Planet Mandalore, Pef Empire

Charming Castle

20 BBY Two weeks later

Once Corsin was taken, with a few bribes and promises to gain local support, there was no more need to maintain a pretense of Mandalorian neutrality. Their princess was murdered by the Galactic Empire, as rumours said, and were not denied. People were outraged and wanted safety.

"We cannot confirm of deny allegations regarding the circumstances leading to the death of Alicia Greyshade, wife to the Mand'alore. But rest assured, our officials will punish anyone involved.

In other news, Corsin and the Echani Six Sisters worlds have requested to be admitted as probationary members into Pef Empire, under MPT. A fleet of 30 Meteor-class battleships have already took station to protect our interest in that area.

A minor skirmish occured when the Imperial Army were evicted from Thrysus, a planet under the Six Sisters rule."

" This was the official statement of the Pef Empire's Fourth Hand, King Kikipi of Toong'l , and we already can guess, who our officials punished and where." The beautiful Togruta anchor commented, pretending to chafe at censure.

The Senators and other politicians who cared about galactic matters would have guessed already, and most of the galaxy didn't care.

It was very likely half the galaxy didn't even know, about the now ending Clone Wars.

They would see the same face, if a bit uglier, of Palpatine on the holonews, then shrug and go drinking or watch sports.

That Pef Empire fleets claimed Chalcedon and dismembered 30 thousand slavers, and freed 15 million slaves? It wouldn't make the news.

Maybe an archaeologist somewhere would blink and say, Chalcedon? What that planet on the test about ancient civilizations? No, that was Corellia, I think.

That Pef special ops raided Ventrux and looked for secret labs? Maybe a bounty-hunter somewhere will remember a deal in that sector.

'Emperor, the labs are empty. It appears for about 2 or 3 months. We were too late' The lead officer said, with a sad tone.

'Just making sure Major. Unit 988 found our target, on a different planet. Begin biological and nanodroid sterilization. Then nuke the labs, twice' I said with a bit of worry. Chasing biolabs was hard work.

Jenna Zan Arbor was one of the best minds in the galaxy. And I kinda liked her, in the same way I liked Hk-47. But she needed supervision, and samples, and funds. And most of all, loyalty programming.

Planet Simpla-12 was interdicted, and some 5000 criminals caught and tried.

About 500 of them will survive, with mnemonic therapy and a new job. Miss Arbor included.

And HK-47 will have a mad scientist to guard and torment.

'She'd better be as smart as you say, boss. Or else, off with her head!' the new comedic relief droid proclaimed, with righteous tones.

'Let's wait on that, at least till I have a million clones with her brains. Then I might put you both in a cage, and bet on her' I said with a sarcastic tone.

"Why are you laughing Peffy? Staring at the news and eating popcorn..." Bo wondered, looking at me strangely.

"Just weird thoughts in my mind. So, how do you like Bria?" I said, noticing a few bruises on her cheek.

"She's okay. Fast and smart and hits like a rancor. A bit like you, but much cuter" my wife muttered in my neck.

Let's heal those wounds, and check...Yes! Another baby!

"Our kid must be safe Bo. I'm taking you to a sanctuary" I whispered in her ear, and caressed her belly gently.

"Our kid...this is great! Padme is pregnant too, although I'm not sure with who..." She said with some confusion.

"She was married with that Skywalker guy. I think the kid would be his..." I said, perfectly certain.

"And you do have hair samples from when he fainted here, and you scanned his brain for fractures. We can check. So, when are we leaving?" Bo wondred with excitement.

"Today, of course. We'll just say goodbye, and promote Alise to Prime Minister. You'll have some 3 year vacation on a tropical island, with jacuzzi baths and the nicest girls to keep you company. Though only Dora is pregnant, I'll have to insist a little with the others..." I mused, lost in reverie.

"Oh, a secret island with secret wives. Scoundrel! Are they pretty?" Bo Greyshade asked coyly.

"You want me to have ugly kids? Of course they're pretty. Just, not real warriors. My first friends in the Empire, and I love them greatly" I answered gently.

