Star Wars – Aftermath

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The Shadow Empire – Part 3

Admiral Daala’s Forces

The forces possessed by Admiral Daala are very unusual for an Imperial Commander, as the bulk of Admiral Daala’s fleet consists of very different types of warships. Admiral Daala flagship is the heavily upgraded Imperial II class Star Destroyer Chimaera, formally Admiral Gilad Pellaeon’s flagships, though how Admiral Daala, acquired the Chimaera no one is quite sure.

What happens is that some warships like the Imperial II class Star Destroyer Chimaera have been stolen, by pretending that these warships have been destroyed in battle, but this type of action does not happen very often as it attracts too much attention.

Amongst the other warships is her position are at least 1 Venator class star destroyer, 1 Victory II class star destroyer (upgraded), 1 Acclamator class assault ship (upgraded), 2 Republic class cruisers (salvaged, repaired and upgraded), several Assassin class corvettes, 2 Crusader class corvettes and several Scimitar class frigates. The numbers of warships as part of the Maw Irregular fleet is growing at a slow but steady rate, as either new warships’ are purchased covertly (most through the Corporate Sector Authority) or warships salvaged from the battle sites that took place between the Yuuzhan Vong and the Shadow Empire, New Republic and the Imperial Remnant.

The Maw installation is now being wound up by Admiral Daala as it has served its purpose, these research facilities are now being moved back into the Deep Core, were Admiral Daala has her bases of operations.

Admiral Daala has several bases scatted through the Deep Core, the Deep Core is hidden within the densely packed mass of stars at the very heart of the galaxy, is a small region that hid unusual worlds. The Deep Core is home to the galaxy’s oldest stars, at its centre is a black hole surrounded by antimatter and dense star clusters. Due to the gravitational pull of the vast number of stars, local space-time was severely warped, making hyperspace travel difficult at best. The region was thought to be inaccessible until Emperor Palpatine found several safe hyperspace lanes into the region. The area remains an Imperial stronghold even after the Battle of Endor and the fall of Emperor Palpatine.

The world in the Deep Core that is Admiral Daala’s base of operations is located in a system that has only one narrow hyperspace route in and out. Halfway along this route Admiral Daala has based several Golan III battle stations, along with several GWP’s, to pull any unauthorised ships out of hyperspace and then the Golan III battle stations would destroy them. Fortunately no one knows the location of Admiral Daala’s base of operations so the Golan III battle stations/GWP combinations have never needed to be used.

Admiral Daala’s main weapon is information, during the Yuuzhan Vong war, Admiral Daala’s remained quite, with the exception of defending those planets under Admiral Daala’s protection. During the four year long war against the Yuuzhan Vong, Admiral Daala was building up her small but very successful intelligence organisation to warn Admiral Daala of any potential threat against her forces.

The upshot of this is that Admiral Daala knows more about the Shadow Empire than any other power, though Admiral Daala does not know everything about the Shadow Empire she does know enough to know that the Shadow Empire is not nearly as powerful as the New Republic and the Imperial Remnant seem to believe.

In the upcoming Swarm war Admiral Daala’s will take no action beyond protecting those systems that provide assistance to Admiral Daala’s Maw Irregular fleet.

The Swarm War

The Swarm War is a the brief, but devastating, between the New Republic, the Chiss Ascendancy and the Shadow Empire, and the Colony, which consisted of Killiks and their Joiner allies. A continuation of the Dark Nest Crisis, although the New Republic attempted to ally with the Chiss, elements of the Jedi sided with the Killiks, thus the Chiss believed the New Republic was aiding the Colony, and for all intents and purposes it was a three-way war, a completely free-fire zone.

Attempts to prevent war are ruined when Jedi Knight Jacen Solo attacked a military supply depot of the Chiss Expansionary Defence Force in an attempt to lure them into a pre-emptive strike against the Killik. The Killiks responded by attacking the Shadow Empire forces blockading the Utegetu Nebula. Following the defeat of the Killik forces in this region, the Shadow Empire declared open war against the Killik colonies.

The Killiks had quickly gained allies for the coming conflict. In addition to the many Joiners that had fallen under their influence during the Yuuzhan Vong invasion (including Zekk and Jaina Solo), many members of the galaxies various insectoid races (among them the Fefze, the Vratix, the Yam'rii, the Verpine, and the Geonosians) fell under their influence and became addicted to the Dark Nest’s black membrosia.

Gold membrosia is a powerful alcoholic beverage made by the Killiks, insectoid races especially favour this beverage. The Gorog formed there own version called black membrosia, which was much more powerful and more addictive. After a year of black market sales, it had ruined the economy of the Roche asteroids. Sien Sovv was killed when a pilot drunk on black membrosia crashed into him.

Many of them became Joiners as well, doing so much faster than the average humanoid.

During the Swarm War there are two major fronts, one within the Unknown Regions, involving the Shadow Empire and Chiss Ascendancy that would be engaged in fighting the Killiks in there home systems. The second would involve the New Republic and the Imperial Remnant dealing with the small proportion of the Killiks and those insectoid races that had come under the Killiks influence.

The Shadow Empire deployed a single fleet, the first fleet that consists of 30 Imperial III class star destroyers and 2,500 other warships and support vessels, the Chiss Ascendancy deployed the bulk of the Chiss Expansionary Defence Force, that consists of 20 Chiss star destroyers and 1,000 odd other warships and support vessels.

In agreement with the New Republic and the Imperial Remnant, it is agreed that each force will deal with its own area of space, this time their will be not Shadow Empire controlling all the four powers fleets. As the combined fleets of the Shadow Empire and the Chiss Expansionary Defence Force start their obliteration of the planets controlled by the Killiks, neither the Shadow Empire nor the Chiss Expansionary Defence Force will land troops onto the surface of a Killiks controlled planet.

Rather they will use the Imperial Base Delta Zero command, Base Delta Zero is the naval code used by the Empire to order the complete surface destruction of a planetary target, eliminating all life and industry. It denoted the most severe of several levels of destruction that could be directed against a centre of resistance, and involved laying waste to an entire planet by orbital bombardment, either reducing the upper crust of a planet to molten slag or atomizing the planet’s topsoil.

A Base Delta Zero fleet bombardment is regarded as one of the most devastating operations that the Imperial military was capable of, and unlike other Imperial military codes, the designation was not subject to change, so that there was never any confusion when it was issued. Due to its effects, BDZs are considered a last resort

The reason both the Shadow Empire and the Chiss Ascendancy choose to use BDZ is to send a message that neither power in the Unknown Regions will stand for any attacks against either power, from within the Unknown Regions or from outside the Unknown Regions.

It takes the combined fleets of the Shadow Empire and the Chiss Ascendancy several months to eliminate all life on the world occupied by the Killiks, the result is that the Killiks population is reduced by 98 percent (of an original population of several billion) and scatted throughout the galaxy. This also helps the fight by the New Republic and the Imperial Remnant as this eliminates the source of the Dark Nest’s black membrosia.

With the destruction of the Dark Nest and the Killiks population, the New Republic is very muted in its criticism of both the Shadow Empire and the Chiss Ascendancy. As the current leadership of the New Republic understands why they eliminated the Killiks population, there are some in the New Republic who want a stronger response, but they are less than one percent and no one is listening to them.

It will take the New Republic and the Imperial Remnant many months after the elimination of the Killiks to bring the various insectoid races that had fallen under the influence of the Dark Nest’s black membrosia, to be weaned of this and to come to their senses. Once this happens peace is restored very quickly and the rebuilding of the various systems and worlds damaged during the Swarm War can begin.

