The Battle of Endor was meant to be the final blow to the 'insignificant' rebellion. The Death Star suddenly became the largest and most tempting pawn in the galactic war, being a part in Palpatine's intricate plans. But against all odds, against all rational judgement of the galaxy's military strategists, the rag-tag rebel fleet managed to overcome the combined might of an Imperial Sector Group. Be it skill, bravery of luck, the Death Star was destroyed along with the Emperor and his right-hand man, Darth Vader. The Imperial Fleet scattered and the Rebel Alliance, for once, had a right to celebrate.

The Emperor was dead. Long live the Alliance.

Aftermath

In an absolutist state like the Empire, power must be wielded absolutely. But by whom? Not since the days of Xim the Despot had the responsibility of ruling a galaxy rested solely upon one man.The Emperor was crumbling for it needed a leader. But who could claim a right to the throne? Who had the right? More importantly, who had the might? A successor was something that the Emperor, having had a plan for almost every other contingency, never seriously prepared for. With the Emperor's death, the Empire was swept into a period of  structural disintegration which pierced the very core of Imperial society. The speed at which this blazing wildfire spread throughout the galaxy alarmed even some Alliance strategists. The Empire was in serious trouble. Something was very wrong and it was happening very fast. And no one in the Empire knew what to do about it.

Some within the Empire felt that an unwitting heir was better than a vacant throne so, as in the tradition of all Empire's, a genealogical trace was proposed to be sworn into power. But nearly all of Palpatine's personal records were deleted from almost all known sources. When Palpatine swept into power, he was determined to be a man loose from the shackles of the past. What further confounded the Empire was that he left no will or final orders.

During this period of anarchy where once 'loyal' Imperial-held worlds defected to the Alliance, only one man seemed  to be able to manipulate and hold the strings of Empire. He was Grand Vizier Sate Pestage. As Grand Vizier and Steward of the Imperial Personal Archives, he was privy to the Emperor's most secret communications and recordings. If an heir was to be found to rule the Empire, this was where to look, in Palpatine's own messages. Pestage refused to aid in their search. No substantial reason was given.

Many feared Pestage might have designs on the throne. Since the Empire's illustrious victory at Hoth, Palpatine grew more reclusive, handing most of his duties to Pestage whilst pursuing his arcane studies into the Force. To some within the Empire's higher circles, Pestage almost seemed to have the right. He already had the experience of governing a galaxy after all. The ranks of the Imperial advisors, however, felt otherwise. Urged on by Director Yssane Isard, the Advisors banded together on new found brotherhoods and closed in on Pestage. Within weeks, Pestage was impeached. His properties, titles and ranks were stripped from him. A formal censure confronted him. A death sentence seemed to be inevitable. His execution however, was waved off due to his suprising offer to retire to Byss in the Deep Core.

The Warlords and Iceheart

If the Emperor left no heir, the remnants of the Empire felt that they should make a new Emperor from amongst themselves. In this period of anarchy however, the Empire was uncontrollable. No one seemed capable of single-handedly ousting his contempararies for the throne nor did any one want to share power. As a result, several Imperial war leaders broke off from the Empire to form their own 'miny empires'. They decided that the only way anyone would sieze the reins of power would be through bloodshed. Fleeing to the Deep Core, the Warlords set up fortress worlds, heavily defended and shielded from every possible attack. From there, they waged war against former comrades. The loyal remnants could do nothing but standby and watch from the Rim.

The Warlords self-styled themselves with fancy, misleading titles, proclaiming and exulting themselves with newer, grander titles. They seemed content with their abilities to appear more imposing than their neighbouring Warlords. The war soon devolved into petty skirmishes. No one seemed to be capable enough in their own right to conduct a proper war and the Warlords remained a squabbling bunch while their territories were ravaged and trampled over by the New Republic Fleet.

Yssane Isard or "Iceheart" took a fundementally different approach. Since nearly earning total dominance of the remnants of the Empire through subterfuge and bribes, she decided to win the Empire over by proving that once and for all, the Empire was still the greatest force in the galaxy. She was not content with the Empire just being what it was - a disintegrating group of quarreling worlds. She wanted the entire galaxy on her palm and the New Republic was standing in her way. Using espionage and biological weapons, she struck at the New Republic as best as she could while making the Empire seem to be the only option the galaxy had. But without the support of the Fleet or the Army, she was stranded. Thanks to Rogue Squadron, Isard's rule was eventually put to an end.

The Lack of Authority and Civil Discontent

The crisis in authority now severly hampered the war effort. Whilst the Core still remained resolutely in Imperial hands, the fact that the Empire's Star Destroyers were being driven from planet after planet by the rebel fleet quickly eroded public confidence. Soon, people spoke of Palpatine as an Emperor, and not as the Emperor. It was of their own follies that the Imperial leaders rested upon and yet they put the blame on the failure of Palpatine.

