“Of course,” Ar’alani said. “Take all the time you need. Caregiver Thalias, bring Sky-walker Che’ri out of Third Sight as soon as it’s convenient and safe. She’s to then reroute us to the Garwian capital planet of Solitair.”

“Yes, Admiral,” Thalias said. She hadn’t missed a word of the discussion, Ar’alani could see, but she showed no inclination to question the decision. “It’ll be a few more minutes before Che’ri can be disturbed.”

“At your own timing and judgment, Caregiver,” Ar’alani assured her. “Captain Thrawn, my office is yours.”

Memories VII

Thrawn shook his head. “Unacceptable,” he declared. “Completely unacceptable.”

Ziara’s years in the Expansionary Defense Fleet had honed her ability to cringe on the inside without letting the accompanying emotion show in her face or stance. Nonetheless, this time it was a very near thing. A junior commander, even one who’d just received impressive accolades, never talked to a senior officer that way. It would serve him right if Ba’kif slammed him right down to the floor.

Fortunately for Thrawn, Ba’kif had an above-average patience level. “Do I need to detail for you the protocols on preemptive strikes?” he asked, his voice calm.

“No, sir,” Thrawn said. At least, Ziara thought, he got in a sir this time. “I simply don’t see how it applies in this case. The ships were of Lioaoin design, they were using Lioaoin docking facilities, and they pursued us from the regime heartworld. It seems indisputable that the pirates are, in fact, under direct Lioaoin control and supervision.”

“Of course it’s disputable,” Ba’kif said. “The regime has categorically disputed it.”

“They’re lying.”

“Perhaps,” Ba’kif said. “But we have only what we have: circumstantial evidence and an official denial.”

“So we allow them to go on their way unscathed?” Thrawn persisted.

“What would you have us do?” Ba’kif asked. “Launch a full-scale war fleet to descend upon the heartworld and destroy every governmental and military installation we can find?”

Thrawn’s lips compressed briefly. “It would hardly take an entire fleet,” he hedged.

“You’re evading the point,” Ba’kif said. “Let me make it clearer. Would you destroy property and condemn people to death for the possible actions—the possible actions—of their government?”

“And what of our people?” Thrawn countered. “We’ve also suffered losses of property and life.”

“Those who inflicted those losses have been killed or punished.”

“Those who did the actual deeds, perhaps. Not those who sent them.”

“Again, you have no proof.”

Thrawn’s eyes flicked to Ziara. “Then let me obtain it,” he offered. “Let me go to the regime as a merchant or diplomat and find a way into their archives. Official orders, or perhaps a clear line of plunder distribution—”