Planet Dubrilion, Pef Empire

3 days later

The system fell to us fast, as the CIS fleet here has retreated at speed, the second they saw 700 Meteors emerge from hyperspace, so we're only leaving a standard pacification 3 Meteors fleet to guard and begin the liberation of these oppressed people, and the mining and exploitation of the natural resources, of course.

And now let's jump, towards Bescane. We should reach it in 12 hours. Further south, my Dornean Admirals push as hard as they can, and should reach planet Garqi in 10 hours.

Thus finishing the major encirclement of the CIS forces in this part of the galaxy. Almost. There is still one more node to capture, at Borosk. Still, too far, for now.

As always, we're leaving small fleets to claim and pacify the minor worlds on the way, and letting the smaller Navy ranks gain real experience with skirmishes and planetary invasions.

Sure, they make mistakes and waste dropships and droids and tanks...but it's only credits. I'm not gonna force choke a general or vice-admiral over holoconference, just because a dark jedi general was more clever. The battles will be won, eventually.

One learns much more from a loss than from a victory, after all. And victory in the CIS war is certain, anyway.

'Why do I have to go to Dantooine, there's nothing there?' Ventress complained over the voice bond.

'You are an Admiral, with 200 Meteors in your fleet. And Mygeeto is an important target, that we want captured mostly intact. Try not to die, yet.' I answered, a bit amused.

'Oh! Just say so, you...' she muttered, now more pleased with her mission.

'Yes? Myself what?'

'Generous and magnificent crystal head. Giving me the chance to die in glorious battle, against the corrupt corporations sucking the blood out of the poor people' Asajj proclaimed, in a fake heroic voice.

She'll do just fine.

Elsewhere in the galaxy, the most outspoken critic of Palpatine, from planet Uyter , called Lexi Dio barely escaped assassination, by some imperial goons. The one with a red lightsaber was stopped only meters away, by a droid Ambassador from Pef Empire.

The planet is in outrage, and wants to secede from the Galactic Empire.

Peffy will have to go, and 'negotiate' an MPT, and perhaps a personal union as well. She seems nice.

This will also open the flood gates, to more defections of former Republic worlds, towards the Pef Empire. It wasn't even a fake assassination, except the lightsaber guy. That was a dark jedi we captured and brainwashed.

I wonder if Kenobi was also the same kind of 'negotiator'. It would make sense, wouldn't it? How many female leaders were so kind to him?

Further to the galactic south, the Trellian Fleet has descended to Syvris, then Gamorr. Next offensive will be towards Molavar . 30 more Meteors are heading there as well, and might reach Molvar next month. Because, from Molavar there are attack routes to Geonosis, Tatooine and Ukio .

Those Ravagers pirate at Rishi need to be exterminated as well, and planet Scarif will make a nice prize too, for those of us deploring that planet being burned alive.

Another 2 fleets of Pef Navy, with 30 Meteors each, are heading towards Corellia and Duro. Cause we're not gonna let the evil Sith Empire attack our allies, would we? Palpatine has already demanded the Corellian Diktat to hand over the Green Jedi. Our fleets take whatever CIS planets they find en route, including Onderon and Ambria, which is found deserted.

Not gonna happen, one-armed disfigured Sith Lord. You have a role to play, terrorizing the galaxy into becoming very appreciative of the liberty in Pef Empire. But that's about it.

Another fleet is being prepared for the long jump, from Korriban to Empress Teta, in the Deep Core.

The five Claw Explorers that had already visited Theta, on their mission to Thyton, are going through final preparations of mastering mind-shield and mind-fog and hide in light. Just so they can last 10 minutes in Korriban system, before they jump.

Survey droids kinda break down when attempting this jump, although the coordinates are known. More Force shenanigans, no doubt.

In the galactic south-west, the Pef Empire enclave also contributed, liberating Cerea from the CIS, and starting to fortify that trade node with shields and defense platforms.

They do not even need ships as much, since my Imperial Servants there already used a trillion credits to construct droid factories and shipyards, and bought thousands other small ships. We do have about 15 mining corporations in and around Endor system, and a few inhabited planets to draw workforce and naval officers from.

