AN: Well, the first minor battle has taken place. The "Rise of the Empire" part will take place soon. For now, Dr. Halsey and Prof. Anders are doing science.

In the Corellian system, there was a space station. The station was at the barycenter between the Twin Worlds of Talus and Tralus, and it was known as Centerpoint Station. Everyone knew it was there; it had been for as long as records went back, and it was probably there even before that. However, many mysteries surrounded it and its constructors. Who built it, and for what? Did it have a connection to the strange composition of the Corellian system? For eons, nobody could find it out. One day, a motley expedition of scientists, led by the renowned Dr. Catherine Halsey, went to find out.

Date: November 11, 2561

Location: Twin Worlds, Corellian System, Galactic Republic, Triangulum Galaxy

Dr. Halsey was strapped into the cockpit of a Pelican-II dropship when she finally sighted her goal: Centerpoint Station. While she had never seen it up-close, she'd heard about it from records and seen pictures. For three years she hypothesized about its origins, about who made it, and finally she had a good answer: the Forerunners.

After the Great War's conclusion, UNSC and Sangheili explorers found treasure troves of Forerunner records on Line Installations and the other Halos. These records say that the Forerunner Ecumene encompassed not only the Milky Way, but other galaxies as well. Through extensive translation, it was revealed in the years since the formation of the intergalactic alliance that some of the Forerunners had migrated to a galaxy known to them as "Ethun Varaka." Details of this unknown galaxy were scarce, but they seemed to point to a specific star system in Triangulum. This, combined with Republic star charts, more-or-less confirmed the coordinates as the Corellian system. For over a year, Halsey had tried to acquire a permit to enter the station. When she got it, the brightest minds of the OAC and Republic got together, rented out an unarmed Pelican-II from the UNSC, and set off. Now, the unarmed dropship was drifting silently through the vacuum with two Broadswords by its side.

"Astra 1-1, this is Victoire Actual. We don't have the permits you do; we need to leave. From this point onward, you're on your own."
"Affirmative, Victoire. Station approach distance has decreased to five thousand kilometers."

The tiny craft flew through space for twenty minutes more before finally reaching the main entry point.

"The gates are open-strange. They're never open. Well, I'm not one to pass up a good chance."

Halsey guided the Pelican into the six-kilometer-wide opening and finally saw the interior for herself. It was similar to the inside of a Shield World, with a glowing artificial sun suspended by energy cables in the center. There seemed to be several buildings down below the Pelican. As the scientists passed through an energy field acting as an airlock for the station, they finally got their first sight of what the locals called Hollowtown. It was indeed a town, with proper parks, city blocks, and housing, but it wrapped around the entirety of the inner dome.

"Incredible. This city is larger than any I've ever seen except the one on Coruscant…"

The doctor then noted some sort of control center suspended with energy cables in one of the large cavities that led to the jutting portions of the station. She turned around and flew there to investigate.

Once landed, the science team got to work. Halsey entered the control room first, triggering the automatic activation of the computer system.

"Hmm. I wonder if this only responds to human bio-signals or if it can sense other species. Let's have a look at the terminal."

Anders, who had remained silent for a time, opened a program on one of the computer consoles. The text shown was very familiar.

"I knew it! Centerpoint was built by the Forerunners."
"You always know everything, Catherine."
"What did you say, Ellen?"
"Oh, nothing. Bitch."

The team continued to analyze and collect data from the station's subsystems for almost three hours until they headed back to their dropship. The two pilots, Halsey and Anders, spun up the engines and flew back to the opening from which they came.

As the group was outbound, Dr. Halsey saw something strange. There were two ships, with matte-black finishes, hovering just above the station. They had unfamiliar emblems, but were similar to the Republic Venator-class but with a more dagger-like superstructure. Just as soon as Halsey had seen the ships, they apparently cloaked and vanished.

"Hm. Odd."
"What?"
"Oh, nothing. I may have been seeing things. Age does take its toll."
"Good."

The Pelican and its passengers flew back to a waiting Phrixus-class medium frigate, the UNSC Beijing, and docked with their findings.

On the Louhi's Mirror, newly-promoted Commander Ben Keyes had nothing to do. He had not received any new assignments since his ship's deployment to Coruscant and the skirmish at Alderaan, so he decided to look at his ship's specifications for the umpteenth time.

NAME: UNSC Louhi's Mirror
CLASSIFICATION: Rigel-class heavy destroyer
COMPLETED: 18 August 2560
COMMANDER: Cmdr. Keyes, Benjamin Jacob

Ben read through the physical specifications, weapons, and crew roster of his ship again and again until his brain hurt. Finally, he was able to sleep.

Several hours later, Benjamin was shocked awake by alarm klaxons. He quickly grabbed his naval uniform, dressed, and practically kicked the door down to get out of his bunkroom. What he saw horrified him. His crewmembers were being mowed down by the dozens by what looked like Republic clones! Ben grabbed his sidearm, an antique .357 magnum revolver, and sprinted to the bridge. When one "clone" tried to shoot him, he felled it with one shot from the gun. After several minutes of desperate sprinting, Keyes entered the bridge, where a firefight was taking place between his ship's ODSTs and the "clones." He opened fire on the clones along with the troopers, and after twenty minutes the enemy was finally vanquished.

