"Not anymore," Chaf'orm'bintrano said. "For the crime of unprovoked attack against sentient beings, I hereby revoke your military position."
"Just a moment, Aristocra," Ar'alani said, 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 said tartly. "Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo has pushed the limits for the last time-andthis time we have proof, scattered across the system before us."
"The Vagaari were an imminent threat to the Ascendancy," Thrawn said. "And this systemiswithin Chiss space."
"But this time you forgot to let your victim fire first," Chaf'orm'bintrano said, 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 Outbound Flight," Thrawn said. "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 said. "But the burden of proof is now on you, not me." He looked 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 didn't answer. For a moment Chaf'orm'bintrano continued to stare at her, then turned back to Thrawn. "And your fellow prisoners will likewise be taken to trial," he said. "These, along with the other two you have back at Crustai." He paused. "Unless, of course, you have enough concern for their well-being to make a bargain."
Thrawn looked at Car'das and Doriana. "Such as?"
"You will resign your position, completely and permanently," Chaf'orm'bintrano said. "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," Thrawn pointed out calmly. "Are you certain you're willing to live with the consequences?"
Chaf'orm'bintrano snorted. "What consequences?"
"To begin with, the Eighth Family will not permit a Trial-born to simply renounce his affiliation," Thrawn said. "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 stiffened. "You wouldn't dare," he rumbled, his voice dark with menace. "If Outbound Flight reappears at an Eighth Family stronghold-"
"Outbound Flight is gone," Thrawn cut him off. "And I refer to another technology entirely." He waved 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 sent a startled look at Ar'alani. "The-? Are you saying theydidn't come here of their own choosing?"
"The choosing was mine alone," Thrawn assured him. "I can provide you a demonstration if you'd like."
"That device is not your property," Ar'alani warned, 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 assured 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 left the sentence unfinished.
Chaf'orm'bintrano was clearly having no trouble connecting the dots. "Admiral, you can't permit him to manipulate you this way," he insisted. "This is nothing less than extortion."
"This is nothing less than reality," Thrawn corrected. "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 locked eyes. Then, abruptly, Chaf'orm'bintrano turned and stalked out of the conference room.
"That didn't look good," Doriana murmured.
"Actually, it was," Car'das said, looking at Thrawn. "At least, I think so."
"Yes," Thrawn confirmed, his face and body sagging a little. "He's furious, but he doesn't dare revoke my position now." He looked 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 twitched. "We'll do what we can," she said. "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 said. "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 said. Her eyes flicked once to Doriana and Car'das. "I release your prisoners to you. Return to Crustai, and leave me to deal with the rest of the Vagaari debris."
"I obey," Thrawn said, bowing his head to her. "The gravfield projector will be waiting for you at Crustai whenever you wish to retrieve it."
Ar'alani bowed in return and left the room.
Thrawn took a deep breath. "And with that, I believe it's finally over," he said. "A shuttle is waiting to take us back to theSpringhawk." He gestured to Doriana. "And then I will return you and Vicelord Kav to your vessel."
"Thank you," Doriana said. "We're looking forward to returning home."
And as they filed out of the room, Car'das wondered at the odd stiffness in Doriana's back.
They were passing through one of the systems midway through the star cluster when the hyperdrive finally died. "No chance of fixing it?" Thrass asked.
Lorana shook her head. "Not by me," she said. "Possibly not by anyone, at least outside of a major shipyard."
Thrass gazed out the canopy at the distant sun. "You have five other Dreadnaughts here, each with its own hyperdrive," he reminded her. "Could we move across to one of the others and use its systems?"
Lorana rubbed her forehead, wincing as the pressure accentuated the throbbing pain behind her eyes. "According to the status readings back in ComOps, none of the other hyperdrives is operational," she said. "And all the control lines to the other Dreadnaughts are down, besides. Whatever your brother used to… to stop C'baoth's attack, it scorched a great deal of the delicate equipment aboard. It's going to take months, maybe even years, to tear them apart and fix them."