Chapitre 49: ...to each according to his need (II)
"Your quarters, Mrs. Jade," the Nemesis commander said, gesturing towards the captain's suite with a polite nod.
"As far as I recall, this section of the ship is reserved for the commander of an Imperial Star Destroyer," Mara Jade remarked, her tone laced with doubt as she cast a brief glance at the four stormtroopers standing rigidly behind the commander, their snow-white armor gleaming. "Or, Captain Von Schneider, do you think I'd be less comfortable in a standard cabin?"
** Commander of ISD-1 "Nemesis" Captain Von Schneider **
"I believe it's more appropriate for a guest of your stature to spend the duration of our flight to the base in the captain's quarters," the officer replied curtly.
"And because it's the easiest place to guard," Mara deduced. As she mentally mapped the layout of the Imperial Star Destroyer's superstructure, she realized her memory hadn't failed her. There was indeed only one exit—through the main entrance, where the "boys in white" would undoubtedly stand watch. They probably had ysalamiri cells ready as well. It seemed Thrawn, ever the strategist, had ensured his plan was well-insured with layers of contingencies.
Or perhaps he didn't completely trust her. Then again, if she were in Grand Admiral Thrawn's position, facing the return of the Emperor's Hand, she'd take similar precautions. Who knows what to expect from someone who had spent over five years pretending to have vanished, all while consorting with smugglers allied with the Empire's enemies?
"Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Captain Schneider," she said with a faint grin. "I suppose that means you won't tell me our destination?"
"I don't have that authority, Ms. Jade," the officer admitted. "My apologies, but those are the orders."
There was no need to specify whose orders. There weren't many in the Empire who could command a Star Destroyer to traverse half the galaxy for one individual. But Thrawn certainly had such power.
Still, she could satisfy her curiosity by other means. She just needed a moment alone with any console.
"But can I at least ask when we'll be departing?" she inquired.
"In fifteen minutes," the ship's commander replied, catching her off guard.
"That soon?" Mara couldn't hide her surprise. "Aren't you going to pick up the cargo left at the base?"
"No, Mrs. Jade," Von Schneider responded with the same bluntness.
"But that database and its contents were given to me as 'compensation' when I left my last job," she said, narrowing her eyes. "You could say it's my personal property, which I'd like to present to the Grand Admiral as a contribution to our future endeavors."
"As you wish, Mrs. Jade," the Nemesis commander responded, clearly uninterested in further small talk. "But no items will be brought aboard my Star Destroyer until they've been thoroughly inspected by our specialists."
"But..." she began, considering the possibility that they might suspect surveillance equipment or explosives in the cargo. She hadn't had the time to thoroughly inspect everything she had retrieved from the planet Myrkr. Talon Karrde might not match Thrawn in intelligence and tactical skill, but he wasn't far behind. It would indeed be wise to scan and double-check everything before delivering it to Thrawn's secret lair. She realized she still hadn't fully adjusted to the idea that she couldn't trust Talon anymore. Well, she would come to terms with that soon enough—definitely before the flight ended.
"That's the order, Mrs. Jade," Von Schneider said, his tone icy. "If you have no further questions, please proceed to your quarters and remain there until the end of the flight." He nodded towards the four stormtroopers. "These soldiers will guard your cabin to ensure no crew members accidentally encounter you."
"Uh-huh," Mara thought darkly. "First, they bring me aboard in a black cloak to keep me hidden, and now they're locking me up under the guise of protection. What's next? Will they implant a tracker under my skin? Or perhaps a radioactive tag to make me easier to follow?"
"I understand, Captain Schneider," she said smoothly, turning toward the door. The metal panel slid open with a soft hiss, revealing the captain's former quarters. "I hope I won't have to trouble you with any requests."
"I would appreciate that, Mrs. Jade," the officer replied, saluting sharply before turning on his heel and walking away.
Mara chuckled softly as she gave the stormtroopers an appraising look. The four soldiers responded with a neutral turn of their heads in her direction—no sign of intimidation or reverence, nothing to suggest they were even slightly impressed. Clearly, the Empire had changed. The role and authority of the Emperor's Hand had been forgotten. Otherwise, even with priority orders, Von Schneider wouldn't have dared to simply place her under arrest for the duration of the flight. But what authority could the Emperor's Hand claim when the Emperor himself was no longer alive? All that remained was to indulge in memories during the flight...
Well, she could sort things out in a few minutes. All she needed was to find a console and use a few special codes that allowed the Emperor's agents to access the central computer and obtain necessary information.
That was the plan, at least, but...
Mara eyed the terminal installed in the captain's quarters with a hint of irony. She pressed a few buttons, hoping the device would come to life. As expected, nothing happened.
She smirked. Simple, yet effective.
Either Thrawn had anticipated something like this and isolated her in a place where accessing the ship's electronics was impossible, or Captain Von Schneider had taken the initiative himself.
Either way, she had been explicitly told to mind her own business and rest until the Nemesis reached its destination.
Well, first she would try to restore the panel through other means. If that didn't work, she'd stop short of dismantling the Imperial Star Destroyer piece by piece. But this failure would only give her more questions for Thrawn.
Sighing, she pulled a thin metal needle from the collar of her jumpsuit and began to probe the technical hatch of the unresponsive panel.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone