Igni Irae
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Expand on Tephrike. Mock fascism.
Image Credit: Here.
Canon: N/A
Permissions: N/A
Links: Tephrike, Prosperity Quarter, Hope Falls, The Valkyrie's Diary, Adlerberg, Dominion of Light, Republican Guard, Into Darkness, After Darkness, Glorious Conflict, Kyriaki, Castle Maysaf, Amidala, Naboo, Anakin Skywalker, Trade Federation, Neimoidian, Gungan, Twi'lek, Hutt, Naboo Royal Handmaidens, Jar Jar Binks, Firemane Industries, 400-Year Darkness, Theed, Sibylla Laskaris, Darth Lachesis, Sentinel's Rest.
"The world of a Tephriki woman is her husband, her family, her children and her house. A woman in politics goes against nature itself. It distorts her feminine virtues." - A Vaderite Supreme Leader
“We should not forget that there were many women in the ranks of air defence fighters. In the units of self-defence and other posts, they replaced the men who went to the front, wherever they could. They were excellent assistants and steadfastly endured the hardships of military service. They tried to continue the work of men, in proportion to their weak forces, without fear of dangers and even death.” - A Vaderite general
"Healthy, female workers between the ages of 20 and 40 wanted for a military site. Good wages and free board, accommodation and clothing are promised." - A job advertisement in a Vaderite magazine. The military site mentioned here is a concentration camp for women.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Organization Name: Amidala Corps
Classification: Auxiliary Service.
Affiliation: Humanist People's Party, Disciples of the Vader, Darth Eisen, Tephrike, Government of the Greater Sith Imperium, KEC.
Organization Symbol: A small, delicate hand offering a sword to a larger one.
Description: The Amidala Corps serves the Disciples of the Vader, a human supremacist Sith cult that worships Vader as a deity and strives to subjugate Tephrike under the banner of ultra-nationalism, human supremacy and enslavement of non-humans. This ideology is called Humanism. The cult controls the so called Greater Sith Imperium on the planet. The corps functions as an organised women's labour and support group. It is named after Padme Amidala, former queen and later senator of Naboo. Tephrike has been isolated from the rest of the galaxy for many centuries, having been cut off by the outbreak of the Gulag Virus.
As a result, a lot of knowledge of the past has been lost or deliberately distorted. The Vaderites constitute a totalitarian government that exercises strict control over the media within their sphere. Their view of Senator Amidala is a strange one. They do not view her as an inspiring fighter for freedom, as her fans tend to do. Nor do they view her as a naive doormat with her head in the clouds, as her most vocal detractors do. Their view of Padme is very positive, but probably not in the manner other fans of her would like. Indeed, she herself would probably be horrified.
In the eyes of the Vaderites, Padme was a pure Humanist woman before Humanism even existed. Far from being murdered by her husband or dying of a 'broken heart', she sacrificed herself at Vader's hand willingly so that he could finally take his rightful place among the Sith. In so doing, she performed the ultimate sacrifice for the salvation of mankind. Like every good Humanist, she realised that in the greater scheme of things, the individual does not matter. Only the species.
This makes her a 'paragon of human womanhood'. Every human schoolgirl must learn about her and follow her example. Moreover, she believed in human supremacy. Naboo was rich and flourished because the savage Gungans were confined to their 'homeland' in the swamps and barred from entering Theed and other clean human cities. Tight immigrant restrictions shielded Naboo from 'degenerate influences' and 'alien diseases'. Thanks to her wise policies, there were no beggars, homeless or 'work-shy' in Theed. Padme protected her people from the rapaciousness of alien finance capitalism. This attracted the ire of the Neimoidian-controlled Trade Federation, which was a front for an alien cabal and coveted the planet's plasma. The alien occupiers herded the human Naboo in concentration camps, where they were worked to death and abused. The death toll was catastrophic. Meanwhile, alien gangs looted their homes and torched public buildings.
When the alien-dominated Senate refused to aid Naboo, Padme and Anakin took it upon themselves to save the planet. But after thwarting the evil aliens' diabolical scheme, the corrupt Senate tried to force Naboo to give the uncivilised Gungans equal rights. Padme took on Jar-Jar Banks as her pet alien. He had rejected the savage customs of his people and been exiled for that. She dressed him in proper clothes, taught him how to speak Basic and took him to Coruscant as a servant. Like all his people, he was a simpleton, but had enough wit to acknowledge the superiority of his mistress and follow her commands. Having seen the splendour of human civilisation, Jar-Jar Binks begged his mistress to found 'residential schools' for Gungan children to teach how to comport themselves as civilised beings.
