His name is Bishop Gregor, servant of the Citadel, the spiritual organization representing the one and true God and the only official religious organization within the Empire; At least, unless one discounted the two official yet secretive Sith sects, The Sith Order and the Naboo Sith Order.

He was flanked on either side by Stormtroopers, Spartans and Darktroopers and felt a certain amount of satisfaction at their presence. Walking in front of the procession was a Sith but from which belief (or loyalty) sect, Gregor knew not. Walking behind, at his own request, were several Jedi (corps).

He wore the typical white and grey robes denoting his privilege of Service and carried a staff that extended two feet longer than his height. It was his one indulgence allowed for in his heart he felt a certain 'rightness' in the look of both a robed and staffed servant of God.

It would have amused him to know that some members of the newly disbanded Jedi sect on Naboo also moved with such walking aids. Perhaps they understood the true value such appearances held?

The Empire definitely knew the value of appearance because for all short-sided people, 'seeing was believing'. But less known was the fact that if one trusted nothing but their eyes it made them a slave to those manipulating visual stimuli.


And there was the maze that entrapped not only humanity but every intelligent species in the galaxy!


Slavery to those who manipulate visual stimuli. Slavery to shape the belief of a creature and turn them away from Truth.


He walked on in the procession amid the overwhelming appearances the Empire manipulated not for the benefit of the ongoing masses for there were none but for one.


His procession was private and he knew the display was calculated to impress him of the seriousness the leaders of the Empire placed upon this and that he faced not one machination but most (if not all) of the juggernaught that was the Empire.


The showy display, however, only served to impress upon Gregor of the Truth in which he served.


The narrow durasteel bridge over the dark cavernous expanse was traversed and the Bishop refused to be intimidated by the scale of towers he crossed.


The ediface on which the Empire was founded was only as strong as God allowed. He was strengthened by an age-old tale of a King who had built such a tower reaching to the heavens in defiance of God only to be struck down with a confusing jumble of mixed languages. Not only was God's purpose served despite the defiance but a lesson impressed upon those equally motivated. God was not one to be mocked. There was also another such tale of a King who had built an empire spanning continents and who, after all his enemies were put down, gave credit and glory to himself for acheiving such power. The King was humbled by being struck with insanity and lived the next few years outside living as a beast in the field.


The haughty are humbled and it was a lesson the Empire would do well to remember.


He began to smile.



*


"What the fuck are you smiling at?" came the harsh voice of the retired-Grand Moff Azrael Zell.


What the old man was exactly retired from, Bishop Gregor didn't know. But he took the comment in stride knowing from experience that those with such freedom of speech were not limited in any way from their freedom of action.


So Gregor told him of the tale of the Tower and what he was thinking about the towers resident on Corsucant.


Zell's eyes narrowed as the circular panal of people sitting to the right and left of him murmured to themselves. The soldiers escorting the Citadel Bishop had ringed the floor facing the Bishop standing at attention. The Sith and Jedi stood behind him, as if cutting of a way of retreat.


But there was no need of retreat.


He stared up at the raised section in the subtle lighting and realized this was also supposed to intimidate him.


He calmed himself as some military leader whose name Gregor did not know spoke up, "So you have already confirmed your treason! You think your god will tear the Empire asunder and strike us down for our... presumptuousness in building skyscrapers?"


The Bishop relaxed and gave a disarming smile, "Of course not, Sir. In the account, God struck those who built the tower not because they built a building but because they directly opposed the known directions of God. I only made the comparison of the account of the Tower with the towers I saw nearby because many of these towers that reaches to the heaves of Coruscant were built by the Old Republic. The Old Republic has been laid low as a failure and so I wonder on things that God has yet to let me know... Was such a fall the direct result of God's wrath for presumptuousness or was it merely coincidence?"


The murmurs suddenly turned to chuckling at the thought. Perhaps some were wondering if the Bishop presumed the Empire was the Hand of God in bringing down the Old Republic? The thought would amuse such leaders.


But Gregor meant no such thing.


Emboldened, Bishop Gregor took a step forward, "And it is not my God. God is God. Whether you choose to acknowledge his existence or not does not change the fact of his existence!"


