Nine years, five months, and thirty-one days after the Battle of Yavin...
Or forty-fourth year, five months, and thirty-one days after the Great Resynchronization.
"I take it you've worked through the tasks assigned to you, Mr. Reyes," I said, watching the chief engineer of the Tangrene orbital repair yard enter my cabin. The man, his artificial eye glinting, nodded in agreement.
"I'll be honest, Grand Admiral," he said, sitting in the chair across from my desk, "in all my years of service, I've never met an Imperial commander so eager not to invent or force more competent specialists to create something new in starship design, but to modernize what already exists."
"Is your answer a yes or a no?" I clarified.
"In our age of advanced technology, nothing is impossible," Nick Reyes said, looking at me. "The question is only the amount of resources spent and the competence of the personnel assigned to the task."
"I have never had any doubts about the abilities and knowledge of your subordinates," I said.
"And there won't be any in the future," the chief engineer assured me. "The tasks you've set before us are ambitious, one could even say they challenge the technical ingenuity of Imperial engineers, but what you've conceived… it's feasible."
"Fully, or partially?" I clarified.
"Fully," Reyes assured me. "But I warn you, it will require significant funds to purchase the necessary equipment. The 'Asteroid Field' project we've essentially completed: we've developed the required number of prototype masking screens. Tests are currently being conducted in various modes. I've received confirmation from my workers on Tangrene that work on the 'Manok' project is complete. They tested remotely controlled plasma drills on the asteroids — the shafts for laying the 'payload' are ready. We tested one of the rocks without masking and a drill using the command algorithm 'after docking' at the system's boundaries."
"And what is the final result of using such an algorithm?" I asked. No, I was genuinely curious whether it would work or not. Because a great deal depended on the result. So much so that we'd have to rework half of our long-term plans if we failed.
"The drills respond perfectly to commands within a single star system," Reyes said. "The result is as expected. However, a signal amplifier is required for this — at minimum, a ship-grade communication system. Otherwise, only the units within the immediate radius of the signal source will activate."
"Can we set up a chain reaction among the units?"
"Hmm…" Reyes stroked his chin with his prosthetic fingers. "If all machines are within the coverage zone of their own communication systems, then yes, of course. However, this would require additional modifications to the design of the remotely controlled plasma drills themselves. That's extra spending."
"You know the limits of our allocations," I remarked.
"That's the problem, sir," the chief engineer said. "No offense intended, but your wishes don't align with our capabilities. We need major capital injections to repair and modernize the ships of the 'Katana Fleet.' I would suggest reducing costs on its modernization by scrapping the replacement of the installed second-class hyperdrives on the 'Katana Fleet' ships. That would save us two hundred million credits. With those funds, we could purchase all the necessary materials to restore other captured vessels."
"And at the same time, we'd have ships in the fleet with different hyperdrive specs, and consequently, different travel speeds in hyperspace," I noted. "You know as well as I do that the Imperial fleet didn't switch to a unified hyperdrive type for nothing."
"But it had funding," Reyes remarked. "At the moment, based on our current and planned expenditures, we can count on seventeen million credits in available funds. Plus another one hundred seventy million from the sale of captured equipment and weaponry. That's far too small a sum to maintain a fleet of nearly two hundred and fifty starships. Sir, I'm not telling you what to do, but if we cancel the hyperdrive replacement on the 'Dreadnaught'-class heavy cruisers, you'll have not one hundred eighty-seven million, but three hundred eighty-seven."
"No need to remind me of the numbers, Mr. Reyes," I requested. "Unfortunately, we're forced to take this step. I need ships capable of moving synchronously with each other in hyperspace."
"I understand, sir," Reyes said sadly. "But a million credits per hyperdrive for such an outdated model as 'Rendili StarDrive' plans to install on the dreadnaughts… that's highway robbery, to put it mildly. They know they can't sell this stale merchandise to anyone else, especially in such quantities, so they're deliberately inflating the price."
"Are you capable of independently upgrading the hyperdrives we currently have on the 'dreadnaughts'?" I asked.
"No, sir," Reyes replied. "The technology from 'Rendili StarDrive' before they began their joint work with 'Kuat Drive Yards' is… a very unreliable design. It's no coincidence that before the Clone Wars they weren't considered a primary supplier of fleet ships for the Grand Army of the Republic. Over the millennia, they've lost the quality of their work. Just look at the 'Neutron Star' and everything becomes clear about the quality of their work. Unnecessary complexity and excessive flamboyance where simplicity and ease are required. This was done because Rendili wanted to use only their own shipyards and only their own specialists for quality repairs of the equipment they produced. But in reality, large customers simply started refusing their services. It was far more preferable for the Old Republic and the Galactic Empire to cooperate with 'Kuat Drive Yards' their technology can be repaired at any shipyard and doesn't require additional equipment or specializations for such work."
