#46 Shimmer for the writing ask!
I'm so sorry, this got just a little bit heart-breaking because of what will happen afterwards 🥺 but this just gave me ideas and I couldn't stop them 👀💦 I might adapt this into a Kallus prequel later hmmm
Thanks for the prompt! ❤️
The table at the front of the room was shimmering, and all around Kallus people were straining their necks in anticipation. There had been rumours about promoting the best cadets for assignments in the field at the graduation, but nobody had really thought it to be true until Commandant Deenlark had ordered them to the atrium and they had seen the insignias lying at the ready.
“Cadet Kallus!” the commandant called.
“Remember,” Jovan whispered next to him, “stiffly upright, and don’t roll your R’s.”
“I’ve been doing this for four years, Jovan” Kallus returned, good-naturedly rolling his eyes at his companion.
Deenlark hadn’t specified which cadets would receive the highest honours, but nobody in the Royal Imperial Academy really doubted the outcome in his case. Kallus had consistently outranked his compatriots, even those in higher years. Colonel Yularen of the up-and-coming Imperial Security Bureau had already reviewed his file, if the Academy buzz was to be believed. He was going to fly high, and they all knew it.
There were a few looks of jealousy as Kallus made his way to the front, primly saluting Commandant Deenlark.
The commandant nodded. “Congratulations on an exceptionally successful training period. I look forward to seeing more of you in the future, Lieutenant Kallus.”
He pinned the shiny lieutenant’s insignia to Kallus’s tunic with a flourish. There was a scatter of polite applause, perfectly abiding Imperial protocol, that made Jovan’s wolf-whistle stand out all the more. Kallus bit back a groan at his lack of self-restraint, even if at the same time his heart skipped a beat.
“You’ve been assigned a command” Deenlark told him. “If you follow instructor Harn, he will give you more information.”
“Sir, yes sir” Kallus said dutifully, leaving the atrium into the room instructor Harn pointed him towards.
“Our Empire is facing threat from within” Harn told him. “Some Outer Rim world has been experiencing an uprising in rebel activity, remnants of a power-hungry regime refusing to accept the order and security the Empire brings. We are dispatching our best alumni to deal with the situation.” He handed Kallus a weapon, shimmering with novelty. “You will need this.”
“Thank you, sir” Kallus said. “What is it?”
“This is a T-7 ion disruptor rifle” Harn explained. “The pinnacle of Imperial armaments technology development. Capable of short-circuiting starships. As you can see, it has never seen battle before; they only just got out of the testing phase.”
“It will be an honour to break it in, sir” Kallus said, and he meant it, looking down at the heavy rifle in his hands with awe in his heart that was quickly turning to resolve. He would defend the Empire. He would make good use of the weapon.
When he would return to Coruscant, there wouldn’t be a shimmer on it anymore.
