New Imperial Ubiqtorate Base | Yaga Minor

In the not-so-distant past, Yaga Minor had been one of the busiest worlds in the Empire. A world near the border of old Imperial space, and certainly their most heavily defended fortress next to the hidden capital at Bastion. But that had been before the Jutraalian Empire. Before Emperor Fearsons and his Angel Virus, an ironic name for a murderous and terrifying biological agent that had astounded even the Imperial High Command with its outright viciousness, and brought to Chadd Fearsons the scorn of the galaxy.

For three years now the massive orbital shipyards of Yaga Minor had hung empty, no ships docked within their metal spider webs, no keels laid, no hordes of workers in vac suits scrambling over the half-completed warships, fighting time and budget restraints to finish them on schedule. Yaga Minor was a wasteland, a devastated shell of a former planet.

The Nirvana dropped out of hyperspace at the closest the planet’s gravity well would allow, the awesome wedge shape of an Imperial Star Destroyer cutting across the endless lanes of traffic that had been held in orbit since the reclaiming of the world by the New Order. Bhindi had last seen Yaga Minor nearly a month ago, as the Black Fleet formed up for the final push into Demosthesian Space; the Battle of Commenor. In that time, the Empire had returned the planet to her old glory. At least, in the eyes of Admiral Drayson. She had not been born on Yaga Minor, nor even spent much of her time there, but somehow it still felt closer to home than Coruscant, or any other planet in the galaxy, ever had.

The Nirvana settled into her assigned orbit, tailing the massive new constructs of the planet’s orbital construction and operations facilities. The space station had been dubbed Tyrant’s Nest, in honour of the Star Destroyer that had won so many victories for Bhindi Drayson, and which now served as the flagship of the Fourth Imperial Protectorate.

There was a brief exchange of orders on the Nirvana’s bridge, and then a single Imperial shuttle and a wing pair descended from the ship’s cavernous landing bay and descended to the orbital command centre below.



“High Command was impressed with your initiative at Commenor, Admiral. And, of course, with your willingness to embrace the true Empire.” Admiral Rakhum said, leaving no doubt about his opinion of the recently defeated Holy Demosthesian Empire. “And, between you and me, Drayson, some of them were impressed with your work for the Demosthesians, sacrilege or not.” He leaned back in the chair – Bhindi’s chair, it was her office – and smiled. “You have shown that you have both the tactical ability and the political savvy necessary to win – and the willingness to do anything to attain victory. Attributes your dear old dad lacked. He really was quite a fool, wasn’t he?”

“My father was not a fool.” Bhindi growled, rising from her chair and glaring at the Admiral. “He was betrayed, by the New Republic.”

“And look where that Republic is now.” Rackum said softly, and smiled. ”Buried. With the ashes of the Demosthesian Empire and the Jutraalians.” Bhindi nodded.
“What’s your point?”
“The Republic and the Jutraalian both failed for a variety of reasons, Admiral. The Republic attempted to govern the galaxy with each and every world having a say, rather like the Old Republic had once done.” He smirked. “And we all know how that turned out.”

Sensing Bhindi’s increasing lack of attention, Rachum pushed on. “The Jutraalian Empire tried something similar, only they did away with the Senate and placed total control in the hands of Emperor Fearsons. A wish to be somewhat like our own glorious Empire, I assume. The point is, that none of these methods succeeded. The Old Republic and the New collapsed when their politicians failed to agree, the Jutraalians collapsed when the Emperor was struck down. Centralized power has never worked, Drayson.”

She nodded, coming to an understanding of what he was saying.

“Palpatine took the first logical step in forming sectors, each of which was governed by a Moff. The Moffs had total control over their territory, but still served the Emperor and his New Order.” He paused, catching his breath. “What Grand Marshall Kaine has done is to expand on the Emperor’s ideas. To put it plainly, Admiral, you are in control of any territory you bring into the Empire.”

“You have an assignment for me.” It was not a question.

“A rather ambiguous one, I’m afraid, Admiral. But I suppose that was part of the Grand Marshall’s plan. We all know his tactics are often rather… creative, in fact the rank of Grand Marshall only came into creation when he was promoted to that office. The directive states that those members of the admiralty should use their assigned forces to strike out against targets of their choice, in order to carve out a sector of space governed by them, and to use the assets gained by that expansion to secure still more space.”

“So they don’t care what I do-“

“As long as you add territory to the Empire.” Rackhum smiled thinly. “Good luck, Admiral.”

Imperial Centre | Military Command Centre

"She's only a girl, hardly out of her teens." High Admiral Tredok, his voice amplified by the sound system the Republic had so generously left them when they were routed from the capital, looked from face to face around the conference table. "The idea that she may be allowed to lead a division, much less govern her own expanse of territory, is absurd!"

Slowly, he returned to his seat, settling his expansive frame onto the cushioned chair and reaching for a cigar from the centre of the long table. Only twelve members were allowed in these meetings, and that included the Regent himself and the Grand Marshall, neither of whom were present. Much to the relief of Tredok, for both those men seemed to be very much in favour of the young, female Admiral who had so recently joined them, and caused such a stirring in the ranks.

"What's more, she's a girl! A Demosthesian girl, and the daughter of a Rebel!"

"Her father died at the hands of the Rebellion, Admiral. She holds them in no esteem. In fact, according to Commodore Gevel, she joined the Empire specifically to destroy the Rebellion." Another of the officers, a Marshall, formerly of the 256th (now-Grand Marshall Simon Kaine's old division), interupted. He was aging, far past his prime and appointed to the High Command because of his vast experiance under the Grand Marshall. He was widely considered to speak for Kaine when the man himself was not present, and was by far the oldest and wisest at the table.

Tredok looked down at the table for a brief moment, before turning his gaze to the other man. The two locked gazes, the old Marshall frowning slightly, the younger High Admiral trying in vain to make him shy away from the contest. The Marshall had served the Empire for fifty years, seen blood and gore and destruction enough for a dozen lifetimes. He had come face to face with people and creatures far worse than High Admiral Dalrean Tredok.

"Commodore Gevel is a renegade, Marshall." One of the other Admirals put in. It was almost funny, the Marshall mused briefly, how the members of the fleet so often stook together. Especcially when it came to bashing one of their own. "He does not adhere to the model of an Imperial citizen, and certainly not a member of the fleet."