"You softie. Wait, one of them is a blue twi'lek, the Blue Maiden?" Bo asked, remembering something.

"Errr. Yes. But punching buttons to fire missiles is not..."

"She's my hero! You got that freedom fighter for a wife? That's amazing! Who else?" she said excited. So, Vette is Bo's hero? When did that happen?

"Well. Lira, the Togruta Voice..." I whispered in a secretive voice.

"Didn't she die, like shot in the head?" Bo wondred, blinking confused. It was a scandal at the time...

"Voices to the Emperor can't die. Well, they grow back if they manage to die..." I explained, half sorry.

"So, like cloning, but with memories intact?" she deduced instantly. Well, not that easy, but yes, in essence.

"Pretty much. And I'm also a Voice. So, if I get blown up, wait a few years before you remarry. Okay?"

"But not Alicia...she won't grow back..." Bo said with a sob.

"No. A clone of her will be fresh. Like the stormtroopers. And I hate..."

"I know you do Peffy. It's slavery. At least those jedi did the right thing and bombed the cloning bases, before..."

"I wish they did Bo. That was not the jedi"

"But, who else could...you did it? she asked, with wide eyes. Huh, might have said too much...

"Our government cannot confirm or deny..."

"Oh, shut up! I'm proud of you Peffy. You're not just charming, are you?"

"I don't know...let's find out" I said gently and kissed her neck, in a charming way.

------------------------

Planet Coruscant, Sith Empire

Sarcev Quest remained straight, and just bowed his head one degree.

"Yes Master. We are 99% this was the work of that Avatar. Jamming transmissions, killing every witness, and turning the survivors into suicidal maniacs. It was payback for the blonde wife."

"But you're not sure, Darth Questor?" Lord Palpatine asked curious.

" The Sun Guard terrorist left a recording saying that the son of suns is here, before his freighter exploded, and vaporized the Imperial Royal Guard Academy. The bomb is estimated at 200 megatones, salted with cesium and hafnium. That continent won't be usable for five thousands years" his new apprentice, like the 6th in one year, explained politely.

"So, it's a warning then. There were about 800 Sun Guards on Thyrsus, before they defected"

"I believe so, Lord Sidious. 34 Imperial Navy ships also encountered miscommunication problems, and were blown up. We lost a million soldiers, for a pretty blonde who knew nothing, except gossip. And the verpine didn't report back..." the former Agricorps Jedi said a bit impressed.

Kriff. What had the galaxy come to? Making Sith Lords from trash who didn't even pass a padawan test?

And the Jedi enclave at Belsavis had 3000 Pef Navy ships, just happening to rest there? It was a show of force, for certain.

"No matter then, we'll recover our loses and strike when we're ready. The Outer Rim is of no importance after all. What about Corellia?" Palpatine inquired with some dismay.

That region has started building ships like crazy, and taking over nearby systems, relying on the Meteors they received as war reparations. What reparations? They barely contributed at all!

And where did they found so much credits? Those slimy droids from the Galactic Bank again!

Funding both sides, to make huge profits from the interest rates...

"Well...the Corellians certainly have credits and an ally in the Pef Empire. They expanded to Rendili and Columus and Tinnel, and it seems they'll take Byblos and Denon next. Trying to link with the Pef Empire no doubt. Not going the help them once the Imperial worlds start producing again, since we outnumber them 1000 to one. At least. But as the Kuat shipyards are still under repairs..."

"I know, my apprentice. I'll ask the Senate to vote for another loan. Damn those compound interest rates..." Darth Sidious muttered in weary voice.

Planet Gand, Pef Empire

Gandia, The Celestial Palace.

20 BBY Next Month

The new Celestial Palace might cost over a trillion credits, if anyone would sell it.

It is our version of the Imperial Senate, but it hosts the much simpler named Large Council.

It was time for our citizens to understand the difference between civilization and those outside it.

