Grand Admiral

Nine years, five months, and twenty-seven days after the Battle of Yavin....

Or the forty-fourth year, five months and twenty-seventh day after the Great Resynchronization.

And finally, after such a long wait and repairs made by the orbital shipyard, the "Striking" leaves the workshop cell gate to give way to the already waiting angular heavy cruisers of the "Dreadnought" type, which arrived an hour ago, accompanied by a pair of star destroyers on duty.

Commodore Dobramu, smiled crookedly as he watched two dozen Dreadnoughts crowding around the cells - The second batch, he had heard from the local craftsmen. Those that the Imperial mechanics and technicians had managed to "patch up" hastily and send on their way back to Tangren. Considering the independent arrival of the first four ships yesterday, that's a pretty solid force. I wonder how the five hundred or so workers left at the shipyards will cope with the repair of such a huge number of starships. Considering that they were helped to repair the "Striking" by the crew of a medium cruiser, and there are two Nebulon-B escort frigates, a rebel attack frigate, and the first four "dreadnoughts" stuck in the cells, waiting for them to be finally taken care of? However, the latter seem to be on the move, but in any case - so many years of downtime....

But in addition to the dreadnoughts, the repairmen were also digging into the asteroids hovering a couple of dozen kilometers from the shipyards. And it would have been clear for what purposes all this was going on - why geological plasma drills, already nicknamed "diggers", were rotating there, why numerous tunnels were being made in them, and also these incomprehensible works on installation of projectors, similar to deflector projectors... Yes, I would like to know what it's all for, but no one will say anything - it's classified.

However, the guys from the shipyards are not to be envied now. They have a lot of work to do with these ships, asteroids, "golan" and other work to do - especially if the rumors that there are almost two hundred heavy cruisers are true. Those who have had time to be aboard these ships, confidently declare - this is the fleet of "Katana". An ancient legend that has become a true story.

Still, the "dreadnoughts" will definitely be involved in battles.

He was even tempted to request a transfer to one of those heavy cruisers, to take part in the coming battles, rather than to pull his weight in patrolling the Chasin system. But that would require a direct conversation with the Grand Admiral, and it was unclear where he was being held.

- Captain, - the watch officer approached him. - We're being hailed by the shipyard control room.

- Put it through, - Akrei headed for the nearest holoprojector console, signaling that he would take the call from here. - Dispatch, Commander Dobramu.

- Dispatch speaking, - came the voice of an invisible interlocutor. - "Breaker, accelerate your exit from the dock.

- What's the problem? - Akrei became wary. He looked at the scanners and frowned. Tiny orbital tugs were slowly pulling the Dreadnoughts apart. But not to the orbital workshop cells as needed to begin repairs, but instead to the outer piers. Even the escort frigates, shining their sides, with dismantled armor plates, and those dropped their docking arms, and the huge manipulators, with the help of which the sluggish repair of damage took place, folded and pressed against the piers, ensuring safe maneuvering inside the repair cells.

- Breaker, less questions, more work, - the dispatcher snapped tiredly. - We're taking the tugs away from you, you're allowed to use the thrusters at ten percent of power without accelerating and sharply shifting the helm.

Now that's something completely unimaginable.

Starships to be repaired were ALWAYS placed in and removed from station repair cells only with the help of tugboats - small ships equipped with increased power beams. Together with the stationary installations inside the cells themselves, the tug pilots were able to steer the ship, albeit slowly, without any delays or problems. And only at a distance from the docks it was allowed to activate the thrusters - it was believed that otherwise there was a probability of damage to the hull of the station during careless maneuvering. But independent exit beyond the limits of orbital stations of this type is something new.

- Copy that, - Akrei didn't swear. It seems that the local workers relaxed in the absence of the military command, so they decided to show the military who was the commander. Well, let this little revenge...

- Start the thrusters, - he ordered. - Five percent of power to warm up and check, increase to ten in a minute. Slowly take the ship out through the dock, moving a kilometer away from the station.

- Why did the repairmen decide to violate their adored protocols? - A quiet voice came from one of the watchmen. But no one was able to answer him, for they knew no more than the one who was interested.

It took five minutes for the medium cruiser to cautiously cross the outer cell gate of the repair station and begin to move farther away from the workshop. And during that time, Dobramu watched as the orbital space around the shipyards steadily cleared - somewhere ships were flying to the outer berths on their own, somewhere they were being pulled apart by tugs. The Star Destroyers "Imperious" and "Inexorable", having stopped loading, moved out of orbit to the side, positioning themselves between the entry vector and the orbital workshops themselves....

It seemed as if the shipyards were intended to be approached by...

- Multiple targets appearing! - came the report from the officer in charge of scanning systems.

- Action Alert! - Commodore Dobram shouted, looking at his subordinates. The men, startled at first, immediately scrambled to their feet. Buzzers blared and the watchstanders scurried around the deckhouse. Seconds later, reports were already pouring in:

- Deflectors activated!

- Artillery in position!

- The reactor is coming on full power!

- Aircraft ready for takeoff!

But why haven't the other ships in the fleet responded yet?!? Why haven't the aircraft been launched?!

- Control tower-Tangren here!

- Connect!

- Commodore Dobramu! - a hologram of Moff Ferrus himself appeared above the holoprojector. - How do I understand your actions?! Immediately declare the cancelation of the battle alert, remove the shields...

- Sir! But everything points to an attack.

- There is no attack, Commodore! - Moff bellowed. - Grand Admiral Thrawn's fleet is coming, and they want the shipyards! Stop this mess at once and follow the seventieth echelon on a vector to Chasin!

In fact, the governor of the Morshdain sector had just ordered him to get the hell out. Akrei could argue about not obeying the moff, but it wouldn't make much sense - he was now in Ferrus' territory and had to obey his orders.

