Stigz
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Post by Stigz on Jul 27, 2020 6:19:20 GMT
Prelude Kamino. The aquatic planet had once been little more than a blue dot among many in the greater galaxy, inhabited by a proud secluded civilisation of intelligent beings, but a lot of time has passed since that old memory. Now it serves as the home of me and all my brothers, the remnants of the Clone Army – the “Last Batch.” The Clone Army had served loyally and proudly for the Republic from the moment of their birth to the end of the war, and would continue to serve in the newly formed Galactic Empire. We looked up to our brothers with great pride and respect as we trained, and when the war ended, there were some of us that felt cheated of their “destiny.” Fortunately, the Empire found a new purpose for us. We final clones would hunt down those who betrayed the Republic, those who we trusted with our lives and whom our past brothers gave their lives for – the Jedi. When news reached us at Kamino that the Jedi Order had turned against the Republic and attempted to assassinate the Chancellor, I don’t think there were any words to be said. I had met many Jedi in my time as a cadet, and I felt the betrayal just as much as the rest of my brothers. We mourned for our brothers that had fallen at the hands of the traitors, celebrated the Great Jedi Purge, and gladly accepted our new role in the Empire: to hunt Jedi. The Kaminoans would come to call us Purge Troopers, and I’ll tell you, our training didn’t get any easier. We’ve all ran the simulations, watched the holologs and prepared. Our time has come to show the Empire what we’re worth, and I couldn’t be prouder of the men I have been given command over for this upcoming assignment. I hope we can only uphold the memory of our fallen brothers as we avenge the principles they fought for.
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Stigz
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Post by Stigz on Jul 27, 2020 6:30:58 GMT
Season 1: A New Era Episode 1: The Last Batch Kamino, 18 BBY. Moff Wilhuff TarkinThe 66th Battalion marched in the number of thousands aboard the two Imperial I-class Star Destroyer docked at the raised platforms of Kamino: The Executrix, while the Sovereign loomed overhead. Wilhuff Tarkin stood within the command tower overlooking this process in the company of Prime Minister Lama Su, the Kaminoan orchestrator of the Clone Army. “Quite a formidable force you have provided for a final time, Prime Minister. The Emperor will closely monitor the progress of the 66th, I have no doubt of that,” Tarkin remarked solemnly, and Lama Su bowed his head in respect. “We regret that the Empire has no further use for the Jango Fett template despite their fruitful success in the Clone Wars, but I believe the genetic alterations and additional training to the Purge Trooper class will be more than satisfactory for the Empire’s needs,” Lama Su proclaimed confidently, and Tarkin flashed the prime minister a half-genuine smile. “The Galactic Empire is building off fresh foundations, and an advanced Clone Army is simply no longer a necessity now that the war is finished. Fret not, your alliance to the Republic will be dually noted in the new Empire, I have no doubt the Emperor will have more work for you soon,” Tarkin stated laconically, and Lama Su nodded diligently as his black eye then turned to two clone officers that entered the watch room. “Allow me to introduce to you CC-1111, the commanding officer of the 66th Battalion, and his second-in-command, Major CT-1166,” Lama Su announced as he extended his arm in greeting to the two clones that entered. The two men carried their helms under their arms, and for men that were supposed to be genetically identical, the Moff spotted a significant difference between the two clones aside from just the markings on their armour. An albino? Tarkin thought to himself as he eyed one of the clones approaching. It was immediately obvious these clones were different to the types he had served beside during the Clone Wars; they were automated rather than autonomous, and likely reserved more duty to the Empire than each other. Little better than droids, it seems. However, Tarkin felt that despite their near identical traits, these two clones differed tremendously from each other. The Major held his head high with pride and confidence, while the Commander’s composure was strict and faultless. While the Major expressed his eagerness to serve, the Commander appeared devoid of all emotion. His red eyes did not make contact with Tarkin nor the Prime Minister, but instead focused ahead into oblivion. The two clones stood at attention as they saluted the Moff, and Tarkin eyed them each over. They were fitted with the same Phase II armour that the clones wore in the second half of the war, albeit this armour was predominantly black rather than white, and their helms appeared to resemble the unique “beehive” design that was worn by paratroopers in the Clone Wars. Both clone’s had a red imperial crest present on either shoulder pad to signify their ranks as officers, which was covered with a double-sided pauldron, albeit CC-1111’s pauldron was red, while CT-1166’s pauldron was all black. The Commander’s belt-cape had a red trim, in line with the red markings on his thigh and forearms, while the Major’s trim was white, as were his armour markings. Their only significant differences from each other were their helmets, which appeared to be customised. “Very impressive, Prime Minister, but appearances can be deceiving. What is your primary function, Commander?” Tarkin questioned as he circled the two clones, who held their strong composure without error in his presence. “Sir, to eliminate the remaining Jedi, and anything else that poses a threat to the Empire,” the albino Commander answered with a sense of loyalty thicker than the blood that coursed his veins, and an ominous presence loomed over him that was almost as dark as the powers their Emperor possessed. Tarkin acknowledged the clone’s response with a stern nod. “Indeed. The Jedi are a treacherous and dangerous foe to the Empire, they are not a force to be underestimated,” Tarkin stated, and the clone commander nodded. “My men are well-equipped for the tasks that we have been assigned, Sir,” the commander assured him with a firm tone, but Tarkin raised an eyebrow. “Your men? You are clones, CC-1111, and you’d do best to remember that,” Tarkin advised him, and the clone commander did not bat an eye to the directive of Tarkin’s comment. The Major, however, was discontent. “Sir, with all due respect, the Clone Army was revered as the Republic’s finest soldiers throughout the Clone Wars. The 66th Battalion operates to an even greater model of that memory, Sir,” the Major claimed in their defence, and Tarkin turned his semi-astonished gaze to Lama Su, whom averted his gaze awkwardly. Tarkin cleared his throat. “Major, I would advise you not to let glory and revelry get to your head. The Clone Army served their role in the Clone Wars, and their purpose died with the Republic. I am a patient man, and will forgive your matter of tone this once, but you would best hone that tongue of yours. You’ll find your new commander to be far less patient than I,” Tarkin warned him, and the Major lowered his gaze. CC-1111 held his composure. “When are we to meet the Grand Inquisitor, Sir?” the Commander inquired, and Tarkin clasped his hands behind his back as he past the clones and overlooked the army flooding into his two Star Destroyers. “The Grand Inquisitor has unfinished business on Coruscant, and with the 501st Legion’s deployment on Naboo, the 66th Battalion will be led by the Emperor’s right hand in the Grand Inquisitor’s absence,” Tarkin claimed, and the Major’s eyes widened briefly. “Lord Vader?” the Major queried with a tone of surprise and disbelief, and Tarkin nodded. “He awaits you on Umbara with a small detachment of the 501st. The Umbarans have chosen to rebel against the Empire, and the Emperor has taken this rebellion personally with the defection of Sly Moore. You are to accompany Lord Vader in tracking her down and putting her minor rebellion to rest,” Tarkin instructed them, and the two clones held their silence for a moment before giving the Moff an obedient nod. “The 66th Battalion won’t disappoint, Moff,” the Commander assured him, to which Tarkin dismissed them with a short nod. The two clones marched out of the observatory with a stature as firm as when they entered, a dignity that did not waiver despite the hard hammering it had received. Perhaps there is hope for them yet, Tarkin thought doubtfully, then turning his gaze back to Lama Su. The Kaminoan clasped his hands and expressed an apologetic glance. “The transition from the Republic to the Empire has been a… confusing process, for the clone cadets. However, I assure you they are at optimal efficiency and will perform as expected,” Lama Su, to which Tarkin sighed as he returned to the window that overlooked the aquatic planet. “I would hope that they do, Lama Su. The Emperor is not fond of failure, and his expectations for this last batch are high,” the Moff stated as he watched the last of the few thousand clones marching up the ramps of the Executrix.
