Shadows of the Past

Chapter 28

Thrawn was sitting in his private chamber looking at an array of screens and holo-projector. Ever since the last encounter with Grievous, he set upon himself to study his species and maybe get acquainted with his new foe. Looking into historical databanks, he found out he was a Kaleesh, though not much was known about them. The planet of Kalee was at the edge of the Outer Rim and the Unknown Regions, and nobody was interested in researching a relatively resourceless planet. The only things the Chiss managed to put together was that his face was actually a mask with markings and that the IG-100 magnaguards he employed had similar markings on their cloaks during the Clone Wars.
His thoughts were intrerrupted when Captain Palleon entered the room.
'Sir, I have news!
Thrawn raised his eyes from a screen and looked at the Human.
'What did you find out?
'Apparently, the fleet we have engaged has been seen near the Agamar System.
'Agamar? That's quite close to nothing actually.
Thrawn raised an eyebrow. How recent is this information?
'We just received it. Apparently, a patrol was attacked by some battle droids on the ground when the enemy fleet emerged from Hyperspace. A ship barely escaped.
'Interesting. That would mean the General found some old assets on the planet, or maybe came to their rescue... Set course to Agamar, Captain! If we are lucky, we will catch their forces by surprise.
'Right away, Grand Admiral!

Agamar

The appearance of the Separatist fleet above Agamar's skies certainly shook Ezra and Kanan, but none other than General Kalani himself. He had calculated that the chance of survival against Imperial forces was 3.2% , so reinforcements were clearly not expected.
'Where did that fleet come from? Ezra asked as he cut down a stormtrooper.
'I don't know Ezra but we've had enough droid contact already for today!
Kanan and Ezra holding the entrance to a crashed Droid Command Ship from an Imperial Task Force. The Imperials quickly ceased their attack to look at the sky. From the flying cruisers, droid dropships started pouring out and attacking. They landed on the ground and deployed legions of battle droids. Ezra and Kanan watched as all the Imperials were shot down and their vehicles destroyed. Rex appeared from behind them.
'I don't like the look of this!
'Trust me, me neither. Kanan answered.
A shuttle descended from the main ship and landed at the entrance. The droids noticed the Rebels but stopped once a group of battle droids appeared behind them to see what happened.
General Kalani exited the shipwrecked Separatist Battleship.
As the shuttle landed, a familiar figure exited it followed by some B2 superbattledroids.
'If it isn't the running Jedi! Grievous shouted. He glanced at General Kalani besides them.
'I can't believe you are still here after all this time.
'General, I have assumed you were dead. Kalani answered. I have remained on Agamar and guarded the planet from Republic attacks, waiting for new orders from you or Count Dooku. After the shut down command was issued, I believed it was a Republic trick so I belayed the order.
'Impressive. How many of your assets are still operational?
'Unfortunately, time and this last battle has claimed 45% of them. However, 2 legions of battledroids and droidekas are still operational.
'Droidekas... good! It was fortunate that I have decided to retreat here then. I see you needed some help.
'We could have handled them, but you shortened the battle. Ezra answered.
'Clearly! Grievous retorted sarcastically. What happened to your eyes, Jedi?
'Ran into someone I thought was dead.
'Hah, he should have stayed dead if he couldn't kill you. Would you even defend yourself from me now?
'I defeated the Sith after he slashed my eyes. Kanan answered coldly.
Gruevous widened his eyes a bit.
'He was even lesser than anticipated then. Glad that Inquisitor is dead then.
'He wasn't an Inquisitor.
'If not, what Sith could have...
Kalani intervened:
'General, if what the Jedi told me is correct, the Republic has fallen and we are at war with the Galactic Empire?
'That is... correct. However, we are no longer a state. I am the only leader left of our army and my fleet above is made of scraps I have managed to collect while being hunted by the Empire and bounty hunters.
'That is unfortunate.
'I order you to take the droid army under your command and board my fleet. I will deal with the Rebels.
'Roger roger. I will send the command to the droids.
With that, Kalani left the group and went to his own shuttles and ships.
Grievous returned his sight to the Jedi and Rex.
'I could eliminate you easily Jedi. But I assume this would bring a diservice to me, as you still fight the Empire as myself.
'No kidding, Grievous. Rex answered. I don't understand what you hope to achieve on your own with that shadow of a fleet. The rebels' way of operating is more efficient against the Empire.
'That may be true, but I have decided that building my fleet and ensuring its' survival will prove essential when the true battles between the Rebel Alliance and the Empire will take place. Grievous retorted.
'What do you mean? Ezra asked.
'There will come a time when you will be forced to fight the Empire on its terms and be required to win. When that happens, I shall make my appearance. I have been scouting for possible threats in the Imperial Navy and bumped into a Grand Admiral.
'Thrawn? Kanan asked.
'Indeed. A weird enemy to be sure. He seems different from his peers. Much more dangerous.
'We met him too. He destroyed our base on Attalon and routed all our forces... Ezra explained.
'So he is trouble...
'He is a formidable strategist. You should treat him carefully, Grievous. Rex said.
'Thank you for the obvious advice, Clone. Grievous remarked angrily. I shall try to eliminate this threat before your Rebel Alliance will start attacking the Empire openly. Maybe with enough luck and willpower, he won't be instrumental in our failure.
'Our failure? Kanan asked suspicious.
'While its true we're no longer in the same group, we share a common enemy. An enemy too powerfull for both of us. So , regardless of sides, we are still allies against the Empire itself.
'I guess that makes sense.
'Well, I shall be leaving now.
Grievous turned around and walked to his shuttle.
'Good luck, General! Ezra shouted at him before the door to the shuttle closed.
While en route to his ship, an emergency frequency appeared:
'General, an Imperial Fleet has appeared in orbit from Hyperspace! A B1 unit announced.
'Arghh, already? Prepare to jump into Hyperspace.
'But sir, they have brought a ship that blocks our way out!
'An interdictor! Grievous realised.
'Indeed. The ship is positioned behind a screen of Imperial Star Destroyers.
'Obviously. We will have to break through that formation...
The General growled.
'Sir, we have an incoming transmission from the enemy command ship.
'Put him through!
Grievous watched as a hologram of the white uniformed Imperial appeared.
'General Grievous. I believe we haven't been properly acquainted.
'There is no use for such formalities, Imperial scum! You will be good as dead soon enough.
'It's such a shame you decide to make this battle so rude. I am surprised how you are still alive after all this time, but no matter. Your little insurgency against the Emperor will end today.
'We shall see.
Grievous closed the transmission. He watched on the window of the shuttle as the formation of the 7th fleet changed, forming a triangle shape. They were going to charge right into his battered ships. He saw the interdictor behind the flagship of the Grand Admiral.
'We shall have to be creative!
Soon, he landed on the Recusant Destroyer. After running to the Command Bridge, he greeted General Kalani.
'I want you to calculate the success of having one Munificent ship from out fleet crash into the Interdictor behind the Enemy fleet.
The Super Tactical Droid stayed silent for a moment.
'34%.
'Why so low? Grievous asked angrily.
'The chance of survival for our ship is very low because of the screen. The ship's shields won't hold until it reached the end of it's trajectory.
'What if we engage the fleet directly with all our ships?
'That would increase the chances to 56%. Assuming the enemy won't realise what is happening until it is too late.
'So we have to trick them... that will be harder than anticipated, considering the Grand Admiral.

