Thalias glanced at Che’ri, saw her own surprise reflected in the girl’s face. “Really?”

“Really,” Thrawn said. “Because they knew the same thing Ar’alani realized. The Vaks value everyone’s thought lines…but when someone is killed, their thought lines are gone forever. That robs the whole of the Combine of information, and threatens the culture.”

“So an attack on any individual is an attack on the whole society,” Thalias said, nodding.

“Exactly,” Thrawn said. “Whether or not Yiv realized that, the commander of the Battle Dreadnought who’d been tasked with destroying the Springhawk apparently didn’t care about such subtleties. Ar’alani was able to lure him into firing on a pair of noncombatant Vak ships, killing their crews and awakening that cultural fury. At that point, all the rest of the thought lines suddenly faded away, with only one remaining.”

“The one where they join together to protect their world and their people,” Thalias murmured.

“And with the battle coordination plan I’d already given them, there was no fumbling or false starts. They and Ar’alani’s warships quickly and efficiency joined forces against the Nikardun.”

“And she got all that just from reading history?” Che’ri asked.

“That, and the way she looks at the universe,” Thrawn said with an oddly sad smile. “Where I see non-Chiss as assets, she sees them as people.”

Thalias looked over at Che’ri. A lot of people saw sky-walkers as just assets, too. “Makes her a good commander.”

“Indeed it does,” Thrawn said. “Certainly a better commander than I.”

“Maybe, maybe not,” Thalias said. “Different doesn’t necessarily mean better or worse. Different just means different.”

“It was your battle plan, right?” Che’ri put in. “She got them on our side, but it was both of you together who won the fight.”

“Along with the warriors of her attack fleet,” Thrawn said. “Her officers follow her with confidence, even eagerness. Mine follow me because they’re good Chiss warriors.”

“So change,” Thalias suggested. “Learn how she does it.”

“I’m not certain I can.”

“I wasn’t sure I could fly,” Che’ri said. “You taught me how.”

“And you’ve been teaching me how to observe and think,” Thalias added. “As to confidence, if you think Che’ri and I put our heads into Yiv’s trap just because we’re good Chiss warriors, you really don’t understand people. Or at least not us.”

“And may it be a long time before either of you are forced into such trust again,” Thrawn said. “The Ascendancy owes you greatly, Sky-walker Che’ri and Thalias, Trial-born of the Mitth.”

“You’re Trial-born?” Che’ri said, smiling with delight. “Wow! That’s great!”

“Thank you,” Thalias said, blinking at Thrawn. “I didn’t know they’d announced that yet.”