Storm Hawks: Hand Of Thrawn

Chapter XVIII

After the Cyclonian victory at Terra Nord, all the Sky Knight leaders were rounded up and brought before Grand Admiral Thrawn on the bridge of the Chimera.

Thrawn: Sky Knights. Welcome to the Chimera.

Aerys: So you are the architect of Atmos's misery.

Thrawn: War is....an unpleasant affair, old Aerys. You of all people should know.

Starling: What do you plan on doing to us? Executing us will only rally others to stand against you.

Thrawn: I have no desire to execute you. The war is over. As leaders of the defeated opposition, I ask for your unconditional surrender. Your forces have been decimated and your strongholds have fallen. There is no shame in surrender. 

It became apparent to the Sky Knight leaders that they were prisoners to Thrawn. For some, it was the end. The Sky Knights had been decimated by Thrawn and their last stronghold had fallen before the might of his army. However, Aerys stepped up. 

Aerys: We will not surrender, Grand Admiral! 

Thrawn: Be reasonable, Councilman. You were the last of the Sky Council. All the Sky Knight leaders have been captured. 

Starling: You seem so certain of your victory. 

Thrawn: On the contrary, Starling. If I learned anything in my military endeavors, it is to not assume victory before they surrender. Before my arrival, you utilized the Cyclonian Empire's complacency to your advantage. Even Master Cyclonis has fallen victim to this. I however have no intentions of making that same mistake.

Aerys looked around and noticed the absence of the Storm Hawks. A smile fell on his face. 

Aerys: I see the Storm Hawks have eluded your capture. 

Thrawn: Moments ago, my forces have down the Condor. As we speak, my men are searching the wreckage of the Condor for the Storm Hawks. 

Starling: You won't find them!

Thrawn: Perhaps. I will admit that the Storm Hawks were worthy adversaries. Their habit of making the impossible possible is admirable. Despite my respect for them, they were my enemies. If they survived the crash, then they will be found and brought to me. 

Aerys: You underestimate the Storm Hawks, Grand Admiral. You're making the same mistake as Cyclonis. 

Thrawn: It is said that one should keep one's allies within view, and one's enemies within reach. A valid statement. One must be able to read an ally's strengths, so as to determine how to best use them. One must similarly be able to read his enemy's weaknesses, so as to determine how to best defeat him. But what of friends? There is no accepted answer, perhaps true friendship is so exceedingly rare. But I had formulated my own. A friend need not be kept within sight or within reach. A friend must be allowed the freedom to find and follow his own path. If one is fortunate, those paths will for a time join. But if paths separate, it is comforting to know that a friend still graces the universe with his skills, and his viewpoint, and his present. For if one is remembered by a friend, one is never truly gone. I have studied the Storm Hawks. Through their art, I know their tactics. It is how I defeated you. Your art helped me understand your tactics, ideology, philosophy. No battle plan can anticipate all contingencies. There are always unexpected factors including those stemming from the opponent's initiative. A battle must thus becomes a balance between plan and improvisation, between error and correction.  It is a narrow line. But it is a line one's opponent must also walk. For all the balance of experience and cleverness, it is often the warrior who acts quickest who will prevail.

As Thrawn said this, Darod entered the room. The Sky Knight leaders began to mutter to themselves. Darod approached the Grand Admiral and spoke to him in private. 

Thrawn: Did you find them, Darod?

Darod: No, Grand Admiral. My men search the wreckage of the Condor in it's entirety. We have found no trace of the Storm Hawks.

Upon hearing this, Thrawn became silent as he began to think on what the Storm Hawks could be doing. 

Thrawn: What of their Skimmers? Did you find them?

Darod: No. 

Thrawn then thought back to when the Condor attacked the Chimera. He analyzed their attack pattern during that engagement. Remembering that Piper was among them, Thrawn quickly deduced what had happened.

Thrawn: The Storm Hawks have infiltrated the Chimera.

Darod: Are you certain?

Thrawn: Only the Storm Hawks are capable of attempting this move.

Thrawn couldn't help but smile at the tenacity and boldness of the Storm Hawks. They had managed to trick the Grand Admiral and now they were in his capital ship.

Thrawn: Darod, have your Raptors sweep all hanger bays.

Darod left the bridge to follow Thrawn's orders. Afterwards, he turned to one of the Talon Commandos.

Thrawn: Escort the prisoners back to their cells. We will discuss their surrender another time.

Talon Commando: Yes, Grand Admiral. Right away.

The Talon Commandos began escorting the Sky Knight leaders to their cells. As this happened, Count Ulric entered the bridge.

Thrawn: It would appear that the Storm Hawks have infiltrated the Chimera.

Count Ulric: Shall I sound the alarm?

Thrawn: No. Alert all personal of this, but do so discreetly. We will use this to our advantage.

With that, Thrawn began preparing for the inevitable confrontation of the Storm Hawks who were infiltrating the Chimera.