The Hidden Tiger (II)

Joruus C'baoth.

A clone of a Jedi, known for his lack of patience and tranquility even at his peak, represents a highly volatile asset.

En route to Weyland, I resolved to employ his services while keeping the existence of Jedi in the galaxy a secret. It's a perilous truth, especially for me. Yet, the one thing that might capture the attention of this eccentric was the Jedi's heritage—prospective apprentices.

And the worst thing is that I knew perfectly well what this clone was. And what will be the consequences of its use as part of the Thrawn Campaign?

Destroying the city to eliminate him would be too reckless and foolish. In the events of Thrawn's campaign that I'm aware of, he was pivotal in tactical victories but also brought about many strategic issues. Eliminating him now would mean that many of the campaign episodes I'm familiar with would need to be reinterpreted, if they could be implemented at all. However, allowing him to live and letting the situation unfold as per a known scenario is equally reckless, if not foolish.

And it is not clear which of these options will be better.

This is why I initiated my own strategy, not exposing the most powerful potential Jedi to danger. Indeed, Corran Horn would be a significant asset to the New Jedi Order established by Luke Skywalker. However, this is an event for the distant future, if it occurs at all.

In the events of the Thrawn Trilogy that I know of, 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 Noghri for this. The same Noghri who worshiped Darth Vader as their god and master. Either Thrawn did not know that Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker were the same people, but at different periods of their lives, or he did not know that Luke and Leia were his children. Or perhaps he had no idea about the almost supernatural ability of the Noghri to determine kinship by smell.

Under no circumstances will I surrender the Skywalkers to Joruus C'baoth willingly. This family's connection to the Dark Side is perilous—Darth Vader's legacy is testament to that truth. And his grandson, the unborn Darth Caedus, aka Jacen Solo, is from the same mold. Few can defeat a Jedi—except perhaps another Jedi, or a Sith. I didn't have any of those at my disposal. I had no intention of deploying special forces and stormtroopers for a massacre. Risking the Noghri going over to the side of the enemy is the same. It is necessary to track the Skywalkers' movements throughout the galaxy and keep the Noghri away from them. This is the first one. The second is to resolve the issue with their planet. As far as I remember, the Empire, in order to keep the Noghri in line, promised to eliminate the consequences of the environmental crisis that erupted during the Clone Wars due to the fall of a Separatist ship with poison on board on the surface of Honoghr, the homeland of the Noghri. Darth Vader took advantage of the situation and made sure that the return of the planet to its original form was very slow. And in exchange for food, medicine, technology, the Noghri served the Empire as killers and saboteurs. And here certain prospects open up.

However, let's return to the Jedi.

I have some doubts that the Skywalkers can be defeated at all without possessing the Force. I was spared a similar fate, and, most likely, thank God. Because all these Force-sensitives have their own ideas about the world around them. It's like you're having a conversation with autistic people. And there is no difference here between the Jedi or the Sith—they are all equally shell-shocked all over their heads.

Distracting attention from Skywalker has another purpose. If Thrawn had not started the hunt for Luke and Leia Skywalker, the future Grand Master would not have met Mara Jade. If he doesn't meet her, he won't be inclined to seek her assistance. And if that is the case, then circumstances will not put her on the side of the New Republic.

For these and other reasons, the Noghri were not dispatched to Bimmisaari to apprehend the Skywalkers. It is pointless. They will escape. 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 skills. No, they shall live. For now.

The idea of creating a Jedi Order loyal to the Empire is, I admit, intriguing. But it is unlikely that it can be accomplished under the leadership of Joruus C'baoth. More precisely, it is completely impossible. And certainly not at the moment. It takes time, a more decent situation in the galaxy and intelligent people loyal to the Empire, capable of becoming mentors for young talents.

And therefore, this is not a decision for today. This means we'll remember it but put it off the list of short-term and necessary tasks.

A number of more urgent issues need to be addressed.

For example, replenishment of my modest fleet.

There it is... I quickly got used to the role of the real Thrawn. Well, so much the better. The main thing is to continue to control yourself and not allow yourself to relax. Failure will quickly shorten my second life.

