“Darth Malgus,” Adraas said, his false smile more sneer than anything. “I am sorry I did not announce myself before your … outburst.”

Malgus ignored Adraas and addressed Angral directly. “Why is he here?”

Angral smiled, all innocence. “Lord Adraas was giving me his complete report of the attack on the Temple.”

“His report?”

“Yes. He spoke highly of you, Darth Malgus.”

Adraas took the other chalice on Angral’s desk, sipped.

“He? Spoke highly of me?”

Malgus did not play Sith politics well, but he suddenly felt as if he had walked into an ambush. He knew Adraas was a favorite of Angral’s. Were they setting Malgus up? They certainly could use his condemnation of the peace talks against him.

With effort, he got himself under control and sank into the seat beside Adraas. Adraas, too, sat. Malgus endeavored to choose his words with care.

“The attack on the Temple could not have gone better. The plan I developed worked perfectly. The Jedi were caught completely unawares.” He turned to face Adraas. “But your report should have been approved by me before it came to Darth Angral.” He turned back to Angral. “Apologies, my lord.”

Angral waved a hand dismissively. “No apologies are necessary. I solicited his report directly.”

Malgus did not know what to make of that and did not like that he did not know. “Directly? Why?”

“Do you believe that I owe you an explanation, Darth Malgus?”

Malgus had misstepped again. “No, my lord.”

“Nevertheless I will give you one,” Angral said. “The reason is simple. I was unable to locate you.”

“I had powered down my comlink while—”

Adraas interrupted him and Malgus had to restrain the impulse to backhand him across the face.

“We assumed you to be checking on the well-being of your woman,” Adraas said.

“We assumed?” Malgus said. “Do you presume to speak for Darth Angral, Adraas?”

“Of course not,” Adraas said, his tone infuriatingly unworried. “But when we could not locate you, Darth Angral asked me to speak for you.”

And there it was, unadulterated and out in the open. Not even Malgus could miss it. Adraas had essentially admitted that he wished Malgus’s spot in the hierarchy, and Angral’s participation suggested that he sanctioned the power grab.

Malgus’s voice went low and dangerous. “It will take more than words to speak for me, Adraas.”

“No doubt,” Adraas said, and answered Malgus’s stare with one of his own. His dark eyes did not quail before Malgus’s anger.

Angral watched the exchange, then leaned back in his chair.

“Where were you, Darth Malgus?” Angral asked.

Malgus did not take his eyes from Adraas. “Assessing the post-battle situation around the Temple, my lord. Trying to understand …”

He stopped himself. He’d almost said, Trying to understand why the Empire has not razed Coruscant.

“Trying to understand the planetside situation more clearly.”