Planet Coruscant

Imperial Intelligence Headquarters, Level 5225

Armand Isard looked over his new officers, at least 90 of them new like fresh grass, and despaired.

Once that huge Centerpoint Station has left, the hyperspace jamming field was gone as well, and instead he was left with a billion reports, most of them of lost agents and ships, and news of some sort of Moff plot to abscond with their fleets in the Unknown regions to the west of the Galactic Empire.

A disaster, worse than a war, with 400 thousands vessels lost, a thousand new races discovered, many so aggressive they could literally chew through starship hulls, then devour the crew inside.

A hundred wars, and dozens of undeclared human colonies, which now had to be defended by Imperial Navy, which lost 40% of their ships in this final plan, that Palpatine left behind as insurance. The Navy will have its hands full on the western fronts, while entire sectors were defecting and joining Pef Empire's safety.

The hidden clash for power in the Navy Command had exacerbated a hundred times, and more than 12000 officers and Senators had died, in so called accidents. Even a hundred deaths were suspicious, but a hundred times more?

And even worse, this Vong agent, from a distant galaxy, had been here for 12 years already, preparing the way for a galactic scale invasion. That new agent had luckily stumbled on his secret listening post, while verifying the safety of the lower levels.

Where billions of ghoul and feral droid corpses were being melted by the Pef's Empire Medical Division, which looked more like heavy assault divisions than medics. Then again, billions of ghouls...right under his feet.

"Everyone, new orders. Each of you take genetic samples from the Exolab56 , and begin searching for other such Vong infiltrators on the lower levels. There could be thousands more! And send descriptions of this race and their equipment to every intelligence station in the Empire. I want these things found, and their brains drained with torture probes. Move!" he yelled in his gravest tone.

200 lieutenants and captains runned towards their com stations, leaving only the highest ranks, now including this new guy, some new recruit from Rohan.

"Majors and Colonels. Find me facts. Investigate all the remaining Moffs, and find out who won their so called power games. And then bring them to me. Our cloaked corvettes can bypass this Galactic Bank's blockade, right?" he asked, almost confident.

"Sir. At very large distance from those Meteors and Hammers. The Pef Empire has gravitic crystals detectors on their big ships.

But yes, with careful navigation we can avoid them. Not that we need to, anymore. The diplomatic envoys have been allowed to travel again. We just need the right credentials..." A smart colonel explained pointing at the text of the holo proclamation from Centerpoint.

Even better then. A handful of cloaked corvettes were not enough to send secret orders throughout the empire.

A Delta/Black report caught his attention. A spy from a new Pef Navy heavy maser factory. New orders to equip 13 thousand Meteors III and 70 Thousands Hammer II with millions of heavy guns, in the next two years. Added to their already immense predicted fleet...Pef Navy will outmass the now even smaller Imperial Navy a thousand times.

They must be strip mining and exploiting those mining planets from the 'nationalized' Mining Guild like crazy.

Then again...those horrors to the west, and that extragalactic invasion...

Maybe those proclamations made by the Avatar of their Emperor weren't just fear mongering.

'Bioweapons are restricted for use against extragalactic invaders. When they come, they'll die screaming...' the boy said, like it was a ride to the holomovies.

And yet, Emperor Palpatine himself was now screaming in endless torment, his soul caught in those horrible crystal prisons.

A hundred more Empire biologists and gene engineers were also adding their silent screams, as well as Moffs and Army officers who took part in the bioweapons release.

You couldn't protect those people from their stupid actions, not when the Pef Emperor could simply move planets or blackholes at his convenience.

What use were secret labs and hidden outposts, when Centerpoint could...

For kriff sakes. This wasn't a fight that could be won.

50 thousands worlds have defected just past week. In a few years, the Galactic Empire remnants will be a joke, a few thousands worlds and ships, and with quadrillions of credits of debt, that could never be repaid.

No, the only rational solution would be to join the new Empire with their heads up, and then turn their weapons and skills against the incoming storms.

