"My Lord, the Emperor requires your presence at once." 

The voice echoed throughout his private chambers.

He sat in the very centre of it, kneeling on the cold floor. His cloak surrounded him - his face hidden in the shadow of the hood. His volcanic like eyes flashed open, recognising the voice that had just called out to him.  They darted around the room trying to locate the voice's owner.  He soon stood up, his tall height almost towering over everything. He swiftly turned around, his cloak dramatically flaring out as he did so, coming face to helmet with the voice's rightful owner.  He looked down to see a skeleton.

A skeleton that encased a living being. A  white plastoid composite that struck fear into the hearts of citizens of the empire. Armour that stripped its wearer of their individuality. Armour that marked them as a toy. A stormtrooper. A toy to the Empire.

The only thing that set this stormtrooper apart from others was an orange pauldron that had made itself at home on the troopers right shoulder.  A commander.

"Inform him I am busy, Captain." responded Darth Vader, his long cloak flowing behind him. Darth Vader was the number one name that struck fear into the new Empire. His cloaked face met the Captain's before storming off.

"Tell my Master I am occupied," he stated meeting the gaze of the trooper hidden behind the skull like helmet all stormtroopers donned. He could sense the fear tje trooper felt towards him. He smirked - fear was good for keeping order around here.

"As you command my Lord,"

Bowing out of fear, the trooper swiftly exited the room, leaving the second most feared man in the galaxy to his business.

Head held high, the Commander marched down the  artificially lit corridor, their fear growing with each step they took closer towards their destination - an office fit for nothing more than a meer commander of stormtroopers.

Crampt & every shade of grey imaginable, the Commander's office overlooked the pleasant view of a wall. There was just about enough room to squeeze in a desk alongside a chair behind it & a narrow walk way. The artifical lighting reflected off the screen of a data pad that had been left there; most likely full of standard procedures that required attention.

Fear channeled up the spine of the Commander as a hologram flickered to life. Fearful for their life, they dropped to the floor in a kneeling, head bowed. "My Emperor...."

"Not good enough Commander, not good enough at all..." denounced the voice of the most feared man in in the galaxy - Emperor Palpatine.

Just like Vader's face, his was also hidden in the shadow of a hood. Two  beady volcanic like eyes disturbingly glared out from the darkness of the hood, looking for their next victim.

In under a second, the commnder was floating, hands grasped around their throat struggling to breathe. Eventhough he wasn't physically there, Palpatine joyfully used the force to roughly slam the Commander into the wall. A disturbingly satisfactory smile crept onto his face, bearing off his yellow teeth.

"You failed to follow orders, Commander" he simply stated, a cackle escaping from him. He increased the hold on the Commander's  throat. "This is your punishment." 

Lightheaded, the Commander continued to struggle against the Emperor's hold. Blood treacled down the back of their head. This armour is shit and I'm about to die in it.

Still not satisfied with his punishment, Palpatine once again slammed the Commander into the wall, over  over again. He watched as Commander's attempt to struggle against him became soon became pathetic to watch.  "As much fun as this is, I'm starting to grow bored now..."

Fed up of his toy, Palpatine decided it was time to put the Commander down for good. Once again, he increased the pressure on the Commander's throat, waiting to hear it snap.

The Commander suddenly thrown across the room, but this time dropped to the floor, gasping for air as their hands fumbled around with the helmet, yanking it off, revealing a battle worn tan & blonde stubble for a head of hair for all to see.

"Ah Lord Vader, I was worried you weren't going to show up,"  Palpatine sneered. " I was just showing your Commander that I don't tolerate people who are late."

Vader's eyes met contact with the Commander's briefly. A look of shock briefly crossed his face. He recognised this new Commander of his.

A clone.

He turned his attention back to the Emperor.

"We will finish this conversation later, Lord Vader." Palpatine smirked, watching his new plot to test his Apprentice's loyalty fall into place right before him.

" Yes, my Master." Vader answered without any hesitation. He was stood in the office of his new Commander. His new Commander had served him - no not him - the weak Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars. 

" T-T-Thank you, my Lord." stuttered the clone standing up, wondering what was going to happen to him. It probably could be any worse than almost being  choked to death by the Emperor.

The Sith met the blonde clone's gaze again. "You are demoted to Captain for not following orders set out by the Emperor himself & for removing your helmet whilst on duty. Be thankful I have shown you mercy."

"Yes my lord," the clone replied, correcting his mistake by putting the awful bucket back on his head. "I am thankful for you showing me mercy, sir."

"I have heard much about you - you served as the Captain of the 501st Battalion, under the command of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker. You were loyal to him & his Apprentice." He paused, moving his hands to his hood.

The clone watched tensely as he watched the Sith Lord's hood fall to his shoulders, revealing a man he long thought dead.

"General Skywalker...." the clone muttered, his eyes looking both shocked and horrified at the same time.

"I expect you to give me the same loyalty you give them," the Sith turned, striding out the door, "Captain Rex."

Authors notes:
Originally Published: 6th April 2018 (436 words)
Updated: 27th August 2022 (1008 words)