A Multi Pov Short I Wrote While Ago

[Mickey 1]

I'm a newcomer here, thought I'd share one of my stories, hope you enjoy.

Dramatis Personae

Grask Lar?kia, male Bothan, political student at Imperial University

Srit Grase, male human, Imperial Royal Guard

Deetsen Myrile, female human, Imperial Starfighter Academy cadet

Kiljian Lisden, male human, entrepreneur arms smuggler for Imperials and illegal weapons builder

The Dark Times

An Aspiring Politician

It had been three years now since I?d left my homeworld of Bothawui. I?d entered the Imperial University on Coruscant, in hopes of one day being a Senator for my homeworld. I was naive then, I knew little of the actual government, as few did.

As I had found out, through some ?illegal? means, the Senate had been dissolved some six and a half standard years ago. The systems had been under control of the regional governors. The Imperial government was extremely frugal with what information they let out to the public. They often dispelled much of the information that the Rebel Alliance had been putting out as rumors and propaganda.

Still, the professors of government and political science at the university, who were under the payroll of the Empire, would deny the death of the Emperor, which had supposedly occurred some two and a half years ago. They also told us the tales of a New Republic being formed from the Rebel Alliance were nothing more than propaganda.

I wished the tales were true, never aloud though, as that could be grounds for an execution under Imperial Law. My dreams of being a politician, making the decisions to help shape the galaxy, would never be filled under the Empire?s control. The Empire was extremely oppressive to ?alien? races, or non-humans. They held even stronger prejudices towards Bothans. Many Bothans had defected from the Imperial control in their system and begun working with the Alliance.

I had seen some of my fellow Bothans at the academy disappear. One told me only days before his disappearance that his father had provided intelligence to destroy a superweapon of some sort that belonged to the Empire. He said his father had paid the ultimate sacrifice, and revealed his fear that he would face retribution for his father?s actions.

Somehow through all this I had managed to not draw any attention to myself. I had actively been trying to glean as much information as I could from off-world sources. Most of these sources were anti-Empire and just so much as reading their publications or watching their news holos, were grounds for execution. I had also begun covertly meeting with other Coruscantians to discuss these matters.

I eagerly awaited the day when this New Republic would bring down the iron-fisted rule of the Empire, and release the people of Coruscant and other Core worlds from its stranglehold. The oppression needed to end, and hopefully the New Republic would have use for an ambitious young senator.

* * *

A Loyal Guard

I had been in service for a number of years now, about seven, I think. I had once been one of the Emperor?s closest Royal Guards. I had received my training on the planet Carida and was handpicked by the Emperor himself. For over four years, he had entrusted his life to my skills. But I hadn?t been there the day that Rebel scum Jedi killed him. In fact, I had barely escaped with my own life, as the second Death Star was turned to particles.

Being stationed in the Imperial palace hadn?t been so bad, but these past few years I?d begun to wonder. The public still, for the most part, believed the Emperor lived. Of course I knew that to be false. I?d wondered, however, if the Empire was becoming weak.

I?d been an extremely loyal Imperial, the most loyal of the loyal, but corruption seemed to be rampant these days. The people seemed unruly and in dissent. The New Republic, as the Rebels now called themselves, seemed to be winning over support.

It was only a matter of time now, before they made their sweep into Coruscant. Being as close to the Imperial?s forces as anyone could be, I knew we lacked the strength to repel them. I also knew many of my comrades were in an almost brainwashed state of fanaticism. I was a more rational being.

If the Rebels came my services and knowledge would be in great demand. A few years ago these thoughts would have never found their way into my conscience, but our leadership was weak and my superiors were ruthless, power hungry, and bloodthirsty scoundrels. They had no compassion for the people they ruled, and I?d begun to gain some.

The atrocities I?ve seen would change most people?s viewpoints. In the past year, I had begun to question my own loyalties. Part of me wanted to see this evil Empire fall, yet one side of me still clung with fervor to my fanatic loyalty.

Only time could tell which would remain standing. And only by staying alive another day, would I allow the opportunity to find out. I would never dream of speaking my treasonous thoughts aloud.

* * *

A Forlorn Fighter Pilot

Making it as a starfighter pilot was by no means an easy task. I was however a great pilot in my own right; yet I had seen pilot after pilot accelerated past me. In the Academy, the speed and duration of your training period was based on your skill level, those that had no skill were left as washouts, flushed out of the academy.

