With Jedi Rey and Emperor Skywalker leading the Galactic Alliance, the war moved them deeper into the galaxy. The first few months, they held against the Vong invaders. But eventually they had to fall back and protect the Core Worlds, leaving devastated planets behind in the Unknown Regions.
During the first months of the war, much was learned about the Yuuzhan Vong. They are a violent race, who believe war and pain is the greatest value in their life. They hate any form of technology. Therefore, they use only organic material. Their armor, ships and weapons are all organic. This has various advantages and disadvantages in the war with the Galactic Alliance. For instance, their ships do not fire lasers. Instead, they use pieces of asteroids and melt them. Then, they fire it as a plasma bolt. Another example is their warrior's weapon. The weapon is a being itself. The staff they use, is a serpent of some kind. Either rock-solid as a staff, or flaccid as a snake, the deadly weapon serves its wielder.
Now, a Vong force was closing in on the planet Sullust. Sullust was an important planet, as it was home to many Imperial factories. AT-ST and AT-M6 walkers were mostly built here, along with many infantry weapons. The planet was very rocky with large plains and mountains of stone and charcoal black sand. It was vital to keep the factories from getting destroyed.
"Rey, are your forces ready?" Ben asked. "Almost in position." Rey replied. The Galactic Alliance was defending a large factory complex on Sullust. The Imperials were dug in, with AT-ST and AT-M6 walkers supporting them. A small group of Resistance fighters led by Rey and Finn was there as well. They were guarding a wide passage to the complex. The passage had high terrain on both sides next to it. The passage was the only way to the complex, as it had high terrain all around it, making that passage the only way to enter. This is where the Resistance soldiers came in. They positioned themselves on either side of the high terrain, overlooking the passage. The plan was to engage the Vong from above when they attacked through the passage below.
In the air, high above the complex, Imperial Star Destroyers, a few Mandalorian ships and Resistance warships were waiting. Boba Fett was there, in his ship, Slave-1. He led a squadron of Mandalorian fighters in the air. The Vong always took ships with them wherever they went, so they could face off in the air. Besides, if they could defeat the Vong ships, they could bombard the Vong ground forces from the air.
The stormtroopers were waiting nervously for the Vong to arrive. Emperor Skywalker, Darth Vader and Darth Maul were among them, though not nervously. Ben had put on his mask for protection again. Rey and Finn were staring at the passage. When would they come?
Suddenly, a thundering sound was heard above. The sound of ships coming out of hyperspace. Within seconds, many Vong ships came out of hyperspace in the Sullustian sky. The fleet above the complex started to fire their batteries immediately. The Vong troop transports were seen heading to the surface, behind a large rocky hill.
In the air, a large battle took place between the ships. The sky was full of lasers, explosions and plasma bolts. Boba Fett engaged the Vong fighters.
On the ground, every soldier looked up to see the battle. "Be ready everyone!" Rey shouted. "Look in front of you." Vader said to a group of Stormtroopers, almost forgetting they had to defend the passage to the complex. Ben had seen the Vong transports land behind the rock hill, but he did not yet see their warriors. Maybe they knew what they had planned and maybe they- no there they are. Maul ignited his lightsaber and hissed at the incoming Vong. "All troops ready!" Ben shouted. "Open fire!"
A hail of blaster bolts kept being fired into the passage, mowing down the Vong warriors charging the complex. AT-ST and AT-M6 walkers opened up on the passage, blowing up a handful of Vong worth every impact. But it did not scare them off, they kept coming. Above the passage, the Resistance soldiers fired at their targets below. The Vong were getting slaughtered. This did not hold for long though. A Vong ship stopped engaging in the battle above, and fired upon the Resistance soldiers. Many were killed. Next, the Vong ship targeted the defenses of the complex, damaging walkers and killing stormtroopers and soldiers. This gave the Ving warriors the opportunity to get in close with the Galactic Alliance. They charged the complex and were met with lightsabers. Vader, Ben, Maul and Rey fought the charging warriors. The troopers and soldiers all opened fire on the charging Vong warriors.
The battle rages on. Many casualties on both sides. Suddenly, Boba Fett's heavily damaged Slave-1 flew over the passage, followed by two Vong fighters. Slave-1 went down and in the high terrain, a large explosion was seen as Slave-1 crashed into the surface. Boba Fett the Mandalore was gone. Or so it seemed. A jetpacking Mandalorian came down from the sky. Boba Fett made it out of Slave-1 before impact. He launched himself in the air and fired a rocket barrage down the passage, blowing up a group of Vong warriors.
