I get to conquer the Federation (SW SI X ST)

[rx915]

The story's almost over, time to start pulling the threads closed, and prepare for the sequel.

It'll be a multi-cross, still primarily between Star Trek and Star Wars, but also including elements from Ghost in the Shell, and yes, Assassin's Creed.

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Got it planned out did you?

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

Got it planned out did you?

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The outline still needs more work, but yes, the general idea is done.

 

[rx915]

The outline still needs more work, but yes, the general idea is done.

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I feel envious to not have that kind of energy. I could get so much done just by getting the idea of the isekai I want done rather than whinging online the stories about being sent to another world could've been so much cooler while exploring a myriad of topics.

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

Dark storm clouds loomed over Paris as the Imperial Command Fleet returned to Earth in the wave of the Fall of Kharzh'ulla. As a select few Star Destroyers and their escort screens descended through the atmosphere to fly low over the city, it began to rain, lightly at first, then in powerful showers punctuated by the roaring of thunder as lightning crackled between the clouds, and then against the Imperial warships' navigational deflectors.

Despite such poor weather, though, people began to gather, whether in raincoats or under umbrellas, or even both, towards and around the Champs-Elysees. By the time shuttles launched from the Courageous, hundreds of thousands of Parisians had come together, waiting in silent anticipation. As the shuttles alighted, a low rumbling started, which erupted into a thunderous roar of triumph as I stepped out into the open.

"I could get used to this." I silently remarked, the roaring and cheering grew even louder as I smiled and waved at the crowd. Then I was walking away, towards and into a waiting Chariot command speeder. "Situation?"

"Earth is relatively-stable." General Corlis Cocburn of the Imperial Army, Inspector-General of the Terran Occupation Command. "The UNAS and the provisional European Federation are keeping their claimed territories orderly and have been cooperating with us."

"But…?" I prompted.

"Eastern Eurasia is…problematic." Corlis replied. "China is splitting along northern-southern lines, with the Northern Coalition clashing with the warlords in Yunnan and Guangxi. Tensions are rising between Japan and Korea, while in India we've had to step-in several times to prevent open fighting between the provisional government and radicals demanding the restoration of the Great Khanate."

"…as I recall, Khan Noonien Singh's daughter was among those we liberated from Tartarus, was she not?" I asked.

"She was, admiral." Sara confirmed. "Unfortunately, she's only…ten-years-old, or so, and would not really be in any position to govern."

"But at this point she has more legitimacy than the provisional government," Corlis pointed out. "As most Indians have noticed it's formed by mid-ranked United Earth functionaries and administrators. In short, they're seen as agents of United Earth, complicit in the long-term subjugation of India from the Eugenics Wars onward, and ultimately irrelevant. Worse, they're backed by the UNAS and the European Federation…"

"…the predecessors of which," I concluded. "The USA and the European Union, formed the backbone of the UN Coalition during the Eugenics Wars."

"Yes." Corlis continued.

"…I'm not comfortable with potentially provoking a popular revolt." I finally said. "At the end of the day, any society has three fundamental pillars holding it up: the military, the people, and the elites. Any aspiring government must have the support of at least two to achieve success."

"With Starfleet destroyed," Corlis noted. "We are the military now."

"Indeed," I said with a nod before narrowing my eyes. "But if you have to choose between the elites and the people, it's always better to choose the latter over the former. Ironic, I know, speaking as a member of the nobility…but it's also because I am noble-born that I'd sooner alienate the elites than the people. I know my kind. So long as we have military and popular support, any grumblings by the elites can be ignored."

"And if they should…ah, act against us?" The general delicately asked.

"Treason will be punished accordingly." I replied coldly, and the general smiled.

"Understood, admiral." He said.

"Besides," I continued. "Enough of the elites can be co-opted even in this situation, in return for a stake in the new regime. As Lieutenant Sara reminded us, the next…Khatun, as I believe the feminine form of the title is, is currently a child. A regency council will need to be formed…staff it with civilian officials, but include one ISB and Imperial military liaison each. Instruct said liaisons to be discreet, starting by letting one of the civilians preside over the regency council."

"…the power behind the throne, admiral?" Corlis asked.

"If nothing else," I coolly said. "If the civilians mess things up, we can pin the blame on them."

The general smiled again. "As you say, admiral." He said. "However, the Americans and the Europeans might have something to say about all that."

I waved a hand dismissively. "They can be managed." I said. "Based on past reports, the UNAS is concerned about all the…caudillos or whatnot, that have been popping across Central and South America since United Earth collapsed. Give them a free hand in Central America, and a limited one in the south. Also, have Imperial Intelligence discreetly support the caudillos. Divide and conquer."

"Yes, admiral." The general said with a nod.

"As for the Europeans," I continued. "Focus on the seam between Europe and Russia. As I recall from the ISB and Imperial Intelligence's reports on European history, there are deeply-buried resentments in Russia over their nation's subordination to Paris since well before the Third World War, and again to Brussels today, with the new European Federation. That will be the key to neutralizing Europe's threat to Imperial power."

"A united world would be harder to manage than several mutually-jealous and competing states." Corlis said.

"Precisely."

"And…Eastern Eurasia?"

"…let things progress for now." I said after a few moments' thought. "Intervene only to prevent an escalation to open fighting, while pushing for a compromise. Either this results in Eastern Eurasia being too divided to pose a threat, or only postpones the bloodshed."

"And in the case of the latter," Corlis said with a slow nod, catching onto the line of thought. "We only intervene once all sides are exhausted, and appear as heroes restoring peace and order."

"Yes." I said simply while rubbing my chin. "What of the rest of the planet?"

"The provisional governments in Africa, West, Central, and Southeast Asia, as well as Oceania are fully-cooperative." Corlies replied. "Indeed, in the case of Africa as well as West Asia, they've indicated a willingness to accept full integration into the Empire in exchange for protection against the European Federation drawing them into their sphere of influence. Central and Southeast Asia are more concerned about China, but they too wish to preempt that with full integration into the Empire."

"Excellent news." I said with another nod before narrowing my eyes. "We'll have to discuss the details further, but later. We're approaching the Elysees Palace. Now, we attend to the Federation's official surrender."
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

On Deep Space Nine, sparks flew along the seam of a door leading into a hangar unmarked on any map of the station. A couple of minutes later, and the sparks stopped before the doors were forced open with the shriek of protesting metal. Spider droids then marched into the hangar, empty but for a large spacecraft of some kind sitting inside.

