Alliances (Star Wars: Thrawn, #2)(50)

“I have a thought,” Thrawn said. “I would prefer not to state it, so as not to influence your own thoughts and analysis.”

Vader turned to face him. “I would prefer that you do.”

“I do not wish to influence your analysis.”

For three seconds Vader remains silent. His hand rests openly on his lightsaber. “Many years ago the Emperor asked what you would do if faced with a choice between the Empire and the Chiss,” he said. “Do you remember that question?”

“I do,” Thrawn said. “I replied that if I were to serve the Empire, he would command my allegiance.”

“And?” Vader asked.

“My word is my guarantee,” Thrawn said. “If his servant Anakin Skywalker were here, he would speak to that guarantee.”

“Anakin Skywalker is dead.”

“So I have heard,” Thrawn said. “I also have the Emperor’s trust.”

“Do you?” Vader countered. “After Atollon do you still have his trust?”

“Yes.”

Vader is silent another two seconds. “You must still earn mine.” He pauses, his head inclining slightly. “Commander Kimmund reports that the freighter that was here has escaped into hyperspace. He further states that the other freighter’s crew has successfully destroyed their cargo.”

“They will certainly have tried,” Thrawn said. “But even the most thorough destruction may leave clues.”

“You have a reputation for seeing that which others do not.” Vader removes his hand from his lightsaber and waves toward the remaining building. His voice perhaps holds challenge. “You will begin here.”

The house was of a common design. There were five sleeping rooms holding a total of twenty beds, a large common area, a combined food preparation and eating area, and three bathrooms. Two other rooms contained crates which appeared to hold mostly food and household supplies.

“These four beds have been recently slept in,” Vader said as they looked into one of the sleeping rooms. “Their occupants appear to have departed quickly.”

“I agree,” Thrawn said. The style of the building, the design of the furniture, and the patterns of color and line were consistent with what he’d seen elsewhere in Black Spire. Local design and construction, offering no clues as to the occupants’ origin. He pulled several of the garments from the sleeping room lockers and laid them out on the bed for study.

“Admiral!” Vader called. His voice perhaps holds cautious excitement. “Come to the rear of the house.”

Vader was waiting in a wide archway leading into a long room. “Do you recognize these?” he asked.

There were ten cylinders laid out in the room, lying on their sides on support cradles. Each was six meters long, consisting of a central portion two meters long with a swing-up top and a two-meter-long metal cap on each end. Power cables and liquid delivery tubes were arrayed neatly around and between each cylinder. The tops of all ten were open, revealing contoured body couches inside. “I have not seen such devices before,” Thrawn said. “Could they be cloning chambers?”

“They are smaller than any known Imperial design,” Vader said. He steps to one and stoops down, peering first into the open central chamber, then shifting his attention to a control board below the lid. “Do you know this script?” he asked, stepping aside.

“The script is common in the Unknown Regions,” Thrawn said. “But I do not recognize the language. An examination of the internal equipment may reveal its use.”

Vader held out a hand toward the cylinder. For a moment the cylinder shook gently, then lifted a few centimeters from its cradle. It tilted a few degrees left, then right, then settled again onto the cradle. “The bulk of the mechanism is there,” he said, pointing to the left cap, the one at the foot end of the central couch. “The other end is mainly liquid storage.”

“How do you know?”

“The inertial characteristics of solids and liquids are different,” Vader said. His voice perhaps holds confidence, perhaps rebuke.

“I see,” Thrawn said. “We need to bring one to the Chimaera. Perhaps the engineers can ascertain its function.”

“Agreed,” Vader said. “Guard them while I bring the freighter.”

“There is no need for a guard,” Thrawn said. “I will return to the cantina and examine the bodies.”

“We will return together,” Vader said. His voice is again dark. “We will also question the bartender further. It may be he knows more than he has yet said. After the cylinders have been loaded aboard the freighter.”

“Very well,” Thrawn said. “But be quick. Time is not on our side.”

For two seconds Vader stands motionless. “I will return at my own pace,” he said. His voice perhaps holds anger, perhaps grudging agreement. “And that pace will be sufficient.”



* * *



—

“Transmission is secure, Admiral,” Faro said, double-checking the readings one last time before turning her full attention to the image floating over the aft bridge holopod. At the Chimaera’s distance from Batuu a standard transmission cone was wide enough to invite local eavesdropping, and even with encryption running it wasn’t a risk anyone wanted to take. “Orders?”