Chapter 367: The New Republic! Supreme Councilor! A Changing Galaxy!
In recent days, Obi-Wan had been learning much about the Universal Megacorp —this super-civilization now rooted in Mandalore.
After grasping the full scope of their history and accomplishments, he realized only the Universal Megacorp had the power to finally bring peace to a galaxy torn apart by war.
That was why he had helped persuade Darth Vader.
Darth Vader was a pivotal figure in maintaining balance in the Force. Before Luke Skywalker's emergence, killing Vader would have restored equilibrium.
But now, with Luke in the picture, eliminating Vader would only tip the balance too far toward the light side.
To preserve this delicate equilibrium, both Vader and Luke had to coexist—each counterbalancing the other.
The son would carry the hopes of the Jedi, and the father would remain the necessary villain. Only by continuing this dual act could the Star Wars universe sustain lasting peace and order.
On this point, Li Ang and Obi-Wan had reached an agreement.
"You're really keeping Darth Vader around?" Obi-Wan asked Paul, unable to hold back. "Aren't you worried? He's made countless enemies, and his list of atrocities is endless."
Logically, someone like Vader—such a symbol of tyranny—should be executed immediately to win over public sentiment. Yet the Universal Megacorp had done the exact opposite.
Not only did they refrain from punishing Vader, they even seemed to have plans to reuse him. Obi-Wan was concerned they wouldn't be able to justify this decision to the rest of the galaxy.
"I imagine the price the boss offered them was enough to make even the angriest parties quietly accept Vader's past crimes," Paul replied. "From now on, Vader will stay in the Universal Megacorp and atone for everything he's done."
Having served the Universal Megacorp for years, Paul knew its values well—they didn't care much for conventional notions of good and evil. What mattered was real, demonstrable value.
After all, if morality were the yardstick, few would come out clean—not even the Jedi, who were all but exterminated.
The Jedi Order, in the days of the Old Republic, had instigated more than a few wars of their own. Their hands, too, were stained with blood.
So yes, some factions would be offended by Vader's "redemption," but the Universal Megacorp didn't care. Those who could accept it would be welcomed as partners. Those who couldn't—would be eliminated.
Everything was up to Supreme Chancellor Li Ang 's will.
Obi-Wan said nothing more. He silently turned and left, with Luke Skywalker in tow.
With Darth Vader's surrender, the matter of the Death Star's ownership was no longer in doubt. The stormtroopers, now leaderless and demoralized, showed no will to resist.
Some fled in panic aboard escape craft. Others simply stayed where they were and surrendered peacefully.
The remnants of the Imperial fleet in the Yavin system also fell one by one, chased down and forced to yield by the Universal Megacorp 's warships. The battle for Yavin was all but over.
Though the Galactic Empire still had military forces scattered across various regions, news of the Emperor's death—and the political scheming of its officers—made any swift counterattack impossible.
What awaited the Universal Megacorp now was a chaotic period of factional warlordism. Unless Li Ang somehow teamed up with the resurrected Palpatine to reassert order, he would have to push forward slowly—recruiting some and crushing others as needed.
But with the Starkiller Base under its control, the Universal Megacorp wouldn't need long to bring order to the galaxy. Within three years, they would stabilize the situation and establish a new system.
With the fall of the Galactic Empire, the Star Wars universe was in desperate need of a new regime to govern the galaxy.
And since the Universal Megacorp had served as the primary military force in the Battle of Yavin, it naturally stepped into that role.
To satisfy the interests of various factions, Li Ang decided to continue with the framework of the New Republic, establishing a parliamentary system—temporarily appointing Lucius as Supreme Councilor.
He would also serve as Galactic Governor of the Star Wars universe.
Initially, Li Ang had considered teaming up with Palpatine to maintain the unified structure of the Empire.
But once his agents found the resurrected Emperor, Li Ang realized the Empire was even more rotten and fragile than he had imagined.
It was a hollow shell of a regime.
After Reed and Jack Wells teamed up to encircle and capture Thrawn's counter-insurgency forces on Mandalore, there were no remaining Imperial generals willing to lead their troops to the galaxy's edge and form a "First Order" to restore the Empire.
Every general with military power instead carved out their own fiefdom, declaring themselves emperor in their own right—none of them interested in rebuilding a cohesive Imperial military.