The military leader bristled offended by the Citadel man's words.


"You impudent little bug!" another man in Admiral bars started, "Do you know why the Citadel was started to begin with?"


The Bishop's eyebrows rose. "Because it was the Will of God," he stated firmly.


Zell suddenly barked out a laugh. "Oh, I am going to love this..."

"So you think it is god's will the Empire uses religion as a method of control of it's citizens?" Zell retorted into the small space of silence and Bishop Gregor's eyes scanned the soldiers of different types facing him knowing the Sith was smirking behind him.

"I believe the Will of God has not changed since the times before the Force and I believe it is his will for all to know His Truth. I cannot help it if you also suppose to use this as your method of control but it is His Will being carried out through religion."


"The Azguards and Coalition have religion. Do you say they have truth?" an Admiral asked and Gregor grinned.

"They have a type of Truth. Do not confuse religion with Truth. Just because a person believes something does not, in and of itself, make it true. It must be tested as if for impurities and I can tell you, after their time of testing, the truth the Azguards face is that their gods are not True Gods nor is their religion the one true religion!"

"Based on?"

"Based on the lack of success of their gods against a temporal enemy, the Galactic Empire. Those who hold to the Azguard faith do not understand the fundamentals about God and so follow these 'gods' who are hungry for war and death. In the end, this faith of their followers will be burned out of their hearts with failure after failure."

"Well, I could have told you their gods were bullshit." Zell remarked. "I also can tell you that your god is bullshit. All Citadel beliefs are a conglomeration of various different religions that used to be found within the Empire and now are not. Each new 'belief' is not set into your canon law until approved by a department in INS."

Bishop Gregor merely looked at the retired Moff and said, "A fool can tell you that Emperor Palpatine was killed by Darth Vader and yet because you were told this by a fool does not invalidate the truth.

It is God's will that we live in peace with our respective governments and obey these 'superior authorities'. And so, legally, for the Citadel to be officially recognized by the Empire, it needed a COMPNOR charter. With this officiality also comes a responsibility to pass divine truths through an INS office. Does this invalidate the truths?

I think not.

You think because the Water of Truth is drawn from various cisterns the water is somehow contaminated?

This grand Empire you vaunt to the galaxy sits on edifaces and structures many of which drew their beginnings from the Old Republic and what came before. Does this fact invalidate Imperial Law and the foundations from which the Galactic Empire stands upon?"


Azrael Zell's eyebrows raised at the comments and shifted uncomfortably. He turned to the Admiral, a man named Jaeder, and the military man cast his stern visage to the Citadel man before them. "Your water of truth being drawn from different sources may not contaminate but it does dilute."

Zell looked at his friend impressed despite himself. Fight the fucker on his own terms!

The Bishop Gregor blinked at first not expecting the military mind to respond in kind. His surprise turned to delight and he excitedly replied, "Not if you did not have Truth to begin with.

Haven't you ever wondered: why now? Why now of all times has God deigned to turn his attention to the Empire and bless it with such prosperity?"

"No..." Zell answered sarcastically.

Gregor ignored the interruption, "If anything was a testament to the existence of God, it is the Empire!"

"How the fuck do you figure that?"

And suddenly the Bishop's features changed to one of rage and his walking stick rose, "To use your obscenities, old man, how the fuck does a galaxy spanning civilization get kicked on it's ass by A HANDFUL OF MILITANTS?!"

The sheer disgust and contempt the Bishop Gregor showered at the panel made those observing draw back. The soldiers stood a little straighter wondering if, at any moment, they would be ordered to cut the religious man down.

If there was one thing that embarrassed the Empire.... If there was one thing that had the elite and powerful of the Empire looking around in confusion it was 'getting kicked on its ass' by the Rebellion. The Imperial leaders, elite citizens and their various organizations like INS all sought to throw light on the great rise out of the darkness from Darth Exceron to Azrael Zell to Daemon Hyfe to Simon Kaine raising these figures to near demigod preportions. All the while, however, ignoring the fact that the Empire had been kicked into that darkness to begin with by just a handful of insurrectionists Rebels. These Rebels would go on to create a New Republic and would be a source of personal hatred by the retreating Empire until they would return later to beat the living stuffing out of them.


