Grand Admiral Thrawn broke off the transmission with his characteristic “Thrawn out” and turned his command chair to face Captain Niriz.

“I had hoped that our negotiations with the Amari would have been concluded by now,” said Thrawn, a slight glint in his red eyes. “What we really need, Captain, is more skilled negotiators,” he continued. “We can win the battles with arms but it requires a different skill to win hearts and minds.” He fingered his chin with a long blue hand.

“That’s true, sir,” agreed Niriz, standing hands behind back in Thrawn’s private command room. It was something he never gave much thought to. His job was to win battles. And Admonitor and her crew were doing a very good job of exactly that, he reflected with satisfaction. Negotiating peace settlements was not part of his job description. “This arrived for you sir,” said the Captain, handing the admiral a datacard. “It was marked personal and confidential, so I thought I’d bring it down myself.”

Taking it from him, Thrawn slid the card into the reader and stared at it for a few moments. “Set course for the planet Peris Hostar, Captain,” he said, a note of satisfaction in his tone.

“Peris Hostar, sir? Certainly sir.” Niriz had long since stopped trying to second guess the alien admiral but he was still curious. “Er... may I ask why sir?”

“We are going to accept a dinner invitation,” replied Thrawn, a faint smile playing around his lips as he leaned back in the command chair.

**

“Nadina, how absolutely lovely to see you again,” gushed Lady Brom, hurrying towards her guest with outstretched arms. Princess Nadina Raminasus smiled and bent over to receive a kiss on each of her cheeks, then turned to Lord Brom, big and bluff in contrast to his tiny wife, red faced and hearty. He gave her a hug, too, but to her relief, replaced the kisses with a fond pat on the cheek.

“You look splendid, dear,” said Lady Brom, eyeing her simple pale grey suit, well cut and elegant, with approval. “But then you could make a Hessian sack look like a fashion statement.” As Nadina laughed she looked her up and down. “I see you’re still keeping fit.”

“I try to keep in shape,” she grinned.

“And an excellent job you’ve done of that, my dear,” replied Lord Brom. He blushed, his red cheeks taking on a purplish hue. “I must say, my son certainly snared himself a prize.”

They were all silent for a moment, remembering their collective loss.

“Now then my dear,” said Lord Brom, slapping his hands together, “what would you like to do? We can take you to your apartment up on our guest floor and you can have a short rest if you wish and then come down and join us for dinner at eight?”

“Or what about a cup of tea,” interrupted Lady Brom eagerly, “and a chat before you get ready for dinner?”

“That would be nice,” agreed Nadina. “As I recall, you have a lovely tea house out in the garden.”

“Yes, we do,” said Lady Brom, her face wreathed in smiles. “How clever of you to remember. Come this way, come this way.”

She led the way into the garden, the floor to ceiling transparent doors gliding open as she approached. Outside, the late afternoon was warm and fragrant, the air filled with the scent of blossom. The garden had been designed to resemble a woodland, with a stream flowing between mature trees over cleverly contrived rapids into a deep, still pool. The tea pavilion overhung the pool, so that visitors could sit and watch the garden or stare into the tranquil water where silver and golden pectaries moved slowly amongst the purple hued growth beneath the surface.

Attendants brought tea served in fine porcelain ware from Hubrask, offering several different types; Chandrillan herb tea, Jeru tea or Naris bud tea, and there was an assortment of bite sized morsels; decorated cakes, sweetmeats, miniature pies. Nadina accepted the Naris bud tea, refused the food and sat quietly while Lady Brom talked about her son.

“We still miss him so very much, Nadina – as I’m sure you do,” said Lady Brom. She shook her head sadly. “If only he hadn’t decided to join the Imperial Navy.”

Nadina half listened to the stories of school football teams, excursions to the mountains, how Carsten had been selected for the military Academy on Coruscant and found her thoughts going down different paths. The Imperial Navy had been Carsten’s life. He’d been a Lieutenant when she met him, with a career path ahead of him. He was a Commander when he died a year ago, in a terrorist attack at a restaurant. Had she really loved him? She’d thought so. Did she miss him? Not any more. Already she found it hard to visualise him, like a faded holo, where the power can’t sharpen the image anymore. He’d been the focus of her life for fifteen years but now he was gone and she had to find something else, something useful she could do with her life. This was probably why she’d felt she had to come here; find closure, end that part of her life and move on.

“And how is your father, my dear?” Lady Brom’s voice intruded on her thoughts.

“Father? Oh, he’s well.” Nadina cast about for something positive to say. “Things have been a little difficult of late. The harvest wasn’t the best. Our local indigenous folk work the fields for us and there’s been illness.”

