Great Works: Broken Oaths - JNR Wako Ticemen
Engineering Officer Slat Janice closed his eyes to the sounds of distant construction. He had
been assigned to oversee the native people’s construction of modern defensive barriers. His
corporation had been slated to bring this backwater planet up to Imperial standards. Slat snorted to
that thought as he concentrated on sleep. Can’t believe I got assigned to this hell hole of a planet.
Well, it is for the “greater good” of the Empire. You can’t be a bloody empire without
imperialism. Nothing I can do. Just sleep. Peace settled across his face before he was wrenched
awake by an explosion.
“Bloody hell,” a young technician yelled as he slammed his head into the top of the bunk.
Slat ignored him as he slid out of bed and ran outside. The camp could only be described as
an aggravated beehive. Stormtroopers rushed across the open ground toward the steadily building
fire. A piece of duracrete slammed into the barrack across from Slat and took out most of the roof.
Slat’s detachment commander came tearing towards him cursing like a drunken Iridonian.
“Get your head down Janice god dammit,” another explosion shook the ground beneath their
feet, “ if you haven’t noticed we’re being attacked!”
Slat listened carefully and told his commander, “sir, I don’t hear any blaster fire.”
Eckland stopped cursing and listened for a moment, “you’re right Janice. What the hell is
going on?”
“My guess is good as your’s sir.”
The two men jogged in the direction of the first explosion to see what had happened. There
was a lot of yelling coming from the middle of the crowd, “the whole bloody generator is gone! How
the hell are we going to continue without a generator.”
A cold lump formed in Slat’s stomach, “sir we won’t be able to function without the
generator.”
“Don’t worry I’m sure one of the Star Destroyers can shuttle down the parts we need to
build a new one,” Eckland said regaining his composure, “everyone is just over reacting Jan-...,” he
was cut off as another explosion rocked the camp.
“Sir, I believe any way we look at it we’re in trouble,” Slat said watching the sky for flying
duracrete.
3 hours later.
“Janice, the CEO is coming down to address the corporation,” Eckland informed his
underling while helping clear debris from the living area.
“I believe he will be thoroughly impressed with the progress we’ve made sir,” Slat said
sarcastically while working on the mechanism for the barrack’s door.
“Funny Janice, but in my opinion this is sabotage,” Eckland lowered his voice while he
spoke, “ and not sabotage from an outside source,” Slat looked up and nodded to his boss, “Janice
this is an inside job.”
“Sir, what you are saying is against all that the our corporations stand for,” even as Janice
said this he knew he was persuading himself not to see what was before his eyes.
“You can go on believing that our oaths hold us but,” Eckland leaned in close, “I for one am
going to look into this matter.”
The two men worked in silence for several minutes; each with his own thoughts. Janice kept
glancing up at Eckland and then looked down shaking his head. They worked on for another hour
saying a bare minimum until a shuttle roared over head.
“Well, I suppose the CEO will want to speak to me,” Eckland said in a monotone, “Janice
will you do me a favor.”
Janice glanced gave his boss a steady look before saying, “Sir.”
Eckland grimaced at the word but continued, “I’d like you to talk our head ordinance
technician about missing explosives on my behalf.”
“Sir, you can’t possibly believe that he-,” Janice was cut off.
“I don’t believe he was behind it, but I am interested if it was our ordinance.”
“Yes Sir,” Janice said giving a crisp salute as Eckland left to speak to the CEO.
Janice walked slowly across the square toward the low durasteel building that housed the all
the “sensitive” equipment. Janice watched as Chan Adrock typed furiously away at a computer. He
muttered words like “goatkisser”, “Hut spawn”, and “the Emperor’s Ghost”.
Janice tapped on the door and said, “Chan, do you have a minute?”
Chan stopped typing and looked up at Janice with a surprised look on his face, “oh Janice
it’s you. Sure, I can spare a few minutes.”
Janice peered at the screen, “what are you doing there?”
Chan turned towards the screen and answered, “I’m trying to trace the guy who checked out
the Thorium charges.”
Janice shrugged and asked, “so what’s the problem.”
“The problem is he checked out through the ID number of one of the Star Destroyers,” Chan
paused to tap a few keys, “so it looks like it was something that was listed on the Destroyer’s
manifest that had been sent here.”
Janice nodded, “so you can’t trace the guy.”
Chan sat up straight and said, “I’m trying. I know which Destroyer he’s from and that he is
still on the planet. The only shuttle that has come to and from the Destroyer in this time table is the-.”
Janice looked hard at Chan, “who’s shuttle?”
Chan shook his head and answered in a low voice, “the CEO’s.”
Janice stared right into Chan’s eyes, “are you sure Chan? Are you absolutely positive?”
Chan nodded,and Janice ran out of the building. He sprinted towards the building where he
knew Eckland and the CEO would be meeting. I can’t believe it. The CEO is sabotaging the
operation. Janice stopped in front of the Command Structure and pulled out his comlink.
“This is EO Slat Janice. I need a squad of storm troopers inside the Command building
now.”
“Why,” a voice asked.
“The bomber from last night is there.”
Janice heard a sharp intake of breath before, “they’re on their way.”
Janice walked calmly into the building looking left and right with his hand gripped tightly
around his blaster. He heard voices coming from the briefing room. Eckland’s and Harday’s, the
CEO. Janice took a deep calming breath. I have to do this. I have to hear this from his mouth. He
took one more breath and opened the door. He looked at Eckland and Harday sitting together at the
table speaking in low voices. They both looked up as he walked in.
Harday looked annoyed, but Eckland looked relieved, “Janice,” he said, “what have you
found out?”
“You were right sir. It was an inside job,” Janice watched Harday’s eyes tighten as he heard
those words.
“Do you know who it is,” Eckland asked with a bright fervor in his eyes.
“Yes.”
“Out with it then man.”
Janice closed his eyes and pulled out his blaster. Eckland and Harday both leaped
backwards, “It was the CEO sir. Chan traced it to him.”
The accused face turned red with anger, and he yelled, “why would I do such a thing as
this?”
“That is what I would like to know sir,” Eckland said stepping away while drawing his
blaster, “please explain.:
Harday glanced back and forth. Janice watched his hand go low for his blaster. With a yell
Janice shot him in the shoulder. Eckland took this opportunity to tackle the CEO and toss Janice his
weapon.
Janice pointed the blaster at Harday’s head and asked, “who hired you.”
Harday looked at the blaster and at Janice’s eyes. For a moment it seemed he wasn’t going
to answer. He looked at Janice and saw pure hate in the man’s stance and expression.
He slowly said, “the New Republic.”
Janice lowered his blaster and kicked Harday in the face, “Remember your oath while you
rot in a penal colony.”
The stormtroopers entered and took Harday into custody.
As he was being dragged away he looked back and yelled, “the New Republic is coming for
you.”
Janice smiled and said with a fierce grin, “We’ll be waiting.”
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