Planet Gand, Pef Empire

Celestial Throne, Mechatronic Art Lab

24 BBY, fourth month

Jaybo is floating in mid-air next to me, and struggles to rotate two nano-missiles around himself, going in opposite circular trajectories.

"It's too hard! Why do you keep having me punished like this..." the red headed boy complained, for the hundredth time.

Huh, was it too hard? I could do this with two battleships...a Nano missile was really light.

Maybe the organics did have it too hard. But what about Yoda and Starkiller and who knows how many others?

"Do you want to try the sand box again?" I asked, a bit bored. On this partition. The others we're busy building ships and inventing new droid forms and learning a thousand ancient languages...

"Sand is worse!" Jaybo yelled and lost his balance, falling on the large fluffy pillow under him. Healing broken bones a dozen times didn't work. Thus, pillow for now. I'll have to get a water tank with sharks someday. Maybe that will motivate the boy better.

"A sand grain weighs 50 micrograms. They are quite easy to lift and push and everything" I answered softly.

"It's not the weight, dumb droid. It's the millions of sand grains that get everywhere!" the boy cried with exasperation, and punched the metal floor. He punched a bit of center and broke his pinky knuckle. Again.

To his credit, he absorbed the pain and ignored it, since the training session wasn't over. I should reward him for this. Maybe 10 credits? No, he lost control of his emotions still. 5 credits should be enough.

"Don't yell so loud, you're scaring the baby" I admonished him, patting my armor's belly in a protective gesture. The boy gulped and looked away sheepishly.

"A turbolaser wouldn't harm the baby, inside the holocron. I know how to build them too" he replied in a calmer voice.

"Emotions can hurt even more. So, what did you learn today?" I inquired, holding my palm out. He placed his own hand inside it and waited patiently for the bones to fuse back to normal.

"Guiding a single nano-missile to target is feasible. Guiding two at once...not yet. But, I could build a chaingun and fire them sequentially, guiding each one. I'll just have to get faster. Or use a cyborg implant." he answered after going through a checklist in his mind.

"Okay then, I'll build you a speed training room. The floor will be a water pool, so prepare yourself" I said with some amusement.

"Water? That's great! At least if I fall, I will only get wet, and not break anything. You truly are a merciful Emperor, Immortal Pef" Jaybo declared, punching the sky in the traditional Empire salute.

Yeah, keep thinking happy thoughts, my son from another father. The sharks will do the same.

"Okay, go do whatever, you have 6 hours leisure time" I concluded the training session.

"Can I have a hundred credits?" Jaybo asked, with some nefarious project in mind.

"No!"

"10?"

"5!" I said instead, giving him a high-five.

"5 credits yay, ice cream!" the boy exclaimed with glee and took off at a run. His VSS escort moved along, droids and invisible Fallanassi and Gands. They got to practice in safety, and the boy wasn't even aware they existed.

Alright then, chainguns. Good idea Jaybo, I forgot about those. First, an anti-starfighter version for our spaceships, gatling lasers should be easy to make. Then, similar variant installed on gunships and personnel carriers. And lastly, personal weapon for ground troops and droids. Less damage per bolt compared to blasters, but much higher rate of fire and volume saturation.

Maybe a maser variant as well, for the future.

The large walkers I'm designing based on Warhammer memories and the ZIMM war robot should have one as well.

Now, let's return to the actual warmachines. Tanks.

Three versions, a heavy one with tracks. A medium one with wheels, and a light variant with wheels and repulsor lifts, for really difficult terrain.

Umbara tech came in handy now, their shields and fire control systems were amazing. At least a generation above the rest of galactic tech.

And their underground tanks will make decent testbeds for other submerged environments, like sand and water worlds.

I checked the Meteor partition, and noticed 200 new hulls being almost ready, in various asteroid fields scattered throughout the sector.

Gonna have to bring them all at Redforge and get them fitted too.

Greyforge was now building corvettes and transport vessels, and keeping a interdictor cruiser on station, in case a curious Jedi returned.

And Blackforge was building the upgraded Scimitar interceptors, with shields and turreted lasers, with the cyborgs training to become elite pilots.

All was going well, so far.

'Pef, there's someone here to see you. She might be the Jedi you talked about.' Dora sent through the bond.

Great. Didn't even feel her.

I hoped I didn't have to use the carbonite trap. Sending her back to Coruscant as a slab of ice would be pretty embarrassing, for both of us.

Access station files, ah yes. It was the blonde immortal. Now being walked towards the Ambassadors Hall, by a pair of sim droids, wearing synthskin to appear more palpable to organics.

I turned off a few experiments to focus more partitions on this meeting.

'Wialu, status?' I asked through the bond.

'Still collecting bota plants. They are amazing Pef! They can heal and increase the force connection..."

'Yeah, I know. Vette is still alive then' I said, with a slight teasing tone.