And my father has made plans without my consent to marry me off to ArchPotent Harada, and I escaped on a smuggler ship organised by my local indigenous friends. No, this vague woman wouldn’t understand. Nadina found herself wondering why she’d thought she would.

“Aliens can be so difficult can’t they?” replied Lady Brom, setting down her cup. “We’ve been having all sorts of problems with alien pirates plundering our trade ships. We’ve had to ask the Empire for help. That’s why we’re hosting this dinner party this evening. We’re discussing the situation with a number of the more important locals.”

Nadina wondered why illness was the same as being difficult and how it really compared with piracy but Lady Brom had already moved on.

“You seem a little… preoccupied dear,” she said, concern reflected in her dark eyes as she patted Nadina’s knee. “Is there anything we can help with?”

Nadina passed her tongue across her lips. There was that alarm again, a tiny warning that something was not right. Was there a hint of calculation behind the concern? “No,” she heard herself say. “It’s been a year since Carsten’s funeral. It was time to move on and this visit is… a closure I suppose.”

“And what will you do now?”

Indeed. What would she do now?

“I have friends in Coruscant. I think I’ll go there.”

“Coruscant?” declared Lady Brom doubtfully, sitting back in her chair. “That’s a very long way Nadina. And so… so full of people.” Her tone reflected her own view of the Emperor’s planet city.

“I went to school there,” replied Nadina with a smile, “and I met Carsten there.” She stood. “I’d like to go to my quarters if I may, Lady Brom. I’d love a nice long bath. You know how it is after long space trips.”

“Of course, dear,” said the older woman, hoisting herself out of her chair. “I’ve actually never been to Coruscant, but I’ve heard it’s very crowded.”

Nadina took her arm and the two returned to the house at a leisurely pace. An antique lift took them up to the second floor where the guest apartments were located. Lady Brom led the way along an elegant passage, their footsteps loud on a polished hardwood floor inlaid with a geometric pattern.

Lady Brom palmed open a door and gestured to Nadina. “This one’s my favourite,” she said. “But if you don’t like it you can choose one of the others. You’re the only one here.”

“I’m sure it will be fine,” replied Nadina with a smile as she stepped through the door. And indeed it was. The high ceilinged room was as opulent as the apartment she’d had in the palace at home but here the appointments were not old and faded. The rich carpet was a deep shade of green with an enormous bed swathed in a green and gold spread taking pride of place in the centre of the room. An antique desk with a modern comm. unit on it stood in one corner and there was a group of comfortable chairs around a low table in the opposite corner. She suspected that the value of the objects at home on Bellor would far exceed these at an antiques fair, but at least these were clean and fresh.

“The bathroom is to the left, dear,” supplied Lady Brom, pointing. “Is there anything you need?”

“No, Lady Brom,” said Nadina with a small shake of her head. “Thank you for your hospitality.”

“We’ll look forward to seeing you downstairs for drinks before dinner, then.” She smiled in her turn and left.

Nadina prowled around the room. Perhaps she was becoming paranoid but she still felt a tingle of alarm in this situation. Were the smiles too hearty, a little strained? Was the welcome too effusive? Telling herself she was being silly hadn’t helped. Surely she was safe here. True, her father’s agents – or maybe ArchPotent Harada’s – had followed her from Bellor to Laremenssa, but the smugglers she’d travelled with had taken care of them for her. And even if they’d contacted others, she couldn’t imagine them being able to snatch her from the Brom family mansion with its attendant security guards. Just as well the smugglers had kept an eye on her at the spaceport, she thought to herself. But for them she might have found herself on a transport, being taken back to marry the revolting ArchPotent Harad. The very thought of him, big and fat and old, made her shudder in revulsion. She would never, never forgive her father for agreeing to an arranged marriage with that… that. She shook her head, unable to think of an appropriate word.

Shaking off her feelings of unease, she ran the bath for a long, hot soak.

**

Nadina made her way down to the main hall for pre-dinner drinks at a quarter to eight, confident that she looked as good as she possibly could and pleased at an opportunity to dress up. Mostly, she was like her mother; tall, elegant and beautiful. But while her mother’s skin had been pale gold, Nadina’s was a soft brown, like caramel, half way between her mother and her father’s dark complexion. Like her father her eyes were deep brown to the point of almost being black. Her deep red evening gown set off her dark beauty, hugging her figure to her hips before falling in an elegant drape to the floor. It was backless to the waist, with a halter neck and a deep cleavage that suggested more than it revealed and complimented her breasts. She wore her long black hair up, piled on her head in elegant waves, and an unusual necklace with a deep red stone that matched the colour of the gown.