The spider droids did a sweep, and then signaled the all-clear, with Imperial Stormtroopers and ISB agents entering the room. "Secure the area!" the ranking ISB agent barked before pointing at the spacecraft. "Prepare to board."

"Careful, Agent Barcam." Lieutenant Julian Bashir warned. "If that is a Section 31 vessel, they'll have countermeasures in place."

"I am aware, lieutenant." ISB Agent Briar Barcam replied. "But, thank you for the warning."

"Just in case," Bashir said while hefting his medical kit. "I'll be on standby if that's alright."

"Your cooperation is noted and appreciated." Barcam said with a nod.

Then with a thunderous blast, the Stormtroopers blew their way into the Section 31 spacecraft with demolition charges. The white-armored soldiers stormed into the spacecraft, then the officers outside were stepping behind cover as the sound of blaster fire could be heard.

"…clankers…we got clankers!" the warning came over the encoded line.

Then there was a flash of blue through the entry point, indicative of an ion grenade. "Interior secure!" the word went out. "Sir, you're going to want to see this."

Bashir and the ISB agents shared looks, and then escorted by another squad of Stormtroopers, approached and entered the spacecraft. It didn't take them long to find the other Stormtroopers inside, surrounded by the smoking wrecks of several androids. A few of the Stormtroopers were down too, and Bashir quickly made a beeline for them.

And then he came to a halt with a gasp of shocked betrayal. "Kira…" he said, recognizing one of the figures wearing dark-grey Section 31 fatigues inside a stasis pod, just one of twenty inside the spacecraft's hold. "…this is where you disappeared to…you…Section 31…why?"

"For the record," an ISB agent began. "That is Deep Space Nine's commander, Kira Nerys?"

"Yes." Bashir replied, looking and sounding dazed even as the ISB agent gently restrained him from staggering in Kira's direction.

"And you had no idea this is where she'd disappeared to," the ISB agent continued. "Or that she'd joined Section 31 beforehand."

"No…I didn't know…I don't know…" Bashir babbled out in disbelief. "…I don't understand. This isn't…this isn't like her…why would she join Section 31?"

The ISB Agents looked at each other uncertainly, and then Agent Barcam spoke up. "Lieutenant Bashir has fully-cooperated with us ever since we arrived at the station." He said. "We'll have to check, of course, but I'm inclined to take his word over this matter."

Bashir dryly swallowed, and stepping away, looked uncertainly around him, before approaching one of the downed Stormtroopers and began providing medical assistance on rote. Meanwhile, Agent Barcam approached a squad technical specialist who was working on a nearby control panel.

"Can we get them out?" he asked.

"We can get them out right now on your order, sir." The Stormtrooper replied.

"I'd prefer we get them out somewhere secure," Barcam responded. "Where they'd have minimal chances of escaping, or even trying to, and potentially risk losing subjects to interrogate."

"We'll need specialized equipment to get the pods out," the Stormtrooper responded. "But it can be done. They have integrated backups just in case their connection to the ship is disrupted, to keep the people inside alive. We can use that."

"Good." Barcam said before turning to the other Stormtroopers. "Get a tech team in here, on the double!"

"Yes, sir!" the squad leader responded. "Right away!"

Barcam nodded before glancing at Bashir again. "Also, get our injured out of here." He said. "There's no point in letting them lie around when there's more work to be done here."

"Sir!"
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In the Elysees Palace on Earth, the last President of the United Federation of Planets, Min Zife, signed the Instrument of Unconditional Surrender. Three documents, each in their own separate folder, written in High Galactic and Aurebesh, providing legal justification for the dissolution of the Federation, and the incorporation of its former territories into the Galactic Empire.

After signing, Zife got up, and shaking hands with me, turned and was escorted away. In return for his surrender, he would be allowed to live the rest of his life in house arrest on his homeworld of Bolarus IX. He'd be under constant surveillance, and would only be allowed to leave his home under strict supervision, but he would be allowed to receive visitors and even pen and publish his memoirs.

A very generous deal, all things considered.

It wasn't as though the fate of the leaders of the old Confederacy of Independent Systems was a secret, after all.

Zife and the Federation were lucky they ended up facing me, instead of Darth Vader or Grand Moff Tarkin, or some COMPNOR-vetted psychopath.

Vice Admiral Danetta Pitta came to mind…

…I'd have to keep an eye out for an opportunity to assassinate that man in the future.

Back to the present, though, with the former president gone, I proceeded along with my fellow Imperial officers to the reception. There was plenty of wine and finger food available, and raising a hand for silence, raised my wineglass in toast while standing at the head of the room.

"To His Excellency the Emperor," I began. "Long may he reign!"

"To the Emperor!" the Imperial officers chorused, also raising their wineglasses, but I didn't drink just yet. I had more toasts to make, but toasting the Emperor first and foremost was only expected.

"To the fallen," I continued. "May their sacrifices never be forgotten or be for naught."

"To the fallen, hail!" the Imperial officers chorused again, and I toasted one last time.

"Finally, to victory!" I said with a smile.

"To victory!" the Imperial officers chorused, and then drank after my lead. Then the music began to play, conversation filled the room, and wine continued to pour.

For my part, I flitted about the room, listening here and other, dropping in a word or two among this and that conversation, until at last I stood before the windows looking out into the palace exterior. "Is something wrong, admiral?" Sara asked as she approached in concern.

"Not at all, lieutenant." I said. "Just…being reflective, I suppose."

"Ah…my apologies, admiral, for interrupting your reverie."

"No, it's fine. Although, you have excellent timing. We'll be leaving early, I must return to Imperial Center and report to His Excellency in person. That said, no need to interrupt our fellow officers' celebrations, simply have the Courageous on standby, along with an appropriate escort."

"Yes, admiral." Sara said with a nod. "Shall I assume Admiral Torrhen will remain behind to command the expeditionary force in your absence?"

"You assume correctly."

"Very good, admiral."
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"I don't understand!" Bashir ranted as he paced across his domain, i.e. Deep Space Nine's medical bay. "Why would Kira do this? Desert her post here at Deep Space Nine? Desert her own people and planet? Join Section 31? It doesn't make any sense!"

"Actually," Lieutenant-commander Ezri Dax spoke up. "It does."

"…what?" Bashir asked in a small voice.