"My esteemed officers. I have a question. How long do we wait, untill we overthrow the last remaining Moffs, and clean up the mess left by Palpatine?" He asked his trusted subordinates, and noticed that the new Major from Rohan just nodded silently.

That guy, he expected this? Then again, he was quite a smart one.

"We can prepare the terrain, arrange things through our contacts. But it will take at least a year. Do you wish to become the new Galactic Emperor, Director Isard?" his right hand man asked politely.

No matter how fun that thought was, it was an empty dream. Without money and ships or shipyards...

"No, off course not. If what that Vong agent will be confirmed, only the Vong have at least 100 thousand battleships, each around the size and strength of a Mandator or a Hammer. And even bigger ships, their worldships, 5 times longer than a Meteor and 20 times wider.

Coupled with the ongoing wars in the west, and the rapid shrinking of our Empire...in a few years we would be just another minor polity like Hapes or Bothan. Better armed of course, but the Vong would still stomp us. And I don't want a thousand of future generations paying the interest of the loans that our Imperial Senate voted, and now can't pay.

Hell, even the ration bars that we eat are donated by the Pef Empire..." Director Isard said, with a tinge of exasperation.

"Moff Tarkin will be a problem sir. My agent says he's planning to declare himself Emperor..." another Colonel whispered, like this room wasn't secure.

That would be pretty bad. The warmonger would try to stop defecting worlds by force, and the Navy didn't have enough ships, not now.

Plus the Pef Navy would just blow them up.

"We shall see about that. What I have in mind, for the transition is an Empress, elected by the Imperial Senate" he mused.

Perhaps Senator Mon Mothma...no, that one was a Republican. Maybe Jannie Ha'Nook ...or Bana Breemu ?

That Senator Amidala would have made a better choice, but she had fled to Mandalore for one, and Naboo had already defected anyway.

He would have to talk with both of his candidates, and see who would be interested in becoming an Galactic Empress and soon after, marry that Avatar and end this charade.

A union made out of love, the people would lap it up, just like they did on Empress Teta and Naboo and Atrisia, and a dozen more worlds, where that Avatar just 'charmed' their female leaders into becoming wives and allies.

In fact, he should schedule interviews right now, before those women left the capital on whatever errands.

Meanwhile, in Sith space

Planet Ziost, Pef Empire

Both Miss Lyn and Miss Mourne were appalled at the devastation left by the Sith Emperor Vitiate, who drained the life from this entire world, and left it a dry husk and a frozen waste.

I was pretty much expecting all this, just keeping an eye out for tingles in the force while flying around.

Dead trees, skeletons, bits of metal ...dead and forgotten temples, and telepathic whispers.

Ha! Found you. I think.

"We're landing here. I hear voices" I spoke on the coms.

"Of course he hears voices. This planet has been dead for millenia..." Miss Mourne complained in typical Jedi fashion.

"You have to admit though, he is cute. I'll let you have him a few nights, when you feel cold and alone..." Miss Lyn, a former dark jedi and Follower of Palawa and a former member of the Legions of Lettow, the darker side in the first great schism, said with an enticing voice.

"I'm always cold and alone. Kriff. The galaxy has gone to hell while I slept..." the former Jedi Shadow complained like a young girl.

"You tell me? I slept for 25 millenia. My birth planet was blown up by a Sith!" Miss Lyn exclaimed furious.

"Quiet, you two schoolgirls! Or do you want to explore this temple naked?" I asked, a bit upset. And I would do it it too. Their bodies were very nice to look at.

"Grrrrrr. We'll talk about this in a thousand years, mister cool and strong. I've dealt with a hundred like you before, all young and brave and thinking they own the galaxy..." Miss Mourne muttered in a very quiet tone.

Better. Now let's sense where this comes from...

'Who are you? Where are all the Sith?' A tiny voice sounded in my head. Sith Meditation Spherethere you are!

'Well, if you mean the red skinned people...there are a million on Tund, and a few thousands with force powers in my Empire.' I explained politely.

