Interlude (II)

Grand Moff Ardus Kaine set the report aside after reading through it thoroughly. He reached for a cup of rich, dark caf, expertly brewed by skilled artisans. The beverage was as black as the vastness of interstellar space and as potent as a decade-old Corellian whiskey.

** Grand Moff Ardus Kaine **

There is no denying that the alien has achieved remarkable success. He has secured valuable allies, built up a fleet, and inflicted a few significant blows on the New Republic. His strategy for war is unconventional—one that does not rely on swift, immediate victories.

Fascinating.

But nothing more.

Kaine's gaze shifted to the holographic map of the galaxy, displaying the borders of the territory under his control. Nearly a dozen sectors, encompassing hundreds of star systems, with a formidable shipbuilding and industrial complex—the largest in all of Imperial space. And it was all his. The man who calmly watched the chaos unfold among the squabbling Imperial commanders and the New Republic rebels. He observed, pretending to be detached, while in reality, he steadily consolidated his power and ensured the defense of his worlds. It was this careful approach that allowed his territories to flourish. And to avoid drawing unnecessary attention, he used Thrawn as a convenient decoy. Yet, the "decoy" had proven quite capable of keeping the rebels and their allies in check. As for the Grand Admiral himself, Kaine's opinion was resolute.

The alien is only useful as long as he continues to serve his purpose—engaging in military operations. Thanks to Thrawn's offensive efforts, the New Republic's attention has shifted from the Imperial Remnants to Thrawn's forces. With the significant fleet he has now amassed, it's evident that repairs are on the horizon. One doesn't need to be a visionary to grasp the simple reality—just as after the assault on the Dufilvian sector, Thrawn will soon focus on restoring his ships. This lull will give the rebels time to stabilize and rebuild their economy. Such a window of opportunity must not be allowed.

Thrawn must remain at war.

The acquisition of nearly two hundred "dreadnought"-class heavy cruisers has effectively brought Thrawn's forces to parity with those of both the Pentastar Alignment and the Imperial Ruling Council. And this presents a threat.

Although Kaine's fleet is comprised of more modern starships, and he possesses far more Star Destroyers than Thrawn, parity in this one class of vessels was unacceptable. Especially since the Grand Admiral now had his own base and the facilities to repair his ships without exhausting his own resources.

Thrawn must be compelled to continue his military campaigns. If not, he might grow powerful enough to subdue several smaller Imperial factions at once. Should they unite under one banner, they could become an unstoppable force. And that would undermine everything Kaine had planned.

Thus, the enemy must be manipulated into escalating their actions against Thrawn.

A strike on the Morshdine sector?

No, that wouldn't work. Thrawn's rear base is currently reinforced with a multitude of starships, more than enough to fend off any adversary. Another world, one that's distant but still vital, needs to be targeted. One that is less fortified but still significant to Thrawn's strategy.

Perhaps his forward base, which currently houses two severely damaged starships. Its orbital defenses are nonexistent—only planetary defenses remain. One Star Destroyer in orbit isn't enough protection, especially if the attacking forces are overwhelmingly superior. But that part wouldn't be Kaine's concern.

He, of course, had no intention of directly engaging Thrawn. His goal wasn't to squander ships in needless internal conflicts. The fleet needed to grow, both in numbers and strength.

What Kaine needed was for those still loyal to both him and Thrawn to learn about this forward base and discreetly pass that information along to the New Republic. They would launch a strike on Thrawn's territory, likely destroying two or even three ships. With no choice but to retaliate, Thrawn would be forced to go on the offensive, continuing to serve his role as planned.

Kaine could even dispatch the remaining Inquisitor units under his control to eliminate Thrawn once and for all. Afterward, he would inherit the remnants of Thrawn's fleet. But that would deviate from the current strategy—steadily supplying Thrawn with everything he needed while Kaine remained hidden in the shadows, maintaining his neutrality in the ongoing war. Besides, for now, Thrawn's aggressive stance was beneficial. Everything was proceeding according to plan.

There was, of course, another option: to provide Thrawn with more resources—credits, materials, personnel—to speed up his fleet's repairs. That way, Thrawn would inevitably launch larger-scale operations. Yet this approach held its own risks.

What's to stop Thrawn from repairing his fleet with Kaine's help and then turning against the Imperial Remnants? Absolutely nothing. The scenario of Thrawn forcefully consolidating the Imperial factions under his command was quite plausible, and this outcome was unacceptable.

Smirking, Grand Moff Kaine began formulating a plan to provoke Thrawn into action. It had to work. The alien needed to keep fighting.

Where, and against whom, was a separate matter entirely. Ideally, a formidable and cunning enemy would emerge within the Grand Admiral's field of view.

Fixing his eyes on the display screen in front of him, Grand Moff Ardus Kaine meticulously started crafting the strategy that would manipulate Grand Admiral Thrawn into action.