Our otherworldly Benefactors: The Galactic Empire By MrImperatorRoma Watch

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In the waning moments of the Clone Wars, the 131st Battalion found itself spending less time fighting the Septs directly, and more time “cleaning up” the gritty stuff that wasn’t as glorified back in the Core Worlds. Mercenaries, guerrillas, PDFs… it became almost a chore for us. But we knew our purpose, and delivered nothing short of spectacular slaughter onto those that would oppose the Peace our great Chancellor Palpatine sought. Unhinged without Jedi oversight, nothing was off the table for us.



When we got word that the Septs had established a tibanna mine in a previously unknown star system, we got called into action. Apparently the only inhabited world had been undergoing it’s own little civil war, with the CIS backing the winners. While the fleet dealt with the Septs in orbit, by brothers and I prepared for another routine mop up, ostensibly to support the losing side and establish a foothold in this system. Even with clankers on their side, we tore through these primitive armies without pause or sweat. It was over so quickly I forgot to blink. Only afterwards did we learn the full scale of the brutality we had cut short, of the lengths these ‘Terrans’ had gone to for total victory. Even against our overwhelming might, they put up more of a proper military acumen then you’d find almost anywhere else in the galaxy. Honestly, we were impressed for once.



-Unit CT-6246, in an interview for the documentary Attack of the Clones



The Clone Wars proved to be without question the most devastating conflict in Earth’s history. The arrival of Separatists was prospected to guarantee an Allied victory in an otherwise unremarkable conflict by the standards of their sponsors. The CIS had seen the devastation wrought by the Terrans, and saw capable allies in the wider War. Experienced soldiers, and an entire world whipped up into total war, surely if properly equipped they would prove to be more useful proxies against the GAR. Backing the obvious winners, the CIS supplied cheap blasters in multitudes to the Allied armies, made easier by the vast quantities of tibanna gas in Sol-V, or ‘Jupiter.’ While invested, the CIS still had thousands of concurrent battles to attend to, meaning no significant droid army could be spared for this sideshow. Hopelessly outgunned, the Axis powers were on the back-foot immediately. Until the Republic arrived.



With intel of a new system discovered, and the CIS active more and more in the region, the Republic began to establish itself in Sol, to disrupt CIS tibanna production, and to use Sol as a springboard for further offensives. Despite the breadth of the GAR, only token military assets could be spared for the initial Sol-III conflict, which also meant no Jedi. Things might have been different if they were present. Instead, Republic officers reached out to the local Axis powers with an offer of alliance against their mutual foes, if only for an easy continental foothold. In agreement, the Republic’s opinion of their newfound clients quickly soured upon closer inspection. They advocated genocide, and participated in acts of casual barbarity from the perspective of the enlightened Republic. This did not fly well with the Republic, who worked rather trivially behind closed doors to remove less desired or capable leaders in favor of dependable figureheads. The Hitlers, Himmlers, Tojo’s etc. being replaced by the Rommel and Speer types. While the Axis ideologies had been trimmed a bit, it was little more than a slap on the wrist for them. Even in 19 BBY the militarists in the Republic recognized the Axis ideologies as rather appealing, the stuff the Republic should take note of.



With orbital supremacy, the remainder of the Second World War became wholly grim for the Allied powers. The Clone units stationed on Sol-III cut a swath of destruction through the Soviet Union, sacking Moscow and getting an instrument of surrender from the Politburo. The British Isles fell just as fast, with LAAT gunships trivializing Operation Sealion. The RAF and Royal Navy were blasted to smithereens, and the Wehrmacht occupied the rest. Separatist support to the Allies began to buckle, then finally whittle to nothingness as Palpatine established his New Order, officially ending the Clone Wars. As the Republic became the Empire, Separatist Holdouts became more of an object of military flexing that outright warfare. The arrival of the 131st Clone Battalion demonstrated that on Earth when they decimated the remaining Allied powers in short order, then leaving just as quickly as they came. From their backs to the wall to the present, the Axis powers had effectively won the Second World War. Of course, their new Imperial Benefactors came with a cost.



And then the Earth began it’s dark transition into the New Order.



Sol-III is nothing short of a backwater world, barely noticeable as even the tiniest cog in the Imperial machine. The sheer enormity of the Galactic Empire meant that it was just one occupied planet out of tens of millions more. Earth had no meaningful industry, it’s currencies worthless against the Imperial Credit, and it was already a smoking ruin courtesy of the Clone Wars. Making it workable in the Empire required hard decision making and no compromises. Destitute Terrans in their millions were shipped off world to serve the wider Empire, whether that being in the Stormtrooper Corps or a less desire occupation in the Labor Units. The major Collaborationist Nation-States were happy to oblige the Empire’s ever-growing need for manpower and cheap labor, gladly sending their “undesirable” elements to the mercy of Imperial rule. The Empire demanded more, however, seeing to the creation of “Resource Zones” for mass material extraction and strip mining. Cities were leveled and the materials used elsewhere, while others were fortunate enough to be rebuilt with cheaper space-age materials the Empire possessed. Those foolish enough to stay behind or resist were shipped offworld as well. “Labor Units” started to slowly become more correctly affiliated outright slavery, and the Empire made no bother to hide this fact.



