While you sat in here bickering, we had to take action and actually fight for the Empire on the front lines!
—Nikolai Romanov to several admirals
Nikolai Romanov (Caridan: Николай Романов) was a human male stormtrooper officer who served in the Galactic Empire's elite Stormtrooper Corps, hailing from Carida. He was not a very good marksman, but he had good leadership skills and was proficient with short-ranged weapons. Nikolai served in the Vympel Squadron, a unit within the 4th Stormtrooper Corps. Later, around 1 ABY, an officer witnessed Nikolai take down a Wookiee warrior singlehandedly during a rebellion on Kashyyyk. As a result, he then was trained as an Imperial heavy trooper.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Born on the Outer Rim Territories world of Carida, Nikolai entered the universe during the height of the Clone Wars in 21 BBY. He never knew much about his father, who was serving on the front against the Confederacy of Independent Systems as a commodore of the Republic Navy's Inner Rim Command. His mother worked as a senator, representing Carida on the Galactic Senate. As a result, he did know her well or heard much from her either, since she was constantly on Coruscant while he was on Carida.
About two years after his birth, Nikolai's father was killed during the Battle of Ryloth in 19 BBY. He was killed when a kamikaze Vulture droid fighter crashed into the bridge of the Venator-class Star Destroyer that his father was serving aboard. Nikolai remained largely unaffected by his death. Years later, after the creation of the Empire, his mother was one of the senators who protested against Emperor Palpatine's policies with Bail Prestor Organa. She was killed by Imperial Senate Guards outside the Senate Building who were sent in to quell the protest. Nikolai was told she was assassinated by Rebel Alliance agents, a lie that he bought into.
In 4 BBY, Nikolai turned eighteen. The Rebellion decided to attack the planet around that time, and assaulted the city he lived in. When a building near him collapsed after being hit by proton torpedos, a piece of debris hit him, injuring his arm. Knowing the Rebels were behind the raid, he enlisted in the Carida Imperial Military Academy as a stormtrooper.
Academy[]
Nikolai during target practice in Carida's central forests.
The 4th Stormtrooper Corps is short on personnel. Sergeant Romanov needs to be assigned to the 4th Corps.
—An Imperial officer
Romanov was allowed to enlist in the Academy mainly because the directors were aware of his father's position in the Galactic Republic navy. Once accepted, he began basic training. His training included trekking through the frozen mountains in the northern hemisphere, a battle simulation in the jungles near the equator, and a survival course in the southern desert. Along with that, he received classes on marksmanship and hand-to-hand combat. He got five hours of sleep before having to get up and do it over again the next day.
In the final days of his drilling, Nikolai and the rest of his unit, Vympel Squadron, had to pass a battle simulation in the equatorial canyons. Under fire from enemy fighters, they preformed a defensive maneuver allowing them to defend themselves from the oncoming fighters. It was proved successful, and Romanov as well as his squad graduated. He was given the rank of sergeant and a placement in the 4th Stormtrooper Corps.
TIE Factory[]
Sergeant Romanov: “What happened to Commander Zaxor?”
— Romanov and a Navy commando
Unnamed Navy commando: “Him and his men were killed by Kota!”
His first assignment was being stationed aboard the TIE fighter construction facility, in orbit of Nar Shaddaa. Vympel Squadron was used as an elite security unit to aid the regular sentries. The station's security detail was mainly made up of Imperial Navy commandos, under a notoriously strict officer named Commander Zaxor. Though he stayed on the command bridge of the station, his commandos made sure to pester and annoying Romanov and the other "stormies", as they called them. The rivalry between the Corps and the Navy was high, making security not entirely effective.
When Rahm Kota and his militia attacked the factory, Nikolai was at a large storage/packaging room. Him and a squad of commandos managed to defeat a contingent of militiamen, and attempted to contact Zaxor, who was last heard from the command room. They found that him and the command deck commandos were slain by Kota himself. After the death of the commander, Nikolai believed there was still a way to win. However, an unidentified assassin made his way through the room as Nikolai was pondering his plan. He hid behind a container of TIE panels and witnessed the commandos get massacred.
Navy commandos were lightly armed sentry units.
Afterwards, he emerged and tried to make it to Loading Bay D6, where he heard several squads of commandos were gathering. By the time he reached the bay, though, Nikolai found several dead commandos as well as militiamen and a destroyed AT-ST. The dead bodies had light saber cuts.
He ended up getting saved after the battle was over by an Imperial salvaging crew.
Personality and Traits[]
Romanov was known to be kinder than the standard Imperial soldier, but had no problem being cold-hearted and emotionless when the situation called for it. He had a few friends, preferring to instead work alone, and enjoyed having command over others. Many of his squad mates respected him. As an officer of the Stormtrooper Corps, he had a dislike of Imperial Army personnel, since the two branches were fierce rivals. Nikolai considers himself as an equal to the other soldiers, even if they are higher or lower rank, a trait that caused more than one officer to dislike him and many enlists to respect him.
Skills and Abilities[]
Nikolai was had poor marksmanship skills at long-range, though he made up for it by being skilled at close-range combat. Considered an expert with melee weapons, Nikolai also knew four martial art forms, taught to him by instructors at the Carida Imperial Military Academy. Nikolai was also known as a good leader and tactician. Those were the only things keeping his superiors from demoting him for talking back and questioning orders.