Hey everyone! I am trying my hand at writing a Star Wars story about a band of rebels who are from different places of the Galaxy. I will try an upload a chapter once a week on Friday with my other story as well! Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1: Architects of Destruction
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the results of a thousand battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory you gain will be matched with a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
Five ships glide through the vacuum of space. Two Victory-class Star Destroyers, two blockade runners, and an Interdictor-class Star Destroyer. The ISD Sovereign was in the lead. Within one of its offices, held two of the galaxies most influential government members.
A man sits behind the circular conference table. He perches behind a recording machine. Behind him, encased in glass, is a model of the ship. His cheeks are sunken in with age. The gray hair that sits upon his head shimmers in the light. He is an ambitious, ruthless proponent of military power. The woman stands on the other side. Her black hair is cut off so that is in lines up with her nose. Her blue eyes are the only bright thing in the room. She was here due to the rebel's victories against the Empire. Both of them in gray uniforms.
"Governer Pryce," Grand Moff Tarkin said. His voice had a slight Eriaduian accent. "How is Lothal?"
"Lothal is doing quite well, Moff Tarkin," Pryce responded, putting her hands behind her back, "But I am here due to the recent attack on Naraka. I believe this is the beginning of larger rebel attacks."
"I concur with you, Governor," Tarkin stands walking around the table to stand next to her, "Lord Vader has dealt with the insurgency's Jedi leader, but these rebels have proven to be particularly stubborn." He was now standing next to her. "How do you plan to solve this problem?"
"I want the 7th Fleet." She replied
Tarkin only nodded. He wiped at his brow, "And what of Admiral Rakfall and his fleet?" Pyrce handed him a datapad. Tarkin walked back around the table and sat, placing the card in front of him.
"Admiral Rakfall is more a politician than a soldier," She leaned in, "I need someone who sees a bigger picture."
The Grand Moff nodded, "Very well then, you shall have the fleet. You are dismissed."
As she walked out of the office, Arihnda Pryce smiled to herself. Using the same persuasion she had used to get Tarkin to give her the title of Governor of Lothal, she had won herself the 7th Fleet. But more important than that, she had won herself the end of the rebellion.
"I am certain Governor Pryce is overestimating the organization of the rebellion," Admiral Rakfall stand around a holo-map which was currently turned off. With him is Tarkin and Agent Funaya of the ISB. "While it is true that there are pockets of resistance, there has never been any evidence of a larger scale, galaxy-wide operation."
"And I would like to keep it that way," a voice mussed. It is deep and rich. The three heads turn to see a figure emerge from the darkness, "Admiral Rakfall." The figure is a tall male in a white uniform. His blue skin contrasts his glowing red eyes. Governer Pyrce is to the right of this newcomer.
"Grand Admiral Thrawn," Tarkin greets the Chiss Admiral.
"Grand Admiral?" Admiral Rakfall's eyes widen with surprise.
"The Emperor recently promoted me after my victory at Batonn." Thrawn stares at Rakfall.
"Civilian casualties outnumbered the insurgents," Funaya said, "At the time."
"Acceptable margins, Agent Funaya," the Governer interjected, "For there are no longer any rebels in that sector."
Silence rippled through the bridge on the Sovereign for three reasons. The first was that an alien achieved the rank of Grand Admiral. It was rare for an alien even to become an officer in the navy, much less a higher ranking one. The second was the fact that Thrawn had managed to rid an entire sector of planets of rebels. The last reason was Thrawn's actual presence. He did not ask for respect, he demanded it. Rumor had it that he once killed his old translator because he spoke when Thrawn was speaking. The real fact he was not here was because he was helping the Chiss Ascendancy by orders of both Thrawn and the Empire. The rumor was probably made to slow down the Grand Admiral's progression through the ranks of the Imperial Navy.
"Well, Thrawn, what do you think of Pryce's theory about the rebels in the Lothal sector?" Tarkin asked, turning to the Chiss.
Thrawn pulled out a data card and put it into a slot in the holo-table. "This is an identification card of the prisoner the rebels saved from Naraka's prison, Marri Hojiwi," a holo-photo of the man appears in front of them. "Within the last hour, the Rose Squadron destroyed mining ships using the Sereeda hyperspace waypoint," the group leans towards the table as a hologram of the planet appears. Thrawn moves a hand to his chin, "Taken separately, they may seem like nothing, but Ohnaka's cellmate was a laborer at our starfighter reclamation plant in the Yarma system." A red dot appears on the hologram, "One jump point away from the Sereeda attack."
"Grand Admiral Thrawn believes that the rebels intend to raid the plant, and steal our fighters for their fleet, " Pryce announced, her eyes squinting with anger.
"Every ship they add to their arsenal increases the threat to our armada and the Emperor's plans," Thrawn looks around at the others, no emotion on his face.
"I trust you have a solution?" Tarkin questioned. It was a stupid one, but no one wanted to speak up. The Chiss always had a solution to any problem.
Thrawn waved his hand, pointing to the bridge. "I will start my operations here,' he declared, "and pull the rebels apart piece by piece." Everyone looked up at him as he paused. Thrawn looked back at them, reading their faces, trying to get a read of their emotions. Rakfall was looking at him with question. "They will be the architects of their owns destruction," Thrawn coldly stated. He turned and left the bridge, heading to his ship.