- Aye, sir, - the young commander of the medium cruiser snickered. As soon as the hologram melted away, he grudgingly threw it away:

- Stand down on the alert. Moving to the seventieth echelon, - he muttered, trying to ignore a few laughs behind him.

Eh, and how favorable he would look in the Grand Admiral's eyes if there was an invasion, and he was the only one who was ready for it.... Well, maybe he'll get a chance to prove himself.

In the Chasin system.

Catching smugglers.

How humiliating for a combat officer!

Had the Emperor been alive, he would have appreciated the Commodore's desire to destroy the enemy.

***

Pellaeon's report caught me on the way to the Chimera prison block.

The fleet had completed the jump and the dispatch service, a little dazed by the number of ships in need of repair, was rushing to place the ships in the available cells of the orbital workshop. Well, there was still time, and it was time to deal with a critical point before going to the surface.

Strike while the iron is hot, as they say. Then I must give Moff Ferrus time to savor the fruits of my victory and dream before I make him an offer he cannot refuse.

But first, after making arrangements for the prisoners, I accompanied Rukh to the prison cell where the most important of the prisoners I had taken from the ambush at Rugos was being held.

The Marine stormtroopers guarding the cell gave a meager and somewhat wordy report on the situation before the door leading to the cell let me and the bodyguard inside.

In front of me, with her legs tucked under her in the lotus position, a human woman, not young but with traces of beauty beginning to fade on her face, was sitting on the floor. Her eyes were closed and her face was relaxed yet focused. She was of slender, well-built build, dressed in simple dark clothing, something reminiscent of a Jedi tunic from the movies.

In fact, it was the only thing that at the moment showed any evidence of her involvement with ancient Jedi knowledge. But she wasn't a Jedi.

- Make it quick, - she said without opening her eyes.

- What exactly? - I asked, standing about a meter away from her. Rukh had habitually chosen a position that gave him the best opportunity for both attack and defense.

- You've come to kill me, haven't you? - she finally opened her eyes. They glowed with the experience of years and an undercurrent of sadness. - Then do what you came to do, Imperials. And rejoice - you will complete what the Emperor and Darth Vader failed to do. You will destroy the Jensaarai.

- Thanks for the offer, but not today, - I dismissed the initiative. - My name is Thrawn. Grand Admiral of the Empire. Supreme Commander in Chief. And I came here to negotiate, not to destroy anyone.

- Is that so? - she marveled. - You unleashed all your rage on us, killed my defenders, baked their minds in their own skulls, cut me off from the Force, and now you want to talk?

- Yes, why not? - I asked. - Or will you deny that your people helped Leonia Tavira and her forces attack me?

- No, I won't, - she said.

- Will you deny that a battle was fought between us, with casualties on both sides?

- No, I won't.

- Then what offense could there be? - I asked. - You and your kin came with the express intention of killing me and my subordinates. You were rebuffed, for every living thing has the right to defend itself against a threat. I'm sorry your men died, but so did mine. It was a fair fight.

- Neither I nor my protectors invaded your minds and burned them out like a fire burning the ether, - she grimaced.

- Because you didn't have the opportunity, - I clarified. - If I had, I would have done anything to please my mistress.

The woman wrinkled her nose.

- What do you want? - she asked. - To mock before you kill?

- And without that, the negotiations will not take place? - I clarified. - Despite your desire to die, I offer you an alternative.

- Which one? - she asked.

- To live, - I said. - We have examined the computer of the Invidious. And we know where your planet is. But I can assure you that no ships are flying there now to destroy the Jensaarai settlement. Instead, I'm offering you and your people my service.

- Leonia Tavira said as much in her day, - the woman said. - Her Star Destroyer hovered over the heads of my kin and could turn our settlement into a pile of slag at any moment.

- I see it's an interesting, though sad, story, - I said. - If you wish, you can tell it. It will make it easier for me to understand your reasons for joining the pirates.

- We had no choice, - she replied. - We Jensaarai have never known peace. Not after we separated from the Jedi, not even after they were destroyed. First the Jedi tried to kill us all and nearly succeeded. Then Darth Vader, to whom we offered our swords as favors, turned against us. We have no place among the powerful - the Jedi see us only as the Dark Side, the Sith only as the Light Side.

- And really? - I asked.

- We are neither, - she said fervently. - Long ago, our ancestors discovered Sith knowledge and realized they could gain great power from more than just Jedi texts. The Order did not accept our point of view and persecuted us. We went into hiding for years until we were found again. The Templars slaughtered our leaders, and the rest of us barely managed to escape. An attempt to seek refuge with Darth Vader was equally unsuccessful. We were outnumbered and ran so far away, hiding who we really were, that we decided not to contact anyone else. We lived on Susevfi until Leonia Tavira discovered us a few years ago.

- She was running away from her pursuers and looking for a place to hide, - I explained, having already familiarized myself with Tavira's personal data from her ship before launch.

She was doing a pretty good job of hiding the Star Destroyer in an asteroid cloud, controlling the locals that everyone had forgotten about. No wonder she'd had no trouble with her own affairs since meeting the Jensaarai.

- We found out after she'd tricked us into trusting her, - the woman said with bitterness in her voice. Who, for a second, is the leader of the Jensaarai. At least according to Tavira's own journal. - We do not seek war - only the comprehension of the Force, and are willing to defend ourselves. That is our philosophy. To become a Jensaarai, one must undergo the same training that the Jedi had in the past, including the creation of the lightsaber. However, that is not all. Each Jensaarai must create their own armor, using the ancient knowledge we have found in the past to process the cortosis and thread it onto their lats. Only in this way did the apprentice become a protector...

