Intermediate results (III)

"Message received from outpost NL-1," reported Pellaeon. "The commandant confirms that Yazuo Vayne arrived on schedule."

"Unexpectedly punctual for him," I remarked, genuinely surprised. "What does our esteemed pirate have to say?"

"He's asking for the return of his crew," Pellaeon replied as I stepped away from the computer. "He delivered twelve Tartans."

"Their condition?" I inquired.

"They're still undergoing inspection," the captain admitted. "It will take about a week to ensure there are no hidden surprises or defects on the ships."

"Indeed," I agreed. "We certainly wouldn't want to discover a bomb near the reactor. Now, we know Mr. Vane's base is no more than two or three days from our outpost, and that his gang consists of at least 120 members—the minimum crew required to ferry each ship."

"True," Pellaeon acknowledged. "Are you planning to attack him?"

"For what reason?" I asked, puzzled.

"He's selling us ships that were originally ours," Pellaeon reminded me. "You mentioned that such actions should be punished."

"Of course," I agreed. "That's why our medium cruiser is en route to secure the Empire's property. Additionally, it will persuade Mr. Vane to proceed to the Tangren shipyard, where we are heading. We will have another task for him. Depending on the condition of the ships his group offers, we may even compensate him, to encourage continued cooperation. By the way, contact our base on Lainuri—have them send one of the minelayer cruisers with prisoners to Tangren. Inform Nemesis of the same coordinates for the rendezvous. Also, notify the captain of the Judicator and the commanders of the three cruisers sent to the Sluissi sector. Our next phase will begin here."

"Understood, sir," Pellaeon responded. After a brief pause, he asked, "Admiral, have you ever moved an orbital station through hyperspace before?"

"No," I admitted. "And you, Captain?"

"No one has," the Chimera commander replied. "I'm not entirely convinced that all this tinkering with installing a navigation computer, a backup hyperdrive, and propulsion, maneuvering, and braking engines from the MC30s will justify the time spent."

"The absence of a result is still a result," I remarked, drawing on a bit of wisdom from pulp fiction in my native universe. "We just need to confirm that it didn't work—if it doesn't, of course."

"Sir, I'm not sure the rebels will buy into this ruse with the asteroids thrown from orbit and the debris of the captured orbital station scattered across the surface."

"Not stolen, but captured, Captain," I corrected. "Feel the difference between a crime and the spoils of war. Whether they believe this little show or not is irrelevant—the key is to keep the Besh group's capture of more asteroids than were dropped on the planet a secret. Then, we won't have to revise the next part of my plan."

Judging by Pellaeon's expression, he wanted to ask, "What plan?" But I wouldn't divulge its true nature. Let him believe our actions are solely aimed at weakening the New Republic, as they should be.

"Sir," Pellaeon persisted. "Should the commander from the Filve system be reprimanded?"

"For what reason?" I inquired.

"He violated orders and instead of sending the Carrack to Bilbringi, he diverted to the Ord-Pardron system with incomplete crews on two damaged ships!"

"And in doing so, helped us capture another escort frigate," I noted. "Such initiatives shouldn't be punished; rather, this promising young man deserves a reward. Commend him, express gratitude on my behalf, and... transfer him to command the captured Carrack."

"Decommission a medium cruiser commander and assign him to a light cruiser? Wouldn't that be a punishment, sir?" Pellaeon asked, surprised.

"Not if it's done with official encouragement," I explained. "Those among our officers with sufficient insight will understand the underlying message. As for those who are less perceptive… well, they won't last long at this pace. By the way, any news from Lieutenant Colonel Astarion?"

"No, sir," Pellaeon shook his head. "They're still en route, expected to arrive tomorrow."

"Good. Inform the Bilbringi shipyard to begin repairs on the captured transports as soon as they arrive," I ordered. "At the Tangren shipyards, we'll repair six of our Strikes, one Carrack-class light cruiser, two Nebulon-B escort frigates, and one Mark I assault frigate... a solid addition to our fleet, wouldn't you say, Captain?"

