The first purge

Draneir and Grobelnel looked at each other. They had heard how Tanya had threatened to kill her staff for trusting information that was false. They knew that the General Staff were Tanya's source of power. The ISB was charged with purging and the army and the navy was charged by enforcing Tanya's ideals violently where it would be opposed.

"Do you think telling the ISB is a good idea?" asked Max.

"If I call Resuci to tell him we think the bureau is corrupt he's gonna send me to hell. He definitely won't be in the mood after Tanya's dress down."

Max and Belisarius looked at each other and then looked at the opening door in front of them. Tanya appeared angry and frustrated, however her gaze relaxed when she saw Draneir.

"Oh, it 's you two. Please tell me you have good news. I'm not in the mood for bad news."

Before Draneir could improvise something, Max beat him to it. Walking over and causing Draneir to shut his mouth at Max's initiative.

"Tanya", Max said with a bow of respect "Me and Draneir think that you need to expand your inner circle, so you have more mindsets and experts available. With that we tried to imagine what kind of experts you would want, but we preferred to ask you directly. As it is better than guessing."

Tanya clasped both her hands together in a more feminine way than Draneir had seen in a long time, subsequently one of her hands went up to her chin.

"I think an expert in law? And maybe an expert in micro and macro economics. But maybe I could use some civil rights activists? I don't really know. But I like the idea of expanding the inner circle. Whose idea was it?"

"Mine, but it was made in a discussion that Draneir started, so I think it should be considered a joint idea."

Tanya nodded and put a hand on each of their shoulders. As if she was a father talking to his children. As if she hadn't just said that any slight incompetence would be punishable by the death penalty.

"Well, honestly it would take weight off my shoulders, so I'm more than open to it. I have to have hands, eyes, and ears everywhere and I can't take care of everything. It's not humanly possible. So Yes, thank you both. Thank you very much. I trust you will get the right people. I don't even care what type of experts you bring. Honestly, as long as they are somehow useful I am open to it. Please do it."

"It will be done."

Tanya nodded and began to walk slowly down the hallway, leaving Draneir and Max staring at each other.

"Son of a bitch, Max. Always messing up." Draneir dribbled after making sure Tanya was out of earshot.

"Son of a bitch? Why me motherfucker? You're the one who was too slow to make up an excuse so we wouldn't look like we were eavesdropping on the staff meeting."

"Yeah, so now where the fuck are you going to find the experts?"

"Well, I've fucked a few of them."

"I'm gonna kill you, I swear to Tanya."

"Look, okay okay. I'll take care of recruiting qualified people. You deal with the corruption case."

Draneir disagreed, they were going to expand the group that would be dedicated to helping Tanya. That was more important than any corruption case.

"No, I'm going to help you. Me and you are Tanya's personal advisors and we're going to do this together for Tanya's sake. Besides, in hindsight the excuse you made was a good idea. The corruption thing we'll give to Resuci when the dust settles."

Max looked skeptically at Draneir. 'Surely he doesn't trust me,' crossed his mind. But it's not like he could refuse either. And considering that they were going to be coworkers for the next few years, doing this job together could allow Draneir to get past his irrational hatred for him.

"Do you know anything about human resource management or are you the... less refined type?" asked Max.

"I got to be Commander of an SSD and you think I'm dumb?"

"Knowing Empire officers, promotion through the ranks within the Empire has little or no implication on intelligence."

Draneir brows furrowed.

"Are you calling Tanya an idiot?"

Max's face paled.

"Okay, I'll shut my mouth."

However, despite the momentary shock, it didn't escape Max's notice how Draneir attributed his merit to his promotion to Commander... Even though his current rank was Admiral.

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

Rano Resuci watched as the hologram disappeared in front of him. He was frustrated that he had failed so miserably. More so when Tanya used to trust him so much that she would take action based on his information. Now he was on thin ice.

The ISB in the supersector was basically a separate organization from the rest of the ISB. There was talk of a schism, between the ISB supporting Tanya Degurechaff and the ISB supporting the Council of Moffs.

He, Resuci, was the leader of those who supported Degurechaff. However, it was not so much because of ideals but because he considered that she had achieved something that the Council of Moffs had never achieved.

Unity.

People thought he was an idealist, but he was more of a pragmatist. A person who relied on pure logic and rationality. Tanya was the same person, but much more radical and without any social taboos holding her back. Rano always knew that.

Tanya Degurechaff is a tyrant who will carry out purges and genocides on her way to the final victory and the restoration of the Empire.

That's why he liked Tanya, that's why he supported her. Aside from the fact that she gave him his position.

Rano put his hand to his face to relieve his headache. His failure had almost cost him his neck and Degurechaff had made an exception for him because she valued his previous work. The Purge of Imperial Intelligence, the enforcement of the laws, the creation of the police, the creation of the Inquisition.

"Kill the Traitor, Kill the Corrupt."

Rano put aside his frustration with a quick sigh, he called the ISB subdivision that was going to be in charge of enforcing Tanya's harshest law, the Empire's new secret police.

The sound of the holographic call connecting barely lasted a few seconds before it was accepted. In front of Rano, a hologram of a man in an elegant red suit appeared, military styled and practically screaming respect and authority. The inquisition suit was designed so it would be recognizable no matter the distance that the wearer was the secret police. That if they were arresting someone, that someone was dead. That if you messed with them, you were dead. Most importantly, if they asked you for anything, they had absolute authority granted by the ISB.

