Private The Road to Jaemus

[Marlon Sularen]

T H E_R O A D_T O_J A E M U S

DARK EMPIRE
KARAVIS, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

The Diarchy had proven to be a bigger threat then Sularen could ever anticipate. When he was first made aware of their activities with their Invasion of Bescane, he had dismissed them as a minor upstart group of discount Sith trying to cosplay as Imperials that would soon run out of steam sooner or later like the Braxant Covenant before them. Their recent emergence as a major galactic power, having occurred far too quickly and too soon, had caught Sularen and the Imperial Military off-guard as shown with the confrontation between Imperial and Diarchy Naval Forces over Entralla.

While the Diarchy had displayed an impressive amount of strength, they were still in their infancy lacking the overwhelming strength that the Galactic Alliance possessed but still holding a significant amount of industrial and economic worlds within the New Territories that could further fuel their growth and expansion in the future. As such if the Empire's ambitions to secure the New Territories and conquer the Core Worlds were to be achieved, then the Diarchy would have to be kept in check and fortunately they had the idea asset that would enable them to do so : The Jaemus Sector.

Thanks to Moff Antipater's presence on Jaemus, the Empire was in the perfect position to establish listening posts throughout the sector to monitor the movements of the Diarchy Navy in the neighboring sectors, not to mention fortifying Jaemus as an Imperial stronghold would enable the Empire to further disrupt and sabotage their expansion with ease. Already Sularen's agents had found the perfect site to establish the listening station and work was well underway to construct it, but now the Imperial Warlord needed to share his plans to strengthen the Empire's presence in the sector with individuals who possessed the resources and assets to accomplish such a feat, with those individuals being none other then Moffs Antipater (naturally) and Moff Daedaldus Tarkin.

Through the combined economic might of the three corporations Sularen, Antipater and Tarkin wielded at their disposal, Jaemus would soon be transformed into a self-sustaining fortress world loyal to the Empire even when finding itself within the Diarchy's sphere of influence. Thus, Sularen would summon both Moffs to his flagship above the Industrial world of Karavis to share his plans for such an operation, dubbed the Jaemus Initiative which would be the key to halting the Diarchy right in it's tracks and ensuring the Empire's supremacy in the New Territories for the long-term. The Diarchy may have scored a major victory with it's consolidation of power in the northern portion of the New Territories today, but in the long run the Empire would overcome them for none were above the might of the Iron Sun.

Tags | Antipater | Daedalus Tarkin ​

 

[Antipater]

Jaemus was balanced on the knife's edge. On one side, the government he had spent the better part of a year currying favor with. On the other, unruly despots who had emerged from nothing and stood for even less. Years of meticulous planning and maneuvering were now to be upturned by arbitrary chance.

Mind-numbing. Infuriating. This was the sort of end game that would drive meat-creatures mad with headaches. For Antipater, it only made his circuitry run hot with rage. He had gone about doing the bidding of these people and all he asked for was a single star destroyer. More than enough to pacify his world. He had received nothing: no star destroyer, no troops, and not a single red credit.

And now, well beyond the 11th hour, the slovenly gears of the Dark Empire had finally started to turn towards the Braxant Run. New regent, new rules, one supposed. It remained to be seen if it would amount to anything.

Antipater entered the meeting room. Rigid and inscrutable as always. "Lord-Regent. An honor, as always."

The droid moff offered a perfunctory half-bow before seating itself.

Marlon Sularen | Daedalus Tarkin​

 

[Marlon Sularen]

T H E_R O A D_T O_J A E M U S

DARK EMPIRE
KARAVIS, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

"Welcome, Moff Antipater. It's nice to see you once more." Sularen said, as the Imperial Droid Moff took his seat. Once Antipater took his seat, both he and the Warlord awaited the arrival of Moff Tarkin although it appeared he might be late. As time flew by with no sign of Moff Tarkin's arrival, Sularen decided to move forward with the discussions with Antipater alone considering the urgency of the matter at hand. Should Tarkin arrive late, then he would simply bring him up to date about what had been discussed so far, but nevertheless the wheels of Imperialism needed to continue turning in order for the Empire to emerge triumphant in these uncertain times.

"It appears that Moff Tarkin might be late or absent to the meeting." Sularen said, breaking the silence between him and Antipater. "That being said, i cannot wait any longer to discuss these very urgent matters that require immediate attention" Sularen further proclaimed. "Now to begin our discussion, first i would like to ask you Moff Antipater, what do you think about our little neighbor in the north : the Diarchy and what they represent?"

Tags | Antipater | Daedalus Tarkin ​

 

[Antipater]

The droid stared at Sularen in silence for a few moments. If one listened closely, they could hear the soft hum of his processors as a measured response was tabulated.

"They are an existential threat to the Imperial project: ungrounded and separate from the ideological foundations of the Empire. Left unchecked, they will subsume and obliviate the New Imperial legacy along the Braxant Run and beyond. In its place they will seed a perverse sub-strain of Sith-Imperialism, whatever those Diarchs may elect to call it."

Whatever the cultish leanings of their Emperor, most of the Empire was comprised of remnants united by Korvan... And Korvan took after the legacy of Tavlar. It was expected that the Dark Empire had a claim and a mandate to the rest of the Braxant Run. For the Sith to parade themselves openly on Bastion and proclaim the birth of a new order was far worse than mere desecration.

It was an open and brazen challenge to the Dark Empire's very legitimacy.

Antipater concluded simply: "The Diarchy represent a more pressing threat to our regime than the Alliance. It would be prudent to challenge and destroy them quickly."