Interesting.
"But at the same time, we can't buy and install hyperdrives produced by Kuat on the 'dreadnaughts,'" I noted. "If my memory serves me, they'd cost us even more."
"That's true," Reyes agreed. "Unfortunately, after Kuat joined the New Republic, we can no longer turn to Xa Fel to purchase navigation equipment and the necessary number of hyperdrives…"
"Xa Fel?" I repeated. "What's that?"
"An industrial planet where hyperdrives are produced for 'Kuat Drive Yards' starships," Nick Reyes said. "The planet manufactures the components for them, as well as assembly and tuning. After that, they're sent to Kuat…"
"Are all types of hyperdrives produced there?" I inquired.
"All types used by 'Kuat Drive Yards' in their production," Reyes nodded.
"Is there any issue with compatibility between hyperdrives produced by 'Kuat Drive Yards' and ships built by 'Rendili StarDrive'?" I pressed on.
The chief engineer thought for a moment.
"A minor one," he said after a few seconds of deliberation. "The principle of operation is the same everywhere. The difference might be in the shape of the motivators themselves and the nature of the connection — Kuat uses fewer redundant systems compared to Rendili…"
Fascinating.
"Do they produce hyperdrives for orbital repair stations there too?" I asked.
"Of course," the chief engineer confirmed. "Every single one…"
"Fascinating," I said. "I always thought Kuat produced everything on its own."
"Oh no, sir," the chief engineer chuckled good-naturedly. "Kuati can't stand polluting their own ecology. That's why they moved their shipyards to orbit, along with most of their assembly workshops. And practically all of their factories are on the periphery. They find it far more interesting to foul other planets than to foul their own pockets. The Empire issued them ultimatums several times regarding pollution of Xa Fel's atmosphere, but they ignored them. It's much easier to pay multi-billion credit fines than to solve the problem."
"You're quite well-informed about the state of affairs at 'Kuat Drive Yards,'" I remarked.
"A number of my colleagues and I underwent industrial training and long-term internships at Kuat's enterprises," Reyes explained. "So for the uninitiated, Kuat presents one image, but in reality, it's much more prosaic. However, the point of view you expressed is a very common misconception in the galaxy."
"Well, it's never too late to learn something new," I said philosophically.
"Yes, sir," Reyes agreed.
"Do you know the location of Xa Fel?" A clarification never hurts.
"Of course," the chief engineer's single organic eye widened. "Unlike, say, Rothana, Kuat never kept the location of Xa Fel a secret."
"Give that data to Captain Pellaeon," I ordered. "And since we've brought up Rothana — what's known about that planet? As I recall, there was a subsidiary of 'Kuat Drive Yards' there. I'm interested in its current condition."
"Abandoned, sir," Reyes sighed. "Ah, what wonderful shipyards they were. And what factories! After the proclamation of the New Order, that planet and the entire sector were guarded by Kuat and Imperial ships. Rothana was an Imperial fortress world, but it was abandoned after our defeat at the Battle of Endor. Kuat maintained a presence for a while, until the 'Zann Consortium' began its galactic takeover following the Emperor's death. Kuat and the rebels attempted to oppose the seizure of the planet and its facilities by the criminals, but couldn't hold the defense. The Kuati evacuated the planet, its production capabilities, and its population. Everything they couldn't take away, they blew up, so it wouldn't fall into the criminals' hands. No one still knows how Tyber Zann discovered a way to bypass the defenses of the hyperspace route leading to Rothana, but the fact remains — to avoid losing control of trillions and trillions in invested funds, the Kuati had to destroy it all. Otherwise, they would have given the criminals a power comparable to Kuat's own might. It's no coincidence that during the Clone Wars, all ground equipment for the Grand Army of the Republic was manufactured on Rothana."
"And what's so special about the route leading to Rothana?" I asked. I'd heard about that planet, but I'd never looked into such details.
"Access to the planet and its facility, 'Rothana Heavy Engineering,' was only possible through a tangled network of hyperroutes, the locations of which were disclosed to 'Kuat Drive Yards' personnel on a need-to-know basis: Kuati ships didn't even receive Rothana's coordinates. Instead, they performed a hyperspace jump to one of several points beyond the planet Molavar, located at the intersection of the Triellus Trade Route and the Manda Trade Route," the chief engineer explained. "There, they would load encrypted hyperspace coordinates and an IFF signal from a hyperspace beacon. The signal transmission would then temporarily deactivate the numerous mass-shadow mines installed along the Rothana route."
