“Yes,” Thalias said. “At any rate, I’d like to give Che’ri a few minutes here to start her recovery before we walk back to the suite.”
A small bit of comfort whispered through the pain. None of Che’ri’s other momishes had ever really understood these overload spells. One of them had even gotten angry with her. It was nice to have someone who knew what they were, and what to do about them.
“Take all the time you need,” Thrawn said. “I’m not surprised she was affected so strongly, given this system’s parameters.”
Che’ri frowned, opening her eyes and peering at the planet the Springhawk was moving toward. It didn’t look any different from any other planet she’d seen on this trip. What was so special about it?
“Not the planet,” Thrawn said.
Che’ri jerked, the movement sending another wave of pain through her head and shoulders. The captain’s voice had come from right behind her.
Captains didn’t usually get close to their sky-walkers. She didn’t know if they weren’t supposed to, or if they just didn’t. But Thrawn was standing right beside Thalias. Almost close enough to touch.
“Look at the tactical display,” Thrawn continued, pointing at one of the big screens beside the viewport. “It gives you a wider view of the system as a whole.”
Che’ri squinted at the display, trying to sort out all the lines and curves and numbers.
And then she got it, and felt her eyes go wide.
There wasn’t just one star out there, like she’d thought. There were four of them.
“Quadruple star systems like this are quite rare,” Thrawn said. “I imagine navigating into the middle of one takes an extra toll on Third Sight.”
“Yes, I imagine it does,” Thalias said, shifting hands to bring her other, colder one onto Che’ri’s forehead. “Why are we here? I mean here?”
“Do you really want to know, Caregiver?” Thrawn asked.
Thalias’s hand against Che’ri’s forehead suddenly went stiff. “Yes, sir,” Thalias said. “I really do.”
Thrawn stepped around to Thalias’s other side. “A refugee ship was found drifting in one of the Ascendancy’s outlying systems,” he said, his voice low. Maybe Che’ri wasn’t supposed to hear this part? “We’re following the likely vector the ship came from in the hope of identifying the people. A question, Lieutenant Commander Azmordi?”
“No, sir,” the lieutenant commander said stiffly. “But may I remind the captain that there are certain areas that are to be kept”—squinting past Thalias’s hand, Che’ri saw him pointing at her—“within the senior officer corps?”
“Your concern is noted, Lieutenant Commander,” Thrawn said. “However, at some point Sky-walker Che’ri and Caregiver Thalias may be required to perform extraordinary tasks. It’s important that the team knows what’s at stake and is mentally prepared.”
Che’ri frowned. The team. No one had ever called her part of a team before. She’d never even thought of herself that way. She was the sky-walker, and her caregiver was her momish, and that was all. Che’ri guided the ship where it needed to go, and the caregiver made her meals and put her to bed at night. They weren’t a team.
Were they?
“Yes, sir,” Azmordi said. Che’ri had heard enough unhappy officers to know what one sounded like, and this one definitely wasn’t happy.
But he didn’t keep arguing.
“It occurred to me that the refugees wouldn’t want their enemy to know where they were going,” Thrawn continued. “I also read from the way the family units had been gathered together on the destroyed ship that the people had a close sense of comradeship. It seemed to me that such people would prefer to travel in groups. Or, if not a group, then at least with a companion ship.”
He paused, like he was expecting one of them to say something. Che’ri looked at the four stars again, trying to think through her headache.
And then, suddenly, she had it. “I know!” she said, raising her hand. “The four stars. It’s hard to get in here.”
“Yes,” Thrawn said. “Which means…?”
Che’ri felt her shoulders hunch. She didn’t have any idea what it meant.
“Which means it’s a perfect place for two ships to rendezvous,” Thalias said. “A place where any pursuers would hesitate to look. Do you think we’ll find the other ship here?”
“Possibly.” Thrawn paused again, and Che’ri had the feeling he was looking at her. “Sky-walker Che’ri, are you ready yet to return to your quarters?”
The moment of excitement disappeared. Che’ri wasn’t part of the team anymore, just someone there to move the ship around. “I think so,” she said with a sigh.
“Let me help you,” Thalias said. She took Che’ri’s arm with one hand, and undid the safety straps with the other. “Are you ready to stand up?”
“Yes,” Che’ri said. She stood up, stopped as her head spun suddenly with vertigo. The universe settled down, and she nodded. “Okay,” she said, and walked around the chair. With Thalias still holding her arm, she went to the bridge hatchway.
A moment later, they were walking down the corridor. “Are you hungry?” Thalias asked as they reached the door to their suite. “Or would you like a hot bath first?”
“A bath,” Che’ri said. “Did you get overload spells like this?”
“Sometimes,” Thalias said. “Mostly when I was just starting out, but I had occasional ones right up to the end. Probably none of them was as bad as this one, though.” She shook her head. “A four-star system. The worst I ever had was a three-star one. You’re pretty amazing, Che’ri.”
Che’ri wrinkled her nose. “Not really.”
But the words felt good. Captain Thrawn taking the time to talk to her had felt good, too.
A hot bath would feel really good.
“Well, you are,” Thalias said. “Let me get you settled, and I’ll go draw your bath. Would you like your questis while you wait?”
* * *
—
Three hours later, with Che’ri bathed, fed, and finally asleep, Thalias returned to the bridge.
To find that the Springhawk was no longer alone. Floating half a kilometer away from the viewport, its outer lights dark, was an alien ship.
Samakro was seated in the command chair, talking quietly with one of the other officers. He spotted Thalias, muttered a final comment, and as the other man headed for one of the consoles he beckoned her over. “How is Che’ri?” he asked.