I had somehow been in the academy for three years now, most washouts were gone after two and most pilots at my skill level received commencement after a year or year and a half. It still surprised me a bit, although it shouldn?t have, female pilots were rare almost non-existent in the Empire, and I blamed my apparent lack of progress on that fact. I easily had the talent, as of yet I was undefeated in simulations.

The Empire?s biased toward females wasn?t as strong as it was towards non-humans, but it still was obvious in the lack of females in any important post. All of the bureaucrats, and Imperial officers were male. My situation looked hopeless. Ironically, though, the Rebels were lead by women, in the defected Senators Mon Mothma and Leia Organa.

Perhaps, the Rebels need a good pilot. The thought of defecting had crossed my mind several times in the last couple of years. It seemed too risky though, but what have I got going on here in the Academy for me? All I needed was a plan and timing.

I had dreamed since I was a child of being a pilot. I received a skyhopper for one of my birthdays during my teen years. Exact events of my past were hard to remember now, with the intensive training and rigors of Starfighter Academy, washing most of them out of my mind. I do, however, always remember my mother being against my piloting, claiming ?it?s not proper for an aristocratic Chandrillian lady like yourself.?

Chandrilla, I hardly remember my homeworld now. I left it at the age of nineteen, when I was finally accepted into the Academy. I often was homesick, but I never really had the time to ponder on it, as we stayed quite busy. I missed the pristine cities, flowing grasslands, and crystal clears waters; nothing like the polluted planet-wide city of Coruscant. Luckily we didn?t have to spend all that much time actually outside, on the surface of the planet.

I missed those free, careless times as well. I wish we were allowed to drop out, but I?d heard that few dropouts made it home, ever. A rumor I supposed, but I didn?t want to find out. The Empire was in a state of crisis, and its cruelties were escalating, anything was feasible.

Soon, soon the Empire will be defeated, I hoped silently to myself, and soon the Rebels will come and then I will be free. I started to fall asleep with high hopes of a new life with equal treatment, and maybe even a little freedom, I thought sarcastically as I closed my eyes.

* * *

A ?Respectable? One

The days of my running a tramp freighter around the galaxy smuggling ?illegal? goods was now over. I?d finally been able to set up a shipping company that was viewed as legitimate by the great Empire. I owed much of my new success to the Empire. I?d been a smuggler back in the days of the Republic, some twenty years ago, and had a price on my head from that pitiful government.

They weren?t too fond of us weapons dealers and shippers. They feared their weak government would fall due to anarchy. When the Empire finally rose I?d signed on with them to start shipping weapons for them. I began moving small time loads, prototype weapons from their research and development facilities, back to Imperial City or other destinations for testing by troops.

I was still making some spice shipments and other contraband, to make more money on the side. While Imperial interdictions and blockades were hammering other smugglers, they let me slip right by because of my affiliation with them. Life had been good due me the past several years.

I owed so much to the Empire, and professed my loyalty even when the Rebels were offering great sums of money for freighter pilots to run weapons and equipment for them. I instead, on quite a few occasions, would get directions and bring a few of my ships and recover the usually stolen contraband and return the confiscated property back to the Empire.

Not surprisingly, the Rebels had put a bounty on my head, nothing new for a person like myself but a nuisance nonetheless. The Empire saw my value and was quick to cover my back. I never had much problem with bounty hunters or the like. I?d feared pirates in my early years, but now the Rebels feared me as a pirate. An interesting bit of irony I thought.

After several years of hard work and dedication, the gracious Imperial leaders offered me one of the weapons research and development facilities took the offer and was thrust into the world of a businessman. I used much of the money I was making to buy and old Blastech facility and started mass-producing some of the prototypes. To save shipping overheard, I refurbished some of my old freighters and set up my own shipping company, and behind closed doors I ran a ?piracy company.?

We continued to chip away at those frail Rebels. It seemed now they were beginning to gain momentum and power. They started claiming a couple of years ago that they had killed his Excellency, the Emperor. They also claimed that they were forming a ?New Republic.? I had to make sure that their evil wouldn?t overtake our government, so in conjunction with regional governments, I began to increase my efforts to bring down the Rebel scum.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I still worried. I worried that the Empire may not be able to hold out against these seditious anarchists. I would lose everything.

