HoloNet News BREAKING: Altair Din Addresses Imperial Exodus

[Altair Din]

Altair hated doing these. However, even with the title of just Warmaster, somehow he was running the Empire because no one else was. His old Director was captured and likely dead, and he was virtually alone at the helm. Fortunately there were a few rising stars that he would hopefully be able to rely on more for leadership support.

Between this and the sudden news that he was going to be a father with a woman he had no desire to keep a relationship with, Altair was hit with all new forms of stress. There was also the fact that he was struck by Celeste's death. Even if they parted on a bad note, he had countless memories of their friendship. Even so, he appeared on Holonet prim and proper, dressed in formal Imperial uniform. His vivid, amethyst eyes gazed into the camera.

“Citizens of the galaxy, I am Altair Din, Warmaster of the New Empire. Recently there has been a trend of worlds no longer being Imperial,” He said, his tone still carrying the hints of his farmer accent, “Let me assure you that this is not the result of an aggressive campaign with the ISC,” He knew the cost of rumors, “This is because historically many of our worlds were taken by force. The Empire is no longer Sith Empire, so those that do not wish to stay under the Imperial banner have the freedom to reclaim their neutrality.”

This was a half truth. The reality was that the Empire simply didn’t have the resources to hold planets that weren’t completely on board with being Imperial. They were forced to consolidate and focus on historically Imperial planets that had no desire to leave. The war sanctions had horribly hamstrung the Empire, and they were feeling the impacts. But Altair wasn’t going to talk about that here.

“Rest assured that those that do stay will be provided a standard of living far beyond what they experienced under the prior regime. We are invested in our people and their safety above all. I am personally committed to forging new alliances and shaping a government that isn’t tied to the whims of a Dark Sider.”

Altair paused before he spoke again, “There have been whispers about the fact that I myself am a former Sith. I’m not going to dance around that fact. I was a Sith, but I was not born into it. I did fight under the Sith banner, but I have never committed a war crime. I took this role with the backing of my fellow soldiers that have placed their faith in me. I will not beg or plead for your support, but I will tell you what I am and what I was. The difference is that you have the freedom to choose whether to support me or not. You will not be forced into it. And if you do choose me, I will put you first. Even if the Empire crumbles to the very last Imperial planet, I will stand by it.”

The tiefling smiled at the camera before it switched off.

 

[Jonathen Baize]

Click.

The bolt slid off the blaster, and he slid the piece off, laying it out on a towel. He started cleaning each piece of the blaster as he glanced up at the holo. Seeing the Warmaster, he unmuted and turn the volume up as he continued cleaning his blaster.

Jonethen was a soldier through and through, loyal to his men, to his army, and to his Empire. Even so, he felt the surge of patriotism at the broadcast. There was no doubt the Empire had been saturated with bad actors. Things were changing; he could feel it. They were making a better, safer place for the Empire's people.

He wasn't ready to trust these Force users. He never quite understood the difference between the different factions, but he had seen a report of the Jedi killing one of the prisoners. What about that religion made its followers evil? Regardless, the Warmaster seemed to own up to his past and had moved past it. Jonathen was willing to get behind a man like that.

"Long live the Empire." he said quietly in his quarters before going back to his blaster rifle.

 

[Levik Karn]

Commander Karn had been gone for only a short time, having to deal with a traitorous governor on Namadii, but when he returned to Taris even his own homeworld had shown signs of defection. Imperial rule had stood on the shoulders of Sith Warcrimes and their fear-tactics for too long and everyone seemed to adjust at their own pace. Levik remembered the Jedi Order questioning the warmaster's loyalty and that had raised some doubts with the commander as well. Altaïr Din had followed the same path many of these Sith -like the former warmaster and King of Namadii, Darth Caelestis, had done- and had used their powers in the Force and association with the Empire to become Kings and Queens of their own sectors of space. Planets, troops and navies that were loyal to them first, not to the Imperial principle.

