622's message to himself.
May. 6th, 2020 09:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
loyal_soldier[The recordings and files are in the easiest spot to find in the communicator's systems, and he's done what he can to make copies to be delivered in the event that they become necessary.]
[622 is in his armor, helmet off and on the table next to him. Everything's been polished. The room behind him is spotless and sterile. As normal and easy to digest as he can make it.]
This is Sergeant TK-622, recording on local calendar date 2020:04:30, galactic equivalent 37:04:23, recording a personal briefing and recommended actions for personal use in case of memory loss or reconditioning. This is an atypical orientation document, and I swear by my oath of service to the Corps, it's as true as I can verify. If you look different from me or you're experiencing memory loss, and you didn't wake up in the Cape Canaveral military base, you're in an anomaly. These last one to five weeks, at which point your amnesia will wear off. Stay the course, and you'll pull through.
If you've just woken up in Cape Canaveral, some of this will likely cover information the locals briefed you on. I'll confirm their claims only where I have the information to do so. This will cover some unpleasant topics, so strap in.
You've been transported by alien tech to an extra-galactic planet, local name Earth, in the Sol System. Native population is 100% human and non-aligned. Temporary residents transported like you are majority-human, majority non-aligned. Be aware: there is no Imperial presence on this planet, but some of its enemies are present. By order of Commander Jeroen Akobi, you are not to engage them unless they pose an imminent threat to you or others. There is a truce in effect, and he signed on.
This may shock your conscience, but know that our present situation here makes the truce necessary. The only people that can get really hurt here are the natives, and they didn't ask for this conflict any more than good Imperial citizens did. Respect the truce, and follow ROEs from the commander: As before, obey local laws unless they would lead to the loss of civilians or Imperial assets. In brief, no deadly weapons unless acting to defend yourself or others from deadly force. If you want to get more involved, you've been permitted to join non-Imperial security forces such as Aegis. Commander Akobi also worked with them, and approved of their command structure.
As to your personal situation: You arrived without warning, and you will leave without warning, placed back exactly where you were, completely memory-wiped on everything about Earth. The local government has no known control over this process: a device called the Porter is responsible. Its purpose is unknown.
You are now part of a class of individuals called "imPorts": non-natives that arrived via the same means you did. You've been altered by the alien tech: you may have abilities you didn't have before. If you get injured, you'll naturally heal faster. If you die, the Porter will reset you. Due to your alterations, you cannot leave the planet or its moon without stabilizing injections.
Other imPorts may claim to be from worlds that have never heard of the Empire. They may claim to have seen impossible things. In most cases, they are telling the truth. Precise details on them are not included in this briefing unless relevant: simply know that they'll make even less sense than your standard natural-borns. Keep to decorum and most of them will try and do the same.
The Porter and the planet occasionally throw out unpredictable energetic phenomena referred to as "anomalies". This may involve porting in dangerous creatures, unpredictable energy surges, psychological disturbances in imPorts or natives, or facilitating of events that should be outright impossible. If you're in one of these, certain parts of this briefing may not be applicable. There's simply no way to know which parts, so watch your environment and make the call.
The local government is a republic run by the natives. It's got an active military and civilian security force. You are subject to their legal jurisdiction, and failure to comply can result in imprisonment and probation. They have collars that can take away whatever abilities the Porter gave you. The nanite injection you received allows the native government to track you. Those who are identified as criminals are subject to tracking. This has been applied sensibly in the past, but remain vigilant. They don't have Imperial authority or morality behind them. They don't even have the whole planetary population under them. I'll do my best to provide supplemental briefing material if this situation changes.
There are people here that may recognize your designation. You won't know them, but they will know me. I'll fill you in on them here. Some of what follows may not make sense. But know that as of recording, I've been on this planet for seven hundred and eighty seven days. This has been a long and strange deployment, and... [he pauses.] I've had to adapt to this planet. Remaining on a conventional active footing here is impossible, and will drive you to the psychs if you let it.
I'll start with the ones you need to be wary of first. Reference videos are attached in the supplemental, so you'll know who to look for.
