Chapter 210: Closer and Closer to the End

Luna and Vaelora continued their campaign against the Killiks. The people who were once slaves centuries ago had created generations of loyal Imperial citizens who were willing to sacrifice their lives to protect their homelands. Because of this, the Imperial military under Luna and Vaelora were made up of 60% Imperial clone troopers, with the remaining 40% being the various races that lived in the Hutt region, including the Hutts.

The Hutt’s in this day and age were different. Slavery was abolished, so they had to turn to other ways to live lavish lifestyles. The Imperium recognized the cultural that the Hutt’s had and predicted that if they didn’t do anything, then it would only lead to instability.

Instead, Hutt’s who proved themselves were given new ways to conduct business. Casinos were legalized, but also regulated, with strict anti-corruption laws enforced by Imperial auditors who answered directly to Luna and Vaelora. This allowed the Hutts who once built an empire on the slavery, to now built one on entertainment, shipping, and legitimate trade. To the surprise of many, they actually thrived in this new environment.

Those who could not adapt found themselves quietly removed from positions of influence, replaced by younger Hutt clansmen who understood how to integrate with the Imperium. The result was a region that fought harder for the Imperium than most conquered territories ever did. Such as on Teth where Hutt volunteers fought alongside the clones without complaint.

As the battle for Teth concluded, Luna reviewed the casualty reports aboard her command ship. The Killiks were retreating across the entire Hutt front, falling back toward the Unknown Regions where their numbers seemed endless.

———

On Coruscant, the Chancellor was sitting down watching the news that was currently be broadcast across the galaxy.

"This is the Veldari news corporation, one of the top 5 galactic media stations in the galaxy coming to you with new information. We have confirmed reports from the Imperium administration stating that the Emperor has emerged victorious in his war with the Sith. Not only that but he has now become the Mandalore for the Mandalorians and proclaimed himself the Sith Emperor."

"As stated from several officials, the Emperor will turn them against the Killiks while also bestowing them with prosperity in the future...." The voice of news anchor was tuned out as the Chancellor was pleased. He didn’t much care about the Imperium effectively gaining control over the Mandalorians or the Sith as that was a matter for the future Chancellors.

His focus right now was to maintain the Republic as a whole and defend themselves against the Killiks. He looked over at another screen which showed the various frontlines in the Northeast part of the galaxy that showed Killik invasions.

But on top of that were also some green dots which represented the Imperium’s military support which continued to poor into the region. Thanks to those reinforcements, they were able to regroup and stabilize their logistics. Yet, at the same time he received constant petitions from frontline commanders that the men didn’t want to stop. They wanted to keep going and fight alongside the Imperium who already has to shoulder so much.

Of course, the Chancellor didn’t want to stop them so he allowed them to join the offensive which proved to be an excellent idea. In just weeks, the two militaries were seeing a bond so strong that it didn’t matter what happened in the past. In the chaos of war it’s only what was happening right now, and those that tried to go against that didn’t last long in the war.

———

Three months into the Federation’s existence, the hunt for the Killik homeworld finally produced results.

It had not come from the probes sent into the unknown regions. Nor had it come from the few Killik generals that they managed to capture. The breakthrough came after one of the ships that attacked an Imperium world that was captured. It was taken to Veldari where Cortana and a team of analysts spent two months researching and reconstructing the biological vessel’s corrupted memories.

Progenitor Varyn Dreyl stood in the intelligence center on Veldari, staring at the star map that Cortana had created. "They don’t navigate the way we do," Varyn explained to the room, which included the Daughter, Kaelduun in a humanoid form, and a dozen other senior analysts. "They don’t seem to calculate their hyperspace routes, instead, they have a shared memory of the routes from a time long ago. These routes seemed to have been passed down through the hives from generation to generation, and this particular ship carried routes dating back hundreds of thousands of years ago."

The display zoomed outward, past the charted Unknown Regions, into a dark cluster of space that appeared on no Imperial star charts or Imperial survey efforts.

"The Ulgath Cluster," the Daughter said quietly. "I know that place. My brother spoke of it once, long ago. He called it the cradle." "The cluster contains at least forty habitable systems. Our long-range surveys can’t penetrate the interference, but based on the volume of forces the Killiks have committed across three fronts, we estimate a total population in the trillions and very possibly more."

Kaelduun’s eyes narrowed at the display. "Trillions of bodies, all answering to Aruun. And yet he holds them together through individuals like the Generals. Sever the connection at its source, and the army becomes a stampede without a direction."

"Precisely why the Emperor will lead the assault personally," Varyn said. "The fleet is already assembling. The Devastator, two million ships from the Federation pooled forces, and 200,000 Balance Keepers." Varyn didn’t mention the individual powerful Balance Keepers who would all be participating in this battle.

The Daughter turned from the display. "I am coming with you."

Varyn did not argue. He had been briefed on what the Daughter was, what her brother had become, and what their father had suffered at Aruun’s hands. Some debts could only be collected personally.

The Emperor already said do," he said. "You will be at his side when we breach the cluster." The Daughter nodded and was glad that Daimon was true to his word.

Far across the galaxy, in the Kingdom of Ryloth, the civil war Seraphine had started was entering its final act.

Six of the eight Great Houses had fortified themselves in the Southern territories, turning the ancient cliff-cities into fortresses stocked with mercenary companies and old Republic-era artillery.

They had expected the returned princess to negotiate, to bargain, to fracture under the weight of a prolonged campaign. Instead, she had fought the way the Imperium fought: fast, coordinated, and without hesitation.

Elara had returned to Veldari weeks ago to sit at Malrik’s side, leaving Seraphine with the Balance Keepers, the Imperial marine contingents, and an education in war.

Now she stood on the command deck overlooking the last rebel stronghold, the fortress-city of Karr Vessia, carved into a mountain range and defended by the combined remnants of three fallen houses.

"Queen Seraphine," her tactical officer reported, "The outer walls are breached. Imperial marines have secured the eastern terraces. The rebels are pulling back toward the inner citadel."

"Have the marines hold position," Seraphine ordered. "Balance Keepers with me. And open a channel to the citadel." She marched her way up through the breached outer walls with the Balance Keepers clearing the way for her. The defenders tried to put up a fight, but they were no match for the Balance Keepers.

The holographic image of Lord Cassian Vessia appeared. Behind him, smoke poured through the shattered archways of his own hall.

"You would burn a thousand years of history to the ground," he yelled, "For a throne you abandoned."

"You misunderstand, Lord Vessia," Seraphine replied quietly. "I am offering you the same terms I offered every house before yours. Kneel, surrender your forces, and your people live under my protection. The Imperium taught me that mercy costs less than pride. Refuse, and I will finish this in an hour, and history will remember you the way it remembers all men who chose themselves over their people."

Cassian stared at her for a long moment. Then, slowly, the lord of the ancient House Vessia fell to his knees. "The citadel surrenders."

Within the next few days, the war was over. Not with a final battle, but with a procession of noble houses arriving at the restored palace to swear formal oaths, each of them having watched Seraphine keep her word to those who yielded and her threats to those who didn’t.

She pardoned the common soldiers first, which earned her some of their loyalty. The architects of the rebellion faced tribunals conducted under joint Imperial oversight, transparent and broadcast to the entire kingdom, because she had learned from Elara that justice seen was worth more than justice done.

The people, who had waited centuries for their princess to come home, filled the capital’s streets for seven days of celebration. It was start of a new era of peace for the people.