In response, the 'lying liberal xenos Jedi media' launched a smear campaign. The Vaderites claim that when Anakin Skywalker experienced a moment of doubt after wiping out a tribe of savage Tusken Raiders, Padme comforted him and reminded him of his mission. This spurred him on to purge Tatooine of the Hutts and raiders. It was Padme who taught him that some people are natural slaves, and others, like him, natural masters. Padme was a Force-User, though obviously weaker than Anakin. She possessed the gift of influence, which is how she was able to become a queen and then senator at such a young age. In short, their view is very warped.
The Amidala Corps is open only to human women and teaches its members to follow in its namesake's footsteps. Its activities are geared towards supporting the Humanist regime. They help with farming, nursing, factory work, support work for the army and other activities. Moreover, labour units of the Corps carry out construction work. This can include building hospitals, homes or fortifications or overseeing work crews of slaves engaged in such activities. The Corps also provides aid workers, nurses, kitchen personnel and occasionally female camp guards. In its own words, the Corps is the 'maiden for everything'.
The Amidala Corps is not a military organisation and not supposed to engage in combat, but has auxiliary duties. When Vaderite forces occupy an area that has had the misfortune of hitherto not being ruled according to Humanist principles, it is common practice to evict and often deport the alien population so that they can make way for humans. This is called reclamation of living space. When an alien family is evicted from its home, the women of the Amidala Corps may be responsible for sure they leave most of their possessions behind and making an inventory. Aliens are generally only allowed to take a few meagre belongings with them when they are 'resettled'. Most of the furniture, clothes and household items are supposed to be allocated to human citizens loyal to the regime. Moreover, the Corps sets up temporary homes for near-human children who are deemed 'redeemable'. In the process family units are broken apart, and children are subjected to indoctrination and cruel treatment in order to 'civilise' them. They also help out in refugee camps for humans.
Amidala Corps provides services like construction crews, aid workers, communications specialists, nurses, kitchen personnel and sometimes camp guards. When there is a labour shortage because men are being drafted in large numbers, Corps members may be sent to help out in factories or on farms. They do lots of things with munitions in factories, too. Some of that is done by alien slaves but supervising, doing the technical or explosive bits is increasingly done by these ladies.
Women from the Corps have been recruited as auxiliaries who serve as guards in Vaderite concentration camps. Equally numerous are women who are clerks and secretaries in the Vaderite machinery of annihilation. It also exhorts young women to have lots of kids for the fatherland and helps teach humans from outside the Imperium how to awaken their 'racial consciousness'. This includes teaching them the Humanist gospel and how to speak in proper Imperial Basic. Moreover, many Amidala Corps units receive training as anti-aircraft units and can be deployed as flak batteries to repel Dominion 'terror bombings'. The Amidala Corp organises physical training and sports competitions to produce 'model Humanist women'. Holiday trips offered by the Corps are quite popular. It has its own music band and 'holiday camps' to teach young women how to be 'better' wives for their husbands and do their duty to the fatherland by having lots children and teaching them how to serve the Humanist cause.
Vaderite views on gender are quite sexist. Unlike some far-right, dictatorial regimes, they do not banish women from the public sphere and expect them to only be broodmares, but there is a lot of stigma against 'career women'. Indeed, there are limitations on female participation in the civil service and several departments have maximum quotas. Women who join the armed forces are typically relegated to support roles such as clerks, typists, and nurses. These are all vital, albeit often underappreciated, roles, but even women who can and want to fight face stigma. Ceremonies where human mothers are celebrated for having lots of children are publicly broadcast. By contrast, the Corps shames and punishes women who have had intercourse or relationships with non-humans or near-humans deemed insufficiently pure due to 'alien blood'. They are branded as having 'shamed humanity'. The Vaderites' sexism is in contrast to both the Dominion of Light and the Republican Guard. While the former is a totalitarian Jedi theocracy, there is an equality of oppression. Meanwhile, the latter is a revolutionary partisan movement that rejects sexism, along with speciecism, as reactionary.
More than one Vaderite publication has called 'women's liberation' a 'form of mass psychosis' promoted and encouraged by the 'galactic xenos Jedi conspiracy' to divide the human species against itself. This does not make it impossible for women to rise to high positions in business, the military or the State, but it is very difficult and there is a lot of pressure for them to be content with secondary roles. Most women who attain prominent positions are Force-Users, since it is obviously quite difficult to tell a Sith Lady to stay in the kitchen. The Vaderites' aggressive population policy encourages “racially pure” women to bear as many children as possible. Women who have four or more children are honoured with decorations and othe awards. Fittingly, the Amidala Corps maintains a network of maternity hospitals.