"Get Coruscant Surface Command on the line and tell them to notify the Chancellor that some rogues have boarded the Louhi's Mirror."
"Yes sir."

The Comms Officer walked briskly to his post and began a transmission to CSC. Ben followed him.

"Sir, we have a transmission incoming. It's from the Louhi's Mirror."
"Answer it, then."

The CSC technician complied, and Commander Keyes appeared on the screen.

"General Michtom."
"Commander Keyes. Why are you calling my garrison? I'm an Army man, you're Navy."
"I need a favor, sir."
"Oh?"
"Go and tell that son-of-a-bitch Chancellor that his troops stormed my ship. Sir."
"What?"
"A battalion of clone troopers boarded the Mirror and killed twenty of my crew, sir! He has to answer for this!"
"Alright, son, alright. I'll send a man to the Senate and have the Chancellor notified."

Sure enough, within five minutes a courier was in a Falcon transport on a direct course for the Senate Rotunda. When he arrived, he quickly hopped out of the cockpit and sprinted to the door. Upon his arrival, the Senate Guards blocked his path.

"I have orders from General Michtom of the UNSC Coruscant Surface Command to relay a message to the Chancellor. Move, will you?"

The Senate Guardsmen complied and stepped to either side of the door to the building. The courier dashed past milling groups of senators until he finally reached the office of the Supreme Chancellor himself. As per Senate etiquette, he knocked before entering.

"Yes?"

The small Army cadet became humbled even more upon seeing the Chancellor, but it didn't stop him from clearing his throat and speaking.

"Sir, reports from the destroyer UNSC Louhi's Mirror indicate that Republic clone troopers stormed the ship and killed twenty of its crew before finally being killed off themselves. The captain of the ship would like to know what your reaction to this is, and what part you had in it."
"Oh, my. This is an inexcusable offense against an ally by my troops. I had no part in it; I had not even heard about it until you entered the room. I will have anyone connected to the rogue regiment court-martialed and imprisoned."
"Alright, sir. Good day, sir."
"To you as well."

The courier left without another word and flew back to CSC.

At the same time, Commander Keyes was receiving his next assignment.

"Your orders are to jump to the outskirts of the Naboo system and defend an incoming merchant convoy from CIS Remnant ships. We have gotten word that there is a large fleet in the area, so we will be sending two other ships with you: the Justinian-class light cruiser UNSC New Alexandria and the SDV-class corvette Faith and Prosperity. Are these orders clear?"
"Yes, ma'am. However, I'm a bit short on crew-"
"Replacement personnel will be shipped up from CSC."
"Okay, ma'am. I'll prepare to jump."

Four hours later, a Pelican-load of fresh crewmembers was delivered to the destroyer, and it cast off from Rubaiyat Station. From there, it jumped to Hesperidium to meet up with the New Alexandria and the Faith and Prosperity. All three ships entered the nearby Hesperidium Gate and began an FTL jump to the Naboo system.

Three days later, the small battlegroup arrived in-system, gave their authorization codes, and headed for the convoy. Aboard Faith and Prosperity, Unggoy Shipmaster Yeney stared out of the viewscreen on his bridge and thought. He began to think about how lucky the Unggoy were to have joined the OAC. This alliance actually treated them like sapient beings instead of cannon fodder. On Balaho, infant mortality had dropped to an astonishing 1%. Education was now widespread, and Unggoy were beginning to command small ships like corvettes and agriculture ships. After pondering his species' luck for a bit, an aide walked up behind him.

"Shipmaster, we nearly at target."
"Good. Follow other ships and keep eyes open for enemy."

The aide nodded and waddled back to his station.

Back on Coruscant, Chancellor Palpatine was sitting in his office, doing some paperwork and other menial tasks, when the clone known to many as Captain Rex knocked on his door.

"Come in."

The clone commander opened the door to the office and saluted the aging leader.

"Sir, what were the results of the raid on that destroyer in orbit?"
"You failed."
"What?! How could my men fail?"
"It appears that they failed to take into account the many soldiers on that ship. Everyone in the boarding party was killed."
"It won't happen again, Chancellor."
"It had better not. I will give the Order in three days. When I do, you cannot fail. If you do…"
"I-I understand sir. My men will be ready for battle by then."
"Very well. You are dismissed, Captain."

Rex nodded, saluted again, and promptly exited the office.

AN: Yes, some major foreshadowing. Also, a note: this story takes place in approximately 18 BBY (2561 in the UNSC Military Calendar). I know that year is not the correct year for the Empire's founding, however in this universe Palpatine takes more time planning his new regime. That, coupled with delays brought by the Treaty of Triangulum, set his plan back a few years. I hope that hardcore fans of Star Wars will understand.