Jedi here have included individuals named Obi Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger, and probably more that slipped under the radar. As far as I'm aware, only the Skywalkers are presently extant on Earth. Here, the Skywalkers have been the least dangerous of the bunch, but be aware: all of them except for Luke Skywalker and Bridger were part of the Jedi Order. Kenobi, Jarrus and Bridger concealed vital information from me and my commander, which could have had deadly consequences. Bridger previously hid behind pseudonyms including Jabba the Hutt and Sheev Palpatine. This is your official reminder: don't hand over information to anyone claiming to be an Imperial without a proper look at their credentials. No cylinder, no seniority, no chain of command. You know the drill.
Rebel sympathizers on-planet have come and gone. None of them are present that I'm aware of, so rest easy on that. However: there are others here who have Jedi-like capabilities, though they claim allegiance to different factions. Kylo Ren, Darth Jadus, and Darth Nox. Be wary of them, avoid engagement where possible. Ren is or--was affiliated with an organization known as the First Order. They falsely claim Imperial authority. You cannot trust them.
Now. On to the good ones.
Starting with someone who isn't here, but was. If you're coming in from before the battalion got stuck in on Malastare, you won't know Commander Jeroen Akobi. He had me permanently assigned to his command, and that was the best thing about my entire deployment. He was the ideal officer, and he treated me as a friend.
He was here, for three hundred and forty-five days. He's probably never coming back. But if he does, trust in his judgement. He wants the best for you, and serving under him is an honor, even if we're far from the Empire here. Besides, he deserves a chance to rest.
[It's a moment before he continues.]
Poe Dameron. 35 year old human male, Non-imperial, ace pilot, extremely loyal to his associates, including me. He may be distant with you, because he's aware of the difference between you and me. It's like when someone new rotates into your squad. Same role, different person. He won't try to force you to be me, but he may not process that smoothly. If you want to associate with him, you may need to state it explicitly, or he will assume you're not interested.
He has some associates you won't approve of. I don't either. But when it comes to taking action to protect those that need it, Poe has an unfaltering moral core to him. He can and has sacrificed his own health and well-being for others. Back at home, he fights the First Order. Here, I've been glad to know him the way that I have.
For the past six hundred and two days, we've been in a relationship that started in possible contravention of Article 125. When Commander Akobi arrived, he was informed, and raised no objection. What you do with that is up to you and Poe.
Captain Rex, CT-7567. 14 years old, brought to Earth from during the war. He's one of the original 501st, and it shows. He doesn't like to go by rank here, but that doesn't change the fact that he's an incredible officer who's been through some of the toughest fights in the galaxy. He accepted me as a brother from the start, and I'm grateful to him for that. If you don't remember anything here, find him. He won't steer you wrong.
And call him by his name, not his number. That's how they did things back then, and you'll respect that.
Archie. 35 year old human male, animal handling specialist, not from our galaxy as far as I know. He's acted as commander of Aegis, and has tried to do right by everyone, though he lacks self-confidence in his decision-making sometimes. We've been friends for some time now, and while he's more casual in his demeanor than you're used to, but he's a good person to have at your side.
Finn, FN-2187. 24 year old human male, who deserted the First Order's stormtrooper corps. Be advised: he goes by his name, not the designation. He's not a clone, and he wasn't a recruit: he got stolen as a child and reconditioned. Fortunately for him it didn't take. He saved Poe's life and escaped the First Order, joining the forces fighting against it. The fact that he managed to do that after that much conditioning is really all you need to know: he's a good soul, and the First Order couldn't stamp that out of him.
He looks up to clones like us, so you need to be especially responsible there: you're an influence on him. Be a good one.
Midnighter, or M. Not from our galaxy. Human male--or close enough. He's something closer to us, but part of somebody's one-of-a-kind science experiment. Think of him as somebody from a different production line, and it won't be far off the mark. He's got a similar frame of reference as us, but it's all a little off. If something doesn't seem to be making sense, you'll need to ask why, because that's been important in the past. But he's had more time to figure out civvies than you will have, so if you ever need some advice on that, he may be able to help.
There are some others that would be good for you to know as well.
Danger. She's an artificial intelligence in a droid body, not from our galaxy. Yes, that's illegal and can be dangerous, [a tiny sigh] but she has some interest in artifically-created people, and that includes clones. She's helped out with issues that we couldn't solve on our own.
