Nine years, five months, and twenty-two days after the Battle of Yavin...
Or forty-fourth year, five months, and twenty-second day after the Great Resynchronization.
Oddly enough, I had never before wondered whether a person could independently 'program' their body to sleep for a strictly defined time. Without special techniques, alarm clocks, reminders, medication, spiritual practices, or anything like that. Simply — I said the meeting was in five hours, so it would happen in five hours. But my body reacted more appropriately, waking me in accordance with the schedule of meetings I had set before my night training and sleep.
Returning to my quarters yesterday, I habitually entered my immediate plans into a makeshift daily planner on the computer, performed my physical training regimen, clearing my mind of the day's events and allowing the adrenaline and other hormones to be channeled productively. After that, I cleaned up and, the moment my head touched the pillow, I fell asleep instantly. No dreams, no tossing and turning, no millions of logical chains swarming in my head.
My body woke up an hour before my scheduled meeting with Mara Jade. Because before that, I intended to talk to a couple more 'comrades.'
My mind cleared by itself, and my eyes opened, habitually staring through the semi-darkness at the grey-steel ceiling of the quarters.
"And yet, it's strange," I muttered, getting out of bed. The usual warm-up exercises, morning ablutions, and then the Grand Admiral was ready for action.
Fresh, well-rested, and dressed in a brand new Grand Admiral's uniform. The one that hung second in the closet.
In truth, the real Thrawn's wardrobe is extremely interesting. There is plain clothing there, but it looks suspiciously like something in a 'military' style. There are several sets of carefully packed, completely inconspicuous outfits that could allow one to blend into a crowd. Provided, of course, you hide your burning eyes.
However, all things considered, Thrawn's body is a very, very perfect specimen of a sentient being. At least, judging by my subjective feelings.
A brain that works like a computer. A flexible and strong body — I have confirmed the fact that my body, although it looks like an average lean human, is actually more enduring, stronger. Not enough to run a marathon without getting winded or park an airspeeder with a snap of my fingers, but still. Whether this is due to genetics or the individual structural features of Thrawn's own body, I don't know. I simply have nothing to compare it to.
Strangely enough, information about the Chiss was available in the Imperial archives. Not accessible to just anyone. But extremely superficial, even though the security classification suggested the opposite. Brief mentions of their homeworld, located somewhere in the Unknown Regions, an external description, notes regarding the difficulty of pronouncing the Chiss native language — Cheunh — which led to the belief that the Chiss speech apparatus was structured somewhat differently. But no one had been able to verify this fact experimentally — it could only be done by performing an autopsy on a Chiss. And for some reason, the Ascendancy had not sent any volunteers for that honorable position.
However, I have some additions to this otherwise excellent file.
Chiss see well in the dark. Not so well that I could re-hide contraband on a pitch-black Ukrainian night without a night vision device, but much better than in my previous body. I can literally walk in the dark and orient myself perfectly. I certainly couldn't make out the details of the 'Killik Twilight' painting — which has finally returned to my collection — but at least there's no need to turn on a nightlight to go to the refrigerator.
And at first, the voraciousness of Thrawn's body surprised me considerably. He ate more than an average human — I suspected this immediately when food from the galley was first delivered to my quarters. But, oddly enough, no flab appeared — even before I started exercising. From this, and from several other 'indicators,' I concluded that Thrawn (and possibly all Chiss) have an accelerated metabolism. Which is quite interesting, as logically this should indicate accelerated cell maturation, meaning rapid 'growth.' And therefore — old age.
The clones of the Grand Army of the Republic had genetically accelerated aging — twice as fast as a normal human. And their metabolism was also significantly higher than that of an average human. The Kaminoans made them that way. This raises the question — is the accelerated metabolism of my body linked to premature aging or not? Unfortunately, no matter how much time I spent thinking, digging through my own memory, I couldn't find anything definitive from what I could recall reading and seeing about the galaxy far, far away. Either this information was absent from the lore, or, more likely, I had simply never encountered it. Because besides the books, most of which I had read at some point, there were dozens of reference guides for this universe, as for many other fictional worlds. Which, unfortunately, I had never gotten around to. I hadn't seen the need.