"We had a top-heavy government!" a voice rang out in defense of the Old Empire.

"We had no Fleet Oversight and the Moffs cared for their own position rather than their territories.." came another shout.

No one would verbally call Palpatine a fool out loud but all thought that an entire legion of his best troops and a significant portion of the Imperial Starfleet, not counting an operational Death Star, should have been enough to defeat a shuttle-sized company of soldiers, native Ewoks and the handful of Mon Calamari and Nebulon B rustbuckets that were thrown at them.

"NO!" Gregor shouted back. "You did not have God's blessing! You thought to make yourselves gods! You thought yourselves the Masters of the Universe and for your presumptuousness, you were laid low."


"Are you saying God declared war on the Empire?" Zell asked incredulously.

"What war?" Gregor responded in a flippant manner.

"Oh, you sorry son of a bitch.." Zell muttered feeling an urge to punch the smug officiant in his face.

"GOD IS NOT ONE TO BE MOCKED!" the Bishop shouted back. "Yes, the Citadel beliefs stem from the religions of various peoples for the Empire sits in a cradle of near infinite diversity in infinite combinations. The Census Bureau was set up to run through the beliefs of all these entities and create one simple yet appealing organization to capture the people's hearts!

Well, guess what, oh glorious planners of the Empire? It worked! It was not only appealing but it was compelling for in each religion was found a gem of Truth and when they were all drawn together, the mosaic began to take on a life of it's own!"


In the grip of passion, Gregor's voice entreated the leaders seated above him, "Do you know why the greatest denial of God exists? Do you know what the greatest cause for disbelief in God is?"


"Besides fanatical faggots?" Zell snorted.


Bishop Gregor looked at him in sincere agreement. "You've hit the nail on the head, Moff Zell. In another word: religion.

Just about every species in this galaxy has some system of belief that talks of a divine power, a divine hope and galactic eventuality. Every species.

But we creatures of the universe are inherently selfish and so we begin putting our own versions of truth into the mix and soon what we have is unappealing, uncompelling and, even moreso, repulsive and degenerate.

You see, all species talk of a divine creator and of a divine hope. A hope that things will get better and yet, take a look outside you see how we all throw ourselves into violence with a glee that pleases no one but the Dark One.

But species go to war and commit such attrocities in the name of a divine being and so rather than attribute such actions to the fools who perpetrate them, people attribute the actions to God.

Then, because God does not act to counter or circumvent the actions of these fools, people profess disbelief in Him.

And so they walk blind in a galaxy gone mad.


That is, until someone decided to put together the greatest research project in the galaxy and put it in the hands of a truly active organization. The Census Bureau takes its responsbilities seriously. So many similarities of thought between species, even those with little interaction, tends to speak to Truth."

Admiral Jaeder frowned, "But that is not exactly...proof."

The Bishop shrugged, "The Empire shouts to the galaxy over holonet regarding it's superiority and supremacy but just because you shout the loudest does not make it true either."


"That could be interpreted as treason."


"To the ignorant, perhaps. But I did not say the Empire was not the most superior government in the galaxy. I just said that being the loudest in shouting does not make it fact."


"You split hairs like a lawyer." one person grumbled.


"You think your god is stronger than the Sith? You think your faith will protect you from my wrath?" The Sith standing behind Gregor had finally spoken albeit in that tiring but effective menacing voice.

Bishop Gregor turned slightly, "You think your powers greater than the creator of the Universe?"

The Sith activated it's lightsaber with the familiar snap-hiss and the panel shifted nervously. Bishop Gregor stood firm.

"The ability to take life is not a great one and is something even domesticated animals can do. But, tell me Sith, can you give life?"

"You want him to fuck a girl?" Zell asked acting confused.

The laughter around the panel simply served to anger the Sith more. The Bishop kept eye contact with the force user and simply said, "In the time before the Force, God was."

"THERE WAS NO TIME BEFORE THE FORCE!" the Sith shouted back. "The Force is! And the Sith control it!"

"No.." Gregor whispered. "Life creates it. Makes it grow. Without life, there is no Force and so, before life was created, there could be no Force.

