by Renee Ahdieh
10:41.40…BIOFORM VOICE COMMAND “disengage holorecorder” LOGGED. DISENGAGE HOLORECORDER
“Always leave them with a little flattery at the end there, G7. A little tag like that, so it’s the last thing they hear before they hang up, and it’ll be the first thing they think of the next time you see them. Never hurts. Okay, now go on up to his quarters, deliver the message, and put yourself in standby mode.”
10:41.45…MULTIPLE BIOFORM VOICE COMMANDS LOGGED
“I’ll be up in a few minutes. Just got to…make myself presentable. Do some push-ups.”
10:41.55…AUTONAV ROUTE; ENGAGE MOTORS
—
11:35.33…ARRIVE DESTINATION: OFFICER’S QUARTERS—SECTOR GM1-A
11:35.33…PROXIMITY SENSORS: Bioform detected.
11:35.34…IDENITIFY BIOFORM: Designation unknown. SECURITY LEVEL: Alpha One.
“Yes? Well? What did he say? Is he coming?”
11:35.34…BIOFORM VOICE QUERY “what did he say” LOGGED. ENGAGE HOLORECORDER PLAYBACK
“I say, sir, thank ya kindly for sendin’ my little MSE-6 droid back to me all fixed up so good! Ya got a gift, if that’s not too forward of me, sir. TK-421 out!”
“…My, but he’s laying it on a bit thick…Ah well. The games we play.”
11:36.48…ENTER STANDBY MODE
—
12:03.48…PROMIXIMITY SENSOR: Two bioforms detected.
12:03.49…IDENTIFY BIOFORMS: 1. Designation unknown. SECURITY LEVEL: Alpha One. 2. Designation TK-421. SECURITY LEVEL: Lambda.
12:03.55…EXIT STANDBY MODE
“Sir! TK-421 reporting!”
“I know who you are, trooper. Come inside.”
“Yes, sir—”
“But first, remove your armor.”
“…Sir?”
“Your armor. I don’t want you tracking grease and blaster carbon and who knows what else into my chambers; I’ve just had new carpet put in, and—”
“I see that, sir. It’s lovely. Coruscant fiberweave, isn’t it?”
“…It is indeed. I see there’s more to you than meets the eye, trooper.”
“Ooh, it feels so nice between my toes! That’s quality, you can tell, that’s craftsmanship!…Uh. Um. Where kin ah set down mah armor, sir? While ah work?”
“On the chair next to the bed, trooper….That’s veermok hide, by the way. Nasty creatures.”
“Golly! Very impressive, sir!”
“…Indeed. Well, the aqualesiure unit is through here. You go about your business. I’ve got to…prepare for a meeting with the Joint Chiefs. I’ll just be…right over…here.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Psst! Droid. Execute Imperial Protocol Alpha One. Acknowledge.”
[MEMORY MISSING]
—
[MEMORY MISSING]
XX:XX.XX…EXIT SLEEP MODE
XX:XX.XX…SYNC WITH DS-1OBS Network; ALERT: LOG PASSAGE OF 7.52 CYCLES; SYNC INTERNAL CHRONO
08:33.06…ALERT: MEMORY MISSING
08:33.07…ALERT: LOCATION UNKNOWN; GEOSYNC REQUIRED
08:33.10…RUN SELF-DIAGNOSTIC:
DESIGNATION: MSE-6-G735Y
FUNCTION: Delivery/Repair
ASSIGNED TO: Maintenance Unit, Sector AA-345, DS-1 Orbital Battle Station
SYSTEMS CHECK:
Modular Circuit Matrix Processor: Optimal
Proximity Sensors: Optimal
Internal Bay Sensors: Optimal
Dorsal Doors: Optimal
Holorecorder: Optimal
Dynadrive 9-ES Motors: Optimal
Wheels: Optimal
08:33.15…LOCATION GEOSYNC: Maintenance Unit, Sector AA-345, DS-1 Orbital Battle Station
“Welcome back to the world, G7.”
08:33.16…PROXIMITY SENSORS: Bioform detected.
