Chapter Summaries

Mal-Tuk’s Commerce Guild Fleet fought Thrawn’s Imperial fleet at Arkania, where the Imperial blockade threatened to destroy its last chance of escape. As the battle intensified, Jedi Knights Ferus Olin and Jax Pavan joined the fighting, while Luminara Unduli sensed danger aboard the Neimoidia.

• Mal-Tuk abandoned Arkania after discovering its Planetary Shield and ordered his fleet into an arrowhead formation to break through Thrawn’s blockade and return to Palanci Planet.
• Lott Dod appealed to Qi Jian, San Hill, and Glosse Shelbia for aid, while Kingdom of Dawn forces began assembling fleets and the fleet at Bilbrin changed course toward Palanci.
• The Battle of Arkania began on February 23, with Mal-Tuk’s Commerce Guild Fleet charging Thrawn’s battered Imperial fleet as both sides fought desperately.
• Ferus Olin, Jax Pavan, and Luminara Unduli discussed the battle before Mal-Tuk sent Olin and Pavan to help defend the T-42 and G-77 sectors.
• Olin crippled an Imperial-class Star Destroyer with Proton Torpedoes, while a black formation of improved TIE fighters raced toward the Neimoidia.

Thrawn used a calculated feint to draw the Neimoidia into the firing arcs of more than forty Imperial-class Star Destroyers while Arden Lyn and Second Sister led their Inquisitors toward the Endless-class Super Carrier. Their fighters broke through the carrier’s defenses and entered a spaceport, setting up an attack on its crew.

• Thrawn assessed the battle and agreed to create a brief opening for Arden Lyn and Second Sister to board the Endless-class Super Carrier.
• Second Sister introduced Barriss Offee, Luminara Unduli’s former apprentice, and promised her a chance to kill her former master.
• Arden Lyn and Second Sister led six Inquisitors in modified TIE fighters toward the carrier as Thrawn shifted the Imperial fleet’s formation.
• Thrawn tricked Mar Tuuk into sending the Neimoidia toward a weak point covered by the main batteries of more than forty Imperial-class Star Destroyers.
• The Inquisitors’ fighters broke through the Neimoidia’s spaceport shields and anti-aircraft fire, then entered the spaceport.

Second Sister, Barriss Offee, Arden Lyn, and their allies launched an assault on the Neimoidia, using three attackers to sow chaos while the others fought their way toward the bridge. Arden Lyn, Second Sister, and Barriss Offee breached the bridge, where Luminara Unduli and Mar Tuuk awaited them.

• Second Sister assigned Arden Lyn to lead the bridge assault while Jing Fang, Hora, and Toke attacked separate sections of the Neimoidia.
• Luminara Unduli and Mar Tuuk recognized the invasion, and Mar Tuuk ordered the ship’s Marines and battle droids to repel the attackers while he stayed at his post.
• Jing Fang, Hora, and Toke slaughtered defenders and drew forces away as Arden Lyn, Second Sister, and Barriss Offee advanced toward the bridge with Purge Troops.
• Arden Lyn destroyed a shielded Destroyer droid, and the Purge Troops formed a defensive line outside the bridge.
• Second Sister and Barriss Offee cut through the bridge doors, and Arden Lyn charged inside and collided with an unseen opponent.

Luminara Unduli confronted her former student Barriss Offee aboard a Commerce Guild warship, but Arden Lyn intervened as the fight turned against her. Mal Tuck tried to escape and was captured by Arden Lyn, then his chest suddenly exploded.

• Second Sister introduced Barriss Offee to Luminara Unduli, and Barriss rejected her former master's pleas to abandon the New Order.
• Luminara Unduli overpowered Barriss Offee until Arden Lyn stopped her killing strike and joined Barriss in attacking the Jedi Master.
• Second Sister left the bridge to confront the Indjori warriors attacking from behind.
• Mal Tuck ordered his combat advisers to attack and fired at Barriss Offee, then tried to flee toward an escape elevator.
• Arden Lyn fought off the combat advisers, disarmed Mal Tuck, and knocked him unconscious.
• As Arden Lyn moved to take Mal Tuck prisoner, his chest suddenly exploded.

