6. Imperial Civil War and Emperors Return
"One ought never to turn one's back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half." Winston Churchill
A month after the Battle of Bilbringi, Grand Admiral Teshik was reviewing the forces he possessed under his command, formally part of Thrawn's command.
Vice Admiral Pellaeon will continue to act as a figurehead "supreme commander" of Thrawn's former fleet and the sectors that formed part of Thrawn's growing command up to Thrawn's death, this is until Grand Admiral Teshik is ready to reveal himself to the galaxy as a whole. In the past month, Admiral Pellaeon has survived several assignation attempts against him from various sources including several of the Imperial Warlords and the New Republic. Teshik has also instructed Pellaeon on the response to each attack, usually a limited counter attack against another a New Republic base or a base of one of the Imperial Warlords. This response has led to a dropping off, of attacks against Admiral Pellaeon and the sectors under his "command", as no one expected such a response from Pellaeon.
The forces under Grand Admiral Teshik command are not vast, but they are still growing, during the past thirty days, Teshik has begun a process of consolidation for not only his military forces but also the sectors that his forces now control. This is to ensure that neither the Rebels nor the various Imperial Warlords try to seize the sectors under his command the Imperial Warlords are not a threat to Teshik as they have other plans.
The number of sectors under Grand Admiral Teshik command is currently fifteen, with eleven of these sectors grouped together, with remaining four separated from the main group of sectors. These set of four sectors are relatively secure for the short term, in the longer term Teshik will have to improve these sectors defences.
Even through Grand Admiral Teshik controls fifteen sectors, his forces are not equivalent to fifteen sector sectors groups, his forces only currently equate to nine full sector groups. With the most vital systems (such as Bespin, Ukio and Bilbringi) in each sector being heavily defended, the rest of the sectors systems are protected by light system patrols supported by random roving patrols in each sector. These roving patrols have at least one Imperial class star destroyer along with a dozen other warships of various types, this makes it very difficult for an attacker to guess were these roving patrols are along with their composition.
Warships production, with the loss of the cloning facilities, Grand Admiral Teshik has had to scale back production of crew intensive warships, such as the Imperial class star destroyer and concentrate on more crew efficient types of warships. In this respect, Grand Admiral Teshik has taken a leaf out of Grand Moff Ardus Kaine book and the Pentastar Alignment, Kaine after forming his own Empire after Endor needed to rebuild his naval strength quickly, to do this, his engineers located in the Pentastar Alignment from both Sienar Fleet Systems and Kuat Drive Yards.
These engineers came up with the Enforcer class picket cruiser Enforcers are built on the same 600-meter frame as the Immobilizer 418 cruiser and Vindicator-class heavy cruiser. After Naval architects removed the massive power generators from an Interdictor cruiser and discovered that by re-arranging the vessels power grids, they could significantly beef up the ship's energy weapons, shields, and tractor beams. Even the engines experienced a bonus from this reconfiguration. The result was a very fast and manoeuvrable vessel that was well armed for a ship its size.
Although labelled as a picket ship, the cruiser serves as a frontline warship of Kaine's resource-strapped fleet. These Enforcer class cruisers are becoming the backbone of Kaine's fleet they are now a common sight throughout the Pentastar Alignment.
Grand Admiral Teshik will not be using the Enforcer design instead Teshik will produce the more powerful 600-meter long Vindicator-class heavy cruiser the more powerful (and costly) "brother" of the Enforcer class. Originally prior to Endor, the Vindicator-class was intended for use in situations in which Imperial-class star destroyers were unavailable, and smaller ships were not powerful enough. The Vindicator-class never entered full production, as the Imperial navy thought that the number of Imperial-class star destroyers being produced need to be cut back.
