In the translation of the 'Rules for Rulers, A guide to attaining and holding power', Braata proposes that there are several ways to hold a newly acquired province and keeping it for the Republic:
i) To install one's dominion in the new acquisition, or to install colonies of one's people there.
ii) To indulge the lesser powers of the area without increasing their power.
iii) To put down the powerful people.
iv) Not to allow a foreign power to gain reputation.
v) Go to live there and rule it personally.
vi) Keep the state intact, but install an oligarchy.
Considering the great influence that Braata had over the policy makers of his day, we can infer that his advice was largely followed to the letter. It is by no accident that Humans are the most prevalent species in the Galaxy, take up more government positions on average and famous families like the Tarkins of Eriadu originally hailed from the Core World of Corulag.
-An overview of Archeological evidence and Primary Source on the work of the Four Sages of Dwartii, by Dr. Chelli Lona Aphra, Professor of Archeology, University of Bar'leth, 2nd Edition
Concordia, Moon of Mandalore, 1 BBY
General Han Solo pushed the cupola that lead to the top of the command deck of his HAVw A6 Juggernaut outwards. He was greeted by the chilly night air and the bright white light of Mandalore above him. Making himself comfortable, the General took in the sounds around him, the hum of the engines, a flock of birds croaking high above him, the chatter of his people below. Nothing out of step. The calm before the storm.
With swift, trained movements he brought up the macrobinoculars that hung around his neck to his eyes, surveying the area that he was about to put through a world of pain.
He had been on Concordia for just a few hours, maneuvering his element of three Juggernauts as close to the target as possible for the optimum strike. Below him, the General saw his target. Inhabiting an old mining settlement, the garish estate that Ysanne Isard and her team had assured him and the Prince that belonged to Tyno Farbanis, the Black Suns lieutenant responsible for the Mandalore sector, stood out like a sore thumb in the ravaged wilderness of Concordia. The ten square miles of property contained all sorts of lavish displays of power that were expected from a criminal boss in the Outer Rim. A palace that was full of useless things bought at a great cost for the sole purpose of being seen and consuming even more credits to maintain. Menageries filled with all kinds of animals from around the Galaxy, statues of whatever the hell their owner thought was fashionable at the time and an antique pod-racer that hang over the gate. Intelligence believed that the craft used to be the one piloted by a Dug racer named Sebulba. It had been reconstructed at great cost from scratch as it had originally crashed in the racing circuits of Tatooine.
"Some people just have a lot of credits to spend don't they?", Han whispered to nobody in particular as he zoomed in closer. He could make out individual guards at that point, Humans, Twi'lek, Gamorreans and the like, a typical assortment of types which would put their life on the line for a handful of credits in the service of a criminal. Just like I was all those years ago, the image of Lady Proxima's milky white worm body flashing in his mind for a fleeting moment. They didn't seem overly concerned which was a good sign. Left to grow without any credible opposition, they had become lazy and neglectful. Probably thought we're mining rigs and left it at that, Han thought. He chuckled softly in self-satisfaction. He wouldn't correct an enemy when he made a mistake. He preferred to make them pay for it.
"General, the vehicle's scopes are in working…" The driver of his Juggernaut, a Sergeant Zim, broke through his thoughts.
"I know, Sergeant", Solo cut his driver off quickly but without any amount of malice. He never had that for his soldiers, especially the new ones. He reserved his bile for some of his wasteful and useless peers.
The kid does only as he is trained to do. "I get a better view this way. Nothing to worry about."
"Yes, sir", the driver retorted, respectful but unconvinced. It was as if he wanted to remind his commanding officer that there was nothing to worry about but stray blaster bolts, grenades and all manners of nasty things that might get you in the field of a battle.
Should I torture this poor lad?, Han thought. The question quickly proved to be a rhetorical one.
"You'll get used to it, son. My previous driver even got to like it after a while."
"Previous driver sir?", the noncom's voice suddenly trembled for a moment before the kid cleared his throat and regained a measure of his composure. Han marshalled all of the deeply ingrained discipline that tens of Imperial Drill Instructors had gifted him with to suppress a chuckle.
