The Second Galactic Empire (The Sith Empire)

This image is to help explain the state of affairs for my Star Wars Fanfiction Series: Star Wars: The Shadow Wars. The series is no longer in production.

Note: The information below is from my own universe which is a blend of old and new canon and it not to be considered canon in any other universe but mine.

This image was acquired through Garry's Mod

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Formal Name: The Second Galactic Empire
Informal Name(s): The Sith Empire, the New Empire, The Empire, the Secret Empire (formerly)
Head of State: Her Imperial Majesty Empress Akul the First.
Government: Absolute Monarchy & Military Dictatorship Hybrid
Date Established: 4 ABY via the First Order Declaration
Founding Document: First Order Declaration
Constitution: Second Imperial Charter
Head of Government: Grand Vizier - Lord Tyran Dooku.
Executive Branch: Central Committee of Grand Moffs (i.e. The Moff Council)
Legislative Branch: The Imperial Parliament
Judicial Branch: Supreme Court
Capital: Kaas City - Dromund Kaas
Motto: "Through the Force our Chains are Broken!" (Variation of the Sith Code's final line).
State Religious Body: The First Order of the Sith
Official Language: Galactic Basic
Currency: Imperial Dataries (i.e. Imperial Credits)
Anthem: The March of the New Empire by Mick Giachino (A/N: The Imperial Suite from Rogue One by Michael Giacchino)
Formed From: Remnants of the First Galactic Empire

"Over a thousand years ago, one man had a vision to end the corruption and decadence that would destroy the Old Republic! He sought to use that corruption against itself so that a New and Greater Order would arise from its ashes! Over the course of a thousand years, that man's vision slowly took place until it finally culminated in the rise of the Galactic Empire under his majesty, Emperor Palpatine the First! But the Emperor was betrayed by those who lacked his vision and called his efforts to bring order to the Galaxy as tyranny! These 'Rebels' were the corrupt who sought a return to the power they held in the Old Republic, where the needs of the few were tended to by the many! They were also swayed by the corrupt and scheming Jedi who led them and deceived them into turning brother against brother! But the Emperor, my Master, foresaw that the day may come that the Jedi would accomplish this treason! And so we have seen with the rise of the corrupt and decadent New Republic! Together, the galaxy shall rise up and see the Jedi and the Republic for the farce it is, and be reunited in the merciful and benevolent embrace of this, the Second Galactic Empire! Which, like the first, shall fight for a safe and secure society!" - Empress Akul the First during her first formal speech before the Sith Parliament in 28 ABY.

Prior to his first death at the Battle of Endor, Emperor Palpatine foresaw a series of possible futures where he was either overthrown by the Rebellion or even by his own apprentice, Darth Vader. Early on he didn't fear being overthrown but eventually, he began to fear losing the power he and every prior Sith Lord had worked to achieve for over a thousand years. To that end he secretly devised a contingency plan referred to as the First Order Declaration. The plan was to be carried out in secret and was known only to a handful of elite and powerful individuals that the Emperor trusted not to betray him such as Grand Moff Tarkin, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Commandant Brendol Hux, and Vice Admiral Rae Sloane.

The First Order Declaration laid out a series of instructions for the establishment of a secret Empire that could be established in the event the Emperor was betrayed and usurped by someone such as Darth Vader or even by the Rebellion in their efforts to restore the Republic. However, while Palpatine could trust these officers to establish the political and military infrastructure of this new Empire, he needed someone to continue the ways of the Sith, one who could help to ensure that the Jedi, should they reemerge, would not be able to continue without the threat of the Sith to fight them, someone who could lead the Empire as his own appointed heir. Palpatine eventually found and turned the former Apprentice of Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, to the Dark Side, training her in the ways of the Sith and turning her into Darth Akul. Convinced that Akul had the power and skill needed to replace him should he fall, he named Akul as the next in line according to the First Order Declaration before sending her into the shadows to await the contingency's activation.

In 4 ABY, at the Battle of Endor, the Emperor was declared dead after being killed aboard the Second Death Star by Jedi Knight and Rebellion Founder Galen Marek, later revealed to have been carried out with the aid of Anakin Skywalker. With the news of Palpatine's death being made public, the First Order Declaration went into effect and several key Imperial Officers disappeared virtually overnight. This Second Galactic Empire was quietly formed on the ancient Sith Capital world of Dromund Kaas and while the New Republic dealt with various threats such as the Imperial Remnant and the Empire of the Hand, the Second Galactic Empire was quietly formed in the shadows of the Galaxy.

New Republic Intelligence Agents have managed to acquire some general data about how the Sith Empire was formed. Palpatine had quietly formed a series of nationalized businesses and industries that would be passed to the control of the Secret Empire through various low-key legal and financial maneuvers. Several of these businesses would operate through various shell companies, amassing resources and supplies right beneath the New Republic's nose while the Secret Empire gained strength. Various advancements in cloning technology allowed the new Empire to breed an army of selflessly loyal soldiers and even breed new Dark Jedi to serve as a counter to a potentially resurgent Jedi Order.

