2133. The beginning and end of Trade Federation (3)
Therefore, Trade Federation could actually be said to be the largest economic entity in the entire galaxy, or at least the second. Moreover, Trade Federation controls the lifeblood of Outer Rim Territories. It can be said that Galactic Republic's rule over Outer Rim Territories can actually be accomplished through Trade Federation.
That's why they, like InterGalactic Banking Clan, were the only ones who could bet on both sides without being liquidated during Clone Wars - because these two entities are so huge, one monopolizes the financial industry of the galaxy, and the other monopolizes the transportation industry of Mid Rim and Outer Rim.
Compared with these two, others such as Corporate Alliance and Merchant Guilds cannot really be compared with them.
It is precisely because of this that Trade Federation was used by Das-Pregas and Das-Sidious, and became the fuse that detonated many conflicts between Mid Rim and Outer Rim Territories.
So now when Das-Vader proposed to take action against Trade Federation, everyone reacted like this.
Because this proposal is both feasible and unfeasible.
The feasible aspect is because Trade Federation's headquarters is located in Balmorra (Balmorra), while Neimoidian's home planet Neimoidia, as well as their important colonial world and Wealth World Kato-Neimoidia, Deko-Neimoidia, Koru-Neimoidia are all located in the Milky Way Galaxy Core Worlds.
In other words, Galactic Republic can hit these places with just a raise of his hand.
In fact, the headquarters of Trade Federation was not in Balmorra at first, but in Outer Rim Territories. Later, their strength grew more and more, so they set up their headquarters in Coruscant. Then Separatists became increasingly powerful and war was about to break out. Trade Federation, which had been controlled by Neimoidian, transferred its headquarters to Neimoidian's Wealth World Kato-Neimoidia on the grounds of protecting property.
However, during the war, because Newt Gunray stood on the side of Separatists, Galactic Republic decided to sanction Trade Federation, and in addition, Kato-Neimoidia once protected Separatists The incident of Plague Titan warship led by E general Sefrans-Tann made Trade Federation feel that Kato-Neimoidia was not that safe either.
That's why they finally moved the Trade Federation headquarters to their largest, most developed and most advanced industrial world in Core Worlds - Balmorra. Therefore, this place was once called Balmorra-Neimoidia.
Neimoidian finally understood that in such a war era, all wealth and finance were all illusory. Only industry, and it must be industry, can protect itself.
Therefore, for the Galactic Empire, although Trade Federation's forces in the galaxy are intricately connected, and their client worlds are almost everywhere, reaching thousands of galaxies, their most core planets are almost all in Core Worlds.
In other words, Galactic Empire does not need large-scale mobilization, and can even directly dispatch the three legions guarding Core Worlds - First System Army, Second Systems Army and Third Army to attack Trade Federation. Although among them, Second Systems Army suffered heavy losses and was almost completely destroyed due to the expedition to Mandalore star sector led by Mace-Master Windu. However, First System Army and Third Army combined can dispatch more than 2,000 battleships without any problem.
However, the unfeasibility of the plan to attack Trade Federation is also very serious - even though Trade Federation has been blatantly mixed with Separatists and Duchy of Dawn in recent years, the reputation and relationship network they have established over a long time are still intricate and cannot be shaken easily.
It is not clear how many people there are who have an interest in Trade Federation, who have been bribed by Trade Federation, and who even have their own home planet controlled by Trade Federation. Even though Republic Senate has been disbanded and Imperial Senate is basically a decoration, those councilors and senior officials still have enough energy to influence Galactic Empire's decision-making.
Therefore, if we directly attack Trade Federation at this time, let alone the fact that Trade Federation will definitely block all major transportation routes and destroy them, the opposition within the Empire will definitely not be small.
However, the opportunity is also here.
The dull voice of Darth-Vader said, "Since Darth-Malthael has disappeared, we will take this opportunity to directly destroy Trade Federation and occupy their core planet. Duchy of Dawn will not be able to make any reaction."
