Hellhoop, Pocket dimension

Five hideout

18 BBY, last month of the year.

"Well, I must say your dungeons look positively feudal. All they need are rats and centipedes, and perhaps murky water dripping on the walls..." I said in a flat tone. They even had metal chains and hooks...

"That...seems unsanitary, Immortal Pef" a nice girl, looking about 25, but being at least 500 years old commented wisely. Huh, that would be unsanitary indeed. Eh, I never had torture dungeons before.

"So, dear Chokla . You guys worship death and chaos and pain, right?" I asked curious, trying to figure out how five cultists of different dark side religions got together and lived as a happy family.

"W-well, yes, but that's like a side job for me. I'm here because my lover Chell is here. And I was quite bored..." she explained in a shy tone. Right, because love mixed perfectly with death-cults.

"And you mister Chell? How come you've taken this harsh job, capturing and torturing demons?" I asked with some wonder. You had to be quite sure of yourself and your abilities to do this.

"Hmmm. I was a young man once, when I escaped from Bedlam. But there, I saw the truth. "The first to come forth was a hideous thing the universe had never before seen, a tentacled grotesquery with a pulpy head, like a monstrous squid from the occluded deeps, but with membranous wings that drew forth from the dripping, bloated sack that was its body. Yet it was his face that caused his mother to shudder and seek to kill it, for it held a countenance of such unwavering malevolence that to look upon it for any length would be to lose oneself in madness. Typhojem or Pomojema is the Father of Shadows, the Left Handed God.

I raised a temple in his name, and sacrificed countless, but he still wouldn't come forth. Plus the Jedi tried to kill me, so I ran away." he explained aptly, and helped me make sense of the sacrificial pit under the temple on Mimban.

"I see. The son of Tilotny and Cold Danda Sine. Stillborn, and with a single appendage, on his left side. Let me guess, and assume all the four others came through Bedlam as well?" I asked rhetorically. It was obvious had happened to these people now.

Contact with transdimensional entities was harsh on organics. And the minds of those incarcerated on Bedlam weren't really stable anyway.

"Indeed, most powerful droid. We did sense you at the temple, scouring the galaxy with your cold gaze." Their leader, a portly older looking man said gravely.

"Well, at least your religion is not untrue, the tetrahedral entities at Bedlam are quite real, after all. But as all of their kind, childish and naive, and with powers they can't even control. I bet that Kaiburr crystal was made by one of them, for some purpose, which they immediately forgot. Well then. I have a purpose for you, since you seemed bored in here..." I said softly, while deflecting a Deadly Sight from a diminutive member of the Five. That only works on organics, moron.

Sigh, still testing me eh? Here, take a hate beam.

And while Mavin was screaming on the floor in pain, I shrugged my shoulders and went to observe the crystal snare containing the demon Wutzek.

How did these morons even capture this thing? It was at least as powerful as me, and possibly more.

And let's drain...whoa. Alter dimension, time alter, space alter, force call, invoke spirit, summon spirit, materialize wish...

Man, this thing had the cheat codes to the universe. How...damn armor plot.

Or most likely, one of the Bedlam entities stepped on this thing by accident, and these Five guys just picked the snare up.

And learned some tricks. In fact, the poor demon might have been Pomojema, and the Kaiburr crystal the download key.

The five pensive and enlightened souls who have chosen to leave the whirling maelstrom of universal life , stared at me for hours, while I drained this trapped demon of all its abilities. Koobaree, the fat lady, even took out snacks to pass the time.

Summoned them, in fact. Ah, so that's how Old Daka did it, with her tea and whatever devices she summoned.

But at least the old witch achieved the ability by her own merit.

After some 12 hours of draining make believe abilities, the demon began clearing out, and vanished. One with the Force.

Maybe he'll go back home and pester his parents now.

"Y-you killed Wutzek...how...now our purpose is gone..." Suzal , the fat evil priest complained like a baby.

"Not at all, my crazy demon worshippers. As I said, I have my own purpose for you. Planet Attahox and all the surrounding space are now and forever will be in Pef Empire space. And since our laws demand eternal torture for those guilty of releasing bioweapons, I need dedicated torturers. And as it happens..." I said, trailing my last words while testing the summon ability.

