Calamari Sector

Mon Calamari System

Two months have passed since the Battle of Endor, the death of the Emperor, the destruction of the DS-2 battle station and the beginning of the end of the old Galactic Empire. So many events that it seemed impossible that all of them could have happened in such close proximity to each other. However, even if the development seemed unlikely, it still happened. History does not wait for those who cannot adapt to its course, no matter how fast it may be.

The water planet Mon Cala however, wasa able to adapt quite well to the constantly changing political landscape of the galaxy. Although at the beginning of the Galactic Civil War - as the ongoing situation was increasingly becoming known - Mon Cala and its inhabitants seemed to support a lost cause that would bring them nothing but destruction, now everything began to turn around. The unfavorable card has changed dramatically.

Nearly a month after the Emperor's death, at the same time as the Scarlet Fleet launched its first operation and the Alignment of Powers - as the first independent post-Imperial faction - was born at the initiative of one man, a major uprising of native species, the Mon Calamarians and Quarrens, broke out in the Mon Calamari system.

The situation on the planet was already extremely tense and unstable, considering all the previous incidents. The great invasion of the planet after an incident hitherto unexplained to the public, the imprisonment of the king, the regency and all the incidents or battles that follow. All this made the occupation much more difficult for the inhabitants, because the garrison and members of the gendarmerie wanted to vent their anger for their lost comrades.

As the Galactic Empire began to descend into chaos following the Emperor's death and internal disintegration, the inspired population was able to defeat - with considerable help from the rebels - the Imperial planetary garrison and then successfully push the fleet out of the system.

This created an extremely delicate situation for the planet - at least for a few standard days - because on the one hand the Galactic Empire, eager for revenge on what they considered a lower species. On the other hand, the emerging New Republic, whose largest ships were designed and manufactured by the inhabitants. It was an even more delicate situation because the elites of this objectively beautiful water world would prefer to remain neutral while simultaneously trading with the Republic and selling starships manufactured in the Mon Cala shipyards to this country.

It became clear quite quickly that this ideal situation would never exist, and for purely pragmatic reasons, the Mon Calamarians and Quarrens decided to join the New Republic. Given their position on the edge of the galaxy, their shipyards and skilled labor, not to mention the many prominent members and officers of the rebellion who still held positions of power, this made their position particularly comfortable. All this despite the threat of a retaliatory attack from the Empire or one of the numerous factions into which the former hegemon of the galaxy began to split.

Ultimately, the most sensible decision was made by the planet's regent and his advisors to immediately join the New Republic, and accordingly, the Mon Calamarians and Quarrens almost immediately received quite substantial orders either to produce new warships in their underwater shipyards, or to modernize their civilian and existing ships to make them combat-fit, and then putting them into use by the New Republic Defense Force.

Shipyards and workers went into battle, and the local population, strongly intimidated by the weakness of the Galactic Empire and eager to take revenge for the ruthless occupation, began to volunteer en masse to participate in the fight to restore the Galactic Republic. It became clear that the production fueled by the war on this planet could have far-reaching consequences, starting with a massive increase in the importance of the planet, if only the New Republic could secure complete victory in this war.

Although the planet joined the New Republic not so long ago, several important installations have already been located over the planet. Defense platforms, docks for large ships, fuel and ammunition depots. All this made Mon Cala an extremely valuable strategic point, the loss of which could mean a devastating blow to the newly established state. At best, many months of paralysis.

Because of this, a huge military force was massed over the planet that could repel any attack that was launched with a slightly larger or comparable in size force. Dozens of ships from the Battle of Endor, separated components of other fleets. However, another and absolutely worth mentioning combat force over the planet was the recently formed Purple Task Squadron.

The Purple Task Squadron was created by combining a rebel cell operating in the New Territories Oversector with the one operating in the Trans-Hydian Oversector. On this particular day, the task force consisted of a single Lucrehulk Battleship as flagship, 4 MC75 cruisers, 4 MC80 cruisers, 8 Attack Frigates, 4 Munificent-class frigates, 10 Nebulon-B Frigates, and 30 smaller craft. However, the size of the formation grew rapidly, as it was to become the hammer that would crush the Imperial defense in the future.

The woman who had the honor of commanding this force was not chosen by accident. Rear Admiral Octavia Makati, once one of the best officers of the Imperial Navy, after the annihilation of Alderaan became disillusioned with the Empire, the New Order, and all its doctrines and policies. However, her sense of duty to the people of the galaxy efficiently prevented her from simply resigning, so she decided to defect to the Alliance to Restore the Republic.

However, Octavia provided more than just herself to this military organization, but also managed to rally many others who were terrified of the fate that had befallen Alderaan. This was invaluable support at a crucial time when the Empire began to intensify its efforts to suppress any rebellion throughout the galaxy.

Among the armada of ships that orbited the planet, one in particular stood out. It was essentially the flagship of the New Republic Defense Fleet, the MC80A Home One Type Heavy Star Cruiser, also known simply as Home One. The ship that was the brains of the space battle over Endor and whose crew boasted a special, almost elite status among their peers.

