Okay, a brief time skip here as Shadow undergoes the next stage of her transformation.
I'll admit to enjoying researching this one. Female Stormtroopers...why not? Wouldn't mind a novel from that perspective...
There's a couple of returning characters from past stories here, so look out for them.
STAR WARS: THE EMPEROR'S SHADOW
WILL OF THE EMPEROR
CHAPTER EIGHT: INSPECTION
Several months passed as I trained Mara Jade.
As I had promised, I was harsh on her-pushing her as far as I felt she could take. However, under this brutal training regime, she flourished. I soon became aware of her blossoming force sensitivity, but I was told by my Master that he was taking care of this personally and that I was to train her in the physical aspects. She was also receiving piloting training from a talented Imperial pilot, though my Master would not divulge who exactly. Every bar that I set Mara she leapt over. In time, I could see her Force abilities entering her physical attributes-she would be an incredible asset in time.
Then one day, the Emperor had a surprise for both of us…
I took Mara into the Throne Room for her latest Force training session. As I bowed to my Master, he simply replied "Stay a moment, Shadow…I have to speak to you both."
"As you wish, Master…" I replied, clad in my Imperial uniform and mask.
He stood up from his throne, and looked over Mara Jade.
"Do you see now why I value her as a potential agent?" he asked. I nodded.
"Yes…she will be a very valuable asset. In two or three years, she will be eligible for Cadet training, should you wish it. Her academic studies are also proceeding well, so I am told. She will be a most valuable asset…" I explained in as brief yet concise terms as possible.
The Emperor smiled. Mara stood silently as she eyed the Emperor.
"Exactly so…the Academies can teach her a lot once she is prepared for them. So, to spur her on, I have arranged for a visit to the Academy on Carida for you both. She will go as a potential cadet, and will meet several Stormtroopers who set an example to aspire to. They will all be female, just to eliminate the idea of gender as an obstacle. You will also find the visit useful, my Servant. I am sending the details, as well as your cover story and identity."
"Thank you, my Master." I bowed and left, taking Mara with me.
I used my mask to switch to a cover identity, that of an Imperial officer sent by the Emperor to conduct a snap inspection. Mara would be accompanying me as a Cadet, and wore the customary white bodysuit and face-covering helmet. We would be accompanied by a pair of my Death Troopers, to complete the picture of Imperial power. As for me, I was staying in my Imperial uniform as opposed to my armour. My facial appearance this time around was a pale redhead with her hair in a bob cut and hidden under an officer's cap. I had adjusted my Rank Insignia and Code Cylinders accordingly to fit the disguise in question.
As we travelled by Star Destroyer, I continued Mara's training. Her academic studies were also proceeding apace, thanks to the droids placed on the Star Destroyer. Nobody asked the questions, as my clearance made it clear that I was acting on orders from the Emperor himself.
Finally, we arrived on Carida. The commander was already waiting for me. He visibly recoiled upon seeing the Death Troopers, then saw the masked cadet and composed himself accordingly.
"General Shepard…we have been waiting for your arrival. I am the Director of this Academy…"
Holding up my gloved hand and maintaining an icy facial expression, I cut him off before he could get ahead of himself, seeking to keep focused on the task at hand.
"This is a potential Cadet that the Emperor has taken an interest in. She may be subjected to the same training programmes as they do here, so His Excellency saw it as a good idea to introduce her to this Academy, as well as to meet some heroines that she can aspire to follow. The cadet will be shadowing me this whole visit, and is a potential asset to the Empire that I can personally vouch for. So, let's get on with the tour and be efficient about it…"
He nodded, merely adding one statement,
"You won't be disappointed, I assure you…this is the finest training facility in the Empire."
The comprehensive tour took a couple of hours. However, the director was clearly knowledgeable about every aspect of the Academy, and I was left very satisfied that this was the right man for the job. As we headed to the main hall, the end of the tour, he explained about Stormtrooper training in general.
"I can see from the body shape that your candidate is a female. This does place her in a slight minority, as there are slightly fewer female recruits than males. However, most of the galaxy might be surprised how many women can actually pass the gruelling courses, or how close they've been to a female Stormtrooper without realising it. Of course, there's also the Flight Academy should her talents lie with starfighter piloting. We don't try to fit troopers into places they won't fit, we send them to where we think they will excel. Your cadet must be special, to have attained the attention of his Imperial Majesty…" he explained. I said nothing, merely gesturing to continue.
He entered the room, where a line of Stormtroopers stood. They were all clad in white armour, all identical (barring a slight but barely perceptible difference in height) and rigid in their stance. The director was smiling at this point. My Death Troopers took up position by the only exit to the room.
The Director turned to face me, with the Stormtroopers in the background.
