The Empire Reborn

	
	
	

	















        5...4...3...2...1...0   As the timer on the Spaarti Cylinder
hit zero, small green and red LEDs flared to life, bathing part of the room
in their colored glow. The lights indicated the flash-learning process had
begun. A status bar popped up on the main display monitor, indicating the
flash-learning process�s status. The bar reached the 100% mark.   The fluid
started to drain from the inside of the cylinder. The figure�s skin color
inside the tube turned from the tinted greenish-blue to its normal medium
blue. The fluid finished draining, and the bottom of the cylinder opened,
allowing the new clone access to the outside world.     The cloned Grand
Admiral Thrawn stepped out. He and the other eleven Grand Admiral clones had
been kept in this storage depot. They were to be awakened in the unlikely
event that any of them should die prematurely. The Emperor never had time to
awaken them, and his clones had been too busy ravaging the New Republic to
even remember their existence. It had been a lucky thing that the original
Grand Admiral Thrawn had gotten to these cylinders.  A month before his
return, Thrawn had visited this secret facility, and he put a timer on his
cylinder. This timer was set to activate the flash-learning cycle and awaken
his clone. This was a contingency measure, set for 20 years after his death.
The Emperor had had an implant installed into each of the Grand Admirals�
brains that constantly transmitted their memories and experiences to a set of
flash-learning data cards. These cards had a complete copy of all the
memories of each Grand Admiral, as well as their personalities. When the
cards� data were transmitted into the brains of each clone, each clone would
become exactly like the original, physically and mentally.  Thrawn
immediately donned his spotless white Grand Admiral�s uniform. Using the
HoloNet link in the chamber, he quickly absorbed all the information about
the past 20 years since his death. Just as he�d thought, the Empire was gone.
But, with the 12 Grand Admirals alive again, there was still hope. Thrawn had
had this contingency strategy planned from when he�d visited the chamber over
20 years ago.      The Outbound Flight Project had yielded results, contrary
to public belief. In the Unknown Regions, they had found a wormhole leading
to another galaxy, and had mapped it. They sent an operative through the
wormhole to scout out the species of the other side. What it found was nearly
impossible. Humans. Humans existed in another galaxy, which was startling.
They had also found the average technology level of this galaxy�s major
species to be laughably primitive. They were limited to only 200,000 times
the speed of light, which explained why the largest organization had only 150
planets under its control. This organization was called the United Federation
of Planets. It was in this galaxy that the Empire would be reborn, not in a
galaxy infested with traitorous Rebels who could barely control a government.
       They already had the leaders. Now, all the 12 Grand Admirals needed
was ships and personnel. Both of which could be acquired easier than anyone
really believed. Mount Tantiss had been only one of the Emperor�s storage
depots. There were dozens scattered across the Unknown Regions and the Outer
Rim. Including the one the clone Thrawn was in now. This one held more than
clones of some of the greatest tactical minds in existence. It held prototype
ships, advanced weaponry, more cloning cylinders.      The one thing it held
that would be most useful to Thrawn would be the 4 World Devastators. The
mobile shipyards. They would easily solve the problem of the need for ships.
With the cloning cylinders to produce the troops, they could easily take over
the galaxy on the other side of the wormhole. From there, they would
establish their capital world. Then, they would build up enough ships to
begin the conquest of their own Rebel infested galaxy. The Empire�s New Order
would be spread to two galaxies. And, as time allowed, they would expand
their influence.        But, that was a long time from now. A journey of a
thousand miles must begin with one step. And that first step had been to
re-awaken all the Grand Admirals.   Thrawn then set to awaken all the other
Grand Admirals. The flash-learning cycle completed, and the fluid started to
drain from the tubes. Their bottoms opened up, and the Grand Admirals stepped
out. They were obviously confused, since they thought they were dead, their
last memories being of their executions at Rebel hands. One of them stepped
out.         �Thrawn, what�s going on? We�re all supposed to be de-� he
stopped himself, suddenly realizing the reality that they were all clones.
�We�re clones, aren�t we, Thrawn?�        �Yes. I will cut to the point
gentlemen. The Empire is gone. We are all that remains of it,� Thrawn
responded. �We, however, will rebuild it.�  �How?� Grand Admiral Rakiin
asked.      Thrawn responded by starting up the holo-projector in the middle
of the room. �At these coordinates, there is a wormhole leading to another
galaxy. The inhabitants of this galaxy have obviously not been space faring
as long as we have. Their technology is incredibly primitive. They are
limited to only 200,000 times the speed of light, and their largest
organization, the United Federation of Planets, has only 150 major worlds in
its possession.�        �So, we�ll take them over. I assume we�ll be using
equipment from the Emperor�s supply depots to do the job. And, once we take
them over, we set up there, and build enough ships to take control of this
galaxy,� Rakiin deduced, with the usual Grand Admiral efficiency.     �We
must start formulating strategies to dispose of this Federation quickly. They
still rely on subspace communications, I see. Their comm systems are slower
than our ships. If we knocked out their relay stations, it would cripple them
for certain,� Grand Admiral Harsek offered.         �Yes, we must also study
their phsycology. Their ship designs seem to promote exploration and living
comfort, not war. We are dealing with a peaceful society. We can easily
manipulate them with hostages and the like. The other species in this galaxy
are also easily swayed. Two species, the Klingons and the Romulans, have a
fiery hate of eachother, if we offered technology to each side that would
present them with advantages over the other, they will most likely wipe
eachother out,� Thrawn said.     �But, we must acquire starmaps for their
space, so we can travel safely through Hyperspace,� Rakiin said.       �The
Ferengi, a merchant race totally obsessed with the acquisition of wealth and
power, can probably be convinced to give us their maps. They are cowards,
easily swayed by threats if the other side is superior. We could easily get
what we want from them. But, we also want to have friends in this galaxy
until our intentions are totally clear to its inhabitants. We should trade
them valuable metals for their maps. We can certainly make all we want with
World Devastators,� Thrawn countered.   �But, we must now activate the
Spaarti Cylinders in this facility, and the World Devastators. We must make
an invasion army. I suggest programming the Devastators to build TIE
Defenders and Missile Boats as our primary fighters. And, we need a fleet. A
Super-Star Destroyer and four Imperial Class II Star Destroyers should be
sufficient for now. With four Devastators, that would take a month to
reproduce the Imperials, and another two weeks to build the Super Star
Destroyer, provided we have sufficient materials. This planet should be
adequate,� Harsek said.     �Very well, gentlemen, we have three tasks for
now. Activating and programming the World Devastators, activating the Spaarti
Cylinders, and formulating a plan of attack on this galaxy. We will divide
into groups of four. I will lead the attack plan group, Admiral Harsek will
be in charge of the Spaarti Cylinders, and Admiral Rakiin will be in charge
of the World Devastators,� Thrawn ordered. Not a single Grand Admiral argued
with him. During his short visit to this place 20 years ago, Thrawn had also
edited the personality traits in each of the Grand Admiral�s memory cards so
that they would unquestioningly accept him as their leader.      This time,
he would not fail.