During the war, Supreme Commander Gilad Pellaeon leads the forces of the New Republic and the Imperial Remnant. Having replaced Sullustan Sien Sovv, who was killed by the Killiks in an accident some weeks prior and the New Jedi Order by Grand Master Luke Skywalker. Thus the Imperial Remnant had control over both its own fleets and the New Republic for the duration of this brief war.

Once the war is over Admiral Pellaeon returns control of the New Republic’s military forces back to the New Republic, and returns to Imperial Remnant space with his own Imperial fleets.

During the Swarm War the Imperial Remnant starts to introduce a new class of star destroyer, the Turbulent class star destroyer is a new type of star destroyer built by the Imperial Remnant, because of its smaller size than the Imperial class star destroyer, it is sometimes referred to as a “pocket star destroyer”.

The Turbulent class star destroyer is smaller and more manoeuvrable variant of star destroyer and is designed with two hangars opening at the stern of the vessel. The ship’s bridge was situated in a tower on top of the main superstructure. It has a large holo-display built into its bridge design and there is a day cabin available to the flag officer near the bridge. An emergency docking bay is located astern of the tower.

The class has many maintenance tunnels running throughout the upper portion of the vessel. This makes maintenance easier, but also provided a means of escape in case the ship is boarded. Another design focus is an extensive use of bulkheads throughout the interior.

The first batch of this new class of star destroyer arrived to late to be involved in the Swarm War, but in the aftermath of the Swarm War Admiral Pellaeon would use one of the first batch would become his new flagship, the Bloodfin.

This would also lead within six years to another devastating civil war within the New Republic called the Second Galactic Civil War, as the civil war raged, after running for several years would eventually drag in the Imperial Remnant and also later drag in the Shadow Empire, via Grand Admiral Thrawn’s link to his former progeny Admiral Pellaeon.

To be continued.

 

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The Shadow Empire – Part 4

The Second Galactic Civil War

Following the conclusion of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, the New Republic rewards Corellia by the removal of the office of Governor-General. The five brother worlds of the Corellia system are united through a single system government that is not answerable to the New Republic, but a member of the New Republic, with each planet electing its own Head of State and the system led by Prime Minister Aidel Saxan.

While much of the galaxy had been ravaged by the war, Corellia emerged relatively unscathed. Placing it in a position to increase its already impressive economic power and offer reconstruction loans to less fortunate planets (at a very completive rate), much like the Corporate Sector Authority, but with CSA is not part of the New Republic, therefore is not bound by the New Republic rules or laws, unlike the Corellia system.

As Corellia prospered, it forgave wartime criminals like Thrackan Sal-Solo, who is subsequently elected the system’s Minister of War and Head of State of Corellia, and began to chafe under the New Republic.

In the decade following the defeat of the Yuuzhan Vong, Corellia’s desire for independence grew and spread, tapping the natural haughty pride of Corellia. Corellia began to delay its conscription contributions and tax payments to the Alliance, while making use of New Republic’s infrastructure and trade benefits. It also stood against the defence limits imposed by the New Republic, but made no public challenge. Slowly, other industrialized planets like Commenor, Fondor, and Bespin developed similarly overt rebellious streaks.

In secret, Corellia began building a fleet comparable to a planetary assault force, supplied by planets like Adumar that produced weapons in violation of New Republic laws. Meanwhile, Corellian scientists worked to bring Centerpoint Station online, hoping to once again use it as leverage. As tensions grew, Corellia’s soft rebellion led to the imprisonment of key Corellians like Wedge Antilles, whom New Republic Intelligence perceived as a potential threat.

The New Republic’s accountants had located records of Corellia’s secret fleet, while Jedi Knight Jacen Solo and his apprentice Ben Skywalker had discovered the Adumari arms manufacturer producing concussion missiles and proton torpedoes in violation of Order NR-B11333B.

Despite cordial political relations with Prime Minister Saxan, the New Republic chose to bring the rebellious actions of Corellia, and its followers, to heel with a show of military force. Admiral Matric Klauskin is placed at the head of elements of the New Republic’s Second Fleet, including several Jedi teams who would carry out a plan to neutralize the Corellian government and military, including Centerpoint Station. In addition, Wedge Antilles had managed to break out of his New Republic Intelligence compound and is installed as the link between Sal-Solo and Saxan.

As the Dodonna, a Galactic class battle carrier, Klauskin’s flagship, arrives in the space above Corellia, five Jedi operations Slashrat, Purella, Tauntaun, Womp Rat and Mynock are put into action. As the Jedi taskforces heads for the surface, Klauskin, who is haunted by the ghostly voice of his dead wife, is confronted with a well-prepared Corellian warfleet, including Nebulon B frigates and Strident class Star Defenders.

As Admiral Klauskin struggles against the Corellian fleet until he hits upon what he thinks is a stroke of genius, Klauskin orders all New Republic forces to prepare to withdraw. As Syal Antilles unknowingly engages her father, her tactics allow VibroSword Squadron to disable a Nebulon B frigate before returning to Klauskin’s fleet. The New Republic’s forces, including Mon Calamari cruiser Blue Diver micro-jumps to Tralus, the system’s fifth inhabited world, and two hours later, Rendilir, Tralus’s capital city, is securely under New Republic control. The New Republic has saved face, disabled the Centerpoint Station and gained a foothold in the Corellian system.

Imperials Watching

Meanwhile, while all the initial stages of the opening of the Second Galactic Civil War is going on in the Corellia system, this opening phase is being watched with great interest by the Imperial Remnant, Admiral Daala’s Deep Core Imperials and the Shadow Empire.

The New Republic’s Embassies in the Imperial Remnant (Bastion) and the Shadow Empire (Calon III) have not yet requested assistants from either Imperial government. Both Imperial governments suspect that a request for assistants will come, both Imperial leaderships are now wondering whether or not to help the New Republic (when the request comes), or to leave the New Republic to tear itself to pieces.

Meanwhile, in the Corellia system

As the New Republic and Corellia’s relationship is strained by the Corellia’s growing need for independence, the leaders of both parties decided to have peace talks. The New Republic chose to reopen negotiations in a neutral setting in the Kuat system. Following an assault on the delegates, which claims the life of Prime Minister Saxan, the talks failed, Lumiya is the main person behind the attacks.

Battle of Tralus

The Battle of Tralus is the opening engagement of the Second Galactic Civil War. Wedge Antilles, after hearing a life-wasting plan to retake Tralus made up by Thrackan Sal-Solo, presents him another plan Operation Noble Savage. The New Republic has set up a base in a Tralus museum of arts, below this base is a shield protecting the building.

At the edge of the shield sphere, there is a half-constructed building which has enough open area for a fighter to fly through it. This building also provides a gap in the New Republic’s shields. Wedge’s plan is for two of the new YT-5100 Shriek bombers to fly through the building and destroying the building, removing the New Republic’s beachhead on Tralus completely. The plan passed and so Han Solo is secretly picked to fly one of the bombers, and Wedge flying the other.

At this stage Jacen Solo begins his descent to the Dark Side. The next day, with the New Republic’s fleet along with the flagship Dodonna in orbit above Tralus, the Corellians have dispatched squadrons of fighters to Tralus to distract the New Republic ships. During the chaos, Wedge and Han Solo dive to the surface in the Shriek bombers and fly with much difficulty through the structure, eventually reaching the interior of the shield. Together, they destroy the museum and the shield generator the remaining Corellian fighters covered their escape. After this, the New Republic fleet withdraws from the system.

The Dark Side

After the assassination of Aidel Saxan, Jacen and Ben attempted to trace her assassins. They went to Lorrd and met up with Jacen’s former apprentice Nelani Dinn. It is on Lorrd, that people who claimed to be under the influence of a Force Ghost contact them, this ghost is revealed to be Brisha Syo, the Dark Lady Lumiya.

