Chapter 2- The Gathering Darkness
The war council assembled in the old republic enforcement building, not ten blocks away from the burnt carcass of the senate building,0 its once proud grey plasta-Crete arches now crumbled and burnt, black craters left by the imperial proton bombs.
It was a stark reminder of how different the new military system of government was so different to the old senate.
When the senate was destroyed by imperial orbital bombardment the entire system of government fell apart. With the supreme chancellor dead along with the majority of republic senators except for senator bail organa and senator- the Jedi had no choice but to step in and take control of the republic's leadership and as the Jedi had already established themselves as the Generals to lead the republic in the rift war, the transition was smooth.
However wanting to avoid an Oligarchy and keep some semblance of democracy, they formed the war council from the eight republic Grand Admirals, the eight Republic Major Generals, the eight high Jedi Generals and the 2 Scout Majors as well as the two Republic Officers in charge of technological advancement and the two in charge of scientific.
The grand admirals commanded one of the eight republic armadas each, while the major generals commanded one of the oversector armies each. The scout majors commanded the republic intelligence bureau, one handling internal affairs while the other handled external, gathering data and intelligence about the whereabouts, movements and tactics of the republic's enemies both inside and out. Two of the four Republic officers in the war council commanded the republic technological advancement bureau whose job it was to "borrow" and reverse engineer Necron, flood and imperial technology to advance the republic war effort. The other two republic officers commanded the republic scientific advancement bureau who developed new medicine, armor and weapons from the resources found on the "new" systems in the rift galaxy as well as designing biological weapon systems.
The Jedi were the main commanders of the republic forces and as such the most experienced and wisest of the Jedi were on the war council, to assist and lead the council.
All in all the War Council consisted of thirty People, excluding High command who technically were not a part of the council but the high commander, leader of high Command had a seat on the council anyway.
High Command was a group of the not experienced tactical Commanders in the republic, lead by the high commander the foremost expert in tactical battles and strategy who, on a strategic battlefield could even command what Master Windu or Master Yoda could do. In stratigic situations his word was law. There were also other co-commanders who were a part of high command, but none was as experienced as the high commander.
This system of strategic "top trumps" worked very efficiently and had won the republic many victories. In fact scout major Blackout had just reported that the empire had utilized a similar system.
However now only scant hours after the leave-taking of Galen Marek from Coruacant the council debate The issue of forming an alliance with the new faction of the empire led by Darth Vader and the council of Moffs.
"I don't doubt the fact that we need the help" spoke Grand admiral Dala "But there are other factions in the galaxy who could be persuaded to help us, the imperials aren't our only option, we have other avenues of assistance that we could pursue"
Master Plo Koon shook his head, "No That would take to long and no other force in this galaxy would make as powerful alies as the imperials, except for flood or necrons, and they would never help anyone else, they hate all life except thier own."
"But remember Master Jedi, the imperials are not the empire, they are half of it and even if they are able to successfully defeat all the emperor's forces. Who's to say that the emperor won't just kill Darth Vader and retake control of his empire?" spoke Dala
"I believe that's where we come in, Admiral." spoke mace windu. "The reason the imperials want our help is that they know that they are far more likely to defeat the loyalists and more importantly the emperor himself with our help."
The was a slight pause at which Admiral Willuf Tarkin stood and began speaking incredulously. "I don't understand why you call them imperials now, they are still the empire. No matter who leads them." His light grey admiral's uniform flexed slightly as he spoke.
"We call them that because That is what they call themselves now: The Imperial Sepratists." Kit Fisto spoke patiently his deep voice rumbling.