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Stigz
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Post by Stigz on Jul 28, 2020 14:02:00 GMT
Commander CC-1111 “Alpha”
An hour had passed since the Executrix had slipped into Hyperspace, its course set for the shadow planet of Umbara. Alpha confined himself to his quarters for the duration of the trip, glued to his datapad as he reclined in his bunk. During his off time on Kamino he had done some background checks on Umbara, but during their travel period Alpha took the initiative to educate himself on the planet before their arrival. He scrolled through countless reports of the shadow planet, with documentation of the native Umbarans and their advanced technology and weaponry. Eventually, Alpha found himself searching through the old Republic holologs recorded by the Clone Army following Umbara’s defection to Separatist Alliance.
The clone commander searched through the old logs until falling upon an old status report filed by a designation number of great familiarity. CT-7567. Alpha opened up the report, his monitor displaying the holofeed of disgruntled clone in what appeared to be a barracks.
“Captain Rex, 501st.
The Battle for Umbara has so far proved to be eventful. I suppose any battle will do that, but I’d say this is the first time the 501st has encountered anything like this. General Skywalker has been recalled to Coruscant for some urgent business, and the command of the Legion has fallen to the infamous General Pong Krell. We have secured the Umbaran airbase, at the cost of heavy casualties, and through a broken transmission from General Kenobi we have learnt that the Sep’s have a supply ship in orbit. General Krell has instructed that the 501st will march on the Capital without the assistance of the 212th, and has disregarded my tactical opinion on the matter. I understand the urgency to secure Umbara, but I'm starting to wish General Skywalker had never left, things sure aren’t working out the way we thought they would. The 501st moves out in 10 hours, maybe we can finally find some rest in that duration, but I doubt it.
Rex, signing off.”
Alpha felt his brow sweating with ire as he closed the report. Jedi Pong Krell, the earliest example of the Jedi’s intentions to betray the Republic. Alpha had only been a cadet during the time of the Clone Wars, but he had heard the stories of the Jedi war heroes that stole the glory from the clones. Pong Krell was the first act of justice on behalf of the Republic, and Alpha liked to think was the foundational event that brought the transition of the Republic to the Empire.
A buzz at his door pulled his attention away from the datapad, and he found his feet as he approached the entrance to his quarters to inquire as to who was disturbing him. He was met by the firm gaze of Beta, his second-in-command, and perhaps the only brother that admired him in the 66th Battalion. The Major stood at attention with a solemn expression, but his eyes betrayed his attempts to conceal ecstatic pride. Alpha had never been one for displaying emotion, but he gave a small nod to his brother.
“Beta,” Alpha greeted, and the Major nodded in return.
“We’ve been summoned to the bridge by Admiral Tenant, I thought I’d collect you,” he announced, and Alpha gazed at the Major for a moment before grabbing his helmet and shutting the door to his room behind him.
“Lead on then, Major.”
They departed from Alpha’s quarters and walked down the numerous identical halls that coursed through the Star Destroyer. The Executrix was a fine vessel, the first Imperial I-class destroyer any of the last batch had set foot on, and a vessel that wasn’t too dissimilar from the old Venator-class models that they had toured as cadets. Yet while similar in external structure, the interior differed both in design and crew. There were no clones on this ship that were part of the crew, or any clones aboard the vessel at all aside for the 66th Battalion. To Alpha, it meant little. It would have no interjection with the details of their mission. Though knowing his battalion and their Empire, he would be pleasantly surprised if there was no conflict in the duration of their trip to Umbara.
“Hard to believe it all, isn’t it?” Beta stated out of the blue, making Alpha furrow his brow.
“What’s that,” he asked, to which Beta frowned with a shrug.
“All of this,” he motioned, his gaze darting across the ship with exhaustion. “Not long ago we were cadets training for a war that wouldn’t wait for us, and now look at us,” Beta muttered, gazing down at his helmet. A red cog was painted to the centre of his helm, making it slightly unique from the thousands of other beehive helms that the 66th Battalion were geared with. Alpha sighed and place a hand on his brother’s shoulder.
“We’re fighting for something equally as important as those before us, Beta,” he assured him, and his second-in-command gave him an acknowledging nod.
“I know, I guess I just wonder if we can live to the memory of our old brothers. Perhaps we could have, if the damn Jedi hadn’t betrayed the Republic,” Betta muttered with resentment, and Alpha nodded.
“We will avenge them,” Alpha promised, and Beta flashed him an empathetic smile. The two continued on to the bridge with their heads held high, their honour and loyalty as novel as their shiny new armour.
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Their arrival was met with empty eyes and hard glares from those who acknowledged them, a bold few amongst the many who kept their focus on the monitors before them. Alpha and Beta kept their gaze ahead, coming to a halt at the briefing table that two officers peered over. The two clone officers stood at attention before their human counterparts, the admiral acknowledging them with a half salute.
“Thank you for coming with such short notice, gentlemen,” Admiral Tenant stated with an appreciative tone, his eyes gazing down at the holomap that was displayed across the central table. Nils Tenant was a revered Rear Admiral in the Republic Navy, a reputation which now served him in the Imperial Navy, who had served as a fellow cadet in the Sullust Sector Spacefarers Academy alongside Moff Tarkin. The Admiral was in his mid-forties with a sharp nose and a comb-over, but stood tall with his pride.
Alpha gave him a nod. “What can we do for you, Admiral?” he asked, and the Admiral turned his gaze from the holomap to the officer beside him. “Commander, allow me to introduce you to Commodore Wiccum Lazarus, a fresh deployment from the Royal Imperial Academy on Coruscant,” the Admiral introduced, and the commodore held a firm glare on the two clone officers. Alpha and Beta gave the man a nod, who did little to reciprocate the gesture. “The Commodore will be overseeing your efforts on Umbara, and providing you with the details and alterations of your mission,” Tenant explained, and Alpha turned his gaze back to the Admiral.
“It was my understanding that we were to serve directly under Lord Vader, Admiral. Whose authority should be recognised here?” Alpha queried, and the pompous Commodore sneered.
“Mine, Commander, and you’d best remember it,” he advised sternly, to which Alpha turned his bloody eyes to the officer. The commodore was young, perhaps in his early twenties, with a cleanly shaved face and wavy blonde hair tucked underneath his grey cap. His tight uniform was worn without a crease, and his posture was flawless, and yet Alpha could sense see this man was spineless. The Admiral cleared his throat.
“Lord Vader’s position within the Imperial ranks is awkward to state plainly, Commander. Lazarus will follow the authority given to him by Moff Tarkin, and Vader will be obliged to follow those commands as much as you, unless he should receive notification from the Emperor to do otherwise,” the Admiral explained, and Alpha simply gave an acknowledging nod. Beside him, Beta fidgeted uncomfortably at the news of it.
“As you say, Admiral,” Alpha stated laconically, to which Tenant nodded.
“The bridge is yours, Commodore. I am retreating to my quarters for some rest,” the Admiral stated, and Lazarus gave the man a firm nod.
“Of course, sir. Rest well,” he bid, and both Alpha and Beta saluted the Admiral in parting. Once he was gone, Beta turned his eye on the holomap of the Umbaran capital, crossing his arms as he glanced over details.
“I’m surprised these Umbarans have the audacity to rise against us a second time,” Beta stated as he glared at the holographic representation of the capital city. The commodore was as equally amused.
“Stand at attention, Major. You stand before a higher ranking officer, you will show respect,” The Commodore stated with authority, and Beta raised an eyebrow before he reluctantly followed the order. “I was told you clones were more obedient than the earlier batches, though it seems they were wrong. You can’t program loyalty in a test tube,” Lazarus uttered with contempt, and Alpha felt Beta’s ire boiling within his suit.
“What is the situation on Umbara so far, sir?” Alpha asked with an attempt to defuse the situation, but it only turned Lazarus’ condescending eye onto him instead.
“You will speak only when spoken to, Commander. Do I make myself clear?” Lazarus barked, and Alpha turned his cold gaze onto the commodore before nodding.
“Crystal, sir,” Alpha remarked, to which the commodore turned his nose up and returned to the head of the holomap.
“To answer your ill-founded query, Major, the Umbarans have found the ‘audacity’ to rebel against the Empire through the influence of Sly Moore – Emperor Palpatine’s original Chief of Staff during the days of the senate. It has not been revealed to me as to why Moore defected from the Empire, but her betrayal will not be ignored. We will teach every single Umbaran the lesson of what happens when you oppose the Empire, and I will personally deliver Sly Moore’s head to the Emperor. Any other mindless questions?”