However, it was not the crew or the battle in which this Heavy Star Cruiser participated that set this ship apart or made it so special at this moment. Even being the flagship of the New Republic Defense Fleet wasn't the most important thing at this point. What had the greatest priority at the moment were the outstanding personalities who were very important for the recently established state and gathered in the main council hall.

These were the 6 most important people in the New Republic, at least the most important in terms of influence, position, but also knowledge of military and political issues. 4 humans, a single Mon Calamari and a single female Twi'lek. These people met for a purpose that would be important for the further development of the country, the main goal of which is now to fight not only the Galactic Empire, but also to stop the process of creating new galactic states or destroying Imperial warlords and their micro empires.

"I call on everyone to order, we are starting the session." The head of the new country and Chancellor, Mon Mothma, announced. "The topic of this meeting will be an analysis of the progress made so far in the fight against the Galactic Empire, as well as the threat that the emerging Imperial factions pose to the New Republic. I invite everyone who has something to say to participate in the session."

The remaining 5 very quickly moved into discussions and exchanged reports or observations, which were sometimes quite unanimous and sometimes not. All of them were: Chief of Intelligence Airen Cracken, Admiral Gial Ackbar, General Hera Syndulla, Military Advisor Garm Bel Iblis and General Leia Organa Solo. They all tried to contribute as much as possible to the discussion, which often led to fruitless shouting, which Mon Mothma had to take over from time to time, without directly engaging in the discussions, in order to maintain her role as peacemaker and voice of reason.

Of all, the loudest was Military Advisor Garm Bel Iblis, a former senator representing the planet Corellia in the Galactic Senate, an embodiment of spirit and a political individual with great charisma. The second most active was Admiral Gial Ackbar, due to his status as essentially commander-in-chief of the entire Republic fleet, while he had great knowledge, he lacked the former senator's great knowledge. However, the third most active was the Chief of Intelligence, which was the most obvious.

Due to his powerful position, Airen Cracken had people in his sphere of influence who regularly provided him with new information. This information either confirmed the previous information or updated information that had already become outdated. Regardless, the overall picture of the Empire's situation and potential threats to the New Republic was quite clear, steadily decreasing.

"So far, there have been a dozen or so main factions of Imperial warlords, but there may be many more of them, but I lack sources and information to confirm this." The Chief of Intelligence announced as he managed to find his voice once again. "The Coruscant bureaucracy essentially lost all importance when a micro civil war broke out on the planet and a large portion of the Imperial Ruling Council was killed. Meanwhile, Grand Vizier Amedda is currently a powerless figurehead who means nothing."

"The information about this attack spread throughout the galaxy and by then many conspiracy theories had already been created about it." General Organa Solo announced that her information on this matter was never controversial and very rarely turned out to be false. "Some even say, although this has never been confirmed by any solid evidence, that a high-ranking Imperial official known as the Operator was behind the assassination."

"It's basically a rumor, and you don't believe rumors, General." Airen Cracken quickly put an end to any further speculation on this subject. "The hard fact, however, remains the effects that one of the most powerful forces in the Galactic Empire - after the death, betrayal or disappearance of all Grand Admirals - is the Imperial Home Defense Fleet under the leadership of Admiral Rae Sloane."

"A dangerous opponent who will definitely not be defeated as easily as all others before." Admiral Ackbar interjected and very quickly moved on to a thorough analysis of the enemy in question. "I have repeatedly studied her capabilities and talents as a field commander or strategist. She is persistent, disciplined and cool-minded. "I have no doubt this could mean a long war if she marshals larger forces."

"I think so too, Admiral, and so do my people analyzing these women." Airen Cracken replied and then returned to the report. "It is difficult to accurately estimate her exact power and capabilities, but it is more than likely that she has at least hundreds of larger and smaller ships at her disposal. Besides, Admiral Sloane is basically our main challenge at the moment, but we can't forget that she's not the only one."

"In fact, there is still the issue of warlords, but I propose to discuss first those who pose the greatest threat to us." General Syndulla remarked, joining the conversation for the first time since the beginning. "There have been numerous fights with forces reported to be under Grand General Kenner Loring."

"Most of the fights ended in draws, but considering that the primary goal of Grand General Loring's fleets was to hold systems and space, he was victorious." Admiral Ackbar once again used his military knowledge.

"Yes, this man managed to gather forces that successfully occupied - but not only - the Dustig sector with the fuel-rich Malastare, the Seswenna sector with Eriadu as the capital of his micro empire, and the industrially extensive Sullust sector." The Chief of Intelligence announced grimly. "It has already begun mass conscription in its territories and the construction of new ships, primarily smaller ones, to patrol and secure its territory. It's clear that we're dealing with someone sensible and careful."

