Star Wars: Daimon's Story-Chapter 62: The Ashes of Ardent Vale

The Imperial Intelligence Directorate started to send agents across the Imperium. With the new directive signed, the Directorate now had the authority to start arresting those suspected of being connected in any way. It didn't matter how small the connection was, if they had even a finger in this illegal network, then they would be arrested and thrown into prison for treason if they were a citizen. If they were found to not be a citizen, then they would go to prison and suffer a much harsher punishment.

Within 6 Months, Operation Emberlight saw the Imperium arresting several dozen people who were connected with the shadow network that had formed. Throughout these 6 months, the Directorate had learned a ton of information involving a deeply rooted network of individuals consisting of high value Imperial citizens, Republic Senators, and Republic corporations.

The main funding came from the Republic Corporation IonForge Technologies. They were known for the innovation in energy weapons and ion propulsions systems alongside several other technologies. The corporation had seen that the Imperium was expanding greatly within the outer rim territories that the Republic had only just discovered.

They tried to get colonization rights to some planets in exchange for investment into the Imperial economy and a partnership between the corporation and the government. This offer was rejected, so they sought to at least get some resource rights to a portion of the minerals found. This also was shut down, so they decided to resort to other means.

They waited and waited over several decades as the Imperium kept expanding into the outer colonies. They started using the distance between the Veldari and the outer colonies to create a sort of underworld that would continue to de-stabilize the colonies until the Imperium lost control and abandoned them. Unfortunately for them, their decades long plan and large investment would come to be their downfall.

Once the source behind the main funding was found, Daimon had Astralis Dynamics monitor the corporation and start conducting surveillance on the targets located inside of the Republic.

He had to be very careful with what he did with those targets as any wrong move could cause a conflict between him and the Republic. Right now, the Imperium was in no way beating the Republic which had a much bigger military and population. The Imperium had around 25 billion while the Republic had tens of trillions with Billions of military personnel.

The Imperium would lose or have to sacrifice several planets while Daimon personally led his forces and used the Force to consume planets to gather even more strength than he currently had. So, for now those targets would be closely monitored until he could gather some hardcore evidence to present to the Republic.

A year later, the investigations proved almost too successful. After building up significant data on certain targets within the Republic, the data was presented to the Republic and Jedi Order simultaneously. Daimon had decided to use the newly reformed Jedi Order and their growing influence to manipulate to convince the Republic to take action.

The data was first sent to the Jedi Order and a meeting between Progenitor Varyn and two members of the Jedi High Council on Ossus. The meeting was beneficial and using the Jedi good nature to want to protect the innocent and stop criminals, they were convinced to help the Imperium.

The Jedi High Council brought this to the Chancellor's attention and after a week of confirming that the data was indeed accurate, they gave the Jedi Order the authority to lead the arrest against these people alongside Republic forces.

Within weeks, several targets within the Republic which included several wealthy businessmen, Senators, and other officials were arrested and would be trialed within the Republic. This was not the outcome that Daimon wanted as he wanted them to suffer in Imperium prisons, but it was the best he was going to get without directly getting involved and risking an incident.

Focusing on matters within the Imperium itself, Daimon read through a list of all the captured suspects. Some were people who were already under surveillance for their suspicious activities. Others were new and from worlds not longer than ten years under Imperial jurisdiction. None of them were from the high echelons of Imperial society, mainly because only the most loyal were granted these positions.

From his office, he issued another directive which ordered the Directorate to purge any remaining presence or possibility of criminal sympathizers involved with the current situation that was going on in the outer colonies. They had caught many, but not all. Those that were found would be made an example out of for any other criminals who wanted to subvert the Imperium and cause harm.

———

On Veldari, matters beyond the insurgency also demanded his attention. Luna was now 17 years old this year and had claimed her spot among the Imperium's nobility. She was a rising star amongst the other young elites and young generation in general. Because of her upbringing and character, she interacted with the people by hosting several events as well as exploring the outer colonies.

This time wherever she went, she had a full public escort and was restricted to planets where pirate activity was under control. She wanted to explore more worlds and see more people before she joined the Order of the Balance Keepers in a few years. This was a decision she had made to continue studying the Force and rise in the ranks.

Other reports from the Outer Rim colonies also included the depth of religious fervor around the Imperium. Several garrison commanders were fired for incompetence and replaced by younger officers who were eager to show what they could do. Progenitor Malis's Doctrine Corps had produced several million converts outside of their expected target.

Technology was easy to provide to the colonies. Faith, however, was a bit more challenging. This was why Daimon deployed the Doctrine Corps to these worlds in response to the growing unrest. With them came impressive displays of Force, artifacts capable of things so far beyond what these new Imperial Citizens believed possible.

Force healers touched entire families and brought new faith in the Emperor. This combined with improvement in technology started to decrease tensions in the Outer Colonies and build up Imperial culture.

