[16 BBY]

[Republican-class Star Destroyer, The People's Republic, Kuat Drive Yards, in orbit Kuat, Kuat System, Kuat Sector, The Core]

Sheev Palpatine was, for now, in a good mood, as he strode unto the bridge of the newest addition to his fleet, which in of itself gave an excellent view of all other Star Destroyers preparing for that task as well. Delays, setbacks, enemy attacks…that had been the trouble over recent months against his less defended outposts as his enemies became aware of him. That had driven Darth Sidious to heights of rage, but, here at least, in his stronghold of Kuat, the great fleets that would take him to his true place in the galaxy were gathering. Ahead of schedule even, and a vast well of public support for him. For the Sith.

That was hilarious to the Sith Lord, and it helped lessen the frustrations of his enemies having successes elsewhere in the galaxy. But…in some ways…this was better. An exhilarating rage and joy. His deliberated failed Apprentice was alive and growing strength on Mandalore, with Talzin and her witches. His servants on Dromond Kaas were dead, slain in battle by a wannabe Sith. Another Sith, returned from the dead, was upon Dac, gathering the filth of the galaxy and a long dead species to his banner. On Eriadu one that should have been his champion had raised his head to wear a crown that should be Sidious's by right, while on Alsakan an obnoxious piece of bantha-poodoo held Sidious's throne world…

It was enraging…

It was wonderful…

THIS WAS HOW SHOULD BE FOR THE SITH!

He would TAKE what was HIS, and, when it was all over, NONE would be left to oppose him. Every enemy, potential other otherwise, had been drawn out, and the Jedi broken and scattered, their reputation worse than mud across the known known galaxy. All while he felt worlds rising up and martyr themselves in HIS NAME….

It was glorious, even if the Veil had been torn away…the Dark Side stood everywhere victorious, the galaxy consumed with war and pain and suffering. Oh, it was doubly frustrating that simply assassinating his enemies was no longer an achievable task in many cases. Too many were now digging through old histories and their ancestors diaries about how to deal with Jedi and Sith wanting to kill you, from that old wretch on Alsakan, to the Hutts, to the so-called 'Emperor' Tarkin. Darth Sidious was going to get the man's family and erase from the face of the galaxy and then reduce Eriadu to a fiery floating debris even if he had to spend trillions on how to make the ruins burn for millennia as a warning for all…

'Calm. It will be a long war and they will get what they deserve. The lizards and other filth from the Unknown Regions should distract them for some time' Sheev Palpatine reminded Darth Sidious, wearing the mask, the now energised and relentless champion of democracy and the Republic rather than the smiling old grandfather figure he had been before. A more martial mask had been needed, and oh it had been such a joy when the assassins came for him, and he could be who he needed to be. To watch the despair in that one Jedi's eyes as the people she had come to save had cheered him on as he drove his lightsaber into her chest, seeing the light die piece by piece. Yes, the galaxy had thrown him bitter lemons as some ancient had said, but he'd made something tasty from them with the power of the Dark Side.

"Excellent Director Wessex, excellent work" he congratulated the Kuati woman who'd pressed forward with the Star Destroyer project, making adjustments as had been needed "You have delivered what the Republic has called for in its hour of need"

It was even an entirely honest statement as he made sure to reinforce his position with KDY's better design engineers. Recruits were flooding in from across the galaxy or had been recruited when they were driven from their worlds by the military junta that control Coruscant. All these bright-eyed, energetic, morons with ideals of the Republic and Democracy in their stupid alien heads that were going to die in his name, and therefore no longer be a problem in the future when HIS Empire finally came to be. Right now, it served to provide a large pool of recruits his military with – something sorely needed to conquer…

'Liberate. Liberating those worlds' he told himself with amusement, as platitudes were mouth back as he surveyed the bridge bring brought to readiness as he neared. It didn't take much to drive on the crusading zeal that was within his forces, though he never planned to be as alien heavy as they currently were. Alsakan was a curious mix of the human-supremacists forces he'd intended to use, along with militarist aliens supporting them for Might makes Right militarism. Fird actually was a supremist, far more than Darth Sidious, but also clearly pragmatic enough to merrily send to their deaths in exchange for some power. Just as the Tarkins were doing on Eriadu. Too much of Randolph in Wilhuff it seemed - such a shame. He glanced to his side.

"When do you project that we can begin offensive operations with our new forces Admiral?"

"Within two months at best Supreme Chancellor" came the immediate reply "Our current forces are already in motion, so I expect they will serve as a reserve strike force to build experience. This will possibly be a war of attrition after all"

"Indeed, indeed" Palpatine lied, for it was a war of attrition in the conventional sense based on all honest projections, as even as systems rose in rebellions others were mobilised for one side or another. But despite the loss of certain secret projects like the Prophets his actual resources were greater now in some ways as he no longer needed to hide a situation of total war. Now he could mobilise for a war of conquest, and he had the better fleet yards, and, within a scant few years, his special weapons projects would be coming on line. He would find a means to be immortal after all, and that meant time was on his side "Unfortunate, but means must, but coinciding our offensives with the Corellians has paid dividends has it not?"