Clearly, the Galactic Empire no longer held any brand value. Palpatine had alienated too many during his rule, and the Empire's institutional image was irreparably tarnished.
Even the Empire's own generals no longer cared to identify with its banner.
Since the Imperial model had become a dead end, Li Ang had to embrace public sentiment—reviving the old Republic's brand, using parliamentary seats to transparently distribute the spoils of victory.
And in this grand reshuffling, the long-beleaguered Rebel Alliance finally got its moment in the sun.
Before the Universal Megacorp arrived, they had borne the brunt of the fight against the Empire. Now that the Empire had fallen, they were naturally the second-biggest winners—after the Universal Megacorp .
Though they didn't play a decisive role in the Battle of Yavin, they had earned their stripes during the Scarif campaign and suffered major losses.
So they were given the status, resources, and political voice they deserved.
As for the Trade Federation, the Hutts, the Mandalorians, and even fringe groups like the Sith Empire—they were gradually absorbed into the Universal Megacorp 's commercial network and expansion divisions.
Whether in politics, business, or the military, there was now a path for every faction in the Star Wars universe.
But while the Empire had collapsed, the warlord conflicts had already begun. More fighting lay ahead.
Before the unification campaign was complete, Li Ang decided to formally establish the New Republic system—putting a legitimate political structure in place to facilitate future negotiations and military actions.
Soon, in the New Republic capital of Coruscant, Lucius appointed a native of the Star Wars universe—Princess Leia—as his official spokesperson.
Standing before the newly formed Galactic Senate, Leia—now a Universal Megacorp employee and New Republic senator—addressed the galaxy's myriad species:
"People of the galaxy!
"We must recognize that the Galactic Empire's fall stemmed from its cruel dictatorship, but we cannot ignore the deep corruption of the Old Republic either.
"To embrace a new era, we must not repeat past mistakes. Only by establishing a brand-new system—centered around the Universal Megacorp —can we achieve lasting peace, prosperity, and strength!"
Leia's oratory skills were formidable, and with her enthusiastic support, the Universal Megacorp quickly established its own version of the New Republic.
The Supreme Councilor, effectively the Galactic Governor, would rotate among senior Universal Megacorp executives, with terms adjusted as needed.
At that moment, inside the central control room of the Myriad Realms HQ—
"You've taken everything," said a young Universal Megacorp employee, standing beside Li Ang and gazing at the hard-light display with visible melancholy. "Everything I spent half my life building… you claimed in under a year."
It was none other than the long-absent Palpatine.
Now residing in a newly cloned body that could no longer channel the Force, Palpatine had been stripped of his dark powers via a Universal Megacorp soul-transfer procedure.
He was nothing more than a physically fit young man—no longer the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.
"You accomplished more than most could dream of," Li Ang replied calmly. "But you offended too many factions. No one was willing to sacrifice their own interests for your grand ambitions."
He stared at the same screen, where Leia was delivering her final victory speech. Though he had emerged as the ultimate victor, Li Ang did not gloat. He conversed with his old adversary as an equal.
Without the blood, sweat, and lives of countless Universal Megacorp personnel—without the industrial might to support the deployment of the Starkiller Base—he could never have achieved such a swift and overwhelming victory.
The more people who served him, the more powerful the Universal Megacorp became.
"…Is that so?" Palpatine said with a self-mocking chuckle. He turned to Li Ang . "So what now? Kill me to appease the galaxy?"
He didn't believe Li Ang would truly keep someone as dangerous as him alive. Bringing him here was probably just a form of symbolic humiliation.
But the strong prevail, and Palpatine had no complaints.
"You're already dead," Li Ang replied, turning to face him. "The Palpatine that was Darth Sidious is gone. You are now simply a Universal Megacorp employee named Palpatine."
"Killing you means nothing. No one would thank us for it. If we don't offer real benefits, eventually they'll treat the Universal Megacorp like they did the Empire. Rebellion and revolt will come just the same."
Li Ang knew full well—regime change was often just a matter of switching dragons. The cycle of power and resistance played out in every universe.
But his Universal Megacorp , growing at breakneck speed, had temporarily outrun that deadly cycle. Under his leadership, everyone was racing headlong toward unifying entire multiverses.
Where that road would ultimately lead, Li Ang didn't yet know.
All he could do now was keep the machine moving—until the day it became a god.
Palpatine was thoughtful, but still unsure what role he was meant to play. "So… what do you want me to do?"