After completing this report and thoroughly discussing the level of threat that the Grand General posed to the New Republic, the matter was passed on to a certain warlord from Deep Core, who had quite a large military force at his disposal and was on a fast track to complete control of the area. Self-proclaimed Grand Marshal Blitzer Mohc, who was, however, widely - both within the structures of the Empire and the Republic - perceived as an honorable soldier and a man who wanted to fulfill his duty to the Empire and save it. However, he hated both the Coruscant bureaucrats and Admiral Sloane, and there was no doubt that he would tear this woman to shreds if he could. They both hated each other on a comparable level, all because of an incident during one of their missions years ago, after which they both blamed each other for the loss of most of the ships and the deaths of thousands of soldiers.

However, this was not the last issue that needed to be discussed. Apart from these three, there were dozens of minor commanders who invented some fancy titles for themselves and gathered fleets, manpower and material resources. It was not even the slightest surprise to anyone present that defeating them all would be a long-term undertaking, expected to take many long years and at the loss of many of their own soldiers.

However, apart from all these warlords, there were 2 people who, in the Chief of Intelligence's entirely correct opinion, deserved the attention of everyone gathered here. In principle, they should be analyzed first, but due to their remoteness from the areas controlled by the New Republic, and the lack of clashes between the New Republic Defense Fleet and these factions.

"The first and the one we know anything about is Prince Admiral Treuten Zsinj. Older brother of Vice Admiral Zina Zsinj. Both of them are among the best commanders and tacticians the Empire has to offer. Both in terms of operational and strategic capabilities, but also in terms of ruthlessness. Ultimately, it's hard to call the siblings' hunt for their own mother after her betrayal of the Empire anything other than a manifestation of ruthlessness. Nevertheless, they managed to successfully consolidate their power over the Trans-Hydian Oversector. If the information is to be believed, the Prince Admiral - who has the supreme power in this system - has focused on expanding their forces, focusing primarily on the number of proven ships with which the crews are quite familiar.

"It's a bit like us, at the very beginning of our efforts to restore the Galactic Republic." General Syndulla remarked with the somewhat dispassionate expression she typically wears when analyzing an opponent. "However, will he decide to expand while he has the opportunity to get easy prey, or will he slowly militarize?"

"I met this warlord once." Representative Corellia joined in the conversation. "At that time he was only or as much as - depending on how you look at it - a vice admiral. If there's one thing I can say for sure about him, it's that he's a methodical man who sees the bigger picture. If it were otherwise, he would never have had the honor of being Grand Admiral and Governor of the Tans-Hydians."

"We can therefore assume that at this point he will wait for potential opponents to weaken while strengthening his own forces, and only when he feels confident enough will he launch an attack." General Organa Solo decided to quickly summarize this threat. "However, if I am not mistaken, there has been recent development in his domain."

"What do you mean, General?" Military Advisor Iblis asked her, a bit surprised.

"Well, General Organa Solo is absolutely right about that." The Chief of Intelligence took his time to answer the question he had just asked. "As a result of the recent Alignment of Powers campaign in the Northern Dependencies Oversector, the door has been opened wide for the Prince Admiral's fleets to safely annex some of the late Grand Moff Fritzener's territories."

"How great are the gains for both sides?" To the surprise of most, this question was asked by the Chancellor, in her calm voice, which, however, expressed more than dozens of different emotions and smaller questions. "How exactly did Grand Moff die?"

"The reports are clear on this point, so it can be taken for granted that Alignment of Powers and Prince Admiral have expanded." Airen Cracken continued. "For the needs of Operation Scarlet Dawn, the Scarlet Fleet was formed from ships separated from various sectors. Task fleet for the capture of Bilbringa. However, during the Battle of this system, Grand Moff Fritzener was killed and his flagship, the Imperial Pride, was destroyed due to battle injuries. Thus, Oversector Northern Dependencies was left without anyone to rule there and the local Moffs very quickly became independent."

"Alignment of Powers took the western part of the Northern Dependencies, while Prince Admiral took the eastern part. Both were to use Star Dreadnoughts for this purpose, so as not to leave the local Governors much choice in the matter. The effect of this is to split the Northern Dependencies in two, with the dividing line becoming the Hydian Way. This makes their division of territories more or less equal for both sides."

The conclusion of the report opened up the opportunity for others present to comment more freely on the subject.

"So both of our most powerful enemies have become stronger and will continue to be beyond our reach, which effectively allows them to strengthen their position." General Organa Solo aptly summarized the report. "And what is the mood on the planets controlled by both factions?"

"In the areas under the Prince Admiral's control, states of emergency have been introduced on all planets, which is directly related to the tightening of social control. However, no retaliatory action has been taken and apart from that, everything looks like a standard Imperial occupation. However, the situation is much more interesting in the case of the areas under the control of the Alignment of Powers, or more precisely, the lack of any drastic development of affairs."

General Syndulla raised her eyebrows as soon as she heard this, and it was all due to her completely understandable and justified surprise. "What do you mean exactly?"