A retainer met her in the main hall and escorted her through to the reception room opposite the front doors. Hesitating in the doorway, Nadina saw perhaps a dozen people gathered in two groups, chatting together. Lord Brom, she noticed, was standing a little way apart, talking to two men in uniform. One of them wore the dress uniform of an Imperial Navy Captain. The other one… Nadina caught her breath.

“Princess,” boomed Lord Brom, catching sight of her. He hurried towards her, one hand outstretched. “Oh, you look absolutely stunning,” he stammered, his face going that shade of purple red again.

“Thank you,” she said with a gentle smile, taking her hand in his for a moment.

“We have two extra guests.” He gestured towards the two officers. “Please, come and meet them.”

“You would have met Grand Admiral Thrawn at Carsten’s funeral, do you remember?”

How could she forget? The white uniform suited his cool, blue skin, the gold fringed epaulettes shimmering in the soft light, his red eyes as intense as ever.

“It’s wonderful to see you again in happier circumstances, Admiral,” she said in a low voice, offering him her hand.

“Thank you Princess Nadina,” he responded, a hint of a smile playing around his thin lips. He lifted her hand and brushed her knuckles with those same lips and Nadina quivered, hoping no one else had noticed. He’d even remembered her name. Or maybe Brom had mentioned she was there? “I am delighted to see you again. Perhaps we will have an opportunity to discuss the Hy Peris cathedral a little further.” He held her eyes for a moment. “Please,” he continued, “allow me to introduce Captain Niriz, who commands my flagship Admonitor.” He turned to the other officer who smiled and bowed to her from the neck. “This is the Princess Raminasus, Captain. She was the wife of Commander Brom.”

Captain Niriz, Nadina noticed, was frankly admiring, casting an appreciative eye over her. In contrast, and to her disappointment, Thrawn did not, his lean, chiselled face expressionless.

“May I ask… what brings you here, Admiral?” she asked, greatly daring as she accepted a glass of the local sparkling spring water from a tray. She noticed Thrawn held a glass of a deep coloured beverage that looked like ale.

“Lord Brom?” said Thrawn, inviting the host to explain with an inclination of his head.

“Pirates,” replied Brom, sipping from a glass of fine Corellian brandy. “I asked the Empire for some help to stop the plundering. Grand Admiral Thrawn’s ship was the nearest one and he has unexpectedly been able to attend our little gathering, after having declined.”

“Captain Niriz and I are both pleased that the situation we were dealing with was able to be resolved earlier than expected,” said Thrawn smoothly.

“Yes, excellent,” said Brom. He stood frowning at the glass in his hand for a moment, seeming ill at ease. “I don’t know what’s keeping Lady Brom,” he said suddenly. “I’ll just check.” And he left the room to find his wife.

“And how has life been for you since last we met, Princess?” Thrawn asked Nadina.

“I…” She chewed at her lip. “I’m coming to terms with the changes in my life. I’ve been working with the Chorebs – that’s the indigenous population on my father’s home planet, Bellor – for the last little while. They’re suffering from an illness.” She noticed a spark of interest in Thrawn’s eye.

“What does your father think of that?” he asked her.

She laughed, surprised at his astuteness. “Not much. He says it’s beneath me to work with al… the Chorebs. Father doesn’t seem to understand that if the Chorebs are not well then his economy will suffer.”

“How so?”

“They do all the manual work in the fields,” she said, leaning over to place her glass on a table nearby. “Bellor is an agricultural world. We provide grain and brualki to the Andorean Potentiate. If the Chorebs can’t work the fields…” she shrugged.

“Then production will suffer,” he finished with a nod. “And what do you do with the Chorebs?” he asked her, looking at her sideways, his eyes half closed.

“There’s not much I can do,” she said with a lift of her shoulders. “I’m not a medic. But I can help the local Choreb doctor, get medicines for him, hospital treatment for the worst cases, ease things over with the human landlords if the Chorebs can’t work - things like that.”

“And how do you do that?”

“Do that?” she stared at him, surprised. “I’m my father’s daughter. I’m used to getting what I want and I do.” That faint smile hovered around his lips again. Don’t blush she told herself, don’t blush.

“What is your relationship with the Chorebs?”

She frowned slightly. Why was he so interested? But at least it was something to talk about. “I’m friends with the doctor. He… “ She hesitated. She had almost told Thrawn that F’ryet had organised her escape from Bellor with smugglers. “He taught me some of their language, told me about their culture.” She shook her head in exasperation and added, “If father would take the time to get to know them, find out what they need in their lives instead of trying to make them behave like pretend humans…” She stopped and blushed, gazing into Thrawn’s amused red eyes. “I didn’t mean…”

He smiled at her. “I understand Lady. No one better.” Even Niriz seemed to find that funny.

“And you enjoyed working with… aliens?” continued Thrawn in his cool, cultured voice.

