Author's Note: What's this? No Scipio's Log? Well, you know, it's Thrawn... you don't waste any time getting to Thrawn. This chapter isn't exactly action-packed, but I hope this gives you all some insight into who The Wraith is. It may be just as beneficial for you as it is for the Republic...


-Chapter 17: The Artist of War-

Location: The Resolute

"One may know how to conquer without being able to do it."

It was an offer too good to be true.

Anakin and Obi-Wan were eager to hear Commander Thrawn's briefing as the exchange officer from the Chiss Ascendancy was ready to offer them an outside perspective, a way to fight back against The Wraith. It was something the two Jedi, along with many others, had desperately been seeking for a very long time. But before they could hear the briefing Thrawn was prepared to present to them, they quickly invited the other Jedi out in the Outer Rim territories to listen in.

Within the hour, Mace Windu, Plo Koon, Wolffe, Ahsoka and Plo's former apprentice Bultar Swan appeared via holocom in the designated briefing room, ready to hear what the exchange officer had to say. Anakin invited Rex to attend along with Cody, figuring it would be a good idea some of the front line men heard about this. The more who knew how to effectively combat The Wraith, the better.

Thrawn was a most impressive man. The blue-skinned, black-haired, red-eyed Chiss possessed a commanding presence and a piercing gaze, one that absolutely captivated his audience. The visiting officer appeared calm and cool, a very collected individual in the midst of turbulent times. He stood off to the side, a data pad under his arm, as Admiral Yularen ensured a strong connection for the distant Jedi. After some quick confirmations, the admiral straightened up and cleared his throat to gain the attention of his superiors.

"Thank you all for coming to this briefing on such short notice." He began. "Allow me to introduce Commander Thrawn of the Chiss Ascendency, an exchange officer here to observe our war with the Separatists. He has been studying The Wraith very carefully and has assembled some information that will help us conquer our problematic foe. Hopefully." This last line was spoken with a hint of hesitancy, Admiral Yularen knowing full well what Wraith was capable of and having his own doubts about how such a foe could even be beaten. Yularen turned to Thrawn as he finished. "Commander, the floor is yours." He stated, stepping away.

"Thank you, Admiral." The Chiss nodded in acceptance as he took his place before the gathered Republic leaders. Pausing to order his thoughts and set his data pad down, Thrawn folded his arms behind his back before he began. "In order to understand your enemy, you must understand who they are as a person. Their beliefs, influences, heritage, all come together to create the single person you see before you." He stated. "Having thoroughly researched all available archived footage, battlefield descriptions and first-hand accounts, I have put together a portfolio detailing who The Wraith is, as we know him. Although you may question my efforts, you will see that even the smallest detail can reveal the most important of clues. Someone has put much time and effort into crafting The Wraith, and this makes him all the more interesting to study. To see him in action, to see his movements and style, says a lot about the artist that designed him."

"Artist? You think Wraith is a work of art?" Anakin incredulously wondered, finding the statement rather absurd.

"In a way, he is." Thrawn calmly replied. "He is the one being in the known galaxy capable of singlehandedly defeating a Jedi in hand-to-hand combat without exterior assistance, destroying a Clone army with the simple tools at his disposal and surviving the most extreme circumstances. All of these feats found within a fluid and tactical soldier who is as deadly as he is efficient. Truly a work of art, if only because of his uniqueness." His descriptions gave the Jedi something to think about as Thrawn offered a perspective none of them had considered before. "I appreciate the art of a society, General. It is who they are, the essence of a race, captured in a single item that has been lovingly crafted over time, the result of much effort and passion. The Wraith, in many ways, is the art of the Separatists... their masterpiece, if you will." He added. "Within him you can see their desire to be distinct from the Republic, their hatred for the Republic and their ambition to become something greater than the Republic." The Jedi were quite impressed with how Thrawn calmly relayed his personal beliefs. This man was making quite the impression. "Now, what do we truly know about The Wraith?" He asked those assembled. "We know what he is capable of, but do we really know anything about who he is?"

