The commander of the reconnaissance squadron had just left the compartment.
Captain Pellaeon looked after the pilot and shook his head in time with his thoughts. Noticing that the sentient one sitting next to him did not even move, the Chimera commander looked up at the Chiss.
Captain Gilad Pellaeon (check comment)
Dressed in an immaculately fitting uniform, Grand Admiral Thrawn appeared to be staring with his crimson eyes at the diagram still displayed on the computer monitor. Map of the Ojoster sector in the Outer Rim.
The place from which they fled not long ago, having received information from the planet Obroa-skai. And they barely escaped, rushing headlong into hyperspace from four combat frigates of the New Republic and an escort squadron of X-wings.
It's not that he didn't understand - a single star destroyer, and even with a somehow trained crew on board... No, Thrawn did everything right - he ordered to go into hyperspace to prevent damage to the Chimera. But...how wanted a little miracle! After all, the grand admirals of the Galactic Empire are tactical and strategic geniuses, they must find solutions in any situation...
"And he found it," a sobering thought came to mind. - "Saved your ship and crew. So stop whining like a cabin boy and start living in reality!"
— The Obroa-skai system has probably become a dead end, — he said, trying to lighten the tense silence a little. — It's clear as day that the natives have accepted the New Republic's offer.
— Obviously so, — Thrawn said, glancing at the commander of his flagship. And before Gilad could be surprised, he averted his eyes and began to look at the diagram again. Despondency set in again. - Agree... captain, if it were otherwise, it is extremely unlikely that such forces would be sent after our scouts. Four corvettes...
— Frigates, — Pellaeon said automatically.
— I thought you wouldn't notice the slip, — Gilad almost fell out of his chair. What's this? Smile?! On Thrawn's lips?! But how...?!
The Chimera's commander felt sweat forming on his forehead. So... calm down... Well, Thrawn smiled... Well... Nothing critical can happen from just a smile? Or does it happen?!
— It's good that you weren't completely lost in your thoughts, captain, — Thrawn said, completing his thought. — Pay attention to the diagram. Doesn't remind you of anything?
— Map of the sector, — Pellaeon shrugged. — Routes, planets, asteroids, stars...
— Exactly the stars, captain, — Thrawn repeated, pointing to the transparent flash card inserted into the computer. - They will save us.
"Come on? Is he kidding me, or what?" - thought Pellaeon with strange irritation. What's going on with Thrawn? Usually silent, unsmiling, concentrated...
— As you say, Admiral, — Pellaeon sighed.
— Let me make it clear to you, — said the blue-skinned officer, taking possession of the keyboard. — Obroa-skai has one of the largest libraries in the galaxy. And we were very lucky that the natives allowed our scouts to copy their database of star systems before they decided to go over to the side of the rebels. And that's why we can... - the Chiss fingers entered a command to filter data regarding gravitational indicators from nearby planets, stars...
An empty zone appeared on the hologram... Which shouldn't be there. At least in a sector that has been known to the galaxy for thousands of years...
— Damaged data? - he clarified.
- Do you think so? — Another smile played on Thrawn's lips. — It seems to me that it looks more like purposeful removal of information."
- Why should librarians do this? - Pellaeon was taken aback. — They have a completely opposite task."
— And this is not data from a flash card, — Thrawn said. - From our navigation base. I requested it before you and our brave scout commander came here. But this,— Thrawn now launched a file with data obtained from the Obroa-skai library, — compare.
Pellaeon blinked. Once, twice, three times...
— Do the natives from Obroa-skai have a complete map of the sector? - he was surprised.
— As you can see, — Thrawn confirmed, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms across his chest. — Sometimes thinking carefully is much more useful than moving blindly. You can rejoice, captain. Today we have seen the light.
- Admiral? - Pellaeon asked carefully, hinting that it would be nice to share the joyful information directly, rather than in riddles.
— This, — Thrawn took the flash card out of the drive and looked at it as if he was seeing it for the first time. — Completion of a year-long search, captain. The second piece of the puzzle that will bring us victory over the rebels.
"Yes, I would like to know which one is the first," Gilad muttered in his head. He remained silent out loud as usual.
Silence reigned, broken only by the barely perceptible rustle of the equipment.
— We have waited long enough, captain, — said Grand Admiral Thrawn. — Inform the fleet that we will be separated from them for a while. And order the bridge to set course for the planet Myrkr.
- Myrkr? — Pellaeon's voice showed surprise.
- Never heard of this beautiful planet, captain? — the Chiss burned him with his attentive gaze.
— I'm afraid not, Admiral, — despite the fact that he was already sixty standard years old, Pellaeon did not complain about his memory. If he didn't know something, he said so directly. — Is there anything on this planet that interests us?
—Without a doubt,— Thrawn's red eyes seemed to flash like supernovas. — There is one of the secrets of our victory over the New Republic, captain." And we go there immediately.
Pellaeon felt that he was getting hot. It was as if the fire of the scarlet eyes of the last Grand Admiral of the Galactic Empire was boiling his blood.
But what frightened him most of all was the simple smile that began to creep into the Chiss's facial expressions after the shameful escape from the Obroa-skai system. It was as if the retreat had broken Thrawn, but now he pulled himself together again and was filled with the desire to fulfill his duty and break the neck of the rebels who caused the death of the Galactic Empire.
On that day, almost five and a half years after the Battle of Endor, which marked the beginning of the collapse of the state that Gilad Pellaeon served for much of his adult life.
However, he was still tormented by doubts about the sudden change in behavior of the Supreme Commander now sitting in front of him.
"Who are you really, Grand Admiral Thrawn?" he thought. And I realized that I didn't want to know the answer.