Star Wars: Empire of the Eternal Star

{Chapter: 15 4TH Disaster Birth}

"Ewok jerky?" Leo frowned, his expression darkening as he examined the package before him.

The mere thought of it made his stomach turn. These people were actually capturing Ewoks, slaughtering them, and turning their flesh into dried meat for consumption. He had long known that exotic meats were considered a delicacy in some corners of the galaxy, but this was different. This wasn't some mindless beast being butchered for food—this was an intelligent race. Primitive, perhaps, but still sapient.

Leo sighed, rubbing his temples.

The Ewoks might still be in the equivalent of the New Stone Age, but from what he had observed, their brains and bodies had evolved to the point where they were almost on par with more advanced species. Though small in stature, they were incredibly strong, agile, and highly adaptable. In his eyes, they had all the qualities necessary to make them exceptional scouts, jungle warfare specialists, and even mechanical engineers, given the right guidance.

This was precisely why Leo had instructed the residents of the New Civilization colony to foster positive relations with the Ewoks. Instead of treating them as prey or curiosities, they were to extend a hand in friendship. The colonists had begun offering food and assisting the Ewoks in building rudimentary wooden shelters. Additionally, studies on their physiology, culture, and language were already underway. However, the language barrier remained a significant challenge, as the Ewoks' speech was still highly primitive, making linguistic analysis slow and frustrating.

Even so, Leo had made his stance abundantly clear—hunting Ewoks for food was absolutely out of the question.

Unfortunately, this sort of barbaric practice wasn't uncommon in the Star Wars galaxy. Many intelligent species had the misfortune of being considered 'exotic delicacies' by other races. Perhaps this was simply the grim reality of interspecies relations—after all, wasn't it similar to how humans on Earth consumed cattle?

Leo exhaled sharply. If cows suddenly developed human-level intelligence, would that stop people from eating them? He wasn't so sure.

Most people would likely justify it in the same way: We are humans, and they are livestock. Whether they are intelligent or not, we have been eating them for generations—why should that change? And let's not forget that even in humanity's so-called 'modern age,' there had still been those who resorted to eating other humans for some short of pleasure.

"And this is the stuff Jabba the Hutt wants. You know I dare not mess with him," Quinto added quickly, sensing Leo's hesitation.

Leo's expression stiffened slightly at the name.

Jabba.

A powerful and notoriously ruthless crime lord, one of the most influential members of the Desilijic kajidic clan. His empire spanned the criminal underworld of Tatooine and beyond, built on smuggling, slavery, and all manner of illicit dealings.

Dealing with someone like Jabba was not a decision to be made lightly. Leo was not yet strong enough to directly oppose a figure of his stature—not yet, at least.

He remained silent for a long moment, studying Quinto.

Quinto was a native of this galaxy, someone who had finally found his way to Leo's doorstep. He was a smuggler, a man who thrived on navigating the underbelly of the universe, making shady deals and evading the law. While dangerous, he could be useful. Leo needed someone with deep connections, someone who understood the hidden currents of this galaxy—someone who could be his guide.

A plan quickly formed in his mind.

"You can send this batch of goods to Tatooine," Leo said at last, his tone measured. "But there's a condition—starting today, you're officially an employee of the Fourth Group. That includes your ship. From now on, it belongs to us. And when you go to Tatooine, one of my people will be accompanying you."

"No!" Quinto's face twisted in anger. "The Cheap Hunter is my life! You can't take it away from me!"

"You bastard!" A furious voice rang out.

Mars-Farrais, a fiery and impulsive woman who had been standing at Quinto's side, suddenly lunged at Leo, her expression contorted with rage. She aimed a punch straight at his face.

Leo barely moved.

With a simple raise of his hand, an invisible force surged outward.

Farrais's body was suddenly yanked backward, as if struck by an unseen wave, and she was sent crashing onto the floor with a painful thud.

A tense silence followed.

Farrais lay stunned, her breath coming in sharp gasps. Slowly, she pushed herself up, her eyes wide with shock and newfound fear. She stared at Leo, realization dawning in her expression.

"You… You're a Jedi Knight?!" she stammered.

Leo remained impassive, saying nothing.

Instead, he held up two fingers. "You have two choices. One: I kill you and toss your body into space like worthless garbage. Two: you work for me. If you prove yourself, you might just get a better ship than that scrap heap you call the Cheap Hunter."

Quinto let out a dry, bitter chuckle. "Do we even have a choice?"

Leo smirked. "You've already experienced a taste of what it's like to work for me. Think about the comfortable life you've been enjoying these past few days—luxuries you wouldn't even dream of elsewhere in the galaxy. That's what I offer. Now, go convince the rest of your crew."

He turned to leave.

"What about our payment?" Quinto asked cautiously.

Payment? Leo nearly scoffed. I don't even have a single credit to my name right now. But outwardly, he maintained his air of confidence.

He spread his arms, gesturing around the room. "Do you really think there's anything the Fourth Group cannot provide?"

Quinto and Farrais exchanged a glance before lowering their heads in reluctant submission.

"Prepare yourselves," Leo ordered. "I'll be going to Tatooine with you. Farrais, you'll be staying here for a while."

Quinto stiffened, immediately realizing what that meant.

Farrais was now a hostage.

He opened his mouth to protest, but before he could utter a word, Farrais gripped his arm, shaking her head slightly.

---

Two days later.

With Leo's approval, the colony's name was officially established—The New Civilization. It would serve as the foundation of something far greater.

To ensure smoother operations, a corporate entity was also established—The Fourth Group. A name that, in time, would carry weight across the galaxy.

Leo personally named their colony-in-progress Dawn City, envisioning it as the future capital of the New Civilization.

One of his first major policies was the integration of the five billion frozen embryos stored aboard the mothership. Every household in the colony was now required to adopt and raise one child, serving as their guardian. These weren't ordinary children—their genetics had been altered for rapid growth, allowing them to mature in just ten years. Far more advanced than standard clones, they represented the future of the New Civilization.

By integrating them into families, Leo ensured that they wouldn't grow up as mere tools of war, cold and emotionless. Instead, they would experience love, warmth, and guidance—becoming true citizens rather than expendable soldiers.

To accelerate their development, they would also receive knowledge indoctrination every night while they slept, ensuring they could contribute to society as soon as they came of age.

However, behind the scenes, Leo had a secret plan.

In a remote corner of the Dawn Planet, the Engineering Department was tasked with constructing a hidden military base. Unlike the children raised in families, the embryos here would be grown purely for war.

Stripped of civilian teachings, they would know only combat.

The first batch of 100 soldiers had already begun their accelerated growth.

They had no names—only numbers.

Their unit designation was simple: The Fourth Legion.

And on each of their uniforms, a single, unmistakable insignia stood out:

4TH.

These 100 warriors were just the beginning. A mere seed.

But one day, 4TH. would become an unstoppable force—one that would make even the Terex tremble.

And that day was coming soon.

　　-

{Note 1}: Kajidic is a form of organization among the Hutts, which guides the thinking patterns, daily life, and various business and criminal plans of its members. The Hutts have many Kajidic, each with its own principles, leaders, and organizations. Jabba's Desilicic is one of the largest Kajidic among the Hutts.

In order to facilitate understanding, Kajidic will be uniformly referred to as the "tribe" in the following text.