Star Wars: Empire of the Eternal Star

{Chapter: 9 I want a spaceship!}

Leo quickly skimmed through the list of legendary figures stored within the system, his fingers hovering hesitantly over the glowing interface. Most of the names remained inaccessible, shrouded in secrecy, as if locked behind an impenetrable barrier. However, a handful of names stood out, their letters illuminated in a way that suggested they could still be interacted with.

"What's the situation with these individuals whose names I can actually see? Does this mean they can be awakened?" Leo asked, his voice tinged with curiosity and a slight trace of apprehension.

[You cannot wake them up directly,] the artificial intelligence responded in its usual emotionless tone. [According to the agreements they made before entering the mothership's hibernation chambers, they are bound by an oath of allegiance. However, the true strength of this oath is uncertain, given the level of power these individuals possess. Before initiating their full awakening, you are allowed to engage in negotiations with them in a semi-conscious state. If they find the conditions you offer acceptable, they will agree to the process and pledge themselves to your cause.]

Leo processed the information, his brows furrowing. "So, the ones whose names I can see are those who might actually meet the requirements to wake up?"

[Correct. However, if negotiations fail, they will choose to remain in hibernation indefinitely rather than serve someone they do not deem worthy. That being said, if you are able to meet their requirements in full, awakening them without any negotiations becomes an option. Keep in mind, though, their demands are often extremely high.]

Leo nodded slowly, his gaze shifting to the legendary names glowing on the screen before him. Each carried weight, steeped in myth and history. These weren't just figures from obscure texts—these were individuals who had defined entire eras in the worlds they hailed from. Some were warriors, others were masterminds, and some had altered the course of history with nothing but sheer will and ambition.

Then, his eyes landed on a particular name, and his breath hitched.

If he truly wanted to challenge Emperor Palpatine, then perhaps this man could make it possible. He wasn't the strongest warrior by any means—anyone could randomly throw him into a battle, and he'd likely be beaten to death before he had the chance to react. But in the realm of politics and grand strategy? He was a force of nature. A schemer among schemers.

However, Leo hesitated.

This man was dangerous. More dangerous than anyone else on the list. He had no loyalty, no faith, and no moral compass. For him, the only things that mattered were power, opportunity, and ambition. Everything in his world revolved around transactions and personal gain.

Yet, in a contest against Palpatine, such a person might be the perfect countermeasure.

Leo swallowed hard. The idea of bringing such a man into his fold was terrifying, but the alternative—facing the Emperor alone—was far worse.

"When the time is right, I'll negotiate with him. See if he's willing to come out of hibernation and work with me," Leo muttered under his breath. He knew there would be consequences to this decision, but that was something for future him to worry about.

For now, he had only one focus: war.

The Clone Wars were still a distant event, likely ten to thirty years away. But that time would pass quickly, and he needed to be ready. If he wasn't prepared when the storm hit, he wouldn't just be swept away—he'd be crushed beyond recognition.

Survival wasn't enough. He needed to thrive in the chaos that was to come.

With a deep breath, he closed the page of legendary figures and leaned back in his chair, feeling the cold sweat forming on his back. This wasn't like watching a movie or playing a game where he controlled everything from a safe distance. This was real. These people weren't just characters with scripted fates—they were beings of power, individuals who had stood at the pinnacle of their respective worlds.

And compared to them, he was nothing.

The mastermind was right to wait until he had been properly awakened before allowing him access to these figures. If he had attempted to awaken them too soon, he would have been crushed under the weight of their presence, outmaneuvered before he even understood the rules of the game.

Leo exhaled slowly, trying to steady himself. He turned his attention back to the table before him, reaching out instinctively toward his cup of tea. Without physically touching it, he focused on the object, willing it to move.

To his astonishment, the cup lifted into the air, suspended by an invisible force.

A slow grin spread across his face, but just as quickly, the cup wobbled and slipped from his mental grasp. It crashed to the ground with a loud clang, shattering into fragments as tea splattered across the floor.

Leo sighed, shaking his head. "Great. Now I need someone to clean this up."

He glanced around the bridge of his ship, watching his crew move about, each busy with their assigned tasks. No one had paid any attention to his mishap.

In a way, that was a relief.

He bent down, extending his hand again, this time toward the broken shards. Concentrating, he felt the force responding to his will, lifting the pieces one by one into the air. Carefully, he directed them toward the trash can beside him, his movements slow and deliberate.

One by one, the shards floated closer to their intended target. Then, in the final moments, his control wavered, and the fragments missed the can entirely, scattering across the floor in a wider mess than before.

