Uninvited Guest (III)

The shuttle landed at the edge of a space cleared of trees, like a guest who politely knocked on the door.

As soon as the ramp opened, Imperial stormtroopers clad in snow-white armor ran down it, forming a protective perimeter around the ship. The soldiers didn't care that Karrde's fighters were glaring at them, carefully hiding their weapons under their clothes.

The second squad, all nine of the Empire's elite soldiers, formed a small formation so that whoever came down after them would pass through two neat lines of soldiers.

"Show-offs," Mara, standing to Karrde's right, snorted quietly.

"Yes," he agreed. "They want to remind us that the Empire is still strong and powerful if it can use stormtroopers for such cheap tricks."

"I doubt everything is planned just to throw dust in our eyes," Mara said. "Thrawn is not one for theatrics over efficiency."

"You speak as if you know him well," Karrde said innocently. Mara did not deign to answer, but her increased breathing when a figure appeared on the ramp spoke for itself.

However, the situation cleared up quickly.

"You are not Grand Admiral Thrawn," Talon said to the young naval lieutenant, whose face still bore traces of youthful acne.

"That's right," the "officer" smiled, demonstrating a complete lack of the vaunted Imperial restraint. "Lieutenant Tschel. I have been tasked with collecting Ysalamiri lizards from the local forests. The Grand Admiral said you could provide people to show us how to do this without harming the lizards."

"I'd like to know how the Grand Admiral got such information," Karrde muttered, nodding to a couple of his henchmen. They were quite knowledgeable about this issue and could get a young officer to talk as easily as taking candy from a child.

"Ask him yourself," suggested Lieutenant Tschel, glancing at his chronometer. "He's probably going to... Bah! Yes, here he is!"

The Imperial pointed behind the smuggler. Karrde turned his head and mentally cursed.

Next to the central building, a couple of dozen meters behind them, stood stormtroopers. Against their backdrop was a man in a snow-white uniform, his blue skin and black hair marking him as a member of the non-human race.

He looked with curiosity at Karrde's ships. Next to him was a stocky, gray-skinned alien with bulging eyes and a protruding jaw, muscular and moving like an experienced dancer. This alien had a blaster and several knives hanging from his belt. This type of sentient was unfamiliar to Talon.

"Thrawn," Mara muttered through clenched teeth, watching as the Imperials who arrived on the first Lambda retreated into the forest, accompanied by Karrde's people.

"Looks like him," said Karrde vaguely. He had heard rumors that the last Grand Admiral of the Empire was not like the rest of his colleagues. But now he was more concerned about the unknown creature next to the Imperial. The alien acted like a bodyguard or an experienced killer. "It turns out they are waiting for us near our own house."

"I'm surprised he's not inside, putting his polished boots on your desk," Jade said with hostility.

"Don't worry, I'll survive a similar outcome," Karrde smiled. The beauty did not answer, staring at the Imperial officer as if trying to memorize every wrinkle on his face.

As they approached, Talon was the first to greet the high-ranking Imperial Remnant officer.

"I'm glad to welcome you to our backwater, Grand Admiral Thrawn," he nodded slightly, ensuring his actions would not be seen as an attempt to fawn but also not disrespectful. "I am Talon Karrde."

"In turn, I'm glad to meet such a legendary figure," the blue-skinned humanoid replied calmly. His glowing scarlet eyes, like burning magma, looked at Karrde as if he were an insignificant but temporarily useful microbe, making even the seasoned smuggler uneasy.

"I apologize for the delay in greeting," Karrde continued to establish contacts. "The confusion with the shuttles occurred because such distinguished guests do not visit us often."

"And in such quantities," Mara suddenly said, looking intently at Thrawn. He turned his head in her direction as if he had only just noticed her standing next to the smuggler.

"So I understand, Mr. Karrde," Thrawn said slowly, returning his gaze to the leader of the organization, "this is Mara Jade, your right hand?"

"Yes," Karrde replied shortly. "She became that about ten minutes ago when your ships were descending."

"How radically your destiny changes, Mara Jade, when the Empire interferes with it," Thrawn said meaningfully, looking at the girl. She met his gaze with equal intensity. They stared at each other for a few seconds before Jade looked away. A sly smile appeared on Thrawn's lips, but only briefly.

"So, I understand your people are already instructing my subordinates on the safe extraction of Ysalamiri?" he clarified.

"That's right," Karrde agreed.

"In that case, we should go inside," the Grand Admiral nodded towards the main building. "And talk about business."

"It feels like he's the boss here," Karrde thought.

"Of course," the smuggler said with a smile, glancing at Mara Jade.

The red-haired beauty, looking at the back of the Imperial officer, appeared like a cornered animal. One careless move and she might attack.

"Control yourself," Karrde advised in a whisper. "I don't know what he did to annoy you, but..."

"Everything is fine," Jade said through clenched teeth, unequivocally confirming the opposite.