FicWad

A little over an hour after Car'das' rescue, the liberated Geroons have all been herded into the cargo bay, the only place aboard the recently arrived Chiss transport big enough to comfortably hold all of them. Most of them are sitting cross-legged on the floor in small groups, talking quietly among themselves, the most recent arrivals still working on either the food sticks and hot drinks or else the ration bars and drink bulbs that Admiral Ar'alani's warriors and the Jedi from Outbound Flight have provided them. All of them still look a little dazed, as if they're having trouble believing that they're actually free of the Vagaari. Standing to the side just inside one of the bay doors, trying to stay out of the way of both the Geroons and the Chiss crewers who are still moving about them, Car'das looks out at the multitude, his heart and mind fatigued beyond anything he's ever experienced. A thousand times in the past day he's wondered what exactly he's doing in the middle of this whole thing; wondered how in the galaxy Thrawn had managed to talk him into playing bait for the Vagaari. But it worked. It's all worked beautifully. The Geroons have been freed, not only these particular slaves but probably their entire world as well. Admiral Ar'alani has already said that, when the transport returns the slaves to their home, she will bring along a task force of Chiss warships for protection. So any Vagaari who are still hanging around the system shouldn't be lingering anywhere near that vicinity for much longer. And as for /Outbound Flight /. . .

He closes his eyes, breathing a heartfelt sigh of relief. Fifty thousand people plus, all of them safe and sound, minus one very unstable and apparently Sith-corrupted former Jedi Master and petty tyrant, the entire populace of the six Dreadnaughts successfully preserved. And from what he gathers, most of the crew and passengers are more inclined to celebrate C'baoth's death as if they've actually been freed from some kind of slavery themselves than they are to blame the Chiss for his loss. With a small smile, he shakes his head, distantly hoping that Maris will be able to contain her enthusiastic admiration when she finds out what the Commander has managed to pull off here. The Bargain Hunter should finally be able to head home, now that this mess with the Vagaari is settled. It would be a shame to have any kind of embarrassing scene mar that.

"Even now, they don't seem to believe it," a voice murmurs from his left, startling him out of his reverie.

Car'das opens his eyes to find Thrass standing beside him, a strange expression on his face as he gazes out across the crowded bay. "Syndic Thrass," Car'das greets him, nodding politely. "I didn't realize you were aboard."

"Admiral Ar'alani suggested I come," Thrass explains, his eyes still fixed on the Geroons. "She seemed to think she and I and my brother could now resolve the question of the Vagaari goods being held at Crustai and allow you and your companions to go on your way." He turns his glittering gaze to Car'das, adding, "Now that you and I have apparently served our purposes."

Car'das holds his accusing gaze without flinching. "I have no problems with having been a part of your brother's plan," he instantly declares, proud of himself for how even his voice sounds. "Neither should you."

"I was manipulated and controlled," Thrass snaps, his eyes flashing with resentment.

"For your own protection," Car'das promptly counters. "If Thrawn and Ar'alani had brought you in on the plan, your future would have been just as much on the line as theirs were."

"And as they are now," Thrass points out darkly. "The Nine Ruling Families will not stand for such an illegal and immoral attack."

"Number one," Car'das snaps, lifting a finger. "This system is within the patrol region of the Chiss Expansionary Fleet. That makes it Chiss territory. Number two: the Vagaari arrived in force with the clear intent of causing harm and proposed to open fire on a composite vessel belonging to a newly declared ally of the Commander and therefore the Chiss Ascendancy itself. That makes Commander Thrawn's actions self-defense, as far as I'm concerned."

"They were here only because you had so enticed them," is the somewhat acid response.

"Ah, but I'm not bound by your rules, as you and Admiral Ar'alani have been at some pains to remind me," Car'das counters with a smile that is not quite a smirk. "Besides, as Admiral Ar'alani will attest, your brother had publicly labeled me as a possible spy. If I got desperate enough to go to the Vagaari for help in freeing my companions, then you can hardly blame that on him."

Thrass' lip twist as though he's bitten into something sour. "No, Thrawn has always been very good at hiding his hand when he wishes to do so."

"Which seems to me takes care of the legal aspects," Car'das concludes triumphantly. "As to your other objection - " Car'das gestures out towards the Geroons " - I defy you to look at these people and tell me how freeing them from tyranny could possibly be immoral."

"The morality of an action is not determined by the results," Thrass stiffly insists. But then his face softens a little as he adds, "Still, in this case, it's a hard point to argue."

The expression on the Syndic's face reminds Car'das so much of Thrawn that he begins to hope that the Chiss is seeing reason. Quietly, with as much gravity as he can muster, Car'das tells him, "I saw the way the Vagaari treated their slaves." The memories of the Geroons the Miskara had murdered in cold blood makes him shiver slightly, his stomach clenching as if he were ill, but he persists, unwilling to give up the point or the argument when Thrass finally seems to be coming around. "In my opinion, the universe is well rid of them."

"I would tend to agree," Thrass finally allows with a small sigh that makes him seem much more human. "But Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano may not see things quite so clearly."

Car'das can't help but frown a little at that, remembering the Chiss who had been so rudely dismissive of him and his companions and who had then attempted to seize the Vagaari treasure ship out from under Thrawn. "What does he have to do with anything?"

"He and vessels of the Fifth Ruling Family are on their way here," is Thrass' rather grim response. "I had a brief communication with him just before leaving Crustai. I suspect he intends to place Thrawn under arrest."

Car'das instantly feels his throat tighten as if he's been seized by the same kind of powerful Force grip that had almost succeeded in killing Thrawn and ruining all of their plans. "Does Thrawn know about this?" he demands, voice rising sharply.

"No."

"Then we have to tell him, and fast," Car'das grimly declares, eyes scanning with new purpose across the transport's hold. "Do you know where he is?"

"I believe that he and Admiral Ar'alani have gone across to rendezvous with Outbound Flight and a Jedi by the name of Lorana Jinzler."