"He's proud." Anakin muttered.

"Indeed he is, General. And with good reason. Many Separatists wish to beat you so thoroughly and soundly, but he is the only one who has." Thrawn replied. Anakin let out a short puff of breath, hating to be reminded of his now-infamous defeat by Wraith's hand. "But apart from personality, the Republic knows nothing about Wraith's background. However, the clues are there and the indicators are quite plain, as I shall soon detail for all of you." Moving on, Thrawn proceeded to use a nearby holoprojector to display a series of images of The Wraith, all pulled from helmet recorders. "From what has been witnessed on various battlefields, we know that Wraith functions as a single unit, independent from any primary Separatist force. He acts as a commando, a soldier specially trained in close-quarters combat and relied upon to carry out the most important of missions. He is a troubleshooter, someone the Separatists call upon to give them a winning edge whenever they start to lose to the Republic. He is also a specialist, someone the Separatists can trust with far more elite missions of grave importance. These statements are based upon his actions as seen in battlefields across the galaxy. The role of troubleshooter was witnessed on both Geonosis and Muunilinst, the specialist role was observed during his mission to Honoghr and the commando role is most notably his more common assignment, as seen more frequently than the other two." Thrawn explained. "Each of these incidents where Wraith was confirmed to have appeared each have their own clues as to his identity. You can observe his use of hit and run tactics, his preference for close quarters engagements over shooting from a distance, his ability to strategize and execute tactics in addition to fulfilling orders. In short, Wraith is what some might call the 'perfect soldier'. He can do it all."

"So he's their... what, final solution?" Cody wondered.

"What he is, Commander, is a response." Thrawn replied. "Wraith was commissioned in an effort to 'show up' the Republic, as it were. The Republic commissioned an army of genetically identical soliders all wrought from the same source: a deadly bounty hunter with a reputation for being unrivalled. Wraith was made to do what an army of Clones seemingly cannot: win a war." His statement made the Clones frown a little. They didn't like being shown up by the Separatists. It only fueled their desire to win even more. "What you need a squad of ten individually trained, highly skilled, specialist Clones to accomplish, Wraith can complete by himself. His advantage over Clone troopers lies in the fact he is a single-minded individual who thinks and acts without the need of others." Rex cocked his head.

"And this is a benefit?" He wondered. That kind of thinking was completely counter to how Clones worked. Thrawn turned to regard him.

"He has no General to report to, no allies to protect, no sense of loyalty to any one person on the battlefield. He serves only his directive and, by extension, the will of the Separatists. To him, Captain, this is a benefit." He explained. "Where Clones think of themselves as a family, willing to fight and die for each other and their Generals, Wraith only has to think of his own well being. And so far it has served him well." Thrawn paused for a moment as he allowed that information to rest with his audience, giving them time to digest what such a policy meant to someone like Wraith. "Now I would like to take a moment to explore Wraith's weaponry, you will see it belies much about his nature as a soldier." The images on the screen disappeared and were replaced with ones showing Wraith in action, taken from a distance. Thrawn zoomed in on Wraith and took a moment to highlight the weapons in his hands. "In terms of ranged weaponry, Wraith has been witnessed using, on multiple occasions, a pair of DE-20 heavy blaster pistols. These appear to be his preferred firearms as they are holstered along his hips, much like any other soldier's go-to weapon. However, he has also been spotted wielding a pair of KD-30 Dissuader slugthrower pistols. These are a far more unique kind of weapon, as slugthrower pistols are hardly used by anyone. Evidently someone deemed them to be a good idea for him to wield, but the question remains 'why'?" Thrawn looked to his listeners, quietly observing them before continuing, "Why would such an elite soldier be given a pair of outdated weapons like these?" The Chiss waited for an answer. But when none came, he set his gaze on Rex. "Tell me Captain, what do you know about slugthrowers?" Rex straightened up as he recalled whatever knowledge he had on ballistic weaponry.

"Well, for starters, they're a much more archaic weapon. Not really any use against modern day armor." He explained.

