Second Imperium

Following the annihilation of the second Death Star, and the rise in power of the New Republic, many Imperials yearned for the return of the Empire's former glory. The Second Imperium had existed in some form as early as 12 ABY, at which time it joined the United Warlord Fleets. When the Bastion Accords were signed in 19 ABY, formally declaring peace, some officers within the remaining Imperial Deep Core warlord forces chose to take matters into their own hands, dismissing these accords as a "sham" and separating from the official Imperial Remnant.

Four Imperial Royal Guards (previously Stormtroopers who had been promoted to guardsman status by Admiral Natasi Daala) exploited this dissent, openly establishing the Second Imperium. They impersonated Emperor Palpatine using holograms that spanned his career, from his early days as the Senator of Naboo to Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic to Emperor of the Empire, creating a charismatic leader to unite the Remnant dissenters. Consumed by their own ambitions, and given the Emperor's history of surviving death, many readily accepted the deception as truth.

Between 19 ABY and 23 ABY, the Second Imperium experienced steady growth, emulating earlier splinter groups, like the Empire Reborn, by maintaining secrecy. At one point, it pledged its allegiance to Natasi Daala.

Among those who were recruited into the Second Imperium was Brakiss, a former Jedi and Imperial spy, who became disillusioned after Kueller's defeat in 17 ABY by Luke Skywalker and the Republic.

Brakiss was assigned the task of creating a new group of Imperial Dark Jedi to rival Skywalker's Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4. He used funds provided by the Imperium to construct a cloaked space station called the Shadow Academy to serve as a mobile training center for his Dark Jedi. It was equipped with training facilities for Dark Jedi, stormtroopers, and TIE pilots.

Lord Brakiss hoped that these Dark Jedi would help maintain order across the weakening remnants of the Empire. He recruited heavily from the Nightsisters of Dathomir, forming a leadership group comprised of witches such as Tamith Kai, Vonnda Ra, and Garowyn. Recruitment began on Dathomir, with prospective students being sent to the Shadow Academy for indoctrination and training.

In 22 ABY, the Second Imperium was joined by Qorl, a TIE pilot who had been living on the jungle moon of Yavin 4 since the Battle of Yavin in 0 BBY. Qorl was placed in command of the Second Imperium's growing starfighter corps. He also revealed information about Skywalker's Academy obtained from the Solo twins Jacen and Jaina when he forced them to repair his damaged TIE Fighter before escaping into hyperspace. Using this information, a daring plan was launched to kidnap some of these students, hoping they would be easily corrupted and that their disappearance would instill fear into the New Jedi Order.

Consequently, a daring scheme to abduct trainees from the Jedi Academy was developed. During a raid on Lando Calrissian's GemDiver Station orbiting the gas giant of Yavin in 23 ABY, the Imperium used a small fleet composed of a modified assault shuttle and four Skipray Blastboats to kidnap the Solo twins and their Wookiee classmate Lowbacca. Fellow trainee Tenel Ka Djo, and Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, began tracking them aboard a worn-out blockade runner called Off Chance.

The three kidnapped trainees were integrated with the other recruits, but the Solos resisted all indoctrination attempts, as they had years earlier against the Empire Reborn. Brakiss forced the twins to fight each other under holographic disguise, tricking each into believing the other was Darth Vader. Both escaped unharmed and prepared to flee the space station. Skywalker and Ta' Djo discovered the recruitment camp on Dathomir and infiltrated it as prospective trainees. They were transported to the Shadow Academy in a state-of-the-art ship Shadow Chaser, piloted by one of the Nightsisters, Garowyn. En route, they overpowered her, ejecting her from the ship in an escape pod. (She was later recovered by the Second Imperium.)

Upon arriving at the space station to rescue the students, Luke and Tenel Ka found them in the midst of their own escape, assisted by their former opponent Qorl. After a brief confrontation with the leaders of the Shadow Academy, they successfully escaped together, taking the prized Shadow Chaser with them. At a significant cost to the Second Imperium, Skywalker and the Republic were now aware of their existence.