Although they seemed powerful, it was still limited. They had no authority over the military and they could not go against a judge. Tanya's obsession with trying to create judicial independence and give power to the judges came as quite a surprise to her most important officers. She kept repeating the phrase "rule of law". A way of assuring citizens that they would not be attacked without first being properly judged by the law. The Inquisition could not persecute anyone without prior permission from a judge.

Which, in Resuci's personal opinion, was stupid and inefficient. So stupid and inefficient. But Tanya's obsession with the Empire of Law was so great that Rano couldn't help but wonder if this was Degurechaff's way of convincing herself that she wasn't a genocidaire, that she hadn't already killed hundreds of thousands in purges.

Imperial Intelligence was the first victim, but not the last.

The corpses that Degurechaff leaves behind will increase with time.

"ISB Director" Said the head of the Inquisition subdivision. With all the respect he could give him.

"Chief of the Inquisition, I know it's not yet time, but start the purge."

"Understood, Long Live the Empire and Tanya Degurechaff" Said the Chief of the Inquisition.

"Long live the Empire and Tanya Degurechaff."

Rano looked at how the hologram disappeared. Starting the purge beforehand to archive objectives and make Tanya trust in him again. It was a bad move in a normal situation. But he couldn't afford Tanya thinking he is incompetent.

He didn't wanted to be executed after all.

"Incompetence is Treason, and treason is punished with death"

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

In a random prison, within the province of Dacia, several inmates were eating. This prison was one where all those convicted of minor corruption offenses were sent by a judge. From bribes to small embezzlements. They were the least corrupt among the corrupt. Those who had only been criminals because they had the opportunity by chance. Not those who would seek such opportunities to betray and steal from the empire's people.

Their daily routine was very clear: shower, breakfast, 4 hours of work in the mine, lunch, 4 hours of work in the mine, 2 hours of rest, dinner, and sleep. The prison was well financed and lacked nothing. However, that day many of the prisoners noticed how a figure dressed in all scarlet red came to talk to the warden. He wore a strange badge that some could read.

It was an imperial shield with a motto emblazoned at the top and bottom. At the top was written "Death to the Traitor" and at the bottom "Death to the Corrupt". The prisoners' silent concerns were now screaming in warning. The red suits were impossible to miss. A scarlet red that made your skin crawl.

Still, despite this visit, the day continued as normal. All the prisoners went to sleep as usual.

However, they did not wake up the next day.

A gas incapable of being smelled and indistinguishable from the air filled all the bunks, mercifully killing all the prisoners in their sleep. They were prisoners who in most cases had not even stolen 20,000 credits.

But they were corrupt. And corruption is just another variation of treason.

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

An Inquisition officer looked at the men in front of him, all naked, all of them fat as fucking Hutts. The cigarette in his mouth did not help him to lower the hatred he felt for these men. But orders were orders.

"Listen to me you scum. You've been living very well in your fancy prisons. Haven't you? The best food in the galaxy! The best beds and best whores! I've seen a few of them when they vacated this prison. I wish I could fuck one of them myself. I'd give half my organs for that chance."

His laugh was hoarse, the armed men of the Imperial Army and the Inquisition laughed at the joke. However, the three thousand naked prisoners did not laugh. Rather they looked resentfully at the Inquisitor. They were the elite of the elite. Politicians, civil servants and military men who took advantage of their position of power to line their pockets and those of their friends. With that money and status they gained under Palpatine's Imperial system when they were discovered, instead of going to normal prisons like the rest of the people they went to luxury prisons. Places that if they were the norm for all prisons, everyone would commit crimes to get in them.

However, their political protection had been terminated by Tanya. The orders were clear.

Death to the Traitor, Death to the Corrupt.

"Enough about the whores. Some of you have the gall to look at me like this. Could it be? Could it be that you still think you have any rights? Traitors." He spits at their feet.

"Your very presence disgusts the Grand Moff Degurechaff, praised be her work."

"Praise her" said the members of the Inquisition present, fanatics loyal to Degurechaff's regime. They were all people who suffered abuses of power, people who received the worst of the consequences of corruption, people who would contribute nothing to society because of their hatred that would make them outcasts.

However, Rano Resuci recruited them, took them in and added them to the ISB. Little by little he gave them training, culture, education, until the day of their personal revenge.

"You will work 24 hours a day, you will eat once a day, to save money the heating hours will be cut, no more hot water, you will have no privileges, you will serve a life sentence until your death. Do you understand me?"

The naked prisoners began to protest. Unaware that more than 14 million criminals of minor corruption cases had been killed throughout the supersector as a measure of mercy, for the punishment to be implemented for major corruption cases was one of infinite cruelty.

One of the men, a fat fat man who had surely stolen millions of credits, marched up to the officer as if he still had any kind of authority left. The Inquisitor officer did not hesitate to draw his pistol and with a single shot killed the man, his corpse flopping to the ground.

The civilian judge next to the Inquisitor was surprised, this judge belonging to the Galactic Audience had signed the updated sentence of these men according to the new law of the Great Moff Degurechaff.

"Is so much violence necessary?" Asked the judge to the inquisitor.