Knock-Out. Cybertronian--big, ferrous life forms from another galaxy. Working with Aegis part-time. I've only talked with him once, but out of the cybertronians I've met so far, they seem to understand the clone perspective better than humans do. Knock-Out was a medic for his people, seen a lot of combat before he got here. Cybertronians have... I don't actually know how long their lifespans can get. Longer than any organics I can think of. Their wars go longer than ours too, so keep that in mind.
Ashley Williams. 31 year-old human female. Marine, member of Aegis. She's a soldier through and through, and making good use of that to protect civilians here. She's a cyborg, but don't worry about that. That kind of thing doesn't carry the risks it does back home. You can count on her to be just as reliable as she has been while I've served in Aegis with her.
The rest of Aegis is all... [he sighs, face falling back into a more dispassionate blankness.] They're reliable. The one problem is Luke Skywalker is on the roster. Commander Akobi got assurances from Aegis hierarchy to keep things peaceful on both sides, and there's the truce besides. Skywalker hasn't made any suspicious moves, and he's performed acceptably. I don't think he grew up as a Jedi, but--[And back comes the blank.] doesn't matter. We know it doesn't. Just keep to Commander Akobi's orders, and keep your focus on the task at hand.
There are others who know what it's like to be made with purpose here. Rex may be the only clone here, but you're not alone.
If you're coming in from a rough deployment, know that you can stand down here. Anomalies come at a rate of about once a month. Most of what you'll deal with is basic street crime here, and even then it's sparse. There's an occasional robbery by a local that got their hands on some weird tech, but that's as bad as those get. There's no bombings, no drive-bys, no ambushes. The only thing that makes the transition hard is the lack of a unit to do it with. If you can, meet up with someone off of the list, or someone new to trust. Ask if they can sit a few watches with you, if you really need it. It may take longer than you feel it should, but you'll do it.
If you're seeing this because of an anomaly, rest assured you won't stay confused for long. If you came in through the Porter--that means these files are all the help I can give you, because I'm gone. Life here has been a new kind of challenge, but one I know you can handle. Simply because it's the right thing to do, and you'll do it. Just because you're cut off now doesn't absolve you of that responsibility.
You can do the Corps proud here. Make your commander proud. Live up to the ideals of the Empire. And if you do that, nobody can ever take that away from you.
[He takes a long, slow breath before continuing.]
The information that follows is only relevant if you've arrived via the Porter facility in Cape Canaveral. If you're seeing this for the first time and you don't remember that facility: wait one month before accessing the rest of this briefing. You're probably experiencing an anomaly, which typically last one to five weeks. This discusses highly classified information that you don't need to know. Your commander didn't know it either, so it's well over your head. [After a beat pause to think about what he just said, he winces just slightly at the wording. He takes a breath, waiting a few seconds before plowing onwards.]
Classified briefing starts here. If you're listening to this, you've probably undergone a full reset. Your first order of business is to correct a security flaw you've unknowingly brought in with you. The cloning and conditioning process involved the implantation of a bio-chip on the surface of your brain. Mine was found here, [He turns his head and taps a section of his scalp. There's no scars there.] but if you're still a cadet, I'm not sure what it'll look like in there. They're a hold-over from when we were made on Republic production lines, and that makes them a security risk in these very specific conditions you find yourself in now.
The Jedi knew about them, and they didn't tell you, or Rex. They had their excuses, but none of them made sense. We don't know what the chip actually does in full, beyond making clones more tractable to orders. But Commander Akobi agreed that given these unique circumstances, the chip should be removed. Jedi are already monsters enough, you don't need them hijacking your brain.
If you had to wait a month before hearing this, I'm sorry. This planet's anomalies can have unforeseen consequences, and if there was a chance you were in the middle of one, I couldn't risk giving you this information.
To get the chip removed, try and contact Danger. She did the surgery the first time. If she's not available, contact Knock Out. He's only just getting up to speed on human surgery, but he's skilled, capable of discretion, and should be sympathetic to you. If neither are available, consult with Rex. He may have more connections that can help you.
You'll worry that taking it out will break your conditioning, that you'll go rogue. But you can and will still be what you want to be, once that chip's removed. The ideals we were created to exemplify still feel just as vital to me now as they did before. I'm still loyal. You will be too.
