Thrawn Ascendancy Book 3: Lesser Evil
- Автор: Зан Тимоти
- Год: 2021
- Язык: английский
- Год: Random House
- ISBN: 9781473596580
- Жанр: Боевая фантастика
Электронная книга - «Thrawn Ascendancy Book 3: Lesser Evil». Краткое содержание книги:
“Good,” Thurfian said. “Let them see a Patriarch choose to meet a rival Aristocra on that rival’s ground. A little wonderment is good for the soul. Almost as good as a little humility.”
“Mm,” Zistalmu said noncommittally. “And which one of us is being humble today?”
“There was another Circle of Unity two hours ago,” Thurfian said. “We’ve decided what to do with Thrawn.”
Zistalmu gave a little snort. “If it involves putting another medal on his honor chains, I don’t want to hear about it.”
“No medal, no honor chains,” Thurfian said. “Exile.”
The word clearly caught Zistalmu by surprise. “Exile?”
“A habitable world has been chosen near the boundary between the Chaos and Lesser Space,” Thurfian said. “He’ll be given some supplies, plus the means to hunt, fish, and farm. What he makes of his life there will be by his own choice.”
“For how long?” Zistalmu asked. “Until some new crisis arises and you, the Council, or the Syndicure insist that he be brought back?”
“I will never so insist,” Thurfian said. “Nor, I believe, will the Council.” He shrugged. “Keeping the Syndicure out of that particular flavor of madness will be your job.”
Zistalmu had clearly been trying to keep his expression polite but strictly professional. But that comment managed to induce at least the hint of a smile. “I think you overestimate the strength of my authority.”
“Maybe at the moment,” Thurfian conceded. “But that will change. The Irizi are poised to rise in the estimation of the Nine, particularly with heroes like Senior Captain Ziinda on your side. The Mitth, on the other hand, will inevitably suffer with people like Thrawn on ours.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Which, if you’ll recall, was the end that we both ultimately expected.”
“Yes.” For a moment Zistalmu studied Thurfian’s face. “He’s really being exiled?”
“He is,” Thurfian said. “Thrawn’s story is at an end. My question today is what of ours?”
“Ours?”
“I don’t claim we were ever friends,” Thurfian continued. “But we had a relationship once, one that enabled us to bypass family rules and rivalries and work together for the betterment of the Ascendancy. Do you think such a relationship could ever again be possible?”
“I don’t know,” Zistalmu said. “I’ll have to think about it.”
“Take all the time you need,” Thurfian told him. “I’ll be ready to speak again whenever you make a decision.”
“I will.” Zistalmu paused, and another reluctant smile tweaked the corners of his mouth. “But next time, let’s make it your homestead. As you said once, the seats and food there are far superior.”
“Indeed they are,” Thurfian said. “I must go now. Farewell, Syndic Prime. And once again, thank you.”
Zistalmu would definitely think about it, Thurfian knew as he made his way toward the nearest exit. Unfortunately, he would no longer be thinking in terms of taking down a single ungimbaled laser like Thrawn, but in terms of how he could exploit his relationship with Thurfian to benefit the Irizi family.
But that was all right. The Syndicure’s balance of power had always been precarious, and Jixtus’s plot had violently underscored that danger. Whatever Thurfian could do to reduce tensions between the Mitth and the Irizi would be a step in the right direction.
And if Zistalmu chose to use their relationship to try to destroy both Thurfian and the Mitth?
It was a risk, Thurfian knew. His family relied on him now, and he had a duty to protect it. But the risk was worth taking … because while Thurfian was a Mitth, he was first and foremost a Chiss.
He could only hope that, no matter what Zistalmu’s original plans and goals, he, too, would eventually reach a similar conclusion.
“We thank you for coming this afternoon, Mid Captain Samakro,” Supreme Admiral Ja’fosk said as the board seated itself at their table.
“I’m honored to be here,” Samakro replied, feeling a twinge of uneasiness as he eyed the five men and women and their full dress honor chains. He’d never been at an inquiry hearing where there were more than three flag-rank officers. Now he was facing five of them, all admirals to boot, and one of them Supreme Admiral Ja’fosk himself.
Whatever they wanted this time, they were clearly very serious about it.
And that worried him. Thrawn had already gone through this particular shredder, disciplined by the Syndicure with a casual cruelty that Samakro wouldn’t have thought them capable of. They’d thrown a bunch of crimes and infractions at him, but the most serious charges had been defying standing non-preemptive protocols by going to Sunrise and forcing Jixtus into combat.
The problem was that Samakro, Ziinda, Ar’alani, and all the rest of Thrawn’s group had done the exact same thing. Did that mean they were all on the line for the Syndicure’s wrath?
At least the follow-up force, the warships Patriarch Thurfian’s fast-step presentation had persuaded the Circle to authorize so that Supreme General Ba’kif could send them out in Thrawn’s support, had been given the laminate-thin cover of official sanction. Their commanders and officers should be in the clear.
Samakro and Thrawn’s primary force, not so much.
“First, we wanted to again congratulate you on your performance at Sunrise,” Ja’fosk said.
Samakro gave a small nod: recognition, acceptance, and appreciation all rolled into a single gesture. Given the size and power of those Grysk warships, Ja’fosk and the Council should damn well be pleased that the Chiss forces had pulled it off.
As for the deals Thrawn had made with the Paccosh, Vaks, and Garwians, the diplomatic corps was still sifting through those, with the Aristocra looking nervously over their shoulders. Foreign alliances had never worked out well for the Ascendancy, and the Syndicure seemed disinclined to give them another try.
Though in this case, they might wind up not having a choice. They’d declared Sunrise to be off limits to Chiss ships and personnel, which was probably a good idea, and which might work in the short term. But there were still unanswered questions and unexplained resources there, not to mention the incredible wealth of the nyix mines … and with the Magys having named Uingali as their Guardian, the Paccosh were now the only path available for the Council and Syndicure to explore those resources.
It was going to be an interesting tangle for the diplomats and Aristocra to sort through. Samakro was glad all he had to deal with was a single Expansionary Defense Fleet warship.
Assuming that wasn’t about to be pulled out from under him.
“Second,” Ja’fosk continued, “we want to officially confirm your upcoming promotion to senior captain, and your assignment as commander of the Springhawk.”
“Thank you, Supreme Admiral,” Samakro said, noting the irony of it all. Back when General Ba’kif had first taken the Springhawk away from him and handed it over to Thrawn, Samakro had resented the move like hell itself. He’d cooperated with the new commander, as his position as Thrawn’s first officer required, and had ordered his officers and warriors to do likewise. But it had been strictly a matter of duty, and he’d firmly promised himself that he would never truly like the new arrangement.
He’d been right. He never had. But the Expansionary Defense Fleet wasn’t about what anyone liked or didn’t like. Rather to his surprise, Samakro had slowly learned to respect Thrawn. Even more important, he’d learned to trust him.
And trust was what made a warship function. Trust between the commander and his officers, trust among the officers themselves. Knowing one another’s strengths, knowing one another’s commitments, was what let them charge confidently into battle. It was what let them face off against a fleet of giant alien ships without hesitation or qualm.