Following that embarrassing event, the Second Imperium changed its tactics. They moved the Shadow Academy closer to the Republic capital of Coruscant, and launched attacks on the bulk cruiser Adamant which was transporting weapons and hyperdrives. These parts were incorporated into their growing fleet. This also provided them with the opportunity to gather more recruits. Instead of targeting children from the upper classes, they began targeting the outcasts of galactic society. The promise of purpose and direction proved to be a powerful motivator, making the recruitment drives successful. Agents were dispatched to the lower levels of Coruscant, where they recruited gangs, such as the Lost Ones and their ruthless leader Norys, and other rogues like the orphaned street urchin Zekk—a former friend of the Solos. Force detectors stolen by Brakiss when he fled the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4 were used to identify recruits with Force-sensitivity, such as Zekk and Welk.

However, it was not long before the Academy's presence was discovered. The Solo twins, along with Lowbacca and Chewbacca, used orbiting solar mirrors to burn out the Academy's cloaking devices, exposing it to the defending Republic forces. Despite a hasty retreat into hyperspace, the mission to Coruscant was a success in terms of both military equipment and personnel.

Continuing their training program, the two strongest students—Zekk and Vilas—were pitted against each other in a duel to the death in a zero-g chamber at the heart of the Shadow Academy. Zekk emerged as the sole survivor and was crowned Darkest Knight. As part of his promotion, he was placed in command of an Imperium task force that attacked Thikkiiana City, a major city on the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk and an important computer center. This task force of Dark Jedi and stormtroopers raided the city's computer units, stealing important components to continue the refitting of the Imperium's fleet.

When confronted by his former friends, the Solos, Zekk hesitated and refused to kill them, instead revealing that the Jedi Praxeum was to be the next target of the Imperium. The raid was a success, although the Imperium lost two of their leaders: Garowyn, who fell to her death in the forests, and Vonnda Ra, who was devoured by a syren plant.

In a display of supreme self-assurance, the "Emperor," who was the leader of the Second Imperium, made his arrival at the Shadow Academy inside an enormous repulsorlift isolation chamber. He even declined to meet with Brakiss himself, choosing to be attended to and represented solely by the four Royal Guards. This situation led Brakiss to feel unease regarding the Emperor's well-being. Subsequently, while still within his isolation chamber, the Emperor directed Brakiss to initiate an attack on the Jedi Praxeum located on Yavin 4.

Initially, the battle unfolded according to the planned strategy. An Imperium commando squad, under the command of Commander Orvak, navigated beneath the protection of the shield and successfully demolished the deflector shield generators. Following this action, a Second Imperium ground contingent, composed of Stormtroopers and Dark Jedi, encircled the Jedi Praxeum, even as TIE Fighters and TIE/sa bombers bombarded the surrounding jungle terrain. In the space above, the Shadow Academy, along with a fleet of retrofitted Star Destroyers and battle cruisers, established a blockade around Yavin 4.

The arrival of the Republic fleet, led by Admiral Gial Ackbar, dramatically shifted the momentum of the battle. On the surface of Yavin 4, numerous personal conflicts took place. Tenel Ka confronted Tamith Kai in a tense showdown fueled by the historical animosity between the Dathomiri clans. Crucially, Brakiss was confronted by his former mentor, Luke Skywalker. Overwhelmed by defeat and shame, Brakiss retreated to the space station, heading directly to the isolation chamber. He demanded an audience with the Emperor. Prevented by two of the Royal Guards, he launched an assault in his rage, swiftly eliminating them and gaining entry to the chamber.

Inside, he discovered a third Royal Guard operating a console of controls, computer displays, and holographic projectors, and he came to the realization that the Emperor's return had been a complete fabrication. Overcome with fear, the remaining guard utilized his "Emperor's" override controls to activate the Shadow Academy's self-destruction sequence, resulting in the destruction of the Shadow Academy and the death of everyone on board.

With the destruction of the Shadow Academy, the battle's tide turned decisively in favor of the Republic. The remaining Imperium forces and Dark Jedi were either killed or taken prisoner by the Republic, effectively bringing an end to the Second Imperium's unofficial four-year reign.

