Ar'alani

Ar'alani, born as Irizi'ar'alani and also known by her core name Ziara, was a Chiss female admiral who served in the Expansionary Defense Fleet of the Chiss Ascendancy nation during the Clone Wars and the reign of the Galactic Empire. A Chiss with blue skin and striking red eyes, Ar'alani was known as a brilliant tactician and a devoted officer within the Expansionary Defense Fleet. She was also regarded to have excellent instincts, often being told by her superiors to not doubt them. She was once a blood member of the Irizi family—one of the Nine Ruling Families that controlled the Ascendancy. The Vigilant, a Nightdragon man-of-war, served as her command ship during and shortly after the Clone Wars era. Later in the Imperial period, her command ship was the Chiss Heavy cruiser Steadfast. In her early life, Ar'alani attended Taharim Academy where she became acquainted with fellow cadet Mitth'raw'nuru "Thrawn". The pair developed a lifetime friendship, completing many missions side by side, with Ar'alani sometimes serving as Thrawn's Commanding officer. During their shared time as cadets at Taharim Academy—where she had built up a spotless record—Ziara aided Thrawn in being cleared from a cheating charge on a simulation, along with the help of Expansionary Defense Fleet General Ba'kif. After having his name cleared, Thrawn invited Ziara out where he first introduced her to his abilities of using an individual's art against them in combat, which he demonstrated to her in a bout after taking a look at her wire sculptures.
Following their graduation from Taharim Academy, Ziara successfully completed many missions as she rose in rank with the Expansionary Defense Fleet. She assisted Thrawn in a mission to the nation of the Lioaoin Regime, where the pair worked together to defeat a group of pirates. Both Ziara and Thrawn were promoted for their efforts, with Thrawn being placed under Ziara's watchful eye aboard her new command ship, the Chiss patrol cruiser Parala. Ziara and Thrawn worked together on many occasions, including the destruction of pirates against the Garwian Unity colony of Stivic, and the rescue of an excursion liner from the gravity well of a planet it was stuck in, where they saved eight thousand lives. Thrawn was once again put on trial on the Chiss homeworld of Csilla, where Ziara informed him of the truth of Csilla. Ziara was soon promoted to the rank of commodore, which severed her ties to the Irizi Family and was now called Ar'alani. She was also given command of the Chiss heavy cruiser Destrama as well as Picket Force Six. Shortly after her promotion, Ar'alani and Thrawn were invited to the Garwian homeworld, where she first began to humanize non-Chiss lives, while also thwarting an attempt for the Garwian Unity to conquer areas of Lioaoin space.
Near the end of the Clone Wars, the warlike Grysk Hegemony began a plot to destroy the Chiss Ascendancy. Their coordinator, "Jixtus," first sent the Nikardun General Yiv to conquer the neighboring nations of the Ascendancy, in an attempt to encircle them. This Chiss had rules against preemptive strikes, which aided the leader of the Nikardun Destiny in his attempt to destroy the Ascendancy. Ar'alani and the Vigilant played a vital role in defeating Yiv's fleet over the Vak Combine planet of Primea. Following the Chiss victory, Ar'alani dealt with the aftermath of the battle, finding and cleaning up Nikardun remnants. The Vigilant then made its way to the planet Sunrise, where it encountered and destroyed a Battle Dreadnought. After returning to the Ascendancy, Ar'alani met with the imprisoned Yiv in an attempt to find a lead on the mastermind behind the attacks on the Chiss. Ar'alani was also a major factor in the decisive victory against Jixtus's fleet during the climactic battle against the Grysk, which was dubbed Senior Captain Thrawn's last stand. The battle also resulted in Thrawn's exile from the Chiss Ascendancy, after breaking the Chiss rules against pre-emptive strikes.
Nearly two decades after the final battle against Jixtus, Ar'alani—now in command of the Chiss heavy cruiser Steadfast, welcomed Commander Eli Vanto aboard her ship after he had defected from the Imperial Navy, under the behest of now Imperial Grand Admiral Thrawn. Shortly after, Ar'alani retrieved a handful of sky-walkers after Thrawn and Sith Lord Darth Vader had rescued them from the Grysks. Ar'alani soon reunited with Thrawn aboard his flagship, the Imperial Star Destroyer Chimaera, where they met the sky-walker Un'hee, who had been rescued from the clutches of the Grysk. Ar'alani and the Steadfast, along with a complement of TIE Defenders from the Chimaera defeated the Grysk warships while Thrawn dealt with the traitorous Grand Admiral Balanhai Savit. Before splitting ways again, Ar'alani warned Thrawn of the chaos brewing in the Ascendancy urging him to return, but the Grand Admiral denied, saying his place was with the Empire for the time being.
==Biography==
===Early military career===
====Taharim Academy====
Born around 62 BBY, Irizi'ar'alani was known by her core name "Ziara", and was a blood member of the Irizi family, one of the Nine Ruling Families of the Chiss Ascendancy nation in the Unknown Regions, also known as the "Chaos". She attended Taharim Academy on the planet Naporar, and rose to the rank of Senior Cadet in four years. Around 37 BBY,PerThrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising, Thrawn rematched to the Mitth family and was admitted into Taharim Academy in the year 39 BBY, per the reasoning here. As Thrawn had been at the academy for 2 years at the time of his cheating charge, the event must take place around 37 BBY while at the academy, she was placed on trial after a Cadet under her tutelage, Mitth'raw'nuru "Thrawn," was accused of cheating on a simulator exercise. As they were unable to recreate the parameters of the simulator, there was no way for Thrawn to replicate his results. During a luncheon break from the trial, Ziara invited General Ba'kif to the trial, who suggested that if they could not recreate the parameters as a simulation, Cadet Thrawn should replicate his results in a combat exercise. As they prepare to start the exercise, Ziara reflects on how she has painted a target on her forehead. If Thrawn fails to prove his case, she will be in hot water too, as she went to all this trouble to try to prove his innocence. However, to her relief, Ziara watched as Thrawn perfectly executed the maneuvers he did in the simulation, and explained to the Irizi family Aristocra how he had pulled it off.
After having his name cleared, Thrawn invited Ziara out as a token of his gratitude for her help. He took her to an art gallery showcasing the history of the Chiss Ascendancy, much to her dismay. Thrawn explained that art and military tactics are reflected in each other, and strengths and weaknesses can be seen in one's artwork. He broke down two civilizations of the Chaos, the Scofti and the Brodihi, from their art. Ziara argued that everything he concluded was purely theoretical, but offered him the chance to prove his claims. She led him to her quarters and told him to study her own wire sculptures, before the two of them dueled in a dojo to see if he could find her tactical strengths and weaknesses. They sparred with soft-coat sticks, and Thrawn easily countered all her attacks. She changed up her attacks and was able to land a few hits, before reverting to her old tactics, causing Thrawn to gain the upper hand once again. Thrawn explains that her sculptures, mainly consisting of groundlions, dragonelles, and predatory birds, showcase preferences for short attacks, hesitation feints, and aggression, respectively. He also states that her art reflects preference for wide-spaced attack combinations, the way she formulates her feint attacks is reflected in the open areas of her sculptures, and the angular style of her sculptures suggest that spinning attacks would likely slow her fight response. Ziara considers landing a cheap shot on Thrawn, since the fight wasn't specifically called off, but she refuses to do so. Thrawn adds that the elegence and care in her art reflect Ziara's reluctance to play "shoddy tricks" on the sparring mat, which embarrasses her.
====Hunting Lioaoin Pirates====
Ziara, now holding the rank of Mid Captain, aided Junior Commander Thrawn on a mission to the heart world of the Lioaoin Regime nation to take down a group of pirates. Thrawn had previously learned that the Pathfinders, a group of force-sensitive hyperspace navigators that were a part of the Navigators' Guild, could track each other through hyperspace, and used this information to his advantage. After Thrawn had confirmed the Lioaoin involvement in piracy on the Ascendancy worlds of Schesa, Pesfavri, and Massoss, he successfully manipulated four Lioaoin corsairs (navigated by Pathfinders) into following him to the Chiss Kinoss system, where Ziara destroyed them. The skirmish marked the beginning of the Ascendancy's Lioaoin pirate campaign.
Shortly after the destruction of the pirates, Ziara and Thrawn were reprimanded by General Ba'kif for what he sees as a preemptive strike. Regardless, both of them had been promoted, Ziara to Senior Captain, and Thrawn to Senior Commander. After dismissing Thrawn, Ba'kif asked Ziara for her assessment of Thrawn. She replied that he is an excellent tactician and strategist, but his political capabilities are close to nonexistent. Ba'kif tells her that she is being placed in command of the patrol cruiser Parala, and that Thrawn would be her Third Officer, in order for her to keep an eye on him. While discussing their roles with the Ascendancy, Thrawn informed Ziara that after the Lioaoin Regime would go back to piracy after they had replaced the ships she destroyed. He noted that they wouldn't try attacking the Ascendancy again, but, rather, they would go after other nations that could not defend themselves as well. Ziara asked if he wished for the Ascendancy to be the protectors of the Chaos, mentioning that would be the case should they interfere in the affairs of others. She told him that for the time being, non-intervention was the protocol, and until that changed, they must accept their orders and fulfill their duties.
====Stivic Incident====
Months later, the Parala received a distress call from Security Officer Frangelic from the Garwian Unity nation's colony of Stivic, stating that they were being raided by pirates. Unbeknownst to Ziara and the patrol cruisers second officer Mid Captain Clarr'os'culry (Roscu), Thrawn had guided the cruiser to answer the call. Ziara immediately reminded him of the Ascendancy's protocols of non-intervention, but the Senior Commander hoped that the arrival of a Chiss patrol cruiser would scare away the pirates, who he believed to be Lioaoin, due to the vicinity of Stivic to Lioaoin space. Ziara agreed to his plan after he reassured her if it did not work, they would not intervene. During the battle, Roscu questions if Ziara would have responded to the distress signal, to which Ziara states that the Chiss would be allowed to render humanitarian aid. The arrival of the Parala did not frighten the Lioaoin pirate vessels, however, and Roscu reminded Ziara that there was no reason for the Chiss to be at the battle, also adding that there were a few cafes on Stivic that she would regret to see destroyed. Ziara then ordered Roscu to check on the electrostatic barriers in case the patrol cruiser was attacked, and the Mid Captain obliged.
Thrawn insisted that he could beat all four attacking pirates, but, tempted to assist the Garwians against the Lioaoi pirates, Ziara stood her ground, once again echoing the Ascendancy's rules against preemptive strikes and deliberate provocation. She wondered if she could get the bridge crew to keep quiet if they did in fact help the Garwians, but immediately realized that it was impossible, due to the familial rivalries. The Senior Captain asked Thrawn if he could tell anyone how to beat the pirates, to which he replied in the affirmative. He asked for permission "check the calibration" on the ranging lasers, which she allowed. Roscu noticed Thrawn leave the bridge, and reminded Ziara that with him leaving the bridge, he relinquished his deck officer position, allowing them to leave. Ziara made the excuse that she wanted to see if the pirates had come up with new tactics.
An operations officer called to Ziara from his station, informing her of activity on the ranging lasers. Ziara informed the officer that the actions were sanctioned, and the officer also reported the frequencies being modulated. Ziara once again made up an excuse for the activity, and noticed the Garwians change their tactics. Thrawn had sent the Garwians a message in modulated laserfire informing them of the weakness of the Lioaoi, and Senior Commander Ocpior reported multiple hits on the attacking pirates. The pirates in turn tried to escape, but only one made it to the safety hyperspace. Ziara ordered the helm to return to their patrol circuit, and told Roscu that she should be relieved, as the cafe's she mentioned earlier were safe.
Shortly after the Stivic incident, Mid Captain Roscu filed a disciplinary report with the Defense Hierarchy Council on the grounds that Ziara and Thrawn had violated the Ascendancy's protocols of non-intervention. General Ba'kif came to the defense of both Ziara and Thrawn, fueling Roscu's bitterness towards them both, as she believed they were being granted unfair treatment within the Defense Fleet.
====Extracting an Excursion Liner====
Some months following the pirate attack at Stivic, Thrawn was given command of the patrol ship Boco, which answered a distress call from an excursion liner owned by the Chiss Boadil family. The liner had eight thousand passengers aboard, and had begun crashing into the atmosphere of a three-ringed gas giant planet. Thrawn sent an emergency message to Ziara, who arrived aboard the Parala in two hours. Thrawn had activated the Boco's tractor beams to pull the liner out of the magnetic bands, but could not evacuate the passengers on the escape pods due to the radiation in the atmosphere, as well as the thrusters of the liner being incapacitated. Thrawn informed Ziara, much to her surprise, that the passengers were still aboard the vessel, gathered in the central cylinder. He warned Ziara that no one else was coming to help and that time was short, asking her to act quickly. The Senior Captain ordered the Parala to pull parallel to the Boco, and activated its own tractor beams.
As soon as the Parala's tractor beams locked onto the excursion liner, Thrawn dropped the Boco's tractor beams and fired its spectrum lasers at the connecting points between the wings and the central cylinder. Losing the extra mass of the wings effectively make the liner lighter. The port and starboard side wings were home to luxury suites, reserved for the wealthiest among the vessel's voyagers. Some of Ziara's officers voiced their issues with the Boco's captain attacking the ship they were tasked with rescuing, but the Senior Captain understood Thrawn's plan as he carried it out. As the Boco shot off the starboard wing of the liner, Ziara ordered her officers to use emergency power to enhance the tractor beams, with the now-lighter excursion liner being pulled away from the planet. Thrawn's patrol ship returned to the Parala's side and reactivated the tractor beams and thrusters to help. Within fifteen minutes, the crisis had been averted, and all eight thousand lives aboard the liner were saved. Thrawn contacted Ziara and thanked her for her assistance, and Ziara likewise applauded his quick thinking, but also warned him not to expect gratitude from anyone else, as his destroying of the liner's wings, and, by extension, the luxury suites and the belongings of the passengers, would make the Boadil family unhappy.
====Revealing Csilla's Truth====
As the action of saving the excursion liner was a civilian affair rather than military, Thrawn and Ziara were summoned to a hearing on the Chiss homeworld of Csilla. He informed Ziara that he never been to the capital planet of the Ascendancy, as all of his training took place on Naporar. Ziara attempted to alleviate Thrawn's worry, mentioning that despite the destruction of the luxurious wings, he had saved eight thousand people, including Aristocra from at least five different ruling families. As they approached the icy surface of the capital, Thrawn saw a massive city that seemed to be covered in ice and asked if it was Csaplar, which Ziara confirmed. She added that it was the capital of Csilla and had once been a center of culture and refinement, and they would be landing at the city's spaceport. Thrawn mused that it was odd a city with a population of seven million could not support a cultural center along with a government, and Ziara quietly decided she would tell him the truth soon.
Ziara was correct in predicting the hearing would be short—a representative of the Boadil family insisted that Thrawn be punished for destroying the wings of the excursion liner, but representatives of three other ruling families, who's Aristocra had been saved, countered, saying Thrawn deserved a promotion. In the end, Thrawn was neither promoted nor thrown out of the fleet, as the Boadil family representative had suggested, but, for a reason Ziara assumed was one family owing another a favor, Thrawn was removed as commander of the Boco. Ziara apologized to a disappointed Thrawn for the fleet's decision, but the Senior Commander justified the tribunal's ruling, adding that his actions had cost the Boadil family millions. Ziara countered his justification, saying that he was not the one who ignored the engineers and took the liner too close to the planet, which is what the liner's captain had done. But as the captain of the liner was of the Ufsa family, who were political allies of the Boadil, they viewed Thrawn as a scapegoat, dropping the blame on him.
As the pair made their way back to the city in a tunnel car, Ziara informed Thrawn that she had requested for him to be reassigned to the Parala as one of her officers, which also granted him convenient passage off Csilla as he no longer had the Boco to leave on. Thrawn considered staying in a hotel located around the spaceport, but Ziara invited him to stay with her on the Irizi family homestead on the planet. Thrawn had concerns of how welcome he would be at the homestead, as he was of the Mitth family who rivals of the Irizi, but Ziara brushed them away, noting that she was a blood member of the Irizi and an honored member of the fleet who just help save eight thousand lives. Finally, she added that her grandfather was an avid art collector. Thrawn accepted his friends invitation, adding that she had a knack of exploiting the weaknesses of her opponents—his passion for art, in this circumstance.
