8. The Protectorate
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." Winston Churchill
The Protectorate is a neutral government led by the former Imperial Inquisitor Adalric Cessius Brandl, and his son Jaalib Brandl. After the Emperor's final death, the Brandl's carved out their own little piece of space and placed it under protection from a number of elite Imperial II class star destroyers under Lord Brandl's control. The basis of the group was to maintain a strong military presence in the face of the New Republic and to protect the Brandl's home world of Trulalis from outside influence.
The space that the Protectorate controls is very small and lightly populated, with the exception of the Brandl's home world of Trulalis. The resources available to the Protectorate are quite large as the area of space around Trulalis that the Protectorate controls is largely untapped of its abundant resources.
Trulalis
Trulalis is a planet in the Issor system, the planet was known for its theater and its economic wealth. The populace was almost eliminated by the Galactic Empire. It is the home world of Adalric Cessius Brandl and his son, Jaalib Brandl. Adalric trained Jaalib as an actor in addition to how to use the force on the depopulated world. Adalric would train Fable Astin in the Jedi arts, intending to turn her to the dark side of the Force and give her to Emperor Palpatine on Byss during the Emperor return.
Adalric tricked Astin into murdering Vialco, his nemesis, but Jaalib helped Astin escape Trulalis. As punishment, Adalric gave Jaalib to the Emperor instead. Ironically, Jaalib was made the new apprentice of Antinnis Tremayne, up until the Emperors final death then the Brandl's returned to Trulalis.
Now the Brandl's rule the Protectorate that includes Issor system, with Trulalis being the capital of the Protectorate, in addition the Protectorate controls two other systems that are in close proximity to the Issor system. These two systems are uninhabited, but a very rich in mineral wealth, a proportion of the Protectorates military are assigned to guard these two systems, along with escorting freighters from these two systems back to Trulalis for the raw materials to be processed.
In a very short period of time since the death of the Emperor, Trulalis has become a very wealthy planet, for a population of only ten million. The Brandl's have restricted the incoming peoples to those that were born on Trulalis all others are turned away, usually by force. These restrictions have led to Trulalis becoming an almost crime free planet, as any crime that has been committed is usually picked up by the Brandl's and hunted down, as no one can escape a Dark Side force user.
The New Republic has not bothered to try to send spies to Trulalis, as this would be pointless, as the Brandl's through the dark side of the force would pick this up very quickly in addition there are no former residents of Trulalis in service with the New Republic, as nearly all of them have returned home.
The Protectorates Military
The commander of Lord Brandl's is Fleet Admiral Feyet Kiez who commands the Imperial II class star destroyer Empire, this star destroyer was the prototype of the Imperial II class line. Admiral Kiez was given command of the Empire three years prior to the Battle of Yavin, the very first Imperial II class star destroyer. Then he was assigned to patrol hyperspace lanes in search of Rebel Alliance warships and eliminate them. Kiez was promoted to full Fleet Admiral just before the Battle of Yavin. After the final death of the Emperor, Fleet Admiral Feyet Kiez took his battle group of warships and joined with Lord Brandl.
No one knows why Admiral Kiez joined with Lord Brandl, however this elite Imperial military force is more than a match for any attacking force against the Protectorate.
The crew of the Empire were handpicked, and said to be among the finest serving in the fleet (prior to Endor and after), mainly because Admiral Kiez did not execute every crewmember that made the slightest mistake, as Lord Vader did, this would allow the crew of the Empire to learn from their mistakes.
The Empire has shielding superior to later (production) Imperial II class star destroyers. The primary task of the Empire is deep space combat and is equipped with two full wings of starfighters (144) for that task, these fighters are the TIE/ad starfighter or TIE Advanced also nicknamed TIE Avenger. The Empire carries a reduced level of planetary assault equipment that a standard ISD would normally carry to make room for the reinforced number of starfighters.
The TIE/ad starfighter or TIE Advanced was the accumulation of a series of starfighter designs first explored with Darth Vader's TIE Advanced x1. To avoid confusion with Lord Vader's personal craft, the version is known by its nickname the TIE Avenger. On the planet of Trulalis a TIE Avenger production line has been set-up, a number of former elite TIE pilots have joined the Protectorate, as it allows them to fly these advanced starfighters and increase the number of kills they have.
