The Supreme Overlord of the planet Ukio—Julius Brau, Monarch and sole ruler. A stately, stout man with a lush, burgundy mustache. His ruddy face often flashed from billboards and was occasionally seen on the HoloNet when it came to the supply of food and delicacies to the Core Worlds of the Republic.
Always dressed to the nines in a bright and colorful suit, he loved to pamper himself with the products of his own world, which caused him to suffer from excess weight.
Accustomed to respect, the stroking of his ego, and sycophancy, he had long forgotten what it was like when people spoke to you differently.
The best women of any race in the galaxy, expensive Speeders and ships. Penthouses and clothes from famous masters... Even a couple of dinners with influential senators and the Chancellor himself, who appreciated the products of the planet Ukio.
To put it simply, Julius was a typical representative of the modern elite and never wanted to change anything. He was completely satisfied with his life as a wealthy petty king whose opinion was considered but who wasn't dragged into the Great Game.
Living on the outskirts of the political world, he was nonetheless an influential and respected Ukian...
At least, that's what he always thought.
Hurriedly moving his short little legs, dripping with sweat and constantly puffing under his nose, he clumsily rushed through the corridors of his pompous palace, decorated with a pile of socialite junk that shone in the light.
Exhausted, the Supreme Overlord leaned his hand against an ancient exhibit from the ancient planet Ruusan. Exotic and incredible indeed, its rarity capable of outshining almost anything. Taken from the planet long before the famous massacre between Force users, the exhibit wandered the galaxy, constantly changing owners until it settled in the fat, sweaty hands of Julius.
Generally, Ukians were bipedal, slender beings with hairless pink or green skin. They had large eyes with a wide slit. Although Ukians were lanky and looked quite clumsy, the race was physically strong and resilient.
Which was particularly ironic, considering how their Supreme Monarch looked.
Breathing heavily, feeling the blood pounding like a drum in his temples and drops of sweat flowing down his head, dripping from the tip of his nose to the floor, the Supreme Overlord stood back up with a groan, but with an accidental movement, he knocked over the expensive piece of interior decor.
Truth be told, right now, the ruler of the planet was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't even notice. Yet, selling that trinket could have fed a small city for a couple of decades.
"Breaking into a run" again, heavily thumping across expensive carpets made from the fur of dangerous predators from various planets, Julius reached his office, where frightened ministers, not much different from their boss, had already crowded.
Fat red faces, scared out of their wet pants by the unfolding prospects. Shaking over their tablets, expensive trinkets, and handkerchiefs with which they comically wiped their perspiring foreheads, they heated the room's temperature to record levels.
"Supreme Overlord!"
All those gathered cried out in chorus as soon as Julius squeezed inside. Some even tried to stand, but the ruler of the planet paid them no attention, so the delighted subordinates fell back into their chairs with relief.
"So... my friends, it seems we have... ahem... encountered some small problems?"
Trying to maintain his dignity, Mr. Brau adjusted his tightly fastened tie and, coughing strainedly, asked the burning question.
"Um... yes, Supreme Ruler," his deputy and right hand answered first, only slightly behind his boss in weight. "As we were informed..."
Tapping on his tablet, the Overlord's deputy remembered that the report had been brought to him on paper. Hurriedly, sometimes missing the right pages with his fingers, the man pulled out what he was looking for and presented it under the admiring and hopeful gazes of the others.
"Ahem... so. According to the report from the Public Safety Service... those who remained loyal to us..."
"Filthy traitors! How dare they!"
Discontented shouts from sycophants rang out across the hall. Not really understanding the whole problem, simple laypeople pushed into their positions by their own relatives, they tried to curry favor and say the right words even at this moment.
"Continue the report." Loudly cutting off the shouting hangers-on, Julius stared intently at his interlaced fingers, listening to every word. "By the way. How many loyal people are left in the planet's Public Safety Service?"
Hesitating for a few seconds, the deputy bit his lip, casting a wary glance toward the ruler. Seeing the latter's resolve, the deputy prayed to all the gods and, exhaling before the plunge, read the report.