Marlon Sularen​

 

[Marlon Sularen]

T H E_R O A D_T O_J A E M U S

DARK EMPIRE
KARAVIS, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

As expected, Moff Antipater's assessment of the Diarchy was correct as they represented a more immediate threat to the Empire especially given that the Empire was now facing the prospect of a two-front war with the behemoth of the Alliance to it's South and the Diarchy to the North. Although Sularen knew that this was more the an issue of legitimacy and ideology, for Moff Antipater the stakes were even higher regarding this new threat. His holdings on Jaemus were in the crosshairs of the Diarchy and with Dantooine already under their sphere it would only be a matter of time before the Diarchs set their sights on Jaemus.

"That is precisely the reason why i've summoned you here Moff Antipater. Action needs to be taken against the Diarchy as soon as possible as we cannot afford to sit idle as they continue to make a mockery of the Empire's legacy." The Warlord of the Empire proclaimed. "I also understand that this matter might be more personal for you, especially given the vast investment you have made on Jaemus to stabilize Imperial rule there which will now be threatened by the expansion of the Diarchy. Jaemus will soon serve as the starting point for our operations against the Diarchy and i wish to share the many plans i have regarding the planet to secure Imperial rule there for the years to come." Sularen added, hinting at his long-envisioned Jaemus Initiative

Tags | Antipater ​

 

[Antipater]

"By all means," Antipater replied, perhaps more flatly than decorum normally allowed, "If you possess the means to stave off the advance of these Sith, I am eager to hear of them."

Marlon Sularen​

 

[Marlon Sularen]

T H E_R O A D_T O_J A E M U S

DARK EMPIRE
KARAVIS, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

"I call it the Jaemus Initiative." Sularen began. "A larger program within the Dark Empire to pool all available resources to begin fortifying Jaemus and expanding our presence on the planet beyond your holdings." the Warlord explained. "The idea is once the Diarchy incorporates the Jaemus sector into their sphere of influence, we will have a major backdoor into their space where we can disrupt their operations, monitor their movements with the ultimate goal of setting the stage for a future offensive to liberate Entralla, Munnilinst and Jameus from their rule."

"I plan on sharing this with the rest of the Imperial Ruling Council at the next summit that i intend to hold once the necessary preparations are complete for this initiative, so that i can get them to fully invest in the project and ensure that we can properly expand our presence on Jaemus before the Diarchy sets foot on the planet." Sularen added. "If the initiative is to succeed, then i need everyone on the Council to invest in it. If Jaemus is to stand against the Diarchy, if we are to stand against the Diarchy then we need to move quickly and decisively without delay."

Tags | Antipater ​

 

[Antipater]

All this would have been music to his audio-receptors about half a year ago. But it was better late than never. If the Diarchy could be drawn into a protracted quagmire on Jaemus, then all the better. Final victory would not come easily or quickly. Many sacrifices would have to be made...

...But not by Antipater. Sacrifices were for little people. So it goes.

"I am in full agreement. But if the Ruling Council is to invest in Jaemus, then the planet itself must be pacified and made ready," Antipater intoned lifelessly, "The civil war will need to end. A star destroyer placed under my command will be a more than sufficient provision to do so."

There was not a single faction in that tiresome war which possessed the means to secure the sky, let alone the system. The presence of a true Imperial star destroyer would cow most of them quickly and allow for the summary bombardment of the rest. A quick end to a pointless conflict.

Marlon Sularen​

 

[Marlon Sularen]

T H E_R O A D_T O_J A E M U S

DARK EMPIRE
KARAVIS, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

At first Sularen wanted to deny Antipater's request as he believed that the chaotic state of Jaemus was something the Empire could utilize to it's advantage especially as the Diarchy closed in. Not to mention, if the Empire pacified Jaemus only to let the Diarchy move into the planet it wouldn't be hard for the Diarchs to proclaim themselves as "Liberators" freeing a world that they would claim had been subjugated by the Empire. But then again the alternative could be that the Diarchy would pacify Jaemus themselves and then proclaim that they brought Order and Stability to the planet.

It was a lose-lose situation for the Empire politically, but then again either outcome would not harm the outcome of Sularen's Jaemus Initiative and Sularen trusted Antipater well enough to make good use of the resources given to him to ensure things on Jaemus developed to the Empire's advantage.

"Very well. You shall be granted an Imperial Star Destroyer as per your request to pacify Jaemus." Sularen responded. "If you are open it, i can dispatch some of my best men of my Red Right Hand to assist you in bringing order to Jaemus along with any other additional resources that may facilitate the task." he added. He was willing to throw his full support behind Antipater, not only due to the immense strategic value of Jaemus to the Empire's war effort against the Diarchy but also due to Antipater's value to the Empire itself as someone driven only by pure logic and reason for the betterment of the Empire and not the constant politicking other members of the Ruling Council would pursue.

Tags | Antipater ​

 

[Antipater]

The Red Right Hand? Now that was a sure a sign of the regent's commitment to that humble planet. Indeed... The Jaemus civil war comprised many factions. While a star destroyer would be sufficient to cow a majority of them, several others would require a certain amount of terror and direct fire. It was all a necessity, of course.

"Any element of the Red Right Hand will be welcomed as liberators. My projections already favor a timely restoration of order to the system. Their presence will ease the transition." And the casualty rate would remain... Acceptable. "I have already produced the necessary operational guidelines. A single star destroyer and its complement are all I require."

It went without saying these documents had been prepared many months in advance. Better not to dwell on such a fact, or his personality motivators would resume sequencing anger rather than elation.

Antipater rose from his seat. "With your permission, Lord-Regent, I will set out immediately."

Marlon Sularen​