Thrawn: Alliances

Thrawn: Alliances is a canon novel penned by Timothy Zahn and released by Del Rey on July 24, 2018. It serves as the follow-up to the 2017 novel Thrawn and is the second entry in the Star Wars: The Imperial Trilogy. The story centers on Thrawn and Darth Vader as they undertake a mission not long after the events depicted in Star Wars Rebels Season Three. Simultaneously, a related story unfolds during the Clone Wars, involving Thrawn, Anakin Skywalker, and Padmé Amidala. In terms of chronological placement, Thrawn: Alliances occurs between the third and fourth seasons of the animated series Star Wars Rebels. An audiobook version, narrated by Marc Thompson, was also made available. In 2024, Marvel Comics released a four-part comic book adaptation of the novel, with writing credits attributed to both Zahn and Jody Houser. The trilogy concluded with the publication of Thrawn: Treason in 2019. ## Publisher's summary In this new novel by the acclaimed Timothy Zahn, Grand Admiral Thrawn and Darth Vader form an alliance to confront an Imperial threat. "I have sensed a disturbance in the Force." These are always foreboding words, especially when spoken by Emperor Palpatine. On Batuu, situated at the edge of the Unknown Regions, a threat to the Empire is beginning to emerge. Its existence is faint, and its consequences are yet unknown. However, it is significant enough for the Emperor to task his most formidable agents with investigating: the ruthless Darth Vader and the brilliant Grand Admiral Thrawn. These two, fierce competitors for the Emperor's favor and vocal opponents on Imperial matters like the Death Star project, appear to be unlikely partners for such a critical mission. Yet, the Emperor is aware that this isn't the first time Vader and Thrawn have collaborated. And there is more to his command than either of them realizes. Once upon a time, General Anakin Skywalker of the Galactic Republic and Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo of the Chiss Ascendancy crossed paths. One was on a personal quest, the other with undisclosed motives. Facing numerous dangers on a remote world, they formed an uneasy alliance, unaware of what the future held. Now, brought together again, they are headed back to the planet where they once fought side by side. There, they will face a dual challenge: a test of their loyalty to the Empire and an enemy that could overwhelm them both. ## Plot summary The book's narrative unfolds through two distinct storylines. One storyline sees Grand Admiral Thrawn and Darth Vader journeying to the planet Batuu, located in the Outer Rim Territories on the fringe of the Unknown Regions, to investigate an anomaly in the Force. The second storyline follows Anakin Skywalker's pursuit to Batuu after his secret spouse, Senator Padmé Amidala, vanishes while on a mission to look into the disappearance of her handmaiden Duja. The story is told from the perspectives of Thrawn, Skywalker, Amidala, stormtrooper Commander Kimmund, and Imperial Navy Commander Karyn Faro. ### Clone Wars storyline #### Mission to Batuu Some time after Ahsoka Tano's trial and subsequent exoneration, Senator Amidala informs Skywalker about her impending journey to Batuu to meet with her handmaiden Duja, who has uncovered information of significance to the Galactic Republic. Skywalker worries about the danger to his wife, but Amidala is determined to assist her handmaiden. Skywalker is unable to accompany Amidala due to his duties as a Jedi General. Skywalker later becomes concerned when reports surface that Padmé's ship has been found abandoned on Batuu. #### An unlikely ally Upon exiting hyperspace above Batuu, Skywalker in R2-D2's Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor encounters an unidentified freighter. Speaking in Meese Caulf, the freighter's occupant introduces himself as Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo, also known as Thrawn, an officer in the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet. Thrawn seeks Skywalker's knowledge of the Clone Wars. Skywalker agrees to assist in exchange for Thrawn's help in finding Amidala and Duja. Skywalker discovers Padmé's ship in a small forest clearing, thirty kilometers from Black Spire Outpost. Skywalker engages a group of smugglers who are angered by the presence of Amidala's ship on their landing site. Commander Thrawn intervenes to stop the fight. Together, he, Skywalker, and R2-D2 examine Amidala's ship. They find no signs of forced entry but discover logs indicating that Duja's ship, a Nomad Four, had departed a week prior to Amidala's arrival. The two arrange to travel to Black Spire to continue their investigation. Skywalker and Thrawn visit a cantina in Black Spire Outpost and inquire with the bartender about the whereabouts of Padmé and Duja. They are attacked by four individuals, whom they subdue and kill. Thrawn concludes that the attackers were sent to assassinate Skywalker and that a fifth accomplice is still at large. To locate the fifth accomplice, Skywalker devises a plan to make it appear as though one of the human assassins survived. Thrawn and R2-D2 transport the body back to his Jedi starfighter. While flying with the human assassin's body, an explosion in the Actis's portside repulsorlift