"And Kuat didn't recapture the planet after the Zann Consortium lost?" I asked in surprise.
"They didn't even make a move," Reyes confirmed. "And frankly, why would they? Not only had the planet lost its main advantage during the Imperial period — the confidentiality of its location — but all its structures had also been razed to the ground. There's practically nothing to rebuild — only to start from scratch, and that requires enormous funds. Kuat now, thanks to absorbing hundreds of smaller shipyards, has production capabilities of comparable volume. And they can continue all their secret developments on Kuat itself. However, I've heard that Kuat intends to return to Rothana someday — if the volume of orders grows and they need an isolated construction site again."
"You mentioned mass-shadow mines," I recalled. "What are they?"
"A very old and extremely expensive technology," Reyes explained. "The mass-shadow mine was, in essence, an advanced space mine that detonated upon detecting the presence of a starship in hyperspace. The explosion releases a gravity surge mimicking the effects of a planetary gravity well's mass shadow, which forces the ship to drop out of hyperspace — the hyperdrive's standard safety system would trigger. The weapon's purpose was primarily to ambush ships traveling through hyperspace by disabling their hyperdrives, and it was widely used during the Battle of Coruscant in the Clone Wars, when mass-shadow mines prevented Republic reinforcements from arriving to aid Coruscant's defenders."
"And why didn't the Empire continue using such technology?" I clarified.
"Because one mine costs over a hundred million credits," Reyes explained. "Not to mention that the device isn't designed for any kind of reuse. Although I won't deny, there were attempts to revive the technology. A later improvement of such mines became the 'Empion' project, used by the renegade warlord Zsinj and Admiral Apwar Trigit."
"Trigit — that's the admiral in Zsinj's service who created the 'Morrt' project?" I clarified.
"The very same, sir," Reyes confirmed. "But unlike the original technology, the 'Empion' project had greater potential. The mine consisted of five components: a sensor array to detect ships in hyperspace; a mass-shadow gravity projector to pull them out of lightspeed; an electromagnetic charge to disable electronics; an ion projector creating a sustained ion beam to disable vessels; and a hyperwave transceiver to report detonation to the mine layer. The project was, without a doubt, more successful, but also more expensive, due to the increased potential of the device. No one in their right mind would spend a volume of credits comparable to building two 'Imperial I'-class Star Destroyers on constructing a single such mine."
I see.
As I recall, there was a dedicated hyperspace route between Rothana and Kamino, used during the Clone Wars to transport military equipment developed by 'Rothana Heavy Engineering.' And Obi-Wan Kenobi discovered Kamino without encountering any problems with mines or the like. So this refers to at least three distinct hyperspace routes — one developed by the Kuati and protected by mass-shadow mines; a simple, unprotected one allowing customers to reach Kamino — exactly the one Obi-Wan Kenobi used. And a third, connecting Rothana and Kamino, used to transport the Grand Army of the Republic's equipment ordered from Rothana.
Mental note.
What else is known? Kamino and Rothana were attacked by the 'Zann Consortium.' And he supposedly occupied both planets for some period. After that, his organization became the target of an attack by the major powers, and Tyber Zann went underground. His whereabouts are unknown. But at the same time, no one can reach Kamino — and no one returns. Now for a moment of assumptions.
What is the probability that, after capturing the planet Rothana, which had been devastated by the Kuati, Tyber Zann, after his defeat, dug in on Kamino and Rothana, using them as a source to replenish his Consortium? Creating clones for ground armies and starship crews, building ships, even without Rothana's advanced equipment. And he is definitely dreaming of a rematch. The last part is speculation, of course, but it fits the reputation of a bandit and criminal who spent years building an organization that was destroyed. And if so, then there are certain problems.
First — Zann is in a completely unreachable corner of the galaxy, where it's simply impossible to extract him — you can't even get close because of the mines. If the cloning facilities on Kamino are intact (and there's no information to the contrary), what's stopping him from easily conquering the galaxy again? How long does it take to produce Kaminoan clones?
Ten years.
Since his disappearance — in the same year as the Battle of Endor (which happened four years after the Battle of Yavin IV) — five and a half years have passed. So his army is already in full production, and there's very little time left before it can appear in the galaxy. However, another question remains unresolved.
Why haven't I heard or read a word about the 'second coming of Tyber Zann'? Because it never happened and all my reasoning is wrong? Or because the heroes of the New Republic, whose perspective the post-Endor era stories are written from, didn't participate in his defeat, and the events remained 'off-screen'?
Either way, interesting prospects are opening up that are worth pondering at leisure.
"So as I understand it, our version of the 'Morrt' project remains in a 'suspended' state due to the lack of droids suitable for its implementation?" I clarified.
