Dev Project: STARDUST | GE

[The Contingency]

​

For two years, whispers have echoed through the corridors of the Deep Core of misdirected corporate funding, stolen shipments, disappearing vessels, and missing hyperlanes. Buried under layer after layer of compartmentalized intelligence and encrypted relays, PROJECT: STARDUST has moved from theoretical sketches into terrifying feasibility.

Now, with the reclamation of the Core Worlds and the resources of the entire Deep Core falling into Imperial hands, the Emperor demands progress. The eyes of the Sith’ari have turned toward the future.

And in the Deep Core… the future is being built as Project: STARDUST is relocated to HAD ABADDON.

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"You are not here to solve a problem. You are here to serve a vision."
– Governor Alars Keto, upon opening the summit​

On an undisclosed world, in a fortified black site somewhere between Prakith and Empress Teta, Governor Alars Keto convenes a gathering under the strictest security measures imaginable. The invitees? Not politicians. Not Darksiders. But thinkers. Inventors. Physicists. Engineers. Military Minds. The Empire's brightest minds, each escorted under guard to a spire-like station with cloaked signals.

They have not been told why they are here, only that the Emperor himself has requested their attendance. Within a towering obsidian chamber known only as The Red Spiral, Keto addresses the assembly. His message is clear:

"The Empire has reclaimed Imperial Center. The Galactic Senate is gone, left to squalor on Fondor. But before us lies the true foundation of power, not politics, not terror, but energy. Pure, unrestrained, devastating energy. You are being considered for PROJECT: STARDUST, a vision, of a galaxy reborn, of a galaxy brought to heel."

What follows is not a briefing, but a test. Those who prove their loyalty and value may be inducted into the inner circle of the Emperor's hidden masterpiece.

Those who ask too many questions… disappear.

---

“When they look to the stars and see that black sphere above their world, they will remember, peace was always a lie…”
- Admiral Aldo Garrick

​

Far above the world of Had Abaddon, cloaked in radiation storms and sensor-jamming arrays, hangs the sprawling DEATH STAR III, the Empire's unholy resurrection of planetary annihilation.

Around it orbits the Erebus Installation, a Deep Core Advanced Weapons & Research facility originally constructed by the Dark Empire, decommissioned by the Galactic Alliance, now overtaken, reinforced, and converted into the Empire's most secretive and advanced war laboratory. It is here the final phase of Project: STARDUST transitions from theory to reality.

Now, the superlaser's primary dish and focusing array are under active construction. Resources secured from Tython, labor from the Deep Core, and blueprints derived from centuries of warfare, and test data from Csilla’s annihilation, all converge into a single terrible purpose.

The Erebus spires are alive with activity as top secret Imperial oversight arrives to inspect progress, resolve disputes, and crush any signs of failure. Rumors swirl of missing materials, unexpected delays, and quiet executions. Director Daedalus Tarkin will suffer no setbacks, no delays, especially while the vision of the Emperor looms.

​

 

[Daedalus Tarkin]

P R O J E C T - S T A R D U S T
E R E B U S - I N S T A L L A T I O N

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The Death Star III was more than a weapon to Daedalus. It was the key to a future where order, strength, and stability reigned supreme. It was a symbol of the Empire's uncontested might, a reminder of its supremacy. And, perhaps more importantly, it represented the past. Not just that of the Galactic Empire, but of the Tarkin clan itself. Fear, as Dade knew very well, was the spearhead which the Empire must thrust into the bleeding heart of dissent...

... and nothing sparked fear like the threat of total annihilation.

"It's beautiful," Daedalus remarked as he gazed upon the menacing orb that was the Death Star III. From an observation deck on the Erebus Installation, the director had an unobscured view of the battle station in all its glory.

The way it hung above Had Abbadon was glorious. Its curvature was perfect, rivalling the world below with its moonlike appearance. All these years of planning, researching, and developing the superweapon in the shadowy parts of the galaxy had finally come to fruition. Soon, it would grace the skies of Alliance worlds and devour them with grace and precision. The mere thought of its power brought a dark grin to Dade's face, tugging the corners of his lips into an expression that he rarely showed on the surface: pride.

