Miatamia stirred and continued forward, his movement seemingly breaking his aide’s own paralysis. Numbly, Lando followed, sensing as he did so their stormtrooper rearguard filing in behind them.
“That’s far enough,” the major said harshly as Miatamia came within three meters of the outer display ring. “They’ve been disarmed?”
“None of them were carrying any weapons,” the stormtrooper commander reported. Three of them, Lando noted, had moved up to form a flanking column along their right, a glance over his shoulder confirmed that the commander and the other two had spread out along the wall behind them. A simple yet effective positioning that provided close guard while at the same time keeping the stormtroopers out of each other’s crossfire.
“Yes, they are keeping a close eye on you, Captain Calrissian,” Thrawn confirmed. “After that unpleasantness at Bilbringi, I’ve agreed to extra precautions. Not that I’m expecting trouble from any of you, of course.”
“Of course,” Lando said, turning back to look at him. It was a trick, of course. It had to be. Thrawn was dead. The Imperial Command itself bad said so.
And yet …
“You look remarkably well, Admiral,” Miatamia said. “I must confess to my surprise at seeing you here.”
Thrawn smiled faintly. “My reappearance has surprised many others, Senator Miatamia. And will surprise a great many more in the days to come. However, I didn’t ask you aboard merely to toast my continued health. The actual reason-“
“How did you survive the Bilbringi shipyards?” Lando blurted. “The Imperial reports said you were dead.”
“You will not interrupt the Grand Admiral,” the major snapped, taking a step toward him.
“Peace, Major,” Thrawn said quietly, halting the other’s advance with an almost languid gesture. “Under the circumstances, a certain degree of shock is entirely forgivable.”
“Yet you do not answer his question,” Miatamia said.
It seemed to Lando that a faint flicker of distant pain touched the Grand Admiral’s face for a moment. “My survival was due to a unique combination of several factors,” he said. “You’ll forgive me if I withhold the details.”
“But your own Imperial reports?” Lando repeated.
“The Imperial reports said what 1 allowed them to say,” Thrawn said, his eyes starting to flash with annoyance. “It was necessary while I recovered that-“
He broke off. “Perhaps I’ve misjudged you, Captain,” he said, his voice calm again. “And you, Senator. I assumed that when you encountered a being returned from the dead you’d be more interested in what he had to say than the details of the journey. My mistake.” His eyes flicked over Lando’s shoulder. “Commander, you may escort them back to their ship. Major, have Intelligence confirm the current location of Ishori Senator Dx’ono.”
“Our apologies, Grand Admiral,” Miatamia said quickly as the stormtroopers started forward. “As you said, we were momentarily shocked. But we listen now.”
Thrawn lifted a hand, and the advancing stormtroopers stopped. “Very well,” he said. “My message is quite simple, Senator. You’ve recently become aware that a group of Bothans were involved in the attempted genocide on Caamas. I’ve come to offer my aid in bringing those guilty to justice.”
Miatamia inclined his head to the side, as if listening to a faint and distant sound. “Excuse me?”
“No, you heard correctly,” Thrawn assured him, that faint smile once again touching his lips. “I want to help.”
Miatamia twisted his head around to throw a glance back at Lando, turned back again. “How?”
“By identifying the guilty parties, of course,” the Grand Admiral said. “If President Gavrisom truly wishes this crisis resolved, he need only ask for my assistance. A visit to Bothawui, a few minutes’ conversation with each of the Bothan clan leaders, and I’ll know the truth.”
Miatamia inclined his bead to the side again. “The Bothan leaders claim they do not know which of their people were involved in the crime.”
“Oh, come now, Senator,” Thrawn said, his tone dark and cold. “Do you really expect they would say anything else?”
Miatamia seemed to digest that. “And you believe you could learn the truth merely by speaking with them?”
The glowing red eyes glittered. “Yes.”
There was a brief silence. “Would it not be simpler for you to merely locate the proper Imperial records and give them to us?”
“Of course it would,” Thrawn said. “And such a search is already under way. But the Imperial records library on Bastion is quite extensive, and the process could take weeks or even months to complete.” He cocked a blue-black eyebrow. “I don’t believe you have that much time to spare.”