Opening Notes; Archer83; Welcome to back to Razor's Edge, and this is the part where, as the saying goes, 'Shit gets real, real fast.'. Just because James T Kirk and Commander Shepard are two of the greatest fictional heroes in sci-fi doesn't mean we aren't going to make them go through hell and back in this story. Enjoy. Please feel free to review or PM us. Thank you to everyone who has favorited or followed this story!
Vergil1989; As for some of our OC work, I think Rels was meant to be one of those characters you saw once and didn't see again, but it seems he's evolved into much more without our permission. I find I love when that happens, especially for such a fable as Star Wars. A few years ago I wouldn't have even attempted something like this, but thanks to Archer and a lot of needed practice, that's changed as you can see. I just hope we don't screw this up lol.
Archer83; Thank Vergil but...I find your faith in me...disturbing. What can I say? I'm a fairly good down to earth guy lol. Now onto the story...
Chapter 2: New Universe, New Rules
Tatooine, On the Outskirts of Mos Eisley.
Two and a half hours later.
He's back, far sooner than I expected. Hopefully he didn't get himself into any trouble this time. The togruta woman thought, as she walked out of the cave when she heard the tell tale hum of a hoverbike heading her way. Good old Rels, at least I can always count on you. Pulling the sand beaten brown cloak closer to herself as she stepped out into the waning light, her smile was genuine as she saw the man land by the entrance to the cave. "I'm glad to see you made it back Rels."
Rels was an older gentleman, who some might call a scoundrel at best. She knew though he was a fair better man than he appeared to be. Graying brown short cropped hair that was perpetually spiked up, in this case because of the ride out of Mos Eisley, was just visible under the white hood which he pulled down as he made his way to the cave. His cheeks were slightly pudgy and his brow was always wrinkled as if he were in deep thought. The most telling mark of his personality though was the perpetual grin that was always on Rels's face which made his light blue eyes light up, almost as if he was in knowledge of a joke only he understood. As if to prove that point, the man gave her a grin as he pointed to their new speeders, one having been towed by the other. "You know you can always count on me Soka. But...it probably didn't hurt that I got lucky this time."
"In my experience there's no such thing as luck. Still, tell me what happened." What is this odd feeling? Did he come into contact with the source of the disturbance I felt earlier today? The moment Rels had gotten close, the strange feeling she had picked up on earlier that morning returned, and her friend's next words only confirmed her suspicion.
"Well, long story short, this apparently down on their luck couple needed credits in a hurry. The woman even gave me a break, and all I had to do was look a bit overwhelmed. Played the down on my luck routine on her. Worked like a charm. Only had to pay four thousand measly credits, they could have gotten six, easy. I almost gave her the money anyway. Almost." Rels's grin widened as they headed into the cave, his eyes always twinkled with slightly more delight after pulling the hood over someone's eyes. Literally in his young friend's case from time to time.
She merely shook her head and chuckled at her companion's humorous if slightly devious nature. She knew that he was exaggerating slightly, but she let Rels keep his ego intact as she put a hand on his shoulder before pulling him to her small cooking fire. A few of the local sand lizards were already prepared to eat. "Or they could have been decent people like you Rels. It doesn't matter in the end. We got what we needed to make the next step in our journey. Now we just need to hope we make it to the ship that's leaving, once we get confirmation that the Imperial cruiser is gone."
The small radio transceiver she had set up in the back of the cave was connected to the local Rebel faction's secure frequencies. So far there had been nothing save for the occasional update on progress on the planet's surface, but she had a good feeling the Imperials would be leaving soon. In the meantime, she saw no harm in a little idle banter while they ate. "So, what was this woman like? Did you see who she was traveling with?"
Rels leaned back a little as he looked to the cave ceiling. His brow wrinkled as he thought about what to say next to best describe the woman that had left a rather lasting impression despite their brief encounter. "She was somethin' else, I'll tell ya. A little beat up maybe, but she had this fire in her eyes. Kinda reminded me of you actually. Strong, but compassionate type. Had a way about her that you just knew everything could work out, so long as you fell in behind her."
"So what you're saying is, you thought she had a nice body right?" The almost sly grin on the togruta's face made Rels chuckle before he responded. He is so boringly predictable sometimes. But in the dark times we live in, I'll take predictable over untrustworthy every time.
"Yup, that guy with her, now there's a lucky man. I got the feelin' that if they didn't hate each other's guts, they'd make a nice couple. Looked to be an older man and a boy traveling with 'em." Rels paused for a moment to take a bite of his lizard. "Had two droids with 'em as well. Kind of an odd group but eh, I've seen weirder. Like us, the secretive former Jedi and the cunning vagabond." His companion merely rolled her eyes and chuckled even as her thoughts turned inward.