The Dawning of a New Era

A Change in Policy

I was awoken by a series of thunderous booms. Leaping from my bed I rushed to the viewport. It was still nighttime outside, although on Coruscant it really was never more than dusk with all the city?s lights. Being on one of the top floors of the University housing complex, I was allowed a great view of the Imperial City. I looked to abyss-like streets below and saw nothing, then to the skies where a disturbing sight was unfolding.

Ships, fighters and larger tore through the skies engaged in combat. The University was within my view and I could se explosions taking place. It appeared to be a bombing raid, and it looked as though the weapons research wing was the target. I knew at that moment that this was something serious. The Imperial University weapons research program was one of the Empire?s most prized possessions. A strike at that icon could mean only one thing: the Rebels were here!

I quickly began to pack all my things. I?ve got to get off this rock, I thought to myself. A list of my friends ran through my mind, who else is going to want to go with me? Nobody came to mind, except maybe that Quarren student Kralla. Luckily, he lived just down the hall. I better grab my stuff; I grabbed my datapad and walked over to the corner of my small room. I got hold of the corner of the carpet and started pulling it up. Underneath were a rectangular seam and a small input port. I plugged my datapad into the port and typed in the lock combination. The seams separated the hatch opened up.

I?d installed this stash compartment about a year ago, inside was my cache for a rainy day. Today looked rainy. I pulled out two brand new blaster carbines and a belt with several power packs attached to it. I strapped on the belt and slung my pack, filled with my belongings, over my shoulder. I looked out the hall to make sure the cost was clear and ran down the hall to Kralla?s room. He let me right in and I explained the situation to him.

?I?m surprised they haven?t come for us yet,? he started with his thick accent.

?What do you mean? Who?s coming for us?? I asked a bit panicked.

?Haven?t you been watching the holos?? he asked and gestured over to his viewing equipment tuned in to illegal Rebel channels. ?It?s all over them, the Empire has been rounding up, even killing, non-humans all over the planet.?

?Here take this, we might need it then,? I handed him the spare blaster. ?Let?s get out of here!?

We ran out the hall and headed for the turbolift. I really didn?t have much of a plan, maybe try to find a Rebel groundforce, or we?d just head for the spaceport. I hoped there would be some Rebel forces making landing at the spaceport. We were just about in the turbolift, when I heard some shouting.

?There goes some of those aliens, down by the turbolift,? an angry voice came from behind us.

I looked back to see a group of white armor-clad men pointing their guns at us. I opened fire and managed to take them down. Being trained at a young age in combat, as most Bothans were, I had little trouble shooting them down. We got into the lift and I keyed in the bottom floor, the lift shot down its tube. Moments later the turbolift came to a halt. We exited and trotted to the front door of the housing complex to an unwelcome site. A group of stormtroopers was standing around a transport speeder. Actually, this might be a good thing: free speeder.

Kralla and I ducked behind a pair of pillars in the entranceway. I nodded to him and he understood. We leaned around the columns and opened fire. The stormtroopers, standing out in the open, made easy targets. Once the area was cleared, we ran for the speeder. After collecting the dead troopers? weapons and jumping in the large speeder, we set course for the spaceport.

We hardly spoke as we approached the spaceport. I weaved the ship through the frenzied maelstrom of traffic. As the spaceport came into view, we were welcomed with more good fortune. The Rebels had decided to make this one of their landing spots. I brought the speeder into an opening in the spaceport, hoping that they didn?t shoot me down. They didn?t, and we landed in a speeder zone and exited with our hands in the air. A group of Rebel soldiers came up to us, guns down. ?You two looking for some help?? one of the soldiers asked in a friendly tone.

?You have no idea,? I let out with a smile.

* * *

Loyalty to One?s Self

?Grase! Grase!? a voice rudely interrupted my sleep cycle. ?Get up Grase! The Rebels are here!?

?What?!? I exclaimed, as I spun from my bunk. I began to throw on my red robes of the Royal Guard. ?What?s going on?? I asked my fellow trooper who stood there already dressed.

?The came in an aerial assault, bombing several sections of the city. They?ve landed in several spaceports and out in front of the palace itself,? he explained. ?The Admirals want us to be their guards until they can make their departure.?

