Thrawn Ascendancy Book 3: Lesser Evil

Had something gone wrong?

“Understood,” she told Kharill, pushing herself the rest of the way into a seated position and looking across the room at the hibernation chamber.

Or rather, at the empty section of bulkhead where the hibernation chamber used to be. Sometime in the past three hours, while Thalias had been asleep, someone had come in and taken it out.

“Just make sure you’re ready,” Kharill warned. “He’s in a hurry.”

“Understood,” Thalias said again.

She keyed off the intercom and ran her fingers through her hair, flinching at the itchiness of her scalp. She hadn’t bothered to change into her nightshirt before collapsing onto the bed, so at least she didn’t have to worry about getting dressed. Unfortunately, that had also left her skin with the unpleasant sticky feeling that always happened when she slept in her clothes.

From outside her sleeping room came the hatch chime. Thalias got to her feet, weaving slightly for the first couple of steps as she fought to get her balance. She crossed her room and the dayroom and opened the hatch.

Thrawn was standing there, his face grim, his eyes looking distracted. “Caregiver,” he greeted her tersely, stepping past her into the dayroom before she could even invite him in. “I need to speak with you.”

“Of course,” Thalias said, closing the hatch behind him. “Would you like to sit down?”

“There’s no time,” Thrawn said, stopping three steps into the room and turning to face her. “I’ll be leaving the Springhawk in half an hour, and I need you to—”

“You’re what?” Thalias interrupted, the last remnants of sleep flash-burning from her mind.

“Please just listen,” Thrawn said. “I don’t have much time. We reached the Rapacc system to find two Kilji ships threatening the Paccosh. There was a battle—a brief battle—and one of the ships escaped and appears to be headed toward Sunrise. I need to get there as quickly as possible to see who they’re meeting with, try to learn their plans, and determine how they can be stopped before they inflict more damage.”

“All right,” Thalias said, her head spinning worse than it had been when she first woke up. She’d slept through a battle? “Do you need Che’ri on the bridge?”

“No, she needs sleep,” Thrawn said. “I’ll be leaving Mid Captain Samakro in command here while Uingali and I head out in the Aelos. We’re taking the Magys with us—”

“No, no, wait,” Thalias protested. “You’re going too fast. Why are you going with Uingali instead of taking the Springhawk?”

“Because the Springhawk is under orders from Supreme General Ba’kif to return to the Ascendancy immediately after we deliver the Magys to Rapacc,” Thrawn said. “Disobeying that order would bring serious consequences, not just for me but also for all my senior officers. Samakro and the ship have to go back.”

“But why can’t you stay with us?” Thalias pressed. “Can’t Uingali and the Paccosh go without you?”

“Of course they can.” Thrawn’s lip twitched. “But they won’t. Uingali will only put his people into a mission of such danger if I agree to command it.”

Thalias stared at him. “Oh,” she said, wincing at the sheer emptiness of the word. “I … well, can we come along? Che’ri and me? I know she’d be willing.”

“Thank you, but no,” Thrawn said. “I need you and Che’ri to take the Springhawk home.”

“What about just me, then?” Thalias pressed. “I mean … I was with you at the start of this whole Paccian thing. I should be allowed to see the end of it.”

“This is hardly the end,” Thrawn said. “No matter what happens at Sunrise, the Paccosh will endure. Besides, you need to be here to take care of Che’ri.”

“Not really,” Thalias said. “She can navigate the Springhawk just fine on her own.”

“Thalias, this is becoming silly,” Thrawn chided gently. “I know you feel the late Patriarch Thooraki told you to watch over me, but risking your career and reputation isn’t the way to do that.”

Thalias set her jaw. “I don’t have much career, I don’t have any reputation, and I don’t care about either of them. Lives are on the line here. And not just yours. The Paccosh and the Magys’s people are also at risk.”

“I commend your priorities and your sense of justice,” Thrawn said. “But this is a path I must take on my own.” He gestured toward her sleeping room. “Now you need to get back to sleep. Samakro will begin the journey home via jump-by-jump, but he’ll need you and Che’ri as soon as you’re able to take over navigation. Take care of her, and please give her my farewells.”

Thalias swallowed against the sudden lump in her throat. “I will. Please be careful, sir.”

“I will.” Thrawn smiled at her. “Farewell, Thalias.”

For a long moment after he left she just stared at the closed hatch, a cold sense of dread fighting against her exhaustion. Never mind what Thalias might do to her career—what was Thrawn about to do to his?