"Yes, Grand Admiral," Reyes agreed. "Without buzz droids, developing the project is pure theory."
Well, I'll have to search the galaxy for buzz droids. Although… Hypori and Saleucami belong to the remnants of the 'Zann Consortium,' don't they? On Hypori, I'm interested in the droideka production line, as well as the source of B-2 droids, which, according to reports from the Noghri sent to the planet, serve as guards for the local garrison. Given that I intend to take the factory with all its droid production lines anyway, I'm going to have to confront the 'Zann Consortium.' And probably soon, considering that, according to reports from 'Delta Source,' the Republicans are setting up ambushes on major hyperspace lines trying to intercept my starships. If the enemy wants something, you should 'give' it to them only when you have the appropriate forces for their guaranteed destruction. But I need the droids. Without them, the entire plan to use the plasma drills, also known as 'diggers,' won't have the planned scope or any worthwhile resolution.
Therefore, I need to move on Hypori very soon. The droids aren't going to capture and reprogram themselves.
Speaking of droids. More specifically, droidekas.
"Have your workers dealt with the Mark II series droidekas and other equipment stored aboard the 'Katana Fleet' starships?" I asked.
"Yes, I was just about to discuss that, sir," the chief engineer recalled. "It seems that the source that informed you about droidekas of that model on the 'dreadnaughts' wasn't entirely reliable. We found no Mark II series droidekas aboard the heavy cruisers. I specifically contacted the technicians on starships not yet prepared for transit to check if they had such data. But no such equipment was found on their ships either."
Is that so? Interesting. I remember that Luke Skywalker, during his confrontation with the Vagaari aboard one such 'dreadnaught,' found an almost fully functional droideka! Both he and Mara Jade were very worried that if such technology fell into the hands of the Vagaari people, it would be very bad for the Chiss and…
Oh, damn it!
"So it seems," I said as calmly as possible, trying not to reveal my own frustration. I messed up! I confused Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade's adventures in search of the surviving part of the 'Outbound Flight' expedition with the 'Katana Fleet' saga! There were no droidekas on the latter; they were on the expedition's ships! "But still, did you find anything interesting?" I asked.
"Yes, of course," Reyes nodded. "We discovered a considerable number of AT-PT walkers. First generation, unfortunately, designed for a single pilot. The condition is far from ideal, of course, but they're in decent shape and won't require major repair costs. At the same time, these machines will be an excellent addition to our ground forces. If desired, they can be upgraded to the second generation by integrating a second pilot-gunner seat into the cockpit."
"So I take it your colleagues from the ground workshops on Tangrene will handle the restoration of these machines?" I clarified.
"I already have too few workers to repair the ships," Reyes shook his head. "If we start working on ground equipment as well, our primary task simply won't be completed."
"Do as you're ordered, Chief Engineer," I said.
So, no droidekas found — a problem, but not critical. As they say, 'I know where to get more.' But the walkers — that's more than interesting. At least, judging by the compilation of files from the Imperial Archive and data from Palpatine's personal collection, there's an assumption.
AT-PTs were created to lead individual soldiers into intense combat situations alone, possessing the firepower of a squad. Their height was only three meters, and they were piloted by corresponding pilots — one per machine. That's the notorious first generation, where the crew consisted of only one sentient.
The walkers could reach speeds of up to sixty kilometers per hour and could climb at a forty-five-degree angle, with hydraulic regulators keeping the device balanced. The machines were equipped with a long-range communication antenna for patrolling. The main drive provided power and hydraulic pressure for the two legs and had ventilation grilles. The entry hatch to the cockpit was on the side, and an emergency signal flare launcher was located just above the viewport.
The AT-PT — compared to the anticipated threat of enemy soldiers — was well-armored, to the point that small arms fire couldn't penetrate the transport's armor. The walker was armed with two blaster cannons and one stun grenade launcher, which were only effective against infantry. The walker's superior maneuverability compensated for its light armor (compared to most other cavalry units).
AT-PT Walker.
A moment of fun history.
The AT-PT was developed for the Galactic Republic several decades before the Clone Wars, but during the war, the Republic needed a small anti-personnel walker, and the AT-PT became more relevant. It was one of the first vehicles in the AT series, produced by Kuat in the future on such a massive scale that words fail to describe the production volume of the various variants and types of equipment.
Many concepts first implemented in the AT-PT were later used in the production of the AT-AP, AT-ST, and AT-AT.
During the Galactic Civil War, the Galactic Empire used several walkers of this type. They were often used as guard and patrol vehicles near Imperial installations.
A large number of AT-PTs, again according to Imperial data, were used in Imperial offensive operations, which clearly hints that, despite the emergence of newer and better-armed opponents, the transports were still being used in combat.
