History of the Regal Imperial Defenders/Year Two

History of the Regal Imperial Defenders

&mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; A New Dawn &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Although RID’s official anniversary day had come and gone, Bizob nevertheless proposed hosting a RID Anniversary Gala for the following month. In the meantime, RID also tended to other matters. On Lok, the Black Star Alliance and their sister organizations grew their network of cities to include Imperia Vall Tiberius, Imperia Valens, and Imperia Galaxium. As a show of support, and in an attempt to strengthen our ties with these fellow Imperial allies, Fort Oasis for a short time carried the “Imperia” banner. Meanwhile, RID also remained committed to our goal of attacking Rebel installations in the northern neighboring city of Fort Alliance. As a show of force, a squad of fellow RID members including me, Fingolfin, Timit, Isiimorcs and Bizob attacked the city. Members of a Rebel organization called the Shards of Alderaan were there to oppose us. Among them was an individual named Gooden, and a doctor named Obay Speed, the latter of which was swiftly defeated by RID forces during the midst of our skirmish against them. Despite our successful combat operation, RID did not destroy any of the Rebel installations in Fort Alliance. These incursions into their city were merely to test each other’s strength in preparation for the much larger invasions to follow.

Despite our ambitious goals to attack the neighboring Rebel strongholds of Tatooine, RID still remained committed to securing Fort Oasis’ defenses. It had been a long while since Cell had betrayed RID and destroyed the Forward Outpost we had spent so much time acquiring. Fortunately for us, we had finally acquired the necessary capital to construct yet a new Imperial Forward Outpost within the borders of our expanding fortress. Kurke, Fingolfin and Isiimorcs were there to join me for the groundbreaking ceremony. As we prepared to begin construction on the new Forward Outpost, just northeast of the city hall, I declared to those around me that this would be a “historic moment for RID.” Soon enough, our Forward Outpost was finally erected, and me and my fellow RID members cheered for a photo op. Later on, RID members Sha-ta Ipo, Klivyn Darksea, Timit, and an up and coming starfighter pilot named Phow-jin dropped by to witness our new installation. We wasted no time installing a basic turret defense system, and an enemy scanning antenna to aid in the outpost’s defense. In front of the Forward Outpost, we also installed a large, decorative fire pit to symbolize the strength of Fort Oasis, and instill fear in our enemies.

However, our pride in Fort Oasis would not end there. Although Fort Oasis finally had enough citizens to qualify for territorial expansion, planetary authorities were not yet willing to authorize this. Fortunately, another city on Tatooine, possibly the Rebel safe haven of Mos Nevah, slowly began to collapse. As a result of their declining territorial holdings, planetary authorities were finally willing to recognize Fort Oasis’ status as a full-fledged city. As a result of this prestigious recognition, Fort Oasis not only gained extra territory, but also became eligible for the zoning and construction of its very own shuttle port. This shuttle port would allow citizens and tourists to visit Fort Oasis quickly and efficiently from other cities across Tatooine. Upon completion of the shuttle port, I took the liberty of becoming the first passenger to buy a ticket and use the Fort Oasis shuttle. Although Fort Oasis was already within close driving distance of Mos Espa, the acquisition of this shuttle port was nevertheless a triumphant moment which symbolized Fort Oasis’ integration into a larger community. Kurke also accompanied me for the construction of a new theater in Fort Oasis. Zrinity took up ownership of this venue, and it was our hope that the theater would be used for a wide variety of performances. Although Fort Oasis was largely a military stronghold, we remained committed to our goal of also promoting its cultural aspects.

Unfortunately, it would not take long for us to be reminded that the growth of Fort Oasis would only serve to further tempt the Rebel Alliance into attacking our city. The next day, Fort Oasis endured a surprise attack from up to ten Rebels, purportedly those from the city of Fort Alliance. In a moment of vulnerability, these Rebels attacked our newly constructed Forward Outpost in an attempt to destroy it. Thankfully, a member of RID quickly alerted us to the attack. When I finally arrived to the streets of Fort Oasis, the situation had already been pacified. In addition to RID members Fingolfin and Kurke, I was also proud to see that our Imperial allies in the Black Star Alliance, Dark Sovereingty, and Novus Ordo Seclorum were heavily patrolling Fort Oasis. Novus Ordo Seclorum, or NoS for short, was a modest sized Imperial organization. Even Ranxerok of BSA was among them, and although I initially suspected him of leaking Fort Oasis’ vulnerability times to the Rebels, it was later clear to me that he was only aiding in our defense. Ranxerok was joined by a fellow sniper in BSA named Jaygoe Nova. A rifleman named Naddy Dread, and a sentinel named Khalhenis Yashona were among those patrolling Fort Oasis as part of NoS. A soldier of DS named Ahrimand Dargtol, and two other unaffiliated Imperials named “STL” and Katherinn Ikor were also present. Thanks to RID’s quick reaction time, and aid from our Imperial allies, the Rebel attack had only succeeded in destroying the Forward Outpost’s minefield and turret defense systems. In addition to killing most of the Rebels, their vehicles were destroyed, and one suspected spy was reportedly lured within the range of the base’s covert scanner and shot. After quickly replenishing the Forward Outpost’s minefield and replacing at least one of the turret defense systems, we learned of reports of Rebel activity on the world of Corellia. Eager for some form of revenge against the Rebel Alliance, we travelled to Corellia’s capital of Coronet and attacked any Rebel resistance. After driving by way of speeder to the nearby city of Dragon’s Hold for medical attention, combat activities on Corellia started to wind down. However, we would not forget about the brazen attack on Fort Oasis’ defenses. The attempt on our new installation only served to strengthen our resolve against the nearby city of Fort Alliance. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Anniversary Gala &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Throughout the course of RID’s existence, our ranking structure had become extremely convoluted. Instead of the seven set divisions we had at the birth of RID, we now had about thirteen ineffective divisions, as well as a multitude of inexperienced commanders, captains, and officers for each of the divisions. In many cases, members of RID were seeking high ranking positions for no other reason than to hold a prestigious title, or to secure some level of influence. Despite the often selfish motivations, the main problem was that there were now becoming more and more people holding leadership positions than those who were not. Not only did many of these members lack any sort of leadership experience, it was now reaching a point where any sort of clear command structure was nonexistent.

However, Kurke was still among those who made good use of his commanding position. In addition to his roles in overseeing RID’s trade and commerce, Kurke continued to advise me on how to best direct RID. He proposed to me an organizational structure which consisted of only three divisions with a single commander. The three divisions would specialize in combat, combat support, and commerce. I thought about his proposal, and ultimately decided to implement it for RID. However, I did leave some room for additional modifications. For instance, instead of relying on only a single commander for each division, I still allowed for the possibility of each division having a second in command. Furthermore, I allowed for the combat division to be split into multiple squads, and later enacted the implementation of a fourth division in form of an intelligence gathering team. The implementation of this new hierarchy was not always clearly defined, or smoothly executed. Nevertheless, it was vastly superior to the antiquated and convoluted system we had endured for much of RID’s existence.

Meanwhile, to commemorate RID’s anniversary, we finally held festivities in Fort Oasis. Bizob, who was largely responsible for organizing the festivities, was initially disappointed by the poor attendance. However, the festivities eventually picked up when more and more members started to pour into Fort Oasis, including me, Kurke, Zrinity, Fingolfin, Saggs, Yjdeg Y’orsk, Idfig, Vastosh, and another up and coming member named Cerex Hendrix. In addition to a fireworks show, RID conducted a game show in our headquarters, much like the one we had held in the past. Cerex, Zrinity and Fingolfin were the contestants, while Idfig served as the host. In the end, Cerex ended up winning the trivia game show, with Zrinity coming in second place, and Fingolfin in third. Following the game show, RID conducted a friendly dueling tournament in Fort Oasis, in which Fingolfin showed off his combat prowess. Despite the overall success of the anniversary gala, and RID’s other recent successes, there was still a trio of RID members who bemoaned the overall stagnant atmosphere. With Fort Oasis and RID reaching an overall new pinnacle of peace and internal stability, these three members, Kurke, Fingolfin and Zrinity, desired to pursue a challenge of their own. This challenge, they told me, was to form their own Imperial organization and city. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; The Dark Marauders &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Kurke Aumea, who had served RID dutifully since our earliest of days, made clear to me his desire to take Zrinity and Fingolfin with him to form a new Imperial organization and city. I found this news very disheartening, as the three of them were some of our best members. However, I respected Kurke’s wishes, and appreciated his desire to go through with this process as cordially as possible. Unlike the aggravating debacle concerning Rakuda, Eurami, and their Imperial Enclave, Kurke, Zrinity and Fingolfin wished to depart from RID on good terms. With this in mind, hopes of maintaining a close and thriving alliance with their new organization and city seemed very possible. On the day of the anniversary gala, I announced to RID the saddening news. I commended Kurke, Zrinity and Fingolfin for their excellent service to RID. Kurke and Zrinity were both in charge of commerce and combat support respectively, and I announced that those two positions would soon be filled by other members. Furthermore, because Zrinity was the owner of both Fort Oasis’ cantina and newly constructed theater, I announced that we would be looking for someone else to take up ownership of those venues. As a result of their leaving, our Imperial Forward Outpost (possibly under the official ownership of Fingolfin) was peaceably transferred to Bizob. We also announced plans to transfer ownership of the Fort Oasis shopping center. Eventually, RID member Chardath Windriver took up ownership of this venue, with Sharky Mema taking up command of RID’s commercial division. Despite being saddened by their leaving, I stressed that RID would continue to thrive, and remain committed to strengthening an alliance with Kurke and his new organization.

In short order, Kurke, Zrinity and Fingolfin left RID and Fort Oasis for the world of Dantooine. We were already very familiar with Dantooine. Not only had it served as the battleground for the Battle of Crystal Hollow, but it also served as the home of the former Imperial Enclave. Elsewhere on Dantooine, a suspected Rebel safe haven named New Hope dotted the picturesque countryside. Just north of that city, and east of the Dantooine Mining Outpost, Kurke and his duo established their headquarters and officially formed an Imperial organization which they named the Dark Marauders, or DM for short. Fingolfin served as the official leader of DM. They also quickly established a city of their own, governed by Kurke, which started out as an outpost-sized settlement featuring Nabooian-style architecture. After establishing its city hall, DM declared that their new home would be called Nar Shadda. Given its expedient construction, it was clear that Kurke, Zrinity and Fingolfin had already spent a good amount of time preparing for this move. The Dark Marauders even adopted a similar hierarchy to the one proposed by Kurke while in RID. DM featured three divisions, specializing in combat, combat support, and commerce. They also wasted no time recruiting new Imperials for their cause. We did not at all have the same kind of animosity towards DM that we did towards TIE, but there still was something of a friendly rivalry. Kurke and Fingolfin were clearly proud of the progress DM and Nar Shadda was making, and expressed doubt that Fort Oasis could maintain its status as a full-fledged city. Despite being one of our most productive members, Kurke and I had often disagreed on how to best direct RID and Fort Oasis. I believed this in some way motivated Kurke to lead his own Imperials, so that he would not feel as encumbered by what he believed to be my imperfect leadership style. Nevertheless, RID and DM remained on mostly good terms, and I truly believed that a genuine Imperial alliance could be maintained between us. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Imperial Confederation of States &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Despite there already being an Imperial Network, RID was still left somewhat in limbo after the demise of Firebase Corellia. With this in mind, I decided to revisit my ambitious goal of establishing a city network called the Imperial Confederation of States, or ICOS for short. It was never my intention to compete with the Imperial Network. Instead, I envisioned a network which would simply facilitate trade and communications between various Imperial territories. In many ways, I still considered the failed Europa Network as an inspiration for many of ICOS’ principles. However, I hoped that unlike Europa, ICOS would welcome only those sympathetic to the Empire, and never stoop to the dubious and corrupt methods of Weifert.

To create ICOS in earnest, I started by declaring Fort Oasis as a member of this newly created network. Officially, Fort Oasis became known as ICOS Fort Oasis, and I began reaching out to the other Imperial mayors and leaders throughout the galaxy in an attempt to expand this so-called “confederation.” Our newest of allies in the Dark Marauders pledged their support, and Nar Shadda, Dantooine became an honorary member, with a monument to ICOS constructed in front of their city hall. I eventually toured a small city southeast of the Mount Chaolt volcano on Lok, ran by an individual named Legundon, who also pledged his city to become a member of ICOS. In addition, a city named Dheet, south of Naboo’s capital of Theed also became a recognized member of ICOS. Despite these apparent successes, ICOS was a virtually ineffective institution, existing in name only. Nevertheless, in the weeks and months that ensued, I did my best to foster the growth of this ambitious network. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; A New Hope &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; The time of Wookiee Life Day was upon us, a sacred holiday dedicated to celebrating family, joy, and harmony. The Empire was largely ambivalent about such frivolous holidays, but it had nevertheless become a time honored tradition celebrated by many galactic citizens. To pay tribute to the holiday, Telemchus Argus wrote a script for a play to be performed in the Fort Oasis cantina, which he called a Life Day Carol. During the play, Telemchus played a humorous depiction of Emperor Palpatine, as he learned the true meaning of Life Day. The performance was well attended, and included a number of audience members from an organization called WoE.

However, not all was peace and harmony during this holiday of life and joy. On Dantooine, the newly minted Dark Marauders and their growing city of Nar Shadda were already making new enemies. South of Nar Shadda was the city of New Hope, which despite their mayor’s insistence otherwise, was largely suspected of being a Rebel Alliance stronghold. Indeed, three Rebel Alliance Detachment Headquarters were discovered nearby New Hope, prompting the Dark Marauders to destroy about twelve of their turret defense systems over the course of several days. However, when Mayor Kurke Aumea of Nar Shadda entered talks with the mayor of New Hope, he insisted that he and his citizens were not responsible for the installation’s construction. He furthermore insisted that the installations were not true Rebel bases, but merely security installations constructed in order to protect the region from dangerous wildlife. Kurke was not buying any of this, and set an ultimatum for the mayor of New Hope. Both he and his city would have to provide the Dark Marauders with an Imperial installation and 500,000 units of ore, or have his city face swift and violent retribution from the Galactic Empire.

As expected, the mayor of New Hope did not meet his demands by the end of the deadline, prompting Kurke to call on his fellow Marauders to prepare for an attack on the multiple Rebel installations surrounding the treasonous city. As a show of support to our new ally, I pledged RID’s combat assistance, and agreed to fulfill Kurke’s request to call on our fellows members in ICOS. Elsewhere on Dantooine, a large city named Sintari was largely inhabited by members of the Interplanetary Security Force. An Ithorian by the name of Octaviar, a high ranking member of ISF, served as this city’s mayor. ISF remained an active member of the Imperial Network, and seeing as how they were also based on Dantooine, I deemed it prudent to reach out to them first.

On the day of the attack, forces of RID including me, Cerex, Idfig, Gounk, Jaysont Neighbor, Areki Fylgjur, and Trieyn Raije gathered in a city hall on Dantooine (possibly Nar Shadda’s, but this is not certain). The forces of DM included the likes of two DM officers, including a Teräs Käsi master named Star’, and an Imperial technology expert named Served. Other forces of DM included an assassin named Sid’ Vicious, an individual named Vlad-von Carstein, and a Mon Calamari named Daiho. A soldier from an organization called DL, and a woman named Aseanie Tycee from NS also gathered in the city hall. Unfortunately, most allies from ICOS or the Imperial Network were not yet in attendance. Nevertheless, we headed to New Hope, where we were unexpectedly met by a large army of Rebel forces. Before launching a full on attack, I urged everyone to standby for more reinforcements. However, after waiting for nearly an hour, it was clear we could not prolong the inevitable. I was unable to oversee the rest of the combat preparations, so I left Idfig in charge, and provided him with a list of Imperial contacts which could possibly be called on for assistance. In my stead, Idfig ordered the attack on the imposing number of Rebel Alliance soldiers in New Hope. However, the combined forces of RID, DM, and the few other Imperial allies were defeated.

Following the battle, Idfig released a battle report commending the Imperial forces for bravely squaring off against the unexpectedly large number of Rebel forces. Kurke declared that the battle may have been lost, but not the war. It was now abundantly clear to Kurke that the mayor of New Hope was a deceptive liar. Despite the mayor’s insistence that the Rebel installations were of no importance to him, he nevertheless fielded a sizeable army of Rebels to aid in their defense. Now knowing what they were actually up against, Kurke pledged that the war against New Hope was only beginning. With this in mind, both RID and DM agreed to engage in war games on the planet Tatooine. Our two organizations conducted mock combat skirmishes against each other in attempt to hone our skills for the actual battles to follow. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Project Orkin &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Despite our recent forays into Fort Alliance, New Hope, and the other Rebel Alliance strongholds throughout the galaxy, RID was not yet successful in truly decimating Rebel installations. Yes, we were adept at destroying their defenses, soldiers, and perhaps even in some cases their morale, but so long as their bases stood as actual structures in the landscapes of the Empire’s many worlds, we could not truly consider these sorts of attacks as true and clear victories. To amend this, Commander Bizob proposed Project Orkin. Under Project Orkin, Bizob called on volunteers from RID to perform reconnaissance work and compile a list of all Rebel bases on Tatooine. In doing so, we would then proceed to gather vulnerability times on all these bases, and organize strike teams to destroy them outright. Initially, Vastosh provided Bizob the location of a known Rebel base near a city on Tatooine named Sarlacc City. However, Bizob was dismayed to learn that the base was heavily defended with a large block turret, large tower turret, and a potentially hazardous minefield. Nevertheless, he considered this target a prime candidate for destruction.

After surveying the installation, Bizob amassed a RID strike team consisting of himself, Serram Lorestrider, Rofisp Alo, Bothola Kinjo, and a Bothan named Onirele Oaslagra’Kre. While Bizob reported that they had killed a good number of Rebels, the two large turrets proved to be too much for them. After regrouping in Fort Oasis, the team battled Rebel defense forces at a base in the vicinity of Fort Alliance. While the base near Fort Alliance nevertheless remained standing, Bizob commended his fellow soldiers for exhibiting combat prowess, and following orders. I also admired Bizob’s commitment to our goal of bringing the Rebel Alliance to its knees. Although much preparation was still needed, Project Orkin marked the beginnings of RID’s desire to destroy Rebel property in its entirety.

Meanwhile, Rebels continued to do their best to terrorize Fort Oasis. When a Rebel was spotted in our territory, RID member Luuciferr promptly notified Bizob. The Rebel had been successfully fended off with an AT-ST Imperial Walker, and when Bizob finally arrived to Fort Oasis, the Rebel was gone. However, it did not take long for the Rebel to return with backup. Onirele arrived to assist both Bizob and Luuciferr in fending off the Rebel strike team. While attacking the Rebels, one of them amusingly wandered into Fort Oasis’ fully loaded minefield, only to be killed in the ensuing explosion. The other Rebel had managed to successfully subdue Luuciferr in battle, but he too was defeated by Bizob, thus restoring peace and order to RID’s beloved city. After reading Bizob’s report on this Rebel incursion, I commended him and the other RID members. In order to better secure Fort Oasis, I also proposed designating Bizob as an official member of the Fort Oasis militia.

However, Bizob’s ambitions did not rest solely on our homeworld of Tatooine. Naboo’s moon of Rori was notorious for having multiple Rebel organizations hiding among the swampy, murky landscape. One day, I joined Bizob, Luuciferr, and another RID member named Sienna’ Daywing on a combat expedition to Rori to pick away at Rebel resistance. Later on, Bizob formed yet another team of RID members without me to venture into the city of Solaria, which hosted a Rebel organization known as the Alliance Special Forces, or ASF. Soon enough, after attacking at least one of Solaria’s military installations, Xanos and about seven other fellow ASF members emerged to confront RID. By this time, RID was just about to extricate themselves from the region. Yet the Rebels surrounded Bizob and the other RID members, and promptly started taunting them. “Stay out of our town, Imperials,” they bellowed. Undeterred, Bizob opened fire on some of the base’s Rebel defense forces, and ASF closed in to subdue him. RID sprang into action to defend their fellow commander, but ASF outnumbered them two to one. According to Bizob, they had reportedly managed to kill one of the ASF members, and severely injure one of their leaders, but it was not enough to secure victory. After their valiant defeat, RID retreated from region and Bizob wrote up a battle report for my review.

I for one was surprised to hear the reports of ASF confronting RID. It turned out that our friends in DM were also making enemies in ASF. I had heard reports of ASF members cruising through Nar Shadda on Dantooine and disparaging its residents. Seeing as how ASF was regularly seen on Dantooine, I had suspicions that they also had close ties to the city of New Hope. If so, it seemed to me that ASF would become yet another one of RID’s most fervent of enemies. Indeed, Bizob even returned to Solaria to apparently singlehandedly disrupt some of the Rebel’s operations. In the course of doing so, a leader of ASF named Revan emerged to attack Bizob. Yet thanks to Bizob’s skillful combat techniques, he managed to defeat the bothersome Rebel. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Quibbles of Taxation &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; It was around this time that the Bothan member named Onirele Oaslagra’Kre was causing trouble for us. After having exhibited very erratic and insulting behavior to members of RID, I made the decision to promptly remove him from our organization. Sienna’ also brought to my attention some of the things Onirele had said to other members of RID. Onirele had threatened such bizarre notions as “sending bounty hunters to crush us.” He also threatened to expel members from RID by putting them on trial, despite not having the power to do so. He also derided ICOS, claiming it would “fall apart.” Bizob rebuked Onirele, by asking him, “Do you even know what ICOS is?” All in all, it was this disloyal and strange behavior that made me all the more glad to have him removed from our ranks. Onirele had served RID in the past by defending Fort Oasis, but it was clear he was a particularly unstable Bothan. Back in Fort Oasis, RID also held an organizational meeting attended by Gounk, Luuciferr, Sienna’, Rofisp, Bothola, Jaysont, and a Zabrak named Antiek Amowen. During the meeting, the subject of Onirele came up, but I also used the meeting as an opportunity to discuss a wide variety of other organizational issues.

Meanwhile, over in Nar Shadda on the planet Dantooine, Kurke Aumea planned to marry fellow DM member Zrinity. RID was invited to the marriage ceremony, and while I had originally planned on attending, I was ultimately unable to do so. Nevertheless, the marriage went on as planned within the confines of the Nar Shadda city hall. The ceremony ended up being a great success, with a large number of attendees from both RID and DM. Because I could not make it, Oraf Kelga shared images he had taken of the cheerful wedding. Moments such as these only served to strengthen the bond between RID and DM. In many ways, we were almost starting to feel like one single entity. We were fighting together, celebrating together, and communicating together. Yet, this was not always the case. Both Kurke and I were competitive by nature. Kurke enjoyed showcasing DM and Nar Shadda versus RID and Fort Oasis. At one point, Kurke and I had engaged in something of a heated debate about city management and taxation policy. When I revealed that Sienna’ had generously pledged a million credits for Fort Oasis, I consulted RID on how to best invest those funds. I initially suggested using the funds for military expenditures towards a new Imperial Detachment Headquarters, which I at that time estimated would cost a grand total of 4 to 6 million credits. However, another member questioned using the funds for this purpose, and suggested simply pouring the money into Fort Oasis’ treasury to secure its many costly public services. It was at this moment that Kurke jumped in to question my understanding of budgeting, and how to properly fund Fort Oasis. Feeling somewhat put on the defensive, I assured Kurke I had a suitable understanding of financial management. I promised not to put Sienna’s generous contribution to waste, yet I assured everyone that Fort Oasis had over a million credits in its treasury, thus securing the upkeep of public services for a good while longer. I also assured everyone that I would not spend Sienna’s contribution without adequately consulting the rest of RID.