"You judges," said the inquisitor slowly approaching the judge. "You used to have no independence, you simply followed what an officer ordered you to do. Now you are independent and have organized yourselves in a way that you are effective. However, although you are now independent, you are the result of Degurechaff's great work of creating an Empire of Law. You do not understand the consequences of what you sign. That is why I have brought you here, so that you may see how those whom the judges convicted of high corruption suffer."

"The law says that the punishment for high corruption is death... this is not death. It is torture."

"It is death through torture."

"Then what happens to those of low corruption?"

"They die mercifully"

The judge felt bad, and yet some guilty pleasure. He had walked into this prison that looked like a luxury hotel, seen what they ate every day and what they enjoyed every night. He too was from a lower class, he had fought hard for six decades to become a judge of high repute in the outer rim.

And honestly….did he truly feel bad about this slow death the truly corrupt would suffer?

"Are you sure that the death you give to those of low corruption is merciful?"

"Yes, it is," said the officer. "Degurechaff, praise be her, specifically said that the lesser culprits are to die in a merciful manner. The greater culprits are to be treated as lesser objects, used as such, and tortured. Corruption is only one form of betrayal. And Degurechaff, praise be, does not forgive treachery."

—------------------------------

An Imperial soldier was running through a trench, explosions were falling all the time, the screams of suffering were constant, the blaster fire from the Imperials was not to be underestimated either.

The soldier however, ignored all this and continued running through the trench system in the desert. He had the desert camouflage, not like he needed it because he was covered with sand. His tanned complexion indicated that he had already been fighting on Tatooine since the beginning of the invasion, before the Hutts launched a full scale invasion.

The soldier's footsteps stopped when he finally reached his destination, ahead of him was a sergeant standing inside a bunker, the water stores and water glasses in the bunker indicating that this was a water rationing site, a commodity so scarce that the death penalty for stealing water had been imposed by Marshal Lauri.

"ID?" asked the sergeant.

"You know me damn it, I'm Dani."

The man sighed wearily.

"Dani, you already drank your daily glass of water today, I can't give you another one."

"Please!" the man shouted "One glass of water a day in the desert is crazy! And besides, the Hutts' attack looks like it's going to collapse the front lines this time! Please! I don't want to die with a dry mouth!"

The sergeant looked at the man in front of him and sighed.

"If you get caught the one they'll execute will be you, not me" He said, apologetically. "Are you sure?"

"What difference does it make if they're going to execute me or not if I'm going to die with a mouth that looks like the dunes on this damned planet with two suns?"

The sergeant nodded and indicated with his head to the soldier to take a glass. The soldier did not hesitate and took it with such eagerness that it almost seemed as if it was an addictive drug that the sergeant was handing out and not water. It didn't take him two seconds to put the glass under the water dispenser. The sergeant pressed a handle and the water began to flow with considerable force, falling over the glass.

Dani watched with an anxiety that would get him called crazy as the glass of water filled and when it was half full he was disappointed when he saw the Sergeant turn up the handle, the glass filled with the remaining water to about three quarters of the contents it could hold.

"Please?"

The Sergeant's gaze told him a curt no and he resigned himself to sip slowly from the cold water, enjoying each gulp as if it were the greatest sweet, the most exquisite meat, the best dish in the world. Each sip revitalized him and returned his will to live.

"Thank you sergeant!" He shouted, setting down the glass and running back down the line of trenches that stretched for miles.

Dani's footsteps attracted no one's attention as the fighting continued to rage, the imperial aircraft bombarded the enemy advance, yet the advance continued.

When Dani reached his designated position he saw how the previous E-Web operator died of a gunshot wound to the head. With a cry of despair he did not hesitate to run to the E-Web and start operating it. He looked out to the dunes as hundreds or possibly thousands of Hutt slaves ran towards his potion. Slaves who were in rags for clothes, sandals, and a single rifle each. Pulling the trigger, the E-Web began firing without pause.

The formation of slaves running unorganized and firing randomly was quickly torn apart mercilessly by the E-Web, each shot splitting in half any slave it touched. However, Dani discovered two things in his combat against the Hutt army.

First, they had millions if not more slaves.

Second, their professional army was always behind the slaves.

The accumulated heat of the E-Web and the heat of Tatooine made Dani sweat so much that you could see rivulets of sweat forming on his face. However, at no time did he let go of the E-Web. The slaves kept coming, they were shooting at him. At some point he stopped feeling his hands, for him time did not pass, but hours passed in real life, hours by which the slaves assaulted their positions, on the radio of his military suit he heard orders, reports, situations, in one part of the front the slaves reached the trenches and were fighting almost hand to hand.

And then Dani saw it.

The second wave.

They swamped over the dunes in armor that resembled that of the Stoormtroopers. Dani finally stopped for a second to look at his hands, blackened by the heat, he had burn wounds and was covered with sweat. He saw how many blaster impacts surrounded him yet none had killed him.

"To all Empire troops listening, this is Field Marshal Lauri." He was heard over the radio. "The Empire is a dream come true, it is the only just and right way to rule the Galaxy. Fight for what is right! Avenge your Emperor! Kill for Degurechaff! Hold out at any cost! Reinforcements are on their way!"

Dani laughed, with sadness and disappointment. He didn't know if he would survive.

