"Who else would have felt it necessary to keep her informed?"

"Are you saying your ownbrother is trying to sink you?" Car'das demanded, still not believing it.

"My brother cares deeply about his blood family, including me," Thrawn said, his voice tinged with sadness. "But he's disturbed by what he sees as my self-destructive behavior. . and as a syndic of the Eighth Ruling Family, his duty is to protect that family's honor and position."

"So he calls anadmiral down on you?"

"If Admiral Ar'alani is here to reverse my orders, I'll be unable to do anything that will lead to further trouble," Thrawn pointed out. "Or so he reasons. With a single course of action he thus protects both me and the Eighth Family."

Car'das thought about the Vagaari attack they'd witnessed, and the people pinned helplessly under fire in their hull bubbles. "And meanwhile, people like the Vagaari will be free to go their way."

"Indeed." Thrawn pressed the palm of his hand against his forehead. "Still, until the admiral arrives, command remains mine. What's your impression of Vicelord Kav and Commander Stratis?"

With an effort, Car'das dragged his mind away from the images of the Vagaari's living shields. "For starters, I don't think Stratis is really in command. I just can't see the Neimoidians handing their own ships over to a human that way."

"Unless the human is somehow higher in authority than they are," Thrawn pointed out. "Or if the human is an agent for such a person. Stratis itself is of course an assumed name."

"Could be," Car'das agreed. "Ido think that they're telling the truth about not being an invasion force, though. Even if their storage rings are packed to the shock webbing with battle droids, they can't possibly have enough for a planetary occupation."

"Then you conclude their mission is indeed to ambush this Outbound Flight?"

"I might, if I knew what Outbound Flight was," Car'das said. "But I've never heard of it, and I don't necessarily trust Stratis's opinions."

Thrawn nodded. "Perhaps Qennto or Ferasi will have more information."

"Maybe," Car'das said. "We're heading back to Crustai, then?"

"I need to be there to welcome Admiral Ar'alani," Thrawn reminded him. "My people here can finish the examination without us."

"What if Kav and Stratis decide to kill all of them and make a run for it?"

"They won't," Thrawn assured him. "First of all, they can't simply jump to hyperspace, no matter how much the vicelord might like to. Not with theWhirlwind pinning them in place."

"Ah-ha," Car'das said, his face warming with embarrassment. With everything else that had happened, he'd completely forgotten the cruiser Thrawn had sent off to the side before the battle began. Apparently, the Chiss techs had figured out a way to tuck the Vagaari gray projector inside a ship's hull.

"But even if they could escape, I don't think they would," Thrawn continued. "Stratis very much wants me to destroy Outbound Flight for him."

Car'das felt his eyes widen. "Isthat where this is going?"

"What did you think all that talk of weaponry and dangerous Jedi was all about?" Thrawn countered.

"I just-I mean, I thought he was trying to get you to let them go," Car'das said, stumbling over his own tongue. "You aren't thinking-?"

"I will do whatever necessary to protect those who depend on me," Thrawn said, his voice carefully precise. "No more. But no less."

He stood up. "But that isn't your concern," he said. "Once again, I thank you for your assistance."

"No problem," Car'das said, standing up as well. Was it his imagination, or had the commander staggered slightly as he got back to his feet? "You'd better get some rest. It won't be fun for anyone if you collapse from exhaustion before Ar'alani even has a chance to throw you in the brig."

"Thank you for your concern," Thrawn said drily. "I'll try not to disappoint her."

"One last question, if I may," Car'das added as the commander stepped to the door. "How were you so sure that those droidekas wouldn't gun us down?"

"Those-? Oh, the rolling droid fighters," Thrawn said. "It wasn't difficult. Everything about the bridge design spoke of a people who would never willingly put themselves at more risk than absolutely necessary."

"That's Neimoidians, all right," Car'das agreed. "You could get that just from the bridge design?"

"Architecture is merely another form of art," Thrawn reminded him. "But even without those indications, the triple blast doors we passed through would have told me these Neimoidians are not warriors."

"Which is why they have battle droids to fight for them," Car'das said. "But isn't gunning us down exactly what cowards like that would do?"

Thrawn shook his head. "Vicelord Kav was too close to the line of fire. He would never have ordered the droidekas to attack."

Car'das grimaced. "A bluff."

"Or he was making a point," Thrawn said. "These combat droids are a new concept to me, but one worth careful thought." He grimaced. "I sincerely hope the Vagaari haven't visited a world where they might have picked up such weapons."

"Probably not," Car'das said. "The Neimoidians keep them pretty close to home."

"We shall see." Thrawn touched the control, and the door slid open. "Sleep well, Car'das."

For a few minutes Car'das gazed at the closed door. So Thrawn had now assured him that he didn't really suspect him of spying. That was reassuring. . except that he'd stated exactly the opposite in front of witnesses, and with exactly the same degree of apparent sincerity.

So whatwasthe truth? Were he and Qennto and Marls just pawns in some sort of political game? And if so, what was the game?

Maris, Car'das knew, trusted Thrawn's honor. Qennto just as strongly distrusted his alienness and the fact that he was a military officer. Car'das himself no longer knew what to think.

But one thing he knew. Things were heating up out here, and he had the uncomfortable feeling that theBargain Hunter 's crew had overstayed their welcome. Somehow they had to find a way out.

And they had to find it soon.

The first Uliar knew of the trouble was when he rounded the corner to find the other two members of his watch shift standing outside the monitor room door. "What's going on?" he asked as he came up to them.

"Got a special tour going on," Sivv, the senior officer, told him. "Ma'Ning and some sprouts."