Airen Cracken grabbed the datapad on the table in front of him, searched for the correct report as quickly as he could, then cleared his throat and began to carefully recite what had been sent to him just a few days ago. "Report #3567. The situation in the areas under the rule of the Alignment of Powers. According to the information obtained from field agents, as well as after consulting analysts and comparing it with other information obtained, it is concluded that in the territory managed by the so-called Alignment General Staff, there has been no form of tightening of social control or attempts to punish or repress more or less known rebel sympathizers for whom sufficient evidence was not collected to make an arrest. Moreover, general regulations and instructions sent to individual garrisons or local police units showed that decision-makers strive to calm the situation and not cause conflicts."

The people gathered in the room exchanged looks of confusion or even outright shock. Only Mon Mothma and Admiral Ackbar remained calm, the latter due to his race and limited ability to express emotions, and the former due to his generally calm, conciliatory nature. However, the Chancellor remained focused and focused on the Chief of Intelligence, as this was not the end of his report.

"It has also been shown that so far severely punished crimes, such as agitation for the Alliance to Restore the Republic, are not met with brutal actions or deportation to prison camps. Instead, the gendarmerie and local security services limit themselves to arresting dissidents, which takes one day on each planet, interrogating them and releasing them. Only acts of direct violence, especially organized violence, against the administration, garrison, police or infrastructure are met with a more decisive response. This includes permanent and indefinite detention, temporary forced re-educational labor or sending to maximum security prisons, depending on how harmful the act of rebellion was and how many victims it claimed. However, repression does not apply to family members unless it is proven that they participated in the act of fighting.

"The only truly brutal acts by garrisons, gendarmerie or police occurred during unauthorized protests. Especially if they turned into something much more chaotic and there were acts of violence directed against the above-mentioned formations or the administration. Then, the protests were dispersed, which usually resulted in superficial and rarely serious injuries to the protesters. However, in a few extreme cases, military police or garrison soldiers used blaster weapons without a stun mode. Always in the established order, first a warning salvo in the air, then a fearsome salvo in the legs, and when that was not enough, the third and fourth salvo into the crowd. Further action in each such case did not prove necessary, due to the effective dispersal of protesters as a result of such actions.

"On planets where open isolated rebellions occasionally broke out, precise elimination or detention of freedom fighters was used. It was very clear that no one wanted to cause unnecessary destruction or losses to civilians. These were professionally and precisely carried out operations, aimed only at those who put up active resistance."

The audience was not so emotional, although several expressed more or less loud outrage, but the next part of the report surprised everyone once again.

"As for internal and armament policy, apart from the previously mentioned cases of violence, in general the situation on the planets under the control of the Alignment of Powers is stable and peaceful. On less wealthy planets or those where the resistance was pacified and the income of the majority of the population became stable, the allocation of food for individual inhabitants on a given day began to be abandoned, as a result of which the black market segment of trading in illegal food became unprofitable almost overnight. "

"Although the Alignment General Staff has taken clear steps and started issuing appropriate directives towards militarization and mobilization of planetary inhabitants to join military formations, efforts are still being made to maintain a partially militarized economy. "The concern here is quite clear about keeping populations sustainable and not pushing them into rebellion, while at the same time making long-term preparations for war."

"In addition, discipline in the police, garrisons, administration and military police has become tighter. The regular army is currently focused mainly on exercises and preparing new cadres from partial and severely limited conscription or academy to perform active service. There has also been the construction of new shipyards and factories on many planets, moons or on the surface of planets, the purpose of which is purely military, and there is no doubt about it. In addition, many large galactic corporations have established subsidiaries specifically to fulfill orders placed by individual Alignment of Powers institutions."

"Additionally, it is expected that intelligence activities will be more and more difficult month by month due to the increased activity of the Alignment Security Bureau, established on the basis of the local ISB unit. Another institution that must be mentioned is the Alignment Propaganda and Public Enlightenment Department. In short, APPED, is responsible for propaganda and providing information, as well as for the creation of information channels or a special network for the needs of the micro empire. However, the propaganda carried out by APPED differs to a large extent from that by COMPNOR, primarily in terms of ceasing to broadcast information that is a product of the authors' pure imagination. All for the sake of propaganda, which aims to: interpret facts to one's own advantage, ideologically prepare the masses for war, justify many material sacrifices, promote the sacrifice of an individual for the community and the common cause, or present people in power as the pillars of public order and those who will protect society from chaos and anarchy."

"Additionally, the extensive system of administration and bureaucracy remained preserved and largely intact in the condition before separation from the main Empire. This means that the authorities of this micro empire will not have major problems with coordinating material resources or manpower for their projects."