"My friends, and loyal subjects. It has been a slow climb till now, as our Empire began gathering resources and allies, and spread civilization to the Outer Rim, and other worlds plagued by problems. But behold! In 5 years, the Pef Empire has grown, and encopasses half the galaxy. We have fought hard, against pollution and famine, against piracy and slavery, against evil corporations and dark jedi. Even now, our troops are bringing freedom to a hundred worlds, every day.

But that's just the beginning. We are 9000 inhabited planets, but millions more systems need our help to become free. So, as the Voice of the Emperor, I beg you all, to allow immigrants and refugees to come, and populate this vast expanse we claim our home. They will be our doctors and engineers, farmers and miners, all bringing wealth and happiness to your planets.

You have seen Gandia, rise from tribal planet to a galactic capital. You can see the skyscrapers, the shipyards, the prosperity.

And I promise you all. In a decade, all our worlds will be at least as great.

Those of you, who joined our empire under a Protection Treaty, think for the future. Is slavery and oppression worth it, when you can all have this? When our people could have decent houses and food, or hot water?

We have the technology to harness black holes. But we only use those products for war?

I say we can do better.

Thus, we have decided to support the expansion, with credits from the Galactic Bank, to encourage people to come and be happy. We have trees and grass and oceans, that poor people on those hive worlds in the Core have seen in pictures only.

If a planet has a million people living on it, it is wasted and lost. We can do a thousand times better. First our commercials nodes, like Boonta or Celanon, the more and more, untill the whole galaxy is teaming with life and prosperity.

The Emperor himself is willing to subsidize every new immigrant with ten thousand credits, and start a new life and a family here in the Pef Empire. Just imagine. 10 trillion credits, received by every planet that accepts a billion hard working people, to build and work and create civilization.

Do you want to be rich, honored members of our Large Council?" I said grandly, letting the holo transmitters carry my voice to the huge aula.

Perhaps 1000 of them didn't understand what a trillion is. And how taxation brings that money right into their coffers, after a while.

The Imperial Servants agreed with patriotic fervor, but also because they were educated in finance by flash memory units.

Make a note, imprint all the delegates with Servant one star programming. At least high school education, that is.

Make that two stars, so they know the laws of the Empire as well. Know them perfectly, and have to break a finger when they break a law.

Three stars Servants were imprinted to impose the laws, as ship captains or governors, so it was a bit too much.

Other Voices spoke next, going the hardships and the achievements in details, as well as a few Hands.

A bit like theater though, since the delegates were here not to vote, but to observe and report back home.

Voting will be done in the small council, by people who understood the impact of their vote, not following petty interests.

Already some delegates were trying to abscond with the aurodium handles of their armchairs.

Sorry mister wookie delegate. The Emperor has predicted this, and transmuted a micron mesh in the interior of the armrests to Molecularly bonded armor , then covered that in cortosis mesh. I couldn't break it with my Terminator armor. But it was close.

Our next generation of warships will have a thin layer of this material as well as the new reflector shields and thermal shields.

Once I figured how to keep the thickness and length stable. My test starfighter crumbled into a tiny ball.

Very heavy tiny ball.

Could barely lift it.

But it should work to reinforce the Titan's legs and torso and reduce weight by half. And my Terminator armors too. T-1000 is coming soon, in a galaxy next to you.

Ah, it's my cue now. They're gonna love this.

"One more thing, esteemed delegates.

While our Empire recognizes force users of various sects, not all their practices are allowed. Memetic and mnemonic imprints are reserved for our special operations units. That means by our professional assassins, for those new to galactic basic.

Plasma blades and other elemental force-constructs are restricted for rare cases of national defense, and again, only by our licensed operatives. That means, against invasion or dark jedi or death cults. Not for sport.

Bioweapons, nano-weapons and force-created plagues are reserved for threats of extragalactic origin. And as we are the frontline for those invasions, we may have to use them, in the future, on those alien enslavers. We have our own large arsenal, so you can feel safe. If they come, they'll die screaming.

But I'll be very clear. Do not fuck around and start tinkering for fun. Or I'll find you, and rip you to shreds. And your soul as well. This warning goes to everyone, everywhere and will not ever be rescinded. Plagues are not toys. You play with this, and I will never let you die, and torment your soul for eternity. Now, enjoy our nice town, and have fun!" I concluded the gathering, with a charming smile. Strangely, nobody smiled back. Weird.