“The current situation on Umbara, sir? Moff Tarkin claimed that Lord Vader was already awaiting us there with a small detachment of the 501st, how do they fare?” Alpha queried, to which Lazarus sighed with boredom as he amplified an area on the map of Umbara.
“Vader and his legion have secured the Airbase, which will allow us to reinforce his troop with ease. From there we will march on the Capital,” Lazarus stated, and Alpha nodded. “That’s all, you are dismissed,” he then added with a wave of the hand, and the two clone officers saluted the commodore before egressing from the bridge. They stopped outside the bridge for a moment, and Beta was hardly impressed.
“That nut job is our CO? He’ll get us all killed!” Beta exclaimed with a hushed voice, but Alpha wasn’t going to hear it.
“Stow it, Beta. We follow our orders, no matter who our commanding officer is,” Alpha reminded him, and Beta let out a heavy sigh before nodding. “I know, sorry. What now?” he asked, and Alpha looked down at his datapad.
“I’ve still got work to do, I’ll head back to my quarters. Buzz me if you need me,” Alpha informed him, but Beta caught him by the forearm before he could leave.
“I was talking with Jax today, he’s still with the Headhunters. You should go and see them,” he suggested, to which Alpha frowned.
“The tasks of my command leave me with little time to mingle with the men, Beta. Pass on my best to them,” Alpha remarked, but Beta shook his head.
“You are their commander, they need to see you, not me. As your XO, I’m advising it. Let me take over that for a while,” Beta stated, reaching for the datapad. Alpha frowned before reluctantly passing it on.
“Keep analysing the Umbaran tech and tactics, I’ll check in on you in an hour,” Alpha instructed, and Beta nodded with a smirk.
“You’ll find them in the cantina, go get yourself something to eat, Commander,” Beta advised as he patted Alpha on the shoulder, turning his gaze on the datapad and walking alone down the grey halls until he would reach his quarters. Alpha allowed himself a small smile as he watched the back of his brother before he turned out of sight. He was fortunate to have a brother like him as his second. His smile was short-lived, and he turned his body for the mess hall.
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Stigz
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Post by Stigz on Jul 29, 2020 12:01:59 GMT
CT-1151 “Xeno” “To the 66th!” cheered Hank as he raised his cup, and the brothers raised their drinks in toast with him.
“To Dominance Company!” Lieutenant Gamma yelled as he nudged Delta, their captain, who only rolled his eyes.
“To the Empire,” he uttered as he downed his glass, and all of Dominance Company echoed his toast as they followed suit. Xeno winced at the taste, which amused his fellow brother.
“Come now, Xeno, have another!” Thrasher urged as he slid him another glass, and Xeno gritted his teeth before taking the shot, to which he was rewarded with a cheer from the guys around him.
“I can’t believe we’re already on our first mission, feels like only yesterday we were training for this,” Chip stated with a grin spread wide across his face, making Nuke chuckle as he punched Chip in the arm.
“That’s because we were only training yesterday, you clot!” he teased, and Xeno joined them in laughter as they each took another round of shots. The drinks were starting to reach him now, he’d never felt this loose in all his time on Kamino, and he was afraid he was starting to like it.
“Another!” Xeno shouted as he upturned his glass, and Thrasher patted him on the back.
“Told ya you’d like it! One for me as well,” Thrasher stated, and the bartender frowned as he hesitantly retrieved their glasses. Xeno turned his drunk grin to Thrasher, who smirked back at him. The two brothers had been by each other’s side since their creation, and Xeno had considered him to have been his closest brother amongst all the rest.
“Look at us, purge troopers, the best of the best! And you were worried we were going to be decommissioned with the end of the war,” Thrasher chuckled as the bartender reluctantly passed them their drinks. Xeno grabbed his and stared into his golden reflection before clinking his glass with Thrasher’s, and in a moment’s instance he found himself looking at the bottom of any empty glass.
“I wasn’t the only one worried about that. Beta also figured it,” Xeno reminded him, to which Thrasher only rolled his eyes.
“Never understood why the Kaminoans decided to rename the bosses. Six was always the most sensible of the lot of us, and look where that got him, serving right beside the big boss,” Thrasher grunted with pity, to which Xeno shrugged.
“He always had a soft spot for Fang, I don’t think he’s taken it so much as the punishment we see it as,” Xeno stated rationally, to which Thrasher sighed.
“Well, bigger fool him! He has to stand attention all day everyday while we get to enjoy the fruits of life,” Thrasher claimed, summoning another round, and making Xeno chuckle.
“I wonder what Alpha would think if he overheard you loud grunts?” another voice alike their own speculated as he grasped their shoulders, making them turn around. Xeno’s eyes widened as a grin formed across his face.
“Jax? Stars, look at you!” Xeno greeted with delight as he got up and embraced his old brother. With him were Hotshot with Whiplash, who linked arms with Thrasher.
“Well if it isn’t the old gang, eh? Now we’re just missing Watcher and Six… and Lucky,” Thrasher remarked, his final mention more sombre. Hotshot’s cheeks burned red.
“Don’t say that traitor’s name!” he grunted, to which Whiplash only rolled his eyes.
“Had to be one of us to be a traitor. Try ‘imposter’ instead,” he muttered, and Jax sent them both a glare.
“Stow it, you two,” he ordered, before turning his gaze back to Thrasher and Xeno. “So, Dominance Company ay? Any better than Endurance?” he questioned mischievously, and Xeno grinned as he glanced at the guys around the bar behind them.
“Well, the boys are good to us, I think it’ll work,” Xeno answered in all seriousness, to which Thrasher chuckled.
“But it isn’t Endurance!” he remarked, and Whiplash chuckled as he slung his arm around Thrasher to join him for a drink, which Hotshot also jumped in on. Xeno offered Jax a seat beside him, admiring his new additions to his armour.
“I see you got promoted then,” Xeno observed as he pointed out the black belt cape and pauldron he now wore – the indicators of a sergeant in the 66th Battalion. Jax smiled proudly as he looked over his shoulder.
“It gives me genuine authority over those two buggers now, so there’s that, but otherwise not much has changed. We’re all still Headhunters, same rank or not,” Jax remarked, and Xeno nodded.
“You seen much of Omega or Beta lately?” Xeno asked, to which Jax shrugged.
“Omega, no. He keeps to Annihilation Company mostly now, but I was speaking with Beta earlier. He seems alright, all things considered. I think part of him is still nostalgic for the old days,” Jax admitted, to which Xeno sighed.
“Eh, aren’t we all? The brothers before us fought for the good and glory of the Republic, and for a lie… We’ll be fighting to avenge them against those who betrayed us,” Xeno remarked poetically, and Jax frowned.
“Doesn’t it seem weird to you? One minute we were fighting alongside the Jedi, and the next they had betrayed us and tried to overthrow the chancellor,” Jax stated, to which Xeno shrugged.
“I try not to think on it too much, I guess. Still, I never thought the likes of Mace Windu or Anakin Skywalker would ever betray us,” Xeno confessed, making Jax smile.
“Perhaps we should have supported Boba when we had the chance,” Jax remarked darkly, and Xeno rolled his eyes. The two sat in silence for a moment, opening their ears up to what was happening around them. It wasn’t long before their senses honed in on Thrasher’s barking voice.
“Hey! I just want a round for me and my friends, is that too much for you to handle, old man?” Thrasher growled, and the bartender stood his ground firmly with a sweating brow.
“You’ve had enough, sir. The lot of you will drink through our reserves!” he argued, and Thrasher clenched his fists, promoting Jax and Xeno to intervene.
“Easy, Thrasher, there’s no harm done,” Xeno stated, trying to defuse the situation, but the commotion had fallen on wanting ears.
“You no good clones don’t know when to quit,” an officer remarked as he approached with a couple of his fellow crew buddies. “How about you and your company get lost,” he ordered, but Thrasher was seldom intimidated; he arose to the challenge.
“Oh yeah? Well I think I might just stay, what are you going to do about it?” Thrasher taunted, and Xeno rolled his eyes. Here we go.
