“Correct about the sensors?” The spokesman paused, his eyes flicking between them. “Why do you ask? Do you wish the details of your ship to remain secret?”

“It is said there are those who can deduce the origin of a ship from its design and style of flight,” Thrawn said. “The unknown leader of these Nikardun may be one such.”

“Their leader is hardly unknown,” the Pacc said, a hint of disgust in his tone. “General Yiv the Benevolent has personally come to Rapacc to speak his demands to and share his gloatings with our leaders.”

“Such actions speak of supreme confidence,” Thrawn said. “Will he return soon?”

“I do not know,” the Pacc said. “But more Nikardun will surely come, and if we are not compliant with the orders of those currently here it will go badly for us.”

And if the Paccosh failed to capture the strangers who’d blown past the sentry ships and sneaked aboard their station, Thalias suspected, things would probably go even worse. “What are you going to do with us?” she asked.

The spokesman turned back to the others, and for a moment they all consulted together. “Well done,” Thrawn said quietly.

“What do you mean?” Thalias asked.

“That question was better coming from you than from me,” he said. “Their consideration for females may modify their answer and influence their decision in our favor.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“Then the charrics,” Thrawn said, his voice calm but determined. “You’ll deal with those in front of us. I’ll do likewise with the ones behind.”

Thalias’s mouth went suddenly dry. “You mean just shoot them down?”

“We are two,” Thrawn said. “They are four, plus however many are currently unseen and unnumbered behind us. If they decide to take us prisoner, our only chance will be immediate and lethal attack.”

A cold chill ran up Thalias’s back. Getting pulled into a firefight, shooting and being shot at, had been a terrifying prospect. But at least she could have gone into a heated battle with a mostly clear conscience.

What Thrawn was talking about was straight-up, coldhearted murder.

The Paccosh ended their discussion. “We have no orders regarding intruders,” the spokesman said. “We were sent only to examine the sensors.” The other alien said a few words. “But we presume the Nikardun would have required your capture if they had known you were here.”

“Perhaps,” Thrawn said. “The more important question is: What do the Paccosh require?”

The spokesman turned to the others. Thalias lifted her hand to her hair, pretending to adjust a few strands, hopefully drawing a bit of extra attention to herself.

“If you allow us to depart, I will make sure the Nikardun do not detect us,” Thrawn added into the silence.

“How can you be sure of that?”

“They did not detect our arrival at this place,” Thrawn said. “I doubt they will be more attentive now.”