The reason for this is that the Vindicator-class can carry a full wing of starfighters (72), just like an Imperial class star destroyer, but at a fraction of the cost in both money and resources, the Vindicator-classes nickname is a "pocket star destroyer". The Vindicator-class is very powerful for a warship of its class, its armament can deal with warships up to the level of Victory class star destroyers and multiple Vindicators can in theory, take down a lone Imperial class star destroyer. The Vindicator-class would give the Rebels a nasty surprise, as the Rebels though that the Vindicator was one an Immobilizer 418 cruiser, this would cause the loss of a number of Rebels warships, both before and after Endor.
The final reason for using the Vindicator-class is crew numbers, this heavy cruiser only needs a crew of 2,600, compared to 37,000 for an Imperial class star destroyer, for a fully equipped Imperial class star destroyer, Teshik can have fourteen Vindicator-class heavy cruisers, which makes it a "no brainier" for Teshik.
The Vindicator-class does lack the planetary assault capability of the Imperial class, though Teshik has order that enough Imperial-class star destroyers are be produced for this role and to act as command ships of Imperial battle groups.
The Vindicator-class will also replace all existing Frigate and Heavy cruisers classes along with all escort carriers within Teshik forces, as part of Teshik long-term planning.
For the moment most of the new Vindicator-class cruiser will not carry a full wing of starfighters, they only carry a single squadron (12), these starfighter will be the TIE Advanced or TIE Interceptor model, as Teshik military program expands, the numbers of starfighters onboard each Vindicator will increase.
Production of these Vindicator-class cruisers is already underway Teshik is not letting the grass grow under his feet.
Each Imperial class star destroyer that is part of Teshik command now carries a modified fighter wing (72), consisting of one squadron of TIE Defenders (12), four squadrons of either TIE Interceptors or the TIE Avengers (48) and finally a single squadron of Scimitar assault bombers.
Over the next year, Teshik would watch as the various events unfolded, including a new Imperial offensive against the Rebels, however Teshik's forces would not participate in such an offensive, as Teshik was still building up his military strength, via Vice Admiral Pellaeon.
Imperials (United)
The surviving Imperial warlords, encouraged by what Grand Admiral Thrawn had so recently accomplished with so little and in such a short time, agreed to organize under the reformed Imperial Ruling Council for an offensive thrust into the Galactic Core. The New Republic could not match the military might of the re-unified Empire, and after a short, decisive campaign, the Empire had retaken the former Imperial Centre in the Fourth Battle of Coruscant.
However this alliance would not last long, as none of the members of the Imperial Ruling Council trusted each other, in the slightest, this could lead to only one action, a full scale Imperial civil war!
Imperial Civil War
When General Balan retook Coruscant, there are enormous celebrations amongst the "united" Empire, however these celebrations would only last a few days then things would start to rapidly fall apart, rapidly.
Having taken Coruscant, the Imperial Ruling Council decided the time had now come to elect a new Galactic Emperor for whom they would serve as a new Imperial Senate. The various Imperial Governors, Moffs, and Grand Moffs agreed, however with the requirement that they too would be granted seats in the new Imperial Senate and that their votes would be weighted for the number of worlds they controlled. The Councillors, however, refused as this would in effect decentralize power and share it among local rulers.
Matters after that would quickly fell apart, in addition, the Imperial military had been left out of the decision making process by the Imperial Ruling Council and the various Imperial Governors, Moffs, and Grand Moffs this did not sit well with the Imperial military command. Both the Imperial Navy and Army wanted seats within the new Imperial Senate in proportion with the amount of firepower the Imperial military possessed, this did not sit well with the Imperial Ruling Council as well as the Governors, Moffs, and Grand Moffs who saw this as the beginning of a military dictatorship.
The Imperial military sought to take power itself however, a split happened between the Army and the Navy. The latter insisted that it alone could choose a new Supreme Commander (a new Grand Admiral to lead the Imperial military) the Imperial army did not like that idea and even put forward General Balan as their choice as the new Supreme Commander, the navy in turn did not like the army's idea of a new Supreme Commander.