"That would be the rather remarkable young lady who saved your brother's life when Jorus C'baoth attacked him," Car'das nods in curt response, already turning to make his way around the crowd. "Come on! We need to get over there. My shuttle's in one of the portside docking stations."

Less than ten minutes later (after a slight delay caused by a challenge from Outbound Flight that had finally ended only when Car'das impatiently called on Jedi Master Evrios to clear them for docking), they find Thrawn and Ar'alani on the bridge of the main command ship, standing amid a bustling crowd of human crewers who are, under the confident direction of a Mon Calamari (the sight of whom makes Thrass hesitate for perhaps half a second mid-stride), methodically checking over the control consoles, making absolutely sure that they haven't taken any damage in the fracas with the Vagaari. There are three humans in Jedi robes standing with the Admiral and the Commander, including a young lady with dark hair and startling gray eyes whose hands are currently being clasped and bowed over by Thrawn, but for once Car'das doesn't have enough time to spare to pay them any attention, too intent on the news he is carrying to worry about formalities.

"Ah - my brother," Thrawn says as Thrass and Car'das make their way with purposeful haste through the maze of consoles, letting go of the young lady's hands and turning in their direction. "Are the Geroons being properly cared for?"

"Never mind the Geroons," Car'das snaps impatiently in Minnisiat before Thrass can answer the question that has been posed to him in Sy Bisti. "Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano's on his way with a fleet of Fifth Family ships."

"On whose authority do they fly?" Ar'alani instantly demands in the same language, her hands taking up a combative position on her slim hips.

"The Aristocra's own, I presume," Thrawn replies in the same tongue, his eyes narrowing in thought. "How soon until they arrive?"

"They could be here at any time," is Thrass' somewhat less than informative response. Then, grimly enough to make his growing concern for his brother surprisingly obvious, he adds, "I suspect he's coming to raise charges against you."

"In that case he would hardly need a fleet of vessels," Thrawn immediately counters, shaking his head. "No, I believe the Aristocra has something far more profitable in mind."

"/Outbound Flight/?" Car'das asks, alarmed.

"Actually, I expect he's hoping to take possession of the remains of the Vagaari fleet," Thrawn replies, frowning. "But you're right. Once he sees Outbound Flight that priority will definitely change."

"He can't /do /that," Thrass immediately protests, his face turning an oddly ashen shade of blue-gray. Then, looking over at Ar'alani, he asks, somewhat more hesitantly, "Can he?"

"Not legally," Ar'alani replies, her voice tight. "But as a practical matter, if he's brought enough vessels, there'll be no way for us to stop him, short of violence. And if this vessel opens fire on an Aristoca of the Fifth Family . . ." she allows her voice to trail off, shaking her head with grim purpose, her lips thinned to a tight line of tense displeasure.

"There would be war between the Chiss Ascendancy and the Galactic Republic. A true all-out war, which I cannot believe the Jedi would risk," Thrawn declares, shaking his head slightly. "Which, practically speaking, means that Outbound Flight would have no choice but to surrender to Aristoca Chaf'orm'bintrano in the hopes of avoiding just such a conflict."

"The Council of Families - " Thrass begins.

" - would certainly object," Ar'alani impatiently cuts in. "But the procedure will be long and complex. And it will not begin until after the deed has already been accomplished."

"And in the meantime the Fifth Family will be coaxing the secrets from their new prize," Thrawn adds, expression darkening.

Thrass actually hisses at that, a startlingly reptilian sound. "We can't allow that," he immediately insists. "Possession of Outbound Flight by any one Family could destroy the balance of power for decades to come."

Car'das nods, a hard knot forming in his stomach. The thought of getting their hands on droid technology alone had been enough to lure the Vagaari to their destruction. How much more of an edge would those same droids plus the rest of Outbound Flight's technology give Chaf'orm'bintrano's family? He is about to agree with Thrass when the young woman he had barely noticed before steps boldly into their circle, placing one small hand on Commander Thrawn's right shoulder and quietly declaring, in absolutely flawless Minnisiat, "We will not allow ourselves to tumble into such a trap. It is the duty of the Jedi to preserve peace, but it is also our responsibility to protect the balance of power when preservation of that balance will help to ensure the well-being of so many. If there is a place where we can go, somewhere that we cannot be found by this Aristoca Chaf'orm'bintrano, then we will go there and wait for you to come to us, so that we can continue our discussions in peace, Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo."

Car'das gapes at her, completely stunned, able to keep his jaw from literally dropping open in shock. And, from the look of things, Thrass and Admiral Ar'alani are at least as surprised as he is at the Jedi's inexplicable proficiency in the trade language. "How - ? I mean, I thought that no one else had - " he stammers, confused.

With a small smile, the young woman bows her head gravely in Mitth'raw'nuruodo's direction and replies, in that same effortlessly flawless Minnisiat, "The Commander was good enough to allow me sufficient access to his mind that I would be able assimilate his knowledge of the local languages." And then, in shockingly perfect Cheunh that makes Admiral Ar'alani stare at her in obvious shock (her expression hinting at an emotion somewhere between sheer awe and absolute horror) and Thrass gaze at her with a look of surprised (and surprisingly reminiscent of an expression Car'das has seen many times on Thrawn's face) and oddly fiercely intent curiosity, she adds, "Mitth'raw'nuruodo is a truly gracious man, and his trust in allowing this will not be forgotten. Knowledge of the local languages will make things much easier for my people, and the Chiss we have been privileged to meet are all so strong-willed that it would not have been possible for any of the Jedi to simply lift the knowledge from the surface of their minds, as we normally would, without being forced to delve much deeper than we should. The Chiss are very strong in the Force. They are much like the Korunnai or the Kiffar, in this matter: a true race of natural Force-sensitives. I suspect that the brilliance of Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo is at least in part augmented by his strong, if largely subconscious, connection to the Force."