"Poor Heleana…", the General said, in barely contained lamentation. "She suffered a fate worse than death". Taking his eyes away from the Macrobinoculars for just a moment, Han found the driver looking up at him from his station. "She's on maternity leave", he revealed causing the sergeant to breathe a sigh of relief. He chuckled, refocusing his attention on the target below. "What did you expect, kid? I've got the luck of the Corelians. Blaster bolts just seem to miss me for some reason. Then there's morale to consider. If you do something for a while, people will expect it again and again. If I don't ride in like a madman at least for most of the way, I'll have disappointed all of you. You wouldn't be serving under Hammer Solo."
"We don't say that, sir", the driver quickly began saying before the another member of the command bridge tapped him on the shoulder.
"It's ok, sergeant. I was a ranker myself, remember?"
"Well in that case, sir, let's hope that your luck holds up for years to come", the driver said with newfound forthcomingness. Han nodded in the affirmative. I hope so too, kid.
After another sweep, Han lowered his macrobinoculars and tapped the side of his helmet. "ISD Judgement, I've marked a few targets for you. Gun emplacements and a shuttle hangar. Show them scum what for."
"Acknowledged, General Solo. Turbolaser fire inbound"
A few seconds later, the night sky turned green when eight bright turbolaser bolts flew through the air, making their trademark slicing sound as they cut a superheated path to the ground where they slammed on their targets with expert accuracy.
"Rush them folks. Rush them.", Han spoke through his headset to the other two Juggernauts and his element sped off into their enemy, down the hill, right at the jugular just like he liked it. The missile launchers in the front of his hulking vehicle emerged from their hidden compartments, spewing their deadly load on the unsuspecting criminals down below. With the flairs and other chaff filling the air to confuse any possible retaliation that might come in the form of hand-held missiles, his element made an unholy ruckus.
A predatory joy sprung in Han's chest as he immersed himself in the tempest of battle. This was the type of combat that he had been made for, loud, brutal, quick and messy, the battlefield chafing under the sheer volume of firepower that his vehicles brought to the enemy. They didn't call him Hammer Solo for nothing after all.
As they approached the gate of the estate, Han ducked into the command deck of the Juggernaut. "Element, single file. Follow my lead", he said into his comms as he closed the cupola over him. "Fire control. Do you see that awful racer?"
"Yes, sir", the girl responsible for the guns responded quickly.
"I don't want to"
"Sir, yes sir", she replied with a wicked grin, taking to her commander's meaning quickly. She assigned two missiles on it and pushed a button on her sturdy display. In less than two seconds, it was gone, the sound of the launches followed a while later but the crashing of the estate's gate. We're in the courtyard, he thought, turning to the small round holographic display in the center of the command deck. He pushed a button on it, signaling to the other vehicles the point on which they would disembark their troops.
They came out in their hundreds, ready to overrun whatever meager forces the Black Suns still had in their possession and went quickly to work doing just that. Using the scopes that Sergeant Zim so dearly loved, Han could see his troopers spreading out and clearing building after building of the estate. Blaster flashes and bolts flew around, men and other beings fell but the Imperials under his command carried the fight with ease.
Sundari Royal Palace, five standard hours later
Luke Skywalker looked onto the small bluish figure of General Solo. The General was in his heavy field armor, every inch the frontline commander in the mold of General Hurst Romodi, an unmistakable strain of pride in his voice. Around him, occupying the positions they would have if they stood in his office, holograms of his other military commanders listening to the report as well. The only other person in the room was Ysanne. Wearing her Imperial Intelligence uniform as if she had been born wearing it, Icehart tapped on her datapad, keeping meticulous notes about everything that might be of interest.
"…Casualties on our side have been negligible. Tyno Farbanis is in our custody. A physician from the ISD Judgement has confirmed that his vitals are within expected parameters for an Arkanian male of his age and is in excellent health. Body cavities have been searched thoroughly for hidden poison capsules or data repositories. All searches have yielded nothing."
