#shadow troopers

(Y/N) stood in the middle of the large lab she'd been assigned to, uncertainty shining in her eyes as she did so. Questions flooded her mind, so many questions about different things, most of which started with why. Briefly, she glanced back at the secured door, guarded by two commandoes and a full-body scanner. It was clear security and secrecy were the top priority. Yet still, Snap didn't understand why she was there, let alone why she had been given her own lab.

"I trust everything is up to your standards," said Hemlock in a smooth voice as he entered the secured room. He rubbed his gloved hand as if it pained him in some way. (Y/N) turned to nod in silence, almost refusing to utter a word as if she was rebelling against them on a minuscule level. "Everything regarding your program is within these files. I will have the latest one brought to you," he added, hints of respect shining through his voice. "This one was recovered from Eriadu."

"Eriadu?" questioned (Y/N). Confusion was present and on display, but she made no attempts to hide it. "There are no bases or facilities there. And this program doesn't accept TK Troopers from War-Mantle," she continued, displaying her knowledge well enough and unknowingly revealing why the Emperor had intended for her to be transferred in the first place.

"Very good," complimented Hemlock, although more in a backhanded way, as if she was a child who'd just won a game. "The trooper in question was a rogue. Tarkin has no use for him. However, I believe he will be a good candidate for your program and an excellent display of your skills," added the scientist, recalling Rampart's quick and fast failures regarding many things, including his attempts at keeping the project going until (Y/N) could be found. The project had produced one good Shadow. The rest hadn't survived Rampart's attempts at turning them.

"Until I'm done revising the techniques used, I suggest leaving those selected for the project alone for the time being," Snap ordered authoritatively. Clearly, she cared for the clones, but she didn't desire to put them through the fatal torment Rampart had apparently taken great joy in putting those selected through. "I will do this alone; I work better that way," she added, determining she had little choice in the latter, but she could at least make the demands and maybe just maybe sabotage the program some way. Make sure the troopers selected have someone to care for them or have a chance to escape if the time should arise.

"As you wish," replied Hemlock, seemingly unsurprised by her tone or the request to work alone. The Emperor at least had forewarned him of such, along with her care for the troopers, just as he knew of the ulterior motive for (Y/N) being transferred to the base. She wasn't just a skilled medic and desired high-ranking personnel; she was a weapon against the troopers already within the facility. No trooper who cared for her would leave her behind if they had the chance to escape, and she wouldn't leave without them either. "The clone is scheduled to arrive in a few hours. In the meantime, I request you complete a medical check on the clone girl, Omega."

Snap could only nod in confirmation, with shimmering hints of recognition in her eyes as she recalled Echo mentioning Omega, the girl the batch had taken from Kamino the night they fled the empire. It scared her to think the kid was within the empire now, even more so when she knew the boys wouldn't give Omega over without a fight. She was one of them, a part of their family. If she was at the facility, then something must have happened.

Thinking about it only brought on fear and dread but also sparked hope the others were okay. (Y/N) instinctively reached for her necklace's pendant, wishing it would start transmitting again, but knew its signal was being blocked deep down. The Empire didn't want anyone finding the base or rescuing anyone within it. At the same time, she wondered where Wolffe was now; he was within the empire, too, joined to continue his self-given mission to protect her. Only they'd been separated, and all requests to establish contact had been refused, mainly due to Wolffe being a Clone and being seen as a liability.

"Your Snap," came the voice of a young girl from the secured entrance to the lab. When (Y/N) turned, she was met by Omega standing there, unsure what to do. She was trying to put on a brave face despite being scared. (Y/N) nodded to the assertion, a grin threatening to pull at the corner of her lips. "My brothers talk about you. Tech showed me a few videos, too," she added, answering the wordless question lingering between them.

"Of course, he did," commented (Y/N), recalling Tech's habit of recording everything. "Come, tell me about your adventures across the galaxy," added Snap, waving for Omega to follow. Echo had spoken of the adventures, too, when they'd been briefly reunited before. "Echo talks of you and the batch too, quite fondly," she added, helping Omega onto the examination table with gentleness, as an older sister would care for their younger siblings.

"I found Crosshair," said Omega after telling Snap stories from the past year and answering some of her questions. Unintentionally, Omega had also given (Y/N) the answer to another question she'd yet to word: Who was the trooper Hemlock wanted her to work on? Now, she had the answer, but she was hesitant to do what was requested of her. He was a friend to her and Omega's family, as was Crosshair, who was also on the list of candidates.