causes a rapid descent. Skywalker regains control of the ship and lands it among the trees. He is attacked by a droid assassin, but Skywalker uses the Force to deflect the blaster bolt back at the droid, disabling it. Skywalker soon encounters Thrawn, who has captured the fifth assailant. The two search the assassin's Separatist freighter. #### Padmé's mission Upon landing on Batuu, Padmé sends a message to Skywalker. After arriving in Black Spire, she attempts to contact Duja but receives no response. After disembarking, Padmé asks a man if he knows the location of Kuseph Jovi, claiming she is there to deliver his ship. The man directs her to a cantina in the center of Black Spire. Padmé travels to the cantina on her BARC speeder. In the town square, she discovers Duja's body in an open coffin. Examining the body, Padmé determines that Duja was murdered due to her battered face and stab wounds. At the cantina, Padmé asks the bartender how Duja died. The bartender claims that Duja died in a speeder bike accident. Padmé then composes a song in memory of Duja. Padmé uses a hidden beckon call within Duja's brooch to summon her ship to a remote forest clearing. While checking the ship's communications systems, she discovers that Duja had found a Separatist factory on Mokivj. Padmé decides to gather her belongings from her ship, send a message to Anakin, and then depart on Duja's ship, which is equipped with enhanced shields and heavy weaponry. #### Jedi and Chiss Returning to the present, Skywalker and Thrawn disable the droids guarding the freighter. They find that the freighter was carrying alcoholic beverages and gold ingots. Thrawn deduces that the ship is transporting its goods to a Separatist manufacturing facility. They also discover that the crates are etched with an unfamiliar symbol. R2-D2 examines the navigation computer and finds that the Separatist ship was headed to Cermau. Thrawn learns from the listening devices he has placed in the cantina that five individuals have entered and carried the unconscious bartender away. Thrawn explains that Chiss listening devices convert speech into powerful sonic signals, which are then processed into a pattern of invisible flickering lights. Returning to Black Spire in their landspeeder, Anakin and Thrawn are attacked by several thugs. Thrawn, wounded, rams their landspeeder into the attackers. Following a fight, Anakin and Thrawn subdue the assailants. They question two prisoners, including a cargo inspector named Oenti. One of the prisoners reveals that the bartender Janott has connections to the pro-Separatist Duke Solha. Questioning their prisoners, Thrawn and Anakin determine that Padmé's handmaiden Duja had discovered that the smugglers were using Batuu to smuggle supplies to a Separatist droid factory. Duja had entered a Separatist ship and contacted the Republic. However, Oenti's comrades had realized she was a spy. The smugglers had panicked and attempted to ship their gains offworld. However, before their ship had arrived, the landing space had been occupied by Ambassador Padmé's ship. Oenti confirms that Padmé landed at Black Spire and wrote a poem for the deceased Duja. Janott and Oenti deny killing Duja, and Anakin confirms they are being truthful. When Thrawn announces that they are going to the Separatist base on Mokijv, Oenti, Janott and their companions attack Thrawn and Anakin. Anakin slays the assailants, with the exception of Janott, with his lightsaber. Janott confirms that Padmé survived and left in a different ship. Leaving the bar, Skywalker briefs Thrawn about the political dynamics of the Clone Wars. #### Infiltrating Mokivj Padmé travels to Mokivj on Duja's starship Possibility, but her ship is intercepted and shot down by a Vulture droid. Padmé manages to crash-land her ship in a river. Padmé travels down the river in an escape pod and discovers evidence of a nearby mine and town. Reaching a bank, she encounters three local men named LebJau, Huga, and Cimy. Padmé bribes the men into not reporting her to Duke Solha and Separatist battle droids by offering them reward money; giving them a Corusca gem as first payment. From the men, Padmé learns that the nearby factory used to belong to the men until the Separatists took it over. Now, the men work as maintenance workers. LebJau reveals that the Separatist also took over a nearby mine. Due to the poor rations offered by the Separatists, the men had been fishing to cover their meager diet. Continuing their search for Padmé, Anakin, Thrawn, and R2-D2 travel to Mokivj and infiltrate the Separatist factory, which also doubles as a Separatist base. Besides droid components, they also discover large quantities of a fibrous material. After a failed attempt to bluff the Separatist commander Duke Solha, Anakin and his companions are attacked by Separatist battle droids. Following a brief skirmish, Anakin and Thrawn are thrown into improvised cells. Thrawn devises an escape plan based on his observations of the base's layout. He also notices that battle droids are manufactured in the eastern wing of the factory. Meanwhile, Padmé spends several days hiding inside LebJau's boat. Lebjau outfits her with a transponder wristband and clothes that allows her to infiltrate the Separatist factory. While navigating