Then came Gargan's Empire. A brutish nation from the dark reaches of the Outer Rim. They ravaged throughout the galaxy, striking at vulnerable Republic colonies while the bulk of their forces occupied major Outer Rim worlds. What choice did the Republic have besides giving up a few rogue worlds in favor of protecting the inner Core Worlds?
—Excerpt from a Republic historian
The Gargan Conquests, also known as the Gargan Invasion or the Gargan Crisis were a series of invasions by Gargan's Empire against several worlds in the Outer Rim Territories and the Galactic Republic. A conflict that lasted for nearly sixteen years, the Gargan Conquests began almost immediately following the Gargan Unification War. With a unified and militarized army and navy at his back, Gargan the Conqueror brought his forces to the Outer Rim proper and began occupying major worlds, drawing the attention of the Galactic Republic.
While the main bulk of the conflict occurred in the Outer Rim, the Garganese opted to send small strike teams and operatives deep into Galactic Republic. These operatives committed acts of terrorism within the Republic's biggest colonies, destabilizing the chain of command so greatly that the Jedi Order was called to intervene.
When the Empire continued to occupy worlds such as Serenno and Dantooine, nearly obliterating the Velcar Free Commerce Zone and the Great Houses of Serenno, the Galactic Republic was forced to sign a truce in which the Empire was allowed to retain much of his newly-conquered territory in the Outer Rim while withdrawing their operatives from Republic space. The fragile peace was kept ever since, and what followed was a nearly 200-year long occupation of much of the northwestern Outer Rim, until Gargan's Empire was forced to withdraw their forces from the occupied systems during the reign of Gargan the Jailor in the New Sith Wars.
Prelude
Sith Lord turned Emperor
In 3642 BBY, in the middle of the Cold War between the Galactic Republic and the resurgent Sith Empire, a former Jedi Knight turned Sith Lord known as Darth Errol was betrayed and eventually killed by members of the Sith Empire's reigning Dark Council. Orn Malrag, and his superior Darth Mortis imprisoned Lord Errol's soul inside a holocron, which was said to contain the ancient and dangerous method of transferring one's essence after death. However, it required an imprisoned soul to act as its key.
While Errol was imprisoned, he learned how to transfer his essence and evade death. Upon his release in 2350 BBY, Errol possessed the body of Ahlecaine. Growing up in a new body, Errol - now exclusively known as Reuel Ahlcain - became an anthropologist and joined the Ministry of Science, while keeping his Force abilities a secret to others.
Formation of Gargan's Empire
In 2320 BBY, Ahlcain and a group of scientists led by Bor Kovats arrived on the planet Tyrrha, a former Republic colony that was cut off from the galactic community following the Great Hyperspace War in an event known as the Decimation of Peelo Colony. The Tyrrhans, who descended from the Republic colonists, devolved into backward tribes and feudal kingdoms. In an attempt to reintegrate the Tyrrhans into the Republic, the scientists set up extensive reeducation programs which Ahlcain was charged to lead.
However, the scientists' main encampment was under attack by a reasonably sophisticated Tyrrhan tribe called the Kingdom of Myrra, led by King Adamos. They feared the "men of black knowledge" and attempted to have them driven off the planet. The scientists were given a relatively meagre amount of protection before they left Coruscant, making it increasingly difficult for them to combat the encroaching advance of the Tyrrhans. Ahlcain, who held a fascination with military strategy, noticed that the Tyrrhans' attacks were sloppy and unorganized. The attacks were little more than skirmishes, rather than well-organized battles. Though the Tyrrhan attacks didn't prove particularly destructive, they were still impeding on Ministry affairs.
As part of a "plan" to repel the attackers, Ahlcain surrendered himself to a portion of the Tyrrhan attack host. During his "captivity", however, he taught them how to properly organize attacks, how to maintain their weapons, and how to effectively use modern technology. Ahlcain's teachings allowed the Tyrrhans to all but annihilate the scientist encampment. As reward for his aid, King Adamos allowed Ahlcain to choose nine of the fifteen scientists he wanted to keep alive. He picked Sandro Moore - one of his best friends - and eight scientists who were specialized in the fields of strategy, logistics, science, medicine and engineering.