On their way to the homestead, Ziara booked them a two-passenger tube car that went across the city rather than through the tunnels of Csaplar, which she knew she wasn't allowed to do. Still angered and unsatisfied with the fleet's treatment of her friend, however, she did not care. Additionally, the Senior Captain thought it would be an interesting tactical exercise to see how long it would take for Thrawn to notice what was wrong on the Chiss homeworld. The Senior Commander quickly realized something was amiss, raising the fact that there were no people visible since they left the spaceport. Ziara made an excuse, saying they were probably too far away for him to see, feeling guilty at how much fun her "tactical exercise" was. She apologized for telling him the truth, as he was not of rank to be aware of this information. However, she continued by saying what he learned in school—that an exodus that occurred over a thousand years prior that caused changes in the sun's output and the slow freezing of the planet's surface—was mostly true, but the histories left out that not everyone was forced underground but, instead, was moved to other planets within the Ascendancy (specifically, Rentor, Avidich, and Sarvchi). Whereas Csilla was advertised to have around eight billion residents, the true population was only around sixty or seventy million. The Senior Captain added that her family's homestead was located in a cavern below the surface of ancestral Irizi lands. Only a few hundred people were in Csaplar at any given moment, with the population being rotated out periodically to maintain the illusion for visitors, trading partners, and enemies of the Ascendancy. Thrawn understood the tactical advantage of allowing enemies of the Chiss nation to waste resources attacking an "empty shell", but questioned why Ziara had told him the truth, as he was not senior enough in rank to be aware of this information. Ziara replied that she told him because he thrives on information; the more he knew about a circumstance, the better he could come up with strategies and tactics to handle it. Despite that, she added he would be called in for a briefing about the truth soon enough, and Ziara asked him to try to act surprised. The Senior Commander then asked her if her family knew she was bringing a guest, to which she revealed she had not, but insisted it would not be a problem. The Senior Commander retorted, saying she only assumed so, to which she confessed.
====Becoming Ar'alani====
Soon thereafter, Ziara was summoned for a promotion ceremony, where she was given the flag rank of Commodore. She was called to floodlit circle where she faced Supreme Admiral Ja'fosk and two other senior officers. Ja'fosk asked her to state her name, which she did. He replied saying that person no longer existed, as her promotion to flag-rank caused her to lose her ties to her Irizi family. Emotions ran high for Ziara as she had been a blood member of the Irizi her entire life, taking in all the prestige and honor that came with the position. Ja'fosk continued, saying that from now on, the Chiss Ascendancy was her life. Despite rehearsing the ceremony for a week before her promotion, she felt that it did not feel real until the words came out of Ja'fosk's mouth. The Supreme Admiral lifted a box and handed it to her, which contained a new Commodore's uniform—colored white as opposed to the black uniform she donned her entire career—and the appropriate insignia pins. Her new uniform showcased the Ascendancy's multi-circle symbol where normally her Irizi family patch would have sat. As her promotion caused her to lose her ties to the Irizi family, Ja'fosk also presented her with her new name—Ar'alani. After accepting her new uniform and new life, Ar'alani gazed at Supreme Admiral Ja'fosk, who seemed to be remembering when he stood in her spot, losing his family to serve for the greater good of the Ascendancy.
Following the ceremony, a promotion celebration party was held for the newly promoted Commodore. As the people began to filter out, Ar'alani was approached by Thrawn, who congratulated her and reminded the Commodore that he predicted this day would come. With her promotion, Ar'alani had been given command of the warship Destrama, as well as Picket Force Six. Ar'alani had requested for Thrawn to serve with her aboard the Destrama as her first officer, who replied that he was under the impression her days of babysitting him were over. She asked if he believed Supreme General Ba'kif had assigned him to the Parala under her command so she could watch over him, which he did. The Commodore conceded the fact, but added she asked for him because she truly believed he was a good officer. Thrawn thanked his friend, and then asked her for advice. She replied that she would always make time for him, and insisted he call her by name instead of rank. Thrawn informed Ar'alani that he had been approached by Syndic Irizi'stal'mustro (Zistalmu), who informed him the Mitth were unhappy with him, and the Syndic suggested he rematch to Irizi family as a trial-born, as opposed to a merit adoptive (Thrawn's current rankin the Mitth). The Commodore originally wanted to deflect the conversation as family politics were a sensitive subject, but as she no longer had a family, she let him continue. Ar'alani filled him in of her former family's history with the military, who liked to have members in the upper ranks, as it bought them additional prestige. However, she had never been comfortable with the way the Irizi dominated Chiss Defense Force personnel. Despite Chiss officers being told to ignore family identity as they serve, they had both seen familial rivalries impact the fleet in conversations and in duty. Thrawn asked Ar'alani if the Irizi were a better fit for him as they were more military-minded, and she had to remind herself that with her new position she could not show familial bias, and ultimately left the decision up to him. Thrawn thanked her, not only for her advice but for the help she provided him in his career, from the cheating charge at Taharim Academy to her testimonies after the Stivic Incident. While on the topic of the Stivic Incident, Ar'alani reflected that the Garwian Unity had given Security Officer Frangelic all the credit, which likely resulted in a promotion for him. She continued by asking Thrawn how he had communicated with the Garwians, as there was no way to tie a communications device into a ranging laser. He replied that he tied his questis into the ranging laser instead, using a script option. He remarked that he did not do it for the gratitude of the Garwian's nor the Ascendancy, but for the good of the people. Ar'alani touched her friends arm and invited him to buy her a celebratory drink, where he could tell her more of his goals that the Ascendancy pretended not to be grateful for.
====Fluke on Solitair====
Sometime after Ar'alani's promotion to Commodore, she and Thrawn were invited to the Garwian capital planet of Solitair, under the guise of gratitude for their help during the Stivic incident. In reality, the Garwians planned to manipulate the Chiss officers into revealing more weaknesses of the Lioaoi, in an attempt to begin a conquest in Lioaoin space. Ar'alani and Thrawn were greeted by Security Officer Frangelic, who assured them it was a high honor for them to be invited to the world. Frangelic specified that the Ruleri, a legislative body of the Unity, would be present as well to meet with the Chiss. After departing from the shuttle, Ar'alani tried to not be overwhelmed by the odors surrounding her on Solitair but soon began adapting to the change in her olfactory senses. A greeting ceremony was held for the pair, and soon they rode for the planetary security center.
The Garwian Unity prided themselves with their artisanship and craftmanship, which were showcased throughout thousands of Creators' Markets across the nation. To present the Garwian culture to his guests, Frangelic stopped at one of the Creators' Markets on the way to the security center. The Chiss were introduced to a woman named Dame Mimott, who created elegant and elaborate outfits which utilized features of clothing throughout Garwain history. These extravagant articles of clothing were worn at Remembrance parties, events that aimed for its attendees to create the most intricate clothing, while also identifying key features in the clothing of others. The Commodore was impressed by Mimott's work, mentioning that her aunt enjoyed sewing when she was growing up, but nothing to the extent of the Garwians. As they finally begain making their way to the security center, Ar'alani confessed to Thrawn that she had always seen non-Chiss as "highly intelligent animals", but this trip began making her see them as real people. She guessed that Thrawn had always seen them for what they were, but he stated that he saw them as assets first and people second.
Nearing their destination, emergency alarms began to blare over the marker, indicating the planet was under attack. Ar'alani and Thrawn were rushed to the security center, where their hosts begged them to help identify the weaknesses of their attackers. Coincidentally, their attackers were of the Lioaoin Regime. What the Chiss officers did not know, however, was that the Lioaoi were not above the planet to attack Solitair; instead they had sent two diplomatic ships to negotiate a surrender to the Garwians. Both Ar'alani and Thrawn originally refused to help, citing the Ascendancy protocol of non-intervention, but Thrawn soon gave in and stated that he could identify two additional weaknesses of the Lioaoi. Before he could inform the Garwians of the weaknesses, Ar'alani realized that none of the Garwians in the security centers were directing their defenses. Instead, all eyes were on the Chiss. She cut Thrawn off, and keyed for the Destrama, receiving no answer. She asked Thrawn to try his comm, and, realizing what had happened, Thrawn asked for their hosts to lift the jamming, which they eventually did. Ar'alani, upon learning the truth from the Destrama, confronted the Garwian general, who admitted that he attempted to manipulate the Chiss in order to strike back against the Lioaoi. Angered at the deception of the Garwians, Thrawn asked permission for the Destrama to fire on the Garwian defense platforms, and, although tempted, she denied his request. Before departing, Ar'alani warned the Garwians that just as easily Thrawn had found the tactical blind spots of the Lioaoi, he could do the same against the Garwians.
On their way back to the Ascendancy, Ar'alani called Thrawn into her office, where he apologized for nearly breaking the Ascendancy's non-aggression protocols, adding that he should have seen the Garwians attempt to manipulate him. The Commodore dismissed him taking the blame, objecting that she should have seen it. Thrawn asked if she thought so because she was more experienced, but Ar'alani replied that it was due to his unfamiliarity with politics. She added that he had never had a handle on politics, grudges, feuds, and vying for position. The Senior Commander protested that politics was a different type of warfare, wondering why he could not read it as he did military situations. Ar'alani responded by saying that military warfare was relatively straightforward: one could gather allies and resources, conceive a battle plan, and defeat an enemy. In politics, however, allies and goals were always changing and are near-impossible to predict. Thrawn agreed, and hoped that one day he would be able to study and eventually master the art of politics, but Ar'alani knew that he would never be able to do so.
===Discovery and Defeat of the Nikardun===
====Pummeling the Paataatus====
Around 19 BBY,Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising takes place around 19 BBY per Star Wars: Timelines. three alien warships arrived over the Chiss capital planet of Csilla for an attack. Despite only having three ships, the attack was impressively efficient, but in vain, as they were easily picked off by the defense platforms. Now-Supreme General Ba'kif delivered a report to the Syndicure, the ruling body of the Chiss Ascendancy, where Aristocra and Syndics from the Nine Ruling Families and some of the forty Great Families voiced their concerns. One of the syndics believed the Paataatus Hiveborn, a neighboring nation of the Ascendancy, were responsible for the attack. Despite having no concrete evidence, the Syndicure and the Defense Hierarchy Council believed an attack on the Paataatus people was in order. As they Ascendancy's protocol forbade aggression unless they had been attacked first, added with the fact that they were uncertain if it was the Hiveborn behind the attack on Csilla, they authorized the mission as retribution for the Paataatus encroaching on the Ascendancy's southeast-zenith border.
As a result, Admiral Ar'alani, now commander of the Nightdragon man-of-war Vigilant and Picket Force Six, was sent to deliver the blow on the Paataatus. The force was comprised of the Vigilant, the heavy cruiser Springhawk commanded by now-Senior Captain Thrawn, and five other cruisers. As they exited hyperspace, they were greeted by at least fifty Paataatus fighter crafts, who swarmed all the Chiss ships. During the battle, Thrawn had the Springhawk turned away from the Vigilant, despite the protests of his first officer, Mid Captain Ufsa'mak'ro "Samakro". He ignored the Admiral's call for him to return to formation, continuing his turn away from the Nightdragon. As he did with all his enemies, Thrawn had previously studied Paataatus art, and deduced that they had a "swarm mentality", which made them concentrate on the weakest opponent, working their way up. By feinting weakness from the Springhawk, it allowed the other cruisers of Picket Force Six to concentrate on the enemy fighters. Indeed, the tactic succeeded and the Chiss delivered a crushing defeat to the Paataatus.
Ar'alani tells Thrawn that he should have shared his plan with her before the battle. When Samakro makes a comment under his breath about the enemy possibly being able to hear their transmissions, Ar'alani hears it, scolds him, and reiterates that Thrawn would be responsible for relaying the necessary information without enemy eavesdroppng. She then informed the Senior Captain that they had the situation under control, and he was free to continue on his next mission. Before departing, Thrawn affirmed that a defeat of his magnitude for the Hiveborn would put an end to their expansionary desires, at least until the current generation has passed.
Six days after the skirmish, Ar'alani and her first officer, Senior Captain Kiwu'tro'owmis "Wutroow", were summoned to a tribunal hearing on Csilla to answer for Thrawn's disobeying of orders. As the Senior Captain was occupied elsewhere on a mission for Ba'kif, the Admiral and her first officer were summoned before the Aristocra, in hopes that either woman would say something derogatory against Thrawn. Ar'alani instructed Wutroow to answer honestly, but also said she would spiral her answers slightly. The pair entered the hearing room where Ar'alani introduced them to Syndics from six families were present—Ar'alani's former Irizi, Wutroow's current Kiwu, as well as the Clarr, Plikh, Ufsa, and Droc. The Admiral found it suspicious that a Syndic from Thrawn's Mitth family was not present, and wondered if the family had already determined the Senior Captain was a liability. The Clarr Syndic asked if Thrawn had disobeyed a direct order, and Ar'alani replied that he defied a lesser order while carrying out a greater order. She explained that a warrior's first priority is to the Ascendancy, the second, to win the current battle. The third was to protect the ship and the crew, with the fourth being to obey a specific order. As Thrawn had disobeyed an order, he still led the Chiss task force to victory. The Admiral compared the Fleet to the Syndics, who had priorities to their individual families, and to the Ascendancy as a whole.
Wutroow continued Ar'alani's analogy, as well as posing a question to the Syndics—why the Chiss task force been ambushed so quickly by the Paataatus fighters. The Senior Captain believed the reason was the Paataatus had known exactly where the Chiss would come in from, as a Chiss emissary had accidentally gave them the location of where Ar'alani's fleet would come from. She added that had Ar'alani known about the emissary's blunder, she would have chosen a different attack vector. As she did not, Thrawn's actions were absolutely necessary. Their point made, the two officers were dismissed, but not before Ar'alani informed the tribunal members that she believed the Paataatus would stay true to their borders after this defeat, echoing Thrawn's earlier prediction. As they left the tribunal hall, Wutroow noted that Ar'alani had taken credit for Thrawn's assessment of the future of the Paataatus expansions. While she was normally against taking credit for other officers' work, she believed that mentioning Thrawn again would anger the Syndics even more, adding she would change the record in a year or two.
====Rendezvous at Rapacc====
Shortly after, Wutroow relayed a message to Ar'alani, from Thrawn, requesting her to meet him at the coordinates he provided, with special instructions to bring only the Vigilant, and not to hire a navigator. As the Chaos was difficult to navigate, most Chiss vessels used sky-walkers—young girls with abilities known as Third Sight—to make their way through the dangers of the Chaos. With the sky-walkers being a highly kept secret of this Chiss, the often hired navigators from the Navigators' Guild to give the illusion that they had no other methods of navigation. As Thrawn had requested Ar'alani to join him using a sky-walker, she guessed that her first officer had been denied the request, but Wutroow replied that she was taken to Supreme General Ba'kif himself, who informed her that a sky-walker would be waiting when the Vigilant returned to Naporar before joining Thrawn. Ba'kif, however, requested the officers to ask about the Caregiver of the Springhawk sky-walker Che'ri, Mitth'ali'astov "Thalias", as there was some confusion as to how she got the job. As they prepared to depart Csilla, Ar'alani ordered Wutroow to have the weapons crews to initiate a full-service scan on all their equipment, as combat was nearly guaranteed with Thrawn involved.
Shortly before the raid on the Paataatus, Thrawn and Ba'kif had investigated a doomed refugee ship that was found in the Dioya system, near the edges of the Ascendancy. A skirmish had occurred, which resulted in all passengers of an unknown origin aboard the ship having been slaughtered. While Dioya was on the edge of Ascendancy, it was still within the borders of the Ascendancy, and therefore warranted a military response. Thrawn was tasked with finding where the refugee ship had come from, and who it's attackers were. His search led him to a quadruple star system, where he found another refugee ship. Another species was aboard, and it was determined that the hyperdrive failed and the ship ran out of air. Looking further, Thrawn's search led him to a Box system known as the Rapacc system, 
Thrawn had requested that Ar'alani rendezvous him at Rapacc. When she arrived, Thrawn invited her aboard the Springhawk, where he informed informed Ar'alani and Wutroow of his plan to infiltrate a mining station, entering the inner-system through the solar wind holes created by the outer system's two gas giants—Shadow Number One and Shadow Number Two—which could be used for stealthy entrance and exit. He sought to use the same maneuver he used at Taharim Academy, which would allow the Springhawk to enter the system undetected. The plan was to have the Springhawk fly alongside the Vigilant, staying close to the Nightdragon's hull, hiding in its sensor shadow, until they reached a point where the heavy cruiser could slip away into an asteroid cluster, undetected by the patrolling naval forces.
Ar'alani agreed to his plan, only ordering him to send his sky-walker and her caregiver abaord the Vigilant as the Springhawk was going into danger. Thrawn agreed that Che'ri should be sent to Ar'alani's command ship, but requested that Thalias come along with him, as his studies of the people told him they held females in high regard, and he was less likely to be attacked if he had a woman with him. Reluctantly, the Admiral agreed, and rejoined the Vigilant, with Che'ri to carry out the Senior Captain's plan. Indeed, Thrawn's maneuver was successful, and the Springhawk was able to enter the inner-system undetected by the patrol ships, with the Vigilant jumping back to hyperspace. Shortly after, Ar'alani entered the sky-walker suite of her ship where Che'ri was staying alongside Ab'begh, the Vigilant sky-walker. She informed Che'ri that Thrawn and Thalias were safe, but added that she would have to spend the night with Ab'begh. Ab'begh's caregiver replied that they could have a sleepover-type event, and Ar'alani light-heartedly reminded the girls to get some sleep, before taking her leave.