I had heard some of this before, from the escaped Jensaarai Fodeum Sabre De'Luz. But there was no need to interrupt the lady. She could see that she was not doing so well without the Force that the nearby Ysalamiri had denied her access to. If she had been exposed to the Force from an early age, it must have been a challenge to learn to do without it. Well, that's the point, to make her more cooperative. And if that means listening to her lingering pain, why not? I have the time, but it's worth it to get information from a more competent source than an undergrad who lost his lightsaber. At the very least, to broaden my horizons.

- We choose an animal to be our ally and protector, and then give its traits to our armor. Each protector wears the armor without taking it off. And only the individuality of the armor allows us to distinguish each other visually - a strange concept, of course, but why not? - Each such totem is a peaceful creature that will never attack first, but will only ruthlessly defend itself if attacked. It is a reflection of our sense of being.

- The satellite where we lived in secret from the rest of the settlers, Susevfi. That's where we first saw Leonia Tavira. She landed on the planet with her people. She flirted with a local imperial official, and when he rejected her, she brutally murdered him. Then declared the planet liberated from Imperial oppression and in rebellion to the oppression of the New Republic. As saarai-kaar jensaarai, leader of my people, I came to Tavira to negotiate and stop the slaughter of civilians. After learning of who I was, she was able to gain my trust, then betrayed me when she heard my refusal in exchange for her demand to serve me. She threatened to wipe out the civilian population of the planet if we refused to help her. I had no choice, so I agreed.

Very interesting recruiting methods. Pure imperial. What's to say, though, when Tavira is the former wife of an Imperial moff. Rumor has it she got rid of her previous wife and her husband personally.

- For months, my Jensaarai have accompanied Tavira and her flagship on destructive campaigns, helping her to plunder and kill. We were not advocates of violence, but realized that if we did not, the death of all life on our world would be on our conscience. Some of us could so attune our connection to the Force that we could sense danger through that great energy if it was aimed directly at Tavira.

- And thus helping her avoid ambushes, - I realized. That's a very... interesting concept. I already have several ways of using it. However, what has happened has already shown that this situation is not a panacea. Given that the ambush on Rugos wasn't even intended for Tavira, the Jensaarai couldn't warn her of the trap. Which means the system is failing. With any luck, we'll have to think of ways to use it to our advantage.

- And also influenced the minds of random visitors to the system to look at her ship but not see her, - Saarai-kaar said. - But your Jedi... he was able to break through our defenses. And when we tried to counter him, to weaken him, he killed my students. The last ones who could have served Tavira and the cause of saving my people.

- Leonia Tavira is in my custody, - I reminded her. - As is her ship. No pirate has ever left the Rugos system free.

- Several gangs are still on Susevfi, - she said bitterly. As soon as her ship doesn't return, they'll kill them all.

- I'm sure that together we can overcome this problem, - I stated.

- Together? - She grinned. - How are you better than Tavira? You've taken advantage of me, taken my power, and you're about to start dictating your terms.

- But this way, you'll really listen to me, - I said. - And pay close attention to what you hear. The Force is still with you, but I'm blocking it as much as I need to. I'm offering you my help in freeing your planet from the pirates.

- And you want something in return, - she said confidently.

- Yes, - I said. - You will give me the pirates, their equipment, and whatever loot they have now.

- I thought you were going to demand service from us..... - the woman said confusedly.

- I'm not going to demand anything of you, though I could, - I said. - The Empire under me will no longer exterminate those Force-sensitive minds who do not threaten its existence directly, rather than by the mere fact of their birth. On the contrary, I would like to offer you and your students to become part of the state I intend to build. There you will be able to live without fear, to learn and teach others, to serve as emissaries of peace and justice - something the Jedi have failed to do.

- And as soon as we refuse, you will take our women and children hostage? - the woman asked.

- No, - I replied. - I'll just wish you the best of luck in dealing with the Jedi and the New Republic, who have been hunting Tavira and have information about who helped her with the raids, - the last one was a bluff. But with the help of Imperial intelligence, it's not hard to do. - I assure you that after Rugosa.

- And if we agree to serve you - will you give us protection? - Saarai-kaar asked.

- Protection, a place to live and study, access to new knowledge, - I said. - You don't think the knowledge you have is the limit of your dreams, do you?

- Naturally we know we don't know many of the Force's secrets, - the Jensaarai leader snorted. - But... If you don't know the Force yourself, how can you promise something like that?

- I am erudite enough to find and make available to my allies what is still left of ancient Sith and Jedi knowledge - a simple statement of fact. And at the very least - somewhere in the labyrinth beneath Mount Tantiss is something the Jensaarai will be interested in. And besides, there is the Yavin system in this galaxy, once home to the Sith, Korriban, Ossus, and many other worlds that were once Jedi or Sith shrines or strongholds.

- How can I trust an Imperial after all the evil the Empire has brought to me and my people? - the woman asked.

- As a gesture of goodwill, I'll do two things right now, - I said. - First, once you agree to cooperate with me, your Force sensitivity will be returned to you. As long as we work together to protect the galaxy from evils great and small, you are my ally and will never be deprived of the Force by me again.

- But you already have a powerful Jedi who killed my apprentices, the best of those Jensaarai! - Saarai-kaar said incredulously.

- Yes, there was a Jedi in my entourage, - I said, not intending to tell the Jensaarai the details of K'baoth's origins, much less the fact that he had finally come to his senses and gone to his planet to await Khorne's arrival. - What he did to your people only confirmed my suspicions about his madness and the need to cut off all contact with him.

- Are you going to kill him? - She squinted at him and asked.

- If there's any hope of helping him, no, - I said. Though I didn't hold out much hope that a defective adult clone could be fixed. But, after all, the laboratories at Mount Tantiss are operational and properly decontaminated. The K'baoth genetic sample is there. If need be, we will create our own. And if possible, an adequate one.