Arden Lyn killed Luminara Unduli after Barriss Offee hesitated, while the Commerce Guild Fleet began escaping the Battle of Arkania. The Neimoidia eventually self-destructed, leaving the fleet devastated, and Sefrans Tann returned to Dawn Star Planet determined to confront Thrawn.

• Arden Lyn crushed Luminara Unduli's Lightsaber and severed her head after Barriss Offee faltered.
• Commerce Guild warships withdrew in formations through the gap held open by the Neimoidia, while Thrawn could not stop them.
• Arden Lyn's group fought through the Neimoidia as its remaining crew continued operating its weapons and shields.
• At 7:00 a.m. on February 24, the Neimoidia's crew activated its energy core's self-destruct, destroying the supercarrier.
• The remaining Commerce Guild warships surrendered or self-destructed, ending the Battle of Arkania in a devastating defeat for the fleet.
• Sefrans Tann handed fleet command to Ling Liang and returned to Dawn Star Planet, intent on facing Thrawn.

After the Kingdom of Dawn suffered a catastrophic defeat at Arkania, Thrawn assembled a fleet to counterattack Bilbrin while Dunn Vesex kept his Super Star Destroyer out of Thrawn’s hands. Sefrans Tann insisted on confronting Thrawn, and Tang Xiao finally authorized her to take the Kingdom’s strongest warships to kill him.

• The Kingdom of Dawn counted its immense losses at Arkania and ordered the Geth to strengthen their fleet while organizing reinforcements for Bilbrin.
• Palpatine celebrated the Imperial victory, promoted Thrawn to Imperial Admiral and Northern Military Commander, and reassigned Gillard Perine to Wilhuff Tarkin.
• Thrawn asked Dunn Vesex for the Super Star Destroyer Lila, but Dunn refused and instead gave him other ships; Thrawn then formed a fleet and departed to counterattack Bilbrin.
• Sefrans Tann demanded permission from Qi Jian to fight Thrawn, but Tang Xiao appeared and warned her that she was not his match.
• After Sefrans Tann said she would rather die than be denied the chance, Tang Xiao ordered her to take the Kingdom’s strongest warships and bring him Thrawn’s head.

Benthiras San Skar’s newly arrived fleet was crushed by Thrawn at Bilbrin, but San Skar survived and led Caladanians into the forest as Imperial forces landed. Meanwhile, the Kingdom of Dawn reorganized its fleets and unveiled the Archangel-class Titan Warship as the Northern Fleet’s flagship.

• Benthiras San Skar brought a major reinforcement fleet to Bilbrin and restored the planet’s facilities, but Thrawn used hyperspace beacons and a bomber ambush to defeat the fleet and begin landing operations.
• San Skar survived his flagship’s destruction by escaping in a Wraith fighter, then reached the capital and called on Zhao Long and the Caladanians to follow him into the forest.
• Thrawn took control of Bilbrin’s factories and facilities and waited for Sefrans Tann as Imperial landing forces descended on the planet.
• Alexia Ashford captured Fondor, while Ling Liang organized the Southern Fleet to contain Darth Vader’s Death Squadron.
• The Kingdom of Dawn established the Northern Fleet under Sefrans Tann and General Trench, then revealed the Archangel-class Titan Warship at Dawn Star Planet.

The Kingdom of Dawn publicly sent the Archangel-class Titan Warship and its fleet through a stargate toward the Northern Territory, revealing that it could move forces across the galaxy in under three days. The fleet arrived at Makito, while the Galactic Empire scrambled to investigate the ship and stargate and revived ambitious warship projects.

• The Kingdom of Dawn held a send-off ceremony where clone Tang Xiao blessed Admiral Sefrans Tann and the Archangel-class Titan Warship before the fleet entered a stargate.
• The ceremony revealed the Kingdom of Dawn's stargate technology, prompting the Galactic Empire to monitor the fleet's route and investigate Dawn Star Planet and Makito.
• Orman Tagge assembled major Imperial industrial groups to study the Archangel-class Titan Warship, revive the Eclipse-class project, and plan a new Star Killer project.
• On March 4, 10 BBY, the Archangel-class Titan Warship and the Northern Fleet arrived at Makito less than three days after leaving Dawn Star Planet.
• The Galactic Empire detected the fleet's arrival and realized the stargate could transport a main fleet nearly 100,000 light-years in under three days.
• The InterGalactic Banking Clan organized a live celebration on Makito, publicly demonstrating the Kingdom of Dawn's extraordinary mobility.

