#lakuviv

[hydr0phius]

Some crack summaries (and just general notes) of Greater Good like how I did with Chaos Rising

Ar'alani: We have technology to aim our weapons with but I'm going to just eyeball this shot here.

...

Thalias: *enters the bridge, is exhausted*

Samakro: Wow, you look like shit.

Thalias: Thanks so much. I really appreciate that.

...

The side of Thaliamakro in this book has me giggling and kicking my feet. If they don't get together romantically I am still here for the friendship. I love them skdjfhsdjf. SAMAKRO SHE'S NOT A SPY THOUGH, MATE-

...

Laknym & Thalias: *open their mouths to explain something to Che'ri or to ask a question of each other while they're down in secondary command*

Kharill: SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Thalias: We're-

Kharill: SHHHHHH. NO. NO TALKING. SHUSH.

...

The ominous things being hinted at about the Stybla family's past (the most vicious warriors etc). I'm intrigued. Tell me MORE.

...

*Samakro & Thrawn talking about keeping the Magys on the Springhawk & it's low key an argument*

Samakro: And what do you suppose the Syndicure will think of this?

Lakinda, internally: I hope I don't get dragged into this.

Thrawn: Actually, I wasn't going to tell them *looks at Lakinda*

Lakinda, now officially in the argument: Uhhhh

...

Lakinda: STUPID THRAWN TAKING ALL THE DAMN GLORY!!!!! I DISLIKE THIS MF-

...

Thalias: *wakes up*

The Magys in hibernation:

Thalias: Who the fuck put that the- wait, I said Thrawn and Samakro could put it here. Uh. *proceeds to dress for the day throwing side eye looks at the hibernation chamber and wondering if the magys is just suddenly going to wake up and jump scare her (she's not)*

...

Thalias: *opens the door*

Che'ri, instantly looking inside: WHat's ThAt-

Thalias: A coffin!

Che'ri:

Thalias:

Che'ri: That's a bit weird.

Thalias: The Magys is in hibernation to stop her from offing herself.

Che'ri: o h.

...

Ba'kif: *giving the new orders for Thrawn to be shifted out to the Paataatus again, except there's a lot of political shit going on at the same time*

Samakro: *needling for a bit more info in a subtle way*

Thrawn: *no fucking idea what's happening, but not too pleased about going to the Paataatus hive-home world when he's got a Magys in hibernation in Thalias' room and a puzzle to solve back on Sunrise*

...

Jixtus having music and beanbags at his meeting with Haplif. Haplif struggling to get out of the beanbag with dignity. Jixtus telling him he should bird watch more often.

...

Thurfian: *frothing at the mouth with sheer rage after hearing about the scuffle over Sunrise with the unknown dreadnaught + Lakinda's assistance*

Zistalmu: *approaches*

Thurfian, internally: What if I just laid into him? What if I gave him a verbal lashing? A bit of a tickle up? I'd feel better if I tore something to shreds-

(Also Thurfian): Don't do that. Focus on the end game. FOCUS ON THE END GAME.

Zistalmu: You look happy.

Thurfian: Fuck you-

...

Lakjiip: Look at this *hands Lakuviv the metal report from the Agbui jewellery*

Lakuviv:

Lakuviv: THat's fucKING NYIX ALLOY-

Lakjiip: I KNOW

...

Haplif: *does anything*

Lakphro: What are you planning??? I'll find out. I'll know-

...

Lakjiip: Tell no one of these brooches.

Lakphro: Of course.

*later*

Lakphro: *calls his cousin who is married to a scientist who has connections with other scientists that work with metals etc* Hey so there's this jewellery I'm going to send it to you in the mail-

...

Lakbulbup: Send it through express post.

Lakphro: Have you SEEN the rates for that lately????

...

Qilori of fucking Uandualon. Back again and causing havoc we're all going to see later. He's going to be the reason the skywalkers are targeted by the Grysk, isn't he...

...

Shimkif: Marry me.

Haplif: wHAt-

Shimkif: It'll gain Yoponek and Yomie's trust. It'll be fake too

Haplif: Oh ok.

...

Shimkif: Sorry I was gone so long. I was busy poisoning birds.

Haplif: Amazing.

Yomie: I found another migration up north.

Haplif, internally: No the hell you did not-

...

Haplif: I don't like birds. I've had enough of birds.

Shimkif: *poisons Yomie*

Haplif: Nice, we're out of here.

***

RIP Yomie, you had the brains to figure the Agbui out, but your silly fiancé did not and now we're in a bit of a pickle. Haplif giving Yoponek the brooch he took from Yomie's corpse to Yoponek and telling him she left it for him to pin it to her dress on their wedding day when they met again and Yoponek just believing that day will come and meanwhile Yomie's floating in the damn VOID-

I'm sad about them.

...

Ar'alani: You need to identify yourselves.

Battle Dreadnaught: We've been begged by the people of this world to protect them from threats.