08:33.20…IDENTIFY BIOFORM: Designation TK-421. Security Level: Beta [NOTE: UPGRADE]
“Yeah, I know, I know. Your memory’s…choppy. Don’t worry. You’re not malfunctioning, it’s…well, he’s just being careful. ‘An abundance of caution,’ he says. He talks like that. In the long run, it’s for the best. Don’t take it personally, okay? He’s…got a lot on him. Lot going on. He’s very stressed.”
08:33.42…BIOFORM VOICE QUERY “don’t take it personally okay” LOGGED. SYNTACTICAL ANALYSIS: INCONCLUSIVE. INSUFFICIENT DATA
“He’s got this shell, you know. This icy exterior. He has to, everything’s riding on him. But with me, he can drop it, and just be himself. We talk about the silliest stuff, G7. Afterward. During, sometimes. He says I’m the only one who can make him laugh. It’s…sweet.
“What I’m saying, G7, is if you can hang in there just a bit longer, we’ll be out of here.
“And between you and me…look, G7, you’re just gonna have to trust me on this…there’s some stuff that you…don’t need to see, frankly. Human-being stuff. Complicated.
“…Messy.
“Anyway, good news: I got us that transfer. Now, it’s not Coruscant—not yet, but we’re getting closer. I’m station security now. Up on the 300 level. It’s not sexy—mostly guard duty, I gather—but it’s a pretty cushy gig, he says. And I get to carry a blaster rifle, and order people around. It’s all very butch.
“We’ll let a little time pass, see, then he taps me to be on his personal detail. And then, G7: Coruscant. You on the droid racing circuit. Me set up in his penthouse—which he says has overhead lighting, okay, but I mean—that’s fixable. It’s got a balcony that faces the Imperial Palace ruins so, you know. Pret-tee sweet.
“Wait, hold on. I’m getting a helmet…transmission…thingy.
“…TK-421 here. Yes, sir.
“My first assignment’s coming down, G7! Guard duty—told you! Guarding a…Commander, please repeat…guarding a captured light freighter. Roger, Commander. TK-421 out.
“Well, there you are. Standing around with a blaster for who knows how many subcycles. Still, it’s just for now, G7.
“Okay, head up to his quarters. He’s going to require your…services, when I get up there.”
08:35.22…BIOFORM VOICE COMMAND “head up to his quarters” LOGGED. RESPONSE REQUIRED: AUTONAV ROUTE; ENGAGE MOTORS
—
09:08.26…ARRIVE DESTINATION: OFFICER’S QUARTERS—SECTOR GM1-A
09:08.27…PROXIMITY SENSORS: Bioform detected.
09:08.28…IDENITIFY BIOFORM: Designation unknown. SECURITY LEVEL: Alpha One.
“What are you doing here? Has…has he sent me something? A message? Or…something else?”
09:08.30…BIOFORM VOICE QUERY “has he sent me something a message or something else” PRIORITY ALPHA ONE LOGGED. RESPONSE REQUIRED, NEGATIVE: Beepboop.
“Then what are you—you know what, never mind. Doesn’t matter. I’ve had a terribly, terribly exciting day at work—gave a presentation that went just exceedingly well—explosively well, heh heh heh heh—and now I’m quite, I’m quite keyed up.
“Find him. Bring him here. Immediately.”
09:09.13…BIOFORM VOICE COMMANDS “find him bring him here immediately” PRIORITY ALPHA ONE LOGGED. RESPONSE REQUIRED: TRACKING/GEOLOCATION SUBROUTINE. EXECUTE
09:09.15…UPLINK TO DS-1OBS NETWORK. SCAN FOR UNIT TK-421 HELMET ID GEOSYNC BEACON
09:09.48…UNIT TK-421 HELMET ID GEOSYNC BEACON LOCATED: DOCKING BAY 327
09:09.50…AUTONAV ROUTE; ENGAGE MOTORS, TOP SPEED
—
09:52.21…ALERT: ROUTE UPDATE REQUIRED: UNIT TK-421 HELMET ID GEOSYNC BEACON IN MOTION DEPARTING DOCKING BAY 327. MOVING ALONG CORRIDOR 327E-6
09:52.30…UPDATE ROUTE TO INTERCEPT AT TURBOLIFT BANK L301-E. ENGAGE MOTORS, TOP SPEED
09:59.02…APPROACHING TURBOLIFT BANK L301-E
09:59.04…PROXIMITY SENSORS: 3 bioforms detected.