"You are kind, Jedi Bendu," Mitth'raw'nuruodo says into the shocked silence, his face and tone much lighter than they have been for most of the conversation.

"I would like to believe I am, Mitth'raw'nuruodo," Lorana Jinzler replies with a shy smile that transforms her otherwise largely unremarkable face and makes her suddenly glow with an unexpected radiance that steals Jorj Car'das' breath away, "but in this case I believe I am merely being honest."

Admiral Ar'alani is the first to recover her customary aplomb in the face of such a startling turn of events. "We can stall Aristoca Chaf'orm'bintrano for a time, if we must," she declares, though Car'das notes that she doesn't sound nearly as confident as she usually does. "If necessary, we will keep his people off this vessel until the Defense Fleet units I've summoned can arrive. But I believe it would be better for you to simply leave this area before he can arrive."

"The Defense Fleet units you've called on are not likely to arrive in time to be of any use in this matter, Admiral," is Thrawn's quiet response. "I believe we should instead give Outbound Flight coordinates to a secure military base, see it safely off, and then immediately set to work on documenting it a proven ally of the Expansionary Fleet who has been extended a formal invitation to Chiss space as part of a joint exploratory mission that is being mounted by the Defense Fleet in answer to the incursion of the Far Outsiders. That way, /Outbound Flight /can be declared an ally of the Chiss Ascendency and protected against both seizure and harassment from Aristoca Chaf'orm'bintrano and others who might be tempted towards any hasty actions."

"This would be acceptable to us," Lorana immediately agrees. "Outbound Flight took very little damage during the battle. We should be able to safely make the jump within a few minutes of receiving the proper coordinates."

There's a distracting flicker of movement at the corner of Car'das' eye and he turns towards the transparisteel canopy, a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach, just as the last of a dozen large Chiss ships come out of hyperspace. "Too late," he announces, feeling bitterness and anger both rising within him, threatening to choke him. To have come so far, only to have someone as shortsighted and small as Aristoca Chaf'orm'bintrano foul things up at the last moment - ! Squark! Shaking his head despairingly, he points out the viewport and dully adds, "He's here already."

Ar'alani mutters a string of words that have never come up in any of Car'das' language lessons. "Pesfavri is the nearest Defense Fleet base, but I have both the coordinates and the navigational data for the proposed redoubt within the globular cluster, and I believe it might be safer even than the base," she then quickly announces, gesturing for a nearby guard who is holding several data cylinders as well as datapad taken from the Bargain Hunter and modified to be able to send and receive data from similar Chiss devices. "Quickly, now, before - "

She breaks off at a twitter from Thrawn's comlink. Thrawn looks out at the ships, then reluctantly pulls the device from his belt. "Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo."

"Commander, Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano of the Fifth Ruling Family is signaling the/Springhawk/," a calm voice announces in Cheunh. "He demands your immediate presence aboard the /Chaf Exalted/."

Thrawn's eyes flick to Ar'alani for an instant before determination settles on him like a cloak. "Do not acknowledge his signal," he orders, his voice hard.

"It was not a request, Commander," the voice warns.

"Do not acknowledge," Thrawn simply repeats before clicking off the comlink.

"Thrawn, you can't simply refuse an Aristocra's direct order," Thrass objects, clearly alarmed by the sudden turn of events.

"I haven't yet received any direct orders from the Aristocra," Thrawn evenly replies. "Car'das, please take the data Admiral Ar'alani has offered to the helm. Master Ma'Ning - ?"

"We will lay in the course at once," the tall, solidly muscled, somewhat weather-beaten balding man in Jedi robes replies. "This way, please," he adds, gesturing at Car'das.

"Yes, Master Ma'Ning," Car'das replies, accepting the offered data cylinder and modified data pad and following the Jedi Master to the nearest console. He's just started the data transfer from the Chiss device to the modified datapad so that the datapad's contents can be uploaded to Outbound Flight's navigational computer when he hears Ar'alani's comlink twitter behind him.

All eyes immediately turn to her. "Clever," is all she says, though, as she reaches to remove it from her belt and key it on. "Admiral Ar'alani."

"This is Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano," an irritated sounding voice booms out in Cheunh. "I've been unable to contact Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo, and I suspect he's refusing to communicate with me. As an Aristocra of the Fifth Ruling Family, I order you to find and detain him pending a hearing on his recent military activities."

Ar'alani hesitates for one heartrendingly terrifying moment, making Car'das hold his breath. Then, with clear reluctance, she nods. "Acknowledged, Aristocra. I hear, and obey." Afterwards, with a distressed frown, she shuts off the comlink. "I'm sorry, Commander," she says to Thrawn. "I have no choice but to place you under detention. I will do what I can to stall the Aristocra. In the meantime, though, you are under detention. Order your people to assemble in the hangar to return to our vessels." Then, turning towards Lorana Jinzler, she adds, "It may be some time before we are able to contact you again, Lady Jedi. But I swear to you now that I will do whatever is required to see to it that Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo and those who are loyal to him will have the necessary means to reach you, irregardless of what happens at the hearing. You will be safe enough, so long as you remain within the proposed redoubt."

"We shall do so, then, Admiral," the Jedi Knight instantly promises. "You have the word of the Jedi on that. We have provisions enough to wait for years, if we must, though of course we would prefer not to have to wait so long to hear from you again. We will abide, though, and we will wait, irregardless of how long it may take for this to be sorted out satisfactorily. If there are any habitable planets within this proposed bastion that do not yet support sentient life, we might send shuttles down to gather fresh provisions, if that will be acceptable."

"As long as you mind the information that has been gathered on those worlds, that should be fine. And I thank you for your cooperation and understanding in this, Lady Jedi," the Admiral replies with evident relief. Then, turning towards Thrawn, she asks, "Commander?"