The officer threw a hard punch in Thrasher’s gut without hesitation, bringing him to his knees as he gasped for air with a twisted grin on his face. Whiplash dropped to help him, while Jax barely managed to hold Hotshot back. Xeno found himself in between Thrasher and the officer.
“Out of the way, clone, you’ll only get one warning,” he uttered, making Xeno sigh as he put up his hands submissively.
“Look, we’re all on the same side. Let’s not do anything we’re going to regret, alright?” Xeno advised him, but the officer wasn’t interested in Xeno’s theatrics, nor were his crew, who prepared themselves for a fight. Xeno let out a sigh as he raised his fists. Can’t say I didn’t warn them, he thought as Whiplash came to his side, and some of the boys from Dominance Company stumbled over.
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Post by Tales93 on Aug 1, 2020 3:51:43 GMT
The story and characters are pretty interesting so far. It's intriguing that Sly Moore has betrayed the empire. I see that maybe you are expounding on her character since she doesn't do much cononically. Also, she seems to disappear in the story. Perhaps, this is the explanation. I know there was a canon story regarding her, but Disney made it uncanon when they got rid of the expanded universe.
PS: The commodore Lazarus reminds of an early villain from One Piece. The spoiled son of Ax Hand Morgan. I believe his name was Helmeppo. You should look him up. The description of his look and his personality reminds me of him.
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Stigz
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Post by Stigz on Aug 1, 2020 12:13:04 GMT
The story and characters are pretty interesting so far. It's intriguing that Sly Moore has betrayed the empire. I see that maybe you are expounding on her character since she doesn't do much cononically. Also, she seems to disappear in the story. Perhaps, this is the explanation. I know there was a canon story regarding her, but Disney made it uncanon when they got rid of the expanded universe. PS: The commodore Lazarus reminds of an early villain from One Piece. The spoiled son of Ax Hand Morgan. I believe his name was Helmeppo. You should look him up. The description of his look and his personality reminds me of him. Hey! Glad you're enjoying the first episode so far I always found Palpatine's inner circle in the senate super interesting, and notably there is very little on Sly Moore in current canon, so I figured I'd make a little arc centred around her I'll definitely take a look into One Piece, sounds interesting
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Stigz
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Post by Stigz on Aug 1, 2020 12:21:48 GMT
Major CT-1166 “Beta”
“Fives here, 501st…
I might have thought that pairing was funny once, but I think there’s little humour left beneath this armour after what we’ve been through. The war on Umbara is done, but at a great cost. Hardcase, Waxer, and so many of our brothers fell needlessly… because of Krell. We did what needed to be done, all of us, but Dogma will likely never see active duty again after the incident with the General.
I don’t know if anyone ever watches these things, but the men who lost their lives here deserve to be remembered by more than just those who fought beside them. Who knows, maybe the boys training back on Kamino will learn of the heroes that fell here, but I doubt it. This war has been long and unforgiving, but it will end, and when it does I hope we can find some sort of piece without clankers and blasters. Until then, we have just that,
Fives.”
Beta switched off the datapad, swinging his legs off the side of his bunk as he rest his head in his hands. He rarely looked into the old battle logs of the Galactic Republic, it was more Alpha’s thing, but his eyes needed a break from studying the Umbaran tech schematics and guerrilla tactics. His choice left him with a heavy heart. The clone trooper Fives was right, none of the clones training back at Kamino learned anything of the brothers that fought at Umbara – only that they were victorious. They had been sheltered from the truths of war, and now they approached the jaws of reality with their first mission.
The log made Beta think of his own brothers. Even as a cadet, Beta’s brotherhood with all of his fellow clones had been sound and true; perhaps the only difficult relationship to maintain was that with Alpha, but the challenge had only inspired Beta to persist where others had desisted. Times were different back then. That thought echoed in Beta’s head with sickening nostalgia, and it sung true: their purpose, their attitudes and even their names had changed with the coming of the Empire. Back then, Beta had been nicknamed “Six” by his brothers in the Headhunters, coming from his designation number: CT-1166. Alpha had been become known as “Fang” finally after a dozen derogatory nicknames he was given, and that was a story within itself.
Beta let out a sigh as he thought of his brothers. It had been a few hours since Beta had separated from the commander, and his mind drifted with curiosity of how he got on. He pulled himself up from his bed, donning his gear before egressing his quarters. He armed himself with a DC-15S and a DC-17 hand blaster, which he often used in dual wield during training, while Alpha had always been the marksman of the group. Beta stared at his helmet for a moment before putting it on, his finger circling the imperial coat of arms that was above his visor. Beta had requested it when the Kaminoans gave them a choice in their armour designs, despite Alpha’s opinion on it painting a target on his head. We’re not meant to see eye to eye, Beta reminded himself with a smile as grabbed his helm and egressed his quarters.
He found the monotony of the Imperial star destroyer tedious and dull to roam around, and figured his non-com brothers had it good sitting around drinking at the cantina all day. I just can’t wait to get off this damn ship, Beta thought eagerly as his eyes connected with a few crew officers passing him. The contact was only brief, but Beta was surprised to see an emotion other than disgust in their eyes. Fear? He kept heading for the cantina.
His arrival was greeted by confusion and concern, as his eyes scanned over the mess of the hall that had not once been when he last visited. Amongst the clutter were a number of officers, some medics attending to the wounded, and a handful of clones cleaning up the mess. This can’t be good, Beta thought anxiously, and his presence was soon recognised by some brothers.
“Uh, hey Beta…” Whiplash greeted awkwardly as he swept up some broken glass, and Beta’s eyes immediately focused on his split lip and blackened eye. “Do I want to know?” Beta asked plainly, and Hotshot let out a chuckle from the other side of the room before wheezing with pain, and receiving a scowl from the medic treating him.
“A fight broke out between Thrasher and some of the officers, it got out of hand…” Jax explained as he approached the Major, who glanced around at the cluttered hall with an unimpressed gaze.
“You don’t say?”
“The Commander arrived in the thick of it, he didn’t take it too well,” Whiplash muttered as he filled his bin. Beta let out a sigh.
“Where is Alpha?” he asked, and Jax crossed his arms.
“In his quarters, giving Delta a hell of a beating I’d say,” Jax informed him, and Whiplash shrugged his shoulders.
“He’ll be lucky if that’s all he gives him.” Beta shook his head.
“Don’t think we’re out of this yet, Whiplash. This isn’t a good look for us,” he stated, and Whiplash’s expression immediately turned sour.
“They started it, Six!” he argued, and Beta pulled the man to his feet.
“I don’t care, we’re soldiers, not drunks. I know they hate us and it’s easy to hate them for that, but we can’t lose ourselves before we’ve even begun. We’re about to face something much bigger than ourselves, and we need to be ready,” Beta stated, and Jax sent Whiplash a glare.
“It’s Beta now,” he corrected coldly before turning his attention back to the Major, “Don’t worry sir, we’ll be ready,” he promised, and Beta let out a sigh.
“I’m going to check on the Commander, make sure he hasn’t roughed up Delta too much,” Beta announced before taking his leave, and the boys returned to their mundane work.
-
Beta leant against Alpha’s desk as he observed the Commander’s cold posture. Alpha stood as still as a statue as he gazed out the porthole into the jettison of space that consumed them. Nervously, Captain Delta stood at attention by the entrance, sending anxious glances in Beta’s direction which the Major did his best to ignore. Delta was a commissioned officer of the remnant clone army in the Empire, which earned him a red imperial insignia, and his rank as captain gave him a red pauldron, yet his actions tonight may have cost him his career.
“You know why you’re here, Captain,” Alpha remarked coldly as he gazed out into the beyond with his hands tucked behind his back, his helm sitting on the desk that Beta shared, staring coldly at the captain. Delta nodded nervously.
“Yes, Commander,” he uttered with a timid tone, and the Commander’s strict composure remained as he turned his blood red eyes onto the captain.
“There are three companies in this battalion – Annihilation, Endurance, and Dominance. Each of the companies have been trained under the same rigorous principles, and have been examined and assessed routinely by our overseers back on Kamino. They reported these three companies to be flawless. Was the assessment of the Kaminoans wrong, Captain?” Alpha queried, and Beta watched Delta’s expression shift with confusion before he answered.
