The first thing Thrawn remembers is waking up in the hospital with a medical droid taking care of some burns on his arms. Over the course of the next few days he slowly begins to feel human again. He knows his name and is able to walk with help and eat soft foods at first. There was quite a bit of damage done to him. The doctors could not answer how the damage was done or what exactly it was. They did have some good news in that he was healing faster than the average person. Then the difficult questions started. Who was he? How did he get so injured? How are you going to pay? Who injured you? What planet are you from? Where is your ID? Aside from knowing his first name he could not answer the other questions. He spent the next two weeks healing and trying to figure out everything else before he was released from the hospital. Perhaps the most important was where was he? Nothing seemed familiar and news was talking about a possible civil war with a large group of planets separating from the Galactic Republic. Wherever or whatever that was.
Three days before he was to be released the security forces came again this time with someone in brown robes. Security explained that the person in the brown robes was a Jedi and would try and help figure out who he was. The Jedi tried to enter Thrawn’s mind. It didn’t work and the Jedi was injured in the process. The Jedi wanted ‘study’ Thrawn and called for his arrest. The next day someone said that the Supreme Chancellor’s office intervened on Thrawn’s behalf and the Jedi were ‘taking it under advisement.” A social worker droid showed Thrawn information about the Judicial Forces. The Supreme Chancellor’s office paid for the medical care with a message that they will be watching Thrawn’s career closely.
After going through basic training the Senate granted the Supreme Chancellor’s the ability to create a Grand Army of the Republic and the planets that wanted to leave the Republic left the Republic, starting a war. Thrawn distinguished himself early on in the war many times and was recommended for officer’s academy after he saved the ship and commanded it to a victory when all the officers were out of action, he was quickly sent to Academy to become an officer. He continued to distinguish himself in Academy, graduating top of his class. He rose quickly up the ranks and by the end of the Clone Wars he was first officer of a star destroyer. Then the order to kill all of the Jedi’s was given. Thrawn had no love for the Jedi. They bungled up several battles he was in, had horrible tactics that killed too many soldiers, and seem to be magnets for trouble. While the troopers were trying to follow their orders the Jedi killed Thrawn’s Captain before dying. Thrawn was able to keep his command while they mopped up a few stragglers. Thrawn figured that after the war the military would be downsized. He was wrong, boy was he wrong. The Chancellor became the Emperor and expanded the military greatly. Thrawn was promoted to Captain and given numerous awards. It seemed the Emperor had great plans for Thrawn. Thrawn took part in many campaigns that increased the size of the Empire and led to greater stability.
Over the next 18 years Thrawn distinguished himself even more became captain of even larger ships and was promote to Grand Admiral along with learning the ways of the Force. This led to a great deal of jealousy in the royal court. In what seemed like a backwards move Thrawn was sent to the unknown regions. This wasn’t a backwards step, it was a promotion. Thrawn was given a difficult job to pacify and strengthen the area and bring it under Empire control. The Emperor and Thrawn both received a vision of a great enemy having their way with the galaxy. Thrawn was given the task of stopping this vision from happening. In a short amount of time he did his job, unfortunately the Emperor had been killed by the Rebellion and the Empire was fragmenting and collapsing. Thrawn returned to the larger galaxy and in a short few years Thrawn was able to unite the Empire and crush the Rebellion. Things changed dramatically when the Emperor was reborn in a clone body, at first things were as they were before the fall. Suddenly though, the Emperor was making insane and destructive decisions. Wiping out several neutral planets for no reason. Thrawn began quickly gathering allies and after a brief and brutal campaign destroyed the Emperor and became the new Emperor. The following few years saw considerable consolidation and preparations for a larger war with an unknown enemy. 17 years later the great enemy openly attacked and was crushed. During the time up to the enemy arriving Thrawn introduced many changes. The most controversial was the changing the Jedi and Sith into Imperial Knights. They led the attack against enemy successfully defeating them.
At the highest point in galactic strength Thrawn resigned and turned the galaxy over to the Senate. The Senate, however, in the span of 5 years became corrupt and unable to defend itself against a new enemy from a parallel universe. Thrawn resisted coming back until the capital planet was sacked.Thrawn came back on his terms and while fighting the new enemy, corrected the problems of corruption and added strength to the Empire. The invading army was defeated and their empire added to Thrawn’s.
The Empire became the OtherWorld Empire and many universes have been added. The military has grown into a mighty force of good. It learned from other universes adding new tactics and soldiers. Largest difference is the addition of droids to the military. The Jedi and Sith are small religions and most Force users are part of the Imperial Knights along with the best of the rest of the Empire. The Senates are advisers to Emperor Thrawn and the people are happy and wealthy. The white sabretooth tiger flag flies high and proud.
Thrawn and friends recently conquered 2 new shadows from Corwin agents Caprica and Concordia. Both shadows are now willing to fight against Corwin and support Thrawn.
Thrawn acquired a pet Sabretiger by the name of Harlequin. Harlequin is a white sabretiger with black stripes and is very popular and cute.
Thrawn and Lucius, after a long series of battles, killed Caine.