"Jiejiejiejie... Indeed! Indeed! Good! Very good!!" Das-Sidious laughed strangely, obviously very satisfied with this plan. "Since attacking Trade Federation will lead to their counterattack, it is better to take advantage of Das-Malthael's absence and eliminate them directly! Let them have no time to react!"
"Your Majesty. There is no doubt that now is a good opportunity... I also agree to attack Trade Federation immediately." Sutter-Pestachi quickly agreed.
For him, as long as Palpatine doesn't think about sending troops to attack Duchy of Dawn, then everything will be fine. It might not be a bad idea to vent all the anger of Palpatine on Trade Federation.
Others present had the same idea.
After all, Trade Federation is still a visible and tangible target, and Galactic Empire can definitely crush their weak fleet. Instead Duchy of Dawn? That was when Clone Wars fought battle after battle, and defeated Galactic Republic in succession. In the end, the Empire had to accept the powerful existence of their separate peace agreement!
Don't think that the separate peace negotiation at that time was Duchy of Dawn bowing to the Galactic Empire. In fact, Galactic Empire also believed that it failed to wipe out Duchy of Dawn in one fell swoop. On the contrary, it could only hold its nose with them and sign Peace Accord. This is a huge shame.
As a big country, it can only accept the proposal of a small country to end the war. This is a huge failure in itself!
But unwilling to give up, humiliation is humiliation, even Palpatine has to admit that Galactic Empire, who is facing internal and external troubles, is indeed not suitable to choose Duchy of Dawn as his biggest enemy.
Trade Federation is indeed the most suitable target from an economic and military perspective.
Therefore, the decision to attack Trade Federation was confirmed very hastily in such an anticlimactic meeting.
The person who led the army to launch this offensive was naturally Das-Vader. He immediately went to Imperial Ministry of Defense and began to mobilize the fleet and formulate plans.
This attack on Trade Federation was named 'Operation: Eradicate' by Das-Vader. The main force launching the attack will be Galactic Empire Third Army Main Fleet, with a total of 1,200 battleships. And First System Army will also deploy 300 capital ships to join this operation.
Therefore, the total strength is 1,500 capital ships, 2,800 Light Cruiser and Heavy Cruiser, 12,000 small warships, and 2,000 transport ships, including Marines with a strength of 4 million people.
The action time is initially set at 40 days later, August 1, 12BBY.
After determining the established strategy, all Galactic Empire's publicity machines were fully activated.
Countless editorials and news have exposed Trade Federation's collusion with Separatists during the Clone Wars period, and the two sides of the snake and mouse, and their actions against Galactic Republic.
Not only that, Trade Federation has been exposed to the public for so many years since almost all of its black-box transactions, all of its money laundering, and all of its illegal activities!
For a time, Trade Federation's reputation plummeted.
Even if the media controlled by Trade Federation tries its best to whitewash itself, the sound it makes is still insignificant compared to the official mouthpiece of the Galactic Empire.
Under the control of Imperial New Order Maintenance Committee's core, Koru Asia-Van D'ron (Crueya Vandron), Galactic Empire's major media have almost the same voice, and all different voices are directly made to disappear in various ways.
All propaganda and media point to one direction - the treason of Trade Federation!
Not only did Trade Federation control the navigation data of Outer Rim Territories, it made it impossible for Galactic Republic to counterattack Outer Rim Territories when it had a slight advantage in the early stages of the war, forming a snowballing situation. In addition, Trade Federation helped Confederacy of Independent Systems produce a robot army, and through large-scale logistics channels, Confederacy of Independent Systems was able to establish an industrial core comparable to the three major industrial giants Galactic Republic on Port Pament, a small industrial satellite that was originally unknown!
Then, Galactic Empire Supreme Court pronounced Trade Federation guilty of treason in absentia without the presence of Trade Federation representatives. Trade Federation was sentenced to confiscate all assets to compensate for all war expenses from Galactic Republic to the present, and will be responsible for all war losses in the process of Clone Wars.