On the ground, things were not going too well. Many troopers and soldiers were killed. Finn was wounded on his left arm, and the Vong kept charging and fighting. Something had to be done quickly. Three Imperial transports loaded with Sith troopers landed near the complex, reinforcing the defenses. They were reserved to board the Vong ships, but the ground battle had priority now.
In the air, a desperate battle was fought. The Vong ships were larger in number and the Star Destroyers were damaged. Another thundering sound was heard in the sky. Another ship came out of hyperspace. But this time it was a Star Destroyer. The admirals were confused. Dis the Vong capture a Star Destroyer? No, this Star Destroyer was older. It dated from the Galactic Civil War. "This is the Chimaera, Admiral Thrawn reporting." was heard on all Alliance ships. Thrawn? The Resistance admirals feared that name and the Imperial admirals only heard the legends of it. "All ships, follow my lead. Attack position Delta. Focus fire on their command ship." Thrawn began ordering the Alliance fleet. This united their ships and soon, the Vong command ship was taken down. It was very clear that the Vong forces were disorianted because of this. This meant that their leader was most likely on board of the command ship and had died.
With Thrawn's strategic insight, the Alliance gained the upper hand. One Star Destroyer was able to leave its formation and target the Sullust surface. "My lord! Admiral Gideon can target their ground troops! But it is danger close to our position!" an Imperial officer shouted at his Emperor, receiving the transmission of the Star Destroyer.
Ben removed his lightsaber from an impaled Ving warrior and looked around him. The risk of them getting hit by the Star Destroyer's turbo laser impact was big. His eyes caught Rey, fighting a Vong Warrior. Ben rushed to her and struck down the Vong warrior. "Rey! That Star Destroyer can end this, but it will end us as well." Ben said, breathing heavily. "We can't risk it!" Rey said. "Damnit!" Ben shouted. "Wait, the force!" Rey shouted back at Ben. "Maybe together we can shield ourselves!" "You think?" Ben asked. "Yes. But we need Vader and Maul for an area this big!"
"Vader! Over here! Get Maul!" Ben shouted at Vader. Vader force-choked a Vong warrior while he struck down another with his lightsaber, both Vong hitting the ground at the same time. Vader looked around him and saw Darth Maul in the distance, swirling his double-bladed lightsaber in combat. He reached out with his hand and force-pulled Maul to him. Maul was confused and looked at Vader in anger. "What?" Maul hissed at Vader. "You are needed here." Vader said.
"Listen, all of you!" Rey shouted at Vader and Maul. "The four of us have to force shield this area so the Star Destroyer can bombard the passage! We all need to do this for it to work in this scale!" she added. The battle raged on, with Vong and Alliance soldiers fighting for their lives and dying around them.
"Trust us!" Ben said, as he closed his eyes and extended both his arms reaching out to the force. Rey did the same, followed by Vader. Maul looked around him and decided to follow their lead. "Shield this area!" Rey shouted. "Admiral, open fire. Danger close!" Ben contacted the admiral of the Star Destroyer, still standing by.
"Understood." Admiral Gideon replied. "Open fire on that passage." Admiral Gideon ordered the crew. The Star Destroyer bombarded the passage, obliterating the Vong charge and their transports. The impacts came very close to the defending Alliance forces, but were harmless because of the combined power of the four force-users. A large force-shield kept the Alliance soldiers and themselves safe. After the bombardment, Rey, Ben, Vader and Maul stopped extending their arms and they fell to their knees, exhausted from this powerfull use of the force. They looked around. Suddenly it was very quiet. There was no battle sounds, no killing, no blaster fire. The only thing they could hear were the explosions in the sky. The Vong ground forces were all obliterated by the Star Destroyer's bombardment of the passage.
In the air, Thrawn's strategic skills led to the destruction of the Vong fleet in the Sullustian sky. The factories were successfully defended, the battle was won.
Later, in the debriefing, the Chiss Admiral Thrawn joined in. "Imperials and Rebels working together against a common threat. Very fascinating." Thrawn said. "Admiral Thrawn. You are alive." Vader said, greeting his old acquaintance. "I am, and I joined you as soon as I was able." Thrawn said. "What happened to you?" Ben asked. On the rebel attack on Lothal, my Star Destroyer got... sent into space by Purrgils. We crash-landed on a desolate and abandoned planet. It took years to rebuild our ship and return to known space. Once we rebuilt the Chimaera, news of the invasion soon reached us. We knew the Vong were attacking Sullust and chose that moment to return." Thrawn explained. "And you took over command of the battle in the sky." Ben said. "And I helped defeat their forces, Emperor. I know, like no other, that every enemy has a weakness. I exploited theirs." Thrawn said calmly. "Will you allow me to join your Empire, my lord?" Thrawn asked Ben. "Yes, we can definitely use your skills in the war. Ben replied.