------------------

Planet Honoghr, Independent

Pef POV

Ah, making threats is fun. All those two cred doctors will think again now. Maybe. Not likely.

But meanwhile, let explore the nice Honoghr Rakatan temple I have right next to my border.

Technically, it's in Kessel, and we have a spacestation in orbit, but the locals wouldn't know.

The events in my memories, with this planet getting devastated by CIS toxins didn't happen, since the hypernode to this system was guarded by my ships.

So, there's more life and less dying natives.

And Rakata droids. Which are super nice. No idea how the locals were supposed to control them, since everything about them is alien, except the weapons. Which are blaster cannons.

Nevermind, technopathy is still the best power.

The droids seem similar to spider tanks or droideka, but I'll call them Rakata temple defense droid .

Since that's the planet. Now salute with your arm cannon!

See, it works, even if I don't have a clue how to interface with the operating system.

Anyway, force-fuel droids! With crappy armor and guns. And no vocoders. And no thumbs.

Sigh. Stay here guys, I'll take a look inside.

Altar to some fish monster. Come on! Where are the gates, the holocrons, the books with all the tech?

I got 9 droids, which I'll have to dismantle and learn how they work...

Hey, you can loop a force circuit like that? Well, if it works...

I'm beginning to believe that Rakata were idiots, just using things they didn't understand.

'Your confidence in Rakata tech is your own preconception Pef. They are gone after all.' Solana said wisely.

'And they were just organics. Hate fueled organics. Kriff. I need an expert. A real Master. This is all hogwash tech. Jaybo can make better droids!' I complained to the ether.

'And Jaybo is the template for your Avatar. Don't diss the kid. He'll be strong' Wialu added amused.

I know! My first, adopted son. Who grows too slow. And is shy around girls.

Let's go home, Rakata droids.

want to dissect you in peace.

Redforge, Pef Empire

Rakatech lab.

20 BBY , next month.

Well the tech in the Rakata droid power core still can't be duplicated, nor is the Mind Prison or the Star Map from Tatooine.

I can analyze it all I want, there's blackboxed components, and some structures that have more to do with art, than mechanical engineering. And possibly bits of claws and other body parts from whatever animals.

Some components are clearly organic, like neurons and nerves, while other are materials we didn't even know they could exist.

Some kind of tree sap, that remains cold, no matter the temperature inside the core. That's more than a superconducting fluid...

Sigh. Much to learn, I have.

'Solanus wants a Rakata droid too. He thinks he can use the power core for a spaceship reactor. And he wants a Rakata forcefield as well. I'll send him the Star Map from Manaan, once these fishguys stop worship it like a holy relic.'

'It's okay, adored Voice. He can have that Star Map from Dantooine. And my old MC30 frigate has a forcefield. There's two more starmaps Kashyyyk and Korriban, so we'll get them all sooner or later.' I sent, feeling generous.

"So, you sent your our new Hands to Teta, Belsavis and Endor? " my third Hand asked curious, sneaking around the lab, where a thousand droid parts were flying in mid air, now impossible to fit back. Oh, the three Findsmen who mapped the route to Teta.

"Yes, with their new females, and Servants and VSS and a numbered Meteor each. Aren't I generous, my friend?" I said gently,

then waved the swarm of rakata parts into a crate, for later work.

"Well...they will have ten thousands ships each, and a billion droids to command. If they get turned somehow..." he said worried. Yea well, anything is possible in this galaxy, but I took precautions.

"They will die, and we'll make new ones. Come, let's go outside and watch the new Meteors II being assembled" I requested politely, floating towards the space station's hangar door.

A million engineers, a billion droids and a trillion nanobots were working hard to prepare my Empire for the next conflict.

The outer armor was a bit thinner on the new Meteors, only 1.5 kilometers of steel, but of that 5 meters inside were made from quadranium steel and 10 meters outside were plated with durasteel. Just like the Imperial star destroyer armor.

