Kilji war cruiser
The Kilji war cruiser, alternatively called the Kilji battle cruiser, represented a war cruiser variant employed by the Kilji species nation, known as the Kilji Illumine. These cruisers surpassed Kilji picket cruisers in length and exceeded Chiss heavy cruisers in size. The Kilji ships were armed using spectrum lasers and missiles, protected by peace-sealing technology. Integral to ship-to-ship naval warfare, the Illumine's war cruisers included an engine, hyperdrive, and escape pods. Generalirius Nakirre, the Illumine's leader, commanded a Kilji war cruiser named Whetstone. Another war cruiser, the Anvil, was under the command of Illumine General Crofyp, serving as the flagship for his task force, which also featured the picket cruiser Hammer.
In the year 18 BBY, Nakirre formed an alliance with "Jixtus," a Grysk operative, who pledged to guide the Kilji Illumine's conquests of enlightenment within the Unknown Regions. Nakirre permitted Jixtus to travel on the Whetstone as they instigated conflict among the families of the Chiss Ascendancy within the Unknown Regions, visiting several Chiss worlds and meeting with Ascendancy officials. Jixtus deployed Crofyp's task force to the Rapacc system in the Unknown Regions, where the Kiljis attempted to capture a group of refugees hiding on the planet Rapacc. However, the Paccosh-commandeered Nikardun blockade frigate Aelos and the Chiss heavy cruiser Springhawk confronted them, preventing the task force from capturing the refugees. The Springhawk destroyed the Anvil, and the Hammer was forced to retreat.
After the fleet of the Illumine, the Illumine Kilhorde, was destroyed by the Paataatus Hiveborn nation, the Whetstone journeyed to the "Sunrise" system in the Unknown Regions. There, Jixtus killed Nakirre, deeming him useless without the Kilhorde. Following Nakirre's assassination, the crew of the war cruiser fired the Whetstone's weapons at Jixtus's flagship, the FateSpinner, causing its commander to destroy his own warship and commit suicide.
Characteristics
Systems and armament
The Kilji war cruiser, also known as the Kilji battle cruiser by the Chiss species, was a medium-sized warship of the war cruiser class. The Kilji cruisers were powered by engines and a hyperdrive and could accommodate shuttles. They were equipped with at least two Kilji escape pods on the bridge, located on the starboard and port sides, and peace-sealing that concealed their weaponry, including spectrum lasers and missiles. The sealing, removable by detonating explosive bolts, covered the lasers and several missile tubes on the vessels' nyix-alloy hull. The hull featured weapon clusters on the shoulders and bow, along with electrostatic barrier nodes that generated electrostatic barriers to protect the warships' hull. The starships also had a comm system.
The war cruisers were longer than Kilji picket cruisers and two-thirds the size of a Chiss heavy cruiser, but three or four times smaller than a Shatter-class WarMaster of the Grysk species. As Kilji vessels, the cruisers were designed with a first-strike strategy in mind.
Interior
The cruisers included a docking bay leading to a vestibule with a hatch that opened into a thirty-meter utilitarian corridor constructed of cold metal and ceramic, followed by another hatch and a compartment resembling a child's playhouse. Decorated with patterns of pinpricks of colored chase-pattern lights and a thick, brush-topped carpet, this compartment featured a round table housing a modern multiscreen, a device with multiple screens displaying recordings, and six chairs. The war cruisers' corridors were lit by light globes.
The bridge, which had a viewport, contained several stations: a helm, the pilot's chair, the navigator's station, the commander's station and command chair, and a table with a chair. Restraints secured the crew. The bridge also featured speakers. Orange-rimmed doors on the starboard and port sides led to the escape pods.
Role
Kilji war cruisers were capable of engaging in ship-to-ship naval warfare and served as a transport.
History
Nakirre's journey
The Kilji Illumine, a nation of the Kilji species in the Unknown Regions, utilized the Kilji war cruisers. Illumine General [Crofyp](/article/crofyp] commanded the war cruiser Anvil, which served as the flagship of his task force, including the picket cruiser Hammer. Generalirius Nakirre, the leader of the Illumine, commanded the Illumine Kilhorde battle fleet and the war cruiser Whetstone, which served as the Illumine and Kilhorde's flagship. Around 18 BBY, Nakirre allied with "Jixtus," a coordinator of the Grysks, who promised to guide a series of conquests of enlightenment in the Unknown Regions that the Kilji battle fleet would carry out. Nakirre allowed Jixtus to travel aboard the Whetstone as they instigated a civil war within the Chiss Ascendancy.
