The day that changed everything

"Long live the Empire!" was the cry shouted by Imperial soldiers as they charged into Tatooine, the New Republic positions on the planet having been strengthened by the use of mercenaries and Hutt aid. Casualties could be counted in the tens of thousands, but that didn't matter to the soldiers charging across the sands. Tanya Degurechaff had restored Imperial order in the Galactic South in barely a week and only a few battles remained until control fully solidified.

Their lives were nothing compared to the peace of the galaxy, the safety of its citizens and the victory of the Empire.

"Avenge the Emperor! Avenge Lord Vader!" an officer cried, firing his weapon at a E-web position defended by mercenaries. Mon Eisley's defences were strong but were slowly giving way. Over a million Imperial soldiers had been deployed to this planet.

The sand contrasted with the equipment of the Imperial soldiers. They had suits made for the heat with desert camouflage, and although there was a lack of vehicles, the air force easily filled the role, bombarding the positions that resisted their advance too much.

As the Imperial soldiers finally reached the city, the mercenaries began retreating, planning to engage them in urban warfare. It would be fought building by building and Imperial casualties would almost certainly be heavy.

The General in charge of the planetary invasion looked at the holographic map. He had the city surrounded and could simply bombard it and have all the rebels killed.

"Remember our orders," said the Captain of the ship the General was on.

"Avoid civilian casualties. They are victims not culprits," the General wearily repeated. "I will deploy a legion of ST. Let them take over mop-up operations."

The Captain nodded as the General wrote down the orders for his troops.

"In the Emperor's time we would have destroyed the city," said the General, partially angry.

"The Emperor is dead, we honour his life and deeds for the galaxy, but things are changing, General. Brutality for brutality's sake has already proven to be nothing but ineffective."

The General grunted before sending the order to the legion of ISD they were in.

"You're a reformer, right?" the General asked.

The Captain just smiled. "Does it matter? We're all Imperials."

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Draneir and Max looked at Tanya, having entered the room where she was practising her speech.

"You're late," Tanya said, stopping the singing and dancing to the song that was the speech. "What happened?"

"Terrorist attack, no one was killed except the terrorists."

"Another one?" Tanya asked, with a tired tone as she went to sit back in her chair. "So much terrorism… I'm already getting a bit tired of it all. I wonder what I've done to deserve this?"

Max walked over to a tablet on the floor and began to play the recordings.

"Executing the Tarkin Family, destroying the New Republic in your territory, being the most tyrannical ruler the galaxy has ever known... With all due respect, you do deserve it a little."

The murderous glare towards Max's neck from the other inhabitant of the room did not go unnoticed by Max.

"Do you really consider me a tyrant?"

"A well-meaning tyrant. You still are — and again with all due respect — a tyrant."

Tanya stopped to think for a moment. Many things had happened over the course of the day: talking to her father, being called a tyrant, a terrorist attack on her two closest advisors, of which one of them was her dearest friend... Well, her only friend.

"A tyrant… Is that really such a bad thing?"

The Salaryman wanted to throw a metaphysical chair at Tanya, but to his misfortune he could do no such thing and only shouted inwardly. Meanwhile, Tanya rethought her ideology, her convictions. She was creating an authoritarian system with her at its head. She was going to deny any authority to the Regency and, as Grand Moff, decide the lives of trillions. Was she any better than Stalin? Hitler? Tojo?

"Depends," Max replied, ignorant of the Grand Moff's inner turmoil.

Meanwhile Draneir spoke his answer instantly. "No," he said. While Max's answer was as textbook as they come, she was far more interested in the conviction her aide possessed.

"Why not Draneir?" Tanya asked.

"Because I know you, because I know who you are and how you act. You have the will to do what must be done. When a path has put mountains in front of you, you climb them or create tunnels through them. The universe could put a black hole in front of you and you would go around it. Never deviating from the path, you keep your convictions firm. If anyone can do this, it's you."

Tanya hummed, a bit surprised at the praise, but pleased nonetheless. She turned to Max. It would do no good to ignore his own answer. "And why does it 'depend', Grobelnel?"