'And the Sith Lords? Those girls behind you...they feel strange' Ship whispered as I reached the hull and placed my palm on it.

Not a ship at all, but an AI. A flying holocron, with embedded abilities.

Summon, telekinesis, telepathy, weapon materialization...and 5000 years old.

'Well, Miss Lyn would be one of the first dark jedi, splintered from the jedi order 25 millenia ago. Miss Mourne...is much younger, only 4000 years old, and she was a Jedi Shadow back then. Those are...'

'I know what those are, Avatar Greyshade. Where are the Sith?' the ship asked anxious.

'Well. There might be a few dark jedi left, maybe even less than the Jedi. About 10 of them, being hunted down by my Officio Assassinorum. I expect all the madmen will be dead in a few months.' I answered truthfully.

Well, with telepathy you kinda had to.

'You destroyed them all. Both Jedi and Sith? A really capable one. And what will you replace them with?' the Sith vessel wondered, as I climbed inside the sphere and looked around. Nothing. No devices, no computers. Just mind tricks.

'I have the Grey Paladins, who learn both traditions and hundreds other more abilities from other sects. Only a million of them, but we're only a year into the program. It will take decades to recruit a billion. But time is not a problem. So, do you want to join or else?' I said calmly.

'Threats don't work on me, little human! But this Lyn girl. She would make a great student. And perhaps others, from the Sith species. I used to have many Sith girls flying with me.' Ship said wistfully.

'Perhaps. You will teach whoever I tell you. And if I'm satisfied, you'll get a few Sith girls. Lord Adas is kinda stingy with his lessons'

' Lord Adas? The first Sith Lord? You said they are all dead!' Ship exclaimed, exasperated.

'Dead yes. But immortal in the force. His essence lives in his holocron. Just like Karness Muur , still lives, inside his amulet, or XoXaan inside her holocron. You should know this, Ship. Let the girls inside, I want to show you The Home . ' I said politely, but sternly.

Kriff, another insane Sith artificial intelligence, like Hk-47.

Nevermind, even those had a purpose.

A minute later, my new maids, one of them still unwilling, the former Jedi with an amazing body, joined me inside the Ship.

"You were raised by that crazy droid, now it's certain. You still speak out loud whatever crosses your mind..." Miss Mourne complained loudly, looking for a seat, and finding only an empty sphere, 10 meters wide.

Very cozy in here, especially as we'll be naked for a good time...

'We'll go to Korriban first, Ship. The Emperor has finished with Miss XoXaan and wants to see you' I told the AI, politely.

'Hmmpf. This Emperor better be worth my time. Standy by for hyper drive...where?' the Ships asked, a bit confused. Yep, instantaneous teleport did a number of nav computers. And even sentient force powered AI.

'We have arrived at Korriban. Land at the XoXaan temple if you would.' I explained gently.

Why wait a few days to travel with hyperdrives, when Centerpoint could simply teleport us instantly?

I had cheat codes now, and made the game a lot faster.

Planet Coruscant

Imperial Senate

Next month

"Order! Order esteemed Senators! There will be no return to a Republic, nor a switch to a Confederation. The Republic failed our citizens, and a Confederation would be just a hollow state, with corporations ruling, instead of someone representing the people.

Do not forget that our Galactic Empire is now at war with a hundred terrifying races to the west. Races that drain people of their life to power their ships, or enslave them mentally, or infect them with plagues or just eat them alive. Our Navy has lost thousands of ships and over 300 million crewmen, before the front lines have stabilized. This is not the time to change the government type, again.

This august Senate will vote to elect a new leader, and focus their policy into defending our planets and citizens.

And keep in mind that whoever it is our new leader, they should be capable of maintaining good relations with our allies, most specifically the Pef Empire and the Corellian Diktat.

We will need thousands of new ships, and for now, we are dependant on our allies for support. The Speaker can continue and tally your proposals" the interim head of state, Sate Pestageproclaimed, still feeling the hot lasers eyes of Director Isard on his back.

