Chapter 1-Training Ends With A Bang
A/N: AU story. FN-2187's first day of Stormtrooper training. P.s. I have not read the "Before the Awakening" book so the way the FN Stormtroopers act will probably be different.
Disclaimer: Do not own anything to do with Star Wars, George Lucas or Disney.
"FN-2187, step forward." Captain Phasma of the First Order called out, watching as a Stormtrooper, identical to the rest stepped forward and received a blaster from a fellow Trooper. "FN-2188, step forward."
After collecting his blasted FN-2187 joined the back of the line, seeing the same backs of armour from those in front of him. It was his first day of official Stormtrooper training, after twenty years or so (he didn't know how old he was or how long he had been with the First Order) of learning everything about Stormtroopers, he was finally one.
FN-2187 began to walk as the line began moving, out of the armoury and into a large circular room with closed doors covering the entirety of the walls. Two hundred Troopers all stood in formations, waiting as Captain Phasma and General Hux entered the room, walking down the parted centre until they reached the door opposite the one they entered through.
"Soldiers. You are about to begin your first steps into becoming fully fledged Troopers of the First Order!" Hux announced, making the Troopers salute as if they were all controlled by one mind. "You will be separated into groups of twenty for basic training, and for more advanced training in groups of four. Now then, group one..."
FN-2187 lost interest almost immediately only paying enough attention for when he heard his number. He didn't know why but despite all of his excitement of finally seeing some action he hated the way he and his fellow Troopers lived: he had memories of his parents, of his name, if he even had one. For as long as he could remember he had just two letters, a dash and four numbers for a name and a helmet for his face. The only times he, or any of the others, took of their armour was for washing and sleeping and the removing of such was prohibited. If he didn't share a barracks with these men he would have to guess their faces from memories of when he child.
FN-2187 was caught up in memories when he heard his number called. "FN-2187, and finally FN-2199 will report to Training Room J." FN-2187 then realised that he and nineteen others were the only ones left in the room before he marched along side the others through the door marked J.
"Finally some action." The Trooper next to him said, the Trooper being FN-2199, said as the large room displayed a holographic image of a Resistance base, the room's training droids becoming Resistance soldiers.
"Remember Trooper's these simulations will test your skills and abilities with a blaster and as a unit." Phasma's voice said over the speaker system. "You may begin when the lights turn red."
FN-2187 gripped his blaster even tighter and got behind cover along with the others. He began to take deep breathes, in the attempt to lower his heart rate: Phasma's words causing a sense of uncertainty and fear to sink in.
"Hey, what's your designation?" FN-2187 looked over to see the Trooper that had spoken earlier looking at him.
"FN-2187"
"I'm FN-2199," He introduced himself as the two shook hands. "Call me Nines. Oh and Eight-Seven you better learn to control yourself: we don't need you dying because you can't focus."
The newly nicknamed Eight-Seven nodded, taking in the advice. And then the lights glowed red...
-Eight-Seven-
As soon as the lights turned red, chaos was birthed as the Trooper's opened fire at the Resistance Soldiers, who fired in retaliation. Eight-Seven aimed his blast at a soldier that was hiding in one of the base's windows, aiming their weapon at one of the Troopers, who was oblivious to the threat.
Eight-Seven took a deep breath and fired, hitting the soldier straight in the chest. He then repeated the process with a soldier in the doorway, before watching a soldier bring out a turret and moving down five Troopers. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, Eight-Seven felt himself be slammed to the ground, the bullet going off into the distance, while the metal box he was using for covering was riddled with bullets.
"Thanks, Nines." He said as the two Troopers returned to their positions behind their cover.
"What are comrades for, eh?" Nines said as the two looked out to see three Troopers get thrown backwards by an explosive and a fourth get shot leaving only four Troopers left. "We need to take out the base."
"How?" Eight-Seven and Nines peered over the cover only to quickly drop to the floor once again.
"I counted eight soldiers. The turret, four in the windows and three in the doorway." Nines signalled the other two Troopers, who were taking cover behind similar boxes to them, with one of them sliding a blaster across the floor. The other two then aimed at the windows and started firing. "Right you take the turret, I'll take the others, ready?"
"Not really!"
"Too bad!" Nines announced before standing up and killing the three soldiers from the doorway, before ducking just as the turret fired in their direction.
The only soldier left now was the one handling the turret. One of the other Troopers counted and ran out of cover, diving across the floor, drawing the turrets fire and allowing Eight-Seven to make a headshot before the turret is fired. Nines then runs forward and takes an explosive from a fallen soldier, while the other two Troopers join Eight-Seven behind the cover. Nines ran back to them and threw the explosive in, effectively blowing the base up in its entirety. Eight-Seven finally let out the breath he was unknowingly holding when the red lights returned to their regular white and the holograms disappeared, returning the Troopers into an empty room.