her way through the abandoned west wing of the factory, she witnesses Anakin, R2-D2 and Thrawn being captured by Duke Solha and his battle droids. #### Behind enemy lines In the factory, Padmé attempts to enter a trapdoor but is stopped by Cimy and Huga, who warn her that she is putting herself in danger. She tries to convince them to give her another wristband only to learn that they cannot be transferred to other wearers. Meanwhile, Anakin and Thrawn used an improvised cord made from Thrawn's clothing to unlock their cell door from the inside. Disguised as maintenance workers, Padmé, Cimy and Huga make their way to the detention block. Padmé uses her combat skills to take out two B1-series battle droids guarding the door to the detention block. Before entering the detention block, Padmé promises to get LebJau, Cimy, and Huga their money. Inside the detention block, Padmé encounters Skywalker and Thrawn who have freed themselves. They come up with a plan which involves Padmé accompanying Thrawn to the factory's rooftop to retrieve Skywalker's lightsaber. Padmé introduces Thrawn to Lebjau and informs him about their plan to destroy the Separatist factory. Though Lebjau doesn't want to lose his people's factory and jobs, he agrees to help them evacuate the workers. Padmé also informs Thrawn about Anakin's Marg Sabl lightsaber fighting style, which he learnt from his former Padawan Ahsoka Tano. Meanwhile, Anakin chances upon Duke Solha in a section of the factory that produces B2-series super battle droids whose armor is infused with a fibrous material. Duke Solha is testing a new type of clone trooper armor with an unidentified man and woman. Skywalker tries to confuse Solha's droid sentries but that only alerts the Duke to his presence. While navigating their way through the roof of the factory, Padmé and Thrawn manage to recover Skywalker's lightsaber. They witness several descending spheres which distract the Vulture sentries. Thrawn reveals that these spheres are part of a Chiss mission to steal a deflector shield generator from the Separatist factory. Padmé makes an impassioned plea for Thrawn to help them but Thrawn insists that his mission comes first. #### Uncovering a conspiracy Anakin uses his Force powers to stay ahead of Duke Solha and his droid forces until he finds Padmé who returns his lightsaber. Their reunion coincides with the Chiss raid on the Separatist factory. Skywalker fights several B2 battle droids and discovers that their armor deflects blaster bolts and can somehow shut down lightsabers. Skywalker uses his Force powers and lightsaber to disable several of Solha's new B2 battle droids. Keeping his promise to Padmé, Lebjau evacuates the other factory workers. Anakin and Padmé are joined by Thrawn, who reveals that the mysterious fibrous material is cortosis, which has a high energy absorption rate. They learned that the Separatist factory was using cortosis, which was mined across the river, to strengthen the battle droids' armor, making them indestructible against blasters and even lightsabers. Thrawn agrees to help Anakin and Padmé take out the Separatist mine and factory once the Chiss have secured a deflector shield generator. Accompanied by R2-D2, Padmé decides to investigate what the Separatist are manufacturing inside the north wing of the factory. R2-D2 manages to reprogram their section of the factory, disabling the battle droids there. She encounters Duke Solha, who boasts of using the factory's cortosis-infused armor to build his name in the Confederacy. Solha is familiar with Senator Amidala and Skywalker and rejects Padmé's ultimatum that he surrenders, believing that he will prevail. #### Destroying the factory In another part of the norther wing, Skywalker and Thrawn discover that the Separatists are producing clone trooper armor infused with cortosis. Anakin suspected the Separatists were planning to use Serennian forces to infiltrate the Grand Army of the Republic. Before he can proceed with the mission, Anakin senses that Padmé is in trouble. To conceal his secret marriage to Padmé, Skywalker proceeds with their mission to reprogram their section of the factory. Meanwhile, Padmé knocks Duke Solha out following a struggle. She finds Skywalker and Thrawn but the four are attacked by B2 battle droids. R2-D2 manages to take out one of them. They then take out several battle droids including conventional B1s and B2s and a few cortosis B2. With the factory also under attack by the Chiss, Anakin attempts to board a freighter filled with battle droids. However, Thrawn and Padmé managed to find a smaller freighter and evacuate Anakin and the factory workers including LebJau, who rescued R2-D2. Having taken out the Separatist factory, Anakin now wanted to collapse the cortosis mine across the river as well. Thrawn and Padmé disagreed and pleaded not to harm innocent civilians by taking away their livelihood. However, Anakin was determined to deny the Separatists access to cortosis. When LebJau warned that there would be miners down there, Skywalker promised to get them out first before proceeding with his mission. #### The price of victory Though Anakin succeeded in destroying the factory, his actions earn him, Lebjau, Thrawn, and Padmé the anger of the local people who resent