To jeszcze rzucę cytat z Dark Empire SB o formacji bardzo podobnej do Shadow Guardów z TFU. Osobiście traktowałbym ich jako ewolucję.
Imperial Sovereign Protectors
This most elite order of the Emperor’s
bodyguards is selected from the main body of the
crimson-robed Royal Guard. They are stationed in
small groups throughout the Empire as watchmen
over all the palaces and monasteries that Palpatine
haunts as well as guarding the Emperor.
No other group of soldiers in the entire
galaxy, Empire or Republic, is as highly trained or
motivated.
They have an awesome responsibility. With
Palpatine’s knowledge of the Force, and with the
importance of his projects at the Clone Vats on
Byss, these armored figures have the most important
duty in the entire New Order. Each of them is
clothed in lightweight, yet elaborate ceremonial armor,
and armed with unique and exotic weapons.
They are experts at armed and unarmed combat.
One reason the Emperor created the Sovereign
Protectors was because he thought it unwise
to limit the aspirations of his followers. By setting
nearly unattainable goals and watching his men
struggle to achieve them, he can keep them under
better control. By creating higher and higher
circles of elite status, it motivates them all to push
themselves constantly.
Just as the Royal Guard are the finest of
the Imperial stormtroopers, so the Protectors are
the highest order yet. Palpatine may create still
more elevated ranks in the future, but for now, the
Protectors are the summit.
The training arid testing procedure that
each Protector undergoes is elaborate and time
consuming; it may take years to qualify, and the
waiting list is enormous. Part of the selection
process is based on traditional combat fitness,
including tests of stamina, strength, dexterity,
and the ability to endure pain. Other tests include
mental acuity, reaction time, loyalty, intelligence.
Once they have shown exemplary achievement in
all these matters, the most crucial step is begun.
Unlike all the other soldiers at the Emperor’s command,
the Sovereign Protectors are taught in the
ways of the Dark Side.
Tutored in the Force by the Senior Dark
Side Adepts in the Emperor’s service, they are
taught only elementary skills, so they must always
be subservient. And subservient they are — so utterly
unswerving in their loyalty that it is said that
they can’t even perceive any thing which might
corrupt them from their service; others say they
would kill themselves in an instant if ordered to by
their Master. Whether true or not, that unthinking
loyalty will be most useful to them later because
70 those who distinguish themselves here are some
times selected to become Dark Jedi themselves.
TFU SB (surowe skany obrabiane automatycznie, więc pełno literówek tam):
SHADOW OWARD
The Imperial Shadow Guard is a new fighting force. Clearly based on the
Imperial Royal Guard,membersof theShadowGuardare rarelyseen in public,
but are dispatched on special missionsas directed by the Emperor himself.
The ShadowGuard wears a variation of the Royal Guardarmor, albeit with
an inverted red and black color scheme, which is often nearly completely
black. TheShadowGuard makes use of a uniqueweapon, called a lightsaber
pike (see page 199), that hasa Iiqhtsaber blade at one end,
IMP E RIAL. S ENTINEL
ImperialSentinels are among the most mys t~ ri ous of the Emperor`s agents.
To date, only a handfulof these mute, armored giants havebri ~fly appeared
in public, usually to take custody of particular prisoners(often Jedi] while
in transit to Imperial Center or secret locations. Some specul ate that the
sentinels are drolds or an alienspecies. though the lattertheory isdiscounted
given the Fmplre`s new antialien agenda. The t ruth is far darker than any
people suspect.The Sentinels are an early experiment of the Emperor and
his inner circle of dark side users to develop a class of beings ccmpletelv
subservien t to their will. Usi nghidden cloning facilities onByss, theycorrupt
a crone`s development physically and through the dark side of the Force,
creatinqa huge,strong. but nearly mindless individual completely subservient
10its masters. Since they are in the early stages of development. it is
rare forSentinels10 be seen outside of Byss. However, theyare occasionally
broughtforth to take custodyof Force-using prisoners or for Hrrnted fieldtesting.
The inner circle estimates it will be decades before control of the
Sentinels wil l be fine-tuned enoughfor their widespread use, appropriately
about the time the other denizens of Byss are expected to be readyfor their
galacticdeployment.