Once again, Annie Leonhardt's mind was trapped under the spell of her dream, the image of Takodana's immense foliage and those piercing, green eyes locking her in place. The recurring, haunting image had sneaked upon her in her fitful sleep for what seemed to be the 1000th time, the sight an enigma that utterly baffled the weary Imperial Officer. Annie felt herself shudder in the real world as she gazed back at those unblinking verdant orbs hovering over the landscape, and asked the futile question she'd proposed from the beginning:
"Who are you?"
Barely a moment later, her surroundings faded to black, the green eyes dimming away slowly, until Annie's haunting dream finally ended once more.
The Officer woke up groggily, finding herself in her modest gray-toned military apartment, and longing for the rest that had escaped her ever since that awful day a year prior. Annie cast a despondent glance at the portrait sitting on her bedside desk, showcasing one of the last joyful moments between herself and her late best friend: Mina Carolina, daughter of Hedasta Carolina, the Senator of Inkari, their homeworld.
In the photo, one of Senator Carolina's aides had happily captured the moment when Annie, after years of grueling training and practice, had finally graduated from Inkari's Imperial Academy, at last attaining the rank of Cadet in the Imperial Navy. At that time, their 18-year old selves had allowed the glory of Annie's success to blind themselves to the increasingly horrific atrocities that the Empire reveled in committing; only a month later, news spread throughout the galaxy that the Empire's new battlestation, the Death Star, had destroyed the peaceful planet of Alderaan in an attempt at absolute intimidation.
"That moment still makes me shudder," Annie mused bitterly, recalling the day when she had been patrolling the Inner Core with her fellow Cadets Reiner and Bertholdt for Rebel activity at the time of the disaster. "The three of us cadets could somehow sense the destruction from our orbit near Corellia...we could feel the moment when billions of lives were instantly wiped out. And for what? What purpose will that despicable genocide ever serve us?"
For Mina, that horrible act shattered her rose-colored lenses, and led to her becoming an increasingly outspoken protestor against the Empire's cruelty. Both Annie and her mother had begged her to not speak publicly about her feelings, but none of their warnings had been enough to placate the previously docile girl. On a number of brazen occasions, Mina had used her mother's Senatorial Podium in the middle of Gintomi City to implore the rest of Inkari to not deny the inhumanity they could plainly see in the atrocities committed across the galaxy.
In the year 3 ABY, one baleful night in the middle of Inkari's blistering summer, Annie and the rest of the planet had received an Imperial alert from the Inkarin Moff Sebastian Datenshi that Mina had perished in the fire resulting from an unexplained factory explosion on the outskirts of the main city. On the massive communication screens dotting Inkari's cities, the polite but cold Moff had stoically delivered news of the tragedy to the population that night, and the wails of the Inkarin could be heard echoing across the planet as Mina's fellow citizens reeled from the loss.
"Hedasta told me that Mina had received a direct plea from a factory worker that night for help in putting out the fire, because her bravery was so renowned on our world. But none of the workers stationed there that night lived to tell the tale. That disgusting pig of a Moff told us all that he suspected this was an act of arson by a Rebel sympathizer, but that doesn't sit right with me. While those Rebels have indeed created some civilian casualties in the past, I can't see them knowingly slaughtering hundreds of workers just to get rid of one factory. And why would they want to kill a girl who openly sympathized with their cause? Mina was lured to that factory and murdered that night, I'm sure of it...but by who?"
Annie made herself change into casual clothing, casting a disdainful glance at the Imperial uniform in her closet, untouched for the whole year of temporary leave that she had requested since Mina's death.
"You want a whole year of leave?" Moff Datenshi contemptfully asked Officer Leonhardt, as they stood in the antiquated silver Senator's office with Hedasta and one of Inkari's finest doctors. "While I understand needing a while to mourn, Ms. Leonhardt, a year is a ridiculous amount of time to take!"
"How dare you!" Senator Carolina snapped at him, tears still streaming down her face as she continued to mourn the loss of her only child. "Annie was my daughter's closest friend here on Inkari, and as such, she's taken Mina's passing just as hard as myself! Both of us will need a long period of time to recuperate from what's happened here, and Annie fully deserves as much time to recover as possible!"
Before the Moff could make a retort, the doctor spoke up, adding, "Sir, Officer Leonhardt asked me to evaluate her mental and emotional health following Mina's unfortunate and untimely death. I've determined that due to her current poor state of wellbeing, she is unfit for military action, and could easily risk the lives of herself and her comrades if she was deployed in the near future."
Senator Carolina breathed an immense sigh of relief, and Annie gave the Moff a pointed glare, knowing that the medical affirmation of her status gave him no choice but to relent. He scowled at her, and Annie could plainly see that the contempt, as it had been for years, was assuredly mutual.
"Fine, then, Officer Leonhardt," he spat, eliciting smirks of satisfaction from the Officer and Hedasta. "Take your year of leave, but don't you dare ask for more. These are turbulent times with the Rebels posing an ever greater threat to the galaxy's stability, and the Navy can't afford for you to spend eternity bemoaning the loss of your precious friend."
