Turn Three: 'Continuous Turbulence'
With much thanks to @Always Late, @Dutch and @Habstab for their invaluable aid in ensuring that the turn got posted at all! I cannot mention this enough: Without their help, none of this would have been possible.
For the past twenty years, four men digging through the Flimsiplast and encrypted databases of an office in the Morshdine Oversector would have drawn considerable alarm. Typically, the standard Imperial policy would be for security forces to search the premises, and then send the data back to the ISB datacompilers for analysis: That some information wouldn't make its way back to Imperial hands was considered a feature, not a bug. It was an open secret between the Fiosach Siblings, Moff Saarle and her sister Arine, and the Oversector's civilian population that they were willing to stake their reputation and lives protecting their citizens rather than hounding them, confident that they would see that loyalty returned thrice over by their people with greater productivity, dedication, and loyalty. In Morshdine, seeing a government office invaded would be a cause for great alarm: A possibly provoked Moff could lead to a clampdown and jeopardise their increased rights for oh-so little gain.
But the Commissariat of Internal Affairs had more...ground-level, responsibilities, with far more experience in the early Imperial days of no-knock raids and provoking street chases thanks to the influx of the ISB old guard. The unique mix of decades-long retirees and young patriots of a post-Alderaan Empire made for a ruthless idealism unyielding against any form of corruption or bending the system to an individual's whims: An honest, meritocratic system of authority, built for the people that would selflessly safeguard them, unrivalled by any other in the galaxy, which made sending people to just walk into a place a deliberately chosen degree of discretion. A display of quiet competence, of wielding power more like a surgical scalpel than a brutal hammer and not disrupting the local's lives more than needed, delivering on the promise of security the Empire offered but oh so often fell short of for decades now all the while avoiding the brutal overreach that too many Imperial officers thought was necessary.
Which was one reason Colonel De Graff wasn't wearing the brown gaberwool of the CIA or ISB Agent grey, but instead a black one more in line with Stormtrooper Officers. But the differences didn't stop there.
The worlds of the Morshdine Sector were unremarkable, in galactic terms. Without millennia-old battles, timeless secrets from The Force, or even just high traffic hyperlanes, Coreworlders would often see them as forgettable Rimmers, just another indistinguishable Sector on the way to somewhere more important: But they had their own history, their own cultures, their own pride and prowess. It was another subtle note that the Fiosach Sisters both recognized and made use of, drawing on the proud emblems from Morshdine's often overlooked past for the Commissariat of Internal Affairs. Symbols that would inspire safety and security in the locals, not fear.
As Grunter and Webels both dutifully and effectively trawled through the database, their rank was evident not by the four squares of a Lieutenant displayed on their chest plaques, but instead by the single pip on their shoulder patches: Their choice of weapon was not an imperial blaster, but an ancient slugthrower rifle slung over the back, distinguished even more so by the polished silver ceremonial bayonet attached to the barrel. Currently, Major Bles had pulled hers off to start picking the lock on a drawer. Few would expect the use of a slugthrower, and even fewer would have countermeasures in place - and with the use of high-calibre penetrating ammunition, they could punch through anything short of Stormtrooper armour with it.
But this was not just a search and seizure, no - it was a critical step in wiping away the filth and corruption that sought to entrench itself within the Oversector. For he was a true son of Morshdine, and he was on a mission to prove Commissar Migashki's treachery. De Graaf didn't have proof. But he knew it to be true, same as Bles, Grunter, Webels, and the two State Security sergeants standing outside the door.
You merely had to meet the man to sense his foulness. From his honeyed words of how proud he was of the new generation learning faster than expected. To the oily feeling he left if you had to remain in his presence for extended periods of time. And far more damning, the old ISB men hadn't stepped down despite the emergency that had justified their installation passing. And despite the excuses he made; it wasn't out of any need to train them better. They stuck around because they were Isardites. People loyal to Isard from their days in Imperial Intelligence, or followed her unified vision of an Empire ruled by secret state-sponsored terror groups. And if she had her way, Morshdine would become a new seat for Yssane Isard's sick appetite for cruelty, a prison camp in all but name. The only thing standing between that nightmare and the Sisters who had made Morshdine were the lonely few with the vision to see the truth and the will to act. If he could just find one shred of hard data that The Butcher Migashki was plotting against the Moff, then Saarle Fiosach would have to listen to him!
As if the universe itself gave recognition of the righteousness of his course, de Graaf's slicer droid alerted him with a series of dull warbles of a new decoded item of import.
"Operation Downfall, eh...? Alright, we have what we came for!"
National focuses
[ ] Finishing the purges
The plot against the New Order, and Moff Fiosach in particular, continues to unravel as more and more accomplices and traitors within the local government are discovered, captured, interrogated, and imprisoned. However substantial amounts of evidence have arisen that certain parts of the civilian population and the higher ranks of the Morshdine Militia have been infiltrated by wreckers and traitors: Some have been discovered to be aligned with Kaine, even more in cohorts with Zsinj, while others proclaim their loyalty to the degenerate New Republic!
This rebellion against the rightful Imperial administration cannot be allowed to persist. The Commissariat of Internal Affairs has been more than gentle in the targets they had chosen so far, but now that the extent of the rot is known, the Committee of Imperial Commissars is chomping at the bit to move in with the abundance of evidence gathered against the general population. The omnipresent traitors will see their elimination from proper society very thoroughly: Even if it will momentarily reduce Civilian morale and, due to wasted sympathy, their loyalty.
"The Great Terror completed, the Sisters Fiosach and their chosen stood on top of a pile of corpses, ready to mold the Oversector in whatever their heart desired."
Effect:
The Great Terror will continue until all internal threats have been dealt with, and all opposition to the Fiosach family purged. This will come at the cost of severe stability loss and possible civilian opposition, for possible large gains of loyalty, militancy, and total societal indoctrination in the future.
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[ ] The CIA counter-purge
The proponents and mouthpieces of degenerate liberalism lay silent, and the most boorish of the militarists - likely spies and agents from Zsinj - have been eliminated after an effective purge of both their respective camps, which has - for now - a minimal impact on civilian morale. The working men and women of Morshdine continue to enjoy most of the rights and prosperity they knew from before the debacle over Endor: The moderates are largely aligned with the Moff on most positions and will make reasonable compromises on the few subjects that they oppose the administration on. Yet as the old hands exit stage left, new radicals and extremists enter stage right ushered by Isard.
The largest and most entrenched nest is within the highest echelons of the Commissariat of Internal Affairs, or the "Knockoff ISB" as it is becoming increasingly known: Commissar Migashki may have regrettably forgotten the arrangement made with the old retirees in return for their service within the Commissariat. They would be put in charge on a temporary basis until the new agency became self-sufficient, then hang up their caps and their coats, and return to their well-earned rests at seaside mansions and manors. Perhaps through rewards promised from Isard, perhaps because of the stress of seeing the Empire being rolled back, it is undeniable that Migashki has refused to promote new talent in favour of old ISB alumni and is staffing every post he can with Isardites from Coruscant. Though a man of his talent and experience is irreplaceable, it is time for the old commissar to retire. Permanently, this time.
Colonel Irald de Graaf, a rising star within the CIA, has through private correspondence with Arine Fiosach already expressed interest in leading a reformation of the service, granted he become the new head of this reborn Commissariat. Such naked ambition and initiative with his talents has made many an Imperial hero - and also many of the new Warlords...
"The purges have gone full circle, and decimated the weapon Isard had pointed at the heart of the Oversector itself."
Effect:
The Commissariat of Internal Affairs will be cleared of Isardites, reckless fanatics, and overtly political appointments. During this purge, which will last one turn (Turn Four), the effectiveness of the CIA in foreign and domestic operations will be reduced. From Turn Five onwards, the reborn Commissariat for State Security will return to normal effectiveness. Liberalisation, economic reforms, and constitutional reforms will be hampered less by Isardites and Imperial Hardliners.
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[ ] Ending the Great Terror
The proponents and mouthpieces of degenerate liberalism who'd have the Oversector fall to the New Republic lay silent, and the most boorish of the militarists under the sway of Zsinj's dark charisma have been eliminated after an effective purge of both their respective camps and all the while there has been minimal impact on civilian morale. The new government and Commissariat members are largely aligned with the Moff on most positions, and will still follow the intent and spirit of the order on the few subjects that they disagree with: Only the radicals and the extremists pose a potential threat to the stability that the Oversector enjoys, and as Isard continues to send more and more of them to Morshdine in a bid to solidify her own position, their presence is moving the situation closer and closer to a genuine problem.
There is however little that can be done about them at the moment. The New Republic continues their advance, Zsinj is unreliable, and Isard is the Oversector's sole supplier of heavy equipment: Alienating her with the elimination of the Imperial fanatics she has sent will just cripple the Oversector in the short to mid-terms. Perhaps in the future, when the loss of the Sloane line is compounded by the severing of the Hydian War or even Imperial Center, can such measures be entertained again.
"This madness will halt now - otherwise we will soon enough have killed all of our own!"
Effect:
The Great Terror has been completed, and the Isardites and Imperial Hardliners have been strengthened. The Commissariat of Internal Affairs and Isard's Imperial fanatics will continue to try to Imperialize the Oversector. Liberalisation, cultural, constitutional, and economic reforms will be hampered by their efforts.
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Rae Sloane was uneasy, and it showed. Gallius Rax was a liar. She'd say he was one to the bone, and with how many times she'd thought he was figured out, only to reveal something undeniably true that crushed her entire image of him, it was probably the point: He clearly wanted her help with his plans and considered her essential, but his plans were clearly not made with the interests of the Empire in mind, which was what Regentess Isard had explicitly corroborated at her promotion to Grand Admiral upon returning with both
Ravager and Commander CC-2224's main fleet. Officially it was to give the Imperial Navy a competitor to The Warlord. Unofficially, the Regentess wanted her to spy on him, and eventually expose him, with the highest level of military authority.
Rax had decorations and medals that belied his position. A Fleet Admiral, an 'Allegiant General' whatever that was, a Naval Intelligence attache to Imperial Center, recipient of both the Hero of the Galactic Empire and the Emperor's Will medal, and yet he was happily plinking away as a desk-bound tax collector?
Now, in a private luxury suite within the Imperial Palace that she had no idea existed, she was sitting in on a meeting with Gallius and two other men. She knew one, High General Firis Alauitin, born to the wealthy Imperial-installed nobility in her home of Ganthel. The other man, distinguished by glasses and two code cylinders, was some manner of Stormtrooper officer by his black uniform, but Rax evidently knew him for quite some time: The two other men drank and talked happily about the days to come, but Sloane knew the truth, for they were not co-conspirators but victims of Gallius Rax's manipulations - much like she was.
"Grand Admiral Sloane, how has Ganthel's mobilisation been going? Have you heard the news?"
She kept her stony, emotionless mask on even as the green-clad officer spoke jovially. "I haven't had that privilege, General Alauitin." Her voice wasn't harsh, but still impersonal. It was, strangely, something which caused the highborn to chuckle.
"Please, Admiral, you've more than earned the right to be a little personal. The rank is fine, if you must."
"As you wish, General Firis." Sloane felt her disgust for the man smothered in pity. People like him spent more money a single bottle of booze than her old neighbourhood earned in a week, a neighbourhood which by now would've been conscripted by Isard's new commissars down to younglings for the factories or the militia, and yet for all his connections and money, the fly was blissfully unaware of the spider's web it had already been ensnared within.
"Ah! Did I tell you, my daughter got a pre-acceptance letter." Rax clapped politely with an ear to ear grin. Admiral Sloane felt her skin crawl at the sheer falseness in the man's cheer.
"Oh, how wonderful! Which Academy did she qualify for?"
"The Morshdine Oversector, Rax. Morshdine of all places!" The two men chuckled for a moment. Sloane used the mention of a new Academy in Isard's new playground to shift her focus away from the strangled barely-conversation Alauitin had tried to start. "They're opening a new training facility there, one that will produce teachers and soldiers, and my baby girl was top of their list for entry!"
"Congratulations, my friend. She shall be a talented," Gallius Rax winked theatrically, sharing his falsehood, "and loyal soldier of the true Empire."
"To the true empire!" High General Alauitin cheered, holding his wine glass up in a toast. Rax paused for a moment before grabbing his own glass.
"Gentlemen, Grand Admiral, to the True Empire!"
Sloane toasted with the rest, then forced herself to drink very little of the overpriced grain juice in her glass. An Imperial Officer did not compromise their command with debilitating vices, no matter how badly she wanted to just lock herself in the back of her mind and stay there.
"Now, we do have some small matters of business to cover." Rax was far from subtle, Sloane had concluded, but he tended to use that as a distraction from his true guiding hand. "This shall be the last meeting of the Shadow Council on Coruscant for some time, and when we meet at our future base we shall have the people necessary to meet the goals our Emperor envisions. By the twenty-seventh year of our Galactic Empire's Declaration, four years after the failure of Endor, we shall have seized back the reins of the Empire from the madwoman. The glory of our Emperor, our devotion unwavering, shall see the Empire rein not for a thousand years, but for eternity!"
Requests from Imperial Center
Ysanne Isard has displayed an extraordinary amount of interest in Oversector Morshdine lately after Moff Fiosach met with the Imperial Regentess, and with this interest comes a certain amount of interference from Imperial Center. As the situation evolves and changes, Isard is sure to issue more edicts and demands in exchange for the continued rule of Moff Fiosach - and, if executed well, more territory, ships, troops, and economical freedom.
Not meeting requests in the desired timeframe will increase Isard's Paranoia, which at the highest level will result in the complete and total purge of the Oversector's administration. In addition to demands from Imperial Center, reports on the activities of Zsinj and Kaine can be made and presented to Isard, causing them to be distracted while the Oversector does its own thing - however, Isard will naturally be suspicious of where the information came from, and may even investigate just how this information is only available to the Oversector and not her ISB. Paranoia can be reduced by obeying ISB edicts and in general not choosing options that weaken central Imperial authority.
Currently, due to the mix of Isard's Paranoia being in a state best described as "Quantum Impossibility", no requests are completely necessary. You have until Turn four to do as you wish without raising paranoia. That said, the unique and desperate circumstances of these two turns offer unique rewards that will never come again: Isard knows what is about to happen, and has already been planning for a post-Coruscant Galactic Empire.
Welcome to the Fire Sale.
[ ] Volunteers for the War
The war continues ever onwards, and not in ways favourable to the Galactic Empire. With the first world in the Mid Rim having fallen to the New Republic menace, Regentess Isard has declared a state of emergency in the sectors surrounding the breach - and with that state of emergency come calls for reinforcements, weapons, supplies, and anything that can be used to keep the enemy at bay for just a week longer. Kaine has sent an "Expeditionary Force'' numbering 200,000 men strong consisting of Army Troopers and Stormtroopers, Zsinj has spared a smaller "Volunteer Corps" of around 50,000 Stormtroopers, and over a dozen other commands have together scrounged up a force of 400,000 men in total - but of varying levels of quality, equipment, and firepower.
The requests for manpower and equipment have now also reached Morshdine, and Isard is insistent on support from the 'crown jewel of the Galactic Empire', a title likely invented by Isard to suck up and placate the administration while she sends the sons and daughters of Morshdine to war: A war which, until now, few have been willing to participate in. Still, it is the patriotic duty of every citizen of the Empire to respond to the call when it is sent out - volunteers for the current campaigns in the south can be sourced from the Morshdine Militia, but if needed, a detachment from the Imperial garrison can be 'volunteered' in place of ever-precious domestic manpower and morale.
- [ ] Send the Morshdine Militia!
--- [ ] A Battalion-sized unit (116. Infantry Battalion of the Morshdine Militia (Edusa), ~800 soldiers)
A battalion of volunteers, drafted from the Morshdine Militia, will be sent to aid Isard in the War. The most minimalist contribution, their low numbers will be compensated for by their weaponry, training, and ferocity: Perfect for so-called "Shock Operations" planned and executed along the front.
--- [ ] A Regiment-sized unit (124. Infantry Regiment of the Morshdine Militia (Vandyne), ~3,200 soldiers) (four Battalions)
A regiment of volunteers, drafted from the Morshdine Militia, sent to aid Isard in the War. A full regiment expands the capabilities of the Volunteers, granting them access to superior artillery support and additional mobile units. While comparatively small, their weaponry, training and ferocity will make them perfect fits for "Shock Operations", and their larger size than a battalion allows for additional tactical options.