Then the bureaucrats along with COMPNOR attempted a coup, claiming that any change to the New Order would invalidate the Empire's existence. The COMPNOR coup failed as neither the Imperial navy nor army liked COMPNOR these two imperial military factions reunited again for a short time to deal with and eliminate the COMPNOR threat.
The Imperial Security Bureau and Imperial Intelligence, in turn, embarked on a campaign of assassinations against each other, along with anyone who got in their way.
After that, a more "overt" armed conflict soon broke out amongst most of the various Imperial factions on Coruscant and beyond. This "overt" armed conflict would lay much of the planet to waste, with billions of civilians dying in the crossfire between the various Imperial factions, as the conflict spread rapidly beyond Coruscant to the rest of the galaxy.
It would be the Imperial Civil War that would destroy more than half of the Imperial military and not the New Republic, as some of the larger Imperial Warlords have fleets that easily outnumbered the New Republics military forces and then some, especially those that command Oversectors.
The Imperial Civil War was also a chance for various Imperial Warlords to settle personal vendettas against rivals in the Imperil Court. These personal vendettas would be dealt with over dealing the day to day running of their own faction, this would also cause more harm to all Imperial factions would leave the running of the war to their minions over various Imperial Commanders, who are much less capable than the military commanders. The various Imperial Warlords do this because they fear their own military commanders might try to usurp their own commands and then kill them.
The various Imperial warlords are very paranoid against internal threats as well as other Warlords attacking them trust amongst the various Imperial Warlords is very low to non- existent.
As the war escalated entire sector groups of Imperial warships are destroyed battling each other, on the ground entire armies are virtually wiped out. The death toll of the Imperial military is in the tens of millions, a large number of smaller Imperial Warlords are wiped out during the early stages of the civil war, by the larger Imperial Warlords. Then these larger Imperial Warlords start to turn on each other, with devastating consequences, as anything the gets in their way is annulated with the vast firepower these larger Imperial Warlords have available.
The bulk of the ground and space fighting is fought on either, the surface of Coruscant or within the system itself, as the various Imperial Warlords seem to think that taking Coruscant or what is left of Coruscant will strengthen their claims to the Imperial throne.
The New Republic would initially try to stop the various Imperial factions however the firepower that most Imperial factions possessed could deal with the New Republics military forces, so the New Republics military returned to rebel tactics of hit and run, along with trying to alienate any Imperial factions that were trying to unite.
The Imperial Civil War would drag on for just over a year, with the various Imperial factions fighting against each other for control of the Empire. Some of the stronger Imperial factions managing to survive, by simply having overwhelming numbers, making it virtually impossible for another Imperial faction or factions of a similar size to destroy their opposing faction for fear also of both sides being wiped out during the fighting.
So as the Imperial Civil War drags on, six months into the war, the stronger Imperial factions start to dig into their holdings and fortify there key systems and worlds. Once this is underway, the strongest Imperial factions start to try to gain more firepower than the other Imperial factions do by trying to gain control of key production and training facilities to increase their own firepower beyond that of the other Imperial factions.
No one could guess that during the civil war that they were being watched from the Deep Core, by the reborn Emperor, who was watching with some amusement as the various Imperial factions went to war against each other.
The civil war, was being watched by Grand Admiral Teshik, who was not amused, Teshik intelligence section has picked up that parts of the remaining Imperial battle fleet were just disappearing, Teshik has set out to find out were these Imperial warships were going and who was controlling them.
This would lead Teshik discovering that like himself the Emperor was not dead.
Emperors Return
In deep space between star systems, the crew of the Eleemosynary have been monitoring the Imperial communication channels.
Almost immediately one of the communications operators says, "Sir, I have picked up indications that the Imperial civil war has suddenly come to an end, all Imperial factions appear to be unifying under one commander."
Grand Admiral Teshik looks at his display that confirms what the communications operator has just told him, Teshik says, "Interesting, continue to monitor, try to find out where this commander is based."
The communications operator responds, "Yes sir" and goes back to monitoring the Imperial communication channels for further information.