The door to my cabin slid aside, allowing Captain Pellaeon inside.

"Sir," he said. "The Death's Head has arrived. Specialists collected from all ships were delivered to Mount Tantiss. As well as a temporary garrison of the base along with all the necessary equipment."

"Great," I said. "Tell the commandant to begin cloning operations. The more technical specialists we have, the better."

Better yet, cloning one of the finest Imperial pilots, Baron Soontir Fel, would be ideal. However, the challenge lies in the fact that he is stationed at the Empire of the Hand's base on Nirauan. And unfortunately, or fortunately, the coordinates of the Empire of the Hand are not available to me. I expected that this data was on Thrawn's code cylinders, but I was wrong. The Chiss did not trust such data to any data storage device other than its own memory. Which I no longer have. It's a shame, of course. But who can say? If Thrawn's consciousness had endured, might mine have as well? Or perhaps, in keeping with the genre's conventions of body transference, we would have merged into something entirely new. No thanks. I don't need other people's thoughts. Thrawn may be a genius, but he relied on the analytics of his mind. His brains are mine. And, unlike him, I have knowledge of the future. An interesting option emerges—genius versus mediocrity (what is there to hide?), strengthened by after-knowledge. Let's see what comes of this. You can take a ship and fly far, far away at any time. But we will save this option for the most extreme case. All is not lost for me and the Empire. It's just that not everyone knows about it.

"But we don't have ships for them," Pellaeon noted reasonably. "Sir, I doubt that the criminal rabble you are planning to meet in the Pakuuni system is able to obtain 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 armor of the "Phase-2" clones... On the black market, completely indecent amounts of money are required for fully serviceable sets. And we could save them by concluding an alliance...

"Let's immediately fly to Byss and swear allegiance to the Reborn Emperor Palpatine?" I wanted to answer. But it's better to remain silent about this, otherwise Pellaeon and other commanders, not to mention the Remnants of the Empire, will really rush there headlong.

"We are the Empire, captain," I reminded. "They are nothing more than rebels." Albeit of a different caliber than those that hold Coruscant under control. An offer to join was made to them—they rejected it. I do not intend to beg or ask anyone. In due time we will deal with them too. And I ask you not to raise this issue again."

"Yes, Admiral," Pellaeon said firmly.

I stared at my computer monitor screen for a while. Then he said:

"Contact our intelligence personnel. I have a number of tasks for them."

"Ubiqtorate or...?" Pellaeon clarified.

"Our own naval intelligence will be enough," I clarified. "How are things going with the defense systems of Mount Tantiss?"

"Three of the four reactors are in good condition," Pellaeon reported. "The fourth one needs expensive repairs, but according to the commandant, three will be enough for normal operations. Once the Death's Head stormtroopers disembark, it can be declared that the mountain is fully secured. However, I remember you said that a legion of stormtroopers on the planet is a risk of exposure."

"On the planet, yes," I confirmed. "Stormtroopers and their associated equipment, such as AT-ST walkers and speeder bikes, will be located inside the mountain. Our late Emperor kindly equipped his treasury with shielding installations to protect against scanning. So, we don't risk anything here. But in the event of an attack, a legion of stormtroopers and heavy equipment will provide sufficient resistance to any enemy to delay them until the main forces arrive."

"Sir, perhaps it would have been wiser to utilize a regular legion instead of assembling one from across the fleet?" Pellaeon suggested. "Indeed, we may have denied our troops the very best."

"So, they were deprived?" I asked, looking closely at Pellaeon. Come on! It's simple! Think about it! Yes, I told you everything on a silver platter during our last meeting!

"You clone them!" the captain of the Chimera finally realized.

"That's right," I confirmed. "Right now, we don't have much need for ground troops. Therefore, we will be the first to create technicians—to win, we need a large number of specialists. This is why both the garrison and the vehicles on Weyland are the best we have. They will work in Mount Tantiss while also serving as sources of genetic material for cloning. We don't have that many ships, even seemingly useless ones, to drive them across half the galaxy, sending more and more specialists for cloning. We optimize work. We need technicians—we will have them. When the turn comes to increase the number of stormtroopers, we will also deal with this problem. But first, we need to provide our clones with uniforms, food, and a place of duty. Not to mention we need a win. We simply cannot defeat the rebels at once, in one general battle—we do not have a sufficient number of ships. But at the same time, we can kill the krayt dragon by inflicting not the most serious blows on it. One, two, three—they will not destroy the New Republic. However, they will instill confidence in the hearts of our soldiers that we can fight. Summarizing all of the above, I have identified our first, but not the last goal."

