126 Chapter 123

The Invasion of Hutt space had begun, with armies of Battle Droids taking over the surrounding Sectors. But the Hutt Clan was not going down without a fight; they used their vast resources to hire countless Mercenaries and deployed their limited fleet to protect their key worlds.

The unprovoked invasion by the CIS incited hatred towards them from the people living in Hutt Controlled space. From their perspective, their lives were peaceful before the CIS's intrusion, or at least what they deemed as peaceful.

Taxes have increased throughout the regions controlled by the Hutts, impacting citizens, traders, and corporations that utilize the trade routes within Hutt space.

The Hutt Clan was in a difficult position because they could not afford to close off the Trade Routes that brought in their biggest customers - the Corporations that supported the CIS. It was a tricky situation to navigate.

In a typical war, trade would be halted between the two opposing factions. However, in this particular conflict, the Hutt Clan needs the financial resources to sustain their fight, while the Corporations heavily rely on materials from territories controlled by the Hutts.

Count Dooku never considered the economic consequences of the war. As a result, trade continued between corporations but was severed between the CIS and the Hutt Clan.

The Hutt Territory was cracking down on all goods bearing the CIS logo, seizing them in an attempt to make up for the loss in profit from the conflict. In response, taxes on those Corporations were raised, causing them to complain to the Hutt Grand Council. However, their complaints fell on deaf ears as the Council remained indifferent to their pleas.

As the leader of both the Hutt Clan and the Hutt Grand Council, Jabba had made a pact with two other crime syndicates to join forces in the war against their common enemy. Their resources were at risk and they needed to support each other.

The Syndicates included the infamous Black Sun, who were already allied with the powerful Hutt Clan and the emerging Zann Consortium in the criminal underworld.

Known as the most notorious crime organization in the entire galaxy, the Black Sun operates throughout every corner of space. They specialize in smuggling illegal goods and participating in acts of piracy, while their intelligence is rumored to be on par with the Imperial Intelligence.

Their resources were equivalent to that of a large planetary army, giving them a wide range and vast scope of abilities comparable to a military force.

Under the leadership of Tyber Zann, the Zann Consortium operated as both a consortium and crime syndicate. Their profits initially were made through smuggling contraband into Imperial territory and raiding secret Imperial Vaults filled with valuable goods. Until they gained control over Sectors and started building up their assets on various planets across the Galaxy.

While the Black Sun underestimated the importance of investing in fleets, the Zann Consortium had a few fleets comprised of ships purchased from the Black Market. In fact, most of their technology was acquired from the same source.

In addition to a vast array of mercenary soldiers from different races, the Zann Consortium also boasted a powerful army with fleets that could rival that of a small nation.

They also utilized Droids in their Military alongside their Hired Mercenaries.

After being expelled from the Imperial Academy, Tyber Zann was determined to seek revenge against the Galactic Empire. This desire for vengeance ultimately led to the formation of the Zann Consortium, with Zann as its leader.

You may be wondering how he managed to establish a criminal empire out of thin air, but the truth is, he didn't. After his expulsion from the Academy, he discovered the whereabouts of a secret vault filled with immense wealth.

He and a group of mercenaries successfully raided this vault and made off with all its riches. But once they were on the ship, he turned on his partners and killed them all. With the stolen money, he established a powerful criminal empire and continued to amass more wealth.

He has a strong dislike for the Rebel Alliance and often causes trouble for their operations through various acts of aggression.

Jabba had managed to unite two rival criminal groups, the Black Sun and Tyber Zann, in a joint effort against the CIS. The Black Sun's goal was to overthrow the Galactic Empire and seize control, while Tyber Zann had his own agenda of dismantling all three factions from within.

Although this Criminal Alliance appeared to be stable, it was built upon a collection of greedy factions with conflicting desires.

Meanwhile, Alexander had returned safely to the planet of Lehon with Abeloth and the children in tow.

Yrena sat on his lap, her arms encircling his neck as she began to give him a report on the situation in the Unknown Regions. "Now that I'm settled," she stated, "I'll begin my report."

Yrena began, "I have an update on the ongoing war in the unknown region. The Grysk Hegemony, our primary opponent, is on the brink of defeat. All of their allies have been conquered and their final world is about to fall. Once they are defeated, we will establish a new government in their territory that will be under our control."

"And what will this new government look like?" Alexander inquired.

"The new nation shall be known as the Grysk United Worlds, and its leader shall be a Grand Duke chosen by you. As for the other nations we have brought under our control, I assume you will allow them to continue as they are for now," Yrena stated.

Alexander clarified, "I don't want to create unnecessary tension, and there is no issue with them remaining as they were. The Grysk Hegemony will serve as a warning to anyone who dares to defy us."

Yrena nodded in agreement. "Yes, we should use the Grysk Hegemony as a cautionary tale for other nations," she said.

"But what about all the other nations in the Unknown Regions? We have gathered data from the war and it seems there are many more out there," Yrena asked, her tone thoughtful.

After taking some time to consider, Alexander responded confidently: "It's quite straightforward. We'll send a diplomat to them and politely request their submission. But if they refuse, we will have no choice but to use force, just like we did with the other nations."

"That's settled then," Yrena stated, shifting her body to face Alexander as she sat on his lap. She leaned in close and whispered into his ear, "I heard you had a good time on Alderaan while I was busy with the fight." She paused for a moment before leaning back again.

"Fighting is supposed to be the man's job isn't it?" Asked Yrena in a seductive tone.

'I'm not going to sit here and take this' Though Alexander to himself as he stood up and placed Yrena on the table.

Alexander reached out and took hold of her chin, locking eyes with her as he spoke. "Don't try to use that excuse on me," he said. "You're more than capable when it comes to fighting."

With a suggestive tone, Yrena proposed, "How about a little reward for all of my hard work?" Without hesitation, Alexander scooped her up in his arms and carried her into the bedroom. It was clear that Yrena's reward also entailed some playful punishment.