It's starting, just like they said it would. His timing could have been a little more accurate though. Minor complaints aside, she was glad it seemed that things would finally start working in their favor. I just hope Yoda and Obi-Wan are right, and that the Empire will fall because of the chosen one. If not him, I at least have a backup plan now. Whoever that woman had been, her presence in the Force, even untrained, had sent ripples like a stone dropped in a pond. She knew that she wasn't the only one that had sensed the stranger's arrival.
"So Soka, what's the plan? Or is that one of those Jedi need to know things?" Rels wasn't offended by his companion's need to keep secrets. These were dangerous times after all and there was still a very substantial reward out for any surviving Jedi.
"It's the same as I told you before, but with one small change. You're going to stay here Rels. The other speeder and everything else I can spare is yours now. Thank you...you've been a good friend to be, but I have to go on my own path now." She couldn't risk her friend's life anymore than what she had, especially where she was planning on going.
"I wish you luck in tryin' to dissuade me from following ya girl." Rels held up a hand to stop her from interrupting him as his eyes fell squarely on her mostly orange face save for white markings on her forehead and cheeks. "You saved my ass more than a few times. Hell, if it wasn't for you, I'd either be dead from a glitterstim overdose, or worse, after..." His grin faded as he stared at the fire and ate the rest of his meal, no doubt thinking of the family he once had.
Why am I not surprised he would be so stubborn about this? I always hate to see that look on his face, he deserves more than to follow me around like some loyal puppy. "You were lost like I once was. We have both seen horrible things, and it changed us. It took another to drag us out of the darkness. If you truly can't be talked out of this, then you know I would never try to stop you." The former Jedi had found the man in the street, broken and near death. She had later found out that his wife and two daughters had been killed in a kidnapping gone wrong. It was little wonder that he felt it necessary to protect her after that.
Relsaron Kilert had once been a man with wealth and power on Coruscant, the capital of the Empire. Now he was happy to share a small cave and a few roasted lizards with the woman who had managed to save him from himself. Of course, he always joked that if he ever got tired of the dirt, he could always turn her in for the hefty reward. The reality was however that the moment he did, Rels had no doubt that the only reward he'd get was a knife in the back by the Imperials. Besides, there's no way I'd ever betray you Ahsoka. No amount of money would ever be worth it after all you've done for me. The memory made the old warrior smile and Rels looked up, having a feeling he knew where her thoughts had turned. I hate to see her giving me that concerned motherly look, doesn't suit her at all. "No need to picture me with my clothes off Soka. You know I'm always willin' if ya but ask."
"Very funny Rels. No offense, but you're a little too old for me." She rolled her eyes at him and continued to eat, trying her best to suppress the smirk that wanted to escape.
"With age comes wisdom, they say...and I am very wise in certain areas." Rels chuckled to himself as he finished eating. While he would never lay on hand on the younger togruta, or let any else for that matter, he couldn't bring himself to stop flirting with her from time to time.
"I don't believe the occasional human, twi'lek, or..." Ahsoka did her best to not picture the image in her mind as she continued. "...trandoshan prostitutes count old man." It was one of the few vices he had left and one that she wasn't about to curtail. Everyone needed an outlet, and apparently, meditation wasn't for everyone. She had tried to teach Rels meditation, only to find out that he preferred to sleep more than center himself.
"Hey! Rrishara is one of the funniest women I've ever met...not to mention talented. Must have done something right last time, since she gave me a discount. That, and she always had a smile on her face whenever I left. I think it's because I'm her most generous customer, in more ways than one."
"More likely it's because she doesn't have to smell you anymore." Rels playfully tossed a bit of sand at the woman, only for it to hover in mid air in front of her outstretched hand before falling to the ground.
"Ya know, if I didn't like ya so much Soka, I'd call ya a cheat. Cheaters tend to meet rough endings out here, or so I've heard." He never got tired of seeing the Force in action, even if it was just a small parlor trick like what had just happened. Despite his 'threat', Rels was grinning.
"Good thing I never let you talk me into gambling in one of the cantinas then." While it would have made their life a lot easier, such actions would have drawn a lot of attention to themselves. Besides, it would have went against almost every tenet of the old Jedi Code to use her talents for self gain. Even if she hadn't technically been a Jedi for almost two decades, Ahsoka wasn't about to abandon her old training.
Suddenly, the small radio came to life with a whisper of static. "This is your regional weather net speaking. Looks like we'll be having clear skies and low winds for the next five to six days. As much as you moisture farmers out there might like them, I doubt we'll be seeing any dark clouds in the near future."
"That's it. We're in the clear. Come on, if we only have five hours to get to the ship, we'll need to hurry." She was already in the process of packing their few belongings and setting the thermal charge to destroy any evidence they had ever been there. They didn't want to risk the Imperials getting their hands on anything that could lead them to the Rebels.