"And yet Wraith has been observed gunning down Clones in droves with these 'archaic weapons'." Thrawn interjected. Rex paused as he thought of an answer.

"I suppose he could be using acid-tipped slugs. Those appear to be effective type of anti-personnel ammunition-"

"Precisely Captain." Thrawn nodded. "Wraith has been outfitted with such weapons for one purpose: to make a statement."

"What kind of statement?" Bultar wondered, speaking up for the first time.

"The reason, Master Jedi, is twofold. The first being that Wraith is capable of using any means to achieve victory." Thrawn explained. "And the second is to spread fear. Fear is Wraith's most valuable ally. His reputation proceeds him, everyone knows he's decimated entire armies, slaughtered Jedi without breaking a sweat and held his own against in the most adverse situations. But to leave behind the bodies of his victims, their corpses riddled with not scorch marks but bullet holes, is to make that fear a visceral reality." Thrawn paused again. "The sight of blood is a powerful tool. Wraith knows this and he likes to use it to his advantage. In a day and age where blast wounds are clean and precise, made so because of a desire for cleanliness, a ragged cut, a stream of blood, a dripping wound is enough to make any witness afraid. What the galaxy has been trying to do away with, he is freely exploiting for the sake of creating fear and panic." The Republic had to admit that Thrawn had a point. Blaster wounds left simple, glowing scorch marks behind and lightsabers were equally as clean. Wounds were cauterized as soon as they were made. Blood was not a common result... and even the strongest of Jedi could grow squeamish over the sight of a pool of red fluid and a series of innards lying within it. It now seemed quite clear why Wraith had such a bloodthirsty penchant. Bloodied corpses weren't just his calling card, they were his way of spreading fear. "You may also note how his weapons are all viable over a short range, and he lacks anything to aid him from a distance, such as a DC-15x or any other make of sniper rifle." Thrawn carried on. "Instead he carries an BR8 series carbine, a weapon powerful enough to gun down a whole line of Clones in a matter of seconds."

"This is all well and good, Commander," Anakin interjected, "but you told General Kenobi and I that you had a way to combat Wraith."

"All in due time, General Skywalker." Thrawn courteously replied. "At the moment I am simply helping you understand your enemy. While I know you prefer instant action over talk, you can often miss the most important clues in the heat of rash action. This is an opponent you cannot best through sheer luck and a show of force, you must be able to think before you act."

"What I've been saying for years." Obi-Wan jabbed, giving Anakin a slight nudge. The Knight rolled his eyes in response.

"What should be learned from Wraith's arsenal is that it is designed to work with him in his way. This is why he fights as aggressively as he does, he wants the Republic to fight on his terms. Terms, he knows, he can win under. Wraith will do whatever he can to turn the tide of battle in his favour and once that happens, defeat is sure to follow. As a troubleshooter, it is his job to enter a fight on the brink of defeat and turn it into a victory. Now, with a description like that, much is riding on him to perform with excellence and his tactics reflect this." Thrawn stated. "Wraith is the kind of soldier who adapts to a situation within mere moments, becoming one with his new environment so he can fight his way through it. But, if we were to plan well in advance of his arrival, he may not be able to think fast enough to escape a trap that has been sequentially ordered." The Republic affiliates quickly made mental notes of that one key fact, hoping they may be able to use it one day. Thrawn was quick to move on though, ready to discuss his next piece of research. "Having said that, Wraith's mindset, purpose and tactics all working together at one time certainly make him a formidable foe. But his skills are unparalleled, exercising a combination of strength, speed, agility and intelligence that not even the famed Mandalorian warriors are capable of. Wraith fights with purpose and intention, that much we can plainly see in the way he fights. But it is how he fights that one can learn much about the way he can train." He explained. "Of course, it is common-knowledge he can engage in hand-to-hand combat, but these are no random punches and kicks he throws out. They are choreographed, planned out according to meticulous calculation and executed with the intent of having them be the downfall of his chosen victim." Thrawn stated, using rather descriptive language. "Although it was no doubt painful, your bout with him on Tibrin was most fascinating, General Skywalker." He noted. Anakin shrugged, not really wanting to remember the moment as Thrawn moved on. "As I've stated before, Wraith appears to have a personal preference for close-quarters combat. He demonstrates a mastery of a variety of martial arts, including: Echani, Teras Kasi, Stava, Rek'dul, K'tara, k'Jtari, Hijkata, Tae-Jitsu and Thrar'kor." With each listed martial art, an image of Wraith executing a different move appeared on the screen, providing solid evidence to back up what Thrawn was claiming. "Many of these he used against you, General. More specifically the anti-Jedi Teras Kasi. It does appear to be a particular favourite of his."