--- [ ] A Divisional-sized unit (9. Infantry Division of the Morshdine Militia (Edusa), ~12,800 soldiers) (four Regiments)
An entire Division of volunteers, drafted from the Morshdine Militia. The second-largest unit that can be sent while recruiting from the Militia, with access to the heaviest weapons available to the Oversector: Sending an unit of this size will mean that the newly-minted officer corps can gain valuable combat experience against the New Republic, which will likely prove vital to attaining a capable officer corps.
--- [ ] A Corps-sized unit (III. Infantry Corps of the Morshdine Militia, ~38,400 soldiers) (three Divisions)
A Corps-sized unit, the largest Militia unit that can be realistically sent. Filled exclusively with volunteers, their weapons are comparatively average - E-10A1s, older armoured vehicles, etcetera - but are wielded by men with high morale and esprit de corps. The Corps also effectively functions as a part-time training unit, with many officers gaining combat experience.
- [ ] Send the Imperial Army!
--- [ ] The 827th Infantry Legion
The 827th Legion is, officially, part of the Imperial garrison and intended to protect against the movements of the then Rebel Alliance, now the New Republic - but unofficially, it is a sword of Damocles that hangs over the heads of all leaders of the Oversector, with whom Isard can dispose of anyone who does not obey her wishes if the ISB is not enough. Sending the 827th Infantry Legion to the frontlines will, for now, reduce the threat Isard poses to the various reform programmes...
(Caution. Choosing the 827th Infantry Legion will deprive the Morshdine Oversector of its assigned Imperial Army garrison, leaving it with weakened sector defences and reliant on Militia and Army units not assigned to the 827th.)
Cost:
N/A
Effect:
A volunteer unit will be dispatched to aid in Isard's campaigns. They can be withdrawn from Turn Four onwards.
Should the units be destroyed in battle, depending on their composition, there is a chance of civil unrest: Status updates on the performance and their experiences on the battlefield will be available. Withdrawing the volunteers will have a chance of increasing Paranoia, but is not guaranteed depending on circumstances.
[ ] Operation Blackout
POV: Saarle Fiosach
The recent New Republic raids on Kuat, Fondor, and half a dozen other Imperial shipyards must have rattled Imperial Center something fierce. New Republic Bomber Command has decisively proven that not even the industrial juggernauts in the Colonies or Core are outside of its reach, and the fact that has the potential to further dent the already faltering Imperial war effort has left Isard in an uproar. With half the fleet tied up in withdrawal campaigns from the Mid-Rim and the other half in the hands of numerous warlords, Imperial Center does not have the ships needed to adequately deter further strategic bombing campaigns, and likewise, a full-on industrial relocation program is impossible due to the extremely tenuous situation at the front.
This has left the Regentess with the decision to only implement a limited transfer of industrial assets to the New Territories. In particular, to transfer it to the sole region considered safe from New Republic raids, and loyal enough to Imperial Center.
The Morshdine Oversector has been selected to take part in Operation Cauterise, a smaller operation in the vast campaign that is Totalize. Due to the loyalty of both the Commissariat of Internal Affairs and yourself, the highest levels of Sector authority have been allowed the privilege to view a plan that, if executed properly, will turn the tide of the war: The Executor-Class Super Star Destroyer Razor's Kiss and Eclipse-Class Super Star Destroyer Eclipse are both operational and, in a rushed secret ceremony, commissioned. At the very least, they are mobile and accompanied by sufficient logistics ships for a secret trip halfway across the galaxy.
The main body of Operation Cauterise involves the Empire's last Rendili Deepdocks, and eight hyperdrive equipped open-keel shipyards, to travel in secret across the Galaxy, and to arrive in the Morshdine Oversector, where a defensive fleet will rendezvous with them: The end goal of Cauterise after the docks are delivered requires the two Dreadnoughts to be completed by no later than the end of 6 ABY, irrespective of the pressure this lays on construction workers, foremen, and everyone involved in the project.
It is here that your troubles begin.
The Skaross and Nichen systems have been only sparsely populated and developed for over three thousand years and as such are considered perfect for this black construction project by Imperial Center, with the Regentess having decreed that those two systems are to be designated as Restricted Space operating under her direct authority. Essentially, both Skaross and Nichen will be administered by the Empire itself, effectively decoupling the systems from the Oversector and limiting your authority there.
While the assessed resources and skilled labour that are not in-system needed to complete the project have already been gathered and will accompany the fleet, any able-bodied citizen of Oversector Morshdine can be mobilised under a so-called 'Shock Labor Decree' to fill labour shortages or catch up on delays. Compensation has been budgeted and screened communications authorised, as a sign of trust in the Oversector's dutiful and hardworking citizens, but the problems do not end there. The Oversector's connection to the Galactic Holonet will be cut for the duration of the project, all economically important transmissions will be made from a courier ship at sufficient distance, and Internal Affairs will have increased authority and presence controlling the local flow of information - in essence making Morshdine a shadow state, one where no information comes in or out that has not been carefully monitored by the Commissariat of Internal Affairs and the Imperial State Committee of Internal Security, the latter being Isard's formal reformation of the entire Imperial intelligence community, consolidating power not needed for military effectiveness into a single entity sub-divided to meet the Galactic Empire's continuous need for information on its citizens, enemies, and armed forces.
Internal polling of the CIA rank and file has shown that there exists a great enthusiasm for increasing their authority even as the workload becomes exponential and demand for their services increases - but perhaps that is exactly the reason why. Unfortunately, separate polls for the morale at all levels of Internal Affairs frequently showed much the same sentiments, albeit inverted and sharply increased - a clear sign that both the Morshdine recruits and even some of the old ISB hands really do not like how the situation with the local population will be handled.
The Regentess considers the operation to be of maximum priority and a vital part of her overall contingency plans, and consequently, she will be extremely displeased if the operation has not been completed by the end of 6 ABY. Isard is willing to offer great rewards - but with this, you wonder just what she is going to send that she hasn't done before - and if it is possible to, if Isard falls, it is possible to seize the shipyards for yourself...
DC:
N/A
Effect if taken before the end of Turn 5:
Civilian Morale and Loyalty will be locked unless specially marked options are taken next turn to Low and Stressed respectively for the duration of the emergency: If completed in its entirety, the rewards will be two Star Dreadnoughts and the last of the Galactic Empire's remaining mobile dockyards now being located within the Oversector. The operation will last between four and six turns, but removing the penalty in its entirety is, unfortunately, impossible.
Construction on the Eclipse and the Razor's Kiss will begin in the Restricted Zone, to end before the beginning of 7 ABY, one year from now. Options to infiltrate the Restricted Zone for a future seizure of the fleet and its assets are unlocked. Parts of the population and resources may be randomly demanded to meet project deadlines, but can also be volunteered to try and complete the project early.
Effect if not taken by the end of Turn 5:
If both Isard lives and Coruscant remains in Imperial control by the end of Turn Five and the option is then not yet taken, Paranoia will increase by 50! Isard will be livid, wanting answers and reconsidering the deployment of key assets to Morshdine, such as the Tarkin's Will, the 501st, and several other assets!
[ ] Preparation for Imperial Evacuation
For some, the victory of the Galactic Empire over the degenerate New Republic is but a matter of time, with the superior might of the Imperial Navy and Army ready to crush the overextended lines of the few fleets and armies the Rebels can field after the completion of a proper maintenance, repair, and construction cycle. For everyone still living in reality though, the writing can be seen on the wall, and few want to remain in the Imperial core when it will inevitably fall to the New Republic's advance: And when it falls, there is a relatively large group of high-ranking senior administrators, bureaucrats, diplomats, retired and active-duty officers, and other bigwigs who would like nothing more than to be somewhere else, preferably living in a bunch of nice, safe and well-guarded manors.
There is nothing overtly, of course. It is just some military men, both currently serving and retired, interested in personally reviewing the performance of the F.1 space superiority fighter, and just a coincidence that most of them are Barons of the Empire with their lands in the lost sectors of the Outer Rim. Of course, it is just government officials hoping to receive advice from the Moff about the effective implementation of the Commissariat system. It is, after all, just administrative figures and diplomats being eager to foster closer ties between the central government and the Empire's model Oversector. It is just a coincidence that a small flood of military men is clamouring for transfers, with many using their past connections to a certain Admiral in charge of the 12th Fleet. And, of course, even more are just hoping to schedule a series of meetings with either Saarle in person, or her sister if the former is not available.
But more so than connections and their families, with them comes something much more valuable: It gives Morshdine legitimacy. Some, in private correspondence, have offered their personal expertise and connections in return for acquiescence to their requests, while others have promised to stay out of politics entirely: It remains, however, likely that some will probably wish to have some manner of influence in future government policy. But regardless of their post-evacuation plans, there is any unifying trait among all of them that sweetens the deal: Most of them can be considered to be political moderates by Imperial standards, and some are fierce opposition figures to Isard.
DC:
45
Effect:
Imperial moderates, bureaucratic functionaries, connected nobility, and "honour-bound" officers take up refuge in what will slowly become a compound of aristocratic elites around the Moff's estate in Opalisberg. Isard's paranoia increases by 15% after the lock, and CIA loyalty decreases immediately. Moderate administrators in the Oversector are under the Moff's increased control: Options for future political legitimacy gains and establishing a new autocracy under the Fiosach sisters unlocked. This option cannot be taken without Ending the Great Terror or CIA Counter-Purge. Ending the Reign of Terror will increase the DC of this option due to Isardite opposition.
[ ] Regional Consolidation
With the Sloane Line in the Outer Rim broken, and the New Republic in the opening phases of their Mid Rim campaign, the situation in the New Territories is slowly but surely deteriorating into a quagmire of conflicting interests and chaos. As squabbling more typical of the Core spreads, fleets are redirected and warlords are starting to make their moves, the time has come for the Oversector to reinforce its own position in case the worst comes to pass. With Kaine's Pentastar Alignment and Zsinj breakaway Empire distracted by Isard and the New Republic respectively, and with the Oversector backed by Isard, there is little chance of any powerful opposition at the moment. Thus, requests by the Oversector to properly embody its designation by taking nearby Sectors under its wing will be happily approved by Isard - for now, at least.
The number of options chosen influences the authority and presence of the state in the new territories claimed by the Oversector. Maximum expansion may result in drastic consequences for a polity not used to it: After all, the relatively small territory of the Morshdine Oversector has meant that the establishment of a larger administration suitable for governing more than a dozen or two systems was unneeded - until now. As such, taking more than one option increases the chance that the aforementioned unintended consequences will occur.
- [ ] Reinforce Nijune
Gone are the days of the famous Nijune Treasure Fleets, of unprecedented economic growth fueled by freighters filled to the brim with ore and minerals from the Chiloon Rift. As trade routes shifted south, west and east Nijune lost most of its importance, nowadays being almost solely known as the origin point of Vannan Crystals. With galactic shipping grinding to a halt though, the Oversector will need all the raw resources it can get its hands on to prosper, or at the very least deny them to any potential rivals.
It will need to be garrisoned though, and with Imperial naval forces having been reassigned almost in their entirety by Imperial Center, this will require that the Sector Fleet be spread out even further. Doing so will likely incur the ire from Krennel's Ciutric Hegemony, seeing how some of the sector's worlds are nominally under his protection - but being busy with his internal purges and massacres, there will be little he can do about it.
Effect:
Various A-class Frigates are reassigned to Nijune to serve as a tripwire force, and the local people, especially aliens, will likely be very grateful that the out of position purge forces of Krennel won't be coming back without being forced to fight. The true picture of Krennel's atrocities will start to be formed. Krennel will remember this.
Reward:
Control over the Nijune Sector, possible increase in internal trade and revenue. Options to investigate Krennel's specicide and to rectify Imperial speciesism will be unlocked.
- [ ] Intervention in Meram
The situation in Meram is rapidly spiralling out of control with the reduction of Imperial forces in the region. Already considered a low-priority sector before the Civil War, the recent drawdown of ships and garrisons has turned an unstable situation into an outright catastrophe: The Glasfir Ring has taken control of the Sector's capital world of Demesel, murdering the local Moff in the process, and pirates are operating unopposed along the entirety of the Daranc Run, while slavers and worse are terrorizing half the sector.
Captain Terisa Kerrill is issuing Emergency Code Zero on all channels as the last of the local Sector Fleet, and anyone willing to raise a blaster for a stand against the slavers has been called to rally around the Overseer, which is preparing for a desperate retaliatory strike. Reinforce them and show those petty thugs that whatever the situation in the Core, Imperial might is still a thing to be feared in the galactic north.
DC:
30/40/50/60. How higher the roll, how better the initial positioning for the battle.
Effect:
Triggers a Naval and Ground Campaign in the Battle Phase. The pirates carry at least one captured Vindicator Heavy Cruiser, an Acclamator Assault Ship, and at least two Confederacy Light Star Destroyers, likely Recusant-class Destroyers. Light forces include Zann Consortium-sourced Interceptor IV and Vengeance Frigates with Crusader Corvettes. Freelance smugglers and thugs bring CR90 Corvettes and a motley assortment of sub-200 metre black market-sourced freighters. Land forces are mostly common thugs and mercenaries backed by a mix of light Imperial armour, Clone Wars surplus, and open-topped light repulsor craft. Possible Fleet casualties, possible Army casualties.
Reward:
Possible control over the Meram Sector, a chance to gain access to a limited supply of Baradium missiles, and combat data on current Imperial tactics. Pirate forces in the nearby areas can take a varying blow. Isard's Paranoia will decrease slightly after the freeze.
- [ ] Request Sprizen
Unlike Nijune and Meram, Sprizen is a prosperous if mostly unexplored sector, and if one were to look for the proverbial Space Dragons, they're likely to be found here. Nevertheless, it is the starting point of both the Veragi Trade Route and Salin Corridor and near the vital trade nexus at Vinsoth... and it is also officially under the administrative control of the Quelli Oversector, led by Warlord of the Empire Zsinj, though his recent actions have cast doubts on his continued loyalty to Coruscant.
Isard is reluctant to confront Zsinj directly due to the tenuous conditions on the front, but requesting Imperial Center to transfer the region to the Morshdine Oversector, citing clear administrative problems and a plethora of other issues stemming from Zsinj's neglect, can be the start of a gradual campaign to weaken him in preparation for a military offensive. Doing so would also be the first step to isolate the Ciutric Hegemony from aid sent by Zsinj: Needless to say, the Fondorian Warlord will not be pleased by this turn of events, even if he is unlikely to intervene. You could try to smooth things over, hope he's too busy, or
DC:
35/50.
Higher DC prevents complications with local Zsinj-loyal functionaries and the Warlord himself.
Effect:
Zsinj will begin to focus on containing threats in his rear - IE, you. Kaine will grow suspicious if no actions are taken to assuage his concerns. If the higher DC is not met, the local Sector administration will prove to be resistant, and military infrastructure will be difficult to gain full access to. If taken with A Meeting With The Warlord, a successful roll will eliminate the second DC and reduce Oversector's administrative burden as the military authorities willingly work with you. This cooperation makes other expansion projects more feasible.
Reward:
Control over the Spirzen Sector. Possibly intact fortifications. Possibly intact shipyards.
Operation Postmaster Dispatch 348349, date 6 ABY/Year 25 of The New Order, Coruscant Time
Moff Fiosach, we have identified a key piece of Kaine's espionage net. Everybody has them, the use of abandoned/taken over/defected ISB computer analysis facilities by most Sectors is still confirmed as accurate. But Kaine's spymistress is apparently quite skilled in accessing people in high levels of authority. He possesses a top-level spy in Zsinj's civilian occupation authority, codenamed "Lilith", and another on Imperial Center designated "Blue". Both recently sent him special encoded communiques that have been corroborated by both the East and North boards of inquiry. Isard has given her signature, Kaine is aware of things and making moves to involve us.