"In summary, although the Alignment of Powers does not presently pose a great threat to the New Republic, nor will it have the most numerically powerful armed forces in the near future, it is an enemy that, if allowed to grow peacefully and unthreatened, will become a great threat to the existence of New Republic. In particular, it should be noted that there are widespread whispers among many residents that the Alignment General Staff has ordered the most modern types of weapons for both the army and the navy. It is recommended that after defeating the current major threats to the New Republic, you immediately focus your efforts on fighting the Alignment of Powers before this micro empire becomes too powerful and a full-fledged successor to the old Empire.."

"However, the actual head of state has still not been identified. Although formally he is the enigmatic Lord Regent Lanz, there is no information about him or even a primitive image of this man. While it would be reasonable to assume that he may be some kind of fictitious figurehead, and indeed, most of the binding decisions come from Grand Moff Ardus Tagge, many of them are inconsistent with his character, to some extent with previous decisions or even the way he operates, although it can also be seen many probabilities. It is recommended that the identity of the self-proclaimed Lord Regent be investigated to determine what type of adversary the New Republic will face."

After finishing the long and extremely detailed report, Airen Cracken took a long-awaited breath and after a while he also took a sip of carbonated water from the metal cup that was located on his desk. He was clearly tired, despite the fact that he occasionally paused to breathe in and out while speaking.

However, there was silence in the room, and the individual members of this war council looked at each other uncertainly, not knowing how to react. The news was at least interesting and required deeper consideration. Especially because of the potential threat that the Alignment of Powers could pose to the New Republic in the future. On the other hand, everyone present in the room - apart from the Chief of Intelligence, who was already familiar with this information - was more than surprised by the reports about this benign internal policy or the fight against political dissidents. At least it was benign by the standards known in the Galactic Empire, so it was clear that someone else, not Grand Moff Tagge or one of his subordinates, was in actual power in this micro empire.

"This is at least disturbing, for many reasons, and I think that each of us, after listening to this report, cannot have even the slightest doubt on this matter." Military Advisor Garm Bel Iblis was the first to speak, and his next demands and proposals became more than obvious to everyone present at this point. Once we have dealt with our main threats, Grand General Kenner Loring and Admiral Rae Sloane, then we must move on the Alignment of Powers as quickly as possible before it is too late!"

Its loud, strong voice and emanating the pure spirit of Corellia made itself felt clearly. However, this opinion was quickly opposed by Admiral Ackbar, and with very good reasons. Reasons that were based almost entirely on the reasonable and cold calculation that was typical of him.

"This will not be possible even after defeating these two main threats. We cannot forget about the dozens of warlords located in The Slince Oversectors, who, although they will never be as powerful as Alignment of Powers or Prince Admiral Zsinj, can still be, if not a threat, then at least a strong obstacle that will take a lot of time to overcome, a lot of resources and may even mean stopping the offensive at some stage."

"That is why we must press as quickly and continuously as possible against the seriously weakened Empire and small micro empires, while multiplying our forces and combat capabilities!" Garm Bel Iblis was unyielding and determined to push through his point of view, which was not solely due to his stubbornness and character. "If we do not do this, this Galactic Civil War could drag on for decades, claiming countless lives, and the final outcome will not be easily determined. I will say it again, either we maintain the initiative at all costs, or the enemy may see our weakness and effectively stop us for a long time. In the worst case scenario, we may be pushed back and defeated, although I sincerely hope that such a disastrous turn of events will never occur."

"We all have it, Garm, but at the same time we have to look hard at the facts and realities we are faced with." Leia Organa Solo stated firmly, and while she could be expected to insist on keeping pressure on the Empire, even she couldn't deny certain facts. "Let's make no mistake, although the victory at the Battle of Endor was significant, it shook the foundations of the Galactic Empire and gave us a light of hope to restore the Galactic Republic. Not to mention we gained the initiative over the enemy for the first time in a long time. Despite all this, we must tread carefully and choose our battles so as not to waste those achievements and experienced soldiers who can prevail in this war and be a guarantee of victory."

"I agree with Leia." General Syndulla had no intention of sitting idly by, although she perfectly understood the arguments of Military Advisor Garm Bel Iblis and saw that, although emotionally charged, there was a lot of logic in them, but as an experienced military man with some strategic knowledge, she could not accept it. "At this point, the fact is that at least we have achieved spectacular victories and stopped Operation Cinder. Thus, we stopped the revenge for Endor and the death of the Emperor. Nevertheless, our fleets are severely stretched and we are still in the midst of large-scale militarization."

"Not to mention the recent and serious delay of Project Starhawk, which cost us many lives and resources." Gial Ackbar added, once again clearly declaring his lack of support for this plan. "At this point, we must strengthen our armed forces, try to minimize losses and take advantage of all opportunities that fate gives us. First of all, we must clearly focus all our resources on one or at most two directions. A war on more than one front is already a risk. A war on three or more fronts means a disaster in our situation."

Garm Bel Iblis made it clear with his attitude and dissatisfaction that this was not his last word on the matter, but then the chancellor interrupted the conversation.