'She bought 50 more Calamari frigates, she likes them for some reason. Still hunting pirates and same old.' she explained with a flash of images with exploding pirate vessels and slave camps being rescued.

'Place an order for more cruisers too. Even without turbolasers' I demanded, worried I may need ships sooner than the building cycle would permit.

'Okay. Take care of yourself and the baby' Wialu sent with a pulse of mild worry.

Right.

Let's see what the Jedi wants.

I entered the high speed elevator and reached the Embassy deck before the Jedi did.

Let's sit down this time, this was the center of my Empire after all.

"Miss Jedi" I said politely as the droids closed the doors behind her.

"Master Jedi Fay, please" she answered with a tone of disgust. Right, Jedi hate droids too. But, claiming to be a Master Jedi implies Senate rules and authority.

"What can my Empire do for you, beautiful Jedi, who operates without Senate oversight?" I asked instead, and caught a brief glimpse of guilt in her aura.

"I came to apologize Emperor Pef. Your actions and those of your followers give you credit. I may have been..hasty, the last time we met" Fay muttered in a low voice.

"Right, what's a torpedo to the chest, between friends...." I replied politely, and gestured dismissively.

"Friends may be too much. I visited Zolan though, and what you claimed is true. Those people...they don't deserve to be treated like that. Perhaps you can grant them sanctuary?" she asked with a slight push of persuasion. Damn it.

"If you file an official request, miss Jedi. There's a few dozens planets in my Empire with low populations and fertile land. Room and safety is not the problem. Legality might be. There's been complaints already, of my harsh measures to restore safety in this sector. Especially around Jabiim, but also Junkfort and Taskeel and others." I answered sternly. Seems the Republic doesn't like when other people prove capable of doing what they don't.

"Yes, I heard of that. Thousands of pirates butchered, by your so called Honored Maids. The poor pirates who had their traditional ways destroyed by your heavy hands actions. I visited those planets too, just to see what the truth is." Fay said with a tiny smile.

So, you won't find nefarious acts in how I treat my people. Quite the contrary.

"And?" I asked with a bored tone.

"I spoke with a number of your Imperial Servants. None of them wanted to leave and seek freedom in the Republic. Very strange." the Jedi said with a confused vibe in her aura.

"The Servants can always file a petition for manhumition and get a ticket to Corellia. Some of them did that already. If they had family in the Core or similar reasons." I said politely, checking the petition numbers again. One in a hundred or so. Seems freedom to starve is not as valued as service to the Empire, after all.

"Fine. I want a transport fleet, and escorts. Extracting the changelings may prove a little difficult just by myself." Fay demanded with an annoyed voice.

"Why not ask your Jedi Council? The Republic has twenty thousand warships. Just go and demand it, as your rank allows" I asked curious.

"I'd rather not step on Coruscant. The Force is strange there, and I feel I won't get out alive. And it's been that way for centuries. But you already knew that, Immortal Emperor." Fay explained with sarcasm and tiny tendrils trying to burrow into my memories. But I wasn't unprepared now.

"You think it's a fake title, miss Jedi. But I spoke with Xim, the fabled ruler of this sector in the past. I spoke with Adus, the fabled ruler of the Sith species. I spoke with gods and angels and powerful beings that can juggle entire stars. The Force is not a Jedi tool, Miss Fay. One day you will learn, maybe before you die or maybe after" I proclaimed mystically, covering myself in flames and lightning and creating wings made of shadow behind me.

The Jedi stared at me, trying to test the veracity of my words, and the abilities I used.

"Your words ring true, somehow. And it seems you learned alot from the Tund sorcerers. Your armor is even better now, as well. What is your goal, immortal droid?" she asked, a little in awe, but also cautious.

"Civilization miss Fay. You will get your fleet, if you choose to stay and teach the changelings. In two years, you will get to see the truth for yourself. And perhaps, you will join me, after you die" I proclaimed, punching the sky.

"Okay...That didn't sound crazy at all. Two years...and teaching. I hate teaching..." the jedi muttered as she turned away and left, lost in thought.

I looked after her and smiled inward. The bait worked after all.

Fay will be saving the changelings, providing the Empire with a large number of shapeshifting operatives, and she'll provide training for them, and legitimacy to intervention in Republic space.

Her being strong and beautiful and immortal wouldn't hurt either. Maybe she'll want the Honored Maid role someday.

And a sample for gene-tech of highest quality for my Astartes, and a way to access the Temple and their holocrons in the future. The fleet and their crews get training and practice in large scale deployments over 10 sectors away...

Yeah, patience and Form Zero were still the best.

Interlude Fay

24 BBY

'Kriff, the droid played me again, somehow.' Fay thought, while she entered her ship's hangar.

