With the end of the Dark Jedi war which has been officially classified as the Hundred-Years-of-Darkness by the Republic and Jedi Order, the Imperium had entered a new century. The war had resulted in a massive expansion of Imperial territory within the Mid and Outer rim.
These territories were quickly invested in and would be developed to et Imperial standards. In one of the systems, a new project was created to establish a massive ring world like city, built in orbit around a planet.
The planet itself was uninhabitable and would remain that way as developing too many planets this early on will spread the Imperium too thin. The Ring world would take close to a decade to build as new technology would have to be tested in order to support such a massive structure.
The Ring world would house over a billion citizens once complete, an entire planets worth of people living in orbit. It would be designed as a central hub for trade, military operations, and governance within the newly annexed system.
Each segnt of the ring would be modular, allowing engineers to adapt and expand as needed. The interior structure would have artificial gravity, day-night cycles, and advanced life-support systems just as any orbital structure in space would need.
And even while the Imperium poured resourced into monuntal projects like this, life for the average citizen and migrant was improved as the economy improved.
With the population reaching a little over 10 billion within the first 100 years thanks to Daimon's policy and his influence with the Force. Childbirth was considered the greatest contribution to the Imperium as it increased the population, providing capable warriors, scholars, politicians, and other professions that contributed to its developnt.
With this population increase, the annual inco of the Imperium had reached 200 trillion per year. With this massive annual inco, Daimon made sure that the people were well taken care of and while also balancing the amount of money spent each year.
Taxes were lowered, regulations were limited, and businesses were encouraged to flourish with incentives. The unemploynt rate was extrely low while the standard of living rose to new heights. Everyone benefited from the prosperity in ways both big and small.
On Veldari, life for the average citizen was one filled with opportunity, improvent, growth, and worship. A structure of ritocracy was instated, where opportunities for progress were made available to the ones who earned it.
The population of non-Gen'Dai had reached a little over 100 million as various species, mainly humans, migrated from Republic space either because of the war, or just to start a new life. It was also because of Daimon's reputation as a forr Jedi Master that many ca to build a new life.
Astralis Dynamics, which was still controlled by Valkorion, had established its new headquarters on Veldari. It was the first Gen'Dai corporation to be established even before the Imperium itself was established.
With this major corporation joining the market, it prompted other corporations to want to compete in other industries such as mining, weaponry, construction, and robotics.
So industries were banned from corporations to use as they were controlled by the governnt such as military and education sectors. These were left exclusively for governnt control to ensure the cultivation of a powerful defense force and an educated populace.
Since Gen'Dai lived for thousands of years, many were still adjusting to these brand-new technologies and other institutions that were being introduced. The young Gen'Dai, less than 200 years old, dominated the population and took to these new changes with eagerness and adaptability.
The Gen'Dai youth were the ones populating the universities, delving into historical lore about the galaxy, building corporations, and learning various skills that contributed to society.
It was a generation of scholars and warriors who grew up in a new society and Imperium where they had the ability to thrive as future scholars and warriors.
Everyday brought them closer to Daimon's vision, an Empire that didn't just rule through fear but inspired respect.
The individuals from dozens of species that were now a part of the Imperium too had their roles. Daimon welcod them, noting the unique abilities, skills, and knowledge that they brought from their howorlds.
For the Aruzans, they were still integrating into Imperium society and culture. Queen Elara had beco a very influential mber of the Imperium, especially now that she was granted immortality by Daimon.
There were only a few people who were granted immortality from Daimon directly. Sera was the first as she was his padawan from when he was a Jedi Master, and she was like a younger sister to him.
Then there were the 20 human orphans who Daimon raised to be important figures to lead his empire in the future. They held significant positions either at the sa level as or slightly below the progenitors.
After them was Queen Elara who was the last person Daimon granted Immortality to since she was his Queen.
The mbers of the Order of the Balance Keepers had learned how to extend their life with the Force during their later training, making the average mber live for 300-500 years. Immortality was not sothing that he wanted to give out on a regular basis.
If he did then it would diminish the appreciation for life and the urgency of living it to the fullest. It could also lead to a stagnation of society, a potential threat he was aware of with his own species.
Elara ever since beca intertwined in Imperium politics was slowly beginning to master that alongside ruling over billions of people. Most of her ti was spent with Daimon, learning all sorts of things during both day and night.