Ezri sighed. "Look, I know Section 31's done a lot of shady things." She said before holding up her hands to forestall an outburst from Bashir. "And a lot of more than just 'shady' things, now that that Empire's opened all the closets and let the skeletons fall out. But…! For all that, the Federation…it wasn't so bad, at least to people who toed the line."

"That's an understatement." Bashir said, still looking very agitated.

"And I agree." Ezri said with a nod. "Don't get me wrong, I don't disagree with you that no matter how…idyllic, life could be in the Federation it doesn't excuse much less justify everything Section 31 has done. I also think that we can do more and better by starting over, even under Imperial rule, than trying to keep fighting a war that's already lost."

"…but in Kira's case, that's just not good enough, huh?" Bashir asked.

"Yes, I think so." Ezri said with a sigh. "I don't blame her, though. Considering her experiences with the Cardassians, I guess she just saw too many parallels with the Galactic Empire."

"So do I." Bashir admitted in a whisper. "But…to join Section 31…"

The Augment trailed off, while Ezri looked at him knowingly. "Is it solidarity for your people?" she asked. "The Imperial commander…her people…the Valyrions, or something…they're Augments too, aren't they?"

"Valyrians." Bashir corrected. "But yes, they're apparently Augmented, though I'm not sure to what degree. I'm not helping them out of solidarity, though. I'm doing it because it's the right things. It's also why…well, I'm leaving Deep Space Nine. I'm not joining the Empire, though."

Ezri just looked at him in silence for a long time. "Where will you go?" she eventually asked.

"Andor." Bashir replied. "You know what the Andorians face, and they'll need all the help they can get. The Empire knows it, and the Andorians know it. They also know my track record when it comes to…genetic diseases, and I've been offered a position as a civilian expert, to help with curing it."

"Being able to help is worth a bow to the Coruscanti Emperor, huh?" Ezri asked with a small smile. "Sounds like you."

"Maybe it does." Bashir said with another sigh. "And I doubt the Emperor really cares what happens on this…frontier, as he no doubt sees it, so long as his troops bring him a victory or two to broadcast about. But that could work out for us…maybe even let us live more freely than we might otherwise could…"

"And at the end of the day," Ezri knowingly said. "At least the Empire isn't going to let the Andorians die out of principle like the Federation would."

"Yes."

Ezri laughed and shook her head. "Where did it go wrong?" she sighed. "Where did we go wrong?"

Bashir had no answer.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Courageous and her escorts emerged from the Belsavis Gateway, and immediately reconnected with the Holonet. "I feel less homesick already." I quipped.

"We've reestablished contact with Imperial Center, admiral." Sara said. "We have confirmation of your audience with His Excellency the Emperor."

"Very good." I said with a nod. "Captain, set course for Imperial Center, and make the jump to hyperspace once we're ready."

"Yes, admiral." The captain said before going to carry out his duty.

"It shouldn't take too long to get to Imperial Center, should it?" I mused aloud.

"Approximately two hours and forty minutes from our current position." Sara replied.

I nodded before throwing her a smile. "A wonderful thing, hyperdrive." I remarked. "Compare to our defeated enemies' warp drive, with which traversing the galaxy would take decades. And while a more…refined, version called trans-warp apparently existed, it would still take months to traverse the galaxy, when we could do so in hours or even minutes."

"If I may so, admiral," Sara began. "I'm rather curious how the Terran galaxy would develop in the following decades, as hyperdrive technology replaces warp and other, equally-primitive forms of FTL."

"Not just warp," I said. "But other technologies such as droids, bacta, and even weapons tech, among others. Not to mention the potential lifting of onerous if not outright irrational bans on certain technologies like cloning or genetic engineering."

"It would be interesting to see, admiral." Sara said with a smile, and I laughed.

"Depending on how things turn out on Imperial Center," I said. "And you might just get the chance to see it, lieutenant."

"Then I hope and pray that we get that chance, admiral. It was, and is, an honor to serve."

"Likewise, lieutenant."

The both of then turned to look out the bridge windows then, watching as the galactic starscape gently wheeled across our field of view as the Courageous reoriented itself for a hyperspace jump. Not far away, our escorting corvettes and light cruisers did likewise, and a chime sounded across the bridge, and, no doubt, across the rest of the ship as well.

Moments later, and then the stars were streaking into infinity, before we jumped to hyperspace.

"It's almost over now." I thought to myself, staring into the swirling light of hyperspace. "I have all the cards I need and could get, and all that's left is to lay them out and make my play. And then…well, we'll see. We'll see."

Nodding to myself, I crossed my arms over my chest, and just stared into hyperspace as we headed towards Imperial Center.

 

[iceknight90]

So it looks like they've won.

So far anyway. I wonder what comes next? They've won the war, but the peace is the tricky part.

 

[The Overlord]

"It's almost over now." I thought to myself, staring into the swirling light of hyperspace. "I have all the cards I need and could get, and all that's left is to lay them out and make my play. And then…well, we'll see. We'll see."

Nodding to myself, I crossed my arms over my chest, and just stared into hyperspace as we headed towards Imperial Center.

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Careful not to stare into Hyperspace TOO much now, dont want to go batshit crazy moments before you set your cards out.

 

[Wild Transient]

"…as I recall, Khan Noonien Singh's daughter was among those we liberated from Tartarus, was she not?" I asked.

"She was, admiral." Sara confirmed. "Unfortunately, she's only…ten-years-old, or so, and would not really be in any position to govern."

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Shes gonna be an important character later on isnt she?

"At the end of the day, any society has three fundamental pillars holding it up: the military, the people, and the elites. Any aspiring government must have the support of at least two to achieve success."

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Completely agree with this.

"Indeed," I said with a nod before narrowing my eyes. "But if you have to choose between the elites and the people, it's always better to choose the latter over the former

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Most of the time anyway.

Divide and conquer

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Good strategy when done right.And shes doing it right.

Careful, Agent Barcam." Lieutenant Julian Bashir warned.

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Good to see Bashir.

And then he came to a halt with a gasp of shocked betrayal. "Kira…O'Brien…" he said, recognizing one of the figures wearing dark-grey Section 31 fatigues inside a stasis pod, just one of twenty inside the spacecraft's hold. "…this is where you disappeared to…you…Section 31…why?"

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Ouch..poor Bashir. Well i suppose this would be in character for her. She did fight against the Carddassians,so the Empire coming along would feel similar to that for her to the point of joining Section 31 out of desperation.