With that, he stormed from the room, and the doctor followed suit after murmuring a polite goodbye. Hedasta and Annie held each other's hands and wept together in silence, knowing full well that they would never truly recover from Mina's loss.
Outside, the red planetary shield hummed overhead, casting an eerie scarlet glow on the silver buildings below. The streets of Gintomi City were filled with tense citizens gossiping anxiously about news of the Emperor's trap being set for the Rebel Alliance at the forest moon of Endor. In only a week's time, the Alliance was doomed to take the bait that the second Death Star was still unusable, and flock to the space station, only to be wiped out by its superlaser and the Imperial armada set to obliterate them. The end of the galactic war seemed to finally completing, and Annie ached for the bloodshed on all sides to cease.
"It's just been more pointless deaths, every time, every battle. When they destroyed the first Death Star, my father was still stationed there, despite his pleas to be transferred elsewhere after being horrified by the destruction of Alderaan. He never wanted to see such a massive loss of life on either side, and now he's dead, just like all the other oh-so valiant soldiers that've similarly disappeared."
She sneered at the glimmering shield towering over her, tainting the once-azure sky into a sickening, unnatural hue. Moff Datenshi had demanded its construction a few weeks after Mina's death, after he had gotten wind of a cunning Rebel pilot who had managed to sneak in and out of the planet on what must've been a lone espionage mission.
"What Rebel would be insane enough to attempt an infiltration of a fortified Core World like Inkari? On that note, who would be stupid enough to attempt that on their lonesome? The fact that they managed to get in and out unscathed is a damn miracle."
Up ahead, the towering skyscraper that housed Inkari's Security Department loomed above the other silver buildings, a foreboding sore thumb amidst the beauty of the city. From within, Chief of Security Haston Uttaka, a native of Corellia whose entire family had been tragically wiped out in the latter years of the brutal Clone Wars, controlled each of the shield generators dotting the planet's surface, along with the hordes of black, spherical security droids slowly ambling about the streets. Chief Uttaka was a polite but immensely reserved man who, while always willing to do his best to work alongside his comrades, refused to let conversations go beyond important matters and the barest of small talk.
Annie thought of her small pilot ship, stashed in the dock just on the outskirts of Gintomi, waiting to be used and still ready for hyperspace travel. Her year of leave was set to end in a mere 24 hours, and Annie was coldly aware that once it ended, Moff Datenshi was likely to order her to join the armada gathering to destroy the Alliance at Endor.
"I need to get off this accursed planet," she thought, scowling as she continued to walk. "Spending a year here on Inkari, under this planetary shield and unable to go anywhere else has made this place feel like a prison instead of my home."
Her thoughts drifted to that uncanny, recurring dream that had been overpowering her senses for so long, the wide green plains of Takodana and that massive, ruined castle standing at the edge of its lake emitting a siren call in her mind. Annie had become desperate to find the source of the dream-vision, especially whoever the verdant green eyes belonged to, those eyes that stared unblinking and unyielding into the core of her soul.
She paused in the middle of the street, and with a newfound wave of ambition abruptly changed her path towards the Security Department, anxious to finally leave Inkari and put her mind at ease.
At the front entrance of the skyscraper, the guards saluted her upon recognition of the Officer before them, and granted her entry into the building. Inside, dozens of Imperial workers sat at multiple terminals, checking and ensuring that the security measures across the planet worked smoothly and without error. From the skyscraper, the tallest building on Inkari, they transmitted commands to every shield generator, security droid and even the HoloNet screens dotting the cities.
In the middle of the massive room stood Chief of Security Haston Uttaka and his demure assistant, a young girl named Pieck, eyeing the busy workers around her with a wry smile. Annie walked up to them, and they both greeted her with a nod.
"Officer Leonhardt, it is a pleasure and relief to see that your wellbeing has seemed to recover, after we tragically lost Mina last year," Uttaka told her, extending his hand and offering her a firm shake. "I certainly don't blame you for requesting temporary leave after the toll her passing must've taken on you, but nonetheless, I'm glad to see you up and moving."
"Thank you, Chief Uttaka," Annie politely answered, giving Pieck a nod in turn. "While we all understand that neither myself nor Senator Carolina will ever truly make a full recover from that terrible night, it can't be denied that I feel much better. This leave was desperately needed, but now that it's almost over, I'm aching to finally embark on another mission."
Pieck and Uttaka perked up, and he asked her, "A mission? Did Moff Datenshi preemptively assign you one?"
Annie bit her lip nervously, quickly realizing that she hadn't thought her plan through whatsoever, and sheepishly admitted, "Um, on the contrary, this is a self-appointed mission."
The two Security officials gazed at her warily, and Pieck cautiously asked her, "Annie...what are you planning to do?"
Uttaka gently added, "You know how strict our Moff is about unauthorized departures, after that crazy Rebel pilot managed to sneak in and out of here last year. Should he find out that you're attempting to leave Inkari without military permission…"
"I know," she answered, agitated at how pervasive the contemptful Moff's control had become over the years. "But...this is incredibly important to me and my recovery."