09:59.07…IDENTIFY BIOFORMS: 1. Wookiee, designation unknown. Security Level: N/A. Threat Level: Unknown. 2. Designation TK-710. Security Level: Zeta. 3. Designation TK-421. Security Level: Beta [Updated]. EXECUTE “find him bring him here immediately” PRIO
RITY ALPHA ONE VOICE COMMAND RETRIEVAL SUBROUT—
09:59.08…ALERT
09:59.09…ALERT: TK-421 BIOMETRIC ANAMOLY DETECTED. ALERT: TK-421 BIOMETRIC ANAMOLY DETECTED
09:59.10…TK-421 BIODATA IN CONFLICT WITH STORED IMPERIAL NETWORK BIODATA. HEIGHT VARIANCE: -12.7 cm. ATTEMPTING TO RECONCILE
09:59.11…RUN SELF-DIAGNOSTo2j390rtqhwp9
09:59.12…ALERT ALERT WOOKIEE AGGRESSION DISPLAY INITIATED ALERT ALERT ALERT THREAT LEVEL: RED. CANCEL SELF-DIAGNOSTIC ALERT ALERT
09:59.13…ALERT ALERT EXECUTE SELF-PRESERVATION/FLIGHT SUBROUTINE. SHUTDOWN HIGHER FUNCTIONS. ENGAGE MOTORS, TOP SPEED ALERT ALERT
09:59.14…ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT
—
10:05.22…ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT
10:06.23…THREAT LEVEL: GREEN. DISENGAGE SELFPRESERVATION/FLIGHT SUBROUTINE. RESTORE HIGHER FUNCTIONS
10:06.38…RUN SELF-DIAGNOSTIC:
DESIGNATION: MSE-6-G735Y
FUNCTION: Delivery/Repair
ASSIGNED TO: Maintenance Unit, Sector AA-345, DS-1 Orbital Battle Station
SYSTEMS CHECK:
Modular Circuit Matrix Processor: SUBOPTIMAL. MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF MISSING MEMORY DETECTED
Proximity Sensors: Optimal
Internal Bay Sensors: Optimal
Dorsal Doors: Optimal
Holorecorder: Optimal
Dynadrive 9-ES Motors: Optimal
Wheels: Optimal
10:07.41…LOCATION GEOSYNC: Maintenance Unit, Sector AA-345, DS-1 Orbital Battle Station.
10:47.45…ENTER SLEEP MODE
[MEMORY MISSING]
—
[MEMORY MISSING]
XX:XX.XX…EXIT SLEEP MODE
XX:XX.XX…SYNC WITH DS-1OBS Network; ALERT: LOG PASSAGE OF 3.73 CYCLES IN STANDBY MODE; SYNC INTERNAL CHRONO
08:33.03…ALERT: MEMORY MISSING
08:33.07…ALERT: LOCATION UNKNOWN; GEOSYNC REQUIRED
08:33.10…RUN SELF-DIAGNOSTIC:
DESIGNATION: MSE-6-G735Y
FUNCTION: Delivery/Repair
ASSIGNED TO: Maintenance Unit, Sector AA-345, DS-1 Orbital Battle Station
SYSTEMS CHECK:
Modular Circuit Matrix Processor: SUBOPTIMAL. MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF MISSING MEMORY DETECTED
Proximity Sensors: Optimal
Internal Bay Sensors: Optimal
Dorsal Doors: Optimal
Holorecorder: Optimal
Dynadrive 9-ES Motors: Optimal
Wheels: Optimal
08:33.15…LOCATION GEOSYNC: OFFICER’S QUARTERS—SECTOR GM1-A
08:33.16…ALERT: PROXIMITY SENSORS: Bioform detected.
“Your master, little droid. He’s dead.”
08:33.17…IDENITIFY BIOFORM: Designation unknown. SECURITY LEVEL: Alpha One.
“Murdered. By rebel scum. Stole his armor, and stuffed that rather…remarkable body of his in a crawl space.
“I want you to know they will…they will pay. In mere seconds, this station will annihilate the last pitiful dregs of the Rebellion, and your master will be avenged.