“I did, Admiral,” she acknowledged. “I enjoyed it very much. I felt I was doing something useful, you see. When I moved from base to base with Carsten, one of the things I enjoyed most was finding out more about the local beings. There is so much diversity out there, so much we can learn from them.”

“Here she is at last,” boomed Lord Brom, joining the guests with his wife in tow at his side. “Let’s go through for dinner, eh?”

**

Brom and his wife sat opposite each other at the long ends of the table, with their guests seated at each side. Thrawn sat next to Nadina, with Niriz opposite them, next to a sharp faced woman who turned out to be the wife of the local doctor. The food was excellent, served with bottles of fragrant dry local wine. The conversation was varied, with Lady Brom eager to talk about Carsten while Lord Brom wanted to hear about pirates and how they could be dealt with as well as Imperial politics.

For the most part, Nadina sat and listened. Niriz, she discovered, was a witty and entertaining speaker, telling them a number of humorous stories from his naval past. He listened to Lady Brom’s stories about her dead son and added some details for her about the terrorist incident that had claimed his life.

She watched with interest as Thrawn handled Lord Brom’s guests with courtesy and charm, despite their obvious surprise that such a senior officer in the Imperial Navy was an alien. He even managed to win over General Passimon, who’d retired from the army ten years before, in a discussion about a campaign in the Clone Wars.

He’d certainly managed to impress her, she thought to herself. She smiled a little in recollection. She’d heard about him before she met him. Carsten had told her he’d work for Thrawn anywhere, anytime. Like many humans, he’d had his doubts about an alien commander but Thrawn had won his respect and admiration in a way that no other officer had. And the Emperor made him a Grand Admiral! There were not many of them, she knew. They were appointed by the Emperor and his predilection against non-humans was well known. Later, she’d heard that Thrawn had made a serious strategic blunder at court and the Emperor had effectively banished him.

She’d actually met him at Carsten’s funeral. A few people wondered at that, but Thrawn himself explained that he’d known Carsten for many years, serving on the same ships as he worked his meteoric way up through the ranks. He’d helped her to cope at a stressful time, giving her support and understanding in a way that Carsten’s people and her own father could not. They’d held the funeral in the ancient cathedral at Hy Peris and afterwards, she and Thrawn had examined the building together over several hours. Her major at university had been alien culture and she’d been surprised at the admiral’s depth of knowledge on the subject. He had actually been able to tell Carsten’s family a few things about the extinct race that had built the oldest parts of the cathedral, as well as about some of the artistic embellishments added later. Not that they’d really been interested, she remembered. Pretending to look past him to the man seated next to him, Nadina watched the admiral surreptitiously. He really was very attractive, with lean, clean features and that beautiful blue black hair. She’d thought about him more than once in the past year, wondered how humanoid he really was.

The quirk of one of his eyebrows brought her back to her surroundings. He’d been watching her while she’d been day dreaming. She felt the heat rising to her face. Just as well he couldn’t know what she’d been thinking about.

“I couldn’t help but notice your magnificent necklace, Princess. May I ask where it comes from?” Thrawn asked her. There was that faint smile again.

She looked down at the pendant in surprise. “It was a gift from my Choreb friend.”

“It’s a beautiful thing,” he remarked. “May I see it?”

“Of course.” She put her hands up to her neck, unclasped it and handed it to the admiral, obscurely disappointed that he’d been admiring her jewellery. The necklace was made up of tiny, interwoven animals and plants, all exquisitely detailed, all made from gold and silver with here and there the glint of tiny red stones. It supported a pendant of the same deep red stone, with a glow like that of heated iron simmering in its depth.

Thrawn examined it carefully, frowning as he turned it over in his fingers. “This is very old,” he remarked. “Hand made. Of Choreb design?”

“Yes,” she replied. “Actually, the designs are just like the ones depicted in the frescoes and wall hangings in the palace at Bellor. Parts of it were originally an ancient Choreb fortress.”

He nodded. “I should like to see more of their art and know more about the history of this piece. Thank you for sharing it with me.” He stood up and stepping behind her, slipped the necklace around her neck and fastened the clasp. His hands brushed her shoulders and Nadina hoped he hadn’t felt her quiver.

“How long will you be staying here, Lady?” asked the admiral as he resumed his chair.

“Not long,” she answered, chewing her lip. “I thought I would go to Coruscant. I have friends there.” Thrawn’s face was expressionless. Why did she think he didn’t believe her?

**

At around eleven Niriz said “It’s been a truly delightful evening – a rare luxury for we naval types – but it’s time I returned to my ship, Lord Brom, Lady Brom.” He stood and bowed his head to them both. “Princess, it was my pleasure to meet you,” he said to Nadina. “I’ll see you in the morning, sir,” he said to Thrawn.

