Haplif

Haplif was a telepathic male Agbui who served the Grysk Hegemony operative "Jixtus." Haplif possessed a talent for reading and analyzing cultures, which he proudly utilized in service to his employer. Under orders from Jixtus, Haplif instigated a tragic civil war on a planet that came to be known as "Sunrise." Thereafter, Haplif attempted to orchestrate the demise of the Chiss Ascendancy by sparking a civil war between three of its Forty Great Families.
During his plot against the Chiss, Haplif stayed with rancher Xodlak'phr'ooa "Lakphro" on the Ascendancy planet Celwis for several months. The Agbui attempted to kill his host before departing, but the rancher defeated Haplif and killed his erstwhile guest in self-defense.
==Biography==
===Destroying Sunrise===
At the behest of Jixtus, Haplif orchestrated a civil war on the planet Sunrise in under six months. During the civil war, which took place around 19 BBY,The Magys and her refugees arrived at Rapacc seven and a half months before the main events of Greater Good, which was placed at three months prior to the events of Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising, which takes place around 19 BBY per Star Wars: Timelines. Therefore, the civil war on Sunrise must have been ongoing around 19 BBY. Haplif pushed both sides to use destructive flat-blast artillery shells, which would traumatize an Agbui girl, Frosif. Haplif's war left most of the native population dead and ravaged the sky and surface of the planet. The Agbui and the Grysk Hegemony subsequently took over Sunrise and mined the world for nyix. However, a group of two hundred refugees, led by the Magys, escaped their planet, heading towards the Paccosh homeworld of Rapacc. Unlike many of the worlds of the Chaos populated by sentient species, Sunrise never had a long-range communications triad. Jixtus had told Haplif to leave no witnesses. However, Haplif had neither military forces at his disposal nor a comms triad on Sunrise, so he could neither kill the refugees nor contact Jixtus to have them killed. Instead, he contacted the forces of the Nikardun Destiny, giving them the refugees' vector and telling them that the refugees were raising an army against the Nikardun. Thereafter, the Nikardun military came to attempt to occupy and subjugate the Rapacc system, but they did not find the refugee ship. In actuality, the refugees did, in fact, arrive, but the Paccian Governance concealed them and lied to the Nikardun about them.
During a conversation with Jixtus, Haplif informed him of the situation concerning the refugee ship. Jixtus, pleased with Haplif's performance at Sunrise, sent him to infiltrate and orchestrate a civil war in the Chiss Ascendancy. Jixtus also informs him that Nikardun General Yiv the Benevolent's campaign against the Chiss would turn the Ascendancy's attention outwards, providing Haplif with a better opportunity to infiltrate them.
===Subverting the Chiss===
Over the course of the next three months, Haplif, alongside other Agbui, including Frosif and her mother, Shimkif, posed as cultural nomads traveling the Chaos in order to learn about the Ascendancy. He learned as much of the Chiss language, Cheunh, as possible. Haplif visited eleven different regions on five Chiss worlds with no progress, and he started to wonder where he should travel next. At a festival, Haplif overheard a conversation between a young Chiss couple, where they were also discussing where to travel next. Recognizing this as an opportunity, Haplif called out to the couple in Minnisiat, and the boy, Yoponek (Coduyo'po'nekri), introduced himself and his betrothed, Yomie. Haplif would propose that the Chiss travel with the Agbui (thus saving them money) in exchange for the Chiss acting as cultural guides for the Agbui. To convince the girl, Haplif gifted her a partially-nyix metal brooch. Subsequently, the Chiss couple accepted the arrangement. Haplif hoped that this arrangement would help him in his quest to manipulate the Chiss Ascendancy into a civil war.
