*Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to anything Star Wars related, I just thought I'd stretch into the Star Wars the Old Republic game fandom. I'm not part of the Development Team for the Old Republic, but I feel like this story could be a big success in the game.
Part 1 – Selection – Part 1
*For the full effect, I suggest you put on the Star Wars opening theme and read this slowly like you would during the opening credits of a Star Wars Movie.
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…
STAR WARS THE OLD REPUBLIC
PROLOG – IMPERIAL TROOPER
It is a glorious time for the Empire: the Republic and it's defenders lay weakened after the Sith Empire's successful Military Campaign left the Jedi Temple on Coruscant destroyed, and the Republic's forces weakened.
The Empire has taken advantage of the fragile peace to enhance the training of their soldiers. The Empire's greatest instructors train their soldiers long and hard in hopes that they can become better than even the Republic's best.
Now a young and unproven, but promising Sergeant leaves the Empire's training grounds on the Capitol of Dromund Kaas to begin his training for Special Forces Selection on the Imperial-controlled World of Felucia…
Two Harrower-class Dreadnoughts circled in orbit of the planet of Felucia, a single shuttle dropped out the bottom, as it turned toward the planet, the top wings folded downwards, and slowly guided itself toward the planet.
The Empire's outpost on the planet was based on the edge of a cliff that overlooked a two-hundred-foot drop, lovely.
Eight soldiers stepped off, four females, four males, the seven others walked up to the entrance first, the final one stayed behind to observe his surroundings.
He could be described as ruggedly handsome, at least six-foot-three, not very beefy, but certainly built, very tan skin, defined jaw and cheekbones, cooperative-cut brown hair, some slightly-shaven stubble, and what appeared to be a tan-line around his eyes left over from a pair of goggles. But what was weird was that the pigment in his eyes was gold, not light brown, but gold, a very rare color.
The uniforms they gave to those soldiers were not the very heavily plated armor their more experienced colleagues were wearing, but combined with the energy shields they were given, it would work just as good.
The Sergeant's name was Anton Koon, as he entered the command center, the base's commander looked up at him, "Finally, our last arrival," he said, "You took your time getting here."
The base commander was about five-foot-nine, he was going into his twilight years
"Just taking some time to survey the planet sir," Anton said in his Imperial British-like accent.
"We were just getting to the last of the arrivals," the Base Commander said before returning to his datapad, and turning to a Chiss just to the left of Anton, "You, Chiss, begin."
The Chiss stood at attention, "Sir, Corporal Nigel Thunderbow, Thirty-Eighth Recon," he began, "Imperial Naval Academy Graduate with advanced training in scouting, forward recon, marksmanship, and hostage rescue. Cordial Ribbon, Service Cross, Telos Campaign Medallion, and a Wounded Service Medal"
"Alright," the Commander said then turned towards Anton, "Now you, sightseer."
"Sergeant Anton Koon sir," Anton said, "Imperial Academy on Dromund Kaas Graduate, advanced training in forward recon, marksmanship, explosives, and CQC. I am starfighter and Walker qualified. Cordial Ribbon, Service Cross, Wounded Service Medal, Walker Combat Ribbon, and Star Fighter Medallion."
"Now that that's over," the Commander said, "I am Colonel Victor Skirelli, your new boss. As most of you know, I used to run the Empire's feared Shadow Fist squadron. Before I can consider you for anyone single position in Imperial Special Forces, we're here on this planet to learn what you can do. These next few days you will be tested in the harshest ways possible, the toughest among you will proceed to Dromund Kaas where your training will continue into the advanced levels."
"What's our first assignments sir," the overly patriotic Zabrak standing next to Thunderbow said as he stood at attention.
"Take it easy there Corporal," Colonel Skirelli said, "I'll be sending you all on separate missions to judge what you can do," he then passed out several datapads, "Get going."
As the various cadets made their way outside, Anton took some time to study his orders, the local Felucians had been receiving advanced training, Anton's job was to conduct a scouting mission and find out if the Republic was at all behind it.
The blaster rifle he carried was an over-under with an attached x4 zoom scope and an extendable stock. The top barrel was the primary barrel to fire the laser rounds, and the bottom fired either grenades or scattergun rounds. Both barrels extended about two inches out of the front of the gun
He always carried his an engraved gold-plated Anarchy blaster pistol that fired purple and black rounds instead of red or green.
As Anton walked away from the base toward his objective, he knew that the Felucians would probably be aware of his presence, they knew the terrain better than anyone on the planet because they had been living there for millions, if not billions of years.
The teeth from the Sarlacc pit were all over the planet, some looked like they were grown yesterday, others looked like you could pick them up and move them, if you were a Jedi or Sith with no resistance from whatever they were attached to.
The leather boots they gave them made a very disgusting sound as Anton walked across the ground.
The Empire refused to spend any extra money on the troops in selection to get them better armor if they were uncomfortable 'it builds character' if they got trench foot 'that's a risk you were willing to take' which Anton translated as 'we don't give a kriff'.
As he continued toward the area he was supposed to recon, he could feel a set of eyes on him, then again it could have been the Felucians, the way they could blend into the environment was uncanny.
When Anton approached the recon sight, he drew his binoculars as he crouch-walked for about fifty feet, then crawled the remaining twenty feet to observe the staging area, "This is Grey Wolf calling Mother Base, come in Mother Base," Anton said as he pressed two fingers to his earpiece.
"This is Mother Base," Colonel Skirelli said, "Go ahead, Sergeant."
"Have reached staging area," Anton said as he observed the area with his binoculars to see several Felucians practicing with stand-up targets, "Observe natives using artificial targets to practice their abilities."