- But you don't believe in such an outcome, - Saarai-kaar stated.

- I doubt it's even possible to fix it, - I admitted.

The woman was silent for a while before speaking again:

- Second, - she rose slowly and gracefully to her feet. - What else can you offer the Jensaarai in exchange for service?

- Rukh, - I nodded to the bodyguard.

Nogri was near the front door almost instantly, then stepped out into the corridor. I knew for a fact that he was now following to the next cell, to get the Ysalamiri away. And also to meet someone who was awaiting my return to the planet.

I wasn't afraid that the Jensaarai might attack me with the Force; Ysalamiri, my favorite, was snuggling on my shoulder. I'd be safe from a simple hand-to-hand fight.

I saw the woman's face contort as Rukh pulled the lizard cage away from the wall of the cell adjacent to this one. The woman's strength was about to return to her again.

And almost immediately afterward, the noghri returned to us, accompanied by a young man

- Someone else will tell you more about my proposal. Let me introduce you, - I said, pointing to the freighter commander, "Mr....

- Mom?! - The Jensaarai disciple who had lost his lightsaber barely audibly exhaled.

- Fodeum! - Saarai-kaar's eyes rounded when she saw the young man. - How on earth...?

I looked first at her, then at him. There's definitely a resemblance.

Uh-huh. That was awkward.

Maybe it's better that way, though, because I can see the woman looking me in the eye, the woman who has regained her son for the first time in years, nodding in agreement.

Well, the local equivalent of "Wait for Me" is coming to an end. It's time to get on with more important things.

***

The light lines of hyperspace habitually shrank into dots, barely had the Crusader been in normal space.

- Jump completed, Captain, - the senior officer reported to him. - "Crusader ... is fine.

I-Gor almost laughed when he heard the last one.

- The fact that we've got three armor plates twisted off and depressurized the refrigerated food storage on the second deck is not a problem, is it? - he asked with a chuckle.

- After the mess at Rugos, it's a small thing, Captain, - the XO said with an embarrassed look. - Especially since we didn't really need those storerooms.

- Remember that Corellian smuggler we apprehended near Duro when I first took over the Crusader? - I-Gor asked.

- The one who likes to hide contraband below deck? - clarified the XO. After a nod of agreement, he confirmed it:

- Of course I remember, sir. We got fifty thousand dollars worth of spice out of his rusty trough. I'm sure there was more, though we would have found it if we hadn't shot up the ship chasing his partner.

- Spice wasn't the only thing this smuggler was carrying, - I-Gor admitted. - He also had a small stash aft. Remember when I decided to personally supervise the search of the engine room while you were in the wheelhouse?

- Of course, sir, - the senior aide said somewhat tensely.

- I've seen this type of hiding place before - they make a secret compartment inside a fuel tanker and store extra cargo there. That smuggler was carrying four cases of high-end single malt Corellian whiskey, fifteen hundred credits a bottle. I've been storing them all this time in the chilled food warehouse on the second deck.

- Unexpected candor, sir, - the senior aide admitted.

- I had hoped that after the Emperor's death there would be a good reason to drink this nectar with the crew one day, - I-Gor admitted. - Our Grand Admiral's second consecutive major triumph is certainly cause for such a thing. Every battle is a consistent success for us. Look, - he pointed to the "Warlike" and "Imperious, - which, like sentinels with their engines running, were positioned perpendicular to the battered but victorious fleet of the Grand Admiral, letting them pass in front of their bows and saluting them with volleys of turreted turbolasers. - "The Arc of Triumph".This custom is a thousand three standard years old. I can't even remember the last time it was used. It's a respect for all victors, survivors and fallen. It's a grand admiral's triumph. A turning point, after which if the Imperial Ruling Council doesn't start helping us properly - then they really are just a bunch of power-hungry idiots. Like the Ubiqtorate running away from here with their tails between their legs. Just think what Thrawn could have done if he'd gotten all fifteen of the Ubiquitous destroyers, instead of just our old lady "victory"? It's a shame the bay was thrown into hyperspace. It would have been a lot more fun....

- I agree, it's a shame, sir, - said the senior aide. - Do you think our victories are just the beginning?

- I am sure of it, - I-Gor said firmly. - The Empire had not achieved such victories in quite some time. And in such a short period of time. I am sure that Thrawn is the future. At least in the near future. If we stick to it, we'll see the Empire rise above the galaxy in its new greatness.

- You've literally voiced the opinion of the entire crew, - the chief mate said with a smirk. - But... with the Grand Admiral's captured ships, don't you think that the Ubictorate will call us off, and the smart guys from Orinda will call off any of Thrawn's subordinate star destroyers?

- If that happens, it will only prove their shortsightedness, - the Crusader commander said. - While they're sitting there in the Imperial Shards, worrying about losing new sectors and ships, Thrawn is hitting the enemy where he doesn't even expect it. The return of three "twos" at once under the Empire is a resounding success. And it needs to be built on, not sweetened by putting sweetener in the reactor fuel. I don't know if this will actually happen, but if the Ubiquitariat tries to recall us, I will not obey that order. And I hope you and the crew will support me.

- Intelligence will see it as treason, - the senior aide noted.

- We serve under the command of the Supreme Commander of the Empire, - Captain I-Gor reminded him. - If that's treason, I want nothing to do with anyone who thinks that.

The chief mate pondered for only a few minutes. Then, looking at the commander, he said:

- Sir, I have a confession to make.

- Is that so? - I-Gor was surprised. - And in what way?

- We have something to celebrate the victory, - said the chief mate, looking away. - That smuggler at Duro had a habit of making a stash under the cockpit floor as well..... We've got ten cases for sure...

