Chapter 54
"Complete outrage!" Grand Moff Krennic yelled as he paced in Lord Scion's office. "My own ship, the Governor's Star Destroyer, stolen because I followed our Emperor's orders!" Lord Scion leaned forward in his seat and said threateningly, "Careful, Moff. That's my Master you're talking about." Krennic stopped pacing and took a deep breath to compose himself. "You're right. Thank you, Scion. He's my master as well, and I would do well to remember that. Still, we lost the Grand Inquisitor and an entire flagship Star Destroyer along with everything and everyone on it to a small crew of rebels from Lothal, all so they could save one Jedi from their crew! I had it all planned out, too! I was expecting an attack! Where were my reinforcements?" Scion looked down at a datapad and answered, "According to this report, the reinforcements did arrive on the Destroyer exactly as ordered, three shuttles carrying troopers. Perhaps the rebels bought themselves an army to protect them." Krennic scoffed. "The rebels could've snuck a few people on, but never an army. We would've noticed if there were that many, and especially if they were already in the hangar. We would've bombed them all out before going in to land. No, this was methodically planned. And besides, neither a small army or a weakened Jedi could've defeated the Grand Inquisitor! How do you explain that, Lord Scion?"
Luke thought it over, but Krennic had a good point. He sighed heavily and said, "Clearly, something unexpected happened up there, Krennic, but I'm afraid that this isn't enough to order a galaxy wide search for a small group of rebels!" Krennic leaned forward over Scion's desk and said, "Oh, they're not small. They have hundreds, maybe thousands of soldiers. Dozens of ships. At least 3 capital ships capable of causing serious damage to our starfighters and Destroyers!" Scion prepared to respond, but he was cut off by a calm voice saying, "Perhaps I can be of some assistance." They both directed their gazes at the room's entrance and saw a familiar blue man with red eyes and a crisp white suit. "Supreme Admiral Thrawn," Krennic acknowledged. "Grand Moff Krennic, Lord Scion," Thrawn responded in kind, "I hear you have an unfortunate problem impeding the power of the Empire." Krennic nodded and glared at Scion. "One that apparently, our Lord Scion is unwilling to discuss." Scion glared right back at him. "I am simply being pragmatic, Governor. The Empire cannot fall into chaos simply because some rebels bruised your ego." Krennic's face flushed and he opened his mouth to retort, but Scion continued with, "And mind how you speak to me. My Master does not offer you the same protection that Palpatine offered your predecessor. You only have your power because we give it to you. Unlike how Tarkin treated Lord Vader, you will treat me with the due respect or I will personally ensure that no one ever finds your remains or remembers your name."
Krennic paled and nodded stiffly. He turned back to Thrawn, who was watching with enjoyment, and waved his hand for the Admiral to continue. Thrawn walked forward and announced, "The first batch of TIE Defenders just cleared testing. They proved more difficult to create than anticipated, but we'll soon be producing them by the hundreds. We've even started designing an Elite model. Until then, I have a dozen of the finest starfighters to ever grace the galaxy at the Empire's disposal, and if a cell of rebels is using a fleet of their own, it may be the perfect opportunity to demonstrate them." Scion stood up and said, "Now, Supreme Admiral, remember what the Emperor said. He wants the Defenders kept under wraps for now. They're to be used against Jedi. After that, on Carida and other rebellious planets. Next, to make Mandalorians extinct. Then, and only then, will you be given control of your little project to use as you see fit." Thrawn bowed his head and said, "That's why I've come to you, my lord. I was hoping that you would make a request of your Master, to move up his timetable. I have all our best pilots ready and eager to fly the Defenders. We're only waiting for the Emperor's permission." Scion slowly sat back down and said, "I'll think about it. Until then, do not presume to make suggestions until after you've gotten the green light. Remember your place, Admiral. Now, both of you, dismissed."
Thrawn and Krennic both kept their faces impassive as they left the room, but as soon as they were out of earshot Krennic said, "The boy is becoming too entitled. He makes demands of us as if we were mere stormtroopers." Thrawn responded, "Indeed. His connection to the Emperor makes him feel as though no one would dare go against him for fear of inciting Vader's wrath." Krennic smirked at him. "But war is a dangerous place for one so young as him," he said with a devious smile forming, "and your Defenders are surely capable of destroying a mere child. It would be a shame if one of those ships accidentally fired in the wrong direction." Unfortunately, Thrawn quickly shot down the idea. "As I just said, to challenge the boy is to risk Vader's rage falling on you, and there is good reason. Should you have a way to deal with the boy without facing his Master's displeasure, then you do as you will, but leave me out of it." Thrawn began to walk away and Krennic asked after him, "But you wouldn't stand in my way?" Thrawn turned around to face him and Krennic shivered at the sight of his intelligent smile and red eyes. "Oh Governor," Thrawn said as if he were explaining something to a child, "we both know that this is a game of survival. Whether the boy lives or dies, whatever you attempt to get it, will be on your own head. If it threatens to fall on mine, well, I'll just have to redirect it back where it belongs." And on that cheery note, Thrawn walked away and left Krennic sweating and looking around for any eavesdroppers. Treason, it seems, was a messy business, and perhaps not quite worth dealing with the bruising to his ego. He would just have to put up with the boy for now, but he promised himself that he would be there on the day that Lord Scion got on the Emperor's bad 54
"Complete outrage!" Grand Moff Krennic yelled as he paced in Lord Scion's office. "My own ship, the Governor's Star Destroyer, stolen because I followed our Emperor's orders!" Lord Scion leaned forward in his seat and said threateningly, "Careful, Moff. That's my Master you're talking about." Krennic stopped pacing and took a deep breath to compose himself. "You're right. Thank you, Scion. He's my master as well, and I would do well to remember that. Still, we lost the Grand Inquisitor and an entire flagship Star Destroyer along with everything and everyone on it to a small crew of rebels from Lothal, all so they could save one Jedi from their crew! I had it all planned out, too! I was expecting an attack! Where were my reinforcements?" Scion looked down at a datapad and answered, "According to this report, the reinforcements did arrive on the Destroyer exactly as ordered, three shuttles carrying troopers. Perhaps the rebels bought themselves an army to protect them." Krennic scoffed. "The rebels could've snuck a few people on, but never an army. We would've noticed if there were that many, and especially if they were already in the hangar. We would've bombed them all out before going in to land. No, this was methodically planned. And besides, neither a small army or a weakened Jedi could've defeated the Grand Inquisitor! How do you explain that, Lord Scion?"