However, Kurke used to the opportunity to further criticize our management of Fort Oasis. He claimed that our treasury was not self sustained through proper tax policy alone, but that it depended on generous grants donated by wealthy members of RID. While this was true to some extent, I felt it was a necessary evil, as I believed broken tax policies prevented us from sustaining all of Fort Oasis’ services through taxes alone. Kurke vehemently disagreed with me, claiming that through proper budgeting and tax policy, Nar Shadda’s growth was completely self sufficient, and did not rely on contributions. While it may have been possible to restructure Fort Oasis’ finances so that it could rely solely on taxes, this would have forced us to limit expenditures on things like employment terminals, parks, streetlamps, and perhaps even more essential things like banking kiosks and our speeder garage. However, Kurke disagreed with my philosophy that Fort Oasis needed all these things. “The one thing I kept trying to drill in your head but that you never understood, is the idea of living within your means,” Kurke told me. He further went on to say, “Call me cheap, call me money conscious, but I can still run a city within its budget without having to force people to give up money in donations.” I was somewhat taken aback by his combative tone. Kurke had his city to govern, and I had mine. Clearly, we simply had different philosophies on how to fund them. Gounk Sharpblaster chimed in to my defense, saying that our goal was to attract new citizens to Fort Oasis. By enacting reductions on things like parks, which make the city look more attractive, he believed that spending cuts would actually hurt Fort Oasis in the long run.

Kurke still disagreed with these notions, and I myself was growing weary of debating it further with him. It was clear that Nar Shadda was growing steadily, and I commended both Kurke and DM for their progress. However, I told Kurke that comparing Nar Shadda’s progress to Fort Oasis was not fair. Kurke had time in RID and as a citizen of Fort Oasis to both learn about the intricacies of city management from the mistakes we had made, gather a group of followers from our very ranks, and use our services as a means to acquire the necessary resources to construct a city of his own. On the other hand, Fort Oasis was built from nothing but the sand beneath our feet, during a time when the planetary authorities were severely restricting our ability to even construct it. We had to amass citizens from scratch, during a chaotic period of our early history. Kurke did not buy this argument. He claimed Fort Oasis floundered as a small township for a period of months, before being able to qualify for recognition as a full city, complete with a shuttle port and extra territorial holdings. “Your excuse that you never had time to plan out things seems a little weak,” he said. Kurke believed Nar Shadda was living proof that proper planning alone was to thank for their speedy success.

It was at this point I was starting to grow irritated with Kurke’s accusatory tone. I took particular issue with his notion that Fort Oasis remaining as a small township for a period of several months was our fault. “Irrelevant, Kurke,” I said. “That was beyond my control.” Fort Oasis had more than enough citizens to qualify for expansion beyond that of a small township. However, it was the restrictive policies of Tatooine’s planetary authorities which prevented us from doing so. When Mos Nevah started to collapse, that is when Fort Oasis had the window of opportunity it needed to qualify for extra recognition. In all, this whole debate only served to highlight why it was best for Kurke to manage his own city. I felt that heavy taxation, treasury donations, and large spending initiatives were necessary to promote Fort Oasis’ prosperity. Kurke had a different view. He believed modest taxation with minimal expenditures on public services was the way forward for Nar Shadda. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Nueva Castoria &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Sienna’ later reported to me that Izomo of ASF had issued what she believed to be a credible threat. Apparently ASF had threatened to destroy a large number of Imperial installations, including those belonging to the Imperial organizations AXIS and RID. Sienna’ also claimed that ASF was planning to decommission their three Rebel installations, and move their base of operations elsewhere. Kurke said he would not be surprised if ASF moved their operations to New Hope or another city on Dantooine. However, he believed ASF was mostly all bluster, not action. I too agreed with the possibility that ASF was mostly bluffing. They no doubt had many skilled combatants, but I was confident that we could mount an adequate defense against them should they ever attack Fort Oasis.

On Dantooine, the city of Nueva Castoria stood as yet another refuge for the Rebel Alliance. Nueva Castoria was likely an offshoot of the city of Castoria which existed closer to Crystal Hollow. Nueva Castoria however, was situated closer to the Dark Marauders’ city of Nar Shadda. After a Rebel Detachment Headquarters was discovered in their territory, I declared that we would mount an attack to destroy it completely. Our goal was not to simply wipe out the headquarters’ defense force, or destroy its defensive capabilities. With the help of the Dark Marauders, NoS, and our other Imperial allies, we had the necessary number of individuals with the skills necessary to slice into the headquarters’ internal computer systems. In doing so, we could initiate a sequence to destroy the installation entirely. I believed that if successful, we could take what we had learned, and finally deliver a death blow to Fort Alliance on Tatooine.

On the day of our attack on Nueva Castoria, Imperial forces from RID, DM, NoS, and a spattering from other Imperial organizations, gathered around the starport of the Dantooine Imperial Outpost. The forces of RID included the likes of Gounk, Kuiloo, Chardath, Cerex, Antiek, Telemchus, Bothola, Sienna’, Jaysont, Rofisp, and a newer member, a human by the name of Erich’ Rhul. Star’ of DM was present, as were Nerv, Naddy, Isar Seedar, Zora Mathias, and multiple others from NoS. In short, this was a very sizable force of Imperials, and a very capable army of fighters at that. After preparing our forces at the Dantooine Imperial Outpost, our forces embarked by shuttle to MEK’s capital, later referred to as Capitus Meks. This city was yet another rebellious city, situated close to Nar Shadda. It was abundantly clear that Nar Shadda was surrounded by a large number of hostile cities. When we landed in MEK’s capital, we met light Rebel resistance. Most of the Rebel resistance was swiftly wiped out by the much larger army of Imperials. Others, such as Rebel Elite Corpsman Seraph from the Darjani Peaks organization named Juggernauts, or JGRN, made a hasty retreat.

After this minor distraction, our massive force of Imperials embarked by speederbike to the nearby Rebel Detachment Headquarters in Nueva Castoria. After approaching the installation, our combined forces swiftly destroyed the base’s three turret defense systems. In addition to the installation’s innate defense force, we also engaged in combat with a number of Rebels from multiple organizations defending Nueva Castoria. However, these small groups of resistance fighters were no match for the overwhelming strength of the Galactic Empire. During the midst of the conflict, I had even defeated Naghaz, the Force-sensitive who had served RID in the past during the CFM War. However, he had long since abandoned RID, and defected to the Rebel Alliance. It seemed that our mission to destroy the Rebel Detachment Headquarters would be a resounding success. We secured the base’s interior, and our technicians began their attempt to slice the installation’s many computer systems. Unfortunately, many of these individuals had never actually attempted to slice a Rebel installation before. When it became apparent that the inadequate training of these slicers would prevent us from actually destroying the installation, morale amongst our ranks began to diminish. We continued to hold off Rebel resistance, but our forces were becoming increasingly wearied. It was quickly becoming clear that our goal of destroying the headquarters would not come to fruition. After over an hour of fighting, we abandoned any further attempts at hacking. RID, DM, NoS, and the other Imperial soldiers then proceeded to leave the region.

While we failed to destroy the installation, I addressed RID and our other Imperial allies about the battle. As far as I was concerned, we did not truly lose. We decimated the Rebel resistance, and proved to the rebellious cities of Dantooine that we were all a force to be reckoned with. I assured everyone that we would learn from our mistakes, and that our slicing technicians would be properly trained for future battles. I thanked Cerex Hendrix, the RID member who was pivotal in amassing the large number of Imperials for the offensive. This would not be the last of us. Indeed, it would not take long for an old friend of the Imperial Network to reach out to us – Cairne Cantasi. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; The Imperial Conference &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Following the demise of Firebase, RID lost virtually all contact with Cairne Cantasi and his Imperial Network. Most of our combat operations were conducted solely with allies in DM, NoS, and BSA. However, the days of RID being left behind in the dark corners of the Empire were over. Days after our attack on Nueva Castoria, Colonel Cairne Cantasi sent a personal invitation to me and many other leaders of the Empire to gather their retinue, and bring them to a massive Imperial conference in the Imperial Palace of ISF’s capital of Sintari, Dantooine. The conference would allow the opportunity for leaders of the Empire to introduce their organizations, network, and recruit unaffiliated Imperials to their ranks. I for one was honored to have RID invited to this grand event. I encouraged all of RID to attend the conference, and show the galaxy that we were a premier Imperial institution.

On the day of the conference, me and multiple other members of RID arrived to the streets of Sintari. My retinue of RID member included Takura, Urasvistu, Xanus, Cerex, Rofisp, Luuciferr, Telemchus, Bamed, Gounk, and Kuiloo. After arriving in Sintari, I was astonished to see the massive number of Imperials from a multitude of Imperial organizations. ISF, TIO, THM, SHC, BSA, NOVA, NEXUS, CXXI, DL, and Imperials from countless other lesser known organizations were in attendance. I also met up with Kurke, Fingolfin and Star’ of the Dark Marauders. Stormtroopers from The Imperial Order and Interplanetary Security Force guarded the Sintari Imperial Palace in organized rows, while the multitude of Imperial attendees filed into the large conference room to be seated. It was a marvelous spectacle; unfortunately I was unable to stay for the entire conference. Because of this, Cerex Hendrix was entrusted with speaking during the conference on RID’s behalf. Thanks to Kuiloo Patlin gathering footage of the event, I was later able to witness the remainder of the conference. After all the attendees got settled in, everyone was amazed to see none other than Darth Vader emerge to enter the Imperial Palace. Lord Vader, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces, was only second to Galactic Emperor Palpatine himself. For Darth Vader to personally address his fellow Imperial subjects was nothing short of an unexpected surprise. After a flurry of salutes and adulation from the countless Imperial attendees, Darth Vader approached the podium beside Colonel Cairne Cantasi of ISF to address his loyal followers. “Allowing the Rebellion to establish control will not be tolerated,” Vader bellowed. Darth Vader continued to insist that the only way to defeat the Rebel Alliance would be for the Empire to establish bases across Dantooine and the other worlds of the galaxy. In doing so, their cities would be controlled, and all resistance would be crushed. “I have seen all that is necessary. I will make sure the Emperor knows of your loyalty. We live to serve Lord Palpatine,” he concluded. After completing his brief address, the Imperial Palace erupted with yet another flurry of cheers and salutations. A number of Imperials exited the hall to witness Darth Vader boarding his personal Lambda-class shuttle, and launch back into the depths of space.

However, the conference had only yet begun. When the attendees once again settled back into the confines of the Imperial Palace, Cairne took the podium to address his fellow Imperials. “For those of you who do not know me, allow me to introduce myself,” he began. “I am Cairne Cantasi, Imperial Intelligence, and your host for this evening. My primary function is diplomacy, and I act in the employ of a group of Imperial organizations who have learned to work together harmoniously and to great effect.” As Cairne continued to speak, he reminisced about the Imperial Network’s glorious days at Firebase. “Some of you may remember Imperial Firebase Corellia, a facility of seven Imperial Forward Outposts placed 2,000 meters north of Coronet City, out in the open in a display of Imperial power.” Cairne continued, “The Firebase was the sight of some of the fiercest fighting against the Rebellion the galaxy has ever seen.” Of course, Firebase had long since been destroyed by the Rebellion, and Cairne looked to the future and said, “This conference has been called so that we, the Imperials of the galaxy, can stand together, look around, and see ourselves not only as individuals who have pledged our allegiance to the Emperor, and not only as members of organizations who have chosen to align themselves with the Empire, but to see ourselves, all of us, as part of something greater.” Cairne then looked towards the intensification of the Galactic Civil War, and pledged that the Empire must boost their military presence on the multiple worlds of the galaxy. He promised, “We are going to be fighting for control of entire worlds. No longer will we be able to shrug away the loss of our military facilities. We will have to fight like a mother sludge panther defending her young, and defend every facility we construct.” Cairne continued his inspirational speech and insisted, “In short, we are going to need numbers and organization the likes of which we have never seen before.” He continued, “The Rebels have recognized this, as well. Even now, they are holding a similar conference to this one on Tatooine.” As Cairne reached the closing statements of his speech, he revealed that the Rebellion was planning to seize control of the planet Corellia. “Powerful new Rebel leaders, some of them traitors from the innermost circles of the Empire, have emerged and are turning the Rebel movement from a fractured cell structure to a true Rebel Alliance,” he warned. Cairne then called on his fellow Imperials to imagine a more powerful Empire. “I would like you to envision the following scenario,” he told everyone. “The Rebels have a military facility which has just gone vulnerable. On a planet which stands on the brink of falling into Imperial hands. The Rebels stand watch nervously, reminded of the critical importance of this facility. Then, over the crest of a hill, comes a wave of white – Imperials in battle and shock armor, with scout walkers bringing up the rear.” This hypothetical scenario ignited excitement among the Imperial attendees, some of whom cheered and applauded. After making some closing statements, Cairne finally called on representatives from multiple Imperial organizations to take the podium, and introduce themselves.

Cairne called on the representative from the Regal Imperial Defenders to take the microphone. Cairne stepped aside, and Cerex Hendrix, acting on my behalf, walked up to the stage. After bowing to Cairne, Cerex turned around to introduce himself. “Hello, I am Cerex Hendrix of the Regal Imperial Defenders,” he began. He continued to explain that RID was a modest sized Imperial organization, based in ICOS Fort Oasis on Tatooine. He informed the attendees that RID was forming a task force to destroy Rebel installations, but required the help of other Imperials to succeed. He recounted the recent failed endeavor in Nueva Castoria, and how despite almost destroying their Rebel Detachment Headquarters, “a lack of instruction, discipline, and patience” resulted in our failure. He then called on the attendees to provide military support, so that RID could successfully destroy Rebel installations in the future. With that, Cerex simply declared, “That’s all folks,” and turned around to bow to Cairne. After stepping away to return to his fellow group of RID members, Zachris Corbani, leader of the Interplanetary Security Forces, took the stage. After giving a brief overview of his organization, Zachris emphasized their capabilities in quickly destroying Rebel installations. Clearly, with ISF working alongside us, Cerex’s, Bizob’s, and my goal of eliminating Rebel bases could truly come to fruition.

Zachris was then followed by Doctor Avalucia Versailles, Colonel in the Imperial Army, and Head Mistress of The Honored Maidens. Avalucia took the opportunity to speak about THM’s rich history, and their multiple projects to expand the Empire’s influence throughout the galaxy. She touched upon THM’s “rapidly developing Space Fighter program,” which would work in conjunction with the Imperial Navy. After saluting the attendees, Avalucia stepped away from the podium, allowing E’lric to take the stage. E’lric was the leader of Dark Legion, another Imperial organization based out of the city of Gilead on Dantooine. His introduction was followed by Star’s, the woman who had quickly ascended the ranks of Kurke’s Dark Marauders. In her introduction, Star’ explained, “We are a part of the growing ICOS organization, and have formed close relationships with RID and . Together we will eliminate the threat of Rebel forces in the galaxy.” Star’ was followed by Deft Aklin of Crimson Nova, who expressed their mission to “remove the terrorist influence from the galaxy.” He called on the attendees to reach out to Leemu, Jerwin, and Skawottohi of NOVA for additional information. After thanking the attendees for their time, the Imperial conference finally started to wind down and come to a close.

The Imperial conference in Sintari was no doubt a resounding success; however it was not devoid of some mishaps. Regrettably, I learned that Xanus of RID had acted rudely towards a number of Imperial allies. I also learned that Cerex, Luuciferr, Takura, Bamed, and Rofisp ended up leaving RID after the conference. I initially believed this was because they were upset with Xanus’ conduct, so I promptly decided to remove Xanus from RID. However, I later reintroduced Xanus to RID as soon as an apology was reached. Indeed, it was not clear if it was Xanus’ conduct which prompted most of these members to leave RID. At least some of the members who left, including Cerex, Takura and Rofisp, ended up joining the Dark Marauders. So I did somewhat suspect DM of playing a role in pulling members away from us during the course of the conference. Regardless, I did not let this interfere with our mostly healthy alliance. In fact, during the weeks that followed, Warlord of RID established a large structure in Nar Shadda to act as the Embassy of RID. As a token of goodwill, the Dark Marauders had also allowed me to maintain a small home in Nar Shadda. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Farpoint City Election &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; On the eastern edge of the Mesric Plateau, south of Tatooine’s Eastern Dune Sea, two large cities existed. They were sister cities named Farpoint City and Farpoint Valley. The first of the two, Farpoint City, was built atop the ruins of Drifter’s Oasis, a Rebel stronghold razed by the Galactic Empire. In fact, I had at one point been involved in an attack on a Rebel base in Drifter’s Oasis, prompting the city management to blacklist me personally. After the “massacre of Drifter’s Oasis,” as the attack had come to be known, a man named Sidious Inoxi began an extensive rebuilding campaign, acquiring funds and settlers from all over Tatooine. Henceforth, with Drifter’s Oasis transformed into Farpoint, Sidious Inoxi became mayor, and Farpoint turned into a boomtown. The city quickly welcomed a number of legitimate and dubious businesses, including Cael Broden’s group, which ran the Farpoint Holonews, successor to the Skullhaven Holonews, as a front for more illegal activities. An entertainment group known as the Neutron Pixies also joined the city, as did Amme’s Vigilantes, a mercenary group which took over the town’s security and law enforcement. However, they were eventually succeeded by Xisor Transport Systems. The second incarnation of the criminal syndicate called Severed Shade, led by Karpasso F. Tong, also moved some assets into the town, beginning a sometimes violent competition known as “Tatooine’s Criminal Cold War.”

Despite this violence, and the related power struggles in the city’s senate, the town flourished, attracting many business enterprises and events, such as Fight Night, gambling nights, swoop races and similar events. Numerous weddings were held in the town as well, among them that of Cael Broden and Nasoon, and of Webber Goldear and Clarissa Wrenchturner. The town’s main cantina, Nightsisters, ran by Nasoon, was busy almost around the clock, but suffered from frequent violent incidents including bombings. The Neutron Pixies bought the old police station of Drifter’s Oasis, and turned it into a more secure nightclub, Jailbirds, opening it only a few times a week. Nearby, a mall rose, offering some of the best products on the planet, among them Ikooga’s fine food, and the weapons from the Inoxi family. The population grew so much, that the Inoxi family founded a suburb, Farpoint Valley. Sidious Inoxi’s adopted niece, Ricarda Inoxi, was the first mayor, later to be succeeded by Clarissa Goldear. With Farpoint Valley’s construction, the original Farpoint was slightly renamed to Farpoint City. Unlike Farpoint City, Farpoint Valley was a quieter town, without as much of the strife and unrest common to the original Farpoint. Nevertheless, Farpoint Valley also flourished, attracting colorful residents and businesses, among them members of the Severed Shade, who opened a cantina there, as well as a more secretive group of people moving in from Lok under the leadership of Gawau Kanati, who opened what became the town’s central cantina. Eventually, Farpoint Valley joined Farpoint City as a thriving metropolis, acquiring a shuttle port of its very own. During these early days, Farpoint Valley remained more of an integral part of Farpoint City, rather than a settlement in its own right. Nevertheless, the two were governed separately by two separate mayors.

Despite their rich histories, RID had little to do with either one of the two Farpoint cities, aside from the limited involvement in the Empire’s attacks on Drifter’s Oasis long ago. That would soon change, however. Business had turned bad for Farpoint City. Not many people were visiting the once thriving streets of the metropolis. The city had entered a period of complacency. However, it would soon be awoken from its slumber. Jacobias Andiyar, a citizen of Farpoint City, announced his candidacy against the incumbent Mayor Sidious Inoxi. When news of this surfaced, Farpoint City planned for a debate to be held between the two candidates in the Farpoint city hall. With emotions running high, many residents expressed an interest in attending this promising political debate. A Twi’lek by the name of Issele Eshiw, who was by that point a prominent Imperial in Crimson Nova, was not able to attend and moderate the debate. As a backup, it did not take long for the leaders of Farpoint City to set their eyes towards me, the esteemed mayor and commander of Fort Oasis and its Regal Imperial Defenders. Seeing this as an opportunity to strengthen our ties with the two respectable cities of Farpoint, I was more than willing to act as the debate moderator. On the day of the debate, residents and dignitaries filled the city hall and took their seats. Meanwhile, I stood at the podium between Sidious and Jacobias, holding the debate questions that had been provided to me by the citizens beforehand. It was my job to filter out the questions not suitable for the debate. I would also have to give the opponents a limited amount of time to answer the questions, about two to three minutes in all, while remaining as neutral as possible during the debate.

Once everyone was settled in, Mayor Ricarda Inoxi of Farpoint Valley delivered an opening speech, and reminded all the attendees to put away their weapons. Finally, the debate commenced, with me asking the two candidates the many questions given to me by the residents. Most of the questions pertained to what the candidate’s would do in regards to the city’s police force, its structural layout, taxes, and other matters. Throughout the debate, it seemed clear that the incumbent mayor Sidious would win by a landslide. Most of the citizens seemed impressed by his well informed answers. Some citizens even cast their votes for Sidious before the debate was even concluded. Amusingly, Jacobias seemed to even agree with his opponent on most points.

When Jacobias was asked why he wanted to run for mayor, he answered with a touching story about how empty Farpoint had become. However, he also made odd promises for Farpoint, including a proposition to have the city offer free Kaadu rides for children. Proposals such as these mostly served to raise eyebrows among the many attendees of the debate. Nevertheless, Jacobias pointedly explained that his running for mayor would be a minor victory, if even half of his ideas were heard by the people. On the subject of the city’s senate, both Sidious and Jacobias agreed to purge it of those not so committed to the future of Farpoint. They both also agreed to welcome all kinds of religious sects into Farpoint, showing tolerance and sympathy towards such fringe groups. Indeed, at one point during the debate, a number of citizens stood up to speak. One of these citizens was T’omo Aedon, an Ithorian priest, and a strong advocate of the Inoxi administration.

