Attack on the Paataatus

The Paataatus, a species hailing from the Unknown Regions, shared a border with the Chiss Ascendancy, leading to occasional conflicts. The Grysk Hegemony, an expansionist power, used their client state, the Nikardun Destiny, to attempt to encircle the Ascendancy. Under the direction of the Grysks, the Destiny, commanded by General Yiv, conquered the Paataatus Hiveborn, a subjugation deeply resented by the Paataatus. In 19 BBY, the Nikardun perpetrated a massacre against a group of Paccosh refugees situated in the Ascendancy's outlying Dioya system, and subsequently instructed the Paataatus to initiate an attack on Csilla, the Ascendancy's capital planet, as a diversion to distract the Chiss from the aforementioned massacre. This act of aggression greatly angered the ruling Syndicure of the Ascendancy, particularly as Csilla had remained untouched by attacks for decades. The Syndics in power demanded that the Chiss Defense Force swiftly identify the perpetrators and launch a counterattack. One Syndic proposed the Paataatus as the culprits, suggesting that the Expansionary Defense Fleet should retaliate accordingly.

Supreme General Ba'kif found the underlying reasons for the attack on Csilla more compelling than simply identifying the attackers, but he confided these thoughts only to himself and Senior Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo, known as "Thrawn." Neither Ba'kif nor Thrawn were entirely convinced of the Paataatus' involvement in the assault on Csilla. Nevertheless, the Paataatus had recently conducted raids within Chiss territory. Ba'kif conceded that the Paataatus needed to be punished to deter other entities from believing they could attack the Ascendancy without facing consequences.

Thrawn previously commanded the Chiss heavy cruiser Springhawk, but the Defense Hierarchy Council relieved him of his command following Thrawn's unsanctioned engagement in the Vagaari pirate operations. Mid Captain Ufsa'mak'ro was appointed as his replacement, but Ba'kif reinstated Thrawn's authority, designating Samakro as Thrawn's first officer.

Admiral Ar'alani spearheaded the assault on Nettehi, the homeworld of the Paataatus. Ar'alani's Picket Force Six, led by her Nightdragon man-of-war, the Vigilant Vigilant, which was accompanied by Thrawn's Springhawk and five additional Chiss heavy cruisers, carried out the operation.

To the bewilderment of the Picket Force's officers, the Paataatus military demonstrated a high level of preparedness for the Chiss attack, presenting a robust defense that incorporated a minimum of fifty Paataatus fighters. The Paataatus employed a swarm-like approach, and their starfighter strategies involved dispersing across a broad area and selectively targeting the weakest adversaries. Senior Captain Thrawn, possessing an understanding of Paataatus tactics, recognized that the Chiss were less effective at engaging dispersed enemies compared to tightly-grouped targets. Despite Admiral Ar'alani's directive for the Picket Force to maintain formation, Thrawn defied her orders. He broke away, simulated significant damage to the Springhawk, and effectively lured the Paataatus fighters into a concentrated cluster focused on his vessel. Thrawn's maneuver provided the remainder of the Picket Force with the time necessary to regroup and launch a counterattack, thereby shifting the momentum of the battle and ultimately securing a Chiss victory. Picket Force Six successfully eliminated the majority of the defending Paataatus fighters.

The Chiss later learned that the Paataatus possessed knowledge of the Ascendancy's preferred attack trajectory. Following a previous conflict, a Chiss emissary gestured towards Chiss space and cautioned Paataatus officials that the next time they see Chiss forces coming "from those stars." Among all the commanding officers of the Chiss [warships](/article/warship], Thrawn alone was aware of this crucial piece of information.

A tribunal was convened by the Aristocra six days after the attack to address Thrawn's act of disobeying Admiral Ar'alani's orders. Ar'alani believed the Aristocra would have brought charges against Thrawn for insubordination had his actions not resulted in victory. Nevertheless, and despite the Defense Hierarchy Council exonerating him, Thrawn's political adversaries within the Aristocra viewed the incident as an opportunity to undermine him.

Thrawn was absent from the tribunal because Ba'kif had dispatched him on a mission. Ar'alani and her second-in-command, Senior Captain Kiwu'tro'owmis, known as "Wutroow," were questioned by Syndics on Csilla regarding Thrawn's disobedience. Wutroow testified that Thrawn's actions were both necessary and appropriate. She recounted the incident involving the diplomat who had alerted the Paataatus to the Chiss' optimal angle-of-attack and affirmed that Thrawn's awareness and subsequent adaptation were instrumental in averting disaster.

Between the Urch incident and the Primea diplomatic reception, Thrawn presented Caregiver Thalias with a map depicting the Unknown Regions. Thrawn drew attention to nations situated along the Ascendancy's borders, noting a recent and significant shift in their behavior toward the Chiss. Thrawn hypothesized that the Nikardun Destiny was attempting to encircle the Ascendancy by subjugating neighboring civilizations, thereby preventing the Chiss from engaging in could not engage hostilities. Indeed, the Grysks had instructed Yiv to encircle the Ascendancy in preparation for an invasion.

Thalias suggested that the Defense Force could address Yiv's threat in a similar manner to their handling of the Paataatus. Thrawn countered that Paataatus culture indicated they would refrain from attacking any Chiss for a generation. However, reports originating from Naporar—the primary operational base for the Expansionary Defense Fleet—indicated that the Paataatus were already in the process of rearming for further attacks. Consequently, Thrawn concluded that Yiv had conquered the Paataatus.

The following year, Thrawn's forces returned to the space above Nettehi under the guise of searching for pirates and proceeded to liberated the planet from remaining Nikardun forces. This transformed the Chiss and Paataatus from adversaries into allies. According to Syndic Prime Mitth'urf'ianico, the Ascendancy's diplomatic corps was uncertain whether to be outraged or "salivate" at the improvement in Chiss-Paataatus relations. In gratitude for the Chiss' assistance in liberating Nettehi, as well as providing data pertaining to the Kilji battle fleet, the Illumine Kilhorde, the Hiveborn's military eliminated the Kilhorde after it traversed the space separating Ascendancy and Paataatus territory.

The attack on the Paataatus was first introduced in Timothy Zahn's 2020 novel, Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising, which serves as the inaugural installment in Star Wars: The Ascendancy Trilogy. It's worth noting that the attack is misspelled as "attack on the Paataasus" within the novel itself.