Kian City, Echtabahn
Four Weeks Later
The move had gone smoothly. Thousands of people - men, women, and children - had accompanied General Zhu and his Freedom Fighters off Valinor. So many had come, in fact, that the Confederation was hard-pressed to transport them all. The Empire helped when it could, but since their vessels were not made to transport passengers, it took time. Still, every person who wished to leave Valinor was able to do so, and now Zhu had a small empire under his control.
The taking of the planet was quite simple as well. General Zhu met with the heads of the villages and towns, presenting his case for unity on the planet - unity under him, of course. It didn't take much for them to realize that unity was better than war, and even were the threat not on the table, working together would bring them both productivity and credits.
More difficult was the control of Echtabahn's two moons. One, Batahn, was of substantial size, containing its own ecosystem, which somehow vastly differed from Echtabahn's. The few inhabitants were farmers, growing enough crops to sustain themselves and the residents of the main planet. The other, Echbarahn, had nothing on it but a few communications stations. Still, after long talks, both agreed to come under General Zhu's administration.
The Valinorians landed on the surface of what would now be their home. Those who were to receive the new Confederation agricultural equipment staked claims on Batahn. Others took what mining equipment they had and staked claims at promising sites. It wasn't long before the first of the miners struck a vein of titanium and another struck a very durable form of iron. It seemed that their futures were secure.
Then, though, everything went bad. The Confederation cancelled its shipments of agricultural equipment before withdrawing all its capital ships from the space around Echtabahn. Zhu immediately turned to the Empire for aid, but Commander Selere didn't have the authority to grant it.
Fortunately for General Zhu, the Empire now had a definite interest in the planet. The iron and titanium that had been found could be easily combined to form a very strong alloy. While it could only be produced in limited amounts, it was enough to create superb body armor for multiple divisions of soldiers. The SS got first claim, of course, but the New Order established a contract with Zhu to trade the metals for agricultural equipment, mining equipment, weapons, and credits.
Still, starting on a new planet was rocky. The Freedom Fighters, which became the army of Echtabahn, were not fully equipped. They had a few fighters, but not nearly enough for planetary defenses. The SS left two cruisers and a few frigates in orbit until Zhu could afford his own ships, but it would not be enough to fend off a dedicated Confederation assault.
That was why this day was so historic. Colonel Wesley Vos and Commander Racen Selere sat in Zhu's office. Between them and Zhu was a treaty, one that would formally bring Echtabahn into the Empire as a protectorate planet. It also stipulated that General Zhu would be confirmed as an Imperial Army General and an honorary Colonel in the SS. The Freedom Fighters would be subject to fight only on General Zhu's agreement, and the Empire would not be able to recruit or draft soldiers from the planet. In return, Zhu would agree to pay a 10% tax on all productivity to the Empire (most of which would return in aid) and to sever any and all relations with enemies of the Empire. The Empire would also be the sole client of the metals found on Echtabahn's surface.
With the signatures affixed to the document, it was copied multiple times and sent to officials throughout the Empire. Two copies were left with General Zhu, and one with the SS. The original document was sent to Coruscant, where it was stored in the Imperial archives.
General Kian Zhu, commenting on the recent battle, move, and treaty, said, "It was a shame to have lost the battle for my home planet. It was difficult to leave and move to a new place, to be forced into a fresh start. And yet our new allies have taken care of us. We are beginning to prosper and will continue to do so. I do not worry so much about our enemies. They were able through their advanced technology to break through even the most spirited defenses. But I say that what technology did to us on Valinor will be corrected. But the correction cannot be rushed; rather, the only thing we can do is to wait on the shifting of the sands of time."
End