Touching the computer keys, he projected a hologram of the star system under the ceiling.

"Sluis Van?" Pellaeon was taken aback. "This is one of the largest rebel shipyards. Not to mention, this is a sector fleet base! There are about thirty Mon Calamari star cruisers there!"

"That's right," I said calmly. "Our intelligence doesn't get paid for nothing. In fact, Sluis Van is a fairly fortified place. Like Fondor, like Kuat, like Sullust, like Mon Calamari, aka the planet Dak. Not to mention shipyards of a lower class. Only on Sluis Van, the homeland of the Mon Calamari Dak, Fondor and Kuat, can the rebels build their battleships. And accordingly, they are thoroughly protected. That is why no one expects an attack on this planet."

"Admiral," Pellaeon said with concern. "I would like to remind you that we have only six Imperial-class Star Destroyers in the first and second modifications of your task force, three Imperial support ships, two Victory-class Star Destroyers, three Interdictor-class Star Destroyers, two cruisers- a minelayer of the "Immobilizer 418" type, medium cruisers of the "Strike" type with ten pennants, and frigates of the "Star Galleon" type..."

** Interdictor-class Star Destroyer **

"Thank you for reminding me of the kind of fleet I command, captain," I said dryly. "If you were going to compare our combined forces to the rebel sector fleet at Sluis Van, then let's take the Star Galleons out of the equation right away." They are just armed freighters, albeit capable of fighting off pirates on their own. But not from the Mon Calamari star cruisers, who are capable of dueling on equal terms with an Imperial Star Destroyer.

Pellaeon looked embarrassed, apparently realizing that he had forgotten himself somewhat. But I won't stop "removing shavings" from him.

"Also, let's not forget that the design features of the Immobilizer 418 class minelayer cruisers do not allow it to withstand the threats of light ships and small aircraft that the rebels love to use," I continued. "And its frankly weak weapons during the operation of the gravitational funnel generators are practically devoid of energy due to the fact that all of it goes to power four generators."

** Interdictor (Interceptor) cruiser of the "Immobilizer 418" type ** 

"Sir, I..." he began, attempting to defend himself, but was rudely cut off.

"In total, in a battle with a sectoral fleet, we can use, without regard to the enemy, only nine Imperial-class star destroyers of the first and second models, two Victory-class star destroyers, three Interdictor-class star destroyers, equipped with gravitational funnel projectors and capable of taking part in a full-scale battle, and ten medium strike cruisers, which in total are unlikely to reach the firepower of a couple of Imperial Star Destroyers. "I'm starting to feel agitated, Captain. Your decision this early morning feels like a forced march! Have you overlooked anything, Captain?"

"No, sir," Pellaeon swallowed noisily. "I apologize, Admiral, I forgot and..."

"Apology accepted, captain," I said dryly. "But I will not deny that there is a grain of fair truth in your words."

The captain stood motionless.

"What do we know about the rebel fleet?" I asked a rhetorical question. "Oddly enough, quite a lot. Or, if you look at everything from the other side, on the contrary, it's not enough. But, let's turn to our intelligence information..." I found the corresponding file on the computer and displayed it as a holographic projection.