"You already have more loyal subordinates than I do," he added. "Surely you don't need me."
Palpatine couldn't imagine starting over as a bottom-tier employee. For someone who'd once ruled as Emperor and Senate Chair, such a fate would be unthinkable.
"I've already arranged everything," Li Ang answered. "Once Lucius finishes the unification campaign, you'll take office again—as the Supreme Councilor of this universe. But first, you'll take part in the war."
Since the Empire had to be dismantled, Li Ang would let Palpatine do it with his own hands—destroying the very army he'd spent his life building.
This would be Palpatine's first act of loyalty to the Universal Megacorp . How many Imperial troops he could save would depend on his ability to persuade and promise.
If he cooperated and submitted, he could reclaim his old title. Nothing would change—except that now, he'd have a boss.
But if he refused to cooperate—
Li Ang could have him dragged out and executed at any time, and simply spend more time sending his own people to complete the unification campaign.
Upon realizing Li Ang's true intentions, Palpatine was both stunned and bitter.
He hadn't expected that someone like him—a ruler of unmatched ambition—would one day feel shame and inferiority in front of another. Li Ang's choices left him no way out.
If he chose submission, at least he could preserve the next generation of Imperial troops, and his life's work wouldn't be completely wiped out by Universal Megacorp .
But if he refused, he'd have to watch everything he built collapse before his eyes—and there was no guarantee Li Ang would even grant him a swift death.
Being a high-ranking executive of Universal Megacorp or a worthless war criminal—the answer was obvious.
"Yes… Boss."
After long contemplation, Palpatine finally spoke the words he had been holding back, despite having made the decision long ago.
Seeing Palpatine finally bow to him, Li Ang nodded in satisfaction. He appreciated those who understood the times.
Now that he had cleaned up the political mess Palpatine left behind, it was like a high-level player power-leveling someone through the hardest dungeon.
How the rest of the game played out—that would depend on Palpatine's own abilities.
"Oh right. Since you're starting over with a new identity, from now on your name will be Sheev. You can't use 'Palpatine' anymore."
Li Ang knew Palpatine's full name was Sheev Palpatine, and making him drop the "Palpatine" name was meant to simplify future political dealings.
"Yes." Palpatine had no objections.
Li Ang turned back toward the hard-light screen. Universal Megacorp 's next move would be to assimilate the various military-industrial enterprises and political assets left behind by the Empire.
With Palpatine as their inside man, the unification process would no longer be difficult. While many decisions still had to be made, the mission to consolidate the Star Wars universe could now be considered complete.
Li Ang could finally shift his focus to the next multiverse that needed integration.
——
——
After the epic battle at Yavin, Paul had pushed his body's potential to its absolute limits. As soon as he returned to Ideal City, he was immediately admitted into a rehabilitation center to recover.
When he opened his eyes again, six whole months had passed. The outside world had undergone earth-shattering changes.
Leaving the Medical Center in haste, Paul rushed straight to the Myriad realm Base Headquarters.
There, he finally reunited with his direct superior—David Martinez.
"Paul, how's your health? Don't you need a few more months of rest?" David asked, surprised and concerned to see him.
Paul shook his head and replied, "I've more or less recovered. I'm ready to take on a new mission anytime."
"Don't push yourself. Until Old V finishes reviewing your medical report, I'm not letting you take on anything." David patted Paul's shoulder.
"Sir, how are things going in the Star Wars universe? Has the unification war ended?"
Knowing he had been unconscious for half a year, Paul was eager to understand the current situation. The news provided by AI Europa wasn't enough to give him a clear picture of the shifting political landscape.
He needed to hear it directly from David.
"Let's talk over at the observation deck."
David turned and led Paul toward a quieter part of the building, explaining the changes over the past six months as they walked.
Since the end of the Battle of Yavin, the political structure of the galaxy had undergone a drastic transformation: the fragmentation of the Empire, the rise of the New Republic, and the emergence of warlords ruling over fractured territories...
Even the extragalactic civilizations had begun to stir—but fortunately, Li Ang had made ample preparations in advance.
V, who had been stationing troops on the galaxy's outskirts for an entire year, finally intercepted a scouting fleet from the War mongerd—and effortlessly annihilated it.
Only a few stragglers escaped to report back.
