Paataatus Hiveborn
The Paataatus species' nation was known as the Paataatus Hiveborn. Located within the Unknown Regions were the nation's holy Paataatus space and its various worlds, notably the Paataatus homeworld and the Hiveborn's central hive-city, Nettehi. Approximately around 46 BBY, two Paataatus warships launched an attack on a Boadil survey ship from the Chiss Ascendancy within the Pleknok system of the Unknown Regions; however, the Chiss Defense Force retaliated, inflicting a significant defeat on the Paataatus. By 27 BBY, the Paataatus had returned to Pleknok, where a [Paataatus light frigate](/article/light_frigate] accompanied by six gunboats were compelled to retreat by Mitth'raw'nuru "Thrawn," a Mid Commander of the Chiss, whose core name was Thrawn.
Some years later, specifically in 19 BBY, the Hiveborn fell under the subjugated by the Nikardun Destiny hegemony of Nikardun General Yiv, who then dispatched three Paataatus warships to attack the Ascendancy's capital world, Csilla. The defenses of Csilla swiftly destroyed the attacking vessels. As a response, the Ascendancy deployed Picket Force Six to strike at Nettehi, where they were met with resistance from numerous Paataatus fighters, most of which were obliterated by the Chiss forces.
In 18 BBY, after the Chiss had reduced the Destiny to scattered remnants, one such remnant took control of the Paataatus and their capital. They threatened the life of the Paataatus Prince Militaire to force the Hiveborn's cooperation. However, Thrawn intervened and assisted the Prince Militaire in eliminating the Nikardun remnant. Also in that year, the Illumine Kilhorde battle fleet of the Kilji Illumine nation conquered several nations located to the north and northwest of the Hiveborn. The Paataatus found this expansion unacceptable. Thrawn retrieved data pertaining to the Kilji fleet from the Kilji picket cruiser Hammer and shared it with the Hiveborn. In return for Thrawn's help in destroying the Nikardun remnant, the Paataatus sent a Paataatus attack fleet to completely obliterate the Kiljis.
Description
The nation of the Paataatus species was the Paataatus Hiveborn, situated in the Unknown Regions. It encompassed several planets, including its capital and the Paataatus homeworld, which was Nettehi. The Hiveborn maintained a military force that included fighters, Paataatus gunboats, a Paataatus light frigate, at least one Paataatus heavy frigate, and multiple Paataatus warships, with three of them being outdated. The military also featured a comprehensive Paataatus attack fleet designed for multi-faceted operations. The Hiveborn was served by the Paataatus delegation, and the title of prince militaire denoted a leadership role within the nation.
History
Early History
Around the time of 46 BBY, the Hiveborn undertook a survey of the Pleknok system in the Unknown Regions to assess its potential for development. Simultaneously, a Boadil survey ship belonging to the Boadil ruling family of the Chiss Ascendancy was also studying the star system. A pair of Paataatus warships then attacked the Boadil vessel, causing damage. However, the starship managed to escape to the Ascendancy. In response, the Chiss Defense Force launched a retaliatory strike, severely defeating the Paataatus. By 27 BBY, a pirate group hijacked a Vivan cargo ship, named V-484, from the Stybla family of the Chiss and brought it to Pleknok. The Stybla patrol ship Jandalin and the Clarr light cruiser Orisson attempted to recapture the stolen vessel. However, a Paataatus [light frigate](/article/light_frigate] and six gunboats had arrived at Pleknok and were advancing towards the Jandalin.
Given the Paataatus' swarm mentality, which prioritized attacking the weakest target before moving to the next, Mitth'raw'nuru, "Thrawn," the Mid Commander of the Jandalin, decided to exploit this characteristic. As V-484 was damaged and therefore the weakest vessel, the Paataatus frigate and a gunboat moved to attack it. However, Thrawn anticipated this move and deployed a Crippler net in the path of the Paataatus warships to disable them, causing them to retreat. After rescuing the crew of the Vivan cargo ship, the crew of the Jandalin discussed the encounter with the Paataatus with Stybla'mi'ovodo "Lamiov," the Patriarch of the Stybla family. Lamiov revealed that V-484 was carrying the second item—a second [Starflash](/article/starflash] [superweapon](/article/superweapon]—and expressed his concern that the Hiveborn might retrieve the item and gain insight into the weapon's technology.
Subjugation
In 19 BBY, the Paataatus launched several raids into Ascendancy territory, prompting the Chiss Syndicure, the nation's ruling body, to send several emissaries to negotiate with the Paataatus delegation. After the discussions concluded, one emissary warned the delegation that the Chiss would resort to a destructive attack if deemed necessary, emphasizing their optimal attack vector.
