NIO, GE Reunification

Coruscant (INB) – The mood in the air was particularly festive last week as the planet’s inhabitants celebrated the announced reunion of the neo-Charonist New Imperial Order and the Galactic Empire after months-long negotiations at the top levels. Across the cityscape, fireworks could be seen and the sounds of parade bands could be heard while the citizenry rejoiced as a long period of political antagonism came to a peaceful close. For many Coruscanti, the celebration was far more personal, as family members from the NIO were finally reunited with their loved ones after years of exile. Until recently, many NIO Coruscanti could not travel to the planet, deep in the heart of the Empire, under fear of arrest and summary execution. Political scientists across the galaxy are taking great interest in the merger, noting that the placement of NIO leadership, such as Executor Thomas Cherokee, into key positions is a key signal that there has been a true reconciliation of old differences regarding the true definition of Imperialism. According to Professor Mylz Dysn of the University of Coruscant - Coruscago, “not only is this union ideologically consolidating, but it also expands the Empire into the Bothan Sector and adds to the Empire’s already unparalleled military might.”

When asked precisely what the merge meant in terms of policy, Executor Cherokee remarked that the entire government structure would be undergoing changes, not including the insertion of NIO personnel into the command structure of both the military and civilian departments. It is expected that the added manpower, combined with the Empire’s military expertise, will expound on the successful centralization policies practiced within recent years. The Executor added that “there will be a number of new initiatives to be launched at governmental and economic levels, as well as at the individual level. Included in these is the reestablishment of the ministry system, which had fallen out of use in the recent past.” Among the economic initiatives underway is the second-tier merging of the Bothan Blasting Corporation and Cloud City, the two respective nationalized mining corporations of the New Imperial Order and the Galactic Empire. Both Director Feali of the BBC and Director Varos of CC expressed their pleasure with the deal. “With this absorption, Bothan Blasting’s resources will augment Cloud City’s, and together we’ll not only improve service and efficiency, but also increase our profitability for both our workers and the Empire. I’d also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Moff Feali on his appointment to the Deep Core, and I look forward to working with him in the future,” noted Director Jacen Varos of Cloud City. Economists noted that the merger makes Cloud City the largest nationalized mining corporation in the galaxy, and likely one of the most successful, given its exclusive contracts with the Galactic Empire. Executor Cherokee also reported that the foreign policy of the Empire will also undergo a change. Typically known for aloofness and unilateralism, in the past year or so the Empire has expanded its relationships with other galactic states with the formation of the Imperial Union. Diplomatic experts from both the NIO and the Empire are putting their heads together to not only formulate new diplomatic policy, but also to set into motion programs to train the next generation of negotiators. The Executor articulated his expectations that such multilateral practices will expand in the future, assuring his audience that “this is the dawn of a new era in Imperial politics and diplomacy; it’ll be an Empire you’ve never seen before.”