====The Tower Dimension====
After the Vigialnt had escaped from Rapacc, Thrawn and Thalias made way to an abandoned asteroid mining station, where they met with a group of the Paccosh species. They informed the Chiss that the Paccosh people had been subjugated by the Nikardun Destiny, the nation of the Nikardun people, led by the charismatic General Yiv the Benevolent. Rapacc had been besieged with Nikardun blockade frigates. Thrawn later captured a Nikardun blockade friagte in order to study the Nikardun people, which he and Ar'alani presented to Supreme General Ba'kif at the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet headquarters on Csilla. Ba'kif scolded Thrawn for capturing the vessel, which he claimed fell under the cateogry of "pre-emptive" strikes, and Ar'alani for condoning his actions. The Admiral defended her subordinate, adding that she had brushed up on fleet regulations, and none had forbidden the capture of an enemy vessel. Ba'kif countered that many Syndics and Aristocra would demand Thrawn to return the vessel, and the Senior Captain mused that the exchange would be "awkward" as the Nikardun soldiers had committed mass suicide before capture, illustrating their loyalty to Yiv and the Nikardun. He added that he believed the Nikardun Destiny was a very real threat to the Ascendancy, as they had subjugated neighboring nations of the Chiss, as well as slaughtering a refugee ship in Ascendancy borders. Thrawn had found Lioaoin designs in the captured Nikardun vessel and believes that the Lioaoi have allied themselves with the Nikardun. Thrawn and Ar'alani wished to travel to the heartworld of the Lioaoin Regime to investigate the scope of this alliance were allies.
Just then, Irizi family Syndic Irizi'stal'mustro "Zistalmu" and Mitth family Syndic Mitth'urf'ianico "Thurfian" entered Ba'kif's office, and Ar'alani noticed that was irregular, given the rivalry between the families of the two syndics. She privately wondered if the two syndics had joined forces to put and end to Thrawn's activities, a "resistance that superseded family politics". Thurfian and Zistalmu shut down Ar'alani and Thrawn's plans to journey to the Lioaoin Regime, as the Springhawk was undergoing repairs and the Vigilant was being sent, alongside ambassador Boadil'par'gasoi (Ilparg), on a diplomatic mission to Urch, the capital world of the Tower Dimension. Neither officer nor Supreme General had been informed of this mission. Thurfian explained that the Chiss had signed a treaty with the Urchiv-Ki that opened diplomatic relations with the Tower Dimension. As the Springhawk was underhgoing repairs and sky-walker Ab'begh had been reassigned, Che'ri, Thalias, and Thrawn were transferred to the Vigilant for the mission.
Due to an unexpected detour while en route to the Urch system, the Vigilant was late by several hours, much to the annoyance of Ilparg. As the ambassador was not used to the difficult travel outside Ascendancy borders, he did not hesitate to voice his complaints against Che'ri. He continued to voice his greivances while Ar'alani waited for the Urchiv-ki controller to grant them permission to launch Ilparg's shuttle, which the Admiral ignored. Thrawn pointed out a ship in the distance that he believed was Lioaoin, which led to the ambassador having another outburst, asking if Che'ri had gotten them lost again. Urch Planetary and Space Control finally replied, stating that the Chiss ship and ambassador were not welcome in the Tower Dimension. Ar'alani orderd Ilparg to remain quiet while she discussed their next course of action with Thrawn, as they spotted six Urchiv-ki ships and a Nikardun frigate in addition the Lioaoin. The Admiral wondered if the Urchiv-ki had been completely conquered or if they were still in an interdiction phase, but Thrawn replied that it didn't matter if they were willing to do Yiv's bidding and attempt to destroy the Chiss. Wutroow guessed that the Nikarun were looking for mirror payback—wanting to capture a Chiss ship the same way Thrawn had captured the Nikardun patrol ship. Upon seeing that Che'ri was becoming anxious of the situation, Ar'alani attempted to soothe her. She also asked the young sky-walker if there was an alternate vector out of the system that was quicker and easier to navigate, and Che'ri identified a vector that was different than the one they came in through.
Wutroow worried that the path would lead them right into the grasp of the Nikardun, but Ar'alani suggested a risky maneuver to that would ensure that they would not be captured—whether that meant escape or destruction. Mid Commander Droc'tri'morhs "Octrimo" was hesitant about the maneuver but executed it and sent the Vigilant speeding toward the planet. After several course changes that put immense strain on the Nightdragon, their enemies broke off their pursuit, and the Vigilant entered the atmosphere, finally allowing Che'ri to lead them into hyperspace. Safely away from the Nikardun, Ambassador Ilparg demanded to know what was happening, and Ar'alani explained that the Nikardun wanted to capture a Chiss ship, and invited Ilparg to Urch to do so. Outraged that he was seen as bait, the ambassador demanded answers, specifally questioning what the Lioaoi had to do with the attack. Ar'alani suggested they travel to the Lioaoin Regime to find them and baited Ilparg into agreeing. Satisfied by their proposed course of action, Ilparg asked Ar'alani to set course for the Lioaoin heartworld at their best possible speed, intending to "demand" an answer from them. Thrawn asked if she had done that on purpose. Ar'alani noted that he wanted to visit the Lioaoin Regime, and now he could.
====The Lioaoin Regime====
Sky-walker Che'ri brought the Vigilant over the Lioaoin heartworld, and Octrimo verbally praised her abilities to navigate, as the entire bridge had grown angry with Ilparg's earlier comments about the young girl. Because of this, Ar'alani decided not to reprimand the Mid Commander, despite the nature of his comment being non-standard. The Nightdragon was hailed by Lioaoin traffic control, but Ambassador Ilparg demanded to speak to someone in the Regime Diplomatic Office. Ar'alani, however, stated that they would wait until Thrawn had returned to the bridge, despite Ilparg's protests. The Senior Captain returned shortly after, apologizing for his delay, as his studies had taken longer than anticipated. The Ambassador questioned Thrawn's "studies", as the Senior Captain was known to study the art of his enemies, which many believed was irrelevant in defeating ones enemy. Ar'alani stood up for Thrawn, stating that one must study the history, philosophy, and sometimes even the art of an enemy to truly defeat them. The Ambassador eventually brushed the topic away and was taken to the Vigilant's comm station. Thrawn thanked Ar'alani for trying to defend him, with the two of them gazed out the viewport to assess the Lioaoi.
Thrawn noticed that the nine defending Lioaoin gunboats were lined up in a wide and planar Pincer maneuver, an offensive position, rather than their normal defensive three-stack wedge positioning, which was shown in their art. Ar'alani suggested that they might have changed their tactics, but the Senior Captain dismissed the idea, as their current positioning was similar to that of the Nikardun. Lioaoin Orbital Command communicates with the Vigilant after Ilparg arrives at the comms station. The Chiss ambassador questioned their activities at Urch, which a different Lioaoin, form their diplomatic corps, claimed to have nothing of. Ar'alani, annoyed with the way the Ambassador was revealing too much information, began to stop him, but Thrawn proposed to let him continue to see the reaction of the Lioaoi. Suddenly, a large Nikardun Battle Dreadnought warship came into view. Ar'alani insisted the Vigilant hold its course, as the Battle Dreadnought had not made any threatening moves. The Lioaoin diplomat offered for Ilparg to approach to clear the air. He asked Ar'alani for their next course of action, but Ar'alani decides to not move forward with the Lioaoi request. Instead, they would just leave, as they had gotten what they came for. Ilparg questioned what they had achieved, and Thrawn and Ar'alani replied that the presence of a Nikardun warship and the fact that the Lioaoi didn't want to talk about the Urch incident would be helpful to the Chiss, despite it being what Ilparg classified as "negative information." Before their departure, Thrawn asked Ar'alani for permission to run an experiment with the nine gunboats the pair had noticed earlier. He spoke to Orbital Command and noticed that seven of the nine gunboats had activated their thrusters at the mention of his own name, before promptly returning to formation. Thrawn and Orbital Command exchanged meaningless farewells before the Vigilant jumped to hyperspace.
Wutroow questioned what they had learned, and Ar'alani asked if she had been watching the gunboats. Her first officer replied that since she and Thrawn were watching the gunboats, she thought someone should watch the Nikardun Battle Dreadnought, which Ar'alani commended. Thrawn answered his fellow Senior Captain by saying that seven of the nine gunboats had reacted at the mention of his name, which indicated that he was known to the Nikardun, and there was some standing order on him. Ar'alani added that even after being provoked, they quickly fell back into formation, theorizing that someone high up in command was trying to not look like a threat to the Chiss. Wutroow questioned why it was the Lioaoi who reacted, as they had no quarrel with the Senior Captain, to which Ar'alani stated that she had been somewhat correct earlier—the Lioaoi weren't just changing their tactics: instead, they were doing so under Nikardun supervision. Thrawn confirmed that the Lioaoin Regime, instead of being subjugated, as was the situation with Rapacc, have become allies of the Nikardun. Thrawn requested permission to go to the Garwian Unity planet of Solitair, adding he would take a shuttle from the Vigilant as they arrived over the planet to not take too much time away from the warships return to the Ascendancy, which cooled some of Ilparg's protests. He also requested to borrow Ar'alani's office, to which she also agreed. During his study, Thrawn finds that all the nearby nations on the northern and north-eastern zenith borders of the Ascendancy have either allied to or been subjugated by the Nikardun (the Lioaoi, the Paccosh, and the Urchiv-ki). Thrawn also theorizes that the Paataatus Hiveborn, located on the Ascendancy's south-eastern zenith border, have also fallen to the Nikardun. Thrawn hopes that the Garwian Unity will allow him to covertly study other nearby nations to determine if they have also fallen to the Nikardun. He informs Ar'alani of his plans, additionally stating that he will need Thalias to accompany him again. Ar'alani agrees to his plan. Thalias also agrees to help, and Ar'alani informs her that she will need to find a temporary replacement for the role of Che'ri's caregiver. Thalias chose the Admiral herself, and while she did not approve, she was bound by personal honor to accept.
After Thalias had informed Che'ri about her upcoming absence, Ar'alani witnessed Thalias more subdued than usual. After the shuttle carrying Thrawn and Thalias left the Vigilant, Ar'alani would check on Che'ri. However, she would not come out of her room. Eventually, she would come out, but Ar'alani would leave after Thrawn informed her the next stage of his plan. Thrawn would inform her that he was traveling with the Garwians to the Vak Combine homeworld of Primea and arranged a date when the Vigilant would retrieve him. When she returned to the sky-walker suite, Ar'alani finds Che'ri where she had been left. She was visibly tired and weary, and Ar’alani recalled when she was Che'ri's age and how she acted dramatic when she wanted something or was being treated unfairly. Ar'alani asks the girl if she is upset that Thalias left her. Che'ri's lip quivers after the question is asked, and the girl states that Thalias had only told her that she had to go, without telling her why. Ar'alani empathized with her, mentioning she always hated when grown-ups were whispering and keeping secrets when she was ten years old. Che'ri worried that Thrawn and Thalias were going into danger, and the Admiral mentioned there was danger everywhere, realizing too late that it was the worst possible thing to say. Che'ri started to sob, proclaiming that Thalias was going to die. Che'ri also proclaims regret for yelling at Thalias. Ar'alani then realized why Thalias was more subdued and why Che'ri initially refused to come out of her room. Ar'alani comforted her by saying that sometimes people yell and have fights, but that didn't mean they no longer cared for one another. She assured Che'ri that being with Thrawn was one of the safest places for Thalias could be. Before Ar'alani could draw her a bath, Che'ri asked if the Admiral could tell her some stories of her experiences with Thrawn.
====The Vak Combine====
Upon Ar'alani's return to the Chiss Ascendancy, she would be summoned to a meeting with Ba'kif, Thurfian, and Zistalmu. The syndics would berate her for allowing Thrawn to work with the Garwians again. They once again reiterate their concern for Thrawn investigating and instigating the Nikardun, stating that the Nikardun currently have no obvious aspirations against the Chiss. Ar'alani assured the Syndics that Thrawn had not inserted himself into politics and merely traveled to Primea for reconnaissance, to check if the Nikardun had subjugated the Vak as well. Ar'alani stated that the situation was proceeding too quickly for consultation with superiors, and Thurfian once again countered that Thrawn could have contacted Csilla or Naporar from Solitair, using their triads. He added that since Thrawn did not, it was because he chose not to. Ba'kif interrupted and tabled the discussion, adding that the immediate concern was to extract Thrawn from Primea. Zistalmu asked why they should do so, as Thrawn was trapped in the Vak Combine by his own doing, and should find his escape on his own. Ar'alani stated that her extraction mission would be straightforward—go straight to Primea, contact the Vak, and arrage to pick Thrawn up. She added that if she left immediately, she would be able to reach the planet within Thrawn's specified timeframe. Thurfian rebutted, saying that if the Vaks refused to give him up, the mission could fail very quickly. Thurfian and Zistalmu eventually gave in, adding that the Vigilant could be on it's way as soon as the issue with it's sky-walker was resolved. As Thalias had accompanied Thrawn to Solitair, Che'ri was still left without a caregiver. Ar'alani countered that Thalias had chosen her to watch over the young girl and that she intended to do so. Thurfian rebutted that she was the admiral and commander of a warship, and that she could not possibly cater to a child as well. Zistalmu proposed that his wife could act as caregiver to Che'ri, as she had served as a caregiver for two years prior to her marriage to the Syndic. Ba'kif eventually interrupted the argument and agreed to have Zistalmu's wife serving as caregiver when Ar'alani was busy with her other duties.
After the two Syndics departed, Ba'kif stopped the admiral before she could protest, stating that while the situation was not ideal, he had no choice but to agree. He added that she technically did not have a mandate to serve as Che'ri's caregiver as Thalias was not an official caregiver. He explained that she was able to sweet-talk her way aboard the Springhawk, but in truth she had no official paperwork to serve as a caregiver. Ar'alani questioned why Thurfian had not brought it up, noting that someone with his connections and suspicions definitely knew about it. Ba'kif stated that Thurfian had actually helped her gain a position on Thrawn's ship, and there most certainly was a price for that help. Denouncing Thalias' claim to act as caregiver would have gotten her kicked off the warship, making him unable to cash in on whatever he needed from the caregiver. The two senior officers also noted the remarkable partnership Thurfian and Zistalmu had displayed despite their family rivalries, all in an effort to get Thrawn thrown from the Expansionary Defense Fleet. Despite all this, Ar'alani and Ba'kif tabled the discussion, and moved forward with their plan to extract Thrawn from Primea. The Supreme General ordered the Admiral to watch Zistalmu very closely, adding that he would never throw himself into danger unless there was a way to make a profit for his family from it.
While en route to the Vak Combine, Ar'alani once again mulled over why Thurfian and Zistalmu were in league together despite their familial rivalries. She also did not enjoy having Zistalmu on her bridge, nor his wife acting as Che'ri's caregiver, who encouraged everyone to call her "Nana". She questioned the Syndic on why he hated Thrawn, and Zistalmu replied that he and Thurfian quite admired his military skill, but believed he was a bigger threat to the Ascendancy than he was a hero. Ar'alani pressed the matter, but Zistalmu did not entertain her request, as they had arrived over Primea. Senior Commander Obbic'lia'nuf "Biclian" reported forty-seven ships in Orbit, but no Garwian ships, and the Vigilant was informed by Primea Central Command that the Garwian Diplomatic ship had left three days prior with all personnel aboard. Biclian reported that five ships had broke orbit toward the Nightdragon, and an additional nine patrol ships from the surface. Thirteen of the fourteen ships had taken a defensive postion, while the fourteenth was moving forward toward the Vigilant, and Ar'alani ordered Octrimo to drift toward the cruiser. The cruiser abruptly fired on the Vigilant with low power, and then a burst of modulated laser fire. Unknown to all but Ar'alani and Wutroow, the cruiser that had fired on the Vigilant was piloted by Thrawn, who used the modulated laser fire to send a message to the Admiral as he did many years prior, during the skirmish over Stivic. However, Zistalmu quickly realized the plan and cracked Thrawn's favorite method of hidden communication, although Ar'alani did not confirm his suspicions. Two of the patrol ships had veered off to follow Thrawn's cruiser, and two larger Vak warships had come into view, as well as Nikardun warship. Meanwhile, Thrawn had transferred data schematics of the Vak patrol cruisers, with everything Ar'alani would need to take their weapons sensors out. Zistalmu would question Ar'alani's plan, calling the impending attack unprovoked. 
