Planet Gand, Pef Empire

Redbox

20 BBY

"As you see Emperor, we do have 3 routes to the Sith pocket now, so it's time to claim it for ourselves." Mujilik said in a convinced tone.

Sure, we have droids and droid piloted ships. But sending people in there? Not for a while. Sadly, the Dark Side is not a myth. Who knew, billions of dead revengeful ghosts could form a critical mass?

"I'll order the droids to start the standard colonization protocols. Space stations, orbital defenses and planetary shields. But the organics will have to wait. A hundred warships should suffice to hold Korriban, while the droids test the old routes. There's little point going there, as even Dathomir is much too distorted to be drained, for now. Korriban will be a thousand times worse" I mused, while reading another holocron.

We only got some 300 new holocrons, since the Jedi fled with many of them before we could intervene.

Still, better than just 20 or, so we had till now.

"Wise decision, Immortal Pef. So, what are we doing about the major worlds still churning ships and droids for the CIS?" Zuckuss wondered, poking a finger at the holomap and bringing the Foerost Shipyards into focus.

Another huge CIS shipyard, orbiting a separatist ecumenopolis. And building a large fleet of armored cruisers called Bulwarks, very similar to our Meteors in shape if not in size.

The Imperial Navy wouldn't let us destroy the shipyards again, as they wanted to capture it themselves, while Palpatine wanted those ships to break out and bombard a dozen democratic planets to glass. I think he gets off by provoking panic and fear. Plus eliminating political enemies. Very Sith of him.

Though, his control over the CIS seemed shaky now, as rumors spread on every non-official channel that he was a Sith Lord and Dooku's Master.

I can't let those ships break out and evaporate billions of civilians. "We'll do a cloaked strike. A Fade frigate or two for command, and four thousand Orion corvettes. The shipyards still don't have full shields, so proton torpedoes should rupture most orbital docks and send them flying. The Bulwark cruisers will be quite easy to destroy, once floating listless and without crews." I decided, going over my memories once again.

As a cheat page, they had worked great so far, showing me plenty shortcuts and key nodes to gain, but that will mostly end.

"That will also force the planet to surrender, and release the ships holding the siege." Zuckuss commented, quite aptly.

"Saving a trillion lives is more important, my First Hand. You've seen how the Imperials glassed Mechis III . Only a droid world, but..." I said, with some concern.

Palpatine was even more drastic now, as he didn't have troops enough to obtain his Galactic Empire, soon enough.

"Okay then. So it is. The conquest of Ord Cestus has also stalled, and our troops maintain a siege around Clandes .

The other cities will be easier, but those factories keep producing droid divisions. Too many. That complex is very deep, at least 20 floors, so far." my Gand friend complained, showing us the relevant hologram .

A thousand square kilometers of industrial fabrication lines. I sort of wanted that complex for my empire, to use against the Vong.

Yea, I'll go lend a hand and take over that planet myself. Then push with 500 Meteors towards Sernpidal .

From there I could control the entire Galactic North, access the Gree, map the routes to Belkadan, and take Muunilist. The money prize.

Because, that was the Switzerland of this galaxy, with an approximate quintillion credits in deposits, and the banks that issued the currency of the galaxy. Funding the CIS too, the scumbags. I could use more money.

Hmmm. Make that 800 Meteors. I may need to leave some as deterrence for the Vong.

"I want a fleet to push east of Randon towards planet Chalacta. And start mapping a route to Ruusan, or buy the route from some Hyper Cartel leader, whichever. They used to have a spy station at Ruusan, 2 years ago. I'll go with the new fleet to Sernpidal." I concluded, looking around for disagreement.

"If you think it's important, Emperor...there's nothing there except...the Vong." my third Hand mused...tracing a red oval on the holomap around that northern sector, where somewhere between a trillion and a hundred trillion Vong were preparing to invade.

"We'll also scout towards Foundry and Telti . Gaining a production planet would be nice. They cost 50 trillions credits and a lot of time to construct." I added with less interest.

If I took the banks, the CIS will collapse, and so will the fake war.

"If you manage it in time, Pef. The Imperials are preparing to attack towards Ord Mantell, regardless of loses. You have to hurry..." Asajj spoke out loud, making me remember she was in the room.

"You're coming with me, love. You still have much to learn, and I'm not giving you 300 holocrons to play with. We'll take this one with us" I replied softly, holding a blue holocron up.

"Yay, more dogma and senile Jedi teachings!" Asajj said with fake joy.

Oh, you'll be surprised what the Noetikon of Secrets can teach.

Meanwhile, on Mandalore, Peffy was educating his new admiral maid in the art of making...

"Squeeze a little, roll it with your palms, then let it rest. See, now it looks hard and healthy..." I said without any innuendo.

"Are you sure that's how you make cookies? Because, I never heard of such..." Natasi complained, looking at her dough with some distrust.

"Well, I've seen them made like this, but never did myself. We'll test them on some ambassadors when they bother us again." I replied with a shrug.

Have a cookie! And perhaps not get sick...

Planet Ord Cestus, Pef Empire

20 BBY, next week

The Meteors haven't arrived here, since they are very slow, and need huge quantities of hypermatter to displace their enormous mass.

So, this possibly means they'll all remain here in the North, guarding Sernpidal and the adjacent worlds.

Which is fine, the Galactic Empire will need at least ten years to organize itself, possibly more.

I had of course, taken control of the droids and the controlling centers of the factories here on Cestus, and had begun upgrading the droids to Pef Empire standards. The tiny blaster pistols and other various equipment was loaded on dozens of transports and sent to various mining worlds, to equip miners and security guards against wild life.