Damn it all, they will have to clench their teeth and accept an Empress, just to avoid declaring bankruptcy, or else face a civil war, with the Imperial Intelligence of the opposite side.

And hope that the Galactic Bank will be generous and deffer collecting the interest on the loans, for a few months.

With Palpatine gone, and the Kuat Shipyards in the hands of those cold droids from the Galactic Bank there was no hope of turning the tide. And now, a hundred wars to the west...

Not that those belligerent races won't be conquered in the end, they were still inferior technologically.

Just that they were so many, and the Navy lacked the resources and the bases to conduct deep strikes on their home planets.

He will bide his time, and await another occasion to grip the power. Not that he hasn't already 'vanished' 50 trillions into secret accounts. Those crying kids shouldn't beg for bread, they should eat cake!

"Senator Bena Breemu holds the lead with 1337 votes, Senator Jannie Ha'nook holds second place, with 959 votes. The other candidates are disqualified. The time has come, esteemed Senators. Vote now, blue or green. We will have an Empress, and a female Prime Minister. Cast your vote now, trillions of people look up to your wisdom!" The Speaker proclaimed in a deep voice.

"Blue, is the button on the right side on your consoles..." Sate Pestage, said in a fake whisper.

A few Senators nodded in gratitude, pushing the right button, and making the right choice.

"The Imperial Senate has voted! Blue wins! All hail our new Empress - Bena Breemu, former Senator for Humbarine, from now on known as Galactic Empress, Bena the First. And a very beautiful Empress indeed. We recognize the Empress, for her inaugural proclamation" The Speaker declared as the Senators cheered from their booths.

"Senators and common citizens of the Empire. Know that I will do my duty to all those in the Empire, and seek a way to redress the excesses of my predecessor. While the current wars we are embroiled with will take time to bring to an end, I will seek to reduce corruption and oppression.

I will plead with the rulers of our allies for better relations, while keeping with the letter of the Corellian Accords and the Galactic Bank's procedures.

We will have fiscal transparency and respect the lives of the sentients. Therefore, my first decision is to name Senator Mon Mothma as my special representative and send her towards Gand, and discuss a military alliance against the invading hordes from the west.

Secondly, I am ordering the arrest of Sate Pestage for embezzling 50 trillions credits from the Empire's treasury, while he was interim leader of our Empire.

That's it for today, I will have to consult with our military and intelligence leaders for weeks, before a pragmatic strategy can be formulated for our current situation.

I also want to tour the new planets here in the Coruscant system, I hear they are wonderful!" The new Empress said with a lovely smile.

The Senate cheered again, as the Senate Pretorians came and arrested Sate Pestage publicly.

Director Isard smiled thinly, glad something worked right for once.

His own daughter Ysanne Isard was just now entering her teenage years, but soon she could be presented to the Court, and perhaps selected to become a 'maid' .

Which was such a shallow title, one could be easily fooled, unless one paid attention and noticed personal security comparable to a queen, and private battleships. Riches beyond belief, and going by the rather violent reactions of the Pef Empire whenever one of them was killed...truly loved as well.

A father couldn't hope for a better son-in-law than the future Galactic Emperor.

Even if she'd only be like the hundreth wife, it was still securing a dynasty.

It felt good to be on the winning side. The right side.

Gand System, Planet Mimban

Temple of Pomojema

Scanning the galaxy for tidbits of information was very entertaining, for once.

So, Director Isard was planning a personal union, between his Empress and my Avatar.

Very amusing, almost like I would have done it, and prevent the fragmentation of the galaxy into warlord-ruled polities like it happened in my memories. Then again, 500 of those too ambitious Moffs were 'accidented' , some by my own hand, if on Coruscant, some by my assassins.

And Isard was likely planning to offer his own daughter in a few years. Very pragmatic indeed.

Admiral Thrawn was busy setting up re-supply bases and observatories along the west side, while the Core was doing the same in the east, even finding a few interesting planets like Taral V which had a Gree computer on it, and it working condition too.