However, I can say with confidence that since the Chiss body is practically similar to a human one, it is highly likely that the signs of aging will be common — at least in some cases. Of course, there are caveats — the people here, like many other races, live longer than people on Earth. Sometimes by orders of magnitude. So it's not even certain that I'll face aging problems in the next fifty years. And if the first warning signs do appear — I'll notice them. After all, I've been through this before.
And it would seem, what is the point of all these reflections in the wake of yesterday's victory? I wish I knew. It just came out on its own, as soon as I sat down at the computer, unlocked it, and saw the shortcut for the file on Chiss. Located right in the center of the 'desktop' on the central monitor, among those that form a semi-circle around my work desk. Hmm. It turns out that questions about the race my body belongs to interest me much more than I thought. I obtained this document from the archive even before arriving at Tangrene, read it, and thought I had sent it to the folder for processed documents. But it turns out I hadn't. It seems the subconscious is manifesting itself.
The door to my quarters opened — Rukh, constantly stationed 'outside' my quarters in the antechamber, knew perfectly well that if I had scheduled a meeting with someone, that sentient could be admitted without additional notification to me. Because the Grand Admiral never forgets anything. Maybe the real Thrawn did that, but I simply record meetings and plan my workday. An analyst's habit. Quite useful, actually.
"Grand Admiral, sir!" An older man in a black flight suit — the standard Imperial pilot uniform — stood at attention in the doorway. "Captain Tomax Bren reporting as ordered!"
"At ease, Captain," I said, pointing to the seat opposite my desk. The pilot silently approached and stood before the desk.
Once we were both settled in our places, we were silent for a few seconds.
"You are the sole survivor of the entire Scimitar squadron," I broke the silence, invoking the right of the senior officer.
"That is correct, sir." It's hard to argue with facts.
"You were transferred to the Chimaera because your unit aboard the medium cruiser in the Bpfassh system performed outstandingly," I reminded him. "With minimal losses, you achieved your objective — you struck the enemy with maximum possible force, depriving the New Republic base on that planet not so much of its air wing, but of its fuel and tracking systems. The results of your raid were censored and classified by the New Republic government to prevent information from reaching the media that their base on Bpfassh is effectively defenseless, and the covering air wing will be unable to operate until fuel supplies arrive. And tracking movements in the sector is now completely impossible. That was undoubtedly masterfully executed work. But in the next battle, you lost all your subordinates, Captain. And you returned to the Chimaera alone. What is the reason?"
"My men were destroyed by enemy starfighters," a formal answer to a formal question.
"Were your subordinates poorly trained to accomplish the mission and return to base?"
"No, sir. I was personally responsible for the training of each of them. They were all professionals and excellent pilots."
"Then what is the reason for the failure, Captain?"
"We accomplished all assigned objectives, sir..."
"When only one pilot returns out of twelve who went on a mission — that is a failure!"
The bomber pilot's posture was tense, he spoke in the simplest, one-syllable phrases. He had something substantive to say, but he didn't go beyond the standard report. Yet this particular Imperial, in the events known to me, had made a significant contribution to the development of Imperial bomber aviation. That was precisely why he was on board the Chimaera.
"A statement of common knowledge is not the path to solving the problem," I noted. "You are an ace pilot. The only bomber ace on all the ships under my command. From you I want to know the reasons for the failure — whatever they may be. If you intend to continue making formal excuses, you are dismissed, Captain."
Tomax Bren did not flinch.
"Do you have something to tell me, Captain?" I asked.
"Yes, sir," the ace pilot said, a little quieter.
"In that case, report," I ordered.
"TIE bombers are not suitable for achieving the objectives that were set for my squadron," the pilot replied.
"Is that so? They sufficed for over twenty years, and now they don't?"
"This craft is larger and less maneuverable, sir," said Bren. "In conditions where the enemy has X-wings and A-wings, this type of bomber — like all TIE-class small craft in service with our fleet — is unsuitable."
"Explain, Captain."
