Beginnings

The New Order began as a growing movement during the dark years of the weak and avaricious Emperors, a movement whose purpose was to restore pride and purpose to a Galactic Empire which had lost its direction. Members of the new group, led by stalwart Imperials such as Connel, Mccarthur, Cherokee, and Byden, thwarted repeated attempts by contentious Imperial factions eager to keep the nepotism and favoritism of the dark years of the Empire alive for their own personal gain. Growing under the leadership of Emperors Connel and Mccarthur, the first true reign of the New Order began with the Empire of Emperor Charon. The New Order immediately began to improve the Galactic Empire, changing weakness into strength, chaos to order, and uncertainty to decisiveness under Emperor Charon’s competent, effective rule.

That all changed in early Year 4, when powerful outside forces forced the usurpation of Emperor Charon. Failed former Emperor and self-appointed Warlord Vodo Bonias once again pulled strings setting up a puppet Emperor, Count Uebles, whose short reign was no surprise to the members of the New Order as it meant Vodo's rise to Emperor for a second time was all but inevitable. Scores of high ranking Imperials, including most of Imperial High Command and a majority of senior Command level officers, left the Galactic Empire when Emperor Charon's reign was forced to a close.

Within the Galactic Empire, which struggled to find even a semblance of the glory of the New Order, the second year of the second reign of Emperor Vodo Bonias was marked by a series of successive defeats and failures, each seemingly more embarrassing than the last. In that troubled year, Imperials saw the assassination of Grand Moff Qel-Droma, the loss of the New Anzat Order as a vassal state, and the continued defection of Imperials to other groups. Even more troubling than the spate of losses was the lack of any effective response from a largely complacent IHC to them. A growing group of dedicated Imperials eager to defend the New Order grew increasingly concerned for the future of their beloved Empire. Much of this concern centered around the Emperor’s chief deputy, Grand Moff Zerk. Zerk, an acerbic officer devoid of charisma and leadership ability and a favorite of Vodo, was jumped up to levels of command he had no qualification for, in an attempt to fill gaping holes in the Galactic Empire’s navy following the exodus of early Year 4.

As Grand Moff, Zerk quickly alienated much of the staff under his command, which, given his high position and Vodo’s predilection to defer to the Grand Moff, was nearly everyone in the Imperial services. Field commanders found themselves unable to conduct their operations without Zerk’s interference, and in many cases, the Grand Moff’s unwanted intervention resulted in the failure of the operations. Officers from all branches and all levels petitioned the Emperor to take action. Their pleas fell on deaf ears as Vodo Bonias continued to take no action. After repeated grievances failed to be addressed, a small cadre of Imperials knew they must take action to save the New Order from the current Emperor.

Rebirth of the New Order

While the Galactic Empire was turned into a hollow shell of its former self, many new and talented enlisted and officers joined and put forth great effort, often unrecognized by the unwholesome leadership in the command levels of the Empire. On Year 6 Day 303, a group of officers and enlisted held a secret meeting to discuss the course of the Empire and the future of the New Order. They came to the conclusion that the Empire could not prosper under Vodo. That same day, they pledged their lives and treasure to the restoration of the New Order. The reformers seized control of an Imperial holonet transceiver and broadcast the group’s mission: to remove Vodo from the throne and appoint an Emperor worthy of the vast Empire he would rule.

Across the galaxy, believers in the New Order, both within the Empire and without, rallied to the cause. The group was immediately fortified with former Imperials and other volunteers eager to restore the New Order to the glory of years past. In addition to the scores of able-bodied persons that rushed to fill the group’s lines, citizens across the galaxy, remembering and desiring a return to the fair and steadfast rule of the Galactic Empire under Emperor Charon, contributed assets to ensure the success of the mission. As Imperial servicemen fought their way off their ships, eluding the hapless agents of the ISB, Vodo stubbornly refused to put the good of the Empire above his own ambitions. The possibility of a peaceful resolution quickly disappeared. Ten days after the initial broadcast, the reformers formed a group of their own, the New Imperial Order, and selected Garen Karrade as its Steward.

All that remained was to find the backing necessary to ensure the initial survival of a movement such as this needed in order to succeed. Businessman Jim Stratus, former Imperial Admiral, donated a large portion of his personal wealth, but even more was needed. The New Order was not entirely without means however, and so it turned to the Kiner Corporation. With the technical help and financial support of the cornerstone of KinerCorp, the Corellian Engineering Corporation, the revolution was truly able to begin and The New Imperial Order was able to prop itself up on the advanced infrastructure and assets selflessly donated to the NIO by KinerCorp.