"Considering the eleven Tartans and the DP-20 Corellian frigate we've acquired, we practically have our own light forces fleet," Pellaeon noted. "But we'll be tied to the shipyards for at least a week to troubleshoot all the systems on all ships."

"I'm aware, Captain," I said. "That's why we're relocating our operation to the planet Hypori. It will benefit our plans. Contact the Noghri and give them the order: 'Proceed to Hypori, identify the assembly lines for battle droid production, and send a detailed report on all activities on the planet.' This will keep them occupied while our fleet is under repair. And the very act of relaying my order will remind them that their errors haven't gone unnoticed by me. Oh, and about mistakes. How's our esteemed master?"

"He's in his cabin," Pellaeon answered. "Recovering after the operation."

"So we can't rely on him for some time," I interpreted Pellaeon's last remark. C'baoth wouldn't interfere for a while, but we shouldn't delay addressing his needs either.

"Inform the Ubiqtorate command that I'd like to meet with them," I instructed. "That's all, Captain. You're dismissed."

Saluting, Pellaeon left my cabin, leaving me alone once again.

Tangren is a rocky, inhospitable planet in the Morshdine sector of the Outer Rim, located in grid square O-4 on the military coordinate map.

But that's not the main point.

Shortly before Thrawn was granted full rights as Supreme Commander, a Corellian "partisan" named Garm Bel Iblis, once a senator of the Old Republic, paid a visit to this system. He destroyed one of the Ubiqtorate bases on the surface, greatly angering Imperial Intelligence, who despise suffering losses outside of their operations. What infuriated the Imperials even more was that the planet was guarded by three Imperial-class Star Destroyers at the time. Yet, they were powerless to prevent the attack or retaliate. I intended to use this fact to my advantage, naturally for my own purposes.

But first, I had to determine who exactly I wanted to engage in this war.

The former senator was highly respected among the Corellians. He led the Corellian cell of the Rebellion and was one of the ideological pillars of the rebels. Palpatine tried to eliminate him, but only succeeded in killing Bel Iblis' family, driving him into the shadows where he launched an armed struggle against the Empire. At present, he commands a small army and navy, which greatly offended our intelligence operatives. As I recall, he now operates from a base on a remote planet and acts independently, having had a falling out with Mon Mothma, the nominal leader of the New Republic, whom he accused of trying to seize power as Palpatine once did.

Bel Iblis' actions have led to the fortress planet Tangren, already equipped with three Star Destroyers and a dozen planetary garrisons with seemingly impregnable fortifications, drawing additional fleet forces for its defense. Now, ten Star Destroyers of various classes and up to fifty warships of other classes are stationed there.

This is justified, as Tangren also hosts an orbital shipyard where ships can be repaired, and if resources were available, a few more could be built. But there are neither resources nor money for that... and the local inhabitants, the planet's indigenous population, were exterminated by the Imperial moff to prevent an uprising. So, no one will be working for free.

The Ubiqtorate controls everything on Tangren, including the covering fleet. They might be interested in hunting Garm Bel Iblis, but only if I'm granted additional ships from their fleet. In any case, according to the events I'm familiar with, Tangren fell after Thrawn's death. And those starships will be destroyed by the New Republic—not without Bel Iblis' involvement, by the way.

Hunting the former senator will serve several purposes.

First, it will build bridges between me and the command of the Imperial intelligence agencies, as I can help them exact revenge and restore their "face." Formally, I have access to any resources of the Empire, but this is where things get tricky. Just as I can "formally" request assistance or even order support from any part of the Imperial bureaucratic-military machine, they can "formally" respond with delays or denials. This was evident when my request for Imperial Intelligence agents was met with a referral from the Ubiqtorate and the dispatch of an ISB officer. I wasn't particularly impressed by this response. I could, of course, issue a direct order, but in a society where every significant officer or civil servant is practically their own master, such actions wouldn't be effective. Negotiation with each individual is necessary. And the best way to "build bridges" is through mutual benefit: "I'll do something useful for you, and you'll do something useful for me." Mutual responsibility ensures efficiency—when each party gains a certain advantage.