Laughing, I-Gor shook his subordinate's hand with feeling, noticing out of the corner of his eye the tugs heading toward the damaged ships of Thrawn's fleet to bring the starships into the cells of the orbital workshop.

***

The casemates of the Moff residence were not the darkest place Lieutenant Colonel Astarion had been in his life. There have been worse workplaces.

But unfortunately, there were currently no suitable places to hold such a large number of prisoners of war on Tangren. Instead, they had to use the barracks of one of the military bases available on the planet, but still unused after the Ubictorat had evacuated the garrisons - only they were large enough to hold nearly seventy thousand captive Republicans, pirates, and smugglers. And it took recruiting an entire legion of stormtroopers to secure them. Well, planetary garrison bases are set up to house hundreds of thousands of infantrymen and many pieces of equipment - each. There's still room to hold more prisoners of war... It's just a shame that we have to bring in a large force of stormtroopers to guard them. Simple infantrymen from among the volunteers and army units could do it, but such a large number of prisoners is better entrusted to those who can't be appeased in any way.

Although the Lieutenant Colonel was certain that it was irrational to use assault units for such purposes, he kept his thoughts to himself. The Grand Admiral would know how to use his resources. He could understand it, though - the regular army under his command was even smaller than the stormtrooper units. Well, at least the Lieutenant Colonel knew for sure that such classes for stormtroopers are nothing more than temporary. As soon as the existing volunteers assigned to the so-called "auxiliary troops" had received the appropriate infantry and rifle training, the protection of prisoners of war would be transferred to their tasks, and the stormtroopers would return to their more important tasks.

And yet, the reason he was in the casemates today was highly unusual. As is the Grand Admiral's own personal invitation to interrogate him.

After passing the guard posts, Astorian, accompanied by the head of the warden's shift, made his way to the right cell. How many of these prison interrogation rooms had he seen in his life? Thousands. This one was no worse than the others. One could even say that it was much better, because it was clean, it didn't stink of human sweat and excrement. And there's no sounds of intelligent beings being tortured. It's not because of good soundproofing - they don't keep guilty civilians or military men in casemates. There are garrison brig or ordinary isolation cells for that.

The metal door opened, and the lieutenant colonel stepped over the threshold. When he looked up, he saw Grand Admiral Thrawn himself standing against the wall opposite the entrance, in company with a gray-skinned exotic.

- Come in, - Thrawn said, pointing to the seat at the table usually occupied by interrogators. Astorian followed the advice, still wondering about the reasons that had brought him here. What the Grand Admiral was up to was not yet clear to him. Except that the Lieutenant Colonel himself had nothing to fear - he was working for the benefit of the Grand Admiral, not to his detriment. And the information he received from Thrawn was not very detailed.

The Grand Admiral and his bodyguard moved closer to the entrance, standing so that they could not be seen. Then, as if on an invisible command, the door opened and a pair of stormtroopers ushered in a man in a suit of armor. They unceremoniously sat him down on a metal chair, handcuffed him to a metal brace on the table, and left the interrogation room, allowing the security officer to finally get a good look at the man with whom he was about to have a difficult conversation.

A neat short haircut, obviously military, and imperial. Attentive, calm gaze. Well-developed musculature. This man is clearly an imperial soldier. And judging by the under armor, a stormtrooper. Straight, unbent posture. Doesn't turn his head around, doesn't try to assess the situation. This man is used to acting only after he's given an order.

- Introduce yourself, - Astorian demanded.

- TR-889 Stormtrooper, sir, - he replied in the same calm voice.

- Do you know your reasons for being here?

- During an assault on an enemy star destroyer, used a tactical psychological ploy for the sake of getting the enemy crew to surrender.

What?

Astorian thought he heard what he heard.

- And what was it about? - he asked.

- I used the ship's internal warning systems to spread the word of the commander's death, - the stormtrooper replied.

- And what made you think it would work? - Lieutenant Colonel realized that now, looking directly at the detainee, he had no right to avert his gaze - otherwise he would realize that they were not alone in the interrogation room. And Thrawn seemed to have a great desire to keep his stay here a secret. For now, anyway.

- A simple calculation, - TR-889 said in the same casual tone. - This Star Destroyer defected to the New Republic as soon as their commander did. During the assault, I noticed that most of the crew members we met were human. Nine out of ten. Assumed they were still the same ones that were in Saira Yonki's chain of command at the time of his betrayal. Hence, he has referent value to them and is the leader. The news of his death demoralized the enemy and the ship was captured.

- Or your initiative could have made things worse, - Astorion bellowed, turning to psychological pressure on the interrogator. - They could have blown up the reactor and then everyone would have died. Rebels and Stormtroopers alike! Or they could have hardened their resistance and the troops would have suffered a much higher percentage of casualties than they have!

In truth, Astorian had no idea how many fighters had died during the boarding parties. But he intuitively felt that his task was to mentally crush the stormtrooper, to make him shatter his impenetrable shell of calm. Even elite stormtroopers who had been through the hellish millstones of advanced training on Karid would be psychologically broken by the very fact of interrogation.

- There was no risk, - the stormtrooper said firmly. - The enemy knew perfectly well that they were surrounded, that their ship would be taken anyway. They are defectors, meaning their psyche is not so resistant to the ideas of the Empire. They couldn't accept the Republican ideology as the mainstream ideology yet, so they were focused on their leader, Captain Yonku.

- Isn't that a lot to know for a simple stormtrooper? - The Lieutenant Colonel squinted, trying to see if he could get through this guy. Judging by the fact that his facial expression hadn't even changed - not really. Not a stormtrooper, but a flintlock.