So, then, is not the Force yet another gift from God?"


Zell barked out a laugh, "Call me a pussy and fuck me silly! The bastard's got a point!"


The Bishop turned his back on the Sith to address the panel, "I assure you, I know who my parents are."


The sheer hubris of the Bishop refreshed the old man Zell and he nodded approvingly. THIS is what made people stand up and take notice.

Strength!

Not the fucking mewling about that Jedi or lesser beings are known for. Always whining about the good ol' days and usually the whiners were those too fucking young to remember the good ol' days.


Like the fucking Sith! Zell looked at the mewling Sith newborn wondering through narrowed eyes who the fuck had him in attendance, Vance or Lupercus?

Wait! Vance has some 'Darth' name now.... fucking Sith. Can't keep their fucking names straight. As if coming up with some new name makes them more badass or competent!


"So you denounce the Jedi?" another asked.


"Do you mean the true Jedi, the Corps, or do you refer to the disbanded Order from Naboo?"


This Bishop is smart! Zell grinned.


"The latter."


"Of course. The Jedi follow false gods, the whims of microscopic parasitic creatures residing in their bodies and in doing so, set themselves up in a position that only God should have."


"What position is that?"

"The position to absolve accountability. God has a set of standards that do not change and have never changed. The Jedi Code changes with the times and it doesn't matter what people do, whether they rape a girl or commit mass murder on a planetary scale, join the Jedi and they not only are absolved and forgiven but they are given the authority of 'Master', as if the slaughter was some benchmark to reach Mastership.

And then they wonder why the people ... the victims ... hate the Jedi? They wonder why no one trusts them."

Zell cackled in agreement, "All fucking Lupercus has to do is apply for membership and they'll fucking forgive him and make him a fucking Jedi Master!"

The panel went a round of laughter at the obsurdity that was the old Jedi Order.


Zell leaned forward, "But tell me, Bishop, doesn't your belief in god directly clash with the Imperial ideology of Evolution?"


"It is not ideology, it is fact.." Admiral Jaeder remarked.

The Bishop named Gregor frowned slightly. "Does not the Empire's own actions directly clash with their own (presumably factual) ideology of Evolution?"


"How the fuck do you arrive at that conclusion?" Zell sputtered wondering where the hell the Bishop was going.


"Well, if I remember the postulates of Evolution, a rather large axiom is 'Survival of the Fittest'. A particular species adapts to it's environment and adapts to not only overcome the environment but also adapts to ensure it's superiority over all other living things."


"And how have our actions belied that?" Moff Jaeder asked critically.


"Because the Empire, in our efforts to supplant our superiority, have effectively removed any chance of our species advancing in favor of turning this, what should be our biological and physical imperative into a political imperative. As a result, to achieve this political superiority, we (as a species and as the Empire) have taken... short cuts."


"Such as?"


"Dependence on droids. Humans wrap themselves in this technological marvel at the expense of their betterment. As a result, human culture stagnates." was Gregor's immediate answer.

"Yeah.. yeah, believe it or not but the Imperial leadership has recognized this. The New Alliance and the Kashan Confederation are great examples of this ossification. The New Alliance because it already has happened and the Kashan because it's fucking happening right now."


"The Empire is not immune to these shortcuts." Gregor pointed out.

"We are NOT dependent on droids, of that I can assure you."

The Bishop held up his hand, "But... the Empire does make extensive use of clones."


"Whether a droid or a clone, the point is, adaptation becomes either a technological or genetically altered accessory taking humans out of the equation altogether.

As a result, while the political goal becomes more and more within our collective grasp, our cultural and (dare I say) evolutionary goal stagnates or degenerates."


"There is a big difference between our biological soldiers and droids!" Jaeder snapped.


"If your droids suddenly up an turned against you, what would you do?"


"Melt the metal bitches in our furnaces!" Zell grumbled back seeing where the Bishop was going and hating him for it.


"And if your collection of super soldiers from Bhindi Drayson or Simon Kaine or some other architect and research project simply up and turn against you..?"


For the second time that evening the panel shifted uncomfortably.


"Armageddon." someone whispered.