the loss of their livelihood. Viewing the devastation, Thrawn surmises that General Skywalker did not think things through and remarks that it would have been better to allow the Separatists to waste their resources than to force them to look elsewhere. Padmé confides her unease about Anakin's stubbornness. Respecting Thrawn, Skywalker invites Thrawn back to Coruscant to meet with Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. However, Thrawn declines claiming that he has other duties. Thrawn questions Skywalker's theory that the Separatists were manufacturing enhanced clone armor as part of a plot to attack Republic government offices. Unaware that Darth Sidious controls both the Republic and the Separatists, Skywalker insists that they took out a Separatist plot to destabilize the Republic. After Thrawn leaves, LebJau pleads with Padmé to give him passage offworld since the local people on Mokivj resent his role in helping those who devastated their homeworld. He settles for Padmé's offer to resettle him on Batuu. When questioned by LebJau, Skywalker admits that collapsing the mine tunnels with explosives caused a violent reaction that breached the planet's crust. The cortosis magnified the impact and lava erupted all over the area destroying farmlands and poisoning soil and water for years to come. Realizing the devastation that Anakin's actions have inflicted, Padmé promises to seek the Galactic Senate's help in providing relief for the people of Mokivj although she is not optimistic as the clone war has strained the Republic's resources. LebJau insists on leaving his former homeworld for Batuu. Skywalker suggests trying a career as a bartender at Black Spire's cantina. ### Imperial storyline #### A disturbance in the Force Following the Battle of Atollon, Thrawn has earned the displeasure of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader for failing to capture the rebel group Phoenix Cell. Thrawn also disapproves of the Death Star project that the Emperor, Lord Vader, and Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin support; preferring instead his own TIE Defender project on Lothal. During a meeting with the Emperor and Vader, Thrawn advocates eliminating the rebel fugitives. However, the Emperor instead dispatches him and Vader to Batuu to investigate a disturbance he has sensed through the Force. #### A lengthy voyage Aboard the Chimaera, Commander Kimmund of Vader's First Legion argues with Commodore Karyn Faro about the berthing of his master's shuttle and the Darkhawk, a former Separatist freighter that has been repurposed for undercover operations. Kimmund and his stormtroopers also deal with Thrawn's Noghri Rukh, who has been trespassing the Darkhawk. Kimmund warns Rukh that he and his men are prepared to shoot him should he be caught trespassing again. On the bridge of the Chimaera, Lord Vader convinces Thrawn and his crew to travel to Mokivj before heading to Batuu to save on travel time. Arriving at Mokivj hours later, they find that the planet has been devastated by an unknown catastrophe. Thrawn notices that the planet's moons are out of orbit and wants to investigate further, believing that this is linked to the disturbance on Batuu. However, Lord Vader insists on staying on track with their mission. #### Return to Batuu After a three-hour delay, the Chimaera arrives at Batuu. To avoid unsettling the locals, Thrawn and Darth Vader travel to the planet's surface in an unmarked freighter while the Chimaera remains in orbit at a safe distance. Despite Kimmund and Rukh's protests, Vader insists that he and Thrawn go alone. Flying over Black Spire, they find that the settlement has grown in size; aside from new business, Thrawn notes three particularly large and lavish houses east of Black Spire in a woodland area along with what Thrawn identifies as a Communications triad. After parking their ship, the two travel through Batuu. The town is home to several species including humans, Darshi, Shistavanens, and Jablogians. Thrawn and Vader take an interest in the Darshi, a enigmatic alien species bordering the Unknown Regions. Thrawn learns from the local bartender Nodlia that the Darshi are recent arrivals who have disrupted trade on Batuu. Meanwhile, Commodore Faro and sensor officer Senior Lieutenant Hammerly detect the arrival of several unidentified ships heading towards Thrawn and Vader's freighter. Faro alerts Thrawn and Vader. At the Black Spire cantina, Thrawn and Vader are attacked by ten Darshi warriors. Thrawn realizes the aliens are speaking in a clicked code. Besides blasters, the Darshi deploy swarms of bio-engineered insects which transform into a sticky gray paste that traps their targets. Despite being pinned down, Vader uses the Force to turn the tables on his attackers, killing four of them with his lightsaber. During the attack, Vader also experiences the disturbance in the Force, which manifests in alien forms. Meanwhile, Commander Kimmund leads a stormtrooper boarding party aboard the Darkhawk to board one of the unidentified alien freighters. The First Legion boarding party is assisted by Captain Vult Skerris of Defender Squadron One. Kimmund and his troops board the alien freighter but meet fierce resistance from the alien defenders. Kimmund also gets