"Garm, I understand that you have valid reasons for such a claim and I respect your advice as my advisor." Mon Mothma announced calmly, with an almost conciliatory tone of voice that had helped her reconcile quarreling allies on more than one occasion. "Despite how large this faction could potentially be, even after dealing with the warlords and main forces of the Empire that directly threaten the New Republic. Even after this, which may take a long time, we will still have to deal with others."

The Chancellor gave everyone present a firm look, like when she had already made a final decision. "The issue of Prince Admiral Treuten Zsinj and Grand Marshal Blitzer Mohc still remains to be resolved. However, this does not mean that we should do nothing against Alignment."

Iblis quite quickly understood what the head of state had in mind at that moment, but he still believed that such a thing was definitely not enough. "What forces will you devote to the campaign against this threat, Mon?"

"Adequate enough to at least impede the operations of this micro empire." Came the simple answer, although it was supposed to be more than just that. "Hera."

The green-skinned female Twi'lek looked at the Chancellor, giving her her full attention, and no longer had the slightest doubt about her new chief assignment. "What will be my exact role in the fight against this faction?"

"Not just this one, but let's start one by one." Mon Mothma announced. "You will be provided with the Purple Task Squadron, under the command of Rear Admiral Octavia Makati. Your goal, despite having ships of the line, is simple, but achieving it will not be that easy. You are to infiltrate the galactic north, establish a base of operations for your fleet, and then launch a hit-and-run campaign against the Alignment and the Prince Admiral. Please consult with Garm for any other additional resources."

Admiral Ackbar smiled, or at least seemed to be expressing something that looked like a smile at the moment. "A wise decision is not to allow the opponent to grow stronger and try to weaken him in this way. However, isn't it too much to allocate a force that currently numbers 21 large ships and 40 smaller vessels? Supplying such a large force and sending reinforcements will be difficult. In addition, transporting such a large group will be a problem."

"Please don't worry about it, Admiral." General Syndulla replied calmly as a plan was already forming in her head to gradually transfer the dispersed forces to several planets that could serve as a base for fighting the enemies. "We will do as we have done during the last years of fighting the Empire. The task squadron will be divided into smaller forces once it is further strengthened. I will try to divide it into small squadrons, with no more than 2 ships of the line, around which smaller ships will be organized."

"As for the course of action, after arriving in some border sector and preferably sparsely populated, outside the Imperial Authority, I will try to disperse the fleet and build a network of bases that will make guerrilla warfare against the enemy possible. This plan, at least, seems the least risky to me. Additionally, I will have a force large enough on a tactical scale and small enough on a galactic scale that it should not have a major impact on operations against Grand General Loring and Admiral Sloane."

"What still leaves us to consider is the question of Grand Marshal Blitzer Mohc." General Organa Solo noticed. "How much power can he have?"

The discussion then turned to the warlord and his micro empire, about which there was even less information than in the case of Alignment of Powers. The intelligence reports, too, were vague at best and very unclear in their content. However, it was at least established that the Grand Marshal also wanted to militarize and gather as many forces as possible, which he could use to fight the New Republic and rivals for power in the Empire.

With all these analyses, the topic of Alignment of Powers and Prince Admiral Zsinj came back very often. First of all, the mystery of the actual leader of the Alignment and the lack of any information about it. In addition, the methods of dealing with these crises, beyond guerrilla tactics, although quite clear - to defeat the enemy - but the methods of achieving these goals were already vague. First of all, everything depended on the time needed to defeat other factions and the losses in resources that this fight could consume.

It became clear to everyone present from moment to moment, from meeting to meeting, that defeating the Galactic Empire and everything that was rising from the ashes of Palpatine's state would be a great undertaking that would consume countless resources and lives. A total war, even more devastating than the Clone Wars as a whole and much longer.

No one present was particularly surprised by the forecast of a long conflict, which should not be surprising. Each of these six individuals was involved in creating and leading the Alliance to Restore the Republic out of a desire to defeat tyranny and restore democracy to the galaxy. It was never a desire to rebuild the Galactic Republic in a sea of ruins and ashes. Nevertheless, it seemed that the path they were taking would be even more difficult than they could have ever imagined.

Ultimately, after several hours of deliberation, all decisions to focus on the two established directions and a limited fight against the two warlords were upheld. Each participant of the meeting felt that it was a fruitful and well-spent time, which is one of tens of thousands or even millions of necessary steps to restore freedom and peace in the galaxy.

However, this was not the only significant meeting that took place on Home One. Soon, an equally important, or perhaps even more important, meeting was to take place than this war council.

XXX

In another part of the ship, the Last Jedi left in the known galaxy was focused on meditation.

This man was so absorbed in meditation inside his quarters that he would not have paid much attention to the entrance or to the words of his faithful astromech, R2-D2, who constantly watched over his owner and was ready to help him whenever needed. such a need.

Recently promoted to the rank of general, Luke Skywalker, also known to a certain group as The Last Jedi, was giving his body, mind and spirit to the Force to help him answer a certain question. A question that had stuck with him since the Battle of Endor, and which had been pushed into the background all this time due to the enormity of various missions and other, no less important activities.