“No, sir,”
“Then why do I find an entire company, under your command, engaging in a brawl with officers of the Imperial Navy?” Alpha questioned with a tone that was hushed and yet powerful enough to send shivers down Beta’s spine. The Commander was never a boisterous and overt leader, he never raised his voice in anger, or even demonstrated the emotion. Rather, Beta always thought of him as a shadow – omniscient and always watching, scrutinising every move before nailing down on a defect like a preying wolf.
Delta avoided the Commander’s gaze like a plague, and Alpha circled the captain with measured steps.
“There was a dispute, Commander. I wasn’t aware of it until matters were already out of hand,” Delta stated in his defence, and Alpha gazed at him coldly.
“One,” the Commander stated plainly, and the captain met Alpha’s eyes with a perplexed look before breaking contact to look at Beta, who only shook his head at him for advice.
“I ordered them to desist, sir. I did my best to defuse the situation, but the navy weren’t doing much to stop the fights either,” Delta claimed, and Alpha stopped behind the captain.
“Two,” he muttered, unbuckling his strap that kept his blaster holstered to his hip. Beta visibly observed sweat begin to build at the captain’s brow now.
“Commander, please. I tried, but they wouldn’t listen. There was little I could do,” he pleaded, and Alpha drew his sidearm. Three, Beta thought, and the captain dropped to his knees with fear in his eyes. The Major stared into these eyes like he stared into a mirror, but he did not recognise the man, he had extinguished fear from his body long ago, and any clone that grovelled for their lives did not deserve to live. That’s why the Commander’s sudden act of mercy came as a shock to Beta’s system as he watched Alpha holster his weapon.
“You shame us, Captain, and your inability to take control of your men in the midst of chaos displays poor form. I take this as a personal failure as the commanding officer of this battalion,” Alpha remarked, and Delta looked up with an expression that was equally alarmed as it was perplexed. “From now on, I will personally oversee the schedule of Dominance Company,” Alpha stated as he returned to the porthole. Delta gulped awkwardly.
“And what of me?” the Captain asked nervously.
“You have a choice,” Alpha stated plainly, and Beta lifted the captain from his humiliation back to his feet. “You may either stand down, and I will elect a new captain for Dominance, or you may remain as the head of Dominance Company. You will observe my actions and follow them, or you will be replaced,” Alpha remarked, to which Delta nodded.
“I will improve, Commander,” Delta stated in assurance, and the Commander continued to realign his gaze with the starless void.
“Good, because your next failure will be your last. Remember that,” Alpha emphasised, and the captain nodded nervously before saluting. “You’re dismissed,” the Commander remarked coldly, and Delta quickly took his leave. Beta watched as the door closed shut behind the captain as he egressed, before turning his gaze back to the commander.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” Beta admitted, to which Alpha left him without a response. “Why didn’t you just demote him?” the Major queried, and Alpha turned to him.
“I was never going to demote him,” Alpha remarked as he freed his blaster and placed it on the surface of his desk. “He would never have chosen it, he fears what I may do to him if he disappoints me a second time,” Alpha stated, and Beta nodded as he crossed his arms.
“I’m surprised you let him off with a warning,” Beta remarked, but Alpha shook his head. “I’m letting him off with a lesson. If men don’t fear you, they won’t follow you. I’ll make sure he understands that before we reach Umbara.”
“What about admiration, and respect?” Beta suggested, thinking along the principles he adhered to for his leadership. Alpha only gazed at the Major a moment before turning his gaze back out the window.
“Admiration and respect requires relation to build into strong leadership, and we are not to form strong attachments with one another, you know that as well as I do,” Alpha remarked, making Beta sigh as he nodded. He had never agreed with the rule imposed on them in the last year to detach from emotional attachment, especially since they had grown up together and formed friendship groups over the years. The idea just seemed irrational, and yet Beta acknowledged attachment was a form of weakness that could mean the difference between victory and defeat.
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Post by InGenNateKenny on Aug 6, 2020 23:31:42 GMT
Interesting plot. I have hear the clones' voices, which is cool. I also like the connections to canon - Umbara rising up again, Sly Moore, the purge troopers...
I also want to highlight a section, from earlier:
This blurb reminded me of one of the finest quotations in all of Star Wars, from the OG Battlefront II:
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Stigz
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Post by Stigz on Aug 10, 2020 9:43:13 GMT
Interesting plot. I have hear the clones' voices, which is cool. I also like the connections to canon - Umbara rising up again, Sly Moore, the purge troopers... I also want to highlight a section, from earlier: This blurb reminded me of one of the finest quotations in all of Star Wars, from the OG Battlefront II: Hey! I'm glad it's coming across as intended then I'm certainly writing this story with a lot of parallels to the Clone Wars and BF games in mind, that entry monologue being heavily influenced by the 501st diaries you just referenced
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Post by Stigz on Aug 10, 2020 9:48:41 GMT
CT-1151 “Xeno”
“What the hell were you thinking, Thrasher? You’ve probably just got us all court martialled!” Chip uttered nervously as his gloved fingers tapped at his kneecaps, making a frustratingly annoying sound.
Xeno stood beside Bones and Stitch, two of medics in Dominance Company, who were treating Thrasher’s wounds. The navy boys had definitely gotten their hands on him amidst the chaos, denting his armour and blacking his eye. Bones was still unsure as to whether Thrasher had endured any broken ribs, but it was certain that the old boy was in pain. Stitch had put him under with some aesthetic, but even in his sleep Thrasher put up a good fight.
“He wasn’t thinking,” Midnight remarked as he jumped down from his bunk, his fists clenched shut as he approached Thrasher. Xeno caught him by his shoulder.
“Easy, Midnight. There’s already been enough regrets made tonight,” Xeno warned him, and Midnight ripped Xeno’s grip away.
“Even now you still defend him. A couple of shinies from Endurance, tainting our name with your every breath,” Midnight spited coldly, making Xeno scowl at him.
“I wouldn’t say we’re shinies anymore,” Hank remarked as his finger ran over the fresh scratches of his armour. He stood up and grasped both Midnight and Xeno’s shoulders. “This fight may have been wrong, boys, but we were defending our brothers. We have to have each other’s backs, otherwise there isn’t going to be much left of Dominance Company when we reach Umbara,” Hank claimed, making Midnight roll his eyes as he returned back to his bunk.
“That’s if there even is a Dominance Company after all this,” Chip muttered.
“There is,” a voice stated firmly from behind them, and they turned back to see Captain Delta and Lieutenant Gamma entering the barracks. “But there’s going to be some changes,” Delta claimed as he took off his helmet, and Xeno gulped awkwardly as they awaited the news with nervous anticipation. It was delivered by the lieutenant.
“Delta is still our captain,” he said plainly, and the boys grinned and cheered, but Delta wasn’t anywhere near as enthusiastic.
“Quiet!” he yelled, and silence reluctantly choked at their throats. “We made a mockery of the 66th today. You should all be ashamed. We’re not getting out of this for nothing, boys. There’s going to be a lot of changes from now on, and the Commander is going to be overseeing them personally,” Delta remarked, and a few murmurs started amongst the group.
“What do you mean, boss?” Chip enquired with concern, and Delta let out a sigh as he crossed his arms.
“Alpha will be taking full command of Dominance once we land at Umbara, so there won’t be any more funny business or questions to orders. You’ll do as you’re told, when you are told as how you are instructed to,” Delta stated, and Xeno’s eyebrows raised, as did half of the company’s. “I’m retiring to my quarters, you boys will do the same,” Delta informed them before grabbing his helmet and egressing the barracks.
“You heard the Captain. Lights out!” he shouted, and the company slowly moved themselves to their bunks. Xeno looked over Thrasher, who was given another injection by Stitch.
“We’ll monitor is vitals every half hour, but I’d wager he just needs rest,” Bones remarked, and Xeno nodded.
“Thanks, Doc.”
The medic patted him on the shoulder before packing away his gear and leaving with Stitch. Xeno let out a sigh and knelt beside his brother as he inspected the damage.
“How bad is it?” Thrasher mumbled quietly with a stumbling tone, his eyes still shut. Xeno smiled as he placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder.