Ar'alani: Oh, so you've talked with the Magys, too?

BD: The what?

Ar'alani: The leader of the people of Sunrise.

BD: Never heard of it.

BD: We were begged though. We will get rid of you if you don't leave.

Ar'alani: Mate-

...

Ar'alani: You need to bring that asteroid's missile with you

Lakinda: Ok.

*later & with no asteroid missile (too slow to get it out intact in time to provide aid to the Vigilant)*

Ar'alani: uUUhhhhh we might not do well with this now...

*more battle. Lakinda lays into the damaged side of the Dreadnaught and pretty much takes it out after Ar'alani draws enemy fire to her ship.*

Ar'alani: Yeah, nice.

...

Lakinda: Oh my stars, what if Thrawn's not even that good? What if it was just Ar'alani all along- no. No, he is good. He just learned from the best. *is a little bit obsessed with Ar'alani and Thrawn's history*

...

Ar'alani: Ok, Csilla said you have to go help Thrawn with the pirates, but I know you have beef with him-

Lakinda: I do NOT have beef with Thrawn.

Ar'alani: You get this annoyed look and tone whenever you interact with him even if he's not being annoying.

Ar'alani: Anyway, as Admiral I can just keep you here if you don't want to go.

Lakinda: No, it's fine.

Ar'alani: Sure.

...

HHhhh ok. Haplif is getting so much Chiss info and Lakuviv and Co. are completely unaware they're being played and I'm scared about how this whole thing with the Nyix mines is going to play out.

...

Lakbulbup: Hey so there's this guy called Senior Captain Thrawn and he's good with analysing art-

Lakphro: Yeah fine. Send the brooch to him.

...

Captain Fsir: aaaaa help, we're being attacked by Vagaari scouts.

Thrawn, off mic to the bridge crew: This is a set up.

...

Thrawn: I have a plan but I need to see inside your ship first.

Fsir: What-

(He got invited over and took them down so fast at the "pirate base" because of it lmao).

...

Lakooni: *comm dies after she sends the emergency family summons* LAKUVIV. Your comm is shiet

Lakuviv: That officer you were talking to was me, I'm sorry it had to go this way *pulls a blaster on her* if you'll follow me to my private rooms-

Lakooni, absolutely furious: I'm going to fuck you up so bad for this, do you even know? Do you know what you've unleashed? I'll end your entire career, you backstabbing son of a bi-

Lakuviv: *raises blaster a bit higher*

Lakooni: FIne.

(I can't be the only one whose mind went straight to the gutter and wondered if AO3 had anything with them jxfkjeasdfkjsd)

...

Every time someone says "yeah, we'll swing by," (which is a lot actually now that I think about it) gave me a bit of a giggle. It made conversation feel more real.

...

Lakinda when the summons came through: Ok but does Thrawn NEED me there? no. He just needs my ship *leaves*

...

Apros when Grayshrike eventually meets up with Springhawk: Lakinda got called away on a family emergency order put out to all CEDF Xodlak that weren't in immediate battles or on critical missions.

Thrawn, pissed: WHAt-

Samakro, also pissed and angry at Apros: DID YOU TRY TO STOP HER?

Apros, not able to be pissed with Thrawn because he's higher rank, but able to be pissed with Samakro because they're the same rank and therefore fair game: YES. WHY THE FUCK WOULD I NOT?

Apros: oh btw, Thrawn, she said this had come for you *gives him Lakphro's brooch*

Thrawn: Ooh, pretty.

...

Thrawn to the Magys: Wakey wakey, do you know what this is? *holds up the brooch*

The Magys: The work of my people. It looks new, though.

Thalias: surprise, they're not dead.

The Magys: There is hope!

*when they've put The Magys back into hibernation*

Thrawn: We also have three families being scammed.

Samakro: *grumpy noises*

...

Lakinda, just woken up: What do you want?

Thrawn over comms: You're being scammed. There are no mines. It's a set up.

Lakinda: Damn.

Thrawn: I have a plan though!

Lakinda once he's explained: From the bottom of my heart, what the fuck-

Samakro: That's insane actually.

Thrawn: Well if you two come up with anything better, let me know <3

...

Samakro convincing everyone that Thrawn's plans are strictly military and that he's got no clue with politics and doesn't know how to play them anyway (which is still wild to me tbh. I don't believe it) and then even convincing himself on it too/that Thrawn's their best commander even if his plans are insane sometimes.

...

I'm still processing the 3 families showdown over Sunrise but Thrawn's plan worked a treat even with family politics fucking up Lakinda's end (my girl got thrown in the brig for talking to Thrawn/warning him that at the end of this the embarrassment at finding out they were being scammed would have worse fallout than the actual fight that they didn't think of when they were making the plan).

...

Lakinda: Oh my gods it was Ar'alani copying Thrawn's tactics the whole time-

...

Thyklo: Patriarch Thooraki is dead.

