A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...
Alderaan was once a thriving planet. The most peaceful planet during the Clone Wars, people had grown accustomed to the luxuries of everyday existence on one of the most advanced planets in the galaxy. In the city of Aru-E'den, a young girl often played amongst the vast grass plains. That girl's name was Dorovio. She would often wander through the vast greenlands of her hometown to the edge of the Cutan River. Aru-E'den was a paradise among paradises, with not only a beautiful array of flowers, but also a wide variety of animals big and small. The plains would give rise to beautiful mountains in the east, and dip into the oceans of the west. Across the Cutan one could see the familiar yet still awe inducing shapes of Alderaanian architecture. Buildings large and small, pointed and flat, wide and thin created a jagged skyline. Young Dorovio sat by the edge of the wide river and looked to the world beyond.
Overhead, the cutting sounds of Ion engines roared through the sky. Dorovio looked up at the squadron of fighters, a symbol of Imperial might. It had been four years since the Empire had taken form, though Dorovio had been too young to remember it all. The end of one of the fiercest wars ever fought. The end of a once great order. The rise of evil.
She looked at the strange ships with awe, admiring their ability to swoop through the skies with ease, joining the many birds in their path. Even further above, Dorovio saw the slightly obscured dagger shape of an Imperial Star Destroyer. Many more TIEs buzzed around it, like bees around a hive.
"Dorovio!" a voice called.
The little girl knew it well. The voice belonged to her mother. Playtime was almost over, it was time for dinner. The little girl hurried to a small hut in the distance. On her way home, she wished to join the strange ships in the sky one day. One day, she would fly with as much grace as the Deltan Eagle.
-Breakline-
Dorovio woke up earlier than usual that day. Usually she'd blame the hard steel cot she was required to sleep on, but today everyone was abuzz with excitement. Her bunkmate, Rina Rilde, under the codename TK-964, was already in uniform. The red haired girl looked up at her friend and fellow cadet with a huge smile.
"Today's the big day! Are you excited?" Rina asked with vigor that was unmatched among any other cadet.
"It is pretty cool," Dorovio smiled, rolling onto her back again briefly. She was nineteen now, and the top recruit among her class. She was fighting hard to get accepted into the Imperial Navy. Flying over Aru-E'den would finally become a reality for her. She sighed, saying, "Well, I better get ready. Not a good thing for the star student to show up late."
"I hear Grand Moff Tarkin is going to give us our graduation speech!" Rina exclaimed, donning her training helmet.
"I hope we get our assignments today," Dorovio stated, climbing down the ladder adjacent to the bunk. Once down, she grabbed her pelvis and leg armor.
"I know, you want to be the starfighter ace! To be honest, we could use a girl like you on the ground. Teach those Rebels a thing or two."
"You'll do a good job," Dorovio assured, taking a seat on the bottom bunk to put on her boots. Fastening her gauntlets and breastplate armor, she said, "Well, I wish you the best, Rina."
"Hey, maybe we'll get to be in the same division," the other girl suggested.
Their conversation was cut short by the sound of an early bell.
"That's our cue! Good Luck, Vi!" Rina said before rushing out. Dorovio grabbed her training helmet, and stalked outside.
-Breakline-
Hundreds, no thousands, of stormtroopers had been assembled in the mass courtyard behind the Grand Moff. AT-ATs, AT-STs, and multiple landed TIEs stood to the sides of the mere one hundred forty-four recruits assembled in the Imperial Academy on Cycris IV. The wind whipped through the Grand Moff's hair, but no one noticed. They were all at attention to the words of wisdom Tarkin would impart to them.