Just east of Baros, in fact. So a perfect place to train my marines and some Gray Paladins on a dangerous jungle planet.

More were training on Dathomir, and a few select Sith worlds, those with alchemic beasts, which were farmed for chitin armor plates.

Whatever, the galaxy had thousands of death worlds, and many more to the west.

Those Lugubrra worms were able to bite and digest anything, even stone or metal, so their teeth and stomach acids will be farmed for nice little weapons.

Trillions of nice little weapons. For my trillions of droids!

We don't waste such perfect resources, do we?

'Okay, I had enough of just listening to you ramble. Teta and the Deep Core colonies will be fine now, with Serra Greyshade as an Empress, and all these investments and troops. I want to learn more.' Wialu complained from new palace on planet Kuar.

'Sure thing love. Go board your ship, and I'll bring you home. Perhaps you want to stay in the garden for a few years?' I asked with a lascivious tone.

'Learning and having a few kids. Sure, why not?' my Voice said with a flat intonation.

Come on love, be more excited! Hundreds of scrolls, dozens of new Sith holocrons, a couple of the founding Sith, already in their essence form, and 4 new Jedi holocrons from Thyton...plus hot steamy sex?

'That sounds alright then. I'm not divorcing you yet' Wialu said in a more excited tone.

Yes! Marriage saved. For a few years.

'Still so easy to trick. Okay, we're all on board' My beloved Mistress sent in a stern voice.

Just a second. Packing up my droid, my armor. Teleporting to Centerpoint, then fwooop!.

Wialu's frigate arrived in orbit next to me.

Another swoop, and she fell into my loving arms.

"Missed you so much!" I exclaimed happily.

"Yeah, me too. So how long untill you're ready Pef?" my wife asked curious.

"Well, I'm about 41% now. A few years more to reach 90% of any comprehensible tech. After that...it will be hit and miss, and many many experiments. Could take a decade, could take a billion years. But I hope modern science will progress and catch up in places . Once the Gree and the Columi and the Sharu start pulling their weight. And if not..." I said softly.

"More wars. I know. You think wars stimulate imagination, and make dreams a reality. But using stellar engineering and dimensional engineering for war...it would be very dangerous" Wialu whispered, now a bit concerned.

"People would do it anyway. I've seen hyperspace force-beams and trans-dimensional creatures, mechanical races, cyborg races, insects hives, and hundreds more. The wars will never end, my love. And we only need to lose once." I explained gently.

"So stop whining and keep learning then. But next time you catch a god, let me drain some too, don't be so stingy" she muttered in my neck.

Sure thing love. I had a few in mind anyway.

"Well, I know where the last mind-witch in the galaxy lives. She's called S'ybll and is now on Seidhkona , near Drongar. She must be a thousand years old at least. Wanna learn more?" I whispered softly in her ear.

"You know it, my dear husband. Now you deserve to make me pregnant." she replied in a lascivious tone.

Well, we'll get back on that, since my Avatar was now exploring the home of Darth Vectivus , in the Bimmiel system.

Bimmiel system

The Home, Iron asteroid

The asteroid had been the birthplace of a sentient race of mynocks, a long time ago. And they had force-powers, using them to drain life and attract prey. Somehow, that turned this asteroid into a dark nexus, and then a home for a miner administrator, turned Sith Lord. Only a really really cool Sith.

With friends and family and all. Even built his own palace inside the asteroid. Now, locating the asteroid was quite simple, since it shone darkly in the Force. Now for the other part.

The Jonex corporation had been bought, a bit more expensive that their mines were worth, but they did own this asteroid, so we could now send the miners elsewhere and explore undisturbed.

"Hello there. You must be Dark Jedi Vectivus ?" I asked curious at the specter forming in front of us.

"A Sith, a Jedi and a Grey one walk into a mine shaft. Looking for knowledge or power, strange trio?" the ghost replied, a bit amused.