Finally, after most of the questions had been asked and answered, the debate was brought to a close. I was thanked by the city’s management for moderating the debate. Meanwhile, citizens flooded the ballot box, and then left to relax at some of the city’s local cantinas. As expected, the election ended with the incumbent Mayor Sidious Inoxi emerging victorious by a landslide. Nevertheless, the fact that Jacobias Andiyar had dared to challenge the incumbent served as a wakeup call for the increasingly complacent administration. Certainly, much needed to be done to bring business back to Farpoint, and revitalize their city once more. After the debate, a HoloNet news article was released, giving its readers a recap of the debate. In it, my service as the moderator was commended. “Congratulations on a job well done, Lexx,” the article read. Certainly, this would not be the last time RID and the citizens of Farpoint would cross paths. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Imperial Resurgence &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Ever since the impressive Imperial conference in Sintari, the Galactic Empire and its Imperial Network entered something of resurgence. Emboldened by our newfound unity, RID and its allies embarked on a number of ambitious initiatives, including building up our military defenses, and amassing an army to take on the Rebel Alliance in their many hideouts. Back in Fort Oasis, I met with the dancer by the name of Thaesus Andromeda. You may recall that Thaesus had once made treasonous remarks in Fort Oasis during the midst of our Civil War. While we did interrogate her, we did not deem her a serious threat, and did not remove her from RID immediately. Nevertheless, she did end up leaving RID at some point to pursue her entertainment career. However, ever since Zrinity left RID to join DM, we were forced to decommission the Fort Oasis cantina. Desperate to finally reopen it, I agreed to let Thaesus take up ownership of the cantina. While I did not readmit her into RID, due to her questionable past, I believed that she could not do much harm as the mere proprietor of an entertainment venue. Thankfully, Thaesus proved to be trustworthy in this regard. The cantina was redecorated, and we even planned to host a grand reopening.

Meanwhile, I one day met up with Thaesus’ relative, a woman named Isis’ Andromeda, and fellow RID members Erich’ and Telemchus to celebrate the construction of yet another new base in Fort Oasis. This time, we would be constructing a large Imperial Detachment Headquarters near our city’s medical center, under Erich’s command. It was yet another proud moment for RID. After construction on the headquarters was completed, the four of us cheerfully celebrated. In the reopened Fort Oasis cantina, me, Erich’, Chardath, and Bizob enjoyed a dance and music performance by both Thaesus and Isis’ Andromeda. Rofisp Alo, who remained in DM since our conference in Sintari, also dropped by to commemorate the occasion. Following the construction of our new Imperial installation, I was pleased to read a message from Malcinda Gao-Shen of Shadow Nexus, pledging defense aid to RID and Fort Oasis. Shadow Nexus, a specialized assassin unit made up of members of The Honored Maidens, pledged to remain on-call for military defense of ICOS Fort Oasis. If our compound were to ever be attacked, Shadow Nexus instructed RID to contact Malcinda, Seeva, Emorai, or Annyah with a “situation report detailing the number of suspected terrorists.”

As an aside, it was by this time that RID’s code of guidelines, known as the Ten Commands, expanded to include extra “Commands.” By that time, many of the rules were antiquated, so I decided to transform RID’s Commands into a more cohesive set up rules known as the Regal Consitution. The Regal Consitution drew some inspiration from the original Ten Commands, except it contained many more clearly defined directives. Furthermore, we no longer restricted such frivolous and seldom enforced notions, such as battling Rebels in hospitals, or using chemical weapons in warfare. The Regal Constitution was a constantly evolving document, subject to change on a whim if I so desired. Rules included provisions for treating fellow comrades with respect, provisions against treason and insubordination, directions on how to organize Emergency Judgment Council trials, and eventually, even a continuity of government directive which explained what to do in the event if me, the Leader of RID, should ever disappear or become deceased.

Meanwhile, the fight against the Rebellion continued. Although Cerex was now in DM, he remained committed to quelling Rebel resistance on Naboo’s moon of Rori. One day, I joined him and a member of NoS named Avim for an attack on at least one of ASF’s Rebel installations in Solaria. We only had a small squad at first, but Avim did have under his command an AT-ST Imperial Walker. However, it did not take long for ASF to learn of our presence. Revan of ASF drove by on his swoop bike, forcing us to move quickly. We started by heading towards one of ASF’s Rebel Forward Outposts, defended by two large tower turrets. Because we only had a small squad, it was not our goal to destroy the installation. We simply wished to weaken it for a potentially larger assault in the future. With the help of Cerex, Avim, and his Imperial Walker, we managed pick away at the base’s defenses. During the course of the skirmish, we even managed to defeat Izomo and at least one other Rebel. Unfortunately, our small squad was vastly outnumbered, and unable to destroy the two large turrets. After we were defeated, we regrouped at a remote Imperial Encampment on Rori. Avim feared that the AT-ST under his command had been destroyed by the Rebel forces during the conflict, but he was happy to see the AT-ST emerge, heavily damaged, yet still intact.

To gather an even larger force of Imperials, we headed to the capital of Theed on the nearby world of Naboo. After rallying a larger, more efficient group of Imperials consisting of multiple members from an organization named EotE, we headed back to Rori. Warlord of RID also headed over to join us for the second attempt on ASF’s turret defenses. Despite being heavily wounded by the Rebel forces, this larger strike force managed to successfully destroy the turrets defending the enemy Forward Outpost. Our attack on Solaria was a success, and even after Cerex and I had left the region, Star’ of DM took command and continued fighting. Wearied by the long day of fighting, I headed back to Naboo to relax on the beaches of Kaadara. While on Naboo, I also met up with Bamed, one of RID’s Mon Calamari traders. Believing Bamed to be an excellent craftsman, I commissioned from him a newly constructed AV-21 landspeeder, which he sold to me during my brief moment of respite on Naboo.

However, leaders of the Empire could only rest for so long. Later on, I joined Cerex and Rofisp of DM, and RID members Erich’ and Clank’ for yet another combat operation against Rebel holdouts on Rori. This time, we ventured into yet another Rebel-aligned stronghold plaguing the swamp moon, a large city named Libertas. As it turned out, my Rebel friend Com Cypher actually owned a residency within this particular city. However, I did not let sentimentality interfere with our persecution of entire Rebel cities. Libertas consisted of a large Rebel military base. It was not defended by any kind of turret systems, so our small squad of RID and DM members took the time to pick away at the base’s security forces.

Following our most recent attacks on Rori, it was learned that ASF was actually attempting to defect some members of RID to the Rebel cause, including Bizob, our loyal Rodian commander. I hoped to use this to our advantage, and proposed a plan to have a member of RID pretend to defect and join ASF. In doing so, I believed we could have the spy construct a safe house for RID in Solaria, and even enact the construction of an Imperial Forward Outpost within their city. This proposal of mine never took hold, but schemes such as these were regularly thought up in an attempt to undermine the Alliance Special Forces.

Meanwhile, as a show of support to the Imperial Network, I travelled with RID members Telemchus and Phow-jin to the planet Corellia to aid the Imperial organizations NoS and EotE. Cerex of DM also arrived to Corellia to assist us. After amassing our forces, we conducted a large scale combat operation against Rebels on the world. Back on Tatooine, and with backing from the Imperial Network, RID drastically stepped up the construction of Imperial installations in and around Fort Oasis. In addition to the Detachment Headquarters operated by Erich’, and the Forward Outpost near our shuttleport operated by Bizob, we also commissioned the construction of four more Forward Outposts. Cerex assumed command of two of the new Forward Outposts, one of which was constructed slightly outside the city boundaries, near Fort Oasis’ industrial zone. The other Forward Outpost under Cerex’s command was also constructed slightly outside the city boundaries, east of Fort Oasis’ residential area. Meanwhile, Erich’ assumed control of the other two Forward Outposts, one of which was constructed slightly inside the city’s residential area, while the other was constructed next to the Imperial Oasis further west. I proudly updated RID on the status of our growing military compounds, and also revealed that we were discussing plans for the construction of yet another base under Bizob’s command. As a token of goodwill to our allies in the Dark Marauders, I also bestowed to Kurke a Forward Outpost to be constructed in Nar Shadda. Gone were the days when RID struggled to maintain merely one Forward Outpost. From that day forward, RID had the resources to construct and maintain multiple installations. It was, as Darth Vader ordered during Sintari’s Imperial conference, a surefire way to secure planetary control for the Galactic Empire.

Sadly, the Rebel Alliance launched a ruthless surprise attack on these new, vulnerable installations. Mere days later, I returned to Fort Oasis, only to discover that five of our six installations were completely destroyed. The only installation that remained was the small Forward Outpost near the Imperial Oasis operated by Erich’. I quickly kept RID up to speed on the devastating attack. “There are no solid links as to who did this,” I told everyone, “but it is probably ASF and other Rebel groups who were involved.” Although the destruction of these bases was disappointing, I reminded all of RID that “this was war,” and that we would rebuild. “The actions in our precious city mean serious retaliation,” I said. I vowed to strike ASF’s city of Solaria with the help of our allies in the Imperial Network. To achieve this, I first reached out to Cairne Cantasi and our friends in the Dark Marauders. I further assured my followers, “This is nothing to worry about. The cowardly acts of terrorists and insurgents won’t stop RID.” In retrospect, there was virtually no evidence connecting ASF to the brazen attack on Fort Oasis. However, we needed a scapegoat, and ASF was the most likely culprit. After all, they did recently threaten to destroy RID’s assets.

Despite the devastating loss of most of our facilities, I decided to use the occasion as an opportunity to boost morale, and further strengthen our ties between RID and DM. After decorating the streets of Fort Oasis with flags of the Empire and planet Tatooine, I invited RID and DM for an impromptu meeting in the Fort Oasis cantina. RID members Keelok Tovee, Cerex, Serram, Gounk, Phow-jin, Urasvistu, and myself were in attendance. Several members from DM, including Star’, Rofisp, DarkVenom, and a Mon Calamari name Dalim, also arrived. This meeting was more festive than most. We took a moment to relax in the cantina, listening to anthems of the Empire on the jukebox, and chatting with one another. Urasvistu took to the stage, showing off his dance moves as people filed in. After everyone got settled, we finally used the opportunity to discuss our plans to retaliate against the Rebellion. During the course of the meeting, we arrived to one simple conclusion: More Imperial bases, and less Rebel ones. In other words, we would continue to construct Imperial installations, replacing those that were only just destroyed in and around Fort Oasis. Likewise, we would step up our efforts to destroy Rebel installations, not just in Solaria, but across the galaxy.

The next day, Sharky Mema sent an advisory in the RID-DM communications channel that Fort Oasis was being attacked by Rebels. I immediately responded, as did Cerex of DM. Sharky clarified that the Rebels were members of a Rebel organization known as SAINT. Indeed, it is quite possible that SAINT may have actually been the Rebel cell responsible for the recent attack on Fort Oasis, if not ASF. By the time Cerex and I arrived, only one or two Rebels were spotted. With Cerex’s help, SAINT was successfully defeated, restoring peace to Fort Oasis once more. This latest incursion in Fort Oasis only served to highlight the improved communications and strengthened alliance between RID and DM. It also served to highlight the loyalty and vigilance of Fort Oasis’ citizens. Sharky was merely a trader in command of RID’s commercial sector, yet he quickly recognized the threat in Fort Oasis, and notified us immediately. Following this interruption, RID organized a party in the Fort Oasis cantina, this time welcoming the many other allies in the large Imperial Network. Erich’ and Bizob attended as my emissaries in RID. Timit, who had since left RID to join the Imperial organization called , also attended. Vall and his loyal followers in the True Lokian Command and Black Star Alliance also attended in modest numbers, as did Toonces of Crimson Nova, and multiple Imperials from an organization called “cav.” The gathering was a great success. RID and their allies chatted with one another in the cantina, while a Twi’lek entertainer from the True Lokian Command named Perrissa Pearce played music for the attendees. Certainly, festivities such as these were enjoyable in their own right, but they also served another purpose. RID was quietly setting in motion plans for an ambitious attack; an attack which would require fierce and loyal assistance from allies such as these. In the days that followed, RID would finally enact vengeance against one of our most detested enemies – the Rebels of Fort Alliance. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Attack on Fort Alliance &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; This historic account has already made sporadic mention of the treasonous city of Fort Alliance. RID had already launched occasional attacks on this city since first being introduced to the Imperial Network months ago. Fort Alliance was a Rebel city, and that was all the reason we needed to attack it. However, RID’s desire to bring about the downfall of this city was also personal. Fort Alliance was founded after Fort Oasis, in the time prior to our Civil War. Nevertheless, the nascent city blossomed into a thriving city well before Fort Oasis, and even acquired its own shuttle port before we did. This alone was enough to serve as something of an embarrassment to us and our own city’s progress. To make matters worse, Fort Alliance was also constructed a close distance west of Fort Tusken, a popular destination for many of the planet’s adventurers. Because of this, these adventurers would instead pay for passage through Fort Alliance, rather than Fort Oasis. So in a sense, the existence of Fort Alliance harmed Fort Oasis economically. The existence of Fort Alliance and their shuttle port reduced the revenue Fort Oasis generated through travel tickets. It is quite likely that sales at our local shops, including the Fort Oasis shopping center, took a hit as well. However, these economic concerns were short lived. Although the city of Fort Alliance was still considered a large city by most metrics, it was in fact hanging on by a thread. In addition to enduring constant Imperial assaults, Fort Alliance reportedly had a corrupt militia, and a neglectful mayor who was seldom if ever seen by the public. Their shuttle port, which threatened to divert business away from Fort Oasis, was even mysteriously dismantled. It is not clear if their shuttle port was intentionally decommissioned to reduce the ease of hostile Imperials travelling into their city, or if it was in fact shut down due to mismanagement and lack of public funds. Either way, the loss of Fort Alliance’s travel hub weakened the city considerably, and once again restored extra revenue to Fort Oasis.

However, this did not mean that RID would abandon their efforts against the city. We held its residents responsible for one of the recent attacks on Fort Oasis’ Forward Outpost. We did not learn much about the residents of Fort Alliance; however it was possibly home to a number of Rebels from various organizations, including the Shards of Alderaan, or SoA. The Rebel group SoA was actually based out of the city of Aldera on the planet Corellia, yet at least a couple members of SoA were responsible for defending Fort Alliance during one of our more recent attacks on the city.

While the Imperial Network recognized Fort Alliance as a serious threat to the Galactic Empire’s dominance over Tatooine, they continued to commit most of their resources towards securing the world of Corellia. Nevertheless, our allies in the Black Star Alliance respected RID, and expressed a willingness to help secure Tatooine under Imperial control. As part of a larger operation I dubbed the “Tatooine Offensive,” RID proposed an ambitious operation that largely focused on Fort Alliance. By that time, Erich’ Ruhl of RID was forming a specialized team of base slicers, capable of initiating destruction sequences within Rebel installations. We hoped to avoid repeating the mistakes of Nueva Castoria, where inadequately trained Imperial slicers had failed to destroy the Rebel’s Detachment Headquarters. Thanks to Erich’s leadership, I believed that RID, in conjunction with our allies in BSA, could succeed in targeting Fort Alliance’s military installations. We hoped that by relentlessly attacking Fort Alliance; the beleaguered city would ultimately collapse, thus restoring peace to the region.

With this in mind, we proposed launching a surprise attack on Fort Alliance’s territory which would involve destroying their prized Rebel Forward Outpost. Once successful, we would quickly authorize the construction of multiple Imperial bases atop the ashes of the once standing Rebel base. This would not only secure a perimeter of Imperial forces around Fort Alliance, but it would also demoralize our opponents. On the day of our surprise attack, forces from RID and BSA amassed in the Fort Oasis cantina. The forces of RID included myself, Bizob, Erich’ and Shriker. Under Sylestra’s command, BSA fielded Ryalia Losan, and none other than TwistedImage, the former member of RID. Unfortunately, our allies in the Dark Marauders were unable to join us. Star’, who had served as one of DM’s leading officers, arrived to Fort Oasis to aid RID and BSA. Bearing the slightly different name of “Star-,” the former commander of the Dark Marauders was now serving in the allied Imperial organization . While gathering in the cantina, RID, BSA, and Star- of  enjoyed a dance performance by Sojb of DVS. After taking some time to relax and prepare our forces, our joint team of Imperials left Fort Oasis to embark on our journey to the northern city of Fort Alliance.

By the time we had arrived, the twin suns of Tatooine were just about to rise above the horizon. We carefully approached Fort Alliance’s Forward Outpost. Wielding long range blaster rifles, Shriker, Sylestra, Ryalia and I dove to the ground, and slowly crawled up a sand dune overlooking the Rebel outpost. The four of us would act as snipers, picking off the base’s defense forces before attacking the installation up close and personal. Behind us was the sixth incarnation of my trusty Viper probe droid, which I named Black Death VI, and a black armored Imperial storm commando, NX-105. Off to our left, Erich’ brazenly surveyed the horizon on foot, while Star- rolled into the area on her swoop bike. “Guard us snipers,” Shriker said, while carefully positioned on the ground. Star- hopped off her bike, and Erich’ then proceeded to call in a two-legged All-Terrain Scout Transport. With all the preparations made, Sylestra cheerfully proclaimed, “Well, here we go.” At once, me and the three other snipers began firing at the Rebel soldiers patrolling the exterior of the Forward Outpost, while Erich’ and Star- guarded our position. One by one, most of the Rebels outside of the base were being killed. Us snipers finally stood up, save for Shriker, who continued to fire at a few of the remaining Rebels in a kneeling position. With the initial phase of the conflict almost complete, I ordered Erich’ to send his AT-ST to attack the various Rebel commandants outside the base.

By sunrise, the area outside the base had been secured, and our troops forcibly entered the front entrance of the Rebel Forward Outpost. By that time, extra reinforcements had arrived from the StarHawk Conglomerate, including Svaartvadel and Covii Erovatti. An Imperial named Paopi also joined our forces. After eliminating Rebel resistance inside the base, our slicers proceeded to initiate the destruction countdown. Fortunately for us, the actual residents of Fort Alliance were not yet aware of this surprise attack. Otherwise, we may have faced fiercer resistance from Rebels in multiple organizations, including perhaps SoA and SAINT. Finally, several minutes after initiating the countdown sequence, we emerged a safe distance away from the Forward Outpost and watched the installation blow apart. For the first time in their history, RID had succeeded in completely destroying a Rebel installation. True, we could not have been successful without Vall’s loyal soldiers in BSA, or the dutiful assistance from SHC and Star- of , but this proved that together, we could bring about the downfall of the Rebel Alliance on Tatooine. However, our operation was not yet complete. Our final objective was to establish two Imperial Forward Outposts amid the ruins of the former Rebel installation. Fortunately, the construction of these two Imperial bases went flawlessly. Residents who emerged from their homes would be met with the sight of two imposing Imperial Forward Outposts, patrolled by numerous stormtroopers, and at least two AT-ST walkers. Our attack on Fort Alliance was a complete success!

Following the successful operation, Bizob released a written battle report, and thanked RID and their allies for their dutiful service. I too thanked everyone who assisted us during the attack. However, the “Tatooine Offensive” would not stop with Fort Alliance. I pledged to construct even more Imperial bases on Tatooine, and destroy other Rebel installations across the world. As our next mission, I announced that we would move forward on our attack on Sarlacc City’s Rebel base. With the help of our allies in BSA, TLC, SHC, and DM, RID successfully destroyed this installation as well. In a similar fashion to our attack on Fort Alliance, our Imperial forces constructed a new Imperial base atop the remains of Sarlacc City’s former installation. Bizob released yet another battle report, once again thanking RID and their allies for their continued assistance on the planet Tatooine. He told everyone to keep up the good work, and devote time towards stockpiling turret systems and other defenses. Meanwhile, I informed RID about reports of additional Rebel bases on Tatooine, including about three to four near Anchorhead, and another right next to Farpoint Valley. The Rebel base near Farpoint Valley was in fact constructed close by to an Imperial installation we had constructed near the city. Clearly, RID and the Empire still had much work cut out for them, in order to fully secure the planet Tatooine. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Taking Back the Galaxy &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; In the days following our attacks on Fort Alliance and Sarlacc City, Cairne Cantasi of the Imperial Network sent a memo titled, “Taking back the galaxy.” In this message to the many allies of the Imperial Network, Cairne reported that Corellia was back in Imperial hands, thanks to the construction of two Special Forces Detachment Headquarters, one supplied by Gorion of NOVA, and the other provided by Svaartvadel of SHC. Cairne declared that the planet’s capital of Coronet City had been pacified, and that the Empire occupied its streets.

Cairne also reported that Samix of the 501st Expeditionary Force, or XFOR for short, had enacted the construction of a Special Forces Detachment Headquarters in ICOS Fort Oasis. Likewise, he announced that Sylestra of BSA would be enacting the construction of a Special Forces Field Hospital around our city as well. Reading this memo brought me a great amount of delight. Evidently, with Corellia secured for the Empire, the Imperial Network was devoting more time and attention towards our forces on Tatooine. They recognized that RID was the premier Imperial organization on Tatooine, and focused on fortifying ICOS Fort Oasis. In his memo, Cairne believed that the construction of these additional facilities in and around our city would bring Tatooine under Imperial control. He also announced his desire to gather a strike team to destroy the remaining Rebel bases across Tatooine. After reading his memo, I met with Sylestra in Fort Oasis. With her help, the Field Hospital Cairne had referred to was constructed next to Samix’s Detachment Headquarters. Both these installations were constructed on the edge of Fort Oasis’ territory, securing its eastern boundary.

Unfortunately, the Rebels would not let us take back the galaxy without a fight. The residents of Fort Alliance learned that RID was primarily responsible for spearheading the ambitious assault on their city. Mere days after the attack on Fort Alliance, the Rebellion launched a vicious counterattack against Fort Oasis. They had succeeded in destroying the newly constructed Field Hospital managed by Sylestra, as well as two of our Forward Outposts near the Imperial Oasis. Thankfully, the Detachment Headquarters operated by Samix, and a Special Forces Forward Outpost near our city hall remained standing. Records are limited, but at some point around this time, the Detachment Headquarters operated by Erich’ near our medical center was also destroyed. It is not clear if this Detachment Headquarters was destroyed during this particular Rebel assault. In any case, we quickly replaced it with a slightly less costly Special Forces Tactical Center. Although the damage to our installations could have been much worse, the bold attack served as a wakeup call. To add insult to injury, the Rebels also imitated our attack on Fort Alliance. After destroying the Field Hospital and two Forward Outposts, they constructed two Rebel Forward Outposts of their own. One of these bases was built near the ruins of the destroyed Field Hospital, close to our city’s eastern border. The other was constructed just next to the Imperial Oasis to our west. This was no doubt a distressing turn of events. Not willing to see Rebel soldiers patrol RID’s territory, I quickly made it a priority to destroy these installations. Thankfully, with the help of our Imperial allies, the Rebel Forward Outpost near our eastern border was destroyed. However, the one near the Imperial Oasis remained standing.