Lumiya takes the three Jedi back to her asteroid home and tells them that it was the lair of a Sith Lord called Darth Vectivus. The four of them go down to the caverns to confront Vectivus, where Lumiya separates them. Ben and Nelani battle Force ghosts while Jacen and Lumiya confronted Vectivus.

Lumiya tells Jacen that she has been trained by Vergere to finish Jacen’s training after she has died. She turns Jacen to the dark side but Nelani attacks first. Lumiya and Nelani fight a brief duel, but Jacen intervens, and kills Nelani. Jacen, now in the service of the Sith, covers up Lumiya's existence by wiping Ben's memory.

Deep within the Shadow Empire a mediating Lord Tremayne picks up on this strong use of the Dark Side of the force and on the implications of a powerful rouge Sith roaming the galaxy, this will not do at all.

Using the force Lord Tremayne activates the comm link and says, “Summon the senior Sith” the reply is a simple “Yes, my lord” Lord Tremayne needs to deal with this potential problem quickly.

In the weeks following the Battle of Tralus, Jacen Solo successfully lobbies Cal Omas and the Senate into the creation of a new organization meant to counter the increasing threat of terrorists sympathizing with Corellia. This comes following the bombing of the Elite Hotel in Galactic City, which is discovered to be connected to the Corellian terrorists, the bombing left hundreds dead and many wounded.

After Mara Jade Skywalker turns down the job, Omas asks Jacen if he would be willing to lead the new paramilitary organization on Coruscant. Jacen agrees and achieves the rank of Colonel in the New Republic. Bringing in Coruscant Security Force operators, ex-NRI agents, and members of the Special Forces, the New Republic Guard, or NRG, uses extremely effective and public methods of cracking down on Corellian insurgents.

Much to the dismay of Luke Skywalker and the Jedi Council, high-profile images of Jacen and Ben Skywalker leading the New Republic Guard on their raids began to usher in contentions that the New Republic is transforming into the Empire once again and that yet another member of the Skywalker bloodline is at the helm.

Under the tutelage of Captain Lon Shevu, Ben Skywalker finds the Guard as a place of refuge. His enthusiasm for learning and making a difference in “adult” situations, this is adding yet more tension between the young Jedi and his parents.

When Jacen convinces Omas in proceeding with the internment of Corellians on Coruscant, the New Republic’s Guard’s 967 Commando detachment and becomes known as “stormies” among both its members and the populace. This move adds more fuel to the fire, spurning on riots and leading to moves of secession by dozens of worlds. Worst of all, Han Solo, enraged that his son is leading the effort in interning thousands and possibly millions of Corellians, realized that he no longer recognized the boy he had raised.

The New Republic Guard has become Jacen Solo’s “fist”, mirroring his grandfather, Darth Vader and the 501st Legion (aka “Vader’s Fist”). With the NRG at his complete disposal, Jacen leads the Blockade of Corellia, taking the first open strike against Corellia.

This sudden change in power is worrying both the Imperial Remnant and the Shadow Empire, the Shadow Empire is now gathering a force of Sith to combat Jacen Solo, but the Sith in the Shadow Empire are scattered all over the Unknown Regions and it will take time to gather this force together.

In the meantime Grand Admiral Thrawn moves his flagship to the boarder area of the Unknown Regions, just in case the conflict should spread towards the Shadow Empire, the Eclipse class super star destroyer Admonitor, and taking no other warships or support vessels (Eclipse class does not need escort ships!) Grand Admiral Thrawn starts a waiting game to see how events will unfold.

Onboard the Admonitor Grand Admiral Thrawn has the very latest equipment for every possible contingency including a large number of ysalamiri force repelling creatures throughout the Admonitor give almost complete coverage against any force type attacks, especially mind control against the crew of the Admonitor.

Once at the boarder, the Admonitor maintains station, while Grand Admiral Thrawn monitors the intelligence reports coming in about what is happening in the New Republic.

To be continued.

 

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The Shadow Empire – Part 5

Concurrent to the events on Coruscant (NRG etc), Han and Leia Solo are confronted by Dur Gejjen a member of Corellia’s Democratic Alliance, who secretly wants Thrackan Sal-Solo removed from office permanently. Gejjen brings up the idea of killing Sal-Solo, something the Solos need time to consider.

Not fully confident that the Solos would accomplish their task, Gejjen also hires Boba Fett to kill Sal-Solo. Fett and the Mandalorians are already hired by Thrackan to protect Corellia from the New Republic blockade. However, Boba agrees to Gejjen’s contract over that of the contract from Thrackan.

Before arriving at Sal-Solo’s office, Boba (along with his granddaughter Mirta Gev) confronts Han Solo. Solo, which already had a bounty placed on his head (along with his family) by Sal-Solo, is being targeted by Fett’s estranged daughter, Ailyn Vel. Fett sees this as an opportunity to reunite with the daughter he hadn’t seen since she was an infant. Han informs Fett that Jacen has already captured Ailyn (who was hiding with Corellian insurgents on Coruscant). Solo and Fett then makes a deal, if Han could be allowed to kill his cousin, he would convince Jacen to free Ailyn (it was later revealed that Jacen killed Ailyn during interrogation).

Boba, Mirta, and Han (disguised in Mandalorian armour) arrive at Sal-Solo’s office. Boba briefly discussed his deal with Sal-Solo before Han reveals his identity and attempts to kill the Corellian president. Sal-Solo reveals that he lured Ailyn to Coruscant intentionally. He meant for her to be caught and hide the threat of the other bounty hunters Sal-Solo hired to kill the Solo family. In a fit of rage, Mirta shots Sal-Solo in the forehead. Fett then shots him in the chest to ensure he is dead. Han, needing some sort of revenge, slowly put a final blaster bolt into his cousin’s lifeless body.

Following Sal-Solo’s assassination (which is blamed on the New Republic), Gejjen assumes control of the Corellian government. Under Gejjen’s leadership, the Corellian government continues to decline talks with the New Republic. Chief of State Omas then officially declares a state of war between the New Republic and Corellia.

As the crisis escalated, Jacen is forced more and more to rely on Coruscant’s World Brain to help him track down terrorists. However, the Brain fled from him and he pursues it into Coruscant’s depths. He doesn’t realize that the former Killik Night Herald Alema Rar is also following him. She desires to kill Jacen in revenge for what his family had done to her.

Jacen eventually finds the World Brain and attempts to bring it back into the fold. However, Alema attempts to kill Jacen with a poisoned dart but Lumiya alerts Jacen and the dart kills the World Brain instead.

Jacen, angered by his friend’s death, orders the death of many Bothans on Coruscant, which will drive Bothawui to join Corellia against the New Republic. Meanwhile, Alema continues to shadow him and Lumiya.

Alema eventually reveals herself to Lumiya when Jedi Tresina Lobi was about to reveal herself to the Jedi. Together, Alema and Lumiya killed Lobi and Alema pledged herself to Lumiya's service.

When news of Lobi’s death reaches the Jedi Council, Luke believes that it was the work of Lumiya. Together with Mara, he follows the trail from Lobi’s body to Lumiya at the Roqoo Depot. There they battle Lumiya and Alema separately. Mara defeats Alema and discovers that she is carrying a bomb vest. Disarming it, she goes after Luke, who she finds at the mercy of Lumiya. Mara shots Lumiya down from behind and she and Luke leave the building before it explodes, leaving Lumiya and Alema supposedly dead.

Coup attempt at Hapes

The Corellian leadership plans on drawing the Hapes Consortium into the war on their side by assassinating its Queen Mother, Tenel Ka Djo, and her child, Allana. The Corellians allies themselves with disgruntled Hapan nobles who operates under the name of the Heritage Council and sent the new Corellian Dreadnaughts warships to assist the forces of these Hapan rebels. In the end both parts of the plan fail, as the Hapan rebels and their Corellian allies are defeated in the Battle of Hapes and the Queen Mother and her daughter survive the assassination attempts. Apparently most of the Hapans allied with the Five Worlds are captured or killed.