Least she ain't trying to stop me from followin' her. "You don't have to tell me twice Soka. Lead the way." As light hearted as the man tended to act these days, Rels was all business once he got to be actively involved with Rebel missions. Secrecy was their greatest asset, and a man with nothing to lose, searching for a just cause in life was their greatest weapon. Of course, having a former Jedi around evens the odds a bit. Once their final preparations was complete and their hoverbikes loaded up, Rels gave Ahsoka a meaningful look before they took off. "I don't expect an answer Soka, but what happens if we catch up to your mystery woman?"
"We'll help her out of the darkness as well, or we'll likely die trying." There was no use sugarcoating the truth as far as she was concerned. She had survived too much and seen too much to lie to one of the few friends she had left.
"Good to know Soka. Like to know what my chances are of retirin' a very old man." Deep down, Rels knew that if it came down to either him or Ahsoka seeing an old age, well that was an easy choice in his mind.
"When it becomes time for us to rejoin the Force, not a moment sooner Rels. Until then, worry about getting to our ride off of this planet. Then we'll worry about tomorrow." Be mindful of the present, let the future come as it will you must, young padawan. One of Master Yoda's better lessons.
Two speeders raced away in the darkness towards their clandestine rendezvous, with only short lived dust trails to show they had even been there. A lone herd of dewbacks in the cool desert night were present to witness the large explosion less than five minutes later. It left only ashes and smoke in one particular small cave.
The Death Star, enroute to Alderaan.
Vader's Private Quarters.
Deep in meditation and having left explicit instructions not to be disturbed, Darth Vader was reaching out to the edges of the galaxy when his mind brushed against something that caught his interest. The tremors in the Force….they are getting closer. Is the disturbance I and my Master felt coming here? If my suspicions are correct, I will finally have the power to destroy my Master and take my rightful place. Such dangerous thoughts were better left unsaid until the time was right, but time was on Vader's side. He had been waiting for nearly two decades thus far, a few more years wouldn't kill him. So long as things went as he intended, there would be little danger to himself and his position as the Emperor's chosen agent.
If the stranger to this galaxy can be turned, so be it, but if not, then perhaps something can be learned from the corpse. With such a prize to be gained, Vader pondered the level of risk needed to attain it. The reports from Tatooine had offered more questions than answers. He would need to send someone trusted to find this being, and the Dark Lord knew he only had one choice if he wished this to remain unknown to the Emperor. It is fortunate I chose to bring him with me, leaving him behind would have only lead to his discovery. Destroying the lab was a necessary step. My Master must not know the whole truth until the time is right.
A series of button presses on the hidden device on his arm, and a secret door opened beneath his meditation chamber. Darth Vader quickly descended into the dark passageway that led to where his apprentice slumbered in suspended animation. A wave of his hand and the machinery that was keeping his life signs in check started to bring the young Sith into wakefulness and awareness. When the process was complete, the glass shielding rose up and the young man fell before the Dark Lord, coughing up the foul tasting fluids that had preserved his body until now. "Rise, my apprentice."
The young Sith had learned long ago hesitation was not something his master appreciated. Even as he continued to clear his airways, he took his proper place before the man that had taught him everything he knew. "What is thy bidding, my Master?"
"There is an unknown and strange presence in the Force, and it is approaching quickly. You will bring this being before me. Preferably, alive. Dead if necessary. In either case, I believe this will lead to the destruction of the Emperor, and then my apprentice...you shall rule by my side." It was difficult to tell if the younger Sith quivered in anticipation or shuddered with dread at his Master's statement.
Regardless of the answer, there was no point in asking for more information such as a physical description of race, gender, or anything of the sort. When in doubt, the Force had always guided the way before, but it seemed he'd be flying a lot blinder than usual this time. "Yes, my master." A dark gleam showed in the young man's eyes as he bowed to Vader. "It will be done."
"Until you can construct your own lightsaber, I have had time to construct several. Choose your weapon wisely, and when the disturbance arrives, I want you to be ready to face it." Leaving his apprentice to prepare, Darth Vader had other matters to attend to. The interrogation of Princess Leia Organa, for one, had been going poorly. Even with the mind probe's methods, no information had been extracted from her. Then Moff Tarkin had suggested that they use the Death Star's main weapon on her home planet. It was an excellent idea, but one that had the potential to make her even more tight lipped than ever if it backfired in its purpose to get her to see the futility of her continued defiance. One way or another, Vader would rip the information he wanted out of her. It was only a matter of time, after all. What will happen first I wonder? Will she break, or will the disturbance arrive first? Either way, I must plan for the future. He hadn't lived this long by being foolish.
'Merchant' vessel Millenium Falcon.
Enroute to Alderaan.
ETA, seven hours.
