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Governor's Gambit - Star Wars SI into Imperial Governor

Reader mode
Yacov said:
Nova Sundari-style
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That's a goddamn billboard on her head. You can put a fucking advertisement on that thing.


....now I kinda want a character to have that hairstyle just so they can put their own advertisement on it and be completely unapologetic about self advertising wherever they go.
 
Made buttered noodles. Fucked it up somehow. Used actual unsalted cooking butter instead of the fake butter.


-Freefaller
[/QUOTE]

Wow, i didn't know that was possible. Personally not much of a fan for buttered noodles. However i like them more than ramen noodles.
 
Omake: The Defenseless Declarations Defended
The note at the end got a bit away from me on this one. So I spoilered it. Click it at your own risk.

Omake: The Defenseless Declarations Defended

POV: (Petty) Adit Lord Oltal of the Tibalt Dictate, Verndar, Post-Endor

Adit Lord Oltal stared at the message smuggled to him and he adjusted his PUT. The reporter on the holo recording was beaming with delight. He had of course mainly relied on the Moff's office for news about the galaxy, but having this channel to get news from the other side is essential to avoid being too reliant on a single news source.

"Sentients of the galaxy! The Alliance to Restore the Republic is pleased to announce the Emperor is dead and his Empire continues to crumble! The Empire's fall is at hand!"

Adit had already heard it from the Moff's office. The Moff had been organizing relief efforts across the sector in response to the chaos brought about by the event. Things had gotten so bad the Vendari were petitioned to provide sentientarian aid to worlds and stations who were suffering supply shortages and breakdowns in law and order.

However to hear exclaimed so joyfully was disturbing. The fall of a leader, no matter how tyrannical or hated, always led to confusion and disruption for those in their territory. Just how much hatred had this announcer harbor towards the Empire?

"To facilitate the Empire's destruction, the Alliance to Restore the Republic, now christened the New Republic, has announced a key piece of legislation: The Defense Declarations!"

Well at least this new state is off to a good start. This is probably going to cause fighting to intensify by unifying the various Rebel forces, but Oltal prefers a single unified enemy than trying to sort through a menagerie of smaller separate forces. They might be on opposite sides, but at least the increased military will help consolidate Republic territory and prevent suffering in the wake of the Empire's retreat.

"First, the New Republic will reject the rampant and wasteful militarization and centralization of the Empire! In contrast to the choking grip of the Empire, the New Republic will commit to reducing of the size of its state military in the near future!"

"What?"

That's… that's moronic! How do they intend to secure their territory and establish logistical networks without increasing their central military? Do they expect the galaxy to roll over after they killed its leader?

"This will be accomplished by returning the various PDFs and sector militaries to their rightful owners, the people! Even granting the right to increase their forces beyond Old Republic mandated limits!"

Ooooh so that's their plan. Appease the ones in power and get them to flip sides. A strategy as old as time among the Verndari. The New Republic is looking to cater to the Core by letting them have their own armies to make them feel safe and important.

Something the Empire cannot offer due to their ideology of centralization and control. The same ideology the Empire is struggling to justify with peace and order given the Rebels are gaining momentum throughout large parts of the Galaxy.

"No longer will your sons and daughters be dragged away to die in far off worlds! Rather than relying on conscripting sector and planetary forces into distant wars, the New Republic shall accept support and forces fueled by patriotism and a desire to see the galaxy a better place."

Right, because relying on a bunch of provincial militias with political interests as the foundation for local military support is going to be very reliable. No chance of local politics and feuds messing up an offensive at all. Although Oltal can see where it is coming from, given the Rebels' insurgent roots.

"This announcement was met with great applause on the New Republic's Senate floor. The end of the Empire's rampant and unsustainable militarism bringing hope for a brighter future."

This was all well and good for the Core and their millennia of build up, but what about people like his Dictate? The Verndari had just been introduced to the galaxy at large. They lack the credits let alone the manpower to defend themselves from the predators out in the Rim even if they managed to drive out the Imperial garrison.

Should they succeed what then? They lack the infrastructure to sustain a siege from neighboring Ugea when they launch their inevitable reprisal. Not to mention their supplies. Were they expected to take Dubrillion itself for their Tibanna Gas production or just go back to wielding spears and javelins when the fuel ran out?

"We now go to a New Republic citizen on Velmor for a planetside reaction:"

"I am just glad that there will be no more fighting. We can bring back our sons and daughters back home. We can finally begin going back to the good old days where war will be a distant centuries old memory."

"King Denid has announced the happy return of all Velmor's PDF from out of system deployments. Promising to bring about greater prosperity than they enjoyed in the Old Republic."

Good for that guy. He is in the secured Mid Rim world, enjoys no challenge to his rule, and has the favor of Republic leaders. Of course those whose positions are secure don't want to pay in blood and treasure for further expansion. It could bring newcomers, and newcomers mean more rivals.