With such a large variety of different languages and ethnic groups, the Imperials figured it was better to just shuffle the Terrans around. Non-compliant elements were purged, and entire people-groups found themselves uprooted and placed elsewhere on Earth or beyond. Of course, the Empire is all about equal opportunity for humans, and scrubbed off the more “inefficient” racist policies and institutions amongst their direct holdings. Some members of the Tuskegee Fighter Squadron, for example, found new military careers in the Imperial Navy, though some went begrudgingly, opting to become flight instructors at Imperial Academies. Within Imperial holdings, which mostly span the Anglosphere due to the coincidence of sharing the same language, many former Americans, British, and other citizens of defunct countries ironically have a higher standard of living when compared to their German or Japanese counterparts. Mostly through byproduct of the Empire’s post-War economic boom.



The local Imperial Governmental Precinct set up shop in the British Isles. The Governor’s primarily mission on Sol-III is to oversee the advancement of Terran industries to galactic standards, achieving this through noticeably Stalinist methods, and other cues taken from the history of Terran regimes. This is done by using funds granted from Coruscant to subsidize the minor compliant nation-states, who are expected to fully industrialize by their quota. How many people perish is irrelevant to her, so long as the program is successful. The Governor also serves as the direct link between the various Terran regimes and governments, and the wider Imperial bureaucracy. If they start to show signs of irrelevance, the Empire is happy to annex them to smooth the system out a little.



The majority of surviving Earth military was re-purposed into the Imperial Army and Stormtrooper Corps, with more loyal persons in the latter. Typically sent on long assignments off world in conflicts across the Outer Rim, the Empire made sure to make no waste of Terran military experience. For being such a warlike people, perhaps rivaling even the Mandalorians, the Empire may have struck gold on that end. Terran Stormtroopers are noted for on average, higher discipline and combat effectiveness than their peers. Token forces remained to maintain the Sol-III garrison, mostly Troopers brought in from other worlds, with no compulsion or loyalty to any meager Terran states. The only other meaningful militaries that remain are those of the Axis powers, which the Imperials regard as little more than militias. Mostly equipment as they had been during WW2 (now with E-11s), the Collaborationist soldiers typically find themselves doing the police work that is beneath the Empire’s care or notice, and their authority is theoretical at best. If the Empire needs them as cannon fodder they will be expected to do so gladly.



The Collaborationist Nations: Germany, Japan, and Italy, are shells of their former selves. After the War, the Empire gutted anyone stupid enough not to play Yesman with them, but otherwise were fine to leave the Axis powers to their own devices. Many pre-War objectives were quickly abandoned. Germany for example was lucky enough to integrate the Ukrainian states with the Empire’s blessing, after the old Republic tried to stop that lebensraum nonsense. Most Jews, Roma, etc., either live scattered across the world or serving abroad in Labor Units. Prussian military academies are, surprisingly, rated fairly highly by Imperial military standards, with Germany hoping to use the tourism and tuition Credits to further integrate itself into the mainline Imperial economy. A lot of the Ruhr area industry has been torn down for parts, in its place coming space-age materials and fabrications.



Japan and Italy are slipping off further into minor status. While Japan is able to maintain its own tourism industry, it is a far cry from Germany success, with both particularly suffering due to the establishment of StarFleet. Japan’s main priority is to police the Imperial resources R-18 through R-20, though as time goes on there are noticeably less people in those regions to even bother with. The GEACPS, sans China, is a bit of a farce, considering the population relocating the Empire preformed. The Emperor is also something of a farcical position. Though he may keep the name, the Imperials routinely like to remind the Japanese who the real Emperor is on Coruscant. Owing to the extreme automation of Imperial industrial technology, many Boomer generation Japanese (and others) find themselves with little employment. Quite popular as of late is a trend of just leaving the Earth behind to start a new life among the stars. Whether in the Imperial military or another occupation, with a whole galaxy to see the old Earth just keep looking smaller and smaller.