Eight-Seven then held his breath again as the doors opened and in came their superiors...
-Eight-Seven-
The door opened and Phasma and Hux enter the room, making the sixteen "dead" Troopers immediately stand and salut, while Eight-Seven and the others stayed on the floor.
"Troopers, is there a reason for you not saluting your superiors?" Hux practically barked at them, the red-haired man not even trying to hide his anger at being disrespected.
"I'll handle this Hux." Phasma said, her helmet partially masking her feminine voice. She stepped forward, but quickly addressed the other Troopers in the room. "In war many of you are likely to die. However at present you have all failed, return your training blaster to the armoury and return to your bunks. In the morning you will re-attempt this simulation. Dismissed!" Phasma then turned to the four Troopers, who now all stood in attention following her previous statements. "Congratulations."
Hux immediately interrupted. "Excuse me, you are congratulating these disob-"
"General." Phasma shot back. "If you don't mind I would like a word with my troops." Phasma finished, very clearly gripping the handle of her blaster, leading to the officer storming out, muttering incoherent words about Stormtroopers. "Troopers, congratulations, you are the only four to have passed the simulation. And now your training shall be altered."
"Altered ma'am?"
"Yes FN-2000. The four of you are to be a unit, my unit. You will report to me and I will give you specialised assignments." Phasma signalled them to follow her out back into the room with the many doors. "First though, reports on your performance. FN-2000, your marksmanship was impressive yet you lucky you weren't hit, considering how many times you made yourself vulnerable to attack."
Phasma then moved to the Trooper next to FN-2000, who was now hanging his head slightly. "FN-2003. You distracted the enemy and almost sacrificed yourself in doing so. If you are to draw the enemy's fire then make sure they don't kill you immediately for it." FN-2003 also hung his head, as Phasma moved to Eight-Seven.
"FN-2187, your marksmanship was perfect, every shot you took hit its target, but, you hesitated a number of times. In a war hesitation equals death, either yours or one of your comrade's." Eight-Seven then hung his head, almost instinctively as if he felt the need to make up for something he did.
Lastly Phasma got to Nines. "FN-2199, you helped your comrade when he hesitated, you grouped the remaining Troopers together to work as a team and take out superior numbers, and you blew the base up." Phasma turned before turning back to Nines, as if she had forgotten something. "However, it would be in your best interest if you learnt not to take war lightly or as some kind of fun." With that last comment Phasma marched out of the room, her cape trailing out after her, leaving the four Troopers there all hanging their heads either in shame or in compliance.
-Eight-Seven-
The next day, Eight-Seven and Nines followed Phasma from the regular trainee bunkers to another bunker, for their "advanced training", where they met up with Zeroes and Slip (both having been nicknamed by Nines).
"Don't get too comfortable Troopers, your accommodation here will only last as long as your ability to achieve." Phasma told them. "Get settled in. In two hours I will collect you and we'll see if yesterday's result was just luck."
The doors closed behind Phasma, leaving the four Troopers, who almost immediately removed their helmets, finally showing their faces. Zeroes had black cropped hair and dark skin, Slip had short dark brown hair and particularly tanned skin for someone who wore a suit of armour all the time. Eight-Seven also had dark skin, a few shades darker than Zeroes and his hair was short but distinctly longer, and finally Nines had bright red hair and pale skin.
"So," Nines asked pulling a stack of cards out of his pack. "Who wants to play some sabacc?" He asked as he sat at a table, the others joining him.
-Eight-Seven-
After a few hours of playing Slip had managed to fail unbelievably and Nines had won multiple hands like a pro, with Zeroes and Eight-Seven falling somewhere in between. As Nines began shuffling the doors opened causing the four to jump up and salut.
Phasma entered the room with Hux and two others. One was Kylo Ren, the Sith Lord, and the other was a women, that Eight-Seven found hard to look away from, until Nines elbowed him and Eight-Seven followed the others in putting on their helmets.
"Troopers meet Kylo Ren and his apprentice, they will be monitoring your progress along with Hux and myself." Phasma informed them.
"Yes and I'm anxious to see your Troopers in action Captain." Hux said, his voice dripping with hatred that he tried to mask with excitement.
"What do you say Troopers? FN-2199 ready for some real action, as you would say?" Phasma asked, with the intentions to prove Hux wrong.
"It would be a pleasure Captain." Nines said, complying as suggested but keeping true to his nature.
"Good, then let's get started." Phasma said and the Troopers followed the four out, Eight-Seven's eyes never leaving the girl in front of him.