"The protective dome of the inner part of the palace is still holding and can stand for almost three days if the rebels' fire does not intensify. We do not know the exact numbers, but of the fifteen hundred guarding the palace—almost three-quarters of the guards have defected to the rebels. The capital's garrison is not responding to our requests, and our friends from the Corporate Alliance have left the planet, along with all their fighters..."
As the latest news was read, the faces of everyone present turned white before their eyes. It looked especially amusing on those Ukians who had green skin.
"I see..." Calculating the options, Julius fully justified his title. Even if he looked absurd, in a moment of crisis, his brain could generate ideas one after another; after all, in the world of high politics, even on the outskirts of the galaxy, complete idiots don't survive. "Right, right, right. And what about Relo? Did we manage to contact our senator in the Republic? We invested a lot of money in his connections and entertainment; I hope this blockhead can secure support from at least someone and the Judicial Forces will send help..."
"Forgive me, Supreme Leader." Mumbling and shaking all over, the deputy could barely keep his teeth from chattering. Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes, and he couldn't utter a word. "I... I... forgive me..."
"Damn you. Right, right, right... fine. And the news? What about the news? The Hypercommunication Cartel provided us with excellent transmitters, thanks to the patronage of the Corporate Alliance. We'll show the uprising on a live broadcast and..."
Many began to chatter joyfully at this suggestion. Not only would they not have to fight, but the task was also quite simple... and it was worth praising the head of the planet too; fortunately, when it's all over, Julius won't forget who was with him until the end.
But the deputy, turning gray before their eyes, shook his head negatively and, to avoid beating around the bush, turned on one of the main news channels, which showed a live broadcast from the Senate of the Republic, where their planet's representative was giving a very vivid, accusatory speech that repeatedly drew applause.
The speech was being played on many channels popular in the Core Worlds; because of that, with every word spoken, Julius sank into his chair, realizing that now nothing could be changed.
"Distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen!
Today I stand before you as the senator from the planet Ukio, in the heart of our galaxy—the triumph of Democracy, freedom, and justice.
And I appeal to you for help, for my home planet, which as we all know is a major food center—has fallen into the hands of a tyrant and despot who tramples upon our laws, norms, and morals!"
Senator Relo pathetically threw up his hands, basking in the rays of his glory. The powerful of this world gathered around him, and they listened to his speeches with pleasure.
"Unfortunately, the word 'freedom' that we proclaim and the 'Democracy' for which we fight sound like a mockery these days for my people—for the residents of Ukio, whom we rightfully call free people."
Shifting his gaze from the screen to Relo's relative, the Supreme Overlord saw the man fearfully clutching his heart. One look was enough for Julius to realize that this fool was definitely not involved. Apparently, a split had occurred within the family and Relo's allies had won, deciding to act against him. Meanwhile, the speech continued.
"I am here to tell you about the horrors committed by our Supreme Overlord; it is here that each of you must hear how alarmingly the voice of freedom has been silenced. This man, entrusted with the fate of our people, has become the personification of slavery, corruption, and inhuman atrocities."
At such bold accusations, Julius un-aristocratically gaped, bulging his eyes and staring in shock at the smiling bastard who was slandering him from the podium.
"Let us remember the slave trade he so generously engaged in, exchanging the most precious thing we have—life and dignity—for the despicable lands of people we must get rid of once and for all.
"The Supreme Overlord exchanged food, diligently grown by our farmers, for slaves from the Hutt Cartels!" Looking around at the quieted senators who were feigning surprise at such a crime, Relo spoke with renewed vigor. "Yes, for slaves! He was not afraid to leave our people hungry, for obedient slaves were always more valuable to him than free people who can build their own future!"
Julius was no longer surprised by anything. He certainly couldn't be called a model of honesty, but he hadn't committed crimes on the scale Relo was inflating.
"Most horrific of all is that the victims of this perverse exchange of various sentient species—from korunnai to Pantorans—were selected specifically with an eye for the exotic. This tyrant only emphasizes how deeply he has lost his humanity when the thirst for power clouded his mind."
"The words 'holy liberty' lose their meaning when such inhuman acts are committed before our eyes. How can a Democracy based on human rights coexist with such outrages? The question we must ask ourselves is: how long will we tolerate this lawlessness and allow our freedom, our sacred freedom, to be destroyed in the hands of this cruel tyrant?"
