Nine years, four months, and thirty days after the Battle of Yavin…
Or the forty-fourth year, four months, and thirty days after the Great Resynchronization.
You can't deny the late Emperor that he loved to live in comfort.
Even if it concerned his own secret treasury.
Several dozen levels, packed with storage rooms filled not only with treasures — there were also jewels, works of art, statuettes, antiques, even a collection of lightsabers — but also with technological achievements.
Things that could bring the New Republic to its knees.
Things that could have crushed the Rebellion if Palpatine had even momentarily considered using Mount Tantiss in the fight against his enemy.
Standing on a small balcony, I admired the grim grotesque of the enormous cave. Once dark and damp, it was now filled to the brim with technological mechanisms, around which technicians from the Chimaera scurried, checking the operability of each sample. Each…
One by one, like grains in a stalk, twenty thousand Spaarti cloning cylinders nestled in the cave.
Rukh, squatting a few meters away from me, was playing with his throwing knife. Well, "playing" is not the right word… Sharpening it. A Noghri on assignment doesn't have free time for idleness. Only maximum efficiency.
And Rukh was on assignment.
The soft sound of quickly descending heels on the grated platform distracted me from contemplating the beautiful.
— Admiral, sir — Gilad Pellaeon appeared in my field of vision.
— Captain — I greeted him. We started today without meeting each other, so an exchange of pleasantries was quite appropriate. — Any news?
— Yes, sir — that was clear anyway — Pellaeon was practically glowing with happiness. — The lower level is like a labyrinth. We nearly lost seven teams of technicians before we understood what was going on….
— Not "like," — I remarked. — It is a labyrinth.
— Sir? — The commander of the Chimaera clearly hoped for an explanation.
— Captain, I don't particularly expect a positive answer, but I'll ask anyway — I looked at the officer. — Are you familiar with the name Garrbo V'Droz?
The middle-aged man (although, who here is young? Maybe only Rukh) shifted his uniform cap, scratching the back of his head, clearly going through names and events in his memory.
— No, sir — he replied after a few seconds. — Should I be?
— If you're not interested in architecture — then no — I said. — Garrbo V'Droz is one of the most extravagant and arrogant architects in the galaxy. He had a hand in many buildings in the Imperial Center. Of course, at that time, the planet had a different name, Coruscant.
— I'm from Corellia, sir — Pellaeon stated.
— But you grew up on Coruscant — I clarified, already acquainted with the captain's personal file. — However, don't think that this is a complaint, Captain. Not at all.
— Sir, what do the Imperial Center and this…
— Garrbo V'Droz — I reminded him. — It's simple, Captain. Garrbo V'Droz is the man who built most of the levels of Mount Tantiss.
— Well, I'll be — the man scratched the back of his head again. — I thought that this mountain had been filled with secrets for much longer, even during the Clone Wars.
— Yes, that's true — I agreed, pointing to the grotto. — Do you see how drastically different the designs of the central cloning level and the rest of the mountain are? There — something spacious, high ceilings, graceful rounded lines, a minimum of corners. And the rest of the mountain — is the characteristic Imperial design that appeared towards the end of the Clone Wars and finally took shape in the early years of the formation of the Galactic Empire.
— Sir, I'm far from being an expert in art — Pellaeon admitted.
"Yes, me too," I wanted to reply. But instead, I continued to recite what I had read in the files of the Mount Tantiss throne room. Yes, there is also a throne room here. Very, very similar to what I remember from the interior of the place of battle between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader aboard the second Death Star at the Battle of Endor.
— The Emperor hired Garrbo V'Droz to design the labyrinth on the lower levels of Mount Tantiss — I said. — When the work was finished, the Emperor executed both Garbo, who created this architectural masterpiece, and his brother, who worked as a foreman on this construction. And all this was done to keep the secrets of the mountain and the method of traversing the labyrinth a secret.
— Did you learn this from the Emperor's records? — Pellaeon inquired.
— This and much more — I admitted. — We really got our hands on a treasure trove, Captain. The problem is that most of the "treasures" are inaccessible to us until we deal with the labyrinth.
— However, we already have something — Pellaeon looked at the cloning cylinders. — Just think, twenty thousand cloning cylinders…, well, only sixteen thousand of them are in working order, but the engineers assure me that they will be able to restore the rest over time… when they figure out this technology. It's a pity that it will take us ten years to grow even one generation of clones in them. This Kaminoan technology is utterly insane. Some kind of pipes with liquids, hydraulics… To be honest, I thought that the cloners from Kamino were a more technologically advanced race.
— The Kaminoans are — I confirmed. — The problem with your indignation towards the inhabitants of Kamino, Captain, actually has no basis. These cylinders are not from there.
— Really? — Pellaeon frowned. — But it was Kamino that supplied clones for the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars. Isn't it the same technology?
— No — I replied. — These cloning cylinders were created by a very interesting enterprise, known during the Clone Wars as "Spaarti Creations". It was located on the planet… Come on, Captain, rack your memory. There was such a scandal.
— Cartao — Pellaeon uttered. — Yes, I remember. A production that could supposedly switch to the production of a completely different product than before within a day.
— Not within a day, but within a night — I clarified. — But otherwise, you are right.
— Then it's doubly unclear — Pellaeon said. — I remember there was a scandal that the Republic placed an order with Cartao to build cloning cylinders because they could allegedly create clones faster. But nothing came of it, as separatists landed on the planet after the Republic, who also needed this technology. A battle broke out, the Republic sent reinforcements, several Jedi. However, the Jedi failed to control the ship and crashed it, destroying "Spaarti Creations" until they could produce any product…
— That's all correct — I confirmed, remembering this story well. There was not a word about it in the Emperor's records here on Wayland. Which is not surprising — who would keep such damning evidence against themselves. — Except that there were no Jedi on that ship.
— Perhaps you are mistaken, Grand Admiral — Pellaeon perked up, probably thinking that he had caught me in a mistake. — I remember well — lightsabers were found at the crash site. The HoloNet was buzzing about it…
— And yet, that's not the case — I sighed. Why voice some details? Okay, I'm at least partly familiar with Palpatine's deeds from books. But if I tell Pellaeon — he will clearly grab his blaster. — "Spaarti Creations" managed to create cloning cylinders. Exactly twenty thousand.
— So, these are them — Pellaeon said in amazement.
— They are — I confirmed. — We have twenty thousand incubators at our disposal that can provide us with our own clone army in a relatively short time. A useful acquisition, I must say.
— But again, it will take time, years — Pellaeon said sadly.
— Not years — I clarified. — No more than a standard month — the captain followed my gaze, watching as technicians from the Chimaera placed ysalamiri cages near each unit. — Our little animals will help us here too. It is possible that we will get our clone army even faster than we thought.