Captain Frisk, who has been looking at the same data from his Captains chair, turns in his chair towards Teshik and says, "Admiral, do you think that another commander like Grand Admiral Thrawn has managed to unify the various Imperial factions?"
Grand Admiral Teshik looks up from his displays at Captain Frisk and replies, "I don't know Captain, this does not feel like any strategy a Grand Admiral would use, as I knew all the Empires Grand Admirals, along with an understanding of the combat tactics that they would use. This strategy does not match any of the Empires Grand Admiral, most peculiar."
Captain Frisk says, "Then what Imperial military commander would have the ability to reunite the Empire?"
Grand Admiral Teshik responds, "I need more information on the location of the new commander of the Empire before I can answer that question. Though I do have my own suspicions on whom this commander may be." Teshik then goes back to viewing the information on his displays without saying anymore.
Captain Frisk nods and turns back to his own displays, Grand Admiral Teshik will inform him in due course Captain Frisk has learned that much over the past few years.
Main Bridge
After several hours of work, suddenly the communications operator says, "Sir, I have identified where all the orders are coming from".
Grand Admiral Teshik with an element of dark humour in his voice says, "Well don't keep it to yourself"
The communications operator response is one word, "Byss" Grand Admiral Teshik looked from the communications operator then to his own display then everything clicked. Grand Admiral Teshik knew who was in charge of the Empire and who had managed to reunite the various Imperial factions.
Grand Admiral Teshik responds "The Emperor"
Around the bridge all that can be heard is the equipment humming away in the background, no one is saying anything, though several of the bridge crew are grinning with some others with no expressions on their faces.
Breaking through the silence, Grand Admiral Teshik then says, "Helm set course for the Deep Core."
The helmsman replies, "Aye sir" and begins instructing the navigation computer, as the helmsman it plotting the course the noise level on the bridge starts to return to normal.
Meanwhile on Byss Emperor Palpatine has been monitoring his reunification efforts of his Empire, he is pleased with the progress so far.
Deep Core
In the Deep Core on a planet known as Byss, the re-born Emperor Palpatine watched the Imperial Civil war coming to an end, as his servants on Byss issued orders for the fighting to stop, as he knew that only he could keep the Empire together. It would soon be time to revel that he was alive, Palpatine thought and then the galaxy would see the true power of the dark side of the force.
Hidden within the densely packed mass of stars at the very heart of the galaxy, the Deep Core (also known as the Deep Galactic Core or Core Systems) is a small region that hid unusual worlds. The Deep Core is home to the galaxy's oldest stars, at its centre is a black hole surrounded by antimatter and dense star clusters. Due to the gravitational pull of the vast number of stars, local space-time is severely warped, making hyperspace travel difficult at best. The region was thought to be inaccessible until Emperor Palpatine (after spending vast sums of money and resources) found several safe hyperlanes into the region such as the Deep Core Run.
The Deep Core would become the Emperors retreat from the galaxy, and Byss would become his second throne world, along with many other things as well.
Byss
Byss is a planet in the Deep Core, near the centre of the galaxy. A local day lasts 31 standard hours, and a local year lasted 207 standard days. Byss itself is somewhat of a myth, seeming to be the perfect place to live. Its eerie blue-green glow, caused by its sun, also added to the strangeness of the world. Despite this outward appearance, however, Emperor Palpatine's dark side energies were everywhere, corrupting not only the inhabitants, but also the planet itself. Byss is the secret throne world of Palpatine and the location of his towering Imperial Citadel. He also keeps his secret supply of clone bodies there.
During the Galactic Empire's expansion into the Deep Core region, Palpatine selected Byss as his personal retreat and his secret throne world. Thousands of non-Human slaves were forced to labour in the "re-colonization efforts" on Byss including the Utapauns and Gamorreans after the Clone Wars.