"Currently, the New Republic Defense Fleet, as they grandly call themselves, consists of four regional fleets, with headquarters on the planets 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 come from seedy worlds, among them there are many traitors from our ranks, who, one way or another, contributed to establishing order and centralization in the enemy's ranks. We know that until the occupation of Coruscant three years ago, the enemy's main tactical ploy was based on the flexibility of operational formations—in order to be able to move them between vast spaces. This is not the Imperial Navy in its heyday, when each sector had its own fleet, quite combat-ready and autonomous. The rebels have to resort to defensive knot tactics. They have headquarters for each of their fleets, after which they create a smaller regional base on a planet and move smaller tactical units, such as squadrons or battle groups, there. Such an organization creates the appearance of protecting territories in a given square of the galaxy. If something happens, several ships will arrive from the regional base in order to properly defend the independence of the attacked worlds," I shared generalized information from the imperial archives. In fact, there are a lot of interesting things there! It's a pity that there are only twenty-four hours in a day and you can't spend a lot of time studying this information treasure. And I also had a suspicion that very few people access this data. "Consequently, the enemy's structural organization has vulnerabilities. Not only tactical and strategic plans. But also moral and ethical.

"I don't quite understand, sir," Pellaeon admitted. "How do moral standards relate to the conduct of war?"

"No way for us," I assured. "An order is an order. For the New Republic, which is already barely holding on, preserving the face of the fighters for democracy and other ideals of the Old Republic is very important. Imagine what would happen if, say, a hypothetical enemy ended up in some rebel system. Condition: this system does not have its own fleet."

"They will send a request for help to the nearest base," the captain of the Chimera gave a reasonable answer.

"Exactly," I nodded. "Moreover, they will respond in proportion to the threat, otherwise the rest is meaningless. A hypothetical enemy will destroy an operational unit that is too weak; a unit that is too strong will be a waste of resources. But let's return to the conditions of the theory. One system is attacked and the first enemy combat group is rushing 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 details. "Each new attack is another reinforcement. But in the end, what will be left at the base itself?"

"Orbital defense platforms, perhaps some kind of patrol force, ships under repair," Pellaeon began to suggest.

"Or - those undergoing disarmament," I clarified.

"The rebels intend to use their warships as transports!" Pellaeon exclaimed.

"Yes," I agreed calmly. "Convoy system. It is clear that they will not disarm all ships in a row—only some of them. The purpose of our intelligence is to find out which ones. Our retreat at Obroa-skai gave them hope that the back of the Empire had been broken. And they desperately need an economic recovery. Interstellar trade would give them the necessary funds to repair and upgrade their ships, not to mention build new ones. And our primary goal is to prevent them from strengthening their armed forces."

"An attack on Sluis Van?" Pellaeon asked rhetorically.

"Yes," I confirmed. "As you rightly noted, our fleet is not the largest. We are unable to penetrate Dak's defenses—there are too many Mon Calamari star cruisers there. Same thing with Fondor. The Kuat sector is absolutely teeming with their own fleet, including Trustee-class dreadnoughts. So Sluis Van is our most optimal of the unacceptable targets. The rebels use the shipyards of this planet to disarm their ships. The planet itself is an important transport hub in this part of the galaxy. Just look at the fact that the rebels actively flirt with the local species, the Sluissi, to ensure their loyalty. Once upon a time, only Dak and Sluis Van could provide our enemy with battle-class ships. With the annexation of other planets, in particular the Kuat sector, the importance of Sluissi for the rebels fell. Using their world as a transport artery should make the Sluissi more important to the government on Coruscant. Therefore, our blow will be strong enough to not only shake the rebel fleet but also make local residents think about the question—did they do the right thing by exchanging their allegiance to the Empire for pipe dreams of democracy."

"Do you hope that the Sluissi will become loyal to the Empire?" Pellaeon asked incredulously.

"I intend to take measures to this end," was the answer he received. "We don't have many shipyards of the same class as those on Sluis Van. Not to mention the fact that the dry docks available there make it possible to carry out repairs in a significantly short time. For example, the orbital docks of Sluis Van type V-475."

** Sluis Van orbital docks type V-475 **

"As far as I remember, the Sluissi build them only for themselves," said Pellaeon.

"Exactly," I agreed. "Their dry dock technology is especially good. An enclosed space that could comfortably accommodate a Mon Calamari star cruiser or an Imperial star destroyer. It is enough just 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—this approach allows repair teams to operate not in weightlessness and in spacesuits, but in more comfortable conditions of normal gravity and without constraints. The efficiency of repairs increases. And this is to our advantage. We need it."