Luke thought it over, but Krennic had a good point. He sighed heavily and said, "Clearly, something unexpected happened up there, Krennic, but I'm afraid that this isn't enough to order a galaxy wide search for a small group of rebels!" Krennic leaned forward over Scion's desk and said, "Oh, they're not small. They have hundreds, maybe thousands of soldiers. Dozens of ships. At least 3 capital ships capable of causing serious damage to our starfighters and Destroyers!" Scion prepared to respond, but he was cut off by a calm voice saying, "Perhaps I can be of some assistance." They both directed their gazes at the room's entrance and saw a familiar blue man with red eyes and a crisp white suit. "Supreme Admiral Thrawn," Krennic acknowledged. "Grand Moff Krennic, Lord Scion," Thrawn responded in kind, "I hear you have an unfortunate problem impeding the power of the Empire." Krennic nodded and glared at Scion. "One that apparently, our Lord Scion is unwilling to discuss." Scion glared right back at him. "I am simply being pragmatic, Governor. The Empire cannot fall into chaos simply because some rebels bruised your ego." Krennic's face flushed and he opened his mouth to retort, but Scion continued with, "And mind how you speak to me. My Master does not offer you the same protection that Palpatine offered your predecessor. You only have your power because we give it to you. Unlike how Tarkin treated Lord Vader, you will treat me with the due respect or I will personally ensure that no one ever finds your remains or remembers your name."
Krennic paled and nodded stiffly. He turned back to Thrawn, who was watching with enjoyment, and waved his hand for the Admiral to continue. Thrawn walked forward and announced, "The first batch of TIE Defenders just cleared testing. They proved more difficult to create than anticipated, but we'll soon be producing them by the hundreds. We've even started designing an Elite model. Until then, I have a dozen of the finest starfighters to ever grace the galaxy at the Empire's disposal, and if a cell of rebels is using a fleet of their own, it may be the perfect opportunity to demonstrate them." Scion stood up and said, "Now, Supreme Admiral, remember what the Emperor said. He wants the Defenders kept under wraps for now. They're to be used against Jedi. After that, on Carida and other rebellious planets. Next, to make Mandalorians extinct. Then, and only then, will you be given control of your little project to use as you see fit." Thrawn bowed his head and said, "That's why I've come to you, my lord. I was hoping that you would make a request of your Master, to move up his timetable. I have all our best pilots ready and eager to fly the Defenders. We're only waiting for the Emperor's permission." Scion slowly sat back down and said, "I'll think about it. Until then, do not presume to make suggestions until after you've gotten the green light. Remember your place, Admiral. Now, both of you, dismissed."
Thrawn and Krennic both kept their faces impassive as they left the room, but as soon as they were out of earshot Krennic said, "The boy is becoming too entitled. He makes demands of us as if we were mere stormtroopers." Thrawn responded, "Indeed. His connection to the Emperor makes him feel as though no one would dare go against him for fear of inciting Vader's wrath." Krennic smirked at him. "But war is a dangerous place for one so young as him," he said with a devious smile forming, "and your Defenders are surely capable of destroying a mere child. It would be a shame if one of those ships accidentally fired in the wrong direction." Unfortunately, Thrawn quickly shot down the idea. "As I just said, to challenge the boy is to risk Vader's rage falling on you, and there is good reason. Should you have a way to deal with the boy without facing his Master's displeasure, then you do as you will, but leave me out of it." Thrawn began to walk away and Krennic asked after him, "But you wouldn't stand in my way?" Thrawn turned around to face him and Krennic shivered at the sight of his intelligent smile and red eyes. "Oh Governor," Thrawn said as if he were explaining something to a child, "we both know that this is a game of survival. Whether the boy lives or dies, whatever you attempt to get it, will be on your own head. If it threatens to fall on mine, well, I'll just have to redirect it back where it belongs." And on that cheery note, Thrawn walked away and left Krennic sweating and looking around for any eavesdroppers. Treason, it seems, was a messy business, and perhaps not quite worth dealing with the bruising to his ego. He would just have to put up with the boy for now, but he promised himself that he would be there on the day that Lord Scion got on the Emperor's bad side.