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The larger of the three bowed his head. “I speak for all three of us when I say we are most pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Though the Gand’s speech had the guttural tones and clicks of Ooryl’s normal voice, Corran found himself having a hard time comprehending what was said. He knew he should have understood it easily—it was only a greeting—but the use of personal pronouns surprised him. Ooryl explained long ago that Gands considered it the height of presumption to use personal pronouns to refer to themselves, because it arrogantly assumes the listeners know who the speaker is. Only after having done something so memorable that such an assumption can be made can a Gand refer to himself as “I.”

Mirax covered for Corran. “We’re very pleased to meet you as well. Ooryl is a good friend, so we are honored to meet his friends.”

Ooryl quivered for a second. “Qrygg is sorry for your misinterpretation because Qrygg knows it is Qrygg’s fault, Mirax. These Gands are not Qrygg’s friends. They are ruetsavii.” Ooryl’s mouth parts closed for a moment, then snapped back open. “In Basic they would be something like observers or examiners, but more than either.”

Corran raised an eyebrow. “They’re your superiors?”

The taller Gand—Vviir Wiamdi by order of introduction—exaggerated the shaking of his head. “We have been sent by the Elders of Gand to watch Ooryl Qrygg. We are to chronicle Qrygg’s existence and to criticize it. It is a great honor.”

Ooryl doesn’t seem to think it’s that great an honor by the look of him. Corran smiled. “If there is any way I may be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to let me know what I can do. Ooryl and I have spent much time together, and he’s saved my life more times than I care to remember.”

All three Gands nodded their heads sagely, but Corran was uncertain he was reading their body language correctly. I’m not sure I can read them at all, and I doubt I’m going to get a good explanation from Ooryl. Corran looked over at Mirax, but she didn’t seem to be any more confident of her judgment of the Gands than he was. One more thing to learn about, which is why this galaxy will never be dull.

Corran pointed to the open area in the booth. “Would you care to join us?”

Ooryl shook his head. “Now it is time for Qrygg to interface with Zraii and tend to Qrygg’s X-wing. After that, the schedule allows for dining.”

Vviir bowed his head again. “I beg your forgiveness for this interruption. We will watch you interact with Qrygg at a later date.” He turned and led the procession back out of the tapcaf with Ooryl drawn along in the trio’s wake like an X-wing tractored to a freighter.

Mirax raised an eyebrow. “What was all that about?”

“Not a clue.”

“And Ooryl’s not going to tell you anything, either.” She pointed in their direction with her fork. “I’ve never heard of, let alone seen, a group of Gands wandering around together. Very odd.”

Corran shrugged and attacked his food. “Twi’leks have joined us, and now we have some Gands with us. I don’t understand it, nor do I need to understand it. I just hope Iceheart gets as confused by it as I am.”

21

Under other circumstances Wedge Antilles thought he might have liked Qretu 5. The ring of asteroids surrounding the planet that provided his people with cover against ground-based early-warning systems had looked wonderful in the night sky in all the holograms he had studied. The world’s moist and warm climate encouraged the growth of lush green foliage, over the tops of which Wedge’s X-wing whisked at dizzying speed. Mountains upthrust by colliding tectonic plates also hid the fighters from their target, providing the personnel at the Q5A7 Bacta Refinement Plant no warning about the impending attack.

Wedge’s force was flying in at a strength of twenty-four—two squadrons’ worth of snubfighters. The three losses to the Corrupter had been replaced by the Gand ruetsavii and their curious ships. The Gands flew heavily modified TIE bombers. The Quadanium solar panels at the front had been cut on the diagonal