“Goodnight Captain,” said Thrawn. “I expect to be back on the ship by mid afternoon.”

The Captain nodded and waved Lord Brom back into his chair with a gesture. “I’ll see myself out.”

“You’re not going back, then?” Nadina asked Thrawn, trying to disguise her pleasure.

“Lord Brom has been kind enough to offer me accommodation for the night so we can discuss our efforts with his pirates in the morning.” He rose, smiling at Nadina as he did so. “I, too, will retire Lord and Lady Brom.”

“As will I,” added Nadina, not wishing to stay with Lady Brom for more endless reminiscences about Carsten and hoping she had interpreted Thrawn’s unspoken invitation correctly. Perhaps she could talk to him about what was happening?

“Admiral…” she began as the lift opened. He interrupted her with a glance and raising his finger to his lips he ushered her into the lift before him. She frowned. It hadn’t occurred to her that the house would have surveillance equipment, that she would be spied on. More and more she was realising it had been a mistake to come here.

She and Thrawn went up to the second floor in the antique lift in silence. “I wish you good night, Princess,” said Thrawn, lifting her hand and kissing it, his eyes on her face.

“And you Admiral,” she managed to say in a normal voice while her heart pounded to its own rhythm. Her hand closed over the card he’d slipped her.

In her room, she read the hard written message. “Wait five minutes then come and talk to me. My room is opposite yours.”

She did as she was asked, standing nervously at the window, gazing out at the garden, softly lit near the house but dark and mysterious where the light failed to penetrate, only metres away. Five minutes crawled by. Nadina listened to the creak of settling beams, the hurried scuttle of some night creature in the roof. For the last minute she watched the seconds tick over on the chrono. At last, forcing herself to act normally, she walked back out into the passage and knocked on the door opposite hers. Thrawn opened it immediately and gestured to one of the chairs in the corner, inviting her to sit. “The surveillance devices in this room have been disabled,” he explained, sitting in the chair opposite her.

“Won’t they notice?” she asked.

“Of course,” he answered. “But do you see Lord Brom coming here demanding to know why I have disabled his surveillance system in the room I am using?”

“Not really,” she said, smiling.

He nodded. “And now perhaps you can tell me what this is about Lady,” he said. “Are you being pursued?” He sat relaxed, legs slightly apart, arms draped on the arms of the chair.

“Why would you think that?” asked Nadina. Surely she hadn’t been so obvious?

“You seem…,” began Thrawn. He paused. “If I may use an analogy, Princess, you seem like a wild thing, scenting the air for danger, on the edge of your seat ready to run. In fact, you seem more comfortable here with me, than you did in the dining room with our hosts.”

Nadina looked down at her hands, clasped together in her lap. He’d been banished, she remembered. And he’d been Carsten’s… superior officer. His friend?? She didn’t know; only that Carsten had trusted him, respected him.

“My father’s trying to marry me off to ArchPotent Harada,” she blurted out. “He’s ruler of the Andorean Potentiate. I’d hoped that Carsten’s people would protect me but….” She chewed on her lip again. “Something else is happening here. I don’t really trust them.”

“Quite right,” he replied. “The intention, I think, is to take you captive this evening and hand you over to Harada’s intelligence agents, who will take you straight back to the ArchPotent.”

Nadina sagged back in the chair and looked at him in bewilderment. “How do you know that? Or are you…?” she pointed at him.

“Am I going to give you to ArchPotent Harada?” he interrupted her, a spark in his red eyes as he regarded her thoughtfully. “Hardly. As to how I know… Information is power. I collect information. I know of Harada’s interest in you and of his hold over Lord Brom. Brom has no choice but to agree to what Harada wants for you. He has exchanged messages with Harada’s intelligence people who have a ship at the local spaceport. But I… I have no constraints on what I do. What do you wish?”

She looked defiantly at the alien Admiral sitting opposite her. She straightened up in the chair, instinctively adopting the pose of a princess, haughty and proud. “I’m not going to marry that fat, horrible slug of a man. And I’m not going home. I’m sure the Empire will have something useful I can do.”

“Indeed,” he agreed, lifting one eyebrow. “In fact, I’d like to offer you a job.”

She stared at him, dumbfounded. “What sort of job?” she asked faintly.

“The Empire is expanding into the outer regions,” he explained. “To do that, we need skilled diplomats and negotiators who can talk to humans and talk to… non humans. You are from an old aristocratic human family, well versed in how human nobility perceives itself and how it should be treated but you respect other life forms and are willing to learn from them. These are skills that I value and that I can use.”

“How… what makes you think I can relate to al… non-humans?” she asked him, gaining time.

“I remember our discussion about the cathedral at Hy Peris. Do you recall?”