The Corellian attempt against the Hapes Consortium, leads the Hapes Consortium to declare war on the Corellian’s and alley themselves with the New Republic against the Corellian’s. The Corellian attempt at assassinating the Hapes Consortium Queen Mother has backfired in a big way against the Corellian’s.

The Bigger Picture

No one in either the New Republic or the Imperial Remnant is seeing the bigger picture of the forces that NRG under the leadership of Jacen Solo who is descending into the Dark Side of the force at a very rapid pace. The forces of the NRC are also growing, with some of the forces blockading the Corellian system and the rest forming up around the Core Worlds, centred on Coruscant.

From the boarder area between the New Republic and the Shadow Empire, Grand Admiral Thrawn has been monitoring these events and sees the growing threat posed by the NRG that is now almost as powerful the New Republic’s three fleets.

The NRG’s relatively successful blockade of the Corellian system has allowed Jacen Solo to continue to expand the military forces under his control and with the recent attack against the Hapes Consortium has only lead to this processes be sped up in the event of an all out attack against the New Republic.

Counter strike and Escalation

The blockade of Corellia by the New Republic is still underway. However, the Bothans, furious over the murder of so many Bothans on Coruscant and suspecting that the New Republic is almost certainly behind it, had begun assembling a battle fleet. The New Republic knew of this and had taken precautions to make sure the fleet would not be able to leave Bothan Space without the New Republic knowing of it. However, the sabotage of the New Republic observers led by Admiral Matric Klauskin under the influence of Lumiya permitted the Bothans to jump to the Corellian system, where they helped Corellia to break the blockade. The New Republic fleet is forced to retreat, attempting to damage Centerpoint Station beyond repair before they leave.

The war has now expanded beyond the Corellian system with the Bothans allied with the Corellian’s against the New Republic the civil war is now taking shape.

The Mission

As the war escalates Ben, who had been separated from Jacen when Luke feared that Jacen would take Ben with him to the dark side is sent a message via Seha Dorvald who is working with Jacen. He is told to track down the Amulet of Kalara on the Almanian moon of Drewwa. He did this, but is discovered that a man on Faskus had already stolen it and taken to Ziost.

Ben discovered a dying Faskus on the planet as agents led by Byalfin Dyur who are sent by the Dark Lady Lumiya have attacked Ben. Who was actually testing whether Ben is ready to become Jacen’s apprentice. Ben, along with an R2 unit called Shaker rescued Fauskus’s daughter Kiara and took her with him where they discovered a Sith Meditation Sphere and used it to escape the planet, killing Dyur in the process.

Ben returned Kiara and Shaker to Drewwa and returned the ship to Jacen and gave him both the ship and the amulet. However, his ordeals had shaken his trust in his cousin while Lumiya believed that Ben would never be able to become Jacen’s apprentice.

The Confederation

Shortly after the breaking of the blockade, Commenor and Bothawui joined Corellia, and the Confederation was formed. Other planets soon followed including Fondor, Bespin, and Adumar prominent among them. For several weeks, the New Republic and Confederation are locked in a state of standoff, with both sides concentrating more on preparing for an inevitable war rather than a direct assault; instead making sporadic and minor raids against each other.

New Republic Intelligence received word that the Confederation is planning a meeting on Gilatter VIII to elect a new Supreme Commander. In response to this newfound information, Jacen Solo lays out a four-step plan to ambush the Confederation and end the supposed meeting. The New Republic attempt to sabotage that meeting ended in the Battle of Gilatter VIII, when the meeting turned out to be a Confederation trap, the election having been held the day before. The battle ended in a draw, and both sides retired to make more preparations for war.

The individual fleets reorganized themselves to become the united Confederation Fleet with former Imperial General Turr Phennir hired as Supreme Commander of the Confederation military.

To be continued.

 

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The Shadow Empire – Part 6

While the Battle of Gilatter raged about the planet of Gilatter VIII, Jacen and Lumiya who have travelled to Gilatter VIII, are attacked by Luke, Mara, Han and Leia. In the ensuing fight, Mara fights off the Corellians while Lumiya again is teamed up with Alema to fight off the other three.

The duels end with Leia forcing Alema to flee and Lumiya offering peace with Luke before leaving. With the duel over, Lumiya and Alema goes to collect the Sith ship from Ben, who had collected it on Ziost, while the others escape a freighter collision.

Escalation and Political Crisis

After the events of Gilatter VIII, the war continued to escalate, with additional worlds seceding from the New Republic, including Beris and Las Lagon. While such losses are minor in terms of overall effect, it represented a continuing worsening of the conflict, as well another step closer to full scale galactic civil war.

As actions intensify in Bothan Space, as the New Republic fleet units engage a Bothan flotilla during the Battle of Bothawui. At the same time, numerous worlds across the galaxy began to pursue old vendettas with rival worlds forcing the New Republic government to further spread their limited fleets to keep the peace. Increasingly a minority voice for peace in the upper echelons of the government, Cal Omas struggled to hold the majority of the New Republic together.

In an effort to lull Coruscant into a false sense of peace, in order to buy time for a massive Confederation strike on the galactic capital, Dur Gejjen approached Cal Omas for secret peace talks. Omas, eager at the chance to end the war and preserve the Alliance, went to the neutral world of Vulpter to have direct talks. Due to the tapping of high-level New Republic leaders by the New Republic Guard, Jacen is able to dispatch several NRG units to the site of the meeting.

During the meeting, Omas is lured by the possibility of the Confederation calling for a cease-fire and returning into the folds of the New Republic. Gejjen’s only demand was the removal of Jacen and Cha Niathal, either politically (Omas’s preference) or permanently (Gejjen’s). The meeting is bugged, allowing Jacen the story he needed to arrest Cal Omas and remove him from office. Furthermore, Ben Skywalker assassinates Dur Gejjen on the orders of Jacen, which takes a heavy toll on the Confederation.

New Republic Military Coup

After successfully manipulating galactic law to allow him powers not seen since the end of the Old Republic, Jacen Solo moves to gain control of the New Republic. Using the footage of Omas seemingly agreeing to enemy demands for the sake of peace, Jacen and Admiral Niathal staged a bloodless and quiet coup. Placing Omas under house arrest, the duo became a duumvirate, ruling the New Republic as co-Chiefs of State. While Admiral Niathal genuinely believed that the military coup was only for the duration of the war, Jacen began laying the plans for his eventual rule of the entire galaxy as Sith Lord.

Though in the short term things are going well for Jacen Solo, the Imperial Remnant is becoming increasingly uneasy about the civil war within the New Republic. The Imperial Remnant’s military forces have been on a war footing ever since the attack against the Hapes Consortium just in case either side tried anything like that against the Imperial Remnant.

Darth Caedus

Now that he is Co-Chief of State of the New Republic, Jacen Solo is ready for his ascension to Dark Lord of the Sith. However, he first had to make his sacrifice to show his commitment.

Ben Skywalker, distraught over his assassination of Dur Gejjen, confided in his mother Mara about Jacen and Lumiya. After failing to kill Lumiya on Hesperidium, Mara pursued her to Kavan, but met Jacen instead and they engaged in a vicious duel. Mara is able to bring down Jacen and is about to kill him when he used a Force illusion of Ben to distract her before he stabbed her with a poison dart and killing her.