End recording.
[622 is in his armor, helmet off and on the table next to him. Everything's been polished. The room behind him is spotless and sterile. As normal and easy to digest as he can make it.]
This is Sergeant TK-622, recording on local calendar date 2020:04:30, galactic equivalent 37:04:23, recording a personal briefing and recommended actions for personal use in case of memory loss or reconditioning. This is an atypical orientation document, and I swear by my oath of service to the Corps, it's as true as I can verify. If you look different from me or you're experiencing memory loss, and you didn't wake up in the Cape Canaveral military base, you're in an anomaly. These last one to five weeks, at which point your amnesia will wear off. Stay the course, and you'll pull through.
If you've just woken up in Cape Canaveral, some of this will likely cover information the locals briefed you on. I'll confirm their claims only where I have the information to do so. This will cover some unpleasant topics, so strap in.
You've been transported by alien tech to an extra-galactic planet, local name Earth, in the Sol System. Native population is 100% human and non-aligned. Temporary residents transported like you are majority-human, majority non-aligned. Be aware: there is no Imperial presence on this planet, but some of its enemies are present. By order of Commander Jeroen Akobi, you are not to engage them unless they pose an imminent threat to you or others. There is a truce in effect, and he signed on.
This may shock your conscience, but know that our present situation here makes the truce necessary. The only people that can get really hurt here are the natives, and they didn't ask for this conflict any more than good Imperial citizens did. Respect the truce, and follow ROEs from the commander: As before, obey local laws unless they would lead to the loss of civilians or Imperial assets. In brief, no deadly weapons unless acting to defend yourself or others from deadly force. If you want to get more involved, you've been permitted to join non-Imperial security forces such as Aegis. Commander Akobi also worked with them, and approved of their command structure.
As to your personal situation: You arrived without warning, and you will leave without warning, placed back exactly where you were, completely memory-wiped on everything about Earth. The local government has no known control over this process: a device called the Porter is responsible. Its purpose is unknown.
You are now part of a class of individuals called "imPorts": non-natives that arrived via the same means you did. You've been altered by the alien tech: you may have abilities you didn't have before. If you get injured, you'll naturally heal faster. If you die, the Porter will reset you. Due to your alterations, you cannot leave the planet or its moon without stabilizing injections.
Other imPorts may claim to be from worlds that have never heard of the Empire. They may claim to have seen impossible things. In most cases, they are telling the truth. Precise details on them are not included in this briefing unless relevant: simply know that they'll make even less sense than your standard natural-borns. Keep to decorum and most of them will try and do the same.
The Porter and the planet occasionally throw out unpredictable energetic phenomena referred to as "anomalies". This may involve porting in dangerous creatures, unpredictable energy surges, psychological disturbances in imPorts or natives, or facilitating of events that should be outright impossible. If you're in one of these, certain parts of this briefing may not be applicable. There's simply no way to know which parts, so watch your environment and make the call.
The local government is a republic run by the natives. It's got an active military and civilian security force. You are subject to their legal jurisdiction, and failure to comply can result in imprisonment and probation. They have collars that can take away whatever abilities the Porter gave you. The nanite injection you received allows the native government to track you. Those who are identified as criminals are subject to tracking. This has been applied sensibly in the past, but remain vigilant. They don't have Imperial authority or morality behind them. They don't even have the whole planetary population under them. I'll do my best to provide supplemental briefing material if this situation changes.
There are people here that may recognize your designation. You won't know them, but they will know me. I'll fill you in on them here. Some of what follows may not make sense. But know that as of recording, I've been on this planet for seven hundred and eighty seven days. This has been a long and strange deployment, and... [he pauses.] I've had to adapt to this planet. Remaining on a conventional active footing here is impossible, and will drive you to the psychs if you let it.
I'll start with the ones you need to be wary of first. Reference videos are attached in the supplemental, so you'll know who to look for.