Meanwhile, to avoid confusion, and to express our full commitment to the Imperial Network, I decided to decommission our experimental ICOS network. To make this clear, we officially renamed ICOS Fort Oasis back to Fort Oasis. Later on, RID gathered in the city’s cantina for brief festivities. Keelok, Warlord, Phow-jin, Gounk, Sharky, and a Twi’lek named Zoreal Bladedancer were all at the gathering. A Wookiee member named Shobowob also took the stage to play music on his bandfill instrument. Although he was not in attendance, it was also around this time that Cerex Hendrix left DM to rejoin RID. After taking the time to relax, I took Zoreal along with me for the brief trek to the nearby Imperial Oasis. While there, she and I surveyed the area near the Rebel Forward Outpost to construct yet another installation of our own. Erich’ and I also returned to the Imperial Oasis to further investigate the Rebel Forward Outpost constructed by our enemies in Fort Alliance. Considering it a blight on our landscape, and an insult to RID’s superiority over the region, we planned to destroy it completely. Evidently, the Rebels of Fort Alliance had not learned their lesson. Instead of their citizens accepting Imperial subjugation, they instead chose to strike at the heart of the Galactic Empire on Tatooine. We needed to send yet another message, and that meant mobilizing our forces for yet another attack on Fort Alliance. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Downfall of Fort Alliance &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Before launching a counterattack of our own against the city of Fort Alliance, we first needed to secure our homeland. That meant destroying the Rebel Forward Outpost near the Imperial Oasis. After amassing a force of RID members, we marched to the Imperial Oasis, only to discover that it had actually just been destroyed by our other Imperial allies. This was an excellent turn of events, as it meant that we could now focus on our offensive attack on Fort Alliance. We moved our forces to Fort Alliance, where the Rebels had constructed yet another Forward Outpost. That day, our forces comprised almost entirely of RID members, including Ty’e, Erich’, Shriker, Fenalei Eki, and myself. However, we did also have with us an unaffiliated Imperial smuggler, who would aid in slicing the Forward Outpost’s computer systems. After decimating the base’s security forces, our slicers made quick work in accessing the outpost’s systems. Minutes later, we emerged from the installation to watch Fort Alliance’s Forward Outpost explode. This was yet another proud day for RID. Unlike our first major combat operation in Fort Alliance, this one was conducted almost entirely on our own. Thanks to Erich’s skilled leadership in training a squad of our own base slicers, we were successful.

In the days and weeks that followed, the Rebel safe haven of Fort Alliance continued to crumble. At least a few of their residents blamed RID for its demise, however we could not assume all the credit. Certainly, our relentless attacks on their Rebel installations must have affected the morale of Fort Alliance’s citizens. However, the city had been in a slow decline for a while. The loss of their shuttle port, a reduction of their citizens, and the neglectful nature of their own mayor was largely what led to the downfall of Fort Alliance. Nevertheless, RID took pride in playing a major role in the demise of this once large, Rebel fortification. Amusingly, the decline of Fort Alliance led many of the galaxy’s citizens to assume that the area around Fort Tusken was “cursed.” Fort Alliance was not the first city to be built near Fort Tusken, and it would not be the last. However, time and time again, cities built in that region would fall for a multitude of different reasons. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Tatooine Will Be Ours &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Following our successful counterattack on Fort Alliance, I informed RID that we would direct attention to the Rebel base south of Farpoint Valley, and another group of bases near Anchorhead. I urged everyone to continue stockpiling credits to help fund the war effort. I proudly declared to RID, “Tatooine will be ours!” In order to further rally RID for the intensifying battles that awaited us, we held an organizational meeting in the Fort Oasis city hall. RID members Bizob, Ty’e, Trieyn, Keelok, Kronic Vie, Vope, and a newer Zabrak member named Jekks Acari all arrived to hear me speak. During the course of the meeting, we discussed ways to increase coordination between members, and ways to prepare for the upcoming battles against the Rebellion.

In the days leading up to our next major combat operation on Tatooine, RID stepped up the recruitment of new members and the construction of new Imperial installations across the planet. Over the next few days, the number of Imperial bases within and around Fort Oasis and the Mospic High Range region increased to a total of twenty-two installations! The Imperial Network was largely responsible for helping RID create this massive surge of military outposts. They provided the resources and personnel necessary to help us secure the region. However, twenty of the twenty-two installations were only small Imperial Forward Outposts. The other two in Fort Oasis included the larger Detachment Headquarters and Tactical Center. While Fort Oasis served as the central hub for most of the planet’s military installations, a few others were constructed elsewhere. South of the cities of Mos Eisley and Malador, there was a complex which consisted of a Detachment Headquarters and multiple Forward Outposts. The Empire also maintained a complex of bases near Anchorhead, and individual bases in other random areas of the Tatooinian landscape. I even oversaw the construction of a Tactical Center in almost the same exact location of the former Fort Fatal, overlooking the Rebel town of Anchorhead.

While the number of Imperial installations on Tatooine was drastically increasing, we still had a growing number of Rebel bases to destroy. To address this issue, we finally amassed a large contingent of RID soldiers alongside our allies in the Imperial Network in Fort Oasis. An awe inspiring sight, a sizeable army of Imperials assembled in our fortress, most gathering within the confines of our cantina. This time, the full weight of the Galactic Empire was being used to destroy the Rebellion on Tatooine. We had with us a large number of RID soldiers, including me, Skyys, Phow-jin, Ty’e, Rike Acin, Fenalei, Rusakallabirrl, Seijaku Huramu, Ookabah, Kronic, Orrykamikalla, and Chilled. We also had with us RID’s three commanders, including Bizob of our combat division, Gounk of our combat support division, and a Twi’lek who went by the name of “Hotwings,” who was by that time placed in charge of our commercial activities. Erich’ Ruhl was also present, but he had sadly left RID to transfer to another Tatooinian-based Imperial organization known as the Thirteenth Infantry, or the XIII for short. He and his fellow Thirteenth Infantrymen, including Xaarvisk Sarin, Hacen Terran, and Eceas, gathered alongside our forces. While the loss of Erich’ was quite saddening, we quickly welcomed his friends in the Thirteenth Infantry as close allies of RID. Erich’ also continued to maintain close friendships with his former comrades in RID. Despite his leaving, we had Erich’ to thank for strengthening RID’s combat forces, and creating a robust slicing task squad. In preparation for our combat operation, Fort Oasis even saw the arrival of The Imperial Order, including Rivaan Serulius, and one of TIO’s preeminent commanders, a man by the name of Grutch BrokenSkul.

After preparing our attack force, we embarked by shuttle and then by speeder to the sizeable Rebel military complex outside of Anchorhead. Prior to our journey, Grutch yelled a rallying cry of The Imperial Order, “Strength, Honor, Brothers, Forever. All hail the Empire. Long live the Emperor!” This Anchorhead complex consisted of one or two large installations, and around three smaller Forward Outposts, some of which were defended with turret systems. However, the sight of this fearsome complex did little to deter our forces. We pushed forward, and launched our initial assault on one of the Forward Outpost’s large tower turrets. Once the base’s defenses were taken care of, we pushed inside and quickly initiated the installation’s destruction sequence. With Imperial AT-STs guarding our position, we set up a camp in preparation for an assault on the next Forward Outpost. One by one, I oversaw with RID the destruction of a total of four bases in the Anchorhead military complex. By nightfall, our forces regrouped for an offensive strike on the Rebel Forward Outpost near Farpoint Valley. Although our forces had somewhat thinned out by then, as many took leave, we were nevertheless successful in demolishing the outpost. I shouted with enthusiasm, “Long live the Empire!”

Following the successful operation, I took leave, entrusting Bizob with overseeing RID’s forces. After I left, RID and their allies destroyed yet another four bases on Tatooine. Bizob released a battle report announcing that a total of nine Rebel installations were destroyed during the entire combat operation. He thanked TIO and the XIII for their assistance, and recognized the efforts of RID members Fenalei and Keelok for their continued persistence in destroying Rebel bases throughout the night. Bizob also informed us that he had discovered even more Rebel Alliance military bases south of the complex we had attacked near Anchorhead. Bizob assured RID that the Empire would destroy those installations within a matter of days. This massive assault on Rebel Alliance property was a complete success, but more needed to be done. According to satellite readings, the Rebels actually still had a military advantage over the Empire on Tatooine. Fortunately, Bizob was an aggressive leader. Under his command, he, Keelok, and their crew of slicers later succeeded in destroying yet another six Rebel bases on Tatooine. However, the Empire also needed to divide its time. Rebel uprisings were occurring everywhere, including on the world of Naboo, home of The Imperial Order and their massive metropolis named Thalnax, apparently named after TIO’s purported founder, Lord Cai Thalnax. As a show of support and thanks to the Imperial Network and the all-encompassing Galactic Empire, Fenalei and I fought alongside members of TIO in isolated combat operations against a few Rebel insurgents and their military installations.

Later, I assembled in Fort Oasis with our allies in the Interplanetary Security Force, including Octaviar, Tyral Skyfire, Echar Roidir and Draconius. Hacen of the Thirteenth Infantry also arrived to assist us. While gathering in Fort Oasis, I even bumped into Laeren Misha of Aes Sedai Industries, the man who had broadcasted RID’s Battle of Crystal Hollow for the Starsider News Network. After exchanging brief pleasantries, Laeren and I parted separate ways. An initially small squad of only myself and a three other ISF members then travelled to Tosche Station near Ancorhead to patrol for Rebel activity. After doing so, Octaviar, Draconius, Echar, I, and at least one other Imperial began attacking one of two large tower turrets defending a Rebel Forward Outpost near Anchorhead. Throughout the day, our attack force expanded to include extra reinforcements from RID, including Bizob, Fenalei, Rike and Hotwings, as well as Erich’ Ruhl of the XIII. Although this force of Imperials was not nearly as large as the one that conducted the massive offensive operation not too long ago, we were still successful in securing further control over Tatooine.

Meanwhile, it was around this time that Fort Oasis acquired enough citizens to be recognized as a full-fledged metropolis by the planetary authorities. With this distinction, Fort Oasis gained extra territory which could be used for the development of extra residential structures and public facilities. I proudly announced news of this recent development to RID. Because the upkeep costs of Fort Oasis increased as a result of its expansion, I informed our citizens that the property tax may possibly be increased an extra 5%. In any case, RID was thrilled to hear news of Fort Oasis being recognized as a large, fortified metropolis. Gounk said, “Congratulations to everybody, but especially to you Lexx! This is a testament to your hard work and your dedication. You are a credit to yourself and to the Empire!” Bizob and other RID members also gave their kind congratulations. However, there was no time to celebrate. On the day of this exciting announcement, RID once again organized with their allies for yet another combat operation on Tatooine. With Bizob, Fenalei, Ty’e, Seijaku and Vogik Ooko of RID, Erich’ of the XIII, Grutch of TIO, and Octaviar and Eile Lyfoge of ISF, and Ezekeal Rathbone of Armed Response, we struck by nightfall at a Rebel complex consisting of two heavily defended large installations, and a smaller Forward Outpost. With the assistance of two AT-STs, our forces destroyed the turret systems and successfully destroyed the small outpost. By daytime, we set up camp, regrouped our forces, and attacked yet another Forward Outpost elsewhere on Tatooine

By this point in time, attacking and destroying Rebel installations, and constructing multiple Imperial installations of our own, was becoming a very routine occurrence. Gone were the days where it was of noteworthy historical significance to launch an attack on a Rebel base, or build a new Imperial outpost around Fort Oasis. As the Galactic Civil War intensified, so did the number of combat operations on Tatooine. Battles were becoming more and more monotonous, and blurred together. We no longer kept as detailed records on the number of Rebel installations we destroyed, or the number of Imperial bases we constructed. In fact, we now had so many Imperial bases constructed around Fort Oasis, that we would not even bat an eye if the Rebels succeeded in destroying a few of them. In fact, sometimes we would not even notice. The Imperial Network had provided RID with such adequate resources and personnel, that we had more Imperial installations than we knew what to do with. Yet, this was the only way we could secure Imperial dominance over Tatooine. We needed the will to build Imperial facilities faster than the Rebels could destroy them. We needed to constantly fight the Rebellion across the desert world, without rest. Day in and day out, the forces of RID, even without my direct supervision, would work in tandem with our allies in the Galactic Empire to further secure the planet Tatooine in the name of the Emperor. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Attack on Trinity City &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; To escape the monotony of our frequent attacks on Rebel outposts, RID took a moment to mix things up with a hunting expedition in the Krayt Graveyard, a region of Tatooine that was home to the viciously massive krayt dragons. RID’s hunting party consisted of me, Fenalei, Ty’e, Kuiloo, Jekks, Phow-jin and Seijaku. Mos Vegas was the city closest to the Krayt Graveyard, so our party gathered there to equip for combat. After preparing our weapons, we embarked on our perilous hunting expedition. Although we suffered many injuries, we managed to successfully slay a fearsome giant canyon krayt dragon during an epic battle. This hunting expedition was no doubt an exciting adventure for many members of RID who had grown weary of constant battles against Rebel forces. However, the Galactic Empire and its Imperial Network still needed RID.

Even though Tatooine had not yet been fully secured by the Empire, the Imperial Network was still dividing its attention between it and the lush, Mid Rim world of Naboo. Although Fenalei and I had already fought against Rebels on Naboo alongside the likes of TIO, much more needed to be done to bring the world under the Empire’s domain. In yet another impressive display of Imperial power, the Imperial Network amassed their forces in a cantina located in TIO’s city of Thalnax. Just like with our many combat operations on the planet Tatooine, the Empire hoped to destroy the many Rebel installations plaguing the Nabooian countryside. I fielded from RID a number of soldiers, including Ty’e, Fenalei, Kuiloo, Gounk, Orrykamikalla, Ookabah and Seijaku. Naturally, as it was their home city, there were a sizeable number of individuals from The Imperial Order, including Grutch BrokenSkul, Rogue Scot, Russo Rehkter, Sarren, Rilnax, Azalin Draco, Striukas, and many others. A Twi’lek entertainer of TIO, named Na’fa’la, also performed music for the growing number of Imperial forces. Erich’ Ruhl of the XIII arrived, as did Imperials from AXIS, and an Imperial organization known as Armed Response, or Armed for short. Laico Reliv and Lyah Nox of the Imperial organization DW, were also in attendance.

After organizing our sizeable army of Imperial soldiers, the combined forces of the Imperial Network embarked by speeder to the western reaches of the Lasay Swamp to Trinity City, a major enclave for Rebel forces on Naboo. Unsurprisingly, the city consisted of at least two or three Rebel Detachment Headquarters and a Forward Outpost. When we arrived, we set up a camp and prepared our forces for combat. Throughout the dark of night, the combined forces of the Imperial Network successfully pushed inside one of the Detachment Headquarters and destroyed it. Rogue Scot of TIO commended a number of doctors, including Kuiloo Patlin of RID for providing life saving medical attention to wounded soldiers. Doctor Patlin had come a long way since the Battle of Crystal Hollow, becoming a very valuable and respected asset to RID and the Empire. After preparing our forces once more, we attacked yet another one of Trinity City’s Detachment Headquarters. After a fierce battle, we initiated the destruction sequence and emerged from the installation to regroup in our camp. By then, it was daytime on the planet Naboo. As we witnessed from a distance the large Detachment Headquarters blow up in a spectacular display, our Imperial forces cheered in delight. Rogue Scot of TIO congratulated the Imperial Network for a job well done. The Rebel stronghold of Trinity City had been dealt a considerable blow.

Following the successful foray on Naboo, I travelled to the planet Lok to meet with my friend Myzia Zydian, who had welcomed me to a celebratory event hosted by The Honored Maidens near their home city of Tal Kyrte. When I arrived, it was nighttime on the desolate world. Wearing formal Imperial attire, I stood beside my friend Myzia to witness the spectacle. THM had established tent-like structures for the occasion, one of which consisted of a long dining table with seating. The event was mostly a social gathering, allowing THM the opportunity to interact with subordinates and fellow Imperial allies. In addition to Head Mistress Avalucia Versailles and my friend Myzia, the gathering included a number of other THM members, such as Aemen Agiavad, Sesni Aji and Avelina. Influential members of other Lokian-based Imperial organizations, such as Sylestra of BSA and Tanda R’Tananda of TLC, were also in attendance. Larkin Styre of the organization called PURGE also dropped by to partake in the occasion.

Gatherings such as these, although usually not very exciting, allowed us to maintain close ties with the many institutions of the Galactic Empire. RID prided itself on keeping close ties with all Imperials, including TIO of Naboo, ISF of Dantooine, SHC of Talus, and in this case, THM of Lok. By showing this kind of regular commitment to our allies, we believed that the Empire would continue coming to our aid, should RID and its homeland ever be attacked by Rebel insurgents. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; The Return of Cell &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Around this time, I officially announced that the colors of the Regal Imperial Defenders were red and black, and that all members were strongly encouraged to use these colors in uniforms, droids, armor, vehicles, art, and more, as a show of loyalty to our organization. The colors were intended to represent the dark cloak of Emperor Palpatine and the crimson red robes of his Royal Guards. This announcement was merely a formality. For a good while, RID had made regular use of the colors red and black. The slicing team put together by Erich’ for example, made use of black Imperial jumpsuit uniforms, underneath a vibrant red composite armor chest plate. However, imagery was becoming more and more important to us. As RID stepped up its recruitment, we deemed it prudent to set RID apart from the crowd, by creating a provocative image of a red and black RID for propaganda purposes. With this in mind, a red and black banner emblazoned with the insignia of the Galactic Empire became the official flag of RID.

Around this time, I also announced that an influx of citizens to Fort Oasis was putting our city on track to become one of the largest on Tatooine. To further develop our home city, I authorized the construction of a tavern, and an image design salon owned by my friend Myzia. I also announced that we would finally reconstruct a theater in Fort Oasis, due to the fact that our last one had been decommissioned when Zrinity left RID. I also proposed the construction of a Special Forces Field Hospital, and announced that more vendors were moving into Fort Oasis’ shopping center. This was an exciting, prosperous time for RID; unfortunately, a specter of the past would soon emerge to haunt us – Cell.

Ever since our anniversary gala, RID had sought to put the ills of our past behind us. That included Cell, who had largely plunged our organization into a state of upheaval and paranoia. However, Cell was a devious individual, who relished in the chaos he had created. It was not enough for him to simply fade away into obscurity. He wanted to secure yet another chapter in RID’s history. One day, Cell taunted us in RID’s communication channels, thanking us for welcoming him back into RID. I was mostly bemused by his statements. I said to him, “You’re not getting back into RID, Cell.” He ended up giving a cryptic response, “Did I say my name was Cell? And who said anything about getting in? I am in.” I was still confused. I admitted that he had unauthorized access to our communication channels, but that he would soon be restricted from accessing them. Realizing that I did not fully grasp what he meant, Cell impatiently said, “I don’t see why this is so hard to explain. I am in RID.” He then went on to say, “You’ve already invited me in and accepted me. There, now who could it be? Fenalei? Maybe Phow-jin? Possibly Cerex, or Chardath, or Trieyn?” Mockingly, Cell then said, “Good luck buddy.” It finally clicked. Cell did not merely have unauthorized access to our communication channels; he was actually in RID, indirectly through an associate of his bearing a different name. Through his associate, Cell could witness the intimate inner workings of RID, and incite chaos. Clearly, Cell was trying to stir up another civil war, by having us question the loyalties of our members. Honestly, I was irked by this prospect. What if one of our most valuable members, such as Cerex or Fenalei, was in fact spying on RID on Cell’s behalf? Still, I was not wholly convinced. I replied to Cell, “I don’t know if I could believe you. You have access to the personnel database. How do I know you’re not just spouting names out?” Disturbingly, Cell then revealed information that only an actual member of RID would know. Clearly, he was telling the truth. The question we now had to ask ourselves was, “Who could it be?”

Clearly, the associate acting on Cell’s behalf was a traitor of RID who needed to be discovered immediately. We needed to carefully investigate our roster, and figure out which one was the spy. However, we needed to be cautious, and avoid accusing otherwise loyal members. Fortunately, Cell agreed to send an emissary, a woman by the name of Ayamee Acari, to address our concerns. I deemed it prudent to hold an audience for Ayamee Acari right away. In the chamber of the Fort Oasis city hall, I stood in front of the throne, while Ty’e X’lor stood to my right and Jaysont Neighbor to my left. RID member Klivyn Darksea took a front row seat to observe the conversation with Ayamee, who stood before me. Ty’e, who had been helpful in investigating potential spies during the RID Civil War, was a welcome addition to this meeting. We knew that the member acting on Cell’s behalf had to be one of our more recent recruits. We initially suspected Jaysont, but after speaking to him, we deemed him unlikely to be the disguised traitor we were looking for. So we turned to Ayamee, who seemed willing to string RID along in search of the actual traitor. To our annoyance, she was very coy at first. Clearly, she knew the name of the spy in our midst, but was not willing to divulge the information outright. After querying her further, she chuckled and said, “I’ll give you a clue.” After additional questioning, she emphasized that her last name was Acari, which according to our roster, was also the surname of one of our most recent recruits – Jekks. Shortly after this revelation, Ayamee claimed that Jekks Acari was her brother. However, Jekks was a Zabrak, and Ayamee was a Human. Either way, this was all the information we really needed. Jekks Acari was a recent recruit, and was most certainly the agent working on behalf of Cell.

Unfortunately, this revelation could not have come at a worse time. Later that day, RID was just about to host a large celebratory event in Fort Oasis, welcoming a large number of citizens and allies from the Imperial Network. The streets of Fort Oasis were decorated for the event. A competitive speeder track was set up, as well as a lottery droid allowing partygoers to gamble for a chance to win credits. With Bizob’s help, a large number of Imperial allies arrived, including those from BSA, WoE, ROD, -LR-, and others. Erich’ of the XIII was in attendance, as were a number of average citizens who played no role in the Empire. Ramona Garcia of the Farpoint-based entertainment group known as the Neutron Pixies, arrived to entertain guests. Members of RID were among the first to fill the streets, including Ty’e, Fenalei, Jaysont, Warui, Xanus, Phow-jin, Cazic Thais, a Mon Calamari named Ardamil Zorbog, and yes, even Jekks Acari. During the course of the celebration, Jaysont hopped on the stage of the cantina to dance along with Ramona and the other entertainers. Jekks wearing a red Reinforced Insulated Sheath armor helmet, and a red shirt with a black vest and pantaloons, teasingly followed suit. After stepping up to the stage, Jekks danced along, mimicking the motions of playing a musical instrument. After stepping down, Ayamee took his place to dance along with the others. Although I was somewhat amused, I was also quite irritated to see this traitor playfully taking part in RID’s festivities. However, in order to maintain the peace, we decided not to confront Jekks, or reveal his true nature to the rest of RID until after the celebration ended.

Most the attendees seemed to enjoy the dancing and music in Fort Oasis’ cantina. Xanus ended up winning the lottery, earning around 36,000 credits in the process. Phow-jin also won the best time for the speeder race, along a track which took racers through Fort Oasis to a shrine up north, then the Imperial Oasis, Jawa Mountain Fortress, the mountains of the Mospic High Range, and finally the finish line in the streets of our city. For winning the race, Phow-jin received a prize of 100,000 credits. Even after completing the festivities in Fort Oasis, many RID members wished to continue celebrating in an after party onboard Fenalei’s spacecraft, a YT-1300 light freighter. I, Ty’e, Jaysont, Chilled, and another one of our pilots named Kalev Draus boarded Fenalei’s starship for a foray above the planet Tatooine. Onboard the craft, Fenalei piloted the ship through a nearby asteroid field while Jaysont played his Fizzz musical instrument to the tunes of the onboard jukebox. Thankfully, Jekks did not go out of his way to disrupt any the festivities that day. Nevertheless, even though Jekks himself had not caused direct harm to RID, we could not overlook his association to Cell. Not only had Cell destroyed RID’s property, but he also incited chaos, and even killed some of our own during the course of our conflict with CFM. As far as we were concerned, Jekks infiltrated RID, and needed to be held accountable for his actions.