Hey! Free tea! That was nice...

Force call Solana...swoooom. There you are!

"Hey Pef, Solana thought I lost you...again..." she muttered softly and rushed to give me a hug. Not yet, my love.

"That sounds quite agreeable, Immortal Pef. So these soul snares are for us then? Your glory be eternal, Holy Emperor!" Chell exclaimed in a devoted voice, and held his palms for a snare. There you go, new playthings for you!

"And remember. You work for me now. No more poaching slavers and pirates and whatever. Those get to be ripped to pieces in inventive ways, so that my people can learn the benefits of civilization. I'll have a transit station built outside the trans dimensional gateway, for refreshments and new tortured souls. Cause I have no doubt, as years pass, other smart doctors and geneticists will feel brave and test my bioweapon laws. And thus be sent here for torture. Agreed?" I asked rhetorically, looking at everyone of them slowly.

The guy on the floor and still under a hate beam, nodded in pain. Good. We have a deal then, you can stop hurting.

"Also, my Voices, like Solana here, speak in my name, and their words are law. Try not to test me again, will you?" I explained gently, while re-arranging the interior of the Five's base into a more modern and civilized outlook, even donating a few hundred guard droids and neural probes.

Gah, they didn't even have cyberwarfare security. Damn primitives!

'Culexus 0133 and 0134. Permanent duty here, from now on, and make sure the prisoners and their guards don't escape.'

'Roger, Droid Emperor. Make sure you arrange a personal apartment for us, and a few robomaids like WA-7 service unit. This is gonna be a long and boring job, after all.' Culexus 0133 demanded cheekily.

Great, now even assassin droids wanted their harems. I wonder who's fault is this? Maybe that Kikipi, and his thousand wife?

Anyway, now I had my own private Hell dimension, with dedicated torture for the big sinners.

How cool was that?

Planet Nirauan, Pef Empire

Centerpoint station

17 BBY

My focus is now on the west side of the galaxy, expanding and mapping worlds in a frenzy.

And we do find nice things here as well.

Planet Volik was the last step before we encountered the Chiss Ascendancy on the Redoubt. Volik was also a source of impregnable to blaster leather, from a docile beast called Reyko.

Two force-user groups, the Apex Society of Sith wanna-be and sort of Jedi group of force-sensitives led by Master Dorin Se'ol who had married a woman called Vorena. And even had a child.

Miracles can happen, see! And not just with my intervention.

The force-sensitives were all packed up and sent to Ruul, since this area was quite a war zone, with pirates and slavers being executed all over. Plus the Ruul refuge was kinda empty now, so more refugees wouldn't hurt.

Collan Eislo was useless however, except his large collection of Sith artifacts. And I can't use useless people, can I? Dark cults started from less. I had to arrange an accident...

Guess I have a new meat and milk animal to spread all over the Empire, and use the leather for my droid's chest armor.

Mumau root could boost force-connection a little, which was great, as our bota plants began losing their powers. Sucks I know, but I already predicted this would happen. But at least, through keeping their homeworld free of bloodshed, the event was delayed for 2 years. The people who already benefited from treatment will be at least three times stronger.

Make a note and dose the Grey Paladins with triple doses while this thing still worked.

Our miraluka paladins had to undergo surgery and receive a cyborg eye, since I already knew that their force sight would be faulty when protecting the Empire from cloaked Inquisitors or Vong infiltrators.

The test with Jarec, the miraluka Sith Lord, proved it beyond reasonable doubt.

And the few Altisian Jedi who died were 'saved' into memory capsules and sent to Malagarr, where they will continue their existence in a virtual heaven, helping the Core AI rule over droids and build starships.

A former Separatist doctor named Cylo actually volunteered for this, claiming he wanted progress and that organic life was boring. Guess building droids on Celanon was a little boring.

But even nicer than all this, I found two remarkable individuals, here in the Unknown regions.

One, a certain Chiss called Thrawn, who was possibly confused at being called by name by our droids. Eh, the Immortal Pef is wise and sees far.

