History of the Regal Imperial Defenders/Year One

History of the Regal Imperial Defenders

Origin of the Regal Imperial Defenders

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away I, Lexx Yovel, began my adventure as a lowly scout on the desert world of Tatooine. As a young human with little credits, I aimlessly roamed the backwater planet, first by leaving my home city of Mos Eisley and trekking west towards a small town named Anchorhead. After completing a few odd jobs for the sake of gaining credits, I headed north towards the Tatooinian Imperial capital of Bestine. By then, the twin suns had already descended below the horizon. Halfway to Bestine, I paused only to watch in awe from a distance as a small team of Imperial forces launched an attack on a large Rebel base. As was known to every galactic citizen, the galaxy was split in a seemingly endless struggle between the Galactic Empire and the Alliance to Restore the Republic, in a conflict that was known as the Galactic Civil War. By then, the Rebel Alliance had already succeeded in destroying a massive Imperial battle station over the planet Yavin. In retaliation for their decisive victory, the Empire began doubling their efforts to root out the Rebellion. To me and much of the galaxy, the Rebellion was little more than a coalition of violent terrorists, mercenaries, and insurgents. To others, they were glorious freedom fighters hoping to overthrow what they saw as an oppressive government.

As I continued towards Bestine, I watched as fireworks were being launched from an Imperial fortress on top of a hill overlooking the city. After such a long journey, it was an inspirational sight to behold. I entered the city, and stopped by the local cantina. Wearied by my travels, I spent my last few credits on a Jawa beer and contemplated my future. As the days passed by, I did more side jobs for Imperials, criminals, and citizens alike. Eventually though, after a brief stint with Jabba's criminal organization, I got grievously injured by the planet's native Sand People, known as Tusken Raiders. Distraught by my lack of success, and the unforgiving climate of Tatooine, I gathered what credits I had to purchase a transport ticket to the lush, green world of Naboo. By then, I had resolved to start a career in the medical field. After receiving some training, I worked at the medical center in Theed, the majestic capital of Naboo. During my time there, I helped doctors as they tended to rooms full of injured patients. Soon, I also began accompanying Imperial soldiers on missions to destroy small Rebel camps in the countryside. Using what little skills I had, I aided these Imperials as a field medic. Occasionally, I would also bear witness to a gang of Rebels who called themselves NYC, wreaking havoc in the streets of Theed. Among them was a ruthless warrior of the lizardlike Trandoshan species, named H'bsr, who was so skilled in combat that it would take large groups of Imperials to subdue him.

After some hardship, I accumulated enough funds to purchase my own home near the Lake Retreat, a peaceful area of Naboo situated near the settlement of Varykino. The small home doubled as a private practice, open to any wounded travelers passing through the region. Unfortunately for me, virtually no one got harmed at a vacation resort, so my business pursuit went downhill. Most my time at the Lake Retreat was spent relaxing, or fishing in the nearby lake. In fact, the first fish I ever caught was from the Lake Retreat, a blackfish which I decided to keep as a pet. Things were quiet, but I enjoyed the work I was providing for the Imperial citizens of Theed. In fact, after earning enough trust, I decided to head to the recruitment desk in Theed, and fully pledge my loyalty to the Galactic Empire. I was welcomed as a lowly private, and granted a great deal of flexibility regarding where I could choose to devote my resources. For the moment, I spent most of my time on leave, as I had to worry about my own crumbling business venture.

I ultimately decided to bring my medical career on Naboo to a close, and return back to Tatooine. Although I had left Tatooine with much resentment of the world, I soon began to realize that it was my only true home. Upon my return, I heard news of an interesting location just west of the city of Mos Espa, known as the Imperial Oasis. Eager to see the place myself, I set foot towards the oasis, nestled deep within surrounding Mospic High Range. When I first gazed my eyes upon the Imperial Oasis, I was surprised to see a glistening pool of water. Next to the water there was a parked Imperial shuttle, and a small settlement. At first glance, the whole area looked like a small, yet very unique resort destination. However, it was in fact a modestly guarded military facility. While there was a civilian population, the Imperial Oasis was staffed by a fair number of Imperial stormtroopers. At the time, it was a popular hotspot for Imperial soldiers to meet up and organize attacks on surrounding Rebel encampments. Many of these soldiers used their resources to acquire powerful AT-ST Imperial Walkers, a type of mechanized attack vehicle which they not only used to defend the oasis, but to aid in their battle plans elsewhere across the planet. After witnessing the thriving Imperial Oasis for myself, I realized that this would be a much better place to start a business. I became an officially registered merchant, and purchased a deed to a medium sized home, constructed just next to the Imperial Oasis. I named the venue the "Yovel's Hovel Cantina," and staffed the building with the help of two vendors – a Wookiee chef named Chew Chew, and a Mon Calamari named Doctor Ickbar. With their help, I sold drinks and medical supplies to the local Imperial customers. I also acquired a small feline house pet, a bearded jax named Kit-Kat. While the business was not highly profitable, it was enough to make my way in the galaxy. Through my travels, I had also come to closely befriend two humans, a man named Com Cypher and a woman named Myzia Zydian. Myzia was an entertainer sympathetic to the Rebellion, but I had helped persuade her to defect to the Imperial cause. Com was a commando fiercely loyal to the Rebellion, but our grudging respect for one another allowed us to ignore our political differences and embark on hunting adventures with Myzia and I.

