Behind the armor

Introduction :
Hi there people and welcome to my very first Story posted in here. Further to LW's request I'd like to warn you this is no SWtOR story. Do not worry this is stil Star Wars and if I may say so it's Star Wars at my best.

Now bring the popcorns enjoy yourselves ^^,

If you want to I can give access to the online workspace to read or download the .doc version, just PM me an e-mail address and I'll add you in the readers' list.

Dramatis Personnae:

Imperial EVO trooper Corps
TE-1762, Male Human, trooper of Ebola Squad
TE-1854, Male Human, trooper of Ebola Squad
TE-1991, Male Human, nicknamed Dumb, trooper of Ebola Squad
TE-3321, Male Human, trooper of Ebola Squad
TE-3517, Female Elomin, named Violeternemayyleti, nicknamed Violet, Sergeant First Class, Squad leader of Ebola Squad
TE-3754, Male Human, deceased trooper of Ebola Squad
TE-7500, Male Human, from Corellia, named Jos, sniper and second in command of Ebola Squad
TE-7672, Male Human, deceased trooper of Ebola Squad
TE-8827, Male Human, nicknamed Kiddo, youngest member of Ebola Squad

Imperial Stormtrooper Corps.
Lieutenant D'Charmeen, Male Human, Stormtrooper officer, ISB informant
TK-1524, Male Human, Navy Marines of Black Nova Squadron

Imperial Security Bureau
Major Eremov, Male Human, ISB officer in charge of watching the very few non-human troopers
CZ-09, Eremov's assistant droid

Imperial Navy
Colonel Obers, Male Human, Commander of the VSDII Stellar Stalker's Army unit
Commander Yor Van Kerdov, Male Human, Captain of the VSDII Stellar Stalker
Doctor Eltinger, Male Human, Doctor on the VSDII Stellar Stalker
Technician first grade Rieng

1. & 2.
3. & 4.
5. & 6.
7. & 8.
9. & 10.
11. & 12.
13. & 14.
15. & 16.
17. & 18.
19. & 20.

TE-3517 jumped into the trench. Technically speaking it was more like tossing garbage into a refuse lorry but most important was that he reached the relatively safe position. A loud explosion somewhere on the right, maybe a mortar shell, made the trooper silently chuckle behind his helmet. Glancing around for his standard issued E-11 blaster One Seven saw an arm laying just there. Not the bloody ownerless version… No! No! That was the officer–owned version.
“Care to move, Trooper?”
“Sorry Lieutenant! I didn’t realise I landed on you, sir!”
The heavy armoured trooper swiftly moved and helped the officer stand up roughly dusting his black stormtrooper officer’s uniform. One Seven usually being a polite and nicely trained trooper did salute the officer.
“Is that any better, sir?”
“Much better! Your ID?”
“Sergeant First Class TE-3517, Ebola Squadron, Sir”
Even with the voice modulator distortion, the trooper’s voice was filled of pride and confidence. That was indeed a valuable quality on the battlefield and it made Imperial Stormtrooper Corps Lieutenant D’Charmeen smirk.
“I’m afraid we won’t have time for chitchatting, Sergeant. But I’d like to know if you EVO troopers are all that crazy?”
Before One Seven could stand up for the EVO’s pride and reputation both of the officer and trooper where violently thrown on the ground by a couple of closer explosions. The daredevil Imperial soldier looked at his armour’s bracer to see a new shrapnel scratch.
“As you said, Sir, we may not have time for chitchatting or tea time…”
“You’re damn right! I just wish the navy boys would decide it’s time to do some orbital cleaning. And how comes those things got mortars?”
“Never trust intel reports, sir. And to be precise those are no mortar shells but organic creatures that explode.”
“Oh! Really?”
“Sir, yes sir! A guy from Sierra Squad found one on the ground earlier.”
Lieutenant D’Charmeen stood motionless eyeing One Seven with doubts. He tilted his head and asked with a doubtful yet very officer-ish tone.
“Are you kidding me, sergeant?”
“Not really, sir! The guy and his whole squad were almost instantly vaporized and we found no rem...”
The EVO Trooper stopped in the middle of his sentence to shoot down a couple of incoming aliens. Those were disgusting creatures with sharp teeth and long claws: no doubts these were dangerous and deadly predators with nothing else in mind but hunting and slaughtering. One Seven shot the first two in a blink and tossed a C-22 fragmentation grenade for three other bloodthirsty things just behind. There was a blast and a large spurt of green acidic blood in every direction. The Imperial trooper laid low looking at D’Charmeen.
“Sorry ‘bout that, lieutenant! What were we discussing?”
“Those darn miners! We told them not to dive too deeply…”
“Now’s too late for that, sir! Anyway… Good thing to have some real good fight, patrolling those acid swamps was getting boring…”
Two other large armoured EVO troopers tossed themselves in the trench without any delicacy. Their heavy armours were marked by the last hours of intense fighting.
“Sorry for the delay, Sergeant.” Said the first one.
“Yeah there was a souvenir shop on the way and we…”
The end was covered by numerous ‘mortar’ explosions and those were getting closer and closer. They barely heard the voice on the squad frequency in all that loud and messy noise saying…
“Double Oh for One Seven… Lay low, guys!”
A couple of very high-powered laser shots flew above the trench. Sixty meters behind TE-1500, the sniper of Ebola Squad, had begun shooting whatever was in the scope of his E-11s sniper rifle. There was plenty of ways to say it but bluntly put… Double Oh was a damn good sniper!
“You’re clear to go, sergeant!”
“Thank you, my lad!” One Seven turned around to face his fellow troopers. “Now’s your turn people, I’ll take a nap.”
The two troopers stood up and aimed their heavy T-21 blasters. So began a hellish barrage that slaughtered any thing or creature or whatever was brainless enough to approach. It took them ten long minutes of fire and an enormous amount of power cells to turn their surroundings into a more quiet place.
“Now would be the moment to fall back toward our advanced lines. We’re too exposed here, we’ll be overrun sooner or later.”
“Imperial army does not fall back under mindless creatures pressure.” Stated D’Charmeen. “We’ll stand and…”
“Sir! With all due respect, we’ll be more useful back at the defensive position, near the colony door.”
That’s when Lieutenant D’Charmeen looked around and realised the four of them where one only survivors of the first defensive line. The young man sighed loudly and slowly agreed with the sergeant. TE-3517 coordinated a cover fire from the far away troops and gave the go for the evacuation.
They had to proceed with a stop in a trench halfway because the creatures had gather as a huge pack and were right behind the troopers. They had to go for another round of shooting, blasting and killing those brownish things with sharp teeth and long claws.
After a couple minutes the small group decided there was an opportunity to reach the colony’s walls but they would have to run fast: more packs of creatures were gathering out of the acid swamps.

That’s the precise moment the ‘navy boys’ chose to come down in their shiny Sentinel and Lambda Shuttles. Numerous Tie Fighters suddenly began darting the skies while waves of Tie Bombers were kindly delivering their load of ArmaTek proton bombs. The survivors of the battle quickly moved out of cover to gain the shuttle’s landing area.
One Seven was running with her fellow troopers shooting down the few surviving creatures that were darting to them trying to grab an extra snack before the end. The three EVO Troopers were carefully shielding lieutenant D’Charmeen.
They ran past two stormtroopers shouting at civilians. It was strangely disturbing that military habit to yell at people and to think it would force them to run faster. No one would be able to say if was a cause and consequence relationship but the three miners were definitely running as fast as possible to reach the landing pad.
One of the trooper got caught by a creature that was half dead, It was obviously not dead enough. The guy emptied his ammo clip in the head of the bloodthirsty creature. He was evacuated by a medic and half an hour later, when he was sat in the evacuation ship, his finger was still squeezing the trigger. The civilians were, of course, the first ones to be lifted away but the navy had dispatched enough shuttles for everyone to be quickly evacuated.
One Seven was the last one to climb the landing ramp after making sure no one was left behind. The shuttle was already high in the air before Ebola Squad’s sergeant could reach his seat and get strapped in. Troopers began to unlock their helmets, loudly congratulating each other and so did One Seven. D’Charmeen was sitting just there in front of the sergeant starring at him in an half chocked and half disgusted way.
“Any problem, lieutenant?”
“No, sergeant. I wasn’t thinking you were a… a…”
There was an uncomfortable silent of a couple minutes. D’Charmmeen was trying to hide his obvious discomfort about the elomin woman sitting right in front of him. A non-human? In the Stormtrooper corps of highly pro-human soldiers? That was hard to believe.
“A woman, sir?”
“No… erm… Yes…”
Double Oh, who was sitting nearby leant forward. His bright red cybernetic eyes were gazing straight at the officer in an aggressive and combat-ready manner.
“She’s a trooper like us, sir. She probably saved your hide by going in that trench. That was a damn stupid…”