However, before the Vigilant could fire upon the Vak patrol crafts, four Lioaoin heavy cruisers emerged out of hypserspace from behind them. Before Ar'alani could inform them the reason for their presence over Primea, all four ships fired on the Vigilant. She ordered the crew of the Nightdragon to engage the four Lioaoin cruiers, and asked Octrimo to find the best possible escape course. Zistalmu, noting that Ar'alani now wanted to leave when they were actually attacked by enemy craft, protested. The Mid Commander identieifed the vector, but it would take them into close-combat range with two of the attacking cruisers that had been named "Three" and "Four" by the Chiss warriors. The Admiral ordered to concentrate plasma spheres on three and ordered Octrimo to take them out on the vector. Zistalmu protested again, asking why she would want to fire upon Three instead of Four, and Ar'alani assured him that if he spoke again, she would have him removed from the bridge. As the four attacking ships had focused on the Vigilant, they had forgotten about Thrawn's Vak patrol ship (now not being pursued by the other Vaks, not wanting to become a part of the battle), which sped past the Nightdragon, concentrating all fire on Four. Thrawn's sudden attack had destroyed atacker Four's combat ability, and the Vigilant moved into it's shadow, barring attackers "One", "Two", and Three from hitting the Chiss warship, as their own could also be hit. The Vigilant brought Thrawn in on the tractor beam, and Ar'alani asked Che'ri if she was ready to take them into hyperspace. Nana replied on the girl's behalf, but Ar'alani asked Che'ri again, wanting the answer from the sky-walker herself, who assured her she was ready. Wutroow confirmed Thrawn and Thalias' patrol cruiser had been safely retrieved, and the Admiral ordered Che'ri to enter hyperspace.
====Return to the Lioaoin Heartworld====
After returning to the Ascendancy, Ar'alani, Thrawn, and Thalias faced days of scrutiny from the Defense Heirarchy Council and the Syndicure for their roles in the series leading up to and during the Battle over Primea. Although they did not have conclusive evidence that the Lioaoin Regime was in league with the Nikardun Destiny, the Lioaoi had attacked the Vigilant over the Vak capital, which gave the Chiss the freedom to retaliate. Despite the reluctance of some of the Syndics, Ar'alani asked for a task force of two ships to carry out judgement, the Vigilant and the Springhawk, under hers and Thrawn's command, respectively, which the Syndicure approved. Although they did not know how many attackers they would face in the Lioaoin Regime, the Admiral asked for only two ships as it would allow them to minimize the variables in play and accurately evaluate the tactics of their opponents. The two warships met in a rendezvous system near the Lioaoin heartworld before making the jump into the Lioaoin Regime, where they were met with twelve midsized warships. All twelve ships rose from orbit, but only four advanced in a diamond formation, as the Chiss had a reputation in the Chaos. With only two ships, the Lioaoin High Command, believing that the two warships were either a diversion or part of a larger task force, kept the bulk of their forces close for protection. Ar'alani hailed the Lioaoi, offering them a chance to explain before she and her task force passed her judgement, and received no response. The lack of response was enough for Thrawn to deduce the the Nikardun were present, either on the surface or aboard the Lioaoi ships, as the Regime would attempt to excuse their actions if they were not.
The Admiral repeated her message, once again not earning a reply. She ordered the Springhawk to launch the probe, which was one of the Vigilant shuttles. The Vigilant would attempt to tractor the shuttle on a collision course with one of the Lioaoi warships, but the Lioaoi increased their comm interference, attempting to jam the Vigilant signal and override it. Indeed, they were able to gain full control over the shuttle, sending it on a vector through the center of their formation. Upon reaching the formation's center, Thrawn ordered for the Chiss officers to fire on the shuttle, which released four breacher missiles, one destined for each of the Lioaoi warships. The four Lioaoi warships had time to react, although the breacher attack forced them to break formation. All four of them lurched into a fourty-degree turn, when the Vigilant spectrum lasers fired upon a second shuttle, which had been secretly tractored behind the first. The second shuttle, carrying it's own stash of breachers, fired into the reeling Lioaoin warships, as Ar'alani once again demanded an explanation and an apology for their attack on the Chiss over Primea. The four Lioaoi ships withdrew, and two more rose from orbit. Ar'alani coldly stated that their opponents were not ready to concede their faults, and informed the Springhawk that they had been sent to deliver a message to the Lioaoin Regime, and they would do so, ordering Thrawn to prepare for combat. The Chiss were eventually able to defeat the Lioaoin warships.
====Planning Against the Nikardun====
Thrawn and Che'ri soon undertook a mission to Lesser Space, where they were able to acquire a Republic energy shield, with the help of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. Ar'alani believed the shield generator was light-years ahead of the technology used by the Chiss in their electrostatic barriers. The generator was brought aboard the Vigilant, where the Admiral and Thalias met with Thrawn and Che'ri. She remarked that they would have to rethink their tactics and the fleet array, once the Chiss techs could reverse–engineer the technology and create more. Thrawn countered that their advantage would only be temporary, as their enemies would try to replicate or steal the technology once they found out about it. Ar'alani wondered why Yiv did not have something similar to the shield generator, and Thrawn replied that he might already, and was only saving it for a later time, adding that unlike Yiv, the Chiss did not have time to wait, and needed to use it against the Nikardun immediately. Ar'alani warned that Yiv might already know the Chiss had acquired the technology, considering the mess Thrawn and Jedi Skywalker stirred up on the planets Batuu and Mokivj—the latter being the one the shield generator was acquired from.Thrawn: Alliances She stated it was a bizarre coincidence regarding the Jedi's last name, as it was the same word use for their sky-walker navigators, as the Jedi's powers were similar to the navigators. Thrawn replied that to his understanding, 'Skywalker' wasn't an uncommon name in parts of Lesser Space. The admiral asked Thrawn what his plan was, and he replied that it was clear that Yiv and the Nikardun were not ready to face the Ascendancy yet, and that the general was still working on being the Vaks completely under his control. Thrawn aimed to drive a wedge between the Vaks and Yiv, which should either halt the Benevolent's plans completely or buy the Chiss enough time to convince the Syndicure that the Nikardun were indeed a threat. Ar'alani also noted that given the Vaks passion for exploring all thought lines, which the Senior Captain had found out during his time on Primea, subjugating the Vaks would prove a difficult task for Yiv. Che'ri questioned why Yiv could not just leave Primea and start somewhere else, and Thrawn informed her that the General had spent a lot of time and effort into winning the Vaks over. Ar'alani added that Primea was important to him not only for the Vaks, but also as it was a center of trade and diplomacy for the entire region, and an endorsement from the Vak leaders would allow Yiv easy access to all the other nations.
The Senior Captain laid out his entire plan, which Ar'alani decided was not only illegal but also insane. Thrawn replied that if she did not want to go along with it, he would do it alone with Thalias and Che'ri. Thrawn replied that his message would get to the Vaks and they would come to his aid, but Ar'alani stated that they would come to his aid only if they received the message and chose not to ignore it. Ar'alani was firm in her belief that his plan was insane, even for him, also noting that his reading of Yiv and the Vaks could be wrong. She also noted that he had been wrong before, referencing his failure with the Garwians. Thrawn stated that this instance was different, as it was an issue of war and not politics. Ar'alani replied that war and politics were two sides of the same coin, which Thrawn was never able to understand. Despite her reservations, she agreed to his plans, and stated that they would need the Vak fighter Thrawn had escaped Primea on, the Republic shield, and a customized freighter to hold it, in addition to permission from Ba'kif and Ja'fosk. They sent Che'ri and Thalias undercover as Thrawn's Chiss family hostages aboard the Vak fighter to back to Primea, where they were meant to return the fighter and return to the Ascendancy aboard a transport. Instead, they were apprehended by Qilori, who led them to Yiv's flagship, the Nikardun Battle Dreadnought Deathless. With Thalias and Che'ri as his prisoners, Yiv sent a transmission to the Ascendancy, stating that if the two women were to return unharmed, Thrawn must travel to Primea, alone, with the equivalent of two hundred thousand univers. Ja'fosk read the transmission to Syndicure in the Convocate Hall, where a number of Syndics, as well as Thrawn and Ar'alani, were gathered. Upon Thurfian's request, Ja'fosk clarified that the two women were caregiver Thalias and sky-walker Che'ri. Thrawn clarified his plan, stating that he did not know Yiv would take such drastic measures. He led the conversation into the Syndicure's plan to safely return the two women to the Ascendancy, and Zistalmu asked if it would require a military strike. Thurfian countered that the Nikardun had not attacked the Ascendancy, so they were not allowed to raise arms agains them. Thrawn stated that although unaware they had done so, the Nikardun had kidnapped a sky-walker, which constituted an attack on the Ascendancy. Thrawn and Ar'alani's proposed mission was eventually given the green-light, and they traveled to Primea to rescue Che'ri and Thalias.
====Battle Over Primea====
While en route to Primea aboard the Vigilant, Ar'alani discussed the upcoming battle with Wutroow, who stated that they only had Thrawn's word that the Vak had not fallen completely under control of Yiv—if they had been, the Chiss would have to fight the Vak and the Nikardun. Additionally, Ar'alani's taskforce would not be allowed to attack the Vak unless fired upon first, giving the Nikardun general an advantage before the firing began. Wutroow asked the admiral how good the Republic energy shield really was, and Ar'alani replied that although it seemed impressive during the testing, she wasn't completely sure. With Ar'alani's permission, Wutroow went off to run the weapon crews through final system check, and Ar'alani made arrangements for sky-walker Ab'begh to be taken off the bridge upon arrival. Thrawn journeyed to the Vak homeworld aboard a freighter with Qilori. Picket Force Six—comprised of the Vigilant, the heavy cruiser's Springhawk and Grayshrike, under the command of Mid Captain Samakro and Senior Captain Xodlak'in'daro (Lakinda), respectively, and the Chiss light cruiser's Whisperbird and Stingfly—arrived over Primea, where Ar'alani asked Primea Central Command if they had received the message from Senior Captain Thrawn, to which they replied in the affirmative. Thrawn had sent Thalias and Che'ri to Primea with a message for the Vak's, asking them for an alliance with the Ascendancy in return for permission to come to Primea and challege Yiv, which the general had confiscated before it could be given to the Vaks. Unbeknownst to Yiv, however, Thrawn had hidden his true message in the freighter he sent Thalias and Che'ri aboard, which the Vak's had found (and realized that Yiv switched the original message). Vak Central Command asked for confirmation of the identities and locations of the orbiting Nikardun vessels, which Ar'alani provided after the Vigilants analysis of the thirty two Nikardun warships in a blockade formation matched those from the other ships in her task force.
After understanding that they were the object of a Nikardun blockade, the Vaks agreed to hold back their forces while the Chiss task force cleared out the Nikardun destroyers, gunboats, and patrol crafts. Ar'alani ordered her subortiantes to engage at will. Yiv had set the blockade over the planet in order to ensure that regular traffic in the area did not tumble into his confrontation with Thrawn, where the Nikardun general sat with four total Battle Dreadnoughts. Upon learning of Ar'alani's ensuing battle, Yiv sent three of his dreadnoughts to assist the blockade against the Chiss task force. Upon their arrival, the admiral ordered the Grayshrike, Whisperbird, and Stingfly to take the one to starboard, while the Springhawk took the middle one and the Vigilant the one to portside, ordering her task force not to fully engage but to only to keep the dreadnought's occupied. The Springhawk was taking considerable damage against its dreadnought, prompting Ar'alani to ask Samakro if he remembered the maneuver Thrawn used against the Paataatus Hiveborn when he first took command of the Springhawk, which the mid captain did. Samakro ordered the Springhawk to pitch towards the planet, followed by Ar'alani's order for the entire heavy cruiser to go dark—all systems turned off. The admiral called on the Vak patrol boats to render aid to the supposedly dead heavy cruiser, which the Vaks reluctantly agreed to. Both the Vak spokesperson and Ar'alani warned the Nikardun not to fire upon the two Vak patrol boats assisting the Springhawk. However, the Nikardun fired on and destroyed both vessels, and doing so resulted in the Vaks joining the battle against the Nikardun. With the Nikardun overpowered and Thrawn having had apprehended Yiv and rescued Thalias and Che'ri away from the planet, the Chiss emerged victorious.
Some time after, Ar'alani met with some Aristocra who wanted to bring charges against Thrawn for intentionally putting a sky-walker in danger, although the outpouring gratitude from the Vak Combine disallowed them to mete out a punishment. Thrawn met with Thalias and Che'ri shortly after, who asked him why the Vaks joined the Chiss against the Nikardun when Vak ideology forced them to consider all thought lines. Thrawn revealed that Ar'alani had noticed something he had missed—throughout Vak history, all of their neighbors had made sure never to kill a Vak in their confrontations. As they valued all thought lines, the death of a Vak caused their thought line to be lost forever. Therefore, once the two Vak patrol ships were destroyed, all other thought lines became irrelevant, and the protection of the Vak and their world became of paramount importance.
====Cleaning up Nikardun Bases====
Some time after Yiv's capture, Ar'alani, Thrawn, and Senior Captain Lakinda, commanding the Vigilant, Springhawk, and Grayshrike, respectively, were engaged in battle with Nikardun remnants. The three Chiss ships easily took care of their attackers, and Ar'alani gave Thrawn permission to take his leave and continue on his mission. Wutroow questioned if this had to do with the conversation that she and Thrawn had with Ba'kif before they left for this mission, but Ar'alani did not give her an answer. 
Following Thrawn's departure, the Vigilant and Grayshrike traveled to their next stop, the second-to-last Nikardun base. Upon arrival, they found three badly damaged ships, and the Grayshrike found another six. Ar'alani ordered a full sensor scan to find out what weapons were used in the attack. She then ordered Octrimo to move closer to the derelicts and to be ready to go evasive, also mentioning she didn't like the idea of someone with this much military strength around this part of the chaos. Wutroow stated that they shouldn't spend too much time on it, mentioning the Aristocra already did not like they idea of mopping up the Nikardun as far as they were. Junior Commander Larisom informed Ar'alani of message coming from Schesa as a relay from Csilla from Supreme Admiral Ja'fosk. The message was an order for Thrawn and the Springhawk to return to Csilla for a new assignment. Wutroow pointed out that it was the Syndicure who had summoned Thrawn, noting that had it been Ja'fosk or Ba'kif, they would have asked him to complete his mission first. Ar'alani dispatched Lakinda and the Grayshrike to the Rapacc system to deliver the message to Thrawn, who was out of comm range. Ar'alani and the Vigilant continued on their mission, setting their destination for the last Nikardun base. Wutroow brought up the point that the Nikardun may have left their unflyable ships, ridden with lasers and missiles, at the first base, in hopes of the Chiss assuming the second base had also been destroyed, but were actually assembling their forces for a final attack at that second base. Ar'alani replied that if that were the case, the Vigilant would inflict as much damage as possible and run, and come back after they had rendezvoused with the Springhawk and the Grayshrike.Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good
The Vigilant arrived at the final base on Yiv's list, only to find silence and more debris. Wutroow noted that the base looked too big for a listening post, and found it odd that all the other bases had been marked by size and purpose, and this one had not. Ar'alani agreed, and abruptly ordered Biclian to scan a clump of debris that she felt was too close together. He reported that it could be the remnants of an asteroid, and Ar'alani then ordered him to find the overall vector of the debris and Octrimo to take them in for a closer look. Ar'alani also notices some discoloration on the large impact location on the base. After both had had carried out their respective orders and after the conclusion of Biclian's scan, the story made itself clear. The asteroid had drifted through the base's defense perimeter, and shattered open to reveal the Missile launcher inside it, which blasted away at the base's hull. The discoloration was also confirmed to originate from the firing of a missile at point-blank range. Ar'alani ordered a full sensor scan on all the debris, a squad to check out the base, and a shuttle to check out the asteroid fragments. Later, Ar'alani would also return to the previous Nikardun base and conduct a full analysis, where the Grayshrike would rendezvous before returning to Csilla for repairs.
===A New Threat: The Grysks===
====Skirmish Over Sunrise====
Later, Lakinda and the Grayshrike would, once again, rendezvous with Ar'alani and the Vigilant. They would travel to Sunrise, where Lakinda had joined Thrawn in a battle against an unknown Battle Dreadnought (the HopeBreaker, a Grysk Shatter-class WarMaster). Upon arriving, they found the planet and its surrounding areas completely empty. Biclian reported movement coming from the starboard side of the planet, and had her crew scan it. Ar'alani then ordered Lakinda to shift her scans to aft and flanking, much to Lakinda's dismay. Biclian reported the object was about the size of the Vigilant and irregularly shaped, and Wutroow realized it was a moon, which Biclian confirmed, also adding it could be an asteroid. Ar'alani ordered a reading on its orbital eccentricity, and asked Lakinda if the object was in orbit or on the other side of the planet during her time above Sunrise. Lakinda replied that they were going through the battle records and asked Wutroow if the Vigilant suspected it was another camouflaged missile launcher, which Ar'alani confirmed. Ar'alani asked Wutroow to retrieve Thrawn's records of the battle the Springhawk and Grayshrike partook in over Sunrise to check if she could spot the asteroid anywhere. Ar'alani tasked the Grayshrike with disabling the asteroid if it was indeed concealed a missile launcher. After the Grayshrike performed an in-system jump towards the asteroid, the Vigilant made its own in-system jump and came into position a quarter way around the planet from the Grayshrike, where the same Battle Dreadnaught, from Lakinda's previous battle over Sunrise, emerged. Ar'alani called to the Battle Dreadnaught in Taarja, and a harsh voice replied, warning them to leave the area or face severe consequences. Ar'alani asked who exactly it was that didn't want the Chiss in the area, and the commander of the Battle Dreadnaught replied that that planet had been devastated by the Nikardun Destiny, claiming that the survivors had begged them to guard the planet from the Nikardun or other scavengers. Ar'alani stated that they were here for the same reasons, and perhaps they could join forces, to which the commander declined. Ar'alani asked for the name of the planet and the names of the planetary leaders, both questions the commander refused to answer. In the meantime, the Grayshrike used its spectrum lasers to open up the hull of the asteroid and used its plasma spheres to disable it.