She nodded. “You talked about the ancient culture that started the building and how it had been expanded since. And we discussed other alien civilisations and how they work.”

“Yes. You showed interest and understanding. Unlike the people who own this place.” He made a gesture with his hand, meant to take in the whole mansion. Nadina heard the cold note of derision in his tone. “And,” he continued, “you told me about your work with the Chorebs on your home planet. Those people must value you greatly to have given you that necklace. It’s undoubtedly priceless and quite unique.”

She stared at him.

Suddenly he looked up, his eyes glinting. Putting a finger to his lips, he answered the knock on the door.

“Good evening Grand Admiral Thrawn,” said a hard, clipped voice. “I’m Petras Gevas, commander of Lord Brom’s security guards, sir. We’re looking for a lady…”

“A human female?” Thrawn’s voice interrupted, sounding calm, cool. Nadina held her breath, heart pounding.

“Er… yes sir.” Gevas’s voice faltered a little.

“And you’re looking for her here?” To Nadina’s ears Thrawn sounded amused now. “Why is that? Do you think I might be interested in a human female?”

Nadina sighed, feeling the disappointment like a lump in her belly. Well, she reminded herself, he’s not human is he? Why would he be interested in a human female for anything but her diplomatic skills? She chided herself for being a foolish romantic.

“Er… no sir.” Gevas cleared his throat. “Of course not sir.” There was a pause. “If you see her, sir, please let security know. She’s escaped.”

“Escaped?” asked Thrawn, sounding surprised. “She has been detained? May I ask why?”

There was a pause, and then Gevas, sounding a little less sure of himself, said, “Lord Brom has ordered that she be put under house arrest, sir. He didn’t share the details with me.” Nadina’s disappointment started to give way to anger. Thrawn had been right, Lord and Lady Brom were going to hand her over to Harada.

“I see,” replied Thrawn. “And you can’t find her.” There was a hint of condescension in his voice. “Would you like some help from my squadron of storm troopers? It would only take a moment to give the order.”

There was a longer pause. “That won’t be necessary, Grand Admiral,” said Gevas, his voice sounding more controlled. “It’s just one woman after all and I’m sure she won’t be here sir. Sorry to bother you sir.”

Thrawn closed the door and returned to his seat, his face as expressionless as before. “Tell me how you came to be here,” he invited.

“My friend the Choreb doctor has contacts with…” she searched for a word. “Shall we say freelance operatives who were able to get me off Bellor.”

“Let’s call them smugglers, Princess,” interrupted Thrawn, a hint of amusement in his voice. “And past a blockade, I imagine?”

She nodded. “Harada had sent a cruiser for me and my father had launched fighters as well. The smugglers outran them and took me to a system near here where I could sell my jewellery and take a proper liner for the last hop to Peris Hostar. I was hoping that Carsten’s family would be able to protect me from Harada’s people but I see now that was silly. Anyway, it really isn’t fair to involve them in this.”

Nadina ran her hand up through her hair without thinking, a characteristic gesture when she was distracted. Realising her hair was probably in a mess, she reached to the back of her head and pulled out the clasp, so that the black locks fell around her shoulders.

“I like your hair loose,” remarked Thrawn. “And the red gown is much more becoming than widow’s black.”

She pulled a rueful face. “Thank you Admiral. I’m honoured that you noticed.”

“How could I not?” he remarked softly, his eyes sweeping over her.

“Now,” he said, all business like again, while she tried to hide her blush, “will you consider a career as a diplomat with the Empire in the unknown regions?”

“You work with aliens?”

“That’s right. It’s a major Imperial project – secret at the moment – where non humans are treated as equals.”

“You mean like the Rebellion?” she asked. She knew the Rebellion encouraged all sorts of non-humans. From what she knew of Emperor Palpatine he didn’t like aliens at all. But then, she thought, there’s this man sitting opposite me. And if what he says is true, he’s working with the Emperor.

“Not at all like the Rebellion,” he retorted, his voice cold. “We offer order and efficiency, working with the Emperor and the Imperial Navy, not committing acts of terrorism and encouraging insurgency.”

Nadina felt the first stirrings of hope. “And where is this organisation based?” she asked.

“A planet called Nirauan,” he replied. “But we operate over a large area of the unknown region.”

“And this is something you run? You weren’t really banished?”

The red eyes gleamed. “I come from the unknown regions. For me, this area is close to home.” He paused for a moment, his eyes looking at something Nadina couldn’t see. “And banishment…” he shrugged. “People can think that if they wish.”

Nadina chewed her lip, lacing her fingers together as she thought. For the first time in days she felt buoyant, as though she had a purpose, remembering Carsten’s comments. Thrawn is the best… that’s why the sycophants at the court hate him. “I think I’d like to work for you,” she said finally, “but I don’t know how you’ll get me away from the mansion with all these security guards.”