Sergeant First Class TE-3517 solemnly raised her hand and everybody fell silent. She waited a couple seconds and coldly said.
“We’re all Imperial Stormtroopers: risking our lives is our daily lot and we’re doing what we have to. We’re not gonna argue about who saved who and how many died saving someone else. That’s our job taking risks and we all know it. Seven Two and Five Four knew it too.”
The sniper stood quiet. Even the daredevils of Ebola Squad knew to calm down when the sergeant was really serious. She looked daggers at everybody one by one.
“End of the story.”
The elomin soldier stood up and went somewhere else seemingly upset or in a bad mood. Ebola’s troopers were sitting in a deadly silence. D’Charmeen peered left and right trying to find support in front of what appeared to be a pro-alien conspiracy.
“What’s her problem and who are those Seven Two and Five Four guys?”
Nobody seemed willing to answer at the silent was about to stretch. Double Oh raised his hand starring at the lieutenant. His gaze was like he had the officer in the scope of his sniper rifle.
“Permission to speak freely, sir?”
“Gr… granted!”
The formal yet firm tone of the soldier had troubled the officer for a second. When the cybernetic-eyed Corellian spoke his tone was cold and bitter.
“Your position was outflanked on every side and it was of no strategic use. The sergeant asked for two volunteers to secure your location, sir. We were all volunteers so she picked both of them to charge along her…” He paused for a couple seconds. “They’ve been butchered to save your @%&#, sir, and I can tell you it was a damn painful death for both of them to be eaten alive. So give the sergeant a break or I promise you, I’ll smash your head on that wall a couple times.”
D’Charmeen was about to say something but the look in Double Oh’s eyes made him change his mind. The officer looked at the other soldiers of the Ebola Squad and they were all quiet yet ready to help and cover their sniper if needed.
Major Eremov was what could politely be called a bloody vicious bastard. He was very aware of this fact and took such a pleasure in being inquisitive and nosy that he quickly and easily made a name within the Imperial Security Bureau. No need to say he was very aware of his success and therefore making extra efforts to be more inquisitive, more vicious and much nosier.
Somewhere on Coruscant, deep within ISB’s HQ, was Eremov’s precisely ordered office. He was actually sitting there at his desk when his assistant droid walked in. The brand-new and shiny-looking CZ-09 was the only trustable creature for Eremov. He partly thought so because the droid was programmed to be trustable and mostly because there was a small explosive linked directly to its memory. It would blast the whole droid if anyone tried to modify its programming.
“Major, you asked to be interrupted as soon as we’d received Lieutenant D’Charmeen report.”
“Wait!”
Eremov was finishing his report about how he uncovered a rebel base and efficiently dealt with that growing terrorist menace. Not that he took part in the combat operations but he made most of the investigation work and he’d finally decided to dispatch an Imperial-class Stardestroyer to the supposed rebel’s location.
CZ-09 was quietly waiting as the servile assistant he was programmed to be while the major was busy writing a last side note on the report. It was the important and delicate part where he had to bewail how the whole thing ended. ISD Truthbringer’s officers had indeed no other choice than proceeding with an orbital strike as the rebels were already evacuating. Such a shame for the whole city’s districts that were blasted to oblivion!
Important part was to subtly imply he had suggested and planned the orbital strike from the beginning. His superior officer would be pleased to read so and his politically correct way of saying it was one more step toward his next promotion. That was important enough to let CZ wait as long as needed. Once the report finished, the young and promising officer handed the droid a datacard copy.
“This is the report on Operation Black Omega. You can transfer it once you’ll leave. Anything interesting from Lieutenant D’Charmeen?”
“Indeed, major. Most of the operational details might be of no use for you but the lieutenant made some disturbingly strange statements on TE-3517’s account and the dangerous alien influence she may have on her whole squad.”
“Those non-humans are so predictable. Hand me that report.”
“I took the liberty of marking the elements that might be of interest.”
Eremov dismissed the droid with a nod starting to read the report by himself. He already knew the droid had marked the most important of it and he also knew it was no liberty-taking from the droid just programming-following.
D’Charmeen’s literary style was boring and clumsy. His sentences where too long and every single one was trying to point nothing else than his own intelligence and performances. Combat reports the major had received from the Army had already pointed D’Charmeen’s uselessness but that was of no concern for Eremov. The lieutenant had been sent there to assess the EVO trooper sergeant.
EVO troopers were a subgroup within the Stormtrooper Corps, very specialised elite soldiers within a corps of elite troopers. They were trained and geared up to fight in any and every hostile and hazardous environment. Their armours were built with an alternative plastoid much more resistant to corrosion, their body gloves were hermetically sealed, their helmets incorporated an enhanced air filter and they carried in their back a self-sufficient air-recycling system. The harsher training they received, their strong loyalty to the Emperor and the hellish places they were deployed in had gained them an outstanding reputation from almost any and every military.
Eremov knew that but it was of no importance to him. What was important is that TE-3517 was an elomin AND a female. That was two huge problems for the whole Empire. It was well known aliens and women were unwanted within the Stormtroopers: those were trouble-makers, budding rebels and they were only willing to pervert their glorious comrades.
Hopefully for the whole galaxy’s sake, the Emperor knew that aliens were not to be trusted and so did his loyal and watchful agents of the ISB. The Surveillance branch Eremov belonged to was in charge of protecting the military elements from deviant thoughts and influences within themselves. It was the cold and determined major’s assignments to watch over the three dozens of alien stormtroopers enlisted.
Aliens were dangerous elements probably too dangerous ones but it was not Eremov’s call. His task was only to watch those potential rebel spies as closely as possible and so did Eremov with the most inquisitive zeal.
As for D’Charmeen’s report, it was obvious there was something wrong with that damn alien. Her influence was a danger for the squadron and for the whole Empire if one was to let her do so. Eremov punched a button on his holocom terminal.
“CZ! Connect me with Lieutenant D’Charmeen at once. Don’t bother with anyone’s excuses I want a connection with him right away!”
“Please hold the line, Major.”
Eremov waited five long minutes half upset half delighted with that opportunity to remove a problem once for all…

Off to a great start there, Soude!

I've always been a big fan of "down-in-the-trenches" style gritty stories, so I'm looking forward to reading more!

Keep up the good work ^^

Fantastic story Soude, I especially enjoyed the dialogue - very natural and entertaining! And your English is perfect. I would never in a million years have guessed it wasn't your first language!

I'm a huge fan of the Ubese personally - when I joined EPOCH (then Blasters for Hire, and now over a year ago) the charcter I signed up with was an Ubese Smuggler who went by the pseudonym Redwatch. And who... *Hare blows the dust off the URL to place it in a link* ...is still being played in the DAtD RP actually .

....DatD - I remember that

Love the sig btw Soude

Harewood wrote:

And your English is perfect. I would never in a million years have guessed it wasn't your first language!

(^^,)
Thank you very much indeed. I always had a crush on English as a language, it's like a swiss-knife: doesn't look great but with it you can do anything and everything you want to.
Living online for a couple years helped me perfect my knowledge and use of English. It's part of my work too and well I lived in UK for a couple months.

As for the ubese I always liked the design of the ubese armor.