Lakinda informed Ar'alani that it had been disabled, and the Admiral ordered the Grayshrike to tractor it to the battle with the HopeBreaker, as she intended to use the missile launcher as a weapon against the Battle Dreadnought. However, Lakinda misunderstood Ar'alani's intentions, believing that she only wanted to capture it for future study. Since she was not able to get the missile launcher loose from its lattice support structure in time, Lakinda ordered the missile launcher to be abandoned until after the battle. Lakinda then ordered the Grayshrike to come to the Vigilant's aid. Ar'alani hissed out a curse when she saw the Grayshrike coming without the missile launcher. During the battle, Ar'alani and Wutroow noticed the Dreadnought's use of "dibber" missiles to disable the effectiveness of the Chiss' breacher missiles and plasma spheres. Specifically, the dibbers would both dissipate the plasma spheres and explode the breachers early enough to ensure the acid would spread out far enough to not be effective. Ar'alani ordered Oeskym to launch two breachers, and a laser spread around them to keep the dibbers busy. This strategy turned out to be effective, as the breacher was able to get much closer to the Dreadnought before being destroyed. Wutroow questioned if Lakinda was trying to ram the Dreadnaught from the side, and Ar'alani realized the Grayshrike's best bet was to attack the HopeBreaker's portside, which had been completely wiped out in the previous battle against the Chiss. Ar'alani ordered Oeskym to continue only defensive fire and to prepare six breachers targeted on sensor and weapons clusters on the HopeBreaker's starboard flank and three plasma spheres to follow five seconds later. Ar'alani called to the Dreadnaught, and told them now she knew how to destroy them, and asked if they were ready to return to their respective peoples and deliver their reports. Lakinda picked up on Ar'alani's gambit, and went into stealth mode, which set the stage for Ar'alani's plan to destract the HopeBreaker from the Grayshrike's approach. Ar'alani told the alien commander that they could run home and that the Chiss would easily win the next battle. The alien replied they were not done with the current one, but before he could finish his sentence, Ar'alani ordered Oeskym to fire the breachers, which were taken care of by the dibbers. Followed by the breachers were the plasma spheres, and another batch of dibbers were sent to destroy them. However, these dibbers were disintegrated by the acid of the breachers, and the plasma spheres would impact the HopeBreaker's starboard side. The Vigilant then opened fire on the Dreadnought, while the Grayshrike launched twin clusters of breachers at the HopeBreaker's portside. The Grayshrike's succeeding laserfire disabled the HopeBreaker's hyperdrive and one of its reactors, and the Dreadnought's commander, realizing his inevitable defeat, fired with a massive missile at the derelict asteroid missile launcher before ordering his ship to self destruct. Picking up on what was about to happen, Ar'alani ordered Lakinda and Wutroow to veer off to void the explosion. After the battle, Ar'alani ordered the Vigilant to search the debris for any dibbers that might be incapacitated for future study. However, all of the dibbers also self-destructed.
In a meeting on the Vigilant, Lakinda apologized to Ar'alani for not bringing the missile launcher, but the admiral ensured that, either way, the missile launcher would have been destroyed. Ar'alani mentioned that their enemy was very determined to keep their secrets. Nevertheless, she also noted that the alien commander was careless in his language, stating that he used the term "generalirius" when referring to General Yiv the Benevolent of the Nikardun Destiny. Ar'alani theorizied that this term could be similar to the term "generalissimo", which was rumored to be used by nations our past the Tarleev to refer to someone who was both the chief military commander and the chief civilian leader. Wrapping up the official briefing, Ar'alani revealed the real reason she brought Lakinda aboard the Vigilant. A new order had come from Csilla through Schesa, ordering Lakinda and the Grayshrike to join Captain Thrawn in his search for Vagaari pirates. Ar'alani asked if Lakinda wanted to go, much to Lakinda's confusion. Ar'alani stated she was the commander and flag officer on scene and had the ability to countermand all orders as she saw fit. Lakinda questioned why she would not want to go, and Ar'alani mentioned that Lakinda had obvious animosity with Thrawn. Lakinda replied that even if she had a problem with Thrawn, she would never let her personal feelings get in the way of her job. Before leaving, Lakinda transferred her remaining plasma fluid and breacher missiles to the Vigilant.
Ar'alani and the Vigilant spent the next two weeks searching Sunrise for survivors, finding a few spread across ruined cities, industrial centers and mines. Senior Warrior Yopring reported that they had come upon a mine with perhaps a hundred active workers, just before being startled by two skycars, who began to tail him. Wutroow informed him that another four skycars were coming in from the north and west, trying to cut him off from the mine. Ar'alani informed Yopring to hold course to the point she had marked, near two intersecting rivers, and ordered Wutroow to fire a full bore laser salvo at two different spots in the river. When Yopring reached the point, Wutroow fired the lasers, which created large steam clouds, and all six skycars pitched sharply upward in an attempt to Yopring's theoretical escape vector. Per Ar'alani's orders, Yopring had instead dropped his shuttle to tree top level, spun ninety degrees, and raced across the landscape before ascending towards space. Ar'alani stated that they had got what they came for, finding evidence of survivors. Wutroow mentioned that the survivors were keen on making sure whatever was down was kept to themselves. Ar'alani replied that if they were the native inhabitants, the Ascendancy would have no say in the matter, but if they were not, they would be very sorry they came there.
====Acting on a hunch====
Following Yopring's escape on Sunrise, Ar'alani and the Vigilant returned to the final Nikardun base, where they first discovered the asteroid missile launcher. Ar'alani confessed that she didn't know exactly what it was that bothered her about it, but hoped she would recognize it when she saw it. Wutroow mentioned that they still didn't know why the Battle Dreadnought was interested in this base, not to mention they were already late for their return to Csilla. They wondered if this base was connected to the mining operation on Sunrise or whether it was a completely different party. Upon arrival, Biclian reported three ships close to the central base, two warships and what he believed was a Mobile repair base. Ar'alani mused that under normal circumstances the Vigilant could take two warships, but even with the plasma spheres and breachers transferred from the Grayshrike, they were still under armed.Larisom reported that they had caught the edge of a tight beam laser transmission, indicating the recipient of the transmission was directly behind them.Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil
The patrol cruiser, marked as Bogey One, fired upon the Vigilant, and Ar'alani gave her crew a series of orders to respond. She ordered Oeskym to disable the thrusters in breachers one and two and then to drop them out of their tubes, and then ordered Octrimo to move them towards the warships, designated bogey two and bogey three. Bogey one began to avoid the breachers, and Wutroow ordered the crew to tractor them back in, which Ar'alani belayed. She told them to tractor onto a chunk of rock to try to draw it up to the cruisers ventral bow area. Bogey one spotted the rock and began to avoid that as well, and headed back in the direction of the breachers. The Vigilant fired on the breachers and the acid engulfed bogey one, leaving it an easy target for the Vigilant. Bogey one exploded, and headed towards the patrol ships. Ar'alani realized that the warships weren't taking anything off the station, but instead putting something in. She ordered plasma spheres and lasers to be fired on the station, but the dock and the two patrol ships jumped to hyperspace.
Ar'alani ordered two shuttles to be prepared to get to the station and dismantle whatever bombs were placed on board. On board the station, Ar'alani pointed out that after the asteroid missile launcher explosion had damaged the station, the attackers charged in and poked holes in the walls to depressurize the compartments until all the Nikardun were dead. They determined the base was a rendezvous point for Yiv's forces, and that it was relatively close to Sunrise and the Ascendancy, perfect for someone who wanted to keep an eye on both. They came to the conclusion that the enemies at the battle that had just taken place and the battle dreadnought they tangled with over Sunrise were the same people. In addition to that, the Nikardun weren't the allies of the newer enemies, merely their tools, and they don't get rid of a tool unless they had something better. They decided it was best to not overstay their welcome in case more patrol ships came along, and began packing their equipment to return to the Ascendancy.
====Aliens in the Ascendancy====
Upon returning to the Ascendancy, Supreme General Ba'kif informed Ar'alani that the station they had tagged as a repair and refurbishing site was doing work on nyix hulls, suggesting that they were adding it to ships that didn't normally have armor. Running through recent events, they determine that Yiv and thr Nikardun move into the region and begin conquering small nations. At the same time, a civil war takes place on Sunrise, leaving their nyix mines open for taking. The battle dreadnought aliens convince Yiv to build the nyix refurbishment station knowing well they were going to kill the Nikardun anyway. The presence of nyix in thr Agbui jewelry and in Hoxim suggests the Agbui and the Dreadnaught aliens are working together. On top of all that, Ba'kif informed Ar'alani that an alien warship commanded by "Jixtus" had appeared over Avidich only four hours ago. The war ship was stated to be peace-sealed, and after a short discussion with Mitth Patriel Thistrian, left the planet. Due to the looming threat of an alien warship poking around the Ascendancy, the Defense Council and the Syndicure decided to recall many Expansioanry Defense Fleet ships back to the Ascendancy to bolster planetary patrols. Ar'alani and the Vigilant were stationed above Sposia, home of the UAG. Before returning to her ship, Ar'alani asked Ba'kif if he could set up a meeting for her.
====Cracking down on the Clarr====
Sitting above Sposia on planetary patrol, Ar'alani was thinking of more drills to throw at her crew to keep them ready when Larisom informed her they were receiving a transmission frkm Ba'kif. He informed Ar'alani that two more of the nine ruling families had begun moving their war ships around, but instead of moving them to bolster planetary defenses, they seemed to be adding an extra presence to Pommrio, Erighal, and Xodlak stronghold worlds. Ba'kif notes that the Patriarch's of the three families continued to claim innocence for the mess that took place at the Hoxim incident, and denied any involvement with Jixtus and the aliens. Ar'alani asked if the video he was selling, which showed Erighal and Xodlak ships attacking an armed freighter while a Dasklo ship looked on, was a hoax or not. Ba'kif replied he was unsure, as the quality was low but all the families were using enhancing techniques to see clearly. Ar'alani interrupted Ba'kif and asked if the Clarr had also used enhancing techniques, to which he replied yes.
Ar'alani noticed that Jixtus had offered Patriarch Thurfian military assistance, as he did all the Patrirchs, but all of their reports indicated they turned it down except the Clarr. The report from Patriarch Rivlex had no mention of military assistance being offered, much less it being refused. Ba'kif replied that Rivlex was the only one to send someone aboard the cruiser, which he claimed was solely for the purpose of gaining a closer look at the battle cruiser. Ba'kif played both the recording from the Mitth and the Clarr simultaneously, and noticed the Clarr version was a quarter second longer. He stated that a pattern was beginning to emerge with respect the Clarr, first they had a longer recording and a visit to the Whetstone, and the fact they sent the Orisson on a tour of all major Clarr worlds. He also added the Orisson's possibly coincidental presence at Jamiron where the alleged Xodlak and Erighal patrol ships attacked four Clarr freighters. Senior Captain Ziinda and the Grayshrike were present at the Attack at Jamiron, and Ba'kif brought her into the discussion. Wutroow informed Ar'alani that the Orisson had entered the system, and she ordered Oeskym to ask what they were doing here.
Coming back to the previous discussion, Ziinda began by telling Ar'alani of the Erighal tradition of marking their warships with subtle dot and line decorations, and how that while all the patterns are smilies, no two of them are exactly like. She continued by saying the two Erighal ships that had attacked the Clarr over Jamiron had the same exact pattern, something Roscu didn't notice or didn't care about. Ziinda also mentioned that not only were they identical, they also matched the marking of an Erighal patrol ship that was at Hoxim. They came to the conclusion someone was counterfeiting Chiss patrol ships, and Ba'kif wondered what the Clarr family thought about the situation. Wutroow suggested they ask Roscu since she was right outside, but Ar'alani believed Roscu wouldn't want to talk to her, considering they hadn't parted on good terms. Ba'kif suggested Wutroow talk to her, which she accepted. Wutroow started by asking Roscu why Ar'alani had flounced off the bridge, and Roscu replied that when she was her Ar'alani's first officer aboard the Parala, Ar'alani had covered up a serious policy violation by one of her officers. Roscu stated that both had managed to skate free, and Ar'alani had resented her since. Wutroow, now having Roscu talking, asked what was going on, and Roscu replied it was quite simple and she was shocked no one else had figured it out. Roscu claimed that despite what Jixtus had said, the Dasklo were not allying themselves with the Xodlak, Erighal, and Pommrio, but instead stretching their family fleet beyond the legal limit. She said the Dasklo were creating fake Erighal ships to further their cause, also noting they had already gotten away with it. Wutroow replied that Jixtus' vid showed the three families working together, but Roscu claimed that everyone thought that because they were too cheap to buy the entire vid. Wutroow asked what the whole vid showed, but Roscu replied she couldn't say, and that she had already said too much. She ended the transmission, leaving Wutroow back with Ar'alani, Ba'kif, and Ziinda. The four of them determined that it was the battle dreadnought aliens creating the fake Chiss ships, and Ziinda pointed out that in the sample vid, the Dasklo ships lifted its bow near the end of the vid, perhaps to fire plasma spheres or initiate a tractor beam, or both. Ba'kif dropped out of the conversation to check on something, while Ar'alani, Ziinda, and Wutroow continued to ponder what the rest of the vid could possibly have shown the Clarr. They came to the conclusion that the whole vid was a set up, a fake confrontation using fake ships, courtesy of whoever recorded the Hoxim battle. Ziinda mentioned they fired uselessly at her over Jamiron, something they picked up from Thrawn's gunners at Hoxim, before cutting herself off. Ar'alani pressed for Ziinda to finish her sentence, but she could not and was interrupted by Ba'kif's return. He reported that he was checking the Orisson's travels since Jixtus arrived, and said that they began checking Clarr strongholds, and then widened their focus, checking out Dasklo shipbuilding centers, in hopes of catching them in the act. He stated that they had one left, Krolling Sen on Ornfra. He ordered Ziinda to go to Ornfra and to do her best to diffuse the situation. He then ordered Ar'alani to hand over command of the Vigilant to Wutroow and take a shuttle to Csilla, as her meeting request had been approved. Ar'alani gave her crew a few orders to prepare for her departure. Wutroow asked Ar'alani if she had any idea about Ziinda's comment about Thrawn's gunners, which she replied in the negatory. Wutroow wished her admiral safe travels, and with that Ar'alani took her leave.
====Meeting with Yiv====
Ar'alani was in a section of the Syndicure she had never been in before, and made her way down a hallway to a room that held General Yiv of the Nikardun. She found Yiv in his casual arrogant position, and he told her that in the months since his capture, he had grown fond of solitude. Ar'alani began the topic of betrayal, and informed him that his empire had been squandered and his conquered nations had been freed. He replied that many had told him this, and he believed her no more than he did them. He believed the only reason he was alive was for the Chiss to use him as a bargaining chip when the Nikardun brought the Chiss to their knees. She retorted that he was alive because the Chiss don't slaughter defeated enemies, and that he still had valuable information. She asked Yiv about his allies, and he replied that the mighty Nikardun had no allies. She informed him that Jixtus has a new set of allies, perhaps even tools, and that they were converting the two listening posts Jixtus suggested to him into shipyards. She continued that it was her belief that Jixtus persuaded him to build the listening posts in positions he needed, and let Yiv do all the work. When the Nikardun failed, he simply killed everyone on board and rebuilt them to his own specifications. Yiv claimed she was lying, and she showed him recordings thr Vigilant had taken at the bases. Yiv asked Ar'alani why she was there, and she replied she needed information about Jixtus. She told him they knew he was working with the Kilji Illumine and the Agbui, and she asked if there were more allies that Jixtus had. He replied that there were, allies and not, but even just names could prove useful under careful analysis. He told Ar'alani that she wanted more than names, she wanted times and locations of meetings and conversations, small bits that were too vague for him to add in his report - she wanted everything there was to know about Jixtus an the Grysks. He gave up the name of the Grysks for no cost, but for all the other information, his price was his freedom. All he asked was to leave the Chiss, with enough equipment and provisions to build a home. He wanted exile, a request Ar'alani didn't believe to be difficult to provide.
