What is your profession?” Thrawn asked in Cheunh.

“I am a merchant trader,” Car’das said carefully in the same language, forcing the odd sounds through unwilling tongue and lips.

Thrawn lifted his eyebrows politely. “You are a fishing boat?” he asked, switching to Basic.

Car’das looked at Maris. “That’s what you said,” she confirmed, an amused smile on her face.

He lifted his hand slightly, let it fall back into his lap. “I am a merchant trader,” he said, giving up and switching over to the Minnisiat trade language.

“Ah,” Thrawn said in the same language. “You’re a merchant trader?”

“Yes.” Car’das shook his head. “I really said I was a fishing boat?”

“Pohskapforian; Pohskapforian,” Thrawn pronounced. “Can you hear the difference?”

Car’das nodded. He could hear the difference between the aspirated and unaspirated p sounds in the second syllable, all right. He just couldn’t make the difference with his own mouth. “And I practiced that all evening, too,” he grumbled.

“I warned you Cheunh would most likely be beyond your physical capabilities,” Thrawn reminded him. “Still, your increase in comprehension level has been quite amazing, especially after only five weeks. And your progress with Minnisiat over the same period has been nothing less than remarkable. I’m impressed.” His glowing eyes shifted to Maris. “With both of you,” he added.

“Thank you, Commander,” Car’das said. “To have impressed you is high praise indeed.”

“Now you flatter me,” Thrawn warned with a smile. “Is that the correct word? Flatter?”

“The word is correct,” Car’das confirmed. Whatever progress he and Maris might have made with their studies, Thrawn’s own work on Basic had far surpassed them, a feat rendered all the more remarkable given how much less time he’d had to devote to language studies. “But I would argue with the usage,” he added. “Flattery implies exaggeration or even falsehood. My statement was the truth.”

Thrawn inclined his head. “Then I accept the tribute as given.” He turned to Maris. “And now, Ferasi, I’m ready with your special request.”

Car’das frowned. “Special request?”

“Ferasi asked me to create a description of one of the artworks aboard the Vagaari pirate vessel,” Thrawn told him.

Car’das looked at her. “Oh?”

“I wanted some extra practice with abstract terms and adjectives,” she said, meeting his eyes coolly.

“Okay, sure,” Car’das said hastily. “I was just wondering.”

She held his gaze a fraction of a second longer, then turned back to Thrawn. “May I ask which piece you’ve chosen?”

“Certainly not,” he admonished her with a smile. “You’ll have to deduce that from my description.”

“Oh,” she said, sounding momentarily nonplussed. She glanced at Car’das, then set her jaw firmly. “All right. I’m ready.”

Thrawn’s eyes seemed to defocus as he gazed across the room. “The changing of colors is like a rainbow’s edge melding into a sunlit waterfall …”

Car’das listened to the melodious flow of Cheunh words, struggling to keep up as he studied Maris out of the corner of his eye. She was struggling a little, too, he could see, her lips occasionally moving as she worked through some of the more complex terms. But behind the concentration he thought he could see something else in her eyes as she looked at Thrawn.

Only it wasn’t the kind of look a language student should be giving her teacher. It most certainly wasn’t a look a captive should be giving her captor.

An unpleasant sensation began to drift into his gut. She couldn’t actually be falling for Thrawn, could she? Surely she wouldn’t let herself be drawn in by his intelligence and courtesy and sophistication.

Because she wasn’t just Qennto’s partner and copilot, after all. And while Car’das had never seen Qennto in a fit of jealousy, he was pretty sure he didn’t want to.

“… with a deep sense of disconnection and strife between the artist and his people.”

“Beautiful,” Maris murmured, her eyes shining even more as she gazed at Thrawn. “That was the flat with the carved edging, wasn’t it? The landscape with the darkness growing upward from the lower corner?”

“Correct,” Thrawn confirmed. He looked at Car’das. “Were you also able to identify it?”

“I—no,” Car’das admitted. “I was mostly concentrating on understanding the words.”

“One can concentrate so closely on the words of a sentence that one thereby misses the meaning,” Thrawn pointed out. “As can happen in any area of life. You must never lose focus on the larger landscape.” He looked over at a series of lights on the wall above the door and stood up. “Today’s lesson is over. I must see to my guest.”