Jedi here have included individuals named Obi Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger, and probably more that slipped under the radar. As far as I'm aware, only the Skywalkers are presently extant on Earth. Here, the Skywalkers have been the least dangerous of the bunch, but be aware: all of them except for Luke Skywalker and Bridger were part of the Jedi Order. Kenobi, Jarrus and Bridger concealed vital information from me and my commander, which could have had deadly consequences. Bridger previously hid behind pseudonyms including Jabba the Hutt and Sheev Palpatine. This is your official reminder: don't hand over information to anyone claiming to be an Imperial without a proper look at their credentials. No cylinder, no seniority, no chain of command. You know the drill.
Rebel sympathizers on-planet have come and gone. None of them are present that I'm aware of, so rest easy on that. However: there are others here who have Jedi-like capabilities, though they claim allegiance to different factions. Kylo Ren, Darth Jadus, and Darth Nox. Be wary of them, avoid engagement where possible. Ren is or--was affiliated with an organization known as the First Order. They falsely claim Imperial authority. You cannot trust them.
Now. On to the good ones.
Starting with someone who isn't here, but was. If you're coming in from before the battalion got stuck in on Malastare, you won't know Commander Jeroen Akobi. He had me permanently assigned to his command, and that was the best thing about my entire deployment. He was the ideal officer, and he treated me as a friend.
He was here, for three hundred and forty-five days. He's probably never coming back. But if he does, trust in his judgement. He wants the best for you, and serving under him is an honor, even if we're far from the Empire here. Besides, he deserves a chance to rest.
[It's a moment before he continues.]
Poe Dameron. 35 year old human male, Non-imperial, ace pilot, extremely loyal to his associates, including me. He may be distant with you, because he's aware of the difference between you and me. It's like when someone new rotates into your squad. Same role, different person. He won't try to force you to be me, but he may not process that smoothly. If you want to associate with him, you may need to state it explicitly, or he will assume you're not interested.
He has some associates you won't approve of. I don't either. But when it comes to taking action to protect those that need it, Poe has an unfaltering moral core to him. He can and has sacrificed his own health and well-being for others. Back at home, he fights the First Order. Here, I've been glad to know him the way that I have.
For the past six hundred and two days, we've been in a relationship that started in possible contravention of Article 125. When Commander Akobi arrived, he was informed, and raised no objection. What you do with that is up to you and Poe.
Captain Rex, CT-7567. 14 years old, brought to Earth from during the war. He's one of the original 501st, and it shows. He doesn't like to go by rank here, but that doesn't change the fact that he's an incredible officer who's been through some of the toughest fights in the galaxy. He accepted me as a brother from the start, and I'm grateful to him for that. If you don't remember anything here, find him. He won't steer you wrong.
And call him by his name, not his number. That's how they did things back then, and you'll respect that.
Archie. 35 year old human male, animal handling specialist, not from our galaxy as far as I know. He's acted as commander of Aegis, and has tried to do right by everyone, though he lacks self-confidence in his decision-making sometimes. We've been friends for some time now, and while he's more casual in his demeanor than you're used to, but he's a good person to have at your side.
Finn, FN-2187. 24 year old human male, who deserted the First Order's stormtrooper corps. Be advised: he goes by his name, not the designation. He's not a clone, and he wasn't a recruit: he got stolen as a child and reconditioned. Fortunately for him it didn't take. He saved Poe's life and escaped the First Order, joining the forces fighting against it. The fact that he managed to do that after that much conditioning is really all you need to know: he's a good soul, and the First Order couldn't stamp that out of him.
He looks up to clones like us, so you need to be especially responsible there: you're an influence on him. Be a good one.
Midnighter, or M. Not from our galaxy. Human male--or close enough. He's something closer to us, but part of somebody's one-of-a-kind science experiment. Think of him as somebody from a different production line, and it won't be far off the mark. He's got a similar frame of reference as us, but it's all a little off. If something doesn't seem to be making sense, you'll need to ask why, because that's been important in the past. But he's had more time to figure out civvies than you will have, so if you ever need some advice on that, he may be able to help.
There are some others that would be good for you to know as well.
Danger. She's an artificial intelligence in a droid body, not from our galaxy. Yes, that's illegal and can be dangerous, [a tiny sigh] but she has some interest in artifically-created people, and that includes clones. She's helped out with issues that we couldn't solve on our own.