Even through Palpatine reappeared for a brief period in 10 ABY, Palpatine ordered Akul to keep the Secret Empire in hiding, still wanting to keep them in reserve in case his bid to reclaim the Empire failed as Anakin Skywalker was still a threat to him. Ultimately Palpatine's hesitance to use the Secret Empire would result in his permanent demise as Anakin Skywalker killed him on Coruscant, his spirit dragged screaming into the Netherworld of the Force by the spirits of those he'd killed throughout his reign. With Palpatine permanently dead, Akul was left to continue building the Sith Empire, spending the next 17 years amassing ships, soldiers, and resources in preparation for their bid to reclaim the Galaxy.

Finally, in 28 ABY, the Sith's forces were ready. The Empress used her influence to rally what, at first, appeared to be a fleet of pirate and mercenary forces to distract the Republic as she rallied her fleets in preparation for their initial strikes against the Republic. After a skirmish over Mustafar with the Sith's pirate allies, the Sith knew it was time to begin their long awaited conflict. The Sith started the war with a series of deep strikes against the Republic, attacking Coruscant and Yavin IV simultaneously while also attacking a series of other planets. The purpose of attacking Coruscant was in an attempt to capture or kill Supreme Chancellor Leia Organa-Solo to force the Republic into surrendering early while also crippling the Republic Senate by killing numerous senators within the Senate chambers. Meanwhile the attack on Yavin was intended to destroy or at least cripple the Jedi Order. Both missions largely failed thanks to the intervention of the Mandalorians under Boba Fett who sided with the Republic and led his forces to Coruscant and Yavin to rescue the Chancellor and the Jedi. Despite the pyrrhic Republic victory at Coruscant and the Jedi's successful evacuation of Yavin IV, the Sith Empire had made its formal appearance on the Galactic-stage and started what has become known as the Shadow War.

The Sith Empire holds a number of historically Sith worlds such as their capital of Dromund Kaas, the ancient Sith Burial world of Korriban, Ziost, the Byss Asteroid Field, Malachor, and a few other systems. Since the war's beginning, a few hundred systems have joined the Sith Empire, either out of fear or out of old loyalty to the old Galactic Empire. The Republic still holds the loyalty of the majority of planets but in 29 ABY, the Sith launched Operation Blindside, a devastating offensive that allowed the Sith to push the Republic back on multiple fronts. This, along with an ill timed orbital bombardment of the planet Taris by the crimelord Tyber Zann, has caused several systems to either secede from the New Republic and join the Sith Empire or make declarations of neutrality twixt the two warring factions. The Republic still holds majority power across the galaxy but after Operation: Blindside, that power base has weakened considerably.

The Sith Empire's government operates very similarly to the way the old Galactic Empire operated, adopting much of the Empire's same laws and governmental structure. However in a bid to pantomime the existence of a democracy, the Sith allow for a parliamentary government made up of representatives from the Sith's member systems, to create legislation that governs the day-to-day lives of the Empire's citizens. The Moff Council and the Empress herself have absolute veto power over the Sith Parliament and can make line-item vetoes or alterations to bills that've already been voted forward. It's not uncommon for bills passed by the Parliament to be completely rewritten or torn up by the Moffs and/or Empress after passage by the Parliament. The Sith Parliament is located, along with the rest of the Sith government, in Kaas City on Dromund Kaas. The Empress has absolute authority in all affairs related to the Empire but the day-to-day operations of the government are typically left to the Grand Vizier, Lord Tyran Dooku, who also presides over meetings of the Imperial Parliament.

On currency, the Sith have revived the old Imperial Dataries/Imperial Credits of the old Empire. Existing credit notes for the old Empire are still valid and accepted within the Sith Empire. New Republic credits are not accepted. Other raw materials are also accepted such as Nova Crystals and Aurodium.

The First Order of the Sith acts as the official religious institution of the Empire. The Imperial Inquisition of the old Empire has been partly restored although the Inquisition's role is to mostly seek out Force Sensitives within the Empire and to force them to either accept training as a Dark Jedi or be killed to avoid their becoming Jedi. Most Dark Jedi end up as elite foot soldiers within the Imperial Military, being dispatched to take on the Republic's Jedi leaders in the field. The Dark Jedi that show promise with the Dark Side of the Force as well as loyalty to the Empire are usually brought before the Empress as potential candidates for training as Sith. Most of these prospective Sith, if the Empress deems them worthy, end up under the tutelage of one of the Empress's apprentices and might replace one of the Empress's apprentices in replacement of other Sith Lords that should they be killed, excommunicated, or leave of their own accord.

The Sith Empire's anthem is "March of the New Empire" by Imperial Propagandist Mick Giachino who studied under Nohj Billiams, the composer who wrote the Imperial March, the anthem of the Galactic Empire. Billiams had later defected to the Rebellion and wrote the New Republic's Anthem.

Unlike the old Galactic Empire however, should the Empress die or be killed, clear lines of succession exist to ensure that the calamitous infighting that tore apart the old Galactic Empire following Palpatine's death does not occur again. At present, the next in line after Akul is Darth Stalker.

Militarily, the Sith largely rely on their army of cloned soldiers and Dark Jedi for manpower although they do permit its citizens to enlist and attend Officer Academies. For their fleets and war machines, the Sith look to Jaemus Fleet Systems and Jaemus Heavy Engineering, both nationalized companies formed from Empire loyal engineers and architects from Kuat Drive Yards and Rothana Heavy Engineering. For small arms and armor, the Sith look to Rebus Arms, founded by Moff Rebus after he was broken out of Rebel captivity. Rebus Arms also helps design and manufacture any custom droids the Empire needs such as the modern recreations of the Dark Trooper.