Ar'alani left his chamber and was met by Ba'kif outside, who asked her opinion on Yiv's offer. Ar'alani replied that it seemed genuine, but Ba'kif told her that he said Jixtus was on the move against the Ascendancy, and he expected the Chiss to lose. He wanted to find a way off Csilla before that happened. Ba'kif noted that because of Yiv's firm belief in Jixtus destroying the Chiss, they should take the possibility of defeat seriously. Ba'kif said he would get in touch with the defense council to start the process, and Ar'alani noted that he hadn't mentioned the Syndicure. Ba'kif replied that bringing the Syndicure into it would only delay the process, and it was best to leave them out of it. Ar'alani suggested that Ba'kif and the council formally call upon the Nine Ruling Families to provide warships ti strengthen the defense force, and Ba'kif replied he would bring it up but he didn't expect anyone to follow through with it. He noted that aside from the Mitth and Xodlak families, no other families had said the council could call upon their family fleet for help. Ba'kif walked Ar'alani to the main level so she could rejoin the Vigilant over Sposia, and reminded her that the families may be fighting now but when disaster struck they would come together, something Ar'alani knew he didn't believe himself.
====Intervention at Jamiron====
Ar'alani and the Vigilant were sent to Jamiron to intervene in hostilities between the Droc and the Tahmie family over the planet. Wutroow mentioned the had no idea what the issue was, and Octrimo, a member of the Droc, put in that his family and the Tahmie had been locking antlers on every topic imaginable for a very long time. The Vigilant entered the system to find a battle already ensued, and took an in-system jump to reach the battle. She called on both families to cease hostilities, which both denied, claiming the Expansionary Defense Fleet had no jurisdiction inside Ascendancy borders. After two more feinted attempts, Ar'alani ordered Oeskym to fire plasma spheres on all eighteen ships, starting with the Tahmie patrol cruiser that had told her to mind her own business. Oeskym had silenced all the ships before Ar'alani ordered him and Octrimo to fire up the tractor beams and move the ships away from each other.
Following the battle, Ar'alani received a call from Ja'fosk, informing her that he didn't know what her goal was but if it was to infuriate the Syndicure, she had succeeded. Ar'alani countered that there was nothing else she could have done, and asked Ja'fosk if the Speakers and syndics had any helpful suggestions as to what she should have done, to which he replied in the negatory. Ja'fosk told Ar'alani that the families were worried, angry, and frightened, and that was not a good combination. Half of them saw Jixtus trying to goad the families into infighting while the other half saw him as the lesser evil. Ar'alani asked if they could kick Jixtus out of the Ascendancy by sending a laser barrage across his bow, claiming it wasn't an attack, but Ja'fosk said she had spent too much time around Thrawn. Ja'fosk ordered her back to Sposia, saying that the Venturous was on its way there now, but currently the UAG was unguarded.
====Fiasco with Dy'lothe====
Ar'alani and the Vigilant arrived over Sposia, only to find Admiral Dy'lothe, commander of the Venturous, reporting to have a Nikardun blockade frigate pinned inside the gravity well. Ar'alani immediately ordered an in-system jump from Octrimo and ordered Larisom to acknowledge and request Dy'lothe hold off any action. Wutroow asked if it was Thrawn, to which Ar'alani replied if she knew anyone else with a friend who had a Nikardun warship. Ar'alani wondered if he had come to Sposia after hearing she had been stationed there to find a sympathetic ally, but didn't know she had been sent to Jamiron and now was stuck with Dy'lothe. Larisom reported the the Venturous said it's none of the Vigilant's business, and with that the Vigilant took its in-system jump. She ordered Larisom to tell the Venturous that the Nikardun frigate was commanded by a Chiss officer, and Oeskym to fire a laser salvo between the Nikardun frigate and the Venturous. Larisom reported that Dy'lothe already knew, and was ordered by the Syndicure to detain Senior Captain Thrawn. Oeskym fired the salvo, which got Dy'lothe's attention. Ar'alani informed him that the Syndicure didn't have authority over the Defense Force. Dy'lothe countered that he didn't care who gave the orders, the Syndicure wanted Thrawn and he was going to deliver him. He stated that the frigates captain requested to hold off any action until Thrawn was aboard, and now he was, so he was going to tractor the frigate in.
Ar'alani replied that she would not let him carry out his illegal orders, and just then, the Nikardun frigate charged at the Venturous, and before the Groundlion man-of-war could fire upon it, the frigate did a pitch and roll and and blazed across Sposia's atmosphere. Biclian reported an electrical discharge from the Venturous, and Ar'alani ran through the footage again, and noticed that Thrawn had thrown a crippler net at the Venturous, causing the electrical discharge. With Thrawn making his escape, Dy'lothe's only option to stop him was to fire upon him, which Ar'alani knew he wouldn't do. Confused, Wutroow asked why he would not, and Ar'alani replied that Dy'lothe did not want to capture Thrawn in the first place, and all the legal order blather was purely for the record. She went on and said that Dy'lothe had spent way too many years in the Defense Force to be impressed by any Aristocra, and if the order had come from Ja'fosk, Thrawn would be in the Venturous' brig by now. He had also given hints, such as leaving his shoulder lasers powered down so Thrawn only had to disable the blow cluster, and chatting with Ar'alani instead of tractoring the frigate as soon as Thrawn boarded it. Ar'alani contacted Dy'lothe asking if he needed assistance, and he denied. He reported that he was bringing debris from an asteroid missile launcher that blew itself up at Ornfra.
====Assembling a team====
After concluding her conversation with Dy'lothe, Ar'alani was hailed by Ba'kif, who had just met with Thrawn at the UAG. He informed her that Thrawn had left a message for her. After hearing the message, Ar'alani remarked that Thrawn had finally outdone himself. She realized that even if his plan worked, he would face serious consequences from the Syndicure, and if it failed, it would likely end up with the doom of the Ascendancy. Larisom informed Ar'alani that an urgent message was coming through, and it was a summons from Ja'fosk for all Expansionary Defense Fleet ships to return to Naporar. Ar'alani asked for an exception, as Thrawn had wanted her and the Vigilant at Schesa, which Ba'kif said he could get. She also suggested that he leave the location of Thrawn's desired meeting spot a little vague, so that she and whatever captains and ships joined Thrawn would not be in violation of the summons.
The first person Ar'alani called was Senior Captain Ziinda of the Grayshrike, who agreed immediately. Ziinda's first officer, Mid Captain Apros had some reservations, stating that he feels uncomfortable staking the hopes and future of the Ascendancy on a piece of alien tech that Thrawn had borrowed from the UAG, and even if it did work, it would mean a lot of death. Ar'alani replied that that was the whole point, and began to say islolating the Grysk fleet they could do something, but was cut off by Ziinda who wanted a private consultation with her first officer. After getting commitment from Apros, Ziinda re-opened the comm and gave Ar'alani a thumbs up for the mission, and Ar'alani informed her that they would be meeting at Schesa in three days, and asked to pass the word on to more ships, but only ones she could trust. With Ziinda's help secured, Ar'alani ended the transmission.
====Preparing for Battle====
The Springhawk arrived over Sunrise, and was greeted by Admiral Ar'alani and the Vigilant, who deemed the encounter "Captain Thrawn's Last Stand". Ar'alani asked Samakro how his mission had went, and he replied that he was told it went fine. Ar'alani questioned why he was told it went fine when he was the one handling it, but Samakro informed her that Thalias convinced him that she had a better chance of persuading one of the Aristocra to deliver the message to the Syndicure. Ar'alani asked Thalias if she did have success in the mission, and she replied that she thinks she did. Ar'alani informed Samakro that Thrawn and Uingali foar Marocsaa were out in the asteroid cluster he passed on his way in, and that had groups towing some of the asteroids towards the planet. She added the Ziinda was on the other side having a conference with the commanders of the nine Paccian gunboats, and she had left an invitation for him. Samakro asked how many other ships she was able to contact, and she replied that she had talked to the patrol cruisers Parala and Bokrea, and the light cruisers Whisperbird and Stingfly, and added that they had sounded receptive. Finally, she added the Captain Raamas and the Clarr family warship Orisson had also joined them. Samakro stated that he thought the Captain's name was Roscu, and Ar'alani replied that Raamas isn't saying much about it but it sounded like Patriarch Rivlex kicked Roscu off command for questioning his role in everything. Ar'alani reported she had to go to the asteroid cluster for a consultation with Thrawn, and she'd told Ziinda that he was on his way.
====Assessing the enemy====
When the Grysk ships arrived over Sunrise, they found every single Chiss ship dead. Ar'alani listened over the comm as Thrawn spoke to Jixtus, with his last line asking Jixtus if he was ready to surrender. Assessing the enemy, she noticed that the largest Grysk warship, a Shatter-class WarMaster, titled the FateSpinner, was just as large as the ship she and Ziinda had taken down, which she now learned was called the HopeBreaker. The three StoneCrusher-class WarMaster ships, the SkySweep, Armageddon, and Emery, were smaller than the Vigilant, but still larger than the Springhawk and the Vigilant. The eleven Prism-class BattleChief ships were were slightly smaller than Chiss heavy cruisers, and larger than Chiss light cruisers and patrol cruisers that Ba'kif had sent. The whole plan rested on the functionality of the alien technology hidden on a Paccian gunboat, but Ar'alani assured herself that these were the cards she was given, and she would play them as cleanly and cunningly as possible.
====A battle on many fronts====
During the battle, Ar'alani and deduced that Jixtus was finally commanding the battle from the Grysk side, noting the escape pod that left from the Kilji warship and made its way to the FateSpinner. Up until that point, the FateSpinner had been sitting idly waiting for Jixtus' return, but now that he was back on board, the massive warship began turning towards the Vigilant and the Aelos. Ar'alani asked Thrawn still believed taking the FateSpinner was the best option, and he replied affirmatively, stating that they need to hurt Jixtus enough that he continues to hold back but not too much that will make him pull back his forces. Ar'alani agreed, and summoned the Stingfly to help with this part of the plan. As the FateSpinner reached combat range, both the Vigilant and the Aelos locked tractor beams onto an asteroid that Thrawn had put in position two days prior.
So far, everything was going according to Thrawn's plan, but Ar'alani felt a vague sense of foreboding. The Vigilant's sky-walker, Ab'begh had reported a strange resistance on the last leg of their approach to sunrise, and Samakro had told her of the Magys' attempt to take over Che'ri. Samarko's threat had gotten Che'ri and Thalias out of that situation, but Ar'alani wondered what would happen if the Chiss lost the battle, and if the Magys would seek vengeance against the Chiss. The Magys had already made a play for Che'ri and Thalias, and it was possible she would also try for Ab'begh and the Grayshrike's sky-walker Bet'nih. With the FateSpinner nearly to combat range, Ar'alani ordered spheres and lasers to be fired, and the FateSpinner replied with its own lasers and dibber missiles. As the Aelos focused it's lasers on the dibbers, Ar'alani ordered for continuous laser fire, as well as plasma spheres followed by a salvo of breacher missiles. The Grysk warship finally caught on to the danger coming from behind them, and the warships aft batteries came to life as they pummeled away huge chunks of rock from the asteroid. The asteroid disintegrated, revealing the Stingfly's breacher missiles, which had been traveling in the asteroids visual shadow. The breachers slammed into the Grysk warships hull, releasing their acid loads, followed by the Stingfly with lasers blazing, trying to get its first kill of the day. Ar'alani had expected Jixtus to retreat so he could make some repairs on the FateSpinner, but to her surprise, the Grysk warship swiveled ninety degrees, released a salvo of missiles at all three ships, and began diving for the planet below. The FateSpinner found its new vector and was racing sideways, and Thrawn told Ar'alani they would chase him down once enough enemy ships had been destroyed to spare one in the FateSpinner. Ar'alani agreed, and keyed the comm for the Orisson's status. Roscu and the Orisson were still engaging the SkySweep, and Ar'alani informed her that the Springhawk was ready to play bait, and she needed the Orisson and the Grayshrike to play hunter. Roscu acknowledged, and blew up one last section of the SkySweep before Ar'alani sent her the vector for the Orisson to get in position. Roscu and Ziinda fired two breachers at each other as the Armageddon, in hot pursuit of the Springhawk, ran through the cloud of acid. All three ships joined together to take down the final StoneCrusher class war ship.
====The fall of Jixtus====
Ar'alani watched as two BattleChief class ships broke off from the battle and began heading toward the Paccian gunboat which housed the Gravity well projector, and Thrawn ordered Apros, who was in the gunboat, to get read to run. Ar'alani keyed for Thrawn's private frequency, and asked if he wanted the Grysks to have a clean shot, noting that it was incredibly risky and he could lose it all. Thrawn replied that the first shot will be from a distance, so the enemies think the gunboat has extra protection, and he wanted them to get to point blank range before thinking of firing again. Ar'alani offered to go help Apros and the gunboat, but Thrawn replied he needed the Vigilant to stay where it was, as it was the only ship pinning down the FateSpinner. As the two BattleChiefs closed on Apros' gunboat, twelve new ships appeared, and began attacking the two BattleChiefs, which disintegrated in a pair of violent explosions. Ar'alani listened as Thrawn greeted the commanders of the new ships, Senior Security Chief Frangelic of the Garwian Unity, as well as a commander from the Vak Combine.
Thrawn began to inform them that if they wish to coordinate attacks with the Chiss they may do so with Admiral Ar'alani, but he was cut off by Apros who warned Ar'alani that the FateSpinner was coming up behind her. Ar'alani saw the Grysk warship making its way to the end of the battleground to make its escape, and ordered Octrimo to put them in an intercept course. Ar'alani blamed herself, feeling that she was distracted by the battle and the relief of the arrival of the Garwian Unity and the Vak Combine that she forgot to keep an eye on Jixtus, and now it was going to cost her. She realized she couldn't get there in time, and asked Samakro if he could. He replied that he would try, but the Springhawk's pilot, Lieutenant Commander Azmordi, replied that they would not be able to make it as thrusters were only at fifteen percent. Apros joined the conversation and said he would take care of it, hoping to stall the FateSpinner long enough for the Vigilant to reach it. Thrawn ordered him to break off, noting that he was too vulnerable, but Apros continued on, saying he would hold them long enough for the Vigilant or the Springhawk to get there. Ar'alani replied that he couldn't go in alone, and Ziinda said he wouldn't be alone, ordering Apros to run parallel with the Grayshrike covering the gunboat, which would give the Vigilant enough time to catch up. As the FateSpinner passed by the Kilji cruiser, now under command of Qilori, the Whetstone fired on the Grysk warship with all its weapons. With the FateSpinner taking heavy fire from the Whetstone, Ziinda ordered Apros to throttle back, and Ar'alani ordered both ships to rendezvous with the Aelos, citing the battle was just about over.
As Thrawn contacted Jixtus for terms of surrender and to render medical aid for the Grysks, Ar'alani remembered what had happened last time they had defeated a Grysk warship, and ordered all Chiss ships to move away from all Grysks immediately. Across the battlefield, all Grysk ships disintegrated in violent explosions - all except the FateSpinner. Jixtus told Thrawn to enjoy his victory, as it would be his last, citing that the leaders of the Ascendancy would make him pay for his treason on that day. Jixtus promised that the Grysks would be back, and Thrawn wouldn't be there to protect his people, before following the rest of the Grysk ships into annihilation. Thrawn ordered damage reports and injuries to the Vigilant, and then contacted Qilori, who informed him that Nakirre was killed by Jixtus, and the Kilji had taken him as their commander. Thrawn asked if he could return the Kilji to their home, as well as taking the pathfinder of the Hammer, Sarsh, back to Guild Concourse 447. Ar'alani noticed a short pause between words from Qilori, and ordered Apros and Ziinda to keep watch incase he tried to make a run for it. After concluding his talk with Qilori, Thrawn asked Ar'alani if she had gotten the damage reports, and she replied that they were coming in, and they weren't as bad as they could have been. Biclian reported they had incoming, and Ar'alani turned around to see the Venturous, and Dy'lothe informed her that he was sent by the Syndicure to assess the situation.
====Thrawn's fate====
Ar'alani entered the hearing room for Thrawn's trial, and in Ba'kif's eyes, was the only one to recognize the darker sense in the air. She caught his eye and narrowed them, wondering why he was in the observers galley and not one of the tribunal members. The five admirals who would be passing judgement walked in, including Supreme Admiral Ja'fosk, Admirals Dy'lothe of the Venturous and Ers'ikaro of the Bellicose, along with two others. The tribunal members decided that Thrawn would be stripped of all rank in the Expansionary Defense Fleet, as well of his rank as a trial-born of the Mitth. In addition to that, he would be transported to an uninhabited world where he would live out the rest of his days in exile. Admiral Dy'lothe walked over to Thrawn, removed his honor chains off his chest, gave him a small but respectful nod, and turned back.