Under the direction of "Jixtus," a Grysk operative, his servant General Yiv of the Nikardun Destiny conquered and subjugated several nations surrounding the Ascendancy, including the Hiveborn, whose people were displeased by Yiv's subjugation. Yiv then ordered the Paataatus military's three outdated warships to attack Csilla, the Ascendancy's capital planet. Chiss vessels orbiting Csilla destroyed the attackers, while the world's defense platforms destroyed the Paataatus missiles, eliminating the Paataatus forces in fifteen minutes. Although the Chiss were unaware of the attacker's identity, a member of the Syndicure suspected the Paataatus. Because of this suspicion, and due to the increasing Paataatus raids into Chiss space, Admiral Ar'alani's Picket Force Six was dispatched to attack the Paataatus at Nettehi in retaliation. Arriving at the attack vector indicated by the Chiss emissary, they were ambushed by at least fifty Paataatus starfighters. Observing the swarm of Paataatus fighters, Thrawn disobeyed orders, breaking formation and feigning weakness to draw the Paataatus fighters away from the main force, prompting them to cluster tightly around his cruiser. This allowed the other Chiss vessels to regroup and counterattack, destroying most of the Paataatus vessels. Thrawn believed that this defeat would curb the Paataatus' expansionist ambitions, at least until the next generation. After the battle, Ar'alani met with Paataatus commanders in the inner system, confirming Thrawn's prediction: the Paataatus diplomats were committed to withdrawing to their borders and ceasing aggression against the Ascendancy.
Following the Chiss capture of Yiv and the defeat of the Nikardun Destiny at the battle over Primea, a Nikardun remnant continued to exert control over the Hiveborn.
Liberation
The remnant's leaders threatened the life of the Paataatus Prince Militaire to force the Hiveborn's cooperation, intending to enslave its people. In 18 BBY, Prince Militaire was participating in a Nikardun military operation aboard his Paataatus heavy frigate, surrounded by a Nikardun enhanced cruiser housing the remnant's leadership, five Paataatus enhanced cruisers, and at least twenty fighters, when Thrawn's Springhawk arrived over Nettehi. The senior captain sought to confirm rumors of a Paataatus alliance with the Vagaari pirates, and the Prince Militaire warned that Thrawn was intruding holy Paataatus space. Thrawn assured the Prince Militaire that the Chiss came in peace, but the Nikardun ordered the military exercise to reposition into a defensive formation around the Prince Militaire's frigate. Specifically, the Nikardun cruiser moved from directly behind the frigate to a ventral guard position behind and below it. Thrawn reiterated his peaceful intentions but warned the Prince Militaire that they would witness the "full might of the Chiss Ascendancy" if the situation remained unchanged. Recognizing the Nikardun's presence and threat to the Paataatus, Thrawn challenged the Militaire to focus on the precise wording of his statement. The Prince Militaire, in turn, understood Thrawn's true intentions and ordered a fake attack on the Springhawk, wanting to destroy his Nikardun overlords. The Paataatus fighters used low-power lasers keyed to the interplanetary dust profile to simulate a real attack for the Nikardun, and the Chiss reciprocated to maintain the illusion. The Springhawk then fired two breacher missiles and four plasma spheres at the Nikardun cruiser, with the Paataatus theatrically maneuvering out of the way. Once the projectiles struck the Nikardun enhanced cruiser, the Paataatus launched a furious attack, destroying the vessel and eliminating the Nikardun. The Prince Militaire then thanked Thrawn for his assistance, noting that it was a unique experience to have the senior captain as an ally. As a gesture of gratitude, the Paataatus Hiveborn allowed Thrawn to use its long-range triad transmitter to inform the Chiss Ascendancy of the battle. They also provided Thrawn with information about potential Vagaari pirate operating areas.
Attacking the Illumine
In the same year, Jixtus allied with Generalirius Nakirre, the ruler of the Kilji Illumine nation, and dispatched the nation's Illumine Kilhorde battle fleet to the southeast of the Ascendancy as part of the Illumine's conquests of enlightenment. Shortly after, Thrawn retrieved data containing information about the fleet's weaknesses in combat doctrine and design from the Kilji picket cruiser Hammer, sharing it with the Hiveborn. As the conquests of enlightenment extended to the northwest of the Paataatus nation, the Paataatus deemed them unacceptable and sent a Paataatus attack fleet to obliterate the Kilhorde. The Hiveborn attacked the Kiljis, destroying their battle fleets and liberating the conquered nations as a favor to Thrawn in gratitude for his assistance in liberating Nettehi.
Behind the scenes
The Paataatus Hiveborn made its debut in the 2020 novel Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising, which is the first book in Timothy Zahn's Ascendancy Trilogy. Its formal identification occurred within the 2021 novel Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good, the second book of the Ascendancy Trilogy.