The extra space, made room for a thousand more reactors and shield emitters and gravity interdictors. The ship lost a lot of mass, and with the extra power they'll reach 3.0 hyperdrive speed, the same as the Vong ships. Can't have my battleships arrive too late for a fight, can I?

The fins and the armored maw of the sharks were also being laced with a thin mesh of cortosis and phrik filaments, to increase thermal and beam absorption 3 times.

Over all, the durability will increase 10 times, while doubling the cost. If only I had enough money...

Oh wait, did have money now. A quintillion credits would buy me a lot of ships.

There, I even added a pair of hanger under the lateral fins, for a thousand starfighters. Thin armor for the hangars and no connection to the inside of the ship though. If the shields failed, the lateral fins will get shredded anyway.

For defense, we'll add those continuous laser turrets, that worked great on spider droids and Titans. Let's put 1000 of them.

And for attack, 4000 heavy masers, 1000 hell projectors and 1000 ion cannons, and a large battery of long range turbolasers like the Recusants have.

Only 10 of them, in one huge armored turret. No more being kited by long range fire. It's good that we have energy for all those weapons now.

I finally got to have lateral eyes on the shark, two huge gravity and hyperspace interdictors, to help me hold in place a large Vong fleet.

And perhaps a worldship too. Not sure.

The maw was widen a bit, since we had space, and will have 100 MAC cannons and a force-ion beam projector, like the ones on the Devastation dreadnaught and Meteor 3.

Jenna Arbor is working on a kyber laser beam, but that will take years, even with all the staff and resources I gave her.

The back of the new Meteors will have 20 tractor beams, to hold starfighters in place while the defenses shred them, and the front will have 200. They help guide the ferrous slugs to target very accurately.

More computer cores, more hypernet power, more slicer banks, more transmission jammers. More cargo space, for consumables and fuel. Now range increased from 10 thousand to 100 thousand light years. Nice, right?

Hmmm. There's still room left. Especially outside, on the sides. Let's add 100 proton torpedo launchers on the sides, each with their own turret with a missile launcher on top.

And the same for all turrets of the heavy guns.

More missiles can't hurt. 6000 more missile launchers will help thin out those huge starfighter swarms.

Total cost 5 billion credits, for each Meteor II. 30 trillions for this batch of 6000 Meteors II.

If my wives all dance for me one hour, they'll cost more.

Damn, I do have a bit too high cost wives.

'That's because you're sweet and gullible Pef. Who pays one trillion for a lap dance? Even though Clara is very pretty...' Lira commented from Sanctuary, where she was about 11% into mastering the mind shield.

A bit slow...Zero learned it in 2 weeks.

Then again, she wasn't a jedi master with 100 years of meditation and training.

'So, you like Saro and Bo?' I wondered, a bit cautious. Women, not really easy to understand.

'Of course I do. You have great taste. Bendu says so too. Bye'

Sure thing, Lira. We'll try that baby making again. Later.

Cause the Avatar was insisting vigurously with Vette now.

Planet Sanctuary, Pef Empire

Silent Circle Island, Hobbit Villa 3V

"That's it. Right there! Oh holy. This is much better than water sex" My blue twi'lek maid exclaimed with joy.

"We're only getting started, my sweet love. But tomorrow, we must let Lira join us. She really wants some." I said, blowing a whisper warmly in her ear.

"Fine. Because I love her. And she deserves to feel...ah. There! Faster!"

Redforge, Pef Empire

-staring at the stars, and the hulls of new ships

"Good work there, Emperor. I must try that thing too. My females should love it as well" my third Hand mused wistfully, as we stared at the Meteor shipyards, and compared harem stories.

"Yeah, it feels really nice. But that damn Kikipi...he's got 20 more!" I complained with a groan.

"Well, he's doing his part to repopulate Toong planet, after that comet disaster. Duty is a mountain, you said once, wise droid. We must all carry it, and do our best. I'll sacrifice myself and take a new female too. And not because Zuckuss did. It just my duty" he replied wisely.

Yeah. We were all paragons of duty. That was a perfect reason.