Ssi-ruuvi Imperium

The Ssi-ruuvi Imperium was the government and holdings of the Ssi-ruuvi. The Shreeftut, leader of the Imperium, reigned over a swathe of the Unknown Regions known as the Ssi-ruuk Star Cluster from the capital of the Imperium, Lwhekk. The Imperium was also governed by the Conclave and the Elders Council.

When the Ssi-ruuk expanded into space, they conquered several worlds and enslaved their inhabitants, most of which were primitives. Eventually the Ssi-Ruuk discovered the art of entechment and began enteching subjugated species. The practice of entechment of lower life forms became common; even the P’w’ecks, cousins of the Ssi-ruu were used. But gradually it was learned that containment of these ‘souls’ for long periods would result in madness and it was decided that the Imperium needed to expand its realm once again. Another reason was due the dwindling resources in their isolated region of space.

Prior to that, the Imperium had never before dared to expand beyond its cluster, partly because of the large distances involved, partly due to the xenophobic nature of the Ssi-Ruuk, and partly because of their religious fear of traveling to 'unconsecrated' worlds. In 1 ABY, they had decided to venture into Wild Space, where they conquered the small human colony of G'rho. Among the captives they captured was aHuman boy named Dev Sibwarra whom the Elder brainwashed through mind manipulation techniques; what astounded them was the boy possessed strange powers to sense others. It was from this boy that the Admiral discovered that Humans were the galaxy's dominant species. He also discovered that humanoids had longer containment time when enteched and could last longer than most other species. The Ssi-Ruuk then used Deb Sibwarra to calm the subjects being enteched.

Despite this, they retreated back to their cluster following the attack, and did not plan another venture for five more years. In 4 ABY, the Ssi-ruuvi shreeftut received visions (through the Force) of a hooded human who revealed himself to be Palpatine, ruler of the Galaxy. He offered the Ssi-ruuvi dozens of worlds and millions of humans to entech, in exchange for the use of Ssi-ruuvi technology. The shreeftut agreed.

Expeditionary forces were sent out against both the Galaxy proper and the neighboring government in the Unknown Regions, the Chiss Ascendancy. However, neither expedition was very successful: the Ssi-ruuvi only narrowly succeeded in conquering the human world of Cattamascar, and were utterly defeated at Bakura, when it became known that Palpatine, having just been killed, would no longer be able to fulfill his promise.

During the Battle of Bakura, a fleet under the command of Admiral Ivpikkis devastated the Imperial garrison, but the timely arrival of a Rebel Alliance task force turned the tide of the battle. Likewise, although several minor Chiss worlds were taken, the Chiss retaliation was massive and unexpected, and laid waste to the Ssi-ruuvi capital, Lwhekk. After the Chiss raid on the Imperium, a small Rebel Alliance taskforce appeared in Ssi-Ruuvi Space. The Rebel force had been sent by Mon Mothma and had come to pacify the Imperium and negotiate from a position of power. To maximize the effects of the fleet, the newly commissioned Sibwarra was chosen as the force's flagship, in hopes that the site of their own starship would have a psychological impact on the leaders of the Imperium.

Capitalizing on their weakness, the New Republic task force engaged the fleet of Admiral Ivpikkis, battling to a bloody standstill. When negotiations proved futile, the Alliance left Imperium space, satisfied the Ssi-ruuk were too weak to mount another invasion.

It was many years until the Ssi-ruuvi rebuilt enough to contemplate continuing their expansion. Two major events occurred in that time. One was the birth of the Keeramak, an event of major significance in the Ssi-ruuvi religion. The Keeramak himself, a mutant Ssi-ruu, was a master strategist and politician. The other event was the secret takeover of the Imperium by the Yuuzhan Vong, who secretly placed made one of their own, E'thinaa, the new shreeftut. During these years, the Ssi-ruuk would discover new techniques of preserving enteched souls.

Together, E'thinaa and the Keeramak devised a new strategy for continuing the invasion. They made a secret deal with the Prime Minister of Bakura, Molierre Cundertol, and engineered a faux P'w'eck slave uprising, positing the Keeramak as its leader. Together, they succeeded in consecrating Bakura and launching a second invasion of the planet, but when the P'w'eck's actually did revolt and managed to kill the Keeramak, all was lost. Cundertol himself fled back to Lwhekk, where E'thinaa killed him.

The subsequent fate of the Ssi-ruuvi is unknown, although it was believed that the Yuuzhan Vong launched an actual invasion of their territory. In any event, it is likely that the Imperium was too weakened to continue its invasion plans for the foreseeable future.

Appearances

 * The Truce at Bakura, invaded Bakura; first appearance
 * Force Heretic II: Refugee, tried to retake Bakura; second appearance
 * Or Die Trying