Other advanced TIE designs, can be produced by the Protectorate in limited numbers, including the TIE Defender, Scimitar assault bomber, TIE Hunter to name but a few. The Protectorate has also been able to acquire a limited number of Rebel starfighters, such as the X-Wing for aggressor training this is something that the Empire does not normally do, though Admiral Kiez is not a normal Imperial Fleet Admiral, as he thinks outside of the box.
Some state that Admiral Kiez would have become a Grand Admiral in due course, due to Admiral Kiez skill as a leader and a tactician. Admiral Kiez mentor was Grand Admiral Teshik and in many ways Kiez takes after his mentor, this makes Kiez a very dangerous opponent. One of the few things that few people know is that Kiez was offered the command of an Executor class, but turned it down to keep command of the ISDII Empire, as Kiez viewed the Executor class as "parade ground" warships, not much use in a fast moving battle.
Incorporating the previous successes of the TIE series starfighters, along with those of the Rebel Alliance, the TIE Avenger was one of the first production starfighters to break away from the Imperial doctrine of quantity over quality. Incorporating deflector shields, a hyperdrive and warhead launchers, it was also significantly faster and more maneuverable than any existing Imperial or Rebel starfighter, so enemy pilots nicknamed these starfighters "brights".
No one goes near the Protectorate without having some business on the world of Trulalis, if they do and do not have a reason to be there, at best they are imprisoned or at worst they are killed. The population of Trulalis is not repressed in any way as the Brandls are restoring Trulalis to its former grandeur, with the population fully supporting the Brandls in their efforts to rebuild Trulalis to its former wealthy status (greed is a very powerful motivator).
In orbit around Trulalis, Lord Adalric Cessius Brand has managed to acquire an orbital shipyard/dry-dock facility that is able to maintain Admiral Kiez naval forces. With the population happily volunteering for Imperial service to defend their home system and not going on some mad attempted conquest of the galaxy, leaving the New Republic with a big problem, as the population in a fair election have elected the Brandls as their leaders. This means that the New Republic cannot lawfully interfere with the democratic decisions of Trulalis (as per the New Republics charter) or the two other systems under the Brandls control.
The main warships of Admiral Kiez battle fleet currently consists of the following
15 Imperial II class star destroyers (including the Empire)
25 Victory II class star destroyers
50 Vindicator class heavy cruisers
2 Interdictor class star destroyers
200 Rendili StarDrive light corvettes, also commonly known as the Imperial Customs corvette
The Imperial II class star destroyers are divided into three groups of five ships, one group per system, with the other warships of Admiral Kiez battle fleet are either assisting in guarding one of the three systems or on patrol or escorting freighters laden with raw materials to Trulalis for processing. Admiral Kiez battle fleet also includes those system defense forces, such as the IPV-1 system patrol vessel and other none hyperdrive equipped system defense ships.
Compared to other Imperials Admiral Kiez battle fleet is relatively small, the crews of his warships however are highly trained, with all of the captains and the crews of the warships in Admiral Kiez battle fleet being combat veterans.
Early on, Lord Brandl had briefly changed the rules on only people borne on Trulalis can return, to ones that include the families of the Imperial military personnel guarding Trulalis, who are not borne on Trulalis. The small change is only temporary until the families of those Imperial military personnel are made citizens of Trulalis, then the law is revoked, not allowing any other none borne Trulalis to become citizens.
This temporary change in the law has boosted the population of Trulalis by over 500,000 and improving the morale of the Imperial military of those who were not born on Trulalis. This is what Lord Brandl had intended to do in the first place, by the small temporary change in the immigration law of Trulalis.
After all, it gives his troops a much better reason to fight for the defiance of Trulalis, if they are fighting to protect their families.
Eighteen Months Later
Eighteen months after rescuing his son and with the Protectorates wealth is growing at an incredible rate, along with a newly signed peace treaty with the New Republic, the Protectorates future seems secure.
Like the Light Side of the force, the Dark Side can show the possible futures that exist, of not only the user, but also wider ranging events.
Lord Brandl was meditating in his quarters, thinking about the recent peace deal between the Protectorate and the New Republic, smiling to himself he thought of the moment all those months ago that he had brought up the idea to a representative of the New Republics government. The New Republic diplomat that this peace deal that had been proposed to, for once in his life was lost for words, Lord Brandl smiled darkly at that memory.
