#### The post Tarkeen Emperors When Tarkeen died in 3540 it was not clear who should succeed him. Ishar had died in 3522 and Rolian in 3533, and the Emperor was slow to instruct his puppet on who to appoint in their stead. Classus and Popmash manueved to block the slow and old Emperor from appointing new Woffs during subsequent Meetings of Moffs. An agreement was reached in 3535 in both Council and Senate that the more Imperial-Populist reformer Classus would take control of Ishar's fleet, while the Imperial-Elite retainer Popmash assumed command of Rolian's fleet. Opposed to them, drawing on the Imperial 'core' was 'centrist' Chillham, whos military capacity was greatly limited compared to his rivals, a mere 117 ships, against Classus 368 and Popmash's 346. And where the latter two had fleets predominately composed of star-destroyers (the slightly larger size of Classus' fleet being offset by Popmash's having more star destroyers, and a marginally larger ground army, whereas Classus ground army had a handful more elite units than his rival) and other ships of the line, the fleets which Chillham could call upon had few ships larger than cruisers, who had the smallest reserve of troops, and the lowliest stock of elite troops among them. Classus announced that he would be seeking the support of the Imperial Senate, and the Imperial people, in proclaiming himself Emperor. Classus then reached out to Popmash, offering that together they could crush Chillham with ease and decide between themselves who should be Emperor. Afte which he reached out to Chillham, offering him the position of Grand-Moff if Classus could be Emperor. Chillham, before reciving Classus' message held his own conference, stating that he deserved the support of all loyal Imperials in proclaiming himself Emperor, owing to his previous position of GRand-Moff under the Emperor, and his subsequent being granted vital dominions within the Imperium to rule over, years of loyal service, long list of achievements as a civil service, and that the last emperor had been a civil servant. ![[palpatinious Map circa 3540.png]] Popmash listed to Classus offer, while dispatching his fleets from the Midlands to secure the southlands, while putting his loyal advisor Moff Tojas in charge of the other fleet Popmash had assumed command of, sending Moff Tojas to secure the Northlands. Both Classus and Chillham were too caught up making announcements and scheming against one another to notice the redeployment. It was only when troops began returing to Chillhams territories, claiming they had been relieved of post, that he noticed Popmash's growing Imperium, ruled out of the Midlands. Classus was not quite so blind, instead quickly dispatching his fleets to secure half the southalnds and half hte northalnds, while securing the Central District as his own core. Chillham was left with only the Founding district under his command, protected - and entrapped - by Classus. Under renewed strain, Classus reached out to Chillham, again asking the latter to submit to the former. At the same time, Popmash reached out to the neighboring alien nation which called itself 'the Mythical Meeting of Mithorians'. Popmash offered military aid to the Mithorian, so they could conquere their long standing rivals the Zoataling Zabaronian, without fear of intervention by any of their neighbouring powers. However, before the Mithorians could be empowered, Popmash had to be aided in gaining the throne, as it would only be after he had secured the Empire that war could be declared unopposed. When teh deal was agreed to, Popmash gained 87 extra ships at his disposal, many of which were ships of the line. The Zabaronian's tried to reach out to Classus, but Popmash intercepted and killed their negotiators. Chillham was slow to respond to Classus. The Hoff did not want to hand over his position; he did not want to conceed that he would not be Emperor. He appealed to his rivals, asking them to settle the issue in the Senate not the battlegrid. Classus responded by demanding Chillham yield to him, or else face invasion. Having caught word of Popmash's alliance, Classus was able to sneak a message to the Githorians Gathering that now would be an opportune time to invade the Mithorians, simultaniously a false flag attack was carried out in the Mon Chisson Council, looking like the Gathering of Gominorg had destroyed a council trade ship, which made the expanded the problem, like the energy expanding effects of adding a kyber crystal to a power grid. The result was Popmash getting dragged into a war aiding the Mithorian's against the Githorians, while the escalating tensions between the Council and the Gathering prevented the former from invading the Githorians. Once Popmash had dispatched ships to aid his allies, Classus launched an invasion of the Founding District, an all out assault on Chillhams' remaining territory and a bold claim for the throne. He left only a small part of his fleet behind to defend his border with Popmash. Popmash countered by splitting his forces into three: A small task force of 60 ships he sent to support the Mithorians, a larger fleet of 100 ships he dispatched to conquere the Zabaronians, and finally his remaining 200 ships he sent against the 85 Classus had left scattered across the border, quickly overwhelming his rivals force. At the same time, Popmash made an agreement to give aid to the Council and the Council to the Empire if either was invaded, so long as neither invaded the other. ![[palpatinious Map circa 3544.png]] By 3544 Popmash had secured control of the souther half of the Center District and subjugated the Zabaronians. The Mithorians were on the edge of destroying their long time rivals and former masters the Githorians. Chillham had been defeated, his fleet crushed, and himself personally executed by Classus, who assumed commanding of the founding district. Still, it was becoming apparent that Classus with his 337 ships (251 of which were star destoyers), stood little chance against Popmash who had lost 41 of the ships he had sent against the Githorians, 24 of hte ships he had sent against the Zabaronains, and 26 he had lost in taking much of the Central district left him with 269 imperial ships at his command. However, he would soon have 113 ships from the Mithorians, and another 38 from what remained of the Zabaronian fleet which he had under repair. This meant that compared to Classus's 337 (251) Popmash had 420 ships, 264 of which were star destroyers, with a deeply loyal veteran crew. Even without hte Mithorians, Popmash had 307 ships at his command, including 13 more star destroyers, which on its own about made up the minor difference in fleet size. In 3545 Classus