The Emperor's Contingency/text

Thrawn stood at the doorway to the Lexicon Observatory. He knew next to nothing about this project of Palpatine’s. But the location of these observatories, it gave him a clue. Each was located in a planet far away from the core, almost like a perimeter around the galaxy. There were rumors within the Chiss core worlds that there was an extragalactic threat that the Ascendancy’s leaders were hiding. Of course, he didn’t know anything. His companions departed from Ahsoka’s ship behind him, preparing for anything that may lay within.

Thrawn pressed a small, dirt-covered button attached to the wall beside the metal door. The door opened, the metal sliding into a nook along the wall. Thrawn stepped in, followed by Ahsoka, Sabine, Ezra, Luke, R2-D2 and C-3PO. The entryway lead directly to the “command center” of sorts, where astronomical data was kept. A large main holotable was placed in the center of the room, with not only a full-galaxy map, but with a local map of Lexicon and its surrounding systems. Some of them were marked with different colors, some red. Most notably, on the far side, before where a large viewport window sat, was what appeared to be a fleet slowly moving towards their location.

“Wren and Tano.” Thrawn said calmly. “Check the adjoining rooms for anything else. Your astromech and myself will check this star map.” The Chiss man looked down at the blue-domed astromech. The droid, without even being prompted, plugged in to the star map and begin to download everything. “I want to know what that fleet is.” The Mandalorian and the Togruta former Jedi had both left to the right, opening a large door leading to a hallway. Skywalker had gone to the left, and Bridger was standing opposite the holotable, staring out of the viewport window, as rain pattered against it.

“Bridger.” Thrawn said. “You don’t seem as happy to see your friends as I expected you to. Despite your embrace, back on the Chimaera.”

“I don’t know, Thrawn,” the boy, who was far older now, said, “it’s been a long time. I never expected to see them again, let alone in person.”

“That is hardly a reason to be disappointed.” Thrawn replied. His mind wandered, in particular to his former companion Eli Vanto, whom he’d sent out to the Ascendancy. Perhaps Vanto had already been clued into this extragalactic threat.

R2-D2 whizzed in Binary, and Thrawn looked down at the droid. The observatory’s star map lit up with six orange dots. One was on Lexicon itself. “What are those worlds, astromech?” Thrawn requested, and on cue, Aurebesh text popped up above the dots. Lexicon. Jakku. Pillio. Zigoola. Bakura. The furthest one from the center of the galaxy was at Bastion - a fortress-world abandoned by the Empire after Palpatine’s death, and just out of Chiss space. Each one was in its own strategic position, a perimeter of sorts around the galaxy. Lexicon was far to the galactic east of Coruscant, and to Lexicon’s galactic north and south were Zigoola and Bakura, respectively. Jakku and Bastion were on opposite ends of the vastly-unexplored western galaxy. Pillio was in the most interesting position, located on the thin western strip of the Expansion Region&mdash;and Thrawn noted that it was near the position of an unnamed world that he recognized as the location of Lehon.

Bridger turned around, and stared at the map, now with the six locations highlighted. “Do you suppose that we should travel to at least one of those?”

“Pillio, Jakku and Bakura are all still within Imperial control. I would not recommend you or your friends to travel there.” He looked at the two other planets, besides Lexicon. “Zigoola was a Sith world, I do not know how well you would fare there. Bastion is abandoned, that may be our best bet.” Thrawn paused. “We’re getting ahead of ourselves. There is still much to discover here, as we wait for your friends to return.”

“What do you think they’ll find?” Bridger asked back, and he approached the holotable. R2-D2 unplugged himself from the holotable, beeping at Thrawn and signaling that he had downloaded all that was to be downloaded from the star map’s databanks.

“The Emperor had many secrets,” Thrawn replied, rubbing his chin, “many of which that I was not clued in on, nor were some of his closest confidants.” Thrawn, satisfied with the star map’s new information, began to examine the room. It was clean of dust and grime, likely from cleaning droids hidden within cabinets and closets. Other than the holotable, there were a few seats and tables scattered around the room, as well as open, empty crates.