However, much like Cell, Jekks Acari had built a positive reputation for himself while in RID. I could have chosen to unilaterally dismiss Jekks from RID, but this may have been met with some protests. Jekks had made friends with a number of members in RID, especially one of our more recent recruits, a Trandoshan by the name of Leviathen Tirak. Furthermore, a large number of our members were not even around during the time of RID’s Civil War and our conflict with the Crimson Fist Marines. Few remembered the harm Cell had caused us, and may not have really understood why Jekks should be dismissed at all. In order to educate our members to the true nature of Jekks, and respect the sensibilities of his friends in RID, I instead elected to set a trial date for the Emergency Judgement Council. It would be up to the Council of three members to review evidence, and make a judgment regarding Jekks’ guilt. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Cleaning up the Galaxy &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; It would be a matter of days before we could organize the actual proceedings for the Emergency Judgement Council against Jekks Acari. In the meantime, we had other matters to attend to. Following the festivities, TIO welcomed me to one of their organizational meetings within the auditorium of their Imperial Tactical Center. Later on, I also conducted combat activities on Tatooine with Ty’e, Bizob, John-B, and another new recruit. In keeping with our promise to assist the Imperial Network on Naboo, me, Jaysont, Clank’ and another member named Opasish Sodiveb gathered in the Thalnax cantina to prepare for an offensive against a Rebel military complex, a short distance east of Thalnax. Much like the offensive against Trinity City, this army of Imperials consisted of a sizeable contingent from TIO, and a number of other Imperial allies, including those from Armed and WoE. After preparing our forces, we embarked by speeder to the Rebel complex consisting of five heavily defended Detachment Headquarters. After reaching a wooded hill overlooking the complex, we hopped off our speeders and surveyed the area. From our elevated position, we began firing on the rightmost tower turret of the closest Rebel facility. While we did succeed in destroying the turret, our operation was largely unsuccessful. Unfortunately, many of our forces were defeated by the installation’s other defenses. Malaydra of the CATS even intervened to slay many Imperials attacking the base. Although the CATS were greatly diminished in size by then, and none seemed to be accompanying her, Malaydra was still as skilled at combat as I remembered.

Although the operation was a bust, it would not be the last major offensive on Naboo. Meanwhile, I decided to take a brief tour of Dantooine to inspect the Dark Marauders’ city of Nar Shadda. Sadly, the city was a ghost town, and was beginning to deteriorate into ruins. This did not come as much of a surprise to me. In the weeks prior to my visit to the city, I had noticed that Kurke, Fingolfin, Zrinity, and the other members of DM were nowhere to be seen. Clearly, the Dark Marauders had collapsed. RID had lost a vital ally, but we still found solace in the fact that we remained friends with the many organizations of the Imperial Network. Also, Kurke occasionally emerged to keep in touch with RID in our communication channels. Although he was no longer a leader or mayor, I nevertheless welcomed Kurke’s occasional input regarding our organizational matters. However, I never pressed him regarding the details of what led to the demise of the Dark Marauders.

Back on Tatooine, Bizob and Fenalei looked to a city southwest of Bestine known as Sahara Moon. Unfortunately, the city was proving to be yet another strong Rebel enclave on the desert world, and consisted of multiple Rebel installations. However, Bizob and Fenalei were skilled fighters. They noticed that a residential house was located about sixty meters in front of one of the Rebel bases. Using this residential house for cover, the two of them managed to destroy at least one turret defending the installation. However, when they looked towards the second Rebel base, they realized it did not have a structure nearby to provide cover. Bizob knew that if the two of them attempted to attack that base’s defenses, they would likely be killed. That is when Bizob had the clever idea to construct a temporary safe house near that second base, allowing the two of them to attack the base from a defensive position. However, because this second base was within the city limits of Sahara Moon, the safe house had to be constructed to the side of the installation. Nevertheless, this provided the cover they needed to attack and destroy the base’s east side turret. In all, Bizob and Fenalei had successfully destroyed three turrets defending the bases of Sahara Moon. After their successful operation, Bizob repositioned his mobile safe house on the west side of the base between Sahara Moon’s Forward Outpost and Detachment Headquarters. Bizob informed me that this safe house would be useful for any future attacks on their city. Later, Bizob returned to Sahara Moon with a larger squad consisting of Fenalei, Cazic and a member of TIO named Oworo. This time around, they successfully destroyed the last of the large tower turrets defending the Forward Outpost, in addition to a large dish turret defending one of their Detachment Headquarters. They even fought off several Rebel commandos, and almost destroyed yet another large tower turret defending their Detachment Headquarters, before leaving the area to get some rest. Destroying turret defense systems was still an important step before launching a full scale offensive assault on a Rebel’s military base. This prompted Xanus to propose the creation of a “turret squad,” which I soon referred to as the “strike squad.” I had pledged to make the creation of this strike squad official, with Fenalei in charge as its captain, yet the proposal never really took off. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Trial of Jekks Acari &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; After making the necessary preparations, the day of Jekks’ trial had finally arrived. This would be the first actual application of the Emergency Judgment Council, because the last one was merely a ruse to dismiss Zerow from RID. Ordinarily, the three commanders of RID would act as the members of the Judgment Council. However, Gounk was the only commander who could make it that day. Because of this, I selected Xanus and Kuiloo to act as the backup councilmen for the trial. I appointed Ty’e as the prosecutor on behalf of RID, while Leviathen, the Trandoshan friend of Jekks, volunteered to act as his defendant. I had somewhat suspected that Leviathen knew of Jekks’ true identity all along, but Leviathen denied this assertion. In any case, Leviathen was beneficial member of RID, and there was no need to make unfounded accusations. On the day of the trial, me, Jekks, Ty’e, Leviathen, and the three councilmen filed into the Regal Headquarters in Fort Oasis. The three councilmen, Xanus, Gounk and Kuiloo, were seated at a long conference table. With the exception of Xanus, who was wearing a full suit of bounty hunter armor, the other two councilmen were wearing black Imperial uniforms. Before them were two smaller desks. The left side desk belonged to Ty’e, the prosecutor, while the right side desk belonged to Jekks and his defendant, Leviathen. Behind these two desks were an additional twelve chairs, open to any other RID members who wished to observe the trial. These other RID members would merely spectate the trial, and be called up as witnesses if necessary. Fenalei, Jaysont, Chilled, Keelok, and two other RID members, one of whom was named Yokozuna Lizard, attended as spectators.

When the trial began, Ty’e made it clear that Jekks was being tried for a variety of charges, including treason against RID and the Empire, infiltration, and destruction of Imperial property. During the course of the trial, Ty’e emphatically explained why Jekks should not remain in RID. He reminded the Council that Cell was responsible for the destruction of our prized Imperial Forward Outpost, and had intentionally fostered internal division amongst our ranks. While Jekks was technically not directly responsible for these treasonous acts, Ty’e emphasized that Jekks and Cell were both close associates, who differed only in name. Ty’e pointed out that Cell had purposely installed Jekks in RID for nefarious purposes. Indeed, after we recruited Jekks, Cell chose to mock RID, by insinuating that we had a spy in our midst. However, by neglecting to reveal the identity of this spy, Cell hoped that RID members would once again be pitted against one another.

On the other hand, Leviathen insisted that Jekks had proven himself to be a valuable and loyal member of RID and the Empire. He insisted that Jekks truly wanted to help RID, and had only withheld information regarding his association to Cell, because he knew he would have been denied membership otherwise. However, this argument was highly suspect. Ty’e pointed out that if Jekks truly wished to serve RID, he would not have had Cell and Ayamee hint to his true identity. If Jekks had just kept quiet, we would have been none the wiser and he could have continued to serve RID peacefully. However, he not only joined RID under false pretenses, but he had worked in tandem with Cell to reignite yet another internal insurrection. Jekks also argued that the destruction of the Forward Outpost operated by Cell was insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Jekks pointed out that RID now had countless Imperial installations in and around Fort Oasis. However, this was also viewed as something of a weak argument. True, Forward Outposts were not as costly to us as they once were, but that did not negate the fact that it was wanton destruction of our property.

After hearing both arguments, the Judgment Council finally took a moment to announce their decision. I faced Xanus Kriegor and asked him what his ruling was. He shouted, “Guilty!” with enthusiasm. Gounk, who was seated in the middle, matter-of-factly said, “Guilty.” The two “guilties” were enough to issue a punishment against Jekks, as a two out of three consensus was all that was required. Nonetheless, as a matter of course, I asked Kuiloo for his ruling. Kuiloo had prepared a long statement, and concluded it by saying, “I will offer this guy a new chance to show his loyalty to the Emperor, my Master.” After saying that, Kuiloo continued, “Having said that, here is my decision. Not guilty!” Despite the divided Council, Jekks was still found guilty by the majority. I turned to Jekks, and informed him that in accordance to our laws, he would be immediately discharged from RID. Jekks turned towards the councilmen and said, “I’d like to thank you, Kuiloo.” Leviathen gave his farewells, and assured Jekks that he still considered him to be a great friend. Fenalei had also turned to Jekks, and saluted him out of respect. After formally being dismissed from RID, Jekks was escorted out of the Regal Headquarters. In the weeks or months that followed, Jekks joined up with an organization known as the Vessen Law Firm. Finally hoping to put this entire diversion behind us, I turned to the Council, thanked them for their service, and rallied all of RID for the battles that awaited us. “Long live RID and the Empire!” I shouted. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Battle for Naboo Heats Up &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; At Commander Bizob’s urging, I agreed to amass a force of RID soldiers to once again assist The Imperial Order on Naboo. Bizob informed us that he would be unable to join us for the combat operation, but insisted, “It is very important to the Empire that we regain control of Naboo as soon as possible.” Shortly following the trial, I ordered RID to prepare for combat. After organizing the bulk of our forces in Fort Oasis, we travelled by way of transport to Bestine, and then Naboo’s capital of Theed, before finally travelling to TIO’s city of Thalnax. Once we arrived, our forces, including myself, Fenalei, Ty’e, Jaysont, and Keelok, marched into Thalnax’s cantina. Cazic also arrived later on. Upon doing so, I announced to all the other Imperials that RID was “reporting in.” Irritated by their recent defeat against the nearby Rebel military complex, Colonel Aresius Helmet, who was now the official leader of TIO and Thalnax, ordered that the Imperial Network launch a counterattack. To prevent yet another failure, the Imperial Network this time fielded a much larger army. This time, Imperial forces from THM, XFOR, NOVA, BSA, Armed and TEH were all mobilizing for combat. This was definitely a much more impressive show of force, which stood at least some chance at decimating the Rebel military complex. As always, TIO fielded large numbers, including not just leading officers such as Grutch and Rogue, but also soldiers such as Russo, Rivaan, Threx, and even Laico and Lyah, who had both since left DW to enlist with TIO. Head Mistress Avalucia, and one of her Twi’lek officers named Xalya Shadowalker had even arrived to personally oversee the fighters of THM. Ezekeal, the leading official of Armed, had also returned to Thalnax to oversee his forces. In short, there were many more Imperials, and it seemed very likely that TIO would succeed in finally securing the region east of Thalnax.

After taking a moment to relax in Thalnax’s cantina, the combined forces of the Empire finally stepped outside to equip their weapons and divide into separate squads. After many minutes of waiting, some soldiers were growing restless, anxious to finally start fighting. Eventually, the order to “move out” was shouted, and all of our forces travelled by way of speeder towards the Rebel complex. Once we reached the wooded hill overlooking the complex, we hopped off our vehicles and prepared to attack the closest of the five Rebel Detachment Headquarters. This was the same Detachment Headquarters we had attempted to attack before. Its rightmost tower turret was still destroyed, but three others defending this base remained. To safeguard our slicers, we ordered them to remain on the hill, while the strike team focused on destroying the leftmost turret defending the front of the installation. Our massive force of Imperials made quick work of this turret, destroying it completely. Imperial forces then made their way around the back of this base, quickly destroying the last two remaining tower turrets. After the defenses were taking care of, the slicers and other Imperial soldiers pushed inside the installation, eliminating the base’s defense forces. Finally, the slicers succeeded in initiating the ten minute countdown for the base.

After exiting the base, we watched as the first of the Rebel’s five Detachment Headquarters exploded. The attack seemed to be going well, but it was too early to be complacent. The remaining four Detachment Headquarters were each defended by four large tower turrets. We would have to destroy all sixteen of these turrets before being able to eliminate the complex entirely. By nightfall, we succeeded in destroying the four turrets defending the next base. Unfortunately, by that point, the Rebel Alliance was aware of the Empire’s presence. Malaydra of the CATS was among the first to arrive, aggressively slowing the progress of our Imperial soldiers. Nevertheless, we pushed inside the Rebel’s second Detachment Headquarters, and our slicers were just about to initiate its destruction. Before they could do so however, additional Rebels came to Malaydra’s aid, including Sanus Artanus and ChaJomin Kacela of SoA, XHSW of Rebel Squadrons, a Rebel of UR, and a violent Rebel dead-eye named Justino Sparacino. Together, these skilled Rebel warriors managed to defeat our Imperial forces within the tight confines of the Detachment Headquarters.

Injured after this major setback, I took leave, unable to further assist in battle. However, the Empire was undeterred, and regrouped for another strike. Unfortunately, the Rebel counterattack reached Thalnax, preventing any further strikes against the remaining four Detachment Headquarters. By this point, the Empire was on the defensive, as loyal troopers rallied in defense of TIO’s city, the heart of the Empire on Naboo. Intensive fighting ensued in the streets of Thalnax until the attacking Rebels were finally killed or driven back. Although the Empire had succeeded in destroying one Rebel Detachment Headquarters and eight large tower turrets, four bases and twelve turrets remained. This was by no means a success, especially considering the fact that we had a very large army of Imperials. Through their fierce skill and will, the Rebels had managed to save most of their Rebel military complex.

The major battle attracted attention on the Galactic HoloNet, and I was asked by a reporter for my testimony. In my testimony, I explained in detail the events leading up to the battle, and the progress of the battle until I took leave. In the days following the battle, the HoloNet report titled “Battle for Naboo Heats Up” also included a public statement delivered by Colonel Aresius Helmet of TIO. When asked about the battle, Aresius said, “Days ago, the Rebels made a cowardly attack on the loyal Imperial citizens of Thalnax, harassing and terrorizing them. Imperial forces responded quickly and brought order to the city once again. Heed this warning Rebel scum: Those who fly the flag of Terrorism above the great Imperial cities will know pain when the Imperial Legions come to lay waste to their homes, families and all sympathetic to their pitiful cause justified by turmoil and anarchy! They cannot silence a million voices! The time for this terrorism to end is NOW! Loyal Imperials: We have more than proven the standard of security in the galaxy that only the Empire provides! The iron gates of Thalnax are open to you, my friends.” The closing remarks of the HoloNet article had this to say in response to Aresius’ statement, “A rousing speech, to be sure, but the battle has shown that the Rebel Alliance has settled on Naboo, and that it will take a huge effort of the Imperial armed forces to take Naboo back from them. Time will tell if The Imperial Order and its allies are capable of achieving this, but we can be sure they will do their best, or die trying.” &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Legions of the Empire &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Following the lackluster battle on Naboo, the Imperial Network regrouped. Cairne Cantasi, who had by now transferred from ISF to TIO, welcomed me to an Imperial meeting in Thalnax. Within the confines of their city was the Thalnax embassy, a medium-sized dwelling featuring the artistic style of typical Nabooian architecture. When I entered the building, I walked upstairs to a quaint meeting room featuring a square silver table with a plate of cigars. The table was flanked on each of the four sides with similarly styled bench chairs. The rose colored walls were plastered with Imperial propaganda posters, including those of Lord Vader and of an Imperial stormtrooper. Cairne and I were the first to arrive for this meeting, and we sat across from one another. Eventually, Grutch BrokenSkul, a leading official of TIO, and a Zabrak from TIO named Icyus entered the room and took a seat.

After greeting one another, Cairne began the meeting. “Here is my idea, gentleman,” Cairne began. Unfortunately, no written record of the meeting exists beyond that, so the exact content of our conversation is unknown. However, it was during this meeting that we discussed the future of the Imperial Network. More specifically, it was around this time that Cairne proposed the creation of “Imperial Legions” to help quell the Rebel Alliance. Naboo, Corellia and Tatooine were the three worlds of the galaxy that the Imperial Network was heavily fighting on. In order to secure these worlds, Cairne announced the appointment of stronghold city’s one each of these world’s to act as “capitals” of the Imperial Network. Thalnax was designated the Imperial Network capital of Naboo, and Tenebrae was appointed as the Network capital of Corellia. Much to my surprise and delight, Cairne wished to select Fort Oasis as the official Imperial Network capital of Tatooine. Cairne, commending my leadership and eagerness to aid the Galactic Empire, also wished for me to serve as Commander of the newly formed Imperial Legions of Tatooine. I was more than honored to accept this opportunity. RID had come a long way, and was finally being recognized by the Empire as the preeminent Imperial organization on Tatooine. Legion commanders would also be appointed for Naboo and Corellia, and it would be each of our responsibility to coordinate with neighboring cities and Imperial leaders to retake our respective worlds. For instance, Tatooine was home to Imperial organizations such as the Thirteenth Infantry. It would now be my responsibility to more closely coordinate with the XIII, to better eliminate Rebel activity on Tatooine. As part of Cairne’s newly proposed “Legion” system, the nearby world of Lok would also fall under my close supervision. This would require RID to maintain a more active presence on that world, while at the same time fostering ties with the various Imperial leaders of Lok, such as Sylestra of the Black Star Alliance.

After concluding the meeting, I joined Grutch on a brief tour of Thalnax. During the tour, he wanted to show me an impressive symbol of The Imperial Order, a monument in the form of a solid stone pillar, surrounded by three beige colored sentinel statues. On the top of the gray pillar was a small pit from with a bright flame emanated. Much like the mysterious eternal flame of Flame’s Hold on Talus, Thalnax was built around this monument, the existence of which predated TIO. Near the monument, Grutch pointed to a lone Prophet of the Dark Side, wearing a light brown cloak. This mysterious Prophet roamed the area around the monument, serving as its protector, and as yet another symbol of The Imperial Order’s might on Naboo. I was always impressed with TIO, and their massive Imperial metropolis. In many ways, I looked up to them as an example to which RID should strive to be. Not only did they have large numbers, but they also had the patriotic spirit for the Empire which I valued. I saw them as true leaders of the Empire, worthy of the galaxy’s respect. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Leading the Network &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Despite the productive meeting, and the recent implementation of the Imperial Legions, the success of the Imperial Network was largely dependent on the leadership of Cairne Cantasi. However, Cairne recognized that the survival of the Network depended on the active involvement of other Imperial leaders. Indeed, just a few days after the meeting in Thalnax, Cairne sent me a message expressing his desire to make me an official leader of the Imperial Network. He commended my loyalty, and considered me a “gifted” leader. “You have seen what I can do,” Cairne told me. “Now imagine what I can do with TIO and select Imperial leaders behind me.” Cairne went on to say, “I want to groom you as my Second [in Command], I am thinking.” My interest piqued, Cairne continued, “Big commitment. But listen, I need to speak with Ryleigh, leader of BSA.” I was humbled by Cairne’s interest in appointing me as one of the highest ranking officials of the Imperial Network. “That would be a true honor,” I told him.

Unfortunately, citing a number of personal reasons, Cairne Cantasi abruptly announced his retirement. This was a distressing announcement that would surely test the strength of the Imperial Network, but Cairne offered his assurances to everyone. “Look, you all can organize the Empire without me,” he said. “You just need to step up, all of you, and make it happen.” Clearly, Cairne had a deep love for the Galactic Empire, and the Imperial Network he had a close hand in creating. He certainly did not want to see the Imperial Network crumble following his retirement. “You need to learn to do this without me. And right now!” he insisted. “I have already left you with the plan you can follow to victory. Build the Legions. Organize yourselves… and just talk with each other!” In his resignation letter, Cairne offered a final directive, “Expand the Network… Become the Empire in actuality, as well as [in] name, and you will succeed.”

As disappointing as Cairne’s imminent departure may have been, the content of his resignation letter left one thing for certain – the Imperial Network was larger than one man, and could soldier on without him. It was what Cairne wanted, and I intended to follow his example by expanding the Network and the Imperial Legions. Bizob also expressed his disappointment with Cairne’s departure, but agreed with me that RID must continue to help lead the Imperial Network to victory. In any case, despite Cairne’s insistence that he would never return, I still held out hope that he may one day reemerge from retirement to help lead the Empire once more. Until that day, I took it upon myself to assume greater leadership authority over the Imperial Network. Due to Cairne’s sudden announcement, I was never officially appointed as his right-hand man, but I did not need to be. I was still the Leader of the Regal Imperial Defenders, and the Commander of the Tatooine Legion. With this in mind, I decided to conduct a series of meetings and combat operations. First, I met with members of the Thirteenth Infantry in the Regal Headquarters in Fort Oasis, including a woman named Allawellyn D’Arandoriel and the Zabrak named Tyral Skyfire. You may recall that Allawellyn was once an influential member of SHC, pivotal during their organizations’ early days. Later on, I embarked on an attack against a Rebel military complex on Tatooine with RID members Bizob, Fenalei, Ty’e, Phow-jin, Shriker, Mi’ke, and two others. After assembling near the Bestine spaceport, we embarked by speeder to the complex, attacking several of its defensive turrets. We started by destroying two of the large dish turrets defending one of the complex’s Rebel Forward Outposts. We then destroyed a large dish turret belonging to one of their larger bases, before proceeding to destroy a large block turret and a large tower turret belonging to yet another Forward Outpost. As an aside, I also later fought alongside Phow-jin, Shriker, and Gounk on the world of Talus, attacking Rebels in a Weapons Depot nestled within the Aegeyn Foothills.