The fourth guard successfully escaped aboard a shuttle and disappeared into unknown regions. He was later killed in 24 ABY by the anti-Human Diversity Alliance after he refused to disclose the location of the Emperor's Plague Storehouse. The last pockets of resistance from the Second Imperium were eventually defeated by Admiral Ackbar in 25 ABY, just prior to the commencement of the Yuuzhan Vong War. Ackbar chose to retire from active service after concluding the final operations against the Second Imperium.

Many of the students from the Shadow Academy were apprehended by the Republic forces. Some, like Zekk, would eventually return to the Jedi Academy as students. However, others were unable to overcome the effects of their training, and the dark side remained their dominant influence. One such student was Welk, who, along with the Nightsister Lomi Plo, would later become members of the One Sith under the leadership of Darth Krayt. While attempting to escort the independent Sith Lady Lumiya to their master during the Yuuzhan Vong War, they were captured by the Yuuzhan Vong Praetorites and imprisoned on the Koros-Strohna Baanu Rass, which orbited the planet Myrkr.

During a Jedi mission to Myrkr in 27 ABY, the strike team encountered two Dark Jedi. Faced with a common enemy, Lomi Plo and Welk agreed to assist the Jedi in locating the voxyn queen in exchange for safety and protection. As the mission reached its climax, they stole a repaired freighter, the Tachyon Flier, and escaped into the Unknown Regions with the Jedi Raynar Thul and Lowbacca's translator droid M-TD on board.

Much later, in 35 ABY, it was discovered that the ship had crash-landed on Woteba, causing severe burns and injuries to all three passengers. They were rescued by the Killiks, a species long believed to have vanished millennia ago from their homeworld of Alderaan around 30,000 BBY. Subsequently, all three were absorbed into the Killik hive mind, effectively becoming Joiners. Each of them also rose to become leaders of the hives they joined. Raynar Thul became UnuThul, while Lomi and Welk became the leaders of the Gorog nest of Killiks, also known as the Dark Nest. In the same year as the Killik rediscovery, Welk was killed by Master Luke Skywalker during a raid on Kr's Gorog hive.

Under the influence of Lomi Plo and UnuThul, the Killiks and their Joiner allies initiated the Swarm War in 36 ABY, waging war against both the Chiss Ascendancy and the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances. Following a series of intense battles, Lomi Plo was killed during a duel with Skywalker on her flagship, the Admiral Ackbar, while UnuThul was captured and placed in the custody of the Jedi, thus ending their control over the Killik hives.

The Great Leader of the Second Imperium was ostensibly the long-presumed-dead Emperor Palpatine, also known as the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. This was believed to be the case by the various Dark Jedi, as he had previously resurrected himself on two occasions. However, in reality, "Palpatine" was merely a collection of holograms and voice recordings modeled after the deceased Emperor. The true leaders of the Second Imperium were four surviving members of the Emperor's Royal Guard, who organized their empire under the guise of the faux Darth Sidious, capitalizing on the willingness of many Imperials to believe in the Emperor's survival.

Lord Brakiss, a former agent of the Inquisitorius, served as the Great Leader's primary deputy and acted as a go-between for "Palpatine" and the rest of the Imperium.

The Second Imperium's military was primarily directed by various Dark Jedi and Nightsisters.

Brakiss, a key founder of the Second Imperium, served as its main commander, displaying unwavering loyalty to Emperor Palpatine. His connection to the former emperor dated back to his infancy when he was recruited by the Inquisitorius due to his Force-sensitivity. Despite Luke Skywalker's efforts to train him in the ways of the Jedi, he ultimately failed. Brakiss met his end when the Shadow Academy self-destructed, triggered by the last remaining royal guard shortly after he discovered their deception.

Tamith Kai, a human Nightsister from the Great Canyon Clan, served as Brakiss's second-in-command and assistant instructor. She also maintained a rivalry with Brakiss regarding their respective apprentices. She was killed during the assault on the Jedi Praxeum when her platform was sabotaged.

Garowyn was responsible for overseeing the supply deliveries to the Second Imperium's forces. She was killed on Kashyyyk during an encounter with Jaina Solo and Chewbacca while attempting to retrieve her ship.

