«We are as he says. We can make no move, nor create any thought, without our master.» «Without your master? Or withouta master?» «What do you say?» «I say thatI am your new master.I will lead you until you can return to your people.»
―One of Generalirius Nakirre's Kilji vassals and Pathfinder navigator Qilori —Link▶️(file info)[1]
«You enjoy being master of your ship and your servants. Perhaps you enjoy it too much.» «I enjoy it purely because it was through my efforts that these vassals became enlightened.»
―Kilji Generalirius Nakirre's voice was far less melodious than that of "Jixtus," a Grysk —Link▶️(file info)[1]
The Kiljis were asentientspecies withdark brownhair and rubbery-looking, wrinkly, dark orange skin that formed patterns that reflected their emotions. The Kiljis werebipedal and had raspy voices that were far less melodious than that of a member of theGrysk species.[1]
Society and culture[]
«Your path is simplistic, self-contradictory, and self-defeating. The only ones who accept it are those the Kiljis are able to force it upon.» «You lie.» «No, for once I'm telling the truth. Look at your own servants. Did you choose them for skill, initiative, or even enthusiasm? Of course not. You chose them because they were willing to trade their last scraps of freedom to you in the hope that you would take care of them for the remainder of their lives.»
The Kiljis were deeplyreligious,conqueringworlds and species with the goal of enlightening them to the Kilji religion, theKilji way of order and enlightenment. Those enlightened to the Kilji way becameKilji vassals, beings willing to trade their freedom to the Kiljis so that they would take care of them, which served their Kiljicommanders and were unable to create any thought or make any move without their leaders. The vassals ignored the orders given by those unenlightened to the Kilji philosophy. The religion established that the enlightened did not run from battle and that they fought and prevailed. The Kilji way's followers were hostile to the unenlightened, and they were impatient and short-tempered.[1]
«Then hear and understand. You serve the Grysks. The Illumine serves the Grysks. You and your people live or die at the pleasure of the Grysks. I do not travel aboard theWhetstone at your pleasure; rather, you and theWhetstone survive at mine. I will travel aboard this ship wherever I wish, for as long as I wish, and you will obey every command I choose to give. Do you understand?» «And what of our agreement?» «It still stands. We'll assist you in bringing enlightenment to the peoples of this region. But it will be the peoples ofour choice, and onour schedule.»
Senior Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo (pictured) of the Chiss Ascendancy confronted Generalirius Nakirre of the Kilji Illumine at Zyzek.
The Kiljis' home was the Unknown Regions'Kilji homeland. Ancient Kilji dictums dictated that Kilji enlightenment was seldom an individual's first choice and that that choice could be changed, further stating that the fate of those who opposed the Kilji way could not be changed.[1] In18 BBY,[2] the Illumine was ruled by a Kiljigeneralirius,Nakirre, whose decisions were approved by theKilji Overlords. He commanded theIllumine Kilhorde, the Illumine's battlefleet, and theKilji war cruiserWhetstone. The generalirius allied himself with the coordinator of the Grysks, a Grysk operative known as "Jixtus," who vowed to guide the Illumine's conquests. In return, Nakirre allowed the operative to travel aboard theWhetstone while they attempted to conquer several nations in the Unknown Regions.[1]
The pair traveled to the Unknown Regions planetZyzek, where they encountered theChiss heavy cruiserSpringhawk and its commander, theChissSenior CaptainMitth'raw'nuruodo,core name "Thrawn." The Chiss broadcast a message that claimed that he heldWatithprisoners, prompting Nakirre to offer his assistance in bringing the Watith to theirhome, remarking that the Kilji religion required that he served others; however, Thrawn refused, and the generalirius and the Chiss engaged in a briefconfrontation that theZyzek System Defense shut down. The Kiljiwar cruiser then left Zyzek for the Chiss species' nation of theChiss Ascendancy, which Jixtus sought to destroy by manipulating itsfamilies into engaging each other in warfare.[1]
The unenlightened strike[]
«Unidentified ships, this is Senior Captain Thrawn of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet warshipSpringhawk. You stand near our prey. Move clear of the Nikardun blockade frigateAelos or suffer the humiliation of becoming collateral damage.» «Who are you to speak of prey? And who are you to give orders to warships of the Illumine?» «I already gave you my name. Do you need me to repeat it?» «Your name will die with you, unenlightened fool.»
―Senior Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo and General Crofyp —Link▶️(file info)[1]
Rhigar, where Captain Clarr'os'culry boarded the Kilji war cruiserWhetstone.