For a long moment Thrawn stands motionless, his gaze locked on the figure of Lorana Jinzler. Then, slowly and with obvious reluctance, he bows his head and activates his comlink. "This is Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo," he quietly announces. "All Chiss warriors aboard /Outbound Flight/: return to the hangar bay."

"Thank you," Ar'alani says with no small measure of fervency. Then, gesturing back towards the blast doors, she asks, "Now if you please? You, too, Car'das."

Silently, Car'das looks at Thrawn for a long moment, and he can read the question in the Commander's eyes. Taking a deep breath, he notes, "I'm not under Chiss command, Admiral. I'd like to stay aboard awhile longer."

Ar'alani's eyes narrow at him warily. "Why? What are you planning?" she asks, her voice and manner torn between simply curiosity and actual suspicion.

"I'm not under Chiss command," Car'das simply stubbornly repeats. "And the Aristocra's order didn't mention me."

Ar'alani looks at Thrawn, noting the almost pleading look in his eyes, and then over at the incoming Fifth Family ships before finally turning to looks back at Car'das. "Permission granted," she allows. Then, without further delay, she begins striding off towards the blast doors.

"I will also stay," Thrass quietly announces.

Ar'alani stops in midstep, clearly stunned. "What?"

"I am also not under Chiss military command," Thrass replies, his chin lifting defiantly. "And Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano.didn't mention me, either."

Ar'alani sends a hard look at Thrawn. "We'll both be destroyed by this, if the Aristocra can convince the tribunal that Outbound Flight has seized a Syndic of a Ruling Family against his will," she warns him.

"Then we shall have to convince them that he has departed of his own free will. Thrass?"

"I will record testimony to that effect," Thrass immediately assures him. "Leave one of your guards here when you depart. It will take some time to gather all of the Chiss from the various Dreadnaughts. I will send that data to you with your warrior before the rest have all been able to reach the hangar bay."

Surprisingly, a tall, slender young man in ship's uniform with pale skin, close-cropped, nondescript hair that might or might not finish darkening from dull blond to light golden brown in a couple more years, a thin, angular, clean-shaven face, and surprisingly vivid bright jade-green eyes steps forward, entering both their group and their conversation. "Master Evrios says we're going to be parting ways for a little while to avoid some unwanted attention from someone high up in the Chiss government. If the Chiss Commander thinks that it might help to have a representative from Outbound Flight in his party, I'd be willing to go with him. I may not be able to absorb or exchange information mind to mind like a Jedi, but I'm good with languages," he explains easily in Sy Bisti, "and I've been voted the authority to represent the colonists of /Outbound Flight/."

"Are you certain?" Lorana Jinzler asks, clearly not very surprised by the man's offer.

"Completely," he replies, nodding firmly, mouth set in a thin, hard, determined line.

"Very well. Come here a moment, then, please, Chas Uliar. I don't believe I can give you the ability to speak Cheunh, but I can give you knowledge of Minnisiat easily enough," the Jedi Knight offers, holding out her hand to him.

Nodding, he steps closer, letting her place her hand on his forehead. They stand still for a few moments, the young Jedi's brow wrinkling in concentration, and then, with a brilliant smile, Uliar nods and says, in the same flawless Minnisiat that the Jedi has been using, "Thank you, Jedi Jinzler. That should make things easier. If it's alright with you, Commander?" he asks, raising an eyebrow in Thrawn's direction.

"Your presence would be greatly appreciated," Thrawn replies, his expression lightening somewhat, nodding at the young man in a familiar fashion (one that makes Car'das wonder just how much he's missed, stuck away in that blasted shield bubble while so much was evidently going on). Then, turning towards the Admiral, he asks, "Will this be acceptable? The role of a warrior is to protect the Chiss people," he adds when she continues to hesitate, reminding her of their highest duty. "The warrior's own survival is of only secondary importance."

For half a dozen heartbeats the two of them lock gazes. Then, with a hissing sigh of her own, Ar'alani turns back to Thrass. "Pesfavri is the nearest Defense Fleet base," she repeats. "You know the coordinates, if it becomes necessary to request your testimony at the hearing?"

Thrass nods without hesitation. "Yes."

"Then we leave you," she declares, nodding to him. "May warriors' fortune smile on your efforts, Syndic, Lady Jedi," she adds, nodding to Lorana Jinzler as well.

She continues towards the blast doors. Thrawn lingers long enough for a grateful nod at Car'das and a last, long look at his brother before turning his attention back to Lorana Jinzler. Silently, solemnly, he crosses his arms, hands fisted as his shoulders, and gives her a deep, respectful bow. Quietly, the young Jedi reaches out and places her small right hand upon his bowed head, resting it there for a moment in a gesture of benediction. Her eyes slip shut as she holds that pose and for a moment Car'das could have sworn that her entire body flared with an aura of blue-white light. Blinking, startled, he feels a sudden gentle warmth blossoming around him, as if a warm and fragrant breeze has somehow just rushed past him on its way to the Jedi and the Commander, and then that brilliant lovely smile blooms on her face again as her slender fingers slide down from Thrawn's crisp blue-blue hair and along the left side of his face, the caressing gesture somehow seeming soothing and reassuring right up until the moment when she tilts his chin up towards her and whispers, eyes still shut, "I thank you for your offer of additional knowledge, Mitth'raw'nuruodo. You honor me beyond the ability of words to convey. I am a poor substitute for Bendu Master Kenobi and his Padawan, but I believe myself equal to this task, so long as you remain willing to act as a champion for /Outbound Flight/. We are yours in this, Commander," she vows, followed by a liquid stream of Cheunh that Car'das can't quite completely follow, though he understands that the gist of it is a formal pledge of both alliance and friendship. Then, her gray eyes opening, she adds, "No attempt will be made to contact the Republic until we have spoken with you again and had a chance to discuss with you and your people whether or not it might be safe to do so. With a traitor as highly placed in our government as Kinman Doriana was and a Sith Lord still at large, it will not be difficult to persuade our passengers of the need for such precautions."