Five weeks into the arrangement, Haplif, although learning a great deal about Chiss society, was making minimal process in his goals to foment a civil war. Shimkif was also pestering him about the looming deadlines set by Jixtus. However, Yoponek would make Haplif aware of an ambitious Xodlak Councilor on the planet of Celwis, Xodlak'uvi'vil (Lakuviv). Haplif saw this as his opportunity to infiltrate the Chiss Great Families, and encouraged Yoponek to visit Celwis to meet with Lakuviv, stating that if he were to do so, he would be meeting an important historical figure before his rise to glory. Yoponek was intrigued by the idea, but Haplif was encouraging him to visit Celwis immediately. A visit to Celwis would interrupt Yomie's plans to visit the planet of Shihon for the month-long Grand Migration, and Yoponek was partial to his betrothed's desires, although he tried to get her to see reason, claiming that it was unreasonable to expect the Agbui to wait on Shihon for an entire month. Refusing to discuss the topic any further, Yoponek and Yomie would retire for the night. As the Chiss left, Haplif would speak with Shimkif and agree that something needed to be done about Yomie. They decided to conduct a fake marriage ceremony in an attempt to soften Yomie's heart, hoping to get her to agree to a visit to Celwis. However, this elaborate ceremony did not work, and Yomie was still determined to go to the Grand Migration. However, on route to Shihon, the Agbui's hyperdrive failed. Haplif went to Yomie's room to apologize for the delay and to inform her that she will, at worst, only miss a day of the migration. He also finds her cloud diaries there, and he believes that they could be used as a mechanism to finally peek into Yomie's mind and soul. Shimkif also informs Haplif that Jixtus would like to meet at Shihon, hoping to learn of the Agbui's progress and to find out how much Haplif has learned about the Chiss.
At Shihon, Haplif met with Jixtus. The Grysk asked Haplif if he finds the Grand Migration fascinating, and Haplif stated that he is only on Shihon at the behest of their Chiss guests. Jixtus explained that he finds the migration fascinating because of the behavior of the birds; the carnivore birds surround the seed-eating birds to protect them from predatory animals. Jixtus analogizes this to the Chiss Ascendancy and Haplif's current mission: the Chiss military guard the Ascendancy from without, while the Ascendancy's citizens are vulnerable to an attack from within. Haplif gave Jixtus a datastick containing everything he has learned about the Chiss, and Jixtus informed him that he only has three weeks to initiate contact with Lakuviv. Haplif, after some thought as to how to get Yomie to accept going to Celwis, accepted the new timeframe. Jixtus also told Haplif that he needs a navigator for his dealings with Lakuviv, since he does not want the Agbui's current navigator, an Attendant, to be seen by the Chiss. While Jixtus proposed the use of a Farseeker or a Void Guide, Haplif recommended the Pathfinders. Jixtus accepted this, stating that he had a candidate in mind. As Haplif returned to his ship, he found that Shimkif has departed to "fix their problem".
Three days later, Haplif saw Yomie and Yoponek return to the ship only two hours after departing for the Migration. Yomie stormed off to her quarters while Yoponek explained that, somehow, the Migration is over. Haplif, while expressing sympathy, touched Yoponek's temple, finding emotions of concern, frustration, confusion, and relief. Haplif decided to probe about the idea of going to Celwis, and Yoponek expressed solidarity with the idea. However, Yomie emerged and explainied that they could go to another smaller migration on Shihon. Yoponek, Yomie, and Haplif would discuss this, with Yoponek trying to get his betrothed to see reason. Yomie still did not budge, but they eventually agreed to spend a couple more days on Shihon before departing for Celwis. After the Chiss couple departed to eat, Shimkif returned and explained that she has poisoned the ground and disrupted the balance of the Grand Migration to the point of no return. Haplif regrettably told Shimkif that they are going to another migration for the time being, and, frustrated, Shimkif explained that she cannot replicate her disruptions on another migration without prior preparation. However, they decide to find another way to disrupt Yomie's plans. Arriving at the Panopyl Mountains, Shimkif would again depart the Agbui ship to try to subvert the migration.
Four days into the Panopyl Mountain migration, Haplif became anxious that he would fail to meet Jixtus's new deadline. He further encouraged Yoponek to convince Yomie to allow him to go to Celwis and meet with Councilor Lakuviv. When Yoponek mentioned that he could meet with any Xodlak Councilor on a number of Chiss worlds, Haplif reasoned that Lakuviv is the only one that administered land suitable for the Agbui spice growth. Yoponek conceded the point. The next day, Haplif would see Yoponek and Yomie again return to the ship only two hours after departing. Yomie was extremely sick, and Yoponek would explain that she wasn't feeling well. As they started to walk back to the Agbui ship, Yomie had lost the ability to walk on her own. Chiss medics would arrive and conclude that she had been poisoned by the venom of a greenstripe. Feeling defeated, Yomie would ask Yoponek and Haplif if they were going to depart for Celwis. However, not wanting to push the girl, Haplif postponed the conversation until the next morning. Once Yoponek also retired for the night, Shimkif would return and explain that she was not able to poison the migration but that she was able to poison Yomie. The next morning, Haplif greets Yomie in her room. During their conversation, Yomie leans back to stretch her spine and neck, and Haplif saw his opportunity to touch her temple with his fingertips. However, all he felt from this touch was pure anger and hatred. Yomie had successfully trapped Haplif into revealing his telepathic powers, and although Haplif tried to play it off, Yomie was convinced. When she threatened to inform Yoponek, Haplif had no other option but to kill Yomie. When Yoponek returned from the migration viewing grounds, Haplif would inform him that Yomie decided to depart ways until he and the Agbui returned from Celwis. After some convincing from Haplif, Yoponek would believe this lie and became enthusiastic about going to Celwis. To solidify Yoponek's resolve, Haplif gave him Yomie's brooch, stating that it was Yomie's promise that they would be reunited again. Six hours after departing Shihon for Celwis, and when Yoponek was sleeping, the Agbui ship disposed of Yomie's body in interstellar space.
