ship start-up, watching the displays closely as the systems began coming online.

"You are late, Commander Stratis."

Doriana gave the displays one more leisurely look. Then, just as leisurely, he turned around.

The Neimoidian was wedged half hidden in the holo alcove off the cockpit's aft bulkhead, glowering at him from beneath his short, five-cornered hat. "Vicelord Siv Kav," Doriana greeted him. "May I say how very uncomfortable you look."

"Very amusing," Kav growled. Working his shoulders back and forth, he managed to extricate himself and his elaborately layered robes from the alcove. "You should have been here an hour ago."

"Why?" Doriana countered calmly. "Isn't your fleet ready?"

"Of course it is."

"And Outbound Flight only just now left," Doriana said. "Plenty of time to set up our ambush." He cocked his head slightly. "Or are you simply annoyed that I made you hide there in your little hole longer than you expected?"

"I wasnot hiding," the Neimoidian insisted stiffly. "I simply did not wish to be seen if someone from the Spaceport Authority came in unexpectedly."

"You could have accomplished that by waiting in the guest cabin as I'd instructed," Doriana pointed out. "But of course, in there you wouldn't have been able to eavesdrop on my clearance request to the tower. Tell me: was the knowledge of my true name and position worth the wait?"

Kav's large eyes studied his face. "We were betrayed once by your Master," he said, his voice darkening. "Darth Sidious promised that Naboo would be ours, that we would have the foothold we needed there. But the battle turned, and he abandoned us."

"The reversal of battle was not his fault," Doriana countered. "You want to blame someone, blame Amidala. And you have hardly been abandoned."

"Is Naboo ours, then?" Kav said sarcastically. "I must have missed that fact."

"Naboo is nothing," Doriana said. "The continued existence and functioning of your Trade Federation is infinitely more valuable. Or did you also miss the fact that it has yet to be punished for its excesses?"

"The lack of punishment is not Sidious's doing," Kav insisted. "That is the doing of the judiciary, at the cost of far too many expensive legal representatives."

Doriana smiled thinly. "Do you really think the judiciary wouldn't have bowed to Senate pressure by now without someone operating behind the scenes on your behalf?"

A hint of uncertainty crossed Kav's face. "You?" he suggested.

Doriana shrugged. "Lord Sidious has many servants."

"Yet this particular servant resides in the Supreme Chancellor's Office," Kav said, gesturing toward him. "That must be very useful for him."

Doriana let his face harden. "Yes, it is," he said softly. "And from this point on you will forget you've ever heard that name and that position. Forever. Is that clear?"

Kav started to sniff in contempt, took another look at Doriana's face. "It is clear, Master Stratis," he said instead.

"Good." Doriana gestured toward the cockpit door. "Then if you'll return to your cabin, I have a ship to fly. You have the fleet's coordinates for me?"

"Yes." Kav's long fingers dipped into a recess of his robe and emerged with a data card. "It will take no more than two days to reach them."

"Good," Doriana said. "That should give us time to finalize our attack strategy."

"Iam the one trained in battle tactics," the other said stiffly. "The attack strategy will be mine."

"Of course," Doriana said, suppressing a sigh. "I meant only that I'd be available to assist you. Now if you'll return to your cabin, we'll be on our way."

The Neimoidian drew himself up and, with his pride at least momentarily appeased, strode from the room.

Shaking his head, Doriana crossed to the holo alcove. Neimoidians. If they didn't control one of the best collections of military hardware in the Republic, he would have recommended dumping the whole species down the refresher long ago. He just hoped Sidious was working on finding someone more competent to replace them.

Positioning himself in the alcove, he keyed for a HoloNet relay. The lights winked on, and he signaled for his Master.

The wait was longer than usual, and more than once he considered taking a quick trip forward to check again on the status boards. But each time he resisted the temptation. If Sidious came on and had to wait, he would not be happy.

At last the familiar hooded figure appeared. "Report."

"Outbound Flight is on its way, Lord Sidious," Doriana said. "I have Vicelord Kav aboard, and will be heading for the rendezvous within the hour."

"Excellent," Sidious said. "And you know precisely where in the Unknown Regions Outbound Flight will be stopping?"