— Well, that's how it is — the Imperial said meaningfully. — And I kept wondering why we had a whole hold full of them.
— It is possible that more will be needed — I said. — Much more…
— Do you think that those that remained on the ship will not be enough to protect us from this… C'baot? — Pellaeon did not hide his contempt.
— If not, we always know where to find more — I said.
— Sir — Pellaeon lowered his voice. — Are you sure that the deal with this C'baot is the right step? He's kind of… — the officer circled his finger at his temple. — Not quite normal.
— No, Captain — I replied. — The deal with C'baot is by no means the right step. But it is necessary to achieve a number of goals. And besides, our acquaintance is not C'baot at all.
Pellaeon's facial expression was something to behold. The officer was clearly struggling to prevent a nervous tic from starting.
— What? — he said in a choked voice.
— Jorus C'baoth is dead — I explained. — It's been… — oh, these dating systems. — Twenty-six years, if we ignore some liberties in the calculation.
— But… how? — Pellaeon almost dropped his datapad.
— Pay attention to how our ally introduced himself — I asked. — "Joruus C'baoth." He doesn't even pronounce his own name correctly. The real C'baoth led an expedition beyond the galaxy. The "Outbound Flight".
— I've heard about this Jedi initiative — Pellaeon frowned. — Half a hundred thousand beings, dissatisfied with the rule of the Galactic Senate, boarded a ship of unique design and set off beyond the galaxy with the intention of founding colonies. Back then, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine supported them.
— And Jedi Master Jorus C'baoth was for a long time a part of our Emperor's inner circle when he was head of the Republic. — But even then, the Emperor understood that the Jedi and their philosophy posed a danger to the galaxy. Therefore, he supported the project. About half a dozen Jedi Masters gathered aboard the expedition ships, not to mention the knights and so on. The expedition set off for the borders of the galaxy through the Unknown Regions.
— Only there's been no news from them since then — Pellaeon said.
— There is no one to send reports — I explained. — The expedition was discovered, intercepted, and destroyed. No one returned and no one continued on their way.
Pellaeon swallowed hard, looking intently at me:
— How do you know this, sir?
— I destroyed them — that's how you get the label of mass murderer. However, Pellaeon is not without sin himself — serving the Galactic Empire makes it difficult to keep your hands bloodless.
— Sir — the captain looked crushed. — Then who…
— Who is Mr. Joruus C'baoth? — I smiled. Gilad nodded silently. — Come on, Captain, think about it. A Jedi who died long ago appears on a planet where cloning technology is available…
— A clone?! — Pellaeon exclaimed in shock. — A Jedi clone?!
— Exactly — I confirmed. — Moreover, I'll say, it's not a fact that a Guardian of the Mountain even existed. It is likely that from the very beginning it was our friend C'baoth. And he has been serving here for a very long time — it is likely he was created before the death of the original Jedi. Or a little later. Yes, most likely he was the first one created in this cloning laboratory. In any case, I see no reason for the Emperor to create a Jedi clone who would compete with the Guardian. And even more so — to inform a clone of C'baoth of the coordinates of Wayland.
— Maybe C'baoth arrived on this planet himself? — Pellaeon suggested.
— And his ship evaporated? — I clarified. — No, Captain. No matter how much the rebels praise the Force and the Jedi, they haven't yet learned to fly between the stars. However, the essence of the dilemma "Was there a Guardian?" is not important to us. It's enough that we have what we have now.
— Sir — Pellaeon said carefully. — I'm not an expert in cloning, but I remember very well that there were clones, especially in the last year of the Clone Wars, who went mad. Psychologically unstable, emotionally unbalanced. Psychos, in a word. If C'baoth was not created using Kaminoan technology, then he might just be dangerous to everyone around.
— Yes, our dear "Master" has problems, that's undeniable — I agreed. — Over time, they will even progress — I think we will soon witness outbursts of rage, emotional resentments, paranoia, and other symptoms of disorders.
— And you are ready to entrust such a subject to manage the coordination of our forces? — Pellaeon was surprised.
— And do you have another trained Jedi with such talents in mind? — I asked. Pellaeon shook his head negatively. — That's what I thought — no. We'll work with what we have. And we'll work with great caution. You are effectively my deputy, Captain. Consider my request an order. But while C'baot is on board, you must be friends with the ysalamiri. Preferably with the entire bridge crew. It is unknown when our kind Master will want to reconsider the terms of our cooperation, but it will definitely happen. And no one knows what exactly he can do with the minds of our soldiers.
— There are more and more reasons to destroy him and not go to extremes — Pellaeon grumbled.
— He is needed for now, Captain — I remarked. — As soon as we learn to cope without him, we will solve the problem. We do not need unnecessary risk. But we can't do without him either.
— You promised him the restoration of the Jedi Order — Pellaeon frowned, to whom I had recounted the conversation with the clone during the survey of Mount Tantiss. — And you even named the pilot who particularly distinguished himself in the capture of the Lusankya…
— As well as the Errant Venture — I reminded him. — Yes, Corran Horn did a lot of harm to the Empire's cause. I think if we manage to deliver him to C'baot, or C'baot to him, we will at least get moral satisfaction from what our Master does to him.
Pellaeon shuddered.
— You are not going to allow C'baot to create an Order for real? — he clarified. — He is dangerous alone, and if he gets followers…
— It will be a catastrophe — I agreed. — No, if I wanted good for our dear "Master," I would have told him about Luke and Leia Skywalker. The latter, pregnant with twins, would probably make our ally worry. However, I will not hide it. The presence of Jedi on the side of the rebels gives them some advantages. Imagine how much we could advance in our cause if we had a person with C'baot's talents at our disposal, but absolutely faithful to the ideals of the Empire?
— I served side by side with the Jedi in the Clone Wars — Pellaeon admitted. — Among them, there were those who could be spoken of positively, but…
— That's all ancient history, Captain — I remarked, summing up the discussion. I've let my guard down. That's not good. I mustn't lose the image! Control! Control! — Is there any news from the Imperial Center?
— Strangely enough, yes — said the captain, handing me a datapad. — "Source Delta" sent another report. Encrypted, of course.
— Well, let's take a look — I touched the code cylinder containing my access codes to the device's receiver, activating the decipherer. As soon as the symbols on the screen changed to understandable writing, I delved into reading.
After a few minutes, deleting the message, I returned the device to the captain.
— Everything is going better than ever, Captain — I allowed myself a restrained smile. — We are informed that the rebels failed to conclude an agreement with smugglers for direct centralized supply of goods. Their logistics network is in decline. The commander-in-chief made an interesting decision — to disarm warships in order to increase the amount of usable space for cargo transportation.