"Artificial targets," Colonel Skirelli asked, "Can you identify Sergeant?"
"Not at current distance sir," Anton said before someone else came into view, "Hold on…" the men that came into view wore Hazardous Recon Armor colored red and black, but on the crest of the armor was a sign he had yet to make out, "Mother Base, spotted third party entering recon area…" he focused on the symbol before continuing, "Armor mark matches description for Mercenary Unit Thunder Crows."
"Acknowledged Sergeant," Colonel Skirelli said, "Return to base."
It was then that four Felucians jumped behind Anton, "Gonna have to take a rain check on that one base," Anton said as he turned around, "I'm a little busy right now."
The Felucians hid behind their thick wooden masks, but you could tell they weren't scared of Anton, but they should have.
Anton barely had enough time to draw his rifle before the first one that charged and swung at him with his large sickle of a hand.
Anton rolled underneath the swing and turned around to bunt the Felcuian in the back, sending him stumbling forward.
The next one that attacked knocked Anton's rifle into the air but left his center open as Anton ripped his uncle's Anarchy Blaster from the holster, and fired five rounds into the creature's chest and stomach.
The next one that came in swung at Anton who moved his dead comrade in the way, allowing him to be cut instead of Anton who grabbed his rifle which fell into his hand, and fires four rounds into the creature.
The fourth came in low, trying to sweep Anton's feet from underneath him, only for Anton to jump over the swing, smack the creature across the face, stunning it, and then unloading into its back.
The first that Anton knocked off balance came in, and swatted the rifle from Anton's hands, and smacked him backward.
Anton landed hard against the ground, but was able to see the final Felucian jump toward him, Anton reached over to grab hold of his rifle, brought it up as the creature came down, and fired a scatter-slug into the Felucian's chest.
Anton shoved the creature off of him after it landed, and pushed himself to his feet.
It was close to dawn when he arrived back at base, as he entered, he noticed that two were missing, "About time you showed up," Colonel Skirelli said as he saw, "What kept you?"
"I had a little disagreement with the locals," Anton said as he walked up to the panel, "Reporting in sir."
"Good," Colonel Skirelli said, "Now onto more pressing matters," he hit a small button on the holo-table in front of him to show the symbol of the Thunder Crows, "Recon from Sergeant Koon reveals that the locals are getting training from a mercenary group known as the Thunder Crows. Usually hired by Hutt Cartels to clear an area of natives or hostile forces before moving in for various reasons such as mining, labor camps, or to construct palaces away from palaces."
"Sir, if I may," Corporal Thunderbow said, "Why would a mercenary group like this degrade themselves to training primitive natives who can't even lift a rifle?"
"Probably been paid off," Colonel Skirelli said, "As of right now though, we have no knowledge of their actions whatsoever. As I'm sure you're aware, we're missing two cadets. Cadets Varsol and Hiron have not returned, and we're getting nothing on radar. We can only assume that they have either died or been captured. The rest of you are to get some rest, tomorrow the trials continue."
The soldiers walked into the crew quarters, which was designed to build character, no beds, no bunks, just a pillow and a blanket, a few showers, but almost zero privacy save for the dividers in between the shower stalls.
"Thunder Crows," two of the female soldiers said as they washed in the stalls just across from the male showers, "Interesting name."
"It's meant to be ironic," Anton said as he entered the room with a towel around his waist, as he hung up his towel, he stepped into the stall, "The name 'Thunder Crows' is meant to make you laugh at them. But you wouldn't be laughing when they kill you."
"Hmm," Thunderbow said in the stall next to Anton, "Interesting. You seem to have some experience with the subject."
"My father worked with whole platoons of mercenaries during the last war," Anton said, "The Thunder Crows are mostly comprised of dishonorably discharged Republic and Imperial Military personnel, disgraced Mandalorians, and former members of the most dangerous gangs in the known galaxy."
"Basically the scum of the galaxy," the female human in the stall just opposite from Anton said.
"In a nutshell… yes," Anton said as he finished washing, dried, off and stepped out of the stall to put on his trunks, "For the right amount of money they'd bomb anywhere on Coruscant you'd point."
"I'm surprised they haven't been named an enemy of the Empire or Republic," the female Mirialan cadet who stepped out of the shower stall said as she dried herself off, and got dressed.
"They already have," Anton said as he slid on his night pants, "But the men and women on top don't care about what they've done. There's only one thing that matters to them."
"Results," the Mirialan said as she looked back at Anton who was sliding on a white cotton shirt.
"Exactly," Anton said as he pointed at the Mirialan, "Smart and beautiful, I'm surprised that Imperial Intelligence hasn't recruited you."
"Think I'd be a good spy," the Mirialan asked.
"What about me," the Mirialan that happened to be an identical twin sister of the first Mirialan that Anton hadn't recognized asked as she walked up next to her sister.
"Twins," Anton asked, "I did not see that."
"No one does," the first twin said before reaching over the divider that was just high enough to give the females and males some privacy, "Reeva Willa," as Anton shook her hand, she pointed at her sister, "My sister, Leeka."
"Pleasure," Anton said as he walked toward the barracks.
"So what do you know about the Thunder Crows," Reeva asked as she followed Anton.
"I know they hunt and kill for money," Anton said, "I know that no one knows where their headquarters are," Anton sat down in his bunk, "And they don't leave survivors, on purpose at least."
"You had any run ins with them," the Zabrak male asked as he climbed onto the bunk above Anton.
"Nope," Anton said.
"Alright then," the Zabrak said, "Guess there's no reason to continue then."
That's Part One…