However, Myzia was not a strong fighter, and Com was certainly not willing to aid in my larger ambition to quell the Rebel Alliance. Eager to fulfill this goal, I decided to single handedly exercise my duty as an Imperial recruit. At the time, most skirmishes on Tatooine were taking place between the large Imperial capital of Bestine, and the small Rebel Alliance safe haven named Anchorhead. I frequently travelled to Bestine to aid the Empire in these conflicts. At one point, Rebel forces occupied the capitol building and held its occupants hostage. Among these Rebel forces were a number of various cells and insurgents, including Iboa Culhain of the West Anchorhead Community, Tiphini Leison of COA, and multiple rabble-rousers from CD, among others. Alongside my fellow Imperials, we cleared out the capitol building and rescued its occupants. After securing Bestine, we retaliated with a strike against Anchorhead. These battles continued day after day with no sign of stopping. However, out of the chaos there emerged a force which hoped to bring peace to the region once and for all – Fatalis. The Galactic Empire was an expansive entity with a multitude of sub-divisions. One of these was Fatalis, also known as FATAL, led by a man named Havok. By then, Fatalis was gaining recognition as a prestigious Imperial contingent. They were an institution notorious for their efficient use of combat medics who used biological weapons against the Rebels. While their overzealous use of chemical weapons was controversial, it was seen as a means to an end to force the Rebel sympathizers in Anchorhead into submission. Further contributing to their infamy was their construction of a large Imperial base under the command of an equally infamous and powerful Imperial Fatalis member, a human named Avatar-. Based upon my own personal recollection and other limited records, the Imperial base was a large Tactical Center with its own banking kiosks, cantina, and medical bay. At the bottom-most level was a large auditorium hall with rows and rows of seats. This impressive Imperial base, later dubbed Fort Fatal, was constructed on a hilltop overlooking Anchorhead, where it provided safe haven for both Fatalis and their other Imperial allies. Using this facility as a base of operations and the Imperial Walkers obtained from the Imperial Oasis much farther north, the Galactic Empire started winning more and more battles against the Rebel Alliance in Anchorhead. Due greatly in part to Fatalis' precision, Anchorhead soon became little more than an occupied foothold of the Empire.

In desperation, the Rebellion began organizing frequent attacks on Fort Fatal, intending to destroy it completely. When I learned of this, I became more heavily involved in working with Fatalis to defend their base. I became so involved in fact, that Rebels would on occasion mistake me as a member of Fatalis. Their misinterpretation was not too far off, as I had indeed planned to eventually enlist with Fatalis, and actively aid them in their crusade against the treacherous Rebels. However, my aspirations of joining up with perhaps the most powerful war-machine of the Galactic Empire on Tatooine were shattered. One day, when returning to the region, I saw that Fort Fatal was wiped out of existence. Eager to learn what had happened, I discovered a lone Imperial soldier roaming around the nearby desert. He turned out to be a member of Fatalis who fought to defend the base during the successful Rebel attack. After he recounted to me the details of the ruthless battle, I lamented the fact that I was not there to aid in their defense. In the end, it took a unified hoard of Rebels to finally overwhelm the smaller team of powerful Fatalis troops, and destroy the base completely. After their success, supporters of the Rebellion celebrated in Anchorhead with a burst of fireworks and enthusiasm.

With Fort Fatal destroyed, Fatalis never quite regained its stature, and soon faded away as a relevant contingent of the Galactic Empire. Skirmishes between Bestine and Anchorhead continued, but with the loss of Fatalis, morale amongst the Imperial soldiers was not as strong. Avatar-, the man who was in charge of Fatalis' base, was now focusing on training an associate of his, a Zabrak named Elvander Valheru, with learning the ways of the "Force," believed by many to be some sort of mystical power. I later spotted Elvander at the Trader's Outpost, a city west of Anchorhead, recklessly wielding a purple-bladed lightsaber in front of an astonished crowd. It was the first time I had ever witnessed such a weapon being used. He later went on to cause mayhem for Rebels across the numerous worlds of the galaxy. In this way, the powerful legacy of Avatar- and Fatalis would live on.

