“Shield retracting,” the Flensor reported. “Turbolaser clear to fire—”
“Second tsunami has hit Target Two,” the first observer called.
“Second tsunami on Target One,” the second added. “Western ion cannon is awash. Turbolaser—” He broke off. “Explosion at turbolaser emplacement, Admiral. Looks like the water shorted the capacitors. I’d say the weapon is out of action.”
“Comm, open transmission,” Thrawn ordered. “Scrim Island, this is Admiral Thrawn aboard the ISD Chimaera. Lower your shield and surrender, or we will continue to inundate your heavy weapons and shore defenses until they have been destroyed and those operating them killed. Repeat: Lower your shield and surrender or be destroyed.”
There was no response. “Do we continue firing, Admiral?” Faro asked.
“Alternate fire between Targets One and Three,” Thrawn said. “Alert the assault boats for imminent action.”
Another burst of turbolaser fire sizzled from the Chimaera into the now seething ocean. “Tsunamis on Targets One and Three,” the first observer reported. “Looks like a fire has started in the area around Target Two.”
“Sir, the shield is down!” the sensor officer called excitedly. “Looks like they’re surrendering.”
“Confirm that, Admiral,” the comm officer added. “The insurgent leader is formally asking for terms.”
“Tell him he and his men are to leave their weapons in the buildings and wait outside for the assault boats,” Thrawn said. “Any attempts at further resistance will be met with deadly force.”
He half turned to the crew pit, and Eli could see an especially harsh glitter in his glowing red eyes. “And tell him,” he added quietly, “that the cost will be severe if any of his hostages are harmed.”
He waited for an acknowledgment, then turned and walked back along the command walkway to where Eli and Faro were standing. “You may signal Coruscant with news of our victory, Commander Vanto,” he said. “Once the island has been fully retaken, Commander Faro, you will oversee the task of tractoring the three cruisers safely out of Batonn’s gravity well so that they may initiate repairs.”
Eli nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“Yes, Admiral,” Faro said. “And may I add my congratulations. A brilliant plan, perfectly executed. An outstanding victory.”
“Victory, Commander?” Thrawn shook his head. “This battle is over. But the war for Batonn has not yet been won.”
He turned and looked back along the walkway. “Should I be needed, I will be in my cabin. Inform me when the island has been secured.”
—
“Have you ever been aboard an Imperial Star Destroyer, Governor?” Yularen asked as his corvette rode the docking tractor beam into the Chimaera’s hangar bay.
“No, I haven’t had the privilege, Colonel,” Arihnda said. In point of fact, she’d never even seen one of the massive ships this close, let alone been invited aboard one.
But ships were ships, men were men, and admirals—even ones who’d risen as rapidly through the ranks as Thrawn—were still just admirals. She’d handled her share, and she would handle this one.
Thrawn was waiting when Arihnda and Yularen emerged from the docking tunnel. “Governor Pryce,” the admiral greeted her. “Colonel Yularen. Welcome aboard.”
“Thank you, Admiral,” Arihnda said. Commander Vanto was standing a few steps behind him, along with a woman wearing a commander’s insignia plaque. “We appreciate you seeing us on such short notice.”
“Especially considering how busy you obviously are,” Yularen added. “But I think this meeting may prove worthwhile.”
“We shall see,” Thrawn said. “The conference room is this way.”
The conference room, when they finally reached it, turned out to be little more than a pilots’ briefing compartment. The refreshments that had been laid out were plain and perfunctory, probably from the same pilots’ mess.
Thrawn hadn’t introduced his subordinates, either. Fortunately, both Arihnda and Yularen already knew Vanto, and the other woman by default and rank had to be Chimaera’s captain, Commander Faro.
Mentally, Arihnda shook her head. After all this time, Thrawn still didn’t have a solid handle on the political requirements of his position.
“We understand you’ve pinpointed the insurgents’ main Batonn stronghold,” Yularen said as they sat down around the table. “The Creekpath Mining and Refining complex outside Paeragosto City.”
“Yes.” Thrawn’s eyes flicked to Vanto. “While the freighters that fled from Scrim Island landed in different locations on the continent, Commander Vanto was able to sort out shipping vectors that indicated their cargoes ultimately ended up in Creekpath.”
Arihnda felt her stomach tighten. “And of course, you’re planning to go in there in force.”
“I don’t see that we have a choice, Governor,” Commander Faro said. “The complex’s shield blocks orbital assault.”
“Even if it did not, there are approximately thirty thousand civilians within the complex’s boundaries,” Thrawn added.
“Yes, I know,” Arihnda said. “Two of those civilians are my parents.”
Those disturbing red eyes narrowed. “I see.”
“Which is not necessarily all bad,” Yularen said. “Governor Pryce has for obvious reasons been following events on Batonn very closely. Two days ago she came to me with a proposal.” He gestured. “Governor?”
“It’s very simple, Admiral,” Arihnda said, slipping her voice, expression, and body language into what she liked to call Persuasion Mode. “I visited my parents several times when I worked for Senator Renking. I know some of the people down there, and my parents probably know most of them. I want to go down there, reacquaint myself with my parents and their friends, and get a close-up look at the insurgents’ defenses and weapons setup. That way, when you send in your forces, they won’t go in blind.”
“Depending on the setup, they might even get a crack at the shield generator,” Yularen pointed out. “Taking that down would make this operation considerably easier.”
“Yes,” Thrawn said, eyeing Arihnda closely. “A question. When you last visited Batonn you were a senator’s aide. Now you’re an Imperial governor. Your position and reputation may precede you.”
“They won’t,” Arihnda said. “I can wear a disguise, but the simple fact is that for most people expectations override observations. They won’t be expecting to see Governor Pryce of Lothal, so they won’t see her.”
“Your parents will know.”
For a second Arihnda flashed back to that terrible day on Lothal, the day she’d had to tell her parents that they would have to leave their home, maybe for years, maybe forever. She’d talked long and hard during those three hours: cajoling and arguing, extolling the opportunity they were being given while warning of the dangers if they refused Renking’s offer, promising she would help in the future while conceding she was helpless in the present. In the end she’d persuaded them, and they’d moved to Batonn, eventually settling into their new life with reasonable comfort and contentment.
But it was Arihnda who’d persuaded them. Not Renking and his threats, but Arihnda.
“Don’t worry about them,” she assured Thrawn. “I’ll make sure they keep quiet.”
“I assume you’re not going alone,” Vanto put in.
“Of course not,” Arihnda said. Though that was, in fact, exactly what she’d been hoping to do. She’d argued long and hard with Yularen before ultimately being forced to concede the point. “One of Colonel Yularen’s men will go with me.”
“The story will be that they’re hunting down a friend who’s gotten mixed up in the mine situation,” Yularen said. “That gives them a reasonable excuse to come into a potential combat zone, and to persuade her parents to get her past the insurgent checkpoints.”
“It also does not require her to take either side in the dispute,” Thrawn said. “All to the best, since we do not know which side her parents support.”