"Well, then," I concluded. "There are only a couple of matters left to discuss. And the first concerns cloning."
"Grand Admiral, sir," Nick Reyes said thoughtfully. "I'm a technical specialist. Cloning isn't my field. Although, if you happen to have a few cloning cylinders lying around somewhere..."
"Sixteen thousand," I said, watching the pupil of his one real eye dilate. "I have sixteen thousand functional cloning cylinders. And four thousand defective ones, which you and your people must inspect and determine whether they can be restored and if they'll work as needed."
"Ah," Nick Reyes coughed into his fist. "So that's it. I thought you wanted to clone me and my best specialists."
"And that too," I said. "You phrased it perfectly—I intend to clone only the very best. Additionally, deep within Mount Tantiss, there is one of four generators that is currently nonfunctional. I've been assured it's some version of a shipboard solar ionization reactor, but too unfamiliar to entrust its repair to ordinary technicians. I want to know what's wrong with it and whether it can be used in Project Solar Burn."
"Sir, to be honest, I thought your proposals for ship modernization would be limited to just reequipping Star Destroyers with medium and anti-aircraft artillery, additional small craft squadrons, and installing eight-gun turbolaser turret emplacements on the Victories analogous to those on the Imperial-class," the chief engineer admitted. "But Solar Burn... I'm not sure that after this refit the captured Venator will even have room for a fraction of its original crew, air wing, and troops. Something will have to be cut..."
"And that brings us to my next idea," I said. "The dreadnoughts are equipped with an automation system codenamed 'Slave Circuit.' Study that technology. We need to understand if we can use it to reduce crew numbers on our Star Destroyers."
The chief engineer looked at me wearily. Paused. Looked at me again.
"Well," he said. "Since I and Moff Ferrus have sworn allegiance to you, it would be foolish to shy away from overly complex tasks just because I lack the strength, time, resources, or personnel for such projects. I'll do everything in my power, but it's too early to guarantee anything like positive or encouraging results. We already had to disarm the Neutron Star to gather enough cannons for mounting three-gun medium turret emplacements and to acquire laser cannons for the anti-aircraft artillery on the Star Destroyers currently under repair."
"That sounds like your agreement to work on the most ambitious projects," I noted.
"Of course, sir," the chief engineer confirmed. "I haven't even presented all of them to you yet, but I'm certain that even with the help of cloning engineers, you'll need creative minds to implement ship modernization projects. My people and I are more builders than redesigners. But I know someone who is passionate about changing, improving, and modernizing things."
"Is that so?" I was surprised. "And you've been silent about the existence of such an individual until now?"
"He and I don't get along very well," Reyes grimaced. "But if I had known that tech modernization would become a habit of yours, I would have proposed his candidacy long ago. However..."
"There's always a 'however,'" I noted. "Is there a problem?"
"Yes, sir," Nick Reyes' artificial eye flared with fierce light. "It'll take a lot of effort to lure him away from the Pentastar Alignment. After all, Ryan Zion is Ardus Kaine's best shipbuilder. Only he hates building and loves modernizing."
"And you're the opposite," I reminded myself. "Military engineers of two opposing directions. Literally mutually exclusive. I wouldn't be wrong to assume you're not on the best terms with him."
"He owes me a hand and an eye!" The chief engineer's metal prosthesis clenched with such a screech that the shiver running down my spine nearly caused the entire Imperial Star Destroyer to pitch.
* * *
"The Grand Admiral is expecting you," rumbled a tall, powerfully built man dressed in fleet uniform with the insignia of a Major of the Stormtrooper Corps, stepping aside to let Molo enter the half-dark entrance to Grand Admiral Thrawn's personal quarters. "But first—surrender your weapons, Major Himron."
Major Molo Himron.
Commander of the Imperial Intelligence special forces, without a word, calmly handed over his standard-issue weapon—a blaster pistol he carried in a thigh holster. Then, grinning, under the adjutant's sharp gaze, he pulled another blaster—a smaller one—from his sock. And only when he saw that Major Tierce' expression didn't change did he slip his hand under his tunic and remove a third blaster, securely nestled in an operational holster beneath his uniform.
"Now you may proceed," the adjutant permitted, signaling the pair of stormtroopers standing before the door of the airlock leading into the Imperial commander's quarters.
This major was interesting. He seemed like a stormtrooper, but far too proactive, too talkative (from ordinary Stormtrooper Corps soldiers you'd only hear "Yes, sir!" and "Executing, sir!" since they weren't trained to say "No, sir!"). But this guy... was rather peculiar.
Well, that was Thrawn's business, whom he chose as his adjutant. Look, he even had a red-haired pretty lieutenant. Could it be that the blue-skinned non-human wasn't alien to all things human?
