Sunday, June 19, 2016

Ashes of the Empire: Ilos Marr

This is a short and dirty story I wrote for the Star Wars larp I'm going to be playing in a few weeks. All information is OOC information...unless you were there.
There were 26 bones in the average humanoid's hands. The young Imperial Lieutenant who had challenged Ilos Marr--or as the officer put it, "The blind mongrel"--just learned that the hard way as every bone in his hand cracked in one deft motion. The Red Academy of Yinchorr were familiar with the screams of those who challenged their Master of Teras Kasi. Ilos felt he was providing a service to the cadets and troopers, dissuading them of the notion that somehow non-humans were inferior. 

This lieutenant continued screaming, his words slowly returning to coherency. "Inhuman dog," he screamed. "Blind mutt."Ilos felt the world stir around him. There were those who shared the young man's sentiment, who had not yet been tested or who had resented being taught by a Miralukan. Men like these, Ilos found, would die in the Squall during their graduation. The Red Guard did not brook weakness. Not of body, not of heart. Ilos hated them all, but he had his pride to contend with. 

There were also those he felt who would stand with him. He was given some leeway in his methods, which many of the offices resented due to the little rebellions they had to deal with on his part. They respected their instructor, some he suspected even liked him. He assumed they must forget the sash over the empty sockets where eyes would be and just think him some mad eccentric with strange powers.

They were wrong on all counts. The mad eccentric was the Emperor they served. He and his vicious guard dog, Vader. That was a fight many would love to see, including Ilos himself. He doubted he could kill either Sith--and he knew they were Sith, despite the coverup of that information--but he would make it worth their while. At least he would get an honest death out of it all. Something with honor. 

But no, he had arrogant Coruscanti lieutenants to contend with. That was not a noble death. The young man continued. "Blind dog. So arrogant. When the Emperor learns you lay your hands on me, he'll have you spaced." Ilos felt the tension rise, sparks of orange and red rising in his 'vision'. The color rose, and violence rose in his heart and his gorge, and then--the world went dark around him. It was as if the Force without stopped speaking to the Force within. It was a moment's notice, and he dared not move or show he was any lesser than a Master of Teras Kasi. 

The world returned, and so did the violence. Something felt different. The world around him felt cleaner. 
"Attention all personnel" A voice from the intercom spoke. Ilos did not know the person, apparently they were knew. Many of the staff of the Academy saw this as a stepping stone to the Star Destroyers, perhaps even the Executor itself. There was urgency in the woman's tone, fear, and shock. What had happened?
"Attention all personnel," she said again. "We have just received word from Endor. The Death Star has been destroyed. I repeat, destroyed. As has the Executor. We believe--" There was a moment of silence, loud enough for the gasps to already begin in the room. "We believe that Emperor Palpatine and Lord Vader are dead."

The world went still, all emotions vanished. All but fear. Fear of a world where their Emperor and the Great Darth Vader were dead. Fear of a world where the Republic and the Jedi Wizards they were told to hunt would be rampant. Fear of Ilos. Even those who would have rallied for him realized that many of the things that kept their instructor in check were no longer there. The world around him held its breath. 
Ilos stood straight. "I will be in my quarters." It was as much a dismissal as it was a challenge to anyone who dared to try anything. He suspected that the administrators would have everyone moving to try and maintain order. The last thing they needed was him moving around freely. 

He made his way through the panic halls of the academy, finding his way to the austere quarters. He sealed the door and found his bed. He took off his veil, cloth his mother made for them. He realized in that moment that the Skywalker boy must have done it. Ashla protects fools and Jedi. He thought of Siledy, and how she was after she escaped the Empire. He thought of Xan, and prayed to Ashla to protect that girl now that her world had just changed. 

He thought of his parents, of a woman who could have been his wife. He thought of how The Force ripped through him when they died at the Emepror's command. He thought of the generation of his people killed for fear of Jedi or turned to become Inquisitors. He had been robbed of his chance to kill Sheev Palpatine and Darth Vader, robbed of his chance to die proud of something for the first time since he'd been blackmailed in to serving those Sith bastards. He had been robbed, and given something he hadn't felt in a while: Hope.

And in the crumbling ashes of the empire, Ilos Marr cried tears of joy.