This story is going in reverse chronological order. However, for obvious reasons the first three chapters will take place at about the same time.
CHAPTER 2 – DECEPTION
ABOUT 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE DESTRUCTION OF ALDERAAN
ALDERAAN CAPITAL CITY – COMMERCIL SPACEPORT
Lieutenant Silvia Loreno couldn't help scratching the skin of her wrist underneath the cuff of her shirt. She was wearing the distinctive livery of the Alderaan arme forces. The uniform was brand new and she found the material irritable. It was very different to the uniform of she was normally used to wearing.
She looked around the control room of the commercial spaceport in the Alderaan capital city. Everything was calm. Six female guards from Loreno's platoon equipped with A280 blaster rifles and wearing Alderaan military uniforms were also in the control room, watching over the handful of civilian employees who were quietly working at their monitors and work stations. A couple of Loreno's troopers were also manning work-stations, monitoring radar and flight traffic in the area. Like Loreno, all her guards were also wearing the black helmet, blue shirt, black combat vest and black calf-length boots of the Alderaan armed forces. Each one of them wore the emblem of the First Company of the Royal Leia Organa Battalion. The first all-female Alderaan military unit to be raised in honour of the deceased Princess Leia Organa.
Loreno walked casually around the control room observing the civilians going calmly about their work. As she past one of her guards, she couldn't help herself looking at the unit emblem emblazoned on the shoulder of the trooper's uniform. The emblem really caught the eye. It showed a white image of Alderaan surrounded by two white rings. Loreno found herself wondering who had come up with such a ridiculous unimaginative symbol.
But of course, the design of military emblems were not of any concern, nor importance, for Lieutenant Silvia Loreno. She was only concerned with ensuring that she and her fellow female troopers carried out their duty as ordered by their commanding officers.
So far the operation had gone very well. In fact, it had gone much more smoothly than she had anticipated. She knew a famous leader had once said that any battle plan never survives contact with the enemy. So far, everything had gone completely to plan. Probably due to the fact that there was no enemy in sight.
With imperial stormtroopers launching violent attacks on the High Council building and the private spaceport normally used by VIPs and government officials, Loreno's unit had been dispatched to evacuate, lock-down and defend the primary commercial spaceport. So far, all had gone smoothly. The civilian director had cooperated with them without hesitation and had followed all her advice and instructions. Now, the installation was in full lock-down with all traffic suspended and all non-essential personnel evacuated from the facility.
As expected, the law-abiding and conscientious Alderaan civilians and employees had evacuated the spaceport in an orderly fashion. All recognised that they had to leave for their own safety in case the imperials stormtroopers attacked the spaceport. Only the spaceport Director, a few senior employees and some security personnel were required to stay behind to ensure that the facility was kept secure and maintained a minimum level of operation.
Loreno was pleased to note that the civilian employees who stayed behind had remained calm and professional. Although they were clearly concerned about the news of heavy fighting in the High Council building and the private spaceport, they appeared relieved that the female troopers of the Organa 1st were there to protect them.
Of course, Loreno understood that she was not there to protect the civilians. She was there to defend the spaceport against any hostile attack. A mission she and her troopers would carry out, even if it meant fighting to the last woman. However, at the moment all the enemy's focus seemed to be on the High Council Building and the Private Spaceport. They obviously did not believe that the commercial spaceport was a priority.
Loreno's reflections were interrupted abruptly when the door of the control room sished open and Sergeant-Major Suzie Samson briskly entered the room. Loreno sensed immediately that there was something wrong.
"May I speak to you for a moment, Lieutenant?" Asked Samson politely in her Alderaan accent.
"Yes, of course, Sergeant-Major." Loreno was already heading for the exit. She addressed a trooper before leaving. "Take over the control room, Sergeant."
"Yes, sir."
As soon as they were outside and walking down the corridor, Loreno addressed Samson.
"Status report, Sergeant-Major!"
Samson hesitated a moment, before answering. Loreno gave her a side-ways glance waiting for her response.
"It is the Director, Lieutenant?"
"Yes?"
"He is on the roof."