Thrawn reinforced his position at Bilbrin Planet and prepared to avoid a decisive battle with Sefrans Tann, while Sefrans Tann assessed the Kingdom of Dawn’s weakened Northern Fleet and its shrinking window for action. The chapter ended with her questioning whether a swift offensive was truly the best choice.

• Dunn Vesex agreed to send the Lila Executor-class Super Star Destroyer and reinforcements to Thrawn, raising his Bilbrin force to three hundred capital ships and more than eight hundred smaller warships.
• Thrawn studied Bilbrin’s hyperspace lanes, laid mines and deployed four Stalker-class Star Destroyers to obstruct the Kingdom of Dawn fleet and its transports.
• Thrawn chose to avoid a decisive fleet battle rather than risk fighting Sefrans Tann’s stronger Northern Fleet.
• After reaching Makito, Sefrans Tann reviewed her depleted forces and found that the fleet gathered on Dorin Planet was the Northern Territory’s last mobile force.
• Sefrans Tann judged that the Kingdom of Dawn could expect few reinforcements while the Empire’s forces would grow, though the Empire’s industrial capacity would suffer after Fondor Planet fell.
• Sefrans Tann considered a swift offensive to settle the war, then questioned whether that was truly the right choice.

Sefrans Tann reflected on her obsession with defeating Thrawn and the long history that had made him her ultimate rival. Now facing him at Makito, she judged that an immediate decisive battle would lead to defeat and began considering her strategy.

• Sefrans Tann recalled how Tang Xiao had driven her to improve herself by insisting she could not defeat a mysterious opponent.
• Sefrans Tann learned that the opponent was Thrawn and abandoned assassination attempts after hearing he had helped her escape Chiss territory.
• Sefrans Tann dismissed Thrawn’s victory over Qiyala but began taking him seriously after he defeated Mar Tuuk’s main force and destroyed the Neimoidia.
• Sefrans Tann felt insulted when Qi Jian planned to assign someone else to face Thrawn, then fought to secure the mission herself.
• Sefrans Tann arrived at Makito, assessed Thrawn’s forces, and concluded that rushing into a decisive battle would make her lose.

Sefrans Tann avoided a direct battle at Bilbrin and ordered her forces toward Garqi and Ord Mantell to threaten the Imperial Northern Army headquarters at Parlin Minor. Thrawn continued struggling to secure Bilbrin, where a large, dispersed Kingdom of Dawn force resisted Imperial bombardment.

• Sefrans Tann judged Bilbrin too unfavorable for a decisive battle because of its secret routes and Thrawn's Executor-class Super Star Destroyer.
• Sefrans Tann split her fleet, sending the main force to Ord Mantell and a high-speed assault fleet to Garqi to threaten Agamar and target Parlin Minor.
• Thrawn's fleet maintained its encirclement of Bilbrin while engineering and transport ships reinforced the Imperial defenses.
• Vos Parker reported that roughly six hundred thousand Kingdom of Dawn troops and 2.4 million combat droids remained on Bilbrin, dispersed across the planet and resisting orbital bombardment.
• Thrawn ordered intensified bombardment and approved deploying the Tenth sub-fleet's Victory II-class Star Destroyers into the atmosphere, while Vos Parker proposed securing major cities first.

Bentilais san Sk'ar, the last Caladanian Izvoshra, took command of Bilbrin Planet’s defenses after Mal Tuke’s death and devised a planet-wide guerrilla campaign against the Galactic Empire. He scattered millions of troops into combat squads across the jungle, setting the stage to exploit the Empire’s widespread landings and transports.

• The chapter introduced Bentilais san Sk'ar as the Caladanians’ supreme military commander and the last Izvoshra, camped in a concealed jungle base on Bilbrin Planet.
• It recounted how san Sk'ar killed Jedi Master Sass Tiin, earned the title of “Slaughterer,” and inherited General Dilar’s will.
• After Mal Tuke died in defeat on Arkania Planet, the Kingdom of Dawn High Command sent san Sk'ar to reinforce Bilbrin Planet.
• Thrawn sank san Sk'ar’s flagship, forcing him to escape in a Wraith fighter and flee to the planet’s surface.
• San Sk'ar took over Bilbrin Planet’s defensive forces and divided millions of troops into thousands of squads to wage guerrilla warfare against the Galactic Empire.