"The enemy equips all their craft with deflector shields and ejection systems, sir," the bomber pilot explained. "Our bombers also have the latter, but in a prolonged engagement, nearly all ejected pilots die — the enemy simply shoots them down, or they die from lack of sufficient oxygen to breathe. In the event of damage to their craft in battle, the enemy has every chance of survival. Our pilots, under a comparable hail of fire, simply have no opportunity for defense or maneuvering. TIE bombers have a slightly thicker hull compared to the series' fighters and interceptors. However, the pair of laser cannons are positioned exclusively for forward fire. But even so, while fighters and interceptors can break away due to maneuverability and speed, the bomber lacks those advantages. It becomes an easy target for this type of enemy. The modular ordnance system allows only one type of payload: either concussion missiles, proton torpedoes, or bombs. In combat, this prevents us from fending off the enemy independently. We have to rely on fighters and interceptors, which themselves struggle against the enemy's numerous new craft. If we had faster, more maneuverable, and better-protected craft in service, we wouldn't have to lose pilots on practically every first combat mission. This is a systemic problem, sir — the moral obsolescence of our fleet. It results in irrecoverable losses for our pilots, and consequently, it deprives them of the opportunity to improve and more confidently confront the enemy in the future."
"Is that so," I said. "You think we need different bombers?"
"Yes, sir," he said. "A more maneuverable and faster model. With deflector shields. Most likely — besides the pilot, there should also be a bombardier who will take on the duties of a turret gunner, and the craft should also be equipped with a turret. The ordnance principle should also be revised — we should have, in addition to a single type of payload and a laser turret, permanently equipped concussion missiles, which have performed excellently against enemy starfighters. That is, whatever is loaded into the bomb bay — bombs or torpedoes — missiles as a means of attack and self-defense must be mandatory."
"Quite a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the problem, Captain," I said. "Considering that the battle ended only a few hours ago, to spend time allotted for rest on reviewing mistakes... You can be proud of yourself."
A small logical trap and a test of honesty.
Because I knew perfectly well that the officer sitting before me had not sacrificed his sleep to prepare this report. TIE pilots don't ponder such things after a combat sortie — they are fully aware of the vulnerability of the equipment they have to fight with. And after a battle, they always go to catch up on sleep, not to formulate brilliant conclusions. Because they know — the next sortie could be their last.
Well, let's see how honest the commander of the destroyed squadron is with me. Is he the man I need?
"No, sir," he admitted. "I prepared this concept and specifications for a new bomber order quite some time ago and even submitted it to the Armed Forces competition, but the technical task was not considered by the committee as 'redundant.'"
"TIE bombers were sufficient for them," I said. "And yet, what in your opinion would happen, Captain Bren, if your specifications were approved by me?"
"Sir, I..." the pilot paused, stopping himself. "It would be an entirely new craft, one that incorporates all the best features of the TIE series."
"You are aware that we lack assembly lines for manufacturing your types of ships?" I clarified.
"Yes, sir," he reported. "If you authorize prototype production and allocate personnel and resources, we will produce a sample that fully meets the specifications I outlined. Most likely, the new craft will have to be assembled manually at first, but it will definitely be worth it!"
"I'll agree," I said, not dragging the Jedi to the Dark Side. "You have my authorization to create a prototype. Resources and equipment will be allocated. How soon can you provide the first flight-capable unit for testing?"
The pilot paused for a few seconds, thinking.
"Two months, sir," he said confidently. "In that time, I can prepare the craft from scratch."
"Good," I concluded the meeting. "For everything you need, contact Moff Ferrus and Chief Engineer Reyes on Tangrene."
"Yes, sir!" A smile appeared on the bomber pilot's lips.
"You are dismissed, Captain," I allowed the pilot to leave my quarters.
After the door closed behind him, I sat for a while longer, staring after him.
Had it worked? Or would it be a waste of time and money?
Hard to say now, with nothing in hand but promises.
But the likelihood of the Scimitar-class bombers, which Captain Bren created in the events known to me, required at least attempting to realize this ship type.
If everything goes well, industrial production will follow. If the actual Scimitars resemble their "literary prototypes," then my fleet will have one more line of combat-effective small craft.
* * *
"Grand Admiral," a red-haired girl greeted me, dressed in a naval uniform with lieutenant's pips on her command bar. Two red over two blue. Nothing unusual.
"Mara Jade," I returned the courtesy, continuing to look at the summary decryptions of the "Delta Source" on the screen. Also, while waiting for a response from the equipment, I opened the personal file I needed. "On which planet would it be best to disembark the former slaves?"
"Sir?" the Hand looked at me in surprise.
"You don't think we're going to drag them to our forward or rear bases and release them from there?" I said, my left eyebrow rising in surprise of its own accord.
"That would be unwise," the girl agreed, her entire demeanor showing that she hadn't even seriously considered the option I'd mentioned. "Actually, I thought releasing them would be a big mistake."