"Because when a tyrant thinks of the people, they make a government for the people without the people, which is what you plan with your reforms. While it can be a good thing, often the tyrant in their eagerness to be a saviour of the people can commit the greatest injustices in the galaxy. What Belisarius Draneir says about you implies that you don't care about the path and that the end justifies the means. If you had to kill half the galaxy to bring peace to the galaxy, would you do it? Would you become the biggest mass-murderer in the galaxy? How willing are you to go to reach those 'ends'? Will you crush everything in your path, consider some lines worth crossing, some morals worth ignoring? What matters more, the fate of the Galaxy or the fate of the people you will crush to fulfil your ideal?"

Tanya's countenance darkened and she retreated into her thoughts, ignoring how Draneir grabbed Max's collar and pulled him away from her, taking him out of the room.

Outside, Draneir furiously questioned Max. "What the hell is wrong with you? Do you enjoy angering me and humiliating Tanya? She doesn't need criticism from her subordinates, she needs support!"

"I'm giving her what she wants. When she hired me, she wanted a political advisor, not a bootlicker. If you want to get down on all fours and lick Tanya's boots, go ahead, but I will tell the truth. I will dig up moral issues because it's my job and duty."

Inside the room, Tanya kept thinking. About the road she had travelled. About how much blood she had shed.

"I am a monster," she said quietly. She had abandoned all her original ideals, and slowly became what she hated most. She killed millions. No, it wasn't millions anymore, it was billions.

Tanya leaned over, a sickening feeling enveloping her. She vomited.

"You're weak." The Salaryman appeared in her moment of weakness, as he usually did.

"What about you, you fucking bastard? You never killed anyone in your life!" she shouted at the Salaryman. The room was soundproofed so no one could hear her. "You! You who sat in a chair all your life, studying and then working! Who never knew war or violence! Who based your ideals and convictions on guidelines and used them as immovable and unbreakable rules! I have killed billions! With my voice I have killed billions! I have the right to have at least one moment of weakness! The right to doubt, the right to falter!"

"You don't," said Tanya von Degurechaff, the young girl staring at her from the back of the room, near one of the cameras. "You don't have the right to be weak when trillions of lives depend on you. You made a mistake? You must go on. You killed billions? You must go on. You will kill trillions? You must go on. What unites us, what makes us the same person, is our unbreakable will. The Salaryman opposed an enormously powerful being who called himself God, I opposed the entire world to protect my own and you now oppose an unjust galaxy at war. What right do you have to fall when we did not?"

"Sometimes…" said Tanya, "Sometimes I wish I could be weak, be a normal person. Not fight impossible odds and still win."

"You do not have that right," replied von Degurechaff. Her tone was steely, yet her eyes… "But you can get control wherever you can. Become weak where you need to, but your will must remain strong. You must never stray from your path. Our voice will change, our family will change, our history will change, our body will change, but the one thing that holds us together even when we are so different is our unbreakable will."

Tanya swiped her arm across her mouth, wiping away the vomit with the sleeve of her finely-tailored dress suit.

"I hate you," she said, picking herself up off the floor. "I hate you with all my soul."

"How can you hate yourself?" The Salaryman and Tanya von Degurechaff asked simultaneously.

The door opened, Draneir and Max entered the room and were startled at the state of their Grand Moff. Draneir ran up to Tanya and checked her state of health while Max looked in amazement at the room. All the cameras were broken, as was the mirror, all shattered as if a sword had cut through them. There seemed to be traces of something golden in the air that Max couldn't identify.

"I'll take you to the doctor!" Draneir said, concern thick in his voice.

"No," Tanya replied stonily. "Get me a new suit, this one's no good anymore and I have a speech to make."

Max ignored their conversation and picked up the tablet to check the camera footage. Turning the volume down to a minimum, he watched the footage, seeing how Tanya threw up, but then he saw something else there. It wore a strange military-like costume. He tried to see the individual's face but the moment he was about to see this strange figure's identity, the tablet broke in his own hands inexplicably.

Max turned his face slightly, watching as Draneir moved Tanya, and almost like a parody, he swore he saw something looking at him. Those golden eyes that had a warning gaze, but weren't Tanya's. Those eyes may have been in Tanya, but they were not hers.

"Is she human?" he asked himself when he was left alone.

—-----------------------

"Dear Imperial Citizens."