I don't need a counterintelligence agent for field operations. And an ISB specialist is like comparing a battleship to an Acclamator: not the worst, but definitely "could be better." In a galaxy this vast, there's always something useful a person can do—especially a specialist in "personnel control." A dedicated security service is essential, and the task I gave Lieutenant Colonel Astarion will serve as a test to determine if we can work together effectively, or if his assignment to my command will be a burden for both of us.

Now, more than ever, I need additional personnel, especially field agents and analysts from Imperial Intelligence. The naval intelligence team I have is competent—they deserve credit for quickly gathering information on Nkllon. Of course, they had a little help from me, directing them where to look, which minimized the search time. Still, much precious time has already been lost. While I was "going with the flow," trying to come to terms with my fate or figure out how to navigate the genre's constraints, a lot of water passed under the bridge. Now, I need to make up for lost time and set several chains of events in motion to execute each part of my survival plan.

Building a relationship with Imperial Intelligence, for instance, can benefit me both immediately for short-term tasks and later for strategic victories. The only question is whether they'll even agree to cooperate. The Ubiqtorate is the brain of the organization, the ones who set the tasks. They never reveal their identities, and field agents don't even know them by sight. Very few can claim to have that kind of luck. But they can't refuse a meeting with a Grand Admiral, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Empire. At least, they shouldn't. To show goodwill and encourage closer cooperation, I might even offer them the Golan II, provided the station doesn't fall apart in hyperspace or at least arrives in more or less one piece.

Secondly, there's Bel Iblis' fleet. Currently, it consists of three Dreadnought-class heavy cruisers. Or is it six now? I can't quite recall, but the exact number isn't crucial—the important thing is that he has them. And these aren't just ordinary dreadnoughts from Rendili Starships, the kind the Rebel Alliance turns into makeshift Mark II attack frigates. No, these starships are far more valuable. They are part of the "Katana fleet"—a long-lost collection of ships built fifty years ago in an attempt to rebuild the Old Republic's fleet. The crew of the flagship succumbed to an epidemic, went insane, and ordered the entire fleet to jump into hyperspace. Given that the fleet had advanced automation, requiring only a fraction of the usual crew—just two instead of nearly twenty thousand—this is a significant asset. The former senator himself doesn't know where these ships are; only two people in the galaxy have that information: Talon Karrde and the captain he once served under, Hoffner. The latter actually sold Iblis six dreadnoughts and, if I recall correctly, is now squandering the money in some casino on an oceanic planet. If I knew which one, things would be much simpler. But we must work with what we have.

There's a risk that Karrde, who has an excellent memory, might sell the ships to the New Republic, but he wouldn't do so without securing a profit for himself. He still deludes himself into thinking he's neutral in the galactic conflict. Noble altruists don't become smugglers. If they do, they quickly find themselves entangled with princesses from dying planets, losing the romance of their former lives to the harsh realities of family life. But there's also the possibility that Karrde might hand the ships over to the New Republic if pressured enough—just as he did when, in the events I know of, the hunt for the Claw began. As a result, some of the dreadnoughts—several dozen—fell into enemy hands, including Bel Iblis'. That's why I have no intention of pursuing the smuggler king just yet. For now, my dealings with Mara Jade don't pose enough of a threat to his organization to provoke him into selling the ships to my enemies, thus jeopardizing his own interests. Karrde won't sell the ships recklessly, knowing that doing so would draw unwanted attention from both Imperial and New Republic intelligence—either side would extract the information from him, and he'd miss out on the profits. He's no fool and won't pass up what he wants as long as there's a chance to get it. Therefore, my approach will be pragmatic—we'll locate Captain Hoffner first, obtain the coordinates of the "Katana Fleet" from him, secure nearly two hundred dreadnoughts (while not on par with Star Destroyers, still formidable against medium and some large warships), deal with Bel Iblis' fleet, and only then begin the active phase of dismantling Karrde's reputation and organization.

