Within the office of the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, Marn Vettar had just been elected to replace the former Chancellor. He ran on the idea of expansion and the continued growth of Republic space, especially to the Core and inner Mid-Rim worlds devastated by the war with the Dark Jedi. Despite his more aggressive policies, he was open to cooperation with the Veldari Imperium. He knew that after the recent war, strength would only come through alliances as they still had a long time to fully recover from the aftermath of 100 years of fighting.
Across from his desk sat Master Draxra, one of the most politically active members of the newly reformed Jedi High Council. Her presence signified a renewed interest in collaboration between the Republic and the Jedi Order. "I'm encouraged by your vision for the Republic," Master Draxra said. "But I hope you understand that rapid expansion without considering balance will eventually lead to further chaos and a repeat of the past."
Chancellor Vettar leaned back, folding his hands. "I agree that balance is key, but this new galaxy is unlike any we've seen before. The threat of the Dark Jedi revealed our vulnerabilities. This time it was them, but next time it could be someone else."
"The Imperium?" Master Draxra's tone carried no judgement, but curiosity. "That depends on their future intentions," Vettar said carefully. "Cooperation seems beneficial now, but with each passing year they grow stronger." He paused briefly, gauging Draxra's reaction. "And their beliefs gather more traction within our borders." The Jedi Master understood he was referring to both Daimon's influence and following among Republic citizens. "Letting go can be difficult," she said finally. "Even for an old order like ours, adaptions are needed to ensure survival."
"So, what do you suggest?" Draxra's eyes focused intently on the Chancellor. "The time has come for us to explore new territories, together. But the Jedi can no longer be simply an extension of the Republic military as it once was. We must return to what made us strong, working in partnership yet with enough independence to maintain our integrity."
"Independence often leads to division," Vettar cautioned. "We must learn from our mistakes, not repeat them." Draxra stood up. "Despite our differences, Chancellor, we both seek a stable galaxy. Understanding can sometimes be found where we least expect it. But we must be willing to look." With that cryptic message Draxra left, leaving the new Chancellor deep in thought about the future he was shaping.
Within the Imperium, progress continued at a rapid pace. The Ring World at last completed its first phase of construction and was now accommodating over one hundred million citizens. Its modular design allowed for further expansion, projecting several billion inhabitants within centuries. Off-world migration surged with flooding interest from colonies across Imperium space.
Droids initially handled much of the building and infrastructure work, but as populations onboard increased, they began replacing automation with sentient labor as an incentive to advance economically. The cultural integration seen across other worlds was mirrored here: hybrid art forms emerged; new customs took root. Even those who initially resisted Imperial values eventually found themselves enticed by prosperity and stability.
As Daimon monitored these projects, his thoughts remained on Lehon and the secrets it held. Rakatan technology was enticing, though he knew the history that the scattered remnants of their once-great empire were now shadows of their former selves. Their knowledge of the Force was inferior compared to the power he wielded, but even a lesser understanding could be a tool in crafting new advancements.
The search for Lehon would prove difficult and would take years before anything happened. Beyond that lay the unknown plans by Celestials prior to their disappearance which involved the Silentium and Abominor. His reach had expanded across vast distances, but he understood there were still regions shrouded in mystery. These unknowns were long-term projects; projects that required precision and time rather than direct intervention.
From the information he got from Mortis, the Celestials knew about the distant galaxy which contained the Silentium and Abominor, and their war with the Yuuzhan Vong which ousted them from their galaxy. They were a long ways away from this galaxy, but that was tens of thousands of years ago. By now, Daimon imagined that they could be somewhere in the unexplored part of the galaxy.
If this was true, then the Imperium would need to prepare for an eventual encounter with these extra-galactic droids. He would also have to prepare for when the Republic and Jedi eventually become aware of the threat.
He didn't lose any sleep over it, as it was still hundreds, even thousands of years away. There were too many other variables to focus on and way too many events he had to plan out that those threats were not even on his list. He set all these thoughts aside as he stared out into Veldari's skyline, huge swaths of white and gold light illuminating the horizon.
With Elara now accompanying him on a more frequent basis, she was keenly interested in how their policies shaped real-time outcomes. She continued to advance her understanding of everything there was to Imperium politics and policymaking, so that they could continue expanding their influence among newly assimilated worlds.
Her presence was electrifying with generations of Aruzans now forming a strong minority within the god-like reach of the Gen'Dai-dominated empire. She was at times overwhelmed by just how far her people had come from their humble and isolated beginnings. Yet every day she gained more confidence, learning alongside Daimon as they crafted plans.
But there was another matter that she was excited about. Looking down at her swollen stomach, she rubbed her hand and smiled brightly. The child growing inside her would be her and Daimon's first. A bloodline would be created that would last for the foreseeable future.
While it took a lot less time for Elara to become pregnant than expected, it wasn't enough for Daimon to change his plans. He might have to adjust his timeline slightly, but in the end, having a child at this stage would benefit him in other ways he didn't account for. It would speed up things slightly as he could have an offspring with a direct connection to him, grow powerful and live long enough to create another Power.
The rest of her pregnancy would be spent experiencing a type of comfort that only an Emperor like Daimon could provide. She knew how much more powerful the Gen'Dai were compared to her people, so the pregnancy period wasn't going to be long when it came to his offspring. During that time, she would continue learning about governing on such enormous scales compared to what she was used to and continue developing her influence over billions of people.
With news of Elara's pregnancy spreading across the galaxy like wildfire, millions upon millions of individuals flocked to the temples across all major worlds. Pilgrims from Veldari, Aruza and countless colonies flooded sacred sites in celebration. For these worshippers, the child wasn't just another heir; it signified an era of unprecedented growth and prosperity under the watchful eye and guidance of their God-Emperor and his kin.
The sheer scale of the Imperium was expanding daily and could be compared to the Rakatan empire, only on a much smaller scale. With Elara and their unborn child, he was creating a legacy of blood as well as empire; a foundation for generations to come and a presence that would be felt across the stars.
A/N: Things are setting up for some major changes in the future. I won't spoil much, but there will be a lot of events that will happen as time progresses. And now that most of the backstory and things are relatively stable, we will have some much faster time skips moving forward through early years to more interesting parts of the story.