“He was…cleverer than he let on. He thought I didn’t notice, but…ah well. I had…such plans for him, you know. For…for us. Such plans.”
08:34.05…ALERT: PROXIMITY SENSORS: EXPLOSION DETECTED ON 100 Level, Sector GM1-B, Corridor L104E. MINOR FLUCTUATION IN BATTLE STATION MAGNETIC SHIELD. EXECUTE REPAIR SUBROUTINE. AUTONAV ROUTE; ENGAGE MOTORS
“Where do you think you’re going? Stay here!”
08:34.011…BIOFORM VOICE COMMAND “stay here” PRIORITY ALPHA ONE LOGGED. DISENGAGE MOTORS
“This rebel attack on the station is inconsequential. They are pests, mynocks, vaporizing themselves against our outermost defenses. Ignore them, and whatever minor damage they manage to incur before snuffing themselves out.
“Because today, little one, today you are no lowly repair and maintenance droid. Today and today only, for your master’s sake, you shall stand witness to the awesome destructive power of this battle station.”
08:34.49…ALERT: PROXIMITY SENSORS: EXPLOSION DETECTED ON 200 Level, Sector XR-8, Corridor R383E. MICROBREACH IN ION CONTAINMENT CASING. DO NOT EXECUTE REPAIR SUBROUTINE, PRIORITY ALPHA ONE
“The feckless fools! Let them come! Now. I am headed to the command bridge. Wait thirty seconds, and follow me there. Find a good spot to view the destruction, but stay out of sight, and keep out from underfoot, and do not acknowledge me in the room. Understood?”
08:35.45…MULTIPLE VOICE COMMANDS LOGGED, PRIORITY ALPHA ONE. RESPONSE REQUIRED, AFFIRMATIVE: Beepbeep.
08:35.50…PROXIMITY SENSORS: Bioform departed.
08:36.20…AUTONAV ROUTE; ENGAGE MOTORS
—
08:36.36…ALERT ALERT
08:36.37…ALERT INCIDENT REPORT: EXPLOSION EN ROUTE…ALERT INCIDENT REPORT: EXPLOSION EN ROUTE…ALERT DAMAGE TO MSE-6 UNIT INCURRED
08:36.38…EXPLOSION SOURCE: Corridor wall.
08:36.43…ALERT: CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO MSE-6 UNIT DETECTED. SEVERAL SYSTEMS IN SHUTDOWN
15:00.19…RUN DAMAGE ASSESSMENT SELF-DIAGNO2xx19h0p
DESIGNATION: MSE-6 hu95rxxseaq45
FUNCTION: Delivery/Rep28h3t8940h
ASSIGNED TO: Maintenance Uni5 y7j778j90yu89p
SYSTEMS CHECK:
Modular Circuit Matrix Processor: SUBOPTIMj29034th1uht94h
Proximity Sensors: SUBOPT29428t7180jg390
Internal Bay Sensors: OFFLINE
Dorsal Doors: OFFLINsquw932jirj
Holorecorder: OFFLINE
Dynadrive 9-ES Motors: SUBOPTIn29j—[ifj92gj
Wheels: LF, LR OFFLIN0i09iE
15:00.26…EXTENSIVE BLAST DAMAGE DETECTED. INTERNAL BAY BREACHED. DORSAL DOORS FUSED SHUT, ADVANCED CARBON SCORING ACROSS ENTIRE CHASSIS
“Hey. Look at you, little guy. You’re pretty worse for wear, hunh?”
15:00.54…PROXIMITY SENSORS: Bioform detected.
15:00.58…IDENTIFY BIOFORM: …working…working…
“That wall panel fried you good when it blew. Saw the whole thing. Figured you were a goner for sure. But no, you’ll be okay. Man, you’re a sturdy thing.”
15:01.13…IDENTIFY BIOFORM: …working…working…
“Rebel base, 30 seconds and closing.”
“I gotta get to my station. I’ll come back for you, afterward, and patch you up.”
15:01.23…IDENTIFY BIOFORM: …working…working…
“Not too good, though, right? You’ll wanna keep some battle scars. Make you look tough. Like, I’d definitely keep those badass streaks of carbon scoring, if I were you.”
15:01.33…IDENTIFY BIOFORM: …working…working…
“Rebel base, in range.”