Having made his sacrifice, Jacen is now ready to become a true Sith. Lumiya realized this and went off to fulfil her part of the plan and buy Jacen some time. She went to Luke and claimed that she had killed Mara. Luke pursued her to Terephon and shot her down before duelling and decapitating her. With Lumiya’s death, Jacen is ready to become the self proclaimed Darth Caedus, Dark Lord of the Sith.

This duel has not gone unnoticed by Lord Tremayne as the disturbance in the Dark Side of the force is so great with Jacen Solo becoming the self proclaimed Darth Caedus, Dark Lord of the Sith, Lord Tremayne is not about to have the decades of hard work undone by this rouge Sith.

As soon as the Sith of the Shadow Empire have gathered, Lord Tremayne will deal with this so called Sith Lord.

War in a Stalemate

With the failure of the peace talks, the war continues and spreads across the galaxy with seemingly having a life of its own. The Confederation begins a push towards the Galactic Core. Reinforced by a Commenorian and Hutt fleets, the Confederation lays siege to Balmorra. Jacen Solo, now Darth Caedus, led the New Republic’s Fourth Fleet in a counterattack. Though Balmorra is lost, the Confederation takes heavy losses and are prevented from reinforcing their own fleet at the Battle of Kuat, the battle lasts nearly a week.

Darth Caedus leads the attack on the Confederation Fleet from the Star destroyer Anakin Solo. Caedus is depending on the Jedi to quickly end the battle, and had already sent a large NRG force to hold the Jedi Academy on Ossus hostage.

Luke Skywalker, still grieving over the death of his wife, leads the Jedi force, but after he finds out Jacen had used Ben to assassinate Cal Omas, breaks off and jumps to Kashyyyk. Were his fugitive sister and her husband are trying to convince the Rock Council to aid the Jedi, and are eventually able to sway the Wookiees to their side, depriving both the New Republic and the Confederation of a sizable fleet. Unable to quickly end the battle at Kuat, Caedus decided to attack Kashyyyk and make it an example to other rebellious star systems.

Suicide with a Difference!

Having become Darth Caedus after killing Mara Jade Skywalker, Jacen is determined to turn the young Ben Skywalker to the Dark side of the Force. During a brief conversation with Ben during the Battle of Kuat, Caedus revealed a faked conversation strung together from words taken from recorded meetings with Cal Omas, which ordered Mara Jade’s assassination.

While not totally convinced that the former Chief of State is responsible for his mother’s death, Ben sneaks into Omas’s Coruscant home, prepared to kill him. Omas, however, is already waiting. In a standard similar to that of his predecessor, Borsk Fey’lya, he had rigged a proton bomb that would be triggered by the cessation of his heartbeat. Learning the truth from Omas, Ben tried to convince the ex-Chief to fake his own death. Omas refused, and impaled himself on Ben’s lightsaber. Ben escapes before the bomb explodes, but, having learnt the identity of his mother’s murderer, he is prepared to kill Caedus.

Treachery

In order to keep the Jedi Order on the side of the New Republic, Jacen has a NRG battalion installed on Ossus for the Jedi’s “protection” since the Jedi Masters had left for Mara Jade’s funeral on Coruscant. This battalion is commanded by Major Salle Serpa, an officer on the brink of insanity and willing to murder the occupants in the Academy to keep order. Only Jedi Masters Kam Solusar and Tionne Solusar are left to guard the children along with a handful of Jedi Knights.

However, Jaina Solo, Jagged Fel and Zekk had hunted Alema Rar to Ossus, believing that she had killed Mara. Although Alema escaped, the three of them stayed to help protect the children. Following the Jedi withdrawal from the Battle of Kuat, Serpa made his move on the Academy.

Serpa used coma gas to take out the two Jedi Masters quickly while they took the children hostage. However, Ben Skywalker warns Jaina and Jaina alerts the other Jedi masters. However, NRG troops have already killed many of the Jedi in the Academy and Tionne is wounded by Serpa and captured. Serpa then used Tionne as bait, shooting off her arm and leg in front of the children and the other Jedi.

Kam Solusar could take no more and along with two other Jedi Knights but they are shot down by snipers’, the two Knights are killed and Kam Solusar is injured. Jaina and Fel manages’ to kill the snipers and Jaina confronts Serpa who then attempts to shoot her. However, Zekk arrives and disarms Serpa, twice, and then he is taken captive. The Jedi are then forced to abandon Ossus in fear of reprisals.

While this was going on Jacen Solo as Darth Caedus is on course for the Kashyyyk to punish the Wookiees for their treachery.

To be continued.

 

[whatisinaname]

The Shadow Empire – Part 7

Devastation at Kashyyyk

Determined to punish Kashyyyk and claim its fleet for the New Republic, Caedus led the New Republic‘s Fifth Fleet to the planet and proceeds to burn its forests with the Star Destroyer Anakin Solo’s long-range turbolasers. A squadron of interceptors began to attack the Anakin, at which point, Ben Skywalker marched onto the bridge and attempts to kill Caedus. A Jedi shadow bomb strikes the bridge, killing much of the bridge crew and causing Ben to miss Jacen with his lightsaber and accidentally bisect Commander Twizzl, and to be captured by Jacen.

Caedus takes Ben to a torture chamber in the depths of the ship and locks him in an Embrace of Pain, a Yuuzhan Vong torture device. Meanwhile, a large Confederation and Bothan fleet enters the system and engages the New Republic’s forces. Luke Skywalker boards the Anakin Solo and engages Caedus in a lightsaber duel. At the same time, the Hapan Royal Navy arrives, led by Caedus’s lover Tenel Ka. Instead of helping the New Republic, the Hapans joins the Jedi, Wookiee, and Confederation forces in attacking the New Republic’s Fifth Fleet. Onboard the Anakin Solo, Luke bests Caedus in a duel, and Ben is determined to finish him off, but Caedus manages escapes and is badly wounded. The New Republic’s Fifth Fleet only escapes by exploiting a hole in the Bothan lines, which had been created by Alema Rar, manipulating the Bothans from a Sith Meditation Sphere.

The Formation of the Jedi Coalition (later called The Coalition)

The Battle of Kashyyyk is a major blow to the New Republic. The New Jedi Order and Hapes Consortium secede from the New Republic removing twenty percent of the New Republic’s fleet strength in one go.

The New Republic’s forces attack Commenor to contain its forces, not to occupy the world. During the battle, an element of the New Republic’s Third Fleet launches a cloaked asteroid at Commenor. This results in the Commenorians releasing the affliceria virus on Coruscant, which infects many civilian and military personnel.

After Tenel Ka turns against him, Caedus feels heartbroken and betrayed. He admits that he would kill Tenel Ka and anyone else who stood between him and Allana, his daughter. He also plans to get the Hapes Consortium back into the New Republic by taking Allana away from Tenel Ka. He kidnaps her, leaving a message that he would kill Allana unless the Hapes Consortium once again gave the New Republic military support.

Death to Darth Caedus

Following the Devastation of Kashyyyk, Luke Skywalker decides that it is time to have his nephew Jacen Solo removed. Acting on a plan formulated by Kyp Durron, a team of Jedi led by Kyle Katarn travelled to Coruscant to confront Jacen. The team was made up of Katarn, Valin Horn son of Jedi Master Corran Horn, Thann Mithric, Kolir Hu'lya and Seha Dorvald who was once a spy of Jacen’s.

Although the team managed to confront Jacen, the mission was a disaster. Jacen, now with the powers of a Sith Lord manages to be quite a match for the Jedi team and the arrival of a squad of NRG troopers tipped the odds in his favour. Jacen stabs Katarn in the chest, taking him out of the fight and while Seha and Horn drags him to safety, Jacen decapitates Mitric. The rest of the Jedi team escape with Katarn and although it seems that the mission has failed, it is only a distraction so that Seha could plant a tracking device on the Sith Lord allowing the Jedi to track his movements.