— A stupid decision — Pellaeon stated. — Using the fleet as freighters is idiocy.
— And you expect genius solutions from yesterday's farmers? — I smirked. Pellaeon looked at me carefully. Damn. It seems I've lost the character again. Why didn't I take acting classes?! — Their rash decision will play into our hands.
— How? — Pellaeon asked in bewilderment.
— All in good time, Captain — I said. — Tell me, how are things going with the search for the technical schematics of the cloaking device generator?
— We found it — a smile appeared on Pellaeon's lips. — Schematics, several conditionally working samples. The technicians are still working on verifying their suitability for use, but I think it's a success.
— Undeniable — I agreed. — Send the data to the Chimaera, we will take them with us — it is necessary to test the technology in real tests. Have you found anything else useful?
— So far, that's all, sir — the Captain admitted. — But, the cloaking device generator… that's a huge success! We will be able to sneak up on the enemy and destroy its ships…
— No, we will not — I crushed the Star Destroyer commander's hopes.
— But why? — he wondered.
— Because it uses a substance known as "hibridium" at its core — I explained. — The cloaking device you discovered is Grand Admiral Martio Batch's first attempt to create one.
— I've never heard of this technology — Pellaeon admitted. — To be honest, I read that we found blueprints for camouflage devices that were used back in the Clone Wars.
— Unfortunately, according to the Emperor's records, that's not the case — I explained. — Martio Batch was an outstanding man. Talented and, at the same time, modest. While the Imperial court was mired in political squabbles, he distanced himself from it. For which he even received the had a significant drawback — when activated, the pilot of the ship saw nothing beyond the cloaking field. But the ship itself could not be detected. That is why the technology ended up in the hands of the Emperor and fell into the treasury — it has potential.
— Really? — Pellaeon remarked sadly.
— Yes — I confirmed. — When Grand Admiral Zaarin betrayed the Empire, he was engaged in solving problems with the shortcomings of the hibridium-based cloaking device. He managed to reduce power consumption and reduce the size of the installation, but he did not achieve a breakthrough in this matter. By the way, Zaarin owes his death to another drawback of hibridium — when trying to make a hyperspace jump, a ship with such technology on tears apart.
— And you know this? — Pellaeon clarified.
— Yes — I confirm with a barely noticeable nod. — After all, I destroyed Zaarin.
At least that's what was indicated in Palpatine's documents relating to information on cloaking systems.
The study was called "Project Vornskr". Its goal was to improve Batch's research. And Grand Admiral Zaarin was in charge of it. An outstanding engineer and inventor, he decided to betray Palpatine at one point. And that's why Thrawn was sent after him. The Chiss defeated Zaarin in a direct clash, after which he tricked the rebellious Grand Admiral into using a frigate called the Vornskr to escape. Demetrius Zaarin and his entourage fell for the trap. Striving to shake off Thrawn, they activated the cloaking device that equipped the frigate in order to jump into hyperspace and remain unnoticed. To their misfortune, Thrawn expected this step. He knew perfectly well that when trying to jump into hyperspace with the cloaking device activated, the entire ship would be destroyed. A simple, yet effective trap.
Palpatine, enraged by Zaarin's treachery, ordered the project to be shut down and all materials on it, without exception, to be destroyed. It is rather strange, given the fact that he kept Batch's findings. Although, according to the Emperor's records, before his betrayal, Zaarin did not achieve a great breakthrough. However, records and schematics for reducing power consumption and the size of the unit are still available. As well as instructions to the planet where hibridium was mined. Garos IV. This is important, as we will need a lot of raw materials.
The technologies that Pellaeon spoke about, referring to the experience of the Clone Wars, used stygium crystals as their base — and this allowed them to avoid adverse consequences, such as absolute "deafness" and "blindness."
But here's the problem — stygium is so rare and so expensive, and tons of this substance would be needed to produce a camouflage based on it, that, unfortunately, we can forget about the existence of this development option. We can't afford it right now. And by "we" I mean the remnants of the Empire, not specifically our fleet.
— Captain — I said, addressing Pellaeon. — Contact our fleet ships. When Mount Tantiss is operational, I want to see the best pilots, technicians, engineers, and soldiers here to create copies of them.
— Yes, of course, Admiral — the Imperial replied absentmindedly. — But… Sir, it is unlikely that the warehouses of the Imperial Space will be so full of equipment and uniforms. I am talking about stormtrooper armor. After all, it is almost not being manufactured now — the factories are under the control of the rebels.
— We will take everything we need — I said firmly. — Imperial property is on the black market, it is with the smugglers, and I am sure that there is something with Karrde as well. By the way, do we have the data from the beacons?
— They are still on Myrkr — Pellaeon stated. — The Dead Man's Hand and three Star Galleons are heading there for a new load of ysalamiri and can check…
Star Galleon-class frigate.
— Really? — I was surprised. — It's been eleven days, and they are still at their base? Interesting. No, tell Captain Harbadah to change course and head directly to Wayland. The ysalamiri that are on the Chimaera will be enough for the first time. We do not need to give our opponent more information for reflection than necessary.
— Do you think that the smugglers do not intend to leave the planet? — the Star Destroyer commander clarified.
— No — I stated confidently. — It's more like they found our beacons and left them for us to remember — glancing at the Noghri, I added:
— It seems, Rukh, that you are not as effective as I would like you to be.
— I will correct my mistake, our new master — Rukh readily stood up.
— Do you think I am so naive as to entrust a new task to someone who did not cope with the previous one? — I said in an expressionless tone. — No, let our scouts check it. As for supplies, Captain — looking at Pellaeon, I noticed that he was staring at the cloning cylinders. — Aren't there millions of sets of Phase II clone armor left in the warehouses?
— Yes, sir, of course — Pellon nodded. — They are in the strategic reserve warehouses…
— Which are located in the Deep Core — I concluded. Palpatine is well settled in. "All for me". — I don't think they will share them with us.
— And they are standard, designed only for one being, the donor of the clones of the Grand Army of the Republic — Pellaeon added.
— Of course — I agreed. — Well, there is a source for replenishing our army and fleet. Now let's take care of the rear, supplies, and… new ships for our fleet. Arrange a meeting for me with representatives of pirates, corsairs, and hijackers. We have a proposal for them.
***
Joruus C'baoth.
A mentally unstable Jedi clone who, even in his best years, was not particularly known for his patience and peacefulness.
A very dangerous resource. Very.
Going to Wayland, I convinced myself that I would use his services without revealing the secret that there are Jedi in the galaxy. Because it's dangerous — first of all for me. However, the only thing that could interest a madman is the legacy of the Jedi. Potential students.
And the worst thing is that I knew perfectly well what this clone was. And what would be the consequences of using it within the framework of the "Thrawn Campaign".