It is well known that once off-duty, soldiers tend to relax in a less formal atmosphere and outfit. The general belief was that Stormtroopers were super-humans able to be on-duty for their whole life. Some people even said they were in fact combat droids. That was absolutely stupid and even Imperial Stormtroopers had off-duty time.
Ebola Squad was back to its station abroad the Stellar Stalker. It was a weird name for a weird spaceship but that was the closest thing they had to a home. The nine hundred meters long Victory II-Class Star Destroyer was one of the oldest destroyers in service. It had been built above Kuat within the Kuat Drive Yard shipyard about twenty years ago by the end of the dreaded Clone Wars. Technology had since evolved yet the Stellar Stalker was as good as new.
As many other starship of that size it was a whole town with a cantina for off-duty soldiers, a power plant, a water recycling station and even an hovertrain to travel within the ship. Living quarters area had the very basic comfort and people were living all together like a real family.
TE-7500 arrived back from his morning five kilometres run around the ship. He came in to find Six Two and Dumb trying to start a sabaac game, Kiddo was watching a movie on the holonet and Violeternemayyleti was loudly singing while leaving the small bathroom dressed with nothing but her towel.
“Sergeant! I know you like informal clothes but that is indecent to wear in front of poor kids.”
Double Oh swiftly covered Kiddo’s eyes with his hands. The young trooper swore like an angry Gamorean. TE-8827 was the youngest member in the squad he was barely eighteen and left the academy only a couple weeks ago. He was therefore nicknamed Kiddo but only within the squad.
“I may be indecent Jos but you smell like a slimy rancor. Go in the shower!”
“Sir, yes sir!”
The troopers chuckled as Jos gave the sergeant a perfect salute before running into the shower and slowly everybody began to get back to their business. Their elomin sergeant put on her training uniform.
“Oh ! Sarge?”
“Yes Jos?”
One Seven went to lean against the wall near the shower. She was not willing to shout to be heard from the sniper. That was a basic proof of respect for the quietness of the other guys.
“I ran into Captain Van Kerdov. He said you should stop by someday. I guess the old man wanted to make sure you came back in one piece even if I told him twice. Whatever is between the two of you, he seems to like you a lot.”
“That’s a long story, Jos.”
“We’ve been serving together for five years and I’m still getting the same answer.”
Jos was giggling under his shower obviously amused of the situation. Violeternemayyleti watched her chrono and after a bit of thinking she issued some orders.
“Alright, I’ll try to have myself invited in the officer’s mess for the breakfast. You take the guys out for the morning training. If I’m not back within an hour break yourself a leg and call for me.”
“Will do, sergeant.”
Violet left the hovertrain at the command center station. It had been a very fast and quiet travel without anyone bothering her. The sergeant had put on her nicest parade uniform with all her medals before going to see ‘the old man’. She was still adjusting her jacket when the bridge’s door slid open.
There was a man standing there in the middle of the doorway. He was more or less fifty with a gray thick moustache and wearing a perfectly adjusted uniform. He was also pointing at the elomin with the end of an Ithorian wood pipe.
“Were you in need of explanations about door opening, sergeant?”
“Not really, Captain. Just making sure my uniform was perfect. I overheard you Navy people like perfect uniforms, Sir.”
Commander Yor Van Kerdov chuckled loudly for a couple of seconds, he had a less serious and formal attitude when he facing Violet, probably because they’ve known each other for eighteen years. Looking over his shoulder he saw the quiet yet busy bridge officers frowning at him. He gestured to the young woman to open the way toward the mess.
“We’d better get moving. I don’t want to ear them complaining about me being too noisy on my bridge.”
“I do understand you’d have to toss the whole crew through an hatch and you’re not willing to do so.”
They walked silently toward the mess. Though Violet should not be allowed here nobody was to make any comment since she was accompanying the captain. The sergeant was anyway well known in here and treated with courtesy. Everybody on the ship knew the elomin owed the old man a lot but nobody knew what he owed her or why he treated her so kindly. That was a secret between the two of them and between them only.
A young waiter came to take their order and as they were well known from the mess staff he made smart suggestions based on their tastes. The usual dewback bacon and a stimcaf for the captain. A large plate of spicy nerf stripes along a large portion of Pashi noodles for the sergeant.
“You’re eating too much, Violet.”
“Well, I’m making enough exercise not to gain weight and I need a good lunch for another day at work.” The woman answered with a smile.
“Glad to see you came back from that hell in one piece.”
“I never doubted that, Captain. I have a whole squad to cover my back and I’m sure Double Oh’s too afraid of your retaliation to let me die.”
“I heard you had casualties.” Said the Captain with a more serious tone.
“Yes, both TE-7672 and TE-3754 but it’s not much compared to other squads. I’ll command them for the Imperial Badge of Meritorious Service. I just wish we hadn’t to go for that trench.”
Van Kerdov lit up his pipe listening to the sergeant’s report. The captain, of course, already had a complete report from Colonel Obers after the battle but that was different. It was his protégée’s one and that meant a lot to him. For eighteen years he had watched over the young elomin and he had never missed any report.
The old man was leaning back on his chair blowing rings of clouds when the young waiter came back to take the plates away. It seemed to him the captain was as concerned about the woman as about any other crew member. Thought he was young and newly arrived, he had often heard the story of that elomin stormtrooper. She’d been stationed here for eighteen years and therefore was definitely and completely a member of the crew. No one had been on the ship longer than her, except for the captain.
“Seaman!”
The waiter turned back to the captain in a very respectful manner.
“Yes, sir?”
“Considering there is only the two of us in here, I’d appreciate if you’d close the mess for a few minutes. Why don’t you all take a five minutes break?”
“Yes, sir!”
The captain waited a couple of minutes blowing more cloud rings in the air. He then glanced very seriously at the EVO trooper.
“Let me tell you something, Violet.”
“Sure, captain.”
“My communication specialist caught a secured transmission from Lieutenant D’Charmeen to the ISB office on Coruscant. So I began to discreetly ask questions around and overheard you had words with him.”
Violet took her time to answer obviously ill at ease.
“That’s not how I would have called it, Captain.”
“Call it as you want, we’ll have the visit from an ISB major in a week. Whatever happened with D’Charmeen may be turned against you. I don’t want to sound rude but maybe you shouldn’t have gone for that trench with your troopers and let D’Charmeen die.”
Violet was stunned for a couple of seconds.
“Are you… kidding me, Captain? I would not have let him die, that’s not how it works.”
“Things have changed, Violet. Since the Yavin accident ISB is getting more and more inquisitive. We, humans, are all suspects of treason. The few non-humans like you are now guilty. They basically just want a reason to put your head on a pike.”
The sergeant’s fist violently landed on the table.
“I’m not afraid of them. If they wanna come here and investigate about me, let them come!”
The captain sighed loudly he pointed the woman with his pipe.
“Whoever that major is, it will be troubles for you. He may just come in shoot you and get back home. Nobody will argue about that and he may even get promoted for rooting out a rebel terrorist. All I wanted to tell you was to be careful… or even more careful than careful.”
There were a couple minutes of silence both of them considering what may happen and what may be done. The elomin loudly sighed.
“Sir, I’ll do my best not to give them what they want. But please, please… Don’t you do anything foolish! Think about yourself for a minute.”
“It is too late for me, Violet. And you know that as I do. It’s too late since the beginning: I’ve already sacrificed my career for you.”
“That’s not what I wanted, sir! And I always told you so.”
The captain stood up slowly as if he seemed twenty years older. He patted the hand of the woman trying to be reassuring. She gave him an apologizing smile for loosing her temper.
“Just be careful, Violet. Be careful and in twenty years we’ll laugh about that.”
“We will, captain.”