"Who is a model member of the fleet, Admiral?" The old Marshall asked, casting a glance to Tredok, who had remained quiet since he had first spoken. "I agree that Gevel's methods are... unorthidox. But the same can be said for the Grand Marshall. And he defeated Grand Admiral Thrawn."

"He's turned down a promotion. He disobeyed a direct order. Half the time he doesn't even bother to tell us what the hell he's up to."

It was a discussion that had been replayed many times within the High Command, and outside, since the aquisition of Dantooine.

"Shyle was a proven traitor. Gevel exposed him, and saved the Empire some embarrasment." Tredok's face had been reddening for the last several minutes, and at this he exploded. His chair toppled backwards, and spit flew from his mouth as he shouted.

"Gevel is an embarresment, Marshall. If it were up to me, he would loose his precious Bastion Conclave and spend the rest of his time in the Rim commanding a garage scow!"

The old man sighed, his frown deepening.

"But it is not up to you, Admiral. And for that the Empire may be thankful." The Marshall had not moved through Tredok's yelling, and his tone did not change as he responded. "Commodore Gevel has brought more territory into the Empire than any other officer in the fleet. He defeated the Mon Calamari Republic at Kamino, and he defeated the Demosthesians at Commenor."

"Resistance at Kamino was hardly noteworthy. General Ming lost at Reign Star Destroyer at Mon Calamari fighting the same Republic. And he had help with Commenor." One of the other fleet officers said diplomatically. He was a new addition to the High Command, and had not sunk into the habit of agreeing with his brethren at every turn.

"General Ming was abandoned by his allies and outnumbered nearly two to one at Mon Calamari, and still managed to destroy two of the fishheads' shipyards and do some damage to their fleet. And, as I recall, the 'help' Gevel had with Commenor came from that 'Demosthesian daughter of a Rebel'." Here, he looked squarely at Tredok, who bristled but said nothing. "Commodore Gevel is an effective officer, despite any ills you all may have towards him. Bhindi Drayson, likewise, has proven herself valuable. The Empire rewards effective officers, gentlemen. We do not shun them to the rim to command garbage scows."

"So that's it then? We're going to let the two most powerful factions of the New Order be commanded by a bum who used to teach children about the Battle of Endor, where he wasn't even present, and a girl who's daddy was a Rebel and who used to be a member of the Church of Fools?" Tredok demanded. Some of his steam had returned, and he was ready for another round with the Marshall.

"The Bastion Conclave and the Ubiqtorate remain under the direct control of the Empire and the Regent. Gevel and Drayson are free to do as they please with the assets assigned to them by the High Command. That is us."

"It's rediculous! The Empire cannot suffer the indignity of having scum like these ruling over it!"

The Marhsall smirked.

"Do you know, Admiral, that Palpatine felt the same way? He knew from the start that Thrawn was one of the finest officers the galaxy had ever seen. He defeated an Imperial patrol group, fifteen state-of-the-art warships, with a dozen light support craft? And that was when he was a lowly commander with the Chiss. Yet he choose to waste Thrawn's talents with meaningless missions into the Unknown Regions. Imagine how the Battle of Endor would have turned out with Grand Admiral Thrawn in charge?

"It was Palpatine's bias, his belief that they could not have scum ruling over it, that killed him, in the end." The Marshall offered a slight smile. "The Empire has recovered the holdings she lost prior to the Wrath virus under Gevel and now, Drayson. Your scum are keeping this Empire alive, Admiral."

Tredok said nothing, simply sat there, transfixed by the half dozen stormtroopers standing at attention behind the Marhsall. They had arrived midway through the Marhsall's speech, and now each had their weapons trained on the Admiral.

"The Empire can suffer scum, Admiral Tredok. But we cannot suffer fools. Palpatine was a fool." The soldiers parted to make room for the old Marhsall, and as the doorway hissed closed behind him they let rip with their weapons.

Tredok's body was removed from the meeting room an hour later by a cleansing team, and the chamber was fitted with a new table, to replace the one behind which the Admiral had attempted to cower.

New Imperial Ubiqtorate Base | Yaga Minor

The holographic map hovered in the centre of the dark room, spinning slowly at the command at the woman sitting in the chair before it.

The map was a multitude of colours, entire patches tinted a deep blue for the Galactic Empire, stretching from Imperial Centre and envolping the core before twining out towards the Ison Cooridor, the Rimma Trade Route, and the Hydian Way. Other areas were lighter, red for the Coalition, green for the Vinda-Corporation, and orange for the Outer Rim Soveriegnity. The old territories of the Demosthesian and Jutraalian Empires were outlined in yellow.

And below the core, nearer to the Coalition space than anything else, four systems glowed brightly. They were coloured with a light blue, almost turquoise, and each was flashing steadily.

Bhindi Drayson touched a key on the chair before her, and the map vanished, the holoprojectors quickly replacing the image with a closer view of the system. Now, each of the four planets had a name attatched, and such information as population, native language, trade goods, and their relationship with the New Order.

She tapped another key, and the image changed again. A larger, more detailed orb appeared, hovering in mid-air and spinning slightly on its axis. It was a predominantly blue world, with large patches of green and brown that made up her continents. The information that accompanied it was short and concise. Small population. No dominant languages beside Basic. The only export was carbonite.

She mouthed that word silently, smiling thinly at the world hovering in front of her.

The Imperial High Command had given their agents of the fleet leeway enough to pick and choose their targets, and to utilize 'all neccessary force' to deliver them. And there were few planets with such a valuable commodity as Carbonite.

"Empress Teta." She said to the empty room.



The Empress Teta system had been founded – or rather, created – by the Empress Teta some five millennia before the rise of the Empire. Empress Teta conquered the seven worlds of the Koros System and named the newly unified sector after herself. Kirrek, which had for a time served as the capital of the sector, resisted the most of the worlds, and the civil war sparked by this caused some of the bloodiest battles of the First Unification War.

Teta was aided in her battles by the Jedi Knights, who recognized that a unified system could join the Republic, and by Memitt Nadill and Odan-Urr, whom she trusted beyond a doubt. When the aristocrats on Coruscant laughed at Odan-Urr’s warnings of an imminent attack by the Sith Empire, Teta and the Jedi Knight returned to Cinnigar to prepare for the invasion. The Sith did indeed rise up, in a conflict what would become known as the Great Hyperspace War, and were soundly defeated by the Tetans near the Denarii Nova.

