Trooper

Finally, Some Quiet Time...

"Oh how I've missed home", I think to myself while staring out into the emptiness of space through the durasteel windows of one of my Star Destroyer's many cafeterias.

I haven't been on the ship for long, a day maybe? In space it's easy to lose track of time. Just long enough to catch up on some overdue sleep, run my squad through some serious PT on the exercise deck and now, sitting here enjoying my first hot meal in what feels like forever. Mission rations aren't the worst thing I've eaten in my life, but compared to this there really is no comparison.

As normal, I eat alone, something I've almost always done while aboard ship. I'm not the type to sit around and chat like some of the other squad leaders. This is one of my few opportunities to be alone with my own thoughts, or on the really good days, no thoughts at all.

I glance up at the holo projector. Currently it's showing battle footage from some unknown planet elsewhere in the galaxy. The Rebellion keeps messing with things, but lately we've been doing a pretty good job of keeping up with their guerrilla tactics. Though I've heard grumblings of a major loss recently, but I suspect that's simply rebel propaganda finally making its way into the ranks of the Empire. The holo footage continues, wherever it was, it looks like it was a decisive victory in our favour.

I don't know what it is, but there is something going on that I'm not aware of, just a feeling really. First our squad is hastily dismissed from our debriefing under penalty of death, and since then we haven't received any information about what our upcoming mission might be. Something is definitely going on, I've never experienced so much confusion during my time in the Empire.

How long has it been anyway, since I joined the Empire? Years are hard to keep track of out here, but I was just a kid back then. My time at the Imperial academy has washed away most of my memories from that part of my life, my only real memory being a feeling of misery. I can vaguely remember my parents handing me over to the Empire in hopes that it would provide me a better life than they could. I don't know if it's worked out how they had planned, hell, I wouldn't even know where to start looking for them if I was ever interested in asking them, but I do know that the Empire has certainly taken care of me. It's the opportunities I've been given and the support the Empire provides that constantly inspires me to serve as I have.

My thoughts are interrupted by a sudden change on the holo projector. Instead of random battle footage it now displays a simple green and blue orb floating in space. A planet. But which one I have no idea, I've seen so many.

Then, from outside the field of view a bright green beam arcs through space towards the planet, briefly making contact before the entire world violently explodes sending a shockwave of debris out into space. After a few short moments the initial blast dissipates, leaving in it's wake a small cloud of dust and very little else. My mind still cant quite reconcile what it just witnessed. A whole world, erased with a single shot. What weapon would possibility be capable is such destruction? Which planet was that anyway? And why was it destroyed?

Before I could contemplate much longer the perspective on the holo shifts towards what looks like a moon, but upon some inspection clearly had some man-made enhancements. Over the picture I hear the voice of Grand Moff Tarkin, a voice I'd recognize anywhere. "What you have just witnessed was a test of what is now the new ultimate power in the universe. A battle station with the firepower to keep entire worlds in line across the Empire. With the launch is this station the Emperor has disbanded the slow, wasteful bureaucracy of The Senate in favour of the regional Governors, who will have full authority over their systems along with this battle station to enforce Imperial law. With this new power the rebellion will be crushed and peace will once again exist throughout the galaxy. That is all."

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Quick Author's Note:
Thanks for reading this part of my story! I realize it's been awhile since I've posted, what can I say? sometimes life just gets busy and something has to give.

That being said, I've noticed over the past month or so this story has gone from just over 1k reads to as of when I publish this, nearly 5000! I have no real explanation for this big jump since I haven't been promoting it or updating anything that entire time. If you'd do me the favour of letting me know where you first discovered this story, either in the comments below or via a direct message, that would be fantastically awesome and very much appreciated.

As always, any other comments or feedback are greatly appreciated as well and are very motivating to keep writing.