"We now turn to a speech being delivered by the famed Jungle King:"

"My people! This is the start of a new dawn. One bringing hope, freedom, and pea-"

Oltal turned off the recording with a sigh and contacted his secretary on his comlink. Word about these Declarations is probably already spreading, regardless of efforts to keep it suppressed. There will have to be a response.

"My Adit Lord, how can I help you?"

Oltal mentally took stock of the forces and supplies the Tibalt Dictate had on hand. Not as many blasters or vehicles as he'd like, but there were alternative positions he could take going forward. It should be enough to make a move and gain some influence.

"Contact the Moff's office and let him know the Tibalt Dictate wishes to offer a larger portion of its forces for peacekeeping efforts."

No doubt there will be some worlds in the sector who will see the Declarations as an excuse to have a go at independence. Probably thinking if they seize the garrison's equipment, they'll be too prickly to bother. Not realizing all it takes is someone with the same idea and a bigger haul to knock them over.

His forces might not be on the level of the MSDF, but they can at least serve as military police. The situation on Verndar had calmed down since the Annexation and the Assassin War. Guards could be drawn down in the mines. Skills in keeping rambunctious miners in line should translate to obstinate and riotous civilians pretty well.

"And so a new era of chaos and anarchy is dawning, but where there is chaos, there is opportunity."

——

One important thing to keep in mind is the New Republic is not the Rebel Alliance. People from the Rebel Alliance are scattered around the New Republic, but the New Republic is not the Rebel Alliance writ large. If the Rebel Alliance is a fruit concentrate filled with grit and determination, the New Republic is that same concentrate diluted in a large bathtub of lukewarm supporters and former fence sitters, a vast majority from the Core Worlds.

This can be seen in moves like passing The Defense Declarations. The Defense Declarations are a very… Core-centric move on the New Republic's part. Which is understandable given it is coming from Mon Mothma and her Core Republic block. It can be viewed as the Core Worlds trying to get their old Core Rights they had back in the Republic.

I mean did you see what happened when the Core didn't have those Rights? Alderaan got blown up! No no, better let the good old Core folk have their old Rights to spend oodles of credits to build massive fleets and then not send them to aid planets in the Rim. Viewed through that Core-centric lens which had all their rights taken away by big scary central government, the Declarations make perfect political sense to those specific interest groups.

As for why the New Republic would agree to something like this? The Declarations work better as a political compromise than naive idealism. A devil's bargain that gained the New Republic a good chunk of short term benefits in exchange for restrictions and roadblocks down the road.

On one hand it convinced a lot of Core and Mid Rim worlds that have established PDFs who are wavering to side with the New Republic. Proving they were going to decentralize things gained them a lot of resources and manpower in the short term. This was in exchange for limiting the New Republic's central military strength in the future because those decentralized military units probably aren't going to be keen on leaving their sector or even system.

On the other hand, underdeveloped worlds in the Outer Rim that threw off the Empire's shackles are probably going to be left high and dry. They had just kicked out the Empire and the New Republic is drawing down its more mobile and responsive state military in favor of more stationary PDFs. Without the millennia of build up and the New Republic too stretched thin to help them, bad things are going to happen to those worlds.

This makes the Declarations a flawed, if understandable course for the New Republic to take. A way to show the transition from an alliance of cells and guerrilla groups that while varied, were unified against a single enemy, into a nation with interest groups trying to balance conflicting priorities and directions now that Palpatine is gone.

The Core interest groups represents a lot of the wealth and population in New Republic's territory. Most have never fought the Empire a day in their lives and found their "courage" when the momentum shifted. Meanwhile the former Rebels bankrupted themselves and died en masse fighting in the war. A lot either being dead, destitute, or reviled as warmongers for their rhetoric and their tactics during the War.

Now add in those whose worlds are liberated and have seek to enjoy "peace". Those who are tired of war and who aren't willing to risk it coming back just to help "outsiders", uncaring if it rages elsewhere in the galaxy. Those seeking to bring back the "good old days" of the pre-Palpatine Republic that they or their parents remember fondly, no matter how much of a mirage it actually was. Anything to try to chase away the bad memories of their time in the Empire and anything that reminds of them of that time.

Is it any wonder why militancy becomes unpopular in New Republic politics given such an environment?

Crossposted on SV and SB
 
Last edited:
Yacov said:
The note at the end got a bit away from me on this one. So I spoilered it. Click it at your own risk.

Omake: The Defenseless Declarations Defended

POV: (Petty) Adit Lord Oltal of the Tibalt Dictate, Verndar, Post-Endor

Adit Lord Oltal stared at the message smuggled to him and he adjusted his PUT. The reporter on the holo recording was beaming with delight. He had of course mainly relied on the Moff's office for news about the galaxy, but having this channel to get news from the other side is essential to avoid being too reliant on a single news source.

"Sentients of the galaxy! The Alliance to Restore the Republic is pleased to announce the Emperor is dead and his Empire continues to crumble! The Empire's fall is at hand!"

