The equipment bay was larger than Thalias had expected, though with the cranes, maneuvering lifters, overhead cables, and lines of tool and part racks there was also less open space than she’d anticipated. She and Thrawn had just settled themselves in front of the main port when there was a wheeze of vented air and the port began to cycle. “Here they come,” she muttered, peering past Thrawn’s shoulder as he stood in front of her, partially blocking her view. They hold their females in high esteem, Thrawn had said of the aliens they were tracking. If he was right, his protective position in front of her would hopefully connect to that cultural bias.

“Yes.” Thrawn paused, his head cocked as if listening.

Then, to Thalias’s surprise, he slipped around behind her, reversing their original positions so that she was now in front.

“What are you doing?” she demanded, a fresh sense of vulnerability flooding into her. The people about to come in, and whatever weapons they might be carrying—

The hatch dilated, and four creatures emerged.

Medium height, chest and hip bulges, pink skin, feathery head crests. Exactly like the bodies Thrawn had brought aboard the Springhawk from the second refugee ship.

He had indeed found them.

For a moment the two groups eyed each other. Then one of the newcomers spoke, his voice gravelly, his words incomprehensible.

“Do you speak Minnisiat?” Thrawn called back in that trade language.

The alien spoke again, still using his own speech. “Do you speak Taarja?” Thrawn asked, switching to that one.

There was a short pause. Then one of the other aliens took a step forward. “I speak this,” he said. “What do you do here?”

“We are explorers,” Thrawn said. “My name is Thrawn.” He nudged Thalias. “Tell them your name.”

“I am Thalias,” Thalias said, taking the cue and giving only her core name. For whatever reason, Thrawn apparently didn’t want to give out their full names.

The alien’s eyes widened and bulged a little as he seemed to study her. “You are female?”

“I am,” Thalias said.

The alien gave a whinnying sort of snort. “So do you, Thrawn, then hide behind your female?”

“Not at all,” Thrawn said. “I’m shielding her with my body from those you sent to shoot us in the back.”

Thalias caught her breath. “You’re joking, right?” she muttered.

She sensed him shake his head. “I felt the shift in the air as they entered the secondary hatch behind us.”

Thalias nodded to herself. Just as he’d quickly absorbed the feel of the Tomra all those years ago, he’d now just as quickly grasped the same details of this alien station.

“We plan no violence,” the alien spokesman said hastily. “Merely caution. Your arrival was unexpected, and we were concerned for our safety.”

“I apologize in turn for our startlement to you,” Thrawn said. “We thought this station was abandoned. That is why we came.”