2427, The Key to Victory
Request reinforcements? Hahahahaha!! Dunn-Vesex laughed loudly as though he had heard an especially hilarious joke. Where was all that swagger from before? When you took my flagship, ran around everywhere with it, and left me on the planet to die? And now you're asking me for reinforcements? I gave you the Northern Territory's most powerful warship. What more do you want?
"Please understand, Governor. I did this precisely to hold up Sefrans-Tann without engaging her main fleet head-on," Thrawn said.
Hold up Tann? You think you were the one who held her up? Ah! Dunn-Vesex's voice gradually rose as the holographic projection abruptly changed to the skies above Parlin Minor. There, a burning moon hung in full view, a horrifying sight. What held Tann up were the six million residents of Iron Moon, along with the defensive system I spent billions of credits and ten years building!! If Tann hadn't targeted Iron Moon at the time, but had targeted me instead! Then I would already be dead! Dead!!
"Please rest assured, Governor. Since Sefrans-Tann chose to target Iron Moon, that proves she had no ability to harm Parlin Minor. It remains perfectly safe," Thrawn said.
Safe? So before Tann opened fire, even you weren't certain whether she could harm me or not, were you? Dunn-Vesex said coldly. No matter how high-sounding your reasons may be, you used the core planet of our entire Northern Territory—and me, the Northern Territory's supreme commander and the governor overseeing four Legions—as a human shield, all just to test the capabilities of a Separatist Titan warship? On that point alone, I have ten thousand reasons to send you straight to the Imperial Military Tribunal!!
"I am deeply sorry, Governor. This was indeed the result of my erroneous command. But I