"In other words, we are only aimed at harming the rebels, and not the Sluissi shipyards?" Pellaeon clarified.

"The latter is out of the question," I said sternly. "Whatever we destroy, we will potentially have to rebuild ourselves. And the extra expenses will also affect the mood of the Sluissi."

"You don't want to punish them for betraying the Empire?" Pellaeon was surprised.

"There are too many traitors, captain, to waste our already limited resources on executing each of them," I said. "With the death of Emperor Palpatine leading to a power struggle, the confusion has frightened many. So, the question—who betrayed and who went over to the side of the rebels out of commercial or other economic interests—remains unclear. I am sure 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 he should return to the fold of the Empire."

"An unusual approach," Pellaeon admitted. "The Empire kept everyone in fear and with an iron fist for a long time."

"Maybe that's why the Rebellion arose?" I asked. "The Empire brought stability to the galaxy that was not there under the previous government. But like any other political regime, the New Order is not without its shortcomings. Our task is to learn from the past and prevent the mistakes of the past from being repeated."

"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 at Sluis Van will remain uncertain." The first of them are autonomous geological drills. I heard on the planet Nkllon there are such plasma drills developed by Sline and Corpil. And also, a lot of interesting things. For example, large quantities of rare earth minerals needed in the construction of starships. Inform Captain Brandei that the Judicator must be properly prepared 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 my chair. I spent some time looking at 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 for the purpose of their use also presupposes the availability of a source of materials for the operation of slipways and docks. And it must be quite close, otherwise you will have to drag resources—spare parts, ore, materials across half the galaxy. Which is expensive and ineffective.

Under such conditions, throwing Lando Calrissian off the planet Nkllon, rich in minerals, but too dangerous due to increased radiation, is not a bad idea. It's one thing to overcome two or three, well, five sectors, and another thing to overcome a couple of hundred. But again, these are the prospects for our attack on Nkllon. The tactical benefit is of a completely different nature.

There was a very good opportunity to destroy the Skywalker family by provoking an attack on Bimmisaari by my agents against this venerable group. As in events known to me, they would have been afraid for the unborn twins. And if they weren't scared, the attack could have been repeated. And it didn't have to be Noghri. One way or another, the Skywalkers and Han Solo would have ended up at a mining facility on the planet of Nkllon, owned by Lando Calrissian. And if desired, they could be destroyed with one orbital bombardment, but...

Again, you have to take the circumstances into account.

Nkllon is located too close to its star, and the radiation, and even the radiation of the star, can literally bake the Star Destroyer in its own juice. Staying there for a long time, even taking into account the available protection, is impractical. Using a slow ship for protection is a very bad scenario. Safe—yes. But in the time, it takes to capture the necessary starship, to jump to the planet itself, the intelligent ones at the enterprise can not only prepare for the attack but also hide what they have. We'll make do with simple robbery. We'll sacrifice some technological advantage for speed and surprise.

The second, and main reason why it is necessary to save the life of this family is Emperor Palpatine. In the events known to me, only the Skywalkers (by the law of the genre, who would doubt it) were able to destroy both the Reborn Emperor and his armada. And if I didn't really grieve about the first, then here's the second... Hundreds of ships, many of which are super star destroyers... All are fated to perish in the campaign's finale under the Reborn Emperor. My sincerest apologies.

I found a lot of interesting things in the Emperor's private chambers inside Mount Tantiss. Obviously, Palpatine didn't really think through the computer protection of his data since any information chip could be removed from his vast collection and read on any deck.

Some of them could be used now—and then the New Republic would have fallen without my direct participation. But then again, who will stop the cloned madman? And I'm not talking about Joruus C'baoth. Palpatine will have enormous resources—just look at the technical data of the ships that were built for his personal fleet. And it immediately becomes clear that it is unlikely that Thrawn himself would have been able to defeat this man and his supporters.

It is a curious fact that the construction of many ships was not a special secret in the imperial armed forces. They are even included in specialized reference books with approximate tactical and technical characteristics. However, it seems that none of the imperials ever asked the question: "Where did all this wealth go?"

