During the Empire’s expansion, an order was given throughout the Imperial forces to exterminate all the Jedi. This came to be known as Order 66. However, there was another order that is less publicized, but also carries just as much weight. It is Order 64 and it involves the extermination of all the Gungans in the galaxy.
When Darth Sidious reorganized the Republic into the Galactic Empire, he made it clear that he viewed the Gungans as more of a nuisance than a threat, but he would not underestimate that threat. Therefore, a top-secret project had begun in the far reaches of the Outer Worlds, where Imperial scientists would develop a weapon capable of extinguishing every Gungan in range without doing harm to the planets that they inhabit. Eventually, that weapon was completed and deployed at a Gungan colony hidden in view. The result was the eradication of that planet’s Gungan population, leaving the world open to occupation.
The decision was then made to deploy the weapon on the planet Naboo, where the great majority of the Gungan race reside. Unfortunately, the ship carrying the weapon was unable to maintain structural integrity during hyperspace and would eventually rendezvous with an awaiting Imperial squadron in several pieces. It would seem that the Emperor’s grand dream of the Gungans being a distant (best forgotten) memory would be denied… except not really, for while the ship carrying the weapon had fallen part, the device itself had not. Sure, it wasn’t in the best of conditions, but it can be salvaged and in closer proximity to its intended target, a more robust ship can built to carry the weapon to Naboo, where it will accomplish its ultimate goal.
And so the plan was made to dissemble the weapon and carry the pieces over to a nearby Imperial laboratory, where research would continue on the weapon until it was ready to be deployed. The good news is that after a few years, the weapon was back in operating status and was awaiting a new ship to carry out its mission.
The bad news is that, elsewhere in the galaxy, there is a rebel uprising… one that would prove to be even more of a nuisance than the Gungans ever were.
To be continued…
dtm666 