It was on Byss that a number of captured AgriCorps workers and Padawans where held captive under the supervision of Sly Moore, until the Emperor introduced them to Darth Vader. Vader killed all but four of them; these four he trained to be Inquisitors. One of the chosen, named Antinnis Tremayne would eventually become a High Inquisitor, who would in turn train Adalric Cessius Brandl in the dark side of the force.
The Emperor drew ignorant followers to the planet under the pretext that it was a paradise world. Among them were survivors of the Destruction of Alderaan, which he offered to resettle on Byss in a public speech delivered following the destruction of the world. Once they had settled into their new lives on the paradise world, the Emperor revealed his true plans for Byss. Immigrants lived out their lives in elaborate pageants and amusements, which distracted them from what Palpatine was really doing draining their life energies to power his abominable experiments. Eventually, Byss is entirely enveloped in the dark side of the Force. This was evident by the eerie blue-green sunlight that bathed the world in a strange glow.
Byss has vast orbital dry-docks currently producing both World Devastators, the next generation of Super Star Destroyers (Eclipse and Sovereign classes) and later on, the Galaxy Gun. At the height of its power, Byss is encircled by a large number of Imperial warships, along with the existing battle stations for the Emperor's protection.
Security around Byss is very tight all ships that do not stop after the first warning are destroyed without another warning.
The population of Byss is fanatically loyal to the Emperor even after his first death at the Battle of Endor. When the Emperor was reborn in a new clone body, Byss will become the capital world of the reborn Galactic Empire, which Palpatine is currently planning on building into a Dark Empire, the beginnings of a universe spanning Dark Side controlled Empire.
Deep Core, Planet Byss, Several Days Later
In the Deep Core on a planet known as Byss, the re-born Emperor Palpatine, was now ready to start revealing his existence to the galaxy as a whole.
Palpatine was chuckling to himself on how quickly the various Imperil factions stopped fighting each other and again swore loyalty to him, though a few graphic executions of the more troublesome Imperial commanders did help the process.
Sate Pestage entered the throne room Pestage was the only one who could do this, as he had proved his loyalty over the decades.
Pestage waits for a few moments, and then when the Emperor waves his hand, Pestage says, "Majesty, I have received a signal from an Imperial commander."
The Emperor looked at his loyal servant, and asks, "Why have you brought this to my attention, I have given you authority over all the Imperial military Admirals and Generals, why bring this to me?"
Pestage replies, "Sire, this is no ordinary Imperial Admiral or General it is one of the Grand Admirals."
The Emperor is very rarely surprised by anything, but now he is surprised, and asks, "Which Grand Admiral?"
Pestage nervously replies, "Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik."
The Emperor chuckles to himself again then asks, "Where is he at the moment?"
Pestage replies, "Grand Admiral Teshik is onboard the Eleemosynary, holding position at one of the entry positions to the Deep Core."
The Emperor thinks for several moments then says, "Allow him to enter, I wish to see Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik immediately. If any harm comes to him, I will be most displeased."
Pestage replies, "As you wish my master" and turns and leaves to carry out the Emperors orders. The last part of the Emperors instructions about no harm coming to Teshik, is directed at the other Imperial commanders to make sure they do not try to kill Teshik, with the Emperors protection no one will now dare to try that, especially here on Byss.
If anyone did, Pestage would immediately inform his master, then the Emperor would deal with the offender or offenders personally, with a threat like that hanging over them none of the Imperial Court would dare harm Teshik.
Eleemosynary, at the entry position to the Deep Core
Since Teshik had informed the boarder space stations commander of who he was the Eleemosynary had been holding its position, waiting on a reply from Byss. The suddenly a communications operator says, "Sir, I have an incoming communication"
Teshik asks, "From the space station?"
The communications operator replies, "Not directly, this appears to be being relayed from within the Deep Core."
Teshik says, "Put it through."
In front of Teshik appears the holographic image of Sate Pestage, he says, "Welcome Grand Admiral Teshik."
Outwardly, Teshik seems unaffected by seeing Sate Pestage who he thought was dead, replies, "Greetings Pestage, it has been a long time. I assume you have instruction for me from the Emperor?"