"There are safeguards in place.." Zell barked out to the panel at large as if assuring himself of the fact. "In the history of clones, the amount of such turncoat situations has, in fact, been relatively small in number."


"You dislike the idea of one of your creations up and changing their intended purpose on you don't you?" Gregor remarked. "You are uncomfortable with the idea of one of your creations rebelling against you and so not only do you have safeguards in place but I am sure that you have operational procedures on how to... combat this situation."


"Damn straight!"


The Bishop spoke as if to himself, "Then why to people have such a hard time relating to the fact that God also does not like nor appreciate it when his creation simply up's and changes their purpose on him? Why is it so hard to fathom that God also would have certain safeguards in place and would move to also combat this situation?

People seem to think that because he created us we can do whatever the heck we want irregardless of what He initially purposed for us and just because he 'loves' us, he is somehow impotent?

Tell me, Sirs. Do you love your clones?"

"I've bedded a couple of female clones once. Pretended they were twins." Zell laughed out loud.

"If you were surrounded by Coalition or, in the past, New Republic soldiers, I am sure you'd love their company then?" Gregor pressed.

"Your point?"

Gregor smiled, "That you also would not hesitate to put them down no matter how fond you were of them if they strayed from their designed purpose or if they chose not to follow your commands."


Gregor eyed the panel seriously. "Such are the Truths we are bringing to people."


There was a pause before Jaeder brought them back on track, "You believe that we are created rather than have evolved..."


"Evolved from what, Moff Jaeder?" Gregor asked incredulously. "From some hairy beast millions of years ago? From a rodent millions of years before that and before that a bird? A fish? A Kuati slime eel? And before that? From some primordial ooze that no one has yet to duplicate despite our technology? But prior to even that?

Nothing!


Ultimately, you are claiming that life can come from lifelessness. That life generating reactions and life's building blocks simply come into being! By accident!"


"It can happen.." someone was saying and the Bishop actually snorted.


"And people used to believe that flies simply grew out of meat sealed in a jar. Life cannot come from lifelessness."


"So you have credentials as a biologist now?" someone else on the panel remarked and Gregor smirked.


"Standard INS practice. If you cannot refute the arguement, discredit the speaker. But it still does not invalidate Truth."


"Ten thousand Wookiees banging away on an antiquated typesetting machine, after a millenia, could duplicate the darkside writings of Palpatine..." Moff Jaeder began.

Gregor grinned, interrupting the Moff, "You don't have to be an author to stumble onto Truth."


"But accidents do happen!" the Moff pressed. "They can happen! We could have evolved from one such accident."


"But what about the hundreds of thousands of other intelligent lifeforms in this galaxy?!" Shouted the Bishop. "Are you saying that each of these millions of planets all suddenly had the same accidental mix of whatever in their respective and vastly different galactic regions for LIFE to suddenly spring into being?!"


The soldiers surrounding the Bishop stood straighter, some checking their weapons knowing an order to silence this annoyance was surely coming.

"Tell me, Bishop, what prevents us from simply turning our super-soldiers and Sith on you right now?" Moff Jaeder asked pointedly. Zell realized his old comrade was nearing the end of his endurance in this sparring and so cut right to the issue.


The Bishop was not cowering nor did worry spread across his face. The man was either very foolish or very shrewd.

His life is wasted on religion, lamented Zell.


"Because, in your intelligence, despite your obvious dislike for myself, the Citadel and it's ilk you, on a basic level, understand the necessity of us."


"Necessity!?" the Sith barked out incredulously. "We have no need of your God!"


"Only the outright stupid convince themselves that they do not need God. Even the intelligent recognize the need even if they refuse to acknowledge the source." Bishop Gregor countered. "These gentlemen," his hand encompassed the high ranking officials seated above, "recognize the need the Sith bring but do not be so foolish to think that they do not dislike you. Your stupidity almost cancels out the advantage to be gained by your inherent power. Almost."


The Sith's eyes widened at the Bishop's words and put on a show of a grin as his eyes scanned those seated above expecting to hear their counter arguement or declaration that the statement was untrue.

No statement was forthcoming.

The Sith's grin faltered.

"You consider yourself and your religion more valuable to us over the Sith and theirs?" Jaeder asked flatly.