TAGS: OPEN​

 

[Alars Keto]

Minister of OIT Ellayina L'lerim | Director of OIT Reiner Ghadi | Chief Minister Minister Janus Vipsanius | @Torne Derok | Director Daedalus Tarkin - Proxy: Abraxas Colt | Vireth | Veno | Aerarii Tithe ? | Lodd Grimmin ? | Gat Tambor ? | @MAYBE YOU??​

The chamber was sterile, long, and uncomfortably cold. Surveillance nodes in every corner tracked movement with mechanical precision. The air thrummed with the tension of brilliance forced into silence broken only over a roaring fireplace. Scientists, engineers, and tacticians from across the Empire sat in high backed chairs, eyes fixed at the head of the table where a single figure stood before a large glass window: Governor Alars Keto.

He spoke with very little pleasantries.

"Good Afternoon, many of you may be wondering why you are here. First, let mw assure you..”

He leaned forward with both hands on the table.

“..you were not chosen for your politics. You were not summoned here for your patriotism. You are here because you are irreplaceable minds and assets too valuable to be squandered in mediocrity."

His gaze moved around the room.

"Two years ago, when our Empire first raised its banners over Tython and Prakith, the Emperor foresaw what others would not. That the wars of tomorrow would not be won by fleets or legions alone… but by energy. Controlled, focused, absolute."

The Dark Empire had not had the vision that their now GALACTIC Empire had.

"Project: Stardust is a statement. A doctrine. A final solution to the question of galactic dominance. Your contributions, if accepted, will reshape the very foundation of power in this galaxy."

Alars rose from the table, back postured straight and proper, head held high.

"But let me be clear, participation is not a right. It is a burden. Secrecy is eternal. Failure is terminal. And success… will be remembered, forever."

Black attired officers entered, with holopads at the ready, they approached each guest.

"You have one hour to sign your lives over to the future. Or leave now, and forget this room ever existed."

Keto's eyes swept across the assembly, his expression severe and unblinking. A faint hum in the background signaled that biometric scanners had already begun their silent evaluations.

"And then we can talk.. more freely.. choose wisely."

 

[Lodd Grimmin]

Alars Keto

The Trade Federation had pulled off the ruse of a lifetime, successfully persuading the Galactic Alliance that they had been forcibly annexed by the Galactic Empire, when in fact the reality was quite the opposite. A slight orchestration of a coup was all that was necessary to maintain the conglomerate's neutrality.

Lodd played a pivotal role in this ruse, having instructed the Customs-Vizer to take action against him, resulting in his imprisonment, although this lasted only a few hours before Imperial Operatives intervened and rescued him.

The Purse-Worlds enjoyed freedom from regulations and functioned with minimal Imperial Oversight, which was sufficient for the company to start extending its influence throughout the Core Worlds via Imperial Trading Commissions and Branch Offices of COMFEAR.

Such considerations eagerly occupied the Neimoidians' thoughts as he sat at the end of the conference table, fully aware that Project Stardust depended on the Federation's financial support. The words from Alars Keto were taken in stride as the man seemed to dominate the meeting and start the security procedures.

He quickly signed the datapad without a second thought, marking Lodd Grimmin, Trade Monarch and Treasurer of the Trade Federation.

 

[Colm Noda]

Alars Keto | Ellayina L'lerim | Reiner Ghadi | Minister Janus Vipsanius | Lodd Grimmin | Daedalus Tarkin

Root out corruption. That was their mandate, their singular purpose, unwavering and unimpeded by petty squabbling or political ambition. To cleanse the rot, not merely punish it. There could be no compromise with infection.

Who binds the powerful? The question was asked so often in his mind that Colm had all but given up searching for an answer. He knew the answer to the question, of course. He did, or at least, his bureau did, agents and officers charged with ensuring loyalty to the Empire, dogma made-manifest through military force, if called upon. A holy war fought with datapads and blaster bolts. If the call to serve was not enough to keep the imperial spirit alive, then the threat of a blaster bolt was sure enough to turn even the staunchest critic towards compliance.

