Republic 18th Army Wishes Everyone a Happy New Year and May All Your Wishes Come True

701, Galactic Republic 18th Army

Eriadu, in the Outer Rim Territories, was the capital of the Sesenna Sector and also the capital of the Galactic Republic 18th Army. Its governor was Wilhuff Tarkin.

This planet was the largest trade hub in the Outer Rim Territories, linked to numerous hyperspace routes. Besides the two most important routes, the Hydian Way and the Rimma Trade Route, the Lipsec Run, Yankirk Route, and Nothoiin Corridor also passed through here, making transportation exceptionally convenient.

Beneath its prosperous trade, Eriadu developed at an astonishing pace. Its population reached 22 billion, second only to Christophsis, which had a population of 35 billion, among the Outer Rim Territories.

However, unlike Christophsis, which was merely a source of crystals, Eriadu, as a trade hub, was obviously far more complicated.

Two years after Tang Xiao and the Fourth Civilization had first crossed into this world, in 33 BBY, Eriadu briefly became the focal point of conflict.

That year, as tensions in the Outer Rim Territories of the Milky Way Galaxy continued to escalate, Chancellor of the Galactic Senate Phineas Valorum decided to hold a Commerce Summit on Eriadu in order to resolve those conflicts and push forward his Outer Rim taxation bill. He invited the galaxy's major corporate magnates to attend and discuss the taxation bill together.

However, under the conspiratorial planning of Darth Pregas and Darth Sidious, the Commerce Summit ultimately became a farce. Darth Sidious secretly contacted Wilhuff Tarkin, who was then serving as the Grand Moff and Security Minister of the Sesenna Sector, and plotted a droid riot.

During that droid riot, senior executives from numerous corporate giants were killed or injured. The Trade Federation's high-ranking officials were nearly wiped out, allowing Nute Gunray to emerge as the ultimate winner, become the Trade Federation's new governor,