However, we needed to do more to build up the actual Tatooine Legion. I had already met with members of the XIII, but I still needed to strengthen our ties with BSA. To achieve this, Bizob and I met with Sylestra and Evanie Othewy of BSA in the Fort Oasis cantina. Tyral Skyfire and Force’ LightWeilder of the XIII also joined the meeting to discuss plans to achieve Imperial dominance over Tatooine. Sitting in blue sofa chairs around a circular glass table near the stage of the cantina, the meeting began. Calmly, Tyral said, “Good to see we have representatives from every unit here.” Sylestra nodded in agreement. Indeed, this meeting between the official organizations of the Tatooine Legion, including RID, the XIII and BSA, was the first of its kind. During the meeting, it was suggested the The Honored Maidens ought to be included in our Legion, as we had jurisdiction over Lok. “Yes, THM would be a nice addition,” I said during the meeting. “I hear they got a slice team now.” I was referring to THM’s supposedly new team of slicers, skilled at destroying Rebel installations. On the topic of destroying Rebel installations, I challenged our Legion to secure Imperial control over Tatooine in three weeks, by the sixteenth day of the next month. I had selected this day for mostly arbitrary reasons. It was in fact the day of my birth, but I believed that three weeks would be enough time to destroy as many Rebel holdouts across Tatooine as possible. The members of the Tatooine Legion agreed to help achieve this ambitious goal. Tyral said, “Until the sixteenth, we need to be hot and heavy on the takedowns.” Our plan would be to destroy as many Rebel bases leading up to the sixteenth, and then construct a multitude of Imperial facilities around Fort Oasis in one fell swoop. I believed that the Rebel Alliance would be stunned by this quick and coordinated effort to secure the planet Tatooine, ensuring Imperial supremacy over the world for a long time to come. However, we also had to be wary. Because the Imperial Network was now largely focused on maintaining control over Naboo, we could not rely on them as much for assistance on Tatooine. One of the meeting goers warned me, saying something along the lines of, “Everyone else is worried about their own worlds, so we are on our own.” Indeed, the Imperial Network had helped us in the past wonderfully; however we now had to think independently in order to defeat the Rebel Alliance on Tatooine.

On that note, we concluded the meeting, but we did not part ways quite yet. After the meeting, I travelled with Bizob, Force’ LightWeilder, Tyral Skyfire, and Evanie Othewy to the Bestine cantina. While there, we joined up with another member of the XIII, Soulz of DLW, and three other RID members, including Xanus and Shriker. We prepared our forces, and enjoyed a dance performance by a Twi’lek member of Rogue named Ek’efe Ohaho. Raijin Entreri of the XIII, and another unaffiliated Imperial named Zevon Lightningstar later joined up with our attack group. Once we were ready, we embarked on our journey across Tatooine to eliminate pockets of Rebel resistance.

RID’s focus was to definitely to secure Tatooine, however the Imperial Network was larger than RID and the Tatooine Legion. We still needed to maintain our ties with the other Legions and organizations of the Galactic Empire. On their homeworld of Talus, Bizob, Shriker and I met up with members of the StarHawk Conglomerate, including an assassin named Corath Darkleaf, an individual named Lot’ho, and a soldier named Jaygoe Nova, who had since left BSA to join SHC. Just as RID had been busy destroying Rebel resistance across our homeworld of Tatooine, SHC had been doing the same across the pastoral world of Talus. Lot’ho reported that SHC had destroyed about twenty-five Rebel bases within the past three days. Lot’ho lost track of how many turret defenses they had destroyed, but Jaygoe surmised it was somewhere close to forty. Together, the joint team of RID and SHC would add to that number, after we attacked at least one large tower turret belonging to a Rebel Forward Outpost near the Talusian village of Valhala. Activities such as these were encouraging, as it strengthened my belief that the Imperial Network could survive the loss of Cairne Cantasi. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Disbanding the Legions &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Much to my chagrin, the leader of The Imperial Order, Colonel Aresius Helmet, sent me a communiqué announcing the disbandment of the Imperial Legion system. I disagreed with this decision, as I believed that the Imperial Network could better divide its attention if we had specific Legions focusing on different worlds. However, I was told that the Imperial Network was always meant to be a communications network, not an official extension of the Imperial Military. In many ways, it was believed the Legion system was overstepping the Imperial Network’s original purpose to simply coordinate combat operations between multiple Imperial associations. Although Aresius was the one to break this news to me, I soon learned that Cairne apparently had a say in eliminating the Legions. This came as a surprise to me, given that Cairne had already announced his retirement. In any case, I did not let this news get in the way of our plan to secure Tatooine by the sixteenth of the next month. I also spoke with the Thirteen Infantry, and they told me to just ignore Aresius’ declaration, at least until the completion of our operation on Tatooine.

Xanus asked me, “So as I understand it, Aresius Helmet is now in charge for the time being?” I did not really know how to answer his question. “To be honest, I don’t know,” I told Xanus. “The Network supposedly isn't supposed to have a leader, but orders and initiatives have to come from somewhere. If there was no leader, the Legions wouldn't have existed in the first place. I wouldn't mind if there was a leader, I just wish they'd say who it is.” Indeed, it seemed that Cairne’s retirement would cause more trouble for the Imperial Network than I had originally expected. The last thing the Network needed was unnecessary power struggles. However, Aresius Helmet was a crafty individual, and I somewhat believed that his disbanding of the Imperial Legions was a way for him and The Imperial Order to secure greater unilateral control over the Imperial Network. Aresius had always been something of an enigma to me. Although he officially led TIO and their city of Thalnax, he always lurked in the shadows, rarely participating in battles or public spectacles. Grutch BrokenSkul always acted as the public face of TIO, and as the warrior who would fight alongside them on the battlefield. Nevertheless, like I told Xanus, I would not have had an issue with Aresius acting as the new top coordinator of the Imperial Network, so long as he was forthright about it.

In any case, I did decide to somewhat go behind Aresius’ back, and maintain control over the newly growing Tatooine Legion. After speaking with members from both the Thirteen Infantry and Black Star Alliance, they too agreed to make an effort to keep the Legion. BSA was also still planning to invite THM to the Legion, so that we could field even more numbers during our attacks. I admitted that if Aresius found out we were still trying to maintain the Legion, he would probably protest the decision. Regardless, we all agreed that if we showed him the success of the Tatooine Legion, he may consider keeping it as an integral component of the Imperial Network. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Fort Ironwolf and the XIII &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; It had been a little over a month since RID and the Imperial Network launched their relentless attacks on the city of Fort Alliance on Tatooine. Finally, the declining city collapsed entirely, restoring Fort Oasis’ status as the only major city around the mountainous areas of northwestern Tatooine. With Fort Alliance officially wiped off the map, I declared that Sahara Moon would now be recognized by RID as the main enemy city on Tatooine. However, the collapse of Fort Alliance presented yet another excellent opportunity for the Empire. Our allies in the Thirteenth Infantry had long since called Tatooine home, yet they never had a city of their own. With Fort Alliance gone, the planetary authorities allowed the XIII to construct a city just west of Mos Vegas, which they named Fort Ironwolf. Bizob noted the irony. It was Erich’ of the XIII who was pivotal in Fort Alliance’s downfall, and now thanks to his efforts, the XIII had an outpost to replace the fallen Rebel stronghold. Although RID did not have any direct control over Fort Ironwolf, I declared to RID that it would be recognized as a secondary Imperial stronghold on Tatooine. Instead of just constructing Imperial bases around Fort Oasis, we would now also construct them around Fort Ironwolf. In keeping with our decision to maintain the Legion and our ties to Fort Ironwolf, Ty’e, Xanus and I met up with the Thirteen Infantry, including Allawellyn, to follow up on our plan to secure Tatooine. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Doubling Our Efforts &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; In the meantime, I spent much of my time honing my combat skills during hunting expeditions on the world of Lok. With my friend Com Cypher, we joined hunting parties to destroy large numbers of gurk lairs throughout the northern region of the Nym Protectorate. Wielding an Imperial Special Tactical Forces Berserker rifle, I attempted to improve my skills as a rifleman. However, the sixteenth was fast approaching, and much work still needed to be accomplished. With Phow-jin, Chardath, Warui, Maulic, and one other RID member, we attempted to disrupt Rebel activities on Tatooine. Later, I also fought alongside a group of six RID members, including Phow-jin, Keelok, Kuiloo, Shriker and Orrykamikalla. Together, we successfully destroyed a Rebel Forward Outpost northeast of Sarlacc City. However, satellite readings still reported an overwhelming number of Rebel holdouts on Tatooine.

The day of our self-imposed deadline was fast approaching, and it seemed that we would need more time to truly secure Tatooine. Nevertheless, RID one day diverted their attention to the planet Naboo. The Imperial Network was launching an aggressive push to destroy multiple Rebel complexes across the grasslands of the lush, green world. The aggressive assault on Naboo was a resounding success, bringing Naboo under majority Imperial control. With Naboo effectively liberated, more attention could now be focused on Tatooine. However, time was still running out. I sent a memo to all members of RID and select members of BSA, the XIII, and THM, urging them to prepare for the initiative to retake Tatooine. I advised all members of the Tatooine Legion to tear down as many Rebel bases across Tatooine as possible, and stockpile defenses for the many new Imperial installations we planned to construct around Fort Oasis. The day I sent the memo, our forces gathered near the Bestine cantina. With Tyral of the XIII, and at least four other RID members, including the likes of Ty’e and Rusakallabirrl, our forces launched attacks on at least one Rebel Forward Outpost and Tactical Center on Tatooine.

However, TIO and the Imperial Network were still dead set on wiping out further Rebel resistance on Naboo. Despite the planet’s liberation, Rebels still posed a threat on the world, and needed to be kicked into submission. Although the Rebel complex east of Thalnax was apparently largely obliterated by this time, there was still at least one Rebel Detachment Headquarters around this area defended with four large tower turrets. To attack this facility, Imperial forces organized around a well defended Imperial Forward Outpost on Naboo. Ty’e, Chilled and I were among those representing RID. However, the army of Imperials also included TIO, NoS, Exodus (or EXOD), Armed Response, and at least one member of the Imperial Hunters Legions, known as IMPHL for short. However, when we marched towards the Rebel Detachment Headquarters, we were met with fierce Rebel resistance. Malaydra of the CATS once again showed up to deter us, as did other Rebels, such as Giles Deathstalker of the Trinity Republic, Sairnath Denali of the Galactic Liberators, Eegerah Tsu’lema of UR, and Roan’Sonic’ Bishop of one of our old enemies, Saberwing. Even Sena Dawnbreaker of REIGN was fighting against us. REIGN, once a premier combat arm of the Galactic Empire, had by then defected almost in its entirety to the Rebel Alliance. Bloody fighting ensued, and while much of the Rebel resistance was defeated, it came at a great cost. Many Imperials fell around us, defeated by the skilled warriors of the Rebellion. Due to a lack of records, it is not clear if the Empire successfully destroyed the Rebel facility that evening. One thing was for certain, however. The Empire’s grip on Naboo was slipping yet again. The Rebellion was once again gaining a slight edge over the Empire in terms of the numbers of Rebel bases across Naboo. It seemed as though the Imperial Network could not help us on Tatooine quite yet. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Battling for Tatooine &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Finally, the day of reckoning had arrived. RID and its allies had done their best to destroy as many Rebel facilities on Tatooine leading up to this day. It was now finally time for the Tatooine Legion to follow up on their massive construction initiative. That day, Tatooine already had numerous Imperial facilities across Tatooine, including twenty-eight in and around Fort Oasis, and sixteen others elsewhere across the planet. Following our intense construction campaign, the Tatooine Legion added at least ten new bases to this collection. However, most of facilities were cheap Forward Outposts. Unfortunately, despite our efforts, the campaign to secure Tatooine was rather anti-climactic. While our initiative did succeed in securing greater Imperial control over Tatooine, satellite readings still indicated a strong and overwhelming Rebel occupation.

In a desperate attempt to ensure the Empire’s unquestioned dominance over Tatooine, me, Bizob, Fenalei, Shriker, ‘Kurupt’, and at least two other RID members destroyed around ten Rebel bases on the planet, including a few Forward Outposts, a couple Field Hospitals, and even a Detachment Headquarters. Sylestra of BSA generously provided intelligence as to the whereabouts of these bases, allowing us to locate and destroy the facilities with ease. Bizob commended the excellent teamwork RID exhibited during the attempt to secure Tatooine, even though our goal of completely controlling the world by the sixteenth had fell short. Nevertheless, the deadline was always an arbitrary date. We were still committed to securing Tatooine from Rebel forces, even if it was it going to take longer than we would have liked. Bizob suggested that instead of funneling our resources into the construction of small, cheap Forward Outposts, we would be off building larger Detachment Headquarters.

Over the next few days, even more Imperial installations were constructed across Tatooine. I met with Telemchus Argus in Fort Oasis, and tasked him with the responsibility of enacting the construction of a few of these bases. Little by little, the Empire was securing even greater control over Tatooine, pushing the Rebels into submission. It was clear this would need to be a gradual process, rather than a quick and shocking takeover like we had originally envisaged. A few days later, our forces gathered in Bestine, including me, Bizob, Phow-jin, and a newer member named Sajuuk Kharr. Finally willing to focus more attention on Tatooine, Ezekeal of Armed Response and several members of TIO came to our aid in rooting out Rebel activity. Stormodo Osobo, a former member of RID, witnessed this display of Imperial power, and mentioned that he had regretted leaving us. Willing to give him another chance, I allowed for Stormodo to reenlist with RID. Our unified efforts were finally putting a strain on the Rebel Alliance. Feeling the pressure, the Rebel retaliated by destroying at least one Imperial facility, including a large Tactical Center near Fort Ironwolf operated by a member of the XIII. The destruction of this useful facility delayed our progress somewhat, but it was not a significant loss. To aid the war effort, Kuiloo had generously contributed two payments of 500,000 credits to allow for the funding of new Imperial facilities. Leviathen also pledged to contribute one and a half million credits for defenses. Leviathen also oversaw the construction of a top-secret complex of Imperial bases on Tatooine, which he nicknamed “Fort Leviathen.” Imperial domination over Tatooine was inevitable. We just needed to be patient. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Tatooine is Ours, Briefly &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Many days had passed, and the struggle for Tatooine and the other worlds of the galaxy continued. In Naboo’s city of Theed, Rebels attacked the forces of the Empire, prompting a violent battle to erupt in the streets of the otherwise peaceful capital. After quelling the insurgency, the Empire retaliated by marching into Moenia, the southern city of Naboo which held sympathies for the Rebellion. Meanwhile, I had even forced my Rebel friend Com Cypher to assist RID in our war effort. Meeting him in a dark corner of the Regal Headquarters in Fort Oasis, the sullen looking Com Cypher reluctantly traded me the locations of some Rebel bases on Tatooine. The next day, we amassed a contingent of Imperials in Bestine, and launched an attack on at least one or two Rebel Detachment Headquarters, one of which was defended by at least three large tower turrets. Over the course of the next few days, Imperials launched even more attacks on Rebel bases across Tatooine. One day, RID and the Empire launched an aggressive push to take Tatooine. Taking an interest in our progress, Aresius Helmet of TIO asked me how the war effort was coming along. After taking a look at the planet’s satellite readings, we got the news we were looking for. The Galactic Empire had finally quelled the Rebel Alliance on Tatooine, securing the world. Rebel holdouts remained, but for the first time in a long while, the Empire had unquestioned dominance over the largely forgotten, Outer Rim world. I excitedly told all of RID, “We have Tatooine!”

Following the announcement, I called on RID to gather in Fort Oasis for an impromptu meeting. A large number of RID members arrived, including Ty’e, Jaysont, Kuiloo and Chardath. Erich’ Ruhl had even left the XIII to rejoin RID once again. Three members of the Neutron Pixies also arrived to dance during the celebratory meeting. As I took the throne in Fort Oasis’ city hall, the members of RID filed in to salute me and congratulate me for leading the Empire to victory on Tatooine. “All hail RID!” one of them proclaimed. As the members of RID took their seats, I cheerfully exclaimed, “Hello fellow Imperials!” I began the meeting by explaining in detail the recent “liberation of Tatooine,” as I called it. With Jaysont and Ty’e standing beside me, I told RID, “We have scored many battles on Tatooine, and will continue to across the galaxy.” Although me and RID were very excited about the Empire’s recent victory, we all knew more work needed to be done. The Empire only now had a tenuous grip over Tatooine, and Naboo was still embroiled in warfare. The Imperial Network would have to remain vigilant. If we were to get complacent, the Rebels would strike back, and everything we had fought for would be in vain.

To further entrench the Empire’s dominance over Tatooine, RID continued striking against additional Rebel holdouts. After gathering in Bestine a force of about seven RID members, including Bizob, Ty’e, Erich’, Keelok and Remoe Tovee, we launched an attack against at least one Rebel Forward Outpost. Due to our continued actions on Tatooine, satellite readings continued to indicate the diminishing strength of the Rebel Alliance on our beloved homeworld. The Rebels did retaliate somewhat, successfully destroying the Forward Outpost we operated right next to Fort Oasis’ city hall. Despite this attack, Tatooine remained under Imperial control, for now. Little did we know that this was just the beginning of a ruthless counter-attack by the Rebel Alliance. Unfortunately, we underestimated the military strength and coordination of the Rebellion. Despite our best efforts, the Empire’s dominance over Tatooine was short lived. Satellite readings indicated that the Rebellion was once again gaining an edge over the Imperial forces of the desert world. The fight for Tatooine continued. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; MEK Unhinged &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; As disheartening as it was to lose our grip over Tatooine, the Empire was still better positioned than ever before. In addition, thanks to The Imperial Order, virtually all Rebel resistance on Naboo was finally eliminated, essentially securing that world under almost complete Imperial control. With that accomplished, more effort was focused to securing the world of Dantooine. Fighting alongside our fellow Imperial forces, we managed to destroy a large Rebel installation on Dantooine during a torrential downpour. Not willing to give up on our homeworld, we also continued to battle the stubbornly resistant Rebels of Tatooine.

Meanwhile, a brief incident with the Mabari Eternal Knights had occurred around this time. MEK launched a major combat initiative against seven different organizations. According to their rules of engagement, this war of theirs was meant to be restricted to the world of Rori, and was not intended to include attacks against RID. Although we considered MEK supporters of the Rebel Alliance, our two organizations had a ceasefire when it came to direct combat operations against each other. However, Cannar of MEK made an error, and mistakenly authorized his soldiers the ability to attack members of RID on sight. This sparked something of a diplomatic incident, when a non-combatant member of ours named Alsoa Bri, was attacked by MEK in Fort Oasis. Not only was RID not supposed to be involved in MEK’s war, but they had also violated their own rules of engagement by fighting on Tatooine. Reportedly, this prompted an escalation of the conflict, when RID responded by violently attacking MEK in return. Kuiloo had also reported to me an incident, where he was attacked by a soldier of MEK (possibly named Draconiz) all the way on the remote world of Dathomir. Although MEK was home to a number of “loose cannons” so to speak, Cannar Corlin liked to promote the image of MEK as an honorable group of soldiers. Viewing MEK’s wanton attack on peaceable members of RID as a public relations fiasco, Cannar had actually sent his direct and sincere apologies to me and all of the Regal Imperial Defenders. In response to this incident, Cannar oversaw the creation of a better trained sister organization named MEK-L, which would specialize in combat activities with a greater amount of discipline. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Empire Day Grand Imperial Ball &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; The Galactic Civil War raged on, but that did not mean we did not have time for some respite. To celebrate the birth of the Galactic Empire, the Imperial Network announced an Empire Day Grand Imperial Ball, which would take place in TIO’s city of Thalnax. RID was invited to attend the grand spectacle, as were a large number of other Imperial associations, including NOVA, SHC, THM, ISF, TEH, Armed, XFOR, SG, NoS and the IXth. For the occasion, the streets of Thalnax featured a fleet of Imperial vehicles on display, including at least a couple large, four-legged All Terrain Armored Transports, several AT-STs, and at least one Lambda-class shuttle and TIE Fighter. The ball itself was to be held inside one of Thalnax’s large association halls. My entourage of RID included Jaysont, Idfig, Xanus, Pescai Stasea, Haroog Enlans, Cheapshot Inyamout, and even Oien LightStrider, the former official of the controversial Europa Network. The association hall was filled with members of the many other Imperial organizations, including Ezekeal of Armed Response and multiple Imperials from TIO, including Grutch. Members of The Honored Maidens also stood in organized rows, wearing their distinctive blue uniforms.

As we greeted our fellow Imperial allies, we were surprised to see Captain Thrawn, a leading Chiss officer of the Galactic Empire, enter the building. The large number of Imperials stood at attention, saluting Captain Thrawn as he stepped towards the back of the room. When Thrawn turned around, he began to deliver a speech to his loyal Imperial followers. “It is good to see so many other dedicated Imperials here tonight,” he began. He continued, “During these celebrations of Empire Day, we must keep alive the memory of the deceit and treasonous actions of the former Jedi Council.” During the closing portion of his speech, Thrawn reminded us, “It is this kind of sacrifice and devotion we honor at this time.” &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Battle of New Horizon &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; The Empire Day Grand Imperial Ball reaffirmed the unity of the Galactic Empire and its Imperial Network. Unfortunately, the Tatooine Legion had by then largely faded out of existence. Although BSA remained as a modest sized contingent of Imperials, the Thirteenth Infantry had mostly collapsed. Erich’ had already rejoined RID, most likely as a result of this fact, and assumed control over their small outpost of Fort Ironwolf. Because of this, Fort Ironwolf was officially recognized as a subsidiary territory of the Regal Imperial Defenders. We hoped to safeguard Fort Ironwolf and expand it to a metropolis-sized fortress, much in the same way as Fort Oasis. Meanwhile, the Imperial Network focused some amount of energy on fighting the Rebellion on Talus, the homeworld of SHC. RID members Cerex, Oien, Pescai, Buhi and Kyubi Maduzi were among those fighting for the world. However, despite the loss of our Legion, the Imperial Network did not forget about Tatooine. After securing Talus, forces of the Empire travelled to Tatooine to launch an attack on at least one large Rebel facility.

Although I often viewed the swamp world of Rori as a lost cause, as the festering moon played host to a plethora of cities loyal to the Rebellion, the Imperial Network nevertheless began focusing some attention there as well. One noteworthy battle erupted in the city of New Horizon, a Rebel stronghold of the Rori Mudflats. When Imperial forces from RID, TIO, Armed and TEH organized in the northern city of Restuss, we marched into New Horizon to occupy its city hall. RID members Ty’e, Xanus, Kyubi and Malignant Payne were among those marching alongside me and our Imperial allies. Even Aresius Helmet of TIO had emerged from his seclusion to fight alongside his fellow comrades. However, the Rebellion obviously did not take kindly to the sight of a massive force of Imperials occupying the streets of New Horizon. After securing a defensive position in front of the city hall, a large wave of Rebels emerged from the mist to fire upon us. Aresius Helmet shouted, “Target! Maximum firepower!” Astonished by the sight of the incoming Rebels, Xanus shouted, “Right side. We’re getting flanked!” The incoming army of Rebels largely composed of those from the Shards of Alderaan, and another large organization known as The Revenant Guard of Alderaan, or TRGA for short. At least a few Rebels from RS and Saint were also fighting against us. During the heat of the battle, no further information was recorded. It is not clear how exactly the battle concluded, but in the end, the Rebels ultimately secured the city of New Horizon. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Battle of Fort Tusken &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; The Battle of New Horizon was merely the first of many pitched battles between soldiers of the Galactic Empire and Rebel Alliance. Instead of merely destroying each other’s installations in quick hit-and-run skirmishes, we were now starting to more and more clash on the battlefield in large, epic conflicts. Indeed, it was soon learned that an army of Rebels would be amassing in northern Tatooine, amidst the confines of Fort Tusken. In a bid to eliminate these Rebels, forces from RID, including Kyubi and Gesro Hawk, and Imperials from TIO, AE and NoS amassed an armada of V-35 Courier landspeeders in Fort Oasis to be used as improvised troop transports. Imperial soldiers boarded at least eight or nine of these landspeeders to be used for the somewhat lengthy drive north towards Fort Tusken. Other soldiers hopped on their own individual speederbikes, as there was not enough room on all the landspeeders to accommodate the sizeable army of Imperials. By the time the twin suns emerged above the horizon of Tatooine, the fleet of V-35 landspeeders and speederbikes launched from Fort Oasis and headed north. After reaching the base of Fort Tusken, which was nestled atop a short, yet steep mountain peak, our forces disembarked from our vehicles. After doing so, we regrouped, and prepared ourselves for the dangerous climb to Fort Tusken.

