- «But then, centuries later, came an invasion by a merciless enemy. Our outer worlds were overrun and the Defense Force pushed back until only Csilla remained unconquered. The enemy gathered all its ships and armies, preparing for what is now known as the Final Assault on Csilla. We knew there was no way we could stand against them, and we knew that if we lost the Chiss faced extinction.»
- ―Lamiov, to Thrass and Thrawn
The Final Assault on Csilla was a battle that occurred around 4300 BBY. The assault was the climax of a great war between the Chiss Ascendancy and a merciless opponent in the Unknown Regions. The Chiss Defense Force had been pushed back to their capital planet of Csilla, and despite their numerous losses, the Chiss had a secret superweapon: the Starflash, an ancient alien energy weapon kept secret by the Stybla family. The Starflash could only be used once and required twenty individuals to operate it—guaranteeing the deaths of all twenty. Warriors of the Mitth family volunteered, willing to sacrifice their lives for the salvation of the Ascendancy.
The weapon and all twenty Mitth, known as the Starflash team, were loaded onto a heavily armed ship and sent into the center of the enemy fleet. When the fleet neared the ship, the Mitth warriors activated the weapon, shooting a massive burst of tachyonic and lightspeed energy into Csilla's sun, which triggered a return blast thousands of times more powerful back at the weapon. The ship and the enemy fleet were destroyed, rendering the Chiss victorious. However, the burst into the sun had disrupted the sun's core, causing it to cool over the next decades, freezing the planet and eventually making Csilla uninhabitable on the surface. The Mitth were elevated to the status of ruling family, and Mitth Patriarch Mitth'omo'ross, core name "Thomoro," was granted the Stybla honorific "-odo," adopting the name "Mitth'omo'rossodo." Additionally, she was given the epithet "The Tragic" for her sons' sacrfice.
Prelude[]
- «Let me tell you about the one called Starflash. We no longer remember who obtained the item and brought it back to the Ascendancy. But they brought with it a report of what it did, how it worked, and the terrible consequences of its use. The Stybla built the Bastion, the forerunner to the UAG, and hid it away, never to be used.»
- ―Lamiov tells Thrass and Thrawn how the Chiss acquired the Starflash
The Chiss Ascendancy (logo pictured) was engaged in a war against an enemy
Around 5000 BBY,[2] during an age of exploration for the Unknown Regions Chiss Ascendancy, an alien superweapon known as Starflash was brought back to the Ascendancy. It was presented with a report of what the weapon did, how it worked, and the consequences of its use. Its design designated it as a single-use weapon, and required twenty individuals to operate it—a suicide mission for all twenty.[1]
The Chiss ruling Stybla family constructed the Bastion, a building to safeguard the weapon, in hopes to never use it. However,[1] around 4300 BBY,[2] the Chiss were engaged in a war against a merciless enemy, who had overrun the Ascendancy's outer worlds, pushing the Chiss Defense Force military back to their capital planet of Csilla.[1]
The assault[]
- «Starflash is an energy weapon. But something entirely different from spectrum lasers or plasma spheres. It sends a massive burst of tachyonic and lightspeed energy into the surface of the sun, which then triggers a return burst many thousands of times more powerful.»
«A return burst, as in back at the Starflash itself?»
«Yes. As I said. A suicide mission.» - ―Lamiov and Thrass discuss the Starflash
The final battle took place over the Chiss capital planet of Csilla (center).
The enemy had brought their entire fleet to bear down on Csilla, prepared to annihilate the world and wipe out the Chiss species. However, the Stybla family Patriarch remembered the Starflash and brought it out for usage despite never having seen it in operation. Twenty individuals were required for its operation, and warriors of the Mitth family volunteered, including the four sons of Mitth Patriarch Mitth'omo'ross, core name "Thomoro." All four of her sons insisted they face the same dangers as the rest of the Mitth, sacrificing their lives for the salvation of the Ascendancy. The Starflash team and the weapon were loaded onto a heavily armored ship and sent out into the center of the coming enemy fleet.[1]
When the enemy fleet neared the ship, the Mitth warriors activated the Starflash, which sent a massive burst of tachyonic and lightspeed energy into the surface of Csilla's sun, in turn triggering a return blast thousands of times more powerful back at the weapon. The enemy fleet, along with the Starflash and the twenty Mitth warriors, were destroyed, and the Chiss emerged victorious in the battle and the war.[1]
Aftermath[]
- «At any rate, the Aristocra were impressed by the courage and sacrifice of the Mitth. […] It was the impetus for bringing them into the ranks of the Ruling Families. It's also the reason your family emblem is that of a blazing sun, though of course the true significance of that has been buried beneath the ice of time.»
- ―Lappyncik informs Thrass and Thrawn how the Mitth became a Ruling Family
The aftermath of the Final Assault on Csilla elevated the Mitth to a ruling family and gave them their emblem—a blazing sun (pictured).
Following the destruction of the enemy fleet, the Ascendancy was able to free the Chiss outer worlds from the minor garrisons the enemy had left behind. The Patriarchs of the ruling families decided to keep the details of the assault locked away, with only the Patriarch and their Senior Aide aware of the truth—the latter tasked with conveying the truth to their Patriarch's successor. Despite being aware of Starflash's operation technique, the Chiss did not anticipate the damage it did to Csilla's sun. While the disruption from the Starflash blast was reported to affect the sun's surface layer, it extended deeper into the core of the sun. Over the next few decades, the sun began to cool, making the surface of Csilla uninhabitable. The residents of the planet were forced to move into caverns beneath the surface or to leave the planet entirely.[1]
Additionally, the Aristocra—the midlevel members of the ruling families—were impressed with the bravery and sacrifice of the Mitth and elevated them to the status of a Ruling Family. The incident also was the reason the Mitth family crest was a blazing sun. Patriarch Thomoro was granted with the Stybla family honorific "-odo"—which in the Stybla native language Tybroic was the word mark for "guardian or protector who had proved worthy of the most extraordinary respect"—for her son's sacrifice. She was also given the epithet "The Tragic," adopting the name Mitth'omo'rossodo "The Tragic."[1]
Thousands of years later,[1] by 19 BBY,[3] the battle had become known as the "Final Assault on Csilla," and the truth of the battle had been covered up over the following years. Stybla Patriarch Stybla'mi'ovodo "Lamiov" told the truth of the assault and Starflash to Mitth family Syndic Mitth'ras'safis "Thrass" and Senior Captain Mitth'raw'nuru "Thrawn." Additionally, a conspiracy theory was created among academy cadets—they believed two of the Chiss families had conspired with the invaders to bring ruin to the Ascendancy.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
The Final Assault on Csilla was mentioned in the flashbacks of the 2021 novel Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil, the final installment of Timothy Zahn's Star Wars: The Ascendancy Trilogy.[1]
Appearances[]
- Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil (First mentioned, simultaneous with Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil audiobook) (In flashback(s))
- Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil audiobook (Mentioned only) (In flashback(s))
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Star Wars: Timelines
- ↑ The flashback events of Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil take place prior to the main events of Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising, which take place in 19 BBY per Star Wars: Timelines.