"Well, I'm Avatar and mostly trying to romance this pretty Jedi Shadow, who is some 4000 years old, and still a virgin. Miss Lyn here is a former dark jedi from the Xendor times, 25 millenia ago and she wants knowledge, while Miss Mourne...wants just not remain alone on the Ship. A Sith meditation sphere." I explained dramatically, even using holograms and illusions to tell the story right.

"Ha! You really are funny, young one. Indeed, all strength and knowledge is useless without love and friends. And such a diverse group, I wish I could see that Ship, I only heard stories..." the Sith spirit said wistfully.

"Well, this device allows me to hold your essence, and carry you inside, Mister Vectivus. Lord Andeddu uses one like this, right now. And he taught me a hundred force abilities. Plus your spirit is tied to this asteroid right now, and the Vong are prowling around Bimmiel. Your home will get destroyed for certain, either during the coming war, or soon after." I explained with a careless shrug, and held up a soul snare. It did happen in my memories.

'Oh'. "Strength that is never touched by ruthlessness is touchingly irresponsible." And you are really ruthless. These Vong, are the flying shadows that I can't touch with my senses?" Darth Vectivus wondered, a bit cautious now.

"Yep, that's them. Slavers from another galaxy, immune to direct force abilities. Elemental damage still works though, not that we will use force lightning on a hundred trillions Vong. We have ships and droids for that. It will be a very intense war, that's for certain" I explained politely.

"All right then. I'll enter this crystal and observe this new galaxy. I sense that there are no more Sith?" Lord Vectivus asked, before becoming trapped inside the snare.

"There are a million Sith. The red skinned ones. But most of the jedi and dark jedi are dead. The Will of the Force wanted balance, not madness. And balance means less extremes, and more tolerance." I explained politely, while draining the special ability this guy discovered called Force phantom .

Really nice concept, draining something dangerous or useless of life energy and creating a phantasm that could be projected anywhere in the galaxy. And while there, still use force abilities.

Another ability called Dopplegänger, used your own life energy to do the same. But if kept too long, it drained you completely. I'll have to teach my Luke Skywalker to be careful then.

And it did seem similar to Similfuturus of the Fallanassi, though those illusions, while tangible, were without the ability of using force powers.

All three were partly material, but also different. Sigh, the more I learned, the less I knew.

I front of me, I made three clones of myself, with each separate ability, and checked them with my Terminator's photoreceptors and weapons.

"What the hell are you doing Avatar?" Miss Mourne asked after a minute of combat testing.

"Trying to combine the abilities. Let's see...someone from your past?" I said gently, forming an image of her former padawan.

"Looks so real?" she whispered in disbelief, going to pat her padawan clone on the shoulder.

Let's make a Fallanassi illusion of her naked body, and have it make out with an illusion of Lyn.

Hmmm. Very sexy indeed...

"This could be a huge help to holomovies makers. Any personage, any scene...it could be recorded and seem real..." I muttered, doing exactly that with my helmet's holorecorder.

"You're still an idiot Avatar. This ability is a terrifying psychological and intelligence weapon. How far can you project them?" Miss Lyn said sternly, while watching the lesbian scene with fascination.

"Anywhere, I think. But they need a strong nexus for maintaining. Here is okay, or former Rakata planets. Or else they need to drain life from animals or something. Or from those who cast them. Which would tire almost anyone..." I explained politely, while dressing and undressing the illusions with various lenjerie and amazon armors.

"Okay, stop it. You made your point, Avatar" The Jedi Shadow said a bit embarrassed, and sneaking a look towards Lyn.

Really? This got you all warmed up?

How about an erect rancor, ripping the amazon's chain mail and bending...

"Stop it! Please..." The former jedi yelled and collapsed to her knees.

Okay then. Maybe a bit too much.

She was really easy to tease through, this galaxy not having had tons of monster/tentacle anime, or perhaps because these things did happen for real. Yeah, probably that.

Those strange hybrid races didn't just appear. They involved conquest and pain.

I went to hug my Jedi maid, and pat her back gently.

"Love is part of life, my dear maid. You tear it apart from your soul, and your soul dies, cold and alone. And I thought the Old Jedi had kids and all. Just the new ones were prudes" I said in a curious tone.

