A new empire! Ruled by Sith!
—Palpatine
The Dark Imperium, also called the Dark Empire, the New Empire, and the Second Imperium, was an empire formed from the remnants of the Galactic Empire by the reborn Palpatine in 16 ABY. Unlike the Imperial Remnant, the Imperium was controlled by users of the Dark Side of the Force, known as the Dark Side Elite, Dark Command, and the Dark Council. Most regular superweapons were abolished in favor of the Dark Side, though the majority of the original military was kept.
The New Republic was overthrown in a coup by Natasi Daala and formed into the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances shortly before the Imperium's rise. The two governments went into open conflict, known as the Dark War. Two years after the start of the Dark War, the Imperium split into several factions following the Emperor's death over Sarapin, the largest being the Crimson Empire; who managed to defeat the Galactic Alliance.
History[]
Formation[]
After the Emperor's death in the Battle of Endor in 5 ABY, the Empire split into various factions and kingdoms, including the Zsinj Dominion. They continued warring with the New Republic, who managed to defeat many warlords. After 8 ABY, the factions were united by Admiral Pelleon as the Imperial Remnant. Pelleon signed a treaty with the Republic, ending the Galactic Civil War.
In 15 ABY shortly after the end of the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion, the Emperor returned to the galaxy in a clone body on Byss. He sent messages to Pelleon and the other Remnant officers to move their units into the Deep Core, where he gathered his forces. After the arrival of the last units in 16 ABY, he declared the formation of the Dark Imperium.
Resurgence[]
He immediately had the military launch massive attacks on various Core Worlds, recapturing many planets since the forces of the newly formed Galactic Alliance were spread thinly throughout the Outer Rim Territories. He captured worlds such as Anaxes, Alsakan, Corellia, Kuat, and even Coruscant in a matter of hours. The Galactic Senate was publicly executed in front of the Imperial Palace, which was broadcasted across the galaxy on the HoloNet. The Alliance's top leaders were in other parts of the galaxy, surviving the Core Worlds Campaign.
The Alliance, under Chief of State Daala, regathered their forces and launched a counter-offensive in the Inner Rim Territories, as the Imperium began expanding outwards towards the Outer Rim. Their operation was a success on planets such as Camildrona, Avingnon, and Caprania largely because of the Jedi who lead the assaults. However, when the Sith began leading forces on the battlefields, the Alliance's advance stalled.
The Imperium captured the entire Core Worlds, Colonies, Inner Rim Territories, and Mid Rim over the course of the War. The Alliance was taking heavy casualties, especially since many Jedi Knights ended up joining Palpatine, such as Mitsuko Souma and Yutaka Seto. However, in 17 ABY, a major victory was gained by the Rebels when they took the largest Sith base world in the Outer Rim: Bastion, following the daring Bastion Campaign. The Emperor, displeased with the lack of progress, lead a fleet himself to Sarapin, where a large Alliance and Jedi force was gathering. It was a trap; the Imperial fleet was decimated and Palpatine was killed when a Mon Calamari cruiser rammed his Pellaeon-class Star Destroyer.
Collapse[]
After the his death, as at Endor thirteen years before, the Empire split. General Maximilian Veers and Admiral Zsinj were the first to cause this collapse, splitting the Felucia system and Bastion from the Imperium. The lower officers, having lost overall command, stopped their operations. On Byss, two of the Dark Side Elites, Mitsuko Souma and Yutaka Seto, declared their own Crimson Empire, and claimed to be the Emperor's chosen successors. The majority of the Imperium joined the new government, and resumed it's war against the Alliance.
Military[]
Dark Ground Forces[]
The Dark Ground Forces, commonly known as the Army or DGF, was the land service arm of the Dark Imperium's military. Made up of trillions of soldiers at its peak, the DGF worked as the main frontline force that carried out offensive land operations during the Dark War against the Galactic Alliance defense forces. It was made up of the former personnel of the Stormtrooper Corps, and was essentially the Imperium's equivalent of the Corps, while the Imperial Army troopers were either made stormtroopers or were assigned to the Domestic Forces.
[]
The Dark Naval Forces, also called Navy or the DNF, was the space service arm that was responsible for operating capital starships, such as Star Destroyers. They worked heavily with the Air Forces, the branch responsible for piloting star fighters and other small vessels. At its peak, the DNF wielded millions of warships, logistics vessels, transports, and other types of ships. Made up of remnants of the Imperial Navy, the DNF was formed by the last surviving Grand Admiral, Fin Pulastra, on the Deep Core world of Byss.
Dark Air Forces[]
The Air Forces, also known as the Air Force or the DAF, was the space service arm that was responsible for operating smaller vessels including starfighters, dropships, shuttles, and gunships. They worked constantly with the Naval Forces, who operated the capital ships. Made up of the small vessels of the Imperial Navy, the DAF was created separate from the DNF because of the arrogance of the Empire's commander of starfighters, Brigadier Commodore Han Nomante. During the Dark War, it was supplied with billions of new fighters by Kuat Drive Yards and Fondor Shipyards. They were considered deadly pilots by the Galactic Alliance Navy's starfighter corps.
Dark Domestic Forces[]
The Domestic Forces, usually called the Domestic Force or DDF, was a law enforcement branch in the military, tasked with garrisoning the Imperium's many worlds. Like the Army, it was composed of trillions of troops and vehicles. However, they were more lightly armed and trained for different operations than Army personnel.
Dark Special Forces[]
The Special Forces, also called Special Operations or DSF, were formed from the Galactic Empire Special Operations Command. Used as elite units, they usually worked with Sith and Imperial Inquisitors. Special operatives were trained on Yinchorr.
Government[]
The government was mainly Sith based. It was made up of the Dark Command, the executive branch, the Dark Council, the legislature, and the Dark Side Eoite, the judicial/religious body. There were also the Imperial High Council and the Moff Council, but they were non-Force-sensitive and did not receive much power. The Army Command, Naval Command, Stormtrooper Command, and Homeworld Security Command had much influence in the government.
Economy[]
The Imperium's economy was based on spending most of its government funds on military projects, to the annoyance of its citizens. By 18 ABY, the Imperium received billions of credits per day.