He waved a languid hand to dismiss her concern. “I have a troop of storm troopers here with me, as my personal guard. They presently surround the mansion. If I wish to take you with me, I will.”

His voice was cool and calm and Nadina was left in no doubt that what he said would come to pass.

“But really,” he added, “I have no wish to put Brom offside. Tomorrow morning, you take the place of one of the troopers, wearing his armour, and return to my ship. The man quietly disappears and makes his own way back. The only problem,” he continued, his eyes on her face, “is that I can’t call the storm troopers here until tomorrow morning without causing a scene – the last thing we want. That means that you still risk a visit from Brom’s security guards if you return to your room.”

“That’s alright,” she said. “I can stay here with you.” She paused, a little surprised at her own forwardness. “That is, if it’s alright with you,” she added.

The smile he gave her was predatory, his eyes half closed. “That will guarantee your safety from the security guards, but how safe will you be from me?”

“But…” she looked down, shaking her head in confusion. He’d said he wasn’t interested in human women – more’s the pity – so… “What do you mean?”

“You’re a very beautiful woman,” he said softly. “And there’s only one bed.”

Nadina chewed at her lip again, her heart starting to beat a little faster. “You told that soldier you weren’t interested in human women?”

He laughed, a short bark. “Did I? Or did I not ask him if he thought I’d be interested in human women? And what about you?” he asked. “Does your interest in aliens extend quite that far?”

Nadina fancied she could hear a note of challenge in that cool, cultured voice. She smiled, head cocked slightly to one side. “I’ve had some fanciful thoughts about you Admiral.”

“Oh? What sort of thoughts?”

“Well, like what does blue skin feel like? Is it different to human skin?”

He stood up and held out his hand to her, drawing her to her feet and placed her palm against his cheek. It felt cool to her touch, smooth and supple. She could smell the slightly musky maleness of him, see the faint glitter in the red eyes. Her fingers traced the line of his jaw and across his lips.

“And wondered what your lips would feel like,” she murmured as she tilted her head to kiss him. His arms slid around her body and she trembled as his fingers caressed her bare back, slipping down the line of her spine. Her lips parted beneath his and she felt his tongue probing her mouth as she put her arms around his neck.

“Hmm, and then what?” he murmured softly between kisses. He was holding her close, his hands hard on her buttocks; she could feel his arousal, feel the pulse pounding in her throat.

“Then I’d like to touch your body,” she said, her voice a little husky. She drew away from him and unfastened the white uniform jacket, sliding her hands up to his shoulders underneath the material to ease it off his arms. He wore a silken white tee shirt under his jacket and she slid it up his body, savouring the texture of his skin, smooth and hairless over hard muscle, as she pushed it up his chest. He helped her then, smoothly lifting the garment over his head and discarding it as she leaned towards him, her tongue outlining his collar bone, sliding down his breast bone, licking his nipples. She felt him tremble, heard a soft sigh as he lifted her chin so she had to look at him.

“My turn,” he whispered.

He removed the necklace first, placing it carefully on the table. Then he put his arms around her to unfasten the gown, slipping it slowly off her body, his eyes devouring her as he did so. She stood before him, mouth dry with anticipation as he touched her breasts, rolling her nipples between his fingers. She gasped, feeling her body respond to him, wanting him as her fingers kneaded his bare shoulders. He looked down at her body for a long moment, then slipped long blue fingers under the edges of her panties and flicked them to fall on the floor at her feet. With a hint of a smile, he lifted her up and carried her to the bed. She watched, hungry with lust as he shed his boots and pants and lay down beside her, his lips closing over her erect nipple, sucking and licking, while her fingers traced the muscles of his neck and shoulders, pushed through the thick, blue black hair. While his mouth swapped its attentions from one breast to the other, his fingers traced down her body, over her belly and down between her thighs, fondling her, caressing her, making her ache with longing as she moaned beside him.

“Please Admiral,” she complained, “put me out of this pain.”

He smiled, his eyes glittering with a phosphorescence she had never seen before, and rolled over onto his back.

“Proceed with your fantasy, Princess,” he said.

Nadina gazed down the length of his body, wondering if he was built the same as a human male, if he would enjoy the same things. Everything looked the same, but maybe on closer examination… She gave a mental shrug. There was only one way to find out.

She leaned over him, supporting her weight on one arm and slid her mouth down his body, from his nipples to his breastbone and down over his taut muscles to his navel, searching him with the tip of her tongue, feeling his body react to her touch. Her hand reached down to stroke his testicles, cupping them and fondling them with her fingers, and then she put her mouth down over his penis. She heard him take in a hiss of breath, felt his fingers push her hair aside, saw the glitter of his half closed eyes as he watched her slide her tongue down the length of him, suck him, probe him. He groaned, eyes closed, body arched.