"That would make sense, given his mandate." Mace mused aloud. "If he wants to destroy a Jedi then he'll use the most efficient means to do it." Thrawn nodded as he acknowledged the Jedi's words.

"Now you see how he works, General Windu." He said, praising the Jedi's description. "It would be common for someone to know at least one martial art. Even among the Jedi there are those such as you, General Koon, who are known practitioners of Teras Kasi." The Kel Dor Master nodded. He was known throughout the Order for being one of the few who majored in the practice of this particular martial art. "But to know and practice nearly ten different forms of combat, this suggests that either someone has commanded he learn all of these or that Wraith himself is infatuated with the martial arts." Thrawn continued. "And evidence heavily indicates the former."

"And why is that?" Obi-Wan wondered.

"With notoriety like his, do you really need to question it, General Kenobi? No one pursues such things unless they have some directive in mind. You do not train with a lightsaber unless you wish to become a Jedi." Thrawn promptly replied, defending his claim. "It is plainly obvious that Wraith was engineered with one objective in mind: to kill and destroy the Republic wherever it may be found. And his superiors commanded that he be trained to do just that." While his point was perfectly clear, something was still confusing Anakin.

"Well, if that's the case, then why doesn't he just do it?" He asked. Feeling the war had lasted for quite a while, it made no sense for someone capable of bringing it to an end to not do so.

"That, General Skywalker, is where things get interesting." Thrawn informed him. "Wraith is like a blaster, destructive energy unleashed at a moment's notice. But someone else is holding him and pulling the trigger." He stated, taking those present by surprise. The confused looks on the faces of the Clones indicated to Thrawn that he needed to elaborate. "Take, for example, the first reports from Malastare. Why do you suppose Wraith withdrew after killing only a few forward scouts? Why not engage the enemy right away?" He asked them. No one responded, not knowing how to. "Again, take the reports from Muunilinst. Why destroy only a convoy of tanks and a single supply depot when he clearly has the means to wipe out the entire force present? It seems obvious that someone is giving him orders and he is obeying them. This in turn suggests that Wraith is very loyal to whomever controls him. With such power and promise, it would be easy for him to destroy an entire army. But he doesn't, because he respects whomever it is that gives him his orders and only retreats because he was told to." Thrawn explained.

"If you don't mind me saying so, Commander, much of this sounds like pure supposition." Bultar commented. Thrawn turned to regard the holographic render of the female Jedi.

"They say actions speak louder than words, Master Jedi. And when so many have come before us and taken note of such things in separate, isolated incidents, you need only draw a single line before it connects with another point." Thrawn described to her. "So little information about The Wraith can be presented to us as fact, sometimes it does require supposition in order to reach the truth of the matter."

"So, how do we beat him? These battles are often waged in an up-close-and-personal way, Commander. How are we supposed to challenge someone who excels in this way?" Obi-Wan asked.

"With your current strategy, you cannot." Thrawn replied in a straightforward manner. "As I've said, Wraith excels in close-range combat. But he does not engage in anything long-range, as his arsenal would attest. He is fond of using blades and short-range ballistic weaponry, both of which are only viable within a set distance. Only in isolated incidents has he proven his ability to snipe from afar, proving it is not his preferred form of attack." The Chiss continued, highlighting how formulaic Wraith really was. "The key point that can be taken from this is that any Republic force cannot counter The Wraith head-on. They should instead use ranged weaponry, possibly a strafing run or a bombardment, and use such tactics to keep their distance from him. And in denying him a fight on his terms, he may grow frustrated and may might make mistakes because of it. You will have to rethink the way you fight if you wish to beat him, General."