Destroying a city to kill him would be too reckless and stupid. In the known events of the Thrawn campaign, he played a significant role in tactical victories, but also caused a lot of problems strategically. Destroying it now — many of the episodes of the campaign that I know would have to be presented under a "different sauce". If it would be possible to implement them at all. And leaving him alive, allowing the situation to develop according to a known scenario — is reckless, if not stupid.
And it's not clear which of these options will be better.
That's why I started my own game, exposing not the strongest of the potential Jedi to attack. Yes, Corran Horn will become a very significant acquisition for the New Jedi Order created by Luke Skywalker. But it will be in the distant future. If it happens at all.
In the known events of the "Thrawn Trilogy," the Grand Admiral promised the madman to deliver the unborn children of Leia Organa-Solo so that he could train them. A decision that led to disaster. Because he used the Noghri for this. The very same Noghri who worshiped Darth Vader as their god and lord. Either Thrawn did not know that Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker were the same people, but at different periods of their lives, or did not know that Luke and Leia were his children. Or he did not guess about the almost supernatural ability of the Noghri to determine kinship by smell.
One way or another, but I will not give the Skywalkers to Joruus C'baoth on my own volition. This family is dangerous on the Dark Side — Darth Vader will not let me lie. And his grandson, the yet unborn Darth Caedus, who is also Jacaen Solo, is from the same mold. There is little that can cope with a Jedi, unless it is another Jedi. Well, or a Sith. I didn't have any of those at my disposal. I didn't want to send special forces and stormtroopers to be slaughtered. I didn't want to risk the Noghri going over to the enemy. It is necessary to track the movements of the Skywalkers across the galaxy and keep the Noghri away from them. That is the first thing. The second is to solve the problem with their planet. As far as I remember, the Empire, in order to keep the Noghri in obedience, promised to eliminate the consequences of the environmental crisis that had broken out during the Clone Wars due to the crash of a Separatist ship carrying poison on board onto the surface of Honoghr, the homeland of the Noghri. Darth Vader took advantage of the situation and made sure that the planet returned to its original form very slowly. And in exchange for food, medicine, and technology, the Noghri served the Empire as assassins and saboteurs. And certain prospects are opening up here.
However, let's get back to the Jedi.
I have certain doubts that the Skywalkers can be defeated at all without possessing the Force. I was spared from such a fate, and most likely, thank goodness. Because all these Force-sensitive people have their own ideas about the world around them. It's like talking to autistics. And there is no difference between Jedi and Sith — they are all equally out of their minds.
Distracting attention from Skywalker has another goal. If Thrawn had not started hunting for Luke and Leia Skywalker, the future Grand Master would not have met Mara Jade. If he doesn't meet her, he won't want to resort to her help. And if that's the case, then circumstances will not put her on the side of the New Republic.
For this and other reasons, no one sent Noghri to Bimmisaari to capture the Skywalkers. It's pointless. They will get out of it. And I will only reveal my interest in them and reveal to the New Republic the secret of the existence of the Noghri and their abilities. No, let them live. For now.
The idea of creating a Jedi Order loyal to the Empire is, I admit, intriguing. But it's unlikely it can be implemented under the leadership of Jorus C'baoth. Or rather, it is impossible at all. And certainly not at the moment. We need time, a more decent situation in the galaxy, and beings loyal to the Empire who can become mentors for young talents.
And therefore, this is not a decision for today. So, let's remember it, but postpone it from the list of short-term and necessary tasks.
It is necessary to solve a number of more urgent tasks.
For example, replenishing my modest fleet.
Well, well… Quickly got into the role of the real Thrawn. Well, so much the better. The main thing is to continue to control myself and not allow myself to relax. Failure will significantly shorten the term of my second life.
The door to my cabin slid to the side, letting Captain Pellaeon in.
— Sir — he addressed me. — The Dead Man's Hand has arrived. The specialists collected from all ships have been delivered to Mount Tantiss. As well as the temporary garrison of the base, together with all the necessary equipment.
— Excellent — I said. — Tell the commandant to start cloning operations. The more technical specialists we have, the better.
And it would be even better to clone one of the best, if not the best, Imperial pilot — Baron Soontir Fel. But there's a problem — this being is at the base of the Empire of the Hand on Nirauan. And to my great regret, or happiness, the coordinates of the Empire of the Hand are unavailable to me. I expected to find this data on Thrawn's code cylinders, but I was wrong. The Chiss did not entrust such data to any storage device except his own memory. Which I don't have anymore. It's a shame, of course. But who knows, if Thrawn's consciousness had survived, would my own have survived? Or, according to the laws of the genre of those who fall into other bodies, would we have become something new? No, thank you. I don't need other people's thoughts. Thrawn, though a genius, relied on the analysis of his own mind. His brains are mine. And, unlike him, I have knowledge of the future. An interesting option emerges — genius against mediocrity (what's the point of hiding it?), reinforced by foreknowledge. Let's see what comes of it. I can take a ship and fly far, far away at any moment. But we will save this option for the most extreme case. Not all is lost for me and the Empire. It's just that not everyone knows it yet.
— But we don't have ships for them — Pellaeon reasonably noted. — Sir, I doubt that the criminal rabble you scheduled a meeting with in the Pakuuni system will be able to get a fleet for us. Wouldn't it be better to try to negotiate with the military leaders in the Deep Core? Moreover, they have something to offer us. The same Phase II clone armor… On the black market, completely serviceable sets cost completely outrageous money. And we could save them by concluding an alliance…
"Let's just fly to Byss and swear allegiance to the resurrected Emperor Palpatine?" I wanted to answer. But it's better to keep quiet about this, otherwise Pellaeon, and other commanders, not to mention the Imperial Remnants, would actually rush there headlong.
— We are the Empire, Captain — I reminded him. — They are nothing more than rebels. Although they are of a different caliber than those who control Coruscant. An offer to join was made to them — they rejected it. I don't intend to persuade or ask anyone. In due time, we will deal with them too. And I will ask you not to raise this issue again.
— Yes, Admiral — Pellaeon said firmly.
For a while I stared at the monitor screen of my computer. Then I said:
— Contact our people in intelligence. I have a number of tasks for them.
— Ubiqtorate or…? — Pellaeon clarified.
— Our own fleet intelligence will be enough — I clarified. — How are the defense systems of Mount Tantiss doing?
— Three out of four reactors are in good working order — Pellaeon reported. — The fourth needs expensive repairs, but according to the commandant, three will be enough for normal operation. As soon as the stormtroopers from the Dead Man's Hand are unloaded, we can say that the mountain is completely under protection. However, I recall that you said that a legion of stormtroopers on the planet is a risk of exposure.
