Thrawn: Alliances (Star Wars: Thrawn, #2)

by Timothy Zahn

“It can be useful for people to underestimate you.” “It can be equally useful for them to overestimate you,” Thrawn said.

She’d expected Black Spire to be like all the rest of the tiny frontier outposts she’d seen in her travels: carved out of the wilderness, with houses and shops laid out in a more or less orderly fashion along the major streets—though the term major was usually granting them more status than they deserved—and other buildings arranged haphazardly wherever their builders had felt like putting them.

would certainly not want Padmé to risk her own life and safety merely for respect and decorum.

“She’ll recognize my style,” Anakin said. “And this is the first place she’ll come looking for me.” “Is falling into enemy hands part of your style?” “No,” Anakin growled. Thrawn had a real talent for digging under people’s skin when he wanted to.

The grand admiral was smart and subtle, but never used his brilliance to show up or humiliate anyone. He demanded results, but never perfection, and had amazing stores of patience for those who were truly working to their fullest ability. He cared about his people, to the point of standing up for them even against the disapproval of powerful men like Lord Vader.

“The Cheunh word is ozyly-esehembo,” Thrawn said. “In Basic, it translates to ‘sky-walker.’” Another small smile. “You can imagine my momentary confusion when I first encountered General Anakin Skywalker.”