Thurfian: Ah. Condolences.

Thyklo: You're replacing him.

Thurfian: It is an honour.

Thurfian, internally: holy FUCK- Zistalmu is going to lose his damn mind lmfao.

[doctorwenqing]

lakuviv: “i did it for the greater good! the greater good! did you all even READ the title of the last book???”

[iskelan]

My big fat illustration to Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good, which is basically a story about how one brooch could ruin the whole civilization.

This art symbolizes the trip of these jewelry from Haplif’s hands to various Chiss, and eventually reaching the hands of Magys, who clarified its origin. On top of all Yoponek and Yomie, then Counsilor Lakuviv, lower be Haplif on the left with his grabby hands and shadow of Jixtus in behind and Lakinda on the right, casually passing the brooch to Thrawn, tangled between her duty to Xodlak family and to the Fleet, below her - the Magys who now got the hope for her people, and the final row - Lakphro and Lakansu, responsible Chiss rancher and his wife on the left, and Thrawn and Thalias on the right.

After all I can say I liked this book much more than Chaos Rising. It was entertaining and very tense, made me really feel for some characters (Yomie TT) and didn’t leave the feeling of Thrawn being an all mighty mastermind - his role was important but not overwhelming. I hope Lesser Evil will impress me the same way.

[dragonfly-wings1]

Chiss Names, Places, & Words

Currently done with all of the Nu!Canon novels, OF & SQ yet to go. I'm excluding all words with super obvious Latin roots (ie Aristocra, Syndic, Patriel), though something might have slipped in.

Families

Boadil

Chaf

Clarr

Coduyo

Cohbo

Csap

Dasklo

Droc

Elod

Erighal

Evroes

Irizi

Kivu

Kiwu

Krovi

Kynkru

Mitth

Obbic

Plikh

Pommrio

Stybla

Tahmie

Tumaz

Ufsa

Xodlak

Names

Ab'beɡh

Afpriuh/Chaf'pri'uhme

Al'iastov

Apros/Csap'ro'strob

Ar'alani

Azmordi/Tumaz'mor'diamir

Ba'kif

Bet'nih

Biclian/Obbic'lia'nuf

Bomarmo

Borika/Cohbo'rik'ardok

Brisch

Che'ri

Cinsar

Dalvu/Elod'al'vumic

Dilpram

Dy'lothe

Ers'ikaro

Ghaloksu/Erighal'ok'sumf

Ieklior

Ilparg/Boadil'par'ɡasoi

Ja'fosk

Jaraki

Kharill/Plikh'ar'illmorf

Khresh

Kloirvursi

Labaki/Stybla'ba'kif

Lakansu

Lakbrovom/Xodlak'brov'omtivti

Lakbulbup

Lakinda/Xodlak'in'daro

Lakjiip/Xodlak'ji'iprip

Laknym

Lakooni/Xodlak'oo'nifis

Lakphro/Xodlak'phr'ooa

Lakris

Lakuviv/Xodlak'uvi'vil

Lakwurn

Lappincyk/Stybla'ppin'cykok

Lamiov/Stybla'mi'ovodo

Larsiom/Stybla'rsi'omi

Mafole

Mi'yaric

Ocpior

Octrimo/Droc'tri'morhs

Oeskym/Evroes'ky'mormi

Oesputi/Evroes'pu'titor

Ovinon

Pontriss

Raamas

Retuvili/Clarr'etu'vilimt

Rivlex/Clarr'ivl'exow

Roscu/Clarr'os'culry

Rupiov/Clarr'upi'ovmos

Shrent

Soomret

Samakro/Ufsa'mak'ro

Tanik

Thalias/Mitth'ali'astov

Thistrian

Thivik/Mitth'iv'iklo

Mitth'omo'rossodo

Thooraki/Mitth'oor'akiord

Thrass/Mitth'ras'safis

Thrawn/Mitth'raw'nuruodo

Thurfian/Mitth'urf'ianico

Thyklo/Mitth'ykl'omi

Un'hee

Vah'nya

Velbb

Vimsk

Vorlip

Vurawn/Kivu'raw'nuru

Vurika/Kivu'rik'ardok

Wevary

Wikivv

Wutroow/Kiwu'tro'owmis

Yokado

Yomie

Yoponek/Coduyo'po'nekri

Ziara/Irizi'ar'alani

Ziemol/Irizi'emo'lacfo

Zififerenc/Irizi'fife'rencpok

Ziinda/Irizi'in'daro

Zistalmu/Irizi'stal'mustro

Places

Avidich

Camco

Celwis

Cioral

Copero

Cormit

Csaus

Csilla

Csaplar

Desum

Dioya

Glastis

Ibbian

Jamiron

Kinoss

Krolling Sen

Massoss

Naporar

Noris

Ornfra

Ool

Oyokal

Panopyl

Pesfavri

Pleknok

Rentor

Rhigar

Sarvchi

Schesa

Sharb

Shihon

Sposia

Taharim

Thearterra

Vlidan

Yopring

Ships

Bokrea

Jandalan

Orisson

Parala

Tomra

Words

charric

docklet

grillig

growzer

nyix

questis

vivan

yapel

yubal

[asteroids-and-tractorbeams]

