A Grysk male who went by the name "Jixtus," this individual, at least twenty-one years of age, held the position of coordinator for the Grysk's aggressive species. From his flagship, the FateSpinner, a Shatter-class WarMaster, he commanded a Grysk fleet. Sometime prior to 18 BBY, Jixtus and the Grysk provided training in the art of conquest to General Yiv the Benevolent, along with his Nikardun species, in an attempt to strategically surround the Chiss Ascendancy, the governing body of the Chiss species. Despite Yiv's successful conquests of the Tower Dimension, the Paataatus Hiveborn, the Paccian Governance, and the Lioaoin Regime, he met defeat at the Vak Combine against Chiss Senior Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo, known as "Thrawn," thereby creating an enemy for Jixtus. Subsequently, Jixtus employed the telepathic Agbui species to incite chaos and civil unrest, specifically instigating a civil war on the Unknown Regions planet Sunrise, which led to widespread devastation, and ultimately failing in his attempt to precipitate a civil war within the Ascendancy.
Following the death of Haplif, who coordinated the Agbui, Jixtus formed an alliance with Generalirius Nakirre, the leader of the Kilji species' theocratic state, the Kilji Illumine, and its combat fleet, known as the Illumine Kilhorde. As the Kilhorde worked to prevent Chiss refugees from escaping the Ascendancy, Nakirre and Jixtus journeyed across the Chiss Ascendancy aboard the Kilji war cruiser [Whetstone] (/article/whetstone), engaging with high-ranking officials such as Clarr'ivl'exow "Rivlex," who traded information for Grysk warships. Nakirre and Jixtus's meetings, which included sharing imagery of the battle between the Dasklo, Xodlak, Erighal, and Pommrio families, sparked conflict among the families. General Crofyp and Colonel Tildnis were killed in action against Thrawn, who had previously defeated both Yiv and Haplif. Thrawn, after recovering data from Tildnis' Kilji picket cruiser _Hammer_, partnered with the Paataatus Hiveborn to obliterate the Kilhorde, succeeding in its destruction.
Eventually, after receiving reports from Grysks and Rivlex, Jixtus returned to Sunrise, where Thrawn was present with a fleet of Chiss warships. Upon learning of the Kilhorde's annihilation, he deemed Nakirre useless and killed him. Subsequently, he engaged the Chiss fleet with his own, inflicting minor damage but ultimately suffering defeat due to Thrawn's strategic prowess and alliance with the people Yiv had previously conquered. Subsequently, the Paccosh, Garwians, and Vaks engaged Jixtus's fleet, inflicting severe casualties before Nakirre's subordinates, led by Jixtus's agent, Pathfinder navigator Qilori, fired upon the FateSpinner from the Whetstone, largely destroying the warship and forcing Jixtus to activate a self-destruct mechanism to destroy his fleet. Before his death, he warned Thrawn that his career was over and that the Grysks would return to kill the Chiss, before killing himself.
Jixtus, the designation adopted by the Grysk male, served as the coordinator for his species, whose objective was the destruction of the Chiss Ascendancy. Prior to 19 BBY, Jixtus provided instruction to the Nikardun sentient species and their General Yiv in the methods of conquest, thereby initiating the Nikardun conquests throughout the Unknown Regions. While the Grysk anticipated Yiv's ultimate failure, they still considered his conquests beneficial. His strategy involved using the Nikardun to occupy the Chiss, while the Agbui telepathic species would infiltrate the Ascendancy and foment a civil war. Once the Chiss were engaged in internal conflict, the Grysk forces would besiege the Ascendancy capital of Csilla, leading to the Chiss's downfall.
Under Jixtus's direction, the Agbui Haplif, an expert in understanding cultures and minds, orchestrated a civil war on the Unknown Regions planet Sunrise in less than six months. Subsequently, the Agbui and the Grysks subjugated Sunrise, transforming it into a mining world for the extraction of nyix, a material vital for warship construction. However, Haplif informed Jixtus that a group of two hundred refugees, led by The Magys, Sunrise's leader, had escaped the planet, heading towards the Paccosh homeworld of Rapacc. Following Jixtus's directive to "leave no witnesses," Haplif contacted a nearby Nikardun ship, falsely claiming that the refugees planned to build an army to destroy the Nikardun Destiny. Jixtus then dispatched Haplif to infiltrate the Chiss Ascendancy, suggesting that it would be easier now that the Chiss's attention was focused on the impending Nikardun threat.