That air of smugness was telling her lots about the kind of person this Pef was. Even back at the 'secret shipyard' the droid was smug and confident, like nothing could hurt or bother him.

And now the droid emperor was even more competent and stronger in the force. She had visited Tund a hundred years ago and observed the sorcerers. Refugees of old, with barely some rituals and elemental powers.

Only their ancient shields and being a reclusive group, with some mind alter skills, have kept them secure till now. And then Pef waltzed in, and blasted away with proton bombs, scattering the cabal and possibly killing most of them.

But she suspected a cover up, or an extraction, and now her feeling was proved right. The droid kept some of those Sith as teachers. Maybe even all of them. The force hadn't scream of death and pain.

Just like he did with those Jal Shey nomads. Sanctuary.

The word was loaded with meanings, and the Force wasn't helping, instead veiling the meaning in shadow and blankness. Pol Virten was now rotting in a Republic prison, his string of theft and murder brought to an end. But, the clawdite's silly attempt to become a Sith Lord aside, there was real danger in the galaxy.

And the bounty hunter she recovered had vague memories of the word as well. Something was hunting force users, including Jedi.

And Master Qui-Gon Jinn had been killed by a Sith, with a red lightsaber. That hinted of a hunter, all right.

Coruscant was still pulsing of danger and hidden threats, and seemed even more dangerous now than in the past centuries.

Here, however, in the new Pef Empire things were better. Those women with fleets and droid armies were scouring the sector, building civilization, exactly like the droid said. Three Twi'leks, a Togruta, 3 humans or near-humans and 2 droid maids. The droids were possibly other of his kind, with force-sentient crystals inside. And now rumours of even stranger maids, an angel and a woman made of water.

And Pef did indeed knew Master Aqinos. She had seen the sunesi in the droid's mind, when they first met.

But to have met Xim and Adus? Gods?

Seemed so improbable to defy all reason. Only all things were possible in the force, and crystals could indeed live for millenia.

Kriff.

How to do this and not have to answer in front of the Council. Master Yoda was gentle, but...

Nevermind. She'll wing it, like she always did. The Force sent her here, the Force could figure it out.

Fay walked around her ship, checking for tampering, but it seemed the Empire did indeed respect diplomatic immunity.

Only medical and weapon scans, which were quite sensible. Plagues could be carried unknowingly and devastate entire planets.

Although, this Pef...might repurpose the plague to make fertilizer or medicine pyramids, like it happened here on Gand or Toong'l.

Terraforming entire planets...in months or even weeks.

Along with housing and schools and factories...

The droid was indeed building civilization. But how did Pef make all these people follow him?

Nobody trusted droids. And yet his Empire spread now from Mon Cala to the Centrality, with possibly dozens of uncharted routes, known only to the Empire.

And that thing about joining him, after she died?

That was the Jedi code, but taken literal.

Okay, enough hesitation. Saving people was always the right choice.

Even strange people like changelings.

Fay started writing the damn official request, using her old codes, that were somehow never discontinued. Master Yoda had to have been covering up for her, even after all this time.

Ten minutes later, a droid entered the hangar, carrying a tiny golden hand and a credit chip.

"Miss Fay, the fleet is being assembled at Junkfort in 5 days. Requisition privileges and money for fuel and humanitarian aid.

Congratulations for your choice, Fifth Hand" the droid spoke with its creepy vocoder and held a palm up.

What?

She took the chip and scanned the contents curious. 125 billions credits!

She could...save an entire people and build them a whole country, brand new. And still have lots of credits left..for schools and neural training, just like the Servants received.

The droid kept the palm up, expecting some kind of response. She looked in the force for intent, but it seemed a mere confirmation gesture. Slapping palms together.

She held her own palm up, and the droid high-fived her, while pushing needles in her finger tips. What the kriff?

"Genetic confirmation acquired. Welcome to the Pef Empire, Miss Fay" the droid said politely, and left at speed.

Fay stared after the droid, not minding the tiny needle pricks, which had closed instantly. Genetic confirmation, though? What did it mean? She had a tiny feeling that the droid tricked her again, somehow.

Planet Gand, Pef Empire

Redbox

24 BBY

The holoprojection of Planet Geonosis closed, and I turned my head 90 degrees coreward.

"Anything else, Third Hand?" I asked my black ops master, who was sitting beside me, disguised like a regular operative.

"The force trackers still do not work in hyperspace, Immortal Gand. We're still trying to acquire the technology for that, but nobody seems to manufacture it, anymore. And the schematics your Voice have provided, only work short range, just a parsec at most, and usually even less" he explained, triggering a hidden function on his hand insignia.

Another holo opened, rotating the Scimitar original schematics, that Wialu had drained from Darth Maul. Our own variant appeared next to it, sporting 3 laser turrets and an Umbaran heavy shield.

