“No, nothing else,” Thrawn said. Either he hadn’t noticed Ba’kif’s sarcasm or had chosen to ignore it. “We can find a way to work with whatever other skills they might possess. The primary focus now has to be on finding them.”

“If they exist.”

“If they exist,” Thrawn conceded. “At any rate, I’ve already spoken to Caregiver Thalias and Sky-walker Che’ri, and both have indicated willingness to go with me.”

“You spoke of confidential matters to unauthorized personnel?” Ba’kif asked, hearing his tone go ominous.

“Sky-walkers and their caregivers know many things even senior officers sometimes don’t,” Thrawn said. “That said, no, I offered no restricted information. I merely posed the question of whether they would accompany me on a long-distance journey of unspecified destination and purpose.”

For a few seconds Ba’kif gazed at him, weighing the options, considering the possibilities, assessing the risks. Nothing about this mad scheme exactly filled him with confidence.

But if the information Thrawn and Ar’alani had brought back about the quiet infiltration of the Nikardun was even halfway accurate, something had to be done. And the quicker, the better.

“There are members of the Syndicure who consider you an ungimbaled laser,” he said, pushing the questis back toward Thrawn. “There are times I’m inclined to agree with them.”

“The Nikardun are a serious threat, General,” Thrawn said quietly. “Possibly the most serious the Ascendancy has faced in recent history. General Yiv is competent and charismatic, with the ability to both conquer and enlist those in his path.”

“And if we find these potential allies you’re hoping for? How do you propose an alliance to a Syndicure that has refused all such entanglements for centuries?”

“Let’s first find them,” Thrawn said. “We’ll deal with the Aristocra if and when we have to.”

Ba’kif sighed. Ungimbaled laser…“You’re sure you won’t be missed?”

Thrawn nodded. “Mid Captain Samakro is overseeing the Springhawk’s repairs. It requires enough work to keep it in bluedock for at least six weeks.”

“How did you arrange that much damage?” Ba’kif held up a hand. “Never mind. All right, I’ll have a scout ship assigned to you and get it prepped. But not a word to either Thalias or Che’ri about your actual mission until you’re under way. Understood?”

“Understood.”

“One final consideration, then,” Ba’kif said, putting the full weight of his long career into his voice. “You’re not only putting yourself at risk, but also risking the lives of the two women, one of them an immensely valuable sky-walker. If the whole thing goes crash-dive, are you prepared to have their deaths on your conscience?”