Smirking at his seditious thought (and it was seditious because everyone in the fleet knew that the Grand Admiral's only love was the fleet itself), Molo strode into the semi-dark compartment where the Supreme Commander himself spent most of his life.
It wasn't hard to make out Thrawn in that gloom, which swallowed the corners and dimensions of his living quarters—there he was, sitting at his work desk, surrounded by a double ring of monitors displaying duplicate data from the Chimaera's bridge.
After reporting his arrival, the major waited for the Grand Admiral to acknowledge him. Thrawn, with a serious and utterly focused expression, was studying something on one of the screens turned away from the newcomer. So no matter how hard he tried, Molo couldn't see what had so captivated the Supreme Commander.
Although... Wasn't this a mockery by the Imperial Ruling Council? To command millions of stormtroopers, regular army soldiers, thousands of military vehicles, hundreds of Imperial Star Destroyers, not to mention smaller ships, and yet allocate to the command of the last Grand Admiral personally appointed by Emperor Palpatine—a brilliant strategist and tactician who had done more for the Empire's military in a few months than any other Imperial who wasn't a renegade—such pathetically small forces. So small that Thrawn, just to bring each enemy-captured sector back into the Empire, had to almost run a special operation to seize it. And waste a huge amount of time on what he could have accomplished so simply, if only he had more ships!?
"You did an excellent job, Major Himron, securing the capture of the Acclamator," the Grand Admiral's insinuating voice snapped Molo out of his thoughts. "In days past, such a brilliant operation would have earned you a great reward. Don't you think you deserve it?"
"With all due respect, sir, serving under your command is the greatest honor any self-respecting Imperial could ever receive," the operative said.
"A flattering assessment," Thrawn noted, looking at him. "Your team shows outstanding results on every mission I've sent you on. Impressive. Especially considering the fact that the Ubiqtorate tried to give me its worst personnel, to tie my hands and feet."
Molo remained silent. Not because he didn't know what to answer—he knew perfectly well. But he hadn't heard a question. And service in Imperial Intelligence meant keeping your mouth shut until a specific question was asked. Iceheart had diligently drilled that basic truth into her subordinates. Very diligently, sparing no means. It was rumored her favorite scarlet uniform had once been white. Then it got stained with the blood of those who displeased her. And she got rid of them, taking as trophies the only thing no biological organism can exist without.
"According to the full copy of your personal file, Major, you and your unit have completed over two hundred successful missions," Thrawn continued. Molo didn't even flinch. First, he never counted the number of completed assignments—no one wanted to recall in detail what they'd had to do under Iceheart's command. And second, if Thrawn had a copy of his personal file, and a full one at that, then he definitely knew who had performed the data purges. "And despite all this, you're still just a Major, commander of an operational unit. Meanwhile, many of your colleagues who have done even a quarter of what you've done for the Empire have already received promotions and entered the elite of Imperial Intelligence. However, I'm sure that, despite the disappearance of data about them, your classmates are still alive, aren't they?"
"Exactly so, sir," said Molo.
"Do they serve in the Ubiqtorate?"
"To the best of my knowledge, sir."
"And the prospect of a promotion and a seat in Imperial Intelligence leadership holds no appeal for you?" Thrawn asked in a matter-of-fact tone. As if he weren't asking about what every graduate of Imperial military academies dreamed of—sitting in offices and at most dragging a stylus across datapad screens, earning the salary of an entire operative unit.
Molo barely suppressed a smile.
"No, sir."
"Reason?"
"I don't like staff work, sir."
"Did this dislike appear before or after your meeting with Emperor Palpatine?" Thrawn inquired, looking at one of the monitors.
Himron felt he didn't even need to try to suppress a smile. The muscles on his face seemed to stiffen.
He remembered the fateful meeting with the head of state that turned the world of a young cadet at the Imperial Academy on Carida upside down. And he was aware that he had lived most of his life exactly as the man in the black robe, impressive in his grandeur and power, had briefly advised him.
"After, sir," he said in an unwavering voice.
"An interesting answer," the Grand Admiral noted. That was an understatement. Molo wished he knew where Thrawn had gotten that information. Because such data had been purged from all archives—on Iceheart's personal order, as soon as she came to power in Imperial Intelligence. In that way, the strong-willed and cruel woman eliminated anyone who might somehow find a way to the Emperor. The fact of a personal meeting with the ruler of the Galactic Empire and a casually dropped phrase about "a typical appearance and durasteel in the eyes—that's what an intelligence operative should have, not a fleet officer" was enough reason to drastically change one's life. No one knew exactly who inserted special notes into the personal files of beings that Emperor Palpatine had taken notice of, indicating such events. But Iceheart, with the persistence of a maniac, for inexplicable reasons, reviewed and destroyed such personal files. And sometimes the people hidden behind them. For what reason she acted that way remains a mystery to this day. And not that little time had passed since her death. "How long did it take you and your men to take control of the Acclamator's bridge?"