"If you have specific proposals, I'm ready to hear them."
Actually, I had called her to discuss other matters, but we still have plenty of time before arriving at Tangrene.
"You indicated that you intend to build a new state on different principles than the Empire," she said. "In particular — to abolish the oppression of non-humans. I take it this is a kind of PR move for the masses who listen to Republican propaganda?"
"Without a doubt," I agreed. "Those who are smarter understand perfectly well that the Empire in former times was negatively disposed only towards rebellious peoples — including humans. For most other races, the Empire's internal policy was tolerable. Of course, except for the fact that very few of them were allowed into the highest echelons of power." Again and again, replaying my conversation with Baron D'Asta in the context of the Empire's human-centric policy, I still could not agree with the fact that the Baron turned out to be so uneducated in matters of internal policy. Such ignorance could rather be expected from me, due to a long absence from the known galaxy and upon returning, finding an intensified animosity towards non-humans against the backdrop of Imperial defeat. No, something else was at play here. And I think I know what it is — the Baron had found a "simple-minded scapegoat" he could use for his own purposes. Most likely, he only needed me to regain his former political positions, so he doesn't seriously consider our alliance. Or else — maybe something else. But the fact remains — before actually diving into the fray at the Hast shipyards, I should thoroughly think over the situation to avoid pitfalls.
"You could make the freed slaves citizens of the Empire," she remarked.
"Matters of migration and acquisition of citizenship are handled by completely different government bodies," I countered. But I understood her train of thought. However, I was even more interested in her arguments.
"But as Supreme Commander, you could enlist them into military service," Mara said, crossing her legs and looking me in the eye defiantly. However much she wanted to work for me, the girl still had a sharp character and a provocative nature.
"Are you so certain of their loyalty?" I clarified. Mara hesitated with her answer. "Wookiees are not a people who, because of one deed or a few kind words, will believe that any changes have occurred. Not to mention representatives of the other races that were on the starship."
"And yet, we could try to play the card of their ideological indoctrination," she said.
"An interesting suggestion from someone who was treated similarly," I said. The girl's pragmatism on this issue at least surprised me. Leaning back in my chair, I looked at her with a studying and interested gaze:
"What are you planning, Mara Jade?"
"Right now, the former slaves are in the crew barracks on the Venator. By the time we emerge from hyperspace at Tangrene, they won't have any information about where they have arrived. I suggest going to them and making an offer to become part of the Empire."
"And why should they agree?" I inquired.
"You would offer them service in the Imperial Navy," she said. "They were already part of this Venator's crew, weren't they? So they are familiar with its systems. If even a fraction of them stay on board, that would already be a good step toward forming a crew. Much better than offering to become Imperials to former defectors and pirates."
So that's it. The logical emphasis of her entire remark falls directly on that last phrase. Consequently, everything was orchestrated for that purpose. However, I can't say that there isn't a kernel of truth in her words. Something could indeed come of the freed slaves — as a new face for Imperial propaganda, at least. But I had intended to simply disembark them somewhere on a Republican planet, providing them with food supplies and some money (a hundred thousand for all of them is not much, considering that the sale of pirate trophies will yield many times more). The appearance of slaves freed by the Empire was supposed to have a bombshell effect — primarily among the civilian population of the New Republic, which would never expect such behavior from their ideological opponents. Because recruiting any of them for service would mean overwhelming the nascent counterintelligence from the start. Not to mention that the Wookiees don't speak Galactic Basic — and so, in the crews where they would serve, communication problems would be obvious.
"There is no intention of opening the doors of the Imperial Navy to every first pirate, defector, or anyone else," I said. "By expressing a desire to join us, each of them pursued only one goal — to save his own skin. If they wanted to fight on the side of the Empire, they would have done so long ago. No, no matter how tempting the proposal, I am not going to implement it. But I also didn't have spare crews for towing trophies to base. Here it's pure mathematics — after the battle with the pirate and smuggler fleets, after the use of C'baoth's Battle Meditation, the entire watch is drained and exhausted, so to relieve them and send them to the trophy ships would be foolish. Tired subordinates are doomed subordinates."
"And what do you intend to do with all these prisoners?" she inquired.
"Regarding some — those who surrendered in exchange for help in delivering ships and transferring them to my command — I will keep my word and release them," I admitted. "Republicans will remain prisoners until the New Republic suffers several more blows — strong enough that they start taking me seriously."