— On the planet, yes — I confirmed. — Stormtroopers and their assigned equipment, such as AT-ST walkers and speeder bikes, will be located inside the mountain. Our late Emperor kindly provided his treasury with shielding installations that protect against scanning. So we are not taking any risks here. But in case of an attack, a legion of stormtroopers and heavy equipment will provide sufficient resistance to any opponent to hold them until the main forces arrive.
— Sir, perhaps it would be better to use a regular legion, instead of gathering one from across the fleet? — Pellaeon clarified. — In fact, we deprived our troops of the best of the best…
— Did we really deprive them? — I asked, looking intently at Pellaeon. Come on! It's simple! Think about it! I told you everything on a silver platter at our last meeting!
— You are cloning them! — the captain of the Chimaera finally realized.
— Exactly — I confirmed. — Right now, we don't have a great need for ground forces. Therefore, we will first create technicians — we need a large number of specialists to win. That's why both the garrison and the technicians on Wayland are the best of what we have. They will work in Mount Tantiss, while serving as sources of genetic material for cloning. We don't have so many ships, even at first glance, useless ones, to send them across half the galaxy, sending more and more specialists for cloning. Let's optimize the work. We need technicians — we will have them. When it's time to increase the number of stormtroopers, we will tackle this problem too. But first, we should provide our clones with uniforms, food, and a place of service. Not to mention that we need a victory. We simply cannot defeat the rebels immediately, in one general battle — there are not enough ships. But at the same time, we can kill a krayt dragon by inflicting seemingly not the most serious, but blows. One, two, three — they will not destroy the New Republic. However, they will instill in the hearts of our fighters the confidence that we can fight. Summarizing all the above, I have defined our first, but far from last, goal.
Touching the computer keys, I projected a hologram of the star system under the ceiling.
— Sluis Van? — Pellaeon was taken aback. — This is one of the largest shipyards of the rebels. Not to mention that it is a sector fleet base! There are about thirty Mon Calamari star cruisers alone!
— That's right — I calmly noted. — Our intelligence doesn't get paid for nothing. Indeed, Sluis Van is a fairly fortified place. Like Fondor, like Kuat, like Sullust, like Mon Calamari, also known as the planet Dac. Not to mention the shipyards of a lower class. Only on Sluis Van, the homeland of the Mon Calamari, Dac, Fondor and Kuat, can the rebels build their line-class ships. And accordingly, they defend them thoroughly. That's why no one expects an attack on this planet.
— Admiral — Pellaeon said anxiously. — I dare remind you that we have only six Imperial-class Star Destroyers of the first and second modifications of your operational group under our command, three Imperial support ships, two Victory-class Star Destroyers, three Interdictor-class Star Destroyers, two Immobilizer 418-class interdictor cruisers, ten Strike-class medium cruisers, and Star Galleon-class frigates…
Interdictor-class Star Destroyer.
— Thank you for reminding me what kind of fleet I command, Captain — I said dryly. — If you intended to compare our combined forces with the rebel sector fleet at Sluis Van, then let's immediately remove the Star Galleons from the equation. They are just armed freighters, albeit capable of fighting off pirates on their own. But not from Mon Calamari star cruisers, which are able to duel an Imperial Star Destroyer on equal terms.
Pellaeon looked embarrassed, obviously realizing that he had forgotten himself somewhat. But I will not stop "taking him to the cleaners".
— Also, let's not forget that the design features of the Immobilizer 418-class interdictor cruisers do not allow it to resist the threats of light ships and small aircraft that the rebels love to use so much — I continued. — And its frankly weak armament during the operation of gravity well generators is almost completely deprived of energy due to the fact that all of it goes to power the four generators.
Immobilizer 418-class Interdictor Cruiser.
— Sir, I… — he tried to say something in his defense but was shamelessly interrupted.
— As a result, in a battle with a sector fleet, we can use without looking back at the enemy only nine Imperial-class Star Destroyers of the first and second model, two Victory-class Star Destroyers, three Interdictor-class Star Destroyers equipped with gravity well projectors and capable of participating in a full-scale battle, and ten medium cruisers, which combined are unlikely to reach the firepower of a couple of Imperial Star Destroyers — I caught myself starting to get wound up and adding my irritation to my voice. Damn it, what a way to start the morning with a forced march! — Did I miss anything, Captain?
— No, sir — Pellaeon swallowed hard. — I apologize, Admiral, I forgot myself and…
— Apologies accepted, Captain — I said dryly. — But I won't deny that there is a grain of truth in your words.
The captain stood motionless.
— What do we know about the rebel fleet? — I asked a rhetorical question. — Surprisingly — quite a lot. Or, if you look at it from the other side, on the contrary, very little. But, let's turn to the information from our intelligence — I found the appropriate file on the computer and displayed it as a holographic projection.
— At the moment, the New Republic Defense Fleet, as they call themselves so majestically, consists of four regional fleets, with headquarters on Kashyyyk, Elom, Bothawui, and Anaxes. The latter is the home fleet, protecting the Coruscant sector. And we cannot cope with it with our current forces. But the other three… Despite the fact that most of the rebels are from backwater worlds, there are a lot of traitors from our ranks among them who, one way or another, helped to establish order and centralization in the ranks of the enemy. We know that until the occupation of Coruscant three years ago, the main tactical trick of the enemy was based on the flexibility of operational units — so that it would be possible to move them between huge spaces. This is not the Imperial fleet in its heyday when each sector had its own fleet, sufficiently combat-ready and autonomous. The rebels have to resort to the tactic of defense nodes. They have headquarters for each of their fleets, then create a smaller regional base on some planet and move smaller tactical formations there, such as squadrons or combat groups. Such an organization creates the appearance of protecting territories in a given quadrant of the galaxy. If something happens, several ships will arrive from the regional base to properly defend the independence of the attacked worlds — I shared generalized information from the imperial archives. Indeed, there is a lot of interesting stuff there! It is a pity that there are only twenty-four hours in a day and one cannot spend a lot of time studying this information treasure. And I also had a suspicion that very few people use this data. — Consequently, the structural organization of the enemy has vulnerabilities. Not only tactical and strategic. But also moral and ethical.
— I don't quite understand, sir — Pellaeon admitted. — How do moral standards relate to warfare?
— For us — not at all — I assured him. — An order is an order. For the New Republic, which is already barely holding on, it is very important to keep up the image of fighters for democracy and other ideals of the Old Republic. Imagine what will happen if, say, a hypothetical enemy finds itself in some rebel system. The condition is that there is no fleet of its own in this system.
— They will send a request for help to the nearest base — the Captain of the Chimaera gave a reasonable answer.