But…! For all that, the Federation…it wasn't so bad, at least to people who toed the line."

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An unfortunate truth here.

Ezri laughed and shook her head. "Where did it go wrong?" she sighed. "Where did we go wrong?"

Bashir had no answer.

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A question so many others are asking themselves,and not getting the answer they need.

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

Shes gonna be an important character later on isnt she?

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Perhaps...

Most of the time anyway.

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This is fair.

Good strategy when done right.And shes doing it right.

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She has incentive, not wanting to see United Earth and then the Federation rising back up from the grave, among other things.

Good to see Bashir.

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He's among friends now.

Random Arkanian offshoot: So, you're gene-modded too?
Bashir: That's right.
Random Arkanian offshoot: Man, that totally sucks, I've heard what the old regime did to gene-mods like us.
Bashir: They have reason to, I mean, the first Augments back during the Eugenics Wars tried to kill everyone else, or at least the ones who wouldn't let their children be Augments.
Random Arkanian offshoot: *shrugs* Sounds a lot like what the Purebloods try to do every other century.
Bashir: Wait, what?
Random Arkanian offshoot: They try to kill us all.
Bashir: And you're fine with that? Everyone else is fine with that?
Random Arkanian offshoot: *shrugs again* They don't get very far anyway, so you get used to it. Besides, the galaxy's a big place.

Ouch..poor Bashir. Well i suppose this would be in character for her. She did fight against the Carddassians,so the Empire coming along would feel similar to that for her to the point of joining Section 31 out of desperation.

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It could be worse. At least she got caught early, so she's only liable for conspiring to join a terrorist group, before actually committing any acts of terrorism (against the Empire). She won't necessarily end up facing the firing squad.

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter
Continue on
Cheers!

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

"Well, this is certainly unexpected." I remarked as I joined my fellow, newly-promoted Grand Admirals outside the doors that led to the Imperial Palace Audience Chamber.

"And what might be so unexpected by this, lady viscountess?" Grand Admiral Rufaan Tigellinus asked.

"Why, His Excellency creating an entirely new rank," I replied. "And one above the established hierarchy of not just the Imperial Army and Imperial Navy, but even the Imperial Stormtrooper Corps as well. That, and my inclusion among what the Court is already calling the Five."

"Hmm…I concede your point with regard to our new ranks." Tigellinus said. "As for the latter…come now, my lady. Considering your recent campaign on the far side of the universe, it should not be a surprise that His Excellency has chosen to reward you accordingly."

"I agree." Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik said with a nod. "Your strategic planning was elegant in its simplicity, aiming at destroying the enemy's logistics and destroying the enemy fleet in detail. And yet such simplicity is the whole point: it had very little chance to go wrong."

"Simple is best." I modestly replied.

"I was honestly more impressed with the Targaryen Gambit in all honesty," Grand Admiral Josef Grunger chimed in. "As well as your widespread use of interdictor cruisers to control the battlefield beyond simply a means of ambushing enemy ships in transit. If you don't mind, I will borrow such novel tactical doctrines for my own campaigns."

"As would I." Teshik said with another nod before narrowing his eyes. "That said, we're going to need to expand our pool of available interdictor cruisers. In hindsight, the Imperial Navy has greatly undervalued those ships."

"An understatement, if anything." I said with a snort. "You have absolutely no idea how hard it was to scrape together as many interdictors for my campaign, and not because other fleet commanders didn't want to let go of their interdictors. It's because there's just so few of them."

"Unfortunately," Tigellinus sourly said. "Getting the money for more interdictors from the Imperial Senate is going to be like pulling teeth."

"Then perhaps we should bring it up with the grand vizier?" Teshik asked before he similarly soured. "On second thought, we should find another way."

"Speaking freely, grand admiral," I began with a respectful gesture to my senior as an officer. "I don't blame you. The grand vizier is…not a pleasant man. And the same could be said for the rest of the Imperial Ruling Council."

"Again, unfortunately," Tigellinus pointed out. "Anyone wanting to be regularly received at Court will find dealing with those snakes to be…unavoidable."

"Don't I know it." I sourly said, and Tigellinus gave me a courtly bow of sympathy.

"If we don't want to deal with the council," Grand Admiral Miltin Takel spoke up. "Then perhaps we should bring it up before the Emperor himself, after our promotions are officially confirmed at today's Court assembly?"

"The grand vizier would not appreciate being bypassed in such a way." I said before giving a grin. "That's such a terrible, we absolutely have to do it."

Teshik and Tigellinus laughed at that, while Takel and Grunger alike gave amused smiled. Then the conversation stilled, as the doors chimed, signaling that the Court was ready for us. Teshik, as the eldest among us, straightened and smoothed out his uniform. "Well, then," he began with nods at us all. "My lady, gentlemen, I shall you after today's Court assembly is done. I take my leave."

We nodded back at him, Teshik being the first of the five new grand admirals to pass through the now-open doors. He paused then, as protocol dictated, a herald announcing him even as the doors closed behind him. Grunger would be next, followed by Takel, and then myself, with Tigellinus, as the youngest of what the Court was already calling 'the Five' to be the last to enter and be received by the Emperor.

With nothing else to do, I put my hands behind my waist, and thought back to that fateful audience several weeks ago.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Admiral Targaryen," Emperor Palpatine, also known as Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith, greeted me by name as I knelt before his throne, speaking in a grandfatherly tone that held no hint of the true power and menace he possessed. "You return, and victorious at that. Well done."

"I am honored by your praise, Your Excellency." I modestly replied, keeping my head bowed. "I only regret that I was unable to return sooner."

The Emperor waved a hand dismissively. "Such is the nature of war." He graciously said. "It would do neither of us any good to dwell on it. Let us move on, and proceed to why you have sought this audience so urgently that it could not wait until after the official recognition of your success."

"Then, if may speak freely, Your Excellency?"

"Very well."

"During the conquest of the New Territories," I began. "I ran into references into a form of technology developed by the so-called Federation, supposedly able to remake worlds if not life itself into forms reflecting what its users wished. Despite the apparent…impossibility, of such technology, given how primitive the Federation was, I made it my personal responsibility to confirm or debunk said technology's existence, considering its implications either way.

"And…?"

I raised my head, looking up at the Emperor looking down with mild interest from his throne. "If I may, Your Excellency?" I asked.