"And the destruction of a sector fleet group, the destruction of the pirate and smuggler fleet, the capture of a star cruiser and a Star Destroyer — are those not serious enough blows?" Mara Jade asked incredulously.
"The fleet in the Dufilvian sector was weakened and understrength — that's why it was attacked," I said. "Pirates and smugglers are a significant force, but they are not directly part of the New Republic. Two capital ships captured with all crew members — yes, that is a weighty argument for starting a dialogue. But insufficient."
"Insufficient for what?" Mara Jade inquired.
"We'll talk about that later, Mara Jade," I smiled. "First, we need more Republican prisoners. That is precisely why we need to remove Karrde from this equation."
"Because he participated in the battle?" Mara clarified. "And could become a problem with his intelligence network?"
"Exactly. My patience is not limitless," I said. "As long as he was playing 'in the dark' that was one thing. But yesterday he actually moved against my ships. That puts him in the category of enemies."
"The Claw might not have known who Terrik was calling him to fight," Jade said thoughtfully. "Maybe he suspected, but he probably didn't know for certain — otherwise, a sector fleet of the New Republic would have come for us."
"Maybe so," I shrugged. "But there is one circumstance that cannot be overlooked. Smugglers identify Imperial and Republican ships by their engine exhaust spectrum. Not recognizing the Chimaera in that case is impossible. And establishing a causal link between my flagship and the Imperial starships lying in ambush around it is fairly simple. I have no doubt Karrde is capable of that."
The girl silently nodded.
"Karrde attacked my ships," I continued. "Caused damage. Imperial servicemen were injured. Consequently — he is now an enemy."
"Technically — we were the first to destroy several of his starships," Jade noted.
"Technically, nothing prevented the 'neutral' from breaking off the engagement, contacting the Chimaera, and reporting the mistake," I countered. "As soon as the problem with Palpatine's last order is resolved, in addition to searching for the Guardian, you will have another task. It can be carried out concurrently with the search for the Super Star Destroyer."
"What will my new task be?" she inquired.
"After the Nemesis completes its mission of escorting our damaged starships to Linuri, the ship will undergo repairs and re-equipment, and then it will be placed at your disposal," I explained. "The capture of Republican servicemen opens new prospects. Events are accelerating, and therefore there is a need to operate on multiple fronts simultaneously. Acting as my representative, you will visit Imperial worlds aboard the Nemesis to determine the extent of their possible cooperation with us. You served under Karrde for about six months and know exactly how he conducts business. Finding out which Imperial Moffs and governors are cooperating with him will be easy for you. After that, we will decide how to deal with them."
"And how will that deprive Karrde of influence?" Jade clarified. "It would be simpler to hire bounty hunters. Especially since you have the Dark Force in your pocket."
"The ships are not yet at Tangrene, so they are vulnerable," I said. "Karrde's losses and the failure at Rugos will definitely lead the New Republic to find the means to acquire the information they need from him. Consequently, it won't be long before they direct substantial forces of regular military against us. By that time, the starships of the Katana Fleet will already be partially operational, which will be a surprise for our enemies."
"And I've been wondering how you intend to capture even more prisoners," Mara chuckled. "Lure an entire fleet into a trap?"
"As long as Karrde doesn't know that I have the Dark Force, he can only report what he knows," I said. "Namely — the location of my bases, the composition and size of my fleet. Continuing raid operations will force the New Republic to worry about the security of its own territories, compelling them to keep sector fleets in place to protect trade caravans and supply routes. It will also slow the formation of a fleet directed against me. This time will allow the dreadnoughts to be repaired and crews formed for them."
"And accordingly, when they descend on Tangrene..." Jade's green eyes glittered dangerously, "you'll lure them into a trap and destroy them?"
"If there is no other choice — then yes," I agreed.
"With the Katana Fleet, you could begin conquering New Republic territories right now, taking one sector at a time while your raid groups strike across the galaxy," she noted. "A month or two, maybe six months to a year, and you would have a force capable of opposing Palpatine."
