Alliance Protectorate

The **Alliance Protectorate** was a galactic form of government that took the place of the Republic after Speaker of the Senate Ushara's rise to power. It began with the dismissal of the Senate for an undecided period of time, placing Ushara as "Protector" *pro tempore*.

The Protectorate was in effect a dictatorship, although it had far greater limitations on what the Protector could and could not do. Ushara used his position as an extension of the Hutt Cartel, dominating and crushing rival criminal syndicates.

As a result, there were six attempted assassinations of Protector Ushara in 264 ABY, three of which were instigated by Black Sun, and one of which was suspected to be sanctioned by the wounded Mercantile League.

## History

### Red Manta

*Main article:* *Tion-Corporate War*
The floundering rival criminal organizations turned to the Mandalorians, who were engaged in a tariff war with the Protectorate. After the Battle of Senaspis and the ensuing Droid Ascendancy, Ushara, who had the Senate only barely aware of his machinations, used Alliance ships to transport mercenaries and Cartel forces into the Tion sector to open war with the Mandalorians and their allies. Numerous campaigns were undertaken to protect key worlds in Hutt Space and the Core. At first successful, the fleet managed to blockade Mandalore, cutting off the Mandalorians from their capital. The Mandalorians retreated to the Corporate Sector, where they held out for three months. The Protectorate was centralizing and building up forces for an offensive, and in late 264 ABY Ushara launched Operation Red Manta, a scheme to hold Tionese worlds hostage.

Red Manta lasted all of two weeks. The ancient Mandalorian fortresses of Rhen Var held out. Placing a light blockade around the icy world, the main bulk of Red Manta proceeded deep into the Corporate Sector, fighting their way through the Senaspis droid Separatists and planetary government forces on Elom and Zygerria.

That was all the Mandalorians needed. Cleverly, they had held back the main bulk of their forces to *allow* Red Manta to become trapped deep within their territory. With their hailed leader, Mandalore the Inexorable at their lead, and a massive reserve combination fleet of Mandalorian, Black Sun, Mercantile guild, and Zygerrian slave cruisers at their backs, the League of Mandalore closed the trap, so snug and tight that not one single crack junk shuttle ever escaped Red Manta. The Protectorate campaign was shattered decisively in the Battle of Farana.

### Failure

"Then came the March, yes, straight to the Old Slug himself- we deposed the false Protector that day with our own dirty, blood-flecked hands, and as we took our victory, we were all filled with hazy jubilation, and also, perhaps, a heavy weariness. The oppression was over." - Commander Cepric-Qen Dornuu
With his plan quickly coming to fruition, the Mandalore smashed his way through the Gordian Reach and directly to Mandalorian Space. The pitiful blockade crumbled before the League's advance. Elsewhere, a sizeable portion of the Republic army had turned on their Protector. The assault ended only when all aggrieved parties made the March to 112 Typreion Tower and arrested the Hutt.