Chimaera's Bridge

'They are advancing on us! Captain Palleon remarked.
'Interesting. It almost seems like they are trying to suicide themselves. Hmm, but that is not the case. From what I've read, General Grievous was unusually cowardly during the Clone Wars.
'Propaganda perhaps? Palleon remarked.
'Most certainly, Captain. His plan is brave. He knows his only chance of escaping is to destroy our Interdictor. But he can't do that unless he breaks our screen.
'But he will be decimated soon!
'Indeed. So what is his strategy?
Thrawn looked at the ships closing in. His own flagship was the last line of defense against the Interdictor, sitting between the screen of 7 Star Destroyers and the Interdictor.
What happened next shocked him. Instead of jumping into Hyperspace, a Munificent Frigate put the force of the Hyperdrive into the engines. The ship caught a speed almost too fast for the Imperials to react in time. It only took a few minutes before Thrawn watched as the Munificent slammed into the Interdictor, making both explode and their wreckage to fall on the surface.
'Sir, they are retreating!
'Cease all fire. Let the General have his victory today.
'But Grand Admiral, why?
'Trying to capture or kill him now is pointless. We would be prolonging the inevitable.
Not long after that, the droid fleet jumped into Hyperspace. Only the Munificent that was sacrificed became a casualty.
'I want a task force to visit Kalee! It is imperative I learn more about my new adversary.
From the shadows of the command bridge, a dark figure approached the white uniformed Chiss.
'Lord Vader would not have proceeded this way.
'I am certain he would have tried to be more aggresive, but trust me, Inquisitor, he would have failed all the same.
'You should be more fearful of the Dark Lord.
'12th Sister, do I need to remind you that I serve the Emperor? I trust my life to him. I need no fear for any Imperial lackey. Now, I have decided that you should lead the task force to Kalee.
'And what am I supposed to do there?
'Collect as much information about the planet and its species as possible.
'And how would that help us find Grievous?
'In my experience, culture drives the most the actions we take and our beliefs. Once I discover the General's mindset, his choices will become obvious to me. You shall depart immediately.
With that, Thrawn turned and went to retreat to his chambers.
'I hope this will be worth it! The 12th Sister retorted.
'Whatever the outcome, I pray you won't become the same as your peers. Thrawn stopped and turned again to look a bit frustrated at the Inquisitor. In case you didn't know, you are the last one still standing. Clearly, the Emperor wants to challenge you by defeating Grievous. I don't know what would be the reward, but trust me, should you fail, your role for hunting Jedi has long fallen out of place.
'I... wasn't aware not even the 11th Brother is alive anymore.
'He was until recently. Until Grievous killed him.
With that, Thrawn exited the Command Bridge of the Chimaera. In his mind, this last inquisitor was going to die somehow in the end whatever the outcome of his mission. He wondered if she ever met the General during the Clone Wars...