“Barely a scratch,” he stated jokingly, and Thrasher winced at Xeno’s touch.
“I might not be able to open my eye, but I reckon I’m still better looking than you,” Thrasher remarked, making Xeno grin. The lights to the barracks suddenly shut off, and only a distant flashing red glow above the doors emitted some light.
“Keep dreaming,” Xeno chuckled, and a small groan left Thrasher lips as he gently rolled to his side. Xeno stripped off his armour and climbed into the bunk above Thrasher, his undersuit providing him enough warmth to disregard the sheets. Rolling onto his side, his eyes zoned out ahead of him, the flashing bulb casting his red light on all the brothers that rested. Xeno’s eyes came to lock with the black pupils that belonged to Midnight, who stared at him coldly before Xeno turned his back on him and shut his eyes. A new day awaited them, perhaps worse than the one that had just past.
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Post by Stigz on Aug 20, 2020 13:13:50 GMT
Sorry for the delay with this part, I confess that uni has been ramping up and I'm surprised I've managed to get a part out at all. Fortunately this one flowed nicely with the writing, and hopefully serves as a nice conclusion to episode 1. I will reiterate that each of these parts is significantly smaller than the length my other story parts are accustomed to, and that's solely because these parts are more considered scene swaps in a continuous episode. Each episode should be around 20 pages long or so, give or take depending on whats happening, but would probably flow a lot better if read in one sitting. Alas writing 20 page episodes will take me longer so I'll stick with this method and hopefully you'll still enjoy it Anyway, without further interruption, here's the last part to Ep 1 Commander CC-1111 “Alpha”“Do you want to explain the situation to me, Commander, or shall I turn this ship around and have you all decommissioned?” Alpha stood at attention at the bridge with Beta by his side, a stressed Rear Admiral clawing his eyes out as he gleaned over the report of the recent incident in the cantina. Beside him, Commodore Wiccum Lazarus sat poised on the edge of the holotable with his arms crossed and a smirk on his lips, and Lieutenant Noel stood at attention beside Beta with a resenting look in his eye. Alpha paid the Commodore little mind as he maintained his attention to his superior officer. “That won’t be necessary, Admiral,” Alpha assured him with a firm composure, but Tenant simply rolled his eyes as he tossed the datapad back to the commodore, turning has back on the officers as he stared at the tunnel of slip space that they surged through. “You understand the penalty for misconduct amongst the infantry class, I assume?” Tenant muttered as he clasped his hands behind his back, and Alpha nodded. “I have dealt with the commanding officer of the company, and I will be personally overseeing their re-education once we land on Umbara,” Alpha announced, and noticed Lazarus sneering at him from the corner of his eye. “So be it, Commander. Far be it for me to interfere with your approach, but I would doubt Lord Vader shares the same decorum as I to your authority over your troops,” Tenant stated, and Alpha observed Beta let out a sigh of relief to this slap on the wrist. Lazarus, on the other hand, was less accepting of this overlook. “You must be joking. Several of the Emperor’s finest fleet officers have been injured by some forgotten weapon bred in a test tube. If anything, the clones involved in this brawl should be executed! If Moff Tarkin were here…” Lazarus groaned, but was interrupted by a swift raise of a hand by the Admiral. “Moff Tarkin is not here, and you are in no place to speak on his behalf other than by the mission details he has bestowed upon you, which, may I remind you, is a great rarity for someone of your novice stature,” Tenant stated, and the commodore’s argument got caught in his throat as he submissively backed down. “Lieutenant, you’re dismissed. Go find yourself some rest,” Nils ordered, and the lieutenant hesitantly nodded before exchanging a cold glare with Alpha and egressing the bridge. Silence choked at the bridge for a moment that seemed to dwell for a millennium, until Lazarus cleared his throat. “Admiral, if everything is as you would like, I’d like to retreat to my office,” the commodore requested, and the Rear Admiral granted his wish with a plain nod as he returned his gaze to the void of space that sped by them. Wiccum snarled at Alpha before bumping shoulders with Beta, to which the Commander had his hand ready in precaution to catch the Major from reacting. Fortunately, he kept a cool head. “I assume you have done your homework on Umbara in the duration of this trip?” Nils queried emptily with a sigh, returning to the holotable, and the two officers nodded. “Don’t fool yourself with thinking it will prepare you for the real scenario. I have witnessed firsthand the results of Umbaran warfare; I almost lost a whole fleet to their advanced tech back in the days of the Republic. They should not be underestimated,” the Admiral advised cautiously, and Alpha nodded sternly. “It is truly a shame that Sly Moore chose to defect the Empire, though it will be of little loss to our prosperous future,” Nils stated confidently as he grasped the edges of the holotable, and one of the fleet navigators announced they were exiting slip space. Alpha and Beta watched as the tunnel of light suddenly filled with the dark void, and at the centre of their vision was a black planet which emitted a red glow. It wasn’t the Shadow World, however, that left the two officers lost for words. “I thought you said Lord Vader was here with a small detachment?” Beta finally uttered, and Alpha’s eyes scanned over the hundreds of star destroyers that loomed over Umbara’s atmosphere. It was a full scale invasion. The Admiral allowed himself a small smile as he clasped his hands. “We learnt once what the cost of underestimating the Umbarans resulted in. The Empire cannot afford to suffer the same humiliation the Republic once did,” Nils Tenant explained laconically as the two officers turned their attention to him. “The 66th Battalion will deploy to the surface within the hour. Lord Vader and the First Legion have secured the airbase, so I imagine the shuttle down should be uneventful. Be ready,” the Admiral ordered, and Alpha gave him a nod as he and Beta began to disembark the bridge. “Commander, a word, if I may,” Nils then requested, bringing the two officers to a halt. Alpha nodded to Beta, sending him off before returning to the Admiral. “The Major follows your command without hesitation. I’m sure Dominance Company won’t dare question your authority,” the Admiral stated confidently, and Alpha straightened his posture. “The 66th Battalion will not disappoint again,” Alpha stated with reassurance, and Nils flashed him a small smile. “Good.” He reached for his datapad and tapped at the screen, lifting his eyes to the Commander. “I have read your file. Quite grimacing, really. It says here you bit the throat out of one of your competing brothers for the command of this battalion,” Nils remarked, and Alpha felt the hairs at the back of his neck stand. “Allegedly,” he stated laconically in return. It had been far more complicated than that. Nils responded to this with some amusement. “You are so very interesting on file, Commander, and yet as entertaining as a cargo hold in the flesh,” he remarked, and Alpha remained indifferent. “Thank you, sir.” “Let me warn you of Lord Vader. The Emperor’s apprentice is not recognised as a position of authority within the higher Imperial ranks, but the Darth is not to be trifled with. He is not as forgiving to misconduct as I,” the Admiral stated. “Understood.” “Very well, you are dismissed, Commander.” Alpha saluted the Admiral before turning formally and leaving the bridge. The wait was over, and now the feats of the 66th Battalion would begin, and the underappreciated rest would be sorely missed. Soon the rest of his brothers would be newly acquainted to the spirit that haunted Alpha deep within. The one that lurked around death, and seeded itself within those who had taken a life. The Executrix stared down at the graves of many of their brothers, and a few plots still remained to be filled. The Commander only hoped the first day would greet them fairer than those who had come before. Conclude - Episode 1.
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Post by InGenNateKenny on Aug 20, 2020 20:33:06 GMT
I like the format. Short parts that cover one important scene. It makes everything feel important, as opposed to filler. Alpha, biting out a throat? Well, that does not sound pleasant. I can feel the tension with the commodore.
On a writing note, I like the way you write dialogue. It's good. I would love some more imagery though, but I suppose you are focusing on making these concise, so maybe it's not necessary.
