Twenty-four thousand, nine hundred standard years later and only a century ago, the Galactic Republic has endured several major armed conflicts designed to overthrow it, but now finds it saddled with too massive a bureaucracy and too much territory to properly defend. The giant government and senatorial body create an equally immense backlog of issues that are continually over-debated, and in many cases, by the time a decision is finally reached it is too late, and the system is ineffective and inefficient. More internal problems arise: a few of senators see these early cracks and begin to work together to exploit them for their own benefit. As the opportunities for profit grow with the ever-increasing bureaucracy, more and more senators are seduced by the allure of power and wealth until almost all are in the pockets of outside influences. These renegades quickly aligned with equally dubious mega-corporations always on the lookout for easier and quicker ways to make a profit. The corruption of those in the government presents such an opening.

All the while, these corrupted representatives go about their back-door dealings undetected and remain at their posts indefinitely, left to create more loopholes in the government and undermine integrity and honesty. Every instance of instability, each uncertainty in government action, every wrinkle in senatorial policy and procedure became a means to foster greater opportunity and greater wealth.

But beyond the corruption, other internal problems become ever more apparent in the increasingly ineffective and cumbersome Republic. A general loss in confidence in the lawful defenders of civilian and economic interests results in the build-up of merchant and corporate fleets large enough to conquer, blockade, and subjugate remote Republic worlds in the Expansionist Regions that go unchallenged by the crumbling Republic starfleets in the area. Criminal cartels impose their defacto economic control on other member worlds, exploiting populations for forced labor, if not outrightly murdering them first. Their pleas for assistance go unheard, merely added to a huge list of senatorial issues requiring voting and debate.

The military, originally created to defend member worlds and prevent such illegitimate control, is undermanned and under equipped because of the recent peace. Increasingly politically hampered by indecisive civilian authorities charged with its movements, it is proven unready to respond in a timely manner to threats, if at all. The Galactic Republic is overstretched, and in being so abandons most of its fundamental obligations to its members.

Almost sixty standard years later, an unspoiled senator of integrity, honor, and particular influence sees these dangerous, corruptive elements and begins to speak out in the Grand Chambers on Coruscant. He wins the popular support of the senate, and is elected the new Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic on a platform of reform--the New Order policies. With almost all the members of the Galactic Senate and the major corporations that shape the economy in support of these plans, the Senate, by a great majority, passes these policies. The New Order reforms are set in motion, designed to rid the galaxy of the problems that plagued prosperity, stability, order, and efficiency. As a part of that plan, the military faces a considerable expansion to defend the many systems and sectors.