“Guest?” Maris asked as she and Car’das also stood up.

“An admiral of the Chiss Defense Fleet is on her way to take possession of the Vagaari vessel,” Thrawn said as they all headed to the door. “Nothing you need concern yourselves with.”

“May we observe the welcoming ceremony with you?” Car’das asked. “This time we should be able to understand what’s being said.”

“I believe that will be permissible,” Thrawn said. “Admiral Ar’alani will certainly have heard of your presence from Aristocra Chaf’orm’bintrano and will want to see you for herself.”

“Are they both from the same family?” Maris asked.

Thrawn shook his head. “Senior officers of the Defense Fleet belong to no family,” he said. “They’re stripped of family name and privilege and made part of the Defense Hierarchy in order that they may serve all Chiss without deference or prejudice.”

“So military command is merit-based, and not something that comes from Family connections?” Maris asked.

“Exactly,” Thrawn confirmed. “Officers are taken into the Hierarchy once they’ve proven themselves, just as the Ruling Families themselves select merit adoptives.”

“What are merit adoptives?” Car’das asked.

“Chiss brought in from outside a Family’s bloodlines to enrich or diversify or invigorate,” Thrawn told him. “All warriors are made merit adoptives when they’re accepted into either the Defense Fleet or the Expansionary Fleet.” He tapped the burgundy patch on his shoulder. “That’s why every warrior wears the color of one of the Families.”

“Which one is yours?” Maris asked.

“The Eighth,” Thrawn said. “My position is actually different from that of most warriors, as I’ve been named a Trial-born of the family. Most warriors’ positions automatically cease when they leave the military, but mine carries the possibility that I will be deemed worthy and matched permanently to the Family. I may even be granted the position of ranking distant, which will tie my descendants and bloodline into that of the Family.”

“Sounds complicated,” Car’das commented.

“Sounds smart,” Maris countered. “The Republic could use a lot more of that, instead of always going with straight bloodlines, or the highest bidder.”

“Mm,” Car’das said noncommittally. This was not the time to get into a discussion about Republic politics. “And you said there are nine of these Ruling Families?”

“There are nine at present,” Thrawn said. “The number fluctuates with events and political fortunes. At various times over the centuries there have been as many as twelve and as few as three.”

They reached the welcoming chamber to find it had already been configured for the new arrival. The wall and ceiling hangings were totally different from those featured for Aristocra Chaf’orm’bintrano’s arrival, and to Car’das’s eye the arrangement seemed less elaborate. Perhaps even a senior military officer didn’t rank as highly as a distant relative of one of the Ruling Families.

“The ceremony will be considerably shorter and less formal than the last one you witnessed,” Thrawn said as he gestured them into positions flanking him but two paces back. “You should be able to follow.” He seemed to consider, then favored them with a small smile. “The admiral’s appearance may surprise you a bit, as well,” he added. “I’ll look forward to hearing your thoughts later.”

He turned toward the door and nodded to one of the warriors. With a melodious chiming that reminded Car’das of a water carillon, the door slid open and four black-clad Chiss warriors came through, taking up flanking positions on either side. Wondering what Thrawn had meant by their guest’s appearance, Car’das straightened into his best approximation of military attention as a tall female Chiss stepped into view.

Only instead of the normal black uniform, she was dressed from collar to boots in dazzling white.

Car’das blinked in surprise as she strode past her escort into the welcoming chamber. Every Chiss warrior he’d seen up to now had invariably worn black, except for the clearly family-based guards who had accompanied Chaf’orm’bintrano. Was it because she was connected to the Defense Fleet instead of the Expansionary Fleet?

The admiral stepped to the center of the room and stopped. “In the name of all who serve the Chiss, I greet you, Admiral Ar’alani,” Thrawn intoned, taking a step toward her.

“I accept your greeting, and greet you in return, Commander Mitth’raw’nuruodo,” the admiral responded. Her words were to Thrawn, but Car’das could tell that her eyes were on the two humans standing behind him. “Do you guarantee my safety, and the safety of my crew?”