Even after making the jump to hyperspace, going from one end of the galaxy to the other took time. The ship's two crew and her passengers had used some of that time to sit down for a decent meal as they discussed the near future. From what Alex and Jim heard from both Ben and Luke, they were on a mission to Alderaan to deliver the smaller blue and white domed droid, R2-D2, to a faction called the Rebel Alliance. The droid contained some kind of vital information that the Alliance needed to topple the Empire, or at the very least put up a good fight.
Jim stared at the old man across the table from him. "So let me guess this straight...this woman, Leia right? She's part of this group you're helping and got herself caught by these Imperials. Now getting important information into the right hands, and I've seen enough already to see that these Rebels might be, is one thing. But who's going to save her? You let these people hold her long enough and they'll get each and every secret out of her, one way or another."
"I hate to say it, but Jim's right. Even so, we have several problems stopping us from doing anything about it." Alex said, as she held up her hand and started counting off the list she had come up with. "We don't know where to start looking. Barring that, that cruiser in orbit when we left was the biggest ship I've ever seen except for one, and that was the Destiny Ascension. I assume a similar ship most likely attacked her vessel. We would have no idea what kind of opposition we'd face once we got to her, and reinforcements are always a possibility. We'd be stuck between a rock and a hard place and then where would that leave us?"
"She's screwed. You could have just put it that way Shep." Kirk gave the woman a rather dejected look as he slumped in his seat.
"I didn't say that I wouldn't try, but we'd need a location first. I've done a lot more with a smaller group behind me." Alex grinned slightly and the gleam in her eye wasn't hard to miss to anyone sitting around her.
"While I admire your compassion my friends, Princess Leia would want us to complete her mission before worrying for her safety. Once we have given the Rebels R2-D2, then we will be able to plan her rescue. If you would be interested in helping with such an endeavour that is?" Ben let his words hang in the air around the table, curious to see who would bite first. Not to his surprise, it was Jim that spoke up before Alex.
"Is that a trick question old man? I've seen enough of this galaxy to know evil people when I see them and that these Imps are bad news. When you can't even walk down a street without being tailed by one of their hired eyes, you know something's not right." He looked towards Alex for only a moment, but he bit back the rest of his comment as he turned to his food.
If Alex had seen the subtle glare he threw her way, Alex didn't comment on it. "Again, I hate to agree with Jim but he's right." Folding her hands underneath her chin, Shepard appeared deep in thought as she looked to Luke, but it was Han that spoke up next. Why am I not surprised?
"Both of you are crazy as a womp rat in a trash compactor. Saving a rich girl has its perks, but whaddya gonna do with those creds if you're dead? Personally, I wouldn't risk drawing the attention of the Empire for enough Alderaanian gemstones to fill this ship three times over." Han just threw his empty plate on the table and stood up, giving the two a sarcastic smirk before moving to leave for the cockpit.
Alex wasn't done with him just yet however. Han didn't get far before she grabbed his arm and gave him something to think about. "You might wake up one day and find that you missed out on a chance to make a real difference. Of course, that would be assuming you could stop counting your credits long enough to do it."
An irritated Solo jerked his arm free from the marine's light grasp before making a beeline for the cockpit, where a puzzled Chewbacca waited for him. The wookie could almost swear there was the slightest look of guilt on his trusted friend's usually cocky mug. "Don't ask. Not. One. Word." Han ignored the loud huff of annoyance next to him as his settled in for the rest of their trip.
Since both of them had seemingly lost their appetite, Jim and Alex had headed for a couple nearby bunks and passed out only minutes later. Luke had found a quiet corner of the ship soon after the meal had ended and was lost in thought, while Ben wandered to the living quarters. He wasn't a young man anymore after all and was about to try to have a nap when he felt rather than saw the fact the two guests he had invited along were having rather severe nightmares.
They are both haunted by those they could not save, far more than any perils they themselves have faced. If what I have sensed of the future is true, then they will have to endure yet more sorrow. But, if we are to prevail, then the needs of the many must outweigh the needs of the few. Despite being in such close proximity to their shared pains and old wounds, Obiwan kept a straight face as he continued on his way. Sleep would be long in coming for him with those two around, but he didn't complain since it gave him an excuse to start Luke's training.
Five and a half hours later...
You did good child. Alex bolted up in the bunk and bit back the scream as she bashed her head against the ceiling. Pain flared behind her eyes but it faded quickly as she rubbed her forehead, cursing her stupidity at letting past memories get such a strong reaction out of her. At least it was a better nightmare than my usual ones. Her usual nightmares almost always involved those close to her being hurt or killed in some horrible fashion. The worst one she could recall involved her, and every member of her crew, being liquified by the Reapers to make a new and more powerful Reaper construct. The worst part was that they were still aware of what had happened to them, and they always blamed her for letting it occur. She had to watch each of them die horribly before she herself started to melt, and always woke up screaming from the imagined pain.
"Bad dream huh?" Kirk asked from the bottom bunk, having woken up moments before she had.