Leo groaned, rubbing his temples. "I really need to work on that."

He had known about the Force, of course. It was the omnipresent energy that bound all things together, the power that made Jedi Knights and Sith Lords alike such terrifying warriors. The light side, the dark side—the eternal struggle between them had shaped the fate of the galaxy for millennia.

And now, somehow, he was a part of it.

It was both exhilarating and daunting.

Leo leaned back once more, staring at the ceiling in thought. He had a long way to go, but that didn't matter.

The future was coming, whether he was ready or not. And when the time came, he wouldn't just survive—he would carve out a place for himself in this universe.

Whatever it took.

"Administrator."

Qi Jian approached Leo, who was still experimenting with his newfound power. The teacup fragments floated through the air, but instead of landing in the trash can as intended, they scattered messily around it.

Qi Jian ignored the minor mishap and instead offered a respectful nod. "Congratulations, Administrator, on mastering this mysterious and powerful force."

Leo sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Mastering? Hardly. It looks more like I'm making a mess rather than demonstrating control." He gestured toward the fragments. "But something tells me you're not here just to praise my clumsiness."

Qi Jian nodded, his expression becoming serious. "Yes, Administrator. Our staff has just completed a comprehensive analysis of our current military strength. I've brought the report for you to review." With a few quick gestures, he transferred a data packet to the screen in front of Leo.

Leo leaned forward, skimming through the dense text and schematics. Instead of getting bogged down in the details, he glanced back at Qi Jian. "Give me the short version. What's the most urgent issue?"

Qi Jian straightened, his tone measured yet firm. "The highest priority right now is strengthening the mothership's defense capabilities. The Blade Fighter, while useful in limited engagements, is simply inadequate for prolonged battles. To be blunt, it's little more than a flying tin can with a machine gun strapped to it. It lacks speed, durability, and advanced weaponry."

Leo waved his hand for Qi Jian to continue.

"We propose launching immediate research and development for the Blade II fighter. The research department should analyze and optimize its technology, modifying our production lines to start manufacturing it as soon as possible. Additionally, we need to prioritize infrared laser weaponry research to improve firepower, as the current kinetic-based weapons are too outdated for interstellar combat."

Qi Jian brought up a holographic schematic of a streamlined fighter. "This is the Blade II fighter—an improved model with enhanced aerodynamics and maneuverability. But its weaponry remains lacking, relying solely on a six-barrel electromagnetic cannon."

Leo stared at the blueprint, recognizing the familiar design from Eclipse Armada 2. It was an improvement over the existing Razr fighters—more agile, better handling—but the firepower was still insufficient. Against the kind of threats they would inevitably face, these fighters were just slightly faster flies, still doomed to be swatted out of the sky.

Qi Jian continued, "We need to make a decision. Should we begin immediate production of the Blade II, or allocate resources elsewhere?"

Leo exhaled sharply and shook his head. "No. The Blade II is an improvement, but it's still a stopgap measure. It won't be enough to handle the scale of battles we're going to face."

He tapped the screen, calling up his own knowledge of the Star Wars universe. "The Republic's standard fighter is the ARC-170. Compared to that, both the Blade and Blade II are completely outclassed. They wouldn't last five seconds in a real engagement."

Qi Jian hesitated before asking, "Then what's the plan?"

Leo leaned back, thinking for a moment. "First, we establish a dedicated physics research department and prioritize infrared laser weapons. That technology will be vital, and we need it as soon as possible."

Qi Jian nodded. "Understood. And the Blade II?"

"Forget about it for now. We'll ramp up production of the Blade fighters instead—get our numbers up to at least 100 units. Once we have the infrared lasers ready, we'll retrofit them. That will be our immediate goal."

Qi Jian frowned. "Administrator, I must point out that even with improved weapons, the Razr fighters are unreliable. If a conflict breaks out, we'll suffer heavy pilot losses."

Leo raised a hand, cutting him off. "And if we spend resources on a fighter that's only slightly better, we'll just be wasting time. We need something stronger—something that can fight in both space and atmosphere."

Qi Jian furrowed his brows. "Then what kind of fighter are you considering?"

Leo's eyes gleamed with determination as he pulled up a new schematic.

The CF/A-17

Ghost Fighter

Straight from StarCraft.

A true war machine, perfect for their needs.

Now that was a fighter worth investing in.

　　-

{Note 1}: By the way, this book will not have characters or technologies that are too outrageous or out of place, such as Gundam.

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