“TE-7500!”
At that moment everybody knew Sergeant First Class TE-3517 had arrived on the exercise area and that she was in a destructive mood. The place was crowded and very noisy but the squad leader’s shout made silence in the whole area. Obviously that TE-7500 was going to have a tough time.
Ebola’s sniper jogged back to the place he’s been summoned to. He gave the sergeant an impeccable salute and to whoever knew him it was the first sign he was not completely innocent. One Seven pointed at him an inquisitive finger.
“What did you fuckin’ tell him, you bloody idiot?”
“I’m sorry, Sergeant. I…”
The very angry looking elomin slapped her sniper on the helmet. Her tone was cold and it was growing more obvious to everybody that Double Oh would have a very very tough time. The sergeant looked around to everybody else.
“Don’t you all have anything else to do? Get back to your business or I’ll send you train in the closest novae.”
The place suddenly went back to its previous busy state leaving the two of them in a relative quietness. The sergeant roughly pushed the sniper toward the exit of the training area. Once outside she glanced at him as he was nervously standing at attention just alike a cadet in front of a general. She took a deep breathe trying not to sound as pissed-off as she was.
“My question was: what did you tell him?”
“I strongly suggested him to give you a break. His position was compromised and more than that it was useless to be there. Damn! We lost Seven Two and Five Four to save his hide! He could just be grateful and shut…”
One Seven interrupted him.
“I know what happened on the field and I know the guy was damn grateful until I took my helmet off.”
She began slowly massing her temples. It was an elomin gesture for deep thinking.
“Is that all you said?”
“I… I was upset sergeant and…”
“Don’t elude the question, Jos. Is that all you said? Yes or no?”
“I said I’ll feed him with his teeth or that I’ll smash his head on the wall. I don’t remember precisely.”
Violeternemayyleti made a strange and horrible noise. It was very painful in Jos’s ears yet he recognized it as an oath in the elomin’s native language.
“Alright! I need to talk to everybody right now. Once I’ll be finished with that you’ll go have an apologising word with D’Charmeen. If you could do so in public it will be better.”
Reluctantly the sniper nodded in agreement recognising her words as the order they were. He brought to life the squad frequency and summoned all the troopers to his position… on the double!
They all arrived quickly and stood right behind their sniper showing him support. One Seven didn’t doubt they were probably guilty of letting the sniper threaten D’Charmeen.
“Everybody’s here? Alright, let’s get started with this. You surely all understand that as a person I really appreciate what has been said or done. And I’m sure you all know very well that as your squad leader I cannot condone such an insubordination. I suppose nobody knows who insulted and threatened that officer.”
The sergeant remained silent waiting to see if anyone would say anything but none did. She was very careful not to show her pride to see them acting as a group. Nobody officially or unofficially saw anything and nobody was to chuck at the sniper.
“Next week we’re gonna have the unexpected pleasure to see an ISB agent coming here. I have no doubt he’s coming here for one reason and one reason only: he wants my head. I insist on the fact it will be an ISB major not a cadet out of Carrida. I do want you all to do it by the rule while he’s here.
“You guys all know you’re my pride. We got nothing or no one to fear on the battlefield: we are the Empire’s finest. The only problem is… me. I’m not politically correct and on that point D’Charmeen is right. I do not want anybody to say or do anything stupid, okay? You’re all gonna act as nice troopers and D’Charmeen’s friend will be going back to Coruscant in no time. Any questions?”
“What do we do if he asks us to chuck at you, sergeant?”
That was TE-1991’s voice, for his ability to ask unwanted questions he’d been nicknamed Dumb but his questions never were stupid.
“There is one answer and one answer only you have to keep in your mind. You follow the orders because I’m the sergeant but you consider them carefully because I’m an alien and when you’re not convinced by my wisdom you consult the second in command.”
“Is he not to decide you’re useless and have you removed?”
“What I don’t want is having him decide you’re all under alien influence and a threat to the Empire. What I really fear is that I’d be tossed in space without any suit and you along with me.”
Everybody remained silent for a couple of minutes. Dumb was again the one to ask the stupid question.
“Would he really do that, sergeant?”
“I don’t wanna know if he would. I’m not gonna take that kind of stupid bet and I assume none of you want to. Are we clear on that point?”
Their answer was a one voice shout.
“Yes, sergeant!”
“Good. I’ve told Colonel Obers we’d volunteer for any high risk mission. Just as usual but I also convinced him to look for an opportunity to show that ISB guy what we’re made of. Added to that, we’ll be conducting a boarding training this afternoon. Double Oh you’ll go find lieutenant D’Charmeen and invite him for the exercise. I’ll see you all by 1300 in the hangar bay all packed up and ready to go. Anything else?”
“No, sergeant!”
“All right, dismissed!”
The Tie Boarding Craft was a modified version of the TIE/sa Bomber and as one would guess by its name it was used to transport boarding parties. It had two hulls between two solar panels alike a TIE Bomber. One was for the pilot and Ion Engines while about ten troopers could be transported in the second hull. It was of course not as luxurious as a Soro Suub space yacht.
“Ebola One, this is Gamma Leader. Strap yourself in, we’re clear to go.”
“Copy that, Gamma leader.” One Seven switched to the squad frequency. “Double Oh for One Seven.”
“This is Double Oh, hearing you loud and clear, Sergeant.”
“We’re being deployed. Good hunt!”
“Copy that. Double Oh, over.”
Outside the small ships where the troopers were packed, the Navy was proceeding with a whole battle exercise. The Stellar Stalker’s forces were split in two opposed groups: an assault fleet and the destroyer itself.
The destroyer was simulating battle damages and trying to reach predetermined coordinates to jump into hyperspace. The two TIE Boarding Crafts of Gamma Squad were to bring a boarding party abroad the destroyer. They were escorted for their safety by the twelve TIE/ln Fighters of Shark Squadron and the twelve TIE/sa Bombers of Doomsday Squadron.
The twenty six starfighters set in motion at the same time alike carrion feeders pouncing on their dinner. They were two clicks away from the capital ship when its quad turbolaser canons began shooting in the space. For a couple of long seconds all the firing seemed to be a complete waste of ammunitions.
Whoever would have thought it was a casual way of handling the exercise would have understood his mistake when the ion cannons and the double heavy turbolaser batteries opened fire. While the heavy fire was concentrated on the centre of the starchasers’ incoming direction, the lighter cannons were shooting all around the attacking group slowly moving closer to the centre.
It was too late when the assaulting squadrons understood what was going to happen. They broke their formation but eight ships were powered off by the destroyer firing. It was of course momentary since this was just an exercise.
Good thing was the disabled starfighters actually shielded the boarding crafts and those could take evasive manoeuvres to leave the killzone. The attacking unit regrouped in two separate waves. TIE Fighters were shielding the boarding crafts and bombers began to fire torpedoes to clear a safe landing area. The starchasers were fast manoeuvring and very hard to shoot for the destroyers heavy cannons.

The troopers were roughly shaken when the voice of Gamma Leader echoed on their frequency.
“Ebola Squad for Gamma Leader. ETA: Thirty seconds, get ready.”
“Copy that Gamma Leader.”
The airlock opened on the ground and the troopers found themselves with their feet hanging in the outer space. Stars were moving quickly as the pilot was counting down the seconds before reaching the landing position.
At zero, the boarding craft suddenly stopped five meters above the destroyer’s hull. Almost immediately two magnetic cables were deployed which the troopers used to rope down. Last man to touch down confirmed the end of the operation and the boarding craft flew away. Total time: eight seconds.
One Seven led her group toward the closest hatch making sure not to be spotted by any of the defensive canons. There was something weird with walking on the hull of a starship. The very little gravity was just enough not to fall in the emptiness of space yet most people would feel like always being about to fall. The EVO troopers were used to this disturbing sensation but Lieutenant D’Charmeen was not very confidant.
Nobody really did understand why he had agreed to come and act as one of the two combat engineers in that scenario. Ebola’s mission was to bring any of the two engineers they were escorting on the bridge. At that moment the exercise would end with the attackers being victorious.
The lieutenant was actually on the ground in his space suit while Two Seven was shielding him with his own body. Thought they were set for exercise, starships’ lasers were powerful enough to instantly vaporize any human being even in a space suit.
Five Four and Two One opened the destroyer’s hatch and jumped in to secure the entry. Once they made sure it was safe the other members of the strike force went in. They closed the hatch and once it was pressured D’Charmeen left his space suit.
The squad had gone through a hatch not too far away from the bridge merely five minutes walk. It was not possible to run the exercise on the whole destroyer so they were using a small restricted area. In a real combat situation they definitely would have blasted their way wide open with explosive instead of using hatches.
The sergeant gave quick orders on the squad frequency and troopers begun to move forward. It was clear for D’Charmeen that the squad was perfectly drilled. They were moving fast never forgetting to cover each other and more important always covering him. Two Seven had the particular task of focusing on the lieutenant’s security and D’Charmeen was to admit the young man was doing great.
They moved for more or less fifty meters before meeting any opposing force. First ones were three Navy Troopers with their black uniforms and distinctive helmets. Five Four and Two One who where opening the way for the squad shoot down the three of them before they could realize what had happened.
During the couple of seconds the skirmish had last D’Charmeen found himself being thrown on the ground by his improvised bodyguard and almost instantly back on his feet. The lieutenant had a hard time realising it was done for his own safety not for the pleasure of hurting him. Two Seven patted him on the shoulder.
“I wish you’d agree to put a decent armour on. It would have been more comfortable for you, sir.”
The sergeant ordered the silence to be made as the team was advancing toward its target. They did encounter only a couple more of navy troopers. It was more and more feeling like there was a trap somewhere.
“Double Oh for One Seven. Status report!”
It took some time to receive an answer. A trooper’s voice came in and it was smothered with blaster firing, shouting and all usual battle noise.
“One Seven? This is Six Two! Double Oh has fallen and we’re facing heavy opposition in here. We’re still by our landing position and…”
There were more shouting and noise for a couple of seconds before the communication died.
“Six Two? Six Two? Come in!”
Six Two never came in. At that moment the whole second fire team under Double Oh’s command was already wiped out. Though they were perfectly trained they found themselves facing the three Navy Marines squads of the Stellar Stalker.
Those were another variant of stormtroopers specialised for ship battles. They were usually deployed to defend ships from invaders and in that matter were adepts of the scorched earth policy: whatever they couldn’t hold was to be destroyed: Imperial Heavy Repeater, PTL Missile-Launchers or Thermal Detonators nothing was deadly enough for them.
One Seven’s fire team hadn’t seen those dreaded troopers so far. It didn’t require a supercomputer to realise whoever dealt with Double Oh and the other EVO troopers would soon run toward the second fire team. Guessing they wouldn’t come for cookies and tea was even easier.
“Aurek Dorn.”
The two words she just spoke made One Seven shiver. This was one of the orders she hated the most. Aurek Dorn: All Defensive. The troopers were to defend the engineer at all cost. They took an even closer defensive formation all around D’Charmeen shielding him from every direction. The team moved even faster, their guns pointing in every direction.
Two One opened fire on a couple of soldiers coming from behind. He ran to kneel behind a cover. At that point the EVO trooper was to hold his position as long as possible to slow down any pursuer. The rest of the fire team jogged toward the bridge while reorganising themselves around the Lieutenant for a more effective protection. They reached the last crossing with the entry of the bridge twenty meters on their right.
Nine One was the first to go past the crossing and he fell almost instantly, shot down by shirkers. With Five Four’s suppression fire, One Seven managed to locate the enemy and immediately tossed a grenade at them. They rushed into the corridor as soon as the grenade had exploded.
Footsteps of Navy Marines were echoing right behind them as they were dashing back to the bridge for a final counter-attack. They managed to shot One Seven while she was turning around to face them.
She fell on the ground two meters away from command-centre’s blast door. That was such a shame since her team just had reach their objective but those kind of stupid things also happened in real battles.
“Come on, doc! There is neither need nor time for that.”
Doctor Eltinger raised his eyebrow coldly glancing at the sergeant. He pointed a skinny finger at the elomin and his tone was gloomy just alike a coroner.
“Do I have to remind you who is the doctor, Sergeant? You can either stay quiet or get stunned while I examine this wound. It is all up to you, sergeant.”
One Seven remained quiet while the doctor carefully examined her. It did last ten long minutes for what was obviously a small laser burn she received during the exercise. Violet was getting more and more impatient and she really was about to flare up when the meticulous doctor made his diagnosis.
“First degree burn! A bacta patch will be enough.”
“What about the others?”
“Where did you saw other burn on yourself, sergeant?”
“I was talking about the other troopers, doc.”
“Oh! Another one did get a first degree burn just like you, that is TK-1524 from Black Nova Squadron. A second one had a disjointed knee: painful but not a medical problem.”
“Ouch! Who’s that?”
The deathly looking doctor looked down at his notes. He turned a couple of corners before finding the name.
“First grade technician Rieng, he was part of a boarding crew. He said he did so when he jumped in cover.”
“Alright. Am I free to go now?”
Eltinger faced the sergeant with a cold and humourless smile. Once again he was pointing his skinny finger straight to the sergeant’s heart as if it was a blaster.
“You stay right there, sergeant. A nurse will be with you shortly.”
Violet sighed loudly and grumbled for about ten more minutes before a nurse finally came to see her. It took about five seconds to apply the bacta patch and she was finally free to go.