— Exactly — I nodded. — Moreover, they will respond in proportion to the threat, otherwise the rest is meaningless. The hypothetical enemy will destroy too weak an operational unit, and too strong a unit is a waste of resources. But let's get back to the conditions of theory. One system is attacked and the first enemy battle group rushes to its rescue. Then, in the area of responsibility of the same regional base, another planet is attacked. What will the rebels do?
— They will send reinforcements again — Pellaeon said confidently.
— And so on — I didn't bother with the details. — Each new attack is another reinforcement. But in the end, what will remain at the base itself?
— Orbital defense platforms, possibly some forces for patrolling, ships under repair — Pellaeon began to assume.
— Or undergoing disarmament — I clarified.
— The rebels intend to use their warships as transports! — Pellaeon exclaimed.
— Yes — I calmly agreed. — A system of convoys. It is clear that they will not disarm all the ships — only some of them. The goal of our intelligence is to find out which ones. Our retreat at Obroa-skai has instilled in them hope that the Empire has been broken. And they are desperately in need of economic recovery. Interstellar trade will give them the necessary funds to repair and modernize their ships, not to mention building new ones. And our primary goal is to prevent them from strengthening their armed forces.
— By attacking Sluis Van? — Pellaeon asked a rhetorical question.
— Yes — I confirmed. — As you rightly noted, our fleet is not the largest. It's not within our power to crack Dac's defenses — there are too many Mon Calamari star cruisers there. It's the same with Fondor. The Kuat sector is simply teeming with its own fleet, including Executor-class dreadnoughts. So Sluis Van is our most optimal of the unacceptable goals. The rebels use this planet's shipyards to disarm their ships. The planet itself is an important transportation hub in this part of the galaxy. Just look at the fact that the rebels are actively flirting with local species, the Sluissi, to ensure their loyalty. Once, only Dac and Sluis Van could provide our opponent with line-class ships. With the addition of other planets, in particular the Kuat sector, the significance of the Sluissi for the rebels has fallen. Using their world as a transport artery should increase their importance in the eyes of the Sluissi for the government on Coruscant. And therefore, our blow will be strong enough not only to shake the rebel fleet, but also to make the locals think about the question - did they do the right thing by changing their loyalty to the Empire for the unfulfilled dreams of democracy.
— Do you hope that the Sluissi will become loyal to the Empire? — Pellaeon asked incredulously.
— I intend to take action to that end — was the answer he received. — We do not have so many shipyards of the same class as on Sluis Van. Not to mention that the dry docks there allow repairs to be carried out in a significantly shorter time. For example, Sluis Van's orbital docks of type V-475.
Sluis Van Orbital Docks of type V-475.
— As far as I remember, the Sluissi build them only for themselves — Pellaeon said.
— Exactly — I agreed. — Their dry dock technology is especially good. A confined space in which a Mon Calamari star cruiser, or an Imperial Star Destroyer, can comfortably fit. It is enough to secure the ship in special devices and fill the dry dock with air, which will allow you to work without special equipment. You understand, such an approach allows repair crews to operate not in zero gravity and in spacesuits, but in more comfortable conditions of normal breathing and without constraints. The speed of repairs increases. And this is in our favor. We need this.
— In other words, we are only targeting damage to the rebels, not the Sluissi shipyards? — Pellaeon clarified.
— The latter cannot be the case — I said sternly. — Everything we destroy will potentially have to be restored by us. And unnecessary expenses will also affect the mood of the Sluissi.
— Don't you want to punish them for betraying the Empire? — Pellaeon was surprised.
— There are too many traitors, Captain, to waste our already limited resources on that as soon as we declare ourselves as a reliable force capable of resisting the rebels, and most importantly, providing shipyards and factories with orders, even Kuat will think about whether it is worth returning to the fold of the Empire.
— An unusual approach — Pellaeon admitted. — The Empire kept everyone in fear and in an iron fist for a long time.
— Perhaps that's why the Rebellion arose? — I asked. — The Empire brought the galaxy the stability that did not exist under the previous government. But, like any other political regime, the New Order is not without its drawbacks. Our task is to learn from the past and not allow a repeat of the mistakes of the past.
— I understand, Grand Admiral — Pellaeon straightened up.
I also made conclusions.
— Inform our scouts that we need a number of additional elements — I said. — Otherwise, the success of the operation on Sluis Van will be in doubt. The first of these are stand-alone geological drills. I heard there are plasma drills developed by Slayn & Korpil on the planet Nkllon. And also, a lot of interesting things. For example, a large amount of rare-earth minerals needed for the construction of starships. Inform Captain Brandee that the Reclaimer needs to be prepared accordingly for the upcoming mission.
— Yes, sir — the Star Destroyer commander saluted, leaving my cabin.
As soon as the door closed behind him, I allowed myself to relax, leaning back in the chair. For a while I examined the three-dimensional map of the Sluis Van system. Nothing outstanding, nothing remarkable. Except for the planet and its shipyards.
Even the source of resources for these production and repair facilities is external. That is, the occupation of the Sluis Van shipyards with the aim of using them also implies the presence of a source of materials for the operation of slipways and docks. And it must be quite close, otherwise we'll have to transport resources — parts, ore, and materials — across half the galaxy. Which is expensive and inefficient.
Under such conditions, kicking Lando Calrissian out of the planet Nkllon, which is rich in minerals but too dangerous due to increased radiation, is not the worst idea. It's one thing to overcome two or three, or okay, five sectors, and another thing to overcome a couple of hundred. But again, these are the prospects of our attack on Nkllon. The tactical gain is of a completely different kind.
There was a very good opportunity to destroy the Skywalker family by provoking an attack by my agents on this venerable group on Bimmisaari. As in the events I know, they would be afraid for the unborn twins. And if they weren't afraid, the attack could be repeated. And it didn't necessarily have to be the Noghri. One way or another, the Skywalkers and Han Solo would have ended up at the mining company on the planet Nkllon, owned by Lando Calrissian. And if desired, they could be destroyed by one orbital bombardment, but…
Again, we must take circumstances into account.
Nkllon is located too close to its star, and the radiation, and also the radiation of the star, can literally bake a Star Destroyer in its own juice. Staying there for a long time, even taking into account the available protection, is not appropriate. Using a slow ship for protection is a very bad option. Safe — yes. But during the time it takes to seize the necessary starship, to jump to the planet itself, the beings at the enterprise can not only prepare for the attack but also hide what they have. We will do with a simple robbery. Even if the equipment gets damaged.
The second and main reason why it is necessary to keep this family alive is Emperor Palpatine. In the events I know, only the Skywalkers (according to the laws of the genre, who would doubt it) were able to destroy both the resurrected Emperor and his armada. And if I didn't particularly grieve about the first, then the second one… Hundreds of ships, many of which are Super Star Destroyers… And all of them are destined to die in the finale of the resurrected Emperor's campaign. Very, very sorry.