Already, a thousand liberation and anti-sith movements have begun forming to oppose Palpatine, with cheap ships and weapons provided by a mysterious backer. I mean, a Corellian freighter, slightly used, costs 20 thousand credits. A Gozanti cruiser, perhaps 40 thousands.

The mining companies report them stolen, of course, but who could have known they also carried blasters, grenades and supplies to last years for a platoon of freedom fighters.

A few such ships even carried flash memory devices, for security guards of those mining companies.

Sigh, this will be a recurring problem, won't it?

And those evil Jedi, a dozen already rallying racoons and snails and other races to resist the new Sith Empire...

Planet Kelada was almost overrun when a hundred groups sprang from the bushes, taking over CIS factories and arming themselves with battle droids and tanks.

The Imperial Army has sent 2 legions to quell the rebellion, but with little result.

Every single officer that leaves the command bunkers get sniped by sneaky freedom fighters. So sneaky, not even captured rebels know their identities.

This factory complex is way bigger than I first thought, and is supplied with its own mines and powerplants.

Guess I can make old style tanks here, too. Something like a T55, if much more resilient and fast, and with unlimited ammunition for its energy weapons. I'll call it Gauntlet, as it's meant to be my armored fist.

Should cost about 8 or 10 thousand credits, and be virtually immune to small arms like blasters and slug guns.

The Gauntlet tank costs as much as the cheaper power armors, but with twice the firepower and armor. At 15 tonnes, it can use a turret with one medium ion cannon and two medium masers, two side sponsons with Gatling lasers and a missile launcher. The launcher costs about 2000 credits, might not use it on every tank. And it can sprint at 140 kph on open terrain.

Just tracks for mobility, the cheapest armor, just 3 cms of durasteel, a hull hugging shield and microfusion reactor. A droid brain, two B11 for crew and room for one organic, or three, if available. Crew is optional, but changing broken tracks or other repairs are much easier to do if every tank carries a pair of droids.

Droids outnumber organics at least 100 to one in my army, and for a simple reason.

Cheap, do not sleep, do not eat, do not need medical care. Often it's simpler to melt down old or broken droids and build new ones.

Guess I did get caught up a bit with all the fancy repulsorlift tanks and transforming droids.

There's no need, except the rule of cool and inspiration for organic armies. I'll still make the Titans, at least one for every division, because they'll be a symbol of advanced technology and will terrify weak-willed opponents. Perhaps later I'll go back and revisit the tank developing matter, and make a true main battle tank, but for the clone wars the Gauntlet will suffice.

'Oh, now you're coming back with feet on the ground, as land-dwelling people say.' Solana whispered, no doubt spying on me through the Voice bond.

"You're also talking out loud, Tank Emperor. Who cares about tanks when I have a hundred abilities to learn from the Noetikon?" Asajj commented too, with an aggravated voice.

Sigh, the curse of being a genius...

'Two more Jedi just have arrived at Boonta. From somewhere in Hutt space.' Wialu sent, with a simulated frown.

'Any result, getting the Hutts to support the Rebellion?' I asked back.

'Not yet. You would have heard.' my beautiful stern wife and Voice replied.

Guess I would have. 11% of my partitions were now in use, monitoring half the known galaxy.

Many of them tracking the escaped Jedi and their younglings. I did spread millions of spy satellites along the main hyperroutes.

Master Fay took 100 changelings and went to the moon Ruul, to discuss plans with the gathering of former Jedi there.

Most likely trying some foolish plan to take down Palpatine, and get killed in the process.

Kriff, at least half of them should know better.

"Well, those Makutai seem to lean towards emigrating to your Empire, Pef. But those brain drinking Anzati... I think you'd be better off sending them at Malkii, and converted to assassins. What ...owwww!" Asajj muttered, while almost frying her brain with the force psychosis she just learned from the Noetikon holocron.

Here, mind heal and vigor. And heal...

"Use mind shield and fortify soul, before you try those things." I explained patiently.

"Y-yea...just relieved some nasty moments from my youth. Kriff." the Dathomirian Voice grumbled with annoyance.

She has become really resilient to pain, barely complaining as she bleeds from her eyes and ears, for some reason. Damn Sith teachings. Not a single one lesson without major backlash.

Hyperspace emergence!

And there, they are, my beautiful Meteors. They just arrived in the system, ready to shoot things.

And I have 100 Gauntlet tanks ready as well! The first production line has began manufacturing my new gloves. Let's send them up with some transport dropships. And then?

Let's go liberate more worlds! Those pesky CIS corporations, keeping all those credits for themselves!

The people want freedom, you hear? And money, and sex.

But freedom is a basic right, for diamonds and credits too.

And those rebel groups? Who do you think started the rumors and the liberation movements, on a thousand planets at once?

With detailed and graphic descriptions of dark jedi and Sith practices?

And don't look at me so suspicious, I only have two hands. That Third Hand, is just a baseless rumor.

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Planet Axxila, Pef Empire (almost)

next day

Look, it's an even combat! The CIS has somehow managed to prepare a fleet at parity with my own!

The CIS had 800 ships defending this important planet, and I brought 800 ships as well. What a coincidence! Just, their ships were not big enough. Even the IGB Lucrehulks, 3 kilometers wide, were too small, compared to my 800 Meteors, each 20 kms long and 5 kms wide.

Half of the CIS fleet was captured and the rest blown up in 3.14 minutes. The meteoric tide of freedom could not be stopped anymore.

I guess my strategy is beginning to work.

Ha! Just joking. Overwhelming force, both in numbers and quality. The iron and steel tide can't be stopped anymore.