San-Skar used Bilbrin Planet’s terrain, hidden stockpiles, and elite troops to wage a prolonged guerrilla war against the Empire, while Thrawn focused on the threat posed by Sefrans-Tann’s unknown Titan warship. Thrawn learned that Tann had established a garrison at Odo Mantell and suspected her intentions involved Parin Minor.

• San-Skar turned Bilbrin Planet’s underground passages, wilderness, and natural terrain into guerrilla bases, supported by extensive supplies hidden by the Planetary Defense Forces.
• San-Skar’s forces drew on 100,000 elite Caladanian troops and experienced Kingdom of Dawn soldiers to resist Imperial forces.
• Thrawn assigned the Bilbrin Planet landing operation to Major General Vos-Parker, who lacked a basic understanding of San-Skar’s guerrillas.
• Rel Bentin told Thrawn that Sefrans-Tann had moved her fleet to Odo Mantell and established a garrison there instead of heading to Dorin Planet.
• Thrawn considered Tann’s intentions and darkly named Parin Minor.

Thrawn moved his fleet to Dorin Planet to contain Sefrans Tann while protecting Parn Minor, but Dunn Vesex accused him of leaving the fortress exposed. Thrawn revealed he intended to use Parn Minor to gather data on Tann’s Archangel-class Titan Warship, then received a request from Demetrius Zaarin for combat data to support the Empire’s next-generation weapons program.

• Thrawn ordered the main fleet to attack Dorin Planet and assigned Vos Parker to secure Bilbrin Planet.
• Tann’s forces took Agamar Planet’s surrender, then moved through a nebula near Parn Minor and attacked a transport convoy.
• Dunn Vesex angrily confronted Thrawn after Parn Minor came under attack, accusing him of using the planet and its defenses as a shield.
• Thrawn told Arden Lin that he planned to let Tann attack Parn Minor so he could study the Archangel-class Titan Warship and strike her fleet from both sides.
• Demetrius Zaarin contacted Thrawn and requested his assistance in gathering combat data for the Empire’s next-generation warships and fighters.

Admiral Zaarin and Arden Lyn plotted to use the Empire’s coming leadership reshuffle to advance their ambitions, while Thrawn maneuvered against Sefrans Tann in the Northern Territory. After recapturing Ord Mantell, Thrawn unexpectedly pressed on toward Kinasar Planet despite his fleet’s disadvantage.

• Admiral Zaarin asked Arden Lyn to join his Defender Project tests, and she left Thrawn’s fleet with Tok while leaving Barriss Offee, Jing Fang, and Hora behind.
• After departing, Arden Lyn and Zaarin discussed using the Empire’s tenth-anniversary celebration and Zaarin’s expected promotion to Fleet Admiral to pursue their plans, including preventing Lieutenant General Skeet Karr from joining the Cutting-Edge Technology Alliance.
• Sefrans Tann captured Kinasar Planet and Ithor Planet as Dunn Vesex panicked, demanded Thrawn’s removal, and received reinforcements after Palpatine ordered him to respect Thrawn’s decisions.
• Thrawn realized Sefrans Tann might be trying to draw him into action, then ordered Ral Bentin to attack Ord Mantell and cut off her retreat.
• Thrawn recaptured Ord Mantell without a fight and continued his fleet toward Kinasar Planet, despite being outnumbered.

Sefrans Tann concluded that Thrawn was using his advance on Ord Mantell to buy time and draw her away from a decisive battle, so she chose to attack Palling Minor and force him to respond. On March 18, 10 BBY, her Northern Fleet arrived at the planet with the Archangel-class Titan warship Emissary.