The five thousand years between the end of the Great Hyperspace War and the rise of the Empire gave no lasting mark to the Empress Teta system, until one Kanbal Stian rose to power within the Tetan Parliament and reformed the government, almost overnight. The Tetans became isolationist, closing their borders and hoarding the carbonite that it so abundant on their worlds and so rare elsewhere.

By the time the New Empire rose from the devestation caused by the Wrath Virus, unleashed by that self-same New Empire, the Empress Teta system had cut itself off from the rest of the galaxy all together. It was unknown whether or not Wrath had effected the system at all...

“What do you know about the Empress Teta system, Commander?”
Godridge looked up from the report he had been reviewing and frowned.
"Not much more than what's in the text books, I'm afraid." He replied hesitantly. He knew these talks, and in almost every case the Admiral knew far more than him. Godridge had spent the last month calculating what system she would try and crack, and the mention of Empress Teta had thrown him off. Clearly, he had not gotten it right.
"There's not been a lot of communications from them since Kanbal Stian took power there, has there?"

Bhindi did not respond, but turned to the holoprojector and depressed a button on the front. The shimmering hologram, blue-tinted and slightly hazy, of a man wearing a nondescript uniform of military cut, appeared in the air above it. His message, dated some four years earlier, was brief and to the point. The Empress Teta system had effectively blockaded itself with a wall of Neutralizer 418 Cruisers. Ending with a point about a certain small grid being left open for civilian and merchant use, the hologram vanished.

"So they've cut themselves off. What does it mean?" Bhindi smiled thinly.
"They did not cut themselves off entirely, Commander. I have here," she reached behind her and picked up a datachip, and begun to twirl between her gloved fingers, "an agreement between Kanbal Stian, Chancellor of the Tetan Confederacy, and Seti Ashar, then-CEO of LFX Industrial. Would you like to know what it's about?"

Godridge did not answer, and the Admiral slid the chip into the top of his datapad. The document was several years old, dated before the Wrath epidemic, and signed by both Kanbal Stian and Seti Ashar. It was a treaty between the government and the Corporation detailing their trade of Carbonite.

Godridge didn't say anything, simply looked at the information on his screen. Bhindi always knew what was coming next, but she enjoyed running these ideas past Godridge. A trial, of sorts, the Commander suspected.

"The Tetans didn't cut themselves off fully. They mantained trade routes." He said slowly.

"Yes. But notice the date on the treaty." Godridge looked down again, and saw it.

"That's hardly three months after the Galactic Defence Initiative fell. That was LFX Industrial's infancy."

"Exactly. And the fact that the the Tetans only opened trade with LFX, despite an attempt by the GDI to open trades suggests that..."

"That they only traded with Corporations. Not governments."

"Yes. Not lightside governments, at any rate. But the Imperial archives show no trade with the Tetans, either. The New Republic information we captured on Corellia also says nothing of trade with them. So they only traded with corporate factions. And who were the three biggest Corporate factions following the fall of the GDI?"

Godridge was catching on, and he suspected now that he knew what was coming.

"LFX Industrial." He said, ticking them off on his fingers. "The Trade Federation. And the Vinda-Corporation." Bhindi nodded.

"But there is no evidence of any trade with those groups, either. Which says what?"

"That LFX had something they wanted. God knows what

"Right again, Commander. The Tetans were looking to trade with LFX for several things. And even back then, Seti Ashar understood the value of good intelligence. The Tetan agreement there demands that we send our own ships in. The Shadow Hand - LFX's Elite Intelligence Branch, sent some of their agents along for the ride. They penetrated the system. But of course, because of the system's being cut off so entirely, they know nothing of what is happening outside. LFX convoys stopped arriving with orders, and eventually they stopped transmitting."

"So our oldest report is... how old?" Godridge asked.

"Two years. Shortly after the outbreak of Wrath. But the agents are, or should still be, there. They are unaware of the Holy Demosthesian Empire, the fall of the Jutraalians, or anything else. Nor is most of the system."

"So we play it as a ploy. We convince them that we are LFX, and then we take the system?"

"Exactly. I've already dispatched one of our task forces, a patrol group, to the system under old LFX I.D.s. They'll make contact with our agents on the ground, and we'll proceed from there. In the meantime..." She paused, smiling.
"You know Commander Adrien Drif."

"Of course."

“He’s been on duty inside the Teta system since the Battle of Commenor. And he’s uncovered some very … interesting… information for us.

"Kanbal Stian came to power some two years prior to the outbreak of the Wrath Virus. The office he rose to, that of the Chancellor, only came into existance when he entered it. Stian created it when he rewrote the constitution."

"He rewrote the constitution?"

"Among other things. He also forced the system to become isolationist. With pressure from the people, of course."

"Of course."

"The previous Viceroy was a man called Nilo Condenado. Stian was in his office minutes before he announced he would be resigning. On the night Condenado was to give his final speech, he died. Heart failure."

“I don’t understand, Admiral.” Godridge said after a moment.
"You will, Commander. There is one other piece of vitally important information which you do not know yet. Kanbal Stian was a Jedi Knight." And suddenly, all the pieces seemed to come together.

“You think he used his powers to influence the Senate. To assure his ascension to power.” He said in a rush.

"I know so, Commander. He recieved 100% of the vote. The previous sixty Viceroys recieved, on average, 76% of the vote. There is no way he could have done what he did without his Jedi abilities."

"What does it mean, Admiral?"
"It means, Commander, that the Empress Teta system will come to us, in good time. People, especcially those who live in such a tight-knit system as Stian has forced Empress Teta to be, do not like being manipulated. If we reveal the truth of what Stian did to them..."

She left the thought unfinished.

"The Bunker"

The Bunker, as it was known among the troops and the members of the Ubiqtorate's Command Structure, but to none outside the military, was set between three endless seas of parched yellow tall grass and fortified from behind by a rock face that stretched nearly two kilometres into the sky and cast shadows three times that distance in the afternoon.

Years ago, farmers had tended this land and grown crops here, corn, wheat, and a few potatoes. Thrill seakers had once jumped from the top of the cliff with repulsor packs, or sometimes rubber cords that stretched, and in some cases, even ancient parachutes. That was before the Empire had taken control, and posted robotic guard stations along the top of the cliff.

