Surprise: Tarkin has a knack for these.

Year 1 of the Empire: Wilhuff Tarkin raises an army 3

In his office, the newly appointed Moff Wilhuff Tarkin was verifying the reports about Quintad Ground-based Manufacturing's new armor production lines when his appointment arrived about twenty minutes early. A classic "hurry up and wait" in military fashion, as expected from the individual.

"Send the marshall commander in." he told to his aide. And soon after he came in, clad in a perfectly clean yet scarred armor.

"Marshall commander CC-2224 reporting as ordered, sir." he presented himself.

"Good. Please, sit. Though I remember you prefer Cody?"

"I do. But with the new orders..."

"The Clonetroopers have fought and died to save the galaxy from the Separatists, and then you and your unit personally neutralized one of the most dangerous Jedi traitors, as far I'm concerned you've earned the privilege of going by whatever name you want more times than I can count."

"Thank you, sir. Though if I can speak freely..."

"Always."

"I do not believe general Kenobi was a traitor, never did even when the chip was active."

"Then why did you order an artillery barrage on him?"

"I had my orders, and I couldn't be sure he'd choose the Republic over the Jedi now that Windu had started that coup. And if he choose the Jedi..."

"Kenobi's combat record speaks for itself. Now, I hear you got your orders?"

"Yes, sir. But I don't understand, why breaking up the 7th Sky Corps?"

"Direct orders from the Emperor. I can only suppose he doesn't fully trust you, not after Kenobi managed to escape you, and didn't want to keep his personal unit together. Gave me the chance to have your battalion assigned directly to me, so I won't complain."

"And that brings me to the other order, sir."

"Any issue with that?"

"Well... They're not Clones!"

"They aren't. But they're the best men and women in the entire former ORSF, veterans of dozens of battles, and it's time the citizens of the galaxy takes over the duty of defending themselves. With proper instructors they can take it, and, knowing what will be required of them, you have six months to complete your orders-or kill them trying."

Cody was about to object again when the last phrase made him realize Tarkin understood exactly what he was asking.

Soldiers from the former ORSF had been assembled in from of the governor's palace, deployed by squad, under the eyes of curious onlookers and a single Stormtrooper battalion-still entirely composed of Clones, the decree opening the new Stormtrooper Corps to natural born people being too recent for the battalion including anything else. And right over them one of the new Imperial-class Star Destroyers was hovering over the city and the palace. Finally, the Moff showed himself on the balcony, accompained by a Clonetrooper without his helmet.

"I welcome you here, veterans of the Outland Regions Security Force." Tarkin started. "You are the best the entire Greater Seswenna has to offer, picked squad by squad by my staff, for one and only task: fill that ship." he continued, eventually pointing at the Star Destroyer. "It's the Executrix, the flagship of the Moff of this Oversector. She can carry a full legion of Stormtroopers, and it's been suggested to assign an existing legion to her, but I know better than that. I know you. Service on the Executrix is one of the most prestigious posts in the Empire, and it would be foolish and insulting to exclude the best soldiers of the Greater Seswenna, who differ from the Stormtroopers only in equipment, training, and height. Starting tomorrow you will train under the veterans of the 212th Attack Battalion, so that, in six months time, you and these veteran Clones will form the new Legion Executrix and serve on it. It won't be easy, even for you-but I know, I've seen, you completing harder tasks. Will you do it?"

A deafening roar of agreement rose from the soldiers-their commander, who had led them to victory against the Separatists, asked them to become even better and guard him, how could they refuse? And much to Cody's surprise, the dropout rate would be of less than 1%, all due freak accidents that crippled or killed the perspective Stormtrooper.