Chapter 1 - A Special Stormtrooper (2/2)

- ”Sir, yes, sir!”- said FN-2003 who looked at FN-2187 and nodded his head.

FN-2003 or as the others called him ”Slip,” nickname given by his tendency to fall and fail at practically everything he did during the training. If FN-2187 was the top ranker, then Slip was the last one, but instead of isolate him like the rest, FN-2187 had taken him under his wing and he had tried to help him as much as he could since he felt sympathy for the poor cadet. You could say that their relationship a kind of protector and protegee more than a friend. However, now the situation had turned and the once protected was now trying to protect the fallen genius.

Due to his impressive scores and the recommendations of his instructors, he was given the chance to prove his worth in a real scenario and was ordered to go with his squad to one of the many mining sectors under the leadership of Captain Phasma herself. According to the data they received the New Republic had infiltrated people to create tensions with the workers and they had to restore order before the situation escalated and there were victims. FN-2187 was elated and he could not wait to go and finally help to restore the peace in this place. The situation, however, was completely different from what he had imagined.

- ”Give us food!”- was the welcoming phrase that they were given once they landed on the mining center- ”we need medicines too.”

FN-2187 had been ordered to accompany Captain Phasma as a support and to get experience learning from the best. His initial excitement vanished when he saw the place where the miners work and the state of the workers. He passed in front of malnourished and weak workers who seemed to be about to faint in any moment. The faces of all of them revealed a terrible condition and their eyes had lost the shine of what would expected from people who were protected by the First Order. Other thing that called FN-2187 attention was that even the children and old people had their hands full of calluses and their backs were marked with horrible scars.

- ”We won't work until you give us want we want!”- had said the representatives of the miners trembling in fear- ”the demands of the guards are simply too much and they hit us for no reason. Even though we're doing our best, the rations of food have been diminished twice this year and we have been forced to work extra hours to reach the ever increasing quota of minerals. The only thing we ask is to get more food and hours to rest. Workers are starting to collapse in the place and many have even taken their own lives. This situation is just too cruel and must stop.”

FN-2187 agreed with the representative. He was sure that the officers in charge of the place had been commiting abuses and should be punished. He stayed in silence waiting for Captain Phasma to solve the situation. He was sure the miners would get justice and he wanted to be part of the process.

- ”So you are saying that you are dissatisfied with you job?”- said Captain Phasma after listening to the complains of the representative- ”you are saying the First Order is unfair?”

- ”I'm not saying that”- said the representative sweating profusely- ”but we just want to have better conditions. That way we'll work better and more efficiently. Please, we beg you to solve this situation.”

- ”What did you do with the officers in charge of this mining center?”- asked Captain Phasma.

- ”They are in the prison”- answered the representative- ”they are fine and we treated them well.”

- ”I see”- said Captain Phasma who then looked at him- ”FN-2187!”

The young stormtrooper step ahead and waited for orders. He was impatient to solve the terrible situation in this place and bring justice to the people.

- ”Kill him”- said the Captain Phasma and her words shocked FN-2187 who thought he had heard wrong- ”this man has commited an act of treason against the First Order and must be executed. Shoot him and then hang him in the entrance of the mines for everyone to see.”

- ”Wait! I'm not saying I won't work! Please, we just want more food!”- shouted the representative and desperation.

FN-2187 had stayed in the place motionless. He was still waiting for the correct orders since he knew this could not be the justice that the miners deserved.

- ”What are you waiting for, FN-2187?”- she asked him with the coldest attitude you can imagine and the young stormtrooper knew that she was serious- ”Follow your orders, now!”

FN-2187 had always followed his superiors orders but this time something was different, this was not the thing he wanted to do, but then he remembered his training. He had to obey the orders and let the thinking to his superiors, only then his life would have purpose and he could bring peace and order to the galaxy. So he aimed his blaster at the representative of the miners who was crying and begging in desperation.

-”Please, please! I have family! They depend on me! Who will take care of them?!”- he knelt and begged even louder- ”I'll talk to the rest of miners... please give me a chance!”

FN-2187 knew what to do but he couldn't do so. He felt divided and confused about what to do. The man in front of him was just trying to improve the lives of the people in this planet. He was not guilty of anything. The officers in charge of this center were the responsible for this mess. It was even possible that some Republic agent had influenced him to be like this. He started to tremble and to breathe faster.

- ”Shoot now, FN-2187”- said Phasma taking her rifle- ”Are you disobeying my orders?”

- ”Please... please. I don't want to die!”-said the man noticing the stormtrooper indecision- ”I'll do whatever you...”

He couldn't finish what he wanted to say since he had been shot on the ċhėst and was now dead on the floor. However, it hadn't been FN-2187 who shot, he turned around and saw the responsible who was still aiming at the man.

- ”FN-2003”- said Captain Phasma who sounded a little impressed- ”why did you shoot? it was FN-2187 responsibility.”

- ”Ma'am”- said FN-2003- ”I considered we were wasting too much time with this. I'm sorry, Ma'am.”

- ”Don't take actions that you haven't been ordered again!”- said Captain Phasma but her voice did not sound angry at all- ”it seems I misjudged you... hang him on the entrance of the mine and execute the leaders of the rebels.”

The stormtroopers moved and Captain Phasma looked at FN-2187. He couldn't see her expression behind her helmet but he knew she was very dissapointed. Since then, his instructors and his fellow stormtroopers changed the way they treated him and those who once looked at him with admiration, now looked at him with disgust. He had even heard how they call him coward and even traitor. He was isolated and avoided by everyone and he understood that none of them wanted to be with the one that had disobeyed Captain Phasma. He doubted about his decision, maybe he should have shot, maybe Captain Phasma knew information about that man that he did not.

- ”Wait, maybe...”

Maybe that man was an agent of the Republic and she was just testing his commitment to the cause. When he realized this, FN-2187 wanted to hit his head against the wall. How could he have been so fool? He had failed because he had not done what made him special since the beginning. He just had to follow orders and everything would be fine. He should not have questioned his superior and let strange ideas eneter his mind. Captain Phasma was just trying to bring peace and order to the galaxy and definitely would not have executed that man without reason. This tormented him for a long time and had affected his scores and performance which made the rest of his comrades to mock him even more.

There was only one who had never stopped talking to him and who was the same with him. Slip had said he didn't want to waste time but in the end it had been Slip and not FN-2187 who had followed the order of Phasma in the previous mission and he had taken the burden of killing the representative in his place. It was ironic, due to that episode, Slip had ascended in the eyes of Captain Phasma and their fellow stormtroopers while he had fallen to the bottom. And here he was now trying to help him and cheer him up as he had done previously. FN-2187 didn't say a word and just nodded while feeling a lot of gratitude towards him.

- ”Estimated time for landing 4 minutes 40 seconds”- the robotic voice announced and he steeled himself.

This time he would succeed and be what all expected from him. This was his last change to prove himself worthy to the First Order. He didn't know how he knew it but his instinct had never failed him before. He could not fail this time or he would lose his purpose and something terrible would happen.