The Ubiqtorate compound's security fences and robotic guards were hidden from view by brush and undergrowth native to Myrkr; their high metal content effectively scrambled any sensors pearing down. The firing ranges and combat grounds were likewise shielded, the only visible sign of anyone's presence there three run-down log cabins that must have once been hunting lodges.

Beneath the cabins, however, were three elevator shafts that led deep beneath the cabins into an inpenetrable maze of natural caverns and man made tunnels. The shafts, wide enough for landspeeders to travel in single file, wound their way for hundreds of kilometres under the surface and into the cliff wall, where there were ammunition dumps and speeder garages. Beyond that where half a dozen concealed exits that led to double and triple layered blast doors.

It was a state of the art facility, with recievers monitoring news from nearly ever major government in the galaxy, and then some. There were five major rooms, one for the monitoring of the communications, who could instantly alert the compound's leader of any breaking information, one which was a small but surprisingly vast library, two which served as combination meeting/interogation rooms, and one, which was the largest, served as a conference hall for the entire assembly to meet if the need arose.

Now fewer that a dozen news reports arrived into the compound, and all were filtered to the smaller of the meeting/interogation chambers at five minutes after nine, precisely, every morning. They were all read first by a man named Renard, who would pour himself a large mug of caf and labourusly disect the papers. He did not consider it a chore, and indeed enjoyed it immensely. He was a well read man who had travelled the galaxy many times, spoke half a dozen languages and could understand another twenty or so. He paid no attention to the sports of addvertisements, concentrating instead of the affairs of the galaxy.

He normally spent three hours each morning going over the papers, a routine that would be broken this morning by the clanging of the general alert, an alarm that caused all of the men to report to the largest of the garages on the topmost levels. Cursing the interuption, Renard boarded a passing speeder and took his position at the front of the assembled men when the vehicle arrived in the garage.

"What the frell is going on?" He demanded of one of his officers. "I did not order any drill for this morning." The man, a liutenant, nodded.

"No, sir. We've just gotten word from the outside. The Admiral is on her way down."

It was not a widely known fact within the compound, but Renard and his officers all knew 'the Admiral' to be Bhindi Drayson, the Black Fleet Admiral and Ubiqtorate Moff who had diverted funding from the regualar forces to construct the secret bunker in the middle of nowhere. She had visitied the facility only once, prefering usually for Renard to come to Yaga Minor. That she had come to Rishi could only mean that whatever the reason, it was very secret.

He nodded, turning the the troops and ordering them to attention. Even as he did so, the inner security door hissed open, admitting a single, black and gold landspeeder with a large Ubiqtorate patch on the hood. The silence in the garage was deep enough to hear every sound as the doors opened and the black-clad stormtroopers emerged, and then a woman's voice said, "General Tagge."



They convened in the larger of the two meeting rooms, General Renard Tagge and his officers, Bhindi Drayson, Commanders Drif and Godridge, and Captain Joda of the Star Destroyer Nirvana. In all, eight people, seated around the small conference table.

The permanent residents of the Bunker sat at one end, conversing quietly amongst themselves. At the other, two of the black-clad stormtroopers stood guard over the party from the Nirvana, blaster rifles held across their chests.

Behind them, the door slid open, and a young woman stepped into the room, carrying a leather briefcase in one hand. This she placed on the table and opened, and then bent down next to Bhindi.

"Of course. Thank you." She removed something from the case, which was promptly carried away. She put the thin file on the table and nodded to one of the Stormtroopers, who touched his helmet and said a few words that were indecipherable to the room's occupants.

The Admiral smiled, and the room relaxed slightly. Neither Bhindi nor Renard were the sort to waste time with pleasantries, and no one was surprised when the meeting started without any.

"General Tagge, you've read the latest report from Yaga Minor, correct?" She asked. Renard inclined his head in a short nod. "Good. Then you're aware of an inpending operation into the Empress Teta System, code named New Moon."

"I am, Admiral. But I note the distinctive lack of any preliminary planning in the file, or indeed of anything more than an objective and your intelligence." He said, bringing up that report on the private display screen built into the table.

"You are correct, General. The file you recieved contained no plans for the operation. I am sure that a man of your caliber can deduce the reasoning behind that."

"You want us to create a plan for you." The Admiral nodded, picking up a datacard from the table.

"Or, more correctly, to create a plan which we will then compare to our own. A test, of sorts, for the conquest. This is the same file you recieved, with two differences: it contains a thurough plan for the conquest of Empress Teta, and has been authorized by the Ubiqtorate High Command. I want you to create a plan of your own, so that we may incorporate them into this." She tossed the card into the middle of the table.

"Good luck, gentlemen."

The group filed out of the room, leaving the datacard lying where it had landed. It was picked up by one of the stormtroopers.

Koros Major had been at war, in some state or another, with the other worlds of the Empress Teta System since long before the outbreak of the Wrath Virus and the New Empire. The government had been taken - destroyed was, perhaps, a better term for it - by a band of Rebels who had not stood for Chancellor Stian's imposition of isolationism on the sector.

For five years now a civil war had been brewing between Koros Major, which (in keeping with its namesake) was a major world within the sector, and the largest producer of carbonite, and the capital world of Cinnigar, otherwise known as the Iron Citadel. The Rebels had somehow managed to get their hands on a fleet, and used it to defeat a small force of the government's ships, sent to quell the uprising.

That much had been learned by Commander Drif and his agents in the sector, who send the information to the High Command in a detailed brief.

Neither side had the willingness or the capacity to enter into a large-scale battle, and so the last three years had been spent with both sides taking pot shots at the other. The Rebels esspecially had proven very able at disabling the Tetan government one step at a time. They were pitted against one another in a battle that would, sooner or later, have to come to its inviable conclusion.

That ending, Bhindi mused, would come sooner that any of them thought. It would take a week, three at the most, and then Empress Teta would be theres. She settled herself more comfortably on the bed, and closed her eyes. Tomorrow promised to be a long day.



Godridge woke the Admiral early the following morning, after scarcely four hours of sleep. If Imperial protocol frowned on disturbing superiors period, it certainly frowned on doing so by intercom, and so he was there in person, ready with the latest report from Commander Drif, recieved as soon as the Star Destroyer had reverted to realspace.

"Anything new?" Bhindi asked, scanning the report as the pair entered a turbolift to the bridge.