The Emperor nodded, and I moved slowly and deliberately, mindful of the Sovereign Protectors and Imperial Guards nearby. Reaching down to my belt, I pulled out the DSD my family's troops had stored what we'd recovered from Memory Alpha. The Emperor gestured then, and an Imperial Advisor emerged from the shadows, an oily-looking man in dark red robes with an unflattering hat of the same color.

He took the DSD from my hand, and plugged it into a nearby terminal. It took only a few moments before the data was compiled and began to play on a nearby terminal, a hologram of the Federation logo appearing in the air.

"Security protocols overridden." A feminine voice spoke up, before the Federation logo disappeared, and an aging Human woman's face appeared, before speaking as though to a camera. "Project Genesis: a proposal to the Federation. What exactly is Genesis? Well, put simply, Genesis is life from lifelessness. It is a process whereby molecular structure is reorganized at the subatomic level into life-generating matter of equal mass."

The Emperor sat up on his throne, his smile and his expression intent and focused at geometric diagrams of the theory behind Genesis, all the while the Federation scientist summarized their initial experiments under the project. "Stage Three will involve the process on a planetary scale." The scientist continued, even as the screen showed the diagrams for a planned 'Genesis Device', before switching to a simulation of Genesis' final deployment. "It is our intention to introduce the Genesis Device into a pre-selected area of a lifeless space body, a moon or other dead form. The device is delivered, instantaneously calling what we call the 'Genesis Effect'. Matter is reorganized with life-generating results. Instead of a dead moon, a living breathing planet capable of sustaining whatever life forms we see fit to deposit on it."

The record wasn't finished playing yet, but the most important part was done. Now, the Emperor sat back on his throne, fingers held in thought against his lips as the record ended, and technical data began scrolling by on the hologram, more than enough to restart the project from when and where the Federation abandoned it.

"What a wonderful gift, Admiral Targaryen." The Emperor finally said, his irises visibly flaring gold as his true identity bled through. "Let us get to the point: what do you want?"

I made sure to meet the Emperor's eyes before making my final throw of the dice, one way or another. "Earth." I said.

There was a moment of profound silence, the Imperial Advisor nearby looking shocked and even appalled at my naked grab for power. Even if I had been the one to conquer said planet to begin with, this was too much. And I knew it too, and fully expected the lash of the Emperor's lightning.

But the Emperor did not do anything of the sort.

Instead, he threw his head back and laughed. "Is that all?" he asked with mocking amusement. "Why, Admiral Targaryen, you are an exceptionally modest individual. You give me the power to reshape worlds, life itself, in my image, and you ask only for a march on the frontier to govern as you see fit."

I bowed my head in silence, even as the Emperor waved graciously. "No matter." He said. "Let it not be said that I am not magnanimous. You shall have what you desire, admiral, and so much more."
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Grand Admiral Jaenera of House Targaryen," the Court Herald proclaimed as I stepped into the Imperial Palace Audience Chamber, already in the matching white shirt and trousers of an Imperial Grand Admiral's uniform, complete with gold epaulettes and a unique rank plaque. "Viscountess of Summerhall."

I paused as the doors closed behind me, and then a heartbeat later, walked at a steady pace towards the central pillar, atop which stood the Emperor's throne. Arriving at the end of the walkway, I sank down to one knee, head bowed. "Grand Admiral Targaryen," the Emperor began. "Your military achievements are truly remarkable."

"I am honored by your praise, Your Excellency," I formally replied. "But such has only been possible as a result of your patronage."

The Emperor gestured, and an aide offered him a scroll. "In recognition of your success in crushing the enemy forces and imposing Imperial authority over the New Territories," the Emperor proclaimed. "I hereby promote you, Jaenera Targaryen, Viscountess of Summerhall, to the rank of Imperial Grand Admiral. I also appoint you as Viceroy of the New Territories, with full authority over military and civilian affairs therein. So let it be known going forward from this twenty-second day of the tenth month of the twentieth year of the Imperial Calendar."

On the ground floor, an Imperial Advisor approached, flanked by a pair of Royal Guards. The man brought with him a tray, on which was a rolled-up scroll, my own copy of the Emperor's proclamation. I took the scroll with a bow, and then one of the Royal Guard's offered a baton, which I took with another bow, and bowing before the Emperor, stepped back and away.

All the while I could hear the murmuring of the Court, although I could barely make out any of what they were saying.

I could guess, though.

The Republican partisans, like that two-faced political animal Mon Mothma from Chandrila, or the Corellian firebrand Garm bel Iblis, as well as the genuinely-idealistic Bail Organa of Alderaan, were grumbling about yet another Imperial appointee being giving sweeping powers over a vast stretch of space with no senatorial oversight.

Then there were the COMPNOR functionaries, the ones with no real ability to think for themselves similarly grumbling over a woman being given such rank and recognition against all the traditional expectations and roles of women in Human High Culture. Then there were the ones who could actually think for themselves, usually my distant cousins, aunts, and uncles, with varying degrees of remoteness (all Human nobles being related in one way or another with each other), who were already rationalizing my apparent contradiction to Human High Culture as an exception to the rule born out of my blooded status as one of the Great Houses.

Typical really…

…then there were those who were neither Republican partisans or COMPNOR functionaries and patrons, but were simply in the business of power. All of them, each and every last one of them, posed potential dangers to my vision of the future, or could even be allies in reshaping Terran Humanity back into what they should be.

Not perfect caricatures who could do no wrong and were always right, but just people living their lives freely for good or ill.

And from there, they can go further, climb higher, go further…

…and this time, the chains of nature would not hold them back.

"Now then," I thought to myself as I joined my fellow grand admirals and looked on as Grand Admiral Tigellinus was officially recognized before the assembled Court. "Let us begin anew."

 

[AlreadyGoneAway]

Ahh, I don't want it to end… Sequel set in the future, when?

 

[Wild Transient]

Honestly as long she is in charge of the New Territories things will be all right,especially if and when Palpy kicks the bucket. That and one has to wonder if the whole problem with the Rebels gets nipped in the bud or at least kept to trivial levels via other Admirals snd Generals emulating her methodson handling civilians.

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

Ahh, I don't want it to end… Sequel set in the future, when?

Click to shrink...

When it's ready.

Honestly as long she is in charge of the New Territories things will be all right,especially if and when Palpy kicks the bucket.

Click to shrink...