Thrawn approached the crate closest to the door they’d entered the observatory with, but this one in particular was closed. He searched his hands around it, finding a latch on the side closest to the holotable. Thrawn lifted the latch, propping it against the entryway wall. Within it were several datapads stacked on top of each other, and Thrawn took out the topmost one.

DISPATCH FOR OBSERVATORY at DORUMÎ

''They are approaching. I don’t know where from, but we’ve already lost contact with BD-Deep. They’re having trouble navigating through the Cesric Maze.''

This has been BD-Saizor.

Bridger had moved himself beside Thrawn, staring down at the datapad. Thrawn looked at him, and Bridger stared back. “Cesric Maze? BD-Deep?”

“The Cesric Maze is an anomaly that sits several thousand light-years out the galaxy-it’s a labyrinth of black holes, gravity wells and all sorts of things. The BDs were Chiss constructs - meaning Black Discoverer, meant to discover “the black,” or the rest of our universe. They’re small starships, about the size of TIE starfighters. I assume that Palpatine… somehow got his hands upon them, and is using them for scouting out this fleet in deep space.” “That’s… a big issue,” Bridger said, “if this fleet is hostile, and getting closer.” “The Cesric Maze is extremely difficult to traverse.” Thrawn said, placing the datapad on the side of the holotable as he walked over to it. He closed all of the observatory locations, and scrolled the map over to a string of dark gray dots far from the outer regions of the Tingel Arm. “The Chiss Ascendancy has only mapped part of it, and it appears that Palpatine discovered a way out.” He watched the fleet, traveling at sublight speeds toward the Maze. The door that lay to the star map’s right opened, and out of it emerged Ahsoka Tano. She was carrying a Sith holocron, unopened but glowing with a sinister red light. “Ezra,” she said, “Thrawn.” She stopped, staring for a moment at the star map. “This observatory has a vast collection of artifacts, and a library of sorts, with ancient Sith texts. It seems to me like Palpatine used this place for Sith storage, just like the original use of Lexicon. A library.” “Intriguing. I suppose we should take these artifacts with us?” Thrawn asked, and Tano nodded. “Good. I’d love to study them.” “That what I was hoping to hear.” the Togruta replied. She approached R2-D2, who rolled up to her. “Artoo, go down that hallway and take the second left door, see if you can find anything in those databases.” The astromech whizzed happily, and rolled away. “What did you find in here?” Ahsoka asked, and Thrawn walked over to her. “These observatories were created to monitor an extragalactic threat. One I am not clued in on, evidently. They are currently traveling towards us through deep space, at sublight speeds. If this star map is correct, they are currently entering the Cesric Maze, a maze of black holes and gravity wells that is incredibly difficult to traverse, even more so than the Maw.” Ahsoka nodded, and stared at the map. Thrawn moved it back to have the full galaxy in focus, with the six observatories highlighted. “I believe that our best travel destination next is Bastion, just beyond the edge of the Outer Rim.” Thrawn said, pointing towards the orange dot. He saw the name “CHISS ASCENDANCY” in Aurebesh written across the western galaxy, not at all in its correct position nor covering the correct amount of territory. He stared at it for a few long moments, examining everything about the galaxy. Estimating how long it would be until this unknown threat came bearing down upon them.

~

Ars Dangor was standing atop a floating podium in the Hanna City Senate Hall. It resembled the original Senate building on Coruscant, but it was on a far smaller scale. The Chancellor, Mon Mothma, was standing on her own podium in the middle of the senate chamber, flanked by two Guardsmen as well as her closest advisors, her fellow Chandrilan Hostis Ij and the female Togruta Auxi Kray Korbin. Mothma herself was wearing the Hanna pendant that had become a symbol of Chandrilan independence from the Empire, as a symbol of freedom.

“What do you come here for, Prelate Dangor?” Chancellor Mothma asked. “Do you expect a pardon? Asylum?”

“Of course I do. Why else would I have come to the New Republic capital, unless I wished for death?” he said. Dangor leaned forward, a grin coming to his face. “I value my life more than I do loyalty to a dead man. I have a vast swath of information in my head! It would all be very valuable to people like you.”

Quiet chatter started up in the senate hall, and Dangor stared at Mothma. Hostis Ij leaned in to Mothma’s ear and whispered something Dangor did not hear, and Mothma nodded slowly.