"What!" Loreno stopped in her tracks. Samsan had to stop herself abruptly. "How did he get away from his guards?"
"He gave them the slip, sir." Samson answered cautiously.
Loreno sighed with frustration. The Director had asked to leave the control room under pretext to pick up some documents from his office. Loreno had let him go, but insisted that two of her troopers accompanied to him as protection. She realised now that he had planned to escape. Although, it occurred to her that going to a heavily monitored location like the spaceport roof seemed the worst place to hide. Unless of course he was trying to get a message to hostile forces.
"What is he doing up there?" Asked Loreno.
"He is observing the sky with a pair of macro-binoculars, sir."
Loreno frowned. "Has there been any indication of incoming ships?"
"No, sir." Samson's reply was confident. "No. All military traffic is heading towards the combat zones in the centre of the city. Nothing is heading here."
"What can he be doing?" Loreno asked herself.
"Shall I take a squad up to the roof and detain him, sir?"
Loreno stood thinking to herself for a few seconds.
"No, I'll do it. Send me two troopers. You take my post in the control room. I want to see for myself what our Director is up to."
A few minutes later, Lorena and an escort of two troopers stepped out of the turbo-lift and walked out into the open air on the spaceport roof. Not far, they could see the spaceport Director still looking up towards the clear afternoon Alderaan sky through a pair of macro-binoculars.
The three female troopers advanced towards him for a few yards. Then Loreno ordered a halt and turned to address the two troopers.
"Hold position here. Only take action if you receive a direct order from me. If he attacks me, you are ordered to open fire and shoot to kill. Do not be concerned for my safety."
"Yes, sir." The two young women said in unison.
Lorena left the troopers and walked up to the Director who was still gazing at the sky through his macro-binoculars.
"What are you doing Director Corianna?" Asked Loreno dryly.
The unarmed man standing before Lorena continued to look at the sky for a moment. Loreno waited patiently for an answer, her right hand caressing the butt of the holstered DH-17 blaster pistol, the side-arm of preference in the Alderaan military. Director Hubert Corianna was still gazing at the sky when he started talking.
"It is a beautiful day, isn't it Lieutenant?" Corianna lowered the binoculars and looked at Loreno. "You can see the magnificent beauty of Alderaan from here. Isn't it wonderful. The lush vibrant forests. The rolling green hills. The majestic mountains on the horizon. Yes, the beauty of nature is truly spectacular."
Loreno didn't look at the beauty of the Alderaan wilderness. But she did notice the sound of blaster fire coming from centre of the city where the hastily organised Alderaan defence forces were frantically battling the imperial stormtroopers in the centre of the capital city. Loreno knew that many of her fellow troopers were involved in the most important battle of their lives.
"You know, when I heard of the imperial attack." Corianna looked over at the pall of smoke rising over the magnificent buildings of the city in the distance. I assumed at first that there would be an invasion? I thought the Empire had come chastise Alderaan at the point of a blaster."
Loreno pondered the man's words for a moment. As a commanding officer, she had speculated on the purpose of the imperial attacks. A precursor to a planetary invasion did seem the most logical conclusion.
"So I was happy when you turned up with your unit, Lieutenant. I realised that I had an opportunity to save lives and keep my people safe."
"Why have you come up here, Director Corianna?" Asked Loreno again, this time more insistently.
"I have been monitoring military chatter while in the control room as you instructed us to, Lieutenant. I heard rumours concerning the attack on Alderaan. So I arranged to leave the control room. I wanted to come up here and see if the rumours were true."
Loreno knew that she should detain Corianna immediately and put him in a detention cell. She also took note to reprimand the guards assigned to him. But before she could take action, Corianna spoke again. He seemed to have read her mind.
"Oh please don't blame your guards for letting me slip away. I am sure they were under orders to observe me from a discrete distance. You must admit that I would not be a good Director if I could not slip away from a couple of bodyguards in my own spaceport."
Loreno had to admit that he had a point. She had assigned the guards ostensibly for his protection. She had told them to hold back and refrain from being too forceful. Loreno wondered if her own inexperience as a rookie lieutenant had allowed this troublesome situation to happen. She inwardly cursed herself for her ignorance and inexperience.
