Batonn insurgency The Batonn insurgency , also known informally as the War for Batonn , was a conflict of the Batonn sector insurgency , which took place sometime before the mission to Reklam Station . Local dissatisfaction with the rule of Governor Restos fuelled the emergence of an insurgent movement led by Nevil Cygni , a shadowy former pirate and consultant who adopted the persona " Nightswan . " Nightswan engineered the Batonn insurgency as a means of destroying the Chiss Admiral Thrawn , a rising star in the Imperial Navy . The Batonn insurgents seized the Imperial garrison on Scrim Island and successfully fended off Admiral Durril ' s attempt to recapture the island . Studying the insurgents ' tactics , Admiral Thrawn managed to defeat the insurgents on Scrim Island and force their surrender . The surviving Batonn insurgents led by Nightswan regrouped at the Creekpath Mining and Refining complex on Batonn ' s main continent . The Empire and Batonn Defense Force lay siege to the mining complex . Thrawn ' s attempts to end the crisis peacefully were fraught by an Imperial Security Bureau operation to blow up the mine and Nightswan ' s distrust of the Empire . Ultimately , the Lothal ian Governor Arihnda Pryce ended the insurgency by blowing up the Creekpath mine to hide her murder of the ISB Agent Gudry . The resulting explosion killed all the Batonn insurgents and numerous civilians . At the urging of Pryce , Thrawn took credit for ending the Batonn insurgency and was promoted by Emperor Palpatine to the rank of Grand Admiral . Prelude . During the Age of the Empire , the rebel leader Nevil Cygni , who adopted the pseudonym " Nightswan " , led a galactic - wide insurgency against the Galactic Empire . Nightswan harried the Empire by raiding tibanna and iridium shipments , disrupting the supply of doonium metals and Wookiee slaves , and stirring up rebellion on worlds such as Umbara , Cyphar , Batonn , Denash , and Sammun . Nightswan also hired the Higher Skies Advocacy Group led by Driller MarDapp to collect intelligence on senior Imperial officials on Coruscant including Moff Ghadi and Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin . Higher Skies worked with the martial arts instructor Juahir Madras to recruit senator ial bodyguards into spies . Nightswan ' s movements were tracked by the Chiss Imperial Navy rising star Thrawn and his friend and Ensign , Eli Vanto . With the help of political allies such as the Imperial Security Bureau Colonel Wullf Yularen and the Lothal ian Governor Arihnda Pryce , Thrawn and Vanto managed to expose and foil several of Nightswan ' s schemes . In the process , Vanto and Thrawn uncovered evidence that the Empire was chanelling vast amounts of precious metals for an unknown mega - project later revealed to be the first Death Star . Nightswan and Thrawn eventually took an interest in outsmarting each other . Seeking to best Admiral Thrawn once and for all , Nightswan instigated an insurgency on Batonn , whose mines supplied metals to the Galactic Empire ' s expanding military and war machine . On Batonn , growing popular discontentment with the corrupt Governor Restos sparked the emergence of an insurgent movement led by Nightswan . The Batonn insurgents had a hideout within the Creekpath Mining and Refining complex near Paeragosto City on the planet ' s main continent . Around 2 BBY , Batonn insurgents overran and took control of the Imperial garrison on Scrim Island , an offshore island that lay 300 km west of the main continent . They took a hundred hostages including Imperial Navy trooper s , technicians , and some civilian workers . The Batonn insurgents controlled the island ' s deflector shield , shoreline defenses , and three of its ion cannons . In response to the events at Scrim Island and other local sector insurgencies , Fleet Admiral Jok Donassius convened a high - level meeting at Imperial High Command . This meeting was attended by several Admiral s including Thrawn , Durril , and Kinshara , Governor Restos , Governor Wistran of Denash , Governor Estorn of Sammun , Governor Pryce , Commander Vanto , and Colonel Yularen . Regarding the Scrim hostage crisis as an affront to the Empire , Fleet Admiral Donassius ordered Admiral Thrawn to destroy the rebels immediately . When Thrawn proposed first studying the island , an impatient Donassius reassigned the mission to the more pliable Admiral Durril . Thrawn ' s 96th Task Force was