"It is impossible to build a fleet equal to Palpatine's in such a short time," I reminded. "It is impossible to grow an army of clones in the same time. He commands the most destructive weapons ever created by the Empire. Not to mention that he has brought back into service more than one warlord with their armed forces. No, such numerical superiority cannot be defeated with small forces. Even with the Katana Fleet. Even if I start conquests while simultaneously continuing to search for the remaining secrets of the Empire, that step is essentially pointless. Palpatine has dozens of Super Star Destroyers at hand — the Executors, Vengeances, Eclipses, Lords, and so on. Thousands of smaller ships, millions, if not billions of troops. To reliably oppose him, a commensurate force is needed. The New Republic will act as a kind of buffer, allowing me and my followers to survive the entire coming crisis on a secret base."
"In the Unknown Regions?" Jade clarified.
"Including there," I said, not going into details. On one hand, being open with her was an extra opportunity to demonstrate to Jade a reinforcement of my thesis that I am honest with allies. On the other hand, yes, she might not be sufficiently loyal at present, but in light of recent events, the circle of those involved needed to be expanded. Even if it happened that she betrayed me, switching to Palpatine's side or that of other enemies, nothing critical would occur. After yesterday's rout of three opponents at once, the loyalty of the fleet officers toward me had increased by orders of magnitude. The upcoming campaign would only strengthen the already existing effect, cementing it on a permanent basis. Moreover, having come face to face with C'baoth, the girl had once again confirmed her opinion of my rightness regarding Palpatine's madness. And of all people, she would not go to him. Freeing her from his mental command would be the final brick in the foundation of our cooperation. "Right now, it is necessary to take everything that could be used by Palpatine in war — in one form or another. Move it all beyond his reach and put it into service for me."
"I get the impression that you know far more about the forgotten secrets of the Empire than you are willing to tell right now," she remarked. A provocative question. Timely.
"Yes," I didn't deny it. "Too much was thrown onto the garbage heap of history as supposedly unnecessary. While all of it can be put to use and will bear fruit. But again, as I said — in due time."
"Is that why you are emptying Mount Tantiss?" Jade clarified. "So that Palpatine cannot use it upon his official return?"
"Exactly," I confirmed.
"But you are using it to fight the New Republic," the Hand reminded. "At the same time, you claim that the rebels are supposed to become the force that destroys Palpatine. What is the point of weakening them while simultaneously hoping for cooperation with the rebels in the future?"
"First, let's not forget that the Rebel Alliance is no longer the small band of outlaws it was nine years ago," I said. "Roles have changed. If we continue to call them rebels, it won't diminish their strength. Belittling the enemy has no permanent purpose, and if it is not backed by evidence of victories, it is outright stupidity and empty bravado. One must respect one's opponent — and then we will fight them as equals. And they deserve it, having proven it in action more than once. While we merely squabble over the remnants of former glory."
"So that's why you call them Republicans," Mara Jade narrowed her eyes. "Acknowledging their actual status."
"Yes," I confirmed. "And correct terminology appears in your speech too. Repeat it more often, and you will be able to see the whole picture."
"Well, since I don't have it at the moment, would you be so kind as to outline it?" Jade inquired with a hint of sarcasm, without any malicious jest or mockery.
"Not at all, why not," I shrugged. "As my Hand, you must hold the correct perspective on things, without embellishment or assumptions. Yes, I don't intend to fight Palpatine — the Republicans will do that for me. This thesis has been repeated many times. But it doesn't change its essence — even despite the fact that you believe my actions are weakening the New Republic. To some extent, that's true. However, they control virtually the entire galaxy. They have an enormous fleet and army compared to what I possess and what the Imperial Remnants hold. Losing one, two, five, ten sectors and the military and fleet units defending them won't render them combat-ineffective as a whole. Instead, by destroying small enemy formations, my armed forces will gain the experience they so desperately need going forward. Take my word for it — we'll need it."
"But why, if you don't intend to fight Palpatine?"
"That's precisely the general strategy — to let the sworn enemies destroy each other on their own," I confirmed. "But we shouldn't discount the fact that my plan might fail. I'm still confident about the key sequence of events — Palpatine will definitely try to bring the Skywalkers into his service. And he will crush the worlds and armies that stand in his way. Without any doubt — using his own fleet and the armed forces of the Imperial Remnants that will come over to him. His madness and hatred will play their part, reminding the galaxy's inhabitants why they hate him. Consequently, by the time Palpatine falls, his troops will be left to their own devices. The Endor disaster will repeat itself, which means the New Republic will launch an offensive against Imperial territories. With all its forces. During these conflicts after Palpatine's death, I intend to step out of the shadows onto the stage, waging my own campaign and pursuing my own policies, distinct from the Empire. If they join me, accepting the terms of my reality — well, I'll be glad, extra strength never hurts anyone. If not — by that time, I'll have enough power not to fear revenge from them."