====Farewell====
Ar'alani met with Ba'kif and Thrawn in the formers office, trying to read their eyes. As usual, Ba'kif wore his unreadable neutral face, but for Thrawn, she saw a sense of pleading in his eyes. She wondered if it was for understanding or sympathy, and hoped it wasn't forgiveness, as she wasn't in the mood to forgive someone who had done nothing wrong. Ba'kif asked Ar'alani what she saw in the exile, and she replied resentment for Thrawn, embarrassment for themselves, and revenge. Ba'kif replied that was exactly what the Syndicure intended, and it was exactly what they wanted them to believe. Ba'kif stated that the Syndicure was looking for a scapegoat what happened at Sunrise, and with tensions running high between the families, framing Thrawn was the only way to offer closer. Ar'alani replied that what happened at Sunrise was the salvation of the Ascendancy, and they should have found another way, mentioning they could have picked anyone who was at Sunrise instead of Thrawn. Thrawn finally spoke up and said they did pick, they picked everyone. Ba'kif cleared things up by saying that there was a sizable percentage of the Aristocra who wanted every commander and senior officer who was at Sunrise to be brought up on charges, including Thalias and Che'ri. Thrawn added that she should think of it as a game of Tactica. Ba'kif had surrendered his nightdragon in order to protect his groundlion and whisperbirds. Ar'alani asked if the whole idea was Ba'kif's which he confirmed. He said that the Grysk threat wasn't over, and the Ascendancy needed her and all the other senior officers who knew Thrawn to keep their positions if and when a new threat arised. Ar'alani countered that sending the Ascendancy's best protector to waste the rest of his life on some last planet was a mistake, and then Thrawn finally filled in the last piece.
After Sunrise, the Springhawk went to the edge of lesser space to search for the Grysks and to check off the other bases on Yiv's list. They stumbled across an alien group called Neimoidians, who informed them that the war between the Republic and the Separatists had ended, and neither side had won. The Separatist forces had crumbled, and the Republic was replaced by the Galactic Empire. Ar'alani asked if the Empire could be a threat down the line, and Ba'kif replied it could, but it could also mean a solution. He continued that the Grysks are still a threat, and Ar'alani asked if the plan was for Thrawn to pretend to be exiled, but instead he goes to the Empire and consults with their leader. Ba'kif replied that they couldn't go directly to the Empire as the Syndicure wouldn't have it, but the hope was to leave Thrawn on a planet and hope the Empire bumped into him. He went on and said they had a few planets gathered by watching trade routes and communications, and after a short period if no one showed, they'd pack Thrawn up and move him. All in all, Thrawn didn't expect to be gone for more than a few months, perhaps a year. Ar'alani thanked the two of them for filling her in on what was going on, and Ba'kif told Ar'alani he needed to finalize some details for the exile. He informed her that Thrawn would be travelling aboard the Parala, and she said she would say her goodbyes then. She told him not to leave without saying goodbye, and he said he wouldn't, because that's not what friends do.
===The Imperial Era===
====Arrival of the Aide====
Shortly after the Battle of Batonn, Commander Eli Vanto of the Imperial Navy defected to the Ascendancy under the guidance of Grand Admiral Thrawn. Journeying into the Unknown Regions, Vanto came across Ar'alani's ship, the Steadfast, and informed the admiral that he had been sent by Thrawn to aid the Ascendancy. Ar'alani allowed the former Imperial officer to join her ship's crew and assigned him to data analysis.Thrawn: Treason
====Return of the Navigators====
Following Thrawn and Darth Vader's campaign to rescue Force-sensitive Chiss girls from the Grysks, Ar'alani informed Thrawn that she would return the children to their families. Ar'alani also promised to bolster the defenses of the colony world from which the children were taken.Thrawn: Alliances
===A new mission===
====Accidental interloper====
Ar'alani sat in the command chair of the Defense Fleet warship Steadfast and scowled as the Imperial Star Destroyer jumped to hyperspace. The arrival of the Star Destroyer had forced the Steadfast into full dark mode, giving their quarry more time to escape. Ar'alani signaled to Mid Commander Tanik who began searching along the target ship's last vector. Senior Captain Khresh had a small outburst about the Imperial interference, much to Tanik's amusement. Ar'alani guessed that tales of the outburst would spread back to the Ascendancy to fuel the fire between their respective families. Tanik located the target ship, noting it was maintaining its original heading. The ship jumped to hyperspace, and Ar'alani ordered for the Steadfast to come out of dark mode and sent the vector of the ship to sky-walker Mi'yaric. Ar'alani ordered Khresh to signal all senior officers to report to the bridge conference room, and he acknowledged and implied a question if the newcomer was to be invited as well. Ar'alani replied in the affirmative, and told him to signal Lieutenant Eli'van'to as well.
====Eli's assessment====
Vanto reached the bridge and Ar'alani showed him a recording and asked him what he thought of it. He replied that and object, likely a civilian ship it a freighter, came into the system, was shot at, and then promptly left the system. Ar'alani asked him if he believed the shots fired fit the profile of an Imperial weapon. After some careful checking, Vanto replied that they were not Imperial weapons, but some characteristics fit those of a Grysk weapon. Ar'alani asked if it was in fact a Grysk weapon, and Vanto replied that it likely wasn't, but it could be a generation or two behind the ones they had encountered. The group wondered why the ship came out of hyperspace directly into the asteroid cluster and into the attackers targeting zone, and Tanik suggested it could be a mass shadow, that could pull ships out of hyperspace back into real space. Vanto recalled that Imperial Interdictor-class Star Destroyers had the technology aboard, but there was nothing the size of an Interdictor nearby. Ar'alani thanked Vanto and ordered him to return to his station, and that Tanik would send him the information on the incident, in hopes he would catch something others had missed.
===Mitth'raw'nuruodo's Return===
====Mission failed====
Vanto sprinted to the bridge and reached Ar'alani at the comm station and sat down, asking her if it was really him. Ar'alani confirmed that it was indeed Thrawn, and Vanto had to warn him off before he ruined everything. He keyed for the Imperial encryption he's added to the Steadfast comm system, one that Thrawn would immediately be able to identify and decipher. The Chimaera returned to real space where the Allanar N3 light freighter had appeared a few hours prior. Ar'alani said they would wait and see what happened, hopefully they would be able to salvage the operation. Vanto asked what would happen if they were attacked, and Ar'alani replied that Thrawn and his crew mates would be in danger.
When the Grysks they had been tracking fired on the Chimaera, Ar'alani ordered all systems and weapons to be up in fifteen seconds. She ordered all plasma spheres from the portside salvo to be fired, but all were deflected by the Grysk warships' electrostatic barrier. Thrawn and the Chimaera joined the battle and fired early at the warship, leading Ar'alani to believe Thrawn was no longer in command. Vanto replied that he was and fired early to divert the Grysks attnetion from both the Steadfast and his TIE Defenders. Ar'alani hissed, and asked Vanto if the Chimaera's sensors were good enough to have spotted the electrostatic loci, and he replied yes, also noting that Thrawn was good enough to see the effects of their attack. Ar'alani ordered to belay the plasma spheres and to prepare the breachers. The TIE defenders converged on the electrostatic generator and the point-defense lasers and fired, disarming the barrier. Ar'alani ordered for breachers to be fired, and four of the six made it through, penetrating the hull. As the warship prepared to jump to hyperspace, the TIE defenders attacked once again, disabling the hyperdrive. Ar'alani ordered Vanto to contact Thrawn and tell him to switch to ion cannons, as they would preserve the ship for study. Just then, the Grysk warship exploded, leaving the bridge silent. Vanto informed Ar'alani that Thrawn sent his greetings and would be honored if she joined him on the Chimaera. Ar'alani told him to reply that she would be over at her convenience, and ordered the Steadfast to survey the wreckage. She told Vanto to prepare her shuttle, as he would be joining her to meet his former commander.
====Reunion====
Thrawn was waiting for them in the hangar bay, and greeted Ar'alani in Cheunh. He started by saying the Empire appreciated her assistance in defeating the Grysk warship, and she replied that the Ascendancy was happy to do so. Thrawn greeted Vanto, and then informed Ar'alani that the boarding party had done its initial sweep and they should join them as soon as possible. The trio passed by the Allanar N3 freighter secured to the hull of the Grysk observation post, and Ar'alani mentioned the observation post's interesting design and that she had never seen it before. Thrawn believed that it was created by one of the Grysk client species, and Ar'alani mused that perhaps they could give some insight regarding the enemy. Thrawn replied that they won't, as they had all been murdered.
====Grysk Interrogation====
Ar'alani, Thrawn, and Vanto reached the command center of the Grysk observation post where Major Carvia and four of his stormtroopers were waiting, along with two shackled Grysks. Ar'alani began by telling them that their backup defense ship had been destroyed, and the Grysks asked what the referred to. Ar'alani continued that the warship was hiding beneath a pile of rock and was looking for trouble, and it found it and paid the price. The Grysks called her bluff, and Ar'alani asked if they would like to see images of its current state, and only then did the Grysks believe it. Ar'alani asked Carvia what happened, and he replied that five humans and eighteen beings of an unknown species were massacred, mentioning the humans were in confinement while the rest were spread around the ship. He added that a young Chiss girl was also found, but she wasn't killed like the others, and perhaps she died before the killings. Ar'alani asked where she is, but Thrawn told her no, saying he understood her want for vengeance but these were his prisoners. She told him they would talk about it later, and asked if she can see the fallen, to which he agrees.
As they exit the room, Ar'alani tells Thrawn to never talk to her that way in front of her crew again, and Thrawn asked Vanto if he saw disrespect to his Admiral. Vanto replied that on the surface it seemed so, but that's also what the Grysks saw, causing them to believe there was a wedge created between the two admirals. Both Thrawn and Ar'alani commended Vanto on his conculsion, but Ar'alani added that he missed one crucial part, that she had a surge of hope and Thrawn did not want the prisoners to see that, so he made it look like she was angry to confuse them. She ordered Vanto to call the Steadfast and send sky-walker Vah'nya over. Thrawn asked if Vah'nya had second sight, and Ar'alani confirmed that she did. Bantu acknowledged her order and asked about her hope, and she informed him that Major Carvia's dead Chiss girl could be alive.
===Joining Forces===
====Waking Uh'nee====
The trio made their way to the medcenter of the observation post. Bodies lay around the room of human and unidentified species, and one Chiss girl that lay untouched, but looked very much dead. Thrawn asked Ar'alani if it was somnia, and she replied it was a variant of the technique that was developed after his departure from the Ascendancy. She asked for the lights lowered, and Thrawn asked Vanto for a towel soaked in hot water. Vanto walked over to the sink and asked what was happening, and Ar'alani informed him that some sky-walkers, especially the younger ones, sometimes experience a sensory overload, accompanied by symptoms such as headaches, body aches, and vertigo. The cure for it was a mental regimen called somnia. Vanto asked if the Grysks knew if the girl was alive, and Thrawn replied that they'd get to it soon. Ar'alani stated that the girl was alive, and asked Vanto to stand back, as she didn't want the first face the girl saw to be human. Without warning, the girl twitched violently and then collapsed back onto the table, as Ar'alani told her to come back. The girl opened her eyes and lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Ar'alani, bursting into tears.
Ar'alani calmed the girl, and motioned for Thrawn and Vanto to join her when the girl was ready to talk. Thrawn introduced himself and Vanto, and asked for the girls name, to which she replied it was Un'hee. She said she was taken by the Grysks two years prior, and had been serving them since. Ar'alani added that she could prove to be the Grysks greatest mistake, as she had navigated ships through a large part of the Grysk Hegemony. If they were able to find some of those routes, they could unveil some of the secrets the Grysks work so hard to protect. Thrawn mentioned that it now made sense why the aliens didn't tell the Grysks' Uh'nee was alive, as they may have been unwilling clients and sparing the girl was their last act in defiance of their overlords.
====Flush and trap====
Thrawn deduced that the two Grysks' likely have a way of communicating with the hidden supply ship, and if they suspect that Uh'nee was alive, they'd send an attack against the defenseless observation post. Vanto added that sky-walker Vah'nya was also on her way, making two sky-walkers vulnerable. Ar'alani pulled out her com link to way Vah'nya off, but Thrawn told her not to as it may become suspicious. Ar'alani said they won't fire because it would give off their position, and they'd only get one shot in before the Steadfast destroyed it. That shot could either be targeted at Vah'nya's shuttle or the observation post. The group began thinking of ways to protect both sky-walkers when Thrawn got a call, and told the caller to send him in, and then told Vanto to prepare himself for an unpleasant conversation.
Director Orson Krennic had sent his Assistant Director, Brierly Ronan, aboard the Chimaera to watch over Thrawn's handling of the Project Stardust gralloc issue. Ronan made his way to the observation post where he saw Thrawn, Ar'alani, Uh'nee, and in his eyes, the Imperial traitor Vanto. Vanto came up with a plan to send the Grysk prisoners back to the Chimaera and see if the hidden Grysk ship would fire on it, uncovering the ship which would then lead them to its base. Ar'alani argued that the mission was none of Ronan's business, but agreed to let him stay as long as Vanto served as his liaison and translator. Thrawn, Ronan, and Vanto watched the plan succeed and watched the Grysk ship flee, as Thrawn predicted they would. Despite Ronan's complaints, Thrawn believed they would be able to track the ship to the Grysk base.
====Second Sight====
Ar'alani watched as both Uh'nee and Vah'nya sat beside each other with their hands clasped, using second sight. Thrawn asked if she feared that Vah'nya would not be able to extract the necessary information, and she replied that it wasn't a fear. Ar'alani asked what he knew of second sight, and he replied nothing, as he is not privy to the secrets of the Ascendancy. After questioning his loyalty, Ar'alani reluctantly told him that Third Sight was the sight from without, while Second Sight was the sight from within. Ar'alani explained that Vah'nya's mind delves deeply into Uh'nee's, seeking information about Uh'nee's usage of Third Sight while navigating for the Grysks'. She went on and said that normally there was no danger, unless Uh'nee also had second sight, which would cause both girls to be lost within each other's souls. Thrawn asked if there was any record of Uh'nee's abilities, and Ar'alani replied that second sight doesn't normally manifest until the age of ten, while Uh'nee was only seven. Thrawn told Ar'alani that he would need Vah'nya aboard the Chimaera to guide it to the Grysk base, angering Ar'alani. She refused, saying that he would not take Vah'nya into danger, but he replied that she was the only way, and the Steadfast could not be seen by the Grysks' or the Empire. Ar'alani said she was afraid of neither, so Thrawn asked her to be afraid for him. As Ronan reported what happened to Krennic, a mention of Chiss military involvement could end his career and possibly his life. Realizing that would be a blow to the Ascendancy as well, Ar'alani finally gave in.
At last, the girls separated, and Vah'nya reported that she had the way to the Grysk base. Ar'alani informed Vah'nya of her new mission, and the girl asked if someone would be there with her, perhaps Lieutenant Vanto. Thrawn told them that Vanto would be there for the beginning, but he had a separate mission for him. Vah'nya asked if Ar'alani would accompany her, and Thrawn added that Vah'nya need Ar'alani more than the Steadfast did. For Vah'nya's sake and the sake of the Ascendancy, Ar'alani agreed. Thrawn stated that they should travel to the Chimaera so they could get the final part underway as soon as possible.
===Tracking the Grysks===
====Slingshot====
Thrawn had sent everyone off the bridge except Commodore Faro, much to Ar'alani's displeasure. She had argued about it with Thrawn, finally allowing Faro to stay aboard the bridge as long as she manned the weapons station, to which Faro agreed. After clearing the bridge, Faro guided Vah'nya to the helm, and Ar'alani stood silently behind them as Faro instructed Vah'nya on the control, as she did not trust Faro. Vah'nya took the ship to hyperspace while Thrawn filled Faro in on the situation. About an hour later, the Chimaera arrived at a system with a single sun and eight uninhabitable planets, and in the distance, the Grysk ship Thrawn had hoped to find, along with another Grysk ship attached to it. Ar'alani took an unsteady Vah'nya to her temporary quarters, while Faro called for the bridge to return to their stations. Ar'alani retuned as the tractor beam operators were ready for the Slingshot maneuver Thrawn had ordered and asked if they had found the Grysk's, and Thrawn replied that they were tightening the search. He ordered Pyrondi and launch TIE Squadron Two and to activate tractor beams, and using a new slingshot maneuver, sent the TIE's towards the Grysk ships while they were still on low power, remaining invisible to the Grysk's. Ar'alani argued that it was useless as the Grysk's have likely wiped all information on the conjoined ships, but Thrawn countered that there was still ten to twenty life forms on board who had information, most likely the Grysk client species and the members of the pirates way station. Ar'alani pointed out that the ships were bait and the cloaked ship was the primary target, and Thrawn added that a Communications triad, a communications technique used in the Unknown Regions and Wild Space was also a primary target. They wondered where parts of the triad could be, as none of the planets or asteroids were capable of holding them. Ar'alani asked what the goal of the TIE fighters was, and Thrawn replied that they were sent to gather information, provoke a reaction from the Grysk's, and be in prime position to attack should he order it. Ar'alani reminded him that he wanted to capture the client species and rescue the prisoners, and Thrawn said that was only if it was possible.