"Nothing really. A few more detials about the Rebellion, still no word on whose heading it up." She smiled.

"Your good old Secret Leader who travels only by moonlight and no one knows his name?"

"Something like that."

The lift stopped at the bridge level, just behind the security doors, and Bhindi and Godridge stepped through them into the expansive, two floor structure. The bridges of Imperial Star Destroyers were some of the finest marvels of engineering design in the galaxy, and the Nirvana was anything but an exception. A stainless steel walkway connected the command deck, as it was known, to the forward bridge, which housed only the viewports and some simple controls. Two sweeping metal staircases ran down into the crew pit, where close to three dozen men hunched over consoles and ran the ship.

"Koros Major, Admiral." Captain Joda reported, offering a salute and a polite nod as Bhindi stopped to look out at the blue/brown orb hanging in front of them. They were far enough out that two moons were visible, as well as some blackness on all sides of the planet.

"Thank you, Captain." She replied pleasently, returning the salute. "Have they hailed us?"

"Yes, Admiral. Ever since we arrived, on repeater."

"Tell them that we are part of an Imperial Survey Team sent to discover why it is that there have been no communications for so long. Also, ask them of their containment status for the Wrath virus, if they even know that that is."

Joda nodded again, turning to rely the instructions to the communications officer. The response came in less that a minute.

"They've asked to speak to the leader of the expidition." He said. "Shall I open a holochannel?"

"Go ahead."

The holoprojector in front of them sprang to life, presenting them with a three quarter sized holo of a small man with a large belly and a white uniform stretched across it. He saw the woman he was speaking to, and straightened sharply.

"Yes? I am Lord General Aaron Thomas. What is your business with Koros Major?" He spoke politely, but it was obvious that the appearence of a woman, and one so young as Bhindi, had startled him. The mention of Koros Major, rather than Empress Teta as a whole, also confirmed Drif's reports.

Bhindi smiled sweetly, and spoke.

"I am Bhindi Drayson, Admiral of the Black Fleet and Moff of the Ubiqtorate Expansion Regions. As we've already stated, we are here to assess the lack of communications from this region, and ensure that any cases of the Wrath virus have been fully contained."

The Lord General nodded, eying Bhindi carefully, and after a moment nodded approvingly.

"You have quite a force of vessels for a scouting mission, Miss Drayson. But the Empire has never been one for tact, have they?" He laughed at his own joke, and his massive belly rumbled along with him. "We have dealt with the Wrath virus on Koros Major. The other worlds, I am not sure about."

"Then our reports are accurate?"

"Reports?" The other replyed, squinting. "What reports are these?"

"Why, those that say the Koros Major system has effectively denounced the Tetan government and liberated herself from their tyranic shacklehold."

She smiled faintly. She already had the man eating from her hand, and she had met him only minutes ago. Lord General Thomas roared again with laughter and nodded vigourously. Yes, indeed they had destroyed the Tetans on Koros Major. They were their own planet, you know!"

Bhindi smiled again and closed the communication with the man's promise of a meeting with the secret leader as soon as possible, probably aboard the Nirvana.

"It seems the Lord General was wrong about Imperial tact." Bhindi commented lightly, already watching the downfall of Koros Major and the Empress Teta system.

The unmarked ship, which appeared to be a local interpetation of the Empire's own Lambda Class Shuttle, set down in the Nirvana's sole landing bay without fanfare. Two columns of stormtroopers, dressed today in their traditional white armour with blaster rifles held to their chests, stood guard as the vessel settled to the deck.

There were, she decided, few things that told of the Empire's might and inheritent lethalness, as the sound of a hundred stormtroopers clicking to attention before her. Their white helmets gave them a conformed look, showed no expression. They knew only the Empire, and swore loyalty to it.

They were waiting when the Rebel leader arrived, striding quickly down the ramp of his craft and casting a wary eye over the gathered Imperial soldiers. A young liuetenant by the name of Williamson met the leader at the base of the ramp, and led him silence passed the rows of faceless soldiers.

The stormtroopers, as they were passed, turned and followed the procession, until the entire group were marching directly into the ship's largest conference room, which doubled as the Admiral's command room.

The soldiers lined the walls as the man sat across from Bhindi, Godridge, and Joda, fidgeting nervously. He had only two aides with him, and the room was lined with stormtroopers.

Bhindi offered a polite nod and smile, standing as the leader entered and shaking his hand across the table. She spoke first.

"I am Bhindi Drayson, Admiral of the Imperial Black Fleet and Moff of the Ubiqtorate Expansion Regions. Your name, I'm afraid, I do not know."

He nodded, as if this were normal and proper. He was not smiling, nor did he draw back the shawl that covered his face. When he spoke, his voice was low and cold, almost cruel.

"You may call me Simon for now. If I decide your interests and mine lie along the same paths, then perhaps you will learn more."

"Very well, Simon. What are your interests? I'm sure something can be worked out between-" The man held up a hand.

"No. First, you will tell me why you are here." If the interuption put Bhindi off, she did not show it. She nodded, accepting the question.
`
"As I told your Lord General Thomas, we are on a mission to recommence communications with this region of space."

"You lied to my Lord General, Bhindi Drayson, and you now lie to me. Tell me the truth, are you here to bring Empress Teta into your Empire?"

Bhindi said nothing for a moment. It was an easy lie, and their true intentions were rather obvious. But still, perhaps he could be disuaded...

"The Imperial High Command desires it," she admitted. "Empress Teta is a prime source for carbonite mining, as you no doubt know."

"Of course. What do you desire, Admiral? I have read the news reports, I know of the war with the Demosthesian Empire and the death of your father, Hiram Drayson. What do you wish to see become of Empress Teta?"

"I seek to fullfill my obligation to the Regent and his New Order." She replied sharply. "And I intend to do so. However, I do have a choice as to how I go about it."

"Explain."

"I have with me force enough to overrun this sector. But I do not know the space, nor the planets. Rebellions could run rampant for years if I were to invade the sector, as you have already proven. However, if you were to join the Empire willingly, then I needn't worry about rebellion on Koros Major."

"And why would we join you, Bhindi Drayson? What would the Empire offer us?"

Bhindi smiled again, closing in.

"You seek the disestablishment of the Tetan Parliment. The Empire can aide you in that endeavour, and bring all of Empress Teta under your control."

