- Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:
Just some insight into Jim’s past and the beginning of Jim and Pam’s time at the academy.

He fooled her.  He actually fooled her.  Somehow Jim actually managed to convince this cute girl that he was some cool guy and someone who knows all sorts of drinks and what they are made of.  He made her think that he was from another Core world like her.  But, no he is just from a backwater world that isn’t full of the blooming technological advances of Coruscant and Corellia.  


Growing up in Jedha was not a fun experience.  It didn’t help that his family lived in the middle of nowhere.  His only social interactions were with his only neighbors, the Yavis.  He and Dunt were best friends and all they had were each other.  Jim had heard rumors of the supposed “Holy City”, but he never visited.  He almost never left his village.  If you could call it that.  It was merely a large brick hut that his parents and him lived in along with the Yavis’ hut.  


But back to the fooling.  Jim somehow made her believe that he was this alcohol connoisseur, but really he had spotchka for the very first time yesterday when he arrived in Coruscant.  Corellian Brandy?  He just heard her ask the bartender for it and made an estimated guess that it was a strong drink.  


Sabacc?  He and Dunt learned it yesterday as well when they arrived in Coruscant, the Imperial Academy for Jim and an apartment maintenance worker job for Dunt.  His best friend was not destined for a glorious job, but Jim on the other hand was ready for the Imperial Academy.  


Anything to get away from his family’s accursed hut.  Not that it was really theirs, it was more his hut than theirs based on who was there most of the time.  His parents were rarely home.  When they weren’t farming and selling it to the folk from Jedha City, they were off drinking at the pub near their farm.  


When they arrived home late with a starving Jim, his mom always went straight to the kitchen to start making dinner for him and slurred the same thing.  “Sorry, I lost track of time.”  


But, there was not an ounce of genuineness in her words.  And half the time his father would come in and say, “The boy is fine.  He can last till tomorrow.”  


And she would just nod and leave Jim in his wake of hunger.  


Growing up in the wild on a backwater world didn’t provide him much time to become proud of the Empire he was a part of, he wasn’t joining for some brand of patriotism.  He just wanted to get away from his parents and to have a purpose in life besides finding the scraps of foods that his parents wouldn’t give him.  


As Jim reflected on all of this in the cover of a Coruscant night, he realized that tomorrow would be the final symbol of escape from his past.  All his hard work at the preparatory academy, finding food, practically on his own, it all accumulated to this: this new beginning of his life.






Wow, I’m actually doing it.  I’m about to start at the Royal Imperial Academy of all places, thought Pam.  


As she dressed into the academy’s uniformed dark jacket, dark trousers, and black boots she could feel the excitement for the introductory ceremony bursting out of her beating heart.  


Her roommate in the Imperial dorm room, Tydie, told her yesterday that about seven and half thousand students were in their class.  This made Pam’s heart fill to the brim with pride that thousands and thousands will be dressed in this Imperial attire just like her, all brought together by a single purpose: to serve their Empire and make the galaxy a better place.  


She couldn’t wait to take her patriotism to the next step and do something almost as worthy as a senator or an admiral.  


As Tydie and Pam made their way from their dorm to the ceremony, she pondered whether all the students were as elated as her.  Tydie, a Coruscant native, wasn’t too jazzed about it, considering her entire life she could see the Academy from her window.  Plus, her parents badgered her about her future here constantly.  


They made the ceremony on time and stood next to a boy with slicked back hair that was coated in a shiny brown.  He leered at them and grinned, “Hey girls.  The name’s Roy.  How, you doing?”  


Tydie just rolled her eyes while Pam inched away from him as she remembered the strict Imperial policy of no romantic or sexual relationships between fellow cadets.  


Luckily, any further comments from the boy were interrupted by the booming voice of Commandant Deenlark.  “You are here today to not merely become soldiers, but to become patriots of your Empire.  You are here not to represent your planet but as an Imperial.  Abandon your familial and planetary loyalties and pledge your allegiance to the Empire.”  


Pam was taken back by this statement.  She had always been a firm believer in the Empire in her 17 years of life, probably because of her raising, but she will always think of herself as a Correllian.  But, perhaps they cannot coexist peacefully.  If that is what was required, she would attempt to let the past die.  


After the ceremony ended and dinner was eaten, students were allowed to congregate amongst themselves and get to know each other.  As Pam and Tydie were talking to a girl named Idonia, Pam noticed the shaggy haired boy from last night talking to a few guys.  


Jim.  That was his name.  


She excused herself from the conversation about how unfair the braided hair rule was and walked over to him.  


“Hey, long time no see”, Pam smiled.  


Jim turned around and his face lit up in a joyous smile.  “Hey!”  


Pam smiled shyly, now all of the sudden nervous about speaking to him.  “So, are you taking it all in?  Are you nervous at all?”  


Pam shrugged.  “A little.  I’ve been to Coruscant before and I’ve been training my entire life for this, but still.  It’s a little overwhelming.  We aren’t at a preparatory academy anymore, are we?”  


Jim chuckled.  Jim looked at Commandant Deenlark’s commanding presence, the countless artifacts of Imperial regalia, and the few Stormtroopers surrounding the room with their weapons with a somber face.  He realized that was going to require far more than just wanting to get away from his family.  His throat tightened and answered, “No.  No we are most definitely not.”


You must login (register) to review or leave jellybeans