Serving the First order

Part one

AN: Kal Kudis is a character I'm playing in a Star Wars 5e (a Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition homebrew for Star Wars) game and I wanted to get a better handle of his character by writing a short story with him. He's a violent criminal on the run from the Republic, who threw his lot with the First Order, so he's an evil character working for an evil regime, which will be reflected by the events of the story.

Currently it's one or two years before episode 7, on a planet occupied by the First Order somewhere in the Outer Rim

Cover picture by yvanquinet over on Deviantart, titled Shoretrooper (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License)


"Kudis, stop losing your pay and gear up. We move out in five." the stormtrooper sergeant shouted as he entered the storeroom, where a stormtrooper and a trio of support personnel were busy playing cards.

Turning from his hand, Kudis turned toward his direct superior, showing a pallid face, scared by early life privations and a nose crooked from being broken and badly set. "Sithspit. Aren't we supposed to be on break, sarge?"

"As explained in the briefings, today our squad is backup for the two squads that are deployed. And we've been called to reinforce first squad downtown, stat."

"Frag that, just when I had a decent hand." Kal said, annoyed, throwing his cards on the ammo crate serving as table and standing up.

"We'll have to beat up a few idiots, should be right up your alley, right?"

At this, Kal's face opened in a rash grin, showing crooked teeth, before he hid it behind his stormtrooper helmet.

===FO===

The squad had assembled and had left the First Order compound, moving towards the main road crossing the small settlement of Scrag Hole on the Outer Rim planet of Salaud, a dry and dusty dirtball whose only notable characteristic was rich deposits of ore used in starship construction, which made it an obvious target for the First Order as they extended their reach in that area of the Rim; once they had taken control of the planet from the local potentate, they wasted no time in expanding the mines, importing 'indentured' workers while giving little attention to their care and accommodations.

As the squad walked, the sergeant gave some more details on the situation

"The daily ore convoy will arrive in 15 minutes, the crowd blocking the road must be dispersed by then. Local command will be Lt Mane'sen, who's already with first squad on location."

"Mane'sen again? Can't stand that kriffing bastard, nearly got us killed on the last mudball, the idiot led us right into an ambush." complained Kal, with other troopers muttering around him.

"Rule of engagement are simple: unless the Lieutenant or I gives the order, no blaster fire. But before that, feel free to hit those idiots until they understand they got to move." the sergeant continued, ignoring the grumbling. "Kudis, take your fireteam and move at the crowd from the left side, flanking them, while I'm taking the rest in support of first squad, we'll push the crowd towards the markets, so that the road's open for the trucks. Get ready to throw crowd control grenades. Understood?"

"Aye, Aye, sir." the troopers answered, as three of the troopers followed Kal in narrower streets.

As Kal moved towards his objective, his commlink activated, letting him hear the nasal voice of Lieutenant Mane'sen; despite the sound dampening, the sounds of a crowd hollering and shouting were audible underneath.

"Third squad, be advised that company command sent a scout fireteam on this operation, so watch out for additional friendlies in the area. They won't interfere with the 'peacekeeping' operation, they're here to be on the lookout for any ringleaders that'd coordinate the protest."

"The major thinks it might be more than some discontent rabble? Like an organized group or even an operation from the Republic?" Kal heard his sergeant ask, as he started scanning the rooftops to see if could spot the scouts. Maybe behind that power converter on the roof of that tenement? Easy access, good lines of sight on the target and decent cover if things go ploin-shaped...

"If that's the case, they didn't tell me. Now cut the chatter, once your second fireteam is in position, we'll start with the grenades, then push the locals off the road." answered the Lieutenant.

===FO===

Kal gave one last look at his fireteam, checking that all blasters were secured, the volley of grenades ready and blunt weapons close at hand, before he and the fireteam arrived on the edge of the crowd, composed mostly of humans and a few Devaronians, dressed in rags, shouting at the stormtroopers already present. Rocks and other projectiles haven't started flying yet, but Kal guessed it was only a matter of time before it escalated; not that escalation bothered him, in fact he awaited eagerly for it and as the outbreak of violence approached, he felt his heartbeat quicken, the familiar rush of adrenaline and his vision narrowing on the targets in front of him.
The closest rioters spotted Kal's fireteam, some defiant, some more fearful at their arrival, but still shouting with the rest of the crowd; it won't matter, though Kal, as he commed his to his superior that they were in position, both the brave and the meek will get the short end of his stick today. In response, he heard on his commlink the orders he's been waiting since he left the compound:

"Grenades, on my mark. Send a few in the middle of the crowd, the rest on the edge, to push them away from us. Once the blast's through, start the beatdown. Ready? Mark."

At this the crossing devolved in pandemonium.