Depends on who you ask...the surviving Federation hardliners will be screaming at how they can never be rid of her, or how she somehow just knows where to press and what temptations to offer, turning Terran Humanity away from their ideal utopian vision and instead embracing Human nature in all its chaotic potential for good and evil. And from there...

...beyond.

"Man must become better and more evil."

- Friedrich Nietzsche, Also sprach Zarathustra

That and one has to wonder if the whole problem with the Rebels gets nipped in the bud or at least kept to trivial levels via other Admirals snd Generals emulating her methodson handling civilians.

Click to shrink...

Probably not. Some might, but most would probably stay the same. I mean, I don't see either Darth Vader or Grand Moff Tarkin acting any different, do you?

 

[loki98065]

Ahh, I don't want it to end… Sequel set in the future, when?

Click to shrink...

maybe with a bit of a time skip. up to when rebellion really kicks of. though if I was her once the emporer gets killed. shut down the worm hole. skip all that war that followed.

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

Mind you, even if the general Imperial attitude remains unchanged, plenty of butterflies have already been introduced. In particular, she's popularized the interdictor cruiser, something the Empire - with the exception of Thrawn - originally failed to properly use or even appreciate. Leia even at point describes interdictor cruisers as one of the Empire's greatest weapons against the rebels, and a very cost-effective one at that. Remember that until the Battle of Endor, the rebels' primary MO was hit-and-run attacks on Imperial strongholds, pirate attacks on Imperial convoys on the Outer Rim, and even assassinations or outright terror bombing.

Basically, never fight on the Empire's terms, running before the Empire can respond properly. Interdictors play hell with that strategy, either keeping the rebels from running, and/or forcing them to fight on the Empire's terms. Back to Leia, she also remarked that if the Empire had built more interdictors instead of sinking their resources into superweapons, the rebels would either have been defeated, or even if they'd still won, they'd have taken much heavier losses.

Only now, interdictors have become something of a craze.

Speaking of superweapons, our dear admiral has given Darth Sidious the Genesis device. Well, its data, at any rate. Still, that's one hell of a gamechanger, so much so that the Emperor found it amusingly modest on the admiral's part that she only asked for a fief on the frontier in return for the power of creation.

 

[AHHGKS]

Speaking of superweapons, our dear admiral has given Darth Sidious the Genesis device. Well, its data, at any rate. Still, that's one hell of a gamechanger, so much so that the Emperor found it amusingly modest on the admiral's part that she only asked for a fief on the frontier in return for the power of creation.

Click to shrink...

Palpy could use the genesis tech data to enhance / upgrade the terraforming technology available in the Star Wars / Star Trek techbases. Doing so and using it for demonstration purposes on old bombed out dead worlds from the Clone Wars era and before, could buy him lots of cheap (on an interstellar government's scale) PR points. Doing it to clean up or revive dead/dying worlds from CIS attacks or Jedi-led GAR incompetence, might get him a bunch of happy-ish people / PR.

That Palpy would be researching how to turn the Genesis torpedo into an actual bloody superweapon from that research is a no brainer. Still it could be used to massively speed up planetary ecosystem revival or planetary cleanup efforts. Same with replicator, terraforming and other ST tech like cargo transporters. Beaming up big concentrations of polluting crap, which is then dumped into recycling machines would by itself speed up clean up efforts.

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

Genesis is already a superweapon by itself, though. It's meant for use on uninhabited or lifeless worlds (or indeed, both), simply because preexisting life on any world Genesis is used on would be destroyed to make way for what it creates.

 

[AHHGKS]

Genesis is already a superweapon by itself, though. It's meant for use on uninhabited or lifeless worlds (or indeed, both), simply because preexisting life on any world Genesis is used on would be destroyed to make way for what it creates.

Click to shrink...

It's meant to be a tool for fast terraforming. Yes, I know that it was brought up in movie that it can be used as a weapon to destroy then create at the same time. What I meant was that since it's the project data turned over at the moment. It can be used to probably do small Stage 2 Genesis caverns on damaged / dead worlds easily. Mix that with current Empire terraforming or planetary ecosystem repair tech and Star Trek terraforming tech, then the speed at which planets can be repaired should go forward massively.

Eventually Palpy will be able to get the Stage 3 Genesis torpedo working, but that might be 10-15 years from now with all of the other behind the scenes superweapons research the Empire has going on. Dropping a genesis torpedo on some completely dead worlds or that have been eaten by the Mnggal-Mnggal would be really useful. The completely dead or BDZ (planetary bombardment Base Delta Zero) planets could be made fully habitable again very soon. Though knowing SW style shenanigans, the Genesis torpedo tech and project data will be /lost/ soon after Palpy gets offed on DS2. However, the basic improvements to terraforming tech and pollution control will probably stick around.

 

[iceknight90]

Well if Star Wars canon proceeds as normal and the Empire is defeated by the Rebellion...

Grand Admiral Targaryen, last warlord of the Galactic Empire, Countess of Summerhall and Viceroy of the New Territories will have a wonderful staging ground and base of power to launch a war to restore the Empire.

Perhaps with herself as the duly elected Galactic Empress, appointed by the popular acclaim of her fleets and armies.

And hopefully she can avoid the idiocy of the new trilogy.

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

Well if Star Wars canon proceeds as normal and the Empire is defeated by the Rebellion...

Grand Admiral Targaryen, last warlord of the Galactic Empire, Countess of Summerhall and Viceroy of the New Territories will have a wonderful staging ground and base of power to launch a war to restore the Empire.

Perhaps with herself as the duly elected Galactic Empress, appointed by the popular acclaim of her fleets and armies.

And hopefully she can avoid the idiocy of the new trilogy.

Click to shrink...

Seeing as this is Legends Star Wars, it's a given that she'll avoid the idiocy of the sequel movies by default.

 

[Morkail]

Would Be interesting to see what happens after the emperor dies at the second Death Star (if that still happens) because events that followed after that were kind of stupid the empire collapsed in to evil stupid warlords all fighting each other and the new republic which allowed the new republic to get off the ground to begin with.

but Grand Admiral Targaryen is not stupid evil she had a decade or more to build infrastructure and loyalty among the former federation worlds before the empire falls apart the rebels alliance probably won't have to deal with her at all till after the new republic is formed and by that point her position will be quite secure.

thanks for the chapter.

