Difference between revisions of "Galactic Empire"

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The Galactic Empire, also known as the New Order, is the rightful government of the galaxy, currently ruling a number of sectors in the region of the galaxy known as the Core, as well as territories in other outlying sectors. It is the most militarily capable and economically dominant government of the galaxy.

History

The early history of the Galactic Empire, while relatively recent on a galactic scale, is largely undocumented. As the fortunes of individuals and groups have changed in the Empire, and Emperors themselves risen and fallen, historical documents have been altered, misplaced or outright destroyed. Much of what remains is lacking, and has been pieced together with what remnants, poorly sourced and often blatantly propagandic, remain from those years.

Origins

After a thousand years of growing mismanagement and corruption, the Galactic Republic fell. More and more factions, both political and economic, grew weary of the stagnation and bureaucracy to the point where they gathered together to seceed and declare themselves independent from the Republic. Events rapidly deteriorated until armed conflict was inevitable. The 'Seperatists', armed with vast droid armies, fought openly with the newly created Clone Army of the Republic. At the same time, other political bodies and trade groups broke away to form their own independent territories as their own.

The Seperatists, eventually, were worn down and broke apart due to their massive losses and internal factionalisation, its members collapsing into obscurity or being absorbed by others so only a few largely independent factions of varying influence remained. However, the damage was done, as the galaxy collapsed into innumerable local wars between local warlords.

Drayson, an ambitious but not particularly skilled Admiral of the Republic Navy, forcibly took control of what was left of the Republic and declared the First Galactic Empire with himself as its Emperor. The formation of the Empire and his ascension to the new throne meant little, as rival claimants (including his own commanders) warred against him. At the end of the final battle of the war, Captain Vodo Bonias of the Imperial Navy turned his fleet against the Emperor's, destroying much of it and forcing Drayson to flee with what remained of his force.

Suntzu, Commanding Officer of the Imperial Navy, was next to sit on the throne. However, his reign was no better, as General Balsaraph of the Imperial Army formed his own rebellion with the intention of taking the throne himself. The resulting campaign was short and brutal, with newly appointed Moff Bonias' forces routing Balsaraph's and forcing the latter into hiding with Drayson. In the aftermath, Suntzu abdicated and Bonias took the throne.

The first reign of Vodo Bonias saw no relief for the Empire. Years of infighting had caused economic ruin on many worlds, and corruption was entrenched in the Imperial bureaucracy. The members of the Imperial government hoarded the wealth of worlds as billions of sentinents starved. The breaking point was when a young female Imperial Army officer was raped in front of, and by, the Imperial High Command, the news of which turned the population against the Imperial bureaucracy and the Emperor. With the wrath of the citizenry and the Imperial Army held back only by the increasingly deserting Imperial Navy, and to restore order to the Empire, Bonias abdicated in favour of Executor Spytek.

Around this time, the former Emperor Drayson reappeared along with those that followed him, in the form of the Order of Darkness. This group was short-lived and quickly dissolved following the death of Drayson.

Spytek, through luck and a population tired of strife, brought to the Empire a measure of the peace and prosperity that had been so craved and sorely lacking for many years. The Emperor himself, though, was lacking in personal influence over more capable and charismatic officers such as Admiral Gorn Veynom and Surface Marshal Trey Connel. With his support eventually failing in favour of these two men, Spytek abdicated.

The Empire immediately fell into yet another civil war as the forces of Veynom and Connel fought over Coruscant itself. However, the throne ultimately went to Grand Admiral Piett, entering with his own fleet, obliterating the already tired forces of both and declaring himself Emperor.

Piett

For a time, the reign of Emperor Piett was good, if conservative. Few reforms were made, and institutional and structural problems of the Empire remained, which could have been accepted but for except for the machinations of a handful in the Empire. Neither Veynom nor Connel were willing to accept second place, and soon joined their forces in an attempt to overthrow Piett. Their attempt was unsuccessful, with themselves and their supporters either being arrested (such as Admiral Gunther von Esling) or fleeing Imperial space (such as former Emperor Bonias). Piett, however, pardoned and reinstated both ringleaders and those supporters that remained.