- ... The death of a leader is the ultimate destabilizing factor, - Astorian realized that TR-889 was continuing his monotonous narrative. Whereas anyone in his place right now would just shut up and worry. No, this guy is anything but a stormtrooper. - ...who takes his subordinates and cronies out of their usual rut....

- Did you experience it firsthand? - The Grand Admiral suddenly intervened in the interrogation, coming into the stormtrooper's field of vision. He cast a quick and wary glance at the figure in the white tunic, rounded his eyes and rose to his feet.

- Grand Admiral, sir, stormtrooper....

- Yes, TR-889, I have no trouble hearing, - the gray-skinned alien forcefully sat the man back down. - What's your name, stormtrooper?

- Personal Number TR-899...

- That's not the question I asked, - said the Grand Admiral. - You're a smart man, Major, as you've just carelessly signed your name. You must realize that you wouldn't have had these conversations just like that. Your personnel file has been checked. We've found evidence of erasures and data integration. You're doing a great job, but I've got better people. So, I'll ask you again, what's your name?

Really? So this stormtrooper is not just a Marine, but also a major, a battalion commander? That's an interesting development. Yes, of course, the commanders in the Stormtrooper Corps are not mere executors like ordinary soldiers, but they are far from being experts in psychology. They are taught to kill as efficiently as possible, not to evaluate the enemy from a psychological point of view. They are an elite brute force trained to the highest standards, but they are not virtuosos of that sort.

The Lieutenant Colonel watched with breathless interest as the impassive expression on the Stormtrooper's face changed from simple-carefree to tense and focused.

- Grodin Tierce, sir, - he said, clearly, dispelling the myth that he belonged to the Assault Corps. "Dolls are trained to forget their own names - they're given numbers and nothing more. All training is aimed at destroying pity, personal identity and self-determination. Name deprivation is one of the initial stages. By the end of the training, stormtroopers forget that they can be called anything other than a personal number.

- That's how it is, - Thrawn said. A shadow flashed across his face, and his gaze grew fiercer. - Is that all you have to say?

- I'll answer all your questions, sir, - Tiers said.

- Then let's start with the simplest one - why is a fighter of Palpatine's Imperial Guard masquerading as an ordinary stormtrooper? - Astarion could barely keep from coughing. What?! This Stormtrooper is also the commander of an elite unit dedicated to guarding the Emperor himself?!

Yes, formally the Imperial Guard was part of the Assault Corps, but again - only on "paper". In reality, they had their own structure and locations, and nothing was known about their training. They had their own structure and locations, and nothing about their training was known at all.

- After the death of Emperor Palpatine at Endor, the Imperial Guard was fragmented, - Tyers explained. - Some of us went back to our bases, others went to serve the warlords. There are those who defected to the New Republic. I chose to serve as a Stormtrooper Battalion Commander. And my unit is one of the finest in your fleet, Grand Admiral.

- Is that why you hid your past? - Thrawn asked.

- Many of those who claim or have claimed to be Emperor use the Imperial Guards as a scarecrow to increase their own importance, - Tyers explained. - I want to serve as an action, not an icon.

The Imperial Guard would not have had much trouble correcting Tiers's record. So, if it weren't for his excessive desire to be useful, no one would have noticed him.

If it weren't for the incident on the rebel star destroyer....

If it weren't for...

- Your actions on the Liberty were intended to get my attention, - Thrawn said, voicing a thought that had just occurred to the colonel himself.

- Yes, sir, - he confirmed. - I have done my best to come under your command and have watched your actions to understand and evaluate your motives. I confess I thought that you, like the other warlords, would seek personal power over the Empire and use all the resources of Mount Tantiss for that purpose. I apologize for my unworthy thoughts. My actions on Captain Yonki's Freedom were aimed directly at your attention. As a stormtrooper, I could not come to you and report to you in uniform. Now, our meeting has taken place, and I can offer you my services not just as a front line fighter, but as an Imperial Guardsman.

- I don't need bodyguards, - Thrawn remarked. - I have nogri.

- Which has already proven to be ineffective, - Tyers said, not even looking at the gray-skinned alien behind him. - I captured a Star Destroyer for you with one battalion and lost only one company. Only three of the stormtroopers died, and the rest will be rehabilitated and continue their service.

- And why should I trust you? - Thrawn asked.

- Because it will only take me five seconds to kill everyone in this room, - the Imperial Guardian said calmly, shaking his hands. The handcuffs that were still on his wrists clanged against the metal tabletop. The lieutenant-colonel thought it unlikely that he would have had time to shoot the interrogator, even if he had tried to attack. Even if he hadn't surrendered his service pistol at the guard station. - That said, I'll take three seconds to ask you once again to be my direct commander.

- That's how it is, - Thrawn said with interest. - Why me and not any other commander or even the Imperial Ruling Council?

- You are effective, - the Guardsman replied simply. - They are passive. Simple logic. I'm not a showcase to serve as someone's toy or to gratify someone's ego. I am a soldier and trained to follow orders. You and your fleet are at war. That is enough for me. I only told you about my past to demonstrate that I have additional knowledge that may be useful to you in accomplishing your goals.

- How interesting, - Thrawn said with a chuckle. - You are an impressive specimen of man, Stormtrooper and Guard all in one, Major Tierce. Given the lack of unanimity between you and your fellow Imperial Guardsmen on the question of a candidate for service, I conclude that you are merely seeking to restore your familiar worldview of finding a strong commander and serving him. Or am I wrong?

- The Imperial Guard is designed to serve a great man, - Tyers said, but his tone was no longer as confident as it had been the last time. - Perhaps... some of our training contributes to that.....

- Or you have all been altered by Emperor Palpatine's power for something like this, - Thrawn suggested. - I hope you are aware that our ruler was a Force adept?

