Alliances (Star Wars: Thrawn, #2)(118)

“Perhaps someday,” Thrawn said. “But for now, I must depart.” He looked up.

Padmé followed his gaze. Above them, a dark shape was dropping toward the ground.

“I’ll wait in orbit until you depart to guard against further attacks,” Thrawn continued as a sleek ship settled to the ground nearby. “Safe travels to you both.”

“I hope we’ll meet again,” Padmé said. “Thank you for your help.”

“And for yours,” Thrawn said, inclining his head to her.

The ship’s ramp lowered as he walked toward it, the hatch behind it sliding open. He walked to the ramp.

And paused. “One final thought,” he said, turning to face them. “I’m concerned by your suggestion that the Separatists plan to infiltrate your government offices disguised in enhanced clone armor. Successful attacks of that sort generally require numbers that the Separatists will have difficulty placing into position.”

“There are a lot of clones wandering around the Senate and Chancellery,” Padmé said.

“But a single massive infiltration draws attention, while gradual infiltration holds the risk of premature discovery,” Thrawn pointed out. “I cannot help but wonder if the armor is intended for some other purpose.”

“Was intended,” Anakin said, leaning on the word. “Was. Whatever Solha and Dooku were planning, it’s no longer relevant.”

“Perhaps,” Thrawn said. “Still, it would be wise to think on it, General.”

Turning again, he walked up the ramp and disappeared inside. The hatch and ramp sealed, and the ship rose again into the sky.

“You think he could be right?” Padmé asked, suppressing a shiver. There was something in Thrawn’s earnestness that had sent a darkness through her.

“I don’t know,” Anakin said. “And right now, I don’t care. Get back to the ship and make sure it’s ready. I’ll set this thing and we’ll get out of here.”

“Anakin—”

But he was already gone. With one last lingering look up at the stars, Padmé headed back to their borrowed ship.

LebJau met her at the ramp. “I was hoping I could hitch a ride somewhere,” he said.

“You aren’t going back to your people?” Padmé asked, frowning.

“You mean the people who’ll probably hang me if I stay?” he countered bitterly.

“It’s not that bad,” Padmé said, trying to sound positive. “Most of the workers at the factory will be able to go back. They’ll still need you to work on the super battle droid assembly line.”

“If the duke lets us,” LebJau said. “Fair chance he won’t. Especially—” He broke off, waving a hand at the mine buildings. “Even if he does, the miners aren’t going to get their jobs back.”

This is war—the old, clichéd phrase came automatically to Padmé’s mind.

But this wasn’t Mokivj’s war. Or it hadn’t been until they’d been dragged into it. The fact that it was the Separatists who’d done the dragging and not the Republic was small consolation.

It wouldn’t be any consolation at all to LebJau’s people.

“I know,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry.” She sighed. “Yes, of course you can come with us. Would Batuu work? We have to go there anyway to get my ship.”

“Sure,” LebJau said, his eyes still on the mine. “I know some guys who went there once. Sounded okay.”

“If you know people who go there, it might be wise to change your name.”

“Yeah, no big deal.” He waved at the ship. “I don’t suppose I can have that ship when you’re done with it? I know it’s stolen, but it doesn’t sound like people on Batuu would care. I could probably sell it for a stake.”

“Of course you can have it,” Padmé said. “It’s the least we can do.” She craned her neck as Anakin reappeared at the mine entrance. “Here he comes.”

“Okay,” Anakin said, hurrying up to them. “Into the ship. LebJau, you need to get clear—”

“We’re taking him to Batuu,” Padmé interrupted.

Anakin flashed her a frown, shifted the frown to LebJau. “Okay. Sure. In that case, both of you into the ship.”

Three minutes later they were half a kilometer in the air, hovering a kilometer away from the mine building cluster. “Ten seconds,” Anakin warned. “Though there shouldn’t be much to see.”

“What’s supposed to happen?” Padmé asked.

“I’m just collapsing the tunnels,” Anakin said. “There should be some ground fracturing, maybe some dust—”

An instant later the area exploded into a blazing geyser of fire and smoke.

Padmé gasped as Anakin twisted the control yoke hard over, trying to get them away from the geyser. Something slapped into the ship’s underside, throwing a slight wobble into his maneuver, and a few blazing embers landed on the hull near the cockpit viewport. “What the frost is that?” LebJau yelped.

“I don’t know,” Anakin snapped back, fighting the controls as more globs slammed into both the upper and lower edges of the ship.