Jump 460: Star Wars: X-Wing

Jump 460: Star Wars: X-Wing
>The Hierophant: Receiving instructions, learning, guidance or inspiration. The ability to hear a higher or inner voice.
Okay, wait, wait. Before we go any further: The Real Fake, from Majikoi, is not a perk that I often make use of. But today... today I am using it.
Spoilers: This jump is best enjoyed while listening to https://youtu.be/jlxmKsTvcLg
>Location: Imperial Flagship: Iron Fist
>Species: Human
>Identity: Drop-In
Well, independent I suppose, but still.
>Drawbacks: (+600) Invongision
May as well stick it out through the main event.
>Piloting (1350)
Wait, the second tier of piloting costs 500 points above and beyond the first tier? Yeah, I think I'm good.
>Navigator (1250, Independent)
Well, I need to know where to go.
>Contacts (1125, Independent)
And if I need to call in a troubleshooter, let's say a bounty hunter, I'll have a few numbers.
>Engineer (975, Independent)
Doesn't hurt to be able to build and fix my own equipment, either.
>Interrogation (575)
Sometimes, you just need answers. It's good to be intimidating enough to get them.
>Armored Clothing (550)
It's good to be able to get armored clothing made to certain specs.
>Ugly Starfighter (0)
The rest of my points go here, because it's been a bit since I've picked up a new ship. And I've outfitted this fighter quite well, I assure you. Hyperdrive? Screw it, let's throw the best one we can get in there. Engines? A pair of ion engines are good. Weapons? A pair of heavy laser cannons and a pair of concussion missile launchers. Defenses? Ablative armor and an advanced shield sounds good. What else can I cram in here? Well, we know a normal TIE has room for a gunner's seat, so let's add one of those, add an astromech plug, a hidden cargo compartment and a holonet array for good measure, and we're good. Oh, and let's make it look suspiciously like a customized older model TIE fighter.

>"Sir, we've just had a ship dock. A fighter."
>"What? We're in deep space, how did anyone even FIND- never mind that. Send in the stormtroopers, and take prisoners. I want answers!"
>"I... ah... the pilot, it's... admiral, you need to see this. The stormtroopers are escorting him to the bridge now-"
>"Oh? Very efficient, well done."
"A pity I cannot say the same about the state of your command, Admiral," I spoke as I strode onto the bridge, ahead of the stormtrooper contingent. I allowed a grim smile to grace my lips, not that the admiral would have noticed. The abrupt paleness of his face was quite satisfying. "But many things seem to have fallen by the wayside since the destruction of the Death Star. I have every expectation, however, that your crew will aid me in rectifying this."
>"I..."
"My injuries required care, but I shall now resume my duties. Duties such as that which you have been neglecting. I'm told that you fancy yourself a warlord, admiral. But you are half right. There is indeed a war to wage."
>"My lord, I apologize most sincerely, I had no idea--!"
"Captain Vellar. You will set immediate course for Imperial Center at best speed. I have a fractured empire to piece back together."
>"At once, my lord. We should arrive within three days."
"Commander Stone, prepare your men. I do not expect any idiocy, but one can never be certain when it comes to imperial intelligence."
>"Yes, my lord. ...ah, my lord? What of... him?"
"Indeed... yes. Apology accepted, admiral Zsinj."

>"I have to go, Leia."
>"Luke, you're out of your mind. He's dead. We burnt his body on the pyre."
>"I know. I saw him die. Someone's impersonating him, and we need to know why. No one's talking - in the last six months he's changed all of the imperial tactics. They're turtling, instead of falling apart, and aside from one spy we've got nothing. That contact can get me in. Everyone knows Vader was hunting me, it won't look suspicious if I'm brought to him."
>"There's no talking you out of this, is there?"
>"Sorry. I'll be careful."
>"You'd better be."

>"Lord Vader."
"Welcome, young Skywalker. I have been expecting you."
>"Or should I say Emperor?"
"If you must give a title, use imperial regent. Guards, leave us."
>"You're very confident for an impostor."
"Is that so? Perhaps. Or perhaps I am truly who I appear to be."
>"You are not who you appear to be. Anyone could be under that mask."
"So quick to pull your lightsaber, young one... yet surprised when I respond in kind. I can sense your hesitation. Come."
>"You fight the same as him- this is impossible!"
"You have trained quite well, young Jedi. As well you should. I can feel your anger. Where is the calm you displayed on the Death Star?"
>"How do you know?!"
"I suppose I owe you this much. Let us talk in peace."
>"I..."
"If you will, allow me to remove my mask?"
>"This... is impossible."
"And yet thus it is. This face... as it was before Mustafar. Before Vader."
>"But... you aren't my father. I can sense it."
"I am Anakin Skywalker in all ways but one: I am not Anakin Skywalker. But no one else need know of this, save one person."
>"You... you're not Sith. You aren't dark at all, are you?"
"There are always two. I am neither student nor master, and neither shall rise again so long as I draw breath."