Gregor smiled, "I believe you benefit more with our association than you do with the Sith. More to the point, the Jedi threat that they stand ready to defend the Empire against has not only failed to materialize but the apostate Jedi organization is all but dead.

Has not the Imperial reach extended even to Naboo?"

"The Empire does not face a Jedi threat because of the presence of the Sith?" the acolyte sneered. "Our mere presence spreads fear into their hearts and they run from our steps..."

"Poetic," the Bishop commented. "However, I would put my trust in simple, good old-fashioned Imperial work!"

This exclamation brought approving grunts from those seated above and Azrael Zell grinned.

But Jaeder was not one to be put off. "Since you consider yourself more of a necessity than the Sith, that begs the simple question: why?"


The Bishop looked suddenly sad as he spoke his next words, "Because, gentlemen. The political differences between the Empire and the rest of the galaxy will never be settled. There will never be a clear cut victor."


"Are you saying the Empire will lose?!"


"No..no." Gregor waved a hand down. "Take the fight with the Coalition. Your differences stem from adhering to differing political approaches to governing. We have an Emperor and they have Representative Councils. You fight over how one should rule and it is a fight that neither can win because you do not attack the true heart of the matter!"

"And that is?"


"The heart of the individuals leading!


I would take a benevolent Emperor anyday over an evil and corrupt House of Representatives. And the mistakes of one man are always easier to fix than those of an entire house of men. So the question of governments becomes ultimately irrelevant.

It then becomes a question as to the quality of men in our government.

It then becomes a test to the quality of men in our Empire.

And what better measure of one's quality than to stand under the banner of Truth and with the blessing of God?

The spritual benefits to the Empire if it continues it's support of God's will is his continued blessing upon your collective efforts. Even if you do not believe, this is not to be minimized.

The practical benefits to the spreading of Truth within the Empire is that you have a people solid and united against the pagan and heretic nations outside our borders.

The Coalition not only fights the Empire because of a difference in how governments should run but they war against us because their false gods have told them to do so.

This makes it our fight and the moreso for our fight is with the invisible Dark One who casts his shadow into the minds of others by turning their eyes to false gods.

We will not submit our Truth for a lie even if the political shield of the Empire should fail."


The import of what the Bishop just uttered rendered the panel speechless.


Well, amost.


"Fuck me." whispered Zell.



*




Later..


"Do you know what the fuck you created with the Citadel, Kaine?" Zell growled as he tossed back his hard liquor.


"Something that canot be defeated quite so easily as a fleet or an army." Kaine commented, pouring another drink for the retired man and himself.


"The Coalition shot themselves in the foot by pushing the Azguardian religion to the forefront of their wars and conflicts. It distorted their message of benevolence and claims that we were evil.


Can you imagine a world where our armed forces are defeated and Coalition soldiers roam the streets? Soldiers physically of the Coalition but spiritually bound to the will of the Azguard Gods? 'False Gods'?"


Zell barked out a laugh. "That is fucking devious! The Coalition will be very wary of allowing a prominent and politically supported organization continue in existence on worlds they hold.... they will be so fucking suspicious of the Citadel.."


"With good reason.." Kaine interjected.


"Yeah, with fucking good reason...but if they ban the Citadel, these followers of Truth will be so livid as if the Devil himself slept with their underage daughter and shat on their silk sheets that their...faith ...would compel a much different response than what the Coalition was hoping for."


The old man's cackling went on for a while. "Fucking fanatics.."

Kaine smiled. "They are our fanatics, Zell. The very best. Those who not only believe but have the purity of Truth impressed upon them for in it are kernals of what they have always believed."


"Wrapped in the gauntlet of the Empire!" Zell barked out.


"Of course. The Empire has a responsibility to protect the beliefs of it's people." Kaine smiled enigmatically. "Of Peace, of Truth, of Order, of Honor.. of Strength, of Empire."


"You're fucking revolutionizing the way we wage war. You fucking know that?"


"I like to think of it as the Renaissance of War."


"Always gotta bring out the fucking big words... Kaine. Just nod your fucking
head in acceptance of my compliment and move fucking on!"


Kaine chuckled and the two men began to talk of other things...