Her smile dims slightly at that, but then Mitth'raw'nuruodo straightens and reaches up to clasp her hand in his own. Pulling their linked hands back towards himself until the young Jedi must take a step closer to him, he presses the palm of Lorana Jinzler's small hand to his black tunic above where he heart is. Her gray eyes fly wide in shock and her face turns slightly pink, then, but her shy smile is even more radiant than her previous smile had been when he answers her with another fluid stream of Cheunh, pledging not only alliance and friendship but mutual protection as well, vowing to stand with her and hers against the darkness and to push it back, together. Car'das hears Ar'alani gasp at that, and Thrass exhales another odd little hiss when his brother bows again, formally, over their paired hands before dropping a kiss to the back of Lorana's hand that makes her blush and duck her head like a flustered child, for a moment looking far too young to be a full Jedi Knight, much less an ally of Thrawn's. The effect soon fades, though, and the Jedi's gray eyes are curious and appraising as she swings her gaze towards Thrass and Car'das, when Thrawn finally steps back away from her.

Ar'alani, over by the doors, looks oddly shaken, but offers nothing as Thrawn moves to join her, with Chas Uliar following along behind him. The other Chiss all file out after them, except for the warrior who had offered Car'das the data for the hyperspace jump, who nods at Thrass, once, and then patiently and silently goes back to waiting for her orders.

"Car'das," Lorana Jinzler says, her voice thoughtful and her gray gaze on him steady. "Unless you intend to go with Thrass' testimony, you may want to make some recordings of your own, to reassure your friends from the Bargain Hunter that you have also not been kidnaped."

Car'das feels a sudden tightening in his throat at the thought of Maris and Qennto. "Ah. Yes. Of course. Thank you." He gestures towards the console, adding, "The data's uploading. You should be able to start calculating the jump in a few minutes. I'd go ahead and do that now, just in case, even though you can't jump until the Commander and Admiral and their guard are all off the ship."

Nodding in agreement, she simply notes, "That seems a sensible precaution, to me. It will be as you say, Car'das."

***

The door opens in front of him and, with a not-very-gentle nudge at the small of his back, the pair of yellow-clad Chiss gesture Chas Uliar forward. He finds himself on a command bridge similar to the one he's recently (if all too briefly) glimpsed aboard the Springhawk/, only larger and exclusively crewed by Chiss in the same shockingly bright yellow uniforms as his escort. It makes Mitth'raw'nuruodo's black uniform stand out that much more in contrast where he's standing in the center of the room, in front of a Chiss wearing an elaborately layered long gray robe with a yellow collar and generous yellow highlights. Uliar would guess that this Chiss is not much older than Thrawn, but there's an air about him of nobility and pride that's missing from Thrawn (which is a good thing, as far as Uliar's concerned, since the pride makes him think of C'baoth's arrogance and the nobility frankly reminds him of the kind of airs affected by some of the Coruscanti politicians he had occasionally been forced to deal with, in his attempts to try to petition the Senate Appropriations Committee on /Outbound Flight's behalf), giving the Chiss the kind of bearing Uliar associates with beings who are either born into power or who believe that they are born to rule others. Behind Mitth'raw'nuruodo, Admiral Ar'alani stands at stiff attention in her dazzling all-white uniform, looking just as out of place as Mitth'raw'nuruodo himself in the midst of so many yellow-clad or mostly yellow-clad beings. Uliar, in his dark red one-piece ship's coverall (red having been the color of neutrality and ambassadorial relations for centuries in the Republic), feels (and probably also looks, at least to the Chiss) just as out of place as Mitth'raw'nuruodo and Ar'alani look.

The robed Chiss eyes Uliar as his escort again nudges him forward. He spits out something in the Chiss language that Uliar can't even begin to guess at -

"'So this is your collaborator,'" Mitth'raw'nuruodo translates, raising a eyebrow coolly.

"Hardly," Uliar replies in Basic (it having been decided to keep his knowledge of both Sy Bisti and the Minnisiat trade language a secret for as long as possible) with a disdainful snort, crossing his arms, raising his own eyebrows, and loading his voice with just as much affronted dignity and contempt as he possibly can, so that all of the Chiss present will at least be able to pick up on tonal and nonverbal cues. "My name is Chas Uliar. I'm a Reactor Tech on Outbound Flight and I've been empowered, by a fair vote, to represent its fifty thousand plus passengers. I had never even heard of, much less met a member of, the Chiss before today. And quite frankly I'm a lot more impressed by the Chiss I met previously to being manhandled aboard this bridge." Uliar snorts, pretends he's facing Jorus C'baoth, and gives Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano a look of such utter disgust and disdain that a couple of the yellow-garbed guards actually seem taken momentarily aback. "I'm here as a goodwill ambassador from /Outbound Flight/, which came here on a peaceful mission of exploration and has been formally declared an ally of the Chiss Ascendancy's Expansionary Defense Fleet. You are misinformed if you think I am a collaborator of any kind. I only just met the Commander and the Admiral. We barely had time for introductions before your men," he adds, turning a witheringly disgusted look upon the watching warriors, "came and rudely separated us before dragging us over here to see you."

He studies the robed Chiss carefully as Mitth'raw'nuruodo translates. But the other merely smiles cynically and then speaks some more in Cheunh. "'Whether you are a collaborator or not, you certainly came to this region of space to sow chaos and war,'" Mitth'raw'nuruodo translates, a small muscle twitching momentarily in his right cheek. "'You have brought alien weapons that you intended to use against the Chiss Ascendancy.'" The robed Chiss straightens slightly as Mitth'raw'nuruodo finishes and then continues, head raised proudly. "'But you have failed. Those weapons are now the property of the Fifth Ruling Family. I, Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano, hereby take possession.'"