"Our control? I thought you had said you desired this sector under the authority of the New Order."

"I do, of course. But you would be allowed to remain in direct control of Koros Major, and the entire sector, in all probability, as a Moff of the Galactic Empire. You would still serve the Regent, but you would have control here."

There was no reply, and the Admiral couldn't conceal a brief grin. He had already decided, she knew. This was a ploy, a time to consider it and calculate the advantadges.

"You would help us destroy the Tetan Parliment, once and for all?" He asked at last.

"To the last Representitive."

"And we - I - would remain in control of these worlds?"

"Of course. The Empire recognizes the importance of local leadership. Empress Teta will belong to you."

The leader rose and pulled the hood down from his face. His hair was long and black, pulled back in a tight brade that snaked down behind the robe. His face was sharp and angular, and his skin was a pale white.

He held out a hand, and the two leaders shook, and smiled at each other.

"Our interests lie along the same paths, Bhindi Drayson." He said, still smiling. "You have brought honour back to Empress Teta. And for this, we honour you."

He held out a small gold ring, which Bhindi took gingerly and slipped onter her finger. It was simple, but stunningly beautiful, a ring of the finest gold, unmarked and shining in the light.

"May it bring you good fortune." He said.

Once he and the Stormtroopers was gone, Bhindi removed the ring and dropped it on the table.

"I think this ring would have been better kept by our friend." She said.

"You intent to go through with your plan, then?" Joda asked. He had never liked the idea much, but recognized the needs that drove it.

"I do, Captain."

"Are you sure it is neccessary, Admiral?" Godridge asked hesitantly. They had been over this before. "He seems compitent, he has led this Rebellion for half a decade already."

"Simon is a traitor, Commander. He betrayed his government, and he will betray us. Mark my words, Godridge, Simon will not allow us to walk in and claim lordship of his homeland."

"But-"

"There is no question about it. Simon plans to use us to destroy the Tetan Parliment, and then he plans to turn on us and destroy us."

"We have more than enough firepower to keep the Rebels subdued, Admiral. They cannot hope to compete with the Empire." Captain Joda offered.

"Of course not. But what if the Empire were not able to concentrate on the system? What if our assets were tied up, fighting the Coalition? Reports indicate they are gathering for a new offensive against the New Order."

"I still do not like it, Admiral. Betrayal-"

"We are betraying no one, Commander. Simon is a traitor to his government, a Rebel who by all means deserves to die. He will help us achieve our ends, nothing more."

The fleet - the combined forces of the Galactic Empire and the Tetan Rebellion - had jumped into the Cinnigar system early in the day.

They'd spent three days in orbit over Koros Major, making sure that the Tetan Parliment got a good, long look at who was now sharing space with the Rebellion.

Stormtroopers had been landed on Koros Major's surface, along with a dozen prefabricated garrisons and their full compliment of staff and vehicles. The Rebels had removed themselves from their hidden caves, and Imperial survey teams had moved in to take note of their locations. They had also planted explosives that could bring each of the underground complexes down, if the Rebels managed to make it back to them.

Delark Shee, also known as the hidden rebel leader Simon, had decided to oversee the battle from the bridge of the Nirvana, and he watched now as the fleet bore swiftly down on the world below, which was growing larger by the second.

The Rebel fleet consisted of just under two dozen vessels, most of them smaller than a Dreadnaught. The majority were Marauder Corvettes and Corellian Gunships, small ships that were cheap and common enough for them to get a hold off. There was, however, one Victory Class Star Destroyer, an old, dilapidated thing that showed its age worse than any of the other craft. It was obvious that the Rebels had lucked out with the craft, which they said was captured from the Tetan Parliment.

Their fleet had been divided into two forces, each supported by one of the Empire's Imperator Star Destroyers. The right-hand column was led by the Victory Star Destroyer, aptly named Free Tetan, the other by two aging Dreadnaught cruisers.

They had emerged from hyperspace far enough away from the planet to give the defensive forces time to array themselves, and they had done a good job of it. Three Imperator Star Destroyers and a scattered force of smaller craft waited in a loose wedge shape to confront the oncoming fleet. All of the ships were at least a decade old, but they appeared well mantained and, judging by their positioning, were well commanded.

"If you were the Tetan Commander, who would you target first? The Rebel ships that had been agitating you for the last five years, or the greater threat of the Empire?" Bhindi asked Godridge, staring out the large plexiglass viewports at the enemy fleet.

Godridge pondered the question for a moment, also looking at the waiting fleet.

"I would target the Rebels." He said slowly. "The Tetans must know that they cannot hope to win against the Empire, but if they can destroy the Rebel forces, then perhaps they can secure some victory amongst themselves before the end comes."

"Very good, Commander. Let us hope the Tetans think as you do." She turned away, raising her voice and beginning to issue orders. "Launch the fighters. Order the flanks to break off and proceed in a pincer movement. Reduce our speed to three/quarters thrust, and order the group to do likewise. I want all of us striking at the same time."

There was a series of acknoweldgements, and Delark Shee smiled. He was fianlly going to see the Tetans destoyed, after years of waiting and watching, it was going to happen.

"Time to firing range?" Bhindi asked calmly. The enemy Star Destroyers were growing larger, their multiple tiers, each lined with weapons, becoming discriminated from the rest.

"Thirty seconds, Admiral." Came the reply from sensors, and for that brief time everyone watched in silence. Then the first shots began lancing out from both sides, the Rebel craft returning the fire eagerly.

"Open fire." She ordered, and the deck began to rumble as the largest ship in the Ubiqtorate fleet began to fire with her own massive cannons.

True to Godridge's prediction, the enemy craft were concentrating their fire on the Rebel craft, a fact that quite worried Delark Shee, who began screaming at Bhindi to protect his ships.

"Do not worry, Delark." She assured him. "The battle is nearly won."

Indeed, the lead enemy Star Destroyer had begun to belch flames from her sides. Debris, metal and plastic mixed with the flash frozen bodies of crew members suddenly exposed to vacuum, was already pouring out of deep gashes in the vessel's superstructure."

Bhindi gave a small nod to Captain Joda, who said something into his comlink. The Imperial fleet, in perfect synchronization, stopped firing and hovered. The move was enough to surprise the Tetans, who also stopped shooting, leaving only the Rebel ships to continue their attacks.