Ardent Vale, a lush, heavily forested world with cities built into and around enormous natural stone spires. The world had been pacified early in the Outer Rim campaign and was a model colony for Imperial integration, high compliance, strong religious conversion, and above-average infrastructure deployment. However, recent drone sweeps revealed that several comm-nodes buried deep in the highlands had gone dark. What initially appeared to be environmental interference soon showed signs of directed sabotage.

Local garrison commander Loris Nhalan, a newly promoted colonel, responded by dispatching reconnaissance droids. Only three out of eight returned. One contained footage of figures disabling relay towers and scattering encrypted holo-beacons into the wild. The video showed a number of people who moved through the highlands silently, synchronized, and trained. They resembled that of the spec op pirate soldiers.

The Colonel instructed to deploy reconnaissance drones. "Deploy Reaper drones," he ordered. "I want full eyes on these highland areas. If anyone is hiding in those forests, I want them arrested or tampering with civilian infrastructure." Reaper drones, a special type of Imperial military technology that was used widely across the military equipped with laser weapons and 2 rockets.

The drones deployed over the suspected areas, moved quietly over the dense forest searching for any activity. They returned with footage of a fortified encampment, banners of the Shroud flying throughout. It wasn't just pirates. Displaced citizens, dissidents, some of them believed to have been arrested or executed, were seen alive and armed. Colonel Nhalan forwarded the intelligence to Raelos without delay.

Nhalan didn't realize he was witnessing more than the remnants of native resistance. This was Vael Reth's shadow army conducting sabotage operations while gathering strength.

Within an hour, orders came from Raelos. A full assault on the highland base with the Imperial garrison. The members of this Shadow army were to either be completely annihilated or captured and interrogated. Nhalan was given an additional detachment of Force Scions to ensure that this purge would be decisive. A Commander from within the Order of the Balance Keepers would be overseeing it, personally.

Arriving on the planet, Imperial Strategist, Jorven and two Force Scions were greeted by Colonel Nhalan. "It's an honor to have you here my Lord." Colonel Nhalan got on one knee and made a fist across his chest. This was a standard Imperial salute for high-ranking officers.

"Stand up Colonel, we have much to do" Colonel Nhalan nodded and led Jorven to the commander center. Along the way, the soldiers had performed the Imperial salute as he walked by. Compared to a standard officer, a Strategists was a unique officer who could only be appointed from the Order of the Balance Keepers by Daimon or one of the Progenitors.

They were high ranking officers who could command entire armies, fleets, and oversee planetary defenses and interstellar campaigns. In the command center, Jorven, Colonel Nhalan, and a few other officers got together to come up with a plan of attack against the forces within the Highlands.

Jorven's gaze was on the holo-table which showed the entire forest where the enemies were attempting to hide. "They've chosen their ground well. Dense forest coverage, elevated ridgelines, and defense tunnels. Obviously, we can tell that this was not established within a week. These are probably left over people from when we first enforced order on this planet, plus some more dissidents who were manipulated into joining them."

One of the junior officers, Lieutenant Sharos, nodded, pulling up the drone scans that they had taken. "Our thermal sweeps show about four hundred hostiles, most of them appear to be armed combatants. The rest appear to be civilians, as they are not openly armed from what we see on our scans."

"The civilians are a shield," Jorven said. "They're a distraction to prevent us from going in, or they might just be used to obscure how many of them are actually within the camp. I've been on numerous worlds where they like to do such a thing. Despite them being labeled as pirates, they are quite smart. Unfortunately, they are going against us so they won't have much success."

One of the Force Scions stepped forward. "We'll purge them. The Emperor wills it. These pirates had disturbed the order of these colonies for too long."

Colonel Nhalan cleared his throat. "My Lord, with your permission, I propose a pincer assault. I'll lead the main force from the south ridge, heavy infantry and walkers, while our recon teams move in from the northwest cliffs. We create pressure and then flush them out."

Jorven raised a hand. "We'll do more than flush them out. We will entomb them where they stand." He gestured to the holomap. "We'll utilize seismic charges here, here and here." he marked three locations on the valley walls.

"Our engineers will plant them before dawn. Once they began to move, we bring down the cliffs behind them. Collapse their retreat leaving them only one path to run towards." Colonel Nhalan nodded in approval of the plan.

"And the civilians?" asked Lieutenant Sharos.

"If they surrender, they live," Jorven replied coldly. "If they raise arms, they die. The enemy recruits anyone who is willing to raise their weapons against us. The Emperor doesn't want to see soldiers die because they were scared to shoot a person whom they believed to be an enemy. Is that understood?" Lieutenant Sharos saluted crisply, "Yes Sir."

"Good. Now let's get this plan moving."

12 hours later

The darkness of Ardent Vale's night was filled with the sound of grav-lifts and walker engines. The 114th Veldari Infantry Division crept along the southern ridge in tight formations, camouflaged in darkened combat gear. Colonel Nhalan wearing his polished black officer armor, led from the front using his macro-binoculars to scan the horizon.

Above the valley, three infiltration squads descended silently via repulsor rigs, setting seismic charges along designated points. Behind them, cloaked recon droids scurried among the trees, relaying live data back to the command post. All signals remained green.