During the day she learned about governance and politics, about strategy and the use of her own abilities to influence and lead. During the night, she experienced so divine techniques which strengthened their connection.
She never believed that such a size was possible, but after seeing Daimon she realized that nothing really was impossible.
———
Within the Jedi Temple on Ossus, the Jedi High Council had convened to talk about important matters regarding their future.
Gathered in the room were 12 Jedi Masters of varying races and specialties. In the center of the room stood a holographic projection of the galaxy highlighting key areas of where Jedi Temples and other places were located.
Master Liraen Daxim, the oldest and wisest among them started the discussion, "With the Dark Jedi now vanquished for multiple months now, we need to discuss the future of the order going forward."
Master Liraen Daxim's voice echoed through the chamber, filled with the weariness of soone who had seen far too much war, and carried its weight.
"We cannot return to the way things were," she continued. "The old ways bred arrogance, rigidity, and disconnection from the galaxy. That was part of why so many fell. We must change. Or we'll repeat the sa mistakes."
There was a murmur of agreent. Master Veet Tul, a Mirialan with ceremonial tattoos marking every major conflict he'd survived, crossed his arms. "We've relied too heavily on detachnt. It worked when the galaxy was simpler. It's not simple anymore. If the Imperium is any sign, things are evolving."
Master Jora Sinn, one of the newer additions to the Council, nodded. "Daimon didn't leave because he was angry. He left because he believed we had no room for adaptation. That... should not be ignored."
His na hung in the air like a shadow. Daimon, once one of them, is now emperor of a rising power. A forr Jedi Master who had turned away in disillusionnt. And sohow, he had built sothing that would rival the Republic through ti in strength and vision.
Master Daxim looked around the room. "Then let's speak plainly. What changes must we make?"
It was Master Kaelin Vorr, a Togruta and long-ti advocate for Jedi outreach, who answered. "We must decentralize. No more concentrating everything on Coruscant or Ossus. The war proved that isolation weakened our ability to respond. We must beco present in the galaxy again, on the ground, in the streets, among the people."
"More satellites, then," Master Tul added. "Smaller temples. Academies. Not hidden, not cloistered. Integrated. Jedi should live among the people they serve."
Master Daxim nodded. "And what of training?"
"Fewer rules," said Master Sinn. "More understanding. Padawans shouldn't be taught to fear negative emotions, they should be taught to understand it and overco it. The Force is life. And life is ssy."
A few eyebrows raised at that, but no one disagreed outright. The old ways had created fissures. Fissures that had led many to a different path.
"We also need to be honest about our place in this galaxy," Master Vorr said. "The Republic isn't the only path to order anymore. The Imperium is proof. Daimon's thods may be extre, but he didn't create tyranny. Not yet. We can't pretend we hold a monopoly on peace and justice."
This statent drew silence from the others, mostly because it was true.
Master Daxim sighed. "We've beco guardians of a fading world. It's ti we beco teachers again. Healers. diators. Not just warriors."
There was a long pause before Master Tul added, "We need to let go of the idea that Jedi must die Jedi. So may choose other paths. Let them. Honor them. Not exile them." Even that quiet statent felt revolutionary. But no one objected to the change as they saw the effects of what the old Jedi Order created. So, it was decided then and there that change had to co to the Order, not only to strengthen the order, but to also combat the rising Order of the Balance Keepers.
In the months that followed, changes ca swiftly. New temples were built on Mid Rim worlds, including so once touched by the war. Jedi were encouraged to form attachnts and create families, not recklessly, but with mindfulness. Emotional resilience was taught alongside lightsaber techniques.
Forming attachnts were never banned, but they were also never promoted. But with this new change happening, the new Jedi High Council agreed that Jedi families were the future to creating powerful Jedi Knights and Masters.
So Jedi joined local governnts as advisors. Others embedded themselves with communities, serving as diators, peacekeepers, and cultural liaisons. A few even began working with select Republic corporations to guide ethical technological developnt.
One particularly bold move ca when the Council approved a new branch within the Order, the Pathfinders. Jedi trained specifically to explore the shifting political landscape of the galaxy, including understanding powers like the Imperium. Their mission wasn't to infiltrate or spy, but to understand. And perhaps... to build bridges.
For the first ti in decades, the Jedi Order was no longer trying to preserve a golden age that had already passed. They were building a new one where they tried to understand the changing environnt of the galaxy and adapt to it.
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