And then, in a blistering array of fire, the Imperial craft poured their energy into the remaining Rebel ships. The ancient Victory Star Destroyer crumbled, entire sections exploding as point-blanc shots tore through her superstucture.

The smaller ships didn't stand a chance as the Empire turned her guns on them, and the few that survived the barrage in any sort of condition turned tail and attempted to run towards the planet, only to be finished off by the Tetan Defenders, whose wits had at last returned to them.

Delark Shee, who had been frozen when the Empire's ships turned against his own, now threw himself at Bhindi, his face contorted with rage. The Admiral stepped calmly away from his grasping fingers as two Stormtroopers picked him up and carried him from the bridge, screaming like a wounded animal.

Now, the two fleets hovered, neither side firing nor doing much of anything. A few small shuttles had set about picking up bodies from the crippled enemy Star Destroyer, but the sudden reversal of the Empire's ships had thrown the enemy off guard.

"Admiral, we're recieving a hail from the planet." Bhindi acknowledged with a nod and turned to Godridge.

"Status of the enemy fleet, Commander?" She asked.

"Approximately 40%. One Imperator Star Destroyer crippled, two others damaged. Their support ships and fighters are more or less gone."

"And the Rebels?" Godridge frowned.

"Completely wiped out."

"Admiral, we're recieving another hail. This one's from the Tetan Legacy. Says he's the Fleet Admiral or some such."

"I'll take them here." She said. The com officer nodded, and two full-size holograms appeared. Both were men, one of them in a flowing, dark blue robe who was obviously a politician of some sort, the other wearing a fleet uniform and evidently the local commander.

"Gentlemen," Bhindi said, bowing slightly. "I am Admiral Bhindi Drayson, of the Galactic Empire." Both of the holograms were eying her careful, again surprised to see such a young woman commanding their enemy's fleet.

"I am Heshan Mork, Chancellor of the Tetan Confederacy." The senator said, returning the bow. "I am ... pleased... that you have decided to stop fighting us and give us this oppertunity to speak with you."

"I haven't decided anything, Chancellor. You will know when I have. You do, however, have some influence on my decision." She paused, looking to the other holo. "And who are you?"

If the man was surprised by the sudden change of direction in the conversation, he hid it well.

"I am Fleet Admiral Dezar Greemen. I wish to thank you for destroying those pesky Rebels. You have done us a great service, Miss Drayson."

"First, I am not 'Miss Drayson'. I am an Admiral of the Galactic Empire and Moff of the Ubiqtorate Expansion Regions. You may address me as such."

"My apoligies, Admiral."

"Secondly, I did not destroy Delark Shee to do you a favour. I have my own reasons for doing what I do."

"Delark Shee?" Heshan Mork said, not as proficient at hiding his surprise. "Of course. The Rebel... we never learned his name, you know."

"Perhaps you should have tried talking to him." Godridge said under his breath, so that neither of the men would catch it.

"Regarldess of your reasons, thank you, Moff Drayson. The Rebels had been tormenting us nearly six years."

"Don't thank me yet, Chancellor Mork. Wait until you understand my reasons for being here."

She paused, considering.

"But perhaps it would be better for this discussion to take place where we know we will not be overheard. Would it be acceptable for me to land and meet you in person? We will both bring guards, of course."

"Of course." Mork said, smiling like a true politician. "I'll prepare my audience chamber. We look forward to your visit."

The hologram flickered out.

"Perhaps we too can speak sometime, Admiral Drayson." Dezar Greeman said. "I would like to know the reasoning behind your style of attack. We knew you were there, of course, at Koros Major."

Bhindi smiled. "Did you ever know why, though, Admiral?"

"No. We had theories, but nothing more than that." He admitted.

"And did it worry you?"

"Of course. The presence of a large Imperial fleet so close to our home would worry anyone."

Bhindi grinned now. "There is your reasoning for our, uh, 'style of attack', Admiral." She said. "Good day." She made a slight motion with her hand, and the connection was cut.

"Prepare my shuttle, Commander. And two Stormtrooper barges. I want to leave within the hour."

"You're really going then?" Godridge asked, casting an aprehensive eye at the planet below.

"Of course. And you're coming with me." She smiled sweetly and stepped into the turbolift. "Oh, and make sure our guest is prepared for transit. I have no use for him, and I daresay the Admiral over there would like to debrief him."



The shuttle was met by a reception committe from the Tetan Parliment, headed by a man who introduced himself as Chancellor's Aide Torgan. He and his handful of bodyguards were clearly aprehensive about the four long lines of white-clad stormtroopers who had disembarked their two shuttles before Bhindi, but they seemed ever more aprehensive about those in the modified, pure black armour that accomponied her out of her personal shuttle.

They travelled through the city in a government landspeeder, which held only enough seats for the driver, a guard, Bhindi, and Torgan. Two speeders filled with Stormtroopers followed behind, the others waited with the ships.

The Parliment House, known only as the Iron Citadel for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, was a lavish building set in the middle of a single city block. A wall of stone, nearly two meters thick, surrounded the building, broken only by an ornemental wrot iron gate that opened for them as the speeders approached. The defences, if there were any, were clearly hidden.

They parked underground, and were led directly to the audience chamber, where Chancellor Mork was waiting. The table, a long wooden one with a gleaming mahgonany finish, was laden with dishes of food and pitchers of drink.

Bhindi politely declined anything, but Godridge gratefully accepted a glass of an orange liquid which he said was a tropical drink popular in the core. Bhindi took his word for it.

"Moff Drayson, it is a pleasure to finally meet you in person." The Chancellor said, and Bhindi had to surpress a chuckle. Considering that her fleet had just crippled more than a third of the planet's defensive fleet, that was hard to believe. But then, Mork was a politician, and they made their careers with lies.

"And you, Chancellor. You have done a fine job in keeping the Empress Teta system together. Apart from those Rebels, of course."

"Of course. Perhaps now with their ...removal... we will be able to restore a proper government to Koros Major."

Bhindi nodded slightly, but said nothing.

"You must tell me, though, Chancellor," She said earnestly, leaning forward on the table. "what happened to Kanbal Stian? He was the Chancellor here, was he not, but we have gotten no information on what happened to him."

Mork frowned and set his drink down on the table.