Whilst the Imperial Intelligence community operated in the shadows, the ISB sought to illuminate the dark, bring the Emperor's light to every corner that sedition and disobedience might fester. Let Intelligence whisper in the dark; the Bureau would speak with fire. Director Noda had seen advancement in the Vizier's administration and now sat primed and ready to fulfil his calling; ensure the forces of the Empire do not falter. No retreat from their mission. No refuge for dissent. No pardon for weakness.

He sat, listening intently to the Governor. It was a beautiful sentiment, one he shared readily. He was without question intent on ensuring the security of the operation, at all costs. The office of the Grand Vizier, nay the Emperor himself, had vested authority into the Bureau. Eradicate outliers. Destroy malfeasance. Silence dissent from without or within. He remembered the previous Director, who had once hesitated. He was ash now.

He looked towards the Minister of Intelligence, his direct superior, and nodded. He had not risen the heights of Director by squandering opportunities when presented so readily to him, neatly packaged as this one was. There was no need to speak. The Minister would see it in his eyes: readiness, ruthlessness, and resolve.

 

[Domaric Mordane]

Tags: Alars Keto | Ellayina L'lerim | Reiner Ghadi | Minister Janus Vipsanius | Lodd Grimmin | Daedalus Tarkin | Colm Noda

"Unlimited power will transform the galactic economy…" Mordane muttered under his breath. Krennic's voice, crisp and arrogant, replayed in his mind like a relic from another lifetime. A vision sold to fools and visionaries alike. Now, centuries later, the phrase returned not as prophecy, but as precedent.

The chamber was cold. Deliberately so, he guessed. Designed to remind every soul present that comfort was a privilege, not a right. Surveillance devices blinked silently from the corners. The walls were sterile, not just in cleanliness, but in intent. No warmth, no welcome—only control.

Alars Keto had finished speaking.

Mordane remained silent.

He didn't need the full scope to understand the shape of what they were being offered. Project Stardust. The name had whispered its way through encrypted channels and off-the-record briefings for months. Rumors shrouded in secrecy and silent mouths. Now, at last, it was here. Not so much unveiled as implied, like a firecracker waiting to be lit under the floor of the galaxy.

Whatever it was, it would change everything. He knew that. The gravity of it sank in deeper than he cared to admit.

Ideology be damned. They would need soldiers. Architects of fear. Strategists fluent in obedience. Infrastructure. Management. A durable spine for an emerging empire.

They would need loyalty.

A datapad was offered from a black uniformed attendant. Without hesitation, the Moff took it and pressed his thumb to the screen.

The datapad clicked. Logged.

He was in.

 

[Vireth]

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UNDISCLOSED BLACK SITE;
THE GALACTIC EMPIRE.
Tags: Domaric Mordane | Alars Keto | Ellayina L'lerim | Reiner Ghadi | Minister Janus Vipsanius | Lodd Grimmin | Daedalus Tarkin | Colm Noda | Veno | Aerarii Tithe | Gat Tambor |

---

​

The designs, machinations and plot of the Galactic Emperor will be made manifest by a child of the Church of the Dark Side!

Indeed, Vireth lived to serve him.

The Architect took the datapad and signed her name to it without pause or thought as she signed herself up to Project Stardust. Her secrecy would be absolute as too was her dedication to the programme at hand. Vireth of Kuat- a prodigy from the Raithal Academy of Structural Doctrine and the woman behind The Veneration. It was all beginning to click for her as Vireth admired the stalwarts of the Empire gathered by Alars Keto to be debriefed on an energy programme headed by the Emperor himself.

On the newly conquered world of New Plympto, in the prison factory labour camps found in it's jungles, new requisition orders had been put in for parts and technology that would be used in the programme itself. The prison had been designed to accommodate and subsequently adapt to what was needed, of course. Vireth had designed it to be like that, and while the running or administration of the prison was left to other capable hands, it would appear that her work and designs behind The Veneration had been rewarded with a seat at this table.

It had been a deliberate choice for Vireth to take the seat next to Domaric Mordane . Aligning herself to the General was advantageous when it came to the trajectory of her career within the Empire, and if not for the political schemes of Lodd Grimmin , they might have finished their conversation on Cato Neimoidia regarding the Raithal Military Academy itself until assassin droids had tried to murder everyone at the negotiations between the Federation and Minister Janus Vipsanius . They would have to pick that up sometime in the future. There was much they could accomplish together.