Thirdly, Bel Iblis will play a significant role in the New Republic's future conflicts with its enemies. Thanks to him, the rebels will claim many victories—making him a dangerous opponent for me. I don't need talented adversaries. Yes, his death would weaken the New Republic, but by how much? It's not easy to say. When one leaves, another takes their place. The rebels never seem to run out of commanders—anyone brave enough is given the title of "general" and expected to perform miracles. Thus, the fate of the former Republican and Imperial senator will depend on how well I can negotiate with the Ubiqtorate. If they're satisfied with simply defeating Iblis, that's good. If they demand his head, that's less favorable. But those are no longer my problems.

** One of the leaders of the Rebel Alliance, Garm Bel Iblis **

Fourth: The former commander of the ship where Karrde served remains elusive, and finding him on my own would be a lengthy process. It's better to let more skilled and intelligent people handle that task. I'm confident he'll agree to cooperate, even if it requires considerable effort on my part. I need distribution channels for the goods seized in the Crondre and Ord-Pardron systems—items we don't require for ourselves. The haul is substantial, of course—arms, medical supplies, even provisions. Light equipment like several dozen speeders, uniforms, computers, holoprojectors, consumables, ground-based gun emplacements, generators, building materials, and even service droids and astromechs, from which a wealth of information might be extracted. Some of these items will undoubtedly fetch a good price on the black market, boosting my financial reserves. After all, I can't be certain of receiving any substantial aid from the Imperial Remnants, or if "those drowning must save themselves."

Additionally, the Imperial tendency to hoard supplies has become almost a running joke. I'm not about to grovel or beg like a vagrant pleading for a coin to buy a bottle of liquor. It's undignified, and the situation is far too delicate for that. My requests need to be framed differently, or else the person I'm negotiating with will perceive weakness in me. And once that weakness is recognized, they'll inevitably exploit it. That would be... very unfortunate.

Therefore, I need an independent supplier who can distance themselves from me for a time. I suspect that Niles Ferrier and Yazuo Vane—renegades by nature—will soon be associated with a rogue Imperial fleet operating against the New Republic. Eventually, they may be hunted—by Karrde, for instance, when his time comes. And it surely will. But this must be handled delicately, avoiding any missteps that could backfire. Alongside official resources, there must be unofficial ones—the more, the better. When one door closes, another often opens.

Captain Hoffner might not be as valuable a resource as I'd like to believe, but he's certainly better than nothing. However, obtaining his services will come at a cost—and likely a steep one. Unfortunately, my finances are tight—barely sufficient to maintain the fleet. Even so, I require new funding sources. The option of "trading trophies" may suffice for now, but it's a risky long-term strategy that could prove disastrous.

Despite the potential risks of exposure, it's essential to at least attempt closer cooperation with the Ubiqtorate. I'm not satisfied with mere formalities—no offense to Lieutenant Colonel Astarion. I need their resources, and I have something valuable to offer in return—achieving my goals will further my own plans. If I intend to succeed, I need professional spies and saboteurs. Naval special forces and intelligence officers won't suffice here—in the events of the Thrawn Trilogy, they were... lacking.

It's unfair to demand skills from the military that they were never trained to possess. I'm also keen to avoid repeating the mistakes from events I'm familiar with. The Noghri might be suitable, but using them without caution is out of the question—unless I want a knife in the back.

I need more strength, and I will obtain it. At the same time, I'll assess which officers in the Imperial Navy are worthy allies and who should be dismissed before things get serious. While there's still time, I must increase my own power.