"I got a mission for you, Omega," started Snap as she continued to do the required medical checks and fill out the forms. Omega seemed to perk up just a bit as if the idea of another mission gave back some of her lost hope. "When working in the facility, look for an escape. Don't trust anyone but Crosshair; when the time is right, take the snarky sniper and run," spoke (Y/N), willing to be left behind and even distract those around the facility if needed. "I'll work to free the others trapped her. Sabotage what I can," she whispered, once again acting as if Omega was her younger sister as if her words were a secret between them.

"What about you?" Omega asked in response. Her words were just above a whisper as they hit her. (Y/N) was trying to protect her, filling in for the batch now that she'd be separated from them.

"I'll be fine; I'm a survivor," replied Snap, tapping her necklace's pendant as if alerting Omega it was more than it seemed. Hemlock and his assistant Emerie Carr and Kaminoan scientist Nala Se soon returned. The Kaminoan seemed unsure, although (Y/N) was quick to observe she was likely there against her own will as well. She was forced to comply with the empire and give them something only she could.

"I trust our new assistant has a fresh bill of health," spoke Hemlock once again, his voice smooth and calm.

"She has a slight infection from an injury, so she'll be on antibiotics for a few weeks," Snap answered authoritatively again, knowing no one would question it. It would prevent anyone from taking Omega's blood for the time being. As the words left Snap's lips, Nala Se briefly glanced in her direction as if realizing the pair had a common goal: protect Omega. "Now, if you excuse me, I have some revisions to do and a long-term guest to prepare for," added (Y/N), instructing Omega to find her every day for the next few weeks or so to receive the antibiotics.

The moment Snap was left alone, she grabbed the datapad she'd been given and read through the research, horrified by the things Rampart had ordered, all in an attempt to make clones more obedient and loyal to the empire. Tarkin had started it by ordering inhibitor chips to be powered to the max, forcing away any individuality and disobedience in the commandoes. Rampart had implemented multiple levels of torture and retraining, rigorous courses bordering on cruelty, and even starvation to get what was needed from them.

"What an idiot," muttered Snap, the common feeling of being trapped overwhelming her again. She wanted to protect the troopers and care for them, but the Dark Trooper Program she was now the head of wouldn't allow that. It was a lose-lose situation for all of them. If they were put forward for her program as it was, it was guaranteed torment, punishment with little chance of survival, if it worked they would be mindless assassins akin to a human droid. "I need a fail-safe," she uttered, pulling her own personal pad from the draw to write down notes, ways she could eventually reverse the damage she would be inflicting on the troopers.

Before (Y/N) knew it, the door to her lab wooshed open again; Hemlock had returned this time, followed by two commandoes carrying a stretcher. On it was the trooper Hemlock had ordered be delivered to her. Snap wasted little time in thanking the two commandoes and moving to her patient, knowing her work was cut out for her. Hemlock left without a word shortly after, knowing she preferred to be left alone to her work; he'd read her detailed file and accepted the responsibility of being her keeper for now.

"Oh, Tech," whispered Snap, quickly placing a breathing applicator on him. Sympathy shone brightly in her eyes as she reached to take hold of his broken and bloodied hand, at least trying to give him reassurance that she cared, that someone cared. With a shaky breath, she started her assessment, making a record of all the injuries sustained. She could treat most of them; the broken bones were easy to fix, as were the other traumatic injuries; she knew there was little she could do for his right leg, crushed beyond repair. "Stay with me, Tech. I can't do this alone," admitted (Y/N) when he briefly regained consciousness and reached out for her. Whether that was instinctive because he sensed someone nearby or because he recognized her was another matter.

"You saved the clone," came the voice of an unknown scientist. Her voice was hard, but she also seemed surprised, as if she had expected (Y/N) to fail. Snap didn't bother to answer the question, simply nodding before returning her attention to the Bacta Tank. "Dr Hemlock requested this be delivered to you," she added, her cold voice even now, as she suppressed all her emotions and remembered what she'd been sent to do. Only now did (Y/N) completely turn her attention to the other scientist, signing for the encrypted datapad; no doubt it had previously belonged to Rampart.

"Anything else?" Snap coldly asked, knowing that if she was going to survive, she had to hide her weakness and put on an act. She had to be wise and pick the battles worth fighting. She had to hold back the tears threatening to fall now that she was truly able to ponder what was being asked of her. What she had to do to all the clones apart of her program? What the program truly was. Just as she had to accept, there was no going back to the innocent woman she had once been. She had to sacrifice who she was for others to survive and for answers to be retrieved.