"So we need more cannons." Anakin mused thoughtfully.

"Or rocket troopers." Mace added. "We'll have to start setting up ordinance contingency plans." The Jedi nodded in agreement, Anakin starting to wonder how he could possibly equip the ARC troopers under his command with necessary tools to deal with Wraith.

"While explosive firepower may be the best option, you will have to be very careful how and when you use it." Thrawn cautioned them. "Given how he has survived one orbital strike already, it would be logical to assume his handlers are already making adjustments to allow him the ability to survive another one." Cody made a grim expression.

"A constantly evolving enemy." He whispered to Wolffe. "Not my preferred kind."

"Having said that, I would like to take a moment to discuss the appearance of your foe." Thrawn continued. The screen beside him change to a single full-body image of The Wraith. The Chiss commander turned to zoomed in on Wraith's upper body. "Take a look at the design of his helmet, the cut of his duster, the style of his armament. None of them are regulation-grade Separatist equipment." He stated, pointing out each observation. "They have been custom made, specially designed explicitly for use by Wraith. Look at his chest, notice how much thicker the jacket seems in comparison to the rest of the body. His armor is not always visible, but it is there." He explained. The Jedi physically present leaned forward in fascination, quite interested in the information presented to them. "This style of hiding equipment and armor in plain sight indicates more than just simple storage. It is a common style found in members of the Far Outsider species. Their armor is their clothes, it is always present and always ready." Although this was a species the Jedi were unfamiliar with, Thrawn had been busy in the uncharted regions of the galaxy and had come across this species several times. It seemed apparent to him that someone else knew who they were and was incorporating elements of their society into his design.

"You mean to say Wraith has adopted aspects from numerous different species?" Plo asked, curious to see if there could be a noticeable pattern.

"The evidence is quite plain, General Koon." Thrawn affirmed. "His brute strength indicates this is a greatly valued trait, much like the Cilare people. His tireless nature and peak physical capacity are very reminiscent of the Kage species. Some of his martial arts skills are exclusive to certain species like the Noghri and the Followers of Palawa. His fluid abilities and potential to move and think very quickly appear to reflect the efficiency of the Sluissi and Chortose species." He listed. Pausing for a moment to examine his notes, Thrawn held up two fingers as he continued. "Wraith has two modes: normal and battle. 'Normal' Wraith has his blades retracted, his weapons holstered. 'Battle' Wraith has blades drawn, weapons in hand, ready to strike... and he can switch between the two at a moment's notice. The design of his attire and the design of his weapons have been specifically made around an economy of time. He is meant to be fluid, wasting little time on any one opponent, treating battle like a dance. This is a very unique trait, something seen in only the galaxy's greatest warriors. He thinks as he moves, something commonly found in those who are very goal-oriented." Thrawn paused to adjust the image of Wraith, zooming in on his forearms. "These gauntlets are most complex pieces of equipment." He mused. "Wraith has been shown to deploy a pair of blades, having them extend from the wrist and over his hand. He also seems to be able to pull throwing knives and explosives from out of nowhere."

"Any ideas where he keeps those?" Ahsoka wondered. "Because, well, you can't just make something from nothing."

"An astute observation, Commander Tano." Thrawn praised her, although deeming her question quite simple. "In studying recovered footage I made note of something interesting. Have a look," The holoscreen faded to black and was replaced by a single clip of Wraith retracting his arm blade before tossing an explosive at a nearby tank. Obi-Wan recognized the surroundings as being somewhere on Muunilinst. The clip ended almost as soon as it had begun.

"I think I missed something." Anakin commented, speaking what everyone else was thinking.