Adit had already heard it from the Moff's office. The Moff had been organizing relief efforts across the sector in response to the chaos brought about by the event. Things had gotten so bad the Vendari were petitioned to provide sentientarian aid to worlds and stations who were suffering supply shortages and breakdowns in law and order.

However to hear exclaimed so joyfully was disturbing. The fall of a leader, no matter how tyrannical or hated, always led to confusion and disruption for those in their territory. Just how much hatred had this announcer harbor towards the Empire?

"To facilitate the Empire's destruction, the Alliance to Restore the Republic, now christened the New Republic, has announced a key piece of legislation: The Defense Declarations!"

Well at least this new state is off to a good start. This is probably going to cause fighting to intensify by unifying the various Rebel forces, but Oltal prefers a single unified enemy than trying to sort through a menagerie of smaller separate forces. They might be on opposite sides, but at least the increased military will help consolidate Republic territory and prevent suffering in the wake of the Empire's retreat.

"First, the New Republic will reject the rampant and wasteful militarization and centralization of the Empire! In contrast to the choking grip of the Empire, the New Republic will commit to reducing of the size of its state military in the near future!"

"What?"

That's… that's moronic! How do they intend to secure their territory and establish logistical networks without increasing their central military? Do they expect the galaxy to roll over after they killed its leader?

"This will be accomplished by returning the various PDFs and sector militaries to their rightful owners, the people! Even granting the right to increase their forces beyond Old Republic mandated limits!"

Ooooh so that's their plan. Appease the ones in power and get them to flip sides. A strategy as old as time among the Verndari. The New Republic is looking to cater to the Core by letting them have their own armies to make them feel safe and important.

Something the Empire cannot offer due to their ideology of centralization and control. The same ideology the Empire is struggling to justify with peace and order given the Rebels are gaining momentum throughout large parts of the Galaxy.

"No longer will your sons and daughters be dragged away to die in far off worlds! Rather than relying on conscripting sector and planetary forces into distant wars, the New Republic shall accept support and forces fueled by patriotism and a desire to see the galaxy a better place."

Right, because relying on a bunch of provincial militias with political interests as the foundation for local military support is going to be very reliable. No chance of local politics and feuds messing up an offensive at all. Although Oltal can see where it is coming from, given the Rebels' insurgent roots.

"This announcement was met with great applause on the New Republic's Senate floor. The end of the Empire's rampant and unsustainable militarism bringing hope for a brighter future."

This was all well and good for the Core and their millennia of build up, but what about people like his Dictate? The Verndari had just been introduced to the galaxy at large. They lack the credits let alone the manpower to defend themselves from the predators out in the Rim even if they managed to drive out the Imperial garrison.

Should they succeed what then? They lack the infrastructure to sustain a siege from neighboring Ugea when they launch their inevitable reprisal. Not to mention their supplies. Were they expected to take Dubrillion itself for their Tibanna Gas production or just go back to wielding spears and javelins when the fuel ran out?

"We now go to a New Republic citizen on Velmor for a planetside reaction:"

"I am just glad that there will be no more fighting. We can bring back our sons and daughters back home. We can finally begin going back to the good old days where war will be a distant centuries old memory."

"King Denid has announced the happy return of all Velmor's PDF from out of system deployments. Promising to bring about greater prosperity than they enjoyed in the Old Republic."

Good for that guy. He is in the secured Mid Rim world, enjoys no challenge to his rule, and has the favor of Republic leaders. Of course those whose positions are secure don't want to pay in blood and treasure for further expansion. It could bring newcomers, and newcomers mean more rivals.

"We now turn to a speech being delivered by the famed Jungle King:"

"My people! This is the start of a new dawn. One bringing hope, freedom, and pea-"

Oltal turned off the recording with a sigh and contacted his secretary on his comlink. Word about these Declarations is probably already spreading, regardless of efforts to keep it suppressed. There will have to be a response.

"My Adit Lord, how can I help you?"

Oltal mentally took stock of the forces and supplies the Tibalt Dictate had on hand. Not as many blasters or vehicles as he'd like, but there were alternative positions he could take going forward. It should be enough to make a move and gain some influence.

"Contact the Moff's office and let him know the Tibalt Dictate wishes to offer a larger portion of its forces for peacekeeping efforts."

No doubt there will be some worlds in the sector who will see the Declarations as an excuse to have a go at independence. Probably thinking if they seize the garrison's equipment, they'll be too prickly to bother. Not realizing all it takes is someone with the same idea and a bigger haul to knock them over.

His forces might not be on the level of the MSDF, but they can at least serve as military police. The situation on Verndar had calmed down since the Annexation and the Assassin War. Guards could be drawn down in the mines. Skills in keeping rambunctious miners in line should translate to obstinate and riotous civilians pretty well.

"And so a new era of chaos and anarchy is dawning, but where there is chaos, there is opportunity."