"Would you believe me that all of these Stormtroopers are female? His Highness' message made it plain that all of the troopers should be females, and that led me to suspect your cadet is also female. One of my core beliefs is equality-pushing the female cadets as far as the males. That way, it opens up recruitment to far more populations. After all of our various programmes, including flash memory programs and emotional suppression, we drill the gender out of them. Once they wear that armour, gender is irrelevant-their role is to serve the Emperor and all will lay down their lives if needs be. Each of these women have proven themselves as tough enough to survive the gruelling training that we have here. Now, I'll introduce you to each of them. The first few are new graduates, and the last one is an example of a problem case that I have personally rectified."
He approached, and they all saluted in unison. Very well drilled, all of them…
The Director indicated the first Stormtrooper, standing rigid in her white armour.
"First, we have TD-4883. As you may be aware, our troopers are stripped of names upon arrival. They are part of a machine, and names are a sign of individuality. We need our troopers to be one cohesive unit. However, her name in her past life was Lestia Maldid, a Serrenian by birth. She was of a reasonably well off family though she preferred combat to etiquette. When she got wind of an arranged marriage, she fled and applied for the Imperial Academy with the firm intention of getting into the Stormtrooper Corps. After one year at the Junior Academy, she was good enough to earn a place here at Carida and is now ready to fight for her Emperor. I suspect that this role appeals to her not only due to her interest in military history and combat skills, but also due to the anonymity. She was happy to disappear into the ranks of the Imperial Stormtrooper corps and has a promising future in this field. She is a capable all-rounder and could quite easily transfer to a number of different environmental trooper corps, from Sandtrooper to Snowtrooper or even Seatrooper if we desire it. I shall not mention her real name again, and I trust that you will not breathe a word of it to anyone either General?"
"Not a word…" I replied coldly.
He then looked at TD-4883.
"Name?" he barked.
"TD-4883, Sir." Came the crisp reply from the helmet.
"You were a willing volunteer for the Corps, sacrificing a life of wealth and privilege, correct?"
"Affirmitive, sir. And happier for it, if I may say so Sir." Came the reply.
"At ease, Trooper." I had to commend her for her example set-a willing volunteer indeed.
The Director then moved to the second trooper.
"There are also those who seem to think that sending their wayward child to Academy will straighten them out. I have to admit that this does not always work, as it is not my job to deal with that. If they are insubordinate, then I wash them out and they become the Imperial Army's problem. However, every once in a while, the firm discipline sets in as well as the Imperial patriotism that we instil into all of our troopers. When this happens, the result is a troubled youth finally finding a purpose in life within the Stormtrooper Corps. If that anger and resentment can be channelled towards the Emperor's enemies, so much the better. If there is any trouble, I simply send them to a hostile environment and let the extreme heat, cold or wet sort out any issues. However, this one hasn't shown any issues for at least three years. This was Tala Jirtoss of Onderon, and she is now TD-4881." He went into detail as he explained about the trooper, the trooper standing stock still and silent.
"Trooper, name?" he asked.
"TD-4881, Sir."
"Explain about your armour…" the Director asked.
"My armour is a part of me, Sir. It protects me, and shows the galaxy that I am one of the Emperor's finest-along with all that entails. I am proud to wear it, Sir…" she replied in a near identical voice to the previous one. Perhaps that was due to the vocoders in the helmet…
"At ease, Trooper."
He moved to the third trooper in the line.
"This next trooper shares a similar background to the first Trooper, but with one key distinction-her family was fully behind her decision to volunteer. Her name was Arsha Thule, and she hails from Alderaan. She is now TD-4879, and is very much a commando style trooper in strengths. She may need to be sent to a specialised branch to gain the most out of her, but we have time. She has proven herself to be quite skilled with a jetpack, so perhaps the Jumptroopers can be her calling?"
He finished his musings, then looked at the Stormtrooper.
"Name, Trooper?" he barked.
"TD-4879, Sir." She replied.
"Detail background, Trooper."
"Noble house of Alderaan, House Thule, rival to traitorous House Organa. House Thule serves the Empire and I was honoured to volunteer. My family are very proud of me, Sir." The trooper kept it short and simple-that much would have been drilled into her in training.
"Quite so…at ease, Trooper."
He then approached the fourth Trooper.
"This one was a Conscript. Her family were executed as traitors I believe, though the details of the assassination are highly classified. Her name was stripped from her upon arrival, but it was Jentha she was a spoiled socialite, it took a little time for her to adjust, but everything soon set in and she has proven herself as very adept at heavy weapons. One year of specialised training and she'll earn her black pauldron, backpack and DLT-19 Heavy Rifle. Whoever conscripted her chose well, as she's adjusted to the requirements of her new life marvellously. Meet TD-4877."
This one I recognised-Jentha Marthel…I had been the one who had conscripted her. I had also executed her parents as traitors-Jeth and Mari Marthel. I knew the face that lay beneath the helmet, though she didn't show it.
