Thalias peered at the double ring in Thrawn’s palm. It was made of a silvery metal, with a series of curved arcs embossed on the base. A cluster of what looked like small snakes rose from the center of the arcs, flanked by two much larger snakes that curved up and around, crossing each other once and ending with their heads and open mouths pointed defiantly upward.

She was still studying the rings when the lights around them abruptly went out. “What—? Oh,” she added belatedly. “Remote controls.”

“Uingali reinforcing the illusion for any Nikardun observers,” Thrawn said as he flicked on his own light. “Come.”

He turned and strode toward the hatchway.

“We’re heading back already?” Thalias asked as she hurried to keep up with him.

“We have everything Supreme General Ba’kif sent us to find,” Thrawn said. “The murdered refugees were Paccosh from the Rapacc system, their oppressors are called the Nikardun, and the Nikardun leader is General Yiv the Benevolent.” He seemed to consider. “Plus perhaps a few additional facts that Ba’kif wasn’t expecting.”

“Such as?”

Thrawn was silent for another few steps. “We located the Paccosh partly because the refugees’ ship came from this general direction. We also presume that the Nikardun followed them or in some other way anticipated their arrival in the Ascendancy, then ordered the attack on Csilla in order to distract our attention from the Paccosh destruction.”

Thalias nodded. “That makes sense.”

“But that leads to another question,” Thrawn said. “How did the Nikardun know to stage their ambush at that particular spot?”

“Well…” Thalias paused, trying to think it through. “We know the two Paccian ships rendezvoused in the four-star system before the one ship headed for the Ascendancy. Maybe the captain decided we were their best shot at getting help, especially with one of the two ships unable to keep going. Don’t know how they knew where we were, though.”

“Many of the aliens out here know about us, or at least have a general idea where we are,” Thrawn said. “Though our reputation often precedes any actual knowledge. You’ll note the Paccosh didn’t seem to recognize that we were Chiss. But you miss the critical point of my question. The refugee ship left hyperspace much farther out in the system than was necessary. Far enough that they would have needed several hours of space-normal travel before they were even close enough to initiate communication.” He paused. “And far enough that while their slaughter was detected, there was no chance that any of the patrol ships could respond in time.”

Thalias breathed a curse as it suddenly became clear. “The only way the Nikardun could be waiting for the ship is if the refugees’ navigator deliberately brought them out of hyperspace there.” She frowned. “They did have a navigator, didn’t they?”