?Where are they?? I wondered.

?Up in the central command station,? he noticed I was dressed and added, ?You ready to move out??

?Affirmative.? We headed out the door and took the turbolift from the Guard?s barracks to the central command station. It was a direct trip and we exited into the room itself.

?Guards, good of you to join us,? Admiral Kiens greeted us. ?We are only awaiting our shuttle?s preparations, then we will leave.?

?Have you given the evacuation orders to the rest of the forces?? I asked him.

?No of course not, they will stay here and fight to the death. I doubt the can overcome the Rebel forces, but there is a chance. Besides, we?re only leaving in case it gets ugly.?

One of the crimson Guards spoke up, ?Sir, I request permission to stay here and fight to uphold the palace.?

?Denied, we needed you to protect us,? Kiens answered an edge of annoyance in his voice.

?But, sir...? the guard spoke out again, uncharacteristically for a high disciplined Royal Guard, but he was silenced by Kien?s sharp glare.

A beeping sounded from the room?s com unit and on of the technicians reported, ?You?re shuttle?s are ready sirs.?

?Grase and Daors, you?re with me,? Admiral Kiens pointed at us. ?Let?s move.?

We flanked the Admiral out of the room, and other groups followed behind us. We took the spacious turbolift to the spaceport. We exited and took the hallway down to the rightmost docking bay. Kiens punched in his code and the door opened. The bay was empty, except for the shuttle and us three. Suddenly a plan popped into my head. I could easily pull my blaster, fry Kiens and Daors and then use the shuttle to escape and make a defection.

?Grase! Are you coming?? Kiens turned back to face me.

I suddenly realized that I had stopped, and also became conscious of the blaster in my hand conceal within my robe. This was a turning point. A decision I had to make. I?d been somewhat anticipating a chance to escape as of late, now was my chance. I began to raise my blaster-holding arm, but something in the back of my mind picked at me. ?Yes, sir. Sorry about the delay, I?m coming,? the words just came out of my mouth. I didn?t know what had happened. I followed them up on the ship and we lifted off.

The city was filled with chaos, and I watched out my viewport, glumly, at the battle unfolding. The Rebels appeared to be winning, but I wasn?t on their side. And I didn?t know why.

* * *

A Flight for Freedom

A loud siren screeched through the barracks. It jarred me awake, what now, I thought, still partially asleep.

?This is not a drill, repeat this is not a drill,? a monotonic voice attempted to drown out the siren. ?All cadets, repeat all cadets, report to the fighter bays

I rose groggily from my bunk, as did the other pilots in my room, and began to put on my flight suit. The sirens continued, to my frustration. ?Why won?t those things shut off!? I yelled aloud.

?I don?t think they do,? a guy standing next to me replied.

?Thanks,? sarcasm dripped from my voice as I gave him a faked smile. I followed a couple of already dressed pilots out into the barrack?s hall. All around people asked what was happening, and the siren only added to the mass of confusion. The mob of pilots continued their journey to the fighter bay. Not many of us cadets had actually been into the bay; usually it was reserved for graduates when they went to pick out their fighters. It seemed strange, although the announcements said that it wasn?t a drill, so we probably wouldn?t be using the training TIE fighters. We all filed into the expansive bay. It was definitely enormous, there had to be thousands of TIE fighters stored in here. In front of all of us a man stood on a dais.

?I see the last of you are entering now, good, let?s begin,? he started. ?To make this short, Coruscant is under attack. We need as much starfighter defense we can get. I know some of you haven?t completed your training yet, but I trust you?ll do fine. The TIEs are all ready to go, and full flight gear can be found in the cockpit. Now get to a fighter so we can begin launching.? He turned away and the mass of pilots began moving onto the TIE scaffolding. I climbed a ladder and headed down the gangway to a fighter. I began to drop down into the top opening hatch, when an arm caught my shoulder.

?Hey sweetheart, I don?t think you can handle that big ship. You better let me take it for you,? a scruffy looking young pilot smiled down at me.