"It has Supreme Chancellor, but….Rendilli has been turned into a fortress. It will not easily fall"

"Oh, I imagine so" and that was unfortunate, but it could be used to his advantage "Then best that we allow the criminals and their Jedi to throw themselves at that system while we work towards liberating those systems that are raising righteous rebellion in the name of our great Republic"

Darth Sidious smiled out at the stars beyond the bridge. Yes, the Dark Side was ascendent, and the galaxy felt to be as it should, and he could feel the Great Change on the horizon. Ideally, he'd get his Apprentice too, but the hunger of the Dark Side warmed him for what was about to come into being. Soon even those fools who thought that had won peace and freedom would be tearing themselves apart. Everywhere would be Darkness Ascendant, the new Sith'ari of the Galaxy on the horizon "Must think, always, of all those trillions now dying in service of our great cause…"

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[16 BBY]

[Near the Temple of Amerg the Shrouded, City of Gai'Solem, Solem, Solem System, Koradon Sector, Outer Rim Territories]

"You'd have thought we have won the war rather than lost it"

Ardal Bren, Clan Elder of Clan Fell, First Amongst Equals of Solem, at his opposite from the not-too-distant system Karksis. Descendants of Solem, Enemies of Solem, Friends of Solem, and, right now, Allies of Solem, as they stood watching the smashing thudding bootheels of the now Imperial Army. Considering they still wore the uniform and painted Mandalorian style armour of the Republic Aegis Guard and, in-theory defunct, Executive Security Solutions it was a threadbare disguise. The new Empire was simply a better Republic, one that Solem could work with, and allow his world to grow rich from.

So, he paused, stroking his beard carefully "Oh, but I think we did win"

Nagarat Ustalil, General of the Thand frowned, glanced at him as a squadron of TIEs screamed overhead, releasing fireworks in a carefully choregraphed and security vetted performance. He looked up, seeming to consider, then nodded "Ah, yes, why we did win when framed in that regards"

"Indeed" Argal chuckled watched and waving at the procession, making his presence known as the combination of victory celebrations and mass marriage celebrations took place. Empire Day they were calling it, and clearly deliberately timed by the Stormcrow and his band of, powerful, reprobates and now nobility. Clan leaders in by own power and rights now, and Argal was very glad the problem had been taken care of by them having Lordships in systems several Sectors distant from here. Wealth, power, and influence they would retain on his world and on Nagarat's, but with them establishing clanholds on distant worlds…it was to the level that could be dealt with without opposition. There was little need of clan-wars or a violent power struggle, that he suspected the established clans would lose in the face of this display of strength, if their ally returned as new overlord.

Instead Solem stood united, defended by system defences and fleet not seen since the early days of the Galactic Republic's return to their system after Ruusan. Industry was booming, the martial strength of the clans was focused beyond Solem rather than each other, and soon, the pirates that lingered beyond restored strength of the allied fleets would be hunted down and slaughtered. Even better….new colonies would allow the boom of younglings to have direction for the excess, and the pay from clan members in the well paid former Republic, now Imperial, military was returning home to further strengthen their lands. Even this 'Income and Corporate Tax' talk from the new Empire was merely a small price to pay for the renewed strength and economy unseen in nearly a millennium.

"Peace" he chuckled "Victory, indeed"

"Yes, peace with many wars to come" his opposite agreed watching as this new United Federal Empire turned defeat in war into a myth of victory, or at least was trying very hard too. Looking at the cheering crowds of his people, and the martial might displayed on the streets here and on many cities across the world, with the skies full of warships unseen in generations…Argal suspected it would succeed here and elsewhere. He could agree with Nagarat, as wars, lesser wars, would soon be everywhere as the new Empire turned it new armies and fleets on those within that opposed it. Pirates, traitors, pacifists, terrorists, Core-puppets, raiders from the unknown regions, and all the other scum that had ruined the Outer Rim over the centuries.

"Wars indeed, best we be prepared then" he voiced as such, for whenever the Outer Rim began to find its feet, then soon after came the forces of the Core and Colonies to try put them down. Someday, sooner or later, that war would come again. This time they'd be ready for the. This time…this time they would have revenge for their ancestors "But, first, I believe we have a mass marriage ceremony to enjoy"

The first amongst those was the Stormcrow, the Prodigal Child of Solem returned from the Jedi, surrounded by the clan he'd returned to and the one he had created. In truth the ones he had created as many of his officers had established themselves in the war, and, now, were taking advantage of that situation to truly confirm that status as they took mates. Love or Power related Argal knew, or Love and Power related he suspected as the likes of the Stormcrow took a Jedi female as his mate, along with the turncoat…but the Separatist turncoat that ruled a world as a second mate.

It was a situation of course repeated across the ranks, with many Solemite and Karsisian troopers taking official wives of twi'lek females, often pilots or mechanics, or from other species that Argal had barely heard of. Though many of the youngest on both sides were likely just marrying for the free ticket off world, and the tax exemption and land granted for those settling this wild frontier. His own second cousin's youngling had certainly only met his 'bride' scant hours before the arrival of the Stormcrow's fleet. Ambitious little kriffer of a clan youngling his second cousin's was, so Argal was almost glad he was to be gone thinking of it as he watched the armour clad Moff of the new Empire descend the steps of Temple flanked, flanked by a Jedi and a supposed Sith, an army raising fists in salute.

"For the Empire!" Argal smiled and gave his own salute at the words. He was glad of his alliances. He would also be very glad the armour-clad figure would be his ally far away from Solem…

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End of: Chapter 06: Springtime Of The Peoples

Next: Chapter 07: The New Republic

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