“What do you do?” Joko demanded. His voice shakes. “Do you attack our sovereign land at will?”
“I have destroyed the source of the conspirators’ profits,” Thrawn said. Did the chief truly not see the pattern nor understand the result? “With the pre-spice gone, they have no further incentive to seek control over Afe land.”
“You attacked us,” Joko repeated. “You destroyed farmland and damaged homes and water springs.”
“If I had not destroyed all the pre-spice, the attacks would have continued.”
“The Empire would have given us justice without destruction.”
“Without the destruction the justice would have been temporary,” Thrawn said. “The value was too great to be ignored. The thieves would have come back. When they did, you would have lost more than just farmland.”
“What more?” Joko demanded. “Orchards? Bridges?”
“Lives.”
For a few seconds Joko gazed at him in silence. But the silence was stiff, and there was bitterness beneath it. “I see your concern for my people,” he said at last. “But their lives and lands could have been protected in a different way. A better way.”
“You may appeal my actions to Coruscant,” Thrawn said. “They may repudiate them.”
“Yet the damage will remain,” Joko said. “I will appeal your actions. And I will pray we never meet again.”
Vanto was waiting when Thrawn emerged from the shuttle. “Ensign Vanto,” Thrawn said. “Has Coruscant responded to my report?”
“Yes, sir,” Vanto said, his voice dark with contempt. “I’m afraid they’re not happy with you.”
“No doubt their unhappiness will expand when Chief Joko delivers his own reaction.”
“Fine,” Vanto said with a resigned sigh. “They’re not just not happy. They’re furious.”
“As expected.”
“Which is insane,” Vanto said, his anger appearing through his decorum. “You ended the conflict, you exposed a criminal conspiracy, and you kept a deep vein’s worth of spice off the market. What more do they want?”
“They want a commander who follows procedures,” Thrawn said. “They want a commander who will ask their advice.”
“And their permission?”
“Perhaps,” Thrawn said. “I have found that many admirals aspire to that rank because of a wish to exercise control and authority. Such leaders are threatened if officers of lower rank solve difficult problems without them.”
“And of course, there’s always politics lurking around the corner.” Vanto eyed him thoughtfully. “What about you, Commander? Why do you seek high rank?”
It was a question many had asked over the years. Thrawn had asked it of himself. The answer never seemed to satisfy the questioner. “Because there are problems that must be solved. Some cannot be solved by anyone except me.”
“I see.” Vanto was silent a moment. “Senior Lieutenant Hammerly was able to stall them for a bit by telling them you were consulting with the local chief. But they expect you to call back.”
“Of course,” Thrawn said. “I will do so immediately.”
“What will you tell them?”
“The truth.”
Vanto had now asked the question. He was no more satisfied than anyone who had come before him.
Thrawn wondered if anyone would ever be satisfied. Or would ever truly understand.
—
The truth.
Eli scowled the words to himself as he strode down the Thunder Wasp’s central corridor toward his quarters. The truth. When did that ever gain anyone anything?
Thrawn had been telling the truth pretty much since he’d arrived in Imperial space. Yet he was continually getting hauled back to Coruscant to explain himself before increasingly hostile officers’ boards. It was only through the intervention and good graces of people like Colonel Yularen that he was still even in the navy, let alone commanding his own ship.
The truth. No, truth never gained anyone anything. All it did was anger those who preferred lies and confusion and backspinning in the hope of making themselves look better.
As far as Eli had been able to tell, that was pretty much everyone.
Ahead, the door to the starfighter hangar slid open and Lieutenant Gimm stepped out. “Lieutenant,” Eli greeted him. “Excellent flying down there.”
“Thank you,” Gimm said, an odd expression on his face. “I’m glad I ran into you.”
“You have a question, sir?”
Gimm’s lip twisted in an ironic smile. “You don’t remember me, do you?”
Eli frowned, studying his face. He couldn’t place it. “No, sir,” he admitted. “Should I?”
“I would have thought so,” Gimm said with a casual shrug. “Of course, it was pretty dark at the time. And you probably had other things on your mind.”
Eli caught his breath as it suddenly clicked. “You were one of the cadets who attacked Commander Thrawn.”
“I categorically deny that, of course.” Gimm lowered his eyes pointedly to Eli’s insignia plaque. “And you’re still an ensign.”
“An ensign in service to the best commander in the navy,” Eli countered stiffly.
“Maybe,” Gimm said. “Though from what I hear, whether he stays a commander is somewhat up in the air.”
“We’ll see,” Eli said. “What do you want?”
“Nothing, really,” Gimm said. “I just wanted you to know that, despite what I’m sure were Commander Thrawn’s best efforts, I wasn’t tossed out of the Academy. In fact, things worked out very well for me. Commandant Deenlark was able to pull enough strings to get the three of us transferred to starfighter training at Skystrike Academy.”
“Really,” Eli said. “Commandant Deenlark did that, did he?”
Gimm’s forehead wrinkled, just for a moment. But then it cleared. “Oh, I see. You think my family were the ones who pulled the strings.” He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter, really, as long as strings were pulled by someone. But don’t take it too hard, Ensign. Getting to be a commander even this long is pretty impressive for an Unknown Regions alien. If he ends up back as a lieutenant in charge of droid repair, well, he’ll still have his memories.”
“I’m sure he’ll have more than that,” Eli said.
Gimm raised his eyebrows. “I’m sure he’ll have more than that, sir,” he corrected.
With a supreme effort, Eli stifled the sudden urge to punch Gimm across the corridor. “I’m sure he’ll have more than that, sir.”
“Better,” Gimm said. “I think I’ll go have a drink with the real officers now. Good night, Ensign.”
He turned and strode off down the passageway. Eli watched him, an unpleasant mix of emotions swirling inside him.
Thrawn had been right. The man had become an outstanding starfighter pilot.
Only he would probably never know who he had to thank for that. In fact, he’d likely go to his grave thinking that he’d put one over on the poor, dumb alien.
With a sigh, Eli continued on toward his quarters. Wondering if anyone, anywhere, really cared about truth.
Alliances are useful in some situations. In others, they are absolutely vital.
But they must always be approached with caution. Unity of that sort is based on mutual advantage. While that advantage exists, the alliance may stand firm. But needs change, and advantages fade, and a day may come when one ally sees new benefits to be gained in betraying another.
The warrior must be alert to such changes if he is to anticipate and survive an unannounced blow. Fortunately, the signs are usually evident in time for defense to be planned and executed.
There is also always the possibility that changes will serve to meld the allies even more closely together. It is rare, but it can happen.
—
“The four-blend is really the best,” Lady Teeyr Hem said, her long, thin Phindian fingers caressing the bottle Arihnda had brought her. “I stand deeply in your debt.”
“I’m pleased you are happy,” Arihnda said. “I, in turn, am in your debt for your sympathy to the goals of Higher Skies.”