Reading over [@Not Fishing]'s post again, I think it would kinda make sense if the Emperor had at least a few of his soldiers coming along with our little band. It wouldn't have to be many, but like, maybe a dozen or so. To give the trek a feeling of 'bigness' I suppose. It would also provide our little band with an opportunity to take casualties and losses to make things seem more 'intense' and 'real', without actually killing off any of the player characters.