"I'll bet you'll operate on the opposite end of the galaxy from the new war between the Imperials and the Republicans," Mara Jade snapped her fingers. "Give them a choice — fight on multiple fronts, or deal with priority objectives?"
"Of course," I agreed. "Restoring the Empire within its former territories will be a matter of honor for the New Republic. I'd even say an obsession. The attacks on the Dufilvian sector and the Sluis sector only demonstrate their typical behavior — after suffering a defeat that isn't critical for them, they'll again assure all the victims that it will never happen again. In that context, reclaiming territories from the Empire will be their priority step, necessary for preserving the state as such. I concede that the Reborn Emperor's campaign will be excessively brutal, which means we'll inevitably have to confront the remnants of Palpatine's forces ourselves to reclaim the sectors we need. Only we will position ourselves as liberators — humane and respectful of all sentients and races without exception. I've thought over your suggestion regarding the slaves — it fits my long-term strategy. Those among them who wish to join us may do so. They will become the face of the new Empire under my leadership and a living example of the equality principles we'll proclaim. And when faced with a choice between sentients oppressed by Palpatine's ruthless Imperial butchers, and the New Republic which failed to learn lessons about strengthening its own defenses after my current campaign, and my forces positioning themselves as humane defenders of their allies — what will they choose?"
"I personally would choose the latter," the woman admitted.
"As would the majority," I agreed. "That's how we'll gain territories and a loyal population. Naturally, in battles with other warlords, we'll seize their territories by force of arms — and annex them. And again, the calculation is based on the psychology of the races — which master is better to serve? The one who oppresses and executes, or the one who promises prosperity and has already been seen delivering it?"
"Again — the latter."
"Thus, striking at territories held by Palpatine's Imperials to liberate their inhabitants, as well as simply luring planets and systems under our control with promises of protection, will bear fruit in the form of creating a resource core for the army and fleet, enabling both defense and offense."
"But wouldn't it be simpler to just show up in the Empire after the Reborn Palpatine's death and claim the leading role?" Jade asked.
"And deal with xenophobes who carried out Palpatine's criminal orders?" I clarified. "To lead that Empire which most of the galaxy's politically active population hates? Honestly, that's a direct path to crisis and my own demise. No, I'm not going to fight anyone for control over the Empire's remnants — they will either join me of their own free will, approaching me with a request, thereby putting themselves in a weaker negotiating position from the start, or they'll stay and keep fighting the New Republic. I'm sure there will be representatives of both scenarios."
"You talk as if you intend to acquire forces comparable to his own during Palpatine's campaign," Mara Jade observed.
"I'm afraid even if I started right now, I wouldn't make it in time," a smirk echoed back as a smile on her face.
"And yet, you seem confident that the New Republic will prioritize destroying the Imperial Remnants rather than you," Mara stated. "Isn't that a bit arrogant?"
"It's an assumption based on the available facts and premises," I replied. "Currently, there's a political struggle within the New Republic. Certain factions are trying to increase their political weight and seize on the slightest opportunity to do so. My current campaign will contribute to the most rationally minded part of the New Republic government falling into disgrace, while those factions that fancy themselves great and fearsome but know absolutely nothing about the art of war will achieve certain successes on the political stage. Thus, during the period that interests me, the New Republic will be nothing more than a colossus with feet of clay, incapable of defending the entire territory they've so painstakingly gathered over the previous years. The galaxy's population is mostly passive, but at the same time, they don't lack brains when it comes to satisfying their basic needs. First and foremost — security. Which we will provide them."
"Provided we stand out favorably against both the Empire and the New Republic," Mara Jade clarified.
"Exactly," I confirmed. "That's why it's necessary to spend the Reborn Emperor's campaign time outside active events — to accumulate strength, sharpen the drills of our own armed forces, and develop further strategy."