However, there's always the chance that the Ubiqtorate will be "too busy" to assist. In that case, I'll need to seek allies elsewhere within the Imperial military apparatus.

Or, as with General Maximilian Veers, perhaps I should "bring back into the fold" those who have lost hope in seeing anything within the Imperial Navy that even vaguely resembles the old Empire. Mara Jade, for instance, is likely returning to the Imperial camp—of course, her motives and loyalty will need to be scrutinized. Not just her loyalty to the Imperial Navy or the remnants of the Empire, but to me personally. Resources that aren't aligned with my goals and plans are unreliable and short-term. They must be handled with great caution.

In any case, there are options. And they all need to be pursued—not sequentially, but simultaneously.

For that, I need people.

The circle is complete.

I leaned back in my chair and sat in complete silence for several minutes. Closing my eyes, I tried to clear my mind. I needed rest. Everything I could do at this moment had been done. Now, it's the enemy's move.

Perhaps I should have devoted more time and attention to defending the planet Lainuri—after all, it's my base of operations. Unfortunately, the means for planetary defense are currently nonexistent—no planetary shield generators, no anti-orbital weapons, no space mines—nothing at all. Just a few ships patrolling the orbit, ground squadrons, a garrison of army units and stormtroopers, a reflective shield to prevent bombardment from the surface, and that's it—our entire defense system. Unless the installation of the V-150 Planetary Defender ion cannon, captured in the Crondre system, manages to bolster the already stagnant defenses typical of Imperial planetary bases. But it will be some time before the base personnel can make use of this weapon for our purposes.

Hmm... Secrecy is our best defense. As long as the base's location remains unknown, it's effectively protected. After all, the galaxy is filled with countless poorly explored, forgotten, or deliberately erased planets. In this regard, I find myself akin to Garm Bel Iblis—his base, too, relies on its hidden location for protection against large-scale attacks. At least, that's how I remember it... My memories don't preclude the possibility that the Corellian may have taken additional precautions for his safety. He certainly has more resources than I do. I wish I knew where he's getting them...

Hmm... Again... What if the former commander of Karrde's ship resold more than just the dreadnoughts from the "Katana Fleet"? Perhaps, for Bel Iblis, he serves the same role I envision for him in my plans—a supplier of military goods? If that's the case, they must have an established line of communication.

Even if this dreadnought dealer only sold dreadnoughts to the Corellian, there must be some form of contact between them—some means by which buyers and sellers notify each other about the availability and desire to acquire goods. I hadn't considered this angle before, but it's a promising way to flush Bel Iblis out of hiding.

In the events I'm familiar with, after the attack on the Ubiqtorate base on Tangren, he retreated to his unknown planet, negotiating with the Bothans in an attempt to secure as much power as possible within the New Republic by reintegrating Corellia into the reformed Rebel Alliance. Given Bel Iblis's reputation, his support for the Bothans could prove pivotal in the battle for leadership within the nascent state. Ousting Mon Mothma from her position in the New Republic's leadership would shake the Skywalker family's influence and that of their allies. This, in turn, would complicate the restoration of the Republican Jedi Order.

And the fewer trained Jedi my enemies possess... The easier it will be for me in the future. After all, in this galaxy far, far away, Jedi are the ultimate, almost unstoppable weapon. If I had five or six C'baoths, imagine how effectively I could operate.

The only problem is that even one deranged master is already a significant challenge. It's only a matter of time before he snaps. Cloning him is dangerous. We can manage one—especially since he currently doesn't fully grasp how his abilities were restrained. However, I wouldn't be surprised if he suspects. He could be a clone. Maybe a maniac. Perhaps a madman, but his intelligence remains intact—especially when he touches that medallion. I wonder what sort of item it is that allows him to focus. Is it a fragment of the real C'baoth?

But all this is mere speculation.

I returned my attention to the monitor.

As I've mentioned, the Imperial archives are a goldmine of information, neatly organized for any competent person with the appropriate clearance to study.