"Four minutes, sir," he didn't even need to recall the information. How quickly he and his men, supported by marine stormtroopers, had boarded the pirate ship and effectively subjugated it, killing the entire watch and capturing the controls, had surprised everyone. And how biased Molo and his squad had been toward the idea of using plasma drills as boarding vessels! And here was the result, exceeding all expectations...
"I want to hear your authoritative opinion on the pros and cons of using these devices as boarding craft," the Grand Admiral said, his red eyes burning with curiosity.
"An unconventional landing method, sir," Major Himron admitted. "We moved very fast, experienced g-forces, but not critical. Penetrated the deflector shield. Cut through the hull as if it had never existed. The enemy clearly didn't expect us to succeed so easily. Despite their size and design, plasma drills are easy to pilot, maneuverable, and have high speed. During transit, not a single enemy shot hit the landing craft, and they were firing barrage at us. Life support systems worked at their limit, but due to the short flight time, we didn't experience significant problems."
"Yes, these craft are designed for just two or three beings," the Grand Admiral noted. "But we placed an entire operational squad inside. Would removing life support and inertial dampening systems allow more soldiers to be placed inside?"
"Of course, sir," said Himron. "But then they'd all die. Our sprint from the Chimaera's hold to the Acclamator's superstructure took just over two minutes. We were wearing standard gear, and during the flight we nearly froze and suffocated. If life support is removed, the troops would have to wear heavy armor designed for space boarding. Which means, due to the increased size of each trooper, very few fighters could fit inside."
"Do you recommend leaving the craft as they are?" Thrawn clarified.
"These machines are good," Himron admitted. "But we were facing pirates—an untrained, poorly armed mob. If we have to confront professional military, the number of deployed troops will be insufficient to capture a ship. After we kill or capture the bridge crew, professional counter-boarding teams will come for us. Without heavy weapons, we can't handle them. And since plasma drills aren't designed for detachment, the boarding party is doomed to either fight to the last, hoping for reinforcements, or die."
"If the crew of the ship you'll be boarding with plasma drills is minimal—what are your forecasts for our success?" Thrawn asked.
"How minimal, sir?" Molo clarified.
"No infantry units, no counter-boarding teams, the watch is extremely simplified," Thrawn said quickly. "We're talking about capital ships, Major."
Himron thought it over. He knew how to analyze risks and enjoyed it—it was part of the job on which any mission's success depended. After all, forward thinking determined a being's ability to foresee the consequences of its actions.
"We used five plasma drills to land inside the superstructure," he said. "Another five were sent to capture the engine room and reactor compartment. Total, fifty men in two minutes took control of the ship's command center and ensured we could move it under our control, but we're insufficient to maneuver or fight the enemy. Reducing the number of professional military personnel on the ship can be considered an equivalent to a larger number of less qualified pirates, so resistance would be roughly equal. If the time of capture isn't that important, I'd recommend decreasing the number of landing craft proportionally to the ship's defenses and size—or, conversely, increasing them. However, I must note that operating a capital ship requires specialized personnel. My people are capable of using the technical equipment on a larger number of ships—they're familiar with them through service. But sir, if we're talking about stealing ships under enemy fire, and with part of the crews still onboard—it will be necessary to include fleet specialists in the boarding and assault teams. Which, in turn, will reduce the number of operatives in the first wave. Consequently, I think it would be more correct to use actual landing shuttles for capturing capital ships—one such shuttle can transport a boarding party equivalent to several plasma drills at once. Or our boarding pods..."
"Which are mostly designed for attacks through docking ports," the Grand Admiral's lips curved into a smile. "No, Major, the speed of plasma drills powered by rhydonium is many times greater than that of our landing, transport, or boarding craft. And it's precisely this speed that allows us to deliver the necessary number of boarding parties to the target with minimal or no losses. You said your people can operate ships. Are they competent enough to take spacecraft out of their berths and direct them to a necessary location so that specialist personnel can be brought aboard via landing shuttles and transport shuttles?"
"Yes, sir," Himron said confidently. "If we know the exact parameters of the ships we're to board and extract from their berths—we'll do it. But, sir, my people are only enough to operate one large ship—and even then, we can hardly constitute a full bridge crew; we're simply too few. On the Acclamator, we had to wait for the arrival of fleet specialists from the interdictor cruiser Sentinel. Otherwise, our attempts to 'undock' the spacecraft would have resulted in death or heavy damage to both starships."