It is difficult to imagine that a good dozen, if not more, different super star destroyers, if they were destroyed by the rebels, would not thunder in their motivational populist speeches. But no, no one really set out to find these ships. Years and billions were spent on construction. It's simply impossible not to notice such expenses!

Or did they wonder?

It is very curious that a significant part of such starships disappeared from the expanses of the galaxy just in the period after the Battle of Endor when a mess of war between one Imperial and another began, known as the Imperial Civil War. Most likely, given the size of the galaxy, they were considered destroyed, without going into details.

And in vain, because very, very remarkable ships disappeared—and not only disappeared, but I even suspect where exactly they settled.

For example, Procursator-class Star Destroyers. Having rummaged through my memory, identifying the name of the ship with analogues from my native language, I still couldn't find a translation. It's a pity. Okay, let's remember him as "Procursator."

One kilometer and two hundred meters long, which is shorter than a standard Imperial Star Destroyer. Three axial linearly elevated towers with main caliber artillery. Unfortunately, Palpatine's files did not indicate the number of guns in each turret, but I would guess that each of them had between four and eight—the standard configuration for turbolaser turrets in the Imperial Navy. Total—from twelve to twenty-four heavy turbolasers. Plus, eleven batteries of heavy turbolasers, spaced along the hull and sides. To provide energy for all this goodness, there is a solar ionization generator under the bottom. Not the most powerful ship, I must admit—Imperial-class Star Destroyers will have more guns. Probably... I would also like to know how many guns on the "Procursator" are in each battery... But one way or another, this is a rare "beast"—they were built, again, according to the data from the treasury... An unknown number. At first, I couldn't even believe my eyes. No data available. Although there is similar information on the same Imperial-class star destroyers. Data on orders and supplies of building materials—for each ship. And, for a moment, over almost thirty years of the existence of the Galactic Empire, more than twenty-five thousand of them were built. And this is only the number of IZRs, without taking into account other types of ships.

Most likely, only a pilot batch was built, after which they decided not to develop the project. But I'm willing to bet that since these ships are not in the vastness of the galaxy, neither the Empire nor the New Republic, all these ships are now serving in the Defense Fleet of the planet Byss, hidden and reliably guarded in the Deep Core. The secret residence of the Reborn Emperor Palpatine... A place that in your right mind should be avoided on the tenth route.

** Procursator-class Star Destroyer ** 

Or, for example, a modular task force cruiser. Created by Tagge Shipyards Industries Limited. Considering that a high-ranking officer named Tagge served on the Death Star, one could assume that nepotism was the reason for everything, but this will remain a secret behind seven seals. All those who, one way or another, can reveal the secret of why the Imperial Navy would hold a competition for the construction of a similar type of ship when there are hundreds of types of highly specialized starships, have already died one way or another. The only sensible idea is to create a model type of ship capable of performing various missions. It's very convenient—there is only one ship, or it can be a hospital ship, a prison ship, or a reconnaissance starship—just change the huge modules with the necessary personnel and equipment inside. Considering that in the fleet of Imperial Space and other fragments, no, no, yes, there are medical ships from the times of the Clone Wars, if not even more ancient, it becomes clear that the project of a modular cruiser either did not find much popularity among the ranks of imperial naval commanders, or however, it is located in a place where you don't particularly want to appear before bright eyes. What's strange is that there is not a word about the armament of this ship, or the "stuffing" of the modules. As well as about the number of ships built, contract data... It's as if such data does not exist at all. Strange.

** Modular task force cruiser **

So, what is next...

And then it becomes just scary. And I'm not kidding.

Length—seven thousand two hundred meters. Classification—"Fast Dreadnought." Bellator type. Based on the concept of the Mandator-class dreadnoughts built on Kuat. Smaller than its predecessors, less armed, but much faster than the Mandator, Executors, and all other ships of the Dreadnought or Super Star Destroyer classification. What is noteworthy is that there is not a word about his weapons. Even in Palpatine's files. And I'm starting to suspect that it's not without reason.