——

One important thing to keep in mind is the New Republic is not the Rebel Alliance. People from the Rebel Alliance are scattered around the New Republic, but the New Republic is not the Rebel Alliance writ large. If the Rebel Alliance is a fruit concentrate filled with grit and determination, the New Republic is that same concentrate diluted in a large bathtub of lukewarm supporters and former fence sitters, a vast majority from the Core Worlds.

This can be seen in moves like passing The Defense Declarations. The Defense Declarations are a very… Core-centric move on the New Republic's part. Which is understandable given it is coming from Mon Mothma and her Core Republic block. It can be viewed as the Core Worlds trying to get their old Core Rights they had back in the Republic.

I mean did you see what happened when the Core didn't have those Rights? Alderaan got blown up! No no, better let the good old Core folk have their old Rights to spend oodles of credits to build massive fleets and then not send them to aid planets in the Rim. Viewed through that Core-centric lens which had all their rights taken away by big scary central government, the Declarations make perfect political sense to those specific interest groups.

As for why the New Republic would agree to something like this? The Declarations work better as a political compromise than naive idealism. A devil's bargain that gained the New Republic a good chunk of short term benefits in exchange for restrictions and roadblocks down the road.

On one hand it convinced a lot of Core and Mid Rim worlds that have established PDFs who are wavering to side with the New Republic. Proving they were going to decentralize things gained them a lot of resources and manpower in the short term. This was in exchange for limiting the New Republic's central military strength in the future because those decentralized military units probably aren't going to be keen on leaving their sector or even system.

On the other hand, underdeveloped worlds in the Outer Rim that threw off the Empire's shackles are probably going to be left high and dry. They had just kicked out the Empire and the New Republic is drawing down its more mobile and responsive state military in favor of more stationary PDFs. Without the millennia of build up and the New Republic too stretched thin to help them, bad things are going to happen to those worlds.

This makes the Declarations a flawed, if understandable course for the New Republic to take. A way to show the transition from an alliance of cells and guerrilla groups that while varied, were unified against a single enemy, into a nation with interest groups trying to balance conflicting priorities and directions now that Palpatine is gone.

The Core interest groups represents a lot of the wealth and population in New Republic's territory. Most have never fought the Empire a day in their lives and found their "courage" when the momentum shifted. Meanwhile the former Rebels bankrupted themselves and died en masse fighting in the war. A lot either being dead, destitute, or reviled as warmongers for their rhetoric and their tactics during the War.

Now add in those whose worlds are liberated and have seek to enjoy "peace". Those who are tired of war and who aren't willing to risk it coming back just to help "outsiders", uncaring if it rages elsewhere in the galaxy. Those seeking to bring back the "good old days" of the pre-Palpatine Republic that they or their parents remember fondly, no matter how much of a mirage it actually was. Anything to try to chase away the bad memories of their time in the Empire and anything that reminds of them of that time.

Is it any wonder why militancy becomes unpopular in New Republic politics given such an environment?

Crossposted on SV and SB
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Oh, GOD, you give the best fucking worldbuilding and lore. Why the HELL has the Star Wars team not hired you?
 
This is definitely a fun story to read. One thing I would like to know is if romance will play a part in this story. I know it's not the focus, but it's something I've been wondering.
 
Watching said:
Nah, something is definitely up with those immigration rates.
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A little tid bit from Lore.

The Alliance to Restore the Republic had a lot of nonhuman support due to the difficulty in those races having gainful employment under the Empire rules and regulations and specisit racial discrimination. Some of these were former Separatist aligned worlds.

Now here comes Minda (and to a lesser extent the Guild) who are treating EVERYONE the same and not discriminating and you are starting to see a lot more ripples than you expect.

Now had he managed this with the Mon Calamari system and their shipyards and gotten them along for the ride Cannon would have gotten thrown off the rails big time. Keep in mind two of the eventual biggest suppliers of ships and war material are / were the Sullust system, Sulis Van Corporation and the Mon Calarmi system and shipyards.

So while the ripples are beginning to spread, we are also seeing another major step towards self sustaining industrial (and military) being based out of the Minda and Guild aligned systems.

Whenever the Empire eventually breaks apart you are going to see a major change in that this group due to all the reforms and changes are likely to mostly keep supporting each other and we will most definitely see another successor state in the making here.

That being said, it would be fairly easy to get the "New Republic" to leave them be or even join up as a bloc as most of the governors are either locals or have their support, have no real ties into the Empire power system (no chance for advancement), can use this to maintain their power (level of comfort), and have a chance for upward mobility (lots of new places open in the burgeoning bureaucracy that needs people who can get things done).

On the other hand if they stay independent all these world building chapters are setting up an integrated local economy and military industrial infrastructure to support the local fleets and build replacements. They are also not going to have to worry about a large number of local revolutionaries due to the improvement in their living conditions and worry about their mortgages.
 