Alex let her head fall back onto the stiff pillow as she started to calm down. "Yeah...you too?"
"You could say that." Kirk replied, not about to elaborate. Seeing the entire destruction of Vulcan stuck with you no matter who you were or what race you happened to be. But Kirk's nightmare wasn't just about his inability to save an entire planet, along with billions of lives. The worst were the dreams where he couldn't save one. Sometimes he found himself standing next to Spock on Vulcan as the planet collapsed, forced to watch his friend's mother die no matter what they did to try and save her. Other times, he would find himself in the conference room next to Pike the very moment Khan started firing through the window. And once again, nothing he did prevented his former captain from dying in Spock's arms.
"Well, since we're not about to start sharing, might as well see what everyone's up to." Alex said as she swung her legs over the bed and hopped down. She winced when she landed on her right leg at a wrong angle, but hid her discomfort well. Or so she thought.
"Old war wound Alex?" Ben asked from a nearby seat as he watched Luke fight against an old remote droid, an energy saber of some sort in his hands.
"Something like that. You tend to collect them after a while." Even as she spoke, Alex noticed that Luke was getting shot more than he was managing to block. The fact he was blocking anything at all was amazing in and of itself, but that didn't stop Shepard from saying something to the youngest of their strange little group. "Hey kid, I think the point is to not get hit. Here's a thought, maybe not having the shield down on that helmet would help your aim." Still, how is he able to block even a few of those shots without seeing the bolts coming at him?
The intrigued look on Alex's face wasn't lost on Ben. "It's part of his training Alex. Don't worry, he'll figure it out. You could actually learn a thing or two as well." The wizened man said, before Luke could say a word. It was probably just as well since he did have an activated lightsaber in his hands. "Perhaps you would care to try? Surely you could do better than an inexperienced boy on his third attempt?" As Luke pulled off the helmet, he had to allow himself a smirk at the look on Alex's face.
"Is that a challenge old man?" Alex smirked, knowing she was being baited, but she was eager to bite. Kirk raised an eyebrow at what was playing out before him, curious to see what was about to happen as he took a spot against a nearby wall.
Should be interesting to see what she can actually do. Might even see if I can sucker the captain of this tub into a couple bets. And speak of the devil. Kirk looked towards the cockpit door where Han stood, his arms crossed and a cocky grin on his face. Didn't take him long to get board. Can't say I blame him, I'd go nuts staring at nothing but a blue tunnel for hours. At least back on the Enterprise you could see the stars passing by. "Hey captain, care to make a little wager?"
He was still irritated with what had happened at the table earlier, but looking out the cockpit window had gotten boring real quick. "I'm already taking your money, but I don't mind taking a bit more blondie." Han grinned a bit wider, starting to like Jim's way of thinking.
"Hundred credits says she can't block the first ten shots." Jim confidently said as he felt Alex's eyes locking on him. Han just grinned and nodded his agreement.
Alex just glared at the smirking blonde captain as Luke carefully shut the weapon off and handed over his helmet to Ben. "Nice Kirk...thanks for the vote of confidence." Taking the cylindrical 'hilt', Alex pressed the button to activate it before it emitted the blade of light blue energy. It's virtually weightless. Even my omni-blade has some heft to it, but this saber? If I'm not careful I could lose a hand, or worse.
As if reading her mind, their cocky captain had something to add to the proceedings. "Be careful you don't cut your own arm off there princess." Han said as he took a seat across from Kirk who remained leaning against the wall This ought to be good.
Alex ignored Han's sarcastic comment and listened to what Ben had to say. "You're no stranger to fighting, but this will require you to accept that the galaxy is not as you once thought. You will need to believe in new concepts and different ways of viewing the galaxy around you."
She had seen a lot of things and had experienced far more, but Alex was having trouble wrapping her head around what Ben was trying to show her. "Okay….but what does any of that have to do with blocking a shot of energy with this glowing sword?"
"Patience my young friend, we're getting to that, I promise you." Alex frowned, but didn't bother complaining as, not too surprisingly, Ben placed the helmet Luke had worn on her head, completely blocking her vision.
Shepard took a moment to prepare herself as he reactivated the remote droid. Even blind, I know I can do better than the kid. Okay...just listen for the movements. How hard could this be? Ow! Son of a bitch that hurts! The remote had taken a shot at her left knee and the blast sent waves of tingling energy through her body. It wasn't nearly enough to do permanent damage, but it still hurt a great deal.
"Do you think she'll get it before I did Ben?" Luke asked, having almost seen the remote during his own session as he tried to hide his amusement at the sight of Alex hopping around on one foot. Let's see how cocky she is with that thing at full power.
"We shall see Luke." He hadn't missed the fact that Luke had upped the power on the remote's control device. Still, he knew without needing to scan her from head to foot that her tolerance for pain was far beyond most people's he had ever met.
