The Deputy Emperor of the Clone Star Empire, and Oojok's right-hand Dino, Sleeze recently gave an interview to Play Dino (which obviously is a good read). The following is an excerpt.
Play Dino : Deputy Emperor Sleeze, the road you and Oojok have been on has been a long and winding one. Did you ever think you would end up commanding a huge space empire when you were growing up in Baikalia Falls?
Sleeze : Oh indeed not. I didn't grow up under good circumstances. I left home, if you could call it that, as a boy and went to Dino-Land to make my living, so to speak. Its when i met Oojok, who had a similar upbringing, and we have been inseparable ever since.
PD : You two are like brothers.
SL : Yes more than that even, and we have been through a lot.
PD : Including a time as fugitives on the run from Neverak and Egonneck, how do you feel about Neverak returning from his exile?
SL : We evaded those geeks for months! But it was a very different time, the galaxy was wilder and undeveloped. A man could forge an empire with a box full of guns. Maybe i miss those times.
PD : Really?
SL : Yes sometimes. Nowadays its meetings about meetings, reviewing various troop formations, reading policy documents. I do kind of miss the thrill of living with your wits and a loaded gun. Though i don't miss it nearly enough to want to return to those times!
PD : Moving on how do you see the Clone Star Empire developing. Oojok seems more secure now than for decades and the economy is finally picking up.
SL : After what happened with the coup we take nothing for granted but Oojok's rule seems more stable now, more pragmatic and more controlled. Oojok always learns from his mistakes. The growing economy is a very welcome sign. The military are glad we are finally giving them more zarks.
PD : Could this mean empire expansion then?
SL : No! The Clone Star Empire is now at the maximum size it can take. As i said, Oojok learns from his mistakes and making the empire too big was a mistake he made before. We don't need more planets we just need to develop and strengthen what we have. Too many of our worlds are still poor and primitive. Our aim for the next 20 years is to change that, and make the empire stronger from within.