"Indeed, General. The movement is so quick and simple it is nearly impossible to see." Thrawn replied. "I magnified the recording and slowed the footage during my research. Carefully observe the motions of his hand." Replaying the clip again, the Jedi and Clones watched as Wraith repeated the action. This time, something was quite obvious. Wraith flicked his hand down and the blade retracted seconds later, then he jerked his hand to the side and a disc suddenly appeared in his hand. The movement was so inconspicuous, no wonder no one noticed the first time.

"He moves his hand." Wolffe observed. "And his tools cooperate with his motions."

"Precisely." Thrawn nodded. "While his gauntlets may be simple in design, I propose they may in fact store Wraith's explosives and throwing knives within them and that a complex trigger system is tied around his hand." He explained. "Given just how delicate that system must be, to be able to fluidly control those movements within a mere few seconds indicates that Wraith possesses great precision and a calculating mindset. A combination that has proven to be very deadly." The Jedi took this in and began forming their own opinions of such abilities. Master Windu, beginning to see how Thrawn approached things, was the first to speak up.

"Given how nothing like this seems to exist, what does this gauntlet say about its maker, Commander?" Thrawn turned to him and tilted his head a little, the right corner of his mouth barely forming a small smile.

"I'm glad you thought of such a thing, General Windu. What this says is that someone has been observing Wraith's actions and has been purposefully crafting advanced equipment for his use. Whomever this person is must have great skill in engineering and mechanics, in order to fabricate such a set of tools."

"So Wraith's got specialists working for him." Anakin grimly muttered, now believing his enemy had significant help when it came to repairs and maintenance.

"He must have a whole team." Obi-Wan added. "Someone for health, someone for equipment, someone for training... clearly the Separatists are putting much faith and stock in their creation."

"Should they not? So far he has done nothing short of provide results." Thrawn countered. "Every victory for Wraith is positive reinforcement towards his continued existence. Perhaps, and this may be simple supposition, but it may be that the reason why Wraith fights so viciously is because his life depends upon it. Any one failure could be the end of him." While the Jedi and Clones interpreted that to be a good thing, Ahsoka felt something altogether different. She recalled the vision she had experienced and remembered the harsh pain inflicted upon Wraith and the Sith Lord's efforts to force him to forget about her. That's when Ahsoka remembered how he had seemingly allowed her to escape from Gwori, after the destruction of Apex Company.

Was his letting her go deemed a failure? Had Count Dooku stood by because he deemed such torture necessary?

Maybe Thrawn was right. Maybe the only reason why Wraith acted like such a monster was because he had no choice.

How awful...

In that moment, Ahsoka felt pity for Wraith and wondered for a fleeting moment if he could be redeemed.

Thrawn had moved on, image shifting higher until it focused on his helmet. A now infamous visage that was becoming both known and feared across the Republic.

"Notice the sloping lines on the very top of his helmet, the way they connect from front to back. It would be very easy to simply leave his helmet plain, but someone took time to sculpt these into his helmet. They serve a simple aesthetic purpose, nothing productive or technical. This type of design is commonly found among the sculptures of the Pau'an species, as it reflects their own biological appearance." While most of the Republic affiliates deemed this a bit of a stretch, knowing the Pau'ans preferred administration to anything related to war, Ahsoka suddenly remembered her vision with a gasp.

"I saw a Pau'an in my vision!" She exclaimed. "Master Windu, Master Kenobi! There was a Pau'an standing by Count Dooku while that Sith Lord was torturing Wraith. I remember him plain as day!"

"Yes... that's right." Obi-Wan mused thoughtfully. "Maybe such an observation is not so far-fetched."

"Wait a minute, I get the feeling there's something I need to know about." Anakin interjected, eyeing Ahsoka curiously. Thrawn said nothing but was also intrigued.

"It was several weeks ago, Master. I had this vision where I could see Wraith getting tortured by an unknown Sith Lord. I could feel his fear and his pain, it was enormous! He was actually suffering at the hands of... well... whoever it was. But off to the side I saw Count Dooku and this random Pau'an, just standing there like they were watching." Anakin cocked an eyebrow.