"When Jawas swim! You are gravely mistaken if you think you can get away with that, Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano. Outbound Flight is not yours to take possession of," he instantly snaps. "As a duly appointed representative of the Galactic Republic that sent the Project on its journey, I claim full rights to its combined ships, in stead of the beings I represent."

Chaf'orm'bintrano seems taken aback as Mitth'raw'nuruodo finishs the translation. He bites something out that sounds both angry and affronted. "'Ridiculous,'" Mitth'raw'nuruodo translates. "'An aggressor has no rights.'"

Hands on hips now, Uliar stoutly counters, "I deny your claim that either I or Outbound Flight is not yours to take possession of," he instantly snaps. "As a duly appointed representative of the Galactic Republic that sent the Project on its journey, I claim full rights to its combined ships, in stead of the beings I represent."

Chaf'orm'bintrano seems taken aback as Mitth'raw'nuruodo finishs the translation. He bites something out that sounds both angry and affronted. "'Ridiculous,'" Mitth'raw'nuruodo translates. "'An aggressor has no rights.'"

Hands on hips now, Uliar stoutly counters, "I deny your claim that either I or Outbound Flight have behaved aggressively towards any of your people. And I demand a full hearing and judgment before any Chiss steps aboard /Outbound Flight/. Or would you attack us unprovoked?"

Mitth'raw'nuruodo translates that in Cheunh. Chaf'orm'bintrano's eyes narrow, his glare shifting to the white-clad female. He spits out something; she replies coolly, raising her own head proudly, and then the argument is well and truly on.

Proud of himself, Uliar looks sideways at Mitth'raw'nuruodo. The Commander's face is still expressionless, but as his own eyes shift to meet Uliar's his lip seem to twitch upward in a microscopic smile of approval that warms the young Reactor Tech through all the way to this toes. Just what the Commander is going to do with the mess that has now been stirred up, Uliar is quite sure that he doesn't know. But to his mild surprise, he discovers that he's rather looking forward to finding out whatever it might end up being.

***

It ends up taking a little bit longer than Car'das would have expected to get Outbound Flight prepped for flight, mostly because it takes far longer for its computer system to process all of the navigational data he's helped feed into it than he'd actually thought it would. Still, less than twenty minutes after Thrawn, Ar'alani, and Chas Uliar have departed the bridge of D-1, they're finally ready to go. "Okay," he says, glancing nervously out the canopy at the Chiss ships that are still hovering in the near distance. Why they haven't already sent over a boarding party he can't even begin to guess. Apparently, though, Thrawn, Ar'alani, and Uliar have somehow found a way to stall them. "That's it. We're ready when you are, Jedi Knight Jinzler."

"You can call me Lorana if you'd like, Car'das. Or simply Jedi Jinzler. I don't stand much on ceremony," Lorana replies with a soft smile.

"Jedi Jinzler, then. Our course is set and it's been triple-checked. Just say the word and we'll be on our way," Car'das tells her with a small smile of his own.

"Consider the word given."

Nodding, he reaches out and punches the button, making the stars spread out into lines while space dissolves into the bright glow of hyperspace. Imagining the look of thwarted anger on Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano's face, he grins, slumping back into his seat in relief.

Apparently equally relieved, Lorana relaxes in her chair, as well. Then, curiously, she turns to Syndic Thrass, who is seated next to her, and asks, in that eerily perfect Cheunh, "Can you tell me more about this redoubt, please?"

"It is within two day's flight from here, in a star cluster that the Defense Fleet has only recently begun to fortify as an emergency refuge, in the unlikely event that Chiss space becomes overrun by any foreign invader. The actual cluster contains hundreds of stars and so has high radiation levels in some places within it. I've seen the data, though, and there are at least ten habitable worlds within it that haven't yet even been explored aside from what was necessary to ascertain that the planets are not already host to sentient life," the Syndic replies, his voice and manner losing some of his customary stiff aloofness as Lorana listens to him attentively, giving him a mien that reminds Car'das almost eerily of Thrawn and makes him wonder, somewhat confusedly, if the two brothers might have more in common than he has been led to believe (and what could have driven Thrass to behave, earlier, as though they didn't have anything in common aside from their blood, as well as whether or not that makes Thrass suspect, or just clever in a slightly different way from Thrawn). "The close proximity of stars to each other does make navigation within the star cluster somewhat difficult. There are a few completely safe routes in to and out of the cluster, though, and they have all been thoroughly charted by the Chiss Expansionary Defense Force. The Defense Fleet eventually intends on guarding all of those routes with appropriate defenses, so as to prevent foreign intrusions, but the fortifications haven't yet proceeded that far. We should be able to enter the cluster unchallenged and, once we are within it, we will be safe. Vessels of the Fifth Family certainly won't ever accidentally discover Outbound Flight within the cluster. Only Defense Fleet personnel go inside, and they only go to specific systems as they work on the fortifications." he adds helpfully. "It likely will not even be necessary to announce our presence to the Defense Fleet personnel within the cluster, unless you and your people are of the opinion that it would be wiser to do so."

"I think it might be wiser to simply tuck ourselves away and wait for things to blow over. Unless you believe the alternative a wiser course?" she asks back, tilting her head inquiringly.

"No, Lady Jedi."

"Lorana. Please. Or Jedi Jinzler."

"Jedi Jinzler. I think it would be best if none are aware of where Outbound Flight is hiding. If my testimony is called for at my brother's trial, Admiral Ar'alani will find a way to use the Defense Fleet's communications to broadcast a signal with enough strength to blanket the whole of the cluster and so reach us, irregardless of where within it we might be. If I have to leave and things look as if they are going to go badly for my brother, I will bypass Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano's authority by opening negotiations in secret with the Council of Families for your safe passage home," Thrass promises. "Even if such negotiations take a few months, Outbound Flight will at least have a habitable world to live on, in the meantime."

"Very well then. We'll find one of those inhabitable worlds, tuck ourselves away, and wait for word from your brother or Admiral Ar'alani. Thank you for your help, Syndic Mitth'ras'safis," she replies, smiling and bowing her head gravely.

