(I apologize in advance for the sheer absurdity of this meme, but the call was too strong for me to ignore)
At the end of the day, it's that precarious balance that needs to be held in standard lest he becomes the target of both.
Chp-49: Public Words, Private Ledger
The stage was set. The podium raised.
The crowd angry.
As they should be. After all, it's been less than a week since Alderaan went kaboom, and only a few days after the DS1 went the same way.
They aren't yelling, screaming or protesting, thankfully. But there's a definite energy in the crowd. Through my connection to Mugwuffin, I can sense it.
A tension.
Even the reporters were quiet. The atmosphere kept their spirits down, their fire quenched. They knew it was far from the time for excitement.
While across the galaxy, people rise up with dreams of freedom and liberty in their hearts, here on Minda people wait.
Poised.
It's there, make no mistake. Many of the people here are those who have suffered under Imperial rule. They found peace here, where the Empire's symbols don't mean oppression.
But they know all too well what those symbols really mean.
As I walk up to the podium, I don't do so in my classic Imperial wear.
The black overcoat I love to wear is gone. The thin strips of armor plating I had taken to wearing for protective purposes is gone.
I stand before the crowd in a simple grey Imperial uniform. My helmet is nowhere to be seen.
My security stays to the side, out of sight. The Heavy LECA models hidden in a transport nearby, just in case.
Even Mugwuffin is absent from my shoulders, staying back near Myr'thos, who stands with their arms crossed, absolutely bored. It helps that their bored stance makes them look like a professional bodyguard, not that the crowd could see them. Perks of a Sith upbringing, I guess. Ignore the trauma.
The people before me want an explanation. Why did billions die? Why was a weapon made to kill billions in the first place?
Why should they not overthrow me?
I decided to start with the basics.
"We all know why we're here. I won't play mind games with you people, not now."
I take a deep breath.
"Alderaan was destroyed by the battlestation known as the Death Star, a planet killer weapon."
The sea of eyes still judged. There was more to say. I would survive this. No matter what.
"Said Death Star was commanded by Grand Moff Willuf Tarkin. Alderaan was confirmed to have rebel elements integrated into its higher command structure. This does not justify the actions of the Grand Moff."
I make sure to throw my gaze around the crowd, making eye contact with as many people as I can. From the children with their naive eyes to the clone veterans and their scars of wars long past.
I continue.
"Furthermore, it has been confirmed by my own superiors that the Grand Moff disobeyed a direct order from the Emperor when destroying Alderaan. This makes Ex-Grand Moff Willuf Tarkin a traitor. If he lives, he will be found. He will pay."
"Any further questions or concerns should be forwarded to the office of the Myto Sectors Moff, Moff Hiral, as this is all the information I have been given."
It's at this point that I want to leave, cause I've said everything I needed to say. But this was an emotional game as much as a political one.
"The Mindan Galactic Museum will be hosting a competition for the design of an Alderaanian Memorial. Good day, and godspeed."
It was then that I left. No questions, no comments, nothing. Just the somber tones that signalled the death of billions.
Getting back into the shuttle, I sighed. That was scary. Not in the way that many things had been during my time in this universe, but still.
The threat of being overthrown had always been this far off, looming thing. Like climate change. You know it's a threat, and you work to combat it, but it never feels close.
But standing there? Looking into the eyes of people who I know damn well would mob my tower and kill me if given enough cause?
It scared me. And I couldn't even blame them! If I was in their position, I'd do the same goddamn thing.
Better to die standing than live kneeling, after all.
Frankly speaking, I was just glad that Moff Hiral's office got back to me and the hundred other governors pinging his office for the official stance as fast as they did. Apparently, while the Emperor is still making his choice in regards to Alderaan, Tarkin pissed him off enough with the whole debacle to get himself posthumously fired and considered a traitor.
So, I ran with that. My statement was meant more for Minda and Edin, and won't really make it far from here.
Regardless, as the shuttle took off, I started reading through reports.
Oioro had gotten back to me with that report on Rothana Heavy Engineering.
As I suspected, they weren't getting jack shit in contracts from the Empire. They bred some animals for use as mounts in hazardous environments and produced a few ground vehicles, but are otherwise destitute.
KDY was probably losing money keeping those facilities operating. And even if they weren't, it wouldn't be long before they did.
This is especially true when you consider the fact that the planet Rothana is at the very edge of the galaxy, placed in a spot where only knowledge of specific hyperspace routes would allow you to access it. This was to distance it from the corporate politics of the Core.
Now, it was another cash drain. Though routes weren't easy to navigate, requiring better ships, hyperdrives and pilots.
Rothana was a wound that wouldn't stop bleeding, which is great for me.
See, things are just going to get worse. And by worse, I mean big time worse.
I uplifted Minda because I needed proof for mommy Mola that I was being a good boy and all that, so she would take her eyes off of me and let me fake my death in peace.
Thing is, now that she hasn't shown, and my window of opportunity has passed, Minda is…*gulp*...valuable.
Based on the most recent rankings, Minda is the 2nd largest economy in the Sector, with Dubrillion leading that front in tropical retreats for the wealthy.
If I recall correctly, it was also the site of a prototype laser for the DS2. Bad stuff.
Regardless, Minda, and by extension Edin are certain to be made to expand production. By which I mean the Moff is going to tell me to do it then be surprised when I fail whatever insane standards he sets.
Well, I say that but I've yet to meet the new Moff, so I can't really say that for certain. But it's a safe bet, all things considered.
However, if I manage to acquire RHE? Well, shipyards are of massive import to the Empire, no? Wouldn't it be better to have these shipyards in the Myto sector?
Wouldn't it make you look better to your boss if these shipyards are successful?