I’m OVERJOYED that Lakuviv said “what on Celwis” instead of “what on Earth”

[lurkingleighbee]

Review of Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good

⅗ stars

I was left with more questions than with satisfaction (you thought I was gunna say answers, didn’t ya?) or even enjoyment. The story has this pattern of starting then sputtering out. A plot point would develop, an interesting character quirk would be brought up, and then it would be abandoned. There were soooo many new characters introduced without giving attention to the ones introduced in the previous books. The ending felt very abrupt and by the time I closed the book I was more happy that it was over than when I was reading the book. I am glad I took notes from chapter to chapter, because the swirl of events, characters, and deus ex machinas was a lot to keep up with. I am really, really hoping the final book delivers. I have a bunch of bullet point notes/questions that I will throw out there (spoiler free):

I refuse to believe Thrawn is this bad at politics. I can understand having a difficult time with trying to figure out the politics within the Star Wars Empire (he is an outsider with his attention split between his military career, his art collection, and his very few friends) but I cannot believe he cannot even keep track of the (albeit complicated) politics within the Chiss Ascendancy. I can understand him not caring, which would be one thing, but he is repeatedly shown to have zero understanding of it. Weird handicap. 

Where is Thrawn’s sister?!?!?!?!

I feel like to better understand Lakinda’s struggle, she should have been introduced in the first book. Her story felt like it was being played with a firm finger on the fast forward button. 

The Memories chapters should have gone to Thurfian. Why is he the way he is? Why is he so obsessed with Thrawn? Why does he feel a “stirring” within him when Thrass is mentioned? Did he and Thrass have a friendship? Were they blood brothers? Did they grow up together? That would have been nice to know!

Zero development on Thurfian, who I think needs it more than anyone else at this point 

Why is Thrawn hated by the upper echelons of Chiss society? Never adequately explained. 

What the heck is the theme of the book? Putting value on the family/the individual can be detrimental, since you lose focus of the rest of the community. Lakinda seemed to focus a lot on family until the very end, as did Lakphro to a certain extent, but not in the same way. Was the theme that isolation is good, actually? Everytime the Chiss encounter aliens, it rarely goes well.    

Yomie, Yoponek, the Magys, and even Ar’alani are completely forgotten about. The first two character - Yomie and Yoponek - were a complete waste of space, I think. They served to show how Haplif managed to finagle a meeting with Lakuviv but then were annoying obstacles most of the time. 

So, there was a character (Haplif) spinning a bull-scheisse story about this metal mine on a planet within one family. Thing is, two other families were also spun this story. Who sold them on this story? How did they find out about the mine? A large part of the book - especially at the end - is NEVER explained, and it annoys the heck outta me

Yiv the Benevolent is mentioned I think once and then never brought up again. Very weird. 

[lesbiannova]

Greater Good Memories Vi thoughts:

YIKES, so that’s why Yomie wasn’t present when Yoponek brought Haplif to meet Councilor Lakuviv. 😨 Wish someone could eventually learn what happened to her and Yoponek would realise he has been manipulated by Haplif all along.

[lurkingleighbee]

Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good Memories III - Chapter 12

Memories III

This is what it must be like to be a spy - to have to shift through a lot of b.s.

Haplif and Shimkif get settled on a plan - get (fake) married to arouse emotions within Yoponek and Yomie to get them in a vulnerable place and then manipulate them from there

Yomie is still difficult to manipulate (and still a brat)

Chapter Ten

Lakinda is all too aware of the social protocols and lets it crowd her thinking. She goes to Thrawn’s ship rather than the other way around because he is part of the Mitth family and she is just on the Forty Family, rather than the Nine 

so who was controlling the Battle Dreadnought? Mysteries abound 

The Magys has totally given up hope and will tell her people to commit suicide

“Caretaker Thalias and I have spoken to her at length and have been unable to change her mind.” “So that’s it?” Lakinda asked. “She’ll go back to Rapacc and order her people to die, and she expects them to do that?” Thrawn locked eyes with her. “She’s already ordered her companion to die,” he said, his voice low and dark. “He’s already complied.” “What?” Samakro demanded, his eyes going wide. “When?” “Approximately an hour ago,” Thrawn said. 

In order to prevent the Magys (and the others) from committing suicide, Thrawn went ahead and chucked her into a hibernation chamber. 

Seriously. 

His reasoning: “As to justification, she’s the direct cause of death of another passenger aboard my ship. Under those circumstances, I have the authority to put her in confinement until she can be delivered to a place of judgement.” 