====Empire vs Ascendancy====
Ar'alani turned to Faro an asked for a moment, and then turned back to Thrawn and began conversing in Cheunh, causing Faro to head to the weapons station with Pyrondi. While look at the displays, something caught her eye, and noticed the sunlight glinting of the conjoined ships' hulls. She turned around to Thrawn and Ar'alani and informed them about the sunlight, and Thrawn quickly picked up on her point that the ships had moved. Ar'alani suggested it was a sensor-sweep technique, which allowed them to se farther without risking active sensor emanations. Thrawn replied that the rotation was too slow, and said that they'd have more information when the TIE's finished their sweep in half and hour. He told Faro he'd be in his office and took his leave, and Ar'alani asked Faro if he was going to study his artwork. Faro replied that he didn't have any of the Grysk's artwork, but he had some from the Grysk victims. Ar'alani made a noise in her throat, prompting Faro to ask if she disproved of the admiral's ability. Ar'alani replied that her opinions were irrelevant, and Faro fired back asking what her problem was with it. Ar'alani looked sharply at Faro, both women holding their gaze until Ar'alani's glare softened, and she congratulated Faro, saying she was strong and confident, and that Thrawn had chosen well in his choice of protégé. Ar'alani finally answered that she had nothing but respect for Thrawn's abilities, it was his service to the Empire that she disagreed with. She informed Faro that there were grave threats facing the Ascendancy, the Grysk's and their clients mainly, but also others. She added that Thrawn had refused to help them so far, and asked Faro if his life was that much better with the Empire. Faro replied that his life was precarious, but this was where he believed his services were best put to use.
====Destroying the Grysks====
Thrawn returned to the bridge with navigator Vah'nya, and after giving a few orders to Hammerly, Agral, and Faro, continued ahead with Faro and Vah'nya to where Ar'alani was standing. She reminded Thrawn that he had promised to return Vah'nya and herself back to the Steadfast after they had arrived, and Thrawn replied that Vah'nya requested to stay so she may see the defeat of the Grysk's and share the memory with Uh'nee. Ar'alani accepted the point and asked Thrawn what his combat strategy was, and he reminded her of the unanswered question about the triad. He came to the conclusion that the conjoined ships had two of the poles, with the third being on the cloaked Grysk warship, and the two ships were rotating to maintain the required distance between the poles. Thrawn called to Lieutenant Agral who had just located the triads, and informed Hammerly that his target was 8.7 kilometers above or below the conjoined ships, as Thrawn had indicated the cloaked warship was either above or beneath the conjoined ships. Thrawn ordered him them to wait a little, and hailed the Grysk ship telling them they were trespassing in Imperial space and ordered them to power down all weapons and defense. Ar'alani drily asked if he expected an answer, and Thrawn replied he was but not immediately. He offered more bait to the Grysk's by moving the Chimaera forward and launching a shuttle of stormtroopers. After the shuttle reached the tactical's inner sphere, Faro hailed the shuttle with Encryption G77, which was only used by the twelve Grand Admirals, much to Thrawn's surprise, and informed the shuttle she would be joining them to take personal charge of the boarding party. Ar'alani said her actions were insubordinate, and Faro apologized before explaining that the stormtrooper bait wasn't enough for the Grysk's to call their base, so she added the weight of an Imperial Flag officer such as herself. She made way to the conjoined ships when they began rolling in their triad poles, activating the triad without having to move their warship. All of a sudden, the Chimaera turned and Vah'nya called for firing to begin, and the Chimaera and the TIE's bombarded the cloaked warship, breaking it apart.
====Doomsday devices====
Thrawn has been aboard the conjoined ships for nearly three hours when Faro received word of an anomaly about twelve hundred kilometers away. She decided against contacting Thrawn about it, but when she informed Ar'alani, the Chiss admiral told her to report it to Thrawn. While informing Thrawn of the anomaly caused by a small gas discharge, Hammerly informed Faro it was pure nitrogen, and Ar'alani said that Grysk ships use nitrogen maneuvering jets. She ordered Faro to prepare a full spread of weapons fire, but Thrawn told her to stay calm, as he wanted to find out how far it was now. He ordered a full turbo laser salvo, and after four full salvos Pyrondi reported a cylinder, which then erupted into a fireball. Ar'alani stated it was a doomsday device, as the Grysk's were prepared for their base to be captured, but didn't want it to be examined. Agral reported that the rest of the doomsday devices would converge at the conjoined ships in a little over four hours, which gave them some time to set up a defense.
Nearing the four hour mark, all the crew of the Chimaera could do was wait. Ar'alani told Faro not to look so glum, assuring that their plan would work. She headed towards where Thrawn was standing when Pyrondi reported a large ship incoming, mentioning it was the Steadfast. Ar'alani ordered Senior Captain Khresh to remain where he was, fighting off her first officer's qualms about being unable to help in case of a Grysk attack. Ar'alani returned from the comm station and reported that Khresh was unhappy with the situation, but still obeyed his admiral. Hammerly called out that seven more doomsday devices had appeared, and one by one Faro triggered explosions that separated the conjoined ships, moving them from their previous location. The seven bombs exploded, and Captain Dobbs reported only minor damage to the Grysk ship. Ar'alani congratulated Thrawn, and he in turn congratulated her and Faro, and Ar'alani gave Faro a smile. Ar'alani contacted the Steadfast and ordered Khresh to move in and capture one of the Grysk ships, leaving the other as bait. Vanto informed Ar'alani that he needed to speak with Thrawn, as there was a slight complication in that plan.
===Plot to destroy the Grysk Hegemony===
====Thrawn's plan====
Ar'alani sat in the conference room of the Chimaera with Thrawn, Faro, and Vanto. Ar'alani asked Thrawn if he was convinced , and Thrawn replied he was and he still intended to go through with it. He said that if Grand Admiral Balanhai Savit could be persuaded to join the battle, there would be no doubt of a Grysk defeat. Ar'alani asked Vanto for his thoughts on Thrawn's plan, and he said he believed it was sound and that Captain Dobbs and his TIE Defenders would obey his orders from the Steadfast. Ar'alani then asked Faro if she had any qualms, and the commodore replied that one always has qualms, but all she could do was prepare the best she could. Ar'alani then accepted the plan, and they began preparing. Thrawn, Faro, and the Chimaera headed to meet with Savit, while Ar'alani, Vanto, and the Steadfast awaited the Grysk's arrival.
====Vanto's promise====
While waiting for the Grysk's to arrive, Vanto spotted a small ship, and Tanik said it was to small to be armed, likely a scout, but definitely Grysk design. Khresh stated that the scout had seen their location and asked if they should move positions, and Ar'alani replied by asking if the enemy believed they would move. She said they would stay where they were, which would give them better insight to the Grysk's knowledge of Chiss battle maneuvers. Ar'alani asked Vanto if the TIE Defenders and the slingshot tractor operators were ready, and he replied they were. She moved to Vah'nya who stated she was ready, and the girl asked for a word with Vanto, which Ar'alani allowed. Vah'nya made Vanto promise that if there was no hope for the Stedfast against Grysk's, he would kill her and the other sky-walkers, as it was a better alternative to serving the Grysk's. Ar'alani called Vanto and asked him if he was prepared to carry out Vah'nya's request, and he replied he was. She told him to stand ready and hope he would not have to, and that Thrawn would finish in time to assist them.
===Final battle===
====First steps====
Tanik reported that two Grysk warships had emerged from hyperspace, and Ar'alani ordered for the ship to turn and face them, as well as preparing plasma spheres. Vanto reported that the tractor beams were ready and waiting her command, and she told him to hold until Tanik reported twenty Grysk fighters from the first ship, and then Ar'alani ordered Vanto to execute the slingshot maneuver. The tractor beam operators used the maneuver to send the cloaked gravity well generator toward the Grysk's causing them to be unable to jump to hyperspace.
====Chat with a Grysk====
Ar'alani hailed the Grysk ship and called them out on invading Imperial space and their many crimes against the Empire. She ordered them to withdraw from the system and return to their own territory. A dry voice called back, asking if the Ascendancy had extended their jurisdiction into the Empire, or if Thrawn was ruling in Palpatine's stead. Ar'alani retorted that the Empire would make its presence known soon enough, and gave them another chance to withdraw. The Grysk replied that Ar'alani amused him, stating that her victories leading up to this point were minor and irrelevant. Ar'alani mentioned that they had also destroyed two Grysk warships, and the Grysk fired back saying the first was destroyed with the Empire's aid, and the second was without Chiss aid entirely. Ar'alani stated that they didn't give military aid, but Thrawn needed Chiss interrogation techniques to locate the communications base, likely confusing and worrying the Grysk commander.
====Locating a weakness====
Tanik reported that the fighters were accelerating and preparing to fire missiles, and Ar'alani ordered plasma spheres to be fired, and spectrum lasers on the Grysk missiles. The Grysk's had goaded Ar'alani into wasting two salvos of plasma spheres, and Ar'alani let them believe the battle was playing out by their rules. She ordered a tractor to bring in one of the neutralized fighters, and to slam it into the hull when it got close. The Grysk's did not understand the maneuver until it was too late, and Ar'alani ordered Senior Commander Cinsar to bring it aboard and find it's weakness. Three damaged Grysk fighters headed back to the warship and swapped out for three fresh fighters, and Vanto noticed something odd about the switch, and he asked Tanik for a full sensor bracket of the three new ships. He informed Ar'alani that they should've have gotten so close for a briefing, and Tanik reported that the new ships electrostatic barrier shifted slightly after the exchange. Ar'alani called to Cinsar, who concurred with Tanik, saying that tuning the barriers may allow them to reinforce one another. Khresh stated that if they found a way to retune the fighters they could create interference. Ar'alani asked Cinsar if he found anything else helpful, and he reported that there was some plastic flex seal on the fighter that was highly susceptible to breacher missiles, the only problem being they didn't have enough breachers to use on every individual ship. Ar'alani stated there was another way, and ordered for the helm to prepare the thrusters to full power, as she was taking the battle to the enemy.
====Hidden Defenders====
Ar'alani ordered the helm to go straight toward the lead warship and ignore all attacks from the fighters, which was acknowledged. She then asked Cinsar if the special package was ready and he replied it was, with a few modifications. The fighters fired on the Steadfast, and Ar'alani ordered lasers to take care of the missiles. Ar'alani ordered for breachers to be fired, two normal ones and a special one Cinsar's team had created. The first breacher was destroyed by the warships lasers, and the second flickered as it was hit. The third breacher's drive sputtered and went silent, and after a laser shot, exploded into a glob of acid. The pool of acid slammed into the cluster of fighters near it, soon draining them of power, and became easy pickings for the Steadfast. The Grysk commander fired at the Steadfast, digging deeper into the hull and destroying the Steadfast. Ar'alani asked Vanto if his forces were ready, and he replied they were. He pressed a button, and the cloaked gravity well generator beneath the second warship flickered, revealing Thrawn's twelve TIE Defenders. Vanto had located the warships laser clusters, missile tubes, and electrostatic barrier nodes which he fed to the the TIEs, who quickly attacked and jumped back into hyperspace. Tanik reported thirty more Grysk fighters coming from the second warship, and as they fine tuned their electrostatic barriers, the twelve Defenders flashed back to the attack, this time forming under the warship where the obliterated all thirty fighters.
Ar'alani ordered the Defenders to commence Gamma Attack, where they would do a second attack on the lead warship, but the pilots wanted to skip ahead to Delta attack, where they would charge from the rear warship and assist the Steadfast in destroying the lead warship. Ar'alani told them to split the difference, and all twelve jumped to hyperspace, the first six coming out attacking the rear warship, while the remaining six came in thirty seconds later firing on the lead warship. The warship fire a few useless shots on the Defenders and the Steadfast before it fell silent. The Defenders jumped to hyperspace before the Grysk warships exploded. Ar'alani ordered for the tractor beam to be secure and called Vanto over, telling him to prepare refreshments for the Defender pilots.
===Finishing touches===
====Family reunion -====
Ar'alani asked Vanto what exactly he had promised sky-walker Vah'nya, and he replied that she asked him to kill her and her fellow sky-walkers should the battle turn against them. Ar'alani asked if he agreed, and he said he did. The admiral asked how he would have done it, and he stated he would have put the girls on an escape pod with as many explosives he could find, wait until the pod was aboard the warship, and then detonate, fulfilling his promise to Vah'nya and taking out as much of the enemy as possible. Ar'alani asked him if he knew what his assignment was, and he replied he didn't. She informed him that he was studying Vah'nya and the other sky-walkers, studying their histories in hopes of finding patters to determine where more sky-walkers may arise. She asked if his assignment felt insignificant now, and he replied it didn't and he would take the lesson to heart. He thanked Ar'alani, who promoted him to the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
Ar'alani returned the Defenders to the Chimaera as it arrived, and informed Thrawn that the Steadfast hadn't sifted through much of the wreckage, but brought over some of what they had for Imperial inspection. She added that Thrawn might find two of the pieces particularly interesting, both appeared to be sections of artwork, possibly Grysk. Ar'alani hoped his studies would prove useful, as they needed as much help as possible to defeat the Grysk, and Thrawn replied that he would do whatever he could. Thrawn asked if Vanto's studies had achieved success, and she replied it had not yet, but if success was possible, she had no doubt he would be the one to achieve it. She said that her official report would feature Lieutenant Commander Vanto prominently, and Thrawn smiled at his former protégé's new position. Ar'alani prepared to take her leave, but not before Thrawn asked her to stay until Assistant Director Ronan had completed his report.
====- And farewell====
After Ronan offered his report to Director Krennic and Grand Moff Tarkin, Thrawn gave Ronan the opportunity to travel with Admiral Ar'alani back to the Chiss Ascendancy, to help with the upcoming war. Thrawn had suggested to Krennic and Tarkin that Lord Vader be assigned to project Stardust, where Ronan would be unable to hide his contempt for the Emperor. Thrawn assured him that if he or Ar'alani believed he was not useful in the war, they could easily bring him back. Reluctantly, Ronan agreed, saying he wanted hard evidence the Grysk's were a threat to the Empire if he was to stay with the Ascendancy.
After Ronan was taken to Ar'alani's shuttle, Ar'alani told Thrawn she was making a mistake as Ronan was unwilling and unhappy to go with her. Ar'alani said it was dangerous, as harboring a potential traitor was bad but knowing you were doing so was even worse. Thrawn suggested she make sure Ronan would be prepared with information and expertise she wanted the enemy to know. Ar'alani stated that one day, Thrawn would overplan and overthink, and it would come crashing down on him and when it did, she hoped someone would be there to lift him back to his feet. He asked if it might be her, she replied that she feared she may never see him again. She warned him that the chaos was growing in the Ascendancy, and if he did not return soon, there may not be anything for him to return to. Thrawn understood, but stated he must remain with the Empire for the time being. She told him to do what he deemed right, and prayed that warriors fortune be in his favor.
==Personality and traits==
Prior to the skirmish above Solitair, Ar'alani had never seen personhood in non-Chiss individuals. During her visit to homeworld of the Garwians with Thrawn, her view of them changed to them being people. Ar'alani believed that was how Thrawn must have always seen non-Chiss, but he told her that he in fact saw them as assets first and people second. She thought the dedication the remnants of the Nikardun Destiny showed towards their fallen regime was pointless.
She was a very devoted officer that cared about the prestige and efficiency of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet. She was known to refer to her officer subordinates by their names and it was noted that she took special effort to learn them. Her tactical genius caught not only the attention of the higher-ups, but also that of Thrawn's, who at one point professed that she had an eminently tactical mind. She was confident in her tactics but was not opposed to outside opinions and realized the importance of different perspectives when it came to analyzing situations.
==Skills and abilities==
Ar'alani was a master tactician. She was very patient, known to wait for days or even weeks for the right time to take action. She was fluent in the Chiss primary language Cheunh, as well as the trade languages Meese Caulf, Minnisiat, and Sy Bisti.
==Behind the scenes==
Ar'alani was originally introduced in the Star Wars Legends continuity in the 2006 novel Outbound Flight, written by Timothy Zahn.Outbound Flight The character's name is a tuckerization of Ara Roselani, a friend of Timothy Zahn. In the current Star Wars canon, Ar'alani first appeared in the 2017 novel Thrawn, the first installment of the Star Wars: Thrawn trilogy of books written by Zahn. She was first pictured in the sixth/final issue of the comic miniseries Star Wars: Thrawn, an adaptation of the novel Thrawn which was written by Jody Houser, illustrated by Luke Ross, and published by Marvel ComicsThrawn 6 on July 11, 2018. The character's birth name and corresponding core name were later revealed in the 2020 novel Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising, the first installment of Star Wars: The Ascendancy Trilogy which was also written by Zahn.
==Appearances==
*Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising 
*Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good 
*Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil 
*Thrawn 
*Thrawn 6 
*Thrawn: Alliances 
*Thrawn: Treason 
==Sources==
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*Star Wars: Timelines
*Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy
==Notes and references==
Category:Admirals and generals
Category:Ascendancy military flag officers
Category:Chiss
Category:Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet officers
Category:Chiss family Blood
Category:Csillans
Category:Females
Category:Individuals with she/her pronouns
Category:Irizi family
Category:Naporar residents