Before arriving at Celwis, the Agbui ship would rendezvous with Jixtus, and the two would discuss Haplif's developments. A couple of hours later, Jixtus's recommended pathfinder, Qilori, arrived. Haplif and Jixtus informed the Pathfinder that he would accompany a Chiss ship to a world that Haplif would later specify, where he would act like he had been there before and answer any questions asked by the Chiss. Haplif promised Qilori that he would prepare him on how to respond to these questions. After being dismissed by Jixtus, Haplif would depart for Celwis with Qilori.
===Engaging Lakuviv===
Yoponek and Haplif arrived on Celwis and met with Councilor Xodlak'uvi'vil (Lakuviv). In this meeting, Haplif would ask the Xodlak Councilor for a plot of land in which to grow his spices. He also offered Lakuviv his own pair of partially-nyix brooches, hoping that the Xodlak family recognizes the metal and inquires about its planet of origin. Lakuviv and his Senior Aide, Xodlak'ji'iprip (Lakjiip), would eventually find a plot of land for the Agbui spices: a small hill on the property of Xodlak yubal rancher, Xodlak'phr'ooa (Lakphro). They would also send the brooches to the Vlidan Labs, where they would learn of its composition.
At Sunrise, the Chiss ships Springhawk and Grayshrike, commanded by Senior Captains Mitth'raw'nuruodo (Thrawn) and Xodlak'in'daro (Lakinda), respectively, would interrupt a nyix mining operation by the Grysks and the Agbui. In order to conceal the Agbui nyix transport freighter from the Chiss, the Grysk ship HopeBreaker would engage and suffer heavy losses against the Chiss.
At Lakphro's ranch, Haplif became frustrated over his inability to telepathically touch the rancher. One day, Frosif would become frightened by the sound of a brass sealer made by Lakphro's daughter, Lakris (it sounded similar to the sound of the flat-blast artillery shells used in the Sunrise civil war). Haplif would admonish Frosif for showing her trauma to the Chiss, but Shimkif would defend her daughter. Haplif saw this as an opportunity to manipulate Lakphro. He and Shimkif would agree to give Lakphro's wife, Lakansu, and Lakris a pair of their nyix brooches in an attempt to indirectly appease Lakphro.
Haplif, Shimkif, and Frosif gifted Lakansu and Lakris these brooches. After the rancher and his family accepted the gifts, Lakphro is contacted by Lakjiip, who wished to speak with Haplif. Lakjiip informed Haplif that another Agbui ship had entered Celwis space and asked him what their purpose was, to which Haplif stated that they were probably looking for any excess spices and delivering extra metals for the Agbui's jewelry construction. Lakjiip wanted Haplif to travel to Redhill to meet with these new arrivals, and Lakphro volunteered to drive him there. Upon arriving at Redhill, Haplif gave the Agbui some of his extra spices and pointed out the apparent battle damage on the Agbui ship. In a conversation with Lakuviv, Haplif discussed this damage, claiming that pirates probably attacked the ship. In actuality, the damage was intended to trick Lakuviv in to offering to escort the Agbui to their next destination, which Haplif revealed to be the world where the blue spirea (nyix) used in the jewelry was mined from. This world and its nyix mines were fake, however, but Haplif hoped that showing Lakuviv the location would embolden him into capturing it for the Xodlak family. Lakuviv offered a Xodlak patrol ship to escort the Agbui to the mining world, and Haplif offered his other ship's Pathfinder navigator, Qilori, for the Xodlak's use.
