2901, Chardaan Planet
May 29, Chardaan Planet.
The instant the Death Star dropped out of hyperspace, dazzling white light radiated through the space of the Chardaan System, lingering for a long time.
With its terrifying diameter of 120 kilometers, this super battle station stood silently beyond the planet's synchronous orbit like an iron moon.
There were also 400 Star Destroyers and more than 2,000 small and medium warships. Setting everything else aside, Imperial-class Star Destroyers alone had been designed to suppress an ordinary planet single-handedly. And by "ordinary planet," they meant worlds like Chardaan Planet.
Yet now, four hundred of them were parked outside the planet!
Tahir, Governor of Chardaan Planet, stood on the rooftop of the administrative center. The wineglass slipped from his hand and shattered into countless fragments against the stone floor.
Chardaan Planet, located at a key hub of the Hydian Way, had once struggled to survive in the gap between the Galactic Empire and the Fourth Empire. When news arrived that Palpatine had been killed by Tang Xiao on Coruscant, Chardaan's council passed, by a narrow majority, a resolution to "lean toward the Fourth Empire."
In their view, the Fourth Empire had just gone through the bloody Battle of Coruscant and had yet to recover its strength. Meanwhile, the Galactic Empire's Emperor was dead, leaving it leaderless. This was the best chance for Chardaan to hover at the edge of neutrality.
They had not accounted for the Death Star.
The Empire's most terrifying superweapon now floated steadily in Chardaan's orbit.
"Governor," the adjutant said in a trembling voice, "the Imperial fleet has sent a communication. Governor Wilhuff Tarkin requests that you... proceed to the Death Star immediately."
"Requests?" Tahir's mouth twitched.
"No. It is an order."
Tahir was taken aboard the Death Star in a Lambda-class