All I did was follow orders
I come back from a war that cost me so much, and back to a home that seems more distant then ever before. I joined to serve the empire and they teat me like I was a murderer, and a criminal. They call me baby killer, planet destroyer, freedom hater, they don't know what I went through, who are they to tell me. Unless they had been me, and seen what I saw, I am none of those things I was a soldier following orders, what kind of soldier doesn't follow orders. But now I guess its different with the republic back, and everyone is so willing to forget all the terrorist attacks of the rebels, and the atrocities of the jedi, but they are swift to judge me for wearing my uniform.
I bleed for the empire, my friends and family died to keep it. Now I come back home and after the first day I see a fellow soldier beaten up by a group of teens calling him jedi hater. I stood in and fought them off, but the man was already dead, killed by a bunch of teens who knew nothing of what this man had done or why he did them. I hear them partying, doing death sticks, tearing down anything resembling the empire and cheer. I look for a job and they kick me out, telling me "How does it feel now", I walked away. Back in the storm trooper corp I could earn respect, I could laugh with my friends, I could drive 1 million credit equipment now i cant even get a job cleaning tables.
I did what I had to do to, and they see me as a monster, what did I do to deserve this hatred, what did I do to deserve this cruelty. I wasn't the one who pushed the button that destroyed Alderran. I was at Dantooine when I found out my brother died when the death Star blew up. I was on Hoth holding my best friends in my arms as he lay dying as he said to me "I want to go home", as his legs were gone and his face burnt and his eyes full of tears. I was on Endor as I saw men I had trained with and fought with and bled with, overrun and slaughtered without mercy, I saw a gunship land as they came to rescue our wounded only to be shot down by rebels. I was on my way home when I saw the video of my youngest brother, only 17 years old, mauled by an angry mob, while chanting "Long live the republic, death to empire sympathizers", he was only a boy and all he did was clean imperial kitchens.
Who are they to call me monster, when they were doing nothing but attacking innocents during the days of the empire, I signed up to protect them, and now they hate me for it. They didn't see what I saw, they didn't do what I did, they didn't serve to protect them when I was in a trench, wet scared, with the feeling that breathe I took may be my last one. They cheer for terrorists who killed millions, and hate us for trying to help and protect the people. All of my family is dead, all of my friends are dead, and I feel like I am the last one, what did I do to deserve this all I did was follow orders. I didn't even pull the trigger and kill a single person, rebel or otherwise, and they call me a murderer. I served with honour and dignity and blood, and the death of everyone I held dear, and this is how they repay me.
All I did was follow orders