The Destruction of the New Republic’s Second Fleet

Shortly after the attempt on his life, Jacen met with Cha Niathal who told him that Five Worlds Prime Minister Sadras Koyan wanted to defect to the New Republic and she wanted to open negotiations with him. Jacen was sent with a small force to open space between Corellia and Coruscant where he met a small group of ships commanded by Captain Hoclaw.

The debate goes on, with Hoclaw unwilling to give too much away. The New Republic forces become suspicious when they discovered that there is only a skeleton crew onboard the Corellian ships. Following the arrival of Leia Organa Solo, Jacen took Allana up in his fighter into space. A Corellian force arrived and Jacen ordered the New Republic Second fleet under Admiral Tarla Limpan to engage them.

However, this is all a part of the Corellian trap, as the Corellian leadership ordered Centerpoint Station to be fired. The blast destroyed much of the New Republic’s Second Fleet, killing Limpan, but Jacen and the Anakin Solo escaped. This move also backfired on the Corellians and led to an embargo of the Corellian system on the orders of Turr Phennir, commander of the Confederation forces.

Grand Admiral Thrawn Engages

With the potential use of the Centerpoint Station, Grand Admiral Thrawn orders the Admonitor into hyperspace with a course for the Corellian system. The course set is as an indirect course as Grand Admiral Thrawn does not want to tip either side that the Admonitor is on her way to the Corellian system, this will take more time than a direct route.

The Admonitor’s white-hulled command ship of Grand Admiral Thrawn jumps into hyperspace, without any escort ships full prepared for battle, the war is about to take a new direction.

The Destruction of Centerpoint Station

Following the destruction of the New Republic’s Second Fleet, Jacen travels to Centerpoint station at the head of a task force to capture the station for use against the Confederation. Seeing that the Centerpoint station would tip the balance of power greatly in favour of anyone who possesses its enormous destructive power, Grand Master Luke Skywalker and the New Jedi Order will also carry out a raid upon the station in order to finally destroy it.

Jedi Master Kyp Durron leads the raid, with Toval Seyah, a New Republic scientist and former spy who had worked on the station. Seyah is able to modify Centerpoint’s galactic data in such a way that all coordinates in the galaxy are altered to become those of the station, the Jedi team then withdraw from the station.

During the pitched battle between Confederation and New Republic forces, a technician named Rikel who had lost his wife on the galactic capital of Coruscant to the New Republic Guard is left in charge of the station’s firing station. He sets the coordinates to target Coruscant, but before he can fire the Admonitor comes out of hyperspace.

The Admonitor’s white-hulled command ship of Grand Admiral Thrawn, seemed to hang motionless in space and the fighting between the Confederation and New Republic forces also seemed to pause for a time as everyone from both sides views the massive battleship.

Then from the bow of the Admonitor a green beam shoots, the Admonitor’s own super laser opens fire on the Centerpoint station destroying the station with a single full powered shot, wiping all traces of the enigmatic structure from the system, killing all on board, and destroying countless vessels in its blast radius.

Out side of the blast radius, but within the blast wave, the blast wave washes over the Admonitor’s the shields become “visible”, but unlike the other warships within blast wave, the Admonitor is unmoved by the blast wave.

Once the station has been destroyed the Admonitor jumps back into hyperspace leaving the two fleets to their own devices. The potential threat of the Centerpoint station to the Shadow Empire has been neutralised, none of the opposing sides in the Civil war want to go to war against the Shadow Empire, so they are left to make diplomatic noises, but no more than that.

But that does not mean they can’t try to gain an alliance with another Imperial faction.

Enter the Imperial Remnant

Shortly after the breaking of the Blockade of Corellia, the planet Fondor had declared itself independent of the New Republic and begins supplying ships to the Confederation. Recognizing the need to bring Fondor and its extensive shipyards back into the New Republic’s fold, Caedus began planning the invasion of Fondor.

Short of ships and needing new allies, Caedus sends Tahiri Veila to the Imperial Remnant to negotiate an alliance with Admiral Gilad Pellaeon. Knowing that Pellaeon would never accept an alliance with him, Caedus offered the planets Bilbringi and Borleias to the Moff Council headed by Grand Moff Quille, Pellaeon’s chief rival. Bilbringi possesses extensive ship building facilities, and Borleias is a major financial centre. Though Pellaeon possesses considerable sway among the Moffs, the Council agreed to join Caedus in the fight, though not all the Moffs are convinced, the majority do support Grand Moff Quille.

Apparently, Caedus has neglected to tell the two planets that he would be selling them out to the Imperial Remnant. This information is enough for Admiral Niathal to begin planning to defect to the Resistance.

What neither Grand Moff Quille nor Caedus is aware of is that Admiral Pellaeon had opened up talks with Admiral Natasi Daala’s Maw forces in forming an alliance against the ever bitter civil war that is raging within the New Republic after Admiral Daala has reviled that she was still alive to Admiral Pellaeon. Admiral Daala also reveals that she has a large and well-armed strike force under he command, as well as several worlds supplying her with resources in return for her protection, though Daala does not reveal the number of warships or the names of the worlds that are supporting her.

While Caedus was sealing the pact with Grand Moff Quille, Admiral Pellaeon, meanwhile, recalled Admiral Natasi Daala to the Imperial Remnant space to help in his fight against Caedus and to show the Moff Council that they are not alone against any potential enemy.

These actions will cause a death and force the Shadow Empire into the Civil War, something that Grand Admiral Hammond had been trying to avoid, while just trying to eliminate this rouge Sith, without getting involved in the Civil War.

To be continued.

 

[whatisinaname]

The Shadow Empire – Part 8

Murder most foul

The New Republic launches an attack on Fondor. When the New Republic’s fleet arrives, Caedus discovers that the minelayers he had sent to plant a huge minefield around Fondor had disappeared. There is also no sign of the minefield, nor any sign of the enemy fleet. It later transpires that Niathal had told Luke Skywalker of Caedus’s plan, and the minelayers had been destroyed the moment they had exited hyperspace.

After ordering the planet’s surrender, to which the Fondorians refuses, Caedus advances on the planet. At that point, the entire Fondor defence fleet, having been hidden inside their shipyards, opened fire. Caedus forced his way through and ordered the bombardment of its capital city.

Admiral Niathal signalled the planet to surrender, which it does, but Caedus continues to bombard the planet. Niathal relieves Caedus of his command because of this, but Caedus did not recognize her authority and continues. A large portion of the New Republic fleet sides with Caedus, but Pellaeon decides to support Niathal and orders his ships to protect them.

Attempted Coup Onboard the Bloodfin

As the battle begins to turn against Caedus, Pellaeon retires to his cabin to talk with Daala. However, Tahiri Veila who attempts to convince Pellaeon to join Darth Caedus against the Confederation follows Pellaeon to his cabin. Pellaeon refuses, so Tahiri shoots Pellaeon and the Moffs led by Quille watch as Pellaeon dies. As Pellaeon lies dying, he learns of the Moffs’ treachery and whispered Quille’s name to Daala before ordering her to attack Caedus fleet as his last dying order.

However, the coup does not go well for the Moffs, they try to convinced the Imperial fleet to side with Caedus, this fails (as the Imperial military is more loyal to Pellaeon than the Moff’s) and only ten percent of the Imperial Remnants fleet would join Caedus, the crew of the Bloodfin rebel, trapping the Moffs. Daala attacks Caedus’s fleet and the Mandalorians she hired under Boba Fett kill Quille and the most of the other Moffs before forcing Caedus and Veila to flee the ship. They retrieve Pellaeon’s body and take it to Corellia for his funeral.