In anticipation for the holiday coming tomorrow to some countries, here's a yard ornament I made.

Omake: Hammerscale Remote Fighter

Production Information

Manufacturer: Mindan Shipyard Workers Academy

Model: Hammerscale Remote Fighter

Type: Drone

Cost: 10,000 Credits new and well made, 5,000 Credits used or "new"

——

Technical Specifications

Length: 5 meters

Engine unit(s): 1 underpowered Hoersch-Kessel ion drive

Maximum atmospheric speed: 600 km/h

Hyperdrive: None, and incapable of being installed.

Maximum Range: Very close space stations or traveling from a planet to an orbiting moon on a preprogrammed route.

Shielding: none, section for bolting one on externally.

Power: power cells and a Draxton-12 small-yield portable generator for emergencies.

Hull: inexpensive titanium alloys

Standard color: bright yellow

Sensors: short range sensors

Armament: 1 light autoblaster

Crew: 0 (remote controlled and very limited autopilot)

Cargo Capacity: 10 kg

Life Support: none

Operation Time: 12 hours

Consumables: 1 set of cheap parts kept in the fighter for on site repair.

Other Systems:

Distress beacon
Fake cockpit

——

Usage

Availability: Restricted

Roles (in recommended use order):
  1. Training model for shipyard workers
  2. Budgetary savings implement
  3. Training target for cadet pilots
  4. Spare parts container
  5. Holofilm prop
  6. Showpiece for ship sellers
  7. Expensive yard ornament
  8. Anything but using it in active combat
  9. Stationary remote control autoblaster turret
  10. Ineffective last ditch short range fighter defense
Affiliation:
  • Mindan Shipyards
  • Pilot academies
  • PDFs who have run out of options
——

Description

"Steady, steady… nope it crashed into an asteroid. Sorry, I don't think you're getting a passing grade. At least it wasn't piloted." - An unsuccessful test flight exam of an assembled Hammerscale

The Hammerscale Remote Fighter is a ship designed for the manufacturer, not the theoretical user. Envisioned as a training tool for newly hired shipyard workers to acquire hands on experience building starships as cheaply as possible. Any results after these starships leave the assembly line is either coincidental, or an attempt to recoup costs by the makers. This has not stopped the Hammerscale from flying through the stars it was never intended to see.

Background

"We could have them assemble Mankvims, that way the new hires can get practical experience."

"And leave us with a bunch of shoddy interceptors to find a use for? No, if we do this, we go all the way. Draw up a design that strips all but the bare necessities for the workers to train with." - Discussion that would lead to the creation of the Hammerscale.

During the early ABYs the Minda system faced a challenge. They just had a large shipyard towed into their system and were facing a massive shortage in skilled labor. Thousands of newly hired shipyard workers needed to acquire the training and hands on experience necessary to work in a shipyard.

If the new workers needed to learn how to build a starship, then the Mindan government decided they would learn by building a starship. They drafted a design for a starship that was small, could be assembled via unskilled labor with a decent chance of success, and made with cheap, readily available parts the Mindan government could buy in bulk to further reduce costs. Thus, the Hammerscale Remote Fighter was born.

Design

"Alright so we will go with remote controls in order to side step the inevitability of pilots dying in these death traps during test flights. Droid brains are also out so we don't wind up with another Detritus Satellites situation, no matter how ineffective they would be." - Conversation in the Design room discussing how the Hammerscale will be piloted.

Measured at five meters long, the Hammerscale was never intended to house a flesh and blood sentient. The cockpit inside was both for show and to teach students how to assemble a cockpit. Rather, the fighter was designed to undergo test flights via remote operation from a console at base to ensure the students assembled it correctly enough.

A basic autopilot was installed in case of a sudden disconnection from the operator. Said autopilot could do basic flight tasks like moving in a straight line and adjusting its course to avoid ramming into incoming obstacles. However the Hammerscale lacked a sophisticated and relatively expensive Autopilot Droid Brain, preventing it from performing anything resembling combat maneuvers or agility like a true droid starfighter would.

For its sole armament, the Hammerscale comes equipped with one light autoblaster. This archaic, short range weapon combined with a weak targeting system made the Hammerscale more suited to dissuading skittish trespassers than actual dogfighting. Which made the load out perfect for teaching cadet pilots how to keep calm under fire during training exercises.

The decision was made to have the Hammerscale use an underpowered Hoersch-Kessel ion drive for its engine. This was done due to the ubiquitous nature of the engine allowing for a cheap discount bulk order, and in order to use the slightly radioactive nature of the engine's exhaust to give the students practice in hazardous material training. Plenty of students would find themselves laid up in academy clinics due to foolishly believing they could cut corners in the protocol.

Sales

"Sell them? The Empire already sidelined the Bot-drones. Who is going to want an even worse version of that?" - During an argument that broke out when selling the Hammerscale was first suggested.