Now was not the time to continue such conversations, however. Neither was this a moment to consider her own career within the Imperial military complex itself. She was not here to forward her own agenda, after all.

Vireth asserted her focus upon this secret meeting, and as the others signed their names, she considered what exactly is Project Stardust?

---

 

[Reiner Ghadi]

Tags: Alars Keto , Colm Noda , Domaric Mordane , Lodd Grimmin , Vireth , Aerarii Tithe , Gat Tambor

Reiner had gone through a shift in his role within the ranks of this new Empire, a fact that might have others shaking in their boots. But he had not failed. He had not be disloyal. No... this was merely a reappropriation of resources. He would always have a place within the ranks of the Imperials, that was certain. Yet, he had often wondered in what new capacity he may serve his Emperor. As a man of many talents, it wasn't hard for him to be useful in some capacity, but the context was what he currently lacked...

That is, until he was called to this meeting.

The cold, sterile room felt more comfortable to him than a more welcoming interior. He had suffered worse conditions through the years, fighting for the Galactic Alliance against the denizens of the Sith all those years ago. Muddy trenches, sand-filled tents, cold, dilapidated duracrete floors... at this point, comfort had become a distant memory to the man.

He quietly took his seat, listening to the words of Keto as he mentioned Project Stardust. Reiner couldn't help but notice the security measures throughout the room. Some where rather obvious, others not so much. Whatever this new endeavor was, it certainly must have warranted such drastic measures. He would have likely done the same.

The datapad was soon presented to him, and his iron-grey eyes stared down at it. A simple choice, yet one that would likely change the trajectory of Reiner's career forever. It was not a decision to make lightly. Yet, for a man such as him, it was as easy as taking a late night stroll.

He signed his life to the effort with a calm, silent confirmation, his eyes darting around the table as he did, his own mind scouring every gesture of those at the table. Every expression... every motion... any sign of subterfuge, and Reiner would gladly serve their heads to the Emperor on a platter.

 

[Ellayina L'lerim]

Information and Tags

Minister of Intelligence, Director of SHADES, Torture & Interrogation Officer​

"Galactic Common" | <"High Nelvaanian"> | ["Essonian"] | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Objective: The Imperial Palace
Location: Imperial Palace, Coruscant
Equipment: White uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit || Empyrean gland || OPBC-01m
Tags: Alars Keto | Lodd Grimmin | Colm Noda | Domaric Mordane | Vireth | Reiner Ghadi | Open

Ella sat in the chamber in a manner befitting both her position and her bloodline. Many believed the L’lerim lineage to be untouchable - too perfect, too distant - and the young blonde woman radiated that very same elegance and cool confidence. She remained silent and observant, giving not the slightest indication that she was still in pain from the injury Katherine Holt had dealt to her leg with a lightsabre. She had even refused painkillers, unwilling to let anything cloud her mind, especially during a meeting as important as this one.

She wasn’t disturbed in the slightest by Keto’s rather blunt phrasing. Having grown up among soldiers, such directness never unsettled her. She glanced around the room, her movement so subtle it was barely noticeable; only turning her head slightly, just enough to get a good look at everyone present. It seemed that the two years she had spent in exile with Shannic Wulf , and the lessons she had learned during that time, had truly borne fruit. Not just because she now held a ministerial position, but because she had earned a place at this very table.

Her loyalty was never in question; a so-called L’lerim flaw, perhaps, for most of them were too loyal. Even during her exile, her faith had never wavered: the Dark Empire - now the Galactic Empire - was the one she was meant to follow and serve. So when the contract was presented to her, there was no doubt she would sign it. She knew the cost of failure. Execution, perhaps; or death. But success often demanded great sacrifices.

She was no coward. She had no interest in power or personal gain, unlike Sularen, whose lust for authority had brought about the fall of the Dark Empire. Instead of seeking out the Emperor, he had tried to seize power for himself. She despised that worm.

Reining in her thoughts, she returned her attention to the present. When the datapad reached her, she signed it without hesitation. And throughout it all, she continued to observe the others - discreetly, patiently - to see who would commit themselves fully to the Empire… and who might choose to walk away.