But if this doesn't seem enough to make the sweat start to appear on your forehead, then what about the fact that the number of ships built is also classified? Even for Imperial Intelligence. Even for the Ubiqtorate. There is simply a fact—this type of ship existed and exists. Yes, it was developed before the first of the Executors was laid down. And that's it, deal with it. There is not even a technical specification. No approximate characteristics, nothing. Only length...

And so that I don't relax at all, in the reports of the Ubiqtorate, you can find information that the rebels have at least one such ship in their arsenal. One starship with more power than my entire fleet... And not a word about how much more. But even from the diagrams, it is clear that the number of turbolaser towers 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 strike missiles. Apparently, someone tried very hard to ensure that data on the ships, each of which is head and shoulders superior not only to the main linear starship of the Empire but also of the New Republic, was not in the public domain. It will be necessary to carefully ask Jorus C'baoth if any of those who came for the Guardian of Mount Tantiss before me managed to get inside. Because it is very, very strange that the Emperor's personal treasury lacks data on such types of ships. Although the technical specifications for the "Executor" are available, starting construction tomorrow is not feasible. There must be funds available somewhere—substantial funds. Given that the Galactic Empire, at its zenith, spent billions with meticulously organized logistics and thousands of worlds contributing resources to sophisticated shipyards, it's unsurprising that none of the Imperial Remnants are attempting to construct even one Super Star Destroyer. The funds for such an endeavor are simply not available.

** Bellator-class fast dreadnought **

Well, let's move on to the next file.

"Vengeance-class Super Star Destroyer."

Am I surprised that again I didn't really find anything? No data on weapons, 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 a name and a visual picture.

** Vengeance-class Super Star Destroyer **

There is no longer any doubt. The files have been cleared. Clumsily, they probably worked in a hurry—which is not surprising, given the fact that the insane Joruus C'baoth could follow on his heels. We did the maximum possible—we destroyed what was of 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 a smartass. Starships could undergo modernization, they could undergo upgrades, refurbishment, or, conversely, partial disarmament.

The same information about superstar destroyers such as Eclipse and Sovereign, equipped with an axial super laser hardly weaker than those used on the Death Star, is completely missing. Which is not surprising, given the fact that Eclipse was or will be Palpatine's flagship for the next year. A simple and effective procedure for covering tracks. So that no one—not even his allies—knows what exactly Palpatine has at his disposal. Apparently, after the grand admirals died, the remaining military were so filled with the desire to rip each other's throats out that they did not even notice how half the fleet, if not more, had disappeared.

No, it won't be long until I actually start to think that the entire Imperial military was under Palpatine's control until the Battle of Endor when his death left the Imperial forces to do little more than pitifully fight off a handful of enemy ships. Then why doesn't he, if he has already been resurrected, do it again? He could easily have made himself known to the entire Empire, and they would have followed him. Hmm... this must have something to do with erasing documents in the treasury.

The data on "Executors" either did not have time to delete, or, on the contrary, they did not try. The type of this starship is well known, and was in full view of millions of intelligent people. Surely the New Republic has information about him, and had it before they captured Lusankya. No, I'm willing to bet that Palpatine's henchmen helped remove data on ships that have great destructive power from the Imperial and personal archives of the Emperor. But they served somewhere far away from the deployment sites of the main forces of the Imperial Navy.

And the question immediately arises—if the files in the Emperor's personal collection were corrected, then perhaps there is a copy of them somewhere else?

For example, the notorious "Caamas Document" is a list of bothans who turned off the planetary shield and allowed the Imperials to carry out an exemplary extermination through orbital bombardment on the heads of the local population. It is in Palpatine's personal treasury. And there is Grand Moff Ardus Kaine at his disposal. True, judging by the fact that he still has not brought it to light, the head of the Pentastar Alignment either does not know about its existence in the archives of the Empire on Yaga Malaya or has decided to save it for more appropriate times. The publication of this document now would lead to the collapse of the new Republic. Because Bothans play an important role in it. And given their natural craving for power, I'm sure their aim is very high. One of the rebel fleets is based in a sector known as Bothan Space, by the way. This is known, and it's not really hidden...

Here it is!

Locations!

Here's what I need to know to understand how big the Emperor Reborn's fleet is. At least approximately.