"That's the problem. There is no information. He simply... vanished one night, shortly after the rebellion began. No trace of him since. About four and a half years ago, the Senate decided it was time to move on, and elected a new Chancellor. That was me."

"Do you suspect kidnapping, then?" Bhindi asked, certain of the answer.

"Of course. There is no other possible reason for the disapearence of the Chancellor."

"You will be able to find out the answer, I'm sure." Bhindi said. "We have Delark Shee, the leader of the rebellion, in custody aboard my Star Destroyer now. He will be turned over to you, upon your membership into the Empire."

That was it. The bombshell that Mork and everyone else had been waiting for. It was not a surprise, merely a confirmation of what they already knew had to happen.

"Membership into the Empire." He repeated. "What would that mean?" And here, Bhindi smiled.

"It would mean you would swear loyalty to the Regent and His New Order." She said. "It would ensure your protection from outside and inside threats. You would pay taxes to the Empire, and would be under the Command of the Empire."

"And what about my Government? It would be dissolved, no?"

"Of course not. You would become a member state of the Ubiqtorate. You would be encouraged to create your own government, on three levels. Regional, Planetary, and Interplanetary. You would remain in place as Governor of the Tetan Confederacy, within the Empire, of course, and would report to me."

"What if I refuse?"

Here, Bhindi frowned.
"Then we would be forced to continue our invasion. You would be killed, along with a large number of your supporters and most of your military. We would gain control of your world, although it would be a damaged one, due to the battle. We would install a new Governor to rule over the Confederacy."

The Chancellor was silent for a long moment, until he finally said, "I don't have much choice, do I?"

The announcement was made the following afternoon, after both sides had signed the appropriate documents and declared the union of the Galactic Empire and the Tetan Confederacy.

Stormtroopers had already begun landing, and by the evening of Chancellor Heshan Mork's speech, they had established garrisons in the Iron Citadel, and a dozen other cities worldwide. More forces for the Confederacy's protection were promised within a standard month.

Bhindi Drayson and Commander Godridge sat inside the Chancellor's office on the top floor of the Iron Citadel, watching the live holofeed of his speech, made from the open gate only a hundred meters away, in a straight line.

The mission had, for all intents and purposed, gone entirely according to plan. Delark Shee was being transferred from the Nirvana to a prison complex on the surface, where he was to be personally interogated by Fleet Admiral Deezard Greemen.

Outside, the crowd roared with approval as Chancellor Mork began his speech. It was being broadcast, live, to every city on the planet, and on Koros Major.

"...ladies and gentlemen of the Tetan Confederacy..." he began. "...today is a grand day for us all... the threat of the Koros Major rebels has been put down, by the forces of the Galactic Empire..."

"It's done, then." Godridge said, frowning slightly. The entire plan had gone off without a hitch, but Godridge had never liked the plan to begin with.

"Indeed. And ahead of shcedule, I believe." Bhindi replied, closing her eyes and listening to the speech drift in through the open windows. The holounit on the desk was repeating each word as it was said.

"..tonight, I have the privelege, the honour, and the pleasure, to announce the formal union between the New Order and the Tetan Confederacy..."

"You didn't tell the Chancellor that Stian was a Jedi." Godridge said.

"No, I didn't." She replied. "I didn't need too. Chancellor Mork was willing enough to join us without the knowledge that Stian rigged the election. We shall keep that in reserve."

"For another leader?"

"Another governernor. Kirrek has condemned Kork's decision and declared itself independent, you know."

"...the Empire offers us a protection we could not hope to have ourselves... Chancellor Stian was elected with the promise of protection, but he could not protect us our himself... the Empire can do both..."

"They're not supporters of the Empire, I guess. What are we going to do about it?"

"When Stian was elected to office, Kirrek voted 100% in favour of him."

"...a promise to all of you, that the Empress Teta system will remain free, under the reign of Moff Bhindi Drayson, the Imperial Representitive for our sector..."

"You're going to tell them that they were manipulated?"

"Yes. Their governor, a man called Tagge, was very friendly with Stian. It was all planned out. The people of Kirrek would not be happy in knowing that they were misrepresented."

"...the Empire will bring new hope to Empress Teta... new life... new prospects for the future and new freedom to leave our system..."

"Do you plan to move on Kirrek now?" Godridge asked. A third world, at this point in time, could prove even more worthy to the Empire's High Command.

"No. There are other worlds that need to be liberated before we can take Kirrek. Perhaps when they see the prosperity we bring to Cinnigar and Koros Major, they will align themselves with us of their own accord."

"Where to next, then?"

She smiled, but did not reply.

"...the Empress Teta System is once again unified, Cinnigar and Koros Major brought back together, and united with the Empire..."

"Did you know," Bhindi said, "that the Empress Teta System has fought two wars of Unification before now?"

"I knew of the wars, yes."

"This," she smiled, "is the Third Unification War. And the final."

"...I present to you, the people of the Empress Teta system, the new Tetan Parliment..."

Bhindi rose and walked to the window, looking down at the scene in the street. Mork's speech was nearly over, and the crowd was growing more restless. She smiled. It had been done.

"...Gloria Imperium..."

Governor Heshan Mork, now of the Tetan Parliment and the Galactic Empire, stepped down from the dias to thunderous applause - the people of Empress Teta were not so against the idea of ending their crippling isolationism, it seemed - and walked away.


He walked into his office five minutes later, smiling broadly and wiping sweat from the bright lights off his forehead.

"Was that acceptable?" He asked lightly, slipping into the chair behind his desk and removing a small clear bottle of vodka.

"Very much so, Governor." Bhindi assured him, turning off the holounit (which had gone on to show images from the battle). "How did the senate react when you told them?"

He shrugged.

"As could be expected. They make it their mission to disagree with their leader, of course. But they recognized the dangers of resisting. Alderaan may have been fourty years ago, but the people still remember it. Even those who are not old enough to have been born back then."

"Alderaan was an isolated incident, a mad choice by a madman." Bhindi said sourly. "It will not happen again under this Empire. A planet destroyed is not a planet that can be taken, after all."

If Governor Mork found it strange that she mentioned only the taking of a world, and not its inhabitants, he did not show it.

"Of course. But the memory still lingers."

"The people seem happy, though." Godridge commented.

"Yes... they were promised protection by Stian, and that promise has been realised. They recognize the power the Empire offers, as does the Senate."

"Gloria Imperium." Bhindi said softly.