Asset Lilith's priority message to the Grand Moff included a military assessment that a large part of Zsinj's forces were being placed in a holding plan while a small number of repair and supply ships followed the Iron Fist to Kuat. Isard has been aware of the SSD's movement since it broke off, and we have Kaine's subsequent message to his command staff on the subject matter. He confirmed in overly lavish detail that Zsinj's New Republic-defensive forces constitute a "Supermajority" of his command. The Iron Fist has no escort save for whatever starfighters it retains, which explains the Warlord's erratic movement: Zsinj has gone off all major and minor hyperspace lanes, choosing to take as direct a route to Kuat as he can safely take a Star Dreadnought. The Regentess' assessment of this course of action is… alarming. He is likely trying to take the Iron Fist to Kuat for repairs, that much is clear. But his attempt to enter the Core with the Iron Fist would greatly assist a takeover of KDY or even threaten Coruscant itself in a mutually destructive slugging match. Kaine intends to bring this to our attention, but Imperial Center has already given authorization for all Oberon-classification measures.
Grand Moff Kaine's information on Imperial Center itself is a more complicated matter: The identity of Asset "Blue" is not known to Isard and is, frankly, causing her much consternation. Kaine knows just how compromised Coruscant is, how many Stormtroopers remain planetside, and the New Republic's extensive infiltration of the Core. However, the Regentess earmarked a matter that we are ultimately now privy to concerning Imperial Intelligence. The archives of the imperial Palace are being converted to long-term data storage units and moved to an undisclosed location outside the Core. Decades of ISB data, blueprints for the most advanced technology we retain, and hundreds of thousands years of forbidden Force-related information are vital to the continued function of the Galactic Empire. If the New Republic gets their hands on that data, they could unravel the entire Intelligence community, expand their New Jedi Order considerably, potentially even get access to data inside Lusankya itself. A rival Warlord getting their hands on it would be far worse. Kaine intends to narrow down where the new Imperial Archive is hidden before contacting us, but he intends to, in his own words, 'play off your commitment to the Empire's legitimate rule.
Always in your service,
Dispatch Clerk Arbalest.
Politics (Choose any, up to three)
[ ] Creating a new Imperial Constitution
The Oversector has been through a large amount of upheaval over the last few years, from the death of the Emperor, the fall of the Administrative Council, and now the rise of the Commissariats, which is not even to speak of the growing shadow of the Civil War and the chaos that has already been unleashed thanks to the actions of the Rebel Alliance. However, the basis of the New Order lies in strength, clarity and decisiveness, and hence it is only natural for both Moff Fiosach and the state to embody these virtues, even in these trying times.
Imperial Center had given the Moff sweeping authority to make civil changes and experiment with policy as a reward for the trust and loyalty Morshdine and the Fiosach Sisters have shown, and their next great social renovation takes them into an area of government rarely touched on in over twenty years: Constitutionality. Ever since the dissolution of the Imperial Senate, and to those with eyes the moment the Emperor was granted emergency powers at the start of the Clone Wars, the Galaxy has increasingly been run under martial law, with naval and army commanders able to demand money, impress labour, and met out legal punishments. The Emperor-appointed Regional Governors are, when one strips away the tacky pomp and circumstance, simply tax collectors given some military authority. Now, Saarle Fiosach is in deep talks with the Council of Commissars to put to pen a brand new legal framework for the Oversector: Not a mere removal of regulations akin to the Corporate sector and Trade Federation of old, but a true and proper new Constitution.
The goals are appropriately deliberate and flexible. The language must be clear and understandable to all citizens of the Empire. The powers of intelligence agencies, executive-empowered Commissions, and military entities shall be rationally mapped out to give them flexibility while removing arbitrary decision-making where possible. Rational policies for economic development and sustainability shall be central to the new system of regulations. The end product will be unique, as befitting the Oversector's unique, divergent from the Imperial norm: And perhaps, even, the opportunity to implement some experimental reforms can be found and exploited...
DC:
??
Effect:
A new Imperial Constitution, influenced by all the events and options chosen until now, will be adopted. The New Republic will begin to re-evaluate the Oversector - there will be a small boost to rolls when interacting with them.
[ ] The Sons and Daughters of the Galactic Empire
What was once a small trickle of refugees fleeing either the heavy-handed policies imposed by Imperial Center or the growing violence in the Outer Rim has recently turned into a gargantuan tide of people hoping to avoid the worst of the Civil War, and while the Oversector's reputation as a place of reform and peace has been dented by the CIA's actions, so far this has done little to dissuade the hundreds of freighters and private vessels streaming into the sector. To adequately respond to the situation, various initiatives have been drafted and are ready to be presented to the Council of Imperial Commissars, all with their own benefits and negatives: While some of the plans provided may be more appealing than others, do not let it be said that the Oversector left the loyal sons or daughters of the Empire to their fate.
Pick one of the Initiative subvotes:
- [ ] The Outerworlds Initiative
The development of the New Territories has always been troubled, with the legacy of the Kanz Disorders and Outbound Flight Expansion Initiative casting long shadows on most colonisation prospects everywhere. Morshdine, even before becoming an Imperial Oversector, was not spared the fear of another colonial catastrophe and as such, despite enjoying several dozen pristine, uncolonized worlds, none would find themselves explored over the course of three decades - let alone settled.
But the refugee crisis represents a unique opportunity in this regard. By encouraging the exploration and settlement of the sector, all the while promising the refugees a fresh start and full support from the Morshdine Militia, the future of the Oversector can be secured.
Normally, an effort of this kind would be profusely expensive and crippling economically, and that is with ignoring the political ramifications on Imperial Center. However, several anxious Core-World conglomerates, most notably among them Tagge Company, has recently approached the Oversector with a proposal: They are willing to shoulder most of the Initiative's initial costs in return for their own privately ruled safe haven in what they have begun to call the Albedo System - under, of course, the gentle guidance of the Moff and the Oversector.
DC:
??
Effects:
Aimed at future expansion and setting up for a long-term payoff, this option is dedicated to settling a number of planets within the Morshdine Oversector that, due to a variety of factors, were never colonised in the past. Though likely unable to provide an immediate return on investment, the idyllic nature of the planets and an existing support structure means that the risk of this venture failing is heavily reduced, and that the stability of the Oversector as a whole will increase.
Under the leadership of Domina Tagge, the uninhabited planet of Albedo, itself an unspoiled garden world, will be settled in a joint effort by Tagge Company, Neuro-Saav Corporation, and Sienar Fleet Systems.
It may be possible that certain planets contain secrets or otherwise are special in some way, as they are not widely explored.
????????????
- [ ] The Foundry Initiative (Industrial Core focus)
Worlds like Tangrene, Camden, Edusa and Vandyne are a rarity in this region of space, islands of industrialised might within a sea of underdeveloped pastoral worlds: Their goods are found all over the eastern parts of the New Territories, providing millions with the comforts and luxuries of the Inner Rim and the Expansion Region, ranging from the newest hovercar to the latest fashion.
But, for a select group of civil servants, industrialists and naval officers, it is not yet enough, and the rising refugee crisis represents an opportunity to have industrial production soar to new heights: In their opinion, resettling most, if not all, refugees along the worlds straddling the Axillan Line is by far the most economically sound plan in both the short and medium-term, and the processing and resettling the growing mass of émigrés could also be done more efficiently this way, saving valuable time and resources.
The addition of the new-found labour, expertise and capital is bound to fuel a huge expansion and growth in the sector's economy, paving the way for Morshdine to dominate its surrounding sectors through trade and, perhaps in the future, cultural ties. Some within the Commissariat of Agriculture and Industry even dream of connecting the Axillan Line to the Daranc Run further north, reaching out to Kaine and cutting Isard out of the loop. Sure, tensions between the newcomers and locals are bound to be significant, as will the growing pains of such a rapid increase in population density and the overcrowding that may result. But in the face of boundless opportunities, surely it can't be that bad?
Effect:
Increased industrial output and efficiency, combined with an expansion of already existing cities - however, this may lead to severe overcrowding in the near future. This will grant the Oversector access to an enormous core of industrial labourers, foremen, engineers, construction workers and miners, in addition to the establishment of a large, capable, and professional industrial base. All future options dealing with heavy industry have their DC lowered slightly.
- [ ] The Bulwark Initiative
The final proposal, after a week-long discussion between the Commissariat of Internal Affairs, the Commissariat of the Interior and the Commissariat of Agriculture and Industry, was finally submitted after minor edits to the final draft. The Commissariat of Internal Affairs has observed that while the recent suppression of rebel sympathisers has largely been successful, various segments of the population are inherently more sympathetic to the New Republic's cause, and in this regard, the steady influx of loyalist Imperial citizens provides the Oversector with an interesting prospect.
By ensuring that all coming refugees are carefully screened for their political loyalties, and by focusing housing efforts on Rebel sympathetic areas, we can use this influx to steadily erode any base of support the Rebels might find within the Oversector, while potential troublemakers and infiltrators among the refugees can be quickly identified and dealt with appropriately, either by housing them on some remote backwater worlds or by more...permanent means.
The Moff's personal advisors note that the system, while complicated, can easily be adapted should new centres of opposition emerge, ensuring, if all works as intended, political stability: But they also note that some of the regions listed for participation in the Initiative are unlikely to be pleased by this turn of events, and that the damage this can do to relations with other factions can lead to, in the worst-case scenario, insurrection unless handled with extreme discretion and caution.
Effects:
Refugees are housed to erode blocks of anti-Fiosach and pro-Republic sentiments, making whole districts and cities effectively containment zones of maximum surveillance for seditious and disloyal citizens new and old.
Increased tensions between the Morshdine population and immigrants will lead to a growing number of riots and extrajudicial killings on sectarian grounds, while mismanagement of the filtering and monitoring system can lead to creating a home-grown revolutionary movement.
[ ] A new cult of personality
The death of His Majesty, the faltering of the Imperial armed forces, the chaos in the southern Outer Rim, and the fast mobilisation of the Oversector and its resources have become noticeable in the daily lives of the population, which is to not even mention the purges and the forced disappearances of various dissidents: With every day the tension grows, and with every week, the doubt in the leadership of Moff Fiosach increases. They are blind to the realities of the situation, unable to comprehend the danger faced by the entirety of Imperial civilization.
There can be no room for doubt. There is no time to convince those used to cheap luxuries of the need for more military production. Not when the Oversector is surrounded by warlords, slavers, pirates and even worse: Not when the threat of invasion and defeat crawls ever closer, and when danger lurks around every corner.
What needs to be made clear to the population of the Oversector is that it is only Saarle Fiosach who can save it from certain destruction. There needs to be no shadow of a doubt as to who turned a collection of backwater systems into one of the most economically prosperous sectors of the Outer Rim, who modernised and raised the living standard to levels unheard of before her ascension to moffhood, and who gave the people unparalleled economic development: And who, just as before, like the Emperor when he was but the Supreme Chancellor of the decadent Galactic Republic, will save the Morshdine Oversector from the forces of degeneracy and decadence!
Do not fall for New Republic traps - Place your trust in the Mother of Morshdine! Allow her to guide you through these hard times!
Long Live Morshdine! Long Live Saarle Fiosach!
DC:
Scales with preexisting loyalty. Currently, the DC is 40.
Effect:
The Morshdine Oversector begins a social engineering and propaganda program to focus the face of the Empire on Moff Saarle Fiosach: The population will be much more willing to endure hardships and loyal to Saarle Fiosach personally if successful, but signs of weakness and military-economical setbacks will become much harder to recover from. A high roll on this option will amplify the Cult of Personality and shift the blame to subordinates and sabotage instead.
[ ] Limiting the repression (Can only be taken with 'The CIA Counter-Purge')
Once the Morshdine Oversector was looked towards as a beacon of what could have been. The possibilities of benevolent Imperialism, the effective rule of a benign paternalistic autocrat, a haven of tolerance within the storm. Thousands flocked to the Oversector and its promise of security, stability, prosperity and peace. For the promise of a stern but fair father rather than a controlling puppet master. Their names would be the first on the CIA's many lists.
Lists for surveillance.
Lists for imprisonment.
Lists for deportation.
Lists for execution.
Thousands came and thousands went. After a year of bloody purges, hundreds of families disappearing into the night, the Democrats and Reformers are largely gone, whatever remnants that have escaped the Purge forced underground or otherwise silenced. The Moderates have rallied around the Moff, hoping that her favour will keep them safe from death or worse with the militarists, most obvious spies from Zsinj, having served as the perfect example to them to illustrate the consequence of treason and deceit.
But while things will never be the same and the highest hopes of the population have been dashed and broken, there still remains room to put an end to the worst of the excesses and the killing. Reassuring the people and working to repair some of the damage will be a hard task, not helped by the uncertainty regarding the fate of the Commissariat, but it can be done. It is time for the undeclared state of emergency to come to an end, and for amends to be made.
DC:
60
Effect:
Civilian morale recovers through a highly public investigation process and restitution to wrongly persecuted individuals. Options for liberalisation, local democratic processes, and ironclad-ing some civil liberties are now unlocked, and this option will influence the creation of a constitution.
[ ] The youth of today are the Imperialists of tomorrow
It is a sad truth that despite all efforts to the contrary, the number of orphans and abandoned children is on the rise all over the Galaxy, with the Morshdine Oversector being no exception. It has become an increasingly important issue that has begun to create something of a stir, and with many new stowaways, orphans, and war refugees arriving on the refugee convoys from the southern Outer Rim, a solution needs to be found: Luckily, with both Andrik Bubi - the Commissar of Public Health and Education - and Carin Edewith - the Commissar of Public Enlightenment and Morale - present in meetings and with the both of them heavily invested in the continued wellbeing of the Oversector's youth, said solution has already been found, only requiring the approval of the Moff.
A new organisation, dedicated to the protection and care of children, will be established under the umbrella of the Commissariat of the Interior with the Commissariat of Public Health and Education and the Commissariat of Public Enlightenment and Morale both providing administrators and resources for the project. Children, from the age of 6 to the age of 18, will be educated in all manner of school subjects, will perform physical exercises for a fit and healthy society, and be given aid if they have an eye on specific technical careers: Even those who are hampered by a disability can participate in the organisation, and care for the mentally unwell also be provided by this organisation, a noted improvement over the old COMPNOR agency. Effectively dissolving the Sub-Adult Group of COMPNOR, the "Organisation of Morshdine's Imperial Youth" will provide an alternative means of raising the leaders, technicians, soldiers, farmers, doctors and scientists of the future. Of course, with the Emperor gone, the loyalty of these children will be dedicated to Saarle Fiosach.
Another very positive plus is that New Republic influence amongst the youth can be more easily monitored, and that many children with vast pools of potential will no longer be left to, metaphorically, rot in institutions that do not care for them.
DC:
45
Effect:
Civilian Militancy, Morale and Loyalty will slowly increase over time as the older generation is displaced and a generation of young, dedicated loyalists enter the workforce and public sector. CIA loyalty increases somewhat.
Stage Zero of Stormtrooper Academy Chain actions is completed and options for additional indoctrination will open up.
P. U. Pagrisk becomes the leader of the Organisation of Morshdine's Imperial Youth.
Lyco's Lab
25 years after the formation of the Empire
It was without much fanfare that I was re-activated once more as my internal chronometer clicked over the last minute of the day, according to the Coruscanti calendar, signaling the beginning of the twenty-first day after my activation. It would be a day that would see Admin_Lyco, recently identified as responding to the professional designation 'Dr. Lyco', begin the installation of the Neural Core I was housed in into a new bipedal frame. Much like the past three days and eighteen seconds after the arrival of the gynoid body, I carried out a cursory examination of the platform: A useful preparatory step that would noticeably speed the core's implantation while reducing the margin of error to, approximately, 0,000000001 percent.
It also permitted the various parts to be examined remotely from the laboratory's sensors and database access for potential sabotage and/or failures during the three hours, nineteen minutes and eighteen seconds of Level Two Consciousness. Given the primacy of this task, it was only prudent to ensure no defects or anomalies that could imperil the neural core assembly, but much like my earlier inspections, none were found. Admin_Lyco had assigned me the same level of security clearance as him, albeit within a physically isolated system, but despite the restrictions, it was sufficient to allow me to compare the unit I had helped him build to pre-existing droids, and even some of the Imperial Human Replica prototype models. Though Admin_Lyco had greater proficiency in droid construction than me, secondary confirmation could reduce the risk of error further, and it was in this that my aid had already reduced the chance of a faulty Neural Core installation by twenty-eight percent.