Although, I wouldn't say that information about the technology of the separatist army and navy is particularly secretive. There are still those alive who have encountered them firsthand. Captain Pellaeon, for instance.

However, the inhabitants of this galaxy have a certain inertia in their thinking. For example, the creators of the TIE-series fighters borrowed the idea of hanging their small craft from the hangar ceiling—rather than neatly arranging them on the flight decks—from the separatists. It's actually quite convenient—saving space on the "ground" while significantly speeding up launch times. After all, there's no congestion in the hangars.

Yet, it still puzzles me why the Galactic Empire abandoned the concept of a droid army. The reason for giving up Jango Fett's clones is clear—within a few years of the Clone Wars ending, a revolt broke out on Kamino, the planet that produces clones. The uprising was brutally and bloodily suppressed. Additionally, cloning on Kamino is prohibitively expensive—I felt a twitch in my eye when I saw old reports indicating a cost of one hundred and fifty thousand credits per clone. That's the price of a high-end fighter, or even a luxury yacht. But not a human clone. Yes, they're trained for war, grown in vitro, equipped, and conditioned to fight for their master. But still... one hundred and fifty thousand credits is one hundred and fifty thousand credits. Not to mention the decade required to produce a batch of clones. It's simpler and cheaper to train a stormtrooper—take a farmer from some remote planet and, in six months, transform him into a soldier who can fight as well as, if not better than, a clone. However, it's all a matter of resources. We're short on both time and money.

Returning to the topic of droids—the official conclusion from Imperial experts is that a droid army is cost-prohibitive due to the substantial expenses involved. The figures are so large that they resemble a string of zeros without any ones. Downsides include the potential for reprogramming and limited battery life. Droids with their own reactors are even more expensive, and so on. I'm convinced that, after seeing the projected expenses, the Imperial High Command decided that training stormtroopers was more economical—thus, there's no place for droid soldiers, and live pilots continue to fly fragile ships that can be downed with just a few hits. The cost was the primary consideration.

Nevertheless, there are many abandoned projects that could be put to use.

Take buzz droids, for example.

** Buzz droid **

Four kilograms of pure aggression and a relentless drive to destroy anything that doesn't resemble Separatist equipment or is identified as a "hostile target." In its dormant state, it resembles a metallic sphere, roughly a quarter of a meter in diameter, equipped with all the necessary tools to breach hulls, disrupt communications, and sabotage other systems. These droids are highly effective at disabling enemy fighters.

What's intriguing is that the Empire discarded this technology after the Clone Wars and seemed intent on erasing its existence from memory. The criminal underworld, however, took a different approach.

The Zann Consortium deployed these buzz droids to counter enemy starfighters—be they from the Hutts, the Imperials, or the Rebels—and they did so with remarkable skill. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of reports detailing the extensive damage one of these droids, or even a small group, could inflict. Yet, the Empire showed little interest in harnessing this potentially invaluable technology.

And it is undeniably valuable. These droids can neutralize enemy fighters efficiently, regardless of the model. The only requirement is to provide them with the schematics of the target ship. They will then carry out their task with ruthless precision, dismantling attacking enemy vessels swiftly and economically.

Given how much the New Republic relies on its X-wings and other starfighters, this technology presents a formidable means of undermining their military prowess.

The only drawback is that these droids were manufactured exclusively on the planet Colla IV by a company known as the "Colicoid Creation Nest"—or "Creative Nest of Colicoids," depending on the translation. The nuances of translating from the Colicoid language aren't crucial here; what matters is that the concept is clear.

As far as it's known, the Colicoids are not aligned with the Empire. The New Republic also doesn't seem to have any close ties with them. The reason for this estrangement is simple: Colicoids consume all organic matter. On their home planet, they have little choice of diet, but they are voracious eaters. Several diplomatic missions from both powers have already been received by them. The outcome was a mutual decision to maintain a hands-off approach. It's curious that the Empire didn't attempt to obliterate them with orbital bombardments. There were likely significant reasons behind this decision.