Pestage gives Teshik a very thin smile and replies, "Yes I do, the Emperor wishes to see you, your ship has been cleared to travel to Byss. I will see you shortly in person."
Teshik looking off at a display can see the authorization codes already downloading into the Eleemosynary data banks says, "I will be at Byss in a matter of hours." With that, Pestage ends the transmission.
Teshik then says, "Helm, take us the Byss."
The helmsman replies, "Aye sir" and shortly afterwards the Eleemosynary enters into hyperspace towards Byss and the Emperor.
Byss
A short while later, the Eleemosynary exits hyperspace in the Byss system, to be confronted by vast numbers of Imperial warships of all classes and types within the system.
Captain Frisk is the first to speak and says, "Look at all this assembled firepower, there must be the bulk of the remaining Imperial fleet within this system."
Teshik looking at the main display and shaking his head states, "This is an unwise strategy, bringing this many warships into one system, they will merely get in each other's way during combat." Captain Frisk does not say anything in response he is staring at the vast armada of Imperial warships.
Teshik continues, "I will be going down to the Emperor's Citadel, you are in command Captain Frisk."
Captain Frisk replies, "Yes sir"
A short while later a shuttle shoots from the Eleemosynary main hanger bay, escorted by a pair of TIE Defenders.
Emperor's Citadel
A short while later Grand Admiral Teshik is en-route to the Emperor's Citadel, this great black and red-tinted tower contained the personal quarters and offices of Palpatine and his officials. The Emperor's throne room, cloning facilities which kept his collection of clone bodies, dark side Sith alchemical laboratories, the Great Hall, a war room, libraries filled with dark side tomes are also located within the Emperor's Citadel.
It is within this citadel on his throne world that Palpatine experimented on a wide range of life with his dark side powers, even sentient beings. There were also sublevel breeding facilities, which birthed the deadly Chrysalide rancors. Elite Imperial Sovereign Protectors the best of the Imperial Royal Guard are stationed at the Imperial Citadel. Where Palpatine kept his cloning facilities within the palace to make it easier and faster to resurrect himself when needed.
There are also a series of training rooms in the Palace compound where Palpatine trains his Dark Side Adepts and a few chosen Inquisitors, Palpatine also keeps several Jedi and Sith holocrons which he had acquired. The Emperors Throne room was also capable of serving as a military command centre which he will used to supervise the upcoming assault by the World Devastators on such worlds as Mon Calamari.
The Citadel is a city unto itself.
Main Landing Bay Emperor's Citadel
Teshik can see Sate Pestage waiting for them, along with a dozen members of the Royal Guard.
As Grand Admiral Teshik descends the ramp of the shuttle, Sate Pestage says, "Welcome to Byss Grand Admiral Teshik."
Grand Admiral Teshik replies, "Thank you for your welcome Pestage." Teshik tone is much calmer and very polite, this is not what Pestage was expecting from Grand Admiral Teshik, especially as he had known Teshik prior to Endor, Teshik, seemed like a changed man to Pestage.
Sate Pestage says, "I am to escort you to the Emperors presence"
Sate Pestage leads Grand Admiral Teshik into the Emperor's Citadel, towards the Emperor's Throne Room.
As they walk towards the Emperor's Throne Room, several members of the Imperial Court gasp at the presence of an Imperial Grand Admiral among them, as they all had thought that all the Grand Admirals had been killed, either during that battle of Endor or afterwards.
As they continue, Teshik can hear a mummer behind them, as the members of the Imperial Court begin to discuss the imprecations of a Grand Admiral among them, along with the Emperors orders regarding Grand Admiral Teshik not being harmed, that Teshik is again in the Emperors favour and all that entails.
Soon they are at the entrance of the throne room Pestage bids both of them to enter, while Pestage and the members of the Royal Guard remain outside.