The Whetstone visited various worlds and systems in the Unknown Regions. In the Zyzek system, it encountered the Chiss heavy cruiser Springhawk and its commander, Senior Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo, whose core name was "Thrawn." Nakirre engaged in a brief confrontation with Thrawn over the planet Zyzek. As Nakirre prepared his vessel for combat, Zyzek System Defense intervened, prompting Nakirre to leave Zyzek for the Ascendancy's planet Avidich.
There, Mitth family Patriel Thistrian ordered the Whetstone away. Jixtus complied, frustrating Nakirre, who believed they should have orbitally bombarded Avidich. The Grysk instructed Nakirre to take the Whetstone to an unidentified star system in the Unknown Regions. Upon arrival, Jixtus summoned his Shatter-class WarMaster, the FateSpinner, threatening to eradicate the Kilhorde and destroy the Whetstone, forcing Nakirre to obey his commands. Having secured Nakirre's obedience, Jixtus had the Whetstone visit the Chiss planet Rhigar. The Grysk informed Captain Clarr'os'culry, known as "Roscu," that her family, the Clarr family, was in danger, inviting her aboard the Whetstone for a private discussion. The captain, Nakirre, and Jixtus met and discussed the threat posed by the Dasklo ruling family. Roscu purchased a recording of several Chiss vessels attacking a freighter and departed.
Crofyp's gambit
Soon after, Jixtus dispatched General Crofyp's task force to the Rapacc system in the Unknown Regions, tasking them with capturing a group of refugees on the planet Rapacc. After traveling through hyperspace, Crofyp's two cruisers arrived at Rapacc. Confronted by the Nikardun blockade frigate Aelos, commandeered by the Paccosh species of the Rapacc system, the general ordered the blockade frigate's commander, Commander Uingali foar Marocsaa, to move aside and allow his forces to retrieve the refugees. The Paccosh refused. This refusal led the Kilji general to position his ships for a cross-fire attack on the Aelos.
The Anvil moved past the frigate along its starboard side, while the Hammer did the same on its port side. However, as the Kilji ships positioned themselves, the Springhawk arrived in the outer system, firing two ship-disabling plasma sphere weapons at Crofyp's flagship before executing a microjump to join the confrontation in the inner system. Thrawn ordered the Kilji commander to move away from the Aelos, which he claimed as his prey. In a fit of rage, the Kilji launched spectrum laser salvos from his war cruiser and picket cruiser. However, the Kilji vessels failed to damage the Chiss heavy cruiser, and the Anvil was disabled by plasma spheres while shielding the Hammer to allow its escape. As Tildnis's vessel fled, Chiss breacher missiles destroyed the Kilji flagship. Its navigator, Pathfinder Qilori, escaped in an escape pod.
After capturing Qilori, Thrawn brought him aboard the Aelos and tasked him with using the Force to track down the remaining vessel. The blockade frigate's crew located the Hammer and boarded it, stealing Kilji data on the Kilhorde before leaving. One of Jixtus's Grysk warships destroyed the picket cruiser.
Downfall and revenge
After the Kilhorde conquered several small nations south and southeast of the Ascendancy and was obliterated by the Paataatus Hiveborn nation after Thrawn shared the data from the Hammer, Nakirre and Jixtus continued their travels. Shortly after, the Whetstone traveled to the "Sunrise" system in the Unknown Regions, where it encountered a fleet of Kilji vessels under Thrawn's command. The senior captain confronted Nakirre via comm, revealing that the Hiveborn had destroyed his battle fleet. Jixtus then killed Nakirre, deeming him useless without the Kilhorde.
As a battle broke out between the Chiss's fleet and Jixtus's fleet, Qilori, whom Jixtus had tasked with navigating the Whetstone, realized that the FateSpinner would pass in front of Nakirre's war cruiser as it fled the battle, allowing the Grysk vessel to kill the Kiljis aboard. Qilori then promised to guide the Whetstone's crew, consisting of Kilji vassals, Kilji followers of the Kilji way of order and enlightenment religion, until he could return them home. He commanded them to fire all of the Whetstone's weapons at Jixtus's flagship. The Kilji attack disintegrated the FateSpinner's starboard aft flank, causing Jixtus to use a self-destruct mechanism to destroy his vessel and commit suicide. Thrawn tasked Qilori with bringing Sarsh, another navigator navigating a Paccian troop transport in Thrawn's fleet, and the Kiljis to their respective homes after disarming the Whetstone.
Behind the scenes
Two Kilji war cruisers were featured in the 2021 novel Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil, the second book in the Star Wars: The Ascendancy Trilogy by Timothy Zahn.