Samakro is all for dumping her (and the other aliens) and leaving, saying: “Her life is her business. It’s certainly none of ours.”

contrast the Thrawn of this book to the Thrawn from Season 4 of Rebels

Also, I love the Lakphro, Lakansa, and Lakris family and if anything bad happens to them I will cry

Lakphro is understandably skittish about a stranger touching them - good instincts, lean into them! 

But the mother and daughter go along with it, I think the social desirability factor goes into it 

So, the Agbui has the ability (through the Force?) to probe and find out weaknesses, life cravings, and manipulate people from there

another eagle-eyed person, @shinyrebelfun, found a passage from Thrawn: Treason with these same aliens! 

Chapter 11

Ba’kif is back baby!

current rumor: the Paataatus allied with the Vagaari pirates

Thrawn doesn’t believe it because the Paataatus’ culture has it then when they recieve an outstanding thrashing, they will not attack for another generation

and that can be anywhere from 17-25 years

INTERESTING TIMING

I wonder if this will come back up at all

after the events of Rebels, perhaps 

Samakro beings up the thorny point that the records of Thrawn’s last encounter with the Vagaari are incomplete and straight up asks if the Syndicure have “other, more personal reasons for us to take another crack at the Vagaari.”

Ba’kif guesses it has to do with reputations of the various Families, whereas Samakro guesses it has to do with profit 

por que no los dos? 

Thrawn and Samakro et al. are sent out to investigate the Vagaari

also the Syndicure and the Council on this decision, which is rare enough to comment on 

Lakinda and the Grayshrike have been quietly back sent to the “Sunrise” planet

Lakjiip (the aide) and Lakuviv (kind of like the local governor) find out the Agbui made the jewelry out of nyix - a rare and expensive metal. Why is nyix so important? 

It’s so rare that there only 3 mines of pure nyix existing throughout the entire Ascendancy

It is a vital component used to create the incredible toughness of a warship hull

With this metal, the Xodlak family could skyrocket right back into high status 

Poor Thalias has to sleep and dress herself in the same room as the hibernation chamber containing the Magys

was there literally no other spot to put her, Thrawn?!?!!?

Che’ri used her Third Sight to get a peek into her caregiver's room

I want her and I to have a long chat about respecting other people’s privacy

how would you like it if I was peering into your bedroom, young missy?

not very much, would you?!!?!?

instead, Thalias lays out the facts for Che’ri, who has to swallow them down

hi, welcome to the gray zone of ethics!

Memories IV

Haplif and Shimkif go through with their fake wedding to no avail

so what was the point?

Yomie will not adapt and change her precious schedule even a little bit 

I am not sympathetic to Haplif at all

And Yomie is right to not want to be touched

But yikes, I would not want to deal with her

Jixtus wants a meeting and has been keeping close tabs on Haplif and everyone else

have fun with that meeting!

Chapter 12

Lakansu and Lakris are given jewelry, and Lakphro’s alarm bells are going off. 

and correctly so!

Lakphro feels like Haplif is spying on them 

to quote Emperor Palpatine: Search your feeling, you will know it to be true 

Lakphro really want to follow his “gut instinct” and “make Haplif tell him exactly what was going on with him and his so-called cultural nomads.:

But he does not want to ruin his wife’s and daughter’s moment so he keeps his mouth shut 

Another Agbui ship drops down

carrying precious metals?!!?!

Haplif needs a ride into town, so Lakphro gets to drive him

I love this idea of this salt of the earth Chiss firing up his truck to drive an alien he is very suspicious about. I want to see that on TV!

Lakphro shows Lakjiip this jewelry (that was given to his wife) asking if it is a bribe (thinking how a previous boss of his accepted bribes - so there is most definitely a level of corruption present) and she snatches it away (theft of property!) citing some b.s. and then huffs away

again, what is in the Chiss constitution?!

dumping an alien onto private property and then stealing stuff?

come on! 

Haplif is expertly leading Lakuviv (who sees dollar signs in his eyes) on a spiel about mines and how he could oh so easily travel to them

and he just so happens to have a navigator with him! 

gee, I wonder who this could be? 

[lurkingleighbee]

Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good Chapter 19 - Chapter 22

Chapter 19

the Springhawk jumps into yet another battle

they are able to help a vessel that just so happen to know where the Vagaari pirate base is 

sure you do, bub

Fsir, the guy (alien?) who runs the Saltbarrel (a ha ha, take his story with a grain of salt) is all for attacking the base directly but Thrawn urges patience, wanting to collect information first 

There is some back and forth with Thrawn asking for a tour of the vessel and Fsir being hesitant. Thrawn hits him up with this proposition

“Perhaps your superiors could be persuaded to look upon it as payment for our rescue of their people and secrets,” Thrawn suggested. “In addition, a visit would give you the opportunity to see if your legends of the Chiss are accurate.”  “Who suggested we even have legends of the Chiss?” Thrawn smiled. “Come now, Captain. Everyone in the near reaches of the Chaos has legends of the Chiss.” Fsir sighed. “Very well, Senior Captain.” 

this will pay off later, I am sure 

anyway, back to Senior Aide Lakjiip, who is really surprised to see Lakinda arrive 

and Lakinda is immediately suspicious that though the call came from a Patriel, it was “a mere Councilor’s senior aide passing out the duty assignments.” 