Luke Skywalker nodded, a gloved hand rubbing his chin in thought as he watched an overview of the fight that had taken place last night on Mandalore's moon on his own datapad. The Concordia Dash as the news in the Mandalore system had begun calling it had achieved its various objectives to the letter. It had reminded the Black Suns that they existed only under the Empire's mercy. The operation's very public and bombastic nature had played well with the people of Sundari as well as some of the more moderate Mandalorian Clans that were willing to accept his rule as an end to the chaos of the Civil War. Ysanne's sources had told her that even some of the remnants of Death Watch were impressed with such a display of might against an enemy that sucked the marrow of the Mandalorian people.
The only being that might have a problem is Xizor. I didn't give a single thought to his likes and dislikes before, much less now, the Prince thought. He hated the Falleen "businessman" and noble with a burning fury especially after he tried making a blatant move on his sister during the Ascension Day celebrations, last year. See, he had the idea that since he was a counterweight to the interests of the Hutts, he was irreplaceable. Luke was willing to rectify that misconception with the timely removal of a hand from the lizard. Leia, her fingers crackling with electricity had been prepared to do much more, her self-control pushed to its limits. If their mother and the family's Noghri guards hadn't intervened, the Imperial Throne would have a diplomatic incident on its hands.
He wouldn't have been so bold if Father was around.
"…by the estimation of the Revenue Office, the estate and various other items confiscated by the troops is apprized at 13.1 billion credits.", Solo continued with his debriefing by dropping a dizzying amount of credits onto the assembled military personnel. Some of them grunted, others suppressed the desire to whistle, Ysanne's red eye spewed flames. Luke remained unimpressed, cold, noting down the number as if it was pocket change to him. While it was and he was rather impressed with the amount, it truly was insignificant to the amount that was safely stashed in the vaults of the Imperial Family. Inheriting the vast wealth that generations of Sith had accumulated as well as the new wealth accrued by the restructuring of the Confederate Mega-Corporations, the fortune of the House of Skywalker was significant.
He had no need for more and made him think that perhaps he could wave his share of the spoils, a gesture towards the troops. But then logic came to the fore. The law was not something that he could play around with arbitrarily if others were to respect the rule of the Empire. Rather, it was something he should enforce strictly.
"Very well, General Solo", the Prince said while gently laying down the datapad in front of him. "Divide the prize money as the Articles of War deem necessary and give my thanks to the troopers. Prep the prisoner for transport by Agent Isard's people."
"Yes, sir.", the General replied with a crisp salute before disconnecting the call, his hologram disappearing within the projector on the seat that he would have normally occupied.
Luke looked at the assembled officers around his desk. His fleet commanders, most of them in bridges' far away in the sector except Captain Damien on the Judgement. She was also a hologram but she was significantly closer, helping the General with his operation.
"If that's all ladies and gentlemen, I'll let you return to your assignments", Luke said, each of his subordinates disconnecting, leaving only him and Ysanne with any physical substance.
"Let's see", the agent began begun, tapping her fingers on the black fabric of her trousers. "Fifty percent goes to Revenue Office. That leaves us with about 6.5 billion and change. Ten percent of that goes to you..."
"A nice and tidy 65.5 million credits. Are you already dreaming of what you're gonna do with it?", Luke asked her bluntly, fixing his gaze to the woman. They had spent a week together, either working or catching their breath. It was plenty of time to discover things about each other, prime amongst them the fact that she appreciated bluntness as much as he did.
"What am I going do with it?", she repeated, returning his gaze with the same steeliness that he had come to expect of her.
"Yes, I didn't stutter, did I?"
"Oh no, your Highness", she said, her voice rising a little in pitch as if she was surprised. "Not at all, you have perfect enunciation. I was merely confused. I was thinking of potential uses for that amount of money but not in the way you might be implying."
"What was I implying, Agent Isard? Can you read minds now?", Luke retorted, his hand coming up to cover his mouth as he kept his gaze fixed, not yielding a step back.
"I don't need ruby earrings or fur shawls to go with my eyes like Wynssa Starflare to cheer myself up. But 65 million credits can buy us some eyes and ears back on Coruscant. That would make me much happier."
Eyes and ears, Luke thought as he closed his own eyes. It wasn't of course something that he would have to work on for a very long time. Events here shaped events in the Core and vice versa. His rank carried a certain level of access that others might not possess but it also meant that people were always trying to hide things from him. By staying inside the curve, he could be much more prepared for the future.
