“That could change at any minute,” Wutroow warned.
“No,” Thrawn said. “They could move to attack mode, but it would take more than simply a minute.”
“Agreed,” Ar’alani said. “At their distance and orientation, any move would be well telegraphed.”
Wutroow seemed to brace herself. “Yes, ma’am.”
“The diplomatic office has no understanding of that which you speak,” a different Lioaoin voice came over the speaker. “But we welcome the friendship and mutual respect of the Chiss Ascendancy. Will you approach, Ambassador, that we may have a conversation? Or shall we send transport for you?”
Ilparg looked back at Ar’alani. “Admiral?” he prompted.
“Well, we’re definitely not moving any closer,” Ar’alani said. “And under the circumstances, we’re not letting you go in, either.”
“So we’re just leaving?”
“Why not?” Ar’alani said. “We’ve gotten what we came for.”
Ilparg frowned. “What exactly did we get?”
“The presence of a Nikardun ship,” Thrawn said.
“Which took no action against us,” Ilparg countered.
“And the fact that the Lioaoi don’t want to talk about Urch,” Ar’alani added.
Ilparg snorted. “I believe that’s what’s known as negative information.”
“It’s still information,” Ar’alani said. “Regardless, it’s all we’re going to get. So offer your apologies, say your farewells—feel free to translate that into diplomatic-speak—and we’ll be on our way.”
“A moment, Admiral,” Thrawn said thoughtfully. “With your permission, I’d like to run one additional experiment. Those nine gunboats seem unusually interested in us.”
Ar’alani turned her attention back to the group of small fighters they’d noted earlier. Their pincer formation had opened up a little, but otherwise nothing seemed to have changed.
She felt her eyes narrow as she saw what Thrawn was referring to. The formation had opened up because the gunboats had suspended the maneuver they’d been in the middle of and were now drifting, their thrusters quiet, the tidal effects of the planetary gravitational field slowly moving them apart. “At the very least they’re interested in being able to swing into action at a moment’s notice,” she said. “And in any direction.”
“Exactly,” Thrawn said. “And I see no reason other than the Vigilant why they should suddenly be so watchful.”
Ar’alani scratched at her cheek. The Nikardun Battle Dreadnought was making no move, but the fighters were in ready position. Someone hedging their bets?
Or was it something more interesting? Was it an indication that there were two different chains of command operating?
Either way, it was worth exploring further. “I trust whatever you have in mind won’t involve the discharge of weapons?”
“Not at all,” Thrawn assured her. “I’d simply like to tell them I’m here.”
“What do you expect that to accomplish?”
“I don’t know. That’s why it’s an experiment.”
She gave him her best strained-patience look. But Thrawn’s hunches were usually worth chasing down. “Very well. Helm, be ready to turn and get us out of here.”
“How quickly?” Octrimo asked.
“Hopefully, not very,” Ar’alani said. “It looks like they’re trying to play innocent, and it would be nice to leave them thinking we’d bought their act. But I want speed and power in reserve if we need it. Sky-walker Che’ri?”
“I’m ready,” Che’ri said. Her voice was shaking a bit, but the words were firm enough.
Ar’alani gestured to Thrawn. “Ready?”
“Yes,” he said, taking a step closer to her command chair. “Watch the gunboats.”
She nodded and tapped the comm switch. “Go.”
“This is Senior Captain Thrawn, Ambassador Ilparg’s supervisor,” Thrawn said. “Thank you for your interest, but the ambassador does not feel prepared at this time for a full diplomatic conversation. The Chiss Ascendancy will be in future communication with you regarding this matter.”
The Lioaoin gave some kind of wordy but mostly meaningless reply. But Ar’alani wasn’t really listening. Seven of the nine gunboats Thrawn had told her to watch had activated their thrusters at the mention of his name, moving out of formation with their bows swinging toward the Vigilant.
But they’d barely begun their maneuver when they abruptly throttled back, holding their new positions for another moment before dropping back into place with the two gunboats that hadn’t left their orbits. The whole thing took barely five seconds, with all nine ships back in formation before Thrawn even finished his statement.
The half of her brain that was monitoring the conversation recognized that it was over. She tapped the comm switch again and nodded to Octrimo. “Take us out, helm,” she ordered. “Nice and easy and calm. Sky-walker, stand ready.”
She turned her attention to the Battle Dreadnought, wondering if its captain would now decide to drop his own innocent act. But the Nikardun continued its leisurely orbit as the Vigilant turned and drove back out of the gravity well. Che’ri leaned over her control board, and with a burst of star-flares they were back in the safety of hyperspace.
Wutroow crossed the bridge to Ar’alani’s side. “So what exactly did we learn?” she asked.
“You weren’t watching the gunboats?” Ar’alani asked.
“You and Thrawn were watching them. I figured someone ought to keep an eye on the Dreadnought.”
“Yes. Good thinking.” Ar’alani looked up at Thrawn. “Your idea, Senior Captain. Go ahead and lay it out.”
“Seven of the nine gunboats reacted to my name by starting to move toward us,” Thrawn told Wutroow. “That suggests both that I’m known to the Nikardun, and that there’s some kind of standing order regarding me. But a moment later all seven returned to their formation.”
“So whoever was commanding the fighters was all set to come charging over and avenge the horrible insult you delivered at Rapacc,” Wutroow said slowly. “Only someone higher in the command chain countermanded the order.”
“That’s how I read it,” Ar’alani confirmed. “Which immediately implies in turn what I said earlier. Even under provocation, even with standing orders, they’re trying very hard to pretend they’re not a threat to us.”