By the fifth time she was hit, Alex was starting to get frustrated. By the ninth time she was ready to rip the helmet off and slam the droid into the wall with her biotics. As she was hit again in the shoulder, a simmering rage started to build, because not only was she failing, but Jim had just made money off of her pain, much to Han's annoyance. THAT'S IT. ENOUGH! A cold serenity fell over Alex as she not only blocked several of the next shots that came her way, but the eighth bolt of energy met the droid dead center, sending it spiraling to the floor at Ben's feet.
As soon as she heard the device crash on the deck, Alex released the button on the energy weapon and removed her helmet with a victorious flourish. "Ha! Not bad for my first time huh?" The feeling of satisfaction she had gained soon faded the moment she laid eyes on the older man. She had expected Ben to be proud of her for beating his little test so easily, but the man only looked concerned.
Victory wasn't the point my young friend. He merely frowned as he looked to the damaged remote before looking up at Shepard. "You have taken a step into a larger world Alex, but how you got there worries me." Alex wasn't the only one confused, except Luke, as the old Jedi collected the remote, hoping to fix the thing for future use.
"Wait huh? What just happened?" Kirk asked even as Alex glared at the old man's retreating back.
"Looks to me like it's all hokey religion and tricks to me blondie." Han shrugged as he went back to the cockpit, having grown bored once it seemed that nothing else of interest was about to happen.
Luke meanwhile had gestured for Shepard to follow him to a quieter part of the ship. " I'm not sure what Ben meant, but I think he might have been worried for good reason." Once he was certain no one else would hear them, Luke nervously looked to Alex as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, I may have...I did turn up the power of those bolts. I swear I didn't think they would hurt you that badly, but it was wrong of me in any case."
"I guess I deserved that." She rubbed at her sore shoulder for a moment before speaking further. "I better go talk to him then." Alex sighed as she threw the deactivated lightsaber over to Luke. She had her own blade anyway. It wasn't a pure energy blade perhaps, but it still got the job done. Before she left to find Ben, the marine looked over her shoulder towards Luke. "You've been through a lot today, and if it helps, I know how it feels to lose those you're closest too. I always had an open door policy back home, and old habits are hard to break." It wasn't an outright apology for her earlier behavior, but it was close enough for what she needed it to be as she left Luke to think about her offer.
Alex was only mildly surprised when a hand landed on her shoulder. "Hey Shep, don't take this so hard, but it was just a silly test. I got the feeling ol Benny boy pulled a Kobayashi Maru on you." Alex just gave Jim a blank stare before he realized she had no idea what that meant. "Uh….it's basically a test that can't be beat, but victory wasn't the point."
Her curiosity was immediately piqued as she turned to look at her companion. "What was the point of that test then?"
"To control your fear, so it doesn't control you. I...might have cheated when I took it the last time, but I got the point later when I passed my own real version of the creator's original test concept. Funny thing though, he and I became good friends."
I wonder if some of the admirals and captains back home would have benefited from such an idea? Huh, might have to look into it more later. And why doesn't it surprise me to hear that he cheated? Alex gave Kirk her best dubious look as she sat down by the small round table in the passenger area. "You actually have more than one friend? I'm stunned."
"Ha ha Shep. Yes I do have more than one friend. Quite a few, now that I think about it." Jim had tried to be slightly more professional in his dealings with the crew after officially receiving command of the Enterprise as Pike's relief captain. Nonetheless, he had become very close to his senior staff and other members of his crew in a relatively short amount of time.
As do I Jim. The crew of the Normandy had become close as family, and after three separate engagements with the Reapers, it made sense for such strong bonds to have been forged between them. "I guess there are stranger things out there." Alex held up a hand before Kirk could say anything against that latest comment. "In all seriousness, I just hope we get back so we can see our own friends and family again. From what you've told me of yours, they sound like a nice group of people." What Shepard didn't say was that she had no idea how they were going to do that. With no idea how they even got here to begin with, it'd be next to impossible to get back.
"You mean if we get back Shep." Alex looked up in surprise at Jim, but it became quickly apparent that he had already put two and two together. "We have no idea how we got here so how are we supposed to find a way to get back? I ain't givin' up, but we need to be realistic, that's all I'm saying."
"I guess you're smarter than you look. Still….maybe I was deluding myself more than anything. You get used to being strong for everyone around you…." She didn't have to finish that sentence as Kirk nodded solemnly.
"I know what you mean, Shep. Like the old saying goes, the captain's always right, even when they aren't. To let your crew believe otherwise, you might as well stay in space dock."
"That's not exactly how I would have said it but you get the idea." She had a newfound respect for Jim as she stood and met his for once, serious gaze. "You're not a bad guy Jim. I still say you're crazy, but you're the kind of crazy that gets the job done." Just as she was about to walk away to find Ben, she was stopped by Jim.
"Like you Shep?" The cocky grin had returned, and Alex found she didn't mind it as much.