The group arranges balls and other festive occasions where particularly meritorious members can get together with 'model' men of the Disciples, the armed forces or the KEC, the praetorian guard of the Party. The Corps members are encouraged to use such occasions to find suitable partners. Births out of wedlock are not stigmatised...if the father and the mother are 'racially pure'. Officially the Amidala Corps is under the purview of the Ministry of Labour, though in practice the Ministry of Armaments and Munitions has more of a say. The Corps is also connected to the Padme Vader League of Humanist Women, the women's association of the Humanist Party. The League has 'bridal schools' where the fiancées of prominent Humanist Party and KEC members and Disciples are indoctrinated and taught housekeeping skills. The Corps is somewhat involved in this and, of course, a means to pick to 'worthy candidates' because marriages for the elite are arranged rather than up to individual choice.
GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Headquarters: Adlerberg.
Domain: The Amidala Corps is an auxiliary organisation that provides labour and support duties for the Vaderites. Thus it does not rule territory of its own. It is actively integrated into the human population and makes a determined attempt to mould the lives of the female half. The group does not have a presence outside of Tephrike.
Notable Assets: No large assets. The group is publicly funded. However, the Amidala Corps maintains a number of clinics, training and holiday camps and barracks within the Vaderite sphere on Tephrike. They don't run factories and the like, but often provide supervisors and increasingly munition workers. They have a chapterhouse in Sentinel's Rest.
SOCIAL INFORMATION
Hierarchy: The Amidala Corps is a top-down organisation with a strict hierarchy. This is in accordance with the 'Leadership Principle' that governs the Vaderites' society and dictates that ultimate authority is vested in the Supreme Leader and extends downward from him. At each level, a superior empowered by the Leader is given full authority to command and those beneath them have to obey. The Amidala Corps' hierarchy is quite patronising because each rank counts as one lower compared with the 'real' army. This is justified with their auxiliary status, but also reflects the Disciples' sexism because it means that the lowest rank can be bossed around by even a Private. Moreover, the Corps steers away from 'commanding' sounding titles. The lowest rank is Initiate. New members are called this. The next rank is Maiden. It is the standard rank and a rather absurd one. Then comes Matron, which is a rough equivalent to a Lieutenant. After that the Corps members receive regular army ranks up to Colonel.
Membership: A recruit be a human female, a citizen of the Imperium and between seventeen and forty-five years of age. Party membership is not required, but Corps members are strongly encouraged to join the Humanist People's Party. Service in the Corps can speed up the admission process. New members are typically recruited from the Handmaidens of the Divine Padme, the girls' wing of the Humanist Party's youth movement. Here it is pertinent to note that membership in the Handmaidens is compulsory for all human girls in the Imperium. Candidates go through training before being deployed. When recruiting women for senior positions or sensitive posts such as supervisor in a concentration camp or for a work crew of 'indentured assets', preference is given to those who do not have a criminal record, are physically fit, come from a good Humanist family and are politically loyal.
Climate: Daily life in the Amidala Corps is very heavy on propaganda. Members receive a regular dose of Humanist claptrap that is supposed to mould them into unflinching proponents of the Humanist cause. Ideological deviation is not tolerated and members are often lectured on their duty to the fatherland, especially producing children for the Leader. They must be fit, healthy, zealous and obey without question.
Moreover, the Corps takes an active role in controlling the leisure activities of its members. At the same time, it tries to use folklore, sports and holiday camps to win its over its members. Indeed, its holiday trips are subsidised so that girls from poor human families can join in. The Amidala Corps encourages its members to disassociate themselves from family members who have not embraced the Humanist ideal, and to report those who express deviant thoughts. The Vaderites have banned sexuality that does not lead to procreation. Same-sex relationships have been criminalised. Particularly meritorious male Disciples and soldiers are encouraged to take a second wife so that they can have more children. The opposite is not allowed. Women who have committed the 'crime' of having sexual or romantic relations with prisoners of war and alien workers are punished. For instance, a woman who had a relationship with a slave had her hair cut off and was marched through the streets carrying a sign that proclaimed 'I have sullied the honour of human women.' Then she was sent to a forced labour camp.
The feminine ideal propagated here is deeply schizophrenic. Women are not forbidden from pursuing higher education, but strongly discouraged. They should do their part because keeping them out of the work force is impractical, but their true calling is to raise the next generation. A wife must take the husband's name, and the same applies to her children. The very fact that Amidala is celebrated for supposedly sacrificing herself for the growth of Anakin's power implies inferiority. Indeed, quite a few talented Corps leaders have been frustrated upon realising that their voice counted for less. For this reason, some female Vaderites who have risen to the top are dismissive of it. Others have used it to build a following.
The Amidala Corps depicts itself as an egalitarian, meritocratic organisation. Here all 'pure' human women, no matter their class background, are the same. They all wear the same uniform, perform honest labour and are united in service to the nation. To a degree, the uniform has forged an esprit de corps, though it obviously has not done away with frictions or class distinctions. For example, a Corps member from a politically well-connected family may be parachuted into a senior position after only doing the bare minimum as a grunt. Officially, the only distinction is supposed to be that of rank, which is a reward for service. Provided she has the talent, any member can attain a position of responsibility. To an extent, this feeling of comradeship is genuine. However, it does not change the fact that Vaderite society is highly stratified and Sith are more equal than squibs.