I thought for a moment, then changed the frontal turret with a multiple missile launcher. Sublight speed increased by 5% more, due to less drain on the reactor, while the alpha strike capability increased 10 times. But the range of the hyperspace tracker didn't increase at all. This variant should work better. Maybe. Budget adjustment, 10 billions in total.

"Is it a question of scale? Let's try it with a cruiser. Use the MC80 reactor and electronic slicer bank. I know it can work for at least 100 parsecs. I've seen it work, in the future. But I want it now." I mused, thinking about the New Order's tech.

"Yesss. We know you see the future Immortal Gand. Your foolish demand will be tried. Perhaps some Findsmen will even survive, like those five which survived and returned from Tython. We were overwhelmed by your generosity, and their new Finger ranks. Maybe one day, we will be granted a Thumb and a Backhand as well..." The gand said, probably ironically.

"I was thinking Claw, for ace pilots or such, but if you think it's too much..." I asked, a little confused.

My Hand stared at my photoreceptors for a long minute. Was it something I said?

"Zuralee was right, you really are a stupid droid, my Emperor. I'll let my new subordinates know there was a translation error and that their rank is actually called Claw. Maybe they won't suicide in shame now. For the Empire!" he said politely, punched the sky and vanished.

Okay...crisis averted.

Now, let's see about the Centrality operations.

The search for the croke was still ongoing, every encounter costing me at least one good agent.

How did Lando simply shoot him in the ankle and kill it? It didn't work!

Open operation, 779/24a. Loyal sentient droid implanted with a photon bomb. To acquire verification and send a subspace signal to an orbital insertion team. Or so he'll think. Instead the bomb will activate, and get rid of evidence.

Prepare variant, 779/24b in case the target escapes. Orbital bombardment. Did I need a variant 24c? Whatever, why not?

Escalation was easy. Budget 100 millions.

What else?

Ah yes. Tactical droids. CIS liked those. Open operation 1231. Acquire some tactical droids. Variant 1/a Subvert and resell to CIS worlds. Variant 1/b Subvert and keep as deniable assets to be used against Republic and/or CIS targets. Variant 1/c Subvert and keep as commanders and administrators, post war. Budget 100 millions.

Hmmm. Jedi and the Republic liked the R2 and 4 variants for astromechs. Open operation. 1232. Variant 1/a Subvert and resell to Core worlds. Variant 1/b Subvert and keep as deniable assets to be used against CIS targets and/or Republic targets per need. Variant 1/c Use as infiltrators and saboteurs in black ops missions. Budget 100 millions.

What else...

"Pef, how are you?" Dora said, having entered the Redbox and sat silently beside me for a few minutes.

"Hey Dora. Just thinking. What do you think?"

"I think that I think. We're getting bigger Pef. Already the amount of people and ships and credits I juggle is overwhelming. And I assume you'll want to expand into the Ash Worlds and wild space too." My first Voice complained, but in a less ironical voice. She was the best!

"Well, we did find a route to Agon Nine. Altratonne looks promising too. A good place to hide the changelings perhaps." I mused, looking at the map rotating slowly above the holotable.

"And Vette liberated Byss from slavers. The one-eyed Abyssin now worship her. The Blue Holy Maiden, they call her. They will join the Empire with ovations and prayers, I think" Dora said softly, hugging me with one arm and patting the armor on its belly.

They probably will. And we'll have to install planetary shields and deep water wells. Then fertilizers and factories...Whatever. It was just money.

"How many Meteors do you plan on building, we already have 267 of those monsters, I think?" the green twi'lek wondered.

"Oh, those sharks? Millions maybe." I answered, amused at Dora's gasp.

I chose their final shape to resemble a Interdictor-class cruiser, with the mouth smaller and mobile, and when open wide, allowed the MAC guns to fire forward their magnetically accelerated iron shells. The operation principle of a MAC is that of a coilgun, with projectile friction mitigated by forcefields.

The cannon fires a massive metal projectile using a linear system of magnetic fields coils down a long shaft, increasing the projectile's velocity until it carries an incredible amount of kinetic energy. Enough to shatter ships and shields, even planetary shields.

The ship's maw will have strong shields that allow only one dimensional traverse, from inside to outside the ship, allowing the ship to use the cannons while under fire, and will also be protected by missile launchers and gatling lasers.

The eyes will be added later, when we'll have gravity interdiction technology, and for ears...sublight engines to turn and aim the front of the ship faster.

The upper fin will house communication and electronic warfare equipment as well as superfiring capital turrets to engage other large vessels.

And the lateral wings will be added later, to serve as heat radiators. Melting asteroids wasn't yet advanced enough to form a complete shark shape, so I'll have to chisel them out with nanites.

Mork work for the beloved Emperor.

Speaking of sharks, my water pool was ready.

I patted Dora on her head, and left the boring work to have fun.

Training Jaybo to become fast. With sharks, in a waterpool.