Vonnda Ra, a Dathomirian Nightsister and fellow member of the Great Canyon Clan like Kai, was tasked with recruiting Force-sensitive individuals into the Second Imperium. She was killed during the Battle of Kashyyyk, devoured by a siren plant while fighting the Wookiee Sirrakuk.

Jeng Droga, a former Emperor's Hand who had served Palpatine on numerous occasions, eagerly joined the Second Imperium, believing in Palpatine's resurrection. He led the assault on Yavin, but his fury upon discovering that Palpatine's return was a lie led to his defeat in battle against Kyle Katarn.

As the Second Imperium was primarily a Dark-sider organization, many Dark Jedi were trained at the Shadow Academy.

Zekk, a former Jedi who was captured and recruited into the Shadow Academy, became proficient in the Dark Side, earning the title of Darkest Knight. He personally led the attack against the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4. However, he ultimately warned the Jedi about a bomb inside the temple. Tamith Kai had suspected Zekk's divided loyalties, which were ultimately confirmed.

Vilas, a Dathomirian Nightbrother from the Great Canyon Clan like Tamith Kai, was considered her best student and Zekk's rival. He was defeated by Zekk in a duel for the title of Darkest Knight.

Lomi Plo and Welk were trainees when the Shadow Academy fell. Welk was Tamith Kai's second-best student after Vilas. They both survived and went into hiding. Later, Welk and Plo were inducted into Darth Krayt's One Sith faction of the Order of the Sith Lords, and eventually instigated the Dark Nest Crisis and [Swarm War](/article/swarm_war] before ultimately being killed.

The Second Imperium, being reorganized from the Deep Core replacement warlords and, by extension, the Galactic Empire, included former members of the Imperial Military among its non-Force-wielding personnel.

Qorl, a former TIE pilot, served as one of the TIE pilots for the military forces and participated in the invasion of the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4. He was also responsible for capturing the Adamant. He was ultimately shot down, a defeat that ironically led him to abandon the Empire.

Norys served as a TIE pilot for the Second Imperium's military forces. Unlike the others, he lacked both Force-sensitivity and a military background, having joined from a gang known as the Lost Ones primarily for the sake of power. His sociopathic actions disturbed his commanding officer, Qorl, who ultimately killed him for disobeying orders and recklessly attempting to destroy the Lightning Rod.

Commander Orvak led a squad of soldiers tasked with disabling the shield generators within the Jedi Praxeum using his TIE stealth. He was unable to escape the Great Temple in time after rigging it to explode, as he had been bitten by a crystal snake and only regained consciousness long enough to witness the detonation.

Dareb was Orvak's subordinate and also participated in the mission to disable the shield generators. He was killed when his TIE stealth crashed into a tree, causing him to collide with the invisible shield.

Despite being a founding member of the Imperial Remnant, Admiral Natasi Daala had some involvement with the Second Imperium.

As an offshoot of the Galactic Empire, the Second Imperium had access to various Imperial vessels, including Imperial Assault Shuttles, Star Destroyers, and TIE/LN starfighters.

They also possessed their own vessels, such as the rounded barge-shaped Battle Platforms. Some of their TIE/LN starfighters were modified with cloaking devices, known as TIE stealths. Two of these were used during the Assault on the Jedi Praxeum.

The Shadow Chaser was a unique prototype shuttle class, designed using elements from the Theta-class T-2c shuttle and the Lambda-class T-4a shuttle. Brakiss considered it their finest small ship, while Garowyn was particularly fond of it. It was primarily used as a transport shuttle for delivering supplies.

The most notable vessel, however, was the mobile battle station Shadow Academy, which served as the headquarters and training center for the Second Imperium's darksiders. It was ultimately destroyed by its self-destruct sequence, activated by one of the Emperor's Royal Guardsmen after Brakiss discovered that the Emperor had not actually been revived.

The Second Imperium served as the antagonist for the New Republic in the first six Young Jedi Knights novels. At the time of their publication, it was assumed that they were an offshoot of the Imperial Remnant, a fact that conflicted with later sources stating that this series took place four years after the Pellaeon–Gavrisom Treaty in Vision of the Future. This was retconned in The Essential Chronology by explaining that the Second Imperium was founded by Imperials who did not share Pellaeon's belief in peace with the New Republic.