Coordinating the millions of surviving task forces across the galaxy proved to be impossible. Access codes were changed overnight in fear that one warlord might attempt to use Imperial weaponry against another. Troopers were given inconsistent and contrasting orders. And since the power vacuum left since Endor, many incapable commanders rose to take the place of leaders of the Empire. They proved to seem to have a death wish, having seemingly no grasp of tactics at all. The Navy might sometimes be called upon to respond to a rebel siege in one system, only to be recalled to reposition themselves at a strategically unimportant outspot just because the vain commander in charge wanted to see what his ships looked like up close. Worse still for the Army. The Army were often left abandoned on planets with no supplies or help from the rest of the Empire, having been isolated by the lack of a unified High Command. Occassionally, after being left isolated for so long on remote planets, the Army's prescence on the entire planet would defect to the Republic.

The Empire splintered into countles independent states, all with a cautious truce between each other, whilst swearing fealty to a now non-existent Empire. All this time, political infighting demanded for some sort of mandate. The New Republic however, being uninvolved in the Empire's chaos, gladly moved in to secure the former Empire, liberating planet after planet. Of course, the Empire, whilst dying, was not dead yet and they made sure that the fledging new government that was the New Republic would pay dearly for every Imperial soldier they killed.

In this period of anarchy, many systems decided to remain neutral in the conflict. Neither the Empire nor the New Republic could bother with them, having their hands full with each other. They thus decided to wrestle with the tasks of government first before entering talks with these system-states. Ironically, the Empire used many former senators whom they ran out of officer as figureheads to support individual leaders in exchange for hefty bribes. They thought that in doing so would convince the citizens that him and not his rival should be ruler.

For the first time in the Empire, there was a shortage of stormtroopers. Once thought to be inexahustible and expendable. Many Warlords and military leaders were at a loss. The stormtroopers were sometimes the only Imperial prescence planet's ever saw and they had come to fear the white armor. But as their numbers dwindled in battles with the Republic, so too did public obidience. With a lack of thse fearsome troops, many worlds became actively rebellious. The only place that seemed to be able to turn out successful stormtroopers was Carida, but yet it was not enough. Some believed that placing regular troopers in the stormtrooper's plassteel white armor would be enough, but they were far less effective, lacking the menacing edge and aim of the regualr stormtroopers. However, some approached the situation differently. Some Warlords were not content with less-than-par stormtroopers and began to train their own elite fighting force. The most notable of these are Warlord Zsinj's Raptors.

The Economy

Each planet that joined the New Republic was one planet less to fill Imperial coffers. Since Palpatine had never bothered with fully disclosing his economic plans, any attempt to streamline the economy meant with resounding failure. Proper allocation of funds to vital defenses and projects failed and huge amounts of resources were instead funnelled into huge and useless projects like the Corporate Sector Palace. Most notable of these projects was the Eclipse-Class Super Star Destroyer. Designed to be the flagship of the late Emperor, it was militaryly impractical and typical of the image-concious Empire. Yet for all the pomp and ceremony it once demanded, command officials began to decide that the Emperor's wishes weren't so important after all. But production continued and for years since the Battle of Hoth, it stayed under construction. Naval planners believed that traditional ships would be much more useful against the rebels instead of some grandiose yatch with no sign of completion. However, no one seemed to come around to order to decommissioning and dismantling of the ship.

Shortly after declaring themselves the New Republic, the ex-rebels released the New Republic credit. At first, economic advisors laughed at the very name and the Empire dismissed it as mere rebel propaganda. Economists put it at over fifty Republic credits for one Imperial one. But as the Empire fell into ruins and the Republic rose in prominence, the Imperial credit lost its ability to command the foreign exchange market. As battles flowed in one direction or the other, so too did the exchange rates. It is however, illegal to possess Imperial credits on Republic worlds and vice versa. However, there are those dealers on neutral planets who make their livings speculating on this highly volatile situation.

For the first time in the Empire, there was a shortage of stormtroopers. Once thought to be inexahustible and expendable. Many Warlords and military leaders were at a loss. The stormtroopers were sometimes the only Imperial prescence planet's ever saw and they had come to fear the white armor. But as their numbers dwindled in battles with the Republic, so too did public obidience. With a lack of thse fearsome troops, many worlds became actively rebellious. The only place that seemed to be able to turn out successful stormtroopers was Carida, but yet it was not enough. Some believed that placing regular troopers in the stormtrooper's plassteel white armor would be enough, but they were far less effective, lacking the menacing edge and aim of the regualr stormtroopers. However, some approached the situation differently. Some Warlords were not content with less-than-par stormtroopers and began to train their own elite fighting force. The most notable of these are Warlord Zsinj's Raptors.

With the decline of the economy, production girnded to a halt. No longer did Kuat Drive Yards recieve orders to produce Star Destroyers. TIE Fighters grew more and more scare, Sienar Fleet Systems refusing to produce the required number for Naval planners until they recieved the payment. With the weakening economy, the Imperial juggernaut lay open and exposed and began to wither as the New Republic trampled over the fleets in victories uncountable.

Four years after Endor, the New Republic now claimed over half of the Empire's former territories and captured Coruscant, the galactic capital. And the only hope for the Empire was still in the Unknown Reigons....

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