As for me, all I had to tend to was my business. Yet the fall of Fatalis inspired me to organize an Imperial contingent of my own. I was now more determined than ever to destroy the Rebels who would dare slight the Empire. However, I soon realized that I did not have the means to become a leading member of the Empire's armed forces. I bided my time by aiding the Empire in battle, and quickly rising through the ranks. Yet the Rebellion would not cease to push me over the edge. On an ordinary day, I returned to the Imperial Oasis with Myzia to tend to my shop, but something was amiss. The outpost was extremely deserted, with multiple land mines scattered around the area. The entire Imperial Oasis was a ghost town, save for about two other occupants. We noticed the two of them were arguing, so Myzia and I took refuge in a nearby structure to eavesdrop on their conversation. One of the persons was in a small, predominantly female Rebel organization known as the CATS, short for the Counter Armor Tactical Squad, while the other was an Imperial sympathizer. Throughout the argument, the Imperial lamented the fact that the once thriving hub of Imperial activity had been turned desolate due to the CATS "slaughtering" its residents. I soon learned that the CATS were the ones responsible for planting explosives throughout the area, killing Imperial soldiers, and destroying their All Terrain Scout Transports, in a combined operation they called Project V-Day. I had heard of the CATS before from an Imperial in Bestine warning me to be careful at the Imperial Oasis, but this was the first time I had witnessed the destructive scale of their operation. With the Imperial Oasis left deserted, I knew now that my business venture would once again be left in ruins. It was now abundantly clear to me that the Rebellion was more dangerous than I could possibly imagine. Despite my inexperience in one on one combat, I vaguely recall wielding my blaster and emerging from the building. I opened fire at the Rebel in anger, but was quickly defeated. Recovering from my injuries, my resolve to establish my very own Imperial contingent grew stronger. I would rid that Rebel scum, and bring prosperity back to the Imperial Oasis!

Even with my growing status in the Galactic Empire, little could be done without a substantial amount of credits. The most I could accumulate in savings was around 80,000 credits, hardly enough to launch an endeavor as large as organizing an association of Imperials. Fortunately for me, all of that would soon change. One fateful day in Bestine, I received a mysterious wire transfer of over 11 million credits from someone I had never even heard of! This was a significant amount of credits, but why was it given to me? Was it mistakenly sent to the wrong person? Was it counterfeit? "Some questions are best left unanswered," I thought. Some days passed, and no one contacted me to claim ownership of the wealth. By then, I had little concern as to why I received the credits. All I knew was that I now had capital necessary to establish a headquarters, and begin recruiting, equipping, and training my own Imperial contingent. I remained convinced that my vision of rooting out Rebel insurgents on Tatooine could now come to fruition. After purchasing a few personal luxuries, including my own dewback named Jub-Jub, I purchased a guild hall deed from a humble merchant. I commissioned the construction of this hall next to the now desolate Imperial Oasis. I realized what I was getting myself into. I knew that building up and leading this organization would require a substantial amount of time and resources. Nonetheless, I remained committed to my original mission. I pondered a multitude of issues, including what internal rules the organization should have, to more simple (yet essential) issues, such as a name. My ideas for a name varied. My first idea was to have the organization be named the Royal Empire Defenders, or RED for short. Myzia also helped to suggest a number of names, including the Tatooinian Dune Troopers. With Myzia's input, I ultimately decided that the name of our Imperial association would be the Royal Imperial Defenders, or RID for short.

I decided that RID would be divided into multiple so-called divisions, including a Guard Division, Infantry Division, Imperial Security Division, Medical Division, Berserker Division, Entertainment Division, and Crafting Division. These divisions would essentially be specialized groups of Imperials serving within RID. All the while, RID would serve as an integral contingent within the all-encompassing Galactic Empire, just like Fatalis. Each division was to be based upon professional skills, as well as alien segregation. For example, only humans or near-humans would gain membership to the higher-end divisions, whereas lesser class species, such as the furry Wookiees and fishlike Mon Calamari would only be granted membership to lesser divisions. This was due in part to the Galactic Empire’s view of alien species, and its other xenophobic policies. However, non-human segregation would eventually come to an end within RID, so long as the alien species proved their overall worth to the Galactic Empire at large. In regard to the rules, our first established set of internal rules was a very rudimentary set of requirements known as the Ten Commands. The first rule commanded all members to show honor to fellow comrades. In other words, to treat the brothers and sisters of RID with dignity and respect. The second rule commanded those in RID to make an effort to wear professional, Imperial attire while on duty. The third rule commanded to never surrender or retreat in the face of Rebel resistance. The fourth rule commanded to avoid attacking non-combatants, such as merchants or entertainers, unless acting in self-defense. The fifth command, inspired by Fatalis’ controversial use of chemical weapons, was to avoid the use of poisons in warfare. The sixth ruled commanded to refrain from opening fire in medical or entertainment facilities. The seventh command ordered members of RID to kill Rebels to death in battle. However, the eighth command did offer an exception to this. RID members were instructed not to kill a Rebel who laid down their arms and surrendered. The ninth command instructed RID to respect non-human species, but to recognize the Humanocentric policies of the Galactic Empire. The tenth and final command stated, “Thou shall believe and know that no matter what, the Empire will prevail!”

After having finalized an outline for RID, the time came to officially register our organization via a computer terminal in the newly constructed headquarters. When entering in the information, I was forced to name the organization the Regal Imperial Defenders, rather than Royal Imperial Defenders, since the word “Royal” was for some reason not permitted during the registration process. Regardless of this minor setback, the registration was properly submitted, and the Regal Imperial Defenders became an officially recognized organization within the Galactic Empire. With the somewhat anti-climactic bureaucratic necessities accomplished, I emerged from the headquarters and surveyed the desolate Imperial Oasis around me. Quietly, I said to myself, "So it begins..." [Founded November 23rd, 2003]