"Palpatine, even in a clone body, is hardly a fool," Mara Jade said doubtfully. "At least the clone of the Jedi C'baoth is capable of adequate reasoning and constructive analysis. And that's just him alone. But Palpatine, in any case and at all times, has had a constellation of both sycophants and perfectly competent sentients. If we just disappear from the galaxy, taking every possible fleet and army with us, he will definitely ask — what happened to Thrawn and where have his subordinates gone. At least if not him, then his inner circle."
"It all depends on how artistically the 'exit from the stage' is staged," I remarked, hinting that I didn't intend to divulge this detail of my plan to her. Nor the fact that I fully allowed that my current actions could significantly weaken the New Republic, resulting in Palpatine's Imperials having enough strength to subjugate far more territories than in the events I knew, where his territorial conquests were limited to a good hundred sectors. Which, however, were subsequently lost in the ensuing civil war. But even for that case, I had a plan of action. One I didn't intend to reveal, because I suspected that very plan might have to be implemented instead of the fairytale picture I'd just described. No, I was confident that all the parts of my stated plan that depended on my own actions would be executed as needed. The Republic would indeed lose its most 'brainy' representatives — not 'permanently,' but only long enough for me to successfully complete my current campaign. Such is the cyclical nature of this galaxy's history — heroes arrive, achieve peace throughout the world, then get replaced by hardened politicians with black belts in 'pulling chestnuts out of the fire with someone else's hands.' The heroes retire and return in the hour of greatest need — and even if I now eliminate or critically weaken Admiral Ackbar and his team's influence on the New Republic, along with the Skywalkers and others, when Palpatine returns, they will play their roles. Simply because they cannot stand aside while watching others suffer. That's the nature of heroes, and they can't overcome it.
As I've said before — if you can't overcome 'plot armor,' then make it work for you.
"The Republican prisoners," Mara Jade stated unexpectedly. "You intend to use them to elevate someone in the New Republic, proving that this 'someone' can solve military problems through peaceful means."
"Brilliant," I smiled. "Yes, the prisoners play an important, though not critical, role in my plans."
"The Empire never released prisoners of war before," Mara Jade noted. "The Rebels always had to recover their comrades from captivity through force operations alone. Whoever from the New Republic can negotiate such a thing bloodlessly will gain enormous influence and power."
"That's the calculation."
"But in the end, he could become a dangerous opponent," the Hand remarked. "Precisely because of his increasing influence on the New Republic."
"Undoubtedly," I confirmed. "That's why the 'peacemaker' must be someone who only fancies himself competent enough in matters of military strategy. Someone blinded by power, who wants as much of it as possible and is ready to use any chance to climb as high as he can. An unscrupulous sentient who knows nothing of honor, camaraderie, or brotherhood. Someone who only uses others to achieve his own goals."
"I think I know who you're talking about," Mara Jade smiled crookedly. "Resourceful. But won't his innate suspiciousness and distrust work against us?"
"It will be enough to play the cards right," I said. "And he'll fall for it like a lamb. We'll show him that his ideas are brilliant and successful, while others' are worthless. Half the work he'll do for us himself. We just need the right stimulus. And the defeats inflicted on the New Republic will only strengthen the opinion that the current military leadership is incompetent and needs to be replaced."
"He'll never buy that the Empire just decided to release prisoners like that," Mara Jade warned.
"No one is going to put on a show of altruism," I remarked. "To achieve the desired result, we need to convince him that we play by the same rules he does. Plant in his mind the idea that all the ongoing operations are only necessary to gather strength and create a mirror image of what he himself dreams of. Like attracts like. Such is the nature of his race — to be loyal only to the struggle for power. Convinced that I'm only interested in power and control over the Imperial Remnants, and that I'm ready for a secret alliance with him and a subsequent division of spoils, he'll be ours, hook, line, and sinker. And when he realizes what's what, it'll be too late — I'll get what I want, one way or another. However much they try to hide it from me."
"So what do you hope to gain by courting the enemy, Grand Admiral Thrawn?" Mara Jade asked with a smile.
"The best version of the Empire under my command," I said without blinking. "Fair, strong, without oppression. Capable of withstanding any threat — both from within this galaxy and from without."
"Ambitious," Jade assessed. "And I've already heard this during our conversation at Moff Ferrus's residence in the past. The prisoners... As I understand it, you intend to capture as many as possible in future raids, so the stakes are in your favor. So what significant thing are you willing to exchange them for?"
Smiling, I answered.
Mara Jade's eyes went wide with astonishment.
"You must be joking!?"