"But theycould be here to attack us."

"I don't know why they're here," Car'das insisted, sweat gathering around his collar. It was one thing to listen to Thrawn talk about preemptive strikes against vicious conquerors like the Vagaari. It was something else entirely to stand here and see him mentally lumping the Trade Federation or even the entire Republic into that same category. "Why don't you ask them?"

A faint smile creased Thrawn's face. "Yes. Why don't we?"

He swiveled around. "Communications: identify their main command frequency and create a channel," he ordered. "These people speak Basic, I presume?"

"Yes," Car'das said, frowning. Surely the commander wasn't going to try something this potentially tricky in a language he'd barely learned, was he? "But they'll also have protocol droids aboard that can translate Sy Bisti."

"Thank you, but I'd prefer to see their reaction when they're hailed in the language of the Republic," Thrawn said. "Ready, Commander," the comm officer called.

Thrawn tapped a key on his board. "This is Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet," he said. "Please identify yourselves and state your intentions."

Doriana was still fumbling with his tunic belt as he hurried through the open blast doors onto the bridge. "What's this about an attack?" he asked as he crossed the walkways to where Kav stood in front of his command chair.

"Soothe yourself, Commander Stratis," Kav said. "It is not as serious as was first thought."

"This is Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet," a voice said from the comm speaker beside the vicelord's chair. "Please identify, yourselves and state your intentions."

"He has been repeating that message for ten minutes," Kav said contemptuously. "But then, what else can he do?"

"Explain," Doriana growled. After being hauled out of bed, he was in no mood to put up with Neimoidian smugness. "You can start by telling me who he is."

"How should I know?" Kav said scornfully. "But he is a braggart beyond anything I have yet seen."

He seated himself in his chair and touched a control, and a tactical overlay appeared on the main display. "Behold," he said, waving his long fingers. "He dares to threaten us with three small cruisers and nine fighters. Most likely they are pirates with a sense of bluff as large as a Dug's pride."

The message repeated. "I hear no threat in that message, Vicelord," Doriana pointed out, trying to suppress his growing annoyance. He'd been dragged out of bed forthis? "All I hear is a local asking what we're doing in his territory."

"The threat is implied, Commander Stratis," Kav countered. "It is built into all warships, as much a part of them as weapons and shields."

Doriana looked at the tactical, then at the corresponding telescope display. Even knowing where the ships were, it was incredibly hard to pick them out of the starfield behind them. Superb stealthing, which meant that Kav was right. They were warships, all right. "Maybe he's got more firepower hanging back in reserve."

"No," Kav assured him. "We have done a complete sensor scan of the entire area. Those twelve ships are all there are."

"This is Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo-"

"Shall we consider this an unscheduled drill?" Kav added as the message continued to play in the background.

"Let's try talking first," Doriana suggested, sitting down on the couch beside the other. The fact that this Mitth'raw'nuruodo spoke Basic might very well mean he was a pirate with some familiarity with some of the outer reaches of the Republic.

But it could also mean this was a trick by person or persons unknown to smoke out the truth about theDarkvenge 's mission. "Open a hailing channel," he ordered.

"Open."

Doriana reached over to Kav's station and keyed the control. "I greet you, Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo," he said, stumbling a bit over the unusual glottals at the section breaks. "This is Stratis, commanding Special Task Force One."

"My greetings in return, Commander Stratis," Mitth'raw'nuruodo's voice came back. "Please explain to me the purpose of your task force."

"We intend no harm to you or your people," Doriana said. "But I'm afraid the details of our mission must remain confidential."

"I'm afraid in turn that your reassurances are insufficient," Mitth'raw'nuruodo said.

Beside Doriana, Kav muttered something. "I'm sorry, Commander," Doriana said, throwing a warning look at the Neimoidian. "Unfortunately, I'm under orders."

"Why do you waste time this way?" Kav demanded.

Cursing under his breath, Doriana lunged for the mute control. "With all due respect, Vicelord, what do you think you're doing?"

"What do you thinkyou are doing?" Kav countered. "They are no more than a parasite fly fluttering against a window. Let us destroy them and be done with it."

"If you don't mind, I'd first like to find out who they are and where they come from," Doriana said, summoning every bit of patience he could muster.

"We can learn that from their charred remains," Kav said, drawing himself up to his fill height. "Andyou are not in command of this fleet, Stratis. I am."

"Yes, of course," Doriana said, shifting quickly to a more soothing tone.

But it was too late. The vicelord had decided to take offense at the unintentional slight, and had also concluded this was a quick and easy victory ripe for the plucking. With a Neimoidian, that was a bad combination. "The time for talk is over," Kav announced. With a decisive jab of his finger, he cut off the comm channel. "Order theKeeper to launch half its droid starfighters," he called across the bridge, gesturing toward the second Trade Federation battleship. "Three groups will attack the intruders, the rest forming a defense screen around the task force. And order a transfer of command; I will control all the starfighters from here."

"Yes, Vicelord," one of the Neimoidians said. "Do we launch our starfighters, as well?"

"We will hold them in reserve." Kav looked at Doriana. "In case they have reinforcements on the way," he added almost grudgingly.

Doriana sighed silently to himself. He would have liked to find out more about this Mitth'raw'nuruodo and his Chiss before they were slaughtered. He could only hope there would be enough wreckage left to examine.

"Here they come," Car'das said, pointing at the display. "Droid starfighters-you see them?"

"Yes, of course," Thrawn said calmly. "All vessels, pull back. Car'das, you said droids can think and act on their own. Do these droid starfighters also have that capability?"