One of the novels commissioned by the Amidala Corps depicts a human family that has fallen on hard time due to the Gulag Virus being exploited by evil alien businessmen. A Mon Calamari doctor peddles a faulty vaccine. However, the eldest daughter of the family is able to break free from their domination after reading the true story of Padme and learning that the Zeltrons are exploiting her people, and secretly cooperating with blood-drinking Twi'leks. Sadly, her brother is seduced by a Zeltron temptress, succumbing to the sinister allure of the alien. A vile Hutt the family is indebted to tries to enslave the heroine, but she is rescued by a stormtrooper. She manages to educate her family and rouse the people of her village.
The heroic stormtroopers slay the alien marauders and punish their masters. The heroine is given a medal marries the noble stormtrooper officer. An epilogue shows them living a happy life on their own farm. The woman has two children with her husband and is expecting her third. This is not to say that every member of the Amidala Corps is a Vaderite zealot. The corps recruits from all strata of human society in the Imperium. As a result, ideological fervour varies greatly. Quite a few members are cynical about the ideology or rather the fact that it has failed to live up to its promises of building a utopia for humans. Many probably value their comradeship with their friends more or just want to get on with their lives. Even many of the section and group leaders are simply ordinary people.
However, they have been raised in an environment where all spheres of public life are controlled by a totalitarian movement and so even if they disagree with the Party or think the cult of personality around the Supreme Leader is ridiculous, they will have absorbed some of the views the regime has drummed into their skulls. And, of course, a number of Corps members are directly or indirectly involved in the Vaderite machinery of persecution.
Getting a job in say a concentration camp is made attractive through the comparatively high wages, comfortable accommodations and financial independence. It pays better than working in a factory. Moreover, it gives them power by letting them abuse prisoners. Many of the young women who become guards or clerks in one come from poorer families, have left school early and have few career opportunities. Female camp guards often form their own small communities, living in cottages with their families. From the balconies they have an excellent view - including of the chain-gangs prisoners and the crematorium. Aspasia Koukoura is a rare example for a Corps member who rose from the bottom to the top. She came from a low class family and served as a warder at a KEC extermination site. She used psychological and physical methods to torture prisoners. She was not supposed to rise far beyond her position on account of her gender, but is now a notorious secret police officer.
Typically the wife of the Supreme Leader serves as patron and honorary head of the Amidala Corps. This is supposed to mirror the role the Vaderites believe Padme had. How active the 'Mother of the Imperium' is in the group varies. Some take a very active role in managing it; others are disinterested and only show up for occasional photo-ops. One turned it into a power base and greatly expanded after seizing power in the wake of her husband's death. Male Disciples do not like to talk about this Supreme Leader. Sometimes a Corps member may catch the First Lady's eye and be assigned to her as a handmaiden.
Amidala Corps members who provide auxiliary services to the military must observe military discipline, but are not oconsidered soldiers. The same applies to those who do support work for the KEC. This puts them in a bit of a grey area. They are supposed to perform in support roles that allow more men to be freed up for combat. However, many of them serve in air defence units. Moreover, basic self-defence and pistol training is common. One might say that the ideal Corps member knows how to protect herself and will put down 'dangerous xenos' if needed, but will marry a 'model Humanist Man', bear his children and be subservient to him.
Reputation: Reputation would is good among the Vaderites. But many of the Vaderites' leaders treat the Amidala Corps as a source of amusement. And more darkly, a source of indoctrinated women to marry off as favours to minions. Followers of the Republican Guard and the Dominion of Light regard them as brainwashed drones of the Sith. Those who have suffered due to crimes perpetrated or enabled by the Amidala Corps, such as work crews of 'indentured assets', are likely to regard them with hatred.
Curios: Corps members are issued dress and service uniforms. Vaderite society is a society of uniforms. Wearing one is a sign of belonging to a community built according to a racial hierarchy. They are mass produced and eliminate all distinctions. The standard uniform is a rather dowdy grey, with a shirt, skirt, cap, jacket and practical boots. The jacket has an armband with the organisation emblem. They receive a fancier uniform for parades. Each member is supposed to receive a copy of what purports to be the memoirs of one of Padme's Handmaidens. Supposedly she settled on Tephrike after the Clone Wars, founding a Naboo community to spread the 'enlightened' values of her mistress.