"Of course, I realise they would be instructed to ensure that I do not contact the enemy. Do not worry, Lieutenant. I have not contacted anyone on the outside and I have no intention of doing so. It is all too late anyway, I fear."
Loreno pondered again if she should detain Corianna. But she decided against it. He was unarmed and there was no reason to believe he was trying to contact the enemy. After all, she was the mission commander now. She had the discretion to conduct the operation in the most expedient and effective way possible. She decided that it may be worthwhile to listen to what Corianna had to say. On the roof-top, he would likely speak openly. He could give her information that could contribute to the successful completion of her mission.
"So, Director Corianna? What are these rumours?" Asked Loreno.
"I heard the Death Star is here."
Lorena considered that suggestion a feasible possibility. After all, it would be logical for the imperials to use the Death Star as a base for the invasion of Alderaan.
"But that is not why I came up here, Lieutenant."
"Oh? And why did you come up here then, Director Corianna?" Loreno wondered if she had been wise to assume that Corianna was not in contact with the enemy. It could all be a charade. A deception.
"I just came up to see my world for one last time." Corianna turned to look at the wilderness in the distance. "While it is still beautiful. While it is still free. While it still exists."
Loreno stayed silent and looked at the man standing in front of her. For a moment, she wondered what he meant. Especially the part about Alderaan 'still existing'. Again, Loreno was tempted to end this conversation right away and march Corianna off to the detention cell. But she had the impression he was being sincere. She decided that as the commanding officer of this mission, she was duty bound to find out what Corianna knew or suspected. It could be critical to the success of her mission.
"What do you mean, Director Corianna?"
Corianna looked at Loreno intently for a moment.
"Why are you here, Lieutenant? Why have they sent you to guard this facility?"
"I just follow my orders, Director Corianna. I do not need to know what is happening." Answered Loreno dryly. "And neither do you."
"Yes. I guess I should have expected you to say that, Lieutenant." Corianna chuckled. But it was a chuckle void of any joy. Loreno just looked at him coldly. She began to suspect that Corianna knew a lot more than he had let on.
"You know, you almost had me fooled, Lieutenant." Corianna smiled and looked to the sky again. "It was an inspired idea to disguise yourselves as female Alderaan military".
Loreno's blood froze. She glared at Corianna, her hand moving slowly to the holster of her blaster pistol.
"What are you insinuating, Director Corianna?" Loreno's voice had a menacing tone to it.
"After all, who would suspect that a group of female soldiers could be imperial stormtroopers in disguise." Corianna spoke in a friendly and sincere tone. "And you even used officers and NCOs with Alderaan accents. Just brilliant!"
Loreno's felt her grip on the handle of her blaster pistol tighten. She was tempted to draw her weapon. But she stopped herself. She had to find out what he knew while he was willing to speak freely. And while he was out of ear-shot of the others.
"The 1st Leia Organa Company." Corianna smiled thoughtfully. "Now that was a true stroke of genius. It makes me wonder if there is really is such a unit in existence. You know, there is a rumour that the Princess put herself through a Stormtrooper training course here on Alderaan. It just makes your ruse all the more plausible."
Corianna saw Loreno's hand on her blaster. He smiled and shook his head.
"Don't worry, Lieutenant. I am not going to flee. Or contact the Alderaan military. Or attack you. It's too late for that now, I fear. "
Loreno was still seriously considering drawing her blaster and detaining or even shooting him. But she stopped herself. She realised that Corianna was right. There was no reason to perceive him as a threat. Thus there was no reason to detain him, at least for now. There was no sign of any enemy activity and all was calm. She had time to listen. Besides from that, she was curious as to what he had to say.
"And please don't take action against the rest of my people. They still believe you are there to protect them. They are obeying your instructions. And they will continue to do so. You have my word on that."
Loreno believed he spoke the truth. The civilians in the facility had all wilingly cooperated and obeyed instructions given to them. They still seemed to believe her troopers were from the Alderaan military.