The first Rebels to die were those foolish enough to be patrolling the base of the mountain. Vulnerable and outnumbered, these Rebels were quickly killed by our forces. However, as soon as we reached halfway up the mountain, the large army of Rebels began firing down on us. This was not the best position to be in. Not only did the Rebels have the high ground, but they were also protected by the fortified walls of Fort Tusken. Although Fort Tusken was also home to the violent, native Tusken Raiders, most of them had already been pushed out and killed by the army of Rebels. As soon as we reached the front gate of Fort Tusken, violent fighting ensued between our two opposing armies. The details of the battle are murky after this point, but after about thirty minutes of fierce fighting, the Empire had finally managed to push inside the fortress and defeat the Rebel occupation force. However the fight against the Rebellion was not completely over yet. After briefly celebrating at Fort Tusken, most of our Imperial forces relocated to Bestine to prepare for an offensive on Anchorhead. During the midst of all this, there were also reports of Rebels lurking throughout Fort Oasis. They knew that the Imperials were using Fort Oasis as a rally point that day. Fortunately, these Rebels were low in numbers and quickly eliminated.

After arriving in Bestine, our forces once again regrouped. We were even met by Darth Vader, who had landed in Bestine to greet our forces and issue out orders to kill members of the Rebel Alliance. Finally, after preparing our forces once again, we headed to Anchorhead. When we arrived, we marched into Tosche Station, just next to the town, and began firing on the Rebel forces. The intense fighting continued as the twin suns set below the horizon of Tatooine. Despite the valiant efforts of our Imperial soldiers, this follow-up battle in Anchorhead was not as decisive as the one at Fort Tusken. Anchorhead was a safe haven for the Rebels. They knew it well, and could quickly regroup to repel our forces. It appeared as though this battle would mostly be a stalemate. After a number of Imperials were killed, the last of us pulled out of Anchorhead and Tosche Station to escape the perpetual fighting. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Battle of Rogue Island &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; In the waters east of the Gold Beaches of Corellia, there was an island inhabited by deserters of the Corellian Security Force. Rogue Island, as it was sometimes called, consisted of a fortified base belonging to members of these so-called Rogue CorSecs. In the days following the recent Battle of Fort Tusken, the Galactic Empire was called upon to occupy the island and defend it against a planned invasion by soldiers of the Rebel Alliance. After hearing news about the upcoming battle, I notified RID and encouraged them to come to the Empire’s aid. Gesro, who had by then been appointed as a captain of our ranged combat personnel, eagerly looked forward to participating. On the day of the battle, Imperial forces were encouraged to amass in the Corellian city of Doaba Guerfel, and then proceed by vehicle to Rogue Island. Rogue Scot of TIO, despised by many members of the Rebel Alliance, acted as one of the commanding officials for this defensive operation. To antagonize the Rebels who despised Rogue, forces of the Empire mockingly declared that the base on Rogue Island would be renamed to “Rogue Scot CorSec Base.” Meanwhile, to prepare for an attack on the island, forces of the Rebellion amassed in Corellia’s capital city of Coronet.

I travelled to Rogue Island alongside at least five other members from RID, including Gesro, Kyubi and Abso Zero. We also travelled with Timit, who made the decision to rejoin RID. Imperials from AE, AXIS, EXOD, NoS, Armed, TIO and other organizations had also arrived to occupy the island and mount a defense. The infamous bounty hunter named Maura, wearing her distinctive purple colored Mabari armor, and wielding a light lightning cannon, was spotted roaming about the island. Although she sympathized with the Rebel Alliance, she was not actively engaged in either side of the Galactic Civil War. It appeared that she was mostly interested in witnessing the impending spectacle. In the meantime, the Imperial forces wielded their weapons, and positioned themselves at different locations of Rogue Island. Unfortunately, I was unable to remain on the island to command RID and participate in the impending battle alongside our Imperial allies. Gesro assumed charge in my stead, just as forces of the Rebel Alliance were beginning to approach the island. When Rebels were spotted in the distance, one of the Imperials yelled, “They’re storming the beaches!” Gesro and the other Imperials were expecting a large Rebel force to attack from the north. However, this initial Rebel attack consisted of a comparatively small group of enemy soldiers moving in from the south. Suspecting it was a diversion, the Imperial forces were ordered to hold their positions within the relatively safe confines of the Rogue CorSec Base.

In spite of the order to hold their positions, some undisciplined Imperials soldiers scattered in an enthusiastic bid to root out the incoming Rebels. Witnessing this display, Rogue Scot on several occasions commended RID, Armed and TIO for exhibiting discipline by holding their positions. Nevertheless, the disorganized nature of some of the Imperial troops did not spell disaster. As it turned out, the small number of Rebels from the south was not a diversion. It was in fact the entirety of their invasion force. Although the incoming force of Rebels would be considered modest on a normal day, it was diminutive in comparison to our larger army of Imperials. Fierce fighting ensued after the Rebels stormed the beaches of Rogue Island, but they stood no chance against the large and well armed occupation force. In the end, the Rebels were quickly eliminated in a decisive victory. Following the victory, Kyubi cheerfully reported to RID, “The Rebellion terrorists stood no chance; total massacre.” Kyubi also commended Gesro for his “outstanding” leadership skills during the course of the battle. Following the Battle of Rogue Island, Gesro released a brief report detailing some aspects of the conflict. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Fort Mirage &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; In the days prior to the Battle of Rogue Island, Xanus Kriegor, who had at times been viewed as one of our more controversial commanding officials, made the decision to leave RID and transfer to TIO. About five days after joining The Imperial Order, TIO purchased the large city of Imperia Galaxium on Lok, as Thalnax was unable to accommodate the construction of many new domiciles. Just as TIO was looking to expand their territory, so was RID.

The inclusion of Fort Ironwolf to our portfolio inspired a few of our members to set forth and establish new cities in the name of RID. However, most of these efforts were doomed to failure. Most of our members lacked the resources they needed to properly establish new RID outposts. Furthermore, RID was not the largest of Imperial organizations, and could not commit so many citizens to build up new settlements. Although Fort Oasis was still considered a large metropolis, we were witnessing an overall reduction in the number of citizens and taxpayers. The last thing we needed was to spread ourselves thin. Nevertheless, there was one newly constructed RID outpost that survived where others failed. This outpost, named Fort Amerfole, was constructed on the planet Lok by Sajuuk Kharr, one of our newer members.

This new settlement was located in the sandy plains region known as the Grendin Waste. Following the Battle of Rogue Island, Sajuuk made the decision to rename Fort Amerfole to Fort Reconciliation, as he believed the original name sounded “too weak.” However, the outpost’s identity as Fort Reconciliation was short lived. Feeling as though the name of “Reconciliation” was not suitable for a RID town, he once again renamed the outpost, this time to Fort Mirage. He believed that the name “Mirage” fitted more with the surrounding desert scenery of Lok. Under Sajuuk’s direction, Fort Mirage was kept afloat thanks to a decent core of helpful citizens. One of these citizens was a member of ours named Si’dhol Kran, who had since been appointed by Sajuuk as a member of Fort Mirage’s militia. Although Sajuuk continued to govern Fort Mirage as mayor, Militiawoman Si’dhol quickly stepped up to help grow the outpost and administer local affairs. Despite not being mayor, she was quickly becoming recognized as the primary regulator of Fort Mirage. By this time, Fort Mirage amassed at least twenty-three citizens. Although it was still a humble outpost, it was by then very clear to me that Fort Mirage was here to stay. I announced our intentions to expand Fort Mirage, alongside Fort Ironwolf on the planet Tatooine. However, I instructed RID to refrain from creating new settlements, at least until these two new fortresses were suitably developed. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Exiles of Mabari &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; By this time, RID was reaching a pinnacle in terms of size and strength. Many new Imperials were joining our ranks, bolstering RID’s image as a growing institution of the Galactic Empire. In Fort Oasis, we held one of our larger organizational meetings, attended by at least eighteen members of RID, including Cerex, Gesro, Si’dhol, Buhi, and a newer recruit named Spenk Echuu. Meetings such as these continued to serve as an excellent opportunity to keep RID unified. With my followers seated before me, I could speak to them directly, and inspire them to keep up the fight against the multiple cells of the Rebel Alliance, including TRGA, SoA, ASF and MEK – the Mabari Eternal Knights.

The Mabari Eternal Knights, always something of a Rebel organization in our eyes, still considered themselves to be “officially neutral.” Nevertheless, by Cannar’s own admission, the balance of power within MEK had suddenly shifted more towards the Rebel Alliance. Their Rebel squad had surged in numbers, and a few of their Imperial sympathizers were even beginning to formally enlist with the Rebellion. Despite all this, Cannar still held RID in high regard, and proposed a series of “war games” between our two organizations as a peaceable way to practice for actual combat. In a sense, Cannar was proposing a pact between RID and MEK. Personally, I wished to keep “friends” in the Rebel Alliance to a minimum. With extremely few exceptions, I typically chose to only communicate with Rebels who stood to benefit RID and the Empire. I was hesitant for RID to cozy up too much with MEK. Although I myself did not disdain Cannar and MEK in the same way I did most other Rebels, they were still responsible for attacking Fort Oasis and harming several of our members. Our morale in battle depended on us viewing all members of the Rebel Alliance as enemies who needed to be swiftly defeated. If we got too friendly with MEK, it could have weakened our resolve, and even resulted in the growth of pro-Rebel sentiments among our ranks. Nevertheless, I did entertain Cannar’s proposal to engage in friendly war games. By establishing clearly defined “battle zones” and sensible rules of engagement, our soldiers could improve their skill in battle by partaking in these simulated combat activities.

While a few members of RID were open to Cannar’s proposal, most were somewhat skeptical. Others, such as Ty’e and Alsoa were vocally opposed to MEK, and considered them to be violent, hypocritical thugs. Alsoa for instance, had not forgotten how MEK viciously attacked her while she was peacefully roaming about the streets of Fort Oasis. Following these sorts of incidents, Cerex was also known to harshly taunt MEK. If war games were to ever take place between RID and MEK, it seemed quite possible that the “games” would devolve into actual, bitter warfare between our two forces. Furthermore, Cannar himself began to view RID in a more negative light when he discovered that RID had recruited at least a couple of MEK’s “exiles.” As it turned out, Sajuuk Kharr, the mayor of Fort Mirage, was actually a former member of MEK. According to Cannar, Sajuuk had been dismissed from MEK on two occasions for exhibiting some form of disruptive behavior. One of our other members, Shaunik Mentar, had also served as a Rebel in MEK before defecting to the Empire and joining RID. Cannar viewed Shaunik as a traitor, and considered it an insult that he was now one of our members. Cannar began to accuse RID of recklessly recruiting these supposedly “low quality” individuals in a desperate attempt to boost our combat strength.

Feeling as though any kind of amicable pact between RID and MEK would be fruitless, Cannar called off his war games proposal. His accusations against us, and the increased tensions between our two organizations only served to bolster our perception of MEK as a ruthless, untrustworthy Rebel organization. I was aggravated by Cannar’s accusations against us. As far as I was concerned, we had every right to recruit defectors such as Sajuuk and Shaunik. As of yet, neither one of those members had done much to antagonize RID in any way. Cannar acknowledged that there was “bad blood” between RID and MEK. For now, Cannar abandoned his efforts to communicate with us. As far as we were concerned, Cannar and MEK remained unequivocal enemies of the Empire. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; New Europa &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; In Fort Oasis, RID hosted a well attended party in our cantina. Many members of RID, including Shaunik, Gesro and Timit attended, as did allies from other Imperial organizations. Even though he was now in TIO, Xanus also stopped by to chat with his friends in RID. Most of RID enjoyed these types of festivities, but there was still a thirst to engage in more combat activities. Although war games between RID and MEK would not take place, many of us still saw merit in testing our combat skills. We proposed launching an outright war against the Rebels of the Shards of Alderaan. The Rebels of SoA had already fought against us during our many battles against the Rebel Alliance. After working with Cerex, we proposed rules of engagement, and outlined plans to launch a siege on SoA’s city. While a war against SoA did take place, details about this conflict are unfortunately very limited. What is known is that the war only lasted a short while, and resulted in our defeat, largely due to the fact we were outnumbered by SoA soldiers. Many members of RID were not willing to volunteer for this war, and a few even made the unfortunate decision to desert our ranks to avoid potential conflict. Nevertheless, the Rebels of SoA had actually fought honorably, and properly observed the rules of engagement by avoiding attacks on RID’s non-combat personnel. However, our many ambitious plans against the enemies of the Empire would soon be interrupted by the emergence of an organization we had long thought to be gone for good – the Europa Network.

Oien LightStrider had already been in RID for a good while. Even though I knew of his past history with Weifert and the Europa Network, I viewed Oien as a humble and kind individual. Although he usually kept to himself, he still helped to fight alongside us during our many battles against the Rebellion. Oien and I never really talked much. However, one day he suddenly contacted me, and asked me to travel with him to the planet Lok for a “surprise.” Intrigued, I accepted Oien’s invitation and travelled to the spaceport at Nym’s Stronghold on Lok. After meeting up with Oien, we took a seat on our speeder bikes, and I began following him on a long quiet journey to the middle of nowhere on Lok. Finally, Oien slowed to a stop, for we had apparently reached our destination. We hopped off our speeder bikes, and surveyed the desolate expanse of nothingness. We were in a flat field of dust dotted by a species of canine known as kusaks. Amidst the nothingness was a notable landmark in the form a small, humble abode. Oien led me to the door slowly, beckoning me to enter. As soon as the door opened, I was greeted with the sight of Weifert Lionheart, the former leader of the infamous Europa Network!

Weifert had the appearance of royalty, wearing a deep, red colored ornamental robe. The vibrant specter of Weifert was juxtaposed against the bland colored walls of his small abode, and the surrounding landscape of Lok. Weifert looked upon me, and warmly greeted me. He then asked me, “Ready to start Europa again?” Viewing me as one of his few friends left, Weifert humbly extended an invitation to RID to help create “New Europa.” I did not know what to say. I was still amazed to even see Weifert again. However, I felt as though I was in an awkward position. Apparently, Weifert had still believed that RID and I were loyal to Europa. He never learned of the fact that I had worked with Terlo against his former Network. I was hesitant to pledge my full support to Europa. I admired his ambition, but the memory of Europa’s past actions was not yet forgotten by most of the galaxy. Could RID truly align with Europa without facing severe backlash? RID’s true allegiance laid with the Empire and the Imperial Network. Could RID serve both the Empire and Europa? Vall, one of Weifert’s fiercest of enemies, was still an active leader within the Galactic Empire. Vall resented Europa, as did Cairne and other members of the Imperial Network. It seemed to me that this posed a substantial conflict of interest. However, I was hesitant to decline Weifert’s offer outright. I did not believe Weifert could take “no” for an answer. If I declined his offer, would he view us as enemies, and attempt to subvert RID and Fort Oasis? The Europa of old made it a goal to conquer most of Lok. RID now managed Fort Mirage on Lok. Would Weifert insist on it becoming a subject of New Europa, whether we agreed to it or not?

Given all these questions, I did what I felt was the best option at the time. I gave Weifert a non-committal response. I told him that RID would seek to join New Europa as soon as it became firmly established. I told Weifert that Fort Oasis would not carry the banner of Europa, but that any new RID settlements would be considered for membership in his new Network. I was confident that it would be a very long while before Weifert could build up this so-called New Europa. I felt as though this would buy RID enough time to avoid an immediate confrontation with Weifert. Fortunately, Weifert seemed satisfied with my mostly ambiguous pledge of support, and so the meeting was concluded. I left Lok, certain that we would not have to worry about Weifert and his New Europa for a long time to come. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Conference of Tal Kyrte &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Elsewhere on Lok, along the northeastern reaches of the Nym Protectorate, THM’s capital of Tal Kyrte continued to stand strong as a symbol of Imperial might on the harsh, barren world. In yet another show of unity for the Galactic Empire and its Imperial Network, THM invited multiple organizations to attend an Imperial conference within the confines of their home city. For the conference, the streets of Tal Kyrte were decorated with banners of the Empire. A couple parked TIE Fighters and an AT-AT walker were also positioned within the city as a show of force. While I was invited to speak during this conference, I was unfortunately unable to attend. Nonetheless, other members of RID, including Gesro, Si’dhol, Phow-jin and Timit attended the conference on my behalf, and a detailed account of the meeting was recorded.

After the many Imperials filed into Tal Kyrte for the conference, Head Mistress Avalucia called the meeting to order. In her distinctive accent, Avalucia proclaimed, “Bonjour! And welcome to Tal Kyrte, the ‘ome of the The ‘onored Maidens. We are very proud of the 'onor that was afforded to us to 'ost this event, and welcome all of you into our city. I am Doctor Avalucia Versailles, Colonel in the Imperial armed forces, and 'ead Mistress of the 'onored Maidens. I will also be acting as the Mistress of Ceremonies for this event. Before I proceed with the formalities and introductions, I would first like to call attention to the driving force and instigator of this event, and the similar ones that 'ave preceded it… Mademoiselle Issele of TIO! Please give 'er a big applause of ‘thank you’ for 'er continued and tireless efforts!” The many attendees took the time to applaud the prominent Imperial Twi’lek by the name of Issele Eshiw, who had since transferred from NOVA to become an esteemed member of The Imperial Order. Avalucia then continued, “Now, on to the main events… Four speakers will stand before you today, just some of the many, many people that 'ave been instrumental in the fight against the band of terrorist rabble that call themselves the Alliance. We are 'ere to stand in unity, to show our might as Imperial officers and soldiers. To show that we may be of separate organizations, but our loyalty to the Empire, to the Emperor, is unwavering and as strong as ever.” Avalucia then slung her blaster carbine, and said, “Once the speakers 'ave concluded, there will be a special message broadcasted to us live from the Emperor 'imself! And now, without further adieu… I give you Inquisitor Quinos, of Armed Response”

With that, Avalucia stepped aside to give Quinos Daken the opportunity to address the crowd of Imperials. As Quinos stepped up, he confidently said, “My fellow Imperials. For months we have fought and preserved peace and order throughout the galaxy. We have demonstrated our effectiveness and coordination on Naboo. Countless times the Rebels have tried to take it back in force, but we have countered their feeble attempts, and even outnumbered we have prevailed in many situations. Our actions have been recognized [throughout] the galaxy, on both sides. We have inspired Imperial citizens to take up arms against the insidious Rebellion. And we have brought awe and fear into the midst of the Rebellion, demonstrating the full capability of the Empire!” Throughout the rest of his speech, Quinos decried the Old Republic and its fallen Jedi Order, and lauded Emperor Palpatine and Lord Vader for their guidance. Quinos concluded his speech with, “I am proud to be an Imperial, and I am proud to be here today! We shall have order in the galaxy!”

Avalucia thanked Quinos for his time, and then asked Zachris Coaraban of ISF to speak. After taking a moment to thank Avalucia and Issele for organizing the Imperial conference, Zachris declared, “I think this is a good time for Imperials all across the planets, as we see the scores turning in the favor of the Emperor. Through the efforts of NOVA, TEH, SHC and ISF, I have personally seen to Dantooine staying in favor of the Emperor…” Zachris then went on to say that, “[His] life would have to be taken, before [Dantooine] falls to the Rebels again.” Zachris then went on to honor Sophy of ISF for her commitment to the Galactic Civil War. “She has taken credit for taking out over 300 Rebel turrets over many planets and also coordinating the destructions of over 100 bases.” In his concluding statement, Zachris proclaimed, “Stand tall and be proud to be Imperial.”

As soon as Zachris stepped aside, Flight Lieutenant Resha Skyslider of the IXth was invited to speak about the Empire’s war efforts in space. Unlike Zachris, Resha painted a less glowing picture of the Empire’s progress. “Colonel Zachris mentioned the Star Destroyers as proof of the Empire’s might watching over us in space… well… let me tell you all, up in space, things are not well. We are stretched thin. While people down here talk about how mighty we are, just a few pilots are actually out there patrolling systems and battling Rebels. I have been fighting in space for months now, nonstop, and the Rebels have grown stronger and stronger. They muster more fighters, more pilots and more aces. Just this weekend, we suffered a defeat in [the] Lok and Tatooine systems. We were outnumbered by fifty percent, and over half of us were rookies fresh out of the academy who have never battled Rebel aces for real.” Exasperated, Resha asked, “Where is the Imperial Navy?” She then went on to say, “We need to focus again on the Empire’s key virtues: Discipline, organization and sacrifice. If you are not ready to die in space, don’t fly in it, but don’t talk [about] how mighty we are either.” She then went on to encourage more Imperial Army forces to enlist with the Imperial Navy. She insisted that the Rebels were acquiring resources in deep space, which they then used to construct Rebel installations on the many worlds of the galaxy. She believed it was imperative to devote more time to training Imperial pilots. “Show your commitment to the Empire with deeds,” she said, “not words.”

Avalucia thanked Resha for her candor, and then called up Xalya Shadowalker of THM. As Xalya stepped up, she proceeded to deliver a lengthy, rousing speech, espousing the virtues of the Galactic Empire, and violent nature of the Rebel Alliance. Towards the end of her speech, Xalya emphasized, “The Rebellion's war, the war started in the name of protecting ‘innocent' life is the cause of more bloodshed than the galaxy has seen since the Republic was purged and formed into our mighty Empire. Their fight for freedom is not so, it’s merely a fight to line their own pockets, to return themselves to their place of power. But one man saw the lies of the Republic, the greed, corruption, and evil it contained… and it is because of him that we here do not forget. It is in the name of his vision, a vision of a New Order that we fight. I present to you, His Excellency, Emperor Palpatine.” Suddenly, the ghostly specter of Emperor Palpatine’s hologram emanated in full view of all the attendees. Via his telepresence, Emperor Palpatine addressed his loyal subjects by saying, “I have heard much of your exploits. Lord Vader is very pleased with your progress so far, but there is much yet to be accomplished. This war cannot be over until every last Rebel is destroyed.” The Emperor pounded his fist into his palm, cursing the Rebels, and announced, “Even now they plot and move against the Empire. Control of cities that are important to our command and control lines are teetering on the brink of Rebel control. This cannot continue. You have done well in the past, but now I expect more from this command. Base by base. City by city. Planet by planet. You are to wrest control from these traitorous Rebels regardless of the cost. The people living in the systems under your command must be taught the power of the Empire. They must be turned or destroyed. Either way, dissent is not to be tolerated. I expect great things. Do not disappoint me. You act as an extension of my will. Continue to serve well and the Rebellion shall be crushed beneath the weight of your loyalty. I leave you now with this… Rule by fear of force, rather than force alone. My apprentice will arrive with orders. I expect total loyalty from each of you. Long live the Empire.”