“I guarantee your safety with my life and the lives of those of my command,” Thrawn said, bowing his head low. “Enter in peace, and with trust.”

Ar’alani bowed in return. “Who are these who stand behind you?” she asked, her tone subtly changed.

And with that, apparently, the ceremony was over. “Visitors from a distant world,” Thrawn told her, half turning to gesture them forward. “Car’das and Ferasi, may I present Admiral Ar’alani.”

“We are honored, Admiral,” Car’das said in Cheunh, trying to duplicate the bow he’d just seen Thrawn make.

Ar’alani seemed to draw back. “Aristocra Chaf’orm’bintrano didn’t tell me they spoke Cheunh,” she said, an unpleasant edge to her tone.

“Aristocra Chaf’orm’bintrano didn’t know,” Thrawn countered politely. “He spent little time here, and showed no interest in learning about my guests.”

Ar’alani’s eyes flicked to him, came back to Car’das. “The report said there were three of them.”

“The third is otherwise occupied,” Thrawn said. “I can summon him if you wish.”

Ar’alani lifted her eyebrows. “He is allowed to roam freely through an installation of the Chiss Expansionary Fleet?”

Thrawn shook his head. “All three are under constant surveillance.”

“You are studying them, then?”

“Of course,” Thrawn said, as if that was obvious.

Car’das suppressed a grimace. He’d known from the start that this was one of Thrawn’s reasons for keeping him and the others around. But it was nevertheless a little discomfiting to hear it stated aloud.

“And what have you learned?” Ar’alani asked.

“A great deal,” Thrawn assured her. “But this is neither the time nor the place to discuss it.”

Ar’alani’s eyes flicked to Thrawn’s warriors, still standing at attention against the welcoming chamber walls. “Agreed,” she said.

“I presume you’ll wish to tour the captured vessel before you take it in tow,” Thrawn went on. “I have a shuttle waiting.”

“Good,” Ar’alani said, reaching to her belt and touching the smoothly curved shape of a Chiss comlink fastened there. “Let me summon my passenger, and we’ll go.”

Thrawn’s eyes narrowed, and for the first time Car’das sensed a flicker of surprise in his face. “No passengers were mentioned.”

“His presence is not officially sanctioned by the Defense Fleet,” Ar’alani said. “I brought him here as a favor to the Eighth Ruling Family.” Behind her, a young Chiss male stepped into view, his short robe and tall boots composed of a patchwork pattern of gray and burgundy, a slight smile on his face.

Thrawn stiffened. “Thrass!” he breathed. He stepped toward the other as he entered the chamber, meeting him halfway. Reaching out his right hand, he grasped the other’s right arm at the elbow as the other gripped his in return. “Welcome,” he said, smiling. “This is a surprise indeed.”

“An achievement I have rarely achieved,” the other said, inclining his head. He was still smiling, but Car’das could see hints of tension lines around his eyes as his gaze shifted over Thrawn’s shoulder.

Thrawn obviously noticed the shift. “My guests,” he said, releasing the other’s arm and gesturing at the humans. “Car’das and Ferasi, K’rell’n traders from the Galactic Republic.”

“Aristocra Chaf’orm’bintrano’s description didn’t do them justice,” Thrass commented, looking them up and down. “Particularly the clothing.”

“Their regular shipments of style-design from Csilla must have been delayed,” Thrawn said drily. “Car’das and Ferasi: this is Syndic Mitth’ras’safis of the Eighth Ruling Family.” He smiled a little wider. “My brother.”

“Your brother?” Maris breathed.

“And they speak Cheunh?” Mitth’ras’safis said, his tone darkening a little.

“After a fashion,” Thrawn said. “Admiral Ar’alani and I were on our way to visit the captured pirate vessel. Would you care to accompany us?”

“That’s the main reason I’m here,” Mitth’ras’safis said.

“The main reason?” Thrawn asked.

The other’s lip twitched. “There are others.”

“I see,” Thrawn said. “But we’ll speak of them later. If you’ll come this way, Admiral?”