The Director looked at her.
"Name?" He asked.
"TD-4877, Sir…" she answered.
"Your parents were traitors to the Empire…where do your loyalties lie, trooper?" he growled.
"My loyalty is to Emperor Palpatine, and to the Empire of which he rules. My life for him…"
"And you will fight for your Emperor?" the Director asked.
"To the death, Sir." Came the reply.
"At ease, Trooper…" came the reply.
Jentha Marthel…socialite turned conscript turned Stormtrooper. It was quite a turnaround…and I felt an odd rush of pride that I had turned this traitor spawn into a Daughter of the Empire, ready to fight and die for the Emperor himself. It was odd to taste such emotions, but it felt nice. I rarely tasted emotions these days, save for on the battlefield and being praised by my Master for a job well done, so it was a welcome feeling indeed.
The Director was smiling as he reached the last Stormtrooper. This one wore slightly different equipment to the others, carrying an E-11s Blaster Rifle, and having a blue pauldron over her shoulder. She stood even more rigidly, and carried the air of an experienced trooper as opposed to the others, who were fresh graduates newly prepared for combat.
"This is TD-4799. I shall ask her to remove her helmet and balaclava, as I want you to see exactly what a true Daughter of the Empire looks like. Trooper, do as instructed."
"Sir Yes Sir." Came the crisp reply, staccato and disciplined.
She then removed her helmet and pulled off the tight-fitting balaclava underneath. She shook loose a cluster of chin length dark hair, the maximum that regulations allowed. Her eyes were cold and hard, her stare utterly chilling. Despite this, I recognised her instantly.
She was the rebel from Naboo-the one that had 'killed' the Black Queen. She had been conscripted by the new Black Queen and sent to become an Imperial Stormtrooper. Apparently the Academy had succeeded in transforming her from a Resistance fighter to a hardened Stormtrooper.
"One of the toughest briefs I've ever had at this Academy. Several years ago, I receive a 17 year old girl who is a Resistance fighter convicted with the murder of the Black Queen of Naboo. The new Black Queen sends me an edict declaring that I am to transform this rebel into a loyal Imperial. So, as she was underage, I sent her to a Junior Academy and added an extra firm course of behavioural modification and propaganda. It was tough, apparently, but by the time that I came to assess her for one of the Stormtrooper academies she had accepted her place. Even so, I pushed her harder than I have any of my other cadets and she passed with flying colours. TD-4799 has been on several tours of duty, and has left her mark-100 confirmed kills with the sniper designation. We're tempted to have her assigned to the Scout Troopers. He is my pride and joy…" he explained.
He then looked directly at TD-4799.
"Name, trooper?" he barked.
"Trooper TD-4799, Sir." Even without the mask filters, the voice sounded mechanical.
"You stand as a example of a reformed criminal. Sentenced by the Black Queen of Naboo to conscription, you have adjusted well and proven yourself as a loyal Stormtrooper. How do you view your past life and your crimes?" the Director asked.
Her face was utterly unfazed.
"My past life was a lie. I was misguided, lied to, out of control. By slaying the Black Queen, I went too far down the wrong path. These last five years have taught me the error of my ways, and I renounce the person that I was. I was indoctrinated by a terrorist group, and now feel free. I aspire to use my skills to cleanse the galaxy of the filth that threatens law and order of all. That is why I am proud to wear this armour-it represents my past wiped clean, a much valued fresh start, Sir."
The Director nodded. "Quite so, Trooper. At ease, and helmet back on."
She saluted and donned her helmet again, once again blending in with her fellows.
The Director now looked at Mara Jade.
"As you can see, these women fight for different reasons, but I can assure you that gender is no obstacle for they fight just as hard. Each trooper is a credit to her armour, and hopefully they set a worthy example to follow as you continue your journey…" He told her.
As he spoke to Mara, Padme' appeared before me, shaking her head.
"You don't remember, do you? That trooper, Jentha Marthel…you were the one who executed her family and sentenced her to conscription. I know that you remember that much!" she said accusingly, with notable venom in her tone.
"Her family were traitors to the Empire, and I followed my Master's will. The Imperial machine is far better without the infection represented by those two. As for Marthel, it has given her a purpose and a life she couldn't have dreamed of. She is a daughter of the Empire…" I replied.
"You're indoctrinated now…fully consumed by the Imperial mindset. What about the last one, the sniper? You saw her face, didn't you recognise her?" She was angrier than ever now.
"She was the Naboo Resistance sniper who executed the Black Queen and was sentenced to conscription for her crimes by the Queen's successor." I was sure of this fact, no question.
"Her name…was Ryoo Naberrie'. She was your niece!" Padme' shouted.
"I have no niece…I do not remember having a niece. I no longer remember my family…"
Padme' looked stunned at me, then vanished into thin air, leaving me alone…