The other was a beautiful lady named Arden Lyn , who lasted 25 millenia in a force trance on planet Irkalla . And she wore an amazing artifact around her neck, a grey prism imbued with a dozen force abilities. Now it has joined my collection of other crystals, of course. The Kashi Mer talisman is not a toy or a jewelry. It taught me dark Morichro and its counter , among other abilities like Darkshear and Darksight.

"I awoke to find that twenty-five thousand years had gone by—all I knew and all I loved curdled into history then dismissed as myth. Not even dust remains of those who were dear to me. I have outlived planets, and the very constellations are scrambled and strange. I am alone in a way none of you can possibly imagine."

―Arden Lyn

"Don't worry pretty lady. I understand perfectly. My friend Solanus has been alone for a billion years. We'll just have to find you new friends and family. It will have to wait a little, as Naboo has requested to join our Empire, after the Galactic Empire massacred the Naboo Queen, and her guards. The new Queen, Kylantha is now deep in negotiations with my Avatar." I explained to my newest maid.

"And the Jedi...why do you keep protecting them, of might Emperor?" The woman asked brusquely.

"Eh, the few that remain have their role to play, raising the galaxy against Palpatine. But, you have to learn to forget all this hate. Soon, there will be no more Jedi, or dark jedi, only gray. And without nothing to hate, it will turn against you and rot you from inside. No. Love is much better. Love and kids, and life." I mused deep in thought.

"That's a foolish dream. There is no such peace. Conflict and pain are the truth of the universe." the first dark jedi claimed, quite aptly.

"Yes, yes. They are. I don't have thousands of battleships and half a trillion droids just for parades. Only the Vong will throw a hundred trillion soldiers at us. I still need a decade to reach parity with those crazy fanatics. I just don't like spending a quadrillion sentient lives in wars.

Here and there, genius admirals and generals, specials forces or assassins. Marines and armored infantry, even pilots.

Organic life has advantages in reflexes and intuition. Especially if they have force connection. But for culture and art and science, and even engineering and exploration, droids kinda suck. I dream of a galaxy teeming with life, and love and opportunity. And don't worry Miss Lyn.

We won't stop here. There are trillions of galaxies. There will be wars, plenty of them." I said gently, while measuring her body for a Terminator armor.

This girl, she was too precious to lose.

"You don't dream small, I'll give you that. So, what are we doing here?" Miss Lyn asked curious, looking over the crystals controlling the Centerpoint Station.

"Here? Well. I'm building a star system, bringing 4 new planets at Nirauan.

Dahgee

and Masposhani then Pelgrin and Truuine . Making a new trade hub, and stealing a blackhole from Dorin , since they have two such blackholes and don't even use them...then a gas giant from Kril'Dor

to mine tibanna. You know...shaping the galaxy a little..." I explained politely, while doing exactly that.

"Pelgrin, isn't that on the other side of the galaxy? And blackholes? You steal them?" She asked in a slightly worried voice.

"W-well, is not stealing if nobody is inhabiting them...plus, they can sue me if they disagree. I may even compensate them. Can you imagine, a whole galaxy and merely a dozen blackholes? How can I build a trillion ships like that! I need to learn how to make my own blackholes, this is getting ridiculous. And I barely have like 7 blackholes.

Not that converting them into factories is easy or cheap, mind you...but where else can I crush particles to make hyperdrives and repulsorlifts..." I proclaimed in fake anger, shaking my fists at the ceiling.

The girl stepped back cautiously, then looked around again.

"This is...Corellia's Centerpoint? The Celestial space-station?" She realized a bit late.

"Well, I might be strong and all, but I can barely teleport a tea cup or a person across the galaxy. I need a bit of muscle to lift stars or blackholes. They are heavy, you know?" I asked rhetorically.

"...stars are heavy, he says. Conquer a trillion galaxies...huh. Things have surely changed while I slept. Can you bring Kashi here as well? I kinda miss..."

"Sorry, a dark jedi lady blew that system up, along with many others when she obliterated the Cron cluster with a misspell. Which is why I don't make cubes and constellations from stars, no matter how pretty they would look. It only takes a wanna be sith to blow them all up with plasma alter or time alter. Though I might write Pef somewhere far above the galactic plane, use some red giants from the Deep Core or something..." I mused deep in thought.