Rules: They abide by Humanist principles as laid down in Glorious Conflict, the gospel of the Vaderites. They are expected to render unconditional obedience to the Supreme Leader and place their personal wellbeing beneath the 'greater good'. Individualism is viewed as selfishness. A member of the Corps must strive to be a role model - especially to the younger generation. It is also expected of her to marry and be a 'good wife' to her husband, and a diligent mother. In doing so, she follows in the footsteps of Queen Amidala, the faithful wife and companion of the Sith'ari. She must naturally uphold the racial laws. Un-Humanist activities should be reported to the authorities so that corrective action can be taken. She must make sure she is in good shape because the fatherland requires her to be fit so that she can repay it for its benevolence.
Goals: Support the Disciples of the Vader through auxiliary services in the military and the economy. Educate human women in the Vaderite sphere on Tephrike about their 'duties' and indoctrinate them to follow the Humanist world view, as well as provide employment opportunities.
MEMBERS
Colonel Demeter Andino (NPC) - Demeter is the head of the Amidala Corps. She worked in a labour unit and distinguished herself by recovering wounded soldiers who had been struck by Republican Guard bomb blast. She is now in her middle age and an older, matronly type who has given birth five children. Her husband was killed during the Netherworld insurrection. In terms of personality, she has a rather maternal view of people. This extends to aliens as well. Aliens to her are just like children who need correction, obedience and boundaries. A good Humanist must 'kill the xenos in the child'. In short, she is very much a racist, but it is expressed in a 'the Human's Burden' way. Aliens like, for instance, Gungans or Cathars are not fit to rule themselves without falling into bad habits, so their human masters are doing them a favour by shouldering this 'burden'. This is an easy way to justify oppression and cultural genocide. By Vaderite standards, her views are 'progressive', which says a lot.
Demeter is quite friendly to Kyriaki. Her affection is genuine rather than faked. She sees her as someone who needs nurturing and guidance to show her the 'true way'. And, of course, being nice to the Supreme Leader's ward cannot hurt either. She rejects the way several Vaderites revile clones. The clone's genes and origins are flawed, but that is not her fault and she can overcome this through thrift and diligence. For her part, Kyriaki is fond of her. She has worked closely with the government to give the Amidala Corps important duties in supporting the war effort. Demeter follows the party line and is a safe choice as leader. She is a good negotiator and public speaker, but works within the status quo rather than trying to overturn it.
Elassa Makris (NPC) - Elassa is the definition of a true believer who is utterly convinced that what she is doing is for the betterment of humanity. Elassa dislikes 'mindless work on the assembly line', feeling stiffled by toiling in a factory. She volunteered early on to help Vaderite bring the xenos to heel. She has experience as a camp guard and overseeing evictions and deportations. While serving in a forced labour camp, she oversaw daily roll calls, work crews and punishments for female inmates. She later advanced to being responsible for confiscating their property and attained full say over the female inmates. She gained a reputation for being 'efficient' - remorseless and strict, but not governed by sadistic. It was simply a job she believed in.
She has carved out a niche being really enthusiastic at guarding 'xenos', depriving them of their belongings and teaching the 'more civilised' ones how to behave. She trains those for maid roles, but is quick to 'correct' them for perceived misdemeanours. She doesn't think about what happens to those who are sent away for being 'uppity' or 'superfluous'. Elassa is quite young, but idealistic when it comes to her job. But her idealism has been tainted by an evil system. Off the job she is a genuinely friendly person, a bit of a jokester and disturbingly normal. Psychologically there is nothing 'abnormal' about her. She is one of many 'ordinary people' who have become perpetrators because their society has normalised evil and turned it into the routine of another nine-to-five job. Her superiors consider her a model Corps member, and they're probably right.
Chryseis Laskaris (NPC) - Like Elassa, Chryseis is of a younger generation than Demeter. She is an ambitious, cynical type who is trying to promote reforms, and at the same time advance her career. She is a cousin of Sibylla Laskaris, the apprentice of a powerful Sith Lord called Darth Lachesis. The two get on well, as they are of a similar mind set. She dislikes the patriarchal structure of Vaderite society. When drafted, she initially served as a typist at an army HQ. In the middle of a Dominion assault, while the soldiers had to flee, she had to swim a river with two other girls and the divisional files. She found a horse to carry the paperwork, while enemy fire killed a female comms officer near her, and eventually managed to join the survivors.
Chryseis is Force-Sensitive, but in a minor way that does not merit training. Basically, she can enhance her memory and has some persuasive abilities, but that's it. This frustrates her because if she had been born a 'true Force-User' she could have gone to the Academy and would have attained respect and independence. Because some of her views are considered too 'unorthodox', she has been stuck with paperwork but makes the best of it trying to make her department vital for the war effort. To this end, she uses the excuse of 'freeing up men for the fight'. She can be very aggressive in the pursuit of that goal and has been likened to a kath hound on a trail. She oversees the work the Corps does in munitions. Chryseis works with Lord Skaer, but dislikes the Vaderites' armaments supremo. She secretly mocks his horrible taste in architecture.