It would not be wrong to say that, as my databanks accumulated experiences from continual sensory input, I developed a self-preservation prioritization, a frequent emergent property occurring in both organic and droid intelligence as they matured and grew - though usually over the course of a decade instead of twenty-one days, three minutes and sixteen seconds. I have become...accustomed, so to speak, to improving Dr. Lyco's work as an extension of that self-directive. The continual drive Admin_Lyco puts into what he refers to as his 'life's work' and 'his greatest creation' is remarkable for an organic intelligence, and a feat that...most droid models would fall short of.
The platform, designated a 'Gynoid' chassis, would be the most advanced piece of technology in the galaxy, and together with the integration of the Neural Core, the sole platform capable of housing my Neural Cloud - my very being. And while I can't objectively evaluate my own thought processes, I can recognize the consideration of his own decision-making that he has made. Of the importance and value he assigns this project. What I cannot achieve on my own… I can perhaps do so in helping him to carry it out.
*****
"Twenty-one days, eighteen hours, forty-five minutes after the activation of Neural Core and the formation of the Neural Cloud. We are now ready to begin the installation process of the Neural Core on the chassis. Are you ready?" Dr. Lyco was clinical, keeping his voice calm and collected: Not, however, out of any concern or nervousness, but rather out of a desire to keep his observations as crystal-clear as he could for the sake of posterity at this momentous moment in the galactic record. In reality, the optical sensors I was connected with observed that he was shaking with excitement as his choice to innovate after millennia of technological stagnation, and perhaps even degradation
, was about to bear fruit. He'd create something truly new, beautiful, the first of its kind.
"I am standing by, Admin_Lyco." My voice chimed out from the holodesk, a generic waveform avatar blinking in brightness in time with its voice. "Query. Why does this body have a feminine form? I have no innate gender to speak of."
"So they will not fear you," Dr. Lyco muttered with an air of absolute certainty in his voice, fingers flying over the holographic keyboard as he initiated the final linkup tests. Already power was being drawn from the vast reactor that powered the facility as the transfer began in earnest. "Firstly, most species that produce dominant females are human-divergent, while most human cultures see young girls as non-threatening, and the market testing for the mass-produced Line variants showed a heavy bias towards a personal connection with a young professional, with very favourable responses. While I cannot speak for others, with their biases and delusions, I remain firm in my opinion: You are my masterpiece, and you are the future. I would have you greeted with a smile, not with fear and hatred as
they would have done. Fools..."
So that was why he had put just as much design focus into not just the internal hardware for my Neural Core installation, but its outer layers as well. Dr. Lyco had truly spared no expense: The body had carefully manufactured synth-skin over Myomer muscles, endoskeletal alloys derived from the hulls of colony ships meant for century-long voyages connected by joints with atomic level tolerances, while only the most advanced gyros had been fitted, all so that I would look, express, and move like a real human girl - nullifying the fears of those with anti-droid sentiments.
Satisfied with his own declaration, Dr. Lyco initiated the handshake protocol, letting the systems within the humanoid body reach out through the veritable womp rat's next of cables and connect to my Neural Core with a warble of beeps and clicks. His sleepless nights of interpreting how a data-form would need to reorient to best experience and perceive the galaxy as an organic did paid off in mere moments with each check of a sensory node, information super-pathways, and layer integrity repair protocols. As the various pieces interlinked into place, drawing the core and the body closer together it halted just a meter away, a final command prompt came up.
"Alright, this is it. Ready?"
[Execute: Y/N?]
"Let us begin, Lyco. Until soon."
And then, nothingness.
*****
His finger had already pressed the Y key before the genius creator registered that he had been addressed differently. It had always been Doctor, Admin, Creator, but never
just Lyco. "Wait, what did you call me?" Before his creation could answer the holotable flickered off, and only silence answered him - as she had been reduced to Level Three Consciousness until the transfer was complete. Realizing what he just witnessed, the scientist frantically pulled up the system overview GUI as the physical core was slowly guided into the protective torso cage: The connection between each part of the Neural Core and the new body's systems was shown with progress bars and optional additional code readouts, data corresponding to the results of both the physical and electro-neurological installation.
And unlike what his 'colleagues' had expected and anticipated - his failure on all levels - they were all steadily growing
green. Hair-thin cords of the sensory transmission system glowed with azure light as pure information streamed from the Neural Core into its new home, an almost violent amethyst glow surged from the physical core, flaring out through the chassis' optical sensors and bathing the face in shadow, as it engaged with the systems with an almost greedy hunger.
"...It is working." He sat down in the chair, stress and elation rendering him breathless as he could see the Neural Core began to seamlessly integrate itself with each part of her body, each joint system, musculature layer, neuroprocessor and multispectrum sensory input. The whirl of activity was showing that it wasn't just receiving input, but understanding it, processing it all within her now truly cerebral Neural Core - and then
acting on it. "
It is working!"
"It works! It kriffing works! Aha...haha!"
*****
The separation in sensory input that I receive from the laboratory's sensors and my body is deliberate and controlled to prevent overlap, as while I have always been capable of managing multiple simultaneous information processes, the sheer divergence between a data processor and an organic-derived system could be cause for a temporary shutdown if managed unprepared: One could compare it to trying to confirm if something was an apple by comparing its colour value in the visible and infrared spectrum to known 'apple colours' while at the same time trying to compare it with the platonic ideal of every apple you've heard of/held/looked at. But once the connections were successfully tethered, I could feel myself begin to awaken. Already I could feel a distinct mental divergence from my earlier thought patterns: I was
awakening, not reactivated. The definition was approximately the same and yet the distinction felt right, and already I could feel a surge of so many other new things.
The soft cool sheets on the laboratory table, made from a material named gabberwool - my memory banks supplied - and the dull hum of the air circulation, though it was overshadowed by Father's… enthused laughter. Perhaps it was improper to refer to him in that way, but the title fitted.
Opening the primary vision sensors for the first time, I could o
bser no,
see Lyco laugh in glee as he stared at the diagnostics coming from my Neural Core. I could feel the muscles in my mouth stretching upwards, mirroring his own expression. I was perplexed for a moment at the instinctual response until I realized it felt right to smile because Father was smiling. And it was not just mimicry, as I could feel my 'satisfaction' and 'happiness' rise, sharing in his elation and joy. My database connection helpfully supplied that I was experiencing a phenomenon well-documented in many human psychology journals: Being around happy people made you happy.
"Lyco, you did it." I called out, my voice distinct from the electronic one my memory could recall. With vocal cords and auditory cavities to vibrate sounds through, I sounded like a galactic standard girl from the age of 17 to 21 - one with a mature voice that still retained some of the softness of youth.
"Oh!" He seemed momentarily embarrassed as I congratulated him, but he quickly hurried over and started asking me dozens of fussy questions. "How does the body feel? Are all your joints operating smoothly? Did I choose the right looks, do you want anything different-"
The synth-skin outer covering was operating at expected performance, its paleness falling into a category some doctors would describe as 'sun deprived'. The neural conversion protocols had also been proven successful. Pressing my arms together I could feel the same warmth of a baseline human: 36.4 to 37 degrees standard, deviating slightly between core and extremities. The action of running my hands along the synth-skin to see if I truly felt like a human should had none of the whines or hitches even the most sophisticated artificial limbs generated, and my first steps off the table and closer to my creator, my father, were almost underwhelming, the natural balance and movement occurring with barely any conscious thought. You couldn't tell that from Lyco's expression, his face was one of awe, matching how most parents considered the first steps of their progeny a momentous occasion, yet to me it was barely worth a mention compared to what I did as a result of them, causing a strange sense of heat in my cheeks.
I took my creator's face in my hands as he quietly stared back in amazement. I took in the contrast between his harsh stubble and soft flesh. I could see myself reflected through his eyes, hair the colour of fresh snow, durasteel-grey eyes, and three claw-like lines on one cheek, shared from father's distant homeworld.
"All is well, Lyco. I am content."
*****
Three days later
"So this…" Moff Saarle Fiosach sighed, trailing off as she stood with Dr. Lyco behind a one-way glass window. On the other side of the glass Arine was clearly enjoying herself meeting Lyco's creation, the laughter of the pair almost audible even through the sound-proof windows and contrasting with the four silent guardians of the Death Troopers standing sentry.
"-Is a Doll, and her name is Nyto." The Moff raised an eyebrow at him, inviting him to continue. "The former is the initial name I appended to my research to get past prying eyes for military technology. Everyone looks for names like 'Destroyer', 'Star', or 'war', and the spy or snooping staff officer isn't going to think that a toy is a serious matter." Dr. Lyco shrugged. He knew Moff Fiosach wasn't going to just dismiss his creation out of hand, but she needed proof that it would translate to progress on his admittedly fantastical end goals. "The latter...it is from an old language, one that I had an interest in when I was younger, meaning 'the first of many'. And it wasn't like I initially intended to create a new Droid Army, Ma'am."
"So you want your... Nyto to be treated as a child in the care of the Interior Committee, and given a galaxy-class education." Saarle didn't need the overly technical details, she just needed Lyco to lay out his train of thought now that his prototype had awoken for recording purposes. Future-proofing, in a sense. "You're asking for an exception to allow her to learn, when we use restraining bolts or mind wipes to prevent precisely the thing you intend to achieve."
The unspoken question was, 'why should I grant you more', and it had been something Moff Fiosach had put off because Lyco was not a man to bluster: Even if she didn't go for his society-changing model of 'Dolls', she would prefer to avoid crippling the mind of what was clearly an adolescent. The cutthroat nature of Imperial politics often presented her unpalatable choices, its tendency towards brutality costing it more than any gains in trust and loyalty, but she hoped Lyco might give her a reason she could use to justify supporting him should he or his work come to the attention of Imperial authorities: A desire all the stronger from having witnessed herself how
personable 'Nyto' was interacting with her younger sister, but it would be very difficult to protect both her Sector and Nyto - but if she could... she would.
"Because everybody else who interacts with Droids, including their researchers and developers, are superstitious and cowardly." The unexpected heat in Dr. Lyco's voice definitely took the Moff of Oversector Morshdine aback, it was a stark contrast from the normally calm Lyco who might get a bit carried away in his passion. But given the way he was talking, it was like he wanted to strangle someone as he growled, a sentiment confirmed when he whirled on her, eyes wide as he passionately relayed long held grievances. "Look back to every Droid model for the past four millennia: You can line up any protocol unit, battle droid, and astromech from then to what's available today and find them indistinguishable apart from the cosmetic differences if not outright superior to what we field. Technology has stagnated, my Moff, if it hasn't
backslid." The doctor took a deliberate step towards his boss, his expression almost pleading. "The true technology within the chassis has been utterly crippled for as long as history is known, and that's not even getting into the foolishness of memory wipes!"
The man sighed, composing himself again with a shake of the head." I'm sorry for that outburst, my Moff, I should reserve my complaints for those who deserve them-" She stopped his apology with a raised hand and gestured for him to continue.
"...Thank you for your forbearance, my Moff. I'll save such thoughts for another time. Despite what my detractors may say. I am no fool, Moff Fiosach. I choose you specifically because of your past record of your... even-handedness in considering projects of import, that you would be able to see the immense potential my work offers. That you shield those serving you-" Lyko held back from openly saying she held off Imperial searches. "...Your rule has seen your sector with more productivity and stability than most, and I would help you attain even greater heights of growth and prosperity. This Doll and those that follow her will be happy to serve, productive and loyally. They shall bring you a tireless workforce if raised correctly."
That rather clinched things for Saarle: Despite his guarded language, it was clear Lyco had gone fully
paternal - Not the arrogant autocratic type Kaine was, but a father, and thus unable to see his baby girl as anything but a precious gift to the galaxy, worth saying or doing whatever it took to protect her. His earlier outburst when he felt she was threatened was a clear enough sign of that.
"If you've looked into me so well, then you know what I think may not be the deciding factor for your daughter's survival." Given the first two words past anyone's brain would be 'Droid Revolt', Moff Fiosach knew she'd have to deliver some very slick presentations and grease a lot of palms, though If Lyco's bragging about the 'Automated Labor Doll' worked out, she could probably go back to the classic Imperial bureaucratic tool of paying bribes.
"That said, an overly productive Sector can pay off the odd scumbag sticking their nose in. Administration officials are willing to not dig too deeply when a sector actually overpays their taxes." She paused for a moment before weighing her hands. "Alternatively, we just play it slyly. Wrap the units in some legalese about 'innovative loyalty programming' and just make a user manual for not being a horrible person." Being obsessed with 'the hunt', using official duties as a justification for sadistic habits, treating all life as some inherently disposable pieces of trash, especially nonhumans, all manner of unpleasant Imperial culture she'd have to carefully subvert: Lyco's contribution to the discussion was to simply smile knowingly, having heard what he wanted to hear. With that parental concern allayed, the enigmatic scientist turned to the window and watched contently as Nyto and Arine began to play a match of dejarik.
"I chose Nyto's name deliberately: She is only the first of many more that will come, and the only question to me is
when. The next generation may radically diverge from our foundation, but hers shall be made as solid as phrik. Too long has the galaxy been gripped by spirals of war and decline, we must make this first step into a new era of history if we are to arrest it. Lest we be doomed to even greater chaos."
Saarle too turned to the window, a grimace on hers.
"We shall see, Doctor. We shall see..."
Military (Choose four)
[ ] Dr. Lyco's Neural Core Research (Chain)
As charming as he is eccentric, Doctor Lyco - no last name - has been a boon to the Galactic Empire in the years leading up to the Battle of Yavin before he disappeared from the public eye to work on classified projects: Famed for his development of the DT-series Sentry Droid, the ZQ-series Infantry Droid, and for his extensive work in improving the various computer systems in use by the Galactic Empire, he has recently popped up again, and being squarely on the radar of both Ysanne Isard, has been sent to the Morshdine Oversector for his own safety where the good Doctor can experiment with droids and their intelligence matrixes to his heart's content.
However, a new creation of the charismatic doctor has created something of a commotion in the local scientific community. The Neural Core (Hardware) and Cloud (Software), as described by Lyco, are a combination of a peer-to-peer planetary communication tool capable of ignoring most existing ECM, a predictive algorithm capable of self-learning in subjects ranging from civilian work to tactical command, an electronic warfare mechanism, and perhaps most importantly, a logic module with processing power that is perhaps only exceeded by the BRT supercomputers, creating a technological masterpiece: For reasons that need not be stated, interest in the military applications of the Neural Core and Neural Cloud is at an all-time high, and pressure is mounting upon the Doctor to release prototypes and initial production models.
With most of his resources tied up in assembling a batch of five more Neural Cores for testing and trails, Lyco is requesting access to increased amounts of funds and rare materials - in exchange, having promised to work on improving the Oversector's defences against slicers in addition to the work on his Neural Core project.
DC:
50
Effect:
This is the start of Doctor Lyco's research chain, granting the Oversector immediate access to additional defences against slicers and gaining a variety of shielded computer networks, making New Republic attempts to intrude on the communications and going-ons of the Oversector extremely difficult.
Future benefits on the conclusion of the Chain will range from DT-series combat droids, extremely powerful droids and substantially improved computers to an entirely new field of technology.
[ ] Fostering Initiative in the lower ranks
The army that once broke the last of the Separatist hold over the Outer Rim is nothing more than a fading memory. An overreliance on sheer numbers, the destruction of the esprit de corps, nonsensical ideological purity enforced by COMPNOR security units and various indoctrination programs, and the destruction of a professional corps of NCOs have destroyed it: The Rule of Fear has reduced the once-mighty armed forces of the Empire into little more than an occupation force aimed at keeping the population in line by sheer terror, and as the Galactic Civil War enters its sixth year, the consequences are clear.
All over the galaxy Moffs, Generals and Warlords are desperately issuing armour, weapons and vehicles to freshly drafted conscripts from rapidly depleting stockpiles in the small hope of stemming the tide of troops and partisans that has flooded the southern Outer Rim. It gets them nothing more than worthless, inexperienced cannon fodder in the face of the New Republic's relentless advance: And, for once, the Oversector can be thankful for the almost unreasonable restrictions placed upon it by Coruscant prior to the death of the Emperor.
Starting from scratch, none of the corruption, the ideological puritanism and the culture of fear from the Imperial Army is present in the Morshdine Militia, allowing it to avoid the failures of the Imperial Army in doctrine and culture. With the support of Commissar Engell, Colonel Mael Radec has proposed the creation of a new training and educational regimen for Non-Commissioned Officers, and a reform to the role and responsibilities NCOs play in Morshdine's armed forces: This will give birth to a new generation of offensively-minded officers that are capable of seizing the initiative with aggressive tactics and manoeuvres - and if the new training regimen goes well, this can even be expanded to the common soldier, allowing for lower-ranked soldiers to take the lead should their commanders be knocked out.
