Mitth'raw'nuruodo inclined his head. "I shall be there shortly." He gestured somewhere offscreen, and the image vanished.

"You're going to allow him aboard?" Pakmillu demanded.

"Of course," C'baoth said, an odd glint to his eve. "Or don't you find it curious that this supposed resident of the Unknown Regionsspoke to us in Basic? "

Lorana felt her breath catch. To her chagrin, she hadn't even noticed the oddness of that fact. "No, there's something more here than meets the eye," C'baoth continued. "Let's find out what that something is."

"Come aboard, then, if you insist," C'baoth's voice echoed from the D-4 reactor monitor room speaker. "A hatchway will be illuminated for your shuttle."

There was a click. "D-Four?" a different voice called. "Any progress?"

With an effort, Uliar pulled his thoughts back to focus. "Still negative here, Command," he reported, running his eyes again over his displays. "There's plenty of power going to the hyperdrive. It's just not doing anything once it gets there."

"That's confirmed, Command," Dillian Pressor's voice seconded from the hyperdrive monitor room half a dozen meters away. "The readouts still insist we're in a gravfield."

"So do everyone else's," Command growled. "All right. Keep running your diagnostics, and stand by."

There was a click, and Command was gone. "This is insane," Pressor muttered.

"Maybe more insane than you think," Uliar said, his mind racing. This might finally be their chance. "Or didn't you notice that Commander Mitth-whatever was speaking Basic?"

There was a short pause. "You mean he's from theRepublic? "

"Well, he's sure not from the Unknown Regions," Uliar said. "We've got to find a way to talk to him."

"Who, us? "

"Of course us," Uliar shot back. "You, me-the whole committee. If this guy's from the Republic, maybe he's got the authority to get C'baoth and the rest of the Jedi kicked off"

"It's not all the Jedi," Pressor argued. "Anyway, what would some hotshot from the Republic be doing way out here? It's more likely a pirate who found out about Outbound Flight and decided to grab some easy pickings."

In his mind's eye Uliar saw the firing scores from C'baoth's Jedi meld tests. "Trust me, Pressor, this thing isnot easy pickings," he said grimly. "But whoever he is, we still have to try."

"Fine," Pressor said. "But how? We're on duty."

"To what?" Uliar countered. "A reactor that's working perfectly and a hyperdrive that isn't working at all?"

"Yes, but-"

"But nothing," Uliar cut him off. "Come on-this may be our last chance to get Outbound Flight back to what it was supposed to be."

There was a short pause. "All right, I'm game," Pressor said at last. "But if this Mitth-whatever's already on his way, we don't have much time. Not if we're going to collect everyone and get all the way over to D-One."

"You just collect them," Uliar said. "I'll make sure he stays put until you get there."

"How?"

"No idea," Uliar said. "Just collect everyone, all right? And don't forget to bring the children. There's nothing like children when you're playing for sympathy."

"Got it."

Uliar keyed off the comet, and for a moment sat gazing unseeingly at his displays as he tried to think. D-1 was indeed a long way away, and if he knew C'baoth the conversation was likely to be short and unpleasant. If he tried to walk or even run, he was likely to miss Mitth-whatever completely.

But there should be one of D-4's swoops parked just a little way aft.

Ninety seconds later, he was racing down the corridor, the wind of his passage whipping through his hair and stinging his eyes. Fortunately, with Outbound Flight at full alert, everyone was either at their battle stations or huddled in their quarters out of the way; the corridors were empty. Reaching the forward pylon, he punched for the turbolift, but instead of leaving the swoop at the way station like he was supposed to, he maneuvered it into the car. Let C'baoth complain about it-let him even lock Uliar in the brig for a few days if he wanted to.

Whatever it took, hewould see this Mith-whatever before he left Outbound Flight.

Car'das had been waiting for nearly three hours before the Miskara again summoned him to the throne room.

"All is prepared," the Vagaari informed him. "We fly at once to draw our vengeance from Mitth'raw'nuruodo and the Chiss."

"Yes, Your Eminence," Car'das said, bowing his head and trying not to look at the half dozen fresh Geroon bodies scattered around the throne room. Apparently, the Miskara had been playing some more with his new toys. "I would once again ask you to remember that my companions and ship are also there, and would beg your soldiers to be careful."

"I will remember," the Miskara promised. "And I will do even more. I have decided you will be permitted the best view possible of the forthcoming battle."

Car'das felt something cold run through him. "You mean I'll be on the bridge, Your Eminence?"

"Not at all," the Miskara said calmly. "You will be in the forward most of my flagship's external bubbles."

Car'das looked sideways to see a pair of armored Vagaari striding toward him. "I don't understand," he protested. "I've offered you the chance at both vengeance and profit."

"Or the chance to fly into a trap," the Miskara said, his voice suddenly icy. "Do you think me a fool, human? Do you think me so proud and rash that I would simply fly a task force to a supposedly small and undermanned Chiss base in my thirst for revenge?" He snorted a multitoned whistle. "No, human, I will not send a small task force to be destroyed. My entire fleet will descend on this base. . andthen we shall see what sort of teeth this Chiss trap truly has."

"The Chiss aren't waiting there with any trap," Car'das insisted. "I swear it."

"Then you should have nothing to fear," the Miskara said. "If we destroy the enemy as quickly as you claim we will, you will be released and your companions freed. If not. ." He shrugged. "You will be the first to die."

He cocked his head slightly "Have you anything else you wish to say before you are taken away?"

A confession, perhaps, or an admission of guilt? "No, Your Eminence," Car'das said. "I only hope your soldiers are as capable against the Chiss as they've proven themselves to be against other opponents."

"The Geroons could tell you of our capabilities," the Miskara said darkly. "But you will see them for yourself soon enough." He gestured. "Take him away."