Welcome to the HoloNet Uplink, citizen. This series is dedicated to humbly serve our glorious Empire. Our goal is to be your first and only source for information lies, education propaganda, and entertainment. The HoloNet Uplink prides itself on highlighting the exemplary achievements and ignoble sacrifices of regular Imperial citizens across the galaxy. Let’s all do our best to keep our society safe and prosperous!
I am proud to say I was recently approached by officials within the Commission for the Preservation of the New Order (COMPNOR) for an open and honest conversation. We discussed the sad fact that because of the dedication and professionalism of our brave Imperial security forces, it is too often the case that the average citizen knows little about these proud soldiers and agents. It is because of their impeccable efficiency and quiet determination that few of us even recognize the work they do. They bring order on faraway planets and in the depth of our cities to ensure we can all sleep soundly, confident in our safety.
We can never do enough to recognize the steadfast commitment of our security forces. As a loyal Imperial citizen, I have tried to instill pride in our Imperial Military by sharing unclassified information on a variety of troops and platforms. Rest assured, my goal has always been to promote well founded confidence in our men and women in uniform.
Let us all take a moment to consider that within those uniforms are Imperial citizens, who in most respects are very similar to you and me. The difference is something much more subtle. The difference is deep within their hearts, where an uncommon bravery and sense of self sacrifice embolden them to action. In honor of them, COMPNOR has sponsored a new awareness program. It is with pride I present this program to you today. Let’s all do our best to get IN-STEP!
Imperial Nested Special Training and re-Education Program (IN-STEP)
IN-STEP is a new program allowing local concerned citizens to volunteer as political education officers, concerned citizens like YOU! You may already be a formal or informal leader within your social circle; as demonstrated by our glorious Emperor it is the role of leaders to guide his or her followers towards a prosperous and honorable life style. You will be on the front line in the battle to educate our citizens, supported by a series of nested political officials all the way back to COMPNOR headquarters. By putting into practice the principles of IN-STEP, you can help our society develop into one composed of Ideal Citizens.
The Ideal Citizen
Under the wise and selfless guidance of our Emperor, we collectively transformed our society from the corrupt decadence of the Republic to the ordered stability of the Empire. Like the powerful war machines which keep our homes safe, the Empire relies on the efficient function of a great many parts. We the citizens are those parts, and must work together flawlessly if we are to form something glorious. Just as those machine parts are marvels of technological superiority, so too must we as citizens be a marvel of sociological superiority by striving to be the Ideal Citizen.
The Ideal Citizen demonstrates:
- Pride and Patriotism towards our Empire: Ideal Citizens take pride in the great strides our society has taken towards perfection and channel that pride into selfless work.
- Eager Obedience to his or her Leaders: Ideal Citizens recognize Imperial leaders have earned their unwavering trust, and thus actively obey their commands.
- Transcendence Beyond Planetarism: Ideal Citizens reject outdated provincialism; instead of seeing themselves as Corellians they see themselves as Imperials, working to build a greater whole.
- Reject the Outdated: Ideal Citizens look at history without emotional blinders, seeing full well the corruption of the Republic. Nostalgia for the disproven myths of the past is simply childish and must be rejected.
We all struggle at times to be an Ideal Citizen, this is totally understandable. However, living up to these ideals is part of our duty as members of the glorious New Order. As a volunteer political officer it will also be your duty to help your fellow citizen live up to these ideals. Just as our mighty soldiers are drilled to perfection by a Taskmaster, you must work to perfect their minds. The traditional methods are proven: everyday conversations and weekly lectures in your workplace or school. While these methods are very effective, the Coalition for Progress has developed an innovative new method of political education: the Special Uniformed Roleplaying Exercise (SURE).
Special Uniformed Roleplaying Exercise (SURE)
The SURE is a sure fire way to educate your friends and family about our brave Imperial security forces. SUREs are games where each player takes on the role of an Imperial security official. Collectively the players form a team charged with handling threats to our New Order. As volunteer political officer, you will serve as the game’s narrator and referee. The military refers to their drill training experts as Taskmaster, thus you will be known as a Gamemaster.
You will be provided with game materials including rules for refereeing your players actions and further guidance on how to narrate the game. Within a SURE, you will be in charge of presenting scenarios for your players to act in. These scenarios should educate them as to the capabilities of the Empire and inculcate a respect for the dangers Imperial security forces face every single day to keep us safe.
Themes to Emphasize:
- The Might of the Empire: Instill pride in the overwhelming military force we have created to protect ourselves.
- Justice over Corruption: Emphasize the need to harshly punish criminals who tear at our prosperous society.
- Order over Chaos: Demonstrate that excessive freedom leads to chaos and suffering, just as it did in the Clone Wars.
- Self Sacrifice: Highlight the heroic example of self sacrifice our forces make, and encourage the players to put forth those principles in their workplaces.
- Terrible Enemies: Inform your players of the grave threats facing today’s Empire. Threats such as Saw Gerrera‘s terrorists make an ideal example of the radical extremists we face today.
Areas to Avoid:
- Attempting to Humanize Enemies: While not all those who oppose the New Order are evil, many are psychologically unstable and thus a threat to the Empire. Their motivations are far too bizarre for a volunteer political officer to understand, so simply avoid digging too deeply into enemy motivations.
- Deep Political Examinations: The point of these exercises is to familiarize the players, not educate them on the finer points of New Order doctrine. Leave the finer points to approved political instructors and focus on the story of soldiers and agents.
Schedule your SURE at a convenient time for each player to focus on the game. Hold the SURE in a comfortable place, perhaps your home or at an approved local games purveyor. A typical SURE session lasts three to four standard hours, but your local conditions may require adjustment from this. You may wish to run SUREs as a “one-offs” or link a number of sessions together to form a campaign, allowing the players to build an even deeper connection to their alternate personas – and thus a deeper connection to the men and women who defend our Empire.
Conducting a SURE for your friends and family is one of the best things you can do to help them understand the glory of our Empire. Citizens who understand their responsibilities and emulate the positive example of our brave security forces are more productive, and therefore conducting a SURE is your duty to strength our Empire. Talk to your friends and family today to schedule a SURE. I know I sure will be! Let’s all work together to preserve our Empire!
Christopher Hunt
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