"FOR THE EMPEROR! FOR DEGURECHAFF!" he shouted with all his might, starting to fire the E-Web again, not caring if he lost his hands in this battle, not caring if he died. He had joined the Imperial army, he had killed for the Empire, he had sworn allegiance to the Emperor and now he swore allegiance to Degurechaff.

Stormtroopers walked along a destroyed trench line, it had fallen two hours ago but in a counter offensive they had retaken it, they looked at the corpses of the elite Hutt troops and slaves. They were sickened by the sight of their enemy, their hatred was rational if one could call it that.

With their weapons raised, they began to scan the trenches for survivors or enemies, their thermal suits kept them safe from the scorching heat but they knew the same did not apply for the foot soldiers who made up the majority of the troop.

"I think I heard something" Said one of the ST's, starting to walk over the pile of corpses that were there, a meter high in corpses filled most of the trenches. They entered a particular trench and saw in it an Imperial soldier with a shovel in his hand, one of the tools they had used to dig trenches when there were no excavation machines.

Around him were five corpses of the Hutt's elite troops.

"He killed them with the shovel?" Said one of the STs as he pointed at him in surprise. Another ran over to him to see if he was about to die or could be saved.

"Looks like it."

"Stop talking and help me get him out of here! He's still alive and it seems he only has a few hours!"

Another ST approached the wounded, and between the two of them they lifted the imperial soldier up. The third ST stepped aside to allow them to pull him out. They walked a hundred meters dragging him through the immense amount of corpses to the rendezvous point, where ST and Imperial soldiers were trying to restore the condition of the trench.

"A survivor!"

The two STs left the man leaning against a trench wall as a medic rushed over to check his condition. Tense minutes passed as the medic examined him.

"He will live, but he will lose both hands" He said, the three Stormtroopers nodded and left to continue the search. Dani, who was still conscious, tried to say something but could not. His mouth was as dry as a raisin. The medic took out a canteen and gave Dani a drink.

Dani coughed after drinking and licked his lips, to recover any drop he could.

"I'm alive?" He asked, almost surprised that he hadn't died.

"Yes, you are, but unfortunately you will lose both hands, they are practically charred. What did you do?" asked the doctor.

"I fought to avenge the Emperor and I fought for Degurechaff."

The doctor gave a small chuckle, not from laughing at Dani but from knowing that in front of him he had a true galactic citizen who believed in the Empire and not a wretch who joined just to make money.

"I'll make sure when we get out of here you get the best mechanical hands available in the Empire!" Said the medic.

"Will I have to pay for any of it?" said the soldier, as a kind of joke.

"The Empire never abandons its soldiers. What kind of question is that? Come on, give me your arm and I'll lift you up. I'll take you to the medical tent."

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

I looked at the situation in front of me. As part of my past lifes I wanted to give the impression of transparency in all possible areas. So despite Max, Draneir, and my staff's opposition, I continued with this plan. Every week there would be a "government transparency session" (or GTS) for journalists.

Journalists and newspapers would have to put their intention to participate in writing to the Imperial Press Bureau, which would draw lots for twenty participants each week. Those who were selected would have the right to ask me a question and another question to the General Staff.

The cameras kept pointing at me, they were like a living being anxious to see me as long as possible. I could not help seeing how many journalists raised their cameras, both holonet streaming and flashing similar to my past life.

"Let the questions begin, you all have instructions on how to act. If you don't act according to the pre-established etiquette you will be removed."

The etiquette limited how the questions should be asked. Basic rules of behavior to prevent the GTS from turning into a circus.

"Let Number 1 begin" I said.

"Is it true that the Empire is at war with the Hutt?"

"No, the current conflict with the Hutt has happened after the Hutt's tried to convince me to submit to them voluntarily and with that submission give them a monopoly on my territory. I refused and they reacted by sending us pirates and terrorists, supporting the New Republic, and starting a battle on Tatooine. Yet despite all this we are not in a state of war with the Hutt. Number 2?"

The reporters were murmuring and some were jotting things down in their notebooks. I could only hope that trusting the free press was not a mistake.

"Is it true that we are losing the battle of Tatooine?"

"I cannot answer this question without compromising the strategy that the General Staff and I are pursuing. I will allow you to ask a different question."

The man seemed to get a little angry, however he quickly accepted that there was not much he could do to change the situation.

"Why did you make this apparatus of journalism and transparency?"

"Because I believe in freedom of the press and the free flow of information. My ideals in freedom of information, press and opinion are as solid as the planet we are on."

The man began to write something on his tablet.

"Number 3?"

An alien journalist. There were few of them however I was partially glad that there were not only humans here. I stopped the segregation laws for a reason.

"Are you a reformer? Considering your political movements could it be said that you are associated with the Imperial Reform Committee?"

"I am not associated with any party, committee or association. Politically I consider myself closer to reformism than to the official line of the Regent's Council and the Council of Moffs. Number 4?"

"Do you have any fears that the New Republic will attempt a large-scale operation against the South Galactic Supersector? What are the plans for such an event?"

"Those questions are reserved for the General Staff. However, I will answer them myself. As of now I do not believe the New Republic could mount a counter offensive in the Super Sector. All pockets of the resistance have been destroyed in our sector and it would be, in my opinion, in their best interests to assist their pockets in other super sectors. On the other hand, there are contingency plans in case the New Republic shows no strategic awareness. But I cannot recount them because it would compromise the strategy. Number 5?"