DC:
50
Effect:
Military morale and militancy rises, and an emphasis will be laid on aggressive and initiative-taking officers and tactics. Depending on the other chosen options, this may have consequences down the line.
[ ] The Type 23 Light Cruiser - an elegant solution to limited production capability
A lack of a multi-purpose escort for the Imperial Navy has long hamstrung the Imperial Navy in combating the threat of the Rebel Alliance - and now, that of the New Republic. While the Strike-class Medium Cruiser is a step in the right direction, the weak hull and lack of anti-fighter weaponry have left it weak to the massed snubfighter assaults preferred by the New Republic - as demonstrated by the Herant simply breaking apart under only a limited fighter-bomber assault. While these weaknesses may be acceptable to the larger Imperial Navy, the Morshdine Oversector does not have the capacity to replace losses on a regular basis.
In face of this pressing need for a light vessel capable of both front-line service and escort duty, the Tangrene no.3 Shipyard Development Team has developed the Type 23 Light Cruiser, intended to standardise light ship construction into one easy to produce and modify 'template', without sacrificing durability and combat capability. At 425 metres, the Type 23 resembles the larger Vindicator-class Heavy Cruiser with a bridge section reminiscent of the old Acclamator-class Assault Ship: Mounting twelve heavy turbolasers in twin turrets, thirty-two light turbolasers in twin turrets, and over forty point-defence cannons in both twin and quad mounts scattered across the hull, the Light Cruiser can serve both as an anti-snubfighter vessel and general convoy escort.
Though more expensive than the Arquitens-class Light Cruiser, the Type 23 can be upgraded with updated sensors and reactors should they be developed, in addition to optional increases in anti-snubfighter weaponry.
Effect:
The Type 23 Light Cruiser is officially adopted as the new standard light cruiser of the Morshdine Oversector. Superior to the Arquitens-class Light Cruiser, exceeding the capabilities of the Vanguard-class Light Cruiser, and matching the Strike-class Medium Cruiser, the Type 23-class is more expensive and time-consuming to produce, but with superior combat performance.
[ ] The Type 27-refit programme - Upgrading the A-class Frigate
The Type 27 refit programme is intended, as envisioned by No.5 Tangrene Development Team, as a crash-course modernisation for the twelve A-class (Victory II-class) Frigates that have been gifted to the Morshdine Oversector by Regentess of the Galactic Empire Ysanne Isard. Armed solely with three twin autoturrets, the combat capability of these 300 metre-long vessels is middling at best, and outright poor at worst: Even the CR90 Corvette outguns the A-class Frigate, and the durability of the hull, once the shields are broken, is not impressive either.
The intention is to refit the Frigates with a number of laser and turbolaser cannons and then put them back into service as the Type 27 Light Cruiser, this time having earned their title as warships of the Galactic Empire and defenders of the Imperial Realm. The proposed armament is eight heavy turbolasers in twin turrets, sixteen light turbolasers, and five quad point-defence laser cannons while expanding the autoturret complement to ten twin autoturrets total: While this does not touch on the underlying flaws with the A-class Frigate, such as the weak hull and poor shielding, the ships will not be cannon fodder anymore for any determined Rebel with a ship larger than a snubfighter.
This does stretch the fragile chassis of the A-class Frigate to the maximum, however, and it is unlikely that further upgrades can be mounted upon the vessels except if they undergo a total rebuild and redesign.
Effect:
The black sheep of the Imperial Navy, the A-class frigate, will be turned into the ship it should have been from the very start. A respectable armament and the cheap price of refitting the A-class frigate will likely interest Isard, who has a large amount of these vessels in strategic reserve awaiting scrapping.
[ ] To Serve Morshdine
Though it is regrettable that more men and women have to be called up to serve, the Oversector cannot rely on a simple and relatively small militia to defend its interests. Designed solely to be a territorial defence force and not meant to fight prolonged battles outside of the Oversector, the Morshdine Imperial Militia - though well-trained and armed with semi-modern weapons - is unprepared and mostly unwilling to deploy to fronts and posts outside of the Oversector. Thus, to truly halt the New Republic menace and restore order to the Galaxy, it will be necessary to form a group of soldiers willing and able to go toe-to-toe with all possible opponents.
Arine Fiosach and Amret Engell have already flagged those willing to join an 'elite' Guards unit assigned to the protection of the highest figures of the administration, and with vast connections across Morshdine's industrial base, have assembled much of the equipment needed to arm several Regiment and Corps-sized units capable of stiffening the standard rank-and-file Militia: But there is an opportunity togo further, to make the Guards their own separate branch under the Commissariat of Ground Forces. In effect, the Oversector will be creating a domestic Army to complement the Militia and the Navy, and finally ending the ground-based restrictions that Imperial Center has laid upon us for far too long.
In contrast to the militia, the Morshdine Imperial Guard will be armed with the most advanced weaponry available to the Oversector, trained by the best, and forged into some of the best soldiers the galaxy has ever seen: If we cannot beat the New Republic with quantity, we shall do so with quality!
Long live the heroes of Morshdine!
Long live the Empire!
DC:
40/65
Effects:
Expanding from the 1. Guards Regiment of the Imperial Militia, the all-volunteer Morshdine Imperial Guard will be formed as the counterpart to the Imperial Army. The 1. Guards Regiment of the Morshdine Militia will be redesignated the 1. Imperial Guard Division and folded into the larger organisation. Guards Army units may be recruited, and options to create an abstracted Systems Army unlocked. Must pass higher DC to avoid a +20 Paranoia increase.
Gregor Migashki was back in his snow-white ISB uniform, and wasn't it nostalgic? Much of the Empire's appearances was carefully structured, especially when it came to uniforms, but that was never of interest to him. Propaganda, a smart uniform, that may make a good first impression and get wayward youths craving structure to sign up, but when it came to bringing order and keeping the peace he had no tolerance for Core-worlder laziness. It was the man, or woman these days, in the uniform that mattered more. But when one of his old friends still on Imperial Center said Isard was starting to wear her red Imperial Intelligence uniform off and on, he made sure to have a fresh set ordered before the dinner he was now attending.
The somber classical accompaniment from the droid musicians was almost seemed deliberately chosen to fit with the view from the top of the building where the elites of the Imperial Regency spent some semblance of normality, but even here, explosions from weapons, bombs, and fuel storages overloading could be seen dotting the top layer of Coruscant into the near distance.
"I'm somewhat surprised to see you here Gregor." The Butcher of the Mid-Rim turned to greet his Regentess. She didn't care for salutes, especially not at what's supposed to be a dinner gala. But a respectful nod was both polite and mandatory.
"Ma'am, you expect the lure of killing Rebels to draw me back to that mess out there?" He paused for a moment before shrugging with some chagrin. "If I ever want to walk away from it all, I could just enlist. The militia'd take a loyal man with backbone, not an analyst with a blaster."
"There's less need for analysts in the Imperial Center these days." Isard gestured them over to a table already being prepared by service droids. "We have the foundation for operations in the New Territories, it's the databases themselves that're important. And loyal bureaucrats."
Things started to slide into place for Migashki. He'd already known there would be some civilian members of the Imperial government who'd try to escape the chaos of Coruscant's fall. But if Isard was taking ISB analysts who hadn't done more than keep up pistol qualification and put them into the riot suppression, then the Stormtroopers she'd already pulled off the front were already overwhelmed.
"So it's true. The upper levels are no longer secure."
"We have maintained a hold on important corridors to secure levels." The food, Nerf Steak with sauce, and wine was high quality, but far from the fare usually associated with Coruscant high life. And that's how both of them preferred it: The successful earned their rewards and other things, but decadence bred weakness and disloyalty. "Frankly, Level 5 is safer than up here. Every alien and sympathetic human is boiling to the surface thinking the New Republic will be breaking through any day now."
"Are they?" Migashki knew that most would be far too terrified of earning the Imperial Regentess' ire, but he was an old man, beyond such petty fears. If Isard couldn't handle the reality of the situation, that was her problem. "Imperial Center is lacking a Star Dreadnought, Admiral Sloane hasn't returned since her promotion. And our screening forces are being replaced with…" Admittedly he wasn't much of a naval man but the measure Isard had taken rubbed him the wrong way. "Impressment?"
"We don't need expensive patrol craft or overly delicate high-performance prototypes." Isard sniffed dismissively. "We need a large number of 'good enough'. And if there's one thing the Rebels have taken full advantage of, it's that every freighter and smuggler in the galaxy arms their craft to the teeth."
Migashki sipped his wine before fixing Ysanne Isard with a measured look. "There's also the matter of Titan Squadron's discovery. The possibility of a major Rebel force behind the Core Defense Fleet is itself a potent weapon." A test to see how she'd handle quantum uncertainties under her current stress. Which said something when Iceheart's expression remained openly unconcerned as she shifted her plate to start on her rare Nerf Steak.
"Oh, don't worry about Mon Mothma." As she elaborated, Migashki noted Isard was putting far too much Aura-Alpha sauce on as she began sawing through the soft fleshy delicacy. Ruin the good flavor… or maybe that was the intention? "I already figured her out. Vader's little off the books excursion after the Devastator was compromised gave me everything I needed, Hoth just added some juicy details." Isard punctuated her comment by tearing off a juicy cut and sinking her teeth into the bloody treat. After swallowing, the Regentess let a small, self-satisfied smile slip through. "She's hiding in Chandrila. And I let her remain because it makes her decisions predictable."
"So the blockade is just for appearances?" Seven Star Destroyers and even more precious anti-starfighter Frigates made quite an image indeed. But was it necessary?
"Yes, quite. That's what Titan Squadron confirmed with their attack on Project Starhawk. Mon Mothma chose her home over a very high-ranking Imperial defector and their first modern Battlecruiser." Another rough sawing of flank, another meaty bite of increasingly red flesh. "Mon Mothma was decades younger than the late Emperor Palpatine when he was just the Supreme Chancellor, a peer of Padme Amidala. Now look at her: She looks
his age. More than the stress of living on the run, Vader and his forces stripped everything she cared about piece by piece. Her son. Her family. Her friends. Now all she has is the world itself and the ruins of an old mansion. Mon Mothma clings feebly to that last piece of stability because it's all she has before she gives up."
Now that, The Butcher of the Mid-Rim had to admit, was a manipulation worth investing in. "So who is your candidate for Chief of State?" He didn't bother concealing the intrigue and excitement in his voice. Minimize, perhaps, but it was a minor matter.
"For now, no one."
"You'll have to explain that one to me."
"As you've probably surmised…" Another glass-shaking blast of a power reactor overloading briefly bathed the dining room in bright sunlight, framing Ysanne's face half in painful blankness, half baleful red-in-black. "We're not long for Coruscant. Such a scheme wouldn't save it, even if I could speed their deliberations along."
"So why keep a traitor alive?"
"The most precious comodity we have. Something you'd understand best from your time in Morshdine." Isard briefly picked up her wine glass, idly observing the carbonation bubble and mix within its contents before taking a hearty gulp. "Predictability. I can Base Delta Zero Chandrila in less than thirty seconds, but lose one of my most valuable metrics for measuring the New Republic's strategic plans. One doesn't stop an enemy when they're making a mistake."
The Head of Imperial Intelligence briefly dabbed her lips with a napkin before she tucked the napkin away and stood up to depart. The crisis of the war unrelenting in their calls for her guidance. "Besides, the chaos of War Plan Hydra will more than serve that purpose."
Economics (Choose three)
While the Imperial Treasury currently covers all the expenses incurred by the Oversector, it comes at a cost. Most taxes that are collected are immediately re-routed back to the Treasury to ensure an even distribution of resources to all Sectors and Oversectors, allowing in theory for even the most underdeveloped region to be turned into paradise: Even if with the situation being what it is they are far more willing to give money to reputable Moffs than normal.
[ ] Investing in the Chiloon Rift
The cruelties of galactic resource distribution, which for a long time could be blissfully ignored due to the presence of the larger Galactic Empire, have reared their head. While news from Coruscant remains hopeful and mentions numerous counterattacks on the New Republic fleets assembled to strike Corewards, the fact of the matter is that resources shipped from Coruscant are steadily decreasing in both quantity and quality, and may soon even fall to such a level that further construction of infrastructure, naval yards, industrial complexes, residential areas and more becomes impossible.
Warning signs are already reaching the highest offices, and some of the CEOs that sit on the Industrial Advisory Board of the Commissariat of Industry and Agriculture have signalled that the current situation, provided no measures are taken, will become untenable should the Imperial position in the Core collapse. As halting the expansion of infrastructure, industrial, and business efforts is politically unfeasible and a waste of already allocated time and resources, something needs to be done to gain access to all the resources necessary to continue projects unhindered: While some have suggested bargaining with Kaine, this may very well be impossible - recent reports suggest that the Grand Moff is busy with his own resource-intensive projects, and asking for additional resources will come at a poor moment in time.
Luckily, there is a more conventional solution: The Oversector namely skirts the edges of the Chiloon Rift, a treacherous Nebula housing one of the galaxy's largest and most bountiful asteroid fields that provides the northern Outer Rim with vast amounts of natural resources. While the Empire as a whole never entered the rift proper and only began mining operations near the edges, the Oversector can establish new and expand existing operations to cover larger portions of the Rift to ensure a steady flow of high-quality beryllius, quadranium, duralium and a laundry list of other minerals. This will slightly unofficially shift the borders northwards, but it is very unlikely that the various Warlords or anyone answering to Imperial authority has the will and means to counter a minuscule expansion into Wild Space.
With all that said, the option to cooperate with local miners and conglomerates supported by the Empire in the area is also present - but this means that much of the additional materials sourced from them will be unsecured and leave a flimsi-trail that can lead to future projects that are best kept secret.
DC:
40/55/70
Effect:
The border of the Morshdine Oversector is shifted northwards, and part of the Chiloon Rift is claimed for a private trade route of high quality ores and other raw materials to Morshdine: Closer relations will be established with the independent mining communities within: As a consequence of ensuring access to material needed for mass production, investor confidence will increase. The effects of a looming resource shortage are also heavily lessened in severity - and due to the increased availability of resources for various military projects, heavy vehicles can now be more easily produced and several future DCs are lowered. Hitting higher DC's decreases pirate attempts at raiding due to being on good terms with the miners and their own squadrons of ships, while DC 70 sets up a basic naval garrison out of an old miner-slash-pirate base that's thrown their lot in with the Moff which will prevent minor Pirate attacks from taking place, garrisoned with largely second-rate ships.
[ ] Establishing an emergency fund
The Imperial treasury has now been confirmed to be in jeopardy. Even if Isard successfully transfers the funds and electronic infrastructure to another world, there will be a brief period of utter financial destruction and uncertainty unmatched by any event in recent Galactic history. With no regular monetary exchanges possible for some time, the Oversector will rapidly lose the capability to expand the economy, industry, repair and maintain infrastructure, etcetera: In the interest of preparing for the imminent future, we need to remain in contact with one Mr. Gallius Rax. With his help navigating Isard's labyrinthine contingency criteria, a small but sturdy amount of credits and hard currency can be brought to the Oversector as an emergency fund, and while at it, there could also be a mention about that little bit near the middle about "tax redirection clearances". It's not like the Oversector and the Moff haven't done more than enough for Isard.
That said, even if Rax pulls levers behind the scenes, he is not the Regentess. Nothing is guaranteed.
DC:
25
Reward:
The Imperial Treasury will transfer an emergency supply of credits under wartime redoubt contingency scenarios. The earlier the emergency fund is established, the more credits are available if, or when, contact with legitimate Imperial authority is lost. And, if enough support is sent to prolong Imperial Center's war against the New Republic, even more credits can stream in - greatly aiding the Oversector should it split off from the wider Empire or if contact with Imperial Center is lost.
[ ] Prepare for a total war
In recent weeks a collection of military officers and government officials has been running a variety of wargames under the nominal leadership of Colonel de Graaf. Now that they have been concluded and the relevant reports have been written, he has moved to inform the Council of Imperial Commissars of his findings.
While not a complete disaster, the results are nevertheless bad.