Meeting with the Emperor
As Grand Admiral Teshik enters, the throne room within Palpatine's citadel on Byss is a semi-circular room with rounded walls and ceiling, with a massive area of the rounded wall occupied by a large circular display-screen, which allowed the throne room to function as a military command centre. The throne, also rounded is place in front of the screen.
Sitting in the throne, is the Emperor, Grand Admiral Teshik studies the Emperor, while waiting for the Emperor to acknowledge his presence.
Palpatine looks up from his throne and says, "Welcome back Grand Admiral Teshik."
Grand Admiral Teshik bows and replies, "Thank you, Excellency, I trust your clone body is fine."
Palpatine chuckles at Teshik comment and says, "Yes my new clone body is in good condition." Pausing for a few moments then continues, "From the reports, I see that you have been busy Grand Admiral, you have accomplished much in a small amount of time.
Teshik replies, "Thank you, Excellency I have managed to stabilize what Thrawn had direct control of."
Palpatine says, "Indeed you have, I also see that you are building up your military forces."
Teshik replies, "Yes Excellency, the forces that I have at this time are insufficient to do both defence and attack."
Palpatine says, "I see that from this report. I am giving the forces that were under Thrawn to you to command you are to continue with your military expansion."
Teshik replies, "Thank you Excellency, what of the Rebels, do you with me to deal with them?"
Palpatine says, "I will deal with the Rebels personally Grand Admiral Teshik, you will keep the knowledge of your return to yourself, I do not wish to lose my last Grand Admiral, is that clear?"
Teshik bow slightly and replies, "Yes Excellency, I will obey."
Palpatine smiles at Teshik and says, "Good, now down to business, we have much to discuss, once I have dealt with the Rebels and those Imperials that are traitors, you will help be rebuilt the Imperial military to its former glory."
For the next few hours, Palpatine instructs Teshik on what Teshik needs to do while the Emperor deals with the Rebels.
Over the next few weeks Teshik fees a new sense of purpose, when he returns to his command he informs those senior Imperial military commanders of the Emperors return and the confirmation that he now commands Thrawn's former forces.
The senior Imperial military commanders of Teshik command are both overwhelmed and shocked that the Emperor is alive, however as Teshik survived Endor, the shock is subdued, after all if a Grand Admiral can survive why not the Emperor?
Soon the Emperor will start Operation Shadow Hand and begin to regain control of the Empire once again those who sought to create their own Empires will be dealt with by the Emperors agent. However not all Imperials that created their own Empires will be killed only a few will be killed as an example to the others.
One of the first to be killed will be Grand Moff Ardus Kaine of the Pentastar Alignment.
Operation Shadow Hand
During the height of the Imperial civil war, the Emperor returned uniting the various Imperial factions and during this time, the Emperor initiated Operation Shadow Hand. Operation Shadow Hand or the "Shadow Hand Strategy" is the Imperial name for the section of the Galactic Civil War following in the wake of the Thrawn campaign.
Operation Shadow Hand applied to the collective military campaigns that the re-born Emperor Palpatine launched in an attempt to retake control of the Galaxy for the Galactic Empire. These are essentially "wave assaults" from Byss and the rest of the Deep Core. These "wave assaults" on former imperial controlled worlds would include production versions of the World Devastators as part of these "wave assaults" fleets attacking strong points of the New Republic.
As part of Operation Shadow Hand, Emperor Palpatine sends his agents to kill certain Imperial warlords that he considered traitors. Many Imperial warlords would be killed by the Emperors agents including Grand Moff Ardus Kaine, leaving the local commanders of the Pentastar Alignment to continue to run the day-to-day operations of the Alignment (which they will do until the Pentastar Alignment is merged with another Imperial after the Emperors final death).
Nearly two years after the Emperors return the New Republic is on its knees, although the New Republic had won a few battles, it is losing the war against the newly reborn Empire and Emperor.