instead tasked with dealing with the Sammun insurgents while Governor Kinshara ' s forces were deployed to Denash . The campaign . Battle of Scrim Island . Admiral Durril ' s assault . Admiral Durril commanded the 103rd Task Force ' s assault on Scrim Island from the Imperial Star Destroyer " Judicator " . The " Judicator " and its escort Imperial light cruisers and frigates bombarded Scrim Island but were unable to pierce through the deflector shield . During the assault , the insurgent commanded alternated between firing the island ' s ion cannons and closing and retracting the shields . These tactics succeeded in baffling Admiral Durril and his task force , who were unable to hit the enemy cannons . The Batonn insurgents also managed to inflict damage on the " Judicator " and its escort ships . Instead of adjusting to his opponents ' tactics , Admiral Durril continued his ineffective attacks . Meanwhile , eight small freighters took off from Scrim Island and headed to the main continent . Seven freighters flew under low cover to avoid detection while the eighth rose into space . With Durril ' s portside escort ships was immobilized by ion damage , the Batonn insurgents unleashed their turbolaser cannon on the " Judicator " . The insurgents then immobilized the starboard escort ships with their western ion cannon . They then used their turbolaser cannon to damaged the " Judicator " superstructure , weapons , and systems . Spying on Nightswan . Unknown to both Durril and the Batonn insurgents , the space battle was being watched by Admiral Thrawn and Commander Vanto in their captured smuggling freighter " Slipknot " . Taking advantage of a loophole in Fleet Admiral Donassius ' orders , Thrawn had dispatched Commander Karyn Faro and the 96th Task Force to deal with the Sammun insurgents . He also deployed Captain Brento ' s light cruiser " Shyrack " to monitor the seven freighters ' movements . Posing as the smuggler " Horatio Figg " , Vanto managed to establish contact with the insurgents under the pretext of buying stolen Imperial weapons . Following the insurgents ' coordinates , Eli and Thrawn flew the " Slipknot " into a Nomad starship . While Thrawn hid aboard the freighter to plan their escape , Vanto met with the insurgent leader Nevil Cygni , who identified himself as Nightswan . Vanto learned that Nightswan was behind their earlier encounters with insurgents and that he had engineered the Battle of Scrim Island to defeat Thrawn . Thrawn managed to stage a distraction by blowing up the " Slipknot " engine compartment . Having collected the necessary intelligence , the two then escaped aboard a stolen freighter . Meanwhile , Captain Brento evacuated Admiral Durril ' s battered forces . Thrawn ' s assault . After learning that Thrawn had gathered intelligence on the Batonn insurgents , Donassius assigned Thrawn the task of taking back Scrim Island . Thrawn ' s 96th Task Force consisted of the Star Destroyer " Chimaera " and three light cruisers " Shyrack " , " Flensor " , and " Tumnor " , and two frigates . Based on the intelligence he had gathered during their undercover mission , Thrawn devised a strategy to break the siege of Scrim Island . To trick the insurgents into underestimating his forces , Thrawn ordered the three light cruisers to descend into Batonn ' s atmosphere . As planned , the light cruisers ' were struck by the insurgents ' ion cannons , which disabled their primary weapons and main drives . However , their communications , secondary weapons , and auxiliary drives still remained intact . Thrawn shifted the light cruisers and the " Chimaera " towards an angle that prevented the insurgents from bombarding his task force . Using the light cruisers as a shield , Thrawn used the " Chimaera " turbolaser crew to bombard the waters around Scrim Island , generating tsunamis that overwhelmed the insurgents ' ion and turbolaser cannons . As a result , the Scrim Island commander surrendered to Thrawn and lowered the island ' s shields . Imperial forces captured the insurgents and freed the hostages . Following the battle , Thrawn also ordered Commander Faro to tractor the three light cruisers back into space for repairs . Vanto also reported the pacification of the Scrim Island insurgents to the galactic capital Coruscant . While the Battle for Scrim Island was over , Thrawn warned that the " war for Batonn " had not yet been won . Siege of the Creekpath mine . Continuing