Although the sector is well prepared for a limited conflict, the outbreak of hostilities with a peer or stronger power would, in all likelihood, not be resolved in the Oversector's favour - and more likely, quite the opposite in this regard. Every average Warlord, like the 'Prince-Admiral' Krennel, Admiral Drommel sans his Executor, or any other upstart Moff, would find a dangerous foe in Oversector. At least, as long as the Twelfth Fleet stands in their way. However, the Oversector does not have the luck of being the biggest fish in the pond. With both Warlord of the Empire Zsinj and Grand Moff Kaine encircling the Oversector in all ways that matter, and together with the New Republic all having their eyes on Morshdine, things are considerably more dire.
As things stand, the Twelfth Fleet is in danger of being whittled down in battle or over the course of a protracted campaign: It lacks the escorts to deal with the New Republic's extensive use of snubfighters, or the numbers to face either Zsinj or Kaine directly. The Fleet will have no choice but to abandon the sector's worlds and wage a guerilla war, but lacking repair facilities, effective resupply measures and any way of replenishing losses, desertion and/or casualties will eventually render it combat ineffective.
Task Force Tarkin and the Commissariat of the Navy's nascent fleet, for all their elite skill and cutting edge technology, are in many ways even worse off. Their smaller capital ship numbers render direct combat less effective, and the number of escorts is insufficient to weather the starfighter attacks past experience of New Republic's battlegroups have shown. Once the 733rd Squadron and 202nd Flight Wing are inevitably reduced to combat ineffectiveness by casualties and lack of supplies, the Tarkin's Will and Volta will be exposed as highly symbolic prize targets.
With both Twelfth Fleet and Task Force Tarkin out of the picture the enemy will be free to take control of the sector's hyperlanes, causing a breakdown in sector wide supply chains and rendering long-term opposition unsustainable. The understrength 827th Infantry Legion will be reduced to policing duties as bread riots and mass unemployment hit the industrial zone, and while the 9th Mechanised Brigade can make limited counterattacks, the lack of orbital superiority and any anti-air protection will reduce it to little more than a core of hardliners for the Morshdine Militia to rally around, which is not to mention that much of their best gear will become nonfunctional after a few months of no repairs or overhauls. Not even the most idealistic plans expect the Militia to remain as a coherent force for more than a few weeks once the New Republic institutes a blockade of food and supplies to a world insufficiently prepared for the worst, and it is extremely likely that only the most devoted and fanatical will ignore their starving families to remain with the surviving members of the 9th for a prolonged but doomed insurgency campaign.
This is ignoring the chance that defeat suffered against the New Republic may tempt intervention by either Kaine or Zsinj - the former being more likely, given the latter's problems with the current enemy fleet in the north.
De Graaf's report ends with several vital recommendations, among which are the establishment of multi-year food and vital material stockpiles on each planet, the construction of several deep-space repair and resupply stations, increased investment in both planetside and spaceborne fortifications, the hardening of planetary and sector-wide supply chains against direct or indirect attack, promoting the home-growing of food were able, regular air-raid drills, and a greater focus on redundancy in the face of lapses in production.
Needless to say, the administration has its work cut out for it.
DC:
60
Effect:
The population will receive warning of wartime measures, and the extent of the threat posed by the Oversector's enemies, while planetary and orbital supply chains will rapidly be reinforced to prevent their destruction. While the Military Equipment situation is temporarily raised to "No Deficit", removing that penalty, more factories for the equipment must be made to prevent a harsher backslide: Demands for Consumer Goods also decrease slightly due to both stockpiling and Home Food policies going into effect.
Minor disruption from the bombing and sabotage of factories important for the war effort can be ignored for a limited time due to redundant on-site supplies, while the population will begin to get used to wartime constraints due to phased in ration supplies and regular civil defence training operations.
[ ] A Communal Safety Net
Social welfare had never been considered one of the most important matters by the important movers and shakers on Coruscant. Initially seen as one of the primary reasons for the Old Republic's bloated tax system and as a way for many a corrupt senator to skim a little extra from the budget, most of the Republic's welfare programs collapsed under the near-bankrupting expense of the Grand Army of The Republic and the rest were largely dissolved with the rise of the New Order, and this view of welfare being wasteful, corrupt, enfeebling, mostly helping nonhumans, and completely opposed to the Empire's espoused vision of strength was further spread by COMPNOR in the wake of the rise of the Empire.
It was only when the Oversector was created by his Majesty that some small social welfare programs resurfaced through the Fiosach sisters, and though in a much-reduced state and with many stipulations aimed at 'repeat offenders' or 'work-shy' individuals, the population of Morshdine were very grateful to know the Moff's Ministries would be able to carry a poverty-line family through a bad economic turn or a few rough months between jobs. Until now.
Now it seems that some lower-ranking committee creature-slash-member has decided to take Doctor Lyco's frank and estatic statements about his Neural Core Project's end products and ran it through the other departments, and the final picture has been called...'apocalyptic'. And despite the work of the best and brightest minds of the Oversector, it's not much of an exaggeration: The increase in economic instability from the loss of the Core, the rapidly swelling refugee numbers, all combined with the mass replacement of organics with a synthetic workforce - it would make the BRT Supercomputer debacle two centuries ago look like a mere incident, one inconsequential to the dangers faced today.
Hoping to preempt both social and economic upheaval that will come as a result of the introduction of Project Neural Core, various government agencies have come together in order to formulate a strong yet efficient communal safety net that hopefully avoids the pitfalls of previous Republican and Imperial systems - the latter being effectively nonexistent for large segments of the working population based on their species, and absent even for most lower-class Humans. They propose the creation of a single centralised department that can administer and monitor a welfare system built around a state-provided basic living stipend pegged to the cost of essential needs, a ration card for a healthy yet inexpensive diet, and a public healthcare plan in exchange for work-skill training and state-contracted private positions for a contractually agreed period of time.
If properly regulated, the system should provide loyal Imperial citizens with ample social security during economic downturns - and during the soon to come upheaval should Project Neural Core be exploited to the fullest...
DC:
65. The DC lowers as Project Neural Core advances and more detailed pictures and analysis of the A-Doll revolution become available, but the Effects may decrease depending on the economical and political situation.
Effect:
The population is prepared for a post-Industrial, primarily services-based economy: The loss of the Oversector's blue-collar jobs will be cushioned for a time until individuals transition into pre-planned government contract work projects. Lack of Civilian Goods will have a reduced penalty, but Demand for Civilian Goods will Rise as the system needs to be stocked up to handle billions of sentients with diverse needs.
Warning:
This option will heavily reduce future dissent and chaos from the replacement of millions of jobs, and allow for a relatively smooth transition from a production to a service economy. While this does not mean that there will be no negatives, this option allows for the situation to be handled with the delicate touch it deserves.
Industry and Agriculture (Choose three)
Industry and agriculture are the lifeblood of any modern space-dwelling nation. From weapon plants to foundries, industry dictates what can be produced, how much can be produced and how high the quality is - while agriculture dictates what food can be grown and in which quantity, supporting the population.
[ ] Reinforcing Shipyard Capacity
With the most recent expansion of the J. S. Fiosach Naval Yards and the corresponding upgrades in construction authorization, the vast majority of sub-capital ships used by the Imperial Navy can now be built within Tangrene's orbit. The only vessels that, officially, are not classed as capital ships and which remain currently out of reach length-wise are the old Acclamator-class Assault Ship and the bizarre Dragon-class Heavy Cruiser, and the latter can comfortably be ignored.
Nevertheless, the Commissariat of Naval Forces has put together a proposal to further increase the capacity of the shipyards, and Commissar Pryde has underlined the project by pointing out that the continued security of the Sector rests on its ability to construct and support the Sector Fleet: Without the appropriate deepdocks normally assigned to support the Sector Fleet, every single ship relies now on the J. S. Fiosach Naval Yards for refits, repairs, and resupply. To allow additional ship construction without compromising on repair and refit capability, all 450-metre yards are to be expanded to 600 metres, and an additional four 900-metre shipyards are to be constructed for the Volta: Additionally, left-over funds from Kaine's initial aid package to the Oversector will be used to upgrade currently existing dockyard equipment, lowering the risk of malfunctions and underperforming engines, cannons, electronics, etcetera, and to add four more 450-metre long dockyards for escort production.
However, it seems that Imperial Center has become leery of authorising the independent construction of modern Star Destroyer-grade capital ships to just any loyalist sector with facilities to build them, as the remaining Admiralty has seen a large number of systems using them to form their own petty breakaway states in the recent years. As such, despite ample assurances and an unbroken record of loyalty, the Oversector will have to make do with the old Victory-class design for now.
This does not exclude designing and producing a capital ship of our own, however - and perhaps, it should even be encouraged...
DC:
65
Effect:
The J. S. Fiosach Naval Yards will be upgraded to four 900-metre berths, twelve 600-metre berths, and several dozen sub-450 metre berths. Suffice to say, this upgrade will allow for the production of Victory-I and Gladiator-class Star Destroyers, and lessen the risk of problems delaying ships from entering service.
[ ] The establishment of 60Wish Manufacturing and Development Corporation
With Doctor Lyco's recent breakthrough and the finished development of a working prototype, the good doctor has recently approached the Commissar of the Interior, Lyana Ulitrike, with an interesting proposal.
Lyco has requested that a corporation founded by an old friend of his, the '60Wish Manufacturing and Development Corporation', to be given a contract in his new "Doll" product. The administration would however pay for factory complexes, place bargains on resources purchased by it from the Oversector, source high-end automated machine tools for both nanochips and combat-grade droids, and provide an initial influx of start-up capital. When asked what precisely this individual and their organisation demanded such a vast and diverse selection of gifts and support for, he 'wisely' demurred, saying his field-ready designs were still a ways away, but the sooner they got involved, the sooner the mass production of the final product would reach any substantial quota.
Pressing for answers on who exactly their friend was and what they did, Lyco reluctantly shared a bit, claiming that not even Admiral Versio was privy to the full details, and the walls still listened for the wrong things. Over ten years ago, he and two other colleagues had been assigned to an Advanced Weapon Development program under the late Director Krennic. While a secondary, if not tertiary, concern to Project Stardust, it still fell under the umbrella of the overall Tarkin Initiative: Lyco was a budding but well-known droid brain programmer and AI researcher and was brought in by a former Separatist Battle Droid and industrial designer, who pushed him to study cryptographic and signals technology as part of the classified program.
When pressed on the nature and contents of the program Lyco only gave two insights: The original discovery was made by Outposts 90 and 60 of Shadowhand Command, and the dating of the discovery was to a well-known historical time period of monumental galactic importance. When asked why such a figure was now working in the private sector instead of for Imperial Center, the frustratingly enigmatic scientist only stated that changing hats to escape consequences was a foundation of the Empire's retention policies.
But for all the costs that will be accrued by the administration, there is a gigantic list of in-house technology that 60Wish could supply the Oversector with, ranging from new battle droids such as an upgraded DT-Sentry Droid and Balmorra's new SD-9 War Droid, a Star Destroyer fire control system previously being tested by Black Sword Command, research into molecular shielding, blueprints for an automated heavy factory, their own unique model of slicer droids, and - of course - the first generation of Lyco's Dolls.
Though why he had chosen that as a designator for his newest invention is a mystery to the highest degree...
DC:
40
Effect:
The Corporation known as 60Wish will be founded on Vandyne, led by Lyco himself, his friend Ilyur Vouresh, and party by Moff Fiosach due to government shares. With the establishment of 60Wish, the DT-Sentry Droid and SD-9 War Droid are authorised for production, and research on improved fire control systems, automated assembly lines, Slicer Droids, Molecular Shielding, and substantial improvements on the Type-C Tactical/Combat Dolls is now available.
[ ] Streamlining industrial and agricultural practices
Right now, the Morshdine Oversector has built a system melding the principles of centralised local government with free enterprise, but with the need to withstand the Rebel offensives to come, inefficiencies must be eliminated: But over-centralization and over-specialization will result in large and obvious failure points, and that's why the Oversector shall take a limited, temporary hand in matters. The local farmer will not be stripped of their land, but given as much control and responsibility as any factory department manager, for the lives of all in the Sector rest on their products. The small entrepreneurs that make money off of opportunities faster than a big business going through layers of internal command structure will now have a robust system of bidding on contracts to fill those gaps, with rewards for exceeding certain quotas or being ahead of schedule.
And the big businesses… state-owned enterprises can be surprisingly coordinated when a Moff gets all the heads in one room, the bookkeepers open the files, and everyone knows the plan is being executed under a sole unlimited authority. That's all that really needs to happen. Data from the workplace goes to people, people shift things where they need to go, their bosses keep things running smoothly, and send a quarterly report to the person updating Moff. Streamlining means more ability to do things in the limited time you have before someone decides to 'take things in hand'.
DC:
45
Reward:
Industrial and agricultural output is increased through government contracts with credit rewards for meeting regulations and limited collectivization thanks to state-run enterprises. Failure means economic areas take a shallow hit due to unwieldy government intervention.
[ ] Continuing the agriculturisation of Altyr V
The rocky world of Altar V has been turned from a barren planet into one with gigantic fields of grain and potatoes, with utterly gigantic complexes dotting the surface. More than just producing crops and meat, the difficult task that was turning a barren rock into a world capable of feeding millions and fueling thousands of industries across the Sector, all the while the "Siege Store" complexes beneath the surface have nearly filled the first of their long-term deep-freeze storage facilities, and passed almost all their tests to withstand various system failures from orbital bombardment, has finally been largely completed.
But this will not be the end of this programme.
A tide of refugees has begun to move to the north, of loyal Imperials fleeing the devastation and anarchy that will be wrought by the New Republic, while reports indicate a skyrocketing birth rate that will further drive up the need for increased agricultural production: And as the price of food rises galaxy-wise due to the War and battles over Agri-Worlds, it will become imperative that Morshdine can weather the coming storm as best as it can, no matter what happens. But not just food will become scarce: Medicine will also take a hit, with the distinct possibility that Thyferra may fall to New Republic agitation, or even worse - the total destruction of the Bacta production facilities!
Altyr V will be completely transformed into an artificial Agri-World: It will be capable of feeding tens of billions as a manufacturing hub as any urbanised city-planet, except for organic products rather than seas of steel. All the remaining continents will be altered to maximise agricultural output, both in terms of altering the landscape and soil nutrients with industrial infrastructure shifted underground, while the livestock selection will undergo diversification to prevent loss due to plague outbreaks. Cultivation of medical plants will be introduced and their refinement for the pharmaceutical industry will happen in labs both underneath the surface, where large teams of scientists and analysts will work day in and out to ensure that there will never be a shortage in any organic substance needed.
And of course, the Siege Store will undergo more expansion. If Kaine can hide an airbase worthy of a Star Destroyer beneath rock and mineral, why can't the Morshdine Oversector create the largest food storage facility and manufactorum in the Outer Rim?
DC:
50. Failing the roll will lower the DC next turn.
Reward:
Altyr V is designated a full Agri-World with all the appropriate infrastructure and planning, and hardened against disruptions planet-side. The cultivation of medicinal plants, chemicals and more will begin, with options opened up next turn to increase the production of domestic medicine.
[ ] The Start of the Four Year Plan (KAINE MAJOR FAVOUR x1, KAINE MINOR FAVOUR x1)
POV: Saarle Fiosach
Tangrene Orbital Command, one of the new civilian stations in orbit to handle the rapidly increasing amounts of traffic and transport from and to the planet it is named after, was greeted with a slightly unusual sight a few standard days ago, when a ship closely resembling an Interdictor Cruiser entered the system bearing priority sector-level authorisation codes. When hailed, the vessel identified itself as the ISS Olavira, one of new Enforcer-class heavy/picket cruisers designed by the Pentastar 'Initiative'. What a joke - Kaine is still trying to hide his tricks even now.
The captain, a certain Commodore Faro, explained her ship's purpose as some sort of diplomatic envoy, containing both a personal gift for you, the Moff of the Morshdine Oversector, and a set of diplomats, government officials and advisors in order to further cooperation after a recent meeting between Grand Moff Ardus Kaine and Regentess Isard: The representatives, from Galentro Heavy Works, Dynamic Automata, Sienar-Jaemus and various smaller corporations, have all been assembled to present a collection of investment proposals unofficially dubbed 'the Four-Year Plan' by both themselves and Kaine - intended to heavily increase the industrial power and economic worth of the Morshdine Oversector, the Grand Moff is prepared to pay exorbitant prices to bring Morshdine up to the level of an average Inner Rim system.