Trial by Fire It would not be long after the Order was formed that it would be baptized by fire. Two of the Order’s founding members, Admiral Slicer and Captain Pangborn were quickly co-opted by the Emperor and betrayed their comrades, fleeing back to the Vodoist Empire. In a heartening show of solidarity, the loyal members of the Order turned their backs on the traitors, allowing Slicer and Pangborn to slink back to the Vodoists with only a handful of officers more concerned with their careers than the future of the Empire. However, for all their perfidy, several resolute officers remained including Commodore Rawius Titan and Lieutenant Guinar Ndengin as well as dozens of enlisted faithful.

The betrayal of a few did not stop or even slow the resurgent Order. Former members of the initial birth of the New Order were contacted and were quick to offer their support and expertise. Thomas Cherokee, former Grand Admiral and First Executor to Emperor Mccarthur; Seele, former Director of Imperial Intelligence under Emperor Charon; former Imperial Admiral Jim Stratus; and Charon's Imperial Advisor Sesor Yrelnana were among those who answered the call to bolster and guide the New Imperial Order.

Tribulations Overcome The hardships of the Order’s infancy could not dampen its members’ spirit or weaken their resolve. The New Imperial Order came through its initial challenges with flying colors, and now it continues to grow at a rate that surprises even its founders. With the coming of the new year, on Day 31 of Year 7, Garen Karrade retired from his post as Steward in order to concentrate on personal pursuits, entrusting authority over the Order to the capable hands of Executor Thomas Cherokee.

The betrayal of Slicer and Pangborn would not be the last test the NIO would face. As the fledgling order took its first steps toward establishing itself in the galaxy, its territorial integrity was challenged. The Eidola Pirates, seeking a base in the Bothan Sector, attempted to establish themselves on the planet of Dressel, right in the New Imperial Order’s backyard. The NIO military sprung to action, fending off botched contracted construction crews on Dressel while preventing Eidola from taking the planet in a campaign that was won at a time the GNS showed the Galactic Empire reeling from repeated embarrassments to the very same Eidolan group of pirates.

In addition, the NIO faced numerous threats from an enraged Vodo, who planted and co-opted a small handful within the New Order to act as his spies and terrorists with promises of wealth, position, and accolades. One such terrorist, Roland Orion Jenru, was piloting the esteemed ISB Director Zarlock, on his way to join the New Order, when he chose to betray the New Order and murdered the Director in his sleep on board the shuttle they shared. For his treachery, Vodo awared Jenru a Governorship over a minor system in a far-flung sector. Jenru did not enjoy the fruits of his perfidy long however, as the New Order quickly tracked him down and less than a two weeks into his governorship, executed Jenru on the spot for his crimes.

An Era of Growth

When the New Order assumed control of the basic infrastructure KinerCorp had begun laying down in Bothan Sector, the Sector was home to a mere 3 million inhabitants, most of which were native Bothans and Dresselians. Barely 9 months under the control of the New Order and its aggressive economic development plan, Bothan Sector’s population swelled over 100 million inhabitants and the New Imperial Order was recognized by many galactic concerns as an established and legitimate government.

Most of the population growth was due to the attractive social, economic, and educational opportunities the New Order offered to the citizens of the galaxy at large. Staggering numbers of humans poured into Bothan Sector due to well targeted opportunities afforded them, quickly surpassing the sector’s namesake indigenous non-human populations. The development of new construction techniques and methods on a Kothlis Moon early in Year 8 lead to the successes the New Order enjoyed in turning first Elantar in the Kothlis System, and then Dressel in the Dressel System into the veritable bastions of high civilization that they are today.

At the Present

Currently, the New Imperial Order flourishes under the watchful eye and cunning leadership of Executor Cherokee, and under the deft managerial ability of its Grand Viziers; initially under Lord Seele and his efficient brand of organizational genius and currently under his successor, Guinar Ndengin and his hallmark ability to extract the best efforts and loyalty from his charges. In addition, the New Order has one of the galaxy’s most well-trained military due in large part to the strenuous Imperial Academy new recruits graduate from as well as the constant drilling, field training, and numerous missions the New Order demands they undertake.

Today nearly 10 billion inhabitants call the New Imperial Order and its Bothan Sector home. Groundwork has begun on yet another ambitious development project on the planet Dwi`lar in the Kothlis System. New Imperial ranks continue to swell as recruits take their posts and newly commissioned ships move off the assembly lines of Corellian Engineering Corporation’s Moonus shipyards. Only time will tell what future successes are in store for the New Imperial Order.