Even if the empire survived, he was leading his crew into certain destruction.
A stellar empire could not survive for long if only backed up by robot armies.
He could only guess as to whether the empire of his counterpart survived, and in what form.
However, at the moment, he was most concerned that the empire survive its own failings.
However, Gephart's industrial empire would not long survive him.
"If the empire survives the next year, I think you will make a good captain."
But Koloth's caveat came back to him: if the empire survived the next year.
The Soviet empire could not survive the world's unmediated communication with its citizens.
Even so, empires survive only by understanding their limits.
But an empire cannot survive with its trade arteries cut.