Lakinda asks where Patriel Lakooni is and Lakjiip feeds her a b.s. line about the Patriel “talking” with Councilor Lakuviv in his office

When Lakjiip reveals the Agbui story, Lakinda calls it “unbelievable” and feels the possibilities are both tremendous and ominous 

Lakinda feels that Lakjiip really wants the Xoldak family back in high status 

as does Lakinda, but she isn’t a fool about it 

Memories VII

Qilori thinks to himself that Jixtus - with him covered head to toe in a black robe - that he looks like “any other biped alien. Or for that matter, a statue, a mannequin, or even one of the mechanical robotics of lesser space legends.”

I am really looking forward to the day when C3PO meets Thrawn 

Qilori tries to explain why he was (by his count, at least six hours) late and there is this great exchange: “I was on a job, and I thought abandoning it would bring attention you probably wouldn’t want.” “As well as damaging your professional reputation?” Jixtus suggested.  “My reputation is important,” Qilori said. “Not just to me, but to you as well. Any future job you want me to do-” “Any future jobs will depend on how well you complete this one,” Jixtus interrupted calmly. “So will any future. You understand?”  Qilori’s cheek winglets twitched. “I would very much like to have a future,” he managed. “Good,” Jixtus said. “Then we shall have no problem with motivation.” 

Qilori - always looking out for his skin and winglets - doesn’t want to be anywhere near any battle and especially does not want to be tangeled up with Thrawn

Jixtus promises to make his “own arrangements for this Thrawn. Hints and rumors in the right ears should remove him a sufficient distance from Haplif’s web.”

Jixtus, through an almost casual questioning of Qilori, figures out that “either the Chiss have their own group of navigators, some aliens hidden on an obscure world of the Ascendancy...” He paused. “Or they have a means of finding their way through the Chaos without navigator assistance.”

He is awfully close to the truth

also the Sith Wars from Legends is back in canon baby!!!

this just makes me want a Revan movie series so bad 

Turns out Qilori was pretty earlier and Jixtus let him stew in his own fear

Jixtus is a petty d i c k  SPOILERS FROM HERE ON 

Chapter 20

Lakuviv on his foolish and likely fatal errand: “From this moment forward your performance will either bring honor and glory to the family, or send it reeling into disaster”

massive Lord Farquaad energy here 

Lakinda has a bad memory names 

unlike Ar’alani, who makes it “a point to known and user her officer’s names”

Ar’alani is a good leader

Lakinda is already feeling suspicious about this “endeavor”

Lakooni - the Patriel - hasn’t shown up at all 

Lakuviv instructed the comm officers to “ignore any and all transmission except those originating from this office and carrying this protocol”

Lakinda immediately tells her crew to ignore these orders and heads off into space 

Thrawn comes in asking a bunch of questions about the Magys’s clothing and Thalias (justifiably, her roommate being an alien preserved in a coma) asks to know what the heck is going on

and tells him that the Patriarch asked her to look after him

Thrawn seems tickled by this, that he needs looking after

well you do, you lovable blockhead 

also this reminds me, we have not seen the Patriarch at all 

Thrawn thinks Fsir’s story is b.s. and that the Springhawk is being lured into a trap. Thrawn decides to:

Chapter 21

turns out going jump by jump is long and tedious

Laknym seems excited, with Thalias its his chance “to prove himself in the eyes of Thrawn and Kharill, his chance to show that he was indeed worthy of...fleet advancement”

the Grayshrike appears just as Thrawn gives the order to attack the Saltbarrel 

there are a bunch of gunboats that make it seem like there are individual pilots inside

but its all remote controlled 

this will be very helpful later on 

Wutroow mentions filling up a zigzig card

the Chiss version of bingo?

Ar’alani and the Vigilant have been investigating the planet Sunrise for two weeks

there are definitely survivors putting their society back together

real shame we don’t get to meet and learn form them

they went through a horrifying ideal and they are barely mentioned and are literally overlooked 

What the heck is borjorysauce? 

Yopring is looking at a mine that look suspiciously functional when he is jumped and being chased by armed and armored skycars

Ar’alani employs a very neat maneuver and trick with water and grants Yopring his opportunity to escape

I do like how good of a tactician and clever thinker Ar’alani is 

Ar’alani notices that the skycar’s design “was radically different from ant of the hundreds of wrecked air vehicles” seen on the ground

invaders!!!

