First of all, systematic speciesism in the Empire is the stuff of propaganda. There is ample evidence that nonhuman species participated in and benefited from the New Order, from the rank and file all the way up to the halls of the Imperial Palace. In fact, there is even evidence from the Han Solo and the Corporate Sector Sourcebook and Han Solo at Stars' End suggesting that slavery was (generally) illegal; even when there is incontrovertible evidence of agents of the Imperial State trafficking in persons -- e.g., The Paradise Snare and "The Search Begins"/"Death in the City of Bone!" -- it is readily clear that humans were victimized as well, with no regard for species. When it decided to flagrantly violate its own citizens' sapient rights, the Imperial State was an equal opportunity oppressor.Master_Baerne wrote:Admiral Daala found several people willing to help her resurrect the Empire, and she's a phsycopath. Thrawn, being alien, could empathize more with nonhuman subjects. He has real victories to produce, whereas Daala had zip. I maintain that he should have had more than what he got.
This does not mean that there was no species-based bias; like all good propaganda, the charge is partially based in fact. However, it is fatuous to take this endemic bias for more than it is worth. Species-based discrimination existed in the twilight of the old Galactic Republic -- "Judicial Fired for Complaints of Species-Bias" (HoloNet News Vol. 531, No. 55) mentions that 37 incidences of wrongful discrimination were discovered during an investigation into the Judicial Department's own director of personnel, Lanyss Gutierrace. It continued to exist after the Imperial era; see The Krytos Trap, Solo Command, and the Diversity Alliance miniseries in Young Jedi Knights for prominent examples of speciesist tensions in the supposedly enlightened New Republic. Notably, neither era was noted for a lack of prominent nonhuman leaders.
At any rate, you underestimate the extent of Grand Admiral Thrawn's power during his term as the shôgun of the Empire. In Heir to the Empire, the Empire was said to control "barely a quarter of the galaxy." The Essential Chronology states that Thrawn "consolidated loyal Imperial forces," which probably refers to the quasi-independent pocket empires under nominal Imperial suzerainty in the Mid-Rim; The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, Second Edition states that "many such areas" controlled by the Empire were "firmly controlled by the Imperial starfleet, which for the time being has rallied around Grand Admiral Thrawn," but "this is a tenuous alliance at best," as "many of the regions of 'Imperial Space' are actually small dictatorships, administered and controlled by the Moffs who were directed to run them for the Emperor in years past." (The Dark Empire Sourcebook adds that "Thrawn's support was far from universal or even enthusiastic," which obviously requires his power base to be larger than the small squadron seen in the trilogy.) The Last Command mentions the Empire as having major shipyards at Bilbringi, Ord Trasi, and Yaga Minor.
At the same time, you overestimate Thrawn's sympathy for nonhumans. The Chiss were an extremely xenophobic species. "The University of Sanbra Guide to Intelligent Life: The Chiss" mentions that they had a "cultured contempt" for other species, and that they regarded all others as being "primitive and barbaric." The New Republic Historical Council -- a shameless perpetrator of the propagandistic "Evil Racist Empire" line -- notably claims that nonhumans became significant within the Empire's power structure only during the brief reign of the Imperial Interim Ruling Council in 46rS, whereas Thrawn's War took place two years earlier, in 44rS.
You also overestimate the strength available to Corporal Daala's zombified "Empire." According to Darksaber, she controlled one Super Star Destroyer, 45 Imperial Star Destroyers, and 112 Victory Star Destroyers -- which is equivalent to only three or four Sector Groups under the Empire (in fact, according to the Imperial Sourcebook, a particularly influential Imperial potentate like Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin or Moff Carlinson could easily have as many as 97 Imperial Star Destroyers at his disposal). Her fleet was not particularly impressive -- Grand Admiral Josef Grunger assembled a fleet of 30 Imperial and Victory Star Destroyers on the strength of his name alone before his death in 40rS, according to "Who's Who: Imperial Grand Admirals."
Just for curiositiy then, how many ships dis Thrawn command?
