Keith Remadra, former chief advisor to the UNP Security Council on Clone affairs The death of Benito has caused shockwaves across the Clone Star Empire. Benito, even by his enemies, is acknowledged as the last surviving Clone icon of the Clone Wars and the early HCS and now he is gone too.
Every young clone and soldier knows the stories of the epic tank battles Benito led in the battles against the DDS, his conquest of New Rome and how he somehow managed to survive to lead the only successful rebellion against the Church of Oojok. Benito is already a legend to many.
But a legend is probably how many high up in the HCS and Clone Star Empire are happy for Benito to be, a legend cannot interfere with the present and future. Benito and his half of the empire have become an ever larger thorn in Oojok's side and the development of the CSE.
Things won't change overnight but i suspect the two halves of the empire will become more tightly integrated, with West and East becoming mostly an administrative distinction. Marcus will likely be the new Emperor, he will be the face most acceptable to the many loyalists of Benito (many of whom still are highly suspicious of Oojok and the church). His deputy will be the interesting choice, i suspect it could be Terin, son of Oojok. It is acknowledged that the elder son Wolkapi is being groomed as Oojok's eventual successor but until now Terin has not had much of a role in his father's empire.
From all reports though he is highly intelligent and able (while Wolkapi has a rather insipid reputation for a lack of imagination, sadism and violence) and he would be an excellent choice. The key for Oojok will be to keep Benito's loyalists sweet, perhaps some of the HCS cutbacks could be reversed over in the East soon?