- This information has no proof, - the major said sharply, and his hands clenched into fists. His gaze became somewhat bestial, and his nostrils flared, indicating that the man was beginning to draw in more oxygen. He didn't like what he was hearing.

Astarion himself didn't really believe that the Emperor was an adept of this Jedi magic. Darth Vader was another matter...

- Don't you dare threaten me, Major, - Thrawn said sharply, reacting to the Guardian's words and actions. - Your erasures were discovered by someone who served Palpatine and communicated with him directly through the Force. You may have even seen her in Palpatine's entourage at some point. Young girl, red hair, green eyes. The emperor liked to call her his favorite dancer...

- I know who you're talking about, - Major Tierce said. - But the Emperor couldn't...

- Are you saying I'm lying? - Thrawn's voice was tingling with metal.

- No, sir, never, uh.

- So you have a rebuttal to what I said about Palpatine belonging to the Sith Order? - Astarion admittedly had stopped understanding the reason he was here. It seemed as if Thrawn wanted to prove something to more than just the stormtrooper. But what? The fact that Palpatine, who was after the Jedi - was himself something similar? But it doesn't matter if the Emperor is dead. There are more important things to do... - Or do you have a more reasonable explanation for the fact that the Emperor was able to emerge victorious from a battle with Jedi Masters in the final hours of the Old Republic? Or do you have an explanation for how he was able to hide a nineteen-kilometer-long Lusankia stellar superdestroyer in the middle of the Imperial Center, in the busiest part of it? Or give me an answer as to how he could survive for nearly thirty years while controlling Sith Lord Darth Vader? A Sith, one of those who can control the Force and are known for their ambitions on the verge of total subjugation of all living things to their power and empire building? Or do you have any answers as to why you and the rest of the infantry and stormtroopers in the Dafilwean sector of the sweep of the New Republic base on the planet Ord-Pardron were more coordinated, precise and efficient than in Palpatine's time, but your actions were coordinated through the Force and the Jedi clone K'baoth, created on Palpatine's orders and discovered by me on the planet Weyland, where you played the role of commander of my cover squad? Perhaps you can find more logical answers to my questions, Major, than recognizing and acknowledging the fact that Emperor Palpatine is a Force-sensitive mind, a Sith Lord, and we are all nothing more than his puppets, serving the sole purpose of preventing his enemies from growing stronger until he has amassed a powerful force capable of bringing the galaxy back under his rule?

- No, sir, - Tyers answered clearly. His body relaxed-the man was responding to orders. The way he had been trained to do. The drill was taking its toll. - I have no more logical answer than the one you have given.

- Do you know the name of the planet Byss? - Thrawn asked, changing his commanding tone, which made Astarion shudder, to an almost caring tone.

- Yes, sir, - confirmed the Imperial Guardsman, whose voice had regained its former smooth and confident tone. - It is located in the Deep Core. A relocation mission was once organized there, but I have no information as to whether it was successful. There were some Imperial Guard units stationed on Byss, but I was there a long time ago and have no information about its achievement - there is a hyperspace beacon system there that is unknown to me....

- It's a shame you don't have that information, Major Tierce, - Thrawn said. - You could go straight to Byss and ask your lord why he called some of your associates to his side and dismissed others like garbage, letting them serve those who were tearing his Empire apart.

- Emperor Palpatine. alive?! - Tierce's body stiffened, and his voice... trembled? But not in a natural way. - But... how...?

It was not to say that Astorian did not understand his interrogator. He was now experiencing exactly the same thing as the Guardsman - shock, incomprehension, disappointment, pain. If the Emperor is alive, then... why did he allow all this to happen? The rebels' victory, the collapse of the Empire, the internecine war that killed billions of Imperials?!

- Sith techniques, magic or something else - I don't know, I'm not interested in that metaphysics, Major, - Thrawn said. - You said you didn't want to be an extra for someone else's greatness. I suspect that with your talents you could have found a position as a military advisor to any of the commanders, but you came to me. You wished to serve the most effective commander because you cannot exist otherwise - you were raised for such purposes. You could kill me and everyone here in seconds - and I believe your words. Just as you must trust your commander. I am willing to accept your service, but in exchange I demand your unconditional loyalty to me and the execution of my orders without delay or regret. You won't like my decisions, that's for sure, I can promise you. So decide for yourself what is most important to you here and now - to be an Imperial Guard, serving Palpatine because you never had any other choice, or to remain in my service and follow my orders alone.

- But, sir, if the Emperor is alive... - Tierce said, confused, but the lieutenant colonel didn't believe him for a moment, - if he survived Endor.....

- His body was destroyed, - the Grand Admiral said. - And you know it. You're a very bad actor, Major Tierce. You knew everything I just said without me. Like any Imperial Guardsman - if you haven't witnessed Palpatine's powers, you can't help but know those who have. Like those Guardsmen who were on the Death Star when Palpatine fought Darth Vader's former secret apprentice Galen Marek. There aren't too many Imperial Guardsmen to overlook their attrition. You have excellent training, Major. And after all you've been through, you haven't lost your self-awareness or your identity. So you were no mere weapon in Palpatine's hands in the past. So the question is, why are you pulling this stunt in front of me?

Astarion watched in amazement as a slight smile appeared on the major's calm face. The smile disappeared almost immediately.