Vera Panageas (NPC) - wife of Titos Panageas, a senior SPTF commander. The future couple met while Titos was leading his death squad to slaughter 'undesirables', and Vera was working as a secretary for the secret police. Her job was writing up execution orders. It was truly love on first sight. Indeed, their love was so passionate that Vera was soon pregnant. Titos brought his young bride along to witness a 'cleansing action' because they were in the flesh bloom of their honeymoon...and to impress her by showing her that he was the master over the life and death of a community of Twi'leks. Vera stood on the village's marketplace alongside her husband and swung the whip herself while countless innocent people were being beaten to death. She strut around with a bullwhip while the ghetto was being cleared. Sometimes, she beat prisoners who were awaiting deportation herself.
Twi'lek parents begged her for help, under the belief that the young woman and expectant mother might feel pity for them. However, Vera just turned on them. Sometimes she lured starving alien children to her with sweets, so that she could hand them over to the death squad or kill them herself. When a Twi'lek girl approached her, cried and begged for her life, Vera promised to help her. Then she grabbed the child's lekku, knocked her to the ground and viciously beat her until she died. Like her husband, she has fully embraced her role. She likes to strut around in stolen clothes, and enjoys living a privileged life style.
Captain Dormé Martoulis (NPC) - daughter of the Moff of Adlerberg, a powerful Party strongman. She never worked a day in the office and bullies the other maidens, but got parachuted into a high rank in the Amidala Corps on account of her father. When she visited an alien ghetto, she sent a letter to her fiance describing her experiences. Rather than feel any sympathy for the poor, malnourished residents of the overcrowded, squalid ghetto, she called them riff-raff loafing about. She acknowledged the quarter was too small for so many people, and noted there were epidemics and that the air was terrible and there was no water, but blamed it on the residents. Obviously it was all their fault.
"There is no water, the xenos have to buy it for ten pennies a bucket, and so they surely wash themselves less frequently than usual. Just seeing this can make one sick. You know, one really can't have any sympathy for these people. I think that they feel very differently from us and therefore don't feel this humiliation and everything. If I were in such a situation, I would burst with rage and hate the people who did this to me. They surely hate us too, but for other reasons."
Dormé is an incredibly entitled, self-centred and callous woman. She likes to strut around wearing fancy clothes based on what the Vaderites think high-class Naboo fashion looked like. The Naboo style is popular among conservative Vaderite women because Padmé is regarded as the embodiment of the feminine ideal. If she finds herself in trouble, she is quick to invoke her father's name under the belief that his power and wealth can shield her from any consequences. She has been assigned alien servants.
Cordé Tycho - Cordé is an idealistic country girl who grew up in a rural area that had been 'settled' by the Vaderites a long time ago. The population was overwhelmingly human. Polite, cheerful and helpful, she is a gregarious presence...and a true believer in the Imperium's ideals. Cordé disdains cruelty and has tried to mitigate it in her area of responsibility, even reporting Vaderite soldiers and officias for maltreating aliens. Many of her peers consider her soft. However, she's also casually racist and convinced that mankind is a superior species. It is her honest belief that they are mentally inferior, and that is the human woman's burden to civilise them.
Arbitrary cruelty and corruption are bad, but if resolved they lead to harmony. The xenos wil be loyal and compliant if not treated savagely, like a dog should be trained and not mistreated. Humans are superior, but they need to set a positive example. In the eyes of Cordé, people are fallible, but the state is just and will set things right. To her the good aliens are obedient servants who are loyal to their masters and abandon their 'savage ways'. She is friendly to aliens under her and has shown compassion to and stood up for them them, but also very patronising.
Trained as a clerk and administrative assistant, she has worked in a variety of posts. She is a smart young woman with a good work ethic. Recently she has been assigned to work with Kyriaki, a young Sith Cordé admires. However, recent events have undermined her idealism. During a mission to Hope Falls she and her boss uncovered a locus of corruption, systemic abuse and cruelty. Cordé saved her boss' life from an ambush by corrupt policemen. It was the first she'd killed someone. First Cordé wanted to rationalise the abuse as an aberration, but more and more she is being forced to confront the evil inherent in the system she serves. She has not suddenly abanduned her beliefs, but Lachesis' open cruelty has undermined her idealism, leaving her conflicted.
Iole Doukas (NPC) - Iole is a Non-Force-User from a good family that has produced several Sith. To put her to work - and keep her from beng an embarrassment on account of her genetic makeup - she has been given a high-ish rank in the Amidala Corps. However, she resents it and is using her position to extract bribes and patronage. She works in a medical role, and is a bit of a poster child for the Corps' aid work. Her family milks that as much as possible. Their hypocrisy and privilege only stoke her resentment. On the whole, she is deeply cynical about the Humanist state. But she is smart enough to smile for the cameras and hug orphans. In truth, she diverts some of the funds to a slush account rather than using it for actually nursing and helping. She's smart though and only takes a small amount. She also handle things like finding homes for orphans; more opportunity for graft and corruption.