?Oh, well you can take this for me,? I smiled back at him, and thrust my fist into his gut. He staggered backwards gasping for breath. ?Bye,? I said and dropped into the ship. I pulled on the flight gear and strapped myself into the seat. My hands flew over the controls as I powered up its systems. The TIEs in front of me began to release from their gantries, as did mine, and we flew out of the hangar bay in formation. The computer relinquished control to me once we exited the hangar?s massive opening. I knew what to do. I punched my throttle to full and broke away from the formation.

?Fighter one-one-two-seven, what are you doing,? a voice came over the com unit. I ignored it and oriented my ship towards the largest massing of Rebel forces. Once I knew I was out of firing range of the mass of TIEs I began to broadcast a friendly signal to the Rebel ships. I hope they believe me. I opened up a communication line to one of the large Rebel cruisers coming into view. ?Attention Rebel cruiser, this is Cadet Deetsen Myrile attempting a defection, requesting permission to land in one of your bays,? my voice came out exited.

?Acknowledged Cadet, and request is granted, you may enter the aft ventral bay, once your weapon systems are powered down,? a reply came from the ship.

A couple of Imperial blips seemed to be converging on my position. I attempted to increase the speed of the already fast TIE Interceptor. I saw that I would make it before them so I powered down my weapons. Sure enough, my sensors picked up the deflector shield lowering around the fighter bay. I swept into the bay and kicked in my repulsors. I lowered the fighter to the bay?s deck and sat back breathing a sigh of relief. I made it.

* * *

A Loss of Business

The fixtures in my luxurious Coruscant office began to rattle. It was very out of the ordinary here, I?d experienced earthquakes on other worlds, but none ever occurred on Coruscant. This was a bit different in that the shakings were intermittent, and despite my soundproof walls I could here what seemed to be explosions. I got up from my work a bit tired and stretched out. I?d spent a long night working through some business dealings with other business on other planets. Walking up to the viewport I used a voice command to open the blinds. I was in the middle of a war zone!

A starfighter-sized ship tore right past my viewport, causing me to jump back a bit. Quickly, I was able to identify it as an X-Wing fighter. It had a TIE fighter in hot pursuit. It took me a moment, but then it popped into my head. The Rebels were attacking. I walked back to my desk and turned down my music, it was one of my favorite Fizz bands. The door to my office opened up just as I was keying my com system.

?Sir, the city is under attack. We tried to contact some of the Imperial heads, but they were all evacuating. I suggest that we do the same,? one of my personal aides told me.

I paused for a moment looking at him. I think he began to wonder if I?d ever speak again. Thoughts continued to race through my mind, ?what now? seemed to be a common one. Words finally emerged from my mouth, words I thought I never say in this context, ?we better evacuate.?

?Yes sir. I will call in some troops, and then we can head to your ship. It should be prepared by now,? the aide turned around and strode away at haste.

I walked back to my desk, sat down, and put my hands on the back of my head. What now, the thought kept beating through my brain like a drum. I was out of business. The Rebels would shut me down, and most likely kill me if I was caught. I was a criminal once again. The troops soon showed up, not stromtroopers as I sometimes had, but my own troops. We headed up a few floors to my complex?s landing platform. We boarded the ship and quickly lifted off, pulling out of my ship?s covered housing. We weaved through the traffic, speeding towards orbit. I kept watch out my viewport, my eyes never left the sight of my building now fading in the distance.

Suddenly, the whole building went up in flames. Apparently they knew that was my complex. It made little difference now, I was already leaving it all behind.. I knew the losses I was taking, losses I could never recover. I also knew that I?d never be able to show my face in a civilized system again. Yes, I thought, I?ve lost everything.

[Drake 53]

Wow. Those were really good stories! Good way to introduce yourself, that's for sure.

Welcome to GB.net, by the way. My name is Drake.

[Mickey 1]

Thanks Drake, and good to meet you. Glad I found this place, it has alot of awesome fan fiction on here.

[Princess 35]

Very good. Welcome, I'm Princess. I have one little aesthetic suggestion though, it'd be easier to read if you stuck an extra space in between the paragraphs just to break it up a little more.

[Andy 60]

Yup that is pretty damn good stuff there.

An welcome, seeying as eveyone else is saying that! :D

[Mickey 1]

unfortunately I was writing that for a class and had a severe length restriction...plus I didn't proofread too well...If I ever finish it I'll post the new one

[Andy 60]

hey don't worry about it. I don't think anyone proofreads... Well... I don't. lol