Hammerscales rarely left the locations they were assembled in. If a Hammerscale was built perfectly to design, the students would get a perfect score on their test flight exam, and afterwards the test the Hammerscale would be rolled back into the building for disassembly for next semester's class. Their instructors more concerned with saving costs for the academic year than putting fighters in the field.

Given the fate of a well built Hammerscale, it was understandable that those that left the academy gained a reputation for questionable quality. The ones that lasted more than a few test flights were those that were either unable or uneconomical to be broken down for future assembly while still being flight worthy. Given the remote nature of the Hammerscale, that margin was wider than other ships.

The main reasons a Hammerscale might be declared for "export" were manufacturing errors or damage sustained during test flights. To recoup some of the losses, efforts were made to pawn off the "new" Hammerscales to earn more than just melting them down as scrap. Of course appropriate warnings and recommendations were given on how they should be used.

Actually selling the Hammerscales proved to face a few obstacles. Fighters without a sentient pilot were frowned upon by the Empire despite the Hammerscale's programming struggling to compete with a Marksman-H combat remote. That would not stop some regulators from crying Vulture if the Hammerscale ever hit the open market.

One loophole came from the same source that created the Hammerscale in the first place, academia. Certified flight academies were one of the few organizations that were allowed to use automated vessels as training targets controlled by academy staff. This lead to Hammerscale being assigned to local academies then "transferred" to interested academies out of system in exchange for goods or favors.

This process did lead to some unintended consequences. Particularly bold or desperate PDFs would sometimes fill out the flimsiwork to "found" a flight academy for their world, order some Hammerscales for training purposes, then close the academy due to "unexpected budgetary problems". The hope that these drones would be able to work as a cheaper alternative to manned starfighters was quickly dashed when they entered combat.

Performance

"I assure you sir. The Hammerscale will perform just as well as the Planetary Defender, all without risking our limited stable of pilots." - A commander of a PDF greatly exaggerating the capabilities of the Hammerscale to his superior.

Hammerscales were never designed for combat. They were built to at best complete a few test flights and maybe provide a target for cadets who are in a cockpit for the first time. This intention can be seen in the many, many flaws that show themselves when people have tried using them in combat.

One of the main flaws of the Hammerscale is its crippling weakness to ion weaponry. Hammerscales are incredibly vulnerable to fire from even a light ion blaster. Ion fire could mission kill a Hammerscale to the point it would need in depth maintenance to replace all the cheap wiring that will have been overloaded and burnt out.

The cut corners in the electronics also give the Hammerscale very weak resistance to electronic warfare or even just background interference. Should the Hammerscale encounter such disruption it will default to its autopilot making it an easy target for enemy fire. This has resulted in a section in the owner's manual recommending the Hammerscale stick to designated training areas far from urbanized areas, particularly strong signals, or during days with heavy cloud cover to avoid "unfortunate occurrences".

In addition, the Hammerscale can often experience difficulties when operating at farther than intended distances from its remote operator. These difficulties can come in the form of input lag as the Hammerscale can take up to several seconds before preforming a maneuver or firing its weapon. Another issue is constant attempts to reconnect with its operator resulting in confused movements as the Hammerscale switches from remote control to autopilot constantly as it loses and reestablishes connection.

Hammerscales cannot even perform the swarm tactics well known by droid starfighters. When more than five Hammerscales are in a small area, the signals from all the different operators begin interfering with each other. This leads a notable drop in performance and even crashes into each other in some cases.

The 12 hour operation time for the Hammerscale is also a theoretical maximum. Performing combat maneuvers or firing the autoblaster decreases that operation time. Meaning every sortie of the Hammerscale puts it on a strict time limit.

Beyond all those flaws, how does a Hammerscale perform when put on the ideal battlefield? In terms of combat power, the Hammerscale was designed to be defeated by untrained cadets. Unsurprisingly it does very poorly against pilots who are slightly competent.

Attempts have been made by PDFs to make the Hammerscale better. A shield generator can be bolted on the drone, but it would decrease the already slow speed and make it difficult to control due to the extra weight and throwing the drone off balance. At least it made it a more durable training target.

Talk was made about improving the piloting by installing an Autopilot Droid Brain. However that talk usually died down when they run the numbers and realize that the droid brain would more than double the cost they paid for the Hammerscale in the first place. Attempting to put in a smaller sentient pilot inside was deemed a creative form of roster reduction.

Conclusion

"Those Slaggers barely did anything! Why did we even buy them!?" - The previous commander during a pirate raid later that same year.

The Hammerscale was a fighter meant for the design board and classrooms. A drone meant to never venture beyond the hands and tools that birthed it. An implement crafted with cheap parts to instruct the next generation in Mindan's creative methodology of shipbuilding.

They are destined to be disassembled before it could fire its weapon in anger. Yet despite the odds, some of these "Slaggers" broke the their chains and became glorious stars, burning up after almost always being shot down in their first sortie. The Hammerscale proves that anything can become a weapon of death with enough desperation and lack of funds.