"Once reconnaissance on site is complete, you will receive all necessary information," Thrawn assured him. "And regarding numbers..." a smile played on the Grand Admiral's lips. "Haven't you obtained intelligence on exactly where the Chimaera is heading?"
"Sir, with all due respect, I do not apply professional information-gathering skills to the crew of the ship I serve on," Molo declared. "If that information directly concerned me, I would have been informed."
"Without a doubt," said Thrawn. "I am informing you now. We are heading to the planet Veylan, Major. There lies a secret treasury of Emperor Palpatine, which I intend to use to secure the victory I need."
Molo's ear was cut by how Thrawn emphasized his personal stake in the outcome of the confrontation with the Republic. Yes, in anyone else, that phrase could have been dismissed as a slip of the tongue, but coming from the Grand Admiral's lips—a man who won despite the actions of those who appointed him to that post—it sounded more than plain.
"You thought correctly, Major," Thrawn assured him. "My interests differ from the Empire's. I, like you, like everyone in my fleet, have been thrown to the front lines, like a bone to a nexu, in the hope that we would become a thorn in the New Republic's throat and it would die. This was done only so the scavengers could come and feast on its still-warm corpse. Therefore, I want to ask, Major—whose side are you on, if the choice arises between me and what the Empire represents?"
And what was there to choose? If he hadn't decided in advance, he wouldn't have ended up among those the Ubiqtorate sent to the Grand Admiral, essentially getting rid of them due to "presumed loyalty." Where would he go if he refused to serve Thrawn? Only a blaster bolt to the temple.
"Sir, I've already made my choice," Himron said. "My men and I are with you. Otherwise we wouldn't be on your ship."
"Excellent, Major," Thrawn smiled. "In some time we will arrive at Veylan, and I will share with you some secrets of what remains as our inheritance from Emperor Palpatine. For now, you should know two things. First. You and your men will be cloned. Repeatedly." It wasn't that Molo found this shocking, but he was surprised. He had heard that cloning was done on the planet Kamino in bygone years, but on the other hand, what prevented shipping the necessary equipment from there? In fact, it posed no danger to him or his men. On the contrary, first, it was flattering that they had been chosen. Second, it was clear why them—they were proven by deeds and loyal. In a personnel deficit, it's far more correct to surround oneself with copies of loyal people than with many who haven't yet proven their allegiance. "Second. I will need my own system of intelligence operatives, capable of carrying out any mission in any terrain. You and your men have proven equally effective both in space and on the ground. Therefore, you, Major, after the cloning procedure is complete, will lead this new unit." And that was damn pleasing. "It will consist of your clones, of course, and the loyal officers I have already selected. You will have to establish the structure and command hierarchy yourself. I am confident you will find common ground with them—later, I will explain the reason why no power struggle will occur between copies of the same being. You report directly to me. Additionally, I want you to put your rank insignia in order." Thrawn clicked a command plate onto the table in front of Molo. Five red squares arranged in a single row. Corresponding to the rank of Colonel in Imperial Intelligence. "Congratulations on your long-awaited promotion, Colonel Himron."
"Thank you, sir," Molo said, swallowing the lump in his throat, looking at the Grand Admiral. "My subordinates and I are ready to begin executing your orders, Supreme Commander!"
"Additional code cylinders with the information you need to continue your work will be given to you by me later," Thrawn said. "Study it and begin working. We don't have as much time as we'd like. And more must be done than one can imagine. First, I want to explain the importance of using plasma drills in upcoming operations. I'd like to hear your assumptions — why I'm using these specific installations for boarding, rather than using rhydonium to accelerate standard Imperial equipment."
"Plasma drills are trophies that wouldn't be a shame to damage by using that type of fuel, which destroys the propulsion system," the colonel assumed confidently. "With these devices, you plan to capture capital ships," Himron said confidently. "Most likely, these will be starships of Imperial design. Considering recent targets, I can assume you intend to increase the number of Star Destroyers under your command through boarding. Minimal resistance is expected because the New Republic uses a significant portion of its ships as transports with reduced crew complements and removed shipboard weaponry."
"Correct, Colonel Himron," Thrawn said, barely perceptibly smiling. "The first part of my plan concerning the 'diggers' you have stated perfectly accurately. In the Rugosa system, we conducted field tests of plasma drills operated manually by boarding troops. I am satisfied with the results. We will consolidate the success a little later, so that we approach the main operation of this year fully armed."
"Is there another purpose for using the plasma drills?" Molo clarified.
"Not one," Thrawn corrected him. "But in the final analysis, directly or indirectly, these installations will lead to a political crisis within the New Republic. And that's when the interesting part begins."