Skerris to blow out the ship's ventral cargo hatch in order to stop the aliens from destroying their ship. #### A new threat Following the skirmish at the cantina, Vader and Thrawn inspect a nearby clearing where two Darshi houses were cleared to make way for a freighter. Inspecting the third remaining house, Vader and Thrawn find ten cylinders used for unfamiliar purposes, which are brought back to the Chimaera. Aboard the ship, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Commodore Faro, Commander Kimmund, and Captain Skerris discuss Kimmund's assault on the alien freighter. Kimmund expresses his objection to Rukh's presence aboard the Darkhawk during the engagement with the alien freighter. Thrawn orders his lieutenants to load the alien freighter in the sixth slot and to put the alien prisoners in the brig. Vader and Thrawn return to Batuu to question Nodlia about the new alien threat. After showing knives recovered from the Darshi attackers, Thrawn questions Nodlia about the purpose of the cylinders. Nodia reveals that the unfamiliar aliens that the Imperials encountered are Grysks, an enigmatic alien species from the Unknown Regions who dominated the Darshi. While Vader is unfamiliar with the Grysks, Thrawn is familiar with the aliens, describing them as a nomadic species of terrifying warriors "who overwhelm their opponents through sheer numbers and ferocity." Nodia is afraid the Grysks will return, but Thrawn reassures him they won't. Returning to the Chimaera, Vader and Thrawn deduce that the Grysks hired the Darshi to set up a base and communications triad. The two also deduce that the cylinders are hibernation tanks. Under the Grysks' orders, the Darshi had brought the cylinders and their occupants to Baatu. Vader deduces that it was their sudden fear at the knowledge of what was to happen to them that triggered the Force disturbance that the Emperor felt. Vader and Thrawn decide to investigate the Grysks and their hibernating Force-sensitives. Thrawn and Vader discuss the captured alien freighter with Captain Skerris and Commander Kimmund. Kimmund deduces that the freighter had come to Batuu for a pick-up and reports that the ship's entire computer system had been wiped clean. Thrawn deduces

Thrawn: Alliances, a canon work of fiction, was authored by Timothy Zahn and saw its release through Del Rey on July 24, 2018. Functioning as a direct continuation of the 2017 novel entitled Thrawn, it also holds the distinction of being the second installment within the Star Wars: The Imperial Trilogy series. The narrative follows Thrawn and Darth Vader as they embark on a particular mission shortly after the events portrayed in the third season of Star Wars Rebels. Simultaneously, a parallel storyline unfolds during the era of the Clone Wars, featuring Thrawn, Anakin Skywalker, and Padmé Amidala. Regarding its place in the timeline, Thrawn: Alliances is positioned between the third and fourth seasons of the animated television program Star Wars Rebels. An audiobook version of the novel, with narration provided by Marc Thompson, was also made available to the public. In 2024, Marvel Comics published a four-part comic adaptation of the novel, with both Zahn and Jody Houser credited as writers. The concluding chapter of the trilogy, Thrawn: Treason, was launched in 2019. ## Publisher's summary In this fresh novel from the best-selling author Timothy Zahn, Grand Admiral Thrawn and Darth Vader unite to face a threat to the Empire. "I have sensed a disturbance in the Force." These words are ominous under any circumstances, especially when uttered by Emperor Palpatine. On Batuu, located at the edge of the Unknown Regions, a threat to the Empire is beginning to take root. Its existence is barely a glimmer, and its consequences are as yet unknown. However, it is significant enough for the Imperial leader to task his most powerful agents: the ruthless enforcer Lord Darth Vader and the brilliant strategist Grand Admiral Thrawn, with investigating. Fierce competitors for the emperor's favor, and outspoken adversaries on Imperial affairs—including the Death Star project—the formidable pair seem unlikely partners for such a crucial mission. But the Emperor knows it's not the first time Vader and Thrawn have joined forces. And there's more behind his royal command than either man suspects. Ages ago, General Anakin Skywalker of the Galactic Republic, and Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo, an officer of the Chiss Ascendancy, first crossed paths. One was on a desperate personal quest, the other with unknown and undisclosed motives. But facing a gauntlet of dangers on a far-flung world, they forged an uneasy alliance—neither remotely aware of what their futures held in store. Now, thrust together once more, they find themselves bound again for the planet where they once fought side by side. There they will be doubly challenged—by a test of their allegiance to the Empire…and an enemy that threatens even their combined might. ## Plot summary The story is structured around two distinct narratives. The initial narrative sees Grand Admiral Thrawn and Darth Vader embarking on a journey to investigate a disturbance in the Force located on the planet Batuu, which lies in the Outer Rim Territories at the border