"How will ending slavery help the economy?"

I was surprised by that question. I looked with surprised eyes at the man in front of me. Surely he supported slavery as an economic method and that was why he was asking me this question. I felt angry. But was it my place to judge people's lack of morals? I killed over 17 million corrupt public officials and put 10 million in a situation worse than a Gulag. It's not as if I had any right to call anyone immoral.

"A slave does not participate in the economy, he only builds or serves his masters. With their liberalization, resettlement, and reintegration into society they will become individuals who consume for themselves, work in paid jobs, and pay taxes. It is certainly a good decision for the economy in the long run. Also if you want to use slaves for hard manual labor it is better to use droids. Although I personally recommend all companies and employers to use organic intelligent beings. Currently if you use robotic workers in positions where you could use a living intelligent being you must pay 10% extra taxes. Number 6?"

The murmurs returned and some adjusted their cameras.

"Grand Moff Degurechaff. What is your relationship with Lord Vader? Are the rumors about your relationship true?"

I raised my eyebrows and looked around, for some reason Max and Draneir who were waiting behind a wall without anyone seeing them had a surprised look on their faces as well. Of anger? I didn't understand.

"I don't know what rumors you're talking about. But the relationship between Lord Vader and me is that of father and daughter. It is my pride that in spite of that I was promoted in the naval academy of the Empire by my own merits and not because of any nepotism. If there was one thing my father hated it was incompetence... I not only share his hatred but I say that incompetence equals treason."

I remembered for a moment my adoptive father, and then his story, my life with him.

Despite everything, he always tried to be a good father. I ran my finger over my eye because it got a little moist and sighed.

"Sadly, my father died defending Emperor Palpatine against Luke Skywalker. Does that answer your question?"

The silence was stony and I didn't know why.

"Is everything alright? You all are so quiet."

None of them said anything, I turned my head and looked at Draneir who also seemed to be silent, brooding and then I saw Max say something with his mouth.

-Keep going, don't stop.

I nodded and turned back to the reporters.

"Number 7?"

The woman stood up, she was human and had blue hair, I couldn't say anything more significant. She was relatively pretty.

"Does your government have any plans to expand the Holonet in the Outer Rim? At present, over a hundred thousand planets have no access to the Holonet and are isolated from the rest of the galaxy, plus communications are nearly impossible."

That was a good question, however I still had to create a ministry of economics and plan a five year plan for the development of the Outer Rim.

"Unfortunately right now I cannot concentrate development efforts on the expansion of the holonet. It is my priority to recover the food self-sufficiency of the Super Sector and reorganize the industries that were nationalized to avoid further decline of the GDP. I intend to keep the civilian economy as healthy as possible so that the population will feel less burdened during this crisis. However, if you want something more specific. It is in my government's plans to focus development entirely on the Super Sector. Two weeks ago I approved an order ordering the cessation of sending resources to the Core. All Super Sector resources will remain in the Super Sector and will be used for the development of the Outer Rim and the Mid Rim in the near future. Number 8?"

A blonde woman read several things on her tablet, started crossing things out until she finally felt satisfied.

"Excuse me, some questions I wanted to ask have already been asked by the audience."

"You are excused, please ask me anything and if I can answer it without compromising the military strategy I will answer it."

The woman coughed a little.

"Where do you see the future of the Empire after the death of the Emperor and your father Lord Vader? How do you think the succession crisis will be resolved? Do you think that someone other than the Emperor and his direct descendants should take over as Emperor?"

It was an interesting question. One I had never expressed publicly. I ran my tongue across my lower lip and licked my lips thinking about how to answer that question.

"That's a tough question" I said, with an awkward laugh. A few reporters laughed along with the one who asked me the question.

"I think it was Emperor Palpatine's mistake not to make clear a law of succession. It is my personal opinion that he did not believe he was going to die soon despite his advanced age. That is why we have this problem. The Council of Regency is attempting to take the role of the Emperor without authority and the Council of Moffs tries to take the role of the Emperor without legitimacy. I believe this issue will not be solved until the New Republic is defeated. If you want to know how I would choose the heir, then it would simply be to take the elite of the Empire, the best and most experienced and put it to a galactic-wide popular vote. If legitimacy cannot exist because there is no legitimate way to inherit the Empire then we must create it and in my opinion legitimacy is given by the citizenry. Number 9?"

"What is your future plan for the Super Sector? Where do you want to focus your efforts?"

"My main policy for this year is to increase citizen security, establish the rule of law and try to lay the foundations for the post-crisis economic recovery. For where I want to focus my efforts I don't have a specific answer. As a galactic wide government I can't just focus on one thing I have to focus on everything at the same time. Number 10?"

"How have you enforced the abolition of slavery?"

I chuckled a little at that question. I whistled and two Stormtroopers appeared on either side of me, they were the public guard at this event even though my Deathtroopers remained hidden and vigilant.

"The Imperial Army and the Stormtrooper Corps have been great allies in the fight against slavery. The power of a rifle and a soldier who knows he is doing good is more powerful than any conspirator who wants to make intelligent species slaves, devoid of will nor citizenship. And if you are in wonder why I do not take a more conciliatory position it is because there is neither the money to pay the market price of each slave nor the will on the part of me and my government to reward those who traffic in intelligent species. Number 11?"