Feeling a certain lightness that hadn't come to him for the last couple of weeks, Julius, ignoring his nearly weeping subordinates, stood up from his seat and took a drink from the nearest cabinet. Disregarding manners, the man uncorked it against the table and didn't shy away from drinking straight from the bottle.
"Corruption grows like a malignant tumor on the body of our society, and it decays all the noble traditions of Ukio. The Supreme Overlord is an ally of the Hutt Cartel. He accepts their funds, their misdeeds, opening the doors for the drug trade that decays our society from within. Instead of protecting his Motherland, he builds bridges to the most vile criminals, staking the future of our people."
The first bottle came to an end, and a message arrived on the Supreme Overlord's communicator from the head of the palace guard. Someone had turned off the dome, and now the army of rebels, under slogans of freedom and Democracy, was rushing straight toward him.
"Dear colleagues, our silence is a sign of consent. Silence is complicity. It is time to speak! We must stand up and demand justice, justice for our brothers and sisters on Ukio who long for freedom!"
Thousands of senators jumped from their seats, joyfully clapping, shouting words of support, and generally supporting the speaker with every fiber of their corrupt souls.
"We are the bearers of sacred freedom and must stand in defense of the Democracy for which our ancestors fought. Let us reject the tyranny and cruelty of corrupt monarchs. Let us stand together against the Supreme Overlord and his atrocities! Our people deserve better! They deserve the opportunity to choose. They deserve freedom!"
Relo was practically orgasmic, shouting these words with foam at his mouth. The senator from the planet Ukio was literally shaking from the bursting delight.
"Let us join our voices together to rise up for the rights of everyone! For freedom! For justice! For holy liberty on our planet Ukio! For the Republic!"
Raising his fist, Relo seemed to look straight into the camera, and for a moment, the Supreme Overlord felt that the senator who had betrayed him was looking right at him.
But the broadcast abruptly cut off, and the light in the office dimmed.
Not listening to the bleating and complaining fools he had surrounded himself with, Julius rose from his seat, approaching the panoramic armored window, behind which the "fire of freedom" was flaring up, as the news had called it a month ago.
And he had paid it no mind, and now this fire was engulfing his palace.
Casting a sad glance at the left wing, from which black smoke was billowing into the sky, Julius regretfully remembered the sets of his suits, evening gowns, and other specimens of fashion that were stored there.
And yet he had had time to prevent all this. To fix it and drive the rebelling serfs back into their fields and dugouts so they would continue to do their job while he properly managed their labor.
Swirling the remains of the alcohol in the bottle, Julius looked closely at the crowd that had broken through the guards.
Tillers, militiamen, soldiers from the garrisons, the palace Public Safety Service...
Thousands of Ukians and Humans rushing forward like an unstoppable wave.
Looking closer, the Supreme Overlord saw at the front of the whole crowd a tall man in standard Judicial Forces armor... though it was painted in black and yellow colors, making the leader of the mad crowd stand out brightly against its background.
Finishing the bottle, Julius Brau, the last Supreme Overlord of the planet Ukio, returned to his chair, ignoring the panic-stricken shouts of his assistants and deputies. They ran absurdly around the office, sometimes running outside but returning a few minutes later.
Gunfire could be heard behind the walls. The palace shuddered from explosions.
But against the background of all these noises, Julius heard only one thing:
"For Freedom!"
Closing his eyes, the man leaned back in his chair, hearing the approaching screams and numerous footsteps.
With a rough kick, the doors to the office burst open, revealing the leaders of the uprising to the world. Grimy, formidable, and insanely happy, they waved the flags of the planet and the Republic while the soldiers under their command packed inside.
"Didn't invite us?! But Democracy came to you on its own!"
****
"Our planet will never forget what you helped do." Hesitating for a moment, Rolo looked away with his large eyes, then nodded resolutely. "I think without you, we wouldn't have been able to do it. Ukio is in your debt, and if you ever need help..."
"Rolo, we already made a deal, like honest and free people..."