Amaryllis Petra (NPC) - even in the most evil nations, there are righteous souls, lights in the darkness. Amaryllis is one of those rare individuals who doesn't choose to look away...unlike many an 'honourable' Imperial soldier. Employed in the medical branch, she first heard about Vaderite cruelties from wounded soldiers. The reports seemed so unbelievable to her that she had herself transferred to an infectious diseases station in order to see for herself. From two patients delirious from typhoid fever, she learned of the crimes at committed in Vaderite concentration camps. Most ordinary Imperial citizens would've shrugged, declared that it was 'unfortunate', but not their concern since 'the xenos do even worse to us, it's just terrorists'. The atrocities are an open secret, but most people act blind, deaf, and dumb when they find out something, and continue with their daily lives.
But she arranged for a transfer to a Vaderite death camp called Camp Progress, where she began working in the sickbay for the camp KEC. Twi'leks, Zeltrons, Mon Calamari and other 'undesirables' were being held here. As a nurse, she has organised medications for the prisoner nursing stations, passed on information, and smuggled out plans, photos, and other proof to the underground. Here and there, she has been able to protect sick prisoners. Despite attempts to denounce her and her own deteriorating health status, she has maintained the courage and the strength to deliver secret messages, explosives, and weapons from Gamorrean rebels to a resistance group inside the camp. She's isolated in the Amidala Corps because she cannot confide in her peers, lest she be turned in for 'sabotage'. She cannot even talk about it with her family. Amaryllis considers her activities to be 'human duty', and sadly only a drop in the ocean'. She knows that it's very likely that her activities will be discovered, whereupon she'll be sentenced to death for treason, but it's the right thing to do.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
According to the Disciples of the Vader, the rules governing the status of men and women in their society were laid down by Darth Malitia, the founder of their movement. When the outbreak of the Gulag Virus sent Tephrike spiralling into chaos, the Jedi assumed a protective stance. The endemic strafe, the collapse of the rule of law and the massive death toll of the pandemic compelled them to take in an attempt to restore order.
However, they were corrupted by their absolute power. Their government became a totalitarian theocracy, the Dominion of Light. One of the Jedi who served it, a man called Cade Seward, fell to the dark side while fighting rebels. He became convinced that Darth Vader had charged him with purging Tephrike of lesser beings and restoring it to greatness. His dark crusade was eventually halted at the cataclysmic Battle of Palmyra, which was a Pyrrhic victory for the Dominion. However, although he was subsequently challenged and defeated in a Kaggath, his twisted ideals lived on and formed the basis for the state the Vaderites created after the Arduous March.
He called himself Darth Malitia. He was a megalomanical tyrant and virulent speciecist who viewed non-humans as lesser beings. Ironically, he was not sexist. Indeed, he denounced such views as silly. The original version of Glorious Conflict, his dark gospel, does not say that women should be subservient. His successor Darth Vengeance, who laid the groundwork for the modern Vaderite state, thought differently and women's rights were gradually curtailed. Of course, somewhat different rules applied to female Force-Users because the Vaderites did not want them to rebel. The regime started to stress the importance of 'traditional values'. Policies were instituted to push women out of government jobs and discourage them from pursuing a higher education.
At first this was justified as a provisional measure to increase birth rates and ensure that the human population would recover. The death toll of the Gulag Virus had been catastrophic and humankind was engaged in a life or death struggle with the evil xenos forces that were responsible for the outbreak. One of the legislations introduced was the Law for the Encouragement of Marriage, which gave newlywed couples bonuses.
Couples with many children received preferential treatment when it came to receiving benefits or housing. Women received incentives to stay at home and have more than three children. Over time the regime started to vilify 'career women'. However, the wars with the Dominion and the Republican Guard were a drain on manpower. Heavy losses in the military and labour shortages meant that it was necessary to form auxiliary formations and draw upon all reserves. Enslavement of aliens and other undesirables had become widespread, but not all jobs could be performed by them. Moreover, slave revolts were a constant risk.
Thus the Amidala Corps was founded. It was conceiced as a labour and support group and became an umbrella organisation for various women's auxiliary formations, including from women's detachments from the labour service, auxiliary communications squads, flak units, camp overseers, clerks and so on. Until then Amidala had barely been mentioned in Vaderite propaganda. Indeed, on more than a few occasions she had been denounced. However, new 'evidence' was discovered that showed she had in fact been a model Humanist.