As the Nikardun campaign progressed, Jixtus and the Grysks observed from a distance. Yiv successfully conquered the Tower Dimension, the Paataatus Hiveborn, and the Lioaoin Regime. The Nikardun also attempted to track the Sunrise refugee ship to Rapacc, where, upon failing to locate them, they initiated a blockade and made weak attempts to subjugate the nation. In reality, the refugees had arrived at Rapacc but were concealed by the Paccosh, who also misled the Nikardun about their presence. The Nikardun general also attempted to conquer the Vak Combine, but was defeated by Chiss Senior Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo "Thrawn". After Yiv's defeat, the Grysk coordinator hired Pathfinder navigator Qilori of Uandualon, an agent of Yiv, as the navigator for his ship's navigator. During a voyage, Jixtus questioned the navigator about Yiv's whereabouts. When Qilori attempted to lie, Jixtus revealed their location deep in space and threatened Qilori with death. Qilori then disclosed Yiv's capture by Thrawn and learned of Jixtus's plan to destroy the Chiss. After securing Qilori's promise of assistance, Jixtus allowed the navigator to continue their journey.
Soon after, Jixtus traveled to the Chiss Ascendancy to assess the Agbui's progress. The Agbui Shimkif, a colleague of Haplif, updated the Grysk on their current situation. The Agbui had manipulated a young Chiss couple, Yomie and Coduyo'po'nekri "Yoponek", into traveling with them. These Chiss, especially Yoponek, would prove invaluable in the Agbui's efforts to learn about and infiltrate the higher levels of the Ascendancy. Yoponek informed Haplif about an ambitious Xodlak Councilor, Xodlak'uvi'vil "Lakuviv", and the Agbui decided to use him in their manipulations against the Chiss. However, Lakuviv was located on Celwis, while the Agbui had promised Yomie that she would be taken to Shihon, on the opposite side of the Ascendancy, for the month-long Grand Migration. Haplif, unable to persuade Yomie to go to Celwis, was forced to go to Shihon. Jixtus arranged a meeting with Haplif there, informing him that he had three weeks to initiate contact with Lakuviv. Haplif accepted this new timeline, and Jixtus told him that the Agbui needed a new navigator for their manipulations of Lakuviv. Haplif, confused, stated that the Agbui currently employed the services of an Attendant, but Jixtus clarified that he did not want the Attendant to be seen by the Chiss Ascendancy. Instead, Jixtus offered to provide Haplif with a Farseeker or Void Guide, but Haplif recommended the services of the Pathfinders. Jixtus agreed.
Several days later, as the Agbui were en route to Celwis, Haplif met with Jixtus to pick up the new Pathfinder. After Haplif informed Jixtus that he had successfully convinced Yoponek to go to Celwis and introduce him to Lakuviv, the Pathfinder, Qilori, arrived. Jixtus informed the Pathfinder that he would be accompanying the Agbui and would eventually navigate a Chiss ship to the system of Hoxim, the location of a fake nyix mine. Qilori inquired about potential military action, and Jixtus assured him that any such action would occur far from his location. However, Qilori insisted that Jixtus consider which Chiss military officer he might face, reminding him of Senior Captain Thrawn's ability to personally defeat General Yiv's Battle Dreadnought. Jixtus acknowledged Qilori's concern and promised to ensure that Thrawn would be occupied outside the Agbui's area of operation. As Haplif and Qilori departed from the meeting, Jixtus shared with Qilori his curiosity about how the Chiss navigate through hyperspace, theorizing that they either had their own secret navigator species or some other special method of navigating through the Chaos. Jixtus also informed Qilori of legends about Lesser Space nations using computerized navigational techniques during the Chiss's involvement in a war in that region.
Upon the Chiss's discovery of the Sunrise refugees on the Paccian Governance homeworld of Rapacc, Thrawn's ship, the Springhawk, arrived at the planet. There, alongside the Chiss warship Grayshrike, commanded by Senior Captain Xodlak'in'daro "Lakinda", he engaged in battle with one of Jixtus's Shatter-class WarMasters, the HopeBreaker. The Chiss emerged victorious, having completely disabled the HopeBreaker's portside weaponry. However, the HopeBreaker's companion ship, an Agbui freighter carrying nyix, managed to escape the system undetected by the Chiss. Soon after, the HopeBreaker fought another battle with the Grayshrike and Chiss Admiral Ar'alani's Vigilant above Sunrise, resulting in its complete destruction.