——

Making this was prompted by seeing the TIE/D automated starfighter and wondering why Las and other Outer Rim governors don't use droid fighters to make up for their lack of manpower. After a quick jaunt through Star Wars' history of droid fighters and drone fighters, I realized droid fighters were probably too heavily restricted by the Empire to be worth it. So I made a cheap remote operated fighter and showed why that is probably a terrible idea to use in high speed starfighter combat.

The inspiration for this one is the Elektra Trainer Ultralight Aircraft from Elektra Solar. Just with an ion drive instead of propellers and a gun in the front tip.

Crossposted on SB and SV
 
Chp-79
Chp-79

No more than an hour after the message, my door slides open.

In walks two people. Agent Thorne, and Darna.

Thorne is dressed in his usual ISB uniform. Crisp, clean, and all too intimidating when combined with his pitch black eyes.

Darna, on the other hand, is dressed more casually. A decent shirt and pants combo, nice but comfortable, suited for late nights at the office, which is par for the course when it comes to her.

"Hello you two." I say as I start up the hot chocolate machine. "Care for a cup?"

They both shake their heads, before Darna speaks up, brow scrunched in confusion.

"Governor, what did you call this meeting for? The message made it seem urgent but there were no details."

I pause. "Message? I didn't send a message. Agent Thorne here was the one who asked for the meeting."

As we both turned to the Agent, he did something unexpected.

He drew his blaster pistol.

Before anyone could react, it was trained at Darna's head. My brain was sluggish, so my own hand had only started to move to my panic button, while Mugwuffin sprang up, hackles raised, teeth bared.

"Do not move, Vice-Governor." He states calmly, though his eyes flicker about the room, scanning it.

"You have 3 seconds to explain what the hell it is your doing before I press this button and security storms in here, Thorne." I grind out, my body a little too tired for a fear response at the moment.

"Darna Sabrir is a criminal, sir. She has been leading multiple illegal espionage organizations under your very nose, sir." His voice is even, but there's a tension in his posture that belies this.

"Thats quite the preposterous claim, Agent. Do you have proof of this?" Darna states, affecting a similar calm, though the twitch of her lekku tells me she's just as tense as the rest of us.

"I have proof. It is contained on a storage device in my left pocket." Thorne starts moving his hand towards it. "I will remove it from the pocket, and toss it to you, Governor, to check for yourself."

My mind is racing a million miles an hour, but I catch the slim cartridge. Grabbing my PDA, I shut it off and disconnect the memory core. Grabbing a spare from my desk (yes I keep spare tech parts in my desk, I don't want to waste time with repair technicians) I slot it in, then plug in the cartridge.

Pulling up the files, I start reading through them. Months upon months of reports, tracking shipments, piles of coincidences that start to add up.

For a solid ten minutes we stand there, Darna and Thorne somewhat awkwardly staring at each other while I read through the files. Eventually I put it down. While I want to give Darna the benefit of the doubt, this kind of evidence, organized as such speaks to a concerted investigation. The kind that would've ended if there was nothing to find, but there clearly was.

"Why haven't you already reported this to the ISB, Agent?" I ask, staring him down. I'm scared shitless, sure, but I have to project confidence. If Myr'thos was here, they would call me a coward for doing anything else.

Unfortunately, they were out at the gaming cafe here on Imperial Island. Their mmo clan had a raid apparently, and the cafe is within a mile so it works.

His face seems to scrunch up with tension for a second, before he speaks.

"Because…because the ISB is unfit to secure the Empire's interests."

Darna and I just stare at him like he just pledged for the Rebellion. Agent Thorne, scary ISB man #1, just called the ISB shit? I'd better start praying, because clearly the rapture must be next.

Not noticing our astonishment, or not caring, he continues. "In fact, many of the Empire's institutions have proven themselves to be incompetent and untrustworthy, filled with those who seeks to better only their own positions and lives instead of fulfilling their duty to this nation and its people."

He takes a deep breath, as if to steady himself. "Minda, however, has proven to be exceptionally different, stable, happy. You, Governor Mola, have proven yourself to be a true Imperial, and because of that I believed it better to report this betrayal to you, as the ISB would certainly use this as an excuse to rip this place apart with their schemes."

Huh. Honestly, leave it to the ISB to be so shit one of their agents thinks some random ass backwater Governor is a better option. Truly, an agency worthy of the Empire.

Turning to Darna, I resist the urge not to sigh. A part of me is angry at the betrayal, but a bigger part of me is angry she got caught. Like, if you're going to pull this bullshit, at least don't get caught. And if you do, don't let it be the fucking ISB of all people.

"Alright, look. I'm going to need a full breakdown of whatever the hell you've been up to. Then we can decide how this plays out."

She seems conflicted, eyes darting around as if searching for an escape route, but eventually she nods, if reluctantly. Then, she opens her mouth, and the story flows out.

-

Another hour later, and I'm seated, contemplating slamming my head into my desk until I die.

