Thrawn Ascendancy Book 3: Lesser Evil

In the distance, Bogey Two exploded.

Someone on the Springhawk’s bridge gave a startled curse. Samakro felt his stomach tighten as he watched the shattered fragments of the Kilji ship expanding outward into the vacuum, wrapped in smoke and a churning but dying flame. Bogey One was nearly far enough out from the planet to reach hyperspace—

“I trust a fourth defeat will not be necessary,” Thrawn continued, his voice glacially calm. “Take that message to your leaders.”

There was no response from Bogey One. Five seconds later, it flickered and was gone.

“Cease fire,” Samakro said. “Dalvu, find the senior captain; Brisch, get me a signal to him. Kharill?”

“Sir?” The third officer’s voice came from the speaker connecting the bridge to secondary command.

“Check the records for anything on these Grysks that Senior Captain Thrawn mentioned.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Sir, I’ve got him,” Dalvu said, peering at her displays. “Mid-range, level, fifteen degrees starboard.”

“Azmordi, get us there,” Samakro ordered. “Brisch?”

“On it, Mid Captain,” Brisch said briskly. “You have comm, sir.”

Samakro reached over Afpriuh’s shoulder and tapped for the weapons board’s mike. “Senior Captain Thrawn, this is Mid Captain Samakro,” he called. “We’re on our way.”

“Welcome to Sunrise, Mid Captain,” Thrawn said. “The timing of your arrival was flawless.”

Samakro felt his lip twitch. No argument there … except that it had been Che’ri’s timing, not his.

But he couldn’t say that, not on an open channel, not even if it was only the Springhawk’s own bridge crew able to listen in. Anyway, there was a fair chance Thrawn already knew that. “Are you in need of assistance, sir?” he asked.

“We’re relatively undamaged, Mid Captain,” Thrawn assured him. “Some minor hull damage and two casualties, currently under treatment.”

“Sounds like warrior’s fortune was with you.”

“More decisive were the skill and valor of Uingali foar Marocsaa and his commando force,” Thrawn said. “Were you able to listen in on my final message to the enemy warship?”

“Yes, sir,” Samakro said. “So they’re called Grysks?”

“So I’m informed,” Thrawn said. “Are there any references to that name in our files?”

“Senior Commander Kharill?” Samakro prompted.

“There’s nothing I can find, sir,” Kharill’s voice came again. “Whoever or whatever they are, we don’t have any records on them here.”

“Though Csilla or Naporar might,” Thrawn said. “I also have data from the Kilji warship I’ll want you to take back with you. Unfortunately, it’s in a format the Nikardun ship can’t read, so I can’t simply transmit it to you. Can you rendezvous with me here to pick it up?”

“We’re already on our way, sir,” Samakro said, frowning. “I assumed you’d be coming back with us.”

“I can’t leave yet, Mid Captain,” Thrawn said. “Paccian reinforcements are on their way from Rapacc with the rest of the Magys’s refugees, and they won’t be here for another two to three days. I want to wait for them and then accompany them to the surface for a closer look at the mining area Admiral Ar’alani’s low-altitude search located.”

“I trust you remember that Senior Warrior Yopring and his shuttle were chased away from there by armed fighters,” Samakro warned.

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Thrawn assured him. “The Paccian warrior team will include a number of air-support vehicles. I also have the Magys’s assurance that her people will stand ready to assist.”

“I hope you’re right, sir,” Samakro said heavily. So instead of just having to tell the Council and Syndicure that the Springhawk had violated orders and made a side trip to Sunrise, he’d now have to explain why his ship was returning without its captain. Terrific.

“I know I’m putting you in a difficult position, Mid Captain,” Thrawn said. “But there are mysteries here, details and connections that need to be resolved before we can understand why enemies of the Ascendancy want to destroy these people and take over their world.”

“I understand, sir,” Samakro said. He didn’t, entirely, but in these matters Thrawn’s instincts generally proved to be correct. “We’ll get the data back to Naporar as quickly as possible.”

“I’m sure you will.” Thrawn paused. “How is Sky-walker Che’ri?”

“Dead to the world,” Samakro told him. “She and Caregiver Thalias put in long hours in order to get us here in time. They’ll probably sleep another ten hours, maybe more.”

“I appreciate their sacrifice more than they’ll ever know,” Thrawn said. “Please offer them my deepest gratitude when they wake. In the meantime, you’ll have to start back via jump-by-jump.”

“Lieutenant Commander Azmordi is already working on the calculations,” Samakro assured him, gesturing to the pilot. Azmordi gave an acknowledging nod and turned to his board. “Is there anything more we can do for you before we leave?”