Thrawn and others are attempting to end Caine as a threat to Creation and are fighting Caine’s Empire to destroy his remnants and war making ability.
Military of the OtherWorld Empire
Joining the various branches of the military is highly encouraged and highly desirable by the population at large. The process starts with preparatory schools on the local planet. These schools are run by the empire and can replace regular school from the sixth grade on. When the students reach the age of fourteen they may enter an academy, if they have high enough grades or test scores and a recommendation from a person in the military, prep school faculty, or government official.
The empire has a very large number of academies throughout the empire. Every academy constantly tests and trains the cadets. Teamwork and competition are encouraged with the winners of the competitions receiving more training. From the general academies, the cadets are further sorted and graduate to more specialized academies: Naval and Security. Naval academies are more prestigious and harder to get into. While the Security Forces academies are more physically demanding to get into. The naval academies train officers and pilots for the Imperial Navy. Security Forces produces some of the finest ground forces in the empire. Security Forces academy is less prestigious.
Naval academies teach a balanced curriculum and the cadets become able technicians and engineers, with a heavy dose of indoctrination. The cadets are taught military history, tactics, leadership, and logistics along with projects to adapt technology to different scenarios.
Security Forces academies have a highly structured training schedule including classes of Imperial propaganda, history, infantry tactics, vehicle operation, and identification, simulation training in different exercises and combat scenarios. For the purpose of getting rid of individuality and replacing that conformity and obedience, cadets often referred to by their operating numbers and not their names. Women that met physical standards were placed in regular units. While in academy cadets can be selected for more specialized role whether that is fighting in certain environments or operating certain type of weapons. The academies produce extremely aggressive infantry.
Academies in the core of the galaxy and other centers of the empire generally send their graduates to be junior officers on prestigious ships. Dropouts often went to other positions in the army or enlisted in the navy. Pilots that don’t qualify for fighters become shuttle pilots. Court marshaled cadets get demoted to the army or less prestigious jobs.
While rare, qualified people can skip the prep school and join the academies directly. The minimum requirements are to be between the eighteen and thirty, graduated top third of their class in school. With excellent test scores. Another route into the academies is regular military service, excellent test scores, and a recommendation from a superior officer. This last route is what Emperor Thrawn used to get into what became the OtherWorld Empire Navy.
Stormtroopers are clones that take ten years to mature. (Long Growth Clones) There are twelve different templates in each galaxy for the ground forces. They are modified to be more compliant, handle the stresses of combat better, and to the same size and body type so they look identical in armor. Each clone also has their growth accelerated until they reach maturity then their growth is slowed to normal human rate. Competitions are held in each galaxy for the DNA of the templates with further competitions done to be on the lookout for better candidates for the templates. Competitions are also held for drivers, pilots, medics, technicians, and combat engineers. Retired Stormtroopers do often come back as military intelligence officers for active units.
Officers are trained from the clones that, at a young age that show leadership. Special Forces are picked from the clones at a young age and trained up and picked from the best of the clones through the course of their service. When a clone template is decided upon a few thousand clones are force grown to adulthood to look for anomalies. When they pass their tests they go on to provide extra special forces and testbeds for the cloners.
Everybody in the empire joining the military, an academy, an academy prep school, or getting a job in the government must be tested for the ability to use the force. If that test positive they are tested again at a military recruiting office with a more detailed test. If they pass that test the information is passed on to the Imperial Knights and is contacted within a week by an Imperial Knights recruiter. The recruiter will go over all of the options with the prospective knight. If training is decided upon, the prospective knight goes to the closest training temple to begin training.
Children of Imperial Knights and those that tested positive on the Force test are tested at a younger age and if they pass they can be recruited very young.
To fill in gaps in recruitment in the Security Forces, Imperial Navy, and Imperial Army clones that are force grown and use flash learning are ready in forty five days. These templates are from the best of the military and can serve immediately.
Imperial Knights
The Knights are under the direct command of the Emperor. They use their incredible abilities in the service to the Emperor and the Empire. They are constantly training and going on missions. They are cross trained in many different areas from security work to combat. The special few that are capable of leading armies do so but only after very extensive training. Unlike the wars in the past where Jedi and Sith were thought to be great leaders because of the Force in the OtherWorld Empire they must be trained in leadership and tactics before being able to lead military forces. Imperial Knights travel in pairs, usually a knight and squire, they each have a Astromech droid and whatever they need for their mission.
The knights place service to the Emperor above personal needs. They are seen as an extension of the Emperors will and always represent the Emperor when in uniform. The knights are allowed and encouraged to have families and friends from inside and outside the order to help the knight to remember that they serve the Emperor but they are also part of the empire.
When the empire colonizes a new area most of the force users are examined and brought into the knights whenever possible. Those force users that aren’t brought into the knights are allowed to go but they cannot recruit new members. For the most part the Jedi and Sith are allowed to go to a planet significant to them and live there in peace after being offered a position in the knights. This is the same treatment other groups of force users receive. If they cause trouble, they are dealt with differently.