Chapter 22

Apros is able to pass on what little information he knows about Lakinda and the other Xoldak family/military personnel being pulled away for a “family emergency”

Apros reveals two other families - the Erighal and the Pommrio - also sent emergency summons

they are also part of the Forty Families 

and these planets just happen to be on the southwest vectors 

And he is able to pass on the brooch to Thrawn

this brooch has been on a real frigging journey 

in an interrogation with Fsir, it is revealed he received instructions from a certain “robed and hooded” alien 

Thrawn wants to go investigate what’s going on in the Ascendancy’s southeast sectors. Samakro decides to get a bit snippy, pointing out: “It doesn’t sound like the Expansionary Defense Fleet was invited.” “Do you care?” Thrawn asked.  “...Not really.” “Neither do I.”

Thrawn finally gets the jewelry piece!!

And Thrawn finally decides to wake up the Magys and have a real sit down and talk session 

where have other aliens been stored??

surely they would ask where their leader is??

Thrawn had given the Magys’s outfit a good look over and notices that the brooch and her outfit have many similarities 

when the Magys wakes up, she is JUSTIFIABLY pissed that she was forced into hibernation

Thalias bluffs her way through the conversation, claiming (with zero evidence) that people are indeed alive and well on Sunrise 

and as proof she shows her the brooch

the Magys recognizes it immediately 

and actually agrees to go back into hibernation!

once Samakro and Thrawn leave, Thalias realizes Che’ri had somehow convinced her!

Che’ri playing mindgames

kind of very much creepy 

Che’ri be like: Imma invite myself in thanks 

[lurkingleighbee]

Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good  Chapter 15 - Chapter 18

Chapter 15

Ar’alani gets to “Sunrise” and sees no lights or any signs of life, which scares her

a super circular asteroid just happens to be floating into view... hmmm....

checking all previous records of battles/visits to the planet to see if it was there 

and it appears that it wasn’t

Ar’alani points out Thrawn would have noticed the asteroid, as “even in the middle of a battle, there’s very little that gets past him.”

Wutroow calls it a moon, which I think is a cute little callback to the Obi-Wan Kenobi quote from A New Hope

that’s no moon! 

This exchange is great:

“Captain Lakinda, are you game to try something dangerous?” “As opposed to just being part of the Expansionary Defense Fleet,” Wutroow added. 

Lakinda is a little bit intimidated, I think

I wish Lakinda had her own gal pal with her 

Ar’alani and the enemy get into a back and forth argument about who has been asked by the refugees to help them out

While that is going on, Lakinda planned to decimate the asteroid (which is really a giant bomb with missiles attached) in a careful way

I write planned, because “without warning the entire asteroid exploded, hurling shards of stone outward in all directions

I want to feel excitement, but given that Ar’alani will survive all the way up to Thrawn: Treason and I don’t feel like Lakinda is going to get axed, it is difficult to muster up the feeling 

Chapter 16

the Grayshrike takes some damage, and with “the view port blast shields automatically slammed shut,” so they have to reply on sensor and tactical displays

in the center of the asteroid’s internal framework “was the missile, its nose peeking out of the thick casing through the launcher.”

they are trying to destroy the entire thing before the launcher goes after the Vigilant or the Grayshrike

Thankfully its disabled

However, the Battle Dreadnought and the Vigilant are locked in battle 

even though Ar’alani wanted Lakinda to bring the asteroid/launcher with her, Lakinda opted to go in assisting Ar’alani without it 

Ar’alani gets into another sound of aggressive negotiations, both of them taunting the other 

I know how to destroy you!!!

Nuh uh!

or more flowery: “Your statement lacks accuracy. It is I who knows how to destroy you.”

Just as Lakinda and Ar’alani are about to destroy the Battle Dreadnought when it decides to self-destruct

overall, a success but Lakinda tears herself down for not getting the launcher and thinks Thrawn would have found a way to have done it 

compare yourself to Thrawn and you will always fall short

I feel like Thrawn would tell her to chin up and focus on her own talents and strengths, instead of tearing herself down for her weaknesses

MASSIVE SPOILERS HERE ON OUT

Memories VI

Haplif is still trying to push Yoponek to his intended goals, but he considers the young Chiss spineless

Shimkif decides to take matters into her own hands. AGAIN. 

and employs straight up biological warfare against Yomie and makes her very ill

Shimkif also manages to figure out that Yomie “doesn’t want Yoponek to give up all his hopes and dreams for her. She wants him to be willing to give them up. Once she’s satisfied that he would do that for her, he can go charging on to fame and fortune on Celwis, and she’ll stand by smiling and being all proud of him.”

Having gotten to the end of the book, hell to the end of the chapter - I can ensure you this information means nothing in the long run 

Because Yomie has figured out that Haplif is telepathic

So that leaves Haplif utilizing Option Three - killing her

Her body is left in the vast emptiness of the universe

Call this blaming the victim - but it seems like Yomie had suspicions from the start that Haplif and his crew (of fifty, that we never see btw) were iffy.