of the Unknown Regions. The second narrative follows Anakin Skywalker as he travels to Batuu following the disappearance of his secret wife, Senator Padmé Amidala, who was on a mission to investigate the vanishing of her handmaiden Duja. The perspectives of Thrawn, Skywalker, Amidala, stormtrooper Commander Kimmund, and Imperial Navy Commander Karyn Faro are all used to tell the story. ### Clone Wars storyline #### Mission to Batuu At some point following the trial and exoneration of Ahsoka Tano, Senator Amidala briefs Skywalker regarding her upcoming trip to Batuu. She is to meet with her handmaiden, Duja, who has discovered something of interest to the Galactic Republic. Skywalker expresses his concern about his wife placing herself in a dangerous situation, but Amidala is resolute in her determination to assist her handmaiden. Due to the responsibilities he has as a Jedi General, Skywalker is unable to accompany Amidala on her mission. Skywalker later becomes alarmed upon receiving reports that Padmé's ship has been found abandoned on Batuu. #### An unlikely ally Upon exiting hyperspace above Batuu, Skywalker, flying R2-D2's Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor, comes across an unidentified freighter. Speaking in Meese Caulf, the person aboard the freighter introduces himself to Skywalker as Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo, also known as Thrawn, an officer serving in the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet. Thrawn is seeking Skywalker's assistance in gaining knowledge about the Clone Wars. Skywalker agrees to provide assistance in exchange for Thrawn's help in locating Amidala and Duja. Skywalker locates Padmé's ship in a small forest clearing situated thirty kilometers away from Black Spire Outpost. Skywalker engages in combat with a group of smugglers who are angered by the presence of Amidala's ship in what they consider to be their landing spot. Commander Thrawn successfully intervenes to break up the fight. Together, he, Skywalker, and R2-D2 proceed to investigate Amidala's ship. They find no evidence of forced entry, but they do discover logs indicating that Duja's ship, a Nomad Four, had departed a week before Amidala's arrival. The two then make arrangements to travel to Black Spire to continue their search. Skywalker and Thrawn visit a cantina in Black Spire Outpost where they inquire with the bartender about the whereabouts of Padmé and Duja. While there, they are attacked by four assailants, whom they manage to subdue and kill. Thrawn deduces that the assailants had been dispatched to assassinate Skywalker and that a fifth companion is still at large. In an effort to track down the fifth companion, Skywalker comes up with a plan to make it appear as though one of the human assassins had managed to survive the attack. Thrawn and R2-D2 return to his Jedi starfighter with

Following the Grysks' evacuation of their captives aboard a second freighter, Thrawn, driven by a desire to scrutinize the Grysks, directs Faro to chart a course for a series of enigmatic coordinates. #### Analyzing the Adversary During their voyage, the Chimaera is confronted by a hyperlane anomaly, the result of a gravity well projector and a cloaking device strategically positioned by the Grysks. Disagreements arise between Vader and Thrawn due to Thrawn's reticence concerning the Grysk prisoners and the inexplicable Force disturbance, prompting Vader to question Thrawn's dedication to the Empire. Vader is also agitated by Thrawn's allusions to Anakin, as he endeavors to suppress all connections to his former identity. Despite their conflicting views, Thrawn endeavors to persuade Vader that the Grysks present a mutual danger to both the Empire and the Chiss Ascendancy. Upon Thrawn's suggestion, the Imperials orchestrate a ruse against the Grysks, utilizing the captured Grysk freighter as an enticing lure. Two Grysk vessels, resembling Corona-class frigates in their elliptical form, fall for the deception. One of the frigates dispatches boarding parties onto the freighter. The Grysk intruders are met with an ambush led by Lord Vader, Kimmund, and elements of the First Legion. Kimmund and his troops successfully seize the Grysk frigate, along with seventeen prisoners. Under Thrawn's command, the second frigate is obliterated. While inspecting a Grysk suit of armor, Thrawn engages in a discussion with Lord Vader regarding Grysk art and history. Thrawn apprises Vader of the Emperor's fascination with the Unknown Regions. Thrawn also instructs Commodore Faro to relocate the Chimaera to their present location. He also gives her directives to confine the newly acquired Grysk prisoners within the starboard ready block, preventing any communication with the initial group of Grysk prisoners. To evaluate the capabilities of their newfound enemies, Thrawn and Vader deliberately allow the second contingent of Grysk prisoners to break free from their temporary confinement. The aliens make an attempt to commandeer the freighter Darkhawk, but are intercepted by Commander Kimmund and his forces. The majority of the Grysk warriors are eliminated, with the exception of four. However, at least three members of Imperial Chief Hangar Master Xoxtin's crew also perish in the conflict. Thrawn and