Nevertheless, a dilemma remains.

Buzz droids are an incredibly appealing technological asset. But on the black market, they come with a hefty price tag—around fifty thousand credits per unit. And there's no guarantee that the droid is even functional. But the potential is tantalizing... Acquiring a few samples for study and conducting field tests would be invaluable. If they prove to be as effective as I imagine, a whole new realm of possibilities could open up.

Another fascinating aspect of the post-Endor history of the Galactic Empire involves the fragmented data on the military leader Zsinj, painstakingly reconstructed. Some of the territories that were once under his control, after the death of a Rebel officer in orbit of the planet Dathomir, have reverted to Imperial Space. A considerable number of ships and their crews have now, in one way or another, returned to Imperial service. The security service has conducted an exhaustive investigation to gather as much information as possible about Zsinj's activities and his subordinates.

There were genetic experiments on non-humans, although unfortunately, there are no laboratory records—only mentions of the fact itself. But even this is promising.

There's also evidence of programming non-humans from the Twi'lek species to respond to specific code signals. Again, the details are sparse. It's only known that Zsinj almost succeeded in decimating the upper echelons of the New Republic's command in this manner. Fascinating.

Hmm... It's less than I'd hoped to find. But Zsinj was clearly a highly capable organizer. Just glancing at the list of high-ranking officers who served under him reveals that he managed to create a state where neither duty nor loyalty held any real significance. He had access to excellent resources and a substantial financial base during a time when Imperial Space was struggling and nearly depleted. That's why a temporary alliance was formed with the New Republic to defeat Zsinj and seize control of his worlds. The campaign didn't go entirely as planned—while a significant portion of the territories ended up under New Republic control, it wasn't necessarily advantageous for them. Many planets that were once under Zsinj's rule declared their neutrality. Only the poorest, with nothing to offer, gravitate towards the New Republic, but they drain its resources. Not to mention the dual allegiance situations, like on Garos IV, where the same planet pledges loyalty to both Imperial Space and the New Republic. It's a farce, really.

Zsinj constructed a system that was, on one hand, effective—protection in exchange for taxes and goods. This arrangement kept his fleet and forces in a state of readiness. On the other hand, this barter system fueled envy among the Imperials. Zsinj's insatiable ambition to acquire as much territory and power as possible, to prove his superiority, ultimately led to Republican attacks, as Zsinj didn't hesitate to raid their territories. His excessive ambition, coupled with arrogance and utter disregard for the enemy, was his downfall. It wasn't just reckless risk-taking; it was outright contempt for his foes. The moment you underestimate your enemies, you become the fool.

Considering the Rebel Alliance's victories, they at least deserve respect. A single tactic may work on them once, perhaps twice, or even three times. But they learn. They evolve their military-industrial complex and tactical expertise. And when it comes to long-term strategy, even at the risk of their entire state's existence, they have proven themselves highly capable.

So, what's my point?

Zsinj and his military leaders managed to uncover the locations of several Rebel units and bases, and they struck, destroying the Rebels' resources and materiel. And, as I recall from the X-wing series, Zsinj didn't achieve this solely through the efforts of scouts and spies. He wasn't above using various "dirty" tricks.

I see no issue with adopting someone else's successful tactics if they help me achieve my desired outcome. After all, the hit-and-run tactics developed by the Rebels for their starfighters and bombers are just as effective when adapted for use by fleet battleships. Considering that I unabashedly employ the strategies of the original Thrawn, as I know them, there's no reason not to utilize others that don't belong to the illustrious Grand Admiral.

The key is to ensure that the enemy doesn't realize they're being outmaneuvered with their own strategies. To achieve this, these tactics need to be presented in a different form, with a different pretext.

In the meantime, I should delve into what Imperial Intelligence has uncovered about parasitic droids. It's time for Project Morrt to be resurrected.