Planet Bakura will be liberated next, and provide repulsorlift tech and more minerals for your ships and gunships. They will be important later, I'm certain.

On Kashyyyk, the wookie homewolrd, there's again a four-way war, with the wookies trying to eject the Imperial stormtroopers, the CIS droids shooting everything, and our troops shooting the CIS, and sometimes sniping stormtrooper officers, and arming the wookies with more effective weapons and blaster-resistant uniforms. That means weapons like Tof Soren Hunting Rifle and large ponchos made of vongtech biofiber and plasteel.

At least only the naked CIS droids shoot at my troops. And the wildlife. And the flora.

Sigh. This is just like Vietnam again, only with 5 kilometers tall trees. My battledroids are not good at climbing trees. Nor are my tanks.

Planet Muunilist, Pef Empire

20 BBY, Next week

Muunilist has fallen. The creepy Muun bankers were even richer than I thought, with some 12 quintillion credits in the accounts, plus stock and rare crystals deposits worth at least that much yet again.

And even better, we found financial evidence of collusion between various banking corporations and the CIS leaders. They are relieved of their properties and funds, and my Empire becomes the richest in the galaxy.

Also, important at this time, is the Mining Guild, based on Empress Teta, with its billions of mining worlds around the galaxy. Because of course, for every million of life bearing planets in the galaxy, a billion systems were discovered without life and were used only by miners or smugglers.

Only three of my Claws mapping the Daragon Trail from Korriban to Teta have returned, but the sacrifice of the other two won't be in vain. We can jump directly to the Deep Core now, bypassing Coruscant.

Still, I get to have three more Hands, which the Force clearly favors, and a route for the Deep fleet at Stenos to follow.

Wialu will lead 6 Fade II frigates, 6 Mountains, 30 Meteors, 400 Muni destroyers, 100 Recu carriers and 500 corvettes.

A small fleet, just 1000 ships, but the gain for losing their firepower in future conflicts, as they will guard the Deep Core and the S-thread booster hyperlanes that form the access from Coruscant...yea.

They'll be worth it. Plus Teta has some 300 billion people, that will be very useful for colonization.

My first gigantic ecumenopolis, that I will empty out, and reduce to some 30 billions. I mean really, what point is it, to stack people like bricks in 500 floors of underground bunkers? I can populate 100 planets with those people.

The empty spaces, deep underground, can be used for factories and storage and even shipyards. Humans will be happier leaving on the surface, and enjoy the sun and wind and trees...at least I hope so.

Maybe I'm old-fashioned...

'No Pef, people will be happier. And less poor and sick. Don't doubt yourself now!' Lira sent with strong conviction again.

The other Voices agreed as well, even Luxum, who was sunbathing now, outside her droid suit.

Didn't know crystals like to sunbathe...

'The Shards are still alive Pef, not synthetic as you. We need the sun, or we wither and die...' my Iron Maiden explained patiently.

All right then. The living crystals of this galaxy were more like plant life.

'Need anything, dear Shard?' I asked with some concern.

'Not yet. I have some fellow Shards and the Black Ops preparing for the Mustafar operation. We did colonize planet Kallidah since it was deserted, just like you said. Mustafar is only a 4 hours jump away from there. Contact with Polis Massa is difficult, but our agents did spot Master Yoda. Just like you said.' the former Iron Knight replied, with a tinge of sadness and regret.

Gland to see my memory is still accurate. Some things did stay the same, which makes my job easier. 'Okay then, Honored Voice. Once we take Teta and Jerrilek , you have a go. May the Force be with you' I sent, in a soft tone.

'We're departing from Stenos now, Pef. See you on the other side.' Wialu sent with a slight worry in her aura.

She will be fine. The route was mapped now, and Wialu has enough firepower with her, to take on a major fleet. Like the Teta Defense Fleet.

And now, it was time to create a new currency, the Empire Credit or the EC. Or the Official Pef Empire Currency, the OPEC .

But, since Palpatine couldn't refuse the name of Empire Credit, I went with that.

Which I will print myself, replacing the defunct Republic credit with my own currency, and force the whole galaxy to bend to my will. Because printing money? It was a power as great as the Force, and much simpler to control.