So why did you go along with complete strangers and really press on their hospitality as hard as you did?! 

Still does not make her murder okay

And presumably, her boyfriend doesn’t care about her whereabouts (since he buys some cock and bull story right away), her parents do not check on her, and her friends don’t either

COMPLETELY USELESS CHARACTER!

Chapter 17

Lakuviv is just agog over the treasure Lakjiip “confirmed” for him

This trap is so obvious to everyone but to these two numbskulls

And this exchange would probably make Thrawn pull his own hair out:  

“They said the metal has no particular value of its own. It’s the skill with which the artists turn it into jewelry that’s important.” Lakuviv shook his head. “Idiots.” Lakjiip shrugged. “In general, I suppose that’s mostly true of art. Give an artist a hundred Univers to spend on paint and a presentation board, and out pops a picture someone else will spend thousands for. It’s just in this specific case the whole thing is reversed.” “If you ask me, everything about the art world is just barely controlled anarchy.” Lakuviv said.  Thrawn would be like:

Lakuviv and Lakjiip want to get this up the chain of command

Lakuviv invites the Patriel over for a chit-chat about a nyix mine that practically fell into his lap, with no strings attached, totally above board, no suspicions, nope, no ma’am

Yoponek points out that Lakuviv could pull emergency powers

backed into a corner of your own making? 

emergency powers!

Had to read this a couple of times before I made sense of it, but if I have this summarized correctly:

if you declare a family emergency, you can bring back officers and warriors (I assume that means enlisted soldiers) 

The rules are so convoluted

if you’re one of the Forty Families that used to be one of the Ruling Families AND have an under crewed family fleet, you are allowed (?) to call in the Chiss from that specific family for an “emergency”

This is so ripe for abuse

And this is kind of recent history

But it is so made up and so unnecessarily complicated

These are the chapters when the book really started to lose me 

Yoponek has to be the one that explains this

Lakuviv or Lakjiip could have done this on their own - looked for an excuse to exploit the mines 

Yoponek and Yomie are so useless 

Chapter 18

So, Thrawn’s name is even known among farmers as that art guy 

lol

This is this the convo between Lakphro and his cousin:

“...Senior Captain Thrawn has a reputation for knowing a lot about alien art and artworks.” “I’m happy for him. But I don’t need an art critic. I need a metals specialist.” “I know that’s what you asked for. Here’s the thing. I’m wondering if Thrawn might be able to tell us something else about the brooch, just as it is. Maybe something important.”  “Like what?” “No idea,” Lakbulbup admitted. “But once we take it for testing, even a little bit apart, that chance is gone.” “I don’t know what he could possible see that we can’t,” Lakphro said. “It’s just a bunch of metal threads, and they’re woven together in a pattern. End of story.”  “Like I said, I don’t know, either,” Lakbulbup said. “But I...” ... “Maybe,” Lakphro said. “But what if-” “But nothing,” Lakbulbup said firmly. “Trust me, Lakphro. I’ve heard stories about this Thrawn fellow, and I truly think it’s worth running the brooch past him.”

Lakuviv is irked that Patriel Lakooni points out the obvious - that this is clearly a scam

Yesss!!! Common sense!

Unfortunately, it does not get to prevail 

even Lakuviv has the gut instinct to back down, but he pushes on ahead

He takes her hostage and uses Lakooni’s personal codes to call for an emergency 

Lakinda gets the jewelry piece from Lakwurn (these names are starting to run together) and an hour before she leaves for space, she gets the “family emergency”

Lakinda is torn between family and duty

she decides to stay for the family emergency

she does forward the box to Thrawn 

and she send the Grayshrike on ahead with Mid Captain Apros on it

Thurfian gets to listen to a long-ass presentation about this slightly suspicious “Universal Analysis Group” that I initially thought might be important later

but having read to the end of the book, I can tell you - that it is not 

Thurfian manages to deal with the squabble in such a way that Speaker Thyklo (who are you again?) says he reminds her “a little of Syndic Thrass. He was also good at appearing to give people what they wanted while simultaneously doing what needed to be done.” “Really,” Thurfian said, feeling a stirring inside him. “I assume that’s a compliment. “Very much so,” Thyklo said with a smile. “Thrass wasn’t as skilled at it as you are, but he definitely had the talent. A terrible shame that we lost him.” “Yes. To Thrawn.” “Or to circumstances,” Thyklo said. “It’s easy to place blame, but it’s not always productive. Or always accurate.” 

Also, rumors abound that the Speaker and at least two Patriels are looking to retire

Thurfian is thinking about moving on up

Instead of all this time with Haplif (and Yoponek and Yomie) - why not spend the memories sections on Thurfian and develop his character?!

Give me a good reason for why he hates Thrawn so much!!! 

Like, Zahn is kind of telling me but I need more information as to why Thurfian is this obsessed over this one guy  Me reading this book: