Rebel Defenders: The Grand Admiral (Book 3 MCU/Star Wars crossover)

The Quick and Easy Path

Author's Note

This chapter is heavily focused on Grand Admiral Thrawn and how his actions will dramatically raise the stakes for this story. He has an obsession with Hera but also is curious about Danny Rand as well but that will come in a later chapter. Thrawn will also play a much larger role in future stories in the Rebel Defenders series as well. There's only a few more chapters left and things will get more intense from here. So please vote by clicking on the star at the bottom of the page and comment on anything you like or dislike as well.

"Hera we need to keep this conversation brief." General Cham Syndulla said

"Dad we need to land within Ryloth immediately. We need to recalibrate our ship's navigational route to a new jump point." Hera requested

"Hera my darling. It's so good to hear your voice. I will allow you to land but you must leave within an hour. A new Imperial officer has arrived. Someone much smarter than the officers the Empire assigned to Ryloth/Algeria in the past."

"Thrawn." Hera spat bitterly

"Grand Admiral Thrawn. Yes that's his name. Anyway promise me you'll make your stay brief.

"I promise."

"Alright guys let's prepare for a landing in Ryloth/Algeria! Take the time to refuel and do a diagnostic check on the ship!" Hera called out to the crew of the Ghost

The Ghost hiding within the clouds above Ryloth/Algeria for over an hour landed in the remote mountains of her father Cham's secret base. Hera saw posessions of her childhood home in Cham's command center. Something was missing but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"How did Thrawn take over our home and drive your Free Ryloth Movement further underground?" Hera asked in shock

She stared horrified at the small number of warriors under her father's command compared to her last visit 18 months ago. The amount of airships in the docking bay was significantly less than her last visit as well.

"This doesn't concern you. As I've told you before my freedom fighters are only
concerned with freeing Ryloth. There's no need for your Rebel movement to interfere in our operation."

"What operation? It's obvious Ryloth/Algeria is under heavy blockade. It's going to be almost impossible to get supplies to the nation. It's only a matter of time before the residents will starve and get sick. Where is the new Imperial base of operations?"

Hera glared at her father and even though he stood a head taller than her his lekku (the tendrils on his head) quivered in shame. He sighed heavily as he pointed to a map of Imperial controlled territory. At the center of the map was Hera's childhood home.

"Thrawn used the clouds as cover to invade our home and turn it into a base. He knows your here but he thinks you'll stay. The only way out of this safely is for you and your group to leave within the hour as you promised."

Hera started pacing and that made her father start pacing also.

"This whole thing is an obvious trap but why is Thrawn so confident I'll walk into it....the Kalikori where is it?" Hera demanded

She stared at her father's command center again and it dawned on her that the Kalikori was the one special possession missing from the items her father recovered during his escape.

"It's in your brother's room. I couldn't go in there and I should have sent one of my men to go in there but I was scrambling to get out before I was captured. My capture would result in the entire movement would fall apart."