As the Agbui plot continued, Qilori guided Lakuviv's senior aide, Xodlak'ji'iprip (Lakjiip), to the world of Hoxim, showcasing and convincing her of the authenticity of the fake Agbui nyix mine. Lakuviv, upon learning of the mine, was persuaded to declare a family emergency to seize the mine for the Xodlak family, hoping it would bring them glory and Ruling Family Status. Concurrently, the Erighal and Pommrio families were succumbing to the same manipulations. However, as the three families converged on Hoxim, Thrawn intervened, preventing the Chiss from fighting each other and destroying the fake nyix mine. After the Agbui's failure, Jixtus summoned Qilori for a meeting, thanking the Pathfinder for alerting him to Senior Captain Thrawn and promising to consider him in future schemes against the Chiss Ascendancy. Jixtus also officially tasked Qilori with unraveling the mystery of how the Chiss navigate through hyperspace independently.
Following Thrawn to Sunrise, Jixtus and Generalirius Nakirre arrived on the Whetstone along with Jixtus' section of the Grysk armada to prepare to attack the Chiss forces. They arrived at a scene of many apparently destroyed Chiss warships, with Jixtus, Qilori, and Nakirre concluding that the civil war had caught up to the Chiss and they had destroyed each other. After locating Thrawn as one of the last survivors, Jixtus questioned Thrawn about the Magys, to which Thrawn gave answers for providing Jixtus answered his questions. Gaining some necessary knowledge, he revealed the Kilji Illumine Kilhorde fleet has been completely destroyed. In a fit of rage, Generalirius Nakirre accosted Jixtus, but was quickly and summarily executed by Jixtus. Thrawn demanded for Jixtus's surrender, to which Jixtus refused, to which Thrawn responded by sending out a sensor ping, to alert all the supposedly destroyed Chiss ships to signal a surprise attack. The Grysk fleet was now completely out of formation and surrounded close-range by the enemy.
With Thrawn's demand for surrender, Jixtus, in regular Grysk fashion of not providing any remains for which the Chiss and especially Thrawn to study, instantly triggers explosions across the entire Grysk fleet. Only Jixtus, aboard the FateSpinner, remained. Conversely finally with Thrawn, throwing condemnation at Chiss and Thrawn alike, as well as threatening of a larger Grysk force poised to attack Thrawn after he is gone. Jixtus then triggered the same explosion device contained within the FateSpinner, killing himself.
Jixtus served as the assumed identity of a Grysk male who opposed the Chiss Ascendancy. He, along with his allies, considered the Chiss to be the primary impediment to dominating the Unknown Regions. He spoke with a refined tone. During his interactions with Qilori, he threatened the Pathfinder. He appeared to be darkly amused when Qilori questioned whether he had been General Yiv's master, although he denied any connection to the defeated general. He also expressed satisfaction that Qilori had pledged to support his campaign against the Chiss.
Jixtus demonstrated proficiency in social manipulation and intimidation, successfully coercing numerous Pathfinders into working for him and manipulating warlords and bureaucrats, such as Yiv the Benevolent and Generalirius Nakirre, into unknowingly serving his purposes. He meticulously crafted plans, integrating multiple campaigns to achieve his overarching objective of destroying the Chiss. One such instance involved using the Agbui to orchestrate a Chiss encounter above Hoxim, thereby creating tension within the Syndicure, while simultaneously employing Kilji vessels disguised as Chiss family ships to incite a civil war. He was perceived by some, such as Qilori of Uandalon, as a ruthless figure, inspiring fear. Conversely, he was viewed by opponents of the Chiss as a strong leader and hero.
Possessing a military mind, the individual known as Jixtus proposed strategies and meetings to "his associates," who were, in fact, slaves of the Grysks. He was capable of directing and executing extensive military campaigns, such as his scheme to dismantle the Chiss Ascendancy. He successfully forged alliances with heads of state and government officials, including Nakirre and Patriarch Rivlex.
Jixtus commanded his own fleet, consisting of fourteen Grysk warships, with his flagship being the FateSpinner. He also possessed multiple ships. He utilized a shuttle to travel between the Whetstone and the FateSpinner, which could accommodate a hundred soldiers. During his meeting with Haplif, he used a ship piloted by Qilori. To conceal his identity, Jixtus wore a cloak, as well as some gloves. Within the cloak, he carried a blaster, which he used to kill Nakirre.
Jixtus, the primary antagonist in the Star Wars: The Ascendancy Trilogy authored by Timothy Zahn, made his debut in the trilogy's inaugural installment, Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising. The Grysk gained a dynamic, Generalirius Nakirre, in the trilogy's final installment, Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil, where the generalirius slowly realizes the truth about his relationship with Jixtus. In the same novel, Jixtus foreshadows the events of Thrawn: Alliances and Thrawn: Treason, two novels of the Thrawn novel series that feature the Grysks as the main antagonists.