Stormtroopers
Stormtroopers are entirely made up of Long Growth Clones. They train for their entire life. When they graduate from the clone home world, they are sent to combat units with their squad mates that they trained with. Stormtroopers are the main offensive forces for OWE and are equipped with the best equipment. They are separate from the military but work with military units and they have their own supply chain. A large amount of new clones are ready every month to replace combat loses, retirement, and promotions to other services. It is not uncommon to see retired clones join militias or be promoted to flag officers in the Imperial Army or Security Forces when they leave the Stormtroopers. Intelligence agencies also recruit retired Stormtroopers.
Security Forces
Security Forces get most of their numbers from the Imperial Academy system. Security Forces are elite ground forces for the empire. They are supremely loyal and talented individuals working for a cause greater than any one person. They are shock troops used on the tough targets. They are also on most Star Destroyers patrolling the empire and are used for boarding actions, ship board security, security on planets and stations and shows of force. Fast growth clones are used to help meet demands. They can help with external matters of the empire.
Imperial Army
Imperial Army form the majority of the organic military. They are made up of recruits from the general population and also fast growth clones of the best of the Imperial Army troopers when recruits aren’t enough to meet demands. The primary job of the army is garrisoning the empire and dealing with internal matters of the empire. They can help with external matters of the empire.
Droids
Droids make up the vast majority of the military and outnumber the organic forces by orders of magnitude. They are capable of doing reasonable well on their own but are best en mass and are devastating with frontal attacks. They are easily programmed to handle any type of internal or external situation in a very small amount of time. As their experiences grow they get more efficient in their duties. To prevent those experiences from being lost the memories are uploaded to servers outside of the combat area. Droids can be made quickly and efficiently and can outnumber opponents by orders of magnitude. The droids can also pass information to command areas quickly giving commanders realtime data on the enemy. OWE uses many different types of droids in the military. From the simple battle droids that can be carried in great numbers. Magna droids for bodyguards and difficult target removal. Tactical droids for analysis of battlefields and commanding droid forces. Among others for many different types of combat.
Militias
Each planet and sector have a militia that can be merged with regular military forces easily when required. The equipment is usually only slightly behind regular military equipment and is compatible with the empire’s logistics. Many of the wealthier planets and sectors purchase top of the line equipment for themselves. Militias are usually led by former soldiers of the OWE military that retire to the militia. Each militia must meet standards set by the military and every planet and sector must have a militia. If a militia fails to meet the standards set forth they are brought up to standards at the expense of the planet or sector. The leadership is also changed. Worst case scenario, the planet or sector is additionally garrisoned by the military at great expense to the planet or sector with the money going into the remade militia. Many of the poorer militias receive help from the senate and military with either donations of equipment, money, or leadership. Militias can also request help with leadership and training.
The military budget is large. It also has a slush fund that is kept in reserve until it is needed to fund major military action. The slush fund is invested in low risk investments.
Special Forces
The Imperial Knights are a great elite strike force with an incredible diverse power set and complete loyalty to the Emperor, his family and the empire. The knights are in constant training and are usually used in small numbers for the most difficult missions. Their primary weapon is a lightsabre, they do also use other weapons when needed. The armor that they wear is red, white and gold and is lightsabre resistant and distinctive. When they go under cover they blend in as much as possible. The knights are used in the widest verity of missions including behind the lines training of insurgents, rescue of the most important people, and many other missions. They often work with other special forces and military units. Knights that work well with other troops often stay with those troops developing into an incredibly powerful team.
Stormtroopers have several different special forces units within them. The recruits for the special forces are chosen from within the Stormtrooper ranks. They are ARC Troopers and Clone Commandos. ARC Troopers tend towards fast attacks, scouting for the military, training insurgents behind enemy lines (with Imperial Knights) and deep penetration raids. Clone Commandos are used more for enhancing the firepower of units, taking difficult targets, acting as force multipliers, rescuing people, and capturing valuable people and information.
Imperial Army recruits for the Rangers, the special forces of the Imperial Army, are volunteers from the army. They are required to be at least a sergeant and must pass a series of rigorous trails and additional training. They are used in long term infiltration in enemy territory and being able to bring a great deal of firepower and training to the battle. When acting as force multipliers they can be used for quickly gaining footholds and beachheads allowing the Imperial Army to advance quickly.
The best of the Imperial Security Force are recruited to form special forces units that are responsible for the security of the Emperor and his family (Royal Guards), the Senates (Senate Guards), the Chancellors (Chancellor Guard), and government officials and property. They receive intense additional training and are used as a symbol as much as security. They also act as SWAT teams for the police and help with other matters as requested.
The droids forces use droid commandos and magna droids for deep strike missions and shock troops respectively. Both of the droid types are harder to destroy, have better reflexes and processors, and better programming than the average battle droid. The droids can also be custom built depending on the mission profile.
The militias have small numbers of special forces with usually only the richest planets and sectors forming large groups of special forces. That is not always the case, several of the poorest planets have the best special forces. These planets take a great deal of pride in their special forces. These units are as well trained as the other special forces in the empire.