Annoyance

Yeah yeah, if I die no more snacks, I get it rat. Refocusing on the task at hand, I recap the info.

Darna, somehow, started an information web of ex-rebels and such, then expanded into a slave-ring busting syndicate, then decided that, on top of all that, she needed a secret fucking kill team!?

If the ISB, hell, the Empire at large finds out about this? I'm cooked. Well and truly dead on the goddamn ground.

But if I kill Darna here, which I really don't want to do because, putting the secret shit aside, she's pretty cool. And then all the orgs go to ground and I get assassinated in like a month, tops.

Fuck.

As I look up at the two, still standing, Thorne's gun still pointed at her, it hits me. A way out.

"It seems to me, that in your haste, you two have overlooked something."

As the curiosity settles on their faces, I continue, hoping that this pans out well.

"Both of you want Minda safe. Both of you want to build a better system. I don't see why you can't work together on this."

Darna's the first to push back, as expected. Her time as Vice-Governor has done wonders for her skills, but also led to a more abrasive personality as she became more secure in her position. Very useful, and I appreciate the forwardness in a time where more and more people are acting the submissive subordinate, but it does make her predictable in a few respects.

"Work together? With an ISB agent of all people? It seems to me an absurd idea, Las." She says this, but I can see she understands the reasoning.

"I concur, Governor. While I believe much of the Empire to be failing, that does not mean I condone the actions of the Vice-Governor."

"Then make it better, Thorne. You caught them, meaning clearly they aren't the cream of the crop. If you can help mold them into something better for the Empire, you could affect real change."

I turned back to Darna, hoping and praying this bullshit was working. "And to be honest, an ISB contact would be useful. Not just operational knowledge, but I'm sure the Agent has deeper knowledge of how these things work. His expertise could be quite valuable."

Darna grimaced, but I could see her coming around. "...The others would never accept it. They'd break away immediately."

Before I can respond, Thorne speaks up. "Then they would not be informed. You would stay the head of the organization in their eyes, while we work together in the background. If needed, I could be present through a fabricated hologram, or as a faceless contact."

Holy shit, is this working! Please tell me it is! I keep my excitement from showing on my face as I affirm his words.

"Exactly. These organizations could benefit from some direction, as I see it, alongside some more professional knowledge that Thorne could provide."

Here's the killing blow.

Looking into Darna's eyes, I soften my eyes a tad. "You've been overworking yourself. This would help, big time. You deserve it."

Fuck that, I deserve it, but I need this shit fixed now!

Her features soften as well as she perceives me as a well meaning boss in the moment, then closes her eyes in contemplation. Likely weighing all the pros and cons.

"Hmmm…I see the benefits, and it seems the only way forward for us right now." A sigh escapes her body before she puts out a hand to Thorne.

"I can't tell how well this'll go, but it seems we have some things in common." He grabs her hand in response, and they shake like professionals as his gun is returned to its holster.

"It will be a difficult process, but I believe this could be a fruitful partnership." Is his response, voice returning to his usual deadpan.

-

The next hour is spent doing preliminary organization. The basic idea is that Thorne and Darna will co-lead the three organizations, with Thorne only being present in meetings through Darna's earpiece, feeding her intel and helping make decisions without revealing himself.

Outside of that, Darna will take a step back from more overt operations, with Thorne taking a more active role in supporting in the spotlight, using his ISB privileges to essentially do the bigger public arrests and such.

All of this is, of course, reported to me. It'll be a hassle, as the reports will be encrypted, but I can live with that. This entire portion of the meeting it felt like I was on autopilot, mostly just agreeing to their jargon and stepping in only when I heard something I thought might be important.

Its only when they've both left that I fully collapse onto my office sofa. It's nearly 3 in the morning, and the hot chocolate I made at the meetings starts is cold now.

Mugwuffin lays to my side, her warmth comforting, and I can't help but fall asleep.

My dreams are not peaceful.

-

Yo. Made this. Hope its nice.

-Freefaller
 
I laughed.
Like a genuine, full belly laugh.
The Governor got Thorne.
By all accounts, because of what he did for Minda, he technically converted Thorne.
Now Darna's network would get an injection of better training and knowledge from an ISB agent that cares for Minda's continued prosperity.
Sasuga, Governor Mola-sama!
 
Agent Thorne can report having successfully established a covert network as well as having subverted the vice-governor! Excellent work!

And Darna has turned an ISB agent! Not by coercion , bribery, or for petty revenge, but because her work with Governor Mola is legitimately superior in achieving the stated goals of the Empire - peace, prosperity, and safety for the people! What a coup!
 
Freefaller said:
The next hour is spent doing preliminary organization. The basic idea is that Thorne and Darna will co-lead the three organizations, with Thorne only being present in meetings through Darna's earpiece, feeding her intel and helping make decisions without revealing himself.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
And that's how you end up in charge of your own Illuminati.
 
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