Livin' Large on the Death Star

To us it symbolized evil but to thousands who lived and worked on the Death Star it was home.

Imperial storm troopers were supported by thousands of food handlers, droid repair people, interstellar sanitation engineers and assorted white helmet workers. To them big issues of galactic control paled before immediate challenges like unsticking the door of Grand Moff Tarkin’s shuttlecraft.

To Death Starians the empire didn’t seem evil, merely willing to act. Many must have believed in the empire and it’s stated mission to bring peace to the galaxy. All they knew about the rebellion was what they saw on their info screens.

Citizens of the Death Star were certainly told the emperor had tried to reason and negotiate with various rebel commanders to no avail; that war was forced upon the empire. Infobots must not have spoken of rebels but terrorists; lunatics responsible for thousands of storm trooper deaths and hungry for the blood of innocent imperial citizens. The Death Star News Network (DSNN) certainly did not do warm and fuzzy human-interest pieces on Obi-Wan Kenobe. To them he was a terrorist lieutenant along with that twisted little lunatic, what was his name?... Yes, Yoda.

I’ll bet Darth Vader gave great press conferences.

REPORTER
Lord Vader the rebellion appears to be growing. Some say we are cowards hiding behind technology. That the real heroes are- (The reporter clutches his throat and falls to the floor in agony.)

VADER
(Slowly lowering a gloved hand) I find your lack of respect disturbing.

According to the web site theforce.com there were over seventy five thousand civilian workers on the Death Star, mostly human or humanoid. Surely there were Death Star peaceniks. Many must have thought iron-fisted imperial rule a mixed blessing. Others may have believed that though the emperor ruled well mass killing to achieve his dominion might backfire and inspire the rebels. Dissenters no doubt expressed these views quietly if at all and then only to a trusted few. Everybody knew about Vader’s press conferences.

A Death Starian mom and her 10 year-old daughter stand before a storm trooper recruiting poster. The child stares at the poster for a moment, “Uncle Darth Wants You!” then recoils shivering. “Mommy,” she whimpers, “What if the rebels come here?” Mom chuckles, “Ours is the greatest military of the greatest power ever. We will swat our enemies like flies."

“Are you sure mommy?” asks the girl, needing just a little more reassurance.

“The emperor says so and I believe him.” says Mommy, “And more important, I know the Force is with us.”