In the Emperor's personal chambers inside Mount Tantiss, I found a lot of interesting things. Obviously, Palpatine didn't particularly think through the computer protection of his data since any information chip could be removed from his vast collection and read on any datapad.
Some of them could have been used now — and then the New Republic would have fallen without my direct participation. But again — who would then stop the cloned madman? And I'm not talking about Joruus C'baoth. Palpatine will possess enormous resources — just look at the technical data of the ships that were being built for his personal fleet. And it immediately becomes clear that Thrawn himself would hardly have been able to defeat this man and his supporters.
It is curious that in the imperial armed forces, the construction of a large number of ships was not a particular secret. They even appear in specialized directories with approximate tactical and technical characteristics. However, it seems that none of the Imperials ever asked the question: "And where did all this wealth go?".
It's hard to imagine that a good dozen, if not more, different Super Star Destroyers, if they had been destroyed by the rebels, would not have thundered in their motivational and populist speeches. But no, no one really set out to find these ships. On the construction of which years and billions were spent. It's simply impossible not to notice such expenses!
Or was it asked after all?
It is very curious that a significant part of such starships disappeared from the galaxy just after the Battle of Endor, when the mess of war of some imperials with others began, known as the Imperial Civil War. Most likely, given the size of the galaxy, they were considered destroyed, without going into details.
And very much so, because some very, very remarkable ships disappeared — and not just disappeared, but I even suspect where they settled.
For example, the Procursator-class Star Destroyers. After rummaging through my memory, identifying the name of the ship with analogs from my native language, I did not find a translation. Shame. Okay, we'll remember it as Procursator.
One kilometer and two hundred meters long, which is shorter than the standard Imperial Star Destroyer. Three axial linearly elevated turrets with main caliber artillery. Unfortunately, Palpatine's files did not indicate the number of guns in each turret, but I can assume that each of them has from four to eight — the standard completion of turbolaser turrets in the Imperial fleet. In total — from twelve to twenty-four heavy turbolasers. Plus eleven batteries of heavy turbolasers, spread across the hull and sides. To provide energy for all this good — a solar ionization generator under the bottom. Not the most powerful ship, I must admit — there are more guns on Imperial-class Star Destroyers. Probably… It would also be good to know how many guns on the Procursator are in each battery… But, one way or another, this is a rare "beast" — again, if you believe the data from the treasury… An unknown number. At first, I didn't even believe my eyes. Data is missing. Although there is a similar certificate for the very same Imperial-class Star Destroyers. Data on outfits, supplies of building materials — for each ship. And there, for a moment, more than twenty-five thousand of them have been built in almost thirty years of the existence of the Galactic Empire. And this is only the number of ISDs, without taking into account other types of ships.
Most likely, only an experimental batch was built, after which it was decided not to develop the project. But I'm ready to bet that since these ships are not in the galaxy, neither in the Empire, nor in the New Republic, all these ships are now serving in the defense fleet of the planet Byss, hidden and securely guarded in the Deep Core. The secret residence of the resurrected Emperor Palpatine… A place that one should avoid like the plague.
Procursator-class Star Destroyer.
Or, for example, a modular task force cruiser. Created by Tagge Industries Limited Shipyards. Given that a high-ranking officer with the last name Tagge served on the Death Star, one could assume that nepotism is the reason for everything, but this will remain a secret. All those who, one way or another, could reveal the secret of why the Imperial fleet would hold a competition for the construction of this type of ship in the presence of hundreds of types of highly specialized starships have already died in one way or another. The only sensible idea is precisely the creation of a model type of ship that is capable of performing various missions. Very convenient — one ship, and it can be a hospital ship, a prison ship, and a reconnaissance starship — just change the huge modules with the necessary personnel and equipment inside. Given that in the fleet of the Imperial Space and other fragments there are sometimes medical ships from the time of the Clone Wars, if not to say that even older, it becomes clear that the modular cruiser project either did not find great popularity among imperial naval commanders, or is in a place where I don't particularly want to appear before the bright eyes. What is strange is that there is no mention of the armament of this ship, or the "stuffing" of the modules. As well as the number of ships built, contract data… It's as if such data is missing altogether. Strange.
Modular Taskforce Cruiser.
And then…
And then it gets just scary. And I'm not kidding.
Length — seven thousand two hundred meters. Classification — "Fast Dreadnought". Type "Bellator". Created based on the concept of Executor-class dreadnoughts built on Kuat. Smaller than its predecessors, less armed, but much faster than Executors, Super-class ships and all other ships classified as "dreadnought" or "Super Star Destroyer." What is noteworthy — there is not a word about its armament. Even in Palpatine's files. And I'm starting to suspect that it's not for nothing.
But if this doesn't seem enough to make sweat break out on your forehead, how about the fact that the number of ships built is also classified? Even for Imperial intelligence. Even for Ubiqtorate. There is simply the fact that this type of ship existed and does exist. Yes, it was developed before the first of the Super-class ships was laid. And that's it, accept it. There is not even a technical task. No approximate characteristics, nothing. Only the length…
And so that I wouldn't relax at all, Ubiqtorate reports contain information that the rebels have at least one such ship in their arsenal. One starship with more power than my entire fleet… And there is no word on how much more. But even from the schematics it is clear that the number of turbolaser turrets alone is comparable to what is on my nine Imperial-class Star Destroyers. Not to mention that there are batteries, launchers of proton torpedoes or concussion missiles. Apparently, someone worked very hard to ensure that data on ships, each of which is head and shoulders above not only the main line starship of the Empire but also the New Republic, did not end up in the public domain. I should be careful to ask Jorus C'baoth if any of those who came for the Guardian of Mount Tantiss before me had managed to get inside. Because the fact that there is no data on such types of ships in the Emperor's personal treasury is very, very strange. While the technical specifications of the very same Executor are available. Start building tomorrow, at least. If there was a place and money. Lots of money. A lot of money. Given that billions were spent in the heyday of the Galactic Empire with excellent logistics and thousands of worlds supplying resources to perfectly equipped shipyards, it is not surprising that no one among the Imperial Remnants is now trying to build even one Super Star Destroyer. They simply do not have the means for this.
Bellator-class Fast Dreadnought.
Well, let's move on to the next file.
"Super Star Destroyer type 'Vengeance'".
Am I surprised that again I haven't really found anything? Neither data on the armament, nor on the speed of the ship, nor on the number of crew members, air wing, and so on. There is simply a file with the name and a visual picture.
Vengeance-class Super Star Destroyer.