"Can you ensure that it'll all be untraceable?"
"It's what I do, your Highness."
"Very well, Agent Isard. I'll let you know when I get access to the funds."
Iceheart gifted him one of her rare smiles, the glimmer of a predator unleashed shining in her eyes as she received exactly what she wanted. Little by little, Luke came to understand his confederate, some might even apply the label of lover, more and more. She was the quintessential Imperial, a product of a strict upbringing in the dog eat dog Galaxy of the Clone Wars era. Palpatine had geared the people of the former Republic, especially its human population into becoming predators, the rulers of others, one of the many tools with which he would control the Galaxy. His father had done nothing to stop that mentality, only soften it wherever his mother chose to pick her battles and those weren't nearly enough. She was the only reason that he had a more extensive perspective, a person having experienced both worlds. It was a useful thing to have, if only because it allowed him to understand the mindset of others but that was the extent of it, for he was a predator as well. He wanted to power, he wanted recognition and he wanted to further the work that his father had begun.
"I'll make sure to spare a few credits for those earrings and shawl too", he added as his mind returned to the here and now. Ysanne wasn't a woman that was drawn to someone purely because of their appearance or their feelings. Those things were in fact inconsequential to her. Her ambition was drawn to power and wealth and gifts would serve as a timely reminder of what she could achieve by his side.
"You shouldn't, your Highness. People will talk", the agent replied, her smile morphing from a thing of regal beauty to a crooked and menacing line.
"And you'll silence them, I presume. Isn't that what Imperial Intelligence does best?"
Iceheart nodded, the movement full of pride in herself and her abilities. Luke nodded himself before checking his chrono. With three minutes until his next appointment, he couldn't spend any more time with the spymaster, telling her as much.
"It's alright. I have to speak with the Arkanian in any case and shift through the data we recovered from his estate. Shall we have lunch together?", she asked while gathering her things and preparing to leave.
"Certainly. It won't be long. It's a routine thing with the new cultural specialist before the MandalMotors event. A…", Luke stopped to check the name for a moment, "Junior Clerk Shira Brie, Imperial Diplomatic Corps. Ring any bells?"
Ysanne thought for a moment as she moved behind his desk, leaning close to him for a quick kiss goodbye. She waved her head in the negative as she retreat for a bit before quickly diving in, stealing another quick peck. "Sounds young and impressionable."
"Jealous?", Luke said, lifting an inquisitive eyebrow as the Agent left him on his seat and began making her way to the door.
"Not at all. That's obviously not your type", Ysanne retorted, her whole body, her stride, her poise and bearing exuding that supreme confidence that was her trademark.
Author's notes: -Portraying Han as the Patton/sane Colonel Kilgore of the Imperial Army somehow appeals to me and makes him somewhat unconventional.
-We see another side of Luke in this chapter, the side fostered within him by Padme. As you'll see, while not being a mother's boy as he is a definitive product of Anakin's fixation with all matters military and his dark side teachings, some of Padme has rubbed off on him. He wants to enforce rules to some degree, especially if it benefits the good publicity of the Empire, not bend them completely out of shape like a Sith or a very spoiled child would be prone to. In short, I see him as the type that respects his father immensely to the point of not seeing him as a person anymore but like an idea, something to strive for. When it comes to his mother, there is love and that's why he has taken different lessons from her, lessons that contradict his father's teachings at times. This duality is a point of internal contention for him as he tries to move between the two. As for Leia, you'll have to wait and see...
-I am sorry that there's no Leia just yet but I wanted to get a definitive grasp of New! Luke's writing style. Our favorite Princess is coming in the next chapter.
-I got a comment from a guest about Tarkin. Guy/Gal, thank you for commenting. You are very true about Tarkin being able to adapt. I also agree, I mentioned him though in Luke's calculations to highlight the paranoia that exists within the Court. Nobody is fully trusting anybody.
-It's a really small thing but I replaced the Red Guards with the Noghri because the Noghri are badass.
-I am open to any and all feedback.
-Thank you for your time.