"I doubt any of the others suspect the truth. Most will believe you are Alderaan military because they want to. Others because they genuinely feel protected by your presence. So please don't take any rash action from my words."
"I have no orders to kill or detain anyone, Director Corianna." Responded Loreno flatly. "I am only required to secure and lock-down the facility."
"I am pleased to hear that, Lieutenant. You know, at first I thought you might be ISB. But the ISB do not employ females in combat roles and would never act with such restraint. Nor would they attack unless backed up by considerable support. Besides, I suspect any ISB agent would be long gone if they had any suspicion of what is about to happen here."
Loreno didn't say anything. But she couldn't help agreeing with him about the ISB. She regarded the ISB as a bunch of arrogant self-righteous cowards. She had even said it a couple of times and it had gotten her into trouble.
"I also dismissed the possibility that you were from the imperial army straight away." Mused Corianna. "They too do not deploy females in combat roles. So that only leaves one possibility. Imperial Stormtroopers."
"Have you ever seen a female stormtrooper Lieutenant, Director Corianna?" Countered Loreno.
"No." Admitted Corianna."Not until today. You must have really risen up the ranks in the last couple of weeks. What were you before, Lieutenant? A corporal? A regular trooper?"
Loreno reflected that she was indeed a regular trooper only a few days ago. She had received a direct promotion from trooper to Lieutenant. One of the fastest rises in rank in the history of the stormtrooper corps. Despite her conditioning, Loreno felt herself flinch at what Corianna said. Corianna seemed to notice.
"Oh, don't blame yourself, Lieutenant. I know a lot about stormtroopers. I almost became one."
Loreno studied the man in front of her. She could not imagine him going through the rigorous training and conditioning of an imperial stormtrooper.
"Yes, I know it's hard to believe it looking at me now." Said Corianna. "I joined up with my sister, Gloria. But I soon realised I was not cut out for war. I could not stomach the violence and brutality. In fact, after I left I became a pacifist. That is why I came back here and took on a civilian role."
At last, Loreno was beginning to understand the motivations of the Director. He was a pacifist. He did not want his people to be caught up in a battle. That is why he had accepted the aid of Loreno's unit so easily. Not because he was fooled. Not because he was a coward. But because he wanted to save the lives of those around him.
"That is how I recognised you. You are far too disciplined to be trainees in an Alderaan military unit. You need more than a pretty uniform to pretend to be a rookie. The way you stand. The way you walk. The way you hold your rifles. The empty look in your eyes. The way you speak. The way you never smile ..."
Loreno and her commanding officers knew that there was always a risk that someone may notice that did not look or act like typical Alderaan troopers. After all you cannot undo years of intense conditioning in a couple of days. However, they expected that most people would accept and indeed welcome the 'protection' of a disciplined force of troopers in Alderaan livery. Especially with fully armoured imperial stormtroopers openly attacking other parts of the city.
"But it was not just that. There were other signs. The way your troopers say 'sir' to their female commanders. An Alderaan trooper would never act like that. But I have seen it all before when I was a trainee officer on Carida."
Loreno admitted to herself that Corianna's reasoning made sense. She was aware that many of her troopers had been unable to discard their conditioning as imperial stormtroopers.
"...and the time it took your reinforcements to leave the shuttle. I bet that shuttle is full of stormtrooper armour and E-11 Blaster rifles. It takes time to change out of stormtrooper armour in an enclosed space. Believe me, I know."
Despite herself, Loreno began to feel a large amount of respect for the man in front of her. She had always believed that pacifists were weak and deluded. In fact, she still believed it. But she did recognise that Corianna did have a lot of courage and conviction.
"And I must thank you, Lieutenant."
"Thank me, Director?" For just moment, Loreno's eyes widened with surprise.
"You could have caused a blood-bath here today. But you didn't. You let everyone believe that they are safe. At least they will not end their days in the terror, pain and violence of a stormtrooper assault. Believe me, I appreciate that. You all showed remarkable self-restraint. And you demonstrated remarkable leadership, Lieutenant. And I say that with true sincerity."