“Then we will hold a vote,” Mothma said, looking around the chamber, “to see what Prelate Dangor has to tell us about the Emperor.”

“Oh believe me, I have much to say.” Dangor replied, clasping his hands behind his back. Mothma scowled, but said nothing.

~

Ahsoka and Thrawn stood in the massive library-like room in the Lexicon Observatory. Thrawn had taken the crate of datapads into the room, placing them atop an empty table. Artoo was plugged into the wall, downloading the holographic-form books that lined the shelves, and moving them into a mobile computer they’d found in the storage room. One half of the room was the holobooks, the other half was shelves of Sith artifacts. Thrawn’s eyes were focused on them, all sorts of objects lining the shelves. Ahsoka placed the holocron she was holding on the table. “Do you think Huyang could help us understand them?” Luke asked, and Ahsoka slowly turned. “Perhaps he could. Go bring him in here.” Thrawn moved over to a physical book which sat on the shelf. “C-3PO,” Thrawn said, and the gold protocol droid turned to him and walked over. “Can you read this text?” “It appears to be in the Sith script. It says...” He stared at the book’s spine, “Jen’irus Vaidila, roughly meaning Dark Light Seer. Or Priest, perhaps.” Thrawn opened it to the first page with any meaningful text. C-3PO moved to stand next to Thrawn, and looked at it as well. “My Sith is not the greatest, Grand Admiral Thrawn, but I do believe this is a history of an individual named Kel’eth Ur, who supposedly started a movement within the Sith which believed that… strength was found in peace.” Thrawn closed the book. “Odd. Why would Palpatine keep something like that?” Ahsoka asked, and Thrawn shook his head slightly. “I do not believe he had the same beliefs, he only kept it for being an important piece of Sith history that was not lost to the graveyard that is Korriban.” Thrawn replied. He placed the book on the table at the library-room’s center, then returned to the shelves of artifacts. Ahsoka did as well, just as Luke returned with Huyang in tow. The architect droid looked through the rows of artifacts. “Incredible! I have never come upon such a large collection of Sith relics.” the droid spoke, leaning down and picking up an angular helmet upon the lowest shelf. It was golden with a single smoothed sapphire gem around the crown. The top of it was not golden like the rest, instead it was a rigid, soft stone, gray in color. “This is the Helm of Naga Sadow,” Huyang said, “Exquisite.” On the back was Sadow’s personal sigil, a red humanoid eye with a black pupil. Huyang examined it, before placing it on the central table. “There is so much to see here!” “I’m afraid that we cannot amble here for long, if you wish to examine them, we should move them to Lady Tano’s ship.” Thrawn said. Ahsoka narrowed her eyes at him, wondering if he was aware that was what Maul called her during their few meetings. As she thought of Maul, she made a mental note to ask Ezra what happened to him. “That seems fair. I would advise against Force-sensitives touching some of these artifacts, I wouldn’t want some dark side poison to be unleashed. Let us droids handle it,” Huyang said, and moved his head to face C-3PO, who had another ancient Sith book in his golden hands. Artoo moved the last of the holobooks on to the mobile computer, and Ahsoka rolled it back into the first room, with the star map. “Huyang!” Ahsoka called, and the architect droid, carrying what appeared to be a Sith amulet. “Do you think we could repurpose one of the holotables to serve as a star map, with the same data from this one?” “It wouldn’t be impossible.” Huyang said. “If any of you are technicians, then it should be easy enough.” “I will have a tech from the Chimaera check it out, before we depart Lexicon.” Thrawn said, moving into the room and holding the same book he had C-3PO translate earlier. “Do you plan on travelling with us?” Ahsoka asked. “Or are you remaining in the Chimaera?” “I would prefer to accompany you on your journeys. I believe I could be of more use to you than to New Republic aristocrats. I will have Commodore Faro take the Chimaera to Chandrila.” Ahsoka was speechless, and Thrawn could tell. “I do plan on joining forces with your New Republic, Lady Tano. My crew is loyal to me, not to the Empire.” “That’s a relief,” Ahsoka said, “but I would expect nothing less. Let’s transfer the rest of the artifacts on to the Star, and get off here.”