Following this victory, Ahlcain continued to manipulate the King of Myrra, Adamos, suggesting he should annex the other kingdoms on Tyrrha. In a manner of months, most of the warring nations had all fallen under Myrra's banner. The Tyrrhans were so impressed with Ahlcain that they appointed him the new King of Myrra. Ahlcain addressed the newly-unified planet of Tyrrha that he was sent by "Ur, the Cosmic God", to lead the Tyrrhans into conquering their neighbors. He uttered one word "Gargan", which he claimed was a primordial word for "guide". In truth, Gargan was a made-up word that meant nothing, but Ahlcain chose to use it to symbolize a unifying term for a new and advanced people.
Ahlcain and Moore wrote the Red Sun Scrolls, a set of religious and constitutional doctrines which defined the government of the Empire and the basis of the Cult of Ur. Moore also renamed himself into the Mordan, the right-hand man of the Gargan. The newly christened Gargan and Mordan went on a war of conquest to solidify their new rule over the planet and its surrounding star systems, settling in an area known as Gargan Space.
When the Empire had established itself in its own pocket of space, the Gargan decided to plan a massive invasion of the rest of the Outer Rim Territories. According to Garganese historians, the main reason for the invasion was to "enlighten" and assimilate the "divergents", a Garganese term for someone who was not aligned with the Empire's ideology. While organizing the conquest, the Gargan chose several of the most capable military commanders who had proven their prowess during the unification war. He appointed them as Imperators, autonomous military leaders who were charged with attacking several systems designated by the Gargan. The Imperators did not need to communicate with either the Gargan or the Mordan to discuss an effective strategy. Instead, they were free to decide their own battle plans.
The conflict
Attack on Kalee
In 2314 BBY, the same year when Gargan's Empire had been fully unified, a massive host of ships and starfighters emerged from the previously-believed uninhabited region of Wild Space and raided the planet Kalee, the homeworld of the Kaleesh. Flying the Royal Seal of the Gargan, this mysterious fleet all but obliterated the Kaleesh vessels - who had been taken by surprise - and when the orbital defences had been neutralized, the Garganese forces deployed their ground troops on the planet.
On Kaleesh itself, the Garganese military clashed with the local Kaleesh warriors, though the superior technological prowess of the Garganese against the Kaleesh - who wielded nothing but slugthrowers - meant that the forces of the Gargan easily pushed through the defences and eventually encroached upon Kaleela, the capital city.
The Kaleesh were allowed a reprieve as they initiated Kaleela's defences, managing to hold the Garganese off for three days. While most of the planet had been put under Garganese occupation, Gargan the Conqueror still desired to take the capital city and force the planet's government to surrender. As a means to demoralize the enemy, Gargan the Conqueror decided to set up massive listening posts and broadcast high pitched noises throughout the night, at a frequency that was considered near-deafening for Kaleesh.
Meanwhile, the Gargan wished to cut off all communications on the planet as to prevent the Kaleesh from warning either their allies or the Republic. Some Kaleesh collaborators, who were promised fame and fortune if they allied with the Garganese, were sent into Kaleela under the guise of refugees and destroyed the main communication lines. They also proceeded to assassinate top Kaleesh military commanders, disabled the city's defences, and opened the gates for the Gargan's forces to pour in and occupy the city.
A day after the seizure of the city, Kalee's top political leaders signed an instrument of surrender and formally surrendered governance of the planet over to the Gargan. In total, the conquest of Kalee lasted nothing more than four local days in total. During the battle, a military officer known as Rylen Sauvirn proved his mettle in planning out an effective strategy during the invasion of Kaleela, which ended in him being promoted to Imperator.
Push into the Outer Rim
When Kalee had been conquered by the Empire, the Gargan decided to split up his forces and make use of his new Imperators. He sent Imperators Rylen Sauvirn and Hoardan to push further spinward, while sending Imperator Ulaag Rictar to plan a campaign to carve a path towards Ord Mantell. The Gargan himself opted to personally lead his forces to conquer his next strategic military target: Muunilinst, the capital of the InterGalactic Banking Clan.
Invasion of Muunilinst
Upon arriving in the Muunilinst system, the Gargan's first goal was to maintain the secrecy of his Empire's existence and cut off all communication lines on the planet, the same way he did with Kalee. When his forces fully invaded the system, they immediately assaulted all the orbital satellites, stations, and listening posts around Muunilinst and its surrounding planets. What followed was a planetary assault on the planet itself. Quickly enough, however, the Gargan noticed he was faced with considerable difficulty in invading the planet. As opposed to the mostly tribal Kaleesh, Muunilinst was a far more advanced colony home to the powerful and influential InterGalactic Banking Clan.
