Morphing the Monarchs

[Tmoxin Temi]

Location: Tipoca City Military Complex

The reunion with Sgt. Major Ulysses affected Tmoxin more than she realized it would, and she had to tamp down her emotions when he gave her a sharp salute after de-boarding the shuttle that brought him from Lok to Kamino. Behind him the soldiers, mostly human men and women who remained from her two stormtrooper platoons, The Blood Monarchs marched out from the exit ramp and lined up in their normal formation behind the Sgt. Major. Missing was the ubiquitous, gleaming white armor but the soldiers looked no less loyal than they had under her Command.

“Some of the Monarchs defected obviously. Mostly out of fear,” the Sgt. Major said, shrugging. “But I was able to recruit a few from Lok prior to leaving."

“I already have some leads on interested soldiers here,” said Tmoxin, who stayed very busy to keep her cabin fever at bay in Tipoca City with its constant rain and thunderstorms. She smiled at her second-in-command and said, “Shall we get started? I’ll take you through this very unique military complex.”

Side by side, Tmoxin and Ulysses walked through the sheltered glass and metal enclosure which linked the landing pad and the military facility and also protected them from the torrential rain of Kamino’s skies. After they entered the domed structure the men and women were instructed to wait in one of the battlefield simulation rooms while the Hapan ex-officer gave her long time Sgt. Major a tour.

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Tmoxin took Ulysses through a smaller part of the military complex that could be rented and used to train civilian security contractors. The rest of the series of immense, domed buildings was for training of clones and any personnel related to whatever cloning operations still thrived on Kamino. The Hapan wasn’t too sure what businesses were profitable as she hadn’t studied up on the active company profiles in Tipoca City, so preoccupied she was with her own pharmaceutical startup, Morpho Pharmaceuticals.

“What will happen to Lok now, Commander?” Ulysses asked, still using her old officer rank. Old habits would be hard to die, she supposed.

“It will eventually be destroyed,” she said with some regret. “What of it now? Does any personnel remain?”

“Sadly, no,” he said. “And anything of value has been shipped here upon your instructions.” This included weaponry, laboratory supplies and any other material which was easily transported. Heavy artillery, shuttles, stray TIE Fighters and even AT-STs would have to be demolished in the “Rebel bombing.” Tmoxin couldn’t risk having those items stored, nor could she afford it right now. She could just envision Gerion Ardik’s beleaguered look if she had asked him to transport and indefinitely store sensitive assets which could be seized or raided if the One Sith came looking for the ex-officer. The Umbaran's eyes would glaze over as he calculated cost and risk with droid-like precision. No, better to save up her womanly charms for something she really cared about like that Keffi farm on Lianna.

“I suppose we can’t help keep everything from looters now,” she said, picturing pirates and salvagers sweeping over the grand Morpho Center for Imperial Training, which now lay abandoned.

“Anyway, before we get started with planning what type pf armaments I want to show you these weather and atmosphere generators.”

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

They went further into the military complex and eventually entered a large, hollow room. On one end there was a wide, bank of windows, which most likely was a two-way mirror so that higher ranking officers could watch any training activity undisturbed. There was also a small staircase and a doorway on the back wall.

"See those valves and vents?" Tmoxin asked, pointing to slightly unidentifiable fixtures in the ceiling, floor and walls. "They pump out wind, rain... even fire and ice to simulate extraordinary warfare environments."

Ulysses was suitably impressed. The Hapan officer wanted to try it out but the console to control the atmospheric environments that soldiers would be trained in was presumably in the enclosure for the training administrators on the other side of the two way mirror.

"Very impressive, Commander," said the Sgt. Major. They turned on their heel and walked back to where the renegade Monarchs were congregating. "The good news is that all of the weaponry for our soldiers is being unpacked and consists of E-11 blasters, sniper rifles, MiniMag PTL missile launchers and thermal detonators. Before we fled, I also made sure we confiscated the stockpile of KE-6b mines," continued the Sgt. Major.

"You never cease to amaze me. Even when you are spending the night in a cold, desert prison," she said, teasing him about the night he refused to help her train a handful of slaves purchased from Coruscant into slaves and she had him jailed in the Morpho brig for the night to teach him a lesson.

"Okay let's get suited up for some actual practice drills," Tmoxin said, thrilled to have her troops back under her command.

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Because of the unforgiving climate on Kamino, everything was conducted indoors, even the practice drills. First Tmoxin and Ulysses had the soldiers suit up in CS-004 Olympian Battle Armor provided by the Techno Union. They would need to get used to the particulars of that armor versus the standard stormtrooper armor they were used to.

Then the newly christened Morpho Security Division warmed up with regular fitness training. After that, Tmoxin had them run through an LFX just because they had been so recently uprooted and it was a few days since they had practiced with weapons. She knew that there was Rebel activity on Geonosis and had gotten the call from the TU about investigating. The good news was that since the Morpho Security Division was used to training in the desert of Lok, the harsh and dusty environment of Geonosis would be familiar territory for them.

But she really wanted to see her troops in action against different types of elements, so the battlefield simulation room was on the schedule next.

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Tmoxin left the Sgt. Major in charge of bringing the Morpho Security Division to the battle simulation room while she found an empty office in which to make a holocall.

She rang up the Intergalactic Bank of Manda and after being bounced around a bit by prompts, was put in touch with [member="Eeth Forte"], a young Zabrak investment banker. He was well dressed as a banker would be and quite a smooth talker, trying to interest her in a few financials deals before she finally got him to focus on why she was calling. After a bit of negotiation, he granted her a loan. A very big loan. “And if you don’t pay it back according to the terms… well, I’ll have to hunt you down and kill you,” he said as their call was about to conclude. Then he gave a loud and hearty laugh and said, “I’m just joking, kiddo! Good doing business with you Miss Temi.”