the hunt . Using Captain Brento ' s information , Commander Vanto was able to track the shipping vectors of the seven freighters to the Creekpath Mining and Refining complex , which lay near Paeragosto City on the main continent . Nightswan and his followers had retreated into the mining complex where they set up their base within the mine . They were joined by many local inhabitants who had grievances with the Galactic Empire and its representative Governor Restos . Since Governor Restos had requisitioned most of the city ' s soldiers for his personal use , the Batonn insurgents were able to peacefully take over the mine and shelter beneath its DSS - 02 regional shield . In response , Imperial ground forces and the Batonn Defense Force blockaded the perimeters of the shield . While Nightswan had hoped that the Empire would withdraw from Batonn , Thrawn was determined to end the insurgency . Thrawn ' s command of the Creekpath complex siege was complicated by the Imperial Security Bureau ' s interference . Seeking to rescue her parents Talmoor and Elainye Pryce , Governor Arihnda Pryce of Lothal convinced Colonel Wullf Yularen that she could infiltrate the mining complex and gather intelligence on the insurgents ' defenses . Yularen agreed on the condition that she was accompanied by Agent Gudry , who was tasked with gathering intelligence on the insurgents ' defenses and planting explosives on the deflector shield generator . This would enable Thrawn ' s orbiting task force to take out the insurgents . With Thrawn ' s connivance , Pryce and Gudry managed to land at Paeragosto City and travel to the Creekpath mine . Thrawn also brought the damaged light cruisers " Flensor " , " Shyrack " , and " Tumnor " into low orbit for repairs . The ships were surrounded by various repair barges and ships . Thrawn had arranged the light cruisers at the ends of a wide equilateral triangle . While it appeared that Thrawn had left the light cruisers in a vulnerable position , he had secretly outfitted the repair barges with TIE fighters loaned by Admiral Durril . Thrawn planned to use the light cruisers as a bait to draw an attack from Nightswan ' s forces . Thrawn ' s unusual strategy alarmed Colonel Yularen but Commander Vanto reassured him that Thrawn knew what he was doing . The elusive peace . Meanwhile , Pryce and Gudry managed to find Pryce ' s parents . Though they expressed sympathy for the insurgents , Talmoor agreed to lead Gudry into the mine , where the insurgents had set up base , under the pretext of finding Gudry ' s friend " Blayze Jonoo . " Unknown to Talmoor , this was a ruse for Gudry to collect intelligence and to plant explosives . However , Pryce then reneged on her agreement to help Gudry and returned home to evacuate her parents . Despite being abandoned by Pryce , Gudry managed to attached explosive caps to the deflector shield and a cache of explosives . He also discovered that the insurgents had several police gunships and skim fighters . Gudry reported his successful mission and findings to Colonel Yularen . Elsewhere , Thrawn made contact with Nightswan and arranged to meet at a nearby field to find a peaceful solution to the siege . As a seasoned officer , Thrawn wanted to avoid causing high civilian casualties in the densely populated Creekpath mining complex . Thrawn tried to present the Empire as a lesser evil to the chaos and " evil things " in the Unknown Regions but Nightswan was determined to bring down the Empire in order to create a better galactic order . Thrawn then offered Nightswan a place among the Chiss Ascendancy . Despite his respect for Thrawn , Nightswan turned down his offer since he was unwilling to abandon his followers to the " tender mercies " of the Empire and Governor Restos . Still , Nightswan exacted a promise from Thrawn to protect the civilians of Creekpath . Shortly later , Thrawn was picked up by Colonel Yularen , who chastised the Admiral for parleying with the enemy . While the two were close friends , Yularen warned that such contacts could be misconstrued as treason . When Colonel Yularen questioned him about the unusual positioning of the light cruisers , Thrawn reassured him that the cruisers were in safe hands . Now that Gudry had attached the explosives to both the deflector shield and explosives , Thrawn returned to the " Chimaera " to resume command . Blood and fire . Meanwhile , a vindictive Gudry confronted Pryce before she and her