"I don't think that's enough," brushing off my words, the newly democratically elected president of the planet Ukio pulled me closer, not breaking the handshake, "now life on our planet will change. Helldivers will always be welcome here."
Embarrassed, I scratched the back of my head and looked around for help from the others, but those bastards were making pathetic faces and looking loyally upward while the big bosses negotiated.
"Jerks. This is exactly when people start becoming tyrants."
Chuckling at my own silly joke, I nod respectfully to Rolo, accepting his gratitude and debt, then exchange hugs with him and his friends, simple farmers and community leaders.
As far as I'm concerned, they were the real heroes. The ones who were able to organize the people and flip most of the planet's population to our side. With simple words and diplomacy, not fists and big guns.
Although, if the planet's monarch hadn't screwed up so much, organizing such a large-scale planetary revolt would have been difficult. We even managed to secure the support of the Senate, which is surprising in itself....
I hope Rolo can keep the remnants of the aristocracy in check. Having lost power, influence, and their titles, they still remain dangerous, cornered rats that can bite hard.
"In any case, I'm not saying goodbye. Helldivers will be dropping by, and we'll always come to help, just in case..."
"Yeah," smirking understandingly, Rolo mirrored my crooked smile. Even though the power changed relatively bloodlessly and the Republican authorities supported our endeavor, Ukio has many problems ahead. By toppling the Supreme Overlord and adopting a new form of government, we stepped on too many toes, and even more bastards will have their wallets thinned, which they hate even more than having their egos trampled on. "Just in case... or whoever drops by. Pirates..."
"Hutts..."
"Slavers..."
"Corporate Alliance..."
Abruptly falling silent, we laughed together, then hugged a second time, much more warmly and friendly.
"My guys will stay near the capital, building a recruitment camp. If anything happens, feel free to ask them for help; I've warned them."
"Good, but I hope it won't come to that."
Nodding one last time, I turn on my heels, walking up the ship's ramp. A small armed shuttle, or rather a Theta-class T-1 shuttle, or just the "Thetie," as we called it.
Quite a bucket, which we managed to buy at one of those junk auctions. The InterGalactic Banking Clan often holds such events, selling off items seized from debtors, and sometimes you can find something truly valuable there.
Standing in the doorway, waving my hand to the delegation seeing us off, I frantically pressed the button to close the ramp. Maybe in the eyes of my Ukian friends I looked cool and mysterious standing near the open side of the ship, but I myself felt a slight discomfort.
"Damn Shorty, she promised to fix it!"
As soon as the shuttle turned in the air, I punched the button with all my might, causing the cursed ramp to start closing.
"Damn you... little Rogue! Just wait until I get back, I'll give you a triumph of Democracy!"
"I don't know what you're talking about. Ramp jammed again? I told you. Spend money wisely. But you started an uprising on a planet..."
A familiar mechanical translator voice sounded in my ear.
"Pfft, everything went successfully and much better than we feared. Now the planet is a full member of the Republic and only a few drops of blood were shed for it."
"I'm not going to say anything. Tired of arguing." A series of clicks and grinds were heard outside the shuttle. A few minutes of waiting and I step on board the Soul of Liberty, our precious ship... gifted to us by an old asshole from Tatooine. "Ah, just like home..."
"Strange soldier. The ship's air has been disinfected. It doesn't smell like anything here. Except me."
Looking at me with feigned indignation with her yellow lights in the darkness of her hood, the Shorty waved her hand, inviting me to follow her.
Right... we had to discuss the results of our business, considering that most preferred to remain silent on the shuttle, I feel like I'm going to be pressured from all sides now. While we were on the planet, no one said a word against my crazy idea, but here...
Expecting the worst, from a banal scandal to a small scuffle, I walked into the ship's bridge with a dejected look...
Where confetti and glitter hit me in the face. The bang of crackers, splashes of expensive champagne, and joyful shouts! The aromas of magnificent food, which Rolo and his Ukian comrades had clearly provided, immediately filled my nose.
Our entire team that had left Tatooine gathered around me, and even several soldiers and officers who had joined us after three months of "field work."
"What the..."
"Congratulations! Helldivers, three cheers for our glorious commander!"
"HOORAY! HOORAY! HOORAY!"
***
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