And finally we let the Powderkeg explode!(4)

Grand Hutt Council Room

Ouruba.

Arok.

Gorga.

Marlo

The four remaining leaders of the council had decided to barricade themselves inside the small room they had dedicated to the 'administration' and to their 'work'.

It had taken just a grenade to tear down the soft wall near the resilient doors and I smiled the moment I saw them all hiding behind a small group of Gamorreans.

I had decided to take the matter on my own hands, knowing that it was time to end the criminal empire once for all with a symbolic gesture.

"Attack!" Arok barked at the guards in Huttese, the pig-like creatures rushing towards me with their lances but the E-5 was an unfair thing to try and rush against and the squeals of pain that followed the red beams of doom ended the last obstacle between me and the councilmen.

"P-Please-" The youngest, Gorga, stuttered as I approached closer to them. "I-I can make you powerful- I-I can help you, be your humble servant-" "Be quiet, traitor!"

The smaller worm yelped in fear as Marlo removed the cigar out of his mouth. "It's useless, we have lost."

I tilted my head, quite pleased that there was some intelligence within the Hutt. "You are truly wise, Leader Marlo."

He replied with a tired and defeated sigh. "Not wise enough to avoid our end, I suppose but... may I ask you something?"

Is he going to question our motivations like every villain does?

Possibly or maybe he is just going to make some monologue that makes sense but also not-

"My son.. he is still a youngling and-"

"If he is innocent I will do everything in my power to not have him punished for your crimes, Leader Marlo."

He nodded, resigned at his fate and Gorga tried to look around trying to find some support but finding that the others were now looking disheartened. "I-I did nothing wro-gah!"

The bastard recoiled as his tail now sported a burning hole in it.

"I shall see to have your funerals to be humble but respectful... except Gorga's."

"W-WHat?! Y-You stupid droid, I-" The blaster this time pierced the skull of the Hutt, killing him instantly.

"I shall spare you a slow death... and give you a quick one."

A collective nod from the remains of the council was followed by a quick, wide slash of the red lightsaber, decapitating all of them in a single swift move.

I stared at the results of my work, sighing as I found myself alone among the corpses of my former enemies.

It was the right thing to do.

We have shown them unbelievable mercy for what they have done. Some will condemn us nonetheless for their hollow morals but.. we were just in our executions.

But the blood still stains my soul...

I blinked at that strange echo in my head.

What was that?

Uh?

We didn't hear anything. Everything's alright?

...Yes.

Something was wrong but... also familiar. I shrugged at this situation as I moved back toward the entrance of the palace.

Clones and droids alike were moving rapidly through the silent streets of the capital, trying to find the last remains of the former criminal administration and fully take over the planet.

It would take a while to create a new government within Nal Hutta, one formed by the political prisoners still alive that wished to reform the old ways, to align with the a strong republic and democracy.

A long period will begin that will see the newest authority try to waddle around the distrust of the former dominions of the empire, one that would see it spend years trying to clean the mess its previous corpse had left as its legacy.

A bloody legacy for sure...

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The Military Academy was... interesting.

That was what Mitth'raw'nuruodo had realised in the last few weeks he had been there studying the various classes that were offered to him.

It had been a surprise when the newest government of Tatooine had opened up a negotiations with the Chiss Ascendency, especially since it was a fairly new development in the galaxy but not an unpleasant one.

The Defense Fleet had been underfunded for several years but the opportunity offered in exchange of embassies and trade possibilities made the whole thing the most sweetest of deals for the secretive oligarchy.

He had been one of the few officers the Fleet could spare without leaving the force lacking a leadership command and the Chiss doubted his picking was something related about his potential, thinking of it more of a 'the possible sacrifices first' kind of situations... but he didn't care in the end.

He was delighted by the variety present in the curriculum, from planet-limited to galactic-wide studies of warfare, from history to philosophy and science.

And yet the blue-skinned humanoid had not expected the subject of History of Warfare of that very day.

He had thought it would have been a following section to the one describing the War against the Galactic War between the Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic, maybe the dreadful Ruusan Reformation but he noticed that something was different the moment the former Republican officer, Lius Mikarion, set a small holographic device on the main desk.

