Epilogue: Of Empires Great and Small

Priam returned to Trendath in high spirits. More worlds joined her Protectorate by the day. Soon her empire would be large enough to truly be worthy of the name. So far her design, hammered together from the best lessons of Palpatine's rule, was holding strong. Success, which had seemed a fever dream over the ruins of Byss, was now becoming something real.

She awoke in the night in her chambers on Heseriarch to the beeping sound of an incoming live call.

"Accept," Priam ordered, throwing a blanket over herself. No one would dare disturb her if it wasn't sufficiently important.

A blue-haired face appeared on the screen. "Xasha," Priam called, somewhat happily. "What has occurred?" her best ranger was not given to frivolous messages.

"Admiral," the half-theelin's voice was deathly serious. "I met up with someone on my most recent deep probe mission. He's onboard now, says he needs to meet with you."

"And who is this mysterious personage?" Priam asked skeptically. Outside the fleet she rarely met with anyone other than planetary governors these days. It wasn't like Xasha to drag back random strays of the Unknown Regions.

"He says his name is Baron General Soontir Fel," Xasha responded without a hint of humor. "He says he represents something called the Empire of the Hand. He claims he has a proposition for you."

"I'll see him at once."

End.