Violet ran as fast as she could to reach the conference room Leth Four Seven but with all the waiting in the infirmary she arrived too late. Nevertheless she found Lieutenant D’Charmeen engaged in a polite discussion with Double Oh. The trooper jumped on his feet at attention when he saw his sergeant.
“Good for service, sergeant?”
“Eltinger was more than willing to sedate me but I managed to escape his torture lab.”
D’Charmeen slowly stood up in a very polite way to interrupt them. He seemed to be more relaxed than he used to be during the earlier exercise. He nodded to her not bothering with a very formal salute.
“Thank you for your discussion, Double Oh. Will you let me and the Sergeant alone for a moment?”
“Yes, sir!”
The sniper made a perfect salute before leaving the two of them together. They both quietly took a sit, Violet extending an arm to grab one of the water bottles left on the conference table. She inspected it twice and closely, making sure it was still sealed before deciding to open it.
“That was very smart of you.”
“I just really hate drinking in someone else’s bottle, sir.”
D’Charmeen leaned back in his metal-made chair with a smirk on his face.
“I was actually talking of organising this… training.”
“This kind of exercise is important and more interesting than having my guys shoot on practise targets. You can train as much as you want on targets it’s nothing compared to a real opposition force able to think and fight back.”
“That was the wise part of your decision. The smart part I was talking about is having me take an active part with your squad. Though he was very convincing Double Oh’s apologizes and offer to take part in the exercise… well… It seemed to me he’d been ordered to do so.”
One Seven very casually took a gulp of her bottle trying to look as innocent as possible. She surely didn’t want the lieutenant to consider her as an evil plotting alien with many mischievous plans.
“I did hear strange rumours about someone in my squad having been incorrect with a superior officer. I don’t know for sure who it was and what he said. Would I have to guess, I’d say Double Oh decided to apologize in the name of the whole squad… as I should have done myself.”
“This explains that. What about the invitation to observe the exercise?”
“I’m maybe leading my squadron in a not-so-formal way and I know some people don’t consider it a good idea. The purpose of that invitation was to show you my guys are maybe rude and impolite but they’re not idiots and they know their job. I did not expect you to volunteer for the engineer role.”
D’Charmeen stood up and paced around the room for a couple of minutes. Violet was trying to remain as calm as she could hoping the lieutenant would not realize how nervous she in fact was. He slowly sat right in front of her.
“Your idea was very smart and intelligent. Your squad indeed showed how perfectly drilled it is and I can’t deny you showed your own commanding skills on the field. I’ve really been positively impressed by that… show of force. I’ve also been speaking with your commanding officers and they all seem to have you in high esteem.”
“All I ever wanted was to be judged on my abilities and on my work, sir. Not on my skin colour. I’m not a terrorist, a rebel or whatever you’ve been told non-humans or women are.”
He gave her a quick nod showing her arguments were understood.
“I may have been convinced but as you probably know an ISB officer is on his way to here. I do not believe he’ll be attuned to your arguments or to your officers’ satisfaction.”
The sergeant stood up and strode to the doorstep. Her dark eyes were looking particularly gloomy when she glanced back at the officer.
“Sir, I have no doubt many people don’t like me and to be honest I don’t care. What I’m sure is that I’ll have the opportunity to show why I’m here and what I’m made of. Whatever this ISB officer is expecting from a stormtrooper, I’ll show him more. I’m an EVO trooper, sir, and we’re the Empire’s finest!”
Imperial Sergeant First Class Violeternemayyleti stood proudly in the doorstep and for a second D’Charmeen thought she was just alike a recruitment ads… except for her skin’s color and the horns on her head.
Seven days later, Major Eremov arrived…

Thought he was only an ISB officer, his arrival was a disturbing show of force and definitely on a larger scale than Violet’s. He did not arrive in a simple Lambda shuttle but on an Imperial-class Star Destroyer with a whole escort fleet of three Carrack light cruiser and two Lancer frigates. They emerged from hyperspace in a combat formation immediately launching waves of TIE Fighters and TIE Bombers.
Captain Von Kerdov was standing on the bridge looking at the scene with a sigh. It seemed to him they were just strutting around like teenagers trying to impress a girl. And Eremov’s show didn’t end with just that.
He left the destroyer with a Lambda shuttle and under the close protection of a brand new TIE/ln Interceptors squadron. Once landed in the hangar bay two dozens of stormtroopers deployed down the ramp at attention just before the major debarked. Both Commander Von Kerdov and Colonel Obers came to welcome their host.
Violet saw the whole show a couple weeks later on the computer holo-records and in her mind there was only one thing missing for the show to be complete: the Emperor himself or maybe Darth Vader.
“Major! I’m Commander Von Kerdov and this is Colonel Obers...”
“I read through your records and I know what I have to know. You can send the signal to the ISD Truthbringer, two ships will stay with us and we can proceed to hyperspace jump as soon as we’re ready.”
“Hyperspace, major?”
The ISB officer strode away letting the two officers behind. Before he could reach the exit door of the hangar bay Van Kerdov snapped his fingers and the two troopers near the door stepped in the middle of the way. The major turned around slowly and glanced at the captain as if going he was a traitor to the whole Empire.
“What is the meaning of this, Captain?”
“Though I really appreciate your presence, major, you’re here on my ship. Therefore we’re all going to sat and get carefully briefed in order to help you as best as possible on your mission. Whatever you got in mind, I’ll be in charge of the space operations and you’ll consult with major Obers for the ground operations.”
“You don’t have any idea about what is going on and I suggest you just do as told, Captain.”
Both officers stood quietly coldly glancing at each other. Von Kerdov was the first one to talk and he was not going to concede anything.
“If you’ve read my records, I suppose you know I’ve been commanding starships through the whole Clone Wars and until now. I am not going to let you in command of that ship. You’re a political and intelligence officer, major. You’re here to exanimate imperial militaries not to lead them on battlefields. Now I’m going back to my bridge. If you’ve decided to cooperate you’ll see with my aide-de-camp to organise a briefing if not… Feel free to get back to your shuttle and to your Imperial Destroyer.”
Van Kerdov leant forward glancing at the major. His eyes were clearly saying the captain was already commanding ships before the major learnt to walk and that he was not to surrender his command to a young and inexperienced kid. Slowly and solemnly the old Navy officer walked past the major. The ISB agent find himself alone gritting his teeth.
“You’ll regret that… I promise you you’ll regret that.”