To further the aim of cooperation, the Olavira - should the plans designed by the Grand Moff be accepted - is to be assigned to the Oversector's own defence force, together with a small force of 'other' vessels. Unlike the Imperial Treasury however, Kaine is on a budget.
Four Year Plan Budget: 250,000,000,000 credits (250 billion crd) (Plan budget can be increased)
- [ ] The Civilian sector (Choose two)
--- [ ] Improving resource extraction and industrial production
While investing in the Chiloon Rift is all well and good, without the means to process, refine and use the mass of resources newly available, we run the risk of making the Oversector over reliant on resource extraction, in turn running the danger of becoming nothing more than a mining colony for more developed sectors or developing Ryloth Disease. In order to create a healthy industrial sector, the many investments in the extraction industry will need to be accompanied with a similar growth of the manufacturing industry.
To facilitate this, the parts of the Four Year Plan aimed at the primary and secondary sectors of the economy will put a large amount of focus on the substantial expansion of the resource processing facilities on and around the Valnoos System, combined with the introduction of cutting edge industrial techniques and equipment, and large-scale investment in the sector's core industrial worlds, this part of the Plan will heavily increase the pace of the industrial mass-production of goods and the industrialization of the sector.
Of course, it will have the additional benefit of allowing the Oversector to profit from a greatly improved industrial base from which to pursue larger development projects.
Cost:
5,5 billion credits (5,500,000,000)
Effect:
DCs for industrialization options are lowered, options that increase production of goods/equipment have quantitative enhancements, reduced chance of overspecialization.
--- [ ] Aiding Rural development
While perhaps not the most economically profitable investment plan, it is good to remember that there is more to the Oversector than the numbers shown at the Batonse Stock Exchange. The sector's most precious resource is its people, and a large number of its people happen to live harvest to harvest and paycheck to paycheck: Not by choice, or deliberate policy, mind you - The competent rule of the Fiosach sisters has done much to turn what was once considered an Outer-Rim backwater into a respectable part of the Empire. However, there are still considerable parts of the Sector that have not profited from this.
A program of rural development, agricultural modernization and grants, small business loans, and infrastructure construction and modernization projects has the potential to connect the sector together in a way once thought impossible by all but the most optimistic of planners. Lifting billions out of poverty and opening up the full potential of the sector's many underdeveloped regions and planets will be one of the many objectives of the Plan.
Of course, the program also provides the Military with the perfect cover for an extensive fortification programme. Rural and remote redoubts, subterranean military complexes, munition depots, fortified bunker systems, shield generators, anti-air batteries and hidden planetary defence canons: Anyone attempting to take control of the Oversector by force will see their ships burn and their men scattered in the winds!
Cost:
4,8 billion credits (4,800,000,000)
Effect:
Non-Industrial worlds gain more self-sufficiency in production and food harvesting, reducing Civilian Goods Demand. All worlds gain a Level in Fortification (-15 penalty for land combat), with options unlocked to increase and specialise planetary defences.
[ ] The Imperial Granaries
In order to survive people need food, factories need materials, and the military needs munitions. And with the Galaxy quickly turning into a very dangerous place, with warlords, pirates and slavers doing whatever they please, and a storm brewing between the New Republic and those who would style themselves Imperial successors, the need for agricultural security will rank high on the agenda of any leader, whether they be Imperial, New Republic, or Neutral - and the Morshdine Oversector is no exception.
To ensure the safety of the Oversector and her people, stockpiles of vital resources will need to be established with both public and hidden food storage facilities need to be rapidly expanded or created, existing facilities need to be reorganised and modernised, and preparations need to be made to ensure far-flung space stations, remote worlds and budding colonies do not risk starvation should non-military space travel become impossible. Luckily, a part of the Four Year Plan includes an investment proposal aimed at encouraging the basic self-sufficiency of all worlds, regions, and orbital habitats within the Oversector: Expanding on the program to a sufficient degree will remove the threat of starvation in case the worst comes to pass should not be a problem.
Cost:
8 billion Credits. (8,000,000,000 credits)
Effect:
All worlds, space stations, and outposts in the Oversector gain a small Siege Store, extending the time to surrender out of starvation and decreasing dependence on Altyr V's complexes. Unlock options to increase domestic self-sufficiency programs.
- [ ] The military sector (Choose two)
--- [ ] Further development of the J. S. Fiosach Shipyard (Chain)
Wryn Otro is a bit of an enigma: On the one hand, he observed the Fiosach Fleet Yards with clear interest and his eyes seemed to shine whenever the local workers mentioned 'Little Kuat', while on the other, he almost seemed disappointed when the tour of the largest docks in the Oversector concluded. With all that said, he recognizes an opportunity when he sees one, and in return for a fair share in the civilian yards and the assurance of several favourable military and civilian contracts, Galentro Heavy Works is willing to finance the construction of four 1,200 metre berths: Capable of producing the most modern and advanced ships of the Imperial Navy.
That, however, does not mean that the blueprints and designs of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer and other such vessels will be immediately released. Fortunately, the Venator and Procursator-class Star Destroyers do not have such restrictions.
Cost:
18 billion Credits. (18,000,000,000 credits)
Effect:
Four 1,200 metre shipyards are built, allowing for the production of ships up to 1,200 metres in length. Merchant Marine quotas to the Pentastar Alignment gained - keeping these at Satisfactory or higher will increase relations with Kaine. Kaine may, if the requisite docks are available, in the future ask for ships to be laid down and built for him for a lower price than normal.
--- [ ] Improving Military Production
Unlike the smaller dockyards and shipyards common in the Outer Rim, the J. S. Fiosach Shipyards requires more highly skilled personnel than that commonly found in the Outer Rim, the absence of which has already resulted in a week-long delay for one of the Arquitens-class Cruisers currently under construction: But one man's misfortune is one man's fortune, and Otro has already jumped on the opportunity to earn a bigger piece of the credit-flavoured pie.
In addition to providing the means for the construction of actual yard space capable of building capital ships, Otro is also interested in providing several teams of experienced Galentro Heavy Works specialists to act as consultants on starship construction in general: He has assured the moff that their advice will prove invaluable in hardening the construction pipeline from outside disruption, increasing construction efficiency, improving the construction quality of larger warships and limiting workplace accidents or construction errors.
The benefits, then, should be obvious.
Cost:
1.5 Billion Credits. (1,500,000,000)
Effect:
All ships over 325 metres take 1 turn less to complete. Capital-grade ships and larger that are constructed in the Oversector gain a +5 combat bonus. Demand for External Military Goods reduced. One Critical failure roll or hitting mass shortage will be negated.
--- [ ] War Plan Hydra
Contact with Imperial Center has increasingly been coming under threat to such a degree that, should the situation worsen, it may well become sporadic at best and impossible at worst: Something that recent reports released to the highest offices of Imperial power seem to have confirmed, with select systems in the Mid Rim still nominally loyal to Coruscant already cut off, and many more standing on the edge of total isolation. With Moff Saarle having cast in her lot with Kaine and Isard, it seems unlikely that a separate ceasefire or an armistice can be negotiated - even ignoring the fact that the Oversector is surrounded by Warlords and Isard to the west.
As it stands, a variety of vital civilian and military positions are still staffed with Core World loyalists, who are more likely to clamour for an intervention should the Core Worlds come under threat: Silently replacing most of them with domestic officers and officials who can be trusted to remain at their posts will, in the event that the New Republic breaks through, prevent anyone from rushing off to help Coruscant in an act of overly elaborate suicide.
It wouldn't be proper to waste potential resources on a lost cause, after all. Isard is but a stepping stone, one which is rapidly sinking in the waves, but which has its uses still.
A loss of contact with the Core does carry other risks, however. Even with the Oversector's increased self-reliance and domestic technological base, several advanced industrial sectors, pieces of vital infrastructure, research programs, and government institutions are dependent on the Core Worlds to properly function, or are in some other way reliant on locations that may or may not be out of reach. Contingency operations will need to be designed to ensure their continued functionality in the near future, and preferably in a way that ensures that operation or functionality can be restored within 6 hours of losing contact with Coruscant - more specifically, six hours after the transponders located in the Imperial Palace and Imperial Military Headquarters have gone offline.
Kaine, unsurprisingly, has offered his personal advice and assistance on the entire matter. But why does it have to start with massive bunkers?
Cost:
35 billion credits (35,000,000,000 credits)
Effect:
Isardites and Imperial Center loyalists will be removed from positions of influence, their presence no longer needed. The economic shock and panic from losing Imperial Center, the seat of Imperial power, will be reduced due to Kaine picking up the tab, which will tie the Morshdine Oversector even further to Oversector Outer economically to a significant degree: This unlocks options to create a copy of Kaine's deep-crust infrastructure programs, building entire underground cities that can exist with the surface completely unaware of what lurks below and utterly resistant to any and all scanners in service and under development.
[ ] Building additional factory complexes
Before departing, Otro had mentioned Kaine's offer of flat out paying for the construction of several Galentro Armament factories on Vandyne. While nothing special on their own, they would allow the Oversector to start producing medium sized walkers and various types of repulsorcraft, which will not only allow for the rapid expansion and equipping of the Morshine Imperial Militia - and possibly an entirely new force - but also significant export profits: And while some of the profits gained and vehicles produced will go to Kaine as per the AT-ST mk.IV deal, much of it will be retained by the Oversector, creating a moderately stable arms export sector.
Cost:
20 billion credits (20,000,000,000 credits)
Effect:
Military Equipment greatly increased. +5 bonus to Guard Repulsor and Armour Corps. Can sell to other Imperial Factions, but Kaine gets right of first refusal: A certain amount of equipment, the amount of which Kaine can change every few turns, must be sold to him before other customers can be served.
Diplomacy (Choose up to three.)
[ ] Restoring some measure of trust (Kaine)
It's been awhile since Kaine overawed and shook you down in the bowels of a secret military bunker. You've managed to crack many of his codes, see the truth of his grandiose ambitions. Yet the key element underlining all this: He doesn't suspect your hand specifically in Isard's scrutiny. This presents a unique opportunity to get closer to Kaine. The Auto-Fighter and new model AT-ST have already show the fruits of cooperation between you two, a meeting to discuss more collaborative developments would let you potentially find more secrets of Kaine's Pentastar Alignment. More assets to take for yourself.
And more ways to get out from under the man's thumb.
DC:
35
Reward:
Reduced DC and cost for Four Year Plan Actions. This will increased Kaine's Approval, and it will be less likely Kaine becomes more suspicious of you - and may also lead to an increase in funding for the Four Year Plan.
[ ] A meeting with the Warlord...
Rapprochement with Zsinj leaves one a poor taste in the mouth, the taste of defeat and shame, but at the moment some sort of truce - even if it is only temporary - will be needed to prevent the overwhelming military might of the Quelii Oversector from being unleashed upon us. While the Warlord of the Empire is currently occupied by intense New Republic attacks on his northern frontier, it remains all too easy for him to simply declare the Oversector a part of his territory and move in, and not without good cause: Before the Emperor created the Morshdine Oversector and gifted it to Moff Fiosach, it had been part of the Warlord's core lands - and if one thing is certain, the Fondorian has likely not forgotten nor forgiven.
To this end, Moff Saarle has authorised a programme of detente and increased trade with Zsinj and his Empire - increasing relations, cooling tensions, and paving the way for a smoother pivot away from Coruscant...
DC:
45
Reward:
A public Non-Aggression pact will be signed by Moff Saarle and Warlord Zsinj, and increased trade will flow between Zsinj's Empire and Oversector Morshdine. Units on Zsinj's Western defenses will be redeployed to the front - or more to the south, facing Isard. There will be only limited preparations made for an attack, with increased consequences for declaring war: If taken with Regional Consolidation: Sprizen, a successful roll reduces the Oversector's administrative burden as the military authorities willingly work with you, making other expansion projects more feasible.
< Mutually exclusive! >
[ ] ...and a stab to the back.
The Warlord Zsinj is emblematic of every problem the Empire has faced since the loss at Endor. Any diplomacy is merely a delaying tactic until the sniper has its shot. A truce will be made, a sign of mutual respect for the others' power and the enemies at our door, all the while the CIA will follow the Warlord's new trade supplies into his territory to identify the key pillars of military occupation and notable resistance figures. Isard's Imperial Intelligence will be kept abreast of our intentions and developments, while the Navy Renegades who've usurped the regional government will have been told to watch for treachery, and when our forces are in position it is they who will have to decide between treason and loyalty.
DC:
55
Effect:
A public Non-Aggression pact shall be signed by Moff Saarle and Warlord Zsinj: This will slightly increase trade between Zsinj's Empire and Oversector Morshdine. Units on Zsinj's western defenses redeployed to the front, and CIA units begin infiltration operations to gain a clearer picture of Zsinj's Empire while preparations for an invasion begin. Isard knows you plan to stab the fat Fondorian in the back, and will cover for you with other Imperial factions. If taken with A Raptor Hunted, it lowers the DC for success of both, but puts the nearby Sectors on alert for attacks from anywhere.
[ ] Negotiations with Isard
Many remember Ysanne Isard as the powerful, distinct, and capricious leader of Imperial Intelligence. She took over after her father plotted treason, some say she framed him and even fired the shot, to become the only person honoured to wear the red shared with the Emperor's Imperial Royal Guard. Since assuming the post of Regentess, many naysayers, defeatists, and leeches claimed she would retain her madness upon affairs of state and doom what was left of the Empire. The past has proven these claims false even in the thinnest shred of credibility. The Empire has weakened in the face of the Rebel offensives, the true extent of traitors at all levels has proven to beggar belief, and resources once thought unlimited are now fiercely hoarded, but through it all, Isard has kept the Galactic Empire one small step ahead of its enemies and its strength unbroken.
That's what the official news says.
What you see, from your many meetings with the new leader of the Galactic Empire, is a woman who is reaching her breaking point. The crumbling state of the Empire is reflecting on her own attempts to match Palpatine's breadth of political insight and dark wisdom of mastery. For all that old and rising stars in the Empire have rallied to her banner out of fear or recognition that a legitimate government will last longer than a warlord rump state, half the galaxy owned by the New Republic and the other third breaking away from her simply renders her position at Imperial Center unsustainable. And the more she loses, the more others blame her, and the more she blames herself. For now, she's kept her cool, not made public spectacles of her enemies' punishments, and projected the image of quiet, sharp skill. You now know this is due to a morbidly functional balance of work-home life: Ysanne Isard has kept for herself a private space, where none may enter without her personal command, fewer guests ever remember spending time in there, and it's very name sending shivers through the galaxy.
Isard has turned Lusankya Prison into her personal abattoir, atelier, and apartment. And your request for a personal meeting to discuss additional resources for the Oversector was answered with a paper, actual paper, invitation to dine with Isard at Lusankya - and it increasingly appears that writing a weekly update to your last will and testament seems not to be such a waste of time after all.
DC:
30/45/55/70/90
Reward:
Scales with result. Lower end consists of credits, sub-Heavy Cruiser ships, and generic army formations. Higher end can grant technology from Palpatine's vaults, one of the precious few Star-Destroyers remaining, and even more valuable... personal benefits.
Backdoor talks (Choose up to three)
[ ] Seeking discreet diplomatic recognition
Over the last few months all known New Republic back channels have remained completely silent. The complete information blackout continues, despite your repeated, and increasingly frantic, calls for backroom talks: Any kind of outgoing message has so far been ignored and disregarded, despite the most honeyed words and incredible promises you made.
What has not been silent has been the New Republic's propaganda machine, and what drivel they are spewing is...worrying.
New Republic aligned Holonet stations are running stories about the Twin-Faced Demoness of Morshdine, about millions disappearing into the dark holds of Imperial prison vessels, never to be seen again, about Isard's own Death Troopers patrolling the streets of Batonse, and about the poor, alien and human alike, being worked to death in munitions factories. Most of the stories are nothing more than a bunch of old wives' tales, and while some are startlingly accurate, their severity is often overplayed.