15:01.43…IDENTIFY BIOFORM: Stormtrooper, designation…working…
“Funny, but in this lighting, you know what those streaks look like? Is racing str—”
I’m back on the Death Star for about two seconds before the alarm sounds. I’m sore and tired, my head is killing me; all I’m trying to do is end my shift. My sidearm is racked at the depot, my black-and-whites are in detox, I’ve entered my helm feed into the log station, and I’m all set to shower off the sour desert stink of Tatooine when I hear it. Which alarm is this? Short, short, long. Short, short, long. Short, short, long. Pause. Short, short, long, and on and on. Intruder alert. Great. If this is a drill, I swear to the ancients I will lead the revolt myself. My head is throbbing now, in time with the alarm. Short, short, long. Ow, ow, owww.
The hygiene chamber is ten meters in front of me, calling me like an oasis on that awful desert planet, if it had had the good sense to have an oasis. I’m so close that I can smell the solvents, but I can feel the moff descending on me. If I sprint, will I make it? My calves clench. My quadriceps dare me to run. Short, short, long. Short, short, long. Clack clack clack. The moff’s boots freeze me where I am. I stand at attention in nothing but my towel. The moff is here, standing between me and the hygiene chamber door. He sneers at my towel as if
it had something nasty printed on it about the Emperor.
“That alarm.” The moff points above his head to the sound that comes from everywhere. “Do you think it’s for other people?”
The alarm is for exactly other people. Troopers starting their shift, their armor crisp and clean. My shift is over. I did a triple. I’m fried from two suns competing to see which one would take me down. I can still taste the sand. I’m lucky it didn’t fritz my armor like it did TD-422’s and TD-909’s. TD-328’s helmet cracked in a sandstorm and we were sped here on the hurry-up instead of continuing with the Devastator to Alderaan. He’s in the infirmary and I can’t claim to feel much better. My head is throbbing. I feel like I’m coming down with something. I’m completely spent. If the order were given, I could go to sleep right here, standing up like a tauntaun. I would give anything to get that order. But no one ever gives the order to sleep.
“Sir, no sir,” I say. “I hear it.”
“Hear this, TD-110,” he cautions. “There are intruders upon my base.” As moffs always seem to do, he’s telling me something I already know. “No stormtrooper will be granted reprieve until this situation is rectified.”
Reprieve. Rectified. Moffs are so clever with words. They read more than we grunts get the chance to, because we’re busy fighting their battles for them. Must be nice. Someday, I hope I’ll get to deploy wit in the direction of the strong, armed, and armored without fear of being blasted the second my back is turned.
As always, I forget the class struggle the moment I suit up. Maybe it’s the sense memory and adrenaline of being in the line of fire, or maybe it’s the cool temperature and pure oxygen, but I’m no longer exhausted. My head feels clear; the once throbbing pain is just a dull pull behind my ears, as if I’m straining to hear something. I feel strong. I’ve got my sidearm in my hand and my unit by my side. Anyone idiot enough to sneak onto a weaponized stronghold with Death right in its name will die today, and hopefully we’ll get to help kill them.
This has always been the life. I have nearly entirely forgotten my time growing up on the wilds of Parsh, for I may as well have been feral. The same could be said of everyone on Parsh back then. It was, in its eon-spanning infancy, wild. Clannish, starving, and wild. My time as a helpling was pathetic. I needed the protection of my clan’s Alphon most often, and therefore I most often aroused his ire. This time is thin in my recall as it is so far behind me as to have happened to someone else. When the Empire found us, they yoked the Alphoni and put them to work building mines. I was mostly ignored, for I was still frail, a useless helpling. My Alphon still saw me fed, for he found a new purpose for me. He used my invisibility to have me pass messages to the other yoked Alphoni. His intent was revolution. It was then that I found a new purpose for my Alphon. I reported on him to the Empire. I was no longer useless or invisible. I neutralized my Alphon myself with a sidearm they gave me for that purpose. Size and strength are nothing to a blaster. That was the day I was born. The burning blood of my Alphon was my baptism. New Parsh, now a sophisticated labyrinth of cloud cities, shines like a jewel in the crown of the Empire, just as I, with my will and my training, am an armored glove on its fist.