"Congratulations recruits," Tarkin began. "You should be proud of yourselves. You are here because you have chosen to spread the Empire's message of Order throughout the galaxy. Because of your loyalty and dedication, you will prove vital in restoring peace to our now warring Empire. This new Rebellion will underestimate you, ridicule and mock you. But never deter from such a righteous course. Their mockery is your strength, by underestimating you, they leave themselves open to attack, and they will fall. There are those of you who wish to enlist in our naval forces. Our Starfighter Corps appreciates the zeal you show for serving our great Emperor, and for paving the galaxy in his vision. You will make history, and you will ensure the future of our galaxy. Now pick up your arms, and don your new armor, for you are the face of the future, you are the enforcers of order, you are the Empire!"
Thunderous applause rose from the small army of cadets, the instructors, and the countless battalions behind the Grand Moff. Dorovio felt a surge of pride shared by all of her fellow recruits. She was proud to be a part of something big, something powerful.
As fortune would have it, she found her way into the Starfighter Corps, becoming stationed on Kuat, home to the Imperial Shipyards. Rina would be stationed with a battalion on Alderaan. The two often kept in touch via holograms, discussing their missions and overall drama among their squads.
It was downtime on Kuat, the shipyards had closed for the rotation, and only the graveyard shift of troopers and pilots remained active. Dorovio stalked her way to the hanger area on the Dependent, her home away from home. Norn Oleef, a crewman, was spraying down her TIE with a fresh coat of shine.
"She's just been washed, Miss Bold, and now she's ready for takeoff," the crewman supplied.
"Thanks Norn," Dorovio smiled, watching as the crewman gathered his things to leave. After Oleef had left, Dorovio climbed up the ladder adjacent to her fighter and got in her cockpit. As other flight crew removed the ladder, Dorovio began her routine flight check. As she adjusted the control module, her fighter's holodisk began to beep. After taking off, she activated the hologram. TK-964 stood with her helmet underarm, smiling cheerily at her former classmate.
"Hey Vi! What's up?"
"Hey Rina," Dorovio replied through the black helmet. "I'm just starting the graveyard shift. How are things on your end?"
"Well, Trix and Jasp tried to rig my blaster today," Rina replied, refering to 108th Battalion's Trixan Reeves and Jaspen Longthorne, the unit's resident tricksters.
"Are they trying to kill you or something!?" Dorovio asked, alarmed.
"They tried to make it short out when I fired. Oh that reminds me, did you hear the news?"
"What news?" Dorovio asked.
"They captured Senator Organa's daughter trying to smuggle Imperial plans. I hear she's being kept on an Imperial space station," Rina filled in. "Do you think it's that rumored Death Star?"
"Pfft," Dorovio scoffed, "that's just a myth Ri. A weapon large enough to destroy planets? Give me a break."
"I know, it sounds crazy, but," Rina paused, looking to the sides before continuing. "I think I've seen it."
"Say what now?"
"Brice mentioned seeing a strange object in the sky last night, and he took me to see it."
"He did, huh?" Dorovio smirked under her mask.
"And I saw this moon. But Alderaan doesn't have any moons."
"How does that prove the Death Star's existence?" Dorovio asked, skeptical.
"It's reportedly shaped like a moon. And I hear it's as big as one as well."
Dorovio kept silent at that, her gaze fixed on the stars surrounding Kuat, as she mulled over that information. It was disturbing that the Empire would construct such a terrible weapon. She joined to protect planets, not destroy them. And if Alderaan was in it's sights...
Suddenly, a loud siren wailed from Rina's side of the transmission. Stormtroopers rushed past Rina, shouting indecipherable cries of terror.
"What's going on?" Dorovio asked, alarmed.
"I think the city's under attack, but I don't see-" with that the hologram faded.
-Breakline-
In a panic, Dorovio landed her fighter back in the bay. As soon as the ladder reached, she jumped out of her fighter. Rushing into the break room, she was just in time to hear a news report from Coruscant. Placing her helmet underarm, Dorovio stood and watched silently. Her fellow pilots gathered around.
The Ishi Tib on the screen had a hand to his ear, nodding every now and then before turning back to the camera. His face spoke volumes.
"This just in, the planet of Alderaan has just been destroyed,"
Dorovio's helmet fell from her arm.