After that it had only taken a few months to iron out the details, he had left that in the capable hands of Admiral Kiez and his staff. Lord Brandl had worked alongside Admiral Kiez for a long time, when he had issued the order for a peace deal between the Protectorate and the New Republic, all Admiral Kiez said in reply was "Yes my Lord" then set about his task.
It had only taken a month of negotiations before the peace deal was reach between the New Republic and the Protectorate. Now that peace had been achieved, Lord Brandl along with Admiral Kiez had set about the task of rebuilding the world of Trulalis, into what is once was.
The one part of his vision that scared him more than anything is the part where he is standing next to the command chair on the bridge of a star destroyer, every time he looks down at the man in the chair. He sees the man in the chair wearing the uniform of an Imperial Grand Admiral.
The Grand Admiral looks as him and he recognizes the face of Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik, this part is the worst for Adalric Cessius Brandl as he feels as though he must obey Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik. These visions since the final death of the Emperor have unnerved Adalric Brandl, as he thought he was free of the old Empire, but now it seems as if his destiny is linked in some way to Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik.
In another part of his vision Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik appears to be young again, without any of his cybernetic body parts.
After all, he knows that Teshik is alive, though he does not understand how he can be young again, as he knows that Teshik still has his cybernetic body parts, this has led him to meditate on these visions, so far, this has not helped, but Adalric Brandl is persisting.
Adalric Brandl assumes that he is misinterpreting his visions in some way, but he is not, the truth will soon become clear to Adalric Brandl.
Outside that building, he could sense his son practicing with his lightsaber, he had taught is son the ways of the force, but rather than concentrating on either the light or dark side, he has simply taught him the ways of the force. He would allow his son to find his own way via the force, rather than force his son in either direction his son would find his own destiny.
As it seems that, his son's destiny lies along a different path.
Jaalib Brandl, Practicing
Jaalib Brandl was practicing his lightsaber technique that his father had shown him, however rather than being inside while practicing (like his father) Jaalib Brandl preferred to practice outside, in public. The first few times people tended to stay away, however as time went by his practice sessions grew along with the audience numbers, especially when he was practicing against training remotes firing stun plasma bolts, which Jaalib would deflect with his lightsaber while being blindfolded or covered up by a practice helm.
He had started with one remote, but after a few days of practicing against one remote, he found that it is too easy, he then added another, then another, nearly two years later he could now easily hold his own against more than twenty training remotes, without breaking sweat.
Jaalib Brandl now used this type of basic training to help him concentrate, he could perform acrobatics and feats that no normal being could perform, he can lift objects many times his own weight. He can also hold his breath for several hours using the force (dark and light sides) he considers himself to be good, but not the best, yet.
Jaalib Brandl thinks to himself that he is a performer after all he should put on a good show for his audience and a good performance requires lots of practice.
Soon a new Imperial Fleet Admiral will emerge, this will change the fortunes of several Imperial factions located within the Deep Core.
New Republic
The New Republic has made gains in many areas since the final death of the Emperor two years ago the New Republic is still unaware that it is Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik, who is leading this growing Imperial faction under the 'command' of Admiral Pellaeon. The New Republic has tried several times to bring down this Imperial faction, but each time they have failed.
In the two years since the Emperors final death, the New Republic has made significant gains, however several of large Imperial factions are proving very hard to deal with. The Imperial forces within the Deep Core are the hardest to remove as the hyperspace lanes into that area of space are unknown to the New Republic.
The other is the Imperial Fortress Systems, the Imperial Fortress Systems are systems that have been massively protected, the planets within a single system that have been fortified to an extreme level, most of which are designed to serve as military and political strongholds of various Imperial faction leaders.
Two years after the final death of the Emperor, the New Republic would retake most of the territory lost during the Emperors return there are a few exceptions. This being the territory controlled by Admiral Pellaeon (Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik), along with the Deep Core Imperial Warlords and the Imperial Fortress Warlords scattered throughout the galaxy.
A kind of odd peace would settle across the galaxy with the various Imperial factions and the New Republic in an unofficial form of ceasefire. The New Republic government led by Mon Mothma is quite happy that the various Imperial factions have "quietened down", Mon Mothma is even hopeful that a peace deal may be possible, like the one between the New Republic and the Protectorate may one day encompass all the various Imperial factions.