Vader ascertain that the second group of Grysk prisoners managed to establish contact with their imprisoned counterparts aboard the Chimaera through ultrasonic signals. They also discover that the Grysk warriors had extracted their teeth and substituted them with upper and lower moldings containing weapon components, communicators, and lock-breakers. Thrawn also infers that the Grysks are interested in the Darkhawk due to its acquisition from the former Separatist factory on Mokivj. Thrawn directs Faro to set a course for Mokivj, while Vader resolves to interrogate the surviving Grysks. #### Return to Mokivj As Thrawn orchestrates the space engagement with Grysk starships, Darth Vader spearheads the First Legion in an assault on the abandoned Separatist factory on Mokivj, which the Grysks have repurposed. Through the Force, Lord Vader detects eight Chiss individuals being placed into hibernation chambers within the factory. Inside the factory, Kimmund and his men engage in combat with Grysk forces, who deploy unfamiliar technology, including lightning guns and swarms of insects carrying immobilizing liquid stone. Vader employs his Force abilities to assist the Imperials in gaining the advantage over the Grysks. Kimmund and his men successfully liberate five of the Chiss prisoners, who are revealed to be Force-sensitive girls. Simultaneously, the Chimaera and its starfighters engage the Grysk warships. Thrawn and Faro are cognizant of the Chiss prisoners. Faro discerns that the Grysks are concealing the remaining Chiss prisoners among their warships. Upon Thrawn's orders, Captain Skerris' Defender Squadron neutralizes the Grysk tugs. The surviving Grysk warships execute a retreat into hyperspace. The Grysks also abandon one of Mokivj's errant moons, which they had been utilizing as a base. #### Secrets of the Chiss After attending to the needs of the freed Chiss prisoners, Thrawn convenes with Lord Vader, who expresses his displeasure at Thrawn's withholding of information regarding Chiss Force sensitives. Thrawn elucidates that the Chiss employ Force-sensitive children for navigation through the perilous Unknown Regions, as they lack nav computers. Thrawn clarifies that Chiss Force sensitives are predominantly female and eventually lose their Force abilities as they transition into adolescence and adulthood. The Grysk, having discovered their secret, are attempting to replicate it—and target one of the Ascendancy's most valuable cultural and military assets. The children's fear was the source of the disturbance in the Force that the Emperor had detected. To rescue the remaining three children, Thrawn endeavors to persuade a hesitant Vader to commit Imperial forces to locating the Grysk base and rescuing them. Vader reminds Thrawn of his oath of allegiance to the Empire, but Thrawn counters that the Grysks have already infringed upon Imperial territory by closing the Batuu hyperlane and attempting to reposition Mokivj's moons to impede Imperial movement. When Vader reminds Thrawn of his failure on Atollon, Thrawn retorts that his conflict with the rebels is not yet concluded and pledges to vanquish them. Ultimately, Vader consents to permit Thrawn to utilize Imperial forces to pinpoint and assault the Grysk base and endeavor to rescue the remaining children. However, he extracts a pledge from Thrawn to withdraw if the battle turns against them. In exchange, Thrawn requests Vader's assistance in employing his Force abilities to locate the Grysk base. Thrawn informs Vader that the Cheunh term for Force-sensitive is ozyly-esehembo, which translates into Galactic Basic Standard as "Sky-walker." Fulfilling his part of the agreement, Vader employs the Force to identify the system housing the Grysk base. #### Rescuing the Chiss children The Chimaera enters an uncharted, nameless system where the two Grysk ships are located. Thrawn and Vader infer that the Grysks are a nomadic species. Thrawn desires Lord Vader to lead the First Legion in the mission to rescue the children. However, Vader maintains that Commander Kimmund and the First Legion are capable of managing themselves. Vader taunts Thrawn about the Bendu but Thrawn insists he defeated the creature. Thrawn assures a skeptical Vader that the Chiss rescue operation will garner the Emperor's approval. While Thrawn and Commander Faro command the Chimaera, Lord Vader pilots a TIE Defender, escorting the First Legion's vessel, the Darkhawk. The Chimaera and its TIE escorts engage the Grysk ships. During the space battle, Thrawn persuades Commander Faro to capitalize on the Grysks' cultural "blindspot" of prioritizing the nearest adversary. With the Grysks preoccupied with engaging the TIEs, Thrawn deploys his TIE Defenders. Accompanied by Rukh, Kimmund and the First Legion, including Drav, Morrtic, Elebe, and Sampa, board the Grysk ship carrying the Chiss children. Kimmund and his troops fight their way through the Grysk defenders and rescue the two remaining Force-sensitive Chiss girls. Having secured the children's safety, Thrawn authorizes Vader and Defender Squadron to assault the Grysk ships. Having inflicted substantial damage on the two Grysk warships, Thrawn transmits a message demanding their departure and cessation of their expansionist campaign. Having forfeited