A week after picking candidates to become new High Admirals, the day had arrived for the official promotion of the Former Admirals to High Admirals.
The ceremony was attended by numerous high ranking officials within the Terran Ascendency including the some newly appointed officials. The current High Admirals which were Yrena, Yona, and Aina were in attendance to congratulate the new High Admirals.
Alexander stood at the the center of the Ceremony as had granted each new High Admiral their new rank and congratulated them personally on their achievements and dedication.
Once the formalities were over, a grand feast was prepared for all the people who attended. The Palace halls were filled with jubilant laughter and the clinking of glasses. Many high ranking military members who were old comrades reunited in camaraderie as they shared their war stories throughout the years.
The freshly minted High Admirals wore expressions of determination and pride, aware of the responsibilities now resting upon their shoulders.
Alexander sat on his throne while next to him all of the Empresses were engaged in conversation with each other. Standing next to him was Maul who had a cup in his hand drinking of the exquisite drinks which were brought to the Ceremony.
Alexander also had a cup in his hand as he raised it to toast their success in the recent campaign.
"To our victory," Alexander announced, his voice booming across the hall. "And to a new era of unity, peace, and prosperity across the galaxy."
The hall erupted into cheers and the clinking of glasses filled the air. The newly appointed High Admirals bowed respectfully to their Emperor, their faces glowing with honor and pride. The feast turned even merrier, as the guests enjoyed the divine food and indulged in cheerful banter.
The feast continued into the night. Every Corner of the Palace hall was buzzed with hearty laughter, gossip about interstellar politics, and the occasional hush whispers of new officials seeking alliances with the more veteran officials.
Alexander's vision of a united Galaxy was achieved though there was still some steps which he needed to take to fully see his vision come to reality. He had already been making some major changes to promote unity and improve each planet's infrastructure.
But this would take lot's of time since the Galaxy was massive with thousands of planet's and thousands of races which had different cultural backgrounds and preferences.
Because of this the project could take possibly decades to complete. Then there was the threat of the Yuuzhan Vong which Alexander had no idea when they would invade. All he could do was to wait until they arrived to deal with them.
Only when they were dealt with could Alexander focus on restoring the Galaxy back to glory.
For now he would focus on maintaining control of the newly conquered worlds and preparing for the Yuuzhan Vong invasion.
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And so for the next 5 years Alexander prepared his defenses, building massive stations and organizing more defensive fleets.
The once quiet corners of the galaxy hummed with life as defensive stations were erected, fleets bolstered, and armies trained. Newly appointed High Admiral Tyresius took charge of the Eastern Galactic Quadrant, employing his strategic finesse to fortify key systems and planets in readiness for the potential invasion. His reputation for unconventional tactics made him an unexpected choice, but Alexander saw something others didn't - a creative mind in a crisis.
In the Western Quadrant, High Admiral Verona, known for her analytical prowess and tactical acuity, repositioned her forces with precision attention to detail. Her meticulously planned maneuvers made her an excellent choice.
The other high Admirals were placed in various other quadrants and were ordered to support each other in any unforeseen situation that pop up. These high Admirals were seasoned leaders who went through years of war to get where they were now, and they know to obey when the Emperor orders them to do something.
At the heart of it all was Alexander himself. He took personal charge of building defense stations around crucial hyperspace corridors and directing diplomatic efforts with some of the independent planets which had maintained neutrality throughout the past wars.
In the Southern Quadrant, the esteemed High Admiral Marcellus helmed the operations. Marcellus was notorious for his strict no-nonsense demeanor and an iron will. His famous catchphrase, "A well-disciplined army is the backbone of victory," exemplified his leadership. Under his command, the Southern Front was a formidable line of defense, bristling with some of the Ascendency's most advanced weaponry and fiercely loyal troops.
The Northern Quadrant was led by High Admiral Lysandra, a keen intellect known for her ability to remain cool under pressure. Unflappable even in the direst situations, many Admirals looked up to her steadfastness. Her quadrant focused on creating intricate networks of surveillance to keep tabs on any potential invasions, paired with lightning-fast response teams ready to tackle any threat.
Alexander's chosen echelon of High Admirals quickly proved their worth. All four quadrants became fortresses that struck fear into their enemies and inspired admiration among allies. The Terran Ascendency's reputation as a dynamic powerhouse grew stronger each day.
And at the Center of it all was Alexander who kept an eye on every quadrant to ensure that the high Admirals ideas would be efficient or not during an invasion.
He also maintained his own Fleet which was ready to deploy at a moment's notice. It consisted of 1000 ships which were split into battlegroups to ensure maintain the organization of the fleet and an effective chain of command. It would also function to deploy quick reaction forces anywhere in the Galaxy on multiple fronts should he need to.
One day while Alexander was in his Imperial Office on Lehon, Maul had bust through his office door with a serious face.
"Your Majesty, a rebel group by the name of the Red Knights of Life have stirred up a rebellion on the planet Rhommamool and our forces are fighting for control of the planet, but the Red Knights of Life are using strange technology and they are proving to be a problem even for our forces" Reported Maul.
"What's the cause of this rebellion" Asked Alexander since there had to be a valid reason why they would rebel.
Maul replied "Apparently the Rhommamoolians has been getting a lot more aggressive with their richer cousins the Osarians as of late and now they have launched a rebellion against the government of the planet itself. But their actions are identical to that of the Yuuzhan Vong as they as they seek to destroy all forms of technology on the planet"
"So this is the work of the Yuuzhan Vong" Said Alexander since with this information he knew that their invasion was coming soon.
Alexander commanded, "Deploy a Battlegroup to secure the planet and strengthen our defenses. Also make sure to eliminate any of these so called Red Knights."
Maul left to carry out his orders leaving Alexander to his thoughts. 'And so it begins'