Let It Burn

Where Were You? It All Crashed Down

The First Order was not the only power in the Imperial Remnant. After the Emperor was assassinated, civil war broke out. The Rebellion gained traction steadily over the years and overthrew the Empire. In its place, a New Republic was formed. In a response to the years of oppression under the previous regime, few hard and fast rules were created or enforced. The main thing that could be agreed upon was the necessity of monitoring trade routes. Everyone had an interest in keeping these relatively safe for travel. Those who dared to traverse the galaxy on different paths knew what they were getting into – and were likely doing something illegal anyway. So the New Republic did not concern itself with these things.

Systems were relieved to no longer be under the thumb of the Empire, and many took advantage of being able to run things how they saw fit again. It was certainly one of the attractive parts of the Rebellion – being free to do as you pleased without interference. While tempting, it meant that there was little interest in compromise, in making the galaxy run as a whole. So things began to slip through the cracks and the New Republic was revealed as the mere façade that it was. The Empire had been an efficient and respected government – the New Republic was neither of those things.

When the war ended, there was peace for a while. There were celebrations and rejoicing – but then it was time to get back to work. And there were reparations to be made, things to be rebuilt, new laws to be established. So what was left of the Empire, those still loyal to the cause, were able to retreat to the Outer Rim more or less unhindered. Once entrenched in that region, the New Republic was uninterested in pursuing them. What did it matter if they clung to the edge of the galaxy?

And maybe that line of thinking was right, if it weren't for Snoke. The rest of the Imperials were content to rule their own planets and reminisce about the old days. But Snoke wanted more – he wanted everything. So he gathered to him those who remained loyal, those who had something to gain from retaking the galaxy. The Imperial Remnant became unified in that goal, and supporters were courted who could provide ships and manpower.

Brendol Hux had a plan for Stormtrooper training, and he offered his holdings on Borosk as a base. When his son was of age, Brendol retired and let the younger oversee operations and rise through the ranks of the First Order. Orindi Ateidme, governor of Yaga Minor, provided the location for Stormtroopers to undergo their training, as well as a significant portion of her own men to join the corps. Aleted Alyan of Bastion had the ore deposits to create a new fleet. Mirzam Hispuli of Bescane had the factories to offer.

And so on. The seven governors of the Imperial Remnant pooled their resources to make the First Order much more powerful than the scattered New Republic, or the underfunded Resistance. And Snoke prevented any squabbling – it was an adjustment to being ruled again, but the former generals fell in line. When they grew too old to make war, they sent their children in their place. The First Order was young, and its leaders became so as well.

Then Kylo Ren overthrew Snoke and took control of the seven planets in the Imperial Remnant. His Knights, also seven, were a perfect way to keep an eye on the old generals and their children. He wondered if Snoke had planned it that way all along. In any case, the resistance to his rule that the old generals expressed was not mirrored in the Knights. He had been their master for a long time, and they were accustomed to the Dark Side rule of two, though they no longer valued it. So they had hardly reacted when he'd summoned them, moments after killing Snoke.

He'd been concerned about their response. Phasma and Hux were no concern – he knew what was in their heads. But the Knights were too Force-sensitive for him to read covertly, and they were much less obvious in their actions. When they'd filed into the room, always in rank order, he detected barely more than a hint of surprise. Then they'd kneeled before him, as they always did, and were prepared to take whatever orders he had to give. Perhaps that's why Snoke had kept them around. He didn't know what the former leader's plans had been for his group of Force-users.