An average boy lives with his happy family under the Empire's control, until one fateful day where a Rebel Terrorist changes his entire outlook on life. He's then motivated to get back at the Rebels, and joins the ranks of the Imperial Army.
Peak Ra...
There's no rest in the Empire. We march out for the main Rebel Base.
As we leave the Command Center of the demolished Rebel Forward Command Post, a wave of realization strikes me.
When I was at the Imperial Army Academy, every single death struck me. Made it hard to walk. Difficult to breathe. Fear rose. Panic sets in.
I just walked out of a room where bodies piled up to your knees. Walls covered with fresh red paint.
Have I changed this much? Am I still the same person fighting for my family? Fighting for safety? Am I just another killing machine like the Rebels?
No, no I can't think that way. Rebels are killing innocent lives. We stand to save them. Give them freedom, security, and justice in this Empire.
The brush thickens. The squad splits into three groups. CPL Dawn takes point with Ace and Coyote. Neon, Scorch, Havoc, and Turbo are in the middle with Artemis, Blitz, and me at the rear.
Less than two kilos away is the Rebel Base.
Blitz: "Well isn't this nice. I just love this thick camouflage for any ambush waiting to get us in our bright white armor."
Neon: "Why do we wear white? The Shadow Troopers get it easy with black. THey at least blend in a bit. We are a beacon in white. There's Snow Troopers for Hoth who are the only ones who benefit from white. That's it. The entire galaxy."
CPL Dawn: "Lock it up."
Overhead a battle begins to rage. TIE Fighters engage with X Wings who desperately attempt to end the overwhelming attack. Although we entered heavily outnumbered, the Rebels never stood a chance against our superior firepower and training.
The trees thin and we see more squads pushing towards the objective. 3rd and 4th Squads make contact with us as we stay our fair share apart.
CPL Dawn: "One kilometer out. Stay primed."
Not ten seconds later, the jungle awakes. Blaster fire suddenly rains down from Rebels above.
Nexu: "They're in the trees!!!"
Artemis: "And on the ground!"
I take cover from behind a rock and shoot an emerging Trandoshan who emerges from the tall grass. He gasps but keeps charging. Three rounds later, he falls smoking to the ground.
CPL Dawn: "Second group, get these guys off of our heads! First and Third, clear the ground!"
Returning fire comes from our squad not thirty seconds after the silence had been broken.
Rebels still pour from the brush grass, hiding them until the last second. Night has began to fall, and vision is already becoming limited.
After a couple of minutes more, we are no longer under fire or attack from our aggressors. We push to the end of our dirt patch to the tall grass. 4th Squad also is silent, yet hidden and 3rd gives the 'All Clear'.
Blitz: "Well..."
CPL Dawn: "Great work guys. That'll show the rest of these Re..."
His comm goes silent as the nine troopers look towards him.
His helmet in the full grip of a Trandoshan. With a swift movement and cracking sound, CPL Dawn no longer exists.
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"NO!" the squad echoes.
Over a hundred blaster shots are fired. Both the twitching corpse of Dawn and the Trandoshan are hit over, and over, and over. Smoke once again fills the air.
We stand stunned for a few good minutes, in awe of the recent change of events. The Trandoshan had come from 4th Squad, which had been fully wiped out in the ambush.
I can't keep going on with these losses. CPL Dawn was our rock, the guy who was leading us through this dirty mess. Now what? Now we lose another man, another person we've spent time knowing, loving, caring for and laughing with.
But the Empire keeps going.
- - -
Without a word, we trudge on and find ourselves at the edge of a clearing, the main Rebel Base, surely with the Warden guy inside. Our squad is one of the first to arrive, so we wait more and ponder the losses and challenge at hand.
Is this even worth it? Has everyone died just for their sake, unnoticed by the Emperor or Vader or any higher ranking officer or even stormtrooper for that matter? Does anyone even care about me?
These thoughts rage through my head as more TKs arrive at the edge of the open field, a perfect last defense for the Rebels. It's going to take numbers, not skill to win this stage of the battle. Many more may die.
Nexu: "We've gotta do this. For so many of our fallen friends."
Coyote: "I hate to break it to you mate, but that's just suicide."
Nexu: "Nothing great will ever be done without courage." I say this as the most nervous, anger-driven, foolish stormtrooper to ever live. There's no chance everyone will make it.
I patch myself to all Stormtroopers in the area.
Nexu: "This is our moment! Our time to shine! For the Emperor!" I say that last part with less enthusiasm knowing he would never know of the sacrifices about to be made here. "CHARGE!"
Hundreds of Troopers sprint out from the treeline, with thousands of blaster lasers firing on every single one. Through cries of agony and pain, shields of smoke and deception, we push towards the Base and reach it. All remaining members of 5th Squad reach and enter in where Rebels, stunned by our entrance, are easy pickings for the kill count.
Adrenaline rushes. My laser bolts hit Rebel after Rebel, as more Stormtroopers pour into the Base.
Rebels dash out from hidden spots, just asking to be another number. With rage, I eliminate about 15 with my knife alone, blood seeping into the thirsty ground.
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Nexu: "The Command Center! Let's go!"
We kill a few more Rebels, and find only one man remaining in the Command Center.
Nexu: "Are you Warden?" I yell at the top of my lungs as the man is somehow startled at our rapid entry, blasters pointed at him.
???: "No, but he said that your Emperor would never be able to catch him. Long live the Rebellion."