"What gave you the desire to suddenly leave Inkari, Officer Leonhardt?" Uttaka asked her, still polite but giving her a firm look of caution.
The cat was now out of the bag, and with her cheeks slightly flushing red with embarrassment at how silly it was bound to sound, Annie muttered to them, "A...a recurring dream that I've been having for weeks now."
Uttaka and Pieck glanced at each other sharply, and she gave her a superior a knowing nod, abruptly heading off to check on the work of her colleagues as he took Annie by the hand and led her to his remote office at the far end of the room. When they had gotten inside, he closed the door, and from the immense silence inside, Annie was aware that nobody else would be able to hear what was about to be exchanged.
"Annie, listen to me very carefully," Uttaka whispered to her, sounding both excited yet frightened, his formal tone instantly disappeared without further warning. "Don't let anybody else find out about this bizarre dream of yours, especially not the Moff. Do you understand?"
She shuddered at the sudden intensity behind his words, his brown eyes glaring into hers behind his gleaming glasses. Annie had never heard him talk in such a serious tone before, even when he had taken her aside and discussed the random Rebel pilot incident with her at her apartment.
"W-what do you mean, Chief Uttaka?" she asked, shaking under the atmospheric pressure present in his office.
"What you just described to me is a phenomena that befell force-users such as the Jedi of old, Annie. The fact that this dream has haunted you for this long, and has given you this newfound ambition to depart from Inkari was the only warning that I needed. Nobody else must know about this, or you could find yourself under persecution by the Moff, or somebody even crueler."
His words baffled Annie, as she had never considered her dream to be Force-related in nature. Uttaka placed a gentle hand on her frail shoulder, and continued to whisper.
"Please, tell me in detail what you've been seeing. Perhaps I can offer my own odd bit of guidance and interpretation."
Annie gulped, and told him, "In this dream, I see vivid images of Takodana, that lush Mid World planet. I see its forests, its lakes, and an old, crumbling castle standing at the edge of the largest lake. And every time this dream sneaks upon me, I...I also see two glimmering, green eyes staring into me, unblinking, and absolutely inescapable."
To her alarm, the blood from Uttaka's face drained, turning him pale as sheet. He shuddered, but before Annie could probe the matter, he snapped to attention.
"Are you absolutely certain that it's Takodana you've been seeing?" he asked her, and Annie nodded firmly.
"Yes, without any doubt. My father raised me on intimate knowledge of the galaxy's planets and their geography, and my knowledge on Takodana is no different. But I don't understand why it seems to be that planet, out of all the others it could be."
"Neither do I, Annie," Uttaka quietly answered. "But now, I think I understand better why you're so driven to go there. You said that going to Takodana would help you recover from your grief, correct?"
"Yes sir," she said, speaking truthfully, fully believing that heading to the place of her dreams would give her whatever answers she was meant to find.
"Then so be it. How soon can you be ready to depart in your ship, Annie?"
She stood dumbfounded, and shakily told him, "I-I can easily be ready to go within the next hour."
"Perfect. Be ready to leave at the main dock in an hour, and I'll authorize the partial lowering of the shield to allow you to go."
For the first time in years, Annie felt a genuine surge of hope within her, and a smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. Uttaka beamed at her, shook her hand once more, giving her a knowing wink as he took in her joy.
The hour passed by in a blur, and to the shock of herself and the other Imperials at the dock, Officer Annie Leonhardt was fully dressed, for the first time in a year, as a battle-ready soldier. Her uniform rustled as she moved, and her blaster was hooked securely on her waist belt, ready for use. Her pilot ship had been perfectly prepared for departure within the short notice given to the dock crew by Chief Uttaka, and Annie could feel waves of excitement coursing through her entire body.
"Officer Leonhardt, it feels like a dream, seeing you ready to leave for this mission of yours after your temporary leave," the dock Captain said to her amicably, and she nodded in agreement.
"You're right, sir. In fact, this entire scenario feels too much like a waking dream. It's been too long, and I'm eager to get moving."
A moment later, the humming red planetary shield overhead partially parted, and the dock workers whooped and cheered as Annie entered her ship, the engine running smoothly, its hyperdrive fully operational. Annie gripped the controls eagerly, and felt a surge of pride as she heard the Captain's voice booming over the speakers.
"Officer Leonhardt, you are clear for departure. Good luck on your mission, and we wish you a safe, swift return."
Moments later, Annie's ship had zoomed out of the planetary shield's opening, the red energy closing behind her forebodingly. Just as she exited the planet's atmosphere and prepared for the jump to hyperspace, she cast her thoughts towards her beloved best friend, her love for Mina still brimming.
"Mina...I will ensure that justice prevails, I will discover who caused your death, I swear it!"
With that, Annie ship entered hyperspace, streaks of starlight stretching infinitely as the ship bolted towards Takodana, and the answer that awaited her there.
A/N:
This crossover idea was inspired by the hauntingly ethereal Austra song Energy.
"I know now, but it isn't easy
and I transform, into energy
with your mouth, ooooh...ooooh...
...ooooh..."