But now, when nothing could stop him, when nothing else was waiting for him. No mission or vision of the Force, he could finally fully devote his mind to meditation in the Force, in the hope of obtaining answers to one specific question.

Luke could not clearly answer the question of exactly how long his meditation lasted, because the activity took different amounts of time. Sometimes it could be minutes, sometimes hours, and in extreme situations even days. Although he had not yet experienced the latter case, he had learned from some of the holocrons he had studied that such cases had also occurred, although not often and in special cases.

At one point, however, during meditation, when the blond-haired young man had already been immersed in meditation for at least a dozen years. An all too familiar voice spoke to him.

"Luke." It was a voice that was undoubtedly old, gentle, but also full of experience and wisdom that Skywalker knew all too well.

"Ben." The Jedi Knight replied, but when he opened his eyes to confront his former master and friend, he was not in his quarters on Home One. "World Between Worlds"

The unexpected sight of the plane of existence of the Force, which created a rarely used channel between the living and the dead, surprised the young Jedi. Nevertheless, Luke stood up and looked around the place with numerous paths that seemed to be located in the middle of a great, incredibly vast space.

But then, he felt a gentle push in the Force and turned around, seeing his old master standing there, waiting for him. He was exactly the same physically as Luke remembered him on the First Death Star. A gray-haired old man in light and airy clothes that gave him mysticism and a certain aura of mystery.

"Ben." Luke repeated his mentor's name once again to greet him, but he didn't know what to say, so he decided to state the most obvious fact. "It's been way too long."

"Indeed it was." The old man, or perhaps now the Force spirit, agreed with his former apprentice. "But now, I have information to share with you about a matter that has been the focus of your meditation for the past few hours, Luke."

Obi-Wan approached his former apprentice with steady and slow steps. "I know perfectly well what is troubling you, for this powerful disturbance in the Force was felt very clearly to me, and even the enormous energies of the dark side of the Force released after the Emperor's death could not cover it. What's more, both disruptions coincided and I was looking for answers to the question of what it all meant."

Luke considered his mentor's words and then decided to share his experiences. "When the Emperor's death released an explosion of dark side energy, I felt something strange in the darkness. Some presence, but I couldn't match it to anything."

"Your suspicions are correct, although lacking details." Obi-Wan stated calmly as he stopped a few steps away from his apprentice. "I felt it too and at first I thought it was one of the effects of releasing such powerful dark side energy. However, as I tried to penetrate and feel the details of this… energy, I felt something strange and something I least expected."

"What was that?" Luke became more and more curious, especially as the answer to the question seemed to be getting closer.

"To my great surprise, I sensed a Force spirit, but not one related to the Force or the dark side, but a spirit that seemed to be absent from the Force until now." Obi-Wan turned towards his former student and looked straight into his eyes. "It was so strange that this Force spirit seemed to be already dead, long dead, but still pushed into this world to take over the body of a living being."

"Possession?" Luke asked him. "I once heard that Force spirits, no matter what kind, are able to take temporary control of living beings."

"Not possession, but a permanent takeover of the body through what can best be described as the union of two similar spirits. Perhaps even the reincarnation of a long-dead individual, but this is extremely unlikely." Obi-Wam explained it to him as best as he could, though it was clear that even he wasn't sure about it. "One thing is certain, it is someone strong in the Force. However, when I tried to penetrate this entity, to sense his intentions or at least the type of Force he uses, I sensed his feelings and at least a fraction of his personality."

Luke nodded, although he didn't know what to say, so he decided to focus only on the one thing that interested him most at the moment. "Who is this person, Ben?"

The former master gave his former apprentice a dark look. "Many and some contradictions. I sensed in the individual a disappointment with life and a belief in its pointlessness, but at the same time an aversion to death and a desire to survive at all costs. I sensed a lot of nihilism and stagnation, but at the same time great aspirations and the desire to achieve great things. I sensed a lack of any respect for life, but at the same time a lack of willingness to kill without having to do so."

I sensed the potential for great power, but also the lack of distinction in his mind. Lack of recognition of the division into good and evil, moral nihilism. A lot of cynicism, but at the same time a desire to be guided by higher values."

"That's a lot of contradictions in one unit." Luke noted with obvious thought before looking back. "Can someone like that really exist?"

"As you can see, definitely, my former student. Ultimately, the galaxy and the entire universe are large enough for all sorts of entities to exist. Those that are simple and devoid of major internal conflicts, confident about the path they have chosen. And those that are immersed in stagnation, numerous contradictions and conflicts that cannot be resolved." Obi-Wan sighed. "However, I also discovered that this merging of two minds into one took place because of those dark side energies that the Emperor's death had released. It was so powerful that I suppose it paved the way for someone to enter this world. However, who exactly it is and where it is is a mystery to me."

