Samakro frowned. He was right. All around them, the Vak patrol ships that had been studiously staying away from the combat zone were suddenly on the move. In groups of three and four they were converging on the Battle Dreadnought, their missiles blazing toward the huge ship, their lasers flashing against its electrostatic barriers and digging into its hull.

“Lesson for today,” Kharill continued. “Don’t get so focused on one enemy that you end up making another one. Ready to come back to life?”

“Let’s not,” Samakro said. “Ar’alani said we were teetering on the edge of disaster. It wouldn’t look very good if we suddenly showed we weren’t.”

“Yes, I doubt the Vaks would be happy to know they were betrayed by one side and manipulated by the other,” Kharill agreed. “Then…?”

“We sit back,” Samakro said. “Try to avoid any obvious attacks.

“And watch the show.”

“What is his plan?” Yiv shouted, leaning over to slap Thalias across the back of her head. “What is his plan?”

“I don’t know,” Thalias said.

“He brings in Chiss warships to attack me,” Yiv snarled as if she hadn’t spoken. “He goads the Vaks into conspiring with them against me. What is his purpose? What is his goal?”

He reached down and dug his fingers into her hair, twisting her head around to face him. “What is his plan?”

“I don’t—” Thalias winced back as his hand slapped at her face, managing to turn just far enough to take the blow on her ear instead of her cheek. The concussion sent a spear of pain and dizziness through her whole head.

“There’s no need for that, General,” Thrawn’s calm voice said over the bridge speaker. “My plan is to put you in a box. And so you are.”

“I can destroy you whenever I choose,” Yiv bit out.

“Once you’ve moved within weapons range,” Thrawn amended. “A position I’ll note you don’t seem that eager to achieve.”

“Would you like to see your death coming more quickly?” Yiv retorted. “Helm: Increase speed.”

“I thought you wanted to bring me aboard the Deathless so that you could kill me yourself.”

“You invited me yourself to come get you,” Yiv said. “Make up your mind.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Thrawn said. “It’s already too late. You’ve spent too long here for the Vaks and your own people not to conclude you don’t wish to join the battle over Primea. Leaving now will be interpreted as an attempt to escape from me. Either way, your reputation is permanently damaged.”

“Only if there are any witnesses left to tell a tale other than my own,” Yiv said.