~

Thrawn’s tech left the Harmonious Star and returned to the Chimaera, and he’d told Karyn Faro that she was being put in charge of the ship, and that they were joining the New Republic. Although Faro objected at first, Thrawn explained to her that there was no use in attempting to rejoin the Empire, as Thrawn’s trust had been lost following his and his crew’s disappearance, and that the Empire would lose to the New Republic anyway. Huyang was organizing the newly-acquired Sith artifacts, placing holocrons in empty cabinets dedicated for that purpose, and placing relics across empty shelves in both the main hold and the storage bay. The lahas that Ahsoka had was asleep in the cockpit, and Morai was atop her perch, staring out into the Dorumîne seas, the fog lifting from its chokehold on the planet. Now, the gray islands of rock and the green islands of moss-covered rock could be seen clearly. In the distance, Morai could see a fisherman in a small wooden boat, pulling up a net full of writhing fish. “Is Bastion our first destination, Grand Admiral?” Ahsoka asked, as she sat in the pilot’s seat. Thrawn had taken a seat in the co-pilot’s, and changed into more comfortable clothing, reminding Ahsoka of a Jedi’s robe. “If you wish it to be,” he replied, “unless you want to stop at Chandrila, or somewhere else on the journey.” Ahsoka turned around to look at the Chiss. “You are the captain of this vessel, you make the decisions.” “Fine, then,” she said, “it’s Bastion.”

~

Perhaps it had been three nights since their departure from Lexicon. Artoo had downloaded all of the holobooks into the Harmonious Star’s computer system, allowing Huyang easy access to them. Him and Huyang had also programmed the star map to show their current location, which appeared to be somewhere just entering the Mid Rim, traveling along the Nanth’ri Trade Route, approaching the planet Attahox. Huyang held a Sith warblade in his hands. It was a shortsword, imbued by the dark side and impervious to the strike of a lightsaber or any weapon like it. “These weapons were used by the Sith long ago,” Huyang said, “before I was constructed, that’s how far ago. I believe that they were used during the Second Great Schism.” He placed the sword on a shelf, alongside other Sith weapons. “Its power has dulled since then, I suppose.” “What makes you say that?” Ezra asked, sitting on one of the chairs in the middle of the room, by the star map. “When I was built, my creator designed me to have a Force-imbued sensor, which allows me to sense dark side energies. I can feel it, emanating off most of these objects, but it is far less pungent on the warblade.” Huyang turned back to Ezra. Sabine was seated next to him, in her Mandalorian armor. The architect droid also noticed C-3PO, standing in the corner, waiting for someone to tell him how to be useful. Luke Skywalker was leaning against the entryway arch. Huyang looked at one of the books lined up on the shelf. Interestingly, it was not in the Sith script, but in Aurebesh. Its title was Followers: Orders of the Force. From what Huyang had read, which was little, it seemed to be an encyclopedia of the many different orders which either took their power from the Force, or studied it in some way. He found it very interesting, as it would likely be an important document if Luke’s new Jedi Order were to search for alliances, perhaps to reintegrate the Jedi splinter groups which had become disillusioned with their ways. Ahsoka Tano had gone to sleep in the captain’s quarters, and Thrawn was seated in one of the smaller off-rooms, with a miniature copy of the star map in the main hold. He stared at the galaxy, and the red fleet just outside the Cesric Maze. The Intergalactic Void, or the Black as the Chiss called it, was one of the many mysteries of their galaxy. It seemed to them that the Celestials, a race long before the Republic, Jedi and Sith, had created a hyperspace barrier stretching around their galaxy. The Chiss dubbed it the Deep Wall, and one of the only ways to leave the galaxy was through the Cesric Maze. The starships they’d sent to venture close were pulled from hyperspace near the wall, and upon entering, encountered black holes, gravity wells, and strangely, asteroids traveling at the speed of light. However, the Chiss found a secret hole in the Deep Wall, the mystery-ridden Calosis Nebula, home to the barren, frozen, lonely world of Calosis. There was nothing else within it, other than Calosis and some asteroids. Thrawn thought for a moment. Some things in the universe were unexplainable.