For the most part, the trip around the side of the asteroid was made in silence. Thrawn occasionally mentioned something technical in the pirate ship’s design as they approached, but neither the admiral nor Mitth’ras’safis seemed interested enough to respond with anything more than grunted monosyllabic comments or an occasional question. The admiral’s escort, as befit proper warriors, said nothing at all.

Once or twice along the way Car’das noticed Mitth’ras’safis frowning at him and Maris, as if wondering why Thrawn had brought non-Chiss along for the ride. But he never asked for an explanation, and Thrawn never offered one.

The alien bodies had long since been removed from the ship, but there were many other details and deductions that Thrawn was able to point out as the group passed down the corridors, everything from the probable physical characteristics of no fewer than three different species of Vagaari slaves all the way to the equipment their masters had probably permitted them to use.

Car’das hadn’t heard any of this analysis, and listened in fascination to the commander’s monologue. Again, Ar’alani and Mitth’ras’safis absorbed the information in silence.

Until, that is, they reached the treasure room.

“Ah—there you are,” Qennto’s deep voice boomed from one of the back corners, waving with one hand as he clutched what looked like an ancient decorated battle shield with the other.

“What’s this alien doing here?” Ar’alani demanded.

“He’s helping catalog the items for me,” Thrawn replied. “Some of the systems plundered by the Vagaari are in Republic territory, and he has some knowledge of their origin and value.”

“What did he say?” Qennto called, looking at Maris.

She looked questioningly at Thrawn. “In Sy Bisti, if you please,” the commander said, switching to that language. “We don’t want to leave the admiral and syndic out of the conversation.”

“Yes, Commander.” She turned back to Qennto and translated Thrawn’s last comment.

“Oh, I’m helping catalog, all right,” Qennto said, eyeing the newcomers suspiciously. “I’m also picking out the items I’ll be taking home with me.”

“What items are these?” Ar’alani asked in Cheunh, her glowing eyes narrowing. “Commander?”

“In Sy Bisti, if you please, Admiral,” Thrawn reminded her.

“This is not an interspecies conversation circle,” Ar’alani countered tartly, ignoring the request. “What exactly have you promised these aliens?”

“They’re merchants and traders,” Thrawn reminded her, his own voice going a little stiff. “I’ve offered them some of the items as compensation for their weeks of service.”

“What service?” Ar’alani demanded, shifting her glare to Car’das and Maris and then to Qennto. “You’ve provided them with food and living quarters, taught them Cheunh—and for this they deserve compensation?”

“We’re also teaching the commander our language,” Maris offered.

“You will not speak to an admiral of the Chiss unless first spoken to,” Ar’alani told her brusquely.

Maris reddened. “My apologies.”

“There’s plenty here for both our visitors and the Ascendancy,” Thrawn said. “If you’ll come this way, there are some details of the engine room I’d like to show you.” He took a step toward the door—

“A moment,” Ar’alani said, her eyes back on Qennto and the shield he was still defiantly gripping. “Who will decide which items your humans will be permitted to take?”

“My intent was to leave that decision largely to Captain Qennto,” Thrawn said. “He’s been working on this inventory for some weeks now and has an extensive knowledge of the contents. I can provide you with a copy of the complete listing before you leave.”

“A listing of what’s in here now?” Ar’alani asked. “Or a listing of what was here before he removed his chosen items?”

“Both lists will be available,” Thrawn assured her, taking another step toward the door. “And my spot checks have shown the lists and descriptions are accurate enough. At any rate, you’ll have time on the voyage home to examine both the lists and the treasures themselves.”

“Or I could examine them right now,” Ar’alani said, gesturing to one of her two warriors. “You—get the listing. I think, Commander, that I’d prefer to take my own inventory.”

“As you wish, Admiral,” Thrawn said. “Unfortunately, I’ll be unable to assist you in that task. There are administrative matters that require my attention.”

“I can make do without your assistance,” Ar’alani said. From the tone of her voice, Car’das had the feeling that she would just as soon not have him looking over her shoulder. “Make sure I have a shuttle with which to return to my ship when I’m finished.” Her eyes flicked to Thrawn’s brother. “And I think it would be wise if Syndic Mitth’ras’safis remained with me. With the syndic’s permission, of course.”