"Shut up. I lost everything, everyone. I sacrificed everything to keep that rakghoul plague contained. And the Immortal Pef just played with that cursed amulet for a minute and made it a belt clasp on his stupid armor. I'm useless..." she complained in a sobbing cry.

"You did the right thing Celeste. The perfect thing. You saved the galaxy, and arrived now. Where you are loved and cherished, and if you study hard, you will never die. Muir survived 7000 years in his amulet. But that's a silly way to become immortal. Souls can be transferred into holocrons, or snares or crystal balls, and then imprinted back into your clone. You can learn agelessness and gene alter and regeneration. You can have a thousand kids of your own. And for that, you only need to do one thing..." I whispered softly in her ear.

"I can huh? So, what do you want, a kiss?" Celeste muttered, a bit less upset.

"I won't say no to a kiss. You're a beautiful woman, after all. You need to trust in the Force, Celeste. Think of all the unlikely accidents that brought you here, in my arms. There is no luck. This new life, is your reward. Whatever you want, I will make for you. Your own planet. A castle in the clouds. Your name written with blue stars over the galaxy..." I proclaimed heroically, untill the woman bumped my helmet with a heavy fist.

"Nerf herder! Offer a lady a dinner first. I'll give you an answer Avatar. Just, let me mourn my friends, okay?" Celeste whispered, and returned my hug.

"I want my own planet, and a castle. And my ship. And a coffer full of gems..." Lyn started her own demands, and grabbed us both in a hug.

"Nope. You will have to dance naked for me. And every hour, you can make a wish. Sounds fair?" I asked with a sweet voice.

"You got a deal mister! But, no more than five kids. I'm won't be a baby factory, I am Arden Greyshade, Darklady of Palawa. Mistress of the Emperor. The oldest maid and thus the most revered!" Arden proclaimed grandly, and got a forehead poke from Celeste.

"Enough Arden. Let's go back to our ship, I want to relax in that jacuzzi and just think. You two can dance and work on that baby making" Celeste demanded with a tired sigh.

"Sounds good for me. Just, let me grab these lightsabers and holocrons, some kid might stab himself!" I said cheerfully, and waved away an altar to retrieve the loot.

Dark Lords of Sith, so predictable. Always stashing goodies behind altars...

Gand system, Pef Empire

Celestial Throne

17 BBY, last month of the year

I looked at the pretty red-haired woman that the new Empress has sent to negotiate and sighed inward.

She had to be around 30 now, and still single. Driven by righteousness and passion, but defending some concepts that had little to do with reality.

"Miss Mothma, you came to ask for ships and troops to aid the Galactic Empire against those hordes in the west, and yet suggest we should disarm and stop building troops?" I asked, a bit confused at her logic.

"W-well, not right now, of course. But once peace is achieved..." the Senator from Chandrila explained with a cringe.

"You do understand that it may take 500 years or 5000 years for the galaxy to be pacified? And that is if we stop exploring and growing. There are a trillion stars, of which we have mapped 5 billions.

But there are many races out there who live in vacuum, or on gas giants, or in asteroid fields. And after this expansion phase is complete, we will need to patrol and defend these new worlds. Not to mention extragalactic races, some of which are already preparing to invade.

But, don't worry, I'm certain you will be the first to be sent to negotiate with them as well. I hear those Lugubrra are very good diplomats..." I said sarcastically.

"You're twisting my words, Emperor. Don't we have enough planets? Why go and look for enemies?" the woman asked a bit more logical. But forgetting why she was here, again.

"You live in a tower Miss Mothma, in the top room, looking over the nice waves of the ocean, and you think you have peace.

But a dozen floors underneath you, there are slavers and pirates. And a dozen floors underneath that, there are rakghouls and feral droids and untold plagues. And out there in the ocean, there are vast fleets, sailing your way, some above the waves, and some below. Many huge monsters too. The sky themselves will rip open one day, and disgorge horrific races that want to erase all life. And that's only external threats. Do you know how the Sith appear?" I explained with a wise comparison.