declared himself Emperor in Shim City; Popmash declared himself Emperor on Aniiland in the Akin System, the capital of the Midlands (named after Darth Vader, Anakin). The two then dispatched their fleets to one another. Concurrently, just when the Mithorians were certain of their success, the Directorate of Devardbe launched a 180 ship invasion of the Mithorians and a 'liberation' of the Zabaronian from Imperial subjegation. Popmash asked the Mithorians to defend themselves for a short while, while he finsiehd the war, they promised to do their best. Popmash worked with lighting speed to push throuhg the Founding District as Classus tried to entrench himslef, building defenseive stations in every system he could. In a series of long, drawn out, but brilliant tactical schemes Popmash outplayed Classus, crushing his rivals fleet from 337 to a mere 98, 57 of which were star destoyers. Whereas POpmash had dispatched the 38 ships he'd taken from the Zabaronian back to defend their territory from its new inviaders, thus he only took 264 ships into war with him He had suffered heavily, being cut down to 149 ships, 138 of which were star destroyers. Classus knew he was defeated, and grasped around despeartely for a weapon he could use against Popmash, and found it in a place least expected: the mass populist resentment against Tarkeens' weak status as a Syth. The then current Supreme High Lord Grand Master of the Imperial Syth, Philip Hitchick aka Darth Omnivideo hated Popmash with a seething passion, and had an army of Syth Knights, Masters, and Lords ready to attack if given the word. Classus was certain he could control the populsit element, and worked to stoke widespread Syth resentment, to play them up, and ultimately he granted Darth Omnivideo permission to do as he pleased. What Classus did not expect was that the first thing which pleaed Darth Omnivideo would be to kill the self-proclaimed, but void-powerless Emperor, subsequently declaring himself Emperor. What Popmash could not have expected was being betrayed by almost the entirety of his senior command staff, and the vast majority of his captains, all swearing loyalty to "the rightful emperor, Darth Omnivideo." Emperor Hitchick then sent an emissary to request 'the for good reason falsely proclaimed Emperor Popmash' to meet. Popmash accepted, and was 'escorted' by his once loyal fleet to the Imperial capital. Once there he met the new Emperor, and the two came to an agreement. Popmash would take on the position of Grand-Moff, with expanded powers in military command and foreign affairs than previous grand-moffs had, including the ability to appoint ambassadors and Woffs. While the Emperor would retain command of the districts. So it was that in 3546 Darth Omnivideo was declared Emperor as Philip Hitchick, backdated to have assumed the throne in 3540 after Tarkeen had died. So it was that the new Emperor took the throne in a time of mild crisis. The Directorate had invaded an Imperial territory, and was at war with an Imperial ally who had by this time conquered their original opponent. Meanwhile the Council and the Gathering were on the brink of war with one another, and the Gathering had gained two allies: the Kazor Kabal and the Tetrarchy of Trillling. The powder keg of the south was sure to explode soon. The new Emperor turned his attention to the invasion, transferring absolute command of all Imperial fleets to his singular remaining Woff. This gave Popmash a total of 247 ships. Then Darth Omnivideo dispatched the Syth council to the various Districts of the Empire. he then ordered the Hoffs turn over their position to the ground council members, or else the Syth were granted permission to kill the rebellious Hoffs. Once in power over the districts, the Emperor had his syth loyalist replace the senior administration with their own cohorts of Syth loyalists, just as Tarkeen had replaced Vaders' loyalists. As Woff Popmash led the Imperial fleet against the Directorate, the Emperor was hard at work reorganizing the Imperial economy. Largely he liberalized the economy, making mild reforms to Imperial 'law' so that the unit which Citizens were free to transit around became the System, not the planet as it had been in Tarkeens day, or the city as it was in Vaders. This expansion of mobility for the labor force, combined with laws which allowed Citizens to apply for special, revokable, permits which allowed those citizens to own ships capable of intrasystem travel, led to a boom in intra-system trade, causing economic expansion which inter-system Imperial traders picked up on and worked to integrate across the Empire. These lowered the prices of raw materials and industrial labor, allowing the Empire to expand its production of ships and war materials. It also expanded the economic opportunities for former Imperials who were looking to retire from state service. They could take a lucrative state-backed contract, buy a factor, and hire cheap local labor keeping themselves living a life of mild luxury and abundance from their wealth, having the power of the state to import labor and break strikes if need be. Imperial entry requirements were tightened so that those who wanted to join the Empire needed a letter of recommendation from an Imperial, and Emperor Hitchicks reaffirmed Emperor Palpatines' decree that all Imperial officials must be of the Syth religion. The Emperor also required all officials to retake their oath of alliegnce upon his entry to the throne, and it required it be reaffirmed every year that ended in a 3, 5, 7, or 0. The emperors final major change was to set a fleet capacity limit at 11,000 ships, arguing that the Empire could not sustain more than that amount for any serious amount of time. Simultaniously the Emperor comissioned 4 fleets of 200 ships, each composed of 80 star destroyers and 120 smaller vessels, a sizable deviation from the traditiaonl Tarkin Doctrine breakdown of no less than 50% of a fleet being Star destoyers. To command these new fleets, he commissioned four of his loyalist Syth as Woffs: Neitens, Chrizche, Orick, and Hitchwell, all without consulting Popmash. ![[palpatinious Map circa 3550.png]] Such was the political situation in 3550. Three years earlier, in 3547, Emperor Hitchicks declared an Emprie-wide celebration of 150 years Emperor Vaders' landing in the new galaxy. By 3550 Popmash had crushed the directorate. The Emperor negotiated with the Mithorians, reaching an agreement that the Mithorians would gain control of the Directorate and the Gathering, while the Empire would reneg on its original deal of giving the Mithorians control of the Zabaronians, instead keeping the region for itself as the new 'Imperial Reaches' district.