Turning to look over her shoulder, Shepard grinned at her new friend in this galaxy. "No, I'm crazier. Kind of comes with the job of being the savior of the galaxy and all."
Jim went to move towards his bunk but stopped when her words hit him. "Wait, what?" Alex had already disappeared by the time he turned around. "Damn, she's quick."
When Alex did find Ben, she somehow wasn't surprised to see the knowing smile on his face. "Why do I get the feeling you heard most of that conversation?" Even knee deep in repairs on the remote droid, Ben had missed little as Alex pulled up a chair and got comfortable.
"I might be a well traveled old man my young friend, but my hearing is still as good as ever." The last of the scorched metal and fused circuits was laid out before the old man but with the way he was handling the tools in front of him, Alex had no doubt that the damage would be erased before too long.
"So are you going to tell me who you really are? The old hermit in the desert veneer doesn't fit you at all." The 'old hermit' routine was far from what Shepard imagined of the old man, but she couldn't come right out and say it either without being incredibly rude.
"What do your feelings, your instincts tell you?" I know you can come up with an accurate comparison my young friend. The old guardian of peace patiently waited as Alex thought it over.
"You carry yourself like a soldier, not to mention how observant you are." Ben raised an amused eyebrow as he continued to tinker with the small droid. "You were going to deal with those men in the bar if we hadn't beat you to the punch. And you always seem to be aware of those around you and your surroundings, even when you're appearing otherwise, just like now. If I didn't know any better, I'd have called you a fellow Spectre."
"The peacekeepers of your galaxy no doubt. You are one of these Spectres, or were I imagine." Only then did Ben look up to meet Alex's intense gaze.
"Retired." Shepard nodded in confirmation, although she doubted the Council would agree with that assessment. Once a Spectre... "So what are you old man?" Alex might have appeared rude if it wasn't for the sly grin on her face.
"A fellow peacekeeper, as you implied. I was a member of an order called the Jedi...many years ago. Like you no doubt have done, I've lead people into battle as a general during the war, but our order was always dedicated to peace. For over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights maintained peace and order in the Old Republic and its allies. But that was before the dark times, before the Emperor rose to power."
"And now we have the Empire huh?" Old Ben nodded and Alex sat back in her chair, deep in thought over what she had seen and learned of late. "I'm guessing this guy didn't come around out of nowhere, to have pulled one over on a group like the Jedi if they were half as strong as you made them out to be."
Observant and wise beyond her years. "My former apprentice, a good man until he turned to the dark side, helped the Emperor hunt down and kill nearly all of the Jedi Knights. I hope you never have the misfortune of meeting Darth Vader face to face. I fear even you would stand little chance against him."
Normally Alex would have challenged such words given her propensity for doing the impossible, but something in the old man's voice as well as his face told her that this Darth Vader was far stronger than any enemy she had ever heard about before. Instead she opted for a less heavy topic. "I've been meaning to ask, but just what is the Force anyway? I get that there are two sides to it from what you've said so far, but what is it?"
"The Force, in its most basic form is everywhere. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together. If I may however, I have a question for you. How is it that you were able to kill the spy?" At the surprised look on Alex's face, Ben chuckled lightly as he looked towards where Jim had remained in the passenger area. "When you two came back, your friend was most displeased. I assume he did not agree with how you dealt with the problem that had followed us after you had disappeared for a time, and it seems my suspicions were correct."
"Yep, definitely an old soldier." Alex could only shake her head at the old man as a small smile flickered across her face. "I assume you've never heard of dark energy, or biotics for that matter." Ben gave a slight shake of his head before she continued. "To put a long story short, I was born with the ability to manipulate the dark energy in my body. My mother was exposed to something we call eezo, or element zero, while I was still in her womb. It collected in nodes along my nervous system and allows me to harness dark energy in many different ways. A person with these abilities is called a biotic."
"That small device on the back of your neck is no doubt involved in these abilities, correct?" It was Alex's turn to nod as Ben rubbed at his chin. "Very interesting. I couldn't help but notice a slight tremor in your voice when you spoke of biotics. Is there perhaps some contention among your people about their use?"
"You could say that. The first biotics were the result of industrial sabotage. Factories and ships were purposely damaged or destroyed to expose the nearby populations to eezo. Nearly everyone that came into contact with the element developed terminal forms of cancer, as well as birth defects in their unborn children. Most of the first trained biotics didn't survive, and if they did, they had serious mental and physical problems either because of their implants or they pushed themselves way too hard. Rather they were purposely pushed too far. I was a second generation biotic, meaning I was lucky and most of the research had been done by that point and the implant had been perfected to protect the person's health while giving them control over their abilities."
A dark frown once again replaced the usual twinkle in the man's eyes. "I see there are those in your galaxy who are equally as criminal in their pursuit of power as the Empire. Were those responsible for these acts ever found?"