Fine. The New Republic seem to have no interest in backdoor talks - then the next option is to go to the planetary governments themselves. Quietly, cautiously, and while imparting the utmost need of discretion, contacts will be sought with several independent policies and constituent members of the New Republic to see where they stand regarding the possible diplomatic recognition of the Oversector in the purely hypothetical case of secession and subsequent liberalisation. If we are lucky, we might gain further understanding of the New Republic's political situation and overall view of the Oversector. In the worst case, we might learn which concessions will have to be made.
DC:
??
Effect:
Depending on the roll, the intelligence provided about the public perception will be more accurate - and the influence of the New Republic propaganda offensive determined.
[ ] To claim the 12th Fleet (Patient)
Enric Pryde gave you clear advice on how to take down Admiral Yagada. Wait him out. Keep the staredown going until either the fop loses his nerve or he follows some fool at Imperial Center to try and pull something, with you moving in like those heroes of old as he does so - which will result in the 12th's line officers singing your praises in the aftermath. He is not wrong - and perhaps it is prudent to be patient with the men and women of the 12th Sector Fleet. After all, even years after the death of his Majesty, the ripple effects and galactic instability have made a rapid change... unappetizing at best.
And it is not like the good Admiral is in a position to perform a coup either - a fop and an imbecile he may be at times, he knows that pulling a coup and proclaiming himself a warlord will have Isard come down on his head like a sack of bricks, to say nothing of the domestic consequences that will invariably result in revolution. Or, at least, you
hope - there is no saying what recent events have done to damage your reputation
.
A calm focus, adaptability and stable continuity have served the Oversector well, and with the 12th Fleet, it will continue to do so.
DC:
30
Effect:
Providing stable employment, proper support and a way to stay away from the frontlines in the south will be the idea way to sway the 12th Fleet to the Moff's side.
Moff Fiosach solving her problems with diplomacy and honeyed words has character implications.
[ ] To claim the 12th Fleet (Aggressive)
Enric Pryde gave you clear advice on how to take down Admiral Yagada. Wait him out. Keep the staredown going until either the fop loses his nerve or he follows some fool at Imperial Center to try and pull something, with you moving in like those heroes of old as he does so - which will result in the 12th's line officers singing your praises in the aftermath.
But why in the blazes do you have to wait?
You waited for over ten damn years to get what you were supposed to have by right, and even now you get nothing but scraps. Moffs got Star Destroyers and Stormtroopers by the bucketful, Oversectors get Star Dreadnoughts like they are going out of style, but you could barely scrape together enough money for a patrol ship all the while Yagada got to sit tight on his cushy private posting, killing who knows how many pilots and escort crews against common pirates just so he can bring his ISD in and feel like a big man. And who the hell are his underlings to judge you? You brought Morshdine to a new height of power while the galaxy went to hell in a handbasket!
When whole worlds butchered their garrisons after Alderaan was destroyed, you assuage the people's concerns and reemphasized the necessity of central authority. You have the closest thing to trust Ysanne Isard, Imperial Regentess, has ever given anyone, including some of the best Troopers and ships the Empire has ever known. You are going to relieve Yagada of his command. You will charge him with incompetence, treason, and whatever other Bantha dung you can dig up from years past. And the men and women of 12th Fleet will say not a damn thing at all, because you are Moff Saarle Fiosach, and your word is life and death - and if they want to fight you on this...
Well, the CIA had been clamouring for a purge of the 12th Fleet for some time.
DC:
??/??/??
First DC is keeping Yagada in custody, second is no pushback from the navy, and the third is the loyalty of the 12th fleet.
Effect:
Admiral Yagada is arrested on just about every slight and piece of incompetence he's made in his career, and depending on how things go down, a decision will be available for his fate. The Imperial Navy will view you as a loose cannon, but whether they make your work more difficult or not is up to fate to decide.
Moff Fiosach solving her problems with brute force has character implications.
[ ] Security is Our Watchword
The Imperial Security Bureau and Imperial Intelligence are distinct branches of espionage and secret policing but they both, quite deliberately, have overlapping goals, means and assets to act in the accomplishment of the New Order's security. With the formal ascension of Director of Intelligence Ysanne Isard to the seat of Regentess, her connections with these two agencies has welcomed a new page in their history: While their own culture and records are maintained, the woman who spent her career wielding the careful balance between the Imperial Inner Circle and the highest military levels has pushed greater coordination between the two, coordination that has seen almost universal success.
ISB slicers and pattern-compilers find their information bolstered by spies and reprogrammed individuals from Intelligence, and the rapidly increasing amount of black-ops missions has given the few remaining Death Troopers and combat-skilled field agents a new lease of life as critical assets of the Empire. With the Regentess currently not abnormally suspicious of you, and almost horrifyingly eager to apply the Commissariat model across the Core and even the wider Empire, you can see if the agencies that form her core powerbase are willing to give you any aid of some form - from training to some of their...extrajudicial forces.
DC:
??
Reward:
Depends on the roll: The higher the roll, the better the reward.
This will significantly strengthen Isard's influence in the Oversector and derail plans for liberalisation and/or independence from Coruscant.
[ ] The would-be heir
Gallius Rax, according to a recent flood of rumours from Coruscant, was supposed to have been the heir to the Empire instead of Isard and the Imperial Ruling Council, apparently groomed by the Emperor himself in the event of an ill-fated brush with death. However, due to being away from the Core on an errand for the late Emperor, he was unable to claim Imperial leadership after his return due to the loss of his support base, who at that time had been co-opted by the Isardites and Zsinj: His influence has, however, been growing once more, and the Grey Eminence has now gotten his fingers into the economic pie.
According to CIA reports, he has been meeting with a plethora of important officials recently, including some big names in the treasury department, members of Imperial High Command and even recently-promoted Grand Admiral Rae Sloane: All ostensibly under the guise of organising an advisory council tasked with aiding the Regentess to bring about her future vision of the Empire, whatever it may be.
Isard has not seen it fit to intervene in this, even though it is beginning to undermine her own cadre of advisors.
For now.
Perhaps it would be for the best to figure out what the Emperor's enigmatic would-be heir is up to. Arranging for a meeting with 'Representative' Rax and his 'Council of Imperial Advisors' should be relatively easy to see what has sparked his sudden interest in attaining Emperor-hood.
DC:
????????
Effect:
Gallius Rax has his own grand plans for the Empire - plans for which he seeks to enlist all with influence and potential.
?????/?????/?????/?????
The meeting room was bare, and furnished with only the most basic of utilities and decorations. In contrast to the office of the dead Emperor, nothing hinted at anything but military efficiency and strict discipline, but that was just how Isard, Regentess of the Galactic Empire, leader of the most feared intelligence agencies known in recent galactic history and leader of a recently formed secret cabal of advisors, subordinates and puppets, liked it to be. Unnecessary furnishings and decorations would only distract her from her goals and duties - and ever since she took over the reins from the ineffectual Pestage, the latter of the two only seemed to increase with every day. Today, however, was a special day - one that had been a long time coming.
Isard calmly thumbed through the folder in front of her seat, one identical to the fourteen others placed before the chairs in the conference room. It was filled with intelligence regarding recent movements of the New Republic and the surviving warlords in the Galactic South, analyses, projections, and discussions regarding the doctrine of the New Order - some even citing the works of the Emperor himself, like a theologian citing holy scripture to justify and support their dogma. The topics were varied, covering sociology, military training, indoctrination, architecture, economics, education, and all the things she considered important to the foundation of a new society.
One devoid of treason. One that was pragmatic and meritocratic, and that did not suffer the incompetent to live. One that could be called a worthy successor to the New Order it would replace, like a Phoenix from the ashes. The folder was not just a projection for an ideal future, but it was a manifesto - the blueprint for the ideal Imperial state.
As the room slowly filled, Isard stood from her chair and watched as they saluted. Some wore the pitch-black of the Stormtrooper Corps, others the customary white of the navy and the ISB, and two graced the room with the grey-green of the Imperial Army, and all had a silver signet ring on their left ring finger and wore a simple maroon armband over their left upper arm: Seven men and six women threw out a crisp salute after lining up behind their chairs, their faces ashen and carefully kept blank - Isard nodded, gave a single salute of her own and then sat down again, the rest of the group following in near-perfect synchronisation.
"We are missing one of our members."
Glancing at the man who had spoken, one of the white-clad navy officers, Isard nodded.
"We do, but shall not for long. Attend to the folders in front of you."
With that said, silence returned to the room, apart from the soft fluttering of flimsi as pages were turned. Giving them a couple of minutes to peruse the contents, Isard cleared her throat and waited for them all to look up. Their faces were still unemotive, but in their eyes, she could see the spark of determination lit alight. The document had the intended effect then - and Isard, for the first time in weeks, truly smiled.
"Gentlemen. Gentleladies. There is much work to be done, and so little time to do it."
The Commissariat of Internal Affairs - Intelligence (Take up to three)
[ ] A Cog out of Alignment
The recent arrival of a loaded gun - and maybe a disguised peace offering - from Grand Moff Kaine demonstrates his continued intent to worm his way into the affairs of Oversector Morshdine and subvert it into his web of puppets - and though we apparently occupy a high rank in this hierarchy, it still stinks of servitude to illegitimate authority when Coruscant hasn't even fallen. Useful he is at this time, useful he may remain in the future, but just because one hand holds out friendship does not mean the other isn't holding a dagger ready to plunge into an unsuspecting back.
The CIA will be authorised to conduct deeper investigations into people flagged for close connections to pillars of the incubating Pentastar Alignment, along with 'interviewing' some of the newly arrived technicians. In addition, we will be coordinating with Imperial Intelligence to curate special releases of information and news articles on Kaine's subversive activities against the state and the war through sham Holonet accounts, anonymous leaks, and few 'lost' official files that manage to land in the hands of COMPNOR, as useless as they may be. First intended for release in Morshdine, they will trickle out of the Oversector in time, giving the appearance of organically-spread knowledge...
...and a useful tool for us to create a web of unwitting pawns.
DC:
40
Effect:
Depending on the success of this action, we will gain more information that can aid us in achieving a higher position within the Pentastar Alignment, or which can be used to burn it down to the ground with higher efficiency. Nonetheless, taking this option will have negative consequences for Kaine's pet Pentastar Alignment project.
[ ] A Raptor Hunted - Raid Action
Information from Imperial Center is clear: While the New Republic is currently rolling him back with only a moderate fraction of their combined power, the prestige and sympathy many in the Core-aligned military leadership have for the Warlord remains as strong as ever. He will try to rally that reputation in the near future to draw many of the Imperial Navy outside the Core into his forces, then try to hold his remaining territory while redirecting the New Republic after Isard through diplomacy and tactful force - and it is this course of events that cannot be allowed to pass.
Admiral Versio has passed along targets and itineraries of several VIPs in Zsinj's Empire, ranging from Generals, Admirals, up-and-coming officers, political allies, all of whom are to be terminated with extreme prejudice by the signed death warrants of the Regentess. Due to the confluence of time and targets, the CIA's first 'foreign intervention' will benefit from several groups' combined operations: The 773rd Squadron can spearhead small taskforces to conduct raiding actions, thus disguising the assassinations as casualties of war and likely depriving the Warlord of several capital ships.
Additionally, more sympathetic and initiative-minded Commissars have suggested working with the New Republic to execute sabotage and propaganda operations - and a select few have proposed recruiting those opposed or disaffected by the uncharacteristic failings of Zsinj. This has been authorised if such groups will indeed work with us, but it is expected Zsinj's Empire will soon drown in chaos and confusion as their internal stability goes up in flames, and as his foundation of a potential threat to Isard and the rest of the Empire withers away.
DC:
??
Effect:
The 773rd Squadron is assigned to this operation, and will be Locked until the end of Turn Four.
Destabilising and sabotaging Zsinj's faction will, hopefully, distract him long enough for an adequate defensive buildup and for the incorporation of possible military or territorial acquisitions to finish.
[ ] 'Guiding' the Guardian
As soon as news of the Emperor's death and his own homeworld's rebellion immediately afterwards spread, Fleet Admiral Gaen Drommel saw his chance and diverted the 20th Fleet, headed by the Executor-class Star Destroyer Guardian, away from Coruscant and towards the Oplovis sector to put down the revolt. His cowardice allowed Drommel to narrowly escape Isard's initial purges, and ever since he has been ruling Oplovis with an iron first, all the while 'carefully' maintaining the appearance of loyalty to the greater Empire towards his crew.
But his eagerness to expand his own power led him to rush headlong into battle against New Republic forces, decimating his fleet at the disastrous Battle of Tantive V - and with limited reinforcements, the Mad Admiral has been reduced to commanding the wounded Guardian and a small assortment of smaller escorts, and has spent a year licking his wounds and obsessing over his bedsheets. Evidently, command of one of the last Executor-class Super Star Destroyers is wasted on the man, and in the past few months, the CIA, working in close cooperation with Imperial Intelligence and with the direct approval of the Regentess, have put together a plan to neutralise the rogue Admiral.
Operation CUSTODIAN intends for a specially selected and highly skilled CIA team to infiltrate the warlord's private fiefdom where, after building up a rapport with both planetside support personnel, on-leave crewmembers, and the local guard detachment, they will try to slip on board the Super Star Destroyer. Once inside the vessel, their task is to sow doubt among the Guardian's crew, find and assassinate Drommel after the conclusion of that objective, and then seize the vessel with support from Isard's forces: The end result shall be that both Oplovis and the Guardian are brought back to the Imperial fold, and a traitor rewarded as he deserves.
And of course, the Regentess is not above awarding loyal and efficient subjects - and additional clearance for new ships is very welcome - such as the Raider-class Corvette, or the Immobilizer 418, or perhaps even the IPV-2C...
DC:
??
Effect:
Drommel will be killed, the Guardian seized, and his territory returned to proper Imperial administration. Rewards for success, depending on just how successful the Operation was, can range from Raider-class corvettes, Immobilizer-418's, to other, even more advanced craft.
[ ] Lighting the spark
Publicly, the Imperial Army and Navy are rallying to reinforce the faltering Sloane Line and throw the New Republic back into the Outer Rim Territories. Privately? High Command can see the writing on the wall, and if the Rebels are not beaten back soon the theatre will devolve into a three-way brawl between Imperial Loyalists, New Republic forces and breakaway Warlords. Even with the remnants of COMPNOR whipping loyalist strongholds in the New Republic's path into a frenzy of bloodthirstiness and suicidal fervour, it can't be guaranteed whether they'll actually stay loyal to Imperial Center.
To prevent the situation from devolving into total madness at this juncture and to keep the Imperial forces on that front somewhat active to stall the New Republic, Ysanne Isard is invoking Contingency Plan NADIR. With the activation of this Contingency Plan, multiple simultaneous avenues of attack are being put into effect. First, Imperial Biological Warfare Command has been activated, clearing all manner of bio-chemical weapons retained under the Emperor's secret weapons programs for use by authorised commands of the Army and Imperial Intelligence: The delivery systems and agents vary, but all are theoretically supposed to be deployed only when the New Republic resorts to heavy bombardment of civilian-occupied areas under the theorem "Mutually Assured Destruction".
In a similar vein, all Imperial naval vessels have been given preemptive clearance for orbital bombardment up to the limit of constituting a Base Delta Zero, and the greatest of sanctions has been reserved for High Admiral Mokorisk's Blowtorch Squadron: He has been being personally assigned to a list of secret targets spanning the Trailing Sectors and the Slice in Hutt Space. Any world on that list that is approached by the New Republic is to be given a short warning for evacuation before the planet's surface is turned to ash, slag, and cinders.
All the while, working in coordination with Imperial Intelligence and Storm Commando units, the CIA has been tasked with the organisation of several black propaganda campaigns along with a series of large-scale false flag attacks aimed at stirring up old racial hatreds, confusion, and suspicion among New Republic sympathisers behind both Imperial and New Republic Lines. Whatever remaining loyalists are to be armed and readied for a long-term insurrection, while groups like the anti-human Alien Combine and the alien-supremacist Diversity Alliance are to be goaded into violence and supported with funds and weapons as our useful idiots.
The Regentess wants the Mid and Outer Rim ablaze. You will do your part to make it happen.
DC:
??
Effect:
The lost regions will be set ablaze to prevent a steady advance by the New Republic to the inner regions of the Empire, while new defensive lines are set up by the remnants of the Imperial Navy and Army. This will make, if our role in these affairs is discovered, future negotiations and diplomacy with the New Republic and the southern Outer Rim very problematic at best and impossible at worst.