parents could flee to safety . To avoid drawing attention , he demanded that she leave her parents behind if she wanted to live . Pryce refused to abandon her parents and fought with Gudry . Following a struggle , she shot him dead . Unaware of Pryce ' s actions , Thrawn convinced Colonel Yularen to loan him a squad of soldiers to rescue Pryce and Gudry . Thrawn also ordered the Imperial ground forces on the northern and western frontiers of the Creekpath mining complex to begin harassing the Batonn insurgents with limited fire . Shortly later , a fleet of thirty insurgent starships emerged from hyperspace and approached the damaged light cruisers , intending to finish them off . Thrawn then deployed the TIE fighters hidden inside the repair barges and bombarded the enemy starships with the " Chimaera " turbolaser cannon . Meanwhile on Batonn , Pryce and her parents managed to escape the insurgent picket lines to the safety of the Imperial lines . After learning that Colonel Yularen had sent a squad to find Gudry , she detonated the remote cap in the explosives cache . This generated an explosion which devastated the mine , killing all the insurgents inside and numerous civilians . In space , the remaining insurgent ships retreated after learning of the bombing of the Creekpath facility . Thrawn allowed the stragglers to flee in order to demoralize their compatriots . Despite the Empire ' s victory over the Batonn insurgents , Thrawn was displeased at the high loss of civilian lives . He ordered the ground forces to search and rescue survivors from the ruined complex . The deflector shield however had confined the blast within the Creekpath complex and civilian housing . Pryce ' s parents were horrified at what they believed to be the Empire ' s actions but Pryce blame the insurgents in an attempt to deflect her own culpability . Aftermath . The bombing of the Creekpath Mining and Refining complex ended the Batonn insurgency in the Galactic Empire ' s favor . Despite the confirmed deaths of Nightswan and his fellow insurgents , Admiral Thrawn and Colonel Yularen were distressed by the high civilian death toll . Governor Pryce theorized that the insurgents had captured Agent Gudry and that he had blown the mine up in an attempt to prevent his capture . Yularen was skeptical of her account since he did not believe that Gudry would have detonated the explosives cache first . Since the explosion had destroyed much of the evidence , Yularen , Thrawn , and Commander Vanto were forced to accept Pryce ' s account . While the Imperial Senate ordered an inquiry , Yularen was skeptical they would find sufficient evidence to reconstruct what actually transpired that night . Following the Batonn insurgency , Governor Pryce convinced Thrawn to take credit for the victory at Batonn . She also offered to serve as his political adviser and to smooth his transfer to the high - powered Seventh Fleet . While Thrawn agreed to work with Governor Pryce due to her political savvy , he and Commander Vanto privately confided that Pryce was somehow complicit in the Creekpath bombing . After receiving news of the Imperial victory at Batonn , Emperor Palpatine invited Thrawn for a private audience at the Imperial Palace on Coruscant . In recognition of his services , Thrawn was promoted to the rank of Grand Admiral . During the meeting , Thrawn confirmed Nightswan and Vanto ' s theories that the Empire had been siphoning off metal resources for a mega - project known as the Death Star . He also met with the mysterious Darth Vader . Grand Admiral Thrawn ' s new - found prestige following the Batonn insurgency led Governor Pryce to petition Governor Wilhuff Tarkin to reassign Thrawn and the Seventh Fleet to the Lothal sector . This brought Thrawn into conflict with the Phoenix Cell , which had established a base in that sector . While the ISB Agent and rebel spy Alexsandr Kallus expressed concerns that civilian casualties outweighed the insurgents , Pryce rationalized that they were within " acceptable margins " since the rebel presence in the Batonn sector had been destroyed . Behind the scenes . The Batonn insurgency was first indirectly reference in the " Star Wars Rebels " Season Three premiere " ' " , which debuted at Celebration Europe on July 16 , 2016 . The conflict was later explored in further depth and detail in Timothy Zahn ' s 2017 novel " Thrawn " , which serves as a Canon ical origins story for Thrawn .