Watith

The Watith were a sentient species hailing from an Unknown Regions star system. They used a type of hyperspace prediction technology, their own script, and employed a class of gunboats that could be piloted remotely. Around 18 BBY, serving the Grysk "Jixtus," the Watith Captain Fsir intercepted the Chiss heavy cruiser Springhawk and Senior Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo of the Chiss to prevent them from joining the Hoxim incident. Unfortunately for the captain, the Chiss knew of his ploy, which he defeated where Fsir claimed the Vagaari pirate base was located. Shortly after, Generalirius Nakirre of the Kilji Illumine nation attempted to acquire several Watith prisoners—including Fsir—from Thrawn at the Unknown Regions planet Zyzek; however, the senior captain refused.

Biology and appearance

The Watith were a species of sentients that originated from an Unknown Regions star system.^[1]

Society and culture

Led by a group of leaders, the Watith had little knowledge of the Chiss people. The species used their own script^[1] and had access to a hyperspace prediction lattice built into at least one of their ships.^[2]

History

Around 18 BBY,^[3] the Watith Captain Fsir was hired by the Grysk operative "Jixtus" at the Unknown Regions planet Zyzek^[2] to intercept the Chiss heavy cruiser Springhawk and its commander, Senior Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo "Thrawn," to prevent their participation in the Hoxim incident. Using his Saltbarrel freighter and twenty-three Watith gunboats, Fsir staged a trap for the Springhawk in a star system along the heavy cruiser's route. Once the Chiss warship was nearby, the Watith hyperspace prediction lattice implanted in the Saltbarrel notified Fsir, who commanded his companions to pilot the gunboats remotely to simulate a pirate attack on his starship that would catch the attention of Thrawn.^[1]

The senior captain's flagship got out of hyperspace shortly after, and the Saltbarrel's captain requested assistance in destroying his assailants, which the Chiss provided. After Thrawn destroyed the attackers and learnt of the Watith's name and point of origin, the other claimed the Watith leadership had tasked him and his people with setting up a long-range triad transmitter on a nearby planet, as the only one in the region was operated by the Paataatus species, who did not share it. Fsir then shared that they were near the Vagaari pirate base, which according to the Watith Thrawn should attack to prevent a follow-up attack. Thrawn agreed, and after studying the gunboats' debris journeyed to the Vagaari base. There, the Watith freighter used more gunboats remotely to assault the Springhawk, however, the Chiss heavy cruiser Grayshrike arrived and deactivated all the Watith vessels. After capturing Fsir, the Chiss senior captain learnt that he had been hired by an unknown alien—^[1] who unbeknownst to him was Jixtus.^[2]

Shortly after, Thrawn learnt of a plot crafted by agents of Jixtus, the Agbui, to precipitate a civil war in the Chiss Ascendancy, and the senior captain traveled to the planet to Hoxim to prevent the plot's success. There, he utilized the Saltbarrel to destroy a mine on the planet that several Chiss families wanted to claim, preventing the families from fighting.^[1] Weeks afterward, the leader of the Kilji Illumine nation and an ally of Jixtus, Generalirius Nakirre, met Thrawn at the Unknown Regions planet Zyzek, where he attempted to obtain the Watith prisoners from the senior captain. Thrawn refused, leading to a short confrontation shut down by Zyzek System Defense.^[2]

Behind the scenes

The Watith first appeared in the 2021 novel Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good, written by Timothy Zahn as the second installment in the Star Wars: Ascendancy Trilogy.^[2]

Appearances

• Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good (and audiobook) (First appearance)
• Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)

Notes and references