"Today lesson will be replaced by a special lecture that the Governor-General Shinhachi has promised us to give in regard of an unique history lesson."

The very leader of the newest government in Tatooine wanted to give a lecture? Now, that was something that intrigued the young Mitth'raw'nuruodo as he sat on his usual chair.

Yet much to his personal dismay, the holographic device didn't project the figure of the mysterious man, only his voice was relayed.

"Greeting class and welcome to this lecture of obscure history of warfare."

He frowned at the curious title of the lesson but his interest was fueled by the following words.

"Now you all might be asking to each other 'obscure history'? Is Shinhachi going mad?" Everyone let a collective chuckle at the funny tone in the leader's voice. "And I would have to say.. nah! Today we are talking of unknown pieces of real history."

It was in that moment that the holographic system turned on and showed a curious human man with strange clothes. Short-haired and almost balding, particularly mediocre with his height and holding a hand close to his stomach, the Chiss stared at the small name listed above the figure.

Napoleon Bonaparte.

An interesting name that sounded unfamiliar to the young man but he decided to wait for further explanation.

"Napoleon Bonaparte was a former General and Emperor of the long-forgotten French Empire. Now many would be confused about this 'French Empire' and I will give you a quick background before starting."

The holograph purred as the figure of the man was replaced by what seemed to be a revolt in front of an execution. Well-dressed men and women were forcefully pulled towards the killing device, made of iron and wood, and then killed quickly and without any last words.

"Following a series of draining investments committed by the former rulers of the Kingdom of France that led to instability and food shortages, the people of the struggling nation decided to remove the 'cause' of the sickness that was destroying their life and urged the formation of a republic to replace the former aristocratic rule."

The image changed once more, this time showing something that resembled much the Galactic senate but made by less members and the seats were made of wood too. From the soundless images, it seemed that a heated debate was happening in that session.

"Governments were elected and then removed because of corruption and embezzlement. The political situation was quite chaotic and the sudden appearance of the republican order scared the other grand powers in the area to intervene and restore 'stability' of the former order."

A map appeared, one that showed France and several skirmishes it was fighting in that period, yet the southern army was the one highlighted.

"Amidst this disastrous situation, an officer was made leader of the Armeé d'Italie and ordered to keep the possible enemy armies in the south at bay... he didn't comply to the orders."

A red arrow stretched through the nothern regions of Italy, reaching the red-lined nation of Austria.

"Studying the terrain and the armies in the area, Napoleon Bonaparte launched an expedition to not only subjugate the stubborn countries of Savoy and Venetia but also reach the capital of one of the main enemies in this war and force them to surrender to the newest French Republic."

The Chiss was mesmerised by this tale of valor, of cleverness and.. of deception.

A quick glance around him saw the rest of the classroom endeared to the images too, shocked at the magnitude of strategy this limited warfare was showing.

It was then that a set of numbers were exposed in front of the map, surprising the young blue-skinned humanoid even more.

French Losses: 6000 ca.

Austrian Losses: 20000 ca.

The lecture continued for almost two hours, detailing Napoleon's campaigns in Africa, Germany and Russia, ending with the last battle of the general, the Battle of Waterloo.

A grand strategist but one far too prideful and too much attached to glory to see the big picture of the war he was fighting.

"I suppose I have taken quite enough of your time and I hope I have been not as boring as I think I've been. While this isn't something that will be penalised if not done, I wish for you all to write a two-page long essay about Napoleon, his strengths, his flaws and a quick thought about the character. I wish you all a good study and I hope to return to Tatooine soon."

The communication ended and chattering started instantly, Mitth'raw'nuruodo trying to keep down the excitement of discovering such an obscure individual in warfare's history.

A man that defied odds with his innate intellect and capacity to adapt to the situation.

A model, the Chiss thought inwardly, someone that could be used mostly to mold someone that could become the greatest militaryman in history.

A pipe-dream, the young man sighed as he closed his large notebook, but one that sounded worthy of exploring during his stay at the Academy.

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Before you all ask yes, I gave Napoleon to Thrawn. Hopefully it will be.. educative for him to not underestimate anyone or anything during his future stay in the Republican Navy.