In Italy, the death of Mussolini led to a brief succession crisis in the vacuum of power, to which the Empire just placed a yesman in charge, effectively making Italian sovereignty theoretical. Italian advanced industry is laughably behind the other Collaborationist states, to the point that the Sol Governor had suggested they develop into an Agri-colony. Pouring most of their accrued Credits into making the Sahara green[1], the Italians had actually made up on their plans with the making of the Chad Sea and the area around it arable. Like Japan, many Italians find themselves without desirable work, and Italy is suffering from mass emigration as families leave for the stars, provided they can afford it. Some return to Earth, having learned galactic agriculture trades and new techniques.



Culture and philosophy have taken a different turn here. The Empire doesn’t particularly care for either the right or the left of the “political spectrum,” so long as people are loyal and discourage old republican sentiments. Fascism, Nazism, Bolshevism: the more authoritarian ideologies of the early 20th century have ascended further, seen as different shades of the Empire’s character, and thus a path to success. The notion that the common man should have a say in things is considered childish and impractical, just look at what befell the Old Republic. Political censorship is heavy-handed within Imperial territories, to the point that, ironically, the former Axis states are more tolerant of these nagging voices. Eric Blair’s Nineteen Seventy-Seven details a world, or rather galaxy, where the seemingly monolithic and unstoppable Empire is torn down by a the sheer enormity of insurgent groups it ferments, with the political turmoil mirroring the Russian Civil War. A certain Frank Herbert is jotting down notes for Dune, a story set in aftermath of the ecological collapse the Empire has wrought, and a commentary on current politics. An aspiring filmmaker is likely to copy that plot in a decade and a half. Earth cinema is actually fairly popular amongst niche film groups, as are other forms of Terran arts, particularly music[2]. The fashion sense hasn’t left the 40s much, though in Imperial and developed territories, typical galactic attire is the norm. Suits are like film, becoming appreciated by a few groups.



On the other cultural side of things, the stellar shock of extraterrestrials had worn off. While that question has been answered of “are we alone here?,” the fact that the entire galaxy is filled with a majority of humans becomes very questionable. Various faiths have tried to make sense of this, though any rabble-rousers are promptly removed by the Empire and subordinate authorities. From the Imperial perspective, it was merely assumed that Sol was a long lost human colony, one of countless others. When evidence pointing toward evolution waa brought up, some scratched their heads. Then some students from the Society of Human Historical Preservation on Coruscant came by to investigate, and they found far more than they bargained for. As it turned out, the Terrans were correct in affirming their world as the human homeworld. However, it was more than just simple evolution.



Ancient Rakatan ruins were uncovered, detailing that Sol-III served as one of many colonies in the Infinite Empire, with the diminutive early homo-sapiens used as slaves and planted around the Rakatan Empire, the most choice location being Coruscant. Eventually, temples deemed to be steeped the the Force were located, prompting the Imperial Security Bureau and several Inquisitors to take control of any further research. Sol-III had, overnight, become far more important to the Empire than previously thought. It turns out the lack of Force sensitives among the Terrans had been attributed to Rakatan devices that have destroyed, or at the very least severely curbed, the chance for Terrans to develop midichlorians. Such technology was immediately sought after by the Emperor. If he could replicate this, then any future rivals to his power among the light or dark side could be swept away with ease.



Technological progression has remained stagnant since WW2. Between the fighting and the small technological packages, the Axis powers never really put anymore funding into their own research. Then when the New Order was declared, the Empire began a galaxy-wide drive to secure the best and the brightest minds from all over to work on the Emperor’s various projects. This led to an eventual brain drain on Earth, with people like Oppenheimer, Einstein and many more seized by the Empire to work for them. Nearly all who the Empire takes never come back. Likewise, many veteran Terran military leaders were also offered positions within the Imperial military, with most agreeing. Entrepreneurial spacers sometimes make a stop by Sol to sell junk and cheap wares to the Terrans for many times their own worth. Often the minor Terran states are the most recurring customers, if only due to how relatively poor they are on the galactic economy scale. The Collaborationists can at least afford quality material and devices, provided they manage their granted funds well. Ironically, the Third Reich has been making efforts to make the whole financial situation for them as efficient as possible, going so far as to make (admittedly failing) appeals to the Jews. Of course, those financial masterminds within the Jewish people have managed to get better lives and security amongst the Empire, in various galactic banks. They aren’t coming back. Earth’s population by 1961 is almost half that of OTL, but with the extreme turbo industrialization of the Empire, the environment has not suffered any less, and is perhaps worse off. Extreme pollution is a problem we all face, feeding back into the whole “ditch Earth” trend the younger generation is after. Older generations grumble on, as you’d expect no one is happy with the Earth dying.





[1] Enough to convince and pay an Imperial ship captain to blast the Sahara from orbit for all the digging.

[2] Jazz will probably surpass Jizz as the main referral to that genre of music once people learn the Terran meaning of the latter.



EDIT: Forgot to update the Stormtrooper in the inlet.

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Published : Jan 29, 2019