Thrawn Ascendancy Book 3: Lesser Evil

But Yiv was gone, and Jixtus was off somewhere orchestrating some scheme or other, and Qilori had been handed over to the Kiljis. They didn’t like him, they considered him vastly inferior to themselves, and they hadn’t told him anything about their mission to Rapacc beyond the fact that he was to take them there and then guide them to a rendezvous point General Crofyp would specify.

But now even that small crumb of forewarning was gone. Qilori was with the Paccosh and Thrawn now, and in two more days he would be thrown completely unprepared into the unknown.

Two more days for him to worry about what might be awaiting them at the end of the trip.

He brooded about it as he sipped at his galara tealeaf, his cheek winglets beating out a nervous cadence. Six more minutes until his break was over, and then it would be back under his headset and back into hyperspace. At least while he was wrapped in the folds of the Great Presence he could mostly forget his current situation.

But only mostly.

Behind him came the sound of the bridge hatch opening. Qilori turned, expecting to see Uingali foar Marocsaa or his commando team lieutenant, here to confirm the ship’s progress with the bridge crew.

It wasn’t either of them. It was Thrawn.

“Qilori of Uandualon,” the blueskin greeted him gravely as he crossed to Qilori’s station. Those glowing red eyes flicked back and forth across the bridge as he walked, taking in everything. “I understand our journey is on schedule.”

“Yes,” Qilori confirmed. “I estimate two more days until we arrive.”

“Excellent,” Thrawn said. “How is the headset working?”

“It’s not quite as isolating as a true sensory-deprivation headset would be,” Qilori told him, looking at the headset resting on his control board. “But it’s adequate.” He threw a look of his own around the bridge. “The Paccosh have also learned how to be quiet. That helps considerably.”

“I’ll be certain to pass on your approval to Commander Uingali,” Thrawn said. “Who is Jixtus?”

Qilori forced his winglets to remain motionless. He’d known this conversation was coming. He’d known with equal certainty that there would be no way to get out of it.

And that was a huge problem. Everyone who’d ever met Jixtus, who’d seen the pains he took to conceal even his physical appearance, knew how secretive he was. He would not appreciate his name being bandied about, especially not to people he intended to destroy.

But Jixtus wasn’t here. Thrawn was, and in his own way he was just as dangerous as the Grysk. All Qilori could do was try to give enough information to satisfy Thrawn without setting himself up to die a slow death when Jixtus caught up with him. “I’m not absolutely sure,” he told Thrawn. “He’s very secretive, but he seems to be the one directing the Kilji Illumine.”

“You said earlier that Jixtus was merely their associate,” Thrawn said. “Now you say he’s their leader?”

Qilori felt his winglets twitch. He’d hoped Thrawn hadn’t been in range when he was babbling his big mouth to what he thought were Nikardun.

But of course, Uingali would have played the recording for him afterward. “Actually, I’m not certain how it works,” he said. “I have the impression that Jixtus sometimes gives directives, but sometimes also accepts them.”

“Directives from Generalirius Nakirre?”

This time, even Qilori’s best efforts couldn’t stop his winglets from reacting. He hadn’t given Uingali that name—he was certain of it. How and where could Thrawn have picked it up? “I don’t know who Jixtus speaks to.”

“But you know Generalirius Nakirre’s name?”

“I’ve heard it, yes,” Qilori hedged.

“You also know that Jixtus commanded General Yiv.”

“They were associates—”

“You know that he commanded the Nikardun.”

Qilori’s winglets flattened across his cheeks. “All I know for certain is that they were associates.”

“That’s not what you told Uingali at Rapacc.”

“I thought I was talking to a group of Nikardun,” Qilori said. “I told them what I thought would soften their resistance and get them to let us pass without violence.”

“A commendable goal,” Thrawn said. “Your General Crofyp also said the Kilji commanded Jixtus, not the other way around.”

“I don’t know what General Crofyp thinks,” Qilori said. “He does have an inflated opinion of himself and his people, though.”

“Had an inflated opinion,” Thrawn corrected. “He’s dead now.”

Qilori winced. “Yes. I know.”

For a moment Thrawn was silent. “Something you should consider, Qilori of Uandualon,” he said. “Eventually, I will know everything. Everything about Jixtus, the Kiljis, the Nikardun”—his glowing eyes seemed to glitter—“and you. If you lie to me, I will eventually know that. Do you wish me to explain what would happen then?”