The imperial archives must contain data on the locations of all ships without exception. Who is included in which fleet, battle group, and squadron. Who reports to whom, who underwent repairs where, what amounts were spent on it, and so on. The Empire clearly keeps its accounting and archives, therefore, excluding from the total number of known ships of the Empire's fleet those who were guaranteed to be destroyed, those who were captured by the rebels, and those who are in the service of various Imperial Remnants—we will get at least approximate data on what powers the Reborn Emperor has. I am sure that no matter how many minions Palpatine had, who are now acting secretly, they could not comb through and correct all the archives without exception. As far as my memory serves regarding known events, the archive on the planet Bastion was considered the most plausible. Even the rebels tried to get in there to get information about the unaltered copy of the Caamas Document. The only problem is... Among the available list of planets there is not a single Bastion. At all. Neither in names nor in symbols.

Unfortunately, we must consider alternative methods to comprehend the adversary. Traveling to Byss to inquire directly of Palpatine is a last resort. It is essential to find your own way out.

It seems that I need trusted people from Imperial Intelligence. A group that could comb through the archives, compare data and provide a summary. I can't do everything myself. I simply don't have enough time to fight and rummage through papers. All free time is spent studying imperial tactical schemes, data on past battles, and campaigns. What other imperial warriors have studied for years; I have to comprehend 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 take over the galaxy a second time. Let the "plot script" work.

However, to prevent Palpatine from calling me into his service, or crushing me in case of disobedience, I don't have many options.

No matter how much I know about future events if I don't want to end up on Palpatine's lab bench, I'll have to make sure the New Republic wins.

This is simply a matter of mathematics. Palpatine indeed commands a greater following. He has access to all the reserves within the Deep Core. The military leaders who retreated there did so with their fleets, comprising thousands of warships from various classes. Indeed, the entirety of Imperial Space possesses, at most, two or three thousand such ships, and that's only if you include vessels from the era preceding the Clone Wars.

And he will literally begin his campaign in six months. Even if you break into the Imperial flag, you won't be able to defeat the New Republic in six months or build an armada capable of fighting what the Reborn Emperor has got for himself. All that remains is to allow the New Republic to defeat itself so that this will serve as a "plot script" and bring Palpatine out of the shadows, forcing him to rush headlong towards the New Republic. And then the traditional Skywalker luck will work.

Even if I am defeated, Palpatine will summon me—Thrawn was highly regarded by him. The Grand Admiral's absence from the forces on Byss could only be explained by Palpatine's intent to use his resources to hinder the New Republic's progress while gathering a fleet around himself.

Quite... logical. Died, reborn, you observe how and what your subordinates achieved in your absence, you choose those who are the best. The rest will either join themselves or be destroyed by the New Republic. Well, or anyone else.

Ironically, I cannot visit Palpatine—I would be exposed.

I can't warn the New Republic—they won't believe me.

I can't form an alliance with them—they'll execute me. But at first, they won't believe it.

Running is pointless. Palpatine will turn the entire known galaxy upside down, but he will find it and finish it off. 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 one and a half or even two. This is a sufficient period of time for one of the ship's crew members to betray or for bloodhounds to follow the trail. Except that…

Hm…

Interesting thoughts. And sad.

Palpatine cannot be allowed to reign over the galaxy because he is insane. Only those who have at least an approximate number of ships can defeat his armadas. That is, the New Republic and its allies. You can destroy the Emperor himself only with the help of a "cheat"—"the Skywalker couple."

It turns out, one way or another, I need them all alive.

No one seems to need me alive. The New Republic is relentless; they won't cease their pursuit until I'm destroyed, especially if I strike first. And strikes have already begun—perhaps just raids for now, but it's a beginning. There's no backing down now. It's a matter of survival—it's either them or me.

Thrawn is a hero and a genius in the eyes of the Imperials and the Empire. For Palpatine, he is now just a consumable item. The padding needed to weaken the enemy before the grand triumphant return.

In light of everything, it seems that for the New Republic to triumph over the Reborn Emperor, and for the events that I'm aware of to unfold, I must face defeat...

Furthermore, perish.

This realization struck profoundly.