“Get on me.” It was an order, meant to be obeyed.

She straddled him and brought herself down, taking just the head of his penis into her body, sighing with pleasure as she rocked back and forth in short, shallow moves that took his breath away. His hands slid up her thighs to her hips and suddenly he pulled her down as he thrust himself up, impaling her, sliding into her easily, filling her with his hardness. Nadina flung back her head and gave a great gusting ahhhh of pleasure, eyes closed. Thrawn hissed, driving his hips up against her as she rode him, using her thigh muscles to pump her body on his, her fingers hard against his chest. The tidal wave of orgasm swelled inside her, rising and surging in time with her movement but before she reached her climax he pulled her towards him so she lay flat on his chest and rolled her over so that he was on top of her.

“Oh…. Admiral,” she complained.

“Thrawn,” he said, eyes glittering as he looked down at her. “Call me Thrawn.”

He thrust into her in long, slow, rhythmic moves that turned her muscles to jelly. The frustrated tidal wave began to rise again, higher this time, higher than she thought possible, inarticulate sounds coming from her lips as she felt him within her. Her hands slipped down over his buttocks as he thrust deep into her, groaning in pleasure at her touch. With a final surge, the tidal wave broke its banks, flooding her, drawing gasping cries from her throat. With a growl of pure lust, he thrust hard, pumping into her until he too, cried out, body arched and tense, as his semen pulsed into her body.

Without drawing out of her, he kissed her lips gently as her fingers slipped through his short, damp hair.

“May I call you Nadina?” he asked.

She giggled. “I suppose you’d better,” she said.

He rolled off her at last and held her against him, her head on his shoulder, one arm draped across his chest.

“So you’ll come to Nirauan?” he asked softly.

She nodded against his skin, warm and supple against her cheek. “Carsten always said he’d follow you wherever you went, if he could. He didn’t give praise lightly.”

“Commander Brom was a good officer. I would have had him on Admonitor if I could.” He kissed her forehead, just below the hairline. “Sleep now. I’ll get you out of here in the morning.”

**

Grand Admiral Thrawn had only been back at the fortress on Nirauan for a few hours before he summoned Captain Parck.

“Sit, Captain,” said Thrawn, indicating the chair opposite him. “Has Princess Nadina been successful with the Mendorian negotiations?”

“She has indeed, sir,” replied Parck with satisfaction. “She’s proved to be a real find, especially with a matriarchal society like the Mendor.”

Thrawn nodded. “So she’s still there?”

“On Manesis? Yes, sir. She’s not due back until next month.”

Parck could have sworn he’d caught a faint glimmer in his superior’s eyes. “Pity.” Thrawn sounded almost regretful. “And we’ve negotiated with her father to obtain fresh produce?”

“Again, sir, a great success. It will be a reliable source, and the price was good. Coruscant has set up a garrison on Bellor to protect its food supply and we’ve been able to send exobiologists to the planet to help with the reported Choreb illness and that’s now under control.”

“Excellent. I expect that had something to do with Harada too.”

Parck looked up at the admiral in surprise. “How did you know that? No don’t bother,” he continued with a shake of his head. “Yes, it seems that the water treatment units carried the virus – and they came from Harada’s factories. Prince Raminasus was not happy that Harada had been manipulating him and that, of course, helped with our negotiations.”

Thrawn nodded. “And ArchPotent Harada? Is he a happy man?”

Parck grinned. “Not happy, not happy at all about an Imperial connection with Bellor. But that’s too bad. He has recovered from the loss of his betrothed. It seems there were certain stories about his involvement with a lost arms shipment and Prince Xizor. I rather gather he didn’t want those stories circulated at the Imperial court.”

Thrawn smiled thinly. “So he’ll be behaving himself from now on. Very good.”

“Just one question Admiral,” said Parck, gazing at Thrawn as he sat in his chair.

“Hmm?”

“How much of this did you orchestrate?”

“Well, said Thrawn, “I made sure that somebody suggested to Harada that Nadina Raminasus would be a suitable mate for a rising star like himself. That simply became a catalyst for everything else.”

“How did you know she’d go to Hy Peris?”

“You know she was Commander Carsten Brom’s wife?” Thrawn waited for the nod and then continued, “I met her at his funeral there and talked to her about art and architecture. I expected that she would go to Hy Peris to escape her father’s plans and I made sure some of our smuggler friends would be available to assist when required.” He paused and smiled slowly, as if in reminiscence, his eyes meeting Parck’s. “Although I must admit, there was an unexpected bonus.”