 

[anthony corcoran]

Would Be interesting to see what happens after the emperor dies at the second Death Star (if that still happens) because events that followed after that were kind of stupid the empire collapsed in to evil stupid warlords all fighting each other and the new republic which allowed the new republic to get off the ground to begin with.

but Grand Admiral Targaryen is not stupid evil she had a decade or more to build infrastructure and loyalty among the former federation worlds before the empire falls apart the rebels alliance probably won't have to deal with her at all till after the new republic is formed and by that point her position will be quite secure.

thanks for the chapter.

Click to shrink...

To be fair not all the warlords were stupid, but the majority were. It also didnt help that some truly evil people ended up in charge on the capital.
Add to that the rebels pretty much declaring they won and poaching planets even if some planets didnt want anything to do with the rebels.

It always surprised me that the New Republic was portrayed as the good guys when they did some really messed up stuff to planets who didnt want the rejoin the republic or were truly loyal to the empire. The new republic always struck me as beinging morally bankrupt in the end.

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

To be fair not all the warlords were stupid, but the majority were. It also didnt help that some truly evil people ended up in charge on the capital.

Click to shrink...

You mean Ysanne Isard? Well, no argument there. It certainly didn't help that Grand Vizier Sate Pestage fucked off to Byss to resurrect the Emperor (just as planned).

Add to that the rebels pretty much declaring they won and poaching planets even if some planets didnt want anything to do with the rebels.

Click to shrink...

To be fair, after the Empire fractured, the New Republic seemed the logical choice for restoring order in the galaxy, and a lot of the worlds on the Rim were already pro-Alliance to begin with.

It always surprised me that the New Republic was portrayed as the good guys when they did some really messed up stuff to planets who didnt want the rejoin the republic or were truly loyal to the empire. The new republic always struck me as beinging morally bankrupt in the end.

Click to shrink...

This is true. Leia at one point sadly reflected that when the New Republic liberated Coruscant, they - the leadership - couldn't stop their own troops from inflicting a white terror on the civilians. While some people deserved what they got, like the Emperor's personal corps of professional torturers, other people were lynched simply for working or even just living in the Imperial Palace, i.e. maids, manservants, cooks, errand boys, and the like.

Not to mention by the time Mothma and Leia's generation began giving way to the next one, the New Republic again adopted the Core-centric policies and indulged in the factionalism that doomed the Old Republic to begin with. It was so bad that when the New Republic was dissolved in favor of the Galactic Federation during the Yuuzhan Vong War, Leia contemptuously reflected on how the New Republic had already fallen in all but name even before the invasion. And the stigma thereof so tainted the Galactic Federation that the Rim, once the New Republic's greatest supporters, instead turned to the rising power of the Fel Empire for leadership.

 

[AHHGKS]

This is true. Leia at one point sadly reflected that when the New Republic liberated Coruscant, they - the leadership - couldn't stop their own troops from inflicting a white terror on the civilians. While some people deserved what they got, like the Emperor's personal corps of professional torturers, other people were lynched simply for working or even just living in the Imperial Palace, i.e. maids, manservants, cooks, errand boys, and the like.

Click to shrink...

If the MC knows that this is what's likely to happen to the normal staffers in the Palace, then would she grab them before the "liberation" of Coruscant? As well as looting the leftovers of the Jedi Temple stuff, and or Archives? Try to recruit some of the leftover Inquisitors and maybe a few of the Emperor's Hands?

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

Though knowing SW style shenanigans, the Genesis torpedo tech and project data will be /lost/ soon after Palpy gets offed on DS2. However, the basic improvements to terraforming tech and pollution control will probably stick around.

Click to shrink...

Only noticed this now. Actually...the plans and tech behind the Death Star were never lost. IIRC, the plans for both the original Death Star and its successor were both intact, and kept secure in the central archives on Coruscant even under the New Republic.

Unless Sidious locks away the Genesis technology on Byss, it shouldn't get lost either, the way the tech for the Galaxy Gun and the World Devastators were. Or in the case of the Sun Crusher, only its designer, Qwi Xux, had the knowledge to replicate the weapon, until Kyp Durron used Sith Magic to wipe her memories thereof.

 

[AHHGKS]

Only noticed this now. Actually...the plans and tech behind the Death Star were never lost. IIRC, the plans for both the original Death Star and its successor were both intact, and kept secure in the central archives on Coruscant even under the New Republic.

Unless Sidious locks away the Genesis technology on Byss, it shouldn't get lost either, the way the tech for the Galaxy Gun and the World Devastators were. Or in the case of the Sun Crusher, only its designer, Qwi Xux, had the knowledge to replicate the weapon, until Kyp Durron used Sith Magic to wipe her memories thereof.

Click to shrink...

Knowing Palpy? It'd probably be one of his final f*** you contingencies that the /good/ stuff that was looted from the Federation techbase is locked away in some super secret archive with a copy stashed into his personal holocron. Just as an additional up yours to /any/ light sider or Rebel/Republican who offs him. Why? He's a Sith, they're kind of petty like that.

 

[Kuriboh1233]

Is there even a point to the Deathstar anymore? I'm pretty sure Palpy can just glass whatever planet he wants then Genesis it back to usefulness. Hell wouldnt the Genesis bomb work ona already living planet and just resetting it to uninhabited but thriving?.

 

[anthony corcoran]

If the MC knows that this is what's likely to happen to the normal staffers in the Palace, then would she grab them before the "liberation" of Coruscant? As well as looting the leftovers of the Jedi Temple stuff, and or Archives? Try to recruit some of the leftover Inquisitors and maybe a few of the Emperor's Hands?

Click to shrink...

The liberation of Coruscant was one of the worse events the New Republic ever conducted.

Depending on which canon and were in lore you look the might not be anything in the archives or temple as the emperor in some lore built his main palace on top of it after moving everything to his hidden vaults. In of stories its said the Temple was stripped bare and left as a monument to the empires victory over the jedi except it had imperial flags hnging from it.(in that canon they also supposdly never cleared the corpses so the interior had remains still present.)

