After finally reaching the current Imperial "capital" on Wayland, the planet that had formerly been home to the insane Jedi clone of Joruus C'baoth. Thrawn had thought ahead and created the perfect clone of himself, to the point that Thrawn simply had just transferred his very soul into the new body, since it was him. Magic seemed to have had a hand in this, since the magic wielding force users had sensed it from the cloning chambers being used. Though they couldn't sense the Force around the cloning facility, due to the species called ysalamiri. Not only that, but the research into the Emperors plans for the future were fascinating to break down for the Chiss Imperial.

Of course, the Chiss had also been doing a lot of these 'search and find' missions for any more tech left behind by the Emperor. Though, it also helped that Thrawn had set up a spy network that made the former smuggler lord, Talon Karrde, seem like a rumor mill.

Of course, the Imperials had made sure that any planet that was named a "Capital" was only just a fake claim. Thrawn had the real Capital of the Imperial Remnant in his personal pet project, dubbed "The Empire of the Hand". Which would be where the fleet would jump to next in a matter of hours, they would have to clear Wayland of everything so the First Order wouldn't get any new technology.

That meant the Cloning Facilities had to leave.

"So your saying that we only stopped here to carry useless materials with us?" Admiral Ackbar accused Thrawn as the two met in Thrawn's personal quarters.

"Admiral," Thrawn said quietly, his tone soft but firm as the Mon Calamari Admiral looked nervous, "These cloning facilities could make it so that the First Order could mass produce troops in a matter of months, without the need to condition them."

The Chiss red eyes bore into the large ones of Ackbar, "Your logic would mean that the Remnant would be left without the means to allow new recruits to be properly trained, as the clones are only there for boosting the numbers. Once the training is complete, the clone soldiers will put the newly trained recruits in live action simulations, giving them combat experience while also allowing for more to be trained. This fills in the numbers of recruits that lack the needed experiences, as the clone handle the positions for them until they are ready."

"Furthermore," Thrawn concluded, "the First Order wouldn't stop training troops, but also mass produce clones with the combat conditioning already in place. They wouldn't care, as they want more power to rule the Galaxy."

Ackbar was silenced at that, as the points of Thrawn's argument held true to whatever scrutiny that the alien Admiral mentally put it through.

"I concede to your better judgement, Grand Admiral, "The Mon Calamari acknowledged reluctantly, "But seeing as we are simply on the run now, even the remaining Resistance are nervous that we will be turned into Imperial soldiers."

Thrawn pressed his hands together before answering, "Admiral, your fears are founded on truth. Flimsy but truth, however, let me explain this to you so we can resolve this matter."

"The Empire is at an end, it always has been but now that the First Order has arisen, it must be that a balance has to be made. This fight is one that has been waged for eons, Admiral, to put it simply, the Old facing the New. The Imperial Remnant may of had the overwhelming numbers in battle but in one on one combat, no Imperial Star Destroyer, be it ISD I or II, could stand up against a Resurgence Star Destroyer. We are the Old, Admiral, facing an Opponent that has learned from our past mistakes and doesn't follow any sort of rules that may have applied in the past."

Ackbar was silent as Thrawn continued, "The Empire of the Hand is a better, not the best, variation of the Old Empire. Under my guidance, the Hand has started creating new weapons and technology. Even giving new life to the old Imperial Military technology, however, it has been slow since the First Order has been making sure no one gets any new technology."

"It will be years, maybe even decades before we can successfully combat the First Order in numbers."

Ackbar made a gesture of agreement before saying, "Unless the son of Darth Vader finds the legendary Star Forge."

Yes, the only technology that was even more elusive than that "Katana Fleet" had been. Of course, he would be having the young Force user do what his Father had done years previously. But the advantage against the First Order would be enough to maybe push the Empire of the Hand out of the protective covering that kept the Galaxy inside itself. Of course, it would also mean that maybe, just maybe, the Emperor wouldn't be wrong about the Far Outsiders or the species real name, the Yuuzhan Vong.

Thrawn then stood and let the Resistance Admiral leave, returning to his seat to ponder.

It wasn't long before the Fleet split into two groups, having the majority of the fleet carry the needed technology back into Hand territory while Thrawn had Harry lead the Imperator towards the Star Forge. Of course, Thrawn had bound the Chimera to the Imperator along with the other escorts so that they would jump together as one, not having to be left behind and leave a huge trail for the First Order to follow.

Darth Vader simply watched the readout that continuously updated as his son used the Force to guide the small fleet through hyperspace, going past stars, debris and other celestial objects. He remembered doing a similar thing years ago with the Chimera but that had been in the Unknown Regions were Thrawn and Anakin Skywalker had met for the first time.

Fleur, Penelope and Rey were all quiet, waiting for the young man to stop. But it didn't, Vader could feel the Force practically pulling Harry towards the location of the most dangerous object in the galaxy.

The Star Forge.

Built during the Time of the Infinite Empire according to known records, the Star Forge was one of many military factories used to continuously grow the Empires army. But when the Empire fell apart due to the dark side wielding aliens being cut off from the force by a virus, the technology was quickly destroyed and/or lost in space. It remained that way until Darth Revan found it and used it to build his army until his apprentice betrayed him and was supposedly killed in the Star Forge exploding in on itself.

That was the story on record anyway.

Revan, however, had told his son that the Star Forge hadn't been destroyed, Malek had been. The Old Republic only believed what they had been told and supposedly saw by a Jedi Master and a "former" Sith Lord. But it seemed that Revan had programed the massive station to find more of its brethren and other technology of the Infinite Empire and bring it all on a hidden Planet in the Unknown Regions that not even the Chiss Ascendancy had even tried to explore.

Hopefully, the ancient creation had followed through and done what it had been tasked.

The moment of truth came when the fleet dropped out of a weeks journey through hyperspace, Thrawn giving the order to unbind the fleet before they continued towards the location. Harry looked pale as the three girls carried him out, Vader looked at the dark planet they had entered orbit around. He could feel the dark side churning like a wild animal below, calling out for him and any other dark side user.

He then felt something enter his mind, like a soft pressing of a hand against skin. He instantly brought his mental defenses down on the intruder, catching it. He headed to his chambers, quickly entering a meditative stance. His inner world, as he thought of it, was a mix of the Dark Side and the Light, not a perfect mix but slowly becoming one.

He found the intruder, using Dark side tendrils to pull the intruder closer. He would crush it!

He paused, as the intruder smiled coyly at him.

"Hello Ani~" The intruder said, smiling with her face, "It's been so long~"