• Sefrans Tann rejected General Trench and Ma Guocheng's advice to turn back or delay, believing Thrawn's advance was a feint intended to buy time for Kuat Drive Yards to build more warships.
• Sefrans Tann declared Palling Minor bait meant to make Dunn Vesex force Thrawn into a decisive battle, then ordered the attack.
• After several days at Ithor Planet, Sefrans Tann led the Northern Fleet toward Palling Minor on March 18, 10 BBY.
• More than 280 capital ships and over 2,400 Light Cruisers and destroyers arrived in Palling Minor's combat zone.
• The Archangel-class Titan warship Emissary emerged from hyperspace with the fleet.

The Kingdom of Dawn’s Northern Fleet attacked Palin-Minor, revealing that its Archangel-class Titan Warship could transition with extraordinary precision. As Palin-Minor’s defenses resisted the fleet’s initial bombardment, the Titan began charging its enormous cannon, leaving the planet bracing for its attack.

• The Archangel-class Titan Warship appeared precisely at the center of the Northern Fleet’s formation, astonishing Dunn Vesex and the Imperial Navy officers watching from Palin-Minor.
• Dunn demanded that his commanders bring Thrawn to him, while Lieutenant General Naka ordered the Planet Defense Fleet to deploy near the Iron Moon and prepared the planet’s defenses.
• The Northern Fleet advanced, evaded the Iron Moon’s orbital cannon, and struck Palin-Minor and the moon with Particle Beam Lances, which the Planetary Shields blocked.
• Panic spread across Palin-Minor as the bombardment continued and the Iron Moon’s cannon failed to inflict significant damage.
• At two light-minutes from Palin-Minor, the Archangel-class Titan Warship opened its enormous cannon and began charging it, triggering alarms across the planet’s defenses.

Sefrans Tann fired the Archangel Titan warship’s Doomsday Weapon at the Iron Moon, overwhelming its defenses and destroying its combat capability. As Thrawn’s fleet moved to cut off her retreat, Tann ordered a third shot to turn the moon into hell.

• Sefrans Tann ordered the Archangel Titan warship to fire its Doomsday Weapon at the Iron Moon, and the first strike overloaded its shield capacitors and disabled its systems.
• The Iron Moon’s Commander tried to restore communications and evacuate after learning that a second shot was charging.
• The second shot destroyed the Iron Moon’s Planetary Shield and unleashed a vast firestorm that burned at least a third of the moon.
• Sefrans Tann celebrated the weapon’s success and ordered it to charge for a third shot.
• General Trench reported that Thrawn’s fleet was passing Kinasar Planet toward Ithor Planet to cut off their retreat, and Tann ordered the third shot fired.

Sefrans Tann destroyed the Iron Moon to terrorize Dunn Vesex and draw Thrawn into a battle near Ithor Planet. When the Archangel arrived with the Second Sub-fleet, however, the Ithor System was empty and Thrawn’s fleet was gone.

• The Archangel Titan warship’s Doomsday Weapon turned the Iron Moon into a fireball, killing nearly all its inhabitants and horrifying Parlin-Minor Planet.
• Sefrans Tann explained to General Trench that she had attacked the Iron Moon to pressure Dunn Vesex, knowing Thrawn would see through the ploy.
• After Thrawn’s fleet entered the Ithor System, Tann ordered the First Fleet to return there and deploy a Hyperspace Jammer to hold it in place.
• Once the Archangel finished cooling, Tann led the Second Sub-fleet to Ithor Planet to join the battle.
• Tann arrived in the Ithor System and found it empty, with neither Thrawn nor the First Fleet in sight.

Sefrans Tann and General Trench investigated the disappearance of the First Fleet and discovered an unexplained gravity source along its hyperspace route. They realized the Third Sub-fleet had also departed into danger, leaving the remaining sub-fleets to defend their positions.

• Sefrans Tann found that neither the First Fleet nor Thrawn's fleet had arrived at the Ithor System, and General Trench concluded the First Fleet had been intercepted in hyperspace.
• General Trench ordered the navigator to compare routes calculated for different fleet sizes, revealing an uncharted gravity source that affected larger fleets.
• Sefrans Tann ordered the fleet to push toward the gravity source and use navigation beacons to guide the other warships through.
• Sefrans Tann and General Trench ordered the Third and Fourth Sub-fleets to halt, but learned the Third Sub-fleet had already entered hyperspace half an hour earlier.
• Sefrans Tann ordered the remaining Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Sub-fleets to form defensive positions.