With the help of the Jedi Coalition, the combined Maw Irregular Fleet and the Imperial Fleet led by a very angry Admiral Daala, and a team of Mandalorians led by Boba Fett and Jaina Solo, Niathal’s forces are able to drive Caedus off. Niathal later occupies Fondor and uses it as the capital of her faction of the New Republic.

A Murderer Revealed

During this time, Ben resolves to prove that his cousin Jacen had murdered Mara. Travelling with Lon Shevu to Kavan he sees his mother’s ghost which tells him to look for some lost hair. After carrying out an investigation into Jacen’s StealthX, Ben discovers a strand of Mara’s hair, which matches with one Luke still has in his possession.

This, together with Jacen’s confession to Shevu, this is more than enough to convince the Jedi that Jacen had killed Mara. This discovery makes Luke more determined that Jacen should be removed as a threat, but Luke is not the only one out for blood.

With the murder of Admiral Pellaeon, the Imperial Remnant under Admiral Daala command starts a purge of those Imperial officers and officials that had tried to join Caedus during the attempted coup to overthrow Admiral Pellaeon. Over the next few months Admiral Daala would use the combined forces of the of her own Imperial Maw Fleet along with the ninety percent of the Imperial Remnant’s military forces to brutally eliminate those traitors still within Remnant space, though most manage to flee and join Caedus forces.

Admiral Daala would receive help from Grand Admiral Thrawn and the Admonitor in dealing with these rouge Imperials, something that surprised Admiral Daala, but Admiral Daala did not refuse the firepower of the Admonitor.

Grand Admiral Thrawn’s reason’s for helping Admiral Daala have nothing to do with revenge, but in keeping the Imperial Remnant in one piece and also to make sure that the Imperial Remnant is not absorbed into the New Republic or any other faction in this civil war.

The Final Moves

The ten percent of the Imperial Remnants fleet, having allied with Caedus, attacks the Verpine in the Roche asteroids in an attempt to gain their advanced technology and turn the tide of the war. The Mandalorians, under an agreement with the Verpine, rushed to their aid with the help of Jaina Solo. The rouge Imperials use a nanovirus to wipe out the Verpine soldier caste and leave the workforce for New Republic service. However, the Mandalorians and the Verpine defeat this first Imperial force and destroy its flagship the new Super Star Destroyer called Dominion but the Imperials mange to take control of the planet anyway. The remains of the Moff Council land on Nickel One, later joined by Darth Caedus, who had supposedly travelled there to protect them.

Later the Coalition responded to the attack on Roche by counter-attacking at Nickel One. Later they are joined by a Confederation fleet and by forces from the New Republic-in-exile under Cha Niathal. However, Admiral Nek Bwua'tu is able to out manoeuvre them, causing them heavy casualties and bringing victory to the New Republic.

Meanwhile, Jaina Solo lands on Nickel One, intending to kill Caedus. Joined by a group of Mandalorian commandos, including Boba Fett’s granddaughter, Mirta Gev, Jaina makes her way through the asteroid’s tunnels, unnoticed by Caedus. Who has his attention focused on the presence of Luke Skywalker in the battle above, after the Mandalorians attempt to assassinate the remains of the Moff Council, however Caedus enters the fray killing all the Mandalorians except for Mirta. Jaina and her brother engaged in a duel, which results in Caedus losing his arm. The duel ends when Jaina is forced to retreat with the rest of the Coalition.

At the same time, Admiral Atoko and the remains of the New Republic’s Fifth Fleet attack Mandalore in an attempt to take the Mandalorians out of the war. He releases a second strain of the nanovirus that wipes out many of the old clones and their descendents.

Shadow Empire Sith

Lord Tremayne has now assembled several hundred Sith to deal with “Sith Lord Darth Caedus”, the Sith that Lord Tremayne have very mixed abilities and powers, but combined will be more than a match for “Sith Lord Darth Caedus”, now all they need are the coordinates of “Sith Lord Darth Caedus”.

This information will be provided by Grand Admiral Thrawn, who has “allied” himself with Admiral Daala’s combined Imperial forces, who intern have allied themselves against Darth Caedus New Republic forces.

The Final Battle

The New Republic, along with the remaining forces that had defected from the Imperial Remnant attack’s the Coalition forces at Shedu Maad in what would prove to be a decisive turning point in the war. Before the battle, the remaining members of the Moff Council had finished the nanovirus they had developed from Isolder’s DNA and released it on board the Dragon Queen, Tenel Ka’s flagship.

The resulting outbreak kills most of the crew, since most of the people staffing the Dragon Queen are all related to Isolder in some way. As far the public knew, the Hapan Chume’da Allana also succumbed to the nanovirus, but this is a ploy developed by Tenel Ka. The Queen Mother and Allana both remained unharmed, possibly due to an unexpected warning Tenel Ka received through the Force from Darth Caedus.

As the battle raged, Ben Skywalker confronts Tahiri Veila on Shedu Maad and persuades her to surrender to him. Meanwhile, Jaina Solo boards the Anakin Solo to duel her brother.

At this point in the battle Grand Admiral Thrawn arrives along with Admiral Daala’s combined Imperial forces to finish off the remaining traitors. Once Grand Admiral Thrawn had deduced that Darth Caedus is onboard the Anakin Solo, he orders that the Anakin Solo be disabled and informs Lord Tremayne of the location.

Lord Tremayne’s Sith forces then jump into the battle onboard Lord Tremayne flagship and board the Anakin Solo shortly after Jaina Solo has boarded the Anakin Solo.

The resulting duel between Caedus’s and Jaina Solo leads to Jaina Solo being injured, just as Caedus’s is about to finish of his sister. When Lord Tremayne enters with his own Sith, in the short duel that ensures Caedus’s is killed by Lord Tremayne, the Sith then go through the rest of the Anakin Solo fining all records of Sith artefacts etc and after taking copies of the information, they then delete or destroy the information onboard the Anakin Solo.

Once this is done Lord Tremayne and his Sith withdraw from the Anakin Solo leaving behind the injured Jaina Solo, Jaina Solo was severely injured in the fight and spends several weeks recovering in a medical facility.

The battle ends once it is proved that Caedus’s is dead.

The war is now over, what will the peace bring?

To be continued.

 

[whatisinaname]

The Shadow Empire – Part 9

Victory

The Coalition is victorious, with help from the combined Imperial forces and both the Confederation and New Republic forces surrender. With the war over the Coalition along with the surrender, the Confederation and the New Republic will reform back into the New Republic. An attempt to form a Galactic Alliance fails as neither set of Imperials are keen on this idea, so this idea is dropped by the recently reformed New Republic.

The systems that had broken away during the civil war will all rejoin the reformed New Republic over the next few years and a new government will be elected, whose powers will be limited so this can never happen again, so that no one leader can wield such powers.

The Jedi under Grand Master Skywalker will withdraw from the New Republic’s government and become the enforces of the peace within the New Republic and not its rulers, with no seat in government to influence government decisions, so that no Jedi will be tempted by the power of government again and go over to the Dark Side of the force.

The damage done by the civil war will take many years to repair, especially the damage done to Kashyyyk, that will take even long as the trees that where destroyed will take many decades to grow back.

The New Republic’s military will continue its pre civil war program to fortify all systems and worlds that are part of the New Republic. The New Republic’s fleets will be limited to four, with one of these fleets permanently deployed to Coruscant, to defend the capital and the surrounding systems.

The other three fleets will be positioned throughout the New Republic at key points, thus enabling these fleets, in whole or in part, to respond quickly to any potential threat, to any system or world that are part of the New Republic.

The New Republic will maintain embassies on both Bastion and Calon III, over the next few years the New Republic will try to unite into one Galtic Alliance, but this will prove to be futile, in the long term the New Republic will give up on this idea.

