Star Wars_ Edge of the Empire Rule Book

local population. With their exceptional training
and unquestioning loyalty, stormtroopers can be
deployed independent of other military forces for
an extended period of time, often sweeping through
resistant forces even as the Army and Navy scram-
ble to catch up to them.

In the decades since the Clone Wars, the Empire
has recruited many non-clones into the ranks of
the Stormtroopers. Whether this is because the
original clone facilities were dismantled or de-
stroyed, the older Clone Troopers are dying of old
age and attrition, or some combination of both,
is unknown. However, training facilities on planets
such as Carida now induct human recruits into the
Stormtrooper Corps. There they go through in-
tense indoctrination and rigorous training to rec-
reate the skill and fanatical loyalty bred into the
original Clone Troopers' genes.

IMPERIAL CUSTOMS

Although working hand-in-hand with the Imperial
Navy (even sporting uniforms that are hard for the
untrained eye to distinguish), Imperial Customs
is actually a separate agency with its own profile
and agenda. Primarily responsible for monitoring
imports and exports through Imperial space, as
well as seeing to it that all taxes and tariffs are
collected, the agency also interdicts suspected
smugglers, pirates, and other criminals acting
against the laws that protect the Empire's inter-
stellar commerce revenue.

The agency has its own fleet, made up primar-

ily of Imperial Customs corvettes. There are also

many space stations, such as the Golan III defense

platforms, located strategically throughout the

galaxy to monitor major hyperspace lanes. Most

Customs posts also enjoy strong support from

whatever Imperial Navy assets are local to them,

and there are usually stormtroopers immediately

available for enforcement operations.

Though the average spacer has call to generally

dislike the Customs agency, there are times when the

organization proves to be handy. Most search-and-

rescue operations for crippled and lost ships—more

and more considered a waste of time and resources

by the Navy—are taken on by Imperial Customs.

On the other hand, the Commerce branch of

COMPNOR has begun requisitioning Customs as-

sets and personnel in its never-ending effort to shut

down supplies and technological support for the

Rebellion. These actions have drawn the agency

further into the Galactic Civil War, something many

in the leadership of Customs find to be a poor use

of their resources.

DEALING WITH

THE EMPIRE

For Player Characters, keeping out of the way of the

Empire is likely one of their highest priorities. The very

nature of most of their professions and activities puts

them at odds with the New Order. Even those who

might have good cause to seek employment from Im-

perial agents—such as Bounty Hunters—will likely want

to keep interactions to a minimum. The safest course

of action where the Empire is concerned is generally to

not be anywhere the Empire finds important, nor be

caught doing anything the Empire doesn't like.

Unfortunately, this isn't always easy. While storm-

troopers and uniformed soldiers can be seen coming

from kilometers away, other agents of the Empire are

not always so easy to spot. The bigger the potential

reward of any job is, the more likely an Imperial spy of

some kind may be in the mix somewhere.

Some of the ways a fringer group might find itself

crossing paths with the Empire include:

• A planetary governor, or even a Moff, might hire
  the group for a clandestine operation intended to
  increase his wealth or power.


• One or more of the group might have enough of a
  political past to be of interest to COMPNOR agents.


• The group might come across a CompForce at-
  tack against a generally helpless community, or
  against allies that are ill-equipped to deal with
  such a brutal attack.


• Any number of the group might well be the target
  of an ISB investigation, making them wanted for
  arrest, or at least questioning.


• Perhaps someone in the group committed a
  crime, one that the IOCI has finally assigned de-
  tectives to. Worse, Sector Rangers might be as-
  signed to track down the group.


• Legitimate or not, the group might be suspected
  of ties to the Rebellion, making it the target of
  Imperial Intelligence efforts.


• With the wrong jump point at the wrong time, the
  group may well stumble across one of the Imperial
  Navy's many secret operations against the Alliance.


• Almost every facility under direct control of the Em-
  pire is guarded by a contingent of stormtroopers.


• Imperial Customs are going to be a constant
  thorn for any smuggler, or anyone flying through
  Imperial space without the proper identification
  signals, carrying things he doesn't want the Em-
  pire to know about.

LAW AND SOCIETY

EDGE OF THE EMPIRE