Despite herself, Loreno couldn't help feeling flattered by the complement. Of course, she had only spared the civilians because it was in the parameters of her mission objectives. If she had been ordered to gun down innocent civilians, she would have done so without hesitation. And she would still do it now if ordered or required to do so.
"Of course, I realise that there is no generosity on your part. You are only following orders. And I understand that your ruse here only works because your comrades are slaughtering people in other parts of the city. Indeed, your comrades are acting in the way that everyone expects of stormtroopers."
Corianna chuckled and shook his head. "But no one expects stormtroopers to walk in the front door and ask politely to enter like you did, Lieutenant."
"Except you, Director Corianna." Loreno could not help feeling a hint of admiration for the man. She considered it a great pity that Corianna did not served the Empire as he had originally planned.
"Yes, except me, Lieutenant."
"So what do you think will happen now, Director Corianna." Although Loreno spoke in a slightly mocking tone, she was interested to hear what he had to say.
Corianna didn't answer immediately. Instead he offered Loreno his macro-binoculars. Corianna took them and used them to looked up at the sky. In the distance, she could clearly make out the shape and features of the Death Star.
"In Carida, we were told about the Death Star. They say that the Death Star can destroy a planet." Said Corianna as Loreno continued looking up at the sky.
"Now ask yourself this, Lieutenant. If the attacks were the precursor to an invasion, why did the imperials attack with such little force? Why attack only the spaceports and the High Council? But the biggest question is this. Why did they not attack the facilities that generate the planetary shield? Surely that would be the first target if there was to be an invasion. Do you not think so, lieutenant?"
Lorano gave Corianna back his macrobinoculars.
"So what do you believe the imperials will do now, Director Corianna?" Said Loreno, as if still keeping up the charade.
"Oh, surely that is obvious even to you, Lieutenant. They intend to destroy the whole planet."
Loreno continued looking up at the tiny dimly lit point of light in the sky. She did not say a word. In her heart, she knew that Corianna was probably right. She recognised that Corianna's reasoning made sense.
"So is my sister, Gloria, with you?" Asked the Director. "Of course she is not on this spaceport otherwise my people and I would already be dead. I suspect she is in the private spaceport or perhaps the High Council building."
Corianna stopped talking for a moment as if awaiting a response. Loreno looked at him. She realised that nothing she said now would make any difference. Nothing she said now would cause her to fail her mission. Her mission to hold the spaceport against enemy attack at all costs. To defend it from attacks launched by the rebel military."
"Lieutenant Corianna is in the High Council building." Loreno confirmed flatly.
"Yes, I suspected she would be there." The Director's voice almost seemed choked with pride. "She would always want to be in the thick of the action. In the eye of the storm."
Loreno's gaze drifted across the beautiful landscape of her home planet. For the first time in years, she was almost overcome by a wave of nostalgia for the beautiful world from which she came. She just stood there staring at her lost home. Corianna looked at Loreno and recognised the sorrow in her eyes.
"You really did not know that this would happen, did you?" He said softly. "You truly did not know what they planned to do."
"No."
"Then you were deceived, Lieutenant Loreno." For the first time, Loreno heard a bitter tone in Corianna's voice. "We were all deceived today. One way or another."
"No. I was not deceived." Loreno shook her head and spoke with conviction. "My mission was to hold this facility until relieved by imperial forces. It does not matter what form that relief may take. I achieved the mission assigned to me. I fulfilled the will of the Emperor. And if the Emperor wills it that I die this day, then I die with honour."
Loreno turned to face Corianna and laid her hand on the butt of her blaster pistol.
"I will die facing my enemy with my hand on my blaster. That is all I can ask."
Corianna shook his head with sadness and looked deeply into Loreno's eyes. He contemplated the young woman before her.
"I am not your enemy, Lieutenant."
Just at that moment, the deadly blast from the death star struck Alderaan. Lieutenant Silvia Loreno and her platoon of female troopers were blown to atoms along with everyone else on the planet.
In securing the public spaceport on Alderaan without a single casualty on either side, Lieutenant Silvia Loreno had led one of the most successful and bloodless operations in the history of the imperial stormtrooper corps. With the destruction of Alderaan, Loreno's achievement was consigned to oblivion.