"We've formed a massive expeditionary army dedicated to unifying the Star Wars universe. It's composed of the 9th, 13th, and 14th Legions."
"General Sheev, Marshal Reed, and Admiral Terrence are leading the campaigns to reclaim each star system. With the New Republic as our banner, our integration progress has reached 75%."
"…"
David laid out the full picture of the past six months for Paul.
Thanks to Universal Megacorp 's mighty expeditionary forces and the terrifying power of the Starkiller Base, none of the local warlords dared challenge them outright.
With the founding of the New Republic and the support of the people, Universal Megacorp 's forces were welcomed wherever they went. They had seized both the strategic moment and public opinion.
A vibrant, thriving new era was just within reach!
At this stage of the unification war, there was no longer a need for the expeditionary legions to keep charging forward.
Only a few units needed to remain in each sector to supervise and train the local troops in order to eliminate the remaining hostile factions.
At this point, Paul couldn't help but feel curious about the "General Sheev" David had mentioned. He didn't recall any notable general by that name.
"General Sheev is said to have served in the Galactic Empire, but we know very little about him. He's a mysterious figure," David explained briefly. As the details were classified, even he didn't have full clearance.
Paul nodded thoughtfully but didn't press further. He continued listening attentively.
"In addition, we've absorbed many Imperial Star Destroyers, as well as troops from places like Mandalore. Next, Lucius will stabilize the galaxy and begin outward exploration."
David Martinez smiled. Being able to unify the Star Wars universe with minimal losses and preserve a fighting force for external expansion—
That was the ideal outcome.
Before long, Universal Megacorp could very well extend its reach into extragalactic territories, encountering mysterious witches, ancient beings, or even the enigmatic creators of the cosmos!
But those plans would take time. For now, Universal Megacorp 's main focus was on maintaining order and stabilizing the situation.
After learning about the entire political shift, Paul finally let out a breath of relief. At least things were moving in the right direction. All his efforts had not been in vain.
"Paul, let me share a little surprise—Director Alt Cunningham's research team is building a brand-new superstructure weapon."
"Our Exploration Division is about to receive an even more powerful strategic doomsday device."
Even the usually composed David Martinez couldn't help but smile slightly as he spoke, as if imagining a breathtaking work of art.
"What kind of superweapon? Is it Starkiller Base 2.0? Or maybe the Falling Star Divine Spear?"
From Paul's memory, aside from the forbidden-level [Einstein Equator] that couldn't be used, Universal Megacorp 's current strategic weapons only included the Falling Star Divine Spear and the Starkiller Base that had shone so brightly at the Battle of Yavin.
As for things like the Death Moon or Halo Array—those were relics from a decade ago, far from being top-tier anymore.
"No, this one is called the Heaven-Scorching Divine Armament. Technically, it's a mining vessel—but it can double as a warship."
David pulled up a holographic screen and played a full briefing on the Heaven-Scorching Divine Armament.
Whenever Universal Megacorp unveiled a new megastructure, the official website and multiversal holoscreens would broadcast the information, bolstering pride among its citizens.
And this time, the spotlight belonged to the Heaven-Scorching Divine Armament!
> "All great creations demand sacrifice. The other civilizations of the stars may not understand—but they will obey the will of the Heaven-Scorching Divine Armament."
This bold declaration at the beginning of the video prompted Paul to watch the entire presentation carefully.
Once he learned that the weapon not only possessed star-destroying power but also boasted a travel speed far surpassing both the Falling Star Spear and Starkiller Base—
Paul was visibly shocked. This thing's star-killing efficiency was off the charts!
What was even more outrageous was that the Heaven-Scorching Divine Armament wasn't some fragile high-offense, low-defense vessel. Its defenses were strong enough to tank a supernova!
That made it a one-of-a-kind presence among all Universal Megacorp 's warships.
"This thing… is really a mining vessel? What could possibly require such an insane battleship for collection?" Paul asked, baffled.
"They say it's for harvesting darkmatter—to build an Aether-Phase Engine. Supposedly it's some new kind of dark matter-based propulsion drive, but I'm not too clear on the specifics," David replied, shaking his head.
In his estimation, the Aether-Phase Engine was likely a next-gen propulsion system powered by dark matter. But with current Universal Megacorp warships already equipped with powerful FTL drives, another engine didn't seem particularly essential.
To David, the real focus was the sheer combat power of the Heaven-Scorching Divine Armament.
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