It required Eremov twenty minutes to realize he'd have to play it by Van Kerdov's rules. And it required him thirty more minutes to have the mission briefing organized. By that time he had Commander Van Kerdov, Colonel Obers and an unknown stormtrooper in conference room Leth Four Seven for a short briefing.
Imperial Security Bureau was a powerful organisation powerful enough to own its own branch of navy and stormtroopers. Though every military was trained or almost brainwashed to a blind loyalty toward the Emperor, the ISB militaries were strict fanatics of the Imperial dogma. There was no doubt this unknown trooper was one of those dreaded ISB Stormtroopers.
Eremov glanced at everybody and begun the briefing with his authoritarian haughty tone.
“Well… Since we're all here, let's get started. Coruscant's ISB office sent me here on a rebel hunting mission. First step will be to deploy a surveillance team on Saleucami. Sergeant Major TK-6986 will assemble and lead the strike team on the ground and I will coordinate the mission from here.”
There were a couple of nods as they understood the situation. Van Kerdov was not completely convinced by the major’s explanation.
“So why were you in such a hurry to jump for hyperspace, major?”
“We are to rendezvous above Boonta and from there send the strike-team on a special shuttle. In the meanwhile the Stellar Stalker will hide within the scrapyard orbiting the planet. We’ll be on standby ready to jump and support the commando team if need be.”
The destroyer’s captain looked at his colonel in a silent question. Obers had been deep in thoughts for a couple minutes.
“I guess you came with your own commandos or are you to pick up from my people?”
“I have…”
“Pardon me, major. May I explain the situation myself?”
Eremov leant back in his chair gesturing for the stormtrooper to go on. This one was speaking slowly and quietly. There was something disturbing in his quietness almost as if he was a psychopath.
“My team’s been compromised on my last mission and we suffered heavy casualties. I’d like to borrow some of your men to join my squad for that assignment and that assignment only.”
Obers looked at the captain with a nod saying it didn’t sound too bad and he could spare a few troopers without disorganizing his whole contingent. Van Kerdov looked at the stormtrooper asking for more details.
“Do you have an idea of the numbers, names or skills of the troopers you’ll be needing?”
“Thanks to major Eremov I managed to have the records of your troopers. I made a list of ten troopers I’d like to have and I’ll let you choose the six of them that will accompany me.”
The trooper pushed a datacard with the tip of a finger toward the officers. There was a list of the ten names recorded on it.
“There is no need to answer me right now but I’d like to have your answer before we reach Boonta. I also would like to meet them face to face.”
Obers nodded a couple times.
“That can be arranged, sergeant.”
“The rest of the mission is classified. Any other questions I may answer, captain?”
“Everything seems to be in order, major. As you can see we’re not willing to stop you from doing your job, we’re just expecting you to be courteous.”
“If everything is now in order Captain, may you give the orders to jump for Boonta?”
“I will major and Colonel Obers will arrange the interviews as soon as possible.”
It was lunch time and all Ebola Squad’s soldiers were gathered in the mess. The place was crowded with dozens and dozens of Stellar Stalker’s crew company. It was therefore rather noisy at that time. Colonel Obers even needed the help of a waiter droid to find where the squad was hiding but he managed to get there thanks to the droid’s instructions. The whole squad stood up when the colonel stopped by their table.
“At ease gentlemen!”
They all sat down while Obers was facing the elomin women. Though he was known for his grave face and his love for theatrical and dramatic situations, Obers’ face was actually graver than usual. That was definitely not a good sign as Violet thought.
“Sergeant! I will need to borrow a couple of your men for some time.”
“Sure, sir! Which ones and for how long?”
Obers took a paper from his pocket to look down at the name of the troopers. He spoke both solemnly to ease the news but also very firmly to show this was not a request but a military order.
“TE-7500, TE-1991 and TE-1854! That is for an unknown amount of time, sergeant. All I can tell you is they are to redeploy with Sergeant Major TK-6986 for a special mission. Any other information is classified, sergeant.”
“TK-6986? Never heard of him! He’s not from the Stellar Stalker Contingent, right?”
Obers shook his head negatively. The three troopers were glancing at their sergeant. Violet nodded her approval and they stood up to follow Colonel Obers away. One Seven was starring at them when she mumbled.
“Six Two? You’ll assume Double Oh’s position as the second in command.”
“Count on me, sergeant.”
“What is the meaning of that sergeant?” asked another one.
“First step of our Machiavellian ISB friend, I’d guess.”
Obers and the three soldiers went by the mess’ door getting out of the elomin’s sight. The rest of the lunch break was rather gloomy with the sergeant being lost in deep thoughts.

Soude I will definatly try and read this when its published into a novel
sorry I see lots of text and my brain runs away screaming I'll sit down over the weekend and read it all, great seeing stories like this though!

PrioryJK wrote:

Soude I will definatly try and read this when its published into a novel

I definately would like to see it as an official Star Wars Novel and I won't even say the idea never popped in my mind. It all depends on how the story evolves. For now I need to expand more the main plot of the story. Since I'm handling it as a "roleplay" I don't see too far away how the story will go... I like the idea of being the first one to discover how the stories goes on.

Anyway that story is also a test on my own abilty to do big things in English. And for for that part I really do like what I'm doing.

Any comments is more than welcome even for story details there are surely things in my mind that I should have written down earlier and that miss for a better understanding.