"You may call me Thrass, if you wish. It is my core name and will be much easier for most of the beings aboard this ship to pronounce," he replies with a slight smile of his own, surprising Car'das and reminding him, for a moment, almost painfully of Thrawn.

"That's true enough, Thrass," she acknowledges, her smile widening. "Although, since most of Outbound Flight's other passengers and crew can't speak any of the languages that you know, I doubt any of them will be trying to speak to you much until after we can organize some classes in Minnisiat," she quickly adds, warning him.

"If it would not be a difficulty, I would appreciate lessons in your Basic, Jedi Jinzler," he replies, only slightly hesitantly. "From Car'das or one of your teachers, perhaps."

"I was planning on asking Car'das if he would considering volunteering to help out for some of the classes in Minnisiat. I can teach you Basic, if you'd like. There are many things about your people and customs I would like to know. We could trade information," Lorana replies, looking at them both hopefully.

"I'd be happy to," Car'das agrees at once, knowing he'll need something to keep him occupied if he's going to keep from worrying himself to death about Thrawn and the Admiral.

"It seems a fair bargain," Thrass adds, nodding.

"Good! We are agreed then." Lorana practically beams at them both as she adds, in a slightly surprised tone of voice, "You know, I have a good feeling about this, my friends. I think we're going to be just fine, now . . . "

***

Uliar is gazing out the bridge canopy, pretending to be bored while actually listening closely to the argument still going on between Chaf'orm'bintrano, Mitth'raw'nuruodo, and Admiral Ar'alani, when Outbound Flight finally abruptly makes the jump to lightspeed. For a moment he stares after it, startled in spite of everything, but then, slowly, a smile begins to tug at the corners of his lips. "Excuse me?" he speaks up, lifting a finger. "I believe the discussion is over." He waits until he has their attention, then angles the upraised finger to point out the canopy, not entirely able to keep himself from smirking. "Your prize is gone."

Less than ten minutes later, he has been hustled off the bridge and into a conference room along with Ar'alani and Mitth'raw'nuruodo. And a clearly furious Chaf'orm'bintrano is pacing back and forth like a caged animal across the conference room in front of his three newly declared prisoners. There is a cushioned chair behind the narrow desk, but he's apparently too angry even to sit down, a fact that Uliar finds extremely satisfactory, though the two Chiss with him seem vaguely alarmed by the Aristocra's open display of emotion. "You will pay for this," Chaf'orm'bintrano grinds out in Minnisiat through tightly clenched teeth (apparently forgetting, in his anger, that Uliar logically shouldn't be able to speak or understand the local trading tongue). "You hear me? You will pay." He levels his glare first at Uliar, then at Thrawn, and finally at Ar'alani. "And the charge will be high treason."

Admiral Ar'alani stirs slightly at that, where she is standing well out of the way of the Aristocra's pacing. "I don't think such a charge will hold, Aristocra," she calmly replies in the same language. Her expression, Uliar notes, has maintained a careful neutrality while listening to Chaf'orm'bintrano's rantings. Still, he thinks he can detect a certain hint of relief behind that cool aloofness, and there's little wonder why. She's gotten what she wants, after all: Outbound Flight is now safely out of Chaf'orm'bintrano's grasping hands. Which means that she can now devote all of her considerable energy and intellect to the next problem at hand - which is how, precisely, they will keep themselves from being harmed in any way by Chaf'orm'bintrano's obvious ire.

"You don't think the charge will hold?" Chaf'orm'bintrano snaps, shifting the full weight of his glare to her.

Ar'alani stands her ground without even so much as flinching. "No, I don't," she calmly but firmly replies. "Uliar has already stated that Outbound Flight had agreed to wait for a friendly hail for only a set amount of time before they would calculate a jump away from here and the possibility of any further hostilities. They are on a peaceful mission, and have no wish to be fought over, Aristocra."

"Or so he now claims! And he also claims that it was his /advice for /Outbound Flight to leave the battlefield in the first place!"

"Advice alone is only lesser treason," Ar'alani simply quietly reminds him. "And, as a non-Chiss, he can't be charged with any level of treason anyway. As for Thrawn, he clearly had nothing to do with any of this."

"What are they going on about now?" Uliar finally leans over and murmurs into Commander Thrawn's ear in Basic, playing his part as the innocent bystander to the very hilt.

"The Aristocra would very much like to . . . I believe the term is 'roast us slowly over an open fire,'" Thrawn murmurs back in the same language. "Admiral Ar'alani is suggesting that he needs to rethink his charges."

"Ah."

The byplay, of course, hasn't gone unnoticed. "Do the prisoners wish to add to the proceedings?" Chaf'orm'bintrano asks acidly in Cheunh, glaring at them both furiously.

"Actually, the prisoners will be going free - or at least Chas Uliar will be," Thrawn merely tranquilly replies in the same language, uttering his first direct words to the Aristocra since they'd all been herded into the conference room so that Chaf'orm'bintrano would be able to threaten them in private. "He has done nothing with which he can be charged. If you wish to blame someone, then blame me."

"I fully intend to," Chaf'orm'bintrano bites out. "After I've dealt with your accomplice."

"This man is not my accomplice," Thrawn replies, his voice as coolly serene as before. "Furthermore, if he is a prisoner at all, then he is /my /prisoner, and as such fall under the legal authority of the Chiss Expansionary Fleet." He lifts his eyebrows and then adds, in the same almost genial tone, "As do I, for that matter."

"Not anymore," Chaf'orm'bintrano snarls. "For the crime of unprovoked attack against sentient beings, I hereby revoke your military position."

"Just a moment, Aristocra," Ar'alani instantly protests, taking a step forward. "You can't revoke his position for a crime for which he has yet to be convicted."