- You're even more perceptive than Palpatine's files indicate, Grand Admiral, - Grodin Tyers said. - Yes, you're quite right - everything you've said I know. And a lot of what you don't know. I was there on the Death Star when that little brat in his Jedi rags almost killed Vader and matched Palpatine's strength. And if the Emperor hadn't finished the bastard off - me and my company would have been the next ones he would have let slaughtered against that kid. I watched the Emperor do what he'd killed thousands of sentients across the galaxy for. And I stayed silent, following orders, putting it all out of my mind, not focusing on it. He could read the mind of any of us and killed without hesitation those who witnessed his sensitivity to the Force. I don't know why he did it, but he did. He was a crazy son of a bitch, and I was glad when I found out he was finally dead. I stopped being someone else's slave - you know what it's like to not belong to yourself, being in the heart of an Empire that fights slavery? I was proud to serve as a Stormtrooper, I cheered when I was selected to become a Guardsman. The realization of Palpatine's double standard didn't come quickly, but it came. You're right - I am smart. Devilishly smart. That's why I did not respond to the order to come to Byss to continue my service to the resurgent Palpatine. Like several others of my comrades - we dissolved, became invisible, blended in with a crowd of similarly faceless and nameless clones. I wasn't lying - I was watching you, Grand Admiral. I stood guard at the Moff's residence as you talked to pirates and hired them to do your dirty work. I was the one who prepared the residence hall for you for Mara Jade's talk. I watched you break it down and if I could, I would applaud you. But unfortunately, I was only watching through a hidden CCTV camera that every residence has. Imperial Intelligence used them to spy on you and gather dirt. If I came into your service before to be a stormtrooper, something I always wanted to be, after hearing this... You're a damn clever mind, Grand Admiral. And that's why they're getting rid of you. You're as perceptive as ever, but what you fail to see is that no one will let you gain too much power to subdue the remnants of the Empire, and that's all they're afraid of. The conspiracy you're only speculating about is broader than you realize. Palpatine secretly controls virtually all of the Imperial Shards, and they will be the springboard for his invasion. You've pinpointed his motives - he's not interested in the Empire, he's only concerned with destroying his enemies. I have chosen to reveal myself to you for one simple reason - I believe you can stop him. Or at least try to. You have a better chance than the others. But you have something they don't - the will to do it. I respect people like you, even if you're not of our race.

The Grand Admiral did not answer immediately, silently scrutinizing the Guardsman.

But the lieutenant colonel had a question:

- Of all this rant, you have not said a word about the reasons for your interest in defeating Palpatine, - Astarion said.

- It's so simple, - Major Tiers said with a snort. - I want to live. Palpatine has already killed almost all of those Guardsmen who were willful enough not to come to Byss after his death. My battle comrades with whom I deserted together are gone. Those who were on Byss and reported the intentions of Palpatine and his entourage have also been killed. Stormtrooper cover saved me, but I'm sure it wouldn't have lasted long. When Palpatine returns, he'll use us again like any of his puppets. And then he'll throw us out when he's had enough. Or kill us for his own amusement. He's not the man we remember him to be. A greedy, crazy old man in a young body, obsessed with revenge and carnage. He won't even fight for worlds - he'll just blow them up, and his stockpile of superweapons is impressive.

- So you decided to contact me directly, - the Grand Admiral finished. - And you played the "misunderstanding soldier" card to see if I'd tell you the same thing I told Mara Jade. If what I told you didn't match, you'd have killed us all.

- Of course, - Tierce answered artlessly. - Destroying witnesses is one of the easiest ways to cover your tracks. And the level of training of the stormtroopers who guard these casemates is such that it's easy to lure any of them in here and kill them, disfigure their faces, take their armor and escape. But I can assure you, you passed the test, Grand Admiral. And this time, without any traps or idioms, I'm ready to cooperate. Command, I'm at your complete disposal.

- Not a bad performance, Major Tierce, - Thrawn clapped his hands together. - But you overestimate yourself. You could have tried to kill me and Lieutenant Colonel Astarion, but you wouldn't have accomplished your goal. And I, in turn, would have lost nothing more than an excellent cloning donor.

A sneer appeared on the "stormtrooper's" face.

- Nogri wouldn't stop me, - he said. - Palpatine trained us to kill them like blind kittens when he found out Vader had a brood like that. You'll never find a better bodyguard than me.

- No one said anything about nogri, - Thrawn said calmly.

And in the next instant, a hiss cut through the air, and a blue-white energy blade appeared in front of the former Imperial Guard's throat. And then, at the same time as Major Tierce glanced in the direction of the source of the energy threat, a figure shrouded from head to toe in brown armor appeared out of thin air, without any warning. The mask, bearing the image of some sort of animal, swung forward.

- Should I kill him, Commander? - came a muffled voice from beneath the helmet.

- That's a good question, - Thrawn said. - I hope you're convinced, Major Tierce, that I don't need a bodyguard.

- Impressive, - he swallowed carefully and smiled suddenly. - I like ground combat better than following someone around, though. Stormtrooper TR-889 is ready to execute any of your orders, Grand Admiral.

- That's the deal, Major, - Thrawn said, looking straight into the eyes of the bewildered Astarion. - You've heard a lot of things. It's not hard to figure out what's what. So I'm only going to ask you once: Are you with me, Lieutenant Colonel?

And all he wanted was the Grand Admiral's help in rebuilding the Imperial Security Service... And now he's been asked to participate in the destruction of a mad former ruler of the galaxy who intends to turn them all into mindless servants?

- Yes, why not? - Astarion tried to smile. But, as always, it was like a grin. - But... If we're going to fight against everyone, we're going to need a lot of weapons, personnel, and even more ISB officers. Me and a dozen interrogators can't handle sifting through all those who intend to come under your command, Grand Admiral. I can't be in more than one place at a time.

- Don't worry, Lieutenant Colonel, - Thrawn advised him. - It's an easy problem to solve.

From translator: I'm not dead, as many might think. I successfully entered the university with a scholarship for an important and promising department. I have optimized the chapter translation process so that translating one chapter takes only an hour. In this case, the question arises whether I should redo the previous chapters by improving the translation or just continue from this point onwards. And yes, I'm back.

Also I won't do this shitshow about splitting chapters to five small parts to improve statistics.