"Do you have any plans for the management of force users? Under Emperor Palpatine's government they were banned and hunted down."

"I don't understand why you ask this question when in the publication of the laws it was made clear that it has been decriminalized to be a force user and membership in orders of a religious nature around the force. Of course they will have to officially register and participate in designated areas so they can be monitored but I think for them it is preferable to the genocide they have been subjected to during the Emperor's rule. Number 12?"

A Nemoidian stood up, he had glasses and had a large handwritten list sticking out of his pockets. He looked the disorganized type and had his own body just as unkempt.

"Excuse me Miss Degurechaff, but as a professor at the Neimoidian School of Economics, I am intrigued about your economic proposals and unfortunately I doubt that one question can express all my doubts and those of the followers of the Neimoidian School of Economics. Could you give me the privilege of formulating more than one question just to satisfy the doubts of those of us who actually understand economics?"

An economics expert. If I remembered anything about the Neimoidian school of economics, it was that they proposed that the state should have no contact with the economy other than taxing to finance itself. They were almost anarcho-liberal but relaxed their positions after the collapse of the separatist front to try to coexist with the Empire.

Was it a good idea to give the privilege of asking more than one question? However, it was true that one could not discuss many economic issues with just one question. I turned to Max and signaled him if there was enough time and he nodded.

"Well, I grant you the right to ask several questions, I reserve the right to revoke that privilege when I feel I have explained enough."

The man nodded and began to pull out a slip of paper, which he read quickly and then put away.

"Well, let's see, why did you find it necessary to nationalize all the companies that operated on more than two planets except for the military companies?"

"Because with the economic crisis many went bankrupt and stopped operating, further crippling the economy. As for the military companies, due to contracts with the state, they were not even remotely close to bankruptcy. In fact, their stock market shares are the only ones that have held up and have even grown".

"So why haven't the civil companies been allowed to go bankrupt? The free market will be self correct and where others go bankrupt the more efficient companies will grow and absorb the inefficient ones. Instead you have monopolized them all and gathered them under Bureaus with the intention of reorganizing them and turning them into state monopolies."

I frowned. I felt attacked. I understood very well how the free market worked. Couldn't he see it? That 70% of the civilian companies went bankrupt and if I let the free market to work private monopolies would happen in a matter of some months.

"According to free market theory, perfect competition is where none of the agents intervening in the market has the ability to influence the price of the product or service and is therefore price-acceptable. Unfortunately this will never happen in any market more complex than the agricultural market or the market for cheap and easy to produce products. In more complex services, which are the majority of those I have intervened in, if the free market had been allowed to act, monopolies or oligopolies would have been created. And with the realization that such monopolies could exist, I decided that massive nationalization was preferable. In the case of a monopoly it is preferable that the monopoly be in the state and used for the reconstruction of the state and its citizens. For the other option is to leave it in private hands and the monopoly leaders' intention to accumulate capital will make it counterproductive for the state and the citizens."

"But how can you expect that to work if you put under state control all those industries? Clearly state controlled companies are less efficient than private controlled companies. We have for example the public sanitary system heritage from the times of the Republic. It takes 7 months to make an operation"

"And it takes one million credits to pay any bill from private hospitals. What 's your point? The companies that the state has nationalized keep all the workers in it. From the Head of the Company to the worst paid worker. The only difference is that all their profit is given to the state, the state pays them their salaries and needs as a company and a Bureau is in charge of uniting all the companies in the most effective way for a later reorganization and privatization of the not essential industries. I don't think it is so hard to comprehend that I prefer to nationalize the industries that would make 70% of private businesses disappear and be absorbed into monopolies."

"The companies that have not gone bankrupt are the most efficient and the best managed. I do not see why these companies should be prevented from growing by consuming the less efficient companies, while it is true that a monopoly situation could be generated, it could disappear quickly if a market condition where the state does not intervene is maintained. For new companies would grow and compete with the company that has emerged victorious from this crisis and if they finally prove to be more efficient they would consume the market share of the big company and the market would self-regulate itself. However, you interrupt this process with your interventionism, which is exaggerated even by the standards of the Empire".

"It is unrealistic to think that a small company can compete with a company that has monopolized the market. For example, if my goal as an entrepreneur was to make as much profit as possible while controlling 70% of say the production of individual spacecraft my first goal would clearly be to get the remaining 30% of the market share or destroy my competition. I would start by telling them that I will buy their company and give them so much money that they will have no monetary problems for more than twenty generations. And if they insist on competing with me by refusing to be bought I will reduce the price of my ships to even below the cost of production by keeping me at a loss just to destroy my target economically and once they go bankrupt I will buy their company. The moment a company gets a big enough market share it will start using the tactics I mentioned to get a monopoly and it is stupid to think it wouldn't be like that. Because in a world where the majority of individuals seek the accumulation of capital, moral and social rules only make sense with an authority or state that is present, forcing the rule of law and protecting the rule of society. And here, in the South Galactic Super Sector, I am the state and the authority. It is then my objective to assure that the market is in the best condition possible for the sake of the Imperial Citizens. I am done with this particular discussion. Number 13?"

Everyone present in this room looked impressed and speechless. Some of them looked at me with something in their eyes while others looked at me in something that I thought was disgust. But I didn't understand? It was just common sense.