Knock-Out. Cybertronian--big, ferrous life forms from another galaxy. Working with Aegis part-time. I've only talked with him once, but out of the cybertronians I've met so far, they seem to understand the clone perspective better than humans do. Knock-Out was a medic for his people, seen a lot of combat before he got here. Cybertronians have... I don't actually know how long their lifespans can get. Longer than any organics I can think of. Their wars go longer than ours too, so keep that in mind.
Ashley Williams. 31 year-old human female. Marine, member of Aegis. She's a soldier through and through, and making good use of that to protect civilians here. She's a cyborg, but don't worry about that. That kind of thing doesn't carry the risks it does back home. You can count on her to be just as reliable as she has been while I've served in Aegis with her.
The rest of Aegis is all... [he sighs, face falling back into a more dispassionate blankness.] They're reliable. The one problem is Luke Skywalker is on the roster. Commander Akobi got assurances from Aegis hierarchy to keep things peaceful on both sides, and there's the truce besides. Skywalker hasn't made any suspicious moves, and he's performed acceptably. I don't think he grew up as a Jedi, but--[And back comes the blank.] doesn't matter. We know it doesn't. Just keep to Commander Akobi's orders, and keep your focus on the task at hand.
There are others who know what it's like to be made with purpose here. Rex may be the only clone here, but you're not alone.
If you're coming in from a rough deployment, know that you can stand down here. Anomalies come at a rate of about once a month. Most of what you'll deal with is basic street crime here, and even then it's sparse. There's an occasional robbery by a local that got their hands on some weird tech, but that's as bad as those get. There's no bombings, no drive-bys, no ambushes. The only thing that makes the transition hard is the lack of a unit to do it with. If you can, meet up with someone off of the list, or someone new to trust. Ask if they can sit a few watches with you, if you really need it. It may take longer than you feel it should, but you'll do it.
If you're seeing this because of an anomaly, rest assured you won't stay confused for long. If you came in through the Porter--that means these files are all the help I can give you, because I'm gone. Life here has been a new kind of challenge, but one I know you can handle. Simply because it's the right thing to do, and you'll do it. Just because you're cut off now doesn't absolve you of that responsibility.
You can do the Corps proud here. Make your commander proud. Live up to the ideals of the Empire. And if you do that, nobody can ever take that away from you.
[He takes a long, slow breath before continuing.]
The information that follows is only relevant if you've arrived via the Porter facility in Cape Canaveral. If you're seeing this for the first time and you don't remember that facility: wait one month before accessing the rest of this briefing. You're probably experiencing an anomaly, which typically last one to five weeks. This discusses highly classified information that you don't need to know. Your commander didn't know it either, so it's well over your head. [After a beat pause to think about what he just said, he winces just slightly at the wording. He takes a breath, waiting a few seconds before plowing onwards.]
Classified briefing starts here. If you're listening to this, you've probably undergone a full reset. Your first order of business is to correct a security flaw you've unknowingly brought in with you. The cloning and conditioning process involved the implantation of a bio-chip on the surface of your brain. Mine was found here, [He turns his head and taps a section of his scalp. There's no scars there.] but if you're still a cadet, I'm not sure what it'll look like in there. They're a hold-over from when we were made on Republic production lines, and that makes them a security risk in these very specific conditions you find yourself in now.
The Jedi knew about them, and they didn't tell you, or Rex. They had their excuses, but none of them made sense. We don't know what the chip actually does in full, beyond making clones more tractable to orders. But Commander Akobi agreed that given these unique circumstances, the chip should be removed. Jedi are already monsters enough, you don't need them hijacking your brain.
If you had to wait a month before hearing this, I'm sorry. This planet's anomalies can have unforeseen consequences, and if there was a chance you were in the middle of one, I couldn't risk giving you this information.
To get the chip removed, try and contact Danger. She did the surgery the first time. If she's not available, contact Knock Out. He's only just getting up to speed on human surgery, but he's skilled, capable of discretion, and should be sympathetic to you. If neither are available, consult with Rex. He may have more connections that can help you.
You'll worry that taking it out will break your conditioning, that you'll go rogue. But you can and will still be what you want to be, once that chip's removed. The ideals we were created to exemplify still feel just as vital to me now as they did before. I'm still loyal. You will be too.
End recording.