"I suggest you reread the law, Admiral," Chaf'orm'bintrano tartly replies. "Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo has pushed the limits for the last time - and this time we have proof, scattered across the system before us."

"The Vagaari were an imminent threat to the Chiss Ascendancy," Thrawn firmly replies. "And this system is within Chiss space."

"But this time you forgot to let your victim fire first," Chaf'orm'bintrano retorts, an edge of triumph in his voice. "Don't deny it - I have the records from your own vessels."

"The Vagaari made threats against both us and our declared allies aboard /Outbound Flight/," is Thrawn's easy response. "I claim that such threats, backed up by their obvious firepower, were sufficient provocation for Chiss action."

"You can claim anything you wish," Chaf'orm'bintrano snaps, clearly unimpressed. "But the burden of proof is now on you, not me." He looks triumphantly over at Ar'alani. "And until his trial takes place, I can and will revoke both his position and the military protection you so clearly hope to shelter him beneath." Ar'alani doesn't answer. For a moment Chaf'orm'bintrano continues to stare at her before he finally turns back to Thrawn. "And your fellow prisoner will likewise be taken to trial," he firmly continues. "This human, along with the others you have back at Crustai." He pauses then, eyes narrowing. "Unless, of course, you have enough concern for their well-being to make a bargain."

Thrawn simply looks Uliar. "Such as?"

"You will resign your position, completely and permanently," Chaf'orm'bintrano replies. "You will likewise renounce your status as Trial-born of the Eighth Family and disappear back into the great mass of Chiss citizenry, never again to rise to a position where you may threaten law or custom."

"You ask my entire life for the trade of a few alien prisoners - one of whom I have only just met," Thrawn calmly points out. Tilting his head ever so slightly to one side, he then tranquilly asks, "Are you certain you're willing to live with the consequences?"

Chaf'orm'bintrano immediate answer is a derisive snort. When Thrawn only continues to gaze at him serenely, though, he finally angrily demands, "What consequences?"

"To begin with, the Eighth Family will not permit a Trial-born to simply renounce his affiliation," Thrawn replies with an almost lazy smile. "They'll insist on a hearing . . . and I don't believe they'll let me go. Not when they see the prize I'll be bringing them."

Chaf'orm'bintrano stiffens with affronted shock. "You wouldn't dare," he rumbles, his voice dark with menace. "If Outbound Flight reappears at an Eighth Family stronghold - "

"Outbound Flight is gone," Thrawn instantly cuts him off. "And I refer to another technology entirely." He waves a hand out at the stars. "To be specific, the device I used to bring both Outbound Flight and the Vagaari fleet out of hyperspace."

Chaf'orm'bintrano shoots a startled look at Ar'alani. "The - ? Are you saying they didn't come here of their own choosing?"

"The choosing was mine alone," Thrawn quietly assures him. "I can provide you a demonstration if you'd like."

"That device is not your property," Ar'alani warns, her neutral expression suddenly gone. "It belongs to the Chiss Defense Fleet."

"And if I remain a member of the Expansionary Fleet, I will of course turn it over to you," Thrawn tells her. "But if my military position is revoked, I will no longer have any official loyalty except to my adoptive family. At that point . . ." He leaves the sentence unfinished, though the eyebrow he quirks at them leaves little to the imagination.

Chaf'orm'bintrano clearly has no trouble connecting the dots. "Admiral, you can't permit him to manipulate you this way," he immediately insists. "This is nothing less than extortion."

"This is nothing less than reality," Thrawn corrects him, voice suddenly hardening. "And Admiral Ar'alani has nothing to say about it. You're the one threatening to revoke my position."

For a long minute the two Chiss lock eyes. Then, abruptly, Chaf'orm'bintrano turns and stalks out of the conference room.

"Well, that didn't look good," Uliar ventures in Basic after a few moments of quietly waiting for an explanation.

"Actually, it was," Thrawn replies, his face and body sagging a little. "He's furious, but he doesn't dare revoke my position now." He looks at Ar'alani. "And once the Defense Fleet has the gravfield projector, I'm certain they'll protect me from any future efforts on his part."

Ar'alani's lips twitch. "We'll do what we can," she acknowledges, surprisingly Uliar by speaking in understandable (if thickly and extremely oddly accented) Basic. "But understand this, Commander. If you continue to act outside the legal boundaries set by the Defense Fleet and the Nine Families, there may come a point where we can no longer stand with you."

"I understand," Thrawn replies, nodding gravely. "Understand in turn that I will continue to protect my people in whatever way I deem necessary."

"I would expect nothing less from you," Ar'alani sighs, somewhat longsufferingly, in return. Her gaze flicks towards Uliar and then she adds, more formally, "I release your prisoner to you. Return to Crustai, and leave me to deal with the rest of the Vagaari debris."

"I obey," Thrawn promptly replies, bowing his head to her. "The gravfield projector will be waiting for you at Crustai whenever you wish to retrieve it."

Ar'alani bows back immediately, if not quite so deeply - though she does also make an odd gesture with her right hand from her heart to her lips, as though in some sort of salute - and then just as promptly spins neatly about on her heel and departs from the room.

Not until she has gone does Thrawn relax, releasing a long breath that is almost a sigh. "And with that, I believe that this confrontation is at an end," he announces, sagging a little bit more in obvious relief. "A shuttle will be waiting to take us back to the /Springhawk/. Of course, I must take Car'das' recordings to his friends, at Crustai, and see to their safety before I can do anything else," he adds, looking questioningly at Uliar.

"That's only fair," Uliar allows, shrugging easily, before he tilts his head towards the door. "Come on, then. Let's get going, before the Aristocra thinks of another trumped up reason to try to call us out on the carpet. I think I've had enough of being yelled at in strange new languages, for one day. Besides," he adds with a lopsided smile, "I'm looking forward to meeting these friends of Car'das'. They sound like . . . interesting folk."

"Ah. I believe you will find them . . . suitably entertaining."

***