The entire South Galactic Super Sector held its breath. The screens and holograms they were watching showed a large stadium capable of seating over 150 thousand, all occupied by the wealthy and influential, magnates of large private and public companies, planetary representatives and in the seats closest to Tanya Degurechaff there were seats of red and gold that held known reformist faces. Ahsoka Tano, Captain Rex, representatives of the South Galactic military complex among other privileged individuals. Tanya hesitated for a second upon seeing so many unfamiliar faces in the front rows, as she had not invited them. However, if they had come there, they must have been important people.

"Two months ago, the Galaxy received terrible news. Emperor Palpatine and his most loyal servant Lord Vader died, along with millions of other men and women loyal to the Empire, during an operation intended to crush the rebellion that caused this civil war. On that fateful day, not only did great men die, but the Empire went into economic recession. From one day to the next, the economy fell by 57%. Trillions of people lost their jobs and many more have died because of this economic recession that has only gotten worse as time passed."

Everyone who saw Tanya, her sleek black military uniform and her white/black cape — the former on the inside and the latter on the outside — beheld the woman who had practically defeated the New Republic in the Galactic South, a success that earned her much of her popularity.

"Emperor Palpatine's dreams were destroyed that fateful day. The economy collapsed, security disappeared and stability became a distant dream. I would promise you that I would restore his dream, that I would bring the Empire back to the way it was in the past… I will do no such thing." There were some in the crowd who gasped, some who frowned and some who made cries of shock.

The Grand Moff continued regardless.

"Emperor Palpatine was a great man who saw the corruption and inefficiency of the Republic and fixed it by installing a stable Empire, but he was still human! And if man knows how to do anything, it is to make mistakes! His dream was great and I will carry on his legacy, but by learning from his mistakes! My promise is not to make things the way they were, but to make things better! My eyes are on the future, not the past!"

The galactic audience saw this woman express her feelings and beliefs with her words and body. But no number of 'song and dance' would prevent parts of the citizenry under this woman from feeling sceptical about how this speech would continue. Some imperials that could be described as 'extremists' began feeling suspicious, worried and felt a modicum of discomfort.

"That is why, with this in mind, since my assignment as Grand Moff I have been working alongside experts while planning reforms to keep my word to the Imperial citizenry! An official letter will be published with all the changes for all to read, however I felt the need to tell you all, here and today, about the main reforms and the spirit behind them!"

Ahsoka turned a wry eye towards Rex, who grunted at the implication.

"In the absence of the Emperor and any higher authority, the sovereignty of this government will therefore be made in the sovereignty of its people! To better take into account the opinion of our citizens, two political bodies will be created. They will have no legislative power. The first body will be the Supreme Council, intended to manage any planetary problems. The second body will be the Assembly of Political Representation, where space will be created for different ideologies, allowing me to hear your voice on the matter of laws, obtain ministers and listen to the issues that each political group faces! If this proves effective, there will be a time where in great stability, elections will be held to make this Assembly more efficient and representative of the people's will."

The Old Guard Imperials were shocked by the declaration, but the populace remained sceptical. They would look favourably upon the measures should they be implemented, but did not expect this to happen. Meanwhile, the Reformers (Max's guests on the front lines) inwardly celebrated.

"As popular sovereignty is the main element of my government, no citizen can be a slave under any argument, concept or situation! The outlawing of slavery will be one of the main elements of my administration, and contrary to the Old Republic, I intend to carry out this law to its ultimate consequences! No citizen of mine will be a slave!"

Large companies and slaveholders' associations were the next to be shocked by the unexpected turn of events. The slaveholders present in the stadium left without a second thought and while channels broadcasting the speech to the slave populations were cut off immediately after this proclamation, they did not stop those who had already heard it. Riots began to break out in the Super Sector where slaves revolted against their owners and the slaveholders responded brutally.

Tanya, oblivious to what her words were causing, stopped for a moment to take a sip of water to wet her throat, then set the glass on the table next to her. She wasn't reading a speech, she wasn't listening through an earpiece and repeating it. She had learned it by heart.