The Jedi will become what they where in the Old Republic, protectors of the peace in the New Republic. The Jedi will not involve themselves in either the Empire or the Shadow Empire, without the permission of either government and will deal only with keeping the peace in the New Republic.

Imperial Remnant

The Imperial Remnant is renamed The Empire (also called as the New Empire by some) and will combine both Admiral Daala’s Maw Imperials and Imperial Remnant into one power. The Empire now controls both the Imperial Remnant’s eight sectors along with the Deep Core of Admiral Daala’s Maw Imperials along with a few scattered holdings within the New Republic this will considerably increases the size of the new Empire without the need to attack anyone.

Admiral Natasi Daala is named the new supreme command of the Empires military forces, with Baron Fel becoming the new Grand Moff and head of the civil government after moving from the Shadow Empire, to the new Empire, with the approval of Grand Admiral Hammond.

Though Baron Fel has moved from the Shadow Empire to the Empire, Baron Fel has sworn an oath not to reveal any information about the Shadow Empire. The same oath has been taken by all of Baron Fel’s family that has also followed him to the Empire it would prove fatal if this oath was ever broken to all of Baron Fel’s family.

The New Empire will spend the next few years consolidating its holdings along with rebuilding the damage from the attempted coup by the Moff Council to take full control of the Imperial Remnant. The main benefit of the new Empire is the consolidation of the Maw fleet within the Imperial fleet, along with the research from the Maw scientists and all of there technologies, including the Metal Crystal Phase Shifter (MCPS), this weapon will now be fitted to all Imperial capital warships and all new build capital warships of the Empire.

The Empire will continue to grow internally over the next hundred years, in both economic and military terms and will become one of the three great powers in the galaxy.

The Empire will maintain ambassadors on both Calon III and Coruscant. The Empire will keep its distance with both the New Republic and the Shadow Empire, the Empire sets-up trade deals with the New Republic and other governments like CSA, but will have very little dealings with the Shadow Empire beyond the Calon sector.

The Qektoth Confederation

Out of all of these recent conflicts the Qektoth Confederation has come out intact and stronger than before, as the Qektoth Confederation backed the Shadow Empire in their battle against the Yuuzhan Vong, even sending some of their latest generation Qektoth Attack Cruisers, to fight against the Yuuzhan Vong, while keeping clear of the New Republic who barely tolerates the Qektoth Confederations “assistance”.

The Qektoth Confederation did learn a lot during the war against the Yuuzhan Vong, as this gave the Qektoth Confederation a chance to test their weapons and technology in combat and also give their crews much needed combat experience.

The other part the Qektoth Confederation gained is via there covert company in the Corporate Sector Authority, Dodson Medical Research Company this company has now branched out into starfighters and small warships in the corvette class range via its new subsidiary company Dodson Space Systems.

During the Yuuzhan Vong and the Second Galactic Civil War Dodson Space Systems did a roaring trade in all its military spacecraft and Dodson Space Systems income would surpass the income from if parent company Dodson Medical Research. Over a period of ten years Dodson Space Systems would grow from a small level producer to a medium level producer of spacecraft within the galaxy.

One of Dodson Space Systems main customers was (and still is) Admiral Daala’s Maw fleet with a large number of its corvette class vessels supplied covertly, as an off shoot of this deal Dodson Space Systems would also supply those systems under Admiral Daala’s Maw fleet protection. In the aftermath of the civil war Dodson Space Systems is now one of the main contractors to the Empire, along with companies like Santhe/Sienar Technologies and KDY (who sold Dodson Space Systems the rights to the now highly successful A-9 Vigilance interceptor and now regretting that decision!)

The other main customer for Dodson Space Systems products is the Corporate Sectors own fleet, which is replacing the Marauder class corvette with Dodson Space Systems own corvette class vessels (at a discount).

The Dodson Space Systems own corvette class vessels are designed to be flexible and easy to modify and upgrade, but also durable, manoeuvrable and carry a decent weapons package. Each customer can choose what sort of weapon systems etc they want fitted to their version of the Dodson Space Systems corvette class vessel, making each customer’s corvette unique, but based on a standard hull.

With the ending of the Second Galactic Civil War the Dodson Group is “approached” by the Qektoth Confederation, to purchase spacecraft from them. What of course no one knows is that the Dodson Group is controlled by the Qektoth Confederation this deal will allow the Qektoth Confederation to “purchase” openly rather than covertly without anyone finding out the Qektoth Confederation owns the Dodson Group.

The future for the Qektoth Confederation is secure under the protection n of the Shadow Empire.

Shadow Empire

The Shadow Empires involvement in the Second Galactic Civil War is minimal with only Grand Admiral Thrawn warship being involved in direct combat for an extended period (thought the Qektoth Confederation does provide some support services). Lord Tremayne’s flagship is only involved in the Battle at Shedu Maad and then only to deliver the Lord Tremayne and his Sith to deal with Darth Caedus.

Once the Second Galactic Civil War is over the Shadow Empires forces returns to their space with only some of Lord Tremayne’s Sith being diverted to pickup the Sith artefacts left after the death of Darth Caedus.

The Shadow Empire will continue is steady exploration and colonisation of the Unknown Regions and continue to expand its military forces to protect this expansion, but the Shadow Empire will not involve itself in either the New Republic or the Empire.

With its ability to clone, none of the three leaders of the Shadow Empire will need to step down as their old body dies their conciseness will be transferred into a new cloned body, just as the Emperor did at his “death” at Endor. This process has already been used for Grand Admiral Thrawn, the next will be Lord Tremayne and then Grand Admiral Hammond will use this process. This will allow the Shadow Empire to maintain stability, as the Shadow Empire will always be following the same leadership goals.

Also this process will be expanded to those members of the Shadow Empire that are of significance to the Shadow Empire, or have earned the right to be cloned, these include scientists, engineers and some Sith. The first Sith out side of Lord Tremayne to be offered this cloning ability is Jav Stele, who accepts.

The Sith in the Shadow will continue to grow at a steady rate, with there numbers growing into the hundreds, with capabilities varying from weak in the force to strong, each Sith will depending in ability perform the functions best suited to their Dark Side abilities.

The only trade that the Shadow Empire will have will be through the Calon sector, the Shadow Empire will maintain diplomatic links with the New Republic and the Empire, but will keep to itself and not bother anyone unless they bother the Shadow Empire.

Thus the Legend of Zerik Hammond will go on, and the immortal leadership of the Shadow Empire is borne.

Over the next few decades the galaxy will know peace, and trade will boom, as there is no long a single power of the Old Republic (New Republic) dominating the galaxy and stifling trade etc as in the old days. Now there are many governments of various sizes vying for trade and diplomatic ties with one or all of the three main powers in the galaxy.

The only “real” threat that will raise its head is one hundred years after the Second Galactic Civil War in the shape of a rouge Sith called Darth Krayt and his small band of Sith try to take control of the both the Empire and the Shadow Empire, but are defeated by the combined forces of the Shadow Empires Sith and the New Republic’s Jedi, along with the military forces of all three main powers in the galaxy.

Thus the Jedi and the Shadow Empire’s Sith live in relative harmony (by keeping out of each others way), only the occasional minor “incident” between them.

In the end no one knows what the Shadow Empire is up to and no one in either the New Republic or the Empire is ever willing to ask or even to find out, as any ship that enters the Shadow Empire without permission does not return.

The galaxy has found a new way from the single monolith of the Old Republic, to several governments/powers.

The one thing that still puzzles everyone outside of the Shadow Empire is why the Shadow Empire did not just retake the galaxy this is a question that will remain unanswered, as no one wants to ask the Shadow Empire that question!

This might give the Shadow Empire ideas and that is something no one wants to do!

...................

THE END