There was a Nu-class shuttle landed on the hangar bay number three of the Stellar Stalker. This shuttle was merely a relic of the Clone Wars and it didn’t look to be either comfortable or safe. It was anyway a much more discreet solution for the ISB commandos than an Imperial Lambda Shuttle.
Twelve troopers were standing at attention right outside the shuttle. Major Eremov and Sergeant Major TK-6986 arrived and inspected every single trooper. They were all equipped with a pack for the wilderness survival including camp kit, extra ammunitions, first-aid kit and many other things they would need. Every trooper also had a blaster pistol, a DC-15 carbine and some were carrying heavier weapons like Merr-Sonn missile Launcher, E-11 sniper rifle and enough of ammos to slaughter twice everybody on a small outer rim planet.
Without their distinctive white Imperial armour, they were not looking alike stormtroopers but mercenaries. The inspection did last for twenty long minutes. Once Eremov was satisfied he gave TK-6986 a simple nod. The sergeant gave the same nod to his commandos and they all boarded the shuttle. The two ISB officers were standing down the boarding hatch.
“You have your orders, Sergeant.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Once your mind is made about them just proceed with the plan. If our fears are not founded bring your commandos back here.”
“Yes, sir!”
TK-6986 saluted his officer before turning around and boarding the shuttle. Major Eremov took a few steps back watching the hatch closing and the shuttle slowly taking off. Forty meters away, One Seven was leaning forward on a safety guardrail above the hangar and watching her troopers go. She didn’t know by then but it was the last time she ever saw her three troopers.
There was nothing very interesting to know about Saleucami. It was located just outside of the Mid Rim somewhere south of the Tion Cluster and north of the Hutt Space. That arid world was orbiting a large yellow star named Stisste and there were only a few towns on the planet’s surface. Those were looking alike poor colonies settled in the last two decades. Most of the planet was a desert. Not a sand one as Aargonar or Bimmiel. Miles after miles the landscapes was covered with a very hot desert of green lichens and gray ashes.
During the Clone Wars Saleucami was known for its allegiance to the Confederation of Independent Systems’ cause. The planet had been under the influence of the Techno Union Syndicate for many years and had been besieged for five long months. Saleucami’s siege ended with a planetary-scale battle destroying whole cities and breaking the planet’s economy.
Today about twenty years later, Saleucami was only a shadow of its former self. Though the cities had been rebuilt or repaired, the scars of the Clone Wars could be seen in many regions. The grey and dark green wastelands of its equator were filled of battle remnants: clone armours and skeletons, downed LAAT/i, crashed droid gunships, blown up AAT tanks…
It’s in this desolated place that the Nu-class shuttle of ISB commandos landed. Once on the ground, the ship was almost completely hidden: an old banger surrounded by wrecks. Still having its Republican markings, the shuttle was completely blending in its background.
The scouts were the first ones out of the ship. They quickly scattered making sure the landing zone was not under enemy surveillance. The other members of the commando debarked a dozen seconds later. All of them where dressed in a camouflaged uniform making them vanish in the landscape. When the scout came back the team was ready to go each trooper with his pack on his back. They separated in three fire-teams of four men each and started deploying as they’d been ordered during the briefing.
Double Oh’s team was made up of himself, two ISB troopers and TK-1524, a Navy Marines of Black Nova Squadron. The two of them having already taken parts of common battles and trainings were gladly serving together. The fire-team was led by one of the ISB trooper, TK-6915. He slowly and carefully took the team on a first walk toward their objective.
They hiked for four long hours until dawn and then one more hour but on a slower pace. They settled for the night in the wreck of an AT-TE about fourteen miles away from their drop point. One Five and Double Oh took the first watch while the two others took some rest in the AT-TE’s wreck. There was a large breach on the left side of the Republic walker and it was missing one of its mechanised legs.
“Double Oh?”
“Yes?”
“Keep an eye open, I’ll go scout forward. I’ll be back in thirty forty minutes.”
A quick nod from the sniper and TK-6915 was gone. TE-7500 found the roof of the hexapod walker to be a nice observation point. From there he could observe far away and the upper heavy cannon would provide a good cover in case of emergency.
Alike many desert and arid places, the night was much cooler than the day. The temperature difference was enough to make one feel like it was really cold, not that it was freezing cold alike Ilum. Double Oh found that first watch harassing after a long walk under the sun. The trooper was definitely missing his armour. It would have shielded him from any enemy attack but also from the sun’s heat or the night’s cold and that was definitely the most important to him at that moment.
TK-6915 came back after what seemed to be the whole night. The sniper spotted him very early yet the fire-team leader was almost on him before Double Oh managed to clearly identify him.
“Double Oh?”
It was almost a whisper from the ISB trooper.
“Up there!”
The scout needed some times to realise the sniper was indeed on top of the blown up walker. His very slow moves wouldn’t betray his position. One Five made the face of someone impressed.
“Never thought you EVO troopers could hide that good.”
“I’ve been through scout-trooper training years ago and without my armour I’ve decided to put my hiding skills in a good use. Climb up there, you’ll have a better view of the surrounding area.”
The scout walked in the breach on the AT-TE’s side. He briefly checked over the two other troopers asleep in the back compartment of the wreck. They seemed to be enjoying their rest plunked down on the sits used by 327th Star Corps clonetroopers decades ago. One Five climbed the small ladder leading to the upper hatch and crawled near the upper cannon to hide along Double Oh.
“Did you see anything while I was around?”
“Negative! The place is dead quiet. How about you? Did you see anything out there?”
“Some small rodents here and there but nothing to worry about. No hint of any sentient activity around. Looks like we’re the only ones around here.”
They remained quietly on watch for about an hour. The air was getting colder and the place seemed to get more deserted with every minute.
“So… How’s life in the EVO trooper Corps?”
“Well… Alike any other unit I guess. It’s tough but we know why we’re here and we do it as best as we can. How about you? You’re from ISB or have you been requisitioned for that mission?”
“I’ve been promoted to ISB stormtroopers last year and I definitely like it.”
“Is that very different from regular troopers?”
“Most of our assignments are to hunt down rebels or traitors within the Empire and you have no idea how much there are hiding under the guise of good officers. Our ranks are filled with traitors only waiting for their time to destroy all that has been done.”
Double Oh had a smirk on his face. He was not so surprised to ear such propaganda in the mouth of an ISB trooper. The guy looked obviously convinced there were rebel plots everywhere and only an unshakable fanatic faith in the Imperial New Order dogma was to save him and the whole galaxy from a terrible fate.
“That’s five years I’m stationed on the Stellar Stalker. Five years we’re patrolling the Wild Space. There’s no rebel, no plot and nothing else than people trying to survive here. We’re here to help those people and we don’t care about anything else.”
One Five slowly stood up haughtily looking down at the sniper.
“I’ll give you an advice, my friend. Next time you’re to discuss the Imperial policy either you learn your lessons or you shut up. Those kind of words could shorten your life.”
Nothing else was said during the rest of the watch that kept going on and on. Time was getting slower. The air was getting colder. And ISB troopers were getting more inquisitive and dangerous. Double Oh pondered for some times about who was the enemy nowadays.

The group was back on his feet in the early morning before the sun even showed up. They made another long walk in Saleucami’s desert. The landscape was the same: grey and green shades dotted with the blue of Separatists droids and the red of Republic wrecks. It seemed there was nothing else to be seen on the whole planet.
They saw the small rodents One Five mentioned. Those looked alike nunas but were definitely no nunas. They were running on their four with the head almost buried in the lichens and ashes. The fire-team of TK-6915 was walking on a slower pace than the eve. They reached the objective somewhere in the late afternoon without facing any difficulties.
The objective was a large Lucrehulk-class Droid Control Ship. It was half buried in a small valley after what appeared to have been a not so happy landing. The ashes and lichens of the desert were now mostly covering the ship. The dark blue markings of the CIS were almost faded. On the top of the engines’ section were many transmissions antennas and sensor arrays standing alike a small lonely bush of trees lost in the desert.
“Double Oh and Two Four go find a shelter on the other side oh the hill. We’ll stay here and begin the objective surveillance.”
The team split in two. The ISB stormtroopers took the first watch on the objective while the EVO trooper and his fellow Navy Marine went back on the other side of the hill. After a quick exploration of the surroundings they chose a nice C-9979 wreck to become their holiday camp. It was just the foot of the landing ship since its four long wings were broken and could not be found on the ground. They settled the camp on the top level of the ship. Its height made the area windy but also a good observation and watch site.
Once the camp was settled, they decide to take a short dinner break and begun eating their daily rations. Two Four slowly and carefully looked over his shoulders before getting closer to Double Oh.
“Hey! What’s the meaning of all this?”
It took Double Oh a few seconds to understand the marine was actually talking to him.
“What do you mean?”
“This whole crap? Why did they take us for that mission? Why are we here?”
“Be careful of what you say those ISB guys are not here for the fun and what makes you think I’ll know more than you do?”
“Yesterday while we were on watch, the guy started asking questions about you and your squad leader. I had the strange feeling I was standing in the middle between you Ebola guys and a pack of Vendaxa Acklays.”
Ebola Squad’s sniper made a loud sigh.
“That ISB major came here to get TE-3517’s head. I still don’t know how but this operation is a part of their plan whatever it is.”
“But… Why?”
“These guys do not care about her work or her skills, they just want her to be removed cause she’s not human and stormtroopers are human cause it’s been decided that way.”
“You can’t be serious they wouldn’t come here without any good reason to suspect her. She’s a stormtrooper and deserves military trial to prove her loyalty if need be.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. She’ll never get a trial. Once they’ll decide it’s enough, she’ll be removed: dead or alive.”
The Navy Marine shook his head negatively.
“I find that hard to believe, the captain Van Kerdov would not allow…”
“I’m sorry for you but the old man’s is not able to do anything. I’m sure he’s the suspect number one in their investigation about that non-human conspiracy. Their long term friendship will cost him a lot. What I never ever understood is why he took her under his protection. I’m sure he knew the day will come when he’ll be found guilty of helping her.”
“Man! You’re paranoid! You’re just saying crap. There is no alien plot on the ship.”
Double Oh passed his hand over his face.
“I know there is none. I know. Those ISB are anyway here to find out a plot and judge whoever is guilty. I fear they’re just gonna build the plot and proves if they don’t find what they’re looking for.”
That was the sixth day on Saleucami and the fourth watching the Lucrehulk’s wreck for Double Oh and Two Four. They were teaming up together having the day watch, while the two ISB were on night watch. Those were long shifts of about thirteen hours since days were twenty-six hours long on this desert planet. Days were still being very hot but there were enough of wrecks around to find some shadow where the air was obviously cooler.
The two soldiers hadn’t had a discussion since the second day and their disagreement. Double Oh was obviously disappointed by the marine’s naivety.
“This is such a useless waste of time!”
Jos raised an eyebrow glancing at Two Four.
“What is it you call a waste of time?”
“I know too well what you’re going to answer but why are we here? There is nothing or no one in that wreck. It’s been four days without any movement.”
“The night watch teams reported some activity you know.”
“I’m beginning to think you were not completely wrong.”
The Marines was obviously disturbed and ashamed by his confession. He had maybe been trained for battle but not to fight enemies he should consider as friends. He took a gulp from the water bottle he had taken with him and glanced back at the sniper.
“What’s that smirk on your face? Want to tell me you were right I was wrong? Come on! Go ahead!”
“That smirk on my face, as you call it, it’s because I’ve spotted them.”
“Who and where?”
Two Four took his electrobinoculars to his eyes. He searched for about a minute the direction Double Oh was telling him to look at. That was about two or three miles across the valley. Hidden on the top of an HAV/A5 Juggernaut’s wreck were two people: probably militiamen in arms or some kind of mercenaries.
“I see them… But wait! Isn’t that…”
“Yes, that’s my guys Nine One and Five Four.”
“That’s not so surprising. Did you spot the third team?”
“I think I saw them yesterday but there is nothing today where they were.”
Double Oh showed him the vague location where the third team was located on the day before. They watched the area for more or less half an hour without seeing anything or anybody. When suddenly…
“Behind the vulture droid, isn’t that a sniper?”
Double Oh slowly and slightly moved watching the pointed direction through the scope of his own E-11 sniper rifle.
“Got him! Ten meters on the right near the blown up tank. That one is looking for us.”
“Can you recognize them?”
“I do believe it’s the sergeant-major but I’m not sure. What is sure is the second one is aiming straight at my guys. Their position is definitely compromised.”
“Don’t tell me you’re going to open fire at them!”
“Not now, no… but an unknown sniper aiming at my guy that’s what I call an emergency. Are you to try stopping me?”
There were a couple of seconds before the marine decided to answer.
“No, I’m agreeing with you on this one: those snipers are not from our team. We’re here to watch that wreck not watch each other, so it can’t be one of us.”
Double Oh grabbed his comlink and pressed the emergency button twice. Four seconds later Eight Six voice came in. The sniper adjusted his position and a small ‘clic’ indicated he had removed the safety of the gun. Both troopers saw the enemy sniper pull out his comlink when Double Oh had called. This was indeed the sergeant-major.
“Eight Six. Report?”
“Double Oh, sir! Mission is compromised. I have a positive sight on a two men sniper team on location… Aurek Senth Senth Two. I confirm one of them as a fix on Nine One and Five Four. Second one is searching for us. Permission to shoot, sir?”
“Negative, don’t let them know you’re here. Hold your position but do not fire! I repeat: do not fire!”
“Sir, I’ll insist they have a clear shot on Nine One and Five Four.”
“Copy that Double Oh, wait for further orders.”
“Roger, sir.”
They waited for less than two minutes before the snipers begun to slowly retreat and another two minutes later TK-6986’s voice came in again.
“Double Oh? Permission to shoot! I repeat you have a green to go.”
“They’re gone, sir. Just when I told you. I think our communications are compromised, sir.”
“Copy that. Did you saw who they were?”
“Negative, sir!”
“Keep your eyes open and report further activity. Eight Six over.”