Trade Federation's current governor, Newt Gunray, was announced as Class A War Criminal, the person most responsible for Trade Federation's participation in the war. At the same time, Trade Federation's Council Representative Lot-Dude was directly expelled from Imperial Senate, deprived of all political rights, and was not allowed to make any voice for Trade Federation in parliament.
These actions all point to one fact - Galactic Empire is determined to catch all Trade Federation in one fell swoop! Under such circumstances, many neutral factions were forced to stand on the side of the Galactic Empire under pressure, preparing to participate in this feast of carving up the super cake of Trade Federation!
Trade Federation was naturally unwilling to sit still and wait for death. They immediately stopped all Outer Rim Territories's navigation and transportation services and announced that all Galactic Empire's official and unofficial spaceships must not use Trade Federation's navigation data.
At the same time, Trade Federation provoked almost all the franchised galaxies and their permanent customer galaxies to directly stand up against the Galactic Empire. Not only did large-scale demonstrations break out, Galactic Empire assets were seized, and all merchant fleets flying the Galactic Empire flag were directly targeted.
This time it was almost a direct confrontation. Trade Federation carried out a destructive counterattack against the Galactic Empire with the mentality of fighting to the death.
For a time, Galactic Empire lost contact with all Outer Rim of the galaxy's sphere of influence at almost the same time. In the absence of navigation data, Galactic Empire couldn't even send troops to Outer Rim Territories to suppress it!
So Galactic Empire is left with only two options - the first is to sit back and watch Trade Federation cut off all contact with Outer Rim Territories, and by default Galactic Empire loses all the territory of Outer Rim Territories. The second is to directly deploy heavy troops in the core galaxy of Trade Federation, forcing Trade Federation to engage in a decisive battle.
In short, even if I, Galactic Empire, throw away Mid Rim and Outer Rim, I will fight to the end with you Trade Federation!
There is no doubt that Galactic Empire chose the latter.
A huge fleet began to assemble, surrounding several core planets of Trade Federation - Neimoidia, Balmorra, Kato-Neimoidia and several other most powerful planets.
In fact, even before this, these planets were already under the direct supervision of Galactic Empire fleet. A powerful force of more than 800 capital ships has blocked these planets.
In fact, the blockade has existed before, and the core planet of Trade Federation has long been surrounded by Galactic Empire's fleet. But the current series of troop deployment operations is obviously not a normal defense change.
The mobilization of thousands of capital ships and more than 4,000 frigates of various types also showed one thing - Galactic Empire has no intention of letting Trade Federation continue to live this time!
But Trade Federation has deep pockets after all. On the grounds of protecting their own property, they began to build large-scale planetary defense systems in these core planets.
Planetary Shield? That's the minimum equipment.
These planets also include planetary energy supply centers, large Planetary Shield, large orbital defense systems, hidden space Hangar Platform, Agonev-class star base, Gauss Defense Platform and other various defense facilities. These expensive and powerful facilities have been set up in almost all Trade Federation's participating galaxies.
In short, Trade Federation lacks everything except money.
A complete planetary defense system can match the powerful force of a squadron of the Galactic Empire. But now that it was discovered that Galactic Empire had evil intentions, Trade Federation activated all its defense forces, forming an extremely powerful defense network!
Newt Gunray quickly appointed Neimoidian's rare famous general, Mal-Took, as the commander-in-chief to coordinate and arrange the orientation of the core planet.
At the same time, Newt Gunlay also went to Dawn Star Planet in person to ask for help from Grand Duke of Dawn Tang Xiao.
Now it is very obvious that Galactic Empire wants to invade directly and solve all the problems of Trade Federation in one fell swoop. Newt Gunray hopes that Duchy of Dawn can directly send troops, at least to launch several offensives on the border to contain Galactic Empire's fleet.
But what makes Newt Gunray very uneasy is that every time Tang Xiao asked for an audience with him, he started the conversation directly without any obstacles. But now, Tang Xiao never showed up, and the person who received him was Prime Minister of the Duchy Francis-Underwood.
The answer Underwood gave to Newt Gunray was also disappointing - Duchy of Dawn currently has neither the strength nor the will to directly send troops to start a war with the Galactic Empire.