After Crofyp had his vessels prepare a cross-fire attack on theAelos, theSpringhawk arrived in the outersystem and disabled theAnvil's starboard withplasma sphere weapons. The Chiss destroyed Crofyp's vessel, and theHammer was able to flee to the Unknown Regions'"Sunrise" system after the larger Kilji vessel shielded it from the Chiss attack. TheAelos's crew and Thrawn tracked down thepicket cruiser to the Sunrise system, where the vessel was keeping station withone of Jixtus's Grysk warships. Asquad ofPaccian commandos and the senior captainboarded theHammer and killed all the Kiljis aboard, including Tildnis. Thrawn had the vessel'snavigator,PathfinderSarsh, steal aKilji data rectangle containing data on the Kilhorde before leaving the Kilji picket cruiser, which Jixtus's vessel destroyed before fleeing tohyperspace.[1]
Downfall[]
The enlightened show fear[]
«I'm saying that your Kilhorde is gone. A multi-prolonged Paataatus attack fleet engaged and destroyed it.All of it. The worlds and peoples on whom you hoped to force your enlightenment have been set free.»
Generalirius Nakirre speculated that his generals had extended their conquests to the Chiss world of Colonial Station Chaf (bottom left).
As the Ascendancy's families engaged each other inbattle and Nakirre and Jixtus met with many Chiss officials, the Kilji and Jixtus engaged each other in their own conflicts. While the Ascendancy was destroying itself as Jixtus desired, Jixtus mocked the generalirius and denigrated the Kilji path, which he classified as simplistic, self-contradictory, and self-defeating. Such mockery of the Kilji way angered Nakirre, who contemplatedmurdering Jixtus but decided against it as he knew that if he murdered the operative, his fleet would know and attack the Kilji homeland and eradicate the Kilji species. Because of that, the Kilji followed the Grysk coordinator's every command. Jixtus continued to mock the Illumine and threaten Nakirre with crushing the Illumine and twisting the Kiljis' culture, souls, and lives so that they served the Grysks without question. After the Grysk gave the Kilhorde permission to move against the nations to the southeast of the Chiss nation, the battle fleet conquered several worlds and species, aiming to enlighten them to the Kilji way.[1]
However, Thrawn shared the data he had retrieved from theHammer with thePaataatus Hiveborn nation, which deemed the Kilji force's operations near its northeast borders unacceptable. The Chiss senior captain highlighted the weaknesses in the Kilhorde's design and battle doctrine, and the Paataatus had aPaataatus attack fleetshatter the battle fleet and free the worlds and peoples it had conquered. After Nakirre did not receive any reports of victory from hisfield commanders, he feared that his generals had extended their conquests to the Chiss world ofColonial Station Chaf, an attack that would have disrupted the operation of the world'slong-range triad transmitter. He speculated that his commanders had not contacted him because they had disrupted the transmitter's operation, the only link between them and their ruler.[1]
The Kiljis' revenge[]
«You did this! Your arrogance—your refusal to accept the Kilji Illumine as true allies—your failure to provide adequate support for our conquests of enlightenment—!»
A fleet of Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet (emblem pictured) vessels and Generalirius Nakirre's vassals fought "Jixtus" at Sunrise.
Shortly afterward, Thrawn amassed a largefleet ofChiss Expansionary Defense Fleet vessels and brought it to Sunrise. He and his Expansionary Defense Fleet colleagues deactivated the fleet and spread scrap in the system while preparing for Jixtus's arrival. When theWhetstone and Jixtus's fleet arrived, the Chiss senior captain told Nakirre that the Hiveborn had destroyed his battle fleet. In response, the generalirius snapped at his Grysk ally, remarking that the Kilhorde had been destroyed by the Paataatus because the coordinator had not provided adequate support for the Kilji conquests of enlightenment and because he had not accepted the Kiljis as true allies. Jixtus then murdered the generalirius with ablaster in retaliation, prompting Nakirre's Kilji vassals to go catatonic and mourn their late master.[1]
As Thrawn's fleet came back to life and began to destroy Jixtus's fleet, the Grysk fled to hisShatter-class WarMasterFateSpinnerflagship, leaving theWhetstone's Pathfinder navigator,Qilori, alone with Nakirre's vassals. After his fleet had been reduced to seven vessels by Thrawn's forces and vessels of theGarwian Unity,Paccian Governance, andVak Combine nations, Jixtus moved to flee. Qilori realized that the Grysk could destroy theWhetstone while he fled and kill him in the process in an attempt to leave no non-Chiss witnesses to the battle, and promised to lead the Kilji vassals until he could return them to their home afterone of them told him about their inability to think for themselves. Under the Pathfinder's directive, the vassals fired all of theWhetstone's weaponry at theFateSpinner, destroying its aft flank and inducing Jixtus to activate aself-destruct mechanism aboard his flagship and destroy it,killing himself. Soon after, Thrawn instructed Qilori to bring the Kiljis to their home.[1]
Kiljis in the galaxy[]
«Vassal Four, signal Colonel Tildnis that upon my signalHammer is to move past theAelos along its portside and continue on to the planet.»
