Alliances (Star Wars: Thrawn, #2)(56)

“Good,” Thrawn said. “That should allow the engineers sufficient time to finish their initial analysis, and permit the officers and crew to rest.”

He straightened to his full height. Even sitting down, the move was impressive. “In precisely twenty-one hours the Chimaera will begin a full systems test. Two hours after that, this ship will go to battle stations.”

He looked at Vader, and Faro thought she saw a small smile touch the admiral’s lips. “And shortly after that,” he added, “we will have the answers that we seek.”



* * *



—

“One minute,” the officer at the helm station called. Lieutenant Agral, if Vader was remembering his name correctly.

“All weapons ready,” Senior Lieutenant Pyrondi added from the weapons officer station.

“Orders, Admiral?” Commodore Faro asked.

Vader looked at Thrawn, noting the look of quiet determination there. “Stand ready for navigation mark.”

“Ready for navigation mark,” Faro called. She glanced at Vader, as if expecting him to make a comment or possibly give an order of his own.

But Vader remained silent. For the moment, at least, this was all Thrawn’s show.

A flash and fade of starlines, and the Chimaera returned to realspace.

“Navigation mark!” Faro snapped. “Sensors at full range.”

“Mark, aye.”

“No enemy ships on sensors,” Pyrondi called.

“Any other objects in range?” Faro asked.

“None,” Pyrondi said.

“Reverse to previous course,” Thrawn ordered. “New course as indicated.”

Faro looked at the nav display, a frown creasing her forehead. “Sir?” she asked.

“The course is correct, Commodore,” Thrawn said. “A microjump to this point, a second microjump to this, and normal hyperdrive to our current position.”

“Though from a different angle,” Faro said.

“Yes,” Thrawn said.

“Understood, sir,” Faro said, though it was clear from her voice that she didn’t.

But at least she and the rest of Thrawn’s officers had apparently learned how to follow orders. “Helm: Execute as ordered.”

The Chimaera made three more approaches into the blocked hyperlane. The sensors made three more scans. The helm added three more navigation marks.

They were approaching the fourth when Vader finally decided he’d had enough.

He took a step closer to Thrawn. “What do you expect to find?” he asked.

“The source of the disturbance,” Thrawn said.

“There is nothing here.”

“Perhaps,” Thrawn said. “Did you see the engineers’ analysis of the freighter debris?”

“I did,” Vader said. Changing the subject, he’d observed, was one of the Chiss’s favorite tactics. Unfortunately for him, Vader had figured out how to counter that ploy. “The ratio of metals in the fragments was similar to the distribution in an Interdictor cruiser’s gravity-well projectors.”

“Indeed,” Thrawn said. “Then you know what we are hunting.”

“You hunt in vain.”

Vader looked to both sides, making sure no one else was within earshot. This conversation was for him and Thrawn alone. “You think the destroyed Grysk cylinders were gravity-well projectors.”

“It would explain the disruption of the hyperlane and how the Chimaera was pulled out of hyperspace.”

“Your conclusion is flawed,” Vader said flatly. “To remain undetected, the projector would need to be protected by a cloaking device. Yet as you yourself said, and as the engineers have confirmed, a gravity well and a cloaking device cannot be run from the same point at the same time.”

“Engineers and their conclusions are sometimes wrong.”

“Not this time,” Vader said firmly.

“I agree,” Thrawn said.

Vader frowned. “You agree that there is nothing to find? Then why are we here?”

“I have said already: to find the source of the hyperlane disruption.”

“Explain.”

“There are still uncertainties,” Thrawn said. “I would therefore prefer not to speak at this time.”

Vader’s left hand unhooked itself from his belt, shifting over a few centimeters and coming to rest on the hilt of his lightsaber. It was time to have this out. “I am the Emperor’s representative,” he said, putting all the dark threat of a Sith Lord into his voice. “You will speak if I so order.”

“The Emperor placed me in command of this vessel and this mission.”

“The Emperor does not permit his subordinates to play games.”

For perhaps five seconds Thrawn didn’t speak. Vader tightened his grip on his lightsaber…

“Over my years of service to the Empire, I have sometimes offered explanations without proof,” he said quietly. “That has never gone well.”

“What do you mean?”

“Most people don’t believe me,” Thrawn said. “That disbelief then biases them against the proof when it is revealed.”

“I am not most people,” Vader reminded him.

“I know that, my lord.” Thrawn said. “But I would still ask you to trust me.”