Takeover of the Preox-Morlana Corporate Sector

"As of this morning, the Morlana system is under permanent Imperial authority."

The takeover of the Preox-Morlana Corporate Sector^[4] was a political and military take over^[1] in 5 BBY^[3] wherein the Galactic Empire annexed the Morlani system^[1] and overall Morlana sector^[4] from Preox-Morlana^[1] following the disastrous results of the Pre-Mor Security's attempt to capture Cassian Andor.^[5]

Background

"Blevin, Morlana sector. This incident on Ferrix."
"Corporate Security, sir. They're still in charge out there. They tried to serve a warrant and ran into more trouble than they'd anticipated."

―Partagaz and Blevin^[1]

The Preox-Morlana was an conglomerate that owned the Free Trade sector while under the Galactic Empire supervision, with the Chief Inspector of the Pre-Mor security force notably having to routinely present the sector's crime rates to the Imperial Regional Command.^[6] ISB Lieutenant Supervisor Blevin was assigned to monitor the proceedings on the sector and reported on them in scheduled ISB meetings.^[1] Security officers of the Pre-Mor Enforcement were warned and well aware of the repercussions a severe security incident could have on the sector's status and as such frequently overlooked or neglected to report on minor crimes to avoid alerting Imperial security.^[6] Eager for an excuse to do so, the Empire actively wanted to assume control of the corporation's territory and nationalize its assets.^[7]

In 5 BBY, however, two Pre-Mor corpos were killed by an unknown assailant in the Morlana One Entertainment District. Deputy Inspector Syril Karn immediately began investigating the incident and was able to determine a male from Kenari as the perpetrator of the crime. After receiving a tip from a Ferrix resident identifying the suspect as Cassian Andor, Karn and three Pre-Mor squads led by Sergeant Linus Mosk arrived on Ferrix to detain him. Andor was however aided by rebel agent Luthen Rael and the pair were able to kill several Pre-Mor agents and escape, while other townsfolk destroyed the East Team's Tac-Pod. Andor and Rael then rigged a speeder bike with a bomb and sent it towards the remaining Pre-Mor agents while escaping in another, causing it to explode and kill at least two. In the chaos that ensued, they were able to reach Rael's ship and escape the planet, leaving the police agents scattered and the city in disarray.^[5]

Takeover

"Take solace in this. You will not be replaced. You've rung the final bell on Corporative independence."

―Supervisor Blevin, to Syril Karn^[1]

Supervisor Blevin traveled to Morlana One to oversee the takeover and personally reprimand the corporate officers.

The following day,^[8] news of the incident reached the ISB on Coruscant and Lieutenant Supervisor Blevin was dispatched to the Pre-Mor headquarters on Morlana One where he met with the trio of officers responsible for the disaster. While Imperial Army personnel searched the building confiscating anything they required, Blevin instructed the officers to surrender their weapons, documents and comlinks. He then explained that they were to be dispatched to a transfer center where they would have their personal belongings returned to them, before ordering them to certify their confirmation of the ISB after-action report regarding the previous days' incident. When questioned by the officers, Blevin confirmed that Preox-Morlana would immediately be placed under permanent Imperial authority due to the Enforcement's inability to deal with security threats as demonstrated during the debacle on Ferrix.^[1]

Behind the scenes

"And, the corporation that I'm presenting in Andor is kind of a threadbare, you know, on it's ass kind of corporation, and that's what's happening in Canon at that point in time. The Empire is nationalizing all these corporate planets. That's a thing. And, they use what happens with him, his fuck up, they use that as an excuse go come in and absorb."

―Tony Gilroy^[7]

In an interview, Tony Gilroy affirmed that the Empire had actively been looking for an excuse to annex the Preox-Morlana sector and found its reasoning in the Ferrix incident. According to Gilroy, the Empire^[7] in 5 BBY^[3] was actively annexing corporate planets throughout the galaxy.^[7]