"Right. Paint your name across the sky stupid droid, that's not crazy at all..." the crazy dark jedi muttered in disbelief. Eh, she's already learning the ropes.

I know, genius...and hard to understand. Now, let's build a few thousand cities, some shipyards and factories...

Good enough. The immigrants can do the rest, and feel they accomplished something too. The climate might need adjustment, with the new orbits and all...

"Here, pretty lady. A holocron to teach you my way. We'll be here for two weeks while I build an energy refinery around that black hole, and I terraform the planets a little. And then, we go to Daalang. Cause that corner of my Empire needs love too" I explained gently, gliding an almost spherical holocron in her palm, while summoning a pillow for my new maid. Well, she was 25 millenia old, but new for me.

I still had another pretty lady to recover, the lost Celeste Morne who was locked inside an entropy field box named Dreypa's Oubliette .

And I knew where it was now. On planet Jebble , near Taris, which was interdicted by Pef Navy for years. No pirates were gonna steal my treasure.

One of the original Sith Lords, Karness Muur has transferred his essence inside the Muur Talisman that Miss Morne was wearing. Real Historic artifact, with another real historic figure inside! This galaxy was full of wonder indeed!

"So, you want to obtain a Jedi Master next? I'm not enough, am I?" Miss Lyn complained from her pillow. Sigh, I said all that out loud, again, eh?

"I told you, it doesn't matter. I will teach you all, and give you riches and troops. You will learn everything, and protect everyone in our Empire. And in doing so, you enact the will of the Force, and have a purpose. And also be loved, and have lots of kids. Or you can plot and rebel, and I'll rip your soul out and send it to Hell, to be tortured, for eternity. My dear torturers would get bored unless they get new victimis from time to time..." I said in a half joking tone.

I wouldn't torture someone just for refusing my way.

Planet Daalang, Pef Empire

Centerpoint station

17 BBY, next month

I have a new maid, rather old as well, called Celeste Morne, who is still looking angrily at me and Miss Lyn.

"Why are you saying these things out loud, for kriff sakes!" Miss Celeste yelled at me gracefully.

Errr. No idea. But it is fun, right?

"If we pool our strengths together, you think we can strangle the crazy droid?" Miss Lyn asked the Jedi Shadow in a fake whisper.

Ha. In a million years, maybe...nah. Not even then.

Now let's see, what planets do I want here? Tabiid , for their Rangers.

Planet Emberlene has these nice girls willing to join the Grey Paladins too...

"You didn't even ask them!" Celeste yelled calmly. Well, they will, I already know.

Mistryl Shadow Guard motto is "We do what's necessary to keep our people alive." . And I will do more than just keep them alive. Riches and terraforming their ruined planet. Then commerce and training for their troops.

I was a merciful Emperor, even though they supported CIS during the Clone wars.

Then planet Vaklin, where a number of Neti offshoots were growing, and might restart the Neti race...

And the last one, Spintir for their force nexus called the Dawn Temple, where a number of jedi were frozen in stasis fields. And they had 3 AI holocrons overseeing the temple, really amazing.

I should learn the procedure too, and spread out into the galaxy with linked holocrons.

Plus, half dark jedi were almost grey, right?

"That's not how it works, Immortal Pef. They need to meditate and return to the light..." Master Morne advised me politely.

"Yes, of course. If I wanted to obtain fanatical zealots ready to purify their philosophical differences with orbital bombardements made of fire and light. Then I could return them to the light. And then clean up after them again, like thousands of planets without life aren't enough. No. The planet has a vergence, Caves of Light and Shadow which can be used to temper force users. You two will go first, and tell me how it works." I proclaimed gallantly, letting the ladies try the dangers first. It was only some ice wolves, no big deal.

"Without lightsabers? It's suicide!" Master Morne complained loudly. Miss Lyn was quiet though, she suspected something.

"When you learn how to deal with any situation, without a flashlight, then you might get it back. Your holocrons contain 144 abilities, of which, I bet you haven't even heard of, 99% of them" I mused thoughtfully. They did seem like the kind to rush sword first.