It raises no more doubts. The files have been purged. Roughly, they probably worked in a hurry — which is not surprising, given the fact that the mad Joruus C'baoth could be following on their heels. They did their best — they destroyed what was of the greatest interest — technical details. You can look at a three-dimensional copy of the ship as much as you like, but you won't get real data, even if you're seven feet tall. Starships could have undergone upgrades, could have undergone updates, additions, or, conversely, partial disarmament.
The same information about the Eclipse-class and Sovereign-class Super Star Destroyers equipped with an axial superlaser that is hardly weaker than those used on the Death Star is completely missing. Which is not surprising, considering the fact that the Eclipse was or will be Palpatine's flagship next year. A simple and effective procedure for covering up tracks. So that no one — even allies — knows exactly what Palpatine has at his disposal. Apparently, after the Grand Admirals died, the remaining military men became so eager to tear each other's throats that they didn't even notice how half the fleet, if not more, disappeared.
No, a little more and I will actually start thinking that all the Imperial armed forces were under Palpatine's control until the Battle of Endor, when his death forced the Imperial troops to just pitifully fight off a handful of enemy ships. Then why doesn't he do it again if he has already resurrected? He could easily make himself known to the whole Empire, and they would have followed him. Hmm… it's probably somehow connected with the document scrubbing in the treasury.
Data on the Executors was either not removed in time, or, conversely, they didn't try. The type of this starship is well known and has been in sight of millions of beings. Surely the New Republic has data about it, and did so before they captured the Lusankya. No, I'm ready to bet that Palpatine's henchmen helped to remove data from the imperial and personal archives of the Emperor about ships that have great destructive power. But they served somewhere far from the places of deployment of the main forces of the Imperial Fleet.
And the question immediately arises — if the files in the Emperor's personal collection were altered, then maybe there is a copy of them somewhere else?
For example, the notorious "Caamas Document" — a list of Bothans who deactivated the planetary shield and allowed the Imperials to arrange a demonstrative extermination by means of orbital bombardment on the heads of the local population. It is in Palpatine's personal treasury. And it is available to Grand Moff Ardus Kaine. True, judging by the fact that he has not yet brought it to light, the head of the Five Star Commonwealth either does not know of its existence in the Imperial archives on Yaga Minor or decided to save it for better times. The publication of this document now would lead to the collapse of the New Republic. Because the Bothans play an important role in it. And given their natural desire for power, I am sure that they are aiming very high. One of the rebel fleets is based in the sector known as the Bothan Space, by the way. This is known and not particularly hidden…
Here it is!
Deployment locations!
This is what I need to know in order to understand how large the fleet of the resurrected Emperor is. At least approximately.
The Imperial archives should contain data on the bases of all ships without exception. Who is included in what fleet, battle group, squadron. Who reports to whom, where was repaired, what sums were spent on it, and so on. The Empire clearly keeps its accounts and archives, therefore, by excluding from the total number of known ships of the Imperial fleet those who were guaranteed to be destroyed, those who were captured by the rebels, those who are serving in various Imperial Remnants, we will get at least approximate data on what forces the resurrected Emperor has. I am sure that no matter how many servants Palpatine has, who are now operating secretly, they could not have searched and corrected all the archives without exception. As far as I remember the well-known events, the archive on the planet Bastion was considered the most plausible. Even the rebels tried to get in there to get data on the unaltered copy of the "Caamas Document". But here's the problem… Among the available list of planets, there is not a single Bastion. At all. Neither in names nor in conditional designations.
Bad. We will have to think about how to understand the enemy otherwise. To fly to Byss and ask Palpatine directly is the last resort. I need to get out of it myself.
It seems that I need trusted people from Imperial Intelligence. A group that could sift through the archives, compare the data, and provide an extract. I can't do everything myself. I simply do not have enough time both to fight and to dig in the papers. All my free time is spent studying Imperial tactical schematics, data about past battles and campaigns. What other Imperial military men studied for years, I will have to grasp in a matter of weeks.
The beginnings of a global plan began to form in my head.
With very difficult conditions.
Because I will have to allow the New Republic to survive now so that Palpatine does not seize the galaxy a second time. Let the "script" work.
However, in order for Palpatine not to be able to call me into his service, or crush me in case of disobedience, I do not have so many options.
Regardless of how well I know future events, if I do not want to end up on Palpatine's laboratory table, I will have to make sure that the New Republic wins.
This is just pure mathematics. Palpatine actually has more followers. All the reserves of the Deep Core are at his disposal. The military leaders who fled there left with their fleets, and these are thousands of warships of various classes. While all of Imperial Space has at most two or three thousand, and that's if we consider ships of antiquity from before the Clone Wars as ships.
And he will literally start his campaign in six months. Even if I fall on the Imperial flag, in six months it is impossible to defeat the New Republic and build an armada capable of fighting what the resurrected Emperor has acquired for himself. It remains only to allow the New Republic to defeat me so that this serves as a "script" and brings Palpatine out of the shadows, forces him to rush at the New Republic headlong. And then, the traditional Skywalker luck will work.
But even if I lose, Palpatine will still call me to him — the original Thrawn was held in high esteem by him. The only reason why the Grand Admiral did not join the troops on Byss that I can think of is Palpatine's desire to use resources to prevent the New Republic from consolidating while he gathers an armada around him.
Quite… logical. Died, resurrected, watches how and what his subordinates achieved in his absence, chooses those who are the best. The rest will either join themselves, or be destroyed by the New Republic. Or by someone else.
It's funny… I can't go to Palpatine — they'll see through me.
I can't warn the New Republic — they won't believe me.
I can't make an alliance with them — they'll execute me. But first, they won't believe me.
Running is pointless. Palpatine will turn the whole known galaxy upside down, but he will find and kill me. And living in fear is not my thing. How long will it take for the New Republic to defeat the maniac and his henchmen? A year? No, it seems like a year and a half or even two. This is a sufficient period of time for someone from the crew of the ship to betray me or for trackers to get on the trail. Unless…
Hmm…
Interesting thoughts. And sad ones.
It is impossible to allow Palpatine to reign over the galaxy because he is insane. Only those who have at least an approximate number of ships can defeat his armadas. Namely the New Republic and its allies. The Emperor himself can only be destroyed with the help of a "cheat" — the "Skywalker couple".
It turns out that, one way or another, I need them all alive.
But no one needs me alive. Because the New Republic will not stop chasing me until it destroys me, as soon as they attack them. And the attacks are already underway — let it be raids, but still. The beginning has been made and there is no turning away from it. It is a game of survival — either I win or they win.
Thrawn is a hero and a genius in the eyes of the Imperials and the Empire. For Palpatine, however, he is now just a consumable. A gasket needed to weaken the enemy before the grand triumphant return.
And from all of the above, it turns out that in order for the New Republic to defeat the resurrected Emperor, in order for the events I know to happen, I need to lose…
Moreover, to die.
Well, that's just great.