In a separate shuttle, Jorven stood beside Toren Graal and Galen Rovar, the two Force Scions who were armored in their ceremonial battle armor. Their dual sided lightsaber hung from their waist. They were going to join the battle once it started.

The assault began at 0300 standard time.

Heavy lasers broke through the trees, scorching branches and tearing into outer defensive posts. The enemy, surprised and ill-coordinated, scrambled for cover. Automated turrets fired erratically before being taken out by the Reaper drones from above.

Colonel Nhalan's forces charged forward. "Suppressing fire! Hold formation!" he shouted as walkers moved in behind squads of infantry, each step shaking the valley floor.

On the northern ridge, the seismic charges ignited. The cliffs buckled and fell inward, burying dozens of fleeing enemies under tons of stone. Panic spread through the remaining defenders.

This is when Toren and Galen descended onto the battle from the shuttle. Once they hit the ground, they advanced, deflecting blaster bolts with ease and cutting down soldiers. With every movement their lightsabers either disarmed or dismembered one of the enemies.

Inside the encampment, Vael Reth himself stood atop a platform, rallying his forces. "Hold fast! We are the last light against tyranny!" His voice echoed through the loudspeakers, but hope was no longer present within the camp. His lieutenants were already dead, and the rest of his ranks were dwindling.

Jorven, hearing the voice of Vael Reth, jumped out of his shuttle and landed directly on top of the command bunker. He slaughtered all of the enemies in his path until he arrived within the command room and stood face to face with Vael Reth.

"Well, well, well. We finally meet Vael Reth. I must say, it's been a long search for you." Vael Reth turned around and aimed his blaster at Jorven.

"I won't be taken alive!" Vael Reth yelled.

"Alright then." was all Jorven said as he reached out and disarmed Vael Reth using the force. He then put his lightsaber away. "We'll handle this another way then." Jorven started walking up to him with his hands raised.

Vael did the same and raised his hands eager for a fist fight. He had been a fighter all of his life, so he thought he was going to win. But as the first strike came, he knew he was outmatched.

Jorven moved so fast that he didn't even have time to block the hit to his face. Fortunately for him Jorven held back or else he would've been knocked out from the first hit.

Vael stumbled back, blood already running from a cut above his brow. He grit his teeth and lunged forward, swinging wildly, his years of brawling in backroom bars and shadow cellars coming alive in his muscle memory. But Jorven was not a bar fighter, he was a Strategist of the Imperium, trained in martial forms few outside the Order had ever seen.

Jorven ducked the wide hook and countered with a sharp elbow to Vael's ribs, followed by a kick to the back of the knee. Vael collapsed onto one leg, coughing, but spun around with surprising agility, his fist grazing Jorven's jaw.

Jorven smiled slightly, the hit having done no damage at all. "You fight like a cornered animal, Reth," Jorven said, circling slowly. "Violent, desperate, and predictable."

Vael spat blood on the deck. "And you fight like someone who's never had to claw his way out of a ditch."

Jorven's eyes narrowed as Vael rushed again, aiming low with a feint before launching an uppercut toward Jorven's chin. But Jorven caught his wrist mid-strike, twisted it, and slammed his forearm into Vael's chest, sending him crashing into a nearby control console. Sparks flew as the equipment shorted out.

Vael groaned and forced himself upright, using the broken edge of the console to keep balance. His knuckles were split, blood running freely. He looked up at Jorven, who remained calm, not a drop of sweat anywhere on him.

With a final burst of strength, Vael charged forward in a full-body tackle. The two men crashed to the floor, grappling. For a moment, Vael landed a solid blow to Jorven's side. But the moment passed quickly as Jorven reversed the position and straddled Vael, raining down two precise, devastating punches. Vael's head snapped to the side, then Jorven stopped.

He stood, breathing steady, and looked down at the broken man beneath him. "You'll live," he said.

Vael could barely respond, one eye swollen shut. "Should've... killed me..."

Jorven turned his back. "Death is easy. You'll face judgment in front of the Empire and its people."

With a motion of his hand, he used the Force, and Vael's unconscious body lifted gently off the ground. As Jorven walked from the room, Vael floated silently behind him, bruised, broken, but very much alive.

Outside, the battle had ended. The valley was in Imperial hands.

Toren and Galen stood at the edge of the battlefield, overseeing the loading of prisoners onto armored transports. Colonel Nhalan approached as Jorven exited the shattered bunker.

"Vael Reth?" Nhalan asked.

Jorven nodded once. "Captured. He'll be transferred to Veldari for interrogation."

"And the others?"

"Anyone armed is to be tried by military tribunal. Anyone unarmed will be processed for reeducation."

Nhalan saluted. "Understood."

And with that, he boarded his shuttle, Vael's unconscious form still trailing silently behind. He departed for Veldari where he would deliver Vael Reth to the Emperor directly.

Current Imperial Year: 106 (6872 BBY)

Daimon Age: 178

Imperium's Population: 25 Billion