their capacity to navigate through uncharted space, the Grysks retreat into hyperspace. #### Juggling two masters Following the battle, Thrawn arranges with Admiral Ar'alani to facilitate the return of the seven Chiss children to their respective families. Although Lord Vader remains dubious about the Grysks posing a threat to the Empire, Thrawn presents him with a Grysk gravity projector, its meshwork composed of cortosis. Based on the presence of cortosis in Grysk technology, Thrawn posits that the Grysks guided the Separatists to Mokivj in the first place, as they observed the Clone Wars from afar, scrutinizing first the Republic and subsequently the Empire. Thrawn infers that the Grysks adhere to a strategy of appropriating valuable assets from other species to coerce them into submission. On Batuu, the Grysks subjugated the Darshi by pilfering their ceremonial daggers. Thrawn elucidates that the Grysks attempted to replicate this tactic with the Chiss by abducting their children. Thrawn also deduces that Dooku surprised the Grysks by producing both cortosis battle droids and clone armor. Secretly, Vader is aware that Darth Sidious was Dooku's true master and orchestrated the construction of the cortosis factory as part of his preparations for Order 66. Thrawn anticipates that the Grysk will evolve into a significant menace to the Empire. He also acknowledges that the Chiss are on the precipice of a civil war, as some have already aligned themselves with the Grysk. Vader deduces that Thrawn's primary allegiance lies with the Chiss, but the Emperor is evidently aware of this and will permit Thrawn to operate under Imperial command as long as he remains beneficial. Despite their disparities, Vader recognizes potential in Thrawn's TIE Defender program and offers recommendations. Thrawn accepts these recommendations and pledges to convey them to the Lothal Imperial factory upon their return to Coruscant. ## Development The announcement of the novel occurred at New York Comic Con 2017 during the Lucasfilm Publishing Presents: Tales from a Galaxy, Far, Far Away! panel, where Timothy Zahn was a prominent author. Zahn disclosed during the panel that the book had already been composed and submitted to Del Rey approximately two and a half weeks before October 6, 2017. During the novel's planning phase, Zahn aspired to craft a narrative centered on the collaboration between Thrawn and Anakin Skywalker, a concept he had initially introduced in Thrawn. However, Lucasfilm desired a story portraying Thrawn's collaboration with Vader. Ultimately, the decision was made to incorporate both narratives within the same novel. While the initial concept involved Thrawn and Skywalker searching for Ahsoka Tano, the character was deemed "off-limits," leading to the substitution of Padmé Amidala. An idea initially proposed by Zahn for the novel but rejected by the Lucasfilm Story Group was the inclusion of the 501st Legion, which led to the creation of the First Legion. ## Continuity ### Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising - Launched in 2020, the subsequent Thrawn Ascendancy novel Chaos Rising alludes to Alliances and even reinterprets the scene depicting Thrawn and Skywalker's initial encounter, albeit from the perspective of Thrawn and his pilot, who is revealed to be the Sky-walker Che'ri. [10] ### Contradictions - At a specific juncture in the book, Vult Skerris is identified as a lieutenant, despite being referred to as a captain on multiple occasions. In the Star Wars Rebels episodes " Secret Cargo " and " Flight of the Defender," which transpire before and after Thrawn: Alliances, Skerris is designated as a commander. [11] [12] - The book asserts that the First Legion is Darth Vader's personal legion. Conversely, in the novel Battlefront: Twilight Company, which is set after the book but was released prior to it, Everi Chalis refers to the 501st Legion as Vader's personal legion. [13] - Naboo is stated to possess three moons. Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones indicates that Naboo has a minimum of 2 moons. [14] However, the 2016 reference book Star Wars: Complete Locations mentioned that Naboo had only one moon. [15] ## Legacy Thrawn: Alliances' sequel, the third and concluding chapter of Star Wars: The Imperial Trilogy, Thrawn: Treason, was released on July 23, 2019. In 2024, a four-issue comic adaptation of Thrawn: Alliances, penned by Zahn and Jody Houser, was published by Marvel Comics. ## Media ### Editions - ISBN 9780525480488 ; July 24 , 2018 ; Del Rey ; US hardcover [1] - ISBN 9780525480730 ; July 24, 2018; Del Rey; US eBook [2] - ISBN 9781524798925 ; July 24, 2018; Del Rey; International edition - ISBN 9781984817600 ; July 19 , 2018; Del Rey; San Diego Comic-Con 2018 Exclusive Edition - ISBN 9781984817617 ; July 24, 2018; Del Rey; US hardcover, Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition [18] - ISBN 9781984817594 ; July 24, 2018; Del Rey; Signed edition [19] - ISBN 9780525481287 ; February 26 , 2019 ; Del Rey; US paperback [3] - ISBN 9780593872772 ; February 20, 2024; Random House Worlds; Trade Paperback [20] #### International - ISBN 9789634974864 ; November 23 2018; Szukits Könyvkiadó; Hungarian paperback ( Thrawn: Szövetségek ) [21] [22] ### Cover gallery