Luke Skywalker returned to the rebel alliance after that, quite conflicted, with the acting head of the Empire having given him a truly staggering amount of information and offering an armistice. He spoke with the shade of his father afterward, who explained everything. And I do mean everything - it seems a mean-spirited prank on a galactic scale, to pretend Darth Vader still lives, but it is a necessary evil. And funny, in a twisted way: using the face of the Empire's chief enforcer in order to save it from itself. The Empire is deeply flawed, but the Imperial Remnant would be worse, leading to far more terrible things. Many sweeping reforms were enacted, slavery outlawed as it ought to have been, the whole of the training regime for imperial service revised under Grand Admiral Thrawn's eye - before the program was promptly handed to someone else, because as genius as he may have been, he was a horrible teacher and had an ego the size of the Death Star.

When the Imperial Senate was reinstated, some members were understandably cautious in coming back. Many senators who were known to have been corrupt were not invited back, and some came back and openly spoke of revolution, but the man who wore Vader's mask spoke of peaceful change. In fact, over the last year, he'd shown it, hadn't he? Slavery outlawed. Open revolt within the ranks quashed, and despite the desires of some, no open attacks on the rebels unless they struck first. That isn't to say that spies had been tolerated, but they'd been sent back alive and relatively unmolested, which was a shocking change of policy. Stormtroopers' armor was being upgraded and their training emphasizing lighter, non-lethal approaches when on peacekeeping missions, with blasters redesigned to fire stun bolts, and for very little expense in retrofitting. And yet, the imperial military engine kept chugging along, to many senators' objections. One of the most vocal was Leia Organa, supreme chancellor - though she at least had the good grace to understand the political realities of why the Empire wasn't simply dissolved. Unfortunately, separation of powers ensured that senators dealt with civilian applications, not military.

The Jedi... well. Vader had announced a very sanitized version what had happened, with the emperor being a force user himself, a member of a rival sect, not trusting them and orchestrating a purge. Outright acknowledged that many of the former emperor's decisions were questionable at best. It was a very unfortunate conflict over doctrine that was caused in part by the republic's corruption, he explained - then gave Luke Skywalker the go-ahead to restart the Jedi, and many pointers in how to train them. Some, who didn't fit the Jedi's view, were instead given over to be trained by him personally - the first generation of Imperial Knights. As far as dark side users, well, Vader made absolutely no secret of how relying on untempered emotions would damage the mind of force users. Palpatine was a great example, after all, and that was before the senility set in.

Several years in, there were several expeditions that were mounted as the galaxy was knit together under an unsteady peace. The fleet was kept busy, pirates were cracked down on, Byss was used for target practice and given the base delta zero treatment, a partnership was established with Skywalker's nascent Jedi order to hunt down and secure dangerous dark artifacts, imperial knights went along to make sure nothing foolish happened, Kyp Durron was turned into an imperial knight after washing out as a Jedi, and so on and so forth. One of the scouting expeditions reported back about the Yuuzhan Vong, kickstarting their invasion a little early.

After a year or two of conflict and invasions that tied up whole sector fleets, some in the Senate reported that they had been appoached by emissaries of the Vong who said they would be happy to settle things peacefully as long as the Jedi were given to them, and they'd retreat to certain boundaries. Some supported this, some of them particularly loudly. After all of this, it was pointed out with some amusement by Supreme Chanellor Organa that such military decisions were outside of their purview. Certain senators were noted as those who would surrender the largest threat against the enemy to them in hopes that they'd appease them - most of them did not return to the senate when their terms were up.

The public became aware that Vader abdicated his position as imperial regent near that time - the empire was rearranged into a republic once again, though the whole of its justice system was overhauled. A proper judicial branch, separate from the legislation. A triumvirate was written into the new republic's charter; the heads of the republic nominally representing the military, the senate, and the judiciary.

In truth, it was not an easy war, but the fleet and troops were bolstered by imperial knights and Jedi. The Vong were eventually pushed back, and the Jedi recalled once an official end to the conflict was named. After all, the Jedi were peacekeepers, negotiators. The fleet and imperial knights, however, showed all of the mercy that they were ever offered, for they were warriors.

More blood on my hands in the form of a genocide, I suppose, but some people just need killing and the Vong are no exception. It likely doesn't hurt that there were rumors of Anakin Skywalker leading imperial knights, just like Luke Skywalker was leading Jedi against them when needed. On the other hand, announcing his presence by saying "I'm Anakin Skywalker, and welcome to Jackass!" across all frequencies before something insane like a colony drop or ramming a worldship with the Eclipse... well.

I feel like I should have written more details about THAT part, but honestly the empire did nothing wrong. Just the emperor. And he's staying very dead.