Having returned in yet another clone, Palpatine continues his campaign against the New Republic, armed with another deadly super weapon, the Galaxy Gun, and his second Eclipse class super star destroyer, the Eclipse II, Palpatine has forced many former New Republic worlds to submit to Imperial rule. However, despite his growing Empire, Palpatine clone body was again deteriorating and becoming frail and weak.
Even worse was to come, the Emperor began to succumb to genetic tampering done to his clone bodies by the treacherous Imperial Sovereign Protector Carnor Jax, via his own trusted doctor who had been turned by Carnor Jax to kill the Emperor so that Carnor Jax could become Emperor. He tried to clone other bodies so that he could resurrect himself, but Jax had succeeded in tainting even the genetic source material.
With his body wasting away rapidly, he went to the Sith world Korriban to consult the ancient spirits of his forebears. They advised that Emperor Palpatine needed to enter Leia's newborn son, Anakin Solo, so that he could be reborn in a force sensitive body.
Palpatine has brought the Eclipse II to Onderon, where the Solos had relocated their children. While the New Republic military engaged the Imperials, a team of Jedi, led by Luke, sought out the Emperor. They did not find him aboard his ship since he had slipped down to Onderon to find Leia. During the battle, Lando Calrissian with a New Republic commando team had infiltrated the Eclipse II, using R2-D2 to sabotage the vehicle's automated hyperdrive engines and set the coordinates to match the location of the Galaxy Gun, which was over Byss and then the commando team left the Eclipse II just before it jumped into hyperspace.
The Eclipse II jumped into hyperspace, despite the efforts of the crew to regain control of the vessel with a course set for Byss. Above Byss, both super weapons collided with each other. The Galaxy Gun's final missile was pulled into the planet's gravity and explodes, destroying the re-born Emperors throne world and a large part of the rebuilt Imperial fleet that was in orbit.
Meanwhile Palpatine was trying to enter Leia's newborn son, Anakin Solo, but was prevented by Empatojayos Brand, who threw himself in the way. The Jedi Knight bound the Emperor's soul to his own departing life force, taking it with him, as he became one with the Force. Railing and cursing against the Skywalker family, Emperor Palpatine's spirit was dragged into the depths of the Force. There he would experience disembodiment in darkness, perpetual madness as if to always live with an open wound, terror without respite.
Darth Sidious, considered by many to be the greatest Dark Lords of the Sith of all time, was finally dead (maybe, but never underestimate the Dark side of the force!).
With the death of the Emperor, the Emperor's doctor, who was in custody with the New Republic was being transported to a safer location, when the ship transporting the Emperor's doctor simply disappeared. After an extensive search no trace would ever be found of either the New Republic warship or the Emperor's doctor, this would remain a mystery for many years to come.
In the aftermath of the final death of Palpatine, Grand Admiral Teshik had a decision to make, while Teshik is making his decision, the New Republic is rapidly regaining lost ground at an alarming rate.
However, for Teshik there is good news, with the destruction of Byss, all those Imperial Advisors that were aware that Teshik was not dead are now dead themselves, thus Teshik secret is safe. The other advantage is that the Emperor has not broadcast the fact the Teshik was alive the Emperor has "merely" expanded Teshik command from fifteen sectors to thirty. The resources of these thirty sectors will be extremely useful to Teshik, however the Emperor had not chosen to give Teshik the equivalent of thirty sector groups to guard these sectors, Teshik now amounted to only nineteen sectors groups to defend thirty sectors.
Over the past two years of the Emperors return the numbers of Vindicator-class heavy cruisers coming into service within Teshik has increased dramatically, the distraction of the Emperors return has left Teshik command virtually untouched by Rebel attacks. Though Teshik command is still quite weak, Teshik will keep his forces on the defensive until he can build up his own military strength.
Several weeks after the final death of the Emperor, in a system, a damage lone New Republic frigate has captured an Imperial pilot in the aftermath of a short battle this Imperial pilot is now being questioned while the frigates battle damage is being repaired.
This Imperial Pilot will reveal several secrets to the New Republic that the New Republic is unaware of.
To be continued.