A bit unsettling, but now Tmoxin had credits in her bank account and no longer had to wheedle Gerion Ardik for access to his finances which always left her pride a little shaken. Satisfied that she could now fund upgrades of the Morpho Security Division, including this training session, she made her way to the battle simulation room to join Ulysses.

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Tmoxin sat in the battle simulation room watching the Morpho army group up in formation. She sent Ulysses out there as well, and after he donned his own suitof armor, he would lead the training session. The Hapan thought about joining them, but being a businesswoman now had its perks. Besides, she was always dashing around in the blasted rain on Kamino. This time she would stay nice and dry.

She was so curious as to exactly what types of environments this clever system offered. After a few preliminary taps to the board, she found the instructions and the wide array of simulations. Hurricane force winds, boiling heat complete with fire pits, ice storms, snow storms, tidal waves, sand storm. Hm, sand storm sounds just right, she thought, activating the simulator. Immediately she could see the entire large room below her fill with blinding sand and howling winds. She suppressed a laugh at her troops as they struggled to keep their footing and flailed around miserably in the dust cloud that ensued.

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

The ex-Commander put the Morpho Security Division through fire, rain, wind and utter hell. It was time for them to take a break. Tmoxin also had some recruitment to do in another part of Tipoca City, so she left Ulysses with the soldiers and took an indoor shuttle to another one of the large dome buildings on the all-water planet.

Her recruitment consisted of meeting with a Kaminoan business owner who operated a small cloning company in the heart of the city. The Kaminoan’s name was Tus Mar and the company, having been in existence for quite a few years, was called Kaminoan Klones and came highly recommended by a few of the city officials Tmoxin had gotten to know during her short stay on the planet.

Even though on a whole the Hapan businesswoman was not too fond of alien species, she somewhat admired the Kaminoan race with its superiority complex and lack of ethics. Too bad more of the female members were not in charge.

“Have you ever purchased clones before, Miss Temi?” asked Mr. Mar.

“Yes I ordered a contract for soldiers when I was active with the Imperial Inquisition,” she said, not feeling the need to hide her identity or background to the Kaminoan. His clients were most likely of a similar ilk, either business or military personnel that needed mercenaries, security guards and even workers.

“So you know how it works then?” he asked. Behind him she could see the gloomy view of Tipoca City and a large bolt of lightning struck so close that she jumped in her seat.

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

“Yes, I believe so. I would like human males,” she said, and at those vague specifications, Mr. Mar pulled up a holo display of prime clones and in a somewhat derisive tone asked:

“Would you like any modifications?”

Tmoxin considered it but the price tag was too steep for genetically modified clones with added strength, endurance and other fighting advantages. The ex-Commander knew that she could just train them herself so she ultimately declined the offer.

She knew Sgt. Major Ulysses would not approve of using clones. After all, he didn’t approve of her purchasing slaves on Coruscant and conditioning them into stormtroopers. His outrage over that had facilitated his night in the Morpho prison. She didn’t want to contend with anymore of his judgment and concerns.

Her new business partner, Gerion Ardik? She wasn’t sure if he would approve. Most likely he would chortle at her and ask why she wasn’t just using droids. She could almost hear his holier-than-thou voice in her head at the thought of it. But neither of them would find out because Tmoxin was funding the clone order with credits from her new Intergalactic Bank of Manda loan. Perhaps she should clone a servant or two while she was at it since she was still waiting for her “list” of amenities to be approved by Gerion. Surely a servant wouldn’t put the order out of her budget range… besides she no longer had Marta and could really do with an assistant/attendant/lackey type object.

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

“How many clones?” Mr. Mar asked.

“A full platoon. Thirty-two soldiers and two officers,” she said. The Kaminoan nodded, reviewed her order and finally said, “These clones will be ready in two months.”

“But… I need them sooner than that,” she said incredulously.

“That will be extra, and I have to warn you that such accelerated growth may result in mental instability in the clone. Do you want to proceed?”

Tmoxin thought this over but figured with the Morpho Pharmaceuticals any psychological issues could be combatted by a healthy dose of anti-depressants, anti-psychotics and other such drugs. How convenient.

“Yes, please.”

“They will be ready in two weeks, Miss Temi. Thank you for your business.”

After wire-transferring the credits to Kaminoan Klones, Tmoxin rose and exited Mr. Mar’s office to make her way back to the Tipoca City Military Complex.

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Back at the Tipoca Military Complex, the Morpho Security Division mercenaries were thoroughly exhausted and were back in the locker room, changing into civilian clothing. Tmoxin stood with Sgt. Major Ulysses again in the battlefield simulation room. Droids were now cleaning up all of the sand and debris from the simulated dust storm. A couple of the soldiers had to go to the facility med-bay with scratched corneas and other assorted cuts and bruises.

“Commander, how are you going to afford to keep the Security Division functioning?” Ulysses inquired. It was a bold question for him to ask as he never seemed remotely interested in her finances, nor did she think it was his business anyway. But they were embarking on a new journey together and perhaps he was pushing the boundaries of what Tmoxin would find acceptable behavior from her second-in-command.

“Half of them will work as security for Morpho Pharmaceuticals and the other half can work in the manufacturing plant.”

“And... what about me?” he asked slowly. Tmoxin smiled back at the Sgt. Major thinking of all they had been through together and how loyal he was to her. She shrugged and finally said, “Pick a role that you want at Morpho and it’s yours.” Even if it was an executive position, it was time that Ulysses was rewarded for his service.