The joining of the two largest Imperial factions into one faction is seen as worrying however New Republic intelligence has indicated that the new Imperial faction, is not planning an attack. This Imperial faction appears to be digging in, though this is what Grand Admiral Teshik wants the New Republic to think.
The other Imperial factions seem more intent on attacking each other than the New Republic, with most of the other Imperial Factions being based within the Deep Core, though there are a few other scattered around the galaxy as well.
This peace would not last very long as a long lost project by the former Grand Moff Tarkin was about to be awakened by the New Republic.
Just over two years after the final death of the Emperor, on a trip to Kessel, Han Solo, and Chewbacca would stumble upon a secret research facility setup by Tarkin after making an emergency escape from Kessel.
They would unleash Fleet Admiral Natasi Daala on the galaxy.
Fleet Admiral Natasi Daala
Just over two years after the final death of the Emperor, Kyp Durron, Han Solo, and Chewbacca stumbled upon the facility after making an emergency escape from Kessel. She interrogated them, and was stunned to learn that Tarkin and Emperor Palpatine were dead and the Empire was on the verge of collapse, having been defeated by the Rebels. Daala decided to launch her campaign to wreak havoc on the galaxy and gain revenge for Tarkin's death, with her 4 star destroyers and the Sun Crusher super weapon.
However, the Sun Crusher was stolen (later destroyed) from Daala's command by Solo and his two companions, who were able to warn the New Republic of Daala's existence, ultimately, Daala accomplished little, and with three of her star destroyers destroyed, headed back to the Maw to try to protect it from the New Republic. There, she found New Republic forces that attacked her fleet. Though she managed to destroy the Installation, preventing the New Republic from gaining new weapons, her star destroyer was damaged and she made an emergency hyperspace jump.
A year after Daala's failed campaign, Daala had been attempting to unify the Imperial warlords that occupy the systems of the Deep Core, but found little success. She executed them then took command of their forces. She once again attempted to destroy the New Republic. However, she was defeated and withdrew back to the Deep Core there Daala set about rebuilding and expanding her military forces within the Deep Core.
It was at this time that Daala was reunited with her former lover Liegeus Vorn; the two married and later would have a son.
The New Republic believed Fleet Admiral Natasi Daala was dead.
Three years after Daala's return and five years after the final death of the Emperor, her military forces are now growing once again within the protected area of the Deep Core, after Daala had eliminated the various Imperial Warlords and united there forces under her command. The Deep Core is a small region in the galaxy, about seven thousand light years across that hid some very unusual worlds. The Deep Core was home to some thirty billion of the galaxy's oldest stars, and at its centre was a massive black hole surrounded by antimatter and dense clusters where stars were only a hundredth of a light year apart.
In some areas the stars were in such close proximity, the stars would collide and rip the cores from each other. Due to the gravitational pull of the vast number of stars, local space-time was severely warped, making hyperspace travel difficult at best. The region was thought to be inaccessible, but Emperor Palpatine found safe hyperlanes into the region, such as the Byss Run and the Deep Core Run.
The Deep Core Security Zone is a restricted area of Imperial space in the Deep Core that included the planet Byss within the Beshqek system. Despite the Imperial Centre being the seat of Emperor Palpatine's power, evidence seems to point to the Security Zone having always been an easily defended fallback position for the Galactic Empire.
Admiral Daala forces now consist of sixty Imperial II class star destroyers, along with 205 Victory II class star destroyers along with several thousand warships of various different types along with various types of support vessels. Admiral Daala is moving much more slowly this time and is prepared to wait until her forces are strong enough to launch a concerted attack against the Rebels.
This area of the galaxy remains an Imperial stronghold under the leadership of Fleet Admiral Natasi Daala.
Admiral Daala has been watched by Grand Admiral Teshik, who has been waiting until his forces are ready to strike (Teshik will be ready much sooner than Daala), also his new clone body is now ready for him. The only comment that Teshik made about Daala, was to Captain Frisk, in that he referred to Daala as Tarkins "pet", due to her two failed attacks against the New Republic, by using Tarkins out of date tactics.
Teshik considered Daala a good distraction for the New Republic, while he refined his own plans for his coming attack against these Rebels, then he would show the galaxy what a Grand Admiral could really do with a proper military force.
Soon a reborn (clone) of Grand Admiral Teshik will reveal himself to the galaxy.
To be continued.