-You dumb communist! How are you?!- Shouter salaryman to me but I ignored him, It was not worth discussing with myself in the middle of the transparency session.

"Grand Moff Tanya, do you have any particular opinion of our defunct and esteemed Emperor Palpatine, the first of his name?"

Honestly, I disliked him, but I couldn't say that out loud.

"I thought this was a session of transparency of my government. But now that you have made that question I can answer you that I think that Emperor Palpatine was a great man with a great vision and that he was surrounded with the worst advisors possible. Tarkin and his consequences have been a disaster for the Empire"

Most of the journalists started to talk out loud after I finished my sentence. Constantly asking questions without stop

"Order!" I shouted, slamming the table several times with my blaster pistol until everyone stopped screaming. "You are journalist! Not animals! And if you can't behave yourself as intelligent beings I am going to personally retire your license of journalism. Understood?!"

Everyone agreed silently.

"Number 13, you asked the question before everyone started shouting. I will give you a second question before giving the turn to number 14."

The male human was surprised but slowly accepted the right I gave to him. But instead of just asking any nonsense he started to actually think about what he was going to say which surprised me after the demonstration the previous journalist gave me.

"Do you condemn the two Death Stars?"

"Yes, without any possible doubt. They were monstrosities that were not military useful nor economically viable. Thus why after its destruction each time the galactic economy collapsed. I condemn its creation and the ones that adopted the Tarkin doctrine and kept enforcing it even after being proved several times that not only is inefficient but also a direct attack of the interest of the Galactic Citizens loyal to the Empire. My father, Lord Vader, and Grand Admiral Thrawn tried to convince the Emperor several times of how inefficient the Death Star project was and how Tarkin was nothing more than a clown. But Tarkin and the admirals loyal to him kept the Emperor from hearing their council. Number 14"

"What is your vision for the artists and arts in the empire? Are they in service to the empire, the emperor, the people, or themselves ?"

Of all the questions I expected to receive on this day I didn't expect that type of question.

"Might I ask from what news company are you?"

I took a closer look at her, she was a woman and had extravagant clothes, similar to how Max clothed before I forced him by contract to dress like a normal person.

"I am from the Arts of the Outer Rim news."

I didn't have any particular statement to say about her question. Yet it surprised me that so many used this GTS to ask questions to me directly and not about my governing or government.

"I think that they are free to decide who they want to give their services to. While it is true that the Bureau of Propaganda contracting artists are all voluntary so… I am honestly surprised by that question. I don't really have any thoughts about the matter. But I think art is a way to express the will of the artist. Whether one's talents end up being used in service of the Empire, the people or a private company is only for the artist to decide."

The girl nodded happily. Seemingly happy with my answer.

"Number 15?"

"Madam, you announced the liberation of slaves, but how do you plan to manage such a massive population of people, largely unskilled? Don't you fear that they will find themselves working for their former masters for a pittance in almost identical conditions?"

So many people don't pay attention to the public announcements I make, nor the publicized plans that I pay money for so everyone has access. Do they even read what I publish?

"There are many socially and economically developed planets that have chosen to participate in a plan of resettlement so the ex-slaves can study and readapt to society. There are actually several houses and new cities getting constructed as part of a plan of development in coordination with Naboo. In case you are worried, if they don't accept the settlement -although statistics say that 89% of the ex-slave population have accepted- then they will be given the option to take at least the reintroduction classes so they can at least have skills when released in society. Number 16?"

"With the sweeping changes you have already announced and enacted on the super sector

. What should the population expect from now? Economically speaking."

"It is in my intention to reorganize the bureaus into ministries. In the future Ministry of Economy I will order a creation of a plan of state reorganization that will probably last 5 years where the resources of all the planets in the supersector together with its population will be used to the development of industries, advanced economies, and restructuring of the trade in the super sector. It is in my plan to make the Super Sector no longer a colony of the core but a developed economy all together. Number 17"

"Miss Tanya, how do you plan to handle the economical fallout of suddenly ending such important trade giants as slavery and bounty hunting, as well as cutting our connections with the Hutt's?"

"The economy is in a state where, according to the analyst of the Imperial Taxation Bureau, with the liberation of the slaves and their reintroduction in the society and together with them starting to work has created an opportunity of economic development in the planets that have been prepared for their resettlement. There is no official report of any kind that somehow says that the banning of slavery has heavily affected the economy in the Super Sector in our actual state. This is probably because in our actual condition the economy was in such a bad position that eliminating slavery probably has been a revitalizing act for our economy. About bounty hunters, they did not pay taxes so their banning did not change anything and considering all the Hutts added to our economy was Spices, Slaves and illegal products in contraband I think I made the right choice in cutting connections with the Hutt's. Number 18"

"How can it be revitalizing to add millions if not more workers into the pool when unemployment has been rising since the death of the Emperor?"

"Because the planets that have been chosen to do this project did not have unemployment problems. They actually had the contrary. Their highly advanced societies did not have enough population to be self-sufficient in many things and the planetary governments have been trying to increase the population since they realized this problem. This project has been a special thing for me both for moral reasons and political reasons and I planned day and night so this could go as smoothly as possible. But there are of course some flaws, such as crime increasing in those planets and extra intervention from the state may be required. There will be more problems as this project evolves but so far the problems haven't been so outrageous as to argue in favor of slavery. Number 19"

"What would happen if we lose Tatooine?"