"I heard of two of them" Miss Lyn said proudly, while Miss Celeste bored holes in her chest.

"I did hear about energy absorption, but nobody taught me..." The Jedi 'Master' admitted after a minute.

'Well then. When you master 1000 abilities, then we'll talk again. Should take less than 1000 years, which for you both is nothing. You're much older than that..." I concluded in a whisper, then teleported them both, next to the cave's entrance.

And naked. Because they were rude.

And they should get used to being naked, as my Avatar should finish negotiating with the beauties of the Emberlane's Shadow Guard in a month or so.

Just in time for our return to Gand.

Now, let's see what black hole we can kidnap, and some asteroids...

'No Culexus 0144. Don't interfere unless they are gravely injured. Having half the thigh bit off, is easily fixed. And fingers as well. Dumb girls, fighting the beast instead of making friends...'

Now, terraforming, spreading asteroids and nanobots to build scaffolds around the other blackhole from Dorin...I mean, nobody even noticed a black hole is missing? I'll take both then.

Ah, now they noticed...since traffic lanes around Dorin became 10 times faster.

Let me know if you want them back...no? Yes, I know I'm a benevolent Emperor.

'Yes Mujilik. Continue wasting millions of survey droids to the west. We need thousands of new planets in that area'

'Yes Third Hand. 'Rescue' Borborygmus Gog from Kiva. Better he works for us, than making force plagues and planets that roams around the galaxy devouring ships and people. This D'vourankind of thing is not a cool toy. And loyalty implants level 7, the same as Jenna Arbor.'

'What now, Culexus 0144? Miss Lyn lost her right hand, but managed to save Celeste and kill the beasts, empty handed and naked?' Huh. They didn't learn anything, except to work together.

Sigh. 'Yes my faithful droid, sleep. I'll bring them up for repairs...'

Damn it girls, building an energy refinery, and teraforming, and towns and factories and now healing too?

What I am, a Celestial?

'Not yet, Immortal Pef. But, not far off now. Soon you will have to come, and balance the Force' the Celestial Father muttered from inside the Glowpoint reactor of the Centerpoint.

What? You think...hmmmm. I could do that, in fact.

Who doesn't want to be a God, and have his Avatar messing around and having fun on the lower planes...

And then let his Avatar be betrayed and sold for 30 credits...to an evil Empire ...

Just to fake it out and get reborn.

Then the Avatar would upload himself to Heaven V3.14 and live forever happy in a simulated fluffy town, full of Diathim and loving wives...

Wait, that is the wrong galaxy!

Nope, there was much more adventure to be had, and women to be...married.

Let's see what to do with these girls, Healing, Vigor, Reinforcement, gene alter- increase fibonacci amplitude by 7%, time alter -reverse damage , connect force bond level 1- padawan. Shift alignment 10% to each other.

There. It should work for the next month. And wake up.

"Hold on Celeste! I am...back on Centerpoint...' Miss Lyn muttered with a frown, then started checking her body for bite marks.

And noticing her generous upgrades.

"We got played. A droid...made us work together. Sigh. Can't even hate you now...' Celeste mumbled, looking at Lyn with gratitude.

"You're not bad for a Jedi. But you need to work on your hand-to-hand. I am a master of Teräs Käsi you know. If you had some skill, maybe you wouldn't have lost...well. Your leg grew back too.." Miss Arden Lyn observed, checking the other woman out.

"Okay, get some food and rest. Tomorrow, you go again. And please don't hurt the poor wolves next time" I said in a dismissive tone, waving them away.

Both women stared blank at me with wide eyes, in confusion.

"How...nevermind, we'll figure out eventually...teacher" Celeste said in a defeated tone.

Yes, you will. Or else you'll remain naked forever.

'You said that out loud, Pef' Solana whispered in the bond. Okay, so?

They were both pretty, so I wouldn't mind, their failure is my gain.

And in another turn of fate, Mallie Marek and her son Galen arrived at Ruul, while her husband Kento Marek didn't make it, having died protecting his fellow Jedi Knight and wife.

Yeah, well, who told you guys to hide in the Sith Empire? That's no place to raise a child!