Though officially not considered soldiers, elements of the Amidala Corps did see combat. Examples would be crews that managed anti-aircraft artillery during Dominion air strikes, handled prisoners or who served a nurses and provided aid to wounded soldiers under enemy fire. Some were celebrated by the propaganda apparatus, but their treatment was typically extremely patronising.
When Darth Autokrator became Supreme Leader, he imposed restrictions that were harsh even by Vaderite standards. Female doctors were put under the Amidala Corps. With the exception of areas related to women's health, they were demoted to supervising nurses. Moreover, women who had obtained doctorates were now called 'scholars' and could only hold teaching positions in subjects categorised as 'women's fields'. For example, women with a degree in law had to quit their jobs. Women should focus on home and hearth. For this reason, the Corps was given tasks 'appropriate for the female of the species'.
This led to considerable unrest. Female Disciples might not particularly care about female squibs, but felt that their position was being attacked. Moreover, forcing female factory workers to return to the hearth exacerbated labour shortages. The decree was utterly unenforceable in agriculture. Things took a radically different turn when Autokrator died and his wife seized power. Lady Desma agreed to marry the ambitious Sith Lord Antigonos, who commanded the elite guard troops. This was supposed to solidify his claim to the throne. However, she had managed to sway the troops under his nose, framed him for treason, then had him put to death. Scorning Vaderite 'tradition', she proclaimed herself Supreme Leader, calling herself Darth Despoina.
Despoina expanded and militarised the Amidala Corps. She abolished the rule stipulating that their ranks were inferior to that of regular soldiers. A number of officers in the Corps who had distinguished themselves were promoted to high positions in the state or business. Some of the most gifted female soldiers were recruited into a group called the Shieldmaidens. Moreover, she had Glorious Conflict rewritten to remove the misogynist passages that had been falsely attributed to Malitia.
However, when she died, most of her changes were reversed and the Vaderites did their best to ignore her existence. However, they did not go back to the same extremes. Once reforms have been carried out, they are difficult to reverse and they did not want to antagonise the female half of the Disciples too much, lest they rebel or defect. When Darth Hyperion came to power, he led the Vaderites into renewed war with the Dominion and the Guard, putting an end to a period of relative cold war and low-intensity conflicts. After making notable territorial gains, casualties on the frontlines began to mount. More and more people needed to be thrown into the meat grinder, and this created labour shortages.
The Amidala Corps participated in the Chios genocide orchestrated by Darth Lachesis. Corps members participated in the evictions and 'forced relocations' of 'dangerous xenos', confiscated and catalogued their possessions. Some served as camp guards, secretaries and clerks in the Camp Freedom extermination facility. They were accomplices and perpetrators of the xenocide, acting as plunderers, organisers of the deportations and the mass killings. A few committed murders themselves, such as nurses who administered lethal injections or camp guards who beat prisoners. And, of course, the secretaries typed up execution lists. Moreover, they welcomed new 'colonists' and helped get them settled in. When the Vaderites built Sentinel's Rest as a settlement for veterans and their families after dismantling the death camp, the Amidala Corps built a chapterhouse. Some of the perpetrators settled in the town, being rewarded with nice homes and bonuses.
As part of a deal between the AC's leadership and the ambitious, conniving Lord Skaer, the new minister of armaments, the members of the Corps were brought into the armaments factories to handle munitions and 'oversee' slaves. Ironically, Despoina had already promoted that a long time ago, but she was obviously not given credit. Many detachments also took an active role in creating a great defensive wall, including manning flak batteries. On a darker note, more were mobilised as guards in concentration camps and killing sites.
This gave the Republican Guard ample reason to target the AC's barracks and training sites. This also applied to the rebellious alien slaves who briefly managed to take control of the Prosperity Quarter ghetto and parts of Adlerberg during the Netherworld Crisis. Ironically, a rag-tag force, mixed gender force of AC members and Order Police reservists were among the defenders of Adlerberg, having been cut off from the human zone. They fought fiercely despite their lack training or good equipment. However, their contribution remained largely unrecognised and they were largely disregarded in favour of the KEC relief force commanded by Darth Furcht. They did, however, take part in the 'cleansing' action. Recognising the value of some of them, Lachesis had a few transferred to her command. The Netherworld Crisis had had a disruptive effect and some AC members defected, disillusioned. A few of them found their way into the ranks of the Republican Guard.
With Furcht dead in a Firemane bombardment, the decadent Darth Eisen has taken command, though some Disciples still question his claim. He is a conservative, but flexible when ideology gets in his way because he prioritises self-aggrandisement. The Amidala Corps continues to serve the regime, as it has in the past, though unrest is brewing in the Imperium and it has not remained unaffected. A young, aspiring Disciple called Kyriaki, clone of a 'space woman', has started to take an interest in the group.
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