Luke nodded grimly, because after all he expected more details that would provide much more answers to his numerous questions. "Could this… entity, no matter who he is, pose a threat to restoring peace to the galaxy and rebuilding the Jedi Order?"

Obi-Wam closed his eyes, obviously wanting to seek advice from the Force, but he quickly looked back at his former student. "The future is not predetermined. You can see many versions at the same time during meditation. Some differ only in details, while others are completely mutually exclusive. However, all of them feature the same character, a former Imperial Inquisitor."

"Inquisitor?" Luke asked, surprised by these revelations. "So whoever this soul went to was one of them."

"Possible." The old man said thoughtfully. "However, this may not have been the case at all. Perhaps it went to someone closely associated with the inquisitor, or perhaps it is as you say, it's hard to say for sure. However, I know without a doubt that in the grand scheme of things, a new unknown has appeared, which may already be changing the galactic balance of power. Maybe it will happen later, or maybe not at all and will only change some details, it's hard to say."

"I see." Luke wasn't even the slightest bit pleased with such small and meaningless answers.

However, there was one more issue to consider and analyze that began to occupy his mind quite quickly. "If he is strong in the Force, can he be expected to be the next servant of darkness?"

"It's likely, I sense that this is an entity that is constantly moving closer to the dark side of the Force, but has not crossed any of those boundaries along the way." Obi-Wan replied in a way that was a little more helpful to his former student. "Also, to my considerable surprise, this entity seems to make an effort to maintain discipline in its contact with the darkness. Of one thing I am sure, it is not a blind and deceived servant of darkness."

"At least this." Luke nodded, then looked at his mentor once more. "How can I fight him if he poses a threat to the peace of the galaxy?"

"Only time will tell, Luke." The old man replied, then focused on the student. "I sense anxiety within you, what exactly is troubling you?"

The Last Jedi sighed heavily before answering his mentor's question. "I just feel that despite the great victory and the death of the Emperor, nothing has changed. The galaxy continues to be engulfed in the fires of a war that seems to drag on forever and only consume more and more. In addition, destroying the Sith may prove to be meaningless."

"Without its champion, the Empire has fallen into chaos, which is the first step towards peace, even if it requires many sacrifices. Unfortunately, no war in galactic history has ended without casualties, even if attempts were made to avoid them at all costs." Then the old master's gaze softened. "However, those who have embraced or been forced by the Sith to embrace the darkness will also be consumed by this war. Perhaps even some of them will annihilate themselves in the fight for power, while others will see the senselessness of following the path of a dead man. Regardless, the legacy of the Sith and darkness begins to crack, and it is only a matter of time before the remnants of the dark times give way to light."

"But how can I defeat them?" Came the Jedi Knight's question. "How can we be sure that some of them will not become Sith and extend their legacy?"

"Because the Emperor, let alone Vader, would never create servants to overthrow them in the future." The answer came as quickly as the question. "However, time will tell how everything will turn out and a lot of it depends on you."

"But how can I do this if I am the only one left of all the Jedi?"

"You are not the last Jedi, Luke. You are only the first of the new, and you will not be the last." The former master gave his former student a reassuring look. "You will find allies who may enable you to defeat the Sith legacy. Remember that the Jedi Order also has a legacy."

"You mean the holocrons, writings, and other sources of knowledge that were not destroyed by the Emperor?" Luke asked him, a bit disappointed by this answer.

"Not mine, Luke." Obi-Wan smiled at him knowingly, as if somewhat pleased that he could still offer him advice. "There is also a great legacy from the Jedi. People who remember the Jedi, or those who rejected this path, for various reasons. In particular, I think your father's former apprentice may be able to help you in your fight against the Sith legacy."

"Former student?" Luke asked hesitantly. "I find it hard to believe that Vader wouldn't kill Anakin Skywalker's apprentice."

"The Force and its will can lead to many situations that may be strange enough not to be talked about, but not so strange that they couldn't happen, trust me." Obi-Wan replied, his face turning slightly sad. "I'm glad I could see you, but I'm afraid we have to say goodbye here. May the Force be with you Luke, always."

The first of the new generation of Jedi couldn't say a word, because after a while he found himself back in his own quarters. His only conversation companion at that moment was the faithful droid R2D2, who squealed happily at the sight of his master, who had finally woken up from his long trance.

Luke didn't pay much attention to it for a few moments and, despite his friendship with his faithful astromech, he was more focused on organizing and analyzing all the information he had obtained. It was quite a lot and it took him a long time to get up from the cold floor and walk over to R2.

"What do you think, my friend, will anything be simple for once?" Very quickly, negative squeals followed his question. "Yes, you're certainly right. When has anything in this war been easy?"

It was a question they both knew the answer to all too well.

AN: This is the end of another chapter.

As you can undoubtedly see, a lot has happened and a lot has been announced about what can and will happen. The question is, will it be in the form you expect?

I hope you liked it and that it wasn't a waste of time for you.

I encourage you to review my work and see you in the future.