Slowly but steadily suffering from bouts of paranoia after the attempted coup, and increasingly frequent and vivid visions through the force, Piett eventually retired in favour of Connel and departed for the Outer Rim.

The Great Break, the Imperial Core and the Dark Empire

Despite Piett's words, succession would again be decided in battle. Grand Admiral Veynom quickly rallied his forces against the new Emperor in a short but bloody campaign that saw Connel victorious but Veynom remain head of the Navy.

As time passed, both Veynom and Minister Ranma saw visions through the force, believed to originate from the former Emperor Piett, and both decided to depart for the unknown regions in order to find Piett.

It should not have been expected that Veynom would meekly accept Connel as Emperor, and as subsequent events proved, this was indeed the case. Some time prior to leaving for the Unknown Regions, Veynom had rallied his supporters to break with the Empire, a move taken a few days subsequent to his departure by his successor and friend, Fleet Admiral Simms. A large number of officers and enlisted hijacked Imperial ships and declared they would form a new Imperial government.

From now on, the Empire would be divided into two groups - the Galactic Empire, with Connel at its head and claiming direct lineage from Drayson, and the Imperial Core, proclaiming Veynom the true Emperor. However, Veynom never returned, leaving Simms to rule in his stead as Lord Protector. These divisions did not go without notice by the rest of the galaxy, with many regional governments expanding by taking systems now abandoned by the Empire and beyond the control of the Core.

With support dwindling, Emperor Connel soon decided to step down in favour of Mccarthur. As Connel departed Coruscant, his shuttle exploded. Months later, it was discovered he had not been killed in the blast, and later accepted the post of Minister of Defence under Mccarthur before finally retiring.

Little of significance was achieved during Mccarthur's reign, however a number of noteworthy events did occur. An alien artifact was discovered by members of TetraCorp that by an unknown means stimulated the transformation of an unknown number of humans into non-humans.

Also during Mccarthur's reign, the Rebel Alliance, a group dedicated to restoring the Republic, proposed a peace treaty between the Alliance and the Empire. Days later, the Alliance withdrew their proposal, claiming that it was merely a test of the Imperial leadership, however public opinion towards the Alliance was clearly shaken. The next day, the Empire reaffirmed its demand of unconditional surrender.

Eventually, Mccarthur abdicated in favour of Executor Charon. Not long afterwards, the Imperial Core saw its first leadership change as Lord Protector Simms, having lead the Core since its foundation, stepped down in order to focus on training in the force. Jennifer Dreighton took his place as Lady Protector.

Around this time, Veynom made an announcement from the Unknown Regions that had major ramifications across the galaxy.

At some point, members of both the Galactic Empire and the Dark Empire began to approach each other with the issue of a 'merging' of the two Imperial factions in their minds.

Reunification

Imperial Union

Society and Culture

The Galactic Empire is officially humanocentric, and to a lesser extent humanoidocentric. This policy has varied over the years, with non-humans being allowed to join the Empire at various times under different Emperors and rising to high rank (indeed, an early Emperor was non-human). A handful of exceptions have been made for particularly gifted or loyal non-humans, such as current Moffs Kevin Chambers (formerly human, transformed into an Arcona by the TetraCorp discovery) and Mitth`oro`nuruodo (Chiss, formerly of the Chiss Ascendancy).

Government and Politics

Since its foundation, the Executive of the Empire has been the Imperial High Command, consisting of those officials supervising particularly important branches or territories of the Empire. While the makeup of the Imperial High Command has varied over the years depending on the fortunes of individuals and departments and the preferences of the Emperor at the time, membership typically consists of the Military Executor, Commanding Officers of the Imperial Navy and Army, the Moffs of the Imperial territories, the Director of Imperial Intelligence and any others the Emperor has seen fit.

Economy

Military