As the hologram of Emperor Palpatine faded out of view, Xzusarius Alucarde shouted as a reminder, “Everyone please remain seated or inside. Lord Vader shall be arriving shortly.” Avalucia then announced, “THM… at attention! Move out to receive our Lord Vader. Lord Vader’s shuttle will arrive momentarily. Please make your way to Athena Square.” Soon enough, Lord Vader’s shuttle arrived, and he marched into the conference to deliver yet another speech to the gathering of Imperials. “Loyal soldiers of the Empire,” he began. “For too long the Rebellion has survived in our midst, but no longer will such an affront be tolerated. Order must be restored. The Emperor is depending on you to keep his Empire strong. Dominate the cities and crush all resistance! Even now the Rebels control Coronet. This ends today. Your orders are to assault Coronet and secure it for the Emperor. You are to purge the city of Rebel traitors. Any who survive are to be taken into Imperial custody. Your command has a list of known Rebels. These are to be sought out and captured." An Imperial named ‘Cade’ yelled alertly, “Got no such list here, sir.” Darth Vader responded with, “Your commanders have your detailed orders. Dismissed.” With that, Darth Vader departed Tal Kyrte, leaving the mass of Imperials to follow through with his orders. One of the Imperials among the crowd, named Chaad Losan, exclaimed, “Hail Lord Vader.”

Not willing to deny Lord Vader’s desire to secure Coronet, Jon’ Alamar yelled, “Everyone raid Coronet now! Let’s go!” The frenzied crowd of Imperials excitedly cheered and rallied one another to prepare for an assault on Coronet. “Seize Coronet!” Avalucia shouted. Aresius Helmut followed suit, saying, “Legion, move out to Coronet, by the Emperor’s will.” Amidst all the yelling and excitement, the sizeable army of Imperials exited Tal Kyrte, and arranged for transport to Coronet City on the planet Corellia. As soon as the Imperials arrived, a lengthy battle erupted when they encountered about two dozen Rebels patrolling the streets. As soon as these Rebels were killed, wave after wave of more Rebel troops arrived in an attempt to repel the Imperial forces. Although Gesro later privately confided in me and the rest of RID that Lord Vader’s order to attack the Rebels of Coronet amounted to little more than a “pointless” suicide mission, it was still something of an inspiration to see the Galactic Empire so united. From The Honored Maidens of Lok, to the StarHawk Conglomerate of Talus, and The Imperial Order of Naboo, it seemed as though nothing could divide the all powerful might of the Galactic Empire and its Imperial Network. Unfortunately, we would soon realize that even the most powerful of organizations could be the most fragile. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; The Imperial Disorder &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; The Imperial Order was a mighty Imperial organization which had stood the test of time. Ever since their humble origins on the picturesque world of Naboo, TIO had expanded to become one of the largest and most renowned of institutions. They had built a grand metropolis in the form of Thalnax, fought in countless battles against the Rebel Alliance, and worked tirelessly to keep the Galactic Empire united. However, even TIO was not immune from the internal politics that could shred these sorts of organizations apart. Ever since he joined TIO, Xanus continued to communicate with RID, and he acted as something of a liaison between our two organizations. Thanks to Xanus, we gained some extra insight regarding the internal issues TIO was dealing with. Indeed, Xanus one day reached out to me to make a startling claim – TIO was falling apart.

Xanus and other members of TIO filled me in on the details concerning what was happening. However, because of several ambiguous details, it is difficult to piece together a truly accurate account of what transpired. According to what I heard, Aresius Helmet, the leader of TIO and mayor of Thalnax, was being criticized by many members of The Imperial Order for being an ineffective and inattentive leader. Apparently, this prompted key members of TIO’s council to vote for Aresius’ demotion to a lower position within TIO’s hierarchy. The consensus was to have Grutch BrokenSkul assume leadership authority over both TIO and Thalnax. Grutch was reported to have told Aresius, “Sir, you were a great leader. I hope I can be half as good as you were.” Aresius respected this ruling in public, but conspired behind the scenes to wrest back full control of both The Imperial Order and their thriving metropolis. According to Bizob, Cairne Cantasi was a close friend of Aresius. Even though Cairne had announced his intentions to retire, he had yet to truly do so. Through an associate of his named Bishen Sienar, Cairne continued to oversee the internal affairs of both TIO and the Imperial Network. Like Cairne, Bishen was a close supporter of Aresius. Likewise, other members of TIO, including Drax, and possibly Threx, both supported the status quo. In their minds, letting Grutch assume complete control over both TIO and Thalnax was not a sensible decision.

In a show of defiance, Aresius reneged on his pledge to respect the council’s decision. He locked down electoral processes in TIO, thus securing himself as the unquestioned leader of The Imperial Order. In yet another controversial move, Aresius registered for election in Thalnax, and secured the necessary votes to reinstate himself as mayor. This was all done swiftly, to prevent Grutch from entrenching himself as the new leader and mayor. Unsurprisingly, Aresius’ aggressive attempt to maintain control over his dominion only served to further outrage the many members of TIO who opposed him. Several exasperated Imperials made the decision to simply resign from TIO. Others remained in TIO, yet continued to fiercely protest what they perceived to be the dishonest and immature actions of Aresius. Although Aresius still had a number of key supporters, his actions resulted in a growing divide between the two factions of TIO. Members such as Anitaa Blake, Issele Eshiw, Xanus Kriegor, and Rogue Scot were among those who continued to support Grutch as the new leader of TIO.

Personally, I did not hold a very high opinion of Aresius. I rarely communicated with him, but when I did, I always got the impression that he was a curt and occasionally undiplomatic leader. He had even unjustly blacklisted at least one member of RID from using public services in Thalnax. On the other hand, I worked well with Grutch. Whenever RID and TIO reached an impasse, I could always count on Grutch’s calm and steady hand to resolve the issue. But did my opinion truly matter? I was the Leader of RID, not a member of TIO. Under normal circumstances, this internal dispute would be resolved by TIO, and TIO alone. However, these were not normal circumstances. Xanus and other pro-Grutch supporters encouraged RID to get involved in the effort to “save TIO from Aresius.” I feared that if TIO were to collapse completely, it could threaten the integrity of the Imperial Network, and impede the war efforts of the Galactic Empire. I saw TIO as a pillar around which many other Imperial organizations coalesced. With this in mind, I agreed to provide some measure of support to the pro-Grutch members of TIO. This was not an easy decision to make. I had a great deal of respect for Cairne, yet he and Bishen were fervent supporters of Aresius. Although Aresius had secured control over TIO, it was still possible to reclaim control over Thalnax, which operated under an independent election system. With this in mind, I travelled to the planet Naboo to assess the situation. As soon as I disembarked the shuttle at Thalnax, I was met with the sight of a number of citizens swarming the streets to protest Aresius.

During my time in Thalnax, I began speaking with both Anitaa and Xanus, who continued to keep me informed on what was transpiring within TIO. Because Grutch was not present, it was agreed that Anitaa Blake should register for the election in Thalnax against Aresius, and act as an interim mayor. Although Aresius had done much to secure unilateral control over TIO, he had neglected to purge Thalnax of its militia. As it turned out, Anitaa was a member of the militia. She therefore had a great deal of power over Thalnax, and stood a realistic chance at ousting Aresius as mayor. Not willing to see TIO and their beautiful metropolis collapse, I agreed to actively support Anitaa in her campaign to run for mayor. While roaming the streets of Thalnax, I attempted to rally the citizens by shouting, “Citizens of Thalnax, vote for Anitaa so peace will be restored!” Because of her influential status as a militiawoman, Anitaa had even agreed to grant citizenship to a few members of RID. One of these members was Phow-jin, who agreed to travel to Thalnax in a bid to actively vote for Anitaa. Meanwhile, Anitaa stood in front of Thalnax’s city hall, and beckoned citizens to vote for her. Many flooded the ballot box, and it seemed as though the effort to install Anitaa as an interim mayor would be successful. She was leading in votes, with Aresius coming in second. During the chaos, other citizens, including Serafim Hymn and Reinhard Von-Tubingen also registered for election in opposition to Aresius. However, these two individuals trailed in votes behind Anitaa and Aresius.

When I returned to Thalnax a second time to assess the situation, Bishen Sienar contacted me, rather alarmed that RID was getting so intimately involved in their election process. I told him that TIO had reached out to RID for support, and we were merely attempting to safeguard them and their city. However, Bishen was not very pleased with this answer. He told me and RID to stay out of Thalnax, as this was an internal matter. As he was an associate of Cairne, I respected Bishen’s wishes. I requested that the few RID members who had moved into Thalnax revoke their citizenship, and allow TIO to resolve the election independently. During my time in Thalnax, I had even bumped into Aresius, who entered the city hall to monitor the election process. Wearing a blue R.I.S. armor helmet and dark cloak, Aresius actually greeted me warmly, despite the fact that RID had been actively working to depose him. He seemed unfazed by all the chaos unfolding around him, and thanked me for making the decision to pull RID out of Thalnax. However, he later made the claim that the election against him was “illegitimate,” partly due to our involvement. Most of RID was supportive of Grutch, and agreed with our efforts to safeguard TIO and Thalnax. However, Ty’e X’lor was vocally opposed to our involvement. “No, we shouldn’t be involved in their internal matters, to the extent that we were trying to sway the vote by voting,” he said. “Put it this way. Would we want TIO to come in and vote against our leader? It is best to let them get through it on their own, just like we got through our own civil war on our own.” Ty’e made a good point. However, from my perspective, the legitimate leaders of TIO included Grutch and their council, and they had reached out to RID for support. Unlike RID, TIO had a different leadership structure, and it was not as though Aresius was the original founder and leader of The Imperial Order. I believed that our involvement was justified, yet I admitted it would be better for us to step back and let TIO handle the issue independently.

In any case, it seemed as though Anitaa would win the election against Aresius. It also seemed as though Grutch and his supporters could soon abandon Aresius to create a “new TIO.” Indeed, the next day, Xanus announced that he and the other supporters of Grutch had resigned from TIO to establish a new Imperial organization named SHBF, which stood for, “Strength, Honor, and Brotherhood, Forever,” the motto of The Imperial Order. Xanus was even appointed to the position of “Co-Officer of Public Relations.” However, the creation of SHBF was not without substantial controversy. Xanus revealed that Reinhard, who had originally supported Grutch, “backstabbed” SHBF and made the decision to side with Aresius instead. Bishen, angered at Issele for abandoning TIO to join SHBF, declared to the Imperial Network that “she could no longer be trusted.” Meanwhile, SHBF remained committed to the goal of retaking the city of Thalnax. However, they would not be successful. About six days after the founding of SHBF, Aresius enacted the demolition of Thalnax’s city hall, along with its many other public structures, including their shuttleport, banks, garage, parks, and employment kiosks. Thalnax, one of the largest metropolises of its time, ceased to be recognized as an actual city. All that remained was a collection of unadministered and unprotected private domiciles.

Yet why did Aresius decide to enact such a drastic and destructive action against TIO’s beloved home city? I originally suspected that Aresius commissioned the razing of Thalnax when it became evident that he would lose the election against Anitaa. However, Xanus insisted that this was not the case. According to Xanus, Aresius was actually successful in turning the tide of the election against Anitaa, but decided to enact the fall of Thalnax anyways. It is not clear why he did this. Perhaps it was simply because of Aresius’ erratic and unpredictable behavior. Perhaps it was to send a message that insubordination would be met with destruction. Perhaps he felt that winning future elections would be untenable, and that it would be easier to simply construct a new city elsewhere. The latter possibility is the most likely. Many members of the newly formed SHBF still lived in Thalnax as citizens. Even if Aresius were to win this election, there was no guarantee that he could continue to win future elections. Whatever reasons Aresius may have had, his actions led to the collapse of one of the mightiest, most historically important Imperial strongholds on Naboo. The “Jewel of Naboo” was no more.

Because of our support for Grutch, RID maintained something of a positive relationship with SHBF. However, our ties with TIO were mostly in shambles. Hit hard by the loss of Thalnax and the large exodus of their members, TIO made the decision to leave Naboo for its moon of Rori. South of Narmle, they established a new outpost named Fort Thalnax. Although Bishen continued to act on Cairne’s behalf to help maintain the Imperial Network, the recent schism weakened the Network considerably, and Bishen was no longer as amicable to me. In the past, I was considered to be a trustworthy confidant and supporter of the Imperial Network. Now, me and RID were looked at with some measure of suspicion. Later, Bishen even ended up interrogating me. He had heard rumors that we were actually spying for the Rebellion. I assured him this was not the case, and although he did apologize for troubling me, I felt saddened that our loyalties were being called into question. In any case, it made no difference. In the months that followed, both TIO and SHBF gradually faded from existence, leaving us only with the stark realization that even the mightiest coalitions of the Galactic Empire can collapse in mere days. &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; A Galaxy United &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; &mdash; Although our war against the Shards of Alderaan was not very fruitful, we continued our efforts to directly engage individual Rebel organizations. The Alliance Special Forces continued to be one of our biggest enemies. They were believed to have been responsible for at least one major attack on Fort Oasis, and although they were primarily based out of Solaria on Rori, they continued to present a very real threat to the entire Empire. With this in mind, RID officially declared war with ASF, and sporadic fighting ignited in various corners of the galaxy. Like the war against SoA, details concerning our war against ASF are very limited. However, it is known that the war against ASF was not a very productive endeavor. Although rules of engagement were defined, ASF was ruthless, and chose not to adhere to them. Non-combatant members of RID were being regularly attacked by agents of ASF, while others were aggressively assaulted in medical facilities. In a bid to demoralize us, ASF also ruthlessly mocked our commanders, and attempted to paint an image of RID as an inept institution. Many Rebels already held an exceptionally low opinion of RID. When news of the war spread, some members of the Rebel Alliance actually enlisted with ASF, for the sole purpose of fighting against us. All of these actions resulted in at least a few of our members deserting RID.

Viewing this as a meaningless and disheartening conflict, Si’dhol petitioned me to officially cease the war with ASF. By that point in time, Si’dhol identified herself as the “Mayor of Fort Mirage” in public correspondences. However, there are no records to support the notion that she had officially succeeded Sajuuk as mayor. In any case, Si’dhol was a fine leader, and we already treated her as the de facto mayor of Fort Mirage due to the fact that Sajuuk was not as heavily involved in maintaining the settlement. With that said, I always took the time to listen to Si’dhol and her arguments. She believed our war against ASF was not only hampered by inadequate preparations. In her mind, it was irrelevant whether or not RID were to win or lose the war. The reprehsenible actions of ASF only served to embolden the Rebel Alliance, and weaken our resolve. “The war on SoA may have been a war we lost,” she said, “However, they adhered to the rules unlike this bunch.” Indeed, unlike those in ASF, the Rebels of SoA at least fought honorably, and observed civilized rules of engagement. RID stood little to gain by directly fighting ASF. Ultimately, after the brief amount of fighting, the conflict against ASF was brought to a quiet ceasefire.

Meanwhile, the predicament with Weifert Lionheart and his so-called “New Europa” was not coming to an end. In fact, it was becoming a serious concern. I originally believed it would take a very long time for Weifert to rebuild Europa. However, I was astonished to see New Europa already secure control over three sizeable cities on Lok. East of the Sulfur Lake Pirate’s hideout, Europa had established a capital named Europa – New Europa. Although this capital was only still a modest sized township, it was on track to become a thriving metropolis. A short distance west of the capital, the city of Rogue’s Haven, allured by Weifert’s promises, pledged their support to New Europa. As a show of their loyalty, Rogue’s Haven was renamed to Europa – Rogue’s Haven. Much further to the north, south of Nym’s Stronghold, Europa had also secured control over Europa – Daventry City. Between these three Europa cities was none other than Fort Mirage, RID’s only fledgling village on Lok.

I originally hoped to simply ignore the sudden expansion of New Europa, but this was a naïve notion. Weifert declared publicly on the galactic HoloNet that the “Europa Empire” was back, and that they had gained the full support of the Regal Imperial Defenders. Most of the galaxy was surprised and angered to see Europa return from the ashes. They had not forgotten the maliciousness of Weifert and his cronies. Many were also bewildered by Weifert’s assertion that RID was supporting New Europa. Many citizens saw RID as a mostly virtuous association, and were mystified as to why we would choose to join them. After Weifert made his announcement, I recall Vall Ion of the Black Star Legion reached out to me privately. Vall and his fellow Imperials in BSD and BSA were pivotal in enacting the downfall of the first incarnation of the Europa Network. Although Imperia Valens had since collapsed, the cities of Imperia Vall Tiberius and Imperia Galaxium continued to stand on Lok. The “Imperia” cities of Lok had once stood in direct opposition to Europa’s cities in a volatile cold war that split the world in two. Even now, Weifert had not forgiven Vall and his loyal Imperials for impeding the efforts of the original Europa Network. Vall was an esteemed Imperial leader, and someone I considered to be a close friend of RID. He asked me if Weifert was telling the truth. He wanted to know if RID was truly a supporter of the reborn Europa. I was by no means willing to turn my back on the Galactic Empire. I assured Vall that RID was not actually interested in joining forces with Europa, but that we feared repercussions if we were to reject Weifert’s wishes. Vall understood my concerns, but assured me that the Imperial Network would stand behind us. Feeling confident that RID and its territory would be protected by the Empire, I decided to finally put the issue to rest. We announced publicly to the galaxy that RID would not be aiding New Europa, and that we respectfully declined Weifert’s invitation to join his Network.

Publicly, Weifert responded to my announcement graciously. Privately however, Weifert was enraged at my renouncement of Europa. He felt I had lied to him, and humiliated him in front of the entire galaxy. After our meeting on Lok, Weifert believed that New Europa would have the full backing of RID. Now, he felt deceived and betrayed by what he perceived to be my sudden change of heart. In retrospect, it may have been better if I had spoken to Weifert before publicly renouncing New Europa. However, I wanted to quickly clarify to the galaxy that RID’s true loyalties were with the Galactic Empire. In any case, Weifert continued to express his disappointment in me. Privately, Weifert told me, “You know me Lexx, you could have spoken to me.” I simply told Weifert that RID did not feel truly comfortable with joining New Europa, but that we could devote one new city to his Network as a “present.” Weifert found this to be insulting. “Are you brain dead?” he asked. “Have you lost all of your sanity?” Weifert continued, “I do not want a present from you. I want your help or not.” I simply told Weifert upfront, “Unfortunately, I cannot assist you. I’ll tell you that.” This only further incensed Weifert. “Are you kidding me?” he asked. “You have hurt me. I was wrong about you. Want to know what brought me this far? Do you seriously want to know? You did.” Weifert told me that if I had never led him to believe that RID would help Europa, he would never have even bothered to try to rebuild it. In an attempt to further guilt me, Weifert said, “I forgive you, but I feel sorry for you. I feel sorry for what you are made of. I feel sorry for what you now represent in my eyes.” I told Weifert that I was “sorry,” but that things changed. I told him that RID had gained respect in the galaxy, and that we were not willing to risk losing that. “Well, I will tell you something,” Weifert began. “If you are willing to trade your friends for your pitiful fame, I will tell you, that you are lost. You are no leader.”

I was growing angered by what I viewed to be Weifert’s comtemptible attitude. He should have just respected our wishes and grown New Europa without us. However, the two of us continued to pointlessly bicker. Weifert told me, “Europa will outlive you Lexx, remember that.” He told me that New Europa had established a new and fair “Trading System” for the betterment of all people. He denied people’s claims that Europa was interested in some form of “galactic domination.” He continued to express his disappointment in me for lying to him, but my patience was wearing thin. “You have the spark, use it,” I told him. “You don’t need us for Europa. It should be well off on its own.” Weifert told me, “No, I wanted a friend to run it with me. You were that friend. What you have done is unforgettable. You put faith in me, just so you can destroy it.” Weifert continued, “Have you forgotten what I told you long ago? My exact words were, ‘People like to be shocked.’ The more ‘Europas’ they see, the more they will want to be a part of it.” Truthfully, I still admired Weifert’s ambition. A vision of a vast Europa Network securing control of many cities, and fostering trade for most citizens seemed like an exciting notion. If only Weifert were more diplomatic, perhaps RID and the entire Galactic Empire could have worked more closely with him. “Europa was supposed to help Fort Oasis benefit,” Weifert told me. “We were supposed to be very good friends.”

However, it was now too late for us to be “good friends.” Weifert continued to disparage my decision to disown New Europa, and rambled on about the greatness of his Network. He also insisted that Oien LightStrider was very displeased with my decision, and would soon be leaving RID to join Europa in earnest. I did not know if Weifert was telling the truth, but it was now clear to me that keeping Oien in RID would be problematic. After hearing Weifert’s remarks, I made a unilateral decision to immediately expel Oien from RID. Weifert continued to lament my “betrayal,” before the two of us finally stopped argueing. By this point, it was abundantly obvious to me that Weifert would brand RID as a clear enemy of New Europa. Fearing for the security of RID, Fort Oasis, Fort Ironwolf and Fort Mirage, I called on Erich’, Sajuuk and Si’dhol to limit executive powers to themselves, and only a few other trusted representatives. Much of RID, and Gesro in particular, was confused by my sudden decision to expel Oien from our ranks. Howeer, I assured everyone that I would soon explain the situation in detail.

Much of the galaxy, from Imperials to even some Rebels, from traders to fighters, were uniting against New Europa. However, the New Europa Network was also gaining a great deal of followers. In addition to their three major cities on Lok, including Daventry City, Rogue’s Haven, and the colloquially named New Europa, the Network was also gaining the support of multiple organizations. Two major supporters of the New Europa Network included an organization named IRON, and the so-called “Europa Imperial Vanguard,” or EIV for short. Weifert was a leading official of EIV alongside Tip Terenson, who was mayor of Europa – Daventry City. There were also smaller, lesser known organizations flocking under the Europa banner. One of these was UG, based out of the city of UnderGround on Rori. To express their support, the mayor renamed the city to Europa UnderGround. At the time, I believed Jenaka Truefate to be the mayor of UnderGround, but this may or may not have been the case. Gounk Sharpblaster had also left RID to rejoin his former leader as a citizen of Europa – New Europa. He served under Weifert as a member of the township’s militia alongside Etrox, Furrl and Whistler. Oien also ended up becoming an official citizen of Europa – New Europa. In short, the New Europa Network comprised of many cities, organizations, and individuals. It was quite simply a force to be reckoned with.