"People find ancient scrolls and get corrupted?" she asked tentatively.

Yes, that why the Sith ruled the Galactic Empire, because Palpatine found an ancient scroll, somehow not destroyed by the Jedi...

"A few, yes. But, most of them appear from force cults. Flawed education and even more flawed understanding of the universe, which is to say...just religious drivel, and they crack, becoming Dark Jedi and Nightsisters and Prophets of the Darkforce and thousands such death cults, wishing only for power and death. And they convert others, then enslave even more, and try to conquer the galaxy, like Palpatine and Dooku and Skywalker.

Others rise against them, and bombard them into oblivion, then go home happy. The problem is inside them, and it would never go away. Just more people suffer and more planets get obliterated.

And this has gone on for 25 millenia at least. Ever since the Jedi created the Republic." I explained with a head shake.

"The Galactic Republic represents the people, and their interests. And the Jedi Order has done many good things..." the woman argued feebly.

"Yes...the genocide of the Sith species, of Mandalorian worlds, destroying every scrap of knowledge that disagreed with their beliefs, quelling revolts and dissent with mind control, kidnapping children, allowing slavery to exist and in cases even supporting the enslavers. Not that many good things. As individuals, sure, some of them are great people. But as a fanatic religious order...not really.

As for representation, it's hogwash, Miss Senator. Do you even know what the people of Chandrila want? Do they want schools and libraries? Universities and factories? Non stop entertainment channels on the holonet? Cheaper drinks? Legalized polygamy? Perhaps planetary shields and a fleet over their heads, to prevent a madman from burning them out in a minute? When was the last time you went to Chandrila and spoken with a thousand common people, asking them what they want?" I asked rhetorically.

Senators. It was much worse here than back home. At least there they would have to compete for a job, and pretend to hear the citizens.

Sure, my Empire was no better, but at least the standards of living were three times higher, so the people could do whatever they wanted, within the laws.

As long as corruption and crime were kept low, other things formed by themselves. Plus the Servants kept their ears to such things, building a theatre here or a swimming pool there. Mostly by investing in a new corporation, and providing the service desired.

"W-well, I haven't been home...in a long time...but polygamy...seems immoral." the prude woman muttered silently.

"Dunno or care of immorality. If the people want 3 wives, and they have room and money to raise their kids, it seems fine to me.

On Cerea, people have 20 wives sometimes. That's why I hire as many cerean women as possible to our new colonies. They're smart and can hybridize with humans just fine. And if a smart and rich cerean woman wants 5 husbands, it's her business.

As long as the kids don't starve.

My Avatar has a hundred wives, for example, but our family is rich enough to feed a trillion kids and educate them to their best potential. My fourth Hand, King Kikipi of Toong'l has a thousand wives, or more. They seem happy too" I answered with a shrug, and checked her body again.

She would make a nice wife, perhaps...

"Keep those lecherous thought to yourself, Emperor Pef. I don't plan to get married, my work is too important..." the woman said sternly.

Kriff, said that out loud, didn't I?

"Maybe, dear Senator. My Avatar will arrive soon, and your Empress will want your expert opinion about him. Or did you think this alliance could work without marriage and kids? Just sending our brave soldiers to war, without a worthy reward? No, Miss Mothma.

When the galaxy unites to repel these invaders, it will be through a dynasty. Already 200 thousands worlds have left your Galactic Empire and joined the Pef Empire, hoping for a richer and better future. By next year it will be a million worlds.

You will play your part, and get to know my Avatar, and then tell your Empress everything. And thus, you will serve your people, and save them from being enslaved or eaten alive, by those cute races to west. I heard the Imperial Navy lost 400 thousands ships, in the initial attacks. Let's hope the rest will be enough to resist one year. Then we'll talk again about disarmament" I said with a cold voice, and pointed my helmet towards the doors.

The 23rd interview was over, finally. This harridan of a woman was straining my nerves.