A touch of surprise crossed Thrawn’s expression. “Two ranks, sir?”
“Two ranks.” Ba’kif gave a little snort. “Yes, I know. But your success against the pirates has you riding high at the moment, and the Ascendancy does cherish its heroes. And, of course, you’re Mitth.”
Thrawn’s face seemed to fall a little. “Yes. Thank you, sir.”
Ba’kif inclined his head and turned to Ziara. “And you, Mid Captain Ziara, are also hereby promoted to senior captain.”
“Thank you, sir,” Ziara said, her chest seeming to close around her heart. Senior captain. One more promotion, and she would reach commodore.
The rank where everything changed.
“Congratulations to you both,” Ba’kif said. “You can pick up your new insignia and IDs from the quartermaster. You’re dismissed, Thrawn. Ziara, another moment of your time.”
He waited in silence until Thrawn had left the room. “Your assessment, Senior Captain?” he asked, nodding toward the closed door.
“He’s brilliant, sir,” Ziara said. “Excellent strategist and tactician.”
“And his political shrewdness?”
“Poor to nonexistent.”
“Agreed,” Ba’kif said. “He’s going to need a steady hand, both to guide him and to prevent him from continually grabbing the wrong end of the fire stick.”
Ziara suppressed a wince. “Do I need to guess, sir?”
“Hardly,” Ba’kif said, smiling tightly. “I’m putting him aboard with you as your third officer.” He glanced at his questis. “Your new ship will be the patrol cruiser Parala.”
“Yes, sir,” Ziara said, feeling herself straighten up a bit more. Patrol cruisers typically traveled far outside the recognized boundaries of the Ascendancy, gathering intel and watching for potential threats. An interesting and highly coveted assignment. “Thank you, sir.”
“You’ve earned it,” Ba’kif said. “I know you’ll do whatever is necessary for the defense and protection of the Ascendancy.” He drew himself up to full attention. “Dismissed, Senior Captain. And good luck.”
She’d expected Thrawn to have already left. Instead, she found him waiting for her outside the general’s office. “Trouble?” he asked.
“No,” she said. “I’m commanding the Parala, and you’re my new third officer.”
Again, a brief look of surprise. “Really?”
“Really,” she said, starting down the hallway. “Quartermaster’s this way.”
He dropped into step beside her. “Congratulations,” he said as they walked. “The Parala’s reputed to be an excellent ship.”
“So I’ve heard,” Ziara said. “Congratulations to you as well, by the way. Two ranks at once is almost unheard of.”
“So I’ve been told,” Thrawn said, his voice going distant. “Though of course what’s given can also be taken away.”
Ziara leaned forward to peer at his face. “Something wrong?”
He looked sideways at her, then turned to face forward again. “The Lioaoin Regime didn’t go into piracy simply because they were bored,” he said. “They clearly have a serious financial problem.”
“You suggesting we take up a collection?”
He shot her another look, this one carrying an edge of annoyance. “They won’t try it again with the Ascendancy,” he said. “But the problem remains, as does their chosen remedy. Once they’ve regrouped and replaced the ships you destroyed, they’ll be back, attacking merchants from other systems. What happens to those systems?”
Ziara shrugged. “They’ll have to deal with the Lioaoi on their own.”
“What if they aren’t strong enough to do so?” Thrawn persisted. “Are we supposed to just sit back and watch them suffer?”
Ziara looked him straight in the eye. “Yes.”
For a moment they locked gazes. Thrawn turned away first. “Because we don’t interfere in the affairs of others.”
“Would you rather the Ascendancy became guardians for the entire Chaos?” Ziara asked. “Because that’s where that path would take us. We would rescue one, then another, then a third, until finally we stood alone as bulwark against a thousand different aggressors. Is that what you think we should do?”
“No, of course not,” he said. “But there has to be a middle path.”
For a few steps they walked in silence. “If it helps, I understand what you’re saying,” Ziara said at last. “Tell you what. When you rise to rule the Aristocra and the Ascendancy, I’ll help you work out a solution.”
Thrawn gave a little snort. “There’s no need to be sarcastic.”
“Who says that was sarcasm?” Ziara asked. “The Mitth are an important family, and as General Ba’kif said you’re riding high in their estimation. The point is that non-intervention is the Ascendancy’s protocol at the moment. Unless or until that changes, we accept our orders and fulfill our duties.” She caught his arm, bringing him to a sudden stop, and gazed hard into his face. “And that’s all we do. Understood?”
A small smile touched his lips. “Of course, Senior Captain Ziara.”
“And don’t worry that your family’s influence was what jumped you those ranks,” she continued. “Don’t deny it—I saw it in your face. I’m sure the Mitth connection didn’t hurt, but the Council doesn’t do things just because some syndic wants them to. If they did, I’d have been jumped three ranks.”
“And you’d have deserved it,” Thrawn said.
Ziara started to smile. The smile faded as she realized he was serious. “Hardly.”
“I disagree.” Thrawn seemed to consider that. “I respectfully disagree,” he amended. “You’ll certainly make full admiral someday. The Council might as well promote you now and save themselves some time.”
“I appreciate your confidence,” Ziara said, turning away and starting to walk again. “But I’m content to take the slow, steady route.”
Admiral. Actually, the word had a nice ring to it. Provided, of course, that she was as good as Thrawn seemed to think.
And provided that, while he served under her command, he didn’t do something to ruin her chances forever.
The hatch into Admiral Ar’alani’s office slid open. Bracing herself, wondering what this sudden summons was all about, Thalias stepped inside. “You wanted to see me, Senior Captain?” she said.