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Post by Stigz on Aug 21, 2020 1:00:57 GMT
I like the format. Short parts that cover one important scene. It makes everything feel important, as opposed to filler. Alpha, biting out a throat? Well, that does not sound pleasant. I can feel the tension with the commodore. On a writing note, I like the way you write dialogue. It's good. I would love some more imagery though, but I suppose you are focusing on making these concise, so maybe it's not necessary. Hey, thanks for the feedback As I mentioned above, this has all been very experimental compared to what I'm comfortable with, and I sometimes forget that despite me seeing it all in my head, the reader may not if I don't convey it well enough XD Definitely in Alpha's parts, concise and ominous tones are what I'm aiming for as he's a very dark and mysterious character (which is a difficult premise to tackle as a PoV I find), but I will certainly expand on my descriptive writing for episode 2 Getting out of a dull ship and into Umbara should make that flow naturally as well I think
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Post by Stigz on Sept 6, 2020 4:55:39 GMT
Interlude Umbara. The shadow planet had once been a dark and insignificant speck in the Ghost Nebula, cut off from the rest of the galaxy and left in isolation to their primitive ways. That solitude gave the Umbaran people freedom from the tethers that bind us all together, and saw their once small civilisation erupt into a technologically advanced empire that was rivalled by no other. Our brothers before us witnessed firsthand the technical prowess of the shadow people and their tactics in guerrilla warfare, and they suffered. We’ve all heard the stories, but I guess none of us truly know what to expect since the Umbarans were tamed at the end of the Clone Wars. Or so we thought. The defector, Sly Moore, has amassed a rebellion against the Empire for reasons grunts like us care little to know about. We thirst for battle, and we hunger for revenge, and Sly Moore has painted a target on her head. We have been bred for combat and raised with rage, and we will harness our hatred for those who oppose the Galactic Empire into a weapon unrivalled. The Umbarans might have all their flashy gadgets now, but they’ll wish they’d never grown from a primitive colony when we’re through with them. They may have been granted the mercy of the Republic during the Clone Wars, but I can guarantee they won’t be finding any mercy from the 66th Legion.
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Post by Stigz on Mar 14, 2021 7:09:56 GMT
Right so apparently it's been 6 months? I don't know how the hell that happened, but anyway. I confess that a lot of things have been happening in my life, good and bad, which have consumed a lot of my time and left me pretty burnt out for a lot of things - sadly writing has fallen victim to that category as well. I've had some inspiration recently for this though as one of my friends has been doing some comms for it, which I'll hopefully post soon (but some have spoilers that I can't show yet!). Anyway, here begins episode 2.
Episode 2: War Scars Umbara, 18 BBY. CT-1151 “Xeno”
Twelve Zeta-class shuttles egressed the hangar bay of the Executrix and soared down to the surface of the shadow planet. Xeno sat amongst fifty of his brothers in darkness, a dull red light reflecting off their glossy black armour. He peered at them through his visor, sharing the range of emotions they all felt. Excitement, curiosity, anxiety and animosity were just some of the many to name. They were headed for battle, and they’d been training for this moment their entire lives.
Xeno spot-checked his gear to pass the time, counting his thermal detonators and eying the sights on his DC-15LE carbine. The DC-15 series had been the run of the mill during the Clone Wars, and remained standard issue for the 66th Battalion while the rest of the Empire had transgressed to newer tech. Blaster rifles were carried by most brothers, including Thrasher, but Xeno had always been fonder of the carbine.
“How’re you feeling?” Xeno asked as he stowed away his gear satisfied, peering over Thrasher’s shoulder to inspect his weapon. His brother groaned in response as he rested his head back against the backrest of his seat.
“Don’t know what’s getting me more, the thrashing or the hangover,” he grunted, and Xeno grinned in response, an expression lost behind his helmet.
“If you used your head for other things than just an extension of your fists, perhaps you wouldn’t find yourself in this mess,” Xeno remarked with some dry wit, and Thrasher responded with a pained chuckle.
“Stow the chatter, you two,” Lieutenant Gamma muttered as he patrolled the shuttle. Xeno and Thrasher silently exchanged glances behind their helmets before they returned their attention to their weaponry. After a while, Xeno stared at his brothers who sat in complete silence around him. Hank, Nuke, Midnight, even Chip was quiet, and they could never get him to shut up. Xeno let out a sigh and rest his head back, shutting his eyes and letting the momentum of the shuttle put him to rest as they eagerly awaited their arrival to their destination.
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The first thing they took in once they set foot out of the shuttles was the smell. Sulphur and ash left a stench that choked the air, seeping through their respirators and leaving a foul taste in their mouths. They had been updated on the descent to the numerous dangers that Umbara presented; the guerrilla warfare tactics of the natives, the wildlife and toxic environment, but it seemed even the air was trying to kill them as they took their first steps on the dark forsaken planet.
The twelve shuttles had landed in what appeared to have once been an Umbaran airbase, but it seemed to have been under Imperial control for quite a while now. Stormtroopers patrolled the airstrip in their new phase 3 gear, which looked to have already seen the kiss of battle on some troops, and the sigil of the Galactic Empire hung off every building Xeno laid his eyes on. He wondered how many of the troopers here were clones like them, or if they truly were the last of their kind in an empire of men.
Dominance Company came into neat formation on the runway, parallel with Endurance and Annihilation Company. Lieutenant Gamma and Captain Delta stood at attention at the head of the company, and looking over them was the albino commander, his second in command, and a commodore from the Executrix that stood between them. And I thought we didn’t belong, Xeno thought ironically as he stared at the Imperial officer, a man amongst clones.
“66th, hear me!” he cried, his voice nasally and hard on the ears. “We stand on this filthy excuse of a planet as conquerors and heroes of the Galactic Empire, and we are charged with the mission of hunting down the traitor Sly Moore for her betrayal against our grand empire. Moff Tarkin has seen fit that it be I who lead you in this task, so you will show me your loyalty and obedience or you will face the same fate as the defector. Am I clear?” he announced, and Xeno and Thrasher exchanged glances before chiming in with the rest of the battalion.
“Yes sir!” their voices echoed, the voice of the same man amplified six hundred times. Before the commodore continue his grand speech, a squadron of Stormtroopers approached the head trio of the 66th, and before long the three were escorted to communication tower that centrally overlooked the airbase.
The leader of the squadron had customised gear that stood apart from typical phase 3 armour. An orange pauldron covered his right shoulder, symbolising his rank of authority, but that was not the only distinguishing feature of this trooper. A blue stripe ran up his leg and arm pieces, meeting with an inverted blue triangle on his chest piece, and an inverted arrow mirrored this shape on his helmet, which he removed as he came to attention before the battalion. It revealed a face not too dissimilar to their own, a bit older perhaps, with wiser eyes and a receding hairline – a black tattoo in the same arrow shape ran down the left side of his face.
“Welcome to Umbara, 66th,” he greeted with an all too familiar voice, “My name is Dogma, I’m a captain of the 501st here, and will likely be fighting by your side soon enough,” he announced as he approached the battalion with his fellow comrades. Thrasher turned his attention to Xeno now.
“Does the name Dogma ring any bells to you?” he asked quietly, and Xeno nodded as he remembered the infamous war story of Umbara.
“Yeah, he’s the one who killed General Krell, the Jedi traitor,” Xeno remarked, recalling it as one of the only stories they were told as cadets of the Battle of Umbara – and it was only following the Clone Wars that they heard it. At the time, Dogma was branded a traitor of the Republic and returned to Kamino for decommission, but to the 66th Battalion, he became a martyr as one of the first brothers to foresee the betrayal of the Jedi and act on it.
“Then I guess we have some things in common,” Thrasher stated as he straightened his posture, and Xeno mirrored his composure.
“This isn’t my first time dealing with the Umbarans, nor my first engagement in combat, so allow me to give you some advice. If you look to the men around you, you will see a band of brothers untested and undefeated; you should feel thankful for the brother on your right, and sorry for the brother on your left, because many of you will find Umbara to be your first and only tour. Trust in your training, trust in your brothers, but most importantly, trust in experience. Speak with the men here and learn a thing or two before you march blindly into the hell me and my brothers had to endure with no warning beforehand. It might just save your lives,” Dogma stated, eying each of them before donning his helmet.
“I’ll see to it that you men are accommodated for in the barracks, but head yourselves over to the mess hall and enjoy a warm meal, it might be the last you get for a while,” Dogma remarked as he pointed them over to a large tent on the edge of the airstrip. Annihilation Company was the first to move out, followed by Endurance.