"And you didn't think to tell me?" He wondered.

"She told the Council first, Anakin." Mace stated. "The material of Ahsoka's vision was put on a 'need to know' basis. Quite frankly it seemed obvious that we can't yet afford to worry about another threat." Anakin was prepared to argue otherwise, but remembered they were in the presence of an outsider and decided to keep his mouth shut... for now.

"Tell me Commander Tano, what did this Pau'an look like?" Thrawn asked, deeming it his time to speak up.

"Well, you know, like a Pau'an. Only he was much shorter, I think Dooku was taller than him... I didn't get a real good look." Ahsoka replied, remembering what she could. The moment had been quite brief.

"So he is shorter than average. That is something rare." Thrawn mused, holding his chin in his hands. Normally Pau'ans towered over even the average human, to see even a single member of the species the same height or shorter than a human was considered a rarity.

"Yeah, I thought so too." Ahsoka nodded. Thrawn's calculating mind was quick to determine this Pau'an was of significance to the identity of The Wraith. Figuring out who he was may become a top priority.

"Then there, is where I suggest you start." He stated. "It is obvious Dooku holds Wraith's leash, but someone is responsible for his preparations. No ordinary man is capable of such feats, not even Jedi. He must have someone behind him. It seems this Pau'an plays some role in the functionality of your quarry. Perhaps he is his outfitter or he is possibly his trainer. Either way, your investigation should start, not with who's in front of you, but rather with who is behind him." As Thrawn prepared to wrap up, Plo Koon and Wolffe's attention was drawn away from the briefing and the two disappeared from the holocom. "To conclude I would like to offer you three simple tactics for the next time you encounter The Wraith: firstly, do not engage him head-on under any circumstances. You would be wise to pull back and retreat, attacking him would only be wasting Clones. You cannot strongarm him into submission, but you can outwit him. I know some of you prefer to not back down from a fight," he noted, eyeing Anakin out of the corner of his gaze, "but Clones who live are Clones who can fight again another day. Secondly, should you encounter The Wraith, be sure to use explosive ordinance against him. His susceptibility to long-range attacks could very well be his downfall." Anakin was certain to memorize that. "Lastly, anticipate his presence and plan for his arrival. Try to entrap him rather than attack him. He may be capable of rapid adaptation, but he may not be able to adapt fast enough to a well-planned ambush. Remember these things and victory might just be yours the next time you encounter The Wraith." Taking a quick breath, Thrawn concluded his briefing. "This is all I have to say and I would like to thank you for your time. You are dismissed as you see fit." He informed them. The Clones took that as their cue to stand and leave as the Jedi moved to converse with Thrawn a little further.

"Commander, I would like to make sure this information is passed on to the Supreme Chancellor. This is a perfectly detailed study that should be made known to all Republic Army officials." Obi-Wan informed, him believing many more people needed to hear what Thrawn had to say about Wraith. The Chiss commander nodded as he thanked the Jedi.

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, General Kenobi. I have been intent on submitting my findings to Chancellor Palpatine. But the recommendation of an army General certainly wouldn't hurt." Mace was next to speak up.

"I certinaly hope you plan on sticking around for a bit, Commander. The Republic could use a man of your talents here in the midst of the Clone Wars." Anakin had to agree.

"Your strategies certainly seem viable. You'd definitely be helping us bring the war to an end." He added.

"I have given the matter some thought, General Windu," Thrawn replied, "and the presence of The Wraith both interests me and concerns me. I believe I will remain with you until he has been dealt with. I do so only out of a desire to see his power kept away from my people." He stated, casting a glance at Anakin.

At that moment, Master Plo returned to the holocom.

"It seems the time has come to test your suggestions, Commander." He mused. The grim tone in his voice suggested something was afoot. "I have confirmed sightings from my scouts," he continued, "The Wraith has arrived on Saleucami."


Author's Note: Will the Republic put Thrawn's knowledge to good use? Will Wraith meet his match on Saleucami? Stay tuned for the next upload to find out!