Levik had invited some of his friends to his office to watch the announced broadcast together. They were all lieutenants, detectives or sergeants in the Imperial Peacekeeper Corps, but more importantly they were also partners in Levik's other business ventures. A few of them had been present when Levik met with Crix Dolan. Now they were all drinking Tarisian Ale, waiting for the moment the warmaster would-

"Well, that Cathar is out of its cage." Levik said with a certain degree of surprise. The warmaster announced that planets could leave the Empire without it being contested. He further announced that he was indeed a former Sith, but if the Imperial citizens that now most likely hated the Sith, would put their trust in him.. as what? Their new Emperor?

No one could deny that the Empire had been strapped for resources. The blockade of Imperial space had cost them an entire cycle of repairs and maintenance on their warships, not to mention the planets that were angry that due to the Imperial wars with the rest of the galaxy they no longer got necessary foodstuffs and medicinal supplies whose import they depended on.

But what now? The Empire still didn't have an Emperor, or Empress. It's new Order of Force-sensitives had many former Sith among its ranks and yet had done nothing to keep the Empire together. Something had to change for the better. At least Taris and the Ojoster Sector would remain Imperial. Levik would see to that personally. He needed it, after all. There were also noted Imperial operations around the new Imperial Capital of Raxus. A seat of power the Empire could expand on. It was clear that the Imperial Armed forces were picking up the slack left behind by the former Sith and their actions were based on Imperial principle instead of the vanity of Sith Warlords. A more sustenainable approach for long-term, perhaps.

Levik smiled suddenly towards his fellow peacekeepers in the room, "He has my trust." There was some noted uncertainty in the room on whether or not that was true, but they all knew the importance of the access that being an Imperial peacekeeper provided them. Levik raised his glass for a toast, "For Warmaster Din, For the Empire. May it outlive us all."

 

[Nevizkas]

Cyutadakyr couldn't help but continue to admire the tenacity displayed by this Altair Din. To spend so much time building yourself up only to have the metaphorical rug pulled from underneath you, only to then not only survive the purge but thrive off it. Altair's little coup clearly didn't come off as cleanly as he had hoped for, with more worlds ceding their chains the Order had forged than stayed behind.

Would the average imperial citizen be able to tell the difference between a Sith and an Imperial Knight? would they care? or would they be eyed with the same level of suspicion? And now with Altair's public confession and ties to the Sith being revealed, would they trust him? After all, he could have styled himself in any which way, and yet he chose to maintain his primary title as one with a deep-seated connection to the Sith Council.

Or maybe he was just a dull pretty boy and wouldn't even notice.

It seemed the Sith Order wasn't the only organization that would need to go through some deep soul-searching to find its true identity. Although when they did, she wondered, would they be willing to pay the price that would be required?

Oh, she could only imagine the frustrating and delicious pain that he must have been in.

 

[Malerion]

Malerion sat on a comfortable coach, watching day by day, hour by hour as the former Sith Empire slowly collapsed in on itself with a smile on his face. He was sure that every other galactic power was viewing this with the same glee as he was. The ISC was now completely unmatched in political, financial and military strength in the galaxy, the FWA no longer had a boogy man on the border and the fragile New Republic need not worry about the Outer Rim and could just watch themselves burn down from the inside.

It wouldn’t take long before everyone, even the Jedi and Sith would begin the scramble for the old Empire’s worlds and resources. The map once painted red would stay grey only for a short time before the paintbrushes came back out. He had heard from at least a half dozen fellow Sith who were now on their way to retake worlds for the Order.

But Malerion sat still, waiting for his plan to reach its final stage. In his eyes the Sith couldn’t rely on planting their banner on a planet. They were enemies of the entire galaxy now, as soon as that banner was planted it would be blown apart from Orbit. No, they needed to become nomad’s, strike from the black reaches of space, be everywhere and nowhere. That is what he saw as their future, doubtless the Dark Lord would lead others in a campaign of conquest. Try to style herself like Andruil or Andraste, conquerors of the galaxy, Malerion would be something different, a scourge, a parasite, the creature in the darkness your mother warned you about. A Warlord of the Sith.