Before the Gargan could deploy his ground forces, he sent the Gargan Starfighter Corps into a dogfight with the Banking Clan's automated defense satellites. For a few hours the aerial warfare continued before the Gargan fully initiated Muunilinst's ground invasion. Combat on the planet lasted for at least a day, before the Gargan sent a message to the InterGalactic Banking Clan demanding their surrender, promising rich rewards for their compliance or the complete annihilation of their trading vessels if rejected. After some time, the Banking Clan relented and surrendered Muunilinst to the Gargan. The new conqueror held true to his promise, allowing the Banking Clan to do business in his home territory of Gargan Space and using his influence to lift tariffs on the Banking Clan and repay their debts. In turn, the Banking Clan committed their full economic support to the conquest, while keeping their new allegiance a secret to the rest of the galaxy.
However, one disgruntled member of the Banking Clan managed to send a message broadcast to the entire galaxy, revealing the existence and goals of Gargan's Empire, before his discovery and subsequent death. Although revealing the existence of his Empire went against his plans, the Galactic Republic did not seem decided on sending their military to liberate Muunilinst and Kalee.
Invasion of Mygeeto
After Muunilinst had been taken and the InterGalactic Banking Clan had allied themselves with their new overlords, the Gargan moved his troops to take the planet of Mygeeto. The Muun colony had long played a pivotal role in the Banking Clan's history, although the local rulers of the planet refused to give up their planet to the Gargan. Ensured by the Banking Clan's Chairman that the other colonies of the Muun would fall in line when Mygeeto would be taken, the Gargan took no half-measures and sent the full force of his navy to assault the planet.
After a short battle in Mygeeto's orbit, the Gargan sent his troops in a planetary assault. The forces were led by the field commander Advale, who had proven himself to be capable military leader following the victory of the invasion of Muunilinst. Within three months of constant combat, Mygeeto was finally taken after Advale organized a full-scale attack on the city of Jygat.
When Mygeeto came under full occupation, the Gargan set up blockades to ensure that Republic trading vessels could not reach the Mygeeto system, and that the Muun could not resume their trade with the Republic. This ensured that Gargan's Empire would have complete control over the trade and economy of Mygeeto and by extension of the InterGalactic Banking Clan. Following this, the Supreme Chancellor Dantu Odessa and his Defense Minister Shuutbien Hodhor proposed to the Galactic Senate disciplinary actions against the expansionism of this new Empire. The Senate approved the Chancellor's demands, fully initiating the Galactic Republic's involvement in the war.
Failed invasion of Serenno
Confident that the war would turn in his favor, and convinced that the Republic had elected to stay out of the conflict, the Gargan had begun to set his eyes on his greatest target: Serenno. At the time, Serenno was one of the most powerful Outer Rim colonies, with strong ties in the Galactic Senate. Furthermore, Serenno had a strong government with a powerful military - and the Great Houses of Serenno had immense sway over the politics of the planet. In taking Serenno, the Gargan would sent a clear message of his Empire's supremacy to the rest of the galaxy.
By 2313 BBY, Gargan the Conqueror sent his forces to prepare for a planetary assault on Serenno. The Gargan's intended plan was to neutralize the orbital defences in the same way he had done at Kalee, then send his ground forces led by the field commander Qyros Ban to occupy the ancestral cities of the most powerful of the Great Houses, in an attempt to force their subjugation.
The Gargan Navy encircled the planet, becoming involved in an orbital battle that lasted for at least a day. After breaking through the lines, carrier ships containing ground troops descended onto the planet and deployed the infantry forces. Qyros Ban led the initial assaults at major settlements and military checkpoints, managing to successfully break through the first lines of the planet's defence. After the cities of Fiyarro and Saffia had fallen, Qyros was given the all-clear to invade Carannia - the planet's capital.
However, half-way through the invasion, the Republic Navy appeared to assist in the defence of the planet. Taken by surprise, the Gargan noticed their superior numbers and ordered all ground troops to fall back to the landing zones and depart the planet. While the majority of the field commanders did so, Qyros disobeyed his Gargan's orders and flippantly sent his army to assault the capital.