“I have no objections,” Mitth’ras’safis assured her. To Car’das’s eye, his face looked a bit troubled.

“Then I’ll look forward to conversing again with you at your convenience,” Thrawn said. Catching Car’das’s eye, he nodded toward the door.

They were twenty meters down the corridor before Car’das dared to speak. “You don’t really have any administrative work to deal with, do you?” he asked Thrawn, keeping his voice low. “You just wanted to get away from the admiral for a while.”

“A harsh accusation,” Thrawn said mildly. “You’ll tarnish Ferasi’s high opinion of me.”

Ferasi’s—? Car’das looked behind him, to discover that Maris had indeed followed them out of the treasure room. “Oh. Hi,” he said lamely.

“I think you missed the point, Jorj,” she said. “Commander Thrawn didn’t duck out on the admiral. He maneuvered her into deciding on her own to stay behind.”

“What leads you to that conclusion?” Thrawn asked.

“The fact that this is the first I’ve heard about Rak spending weeks taking inventory of the treasure,” she said. “He would certainly have mentioned something like that to me.”

“Yet he didn’t deny it,” Thrawn pointed out.

“Because that part of the conversation was in Cheunh,” Car’das said, finally catching on. “Which he doesn’t understand.”

“Excellent,” Thrawn said, nodding. “Both of you.”

“So what exactly is going on?” Maris asked.

They rounded a corner, and Thrawn abruptly picked up his pace. “I’ve had a report of another Vagaari attack, this one still in progress,” he said. “I’m going to take a look.”

“How far away is it?” Car’das asked. “I mean, the treasure room’s not going to hold their attention that long.”

“It’s approximately six standard hours away,” Thrawn said. “And I fully expect Admiral Ar’alani to deliver a severe reprimand when I return, assuming she delays her departure until then. For now, though, all I need is for her to be distracted long enough for us to slip away.”

Car’das’s stomach tightened. “You’re not just going there to observe, are you?”

“The purpose of the trip is to evaluate the situation,” Thrawn said evenly. “But if I judge there’s a reasonable chance of eliminating this threat to the Chiss Ascendancy …” He left the sentence unfinished, but there was no doubt as to his intentions. He was going to attack.

And from the way he’d pulled Car’das out of the treasure room, it was clear he expected his language tutor to come along for the ride.

Car’das took a deep breath. He’d already been through more space battles than he liked, and going up against a fully armed Vagaari raiding party was not something he really wanted to do. But maybe there was still a chance of gracefully backing out. “I’m sure you’ll do whatever is right,” he said diplomatically. “Good luck, and—”

“May I go with you?” Maris interrupted him.

Car’das threw her a startled look. Her eyes flicked to his, a hard-edged warning in her expression. “It might be good to have a witness along,” she continued. “Especially someone who has no connection to any of the Ruling Families.”

“I agree,” Thrawn said. “That’s why I’m taking Car’das.”

Car’das winced. So much for a graceful exit. “Commander, I appreciate the offer—”

“Two witnesses would be better,” Maris said.

“Actually, Qennto would be a better choice than either Maris or me,” Car’das tried again. “He’s the one—”

“In theory, yes,” Thrawn agreed, his eyes on Maris. “But no matter how carefully planned or executed, a battle always entails risks.”

“He’s the one who really likes this kind of excitement—”

“So does flying with Rak,” Maris countered. “I’m willing to take my chances.” “I could go get him out of the treasure room—” “I’m not sure I am,” Thrawn countered in the same tone. “Should you be injured or killed, I wouldn’t want to be the one to bring that news to your captain.”

“If we’re on the bridge together, you won’t have to,” Maris pointed out. “If I die, you probably will, too, and someone else would get stuck with that job.” She jerked a thumb at Car’das. “It sounds like Jorj would rather stay behind anyway. He can do it.”

“Forget it,” Car’das said firmly, his mind suddenly made up for him. He’d seen Thrawn’s combat abilities, and he’d seen Qennto’s temper, and he knew which one sounded safer. “If Maris goes, we both go.”

“I’m honored by your trust,” Thrawn said as they reached the shuttle bay. “Come then. May warriors’ fortune smile on our efforts.”