Qilori accompanied Lakjiip on this escort mission to the fake Agbui mining world of Hoxim, where she was convinced that the nyix mining facilities were real. Upon returning to Celwis, Lakjiip would inform Lakuviv of the mine's authenticity, and the Councilor would invite Haplif to Redhill for another meeting. Haplif takes Yoponek to the meeting with Lakuviv, but he is prompted to wait in the lounge. In the meeting, Haplif would answer more questions about the mine and the Agbui's operations on Hoxim. Haplif, wanting to manipulate Lakuviv into sending a Xodlak defense force to Hoxim, shifts the conversation to the topic of Agbui pirate attacks. Lakuviv agrees to defend the Agbui and states his belief that he will be able to bypass the Xodlak Patriel on Celwis, Xodlak'oo'nifis (Lakooni), who he distrusts, and go straight to the Xodlak Patriarch. Haplif would wait in the lounge with Yoponek while Lakuviv made the relevant calls to the Xodlak Patriarch's office. He would be denied by the Patriarch's third aide, however, so he was forced to contact Patriel Lakooni. After persuading her to come to Redhill, Lakuviv informed Haplif and Yoponek of the situation, and the group discussed the next course of action. Lakuviv stated that, once he and Lakooni went to the Patriarch, Xodlak reservists would likely be called to staff the Xodlak warships. Yoponek, noting that this process would be slow, recommended the use of the Chiss family emergencies protocol. He would explain that any family has the right to call upon any active-duty Defense Force or Expansionary Defense Fleet personnel to staff their family warships and that only a Patriel, not the Patriarch, is needed. Lakuviv, thanking Yoponek for the suggestion, sends him and Haplif back to Lakphro's ranch.
At the same time, two other Chiss families, the Erighal and Pommrio, were manipulated into claiming the supposed mine.
As the Xodlak mission to capture Hoxim went underway, Haplif and the Agbui prepared to depart from Celwis. However, before he could get aboard this ship, Haplif was confronted by Lakphro, who revealed that he knew of the Agbui's ill intentions and manipulations of the Xodlak. Haplif determined to kill Lakphro, but the rancher was able to defend himself with the use of one of his growzers. Lakphro zipped his jacket's brass sealer and the growzer latched its teeth into Haplif's arm as he tried to strangle the rancher. When Haplif tried to swing the growzer to hit one of Lakphro's electric-jolt luresticks, the growzer reflexively tightens its grip on his arm, sending him to the ground in agony. As he slowly died, Haplif saw that the Agbui ship was leaving without him, theorizing that Shimkif had decided to leave him behind. He also died confident that his manipulations of the Chiss had worked. However, his plans to pin the Xodlak, Erighal, and Pommrio families against each other was foiled by Thrawn, Lakinda, and the Grayshrike's first commander, Mid Captain Csap'ro'strob (Apros). They stopped the families from fighting each other by staging a fake attack on the Springhawk. During this attack, the fake nyix mine on Hoxim was destroyed, thus preventing any of the families from claiming it.
==Personality and traits==
Haplif was supremely confident, even arrogant, about his abilities. He hated leaving any job uncompleted, even if all that remained was "mop-up." While Haplif enjoyed causing mass-scale destruction, he disliked killing others with his hands as his telepathic sense of touch would cause him strong unpleasant feelings while killing someone.
Haplif often presented a façade of good humor and cheer, although he secretly thought many of the individuals he interacted with were stupid, boring, or spoiled. While Haplif had a strong desire to finish his task so he could return to an unspecified home, he found satisfaction while dying in his belief that the plot against the Chiss would come to fruition.
==Skills and abilities==
Haplif and other Agbui had a limited form of telepathy, based on physically touching other sentient beings. Haplif claimed to be particularly gifted with that ability, which he insisted allowed him to understand, manipulate, and even destroy entire species. Haplif took pride in using his knowledge of others' desires and motivations to manipulate them. He likened such knowledge to having a "handle" belonging to an ax which he could weaponize for his own goals.
Because of Haplif's exceptional interpersonal skills including manipulation, Jixtus put Haplif in charge of interacting with Chiss and learning about Chiss culture, out of the fifty Agbui "cultural nomads" in Haplif's traveling group. While Shimkif also possessed touch-based telepathy, she was more skilled than Haplif in administration but less skilled at manipulating people. Therefore, she was put in charge of keeping the Agbui starship and crew in working order while Haplif was tasked with manipulating Chiss.
==Behind the scenes==
Haplif of the Agbui first appeared in the 2021 novel Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good by Timothy Zahn, in which he played the role of the primary antagonist and a major point-of-view character.
==Appearances==
*Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good 
*Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil 
==Notes and references==
Category:Agbui
Category:Celwis residents
Category:Grysk Hegemony individuals
Category:Individuals with he/him pronouns
Category:Males