Twenty minutes later, Double Oh and Two Four were still watching the last position of the two ISB snipers. Two Four was obviously bothered by what happen but he seemed to finally trust Ebola’s sniper.
“That was weird! I don’t get it. Why were they aiming at us?”
“You mean behind the obvious paranoid reason I already gave you?”
“Even if they want to get your sergeant’s head, why were they aiming at us? And why are we here watching that empty wreck?”
“I have no ideas but I got a very strong and unpleasant feeling.”
A couple more minutes went by before Double Oh asked.
“Are you with me on this one?”
With a second or two of hesitation Two Four slowly nodded.
“We have enough time to reach Nine One and come back before the others realised we’ve moved.”
“Let’s go then!”
The two soldiers slowly moved from their shadowy cover. They moved from wreck to wreck being extremely careful not to be spotted by anybody. They needed more or less eighty minutes before reaching the two other Ebola’s troopers. Double Oh made sure he was close enough to be heard in a whisper but he also was well behind cover not to be shot down.
“Dumb? Dumb? You ear me?”
There was no answer but the distinctive sound of blasters safety being removed and slow moves on the top of the Juggernaut.
“Who’s that?”
“That’s Double Oh, you bloody idiot!”
They all gathered behind the Juggernaut’s wreck since the wheeled tank was offering a good place to hide behind.
“What are you two doing here?” Asked Dumb.
“We came to warn you this whole operation is a trap. One of the ISB guys was pointing a sniper rifles at you just two hours ago.”
There was a dead silence for a couple of second Nine One and Five Four were starring at each other.
“We saw them yesterday but without any rifle.”
“I saw them yesterday without any gun indeed. But one of them definitely had a fix on you and for a second there I thought he was to shoot. Did you get any order to back off or any word on your situation being compromised?”
“Nope we didn’t have any contact with anyone since we took our shift.”
“And did you see any activity near that wrecked ship?”
“Nothing at all! Though the guys of night shift reported some activity. I don’t get it! What’s going on here?”
The four troopers were pondering for a moment, something strange was going on and something was about to happen.
“Have you been ordered to take position on that particular spot?”
“No they trust us with how we handle the surveillance job.”
“Alright! Beginning tomorrow we’ll all take position by the downed LAAT/i over there.”
Double Oh pointed the rendezvous point for everybody to see it.
“I have no idea what’s gonna happen next but I’d rather have back up if something happens. Two Four, do you know those two other troopers from the Stellar Stalker who have been deployed with us.”
“Yes, I do. They’re not on your side. I did hear them spoke of your squad leader as a problem. We’d better assume they’re with ISB.”
There was a cough from Five Four. He slowly spoke his voice was very cautious and somewhat ill at ease.
“Sir? Are we… Seriously considering taking arms against other Imperial troopers? That’s not what I signed for!”
“None of us signed for that kind of crap. As for your question: No, we’re just being careful.”
“Double Oh, we’ll have to go if we want to get back before the two others come to take over.”
A couple minutes later Two Four and Double Oh were getting back to their observation point. Later that night, they decided to take a watch tour and sleep each other on his turn.
Next morning the four troopers met near the downed LAAT/i. They organised themselves with two men on watch and two other resting. Those last two would be able to stand a watchful guard back at the main camps during the night.
Double Oh took leadership of the small group and Two Four was forced to admit he could one day become a good squad leader… though he was more and more acting as a paranoid.
Days went by without any activity: no sniper, no watching team.
The lack of ‘enemy’ activity was not making Double Oh less suspicious. Nothing happened and when asked the sniper would say it was the calm before the storm. And he was damn right!
Thanks to Double Oh’s idea, ISB’s trap didn’t worked out as planned. Double Oh was on his watch tour in the cold night of Saleucami. Both him and Five Four were back in their C-9979 wreck for the night. The night was really dark.
At first glance it was just shadows moving at distance and then Jos relised there were more shadows moving on the other side of the blown-up tank. He quickly woke up his fellow Marine trooper.
They sent the distress signal to the two other troopers of Ebola on a very special frequency they agreed on earlier. But it would take them about an hour and an half o come if they weren’t under attack too.
The comm. signal was very short, about a second and if it wasn’t confirmed in the next two minutes it would mean that was no exercise. A jamming device was activated somewhere and the second signal would never come to be sent.
“Comms are jammed, we won’t be able to bluff them away this time. What are we going to do?”
Double Oh’s glance was enough of an answer and just to make sure there was no doubt about what was in his mind, he flicked off. his gun’s safety.
“Are you really willing to start a shoot-out?” Asked Five Four half astonished and half disgusted. “No way!”
The marine trooper jumped on his feet and shoot out at the incoming shadows.
“Sergeant, is that you?”
There was no answer but a volley of laser shots.

Reserved until next update

I will read it, you haver permission to slap me about until i do!

Thanks for you promise PJK as a thank I will not slap you as you asked. I couldn't slap one of my fellow future-guildie I just won't be you won't hold a grudge on that and remind me once I'll be painfully dieing at the hands of those jedi scums...

EDIT: Oh! and I'm stil more than willing to get any and everyfeedback and comments available. What you like, what you don't like...
If you want to I can give access to the online workspace to read or download the .doc version, just PM me an e-mail address and I'll add you in the readers' list.

Heya Soude;just to let you know I've not forgotten about Behind the Armor - far from it in fact - I'm just waiting until its complete before I read it all ^^

I get quite a lot of spare time at work so I intend to do it there and read it at my own pace to give it the attention it deserves.

Updated the whole thingy for those of you willing to read it. As for you, LW, I'm trying to puit up a whole novel so it may need a year or two before I manage to reach the end