That made him an idiot. What made him a contemptible fool was that he hadn’t been shy about voicing his opinions and criticisms within Che’ri’s hearing. Last night it had taken Thalias two hours of soothing, a good dinner and a hot bath, and every single one of her limited repertoire of lullabies to get Che’ri to sleep.

“And what exactly is the delay now?” Ilparg grumbled.

“We’re waiting on the Urchiv-ki controller to give us permission to launch your shuttle,” Ar’alani explained.

“Yes, I understand that,” Ilparg said testily. “Wouldn’t it be best if I was actually in the shuttle when that permission comes?”

“Patience, Ambassador,” Thrawn said.

Thalias winced. Of all the soothements Thrawn could have offered, patience was the one least likely to get him anywhere.

“I have all the patience I need, Senior Captain,” Ilparg said acidly, glaring at Thrawn. “What’s needed here is results. Action and results. Since they don’t seem to have noticed us, a second call would seem to be indicated—”

“There,” Thrawn said, pointing at a spot on the aft visual display. “You see it?”

“Yes,” Ar’alani said. “You’re sure it’s Lioaoin?”

Thalias felt her breath catch in her throat. Something was going on out there. She could tell by the expressions on Ar’alani’s and Thrawn’s faces, and by the matching tautness in their tones. Something was going on, and it wasn’t good.

“Not one hundred percent, no,” Thrawn said. “Their ship design has changed since we saw it last. But there are enough similarities that I think it probable.”

“What are you talking about?” Ilparg demanded. “What do the Lioaoi have to do with anything? This is Urch”—he shot a look at Che’ri—“unless our navigator has gotten us lost again.”

Thalias took a deep breath. Enough was enough. “Excuse me, Ambassador—”

“This is Urch Planetary and Space Control,” an alien voice erupted from the bridge speaker, its Taarja mangled almost beyond recognition. “Chiss ship is not permitted to release shuttle. Repeat: Chiss ship will not release shuttle. Ambassador of Chiss not welcome to Urchiv-ki, nor to her planets or space.”

“That’s impossible,” Ilparg sputtered. “A treaty was endorsed—the Syndicure approved it.” He drew himself up to his full height. “Admiral Ar’alani, call him back,” he ordered. “Tell him you wish to speak with a senior member of the Tower Dimension—”

“Quiet,” Ar’alani said, her face turned to the tactical display.

“Kindly do not address me in that—”

“I said quiet,” Ar’alani repeated. She hadn’t raised her voice, but suddenly an icy chill ran down Thalias’s back.

Ilparg clearly felt the threat in her voice, too. He opened his mouth to speak, seemed to think better of it, and fell silent.

“What do you think?” Thrawn asked.

“I count eight ships visible,” Ar’alani said. “The Lioaoin, six probable Urchiv…and that one.”