Now, let's make the official announcement, the formation of the Galactic Bank, empowered by the Pef Emperor to emit currency and being backed up by the gem and stock deposits on Muunilist. CIS's assets will be confiscated by the Empire as reparation for the war, and distributed to the worlds afflicted by the conflict.

A galactic version of the Marshall plan, and simply buying the loyalty and affections of thousand of planets devastated by the Clone Wars. Also stealing everything the Trade Federation and Techno Union owned.

The CIS resistance will falter soon, since salaries and ship maintenance and all the operating costs for droids will not be available anymore.

Sorry, but now the Clone Wars really have to end.

It was fun and profitable while it lasted, but now the lights have to turn off. Because, you can't pay the bill if I have your wallet.

Planet Coruscant, Galactic Empire

Imperial Palace. Minutes after.

"Emperor Palpatine, they can't do this! The wealth of the ING banks is incalculable!" a mook from some unimportant planet exclaimed, realizing the magnitude of the event, much too late. Sheev saw what it meant, in a second.

How could he didn't see this? This Pef Empire was more worthy of an opponent than he first imagined.

Not only they had those large Meteor dreadnoughts, which plowed through the CIS fleets like water, but they were also politically and financially astute.

And his Darksight ability wasn't working on whatever that Droid Emperor was. Possibly one of those sentient crystals, most likely. A few of his agents reported the droid used force powers, which meant...something.

The Iron Knights escaped his purge, being hidden behind the Pef fleets and spies of this new empire, the Corellian Jedi has stayed home and survived Order 66, even though he begged them to fight and save the Republic.

Even his Jedi purge didn't work completely, the younglings escaped and moved to a hundred worlds, a few Masters escaped, some with holocrons...

And his pride and most prized apprentice, Darth Vader...had died ignominiously when the Jedi secret plan was revealed. A proton bomb, the Jedi? How did he miss that!

Imperial agents were searching the deep levels on Coruscant for hiding Jedi and their holocrons but merely a pitiful dozen were found and sent to re-education. Perhaps one or two will break and become Inquisitors...

The rebellions springing everywhere, with anti-sith propaganda, had to be the work of the surviving Jedi as well.

His new apprentice Pong Krell , a former Jedi Master, was barely able to hold his own in a fight. And wasn't even human!

Kriif and sith spit!

At least the new galactic currency was called the Empire Credit, so it would be usable without problems.

His clone facilities were destroyed, no doubt by secret Jedi plans, and the simple soldiers he was recruiting instead were...not good. Pathetic and feeble.

Damnation!

Even his identity as a Sith Lord was revealed, by that greedy archaeologist who dug on Yavin 4.

That bitch Senator Lexi had escaped, most likely because Dooku had left orders to his acolytes to hunt down the New Order's enemies.

But worse that everything else, Master Shaak Ti had cut of his right hand!

And then she escaped...

Many of his carefully arranged allies were dead, including Xizor and Sienar...

No matter. He was Emperor now. He had all the time in the world, to fix this mess and bring order to his Galactic Empire!

If only his trusted Cronal sorcerer will show up already. Why wasn't he responding?

Sheev needed a spy master, one at least as good as that elusive Third Hand from the Pef Empire.

He will have to use the rank of Fist, for his lieutenants now, since using Hand or Voice would be seen as copycat.

Now where to direct his anger and hate, for today? Tarkin nodded towards him, from across the table. Great!

"Yes, Moff Tarkin? You have another plan?" he asked politely, but stern.

"We can't let the galaxy think us weak, Emperor. Let me take a fleet to Geonosis, and execute Base Delta Zero on those insects. I have some reports, from the former Republic Intelligence, of operatives subverted with those creepy mind worms." Tarkin, the only competent Admiral he had left, advised.

Damn that Carida conference, and the Venator bomb, that should have been stopped. A thousand loyal and competent naval officers were lost, by a simple miscommunication. He did order that damn plan stopped!

"Do as you proposed, Moff Tarkin. The Geonosians must be punished!" Darth Sidious proclaimed grandly, his left hand covered in lightning alter.

The orbital bombardment would erase any evidence the Geonosians might have, implicating him with the Clone Wars. Plus, they were insects. They should all just die!