You get the gist of it. I let the Moff take all the credit for the shipyards, and in return the quota's stay reasonable. I'm not even bribing him! If Minda operates shipyards, then suddenly the morale of the workers is more important than ever.
If a mining operation goes kaboom, it sucks and is costly, but the veins of ore will still be there.
A shipyard? That's the kind of thing that goes kaboom and never returns. Not without serious investment.
At least, that's how I'll spin it. It also opens up a bunch of new jobs, since I'll only really be taking the shipyards, hiring the core employee's, and selling most of the factories and such. I'm not even going to be buying the rights to the designs. Sure, RHE makes the Acclamator, but KDY knows that.
And if their negotiators are any good, which they should be considering the company's age, they'll know the real deal is in the designs.
So, I'll buy up the shipyards, have them towed piecemeal over here, and boom! New jobs, protection from shitty quotas, the whole works.
It'll be costly, billions of credits. Negotiations can whittle that down, but I'll still be looking at a price tag of at least 10 billion. Possible given time and the right investments, but at least a year.
And that's not to mention the huge logistical challenge of shipping the multiple kilometer long structures and needed equipment all the way from Rothana to Minda. It's quite a distance.
Even if you consider that the Rothana yards are comparatively small to the KDY or Fondor yards, they are still massive(you know what else is massive?).
However, considering how much the Moff could benefit from this, I have no doubt he would be willing to lend a hand. After all, what are some credits in comparison to political clout?
And even if he donates little, this whole thing would be an undeniably money sink. An excusable money sink. After all, I'm not spending the budget on frivolous things, I'm spending it on shipyards that will serve the Empire. It's just so expensive that I can't afford to reasonably produce more for the quota without diverting time and money from this incredibly important project! What a shame
A perfect, if longer term plan. I could probably embezzle a shit ton of money through it as well. Gotta have that nest egg for later, right? Literally zero flaws imaginable in this plan.
Save for the rebels. Fuckin rebels.
See, I realized that at this point, I'm going to need to start making some sacrifices. The rebels are just smart enough to realize how bad new shipyards could be, and might attack me. For all their righteous fury, they're spread thin in regards to real military power, and have far larger targets.
The Empire, on the other hand, can make my life worse in a million more ways, recent death knell or not.
So, I'm forced to compromise. The shipyards aren't the largest, not by a long shot, but they will expand the current shipbuilding capabilities on Minda by an order of magnitude at least.
That's a target. Not great. But I'll have to deal. Again, not great. But, as the wise man always says.
It is what it is.
This is the motto I chant to myself as the shuttle lands, and I start the trek to my office to get more work done, and start planning my spiel to the Moff. Sipping on the hot chocolate Oioro made for me.
Fuckin spy and her fuckin killer hot coco.
I sigh.
It is what it is. It is what it is. It is what it is. It is what it is. It is what it is. It is what it is…
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Hi there folks! It is what it is!
Feedback and commentary appreciated.
Thanks for reading!
-Freefaller
One, you can trim down your quote, make it more succinct.
Las never got his face fixed did he? I wonder if this is the first time a lot of citizens have seen his post-explosion scars?
Most of the older Jedi who spent enough time in the library to know what Sith look like are dead at this point. Anakin would be considered an old force user in comparison to the others left. Palpatine might recognize what Myr'thos is, but honestly he was more interested in politics and scheming so he might have ignored Plegius' lessons on them.
Give something to pour their grief into, good call. Maybe offer visas to Alderaanian communities across the galaxy. Especially once the riots in those communities start.
Las once again vastly underestimating how much his people love him. They may hate the Empire at this moment, but they believe he is good people. Like blaming the government, but still backing your town mayor.
Yeah it is not like Minda is a (relative) tech giant with products reaching multiple nearby sectors.
Considering the galaxy is about to descend into war, guess whose economy is more designed to weather that? Resort Worlds tend to profit more during peacetime, while Factory Worlds get those sick wartime contracts.
Protecting your people's rights and prosperity by making them more valuable, Las is such a caring governor that understands sentient capital.
I mean, those core employees are also the ones who produce the Empire's Walkers like the AT series. Getting those guys and integrating them into the LECA program would pay off massively.
For reference, Minda would be able to produce cruisers with those shipyards. Given Las' contracts with CEC, Minda could go from making Light Freighters to making Gozantis by themselves.
I thought RHE's was basically a R&D subsidiary for Kuat, I mean they have like 1 ship design that we know of and a ton of ground and air vehicles.
Poor guy Is stressed out, at least the spy makes great hot chocolate, silver lining
Self paying armies are all well and good, as long as they are loyal. By not being the one who pays them the Imperials would lose one of The Most Fundamental controls on their army. They follow the money.
I think you did it excellently.
It would be funny if his sisters, and secretaries both think the same thing and try to get him to sleep with women they think would be good for him. So one slap stick rim com episode later, Laz is in bed with a few Imperial officers, a few random friends of friends, and some Twililk dancers from some club they visited in a drunken haze. Then half of them end up pregnant, we all know what sight we are on
Funnily enough for how inefficient Gedes' Tax Farming System is, at least it is a Tax System that can run independent from the Imperial Bureaucracy. One of the biggest hurdles I imagine a lot of minor Imperial Governors face is how to keep the lights on and their (relatively) high tech military garrison supplied once the central bureaucracy collapses.
Or you do a British India and in their tax farming shenanigans the warlords cause a mass famine/genocide with how much they take from the population
The rebs lack places to put a shipyard. The imperial navy struggles against them because it's a dreadnought navy designed to fight peer opponents, but without clear targets to hit, ISDs are either massive overkill or too easy to avoid. However, with a planet openly creating ships from a stolen shipyard, rather than creatively losing ships here and there, the imps suddenly have a target that the rebels can't hope to defend effectively.
Asset Denial