"For centuries, private companies have used the ability to bear weapons to abuse populations and act against the interests of the citizenry. This also applies to individuals who have become legends and monsters acting as bounty hunters. Therefore, bounty hunting will be banned, independent mercenary companies will be outlawed and all mercenary companies that wish to continue to exist in this territory must have a permanent contract with the Imperial Army, thus becoming auxiliaries of the Imperial Army. Finally, no private company will have the right to own weapons of any kind! The monopoly of arms by the State will allow for greater security and will greatly affect the ability of pirates to act against the citizenry as they no longer will be able to use these militarised companies to obtain their weapons!"

"With the intention of creating a strong state, capable of responding to the needs of the state itself and the armed struggle against the traitors and rebels of the New Republic, planetary control will be centralised and a tax of 30% of the income of each planet will be levied. The average citizen will be taxed an increasing percentage according to their income that could rise up to a maximum of 50% and there will be a tax for extra planetary companies of 20%."

"Following the logic that every Imperial citizen is free and has indisputable rights, all species, races and ethnicities will be allowed to enter any public job without distinction, and discrimination against any Imperial citizen will be outlawed. The only exception will be the Imperial Army."

"A compulsory service to the state will be created in which all men between the ages of 18 and 45 will have to choose between three options: military service, civilian service or a tax increase for life. All reforms mentioned here and many more have been written down and will be distributed in an official state gazette that will be distributed to all species, translated into all languages and accessible to anyone with disabilities so that they can understand the full scope of these reforms."

Tanya stopped to take another sip of water as everyone whispered and commented, giving their opinions, debating, wondering where this was all going. To the side, Rex was angrily speaking to Ahsoka in a hushed tone. They were mercenaries themselves, after all.

"This has been an informative speech, to inform the citizenry in general terms of my plans and intentions. If you have not understood something, you may refer to the information in the official state gazette which will become an institution that will update any change of law or regulation and will be free and open access. Let me now turn to history. Throughout the history of the Galaxy there have been turning points. Millennia were decided by the words of men and the actions of tyrants. Trillions of lives were created or destroyed with orders and actions. Now, we stand at a moment that will decide the future of the Galaxy. A moment that will change history forever, not only because there is currently a civil war, but because it is a time where the Empire can reform, throw off the protective mantle of Emperor Palpatine, First of his Name. This is where we survive adversity and improve the galaxy in all its aspects, and I intend to fulfil that destiny and will. Let not the lies of the New Republic corrupt your ears, for this has always been the Emperor's plan. How else did the Senate continue to exist until he discovered a great rebel conspiracy of the elites! Mon Mothma! Imperial Senator who allied herself with terrorists! Leia Organa! Imperial Senator who allied herself with terrorists and smugglers! Do you want more proof that the Senate conspired against the Empire? But if not for this conspiracy the Emperor would have maintained the representative bodies, and in time after securing the Empire, he would have reformed it as I now reform it!"

As the words came out of Tanya's mouth, she changed history, the fate of trillions of lives, the Imperial narrative, the narrative of the New Republic. Everything was changing.

"Me! Who defeated the Rebels on all fronts, who never lost a single battle against the enemies of the Empire! Here I pledge to you, with my heart and soul as my guarantee that I will reform the Empire! I will defeat the New Republic! I will improve the Galaxy! I will hunt down the Corrupt! I will conquer the Rebel! I will crucify the Traitor! I will restore the economy to a new galactic golden age! These are my promises to the government, to the people, and until I die I will always hold them high, no matter how destiny turns against the Empire!"

Applause began to ring throughout the room, Ahsoka among them. However, amidst the genuine impression of the galactic-wide applause, a cancer grew among the rich, the slavers, the mercenaries and bounty hunters, and most importantly, the Old Guard.

Tanya had allied herself with the poor, the underdog and the reformer against the rich, the slaver, the old guard and the New Republic. She knew nought, as she raised her hands in response to the thousands of applause, enjoying how she finally seemed to be in control of things, but also sad, deep in contemplation. Rethinking.

Was she doing the right thing? Was she saviour or tyrant?

Did she have any right to change the life of everyone?

"Long Live the Empire!" she shouted, to keep her will unbreakable even in moments where she honestly thought it would break.

"Long Live the Empire!" shouted most of the Galactic South back, following the Grand Moff.