“Dominance Company, move out!” Lieutenant Gamma ordered, and the men pivoted ninety degrees before following the other companies. Xeno turned his attention to Thrasher.
“You’re on my left, Thrash,” he stated with amusement, and Thrasher let out a painful chuckle as he elbowed Xeno.
“We’ll see about that!"
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Post by InGenNateKenny on Mar 17, 2021 4:54:05 GMT
Mhm. Glad we're back. Now this is a cool line. Very nicely done Stigz.
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Stigz
Full Member
Vibe check.
Posts: 150
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Post by Stigz on Mar 19, 2021 1:54:45 GMT
Commander CC-1111 “Alpha”
The elevating platform surged up the communications tower with a momentum that hurled gravity against them. Alpha maintained a strong upright posture as he battled the forces acting against him, and held his helmet under his left arm. Beta stood beside him in a similar fashion, though his eyes stared down at his helmet, which he rested against his torso staring back up at him. His helm differed slightly from the rest of the battalion, as did Alpha’s, as the two officers were allowed to display their loyalty to the Empire through some markings on their gear. Both Alpha and Beta opted to paint the Imperial sigil on their helms, though Beta’s was much larger and central above his visor. A target on his forehead, Alpha thought to himself in disagreement. His own logo was half the size, and resided above the left of his visor, right above where his eye would be behind the helmet.
Two stormtroopers stood behind them as their escorts, while the Commodore stood in front of them with his hands linked behind his back. His grey trench coat reached down to the back of his shins, and flowed without a single crease mark. His head was held high, and his hair combed back neat. Alpha imagined his expression to be as pompous as his behaviour.
“When we arrive, you will leave the speaking to me, understood?” Wiccum declared, and both Alpha and Beta echoed a response of obedience.
The momentum eased off as the elevator slowed when reaching its destination. A holographic lock rotated counter-clockwise, unlocking the entrance to the communications hub that served as the operations centre. A number of pixelated radars and geographic orientations of the land hovered around the room, disassembling to an ensemble of digital blue cubes when disturbed, only to reshape themselves a millisecond after. A wraparound window allowed visual access to the entire airbase, and overseeing it was a tall caped figure in gear as black as night. His black helmet was a similar shape to that of an imperial officer’s, though masked with a triangular respirator and two sinister red shades for eyes. A pronounced mechanical breath left a shrill darkness in the room, and the Commodore was the first to enter.
“Lord Vader, I am Commodore Wiccum Lazarus, a prized officer under authority of Moff Tarkin. I would like to extend my gratitude for you securing this base for the Empire, this will help strengthen my positioning for the future war effort, and with some further-” Wiccum’s voice came to a gasping halt with a single motion of the dark lord’s hand, which slowly tensed into a tight grasp.
“Commodore, You will find I do not grant second chances often, but as a prized pupil of the Moff, I will allow you an exception,” the dark lord stated as he turned his attention to the three, before releasing the commodore from his mystical grasp. The young officer scrambled to his feet gasping for air, his expression flustered and insulted.
“You dare assault an officer of the Empire! You may be the Emperor’s dog, but you have NO authority to speak to me as-” his blabbering came to a halt as he was propelled into the air, thrust into the ceiling and brought crashing down to the floor again. Both Alpha and Beta witnessed the full power of the dark lord as they listened to the young officer’s bones crush within his body, and his tormented screams shriek out of his lips as he was hurled across the room, impacting each wall before he was thrown through the window and down to the airstrip.
Beta’s eyes widened as he just processed what just occurred before them, but Alpha remained undistracted; his expression was as solemn and strict as his posture, straight as an arrow. You were warned, Alpha echoed to the commodore in thought, whose name would likely never be remembered. The dark lord now turned his attention to the two clones, taking particular interest in Alpha’s unique deformities. A cold chill rushed down his spine as he felt a certain darkness consume him with the Darth’s very gaze, but he warded it off as if he felt nothing. Instead he noted Beta’s composure was less resilient; with a line of sweat beginning to form on his brow.
“From now on, the 66th Battalion will be under direct orders from me and me alone, is that understood, Commander?” Vader queried with a nonchalant tone, and Alpha bowed his head respectfully.
“Yes, my Lord,” he answered with a strong and clear voice, which was enough to satisfy the dark lord. Vader turned his back on them now and activated a control panel that reshaped the digital cubes into a spherical holomap of Umbara.
“I understand you both met with Tarkin on Kamino, how much did he divulge of our operation here on Umbara?” Vader questioned as the two troopers drew closer to visualise the map.
“The Moff informed us that we are here to quell a rebellion headed by the defector, Sly Moore,” Alpha answered as he took his place by the dark lord’s side, but Beta frowned as he placed his helmet on the table.
“But that can’t be all, can it? I mean, with the forces you have here, you don’t need another 600 clones to conquer Umbara,” Beta stated, and Alpha’s eyes widened as he shot him a cautious glare, before anxiously awaiting Vader’s response. Beta suddenly realised his uncontrolled tongue and bowed his head, but the dark lord did not flinch to this.
“Very astute, Major. You are correct in observing that there is more happening here than what Tarkin has made you privy to, and there is much you need not know. Yet there is a reason I have summoned the 66th Battalion here beyond overseeing your combat efficiency,” Vader announced before rotating a holographic wheel on the control panel.
The cubes reassembled their shape from the planet Umbara to the previous chief of staff: Sly Moore. The Umbaran was tall and lanky in her stature, with pale white skin that bore no hair, and piercing white eyes. She donned a great grey garb that covered her body from neck to toe. Vader’s heavy mechanical breathing cut through Alpha’s attention.
“Sly Moore’s importance to the Emperor serves greater than just as a politician, she is an adept force user, and the Emperor wishes for her safe return regardless of the consequence. Your training to hunt and oppose Jedi will be tested against her powers, and your worth will be proven… or dismantled,” Vader stated, and suddenly Alpha and Beta realised their purpose amongst the rest of the troopers caught up in this invasion.
“We won’t let you down, sir,” the Major stated confidently, making Alpha frown at him. Vader shifted Sly Moore’s appearance back to the globe of Umbara.
“Sly Moore has retreated within the capital where the Umbarans hold their final defence, and have activated a shield emitter around the city, powered by three bunkers east of the capital. The 66th Battalion will be split up with the First Legion to attack these posts and then march into the capital,” Vader announced, letting the troopers analyse the battle scenario.
“I would advise Annihilation and Endurance Company attack the bunkers to the North East, and I lead Dominance Company against the bunker to the South East,” Alpha suggested, but Vader shook his head.
“No, Commander, you will remain here with Annihilation Company and a handful of the 501st. This airbase serves as a vital lifeline for supplies to the capital, and the Umbarans will likely attempt to recapture it as we mobilise our numbers. The Major and Endurance Company will accompany me to the North Eastern bunkers, while Dominance Company join with the First Legion from the South,” Vader stated, and Alpha reserved his opinions on the matter.
“I will rally the companies and prepare them for deployment, Lord Vader,” Alpha stated, and the dark lord nodded.
“Very good, Commander, you are dismissed.” Both Alpha and Beta took their helmets and gave the Darth a nod before heading back for the elevating platform. “Major, wait a moment,” Vader then called, stopping the troopers in their tracks. Alpha turned his attention to Beta, who gulped as he anxiously turned back to meet the dark lord. The two exchanged concerned glances, but Alpha’s orders remained the same, and so he took his leave.
He was yet again alone as he felt the inertial forces acting upon him as he descended down the air tower, it was a state he preferred over that of company, but the feelings that engulfed him were new. His lack of compassion and strict leadership had been traits with the Kaminoans had prioritised over other competitors for the heading of the battalion, and it was true that Alpha held no strong connection with the rest of his brothers. His differences made him a target as a boy, and when Alpha gave them no reason to target him any further, they began to fear him. Now I am being isolated from them. The only brother he had formed an attachment to was Beta, for reasons beyond his understanding, that man had seen something in him that none of his other brothers had – or were too afraid to see. Now he stood alone in Vader’s presence, and Alpha felt something he had never felt before. Fear.
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Post by Tales93 on Mar 21, 2021 0:33:07 GMT
This definitely took an interesting turn. Now Vader commands them, I wonder how this will go.
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