I looked at the journalist. He looked like a person that actually was interested in the consequences of the battle. A person that didn't bitch around if slavery was good and had to be keeped.

I smiled.

"We would be forced to accept the Hutts demands, thus making mere criminals more powerful than the state. But do not worry. I promise you all that we will not lose the battle of Tatooine. No matter the cost. Number 20"

"Lady Degurechaff. The Empire has been claiming for years that the rebels are nothing but terrorists without organization. But since the death of the Emperor Palpatine they have organized themselves into a government and have carried military victories in most parts of the galaxy except in the Galactic South. While your victories are incredible and have brought back hope to the Empire I feel worried for the actual situation and how it will develop. May you Lady Degurechaff give a frank opinion of how the situation will develop from now on?"

"That depends on the acts of the Moff Council and the Regent Council. You understand I can not presume to predict their actions. But in an ideal world, both councils would cooperate in an efficient way to create a cordon sanitaire around the territories of the New Republic and from there slowly defeat them. But such a level of organization needs cooperation from all aspects of the Empire. Which I don't believe possible for the amount of incompetence that is present in both councils. So my guess is that the New Republic will win victories and probably, I don't know? Expand their territory 2 times more? They definitely are going to be a problem now and I expect that the Galactic civil war will last at least a decade. Although that is not my problem as I am only Grand Moff of the Supersector and have already defeated the New Republic in my territory."

I chuckled a little bit.

"Although… I wouldn't deny an invitation from the central government to go to Coruscant and organize the navy and army for the final destruction of the New Republic. But that doesn't seem possible because as I commented before they are too incompetent to realize they have no idea how to deal with the New Republic"

Everyone looked surprised again. I guess giving my honest opinion is a bad thing? I don't know what they expected from me. I created this GTP because I wanted to be transparent and they are all acting as if everything I said was a polemic.

"Might I ask a second question?"

I thought about it, I have already finished the session but one more question isn't gonna kill me.

"Of course, go on."

"Do you really believe that you could win over the New Republic in contrast to the Moff Council and the Regent Council?"

"I will answer your question with more questions my dear journalist. Which is the only territory without a New Republic presence? Who is the commander of the armed forces that has defeated the biggest New Republic fleet in combat so far? Who is the person that has conquered almost half of the founding planets of the New Republic? The answers are, this super sector, I was the commander of the armed forces, and I have conquered with my fleet and army almost half of the founding planets of the New Republic. I don't want you to take my word for it. I want you to see the acts and compare them with others, I want you all to decide who is better in defeating the New Republic. Me? The only Imperial high military rank that has achieved victory constantly. Or the other Moffs? Who has abandoned several territories to the New Republic and have fled like chickens? The moment the Moff Council actually attacks Mon Cala I will applaud them and hope for victory. But I've seen their actions and have judged them. And so far they have only shown incompetence. So I am more than sure that no matter if they hear me and attack with a massive fleet on Mon Cala. They will lose because of their incompetence. Matter of fact… if they were at least a little bit intelligent they would dissolve themselves as an organization and give me all their power. Not because I lust for power but because I have been proven to be more competent and efficient in my methods!"

People still looked surprised and some were trying to gain more questions but that was not going to happen. I stood up from the chair.

"This has been a good session of transparency. This will happen again next week and I hope that there will be no incidents in the next week. Goodbye."

I left the room and I saw how the General Staff entered the room, they looked like they didn't want to be there but I guess this is the cost of my will to make transparency a thing in my government.

I thought for a moment of how things were before, when I wasn't even Grand Moff.

I haven't spent much time lately with Draneir, always working…

"Are you dumb or special?" Max shouted to me when I was outside the vision of the journalist.

I raised my eyes and looked at Max angry at me. But he immediately got slammed in the back of his head by Draneir.

"It's okay Draneir, I pay him to tell me his thoughts based on his knowledge. Tell me Grobelnel, why do you think I am dumb?"

"Because you just went to a fucking room of 20 journalist and said your honest thoughts to the galaxy! Now everyone knows you hate the central government and despise the Moff Council! How can you even think this is a good idea! Also why didn't you tell me that you were Lord Vader's Daughter?!"

"Well Grobelnel, if I made a transparency session every week it is because I meant to be. Also, it was my idea to show publicly that I'm not in a good position with the central government"

Max was hyperventilating and fuming. I looked at Draneir and who gave a chuckle looking at how ticked off Max was. Oh?Are they friends? Well I always make them travel together for security, I guess it was inevitable.

"Anyway, I am done dealing with your… Your!"

He sighed before finishing the line and I raised my eyebrow.

"It doesn't matter, I guess…. Can we have a private conversation somewhere? There is someone I want to introduce you to. Well more like an organization itself. I think it could be beneficial to you"

I looked at Draneir.

"He has talked to me about them. I think they can cooperate with us."

I looked back at Max.

"Alright then, let's move to somewhere with more privacy. My curiosity is killing me. Tell me, what is this organization?"

Draneir and Max started walking and I followed them.

"Well, it's hard to explain it without compromising them. But you could say that they are people that want to reform the Empire."

------------

Anakin looked at everything at once, the gears were moving, the fate of the galaxy had already been decided weeks ago and the force was not happy.

But Anakin smiled.