Feeling the water enter my lungs and darkness cloud my vision as my oxygen supply continued to dwindle I felt an immense fear in the bit of my stomach.

Is this how it all ends for me?

Is this really how I am going to die?

These and several other questions raced through my mind as I continued getting pulled further and further under the raging currents of water surrounding me.

As to how I ended up in this situation, it was a product of my own making. Due to a choice I made. But one I do not regret.

For in making that choice I managed to save a life.

But it looks like I cannot manage to save my own. Ironic.

More so since I am a trained officer in the United States Navy. As well as a man who has loved to swim ever since I learned how to do so from my parents when I a little kid.

Who are also both officers in the United States Navy.

I come from a military family.

My name is Alex Shaun, and currently I am 25 years old.

But from the way things are looking I won't make it to my 26th birthday.

Though at least I can take solace in the fact my final act in this world was saving a young girl from drowning.

On my way home from spending times with my friends I spotted her near the edge of a river and saw her fall in. The moment I did so I didn't hesitate to race to the river and jump in right after her.

Ignoring her distraught and terrified mother as I did so. Since rescuing her drowning daughter would calm her nerves. Which it did.

She cried and hugged her daughter after I placed her on the riverbank. Thanking me without reservation or hesitation for saving her child.

I took her gratitude without saying a word. I then prepared to pull myself out of the water as well.

But before I could the river got hit with a massive surge of water.

Leading me to where I am right now.

Drowning.

Using all the strength in my limbs I attempted to swim upward towards the surface.

But no matter what I tried I couldn't reach the surface. The water embraced me too tightly to allow such a thing.

Thus before I even knew it I stopped trying to reach the surface, stopped struggling to survive, and instead just began sinking deeper and deeper into the dark abyss. My vision becoming flooded with darkness more and more, until eventually all I saw was black.

Then, nothing.

Little did I know this was not the end for me.

But instead a new beginning.

***

Star Wars.

A fictional universe and one of the greatest science fiction franchises created by mankind in my opinion.

An expansive world filled with various alien species, advanced technology, space-travel, the powerful Jedi and Sith who can manipulate the mysterious Force, and a multitude of other secrets and wonders.

It is a world I love.

A world I have cherished since childhood ever since I watched the original trilogy.

It is also the world I now call home.

Yes, you heard right.

For reasons I cannot even begin to fathom or interpret some mysterious force has decided to give me a second chance at life.

In simple terms I have been reincarnated.

In the world of Star Wars no less.

To say I didn't completely and utterly geek out when I discovered this little fact would be an understatement. I did geek out, and geek out hard I did.

That lasted until I was two years old.

Because that's when Darth Sidious broadcast his 'Declaration of a New Order' to the entire galaxy. Formerly turning the Galactic Republic into the Galactic Empire.

To say I didn't have mixed feelings about being born at the start of the Imperial Era would be a lie.

I most certainly did.

On the one hand I knew what sort of atrocities the Empire would begin committing across the galaxy in the name of "keeping peace and order".

Slavery, genocide, mass-killings, assassinations, etc.

The list of atrocities the Empire would commit is too long to list.

And personally I would rather not if only for the sake of my own sanity.

But on the other hand I like the Empire.

Well to put it more specifically I liked certain aspects of the Galactic Empire.

Its order and discipline, its military might and power, as well as its moff system. I really enjoyed discussing those aspects of the empire with my friends. Especially when we created 'What If?' scenarios about what the Galactic Empire could've done for the Star Wars universe as a whole if it wasn't ruled by a madman like Sidious and its higher echelons filled mostly with power-hungry sociopaths like Wilhuff Tarkin, Ysanne Isard, or Gallius Rax.

The scenarios we came up with her generally good.

We dreamed up a Galactic Empire who truly united and helped make the galaxy far far away a better place for all. From humans to aliens. A true stabilizing force and shining beacon in a turbulent world that just ended up in conflict after conflict.

As I dwelled on these thoughts after Sidious declaration I eventually reached a decision deep in my heart.

To make my vision for the Galactic Empire a reality.

To turn it into a force for good to enrich the galaxy, instead of letting it dwindle and eventually dissolve into the bowls of history like so many other galactic states of the Star Wars universe.

Now I am under no delusions that making my dreams for the Empire come true will be easily.

Most certainly not.

I will have to pull the empire kicking and screaming down my path for it.

I will most definitely stain my hands in massive amounts of blood. Some of the actions I take in my grand scheme will likely haunt me for the rest of my days during my second life. Of this I am certain.

Still I want to commit to this path.

Not only for myself but also for the galaxy I now call my home.

Since I know what's going to come to it in the future.

I haven't determined yet if I am in the canon, legends timeline or a mixture of both. I likely won't for a long time. But if I am in the legends timeline or some aspects of the legends timeline are present in this version of the Star Wars universe I now call home I can't even begin to count the number of terrors my version of the Empire would be needed to face off against and prevent numerous tragedies.

The Black Fleet, the various imperial warlords and factions that will appear afer the Empire eventually falls apart after the death of Sidious and Vader during the Battle of Endor, and finally the most terrifying threat in the legends timeline in my opinion.

The Yuzhan Vong.

Just thinking about those guys sends a shiver racing across my entire body.

They devastated the known galaxy during their invasion. Hell, they almost conquered it because of indecisive actions by those in power. Which in turn inadvertently allowed hundreds of worlds to burn and trillions of lives to be lost.

I want to prevent that at all costs.

Thus I will forge the Empire into a powerful weapon, able to strike when needed with precision, but also defend if the situation calls for it.

I will turn the Galactic Empire into what it truly has the potential to become.

Salvation for those across the galaxy.

***

A/N: This is my first chapter of my new Star Wars story.

It is about an MC who is a former military man, reincarnated into the Star Wars universe. He wants to turn the Galactic Empire into a force for good. He knows it will be a difficult path, and he is still set on his idea. Mostly due to his own personal beliefs.

Just a few facts for you concerning this story. One, the MC is not a force-sensitive. I want to make that clear. Those stories are done all the time, and I want to do this one a little differently. Second, the updates will likely be slow. I am going to be doing a lot of politicking, space battles ,and introspections in this story. Third, the timeline. This world is going to be a mix of canon and legends. But the overall setting in the legends timeline. Since I prefer it over canon now that Disney destroyed it with their new trilogy. Anyway, that's all for now. Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of my new Star Wars story.