As for the Palace staff it was much much worse than just them. What you have to bare in mind is the multiple levels of the city planet. it was mentioned in a few stories that if you went a hundred levels into the planet most residents and inhabitants didnt even realise the Old republic had collapsed and become the empire. Same as they didnt know the empire was replaced with the New republic.
The first they knew about it in the stories was Republic military units locking down elevators and rabidly searching for imperial sympathiers. The arrested/detain and pretty much terrorised enough people they suffered actual riots and revolts on the lower levels. it wasnt just the humans doing it either you had alien residents that were still there from pre empire days being forced to follow the party line of the new republic or suffere the same prejudices as their neighbours.
it had knock on effects aswell all the way to the underdwellers helping to sabotage the shield generators when the vong showed up.
This on top of people blaming the New Republic for the results of the Lusankya demolisign miles of the city in its escape from them.(To be fair they didnt know it was there till late into the operation)

the problems also werent only on imperial center either, You had places like corellia and Kuat being threatened into compliance by the New Republic and quite alot of Humancentric worlds being forced ot open themselves to huge numbers of refugees. To make it worse is alot fo these systems still had planetry fleets that then went rogue or join a imperial faction. Later corellia full on revolted and went for independance and Kuat basically sold the imperial factions ships by the fist full, while being politely hostile neutral.

You mean Ysanne Isard? Well, no argument there. It certainly didn't help that Grand Vizier Sate Pestage fucked off to Byss to resurrect the Emperor (just as planned).

Click to shrink...

Yep along with the various inquisitors that survived and Daala with her hidden fleet.

To be fair, after the Empire fractured, the New Republic seemed the logical choice for restoring order in the galaxy, and a lot of the worlds on the Rim were already pro-Alliance to begin with.

Click to shrink...

Very true it just a shame they were so hamfisted about it that it forced many planets and worlds to eventually flip right back to the imperials within 30years of the allances victory

This is true. Leia at one point sadly reflected that when the New Republic liberated Coruscant, they - the leadership - couldn't stop their own troops from inflicting a white terror on the civilians. While some people deserved what they got, like the Emperor's personal corps of professional torturers, other people were lynched simply for working or even just living in the Imperial Palace, i.e. maids, manservants, cooks, errand boys, and the like.

Not to mention by the time Mothma and Leia's generation began giving way to the next one, the New Republic again adopted the Core-centric policies and indulged in the factionalism that doomed the Old Republic to begin with. It was so bad that when the New Republic was dissolved in favor of the Galactic Federation during the Yuuzhan Vong War, Leia contemptuously reflected on how the New Republic had already fallen in all but name even before the invasion. And the stigma thereof so tainted the Galactic Federation that the Rim, once the New Republic's greatest supporters, instead turned to the rising power of the Fel Empire for leadership.

Click to shrink...

Alot of the earlier problems can be laid at mon mothmas feet entirely, literal she became the chancellor as soon as they won but it took years for her to willing give up the powers she had, she also refused to step in to stop alot of the worse events happening. it says alot when most of your high command resign within months of winning along with alot of the rest of the alliances. Whats worse though is when Mon mothma finally resigned she handed power to the Damn spy master, who absolutly depising anything with the name imperial it it. It was bad enough he sacrificed planets to the vong in the early parts of the war.

 

[Kuriboh1233]

The liberation of Coruscant was one of the worse events the New Republic ever conducted.

Depending on which canon and were in lore you look the might not be anything in the archives or temple as the emperor in some lore built his main palace on top of it after moving everything to his hidden vaults. In of stories its said the Temple was stripped bare and left as a monument to the empires victory over the jedi except it had imperial flags hnging from it.(in that canon they also supposdly never cleared the corpses so the interior had remains still present.)

As for the Palace staff it was much much worse than just them. What you have to bare in mind is the multiple levels of the city planet. it was mentioned in a few stories that if you went a hundred levels into the planet most residents and inhabitants didnt even realise the Old republic had collapsed and become the empire. Same as they didnt know the empire was replaced with the New republic.
The first they knew about it in the stories was Republic military units locking down elevators and rabidly searching for imperial sympathiers. The arrested/detain and pretty much terrorised enough people they suffered actual riots and revolts on the lower levels. it wasnt just the humans doing it either you had alien residents that were still there from pre empire days being forced to follow the party line of the new republic or suffere the same prejudices as their neighbours.
it had knock on effects aswell all the way to the underdwellers helping to sabotage the shield generators when the vong showed up.
This on top of people blaming the New Republic for the results of the Lusankya demolisign miles of the city in its escape from them.(To be fair they didnt know it was there till late into the operation)

the problems also werent only on imperial center either, You had places like corellia and Kuat being threatened into compliance by the New Republic and quite alot of Humancentric worlds being forced ot open themselves to huge numbers of refugees. To make it worse is alot fo these systems still had planetry fleets that then went rogue or join a imperial faction. Later corellia full on revolted and went for independance and Kuat basically sold the imperial factions ships by the fist full, while being politely hostile neutral.


Yep along with the various inquisitors that survived and Daala with her hidden fleet.



Very true it just a shame they were so hamfisted about it that it forced many planets and worlds to eventually flip right back to the imperials within 30years of the allances victory


Alot of the earlier problems can be laid at mon mothmas feet entirely, literal she became the chancellor as soon as they won but it took years for her to willing give up the powers she had, she also refused to step in to stop alot of the worse events happening. it says alot when most of your high command resign within months of winning along with alot of the rest of the alliances. Whats worse though is when Mon mothma finally resigned she handed power to the Damn spy master, who absolutly depising anything with the name imperial it it. It was bad enough he sacrificed planets to the vong in the early parts of the war.

Click to shrink...

I honestly got the impression that she has basically been salty that Palpy beat her to the crown. She always gave me the same skeevy feeling that the lady in Mockingjay did.

 

[The Overlord]

I dont think this changes the rebellion issue of too many rebels, across countless planets, and not enough garrison troops to account for them all. The interdictors is gonna pull hell on the Rebellions success, assuming they still succeed in my belief, but its gonna be a VERY bitter one. Considering in the old canon even the New Republic had its own pro republic warlords that weren't fully following the government I imagine that situation would be ALOT worse in this timeline with the New Republic essentially becoming itself a strong warlord state acting as the central government for a confederation of republican warlords similar to nationalist china in the interwar period especially with how utterly scattered the post Palpatine New Republic was initially before they cut their losses and centralized their forces together for the most part. I don't see that centralization of forces happening here both due to weakness, and a far greater friction among the republic forces due to the more brutal conflict and the still overwhelming power of imperial warlords to worry about.

If I was a rebel in those early days, if it was not for the Republics momentum and lack of focus on them by the warlords id have given up hope in the Republic not gonna lie and become something of a local separatist instead or even turncoat to a more reasonable imperial warlord.