"They were found, but as to whether or not they were all discovered and dealt with I can't be sure. The organization that was most responsible was dealt with, but I don't think they were the start of it." Even with her unique understanding of Cerberus, she doubted that the pro human group been solely responsible for every element zero exposure case. Some of the accidents had truly been just that, as far as everyone knew anyway, and even if that hadn't been the case, Cerberus hadn't been around long enough to have been able to orchestrate every exposure on record. At least, that's what Alex believed.
"I am glad that you were able to bring justice for some of those affected at least." The older man seemed to pause for a moment, as if deciding whether or not to tell Alex something. When he did, Ben put down his tools and stood from his chair, indicating Alex should follow him as he headed for the cockpit. "You are even more unique than you know."
"That's one way to put it." Alex wasn't so sure she was as unique as Ben seemed to believe, but before she could get further she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.
He didn't need the Force to tell him that this young woman didn't consider herself or her abilities highly. If her unique powers are indeed a result of crimes against her own people rather than a naturally occurring phenomena, then it makes sense that there would be those that wished to be born simply normal. People inherently fear what they don't understand. "You do not consider your gifts a blessing, even though they have obviously served you well throughout your life my young friend." It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact.
"Let me put it this way; not everyone liked having biotics around. Even after some of the misinformed rumors and propaganda was put down, there were still those that made it their business to make life miserable for people like me." It explains why my old man had a drinking problem. Her being a biotic had played a part in it, but Jason Shepard had been a career officer long before Alex had come into the picture. It just gave him the added incentive to leave, but he had always been distant anyway, so her mother, Hannah, had barely noticed when he finally did put an end to their marriage. Things could have always been worse though. At least I wasn't a colonist on one of the worlds batarian slavers raided. "Anyway, it was a long time ago now, and a lot has happened since those days."
"I see." Two words had never been spoken with such thought behind them. "You can come out now Jim. I'm sure you've learned quite a bit by now." Jim cursed as he stepped around the corner, a wry grin on his face as he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.
"For the record, I spotted the thing on her neck the first time I saw her. Figured it might be rude to ask about it is all." Alex looked ready to deck the man for invading her privacy, but opened her closed fist as she realized she would probably have done the same thing in his place.
"Well at least he's honest." Ben replied, earning a somewhat playful eyeroll from Shepard since they could tell he was lying before the old man seemed stricken by a sudden bout of weakness as he immediately went for the closest chair. Both Alex and Jim, who was followed by a concerned Luke moments later, were at his side at almost the exact same time. Luke was the only one to ask what was wrong but Alex had a terrible feeling she knew before Ben answered. "I felt a great disturbance in the Force. As if millions of voices cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened."
Everyone looked to Ben, wondering what he meant, but no one had any answers. Whatever it was that the old man had picked up, and Alex had no doubt he had picked up on something, she just hoped it didn't mean what it sounded like. There's no way that a planet suddenly disappeared or something...right?
Hopefully the elderly man was just having a senior moment, but from the look of worry on Alex and Luke's faces, Jim was starting to doubt that. "You don't look too good, maybe you should get some rest."
Ben merely smiled but shook his head at Jim's concern. "Don't worry, it'll pass soon. It's one of the few downfalls of being Force sensitive. I do not wish to alarm anyone here, but such shocks are only felt when life is lost in great number at the same time."
"One way or another, we'll find out soon enough." Alex said as she started towards the cockpit once again. "I'll go warn Han that there might be trouble ahead. Better safe than sorry." Jim nodded as the woman quickly walked away, but his attention had been caught by the similar look in her eyes that he had seen in Ben's moments earlier.
Whatever the old man was showing her and Luke seems to be rubbing off, and fast. Why am I worried about that? Jim couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong, and it wasn't just the fact that he was potentially walking into another catastrophe.
Han meanwhile hid his displeasure at seeing his least favorite passenger as she invited herself up to his cockpit. "You know I could always have Chewie show you the way out, right princess?"
"RRAAHHRRAAA?" Chewie howled in disagreement to his friend's less than appropriate behavior.
Han shot his buddy a look of mock betrayal as the wookie glared at him in turn. "Oh shut up. So what if I'm not a gentleman, I could care less. She's trouble and you and I both know it furball."
Alex only crossed her arms and glared daggers at Han as she spoke. "She is standing right here jackass. Look, I didn't come up here for a fight, I just came up here to tell you that we might be flying into a bad situation. Don't ask how I know, because I honestly couldn't tell you. Call it a gut feeling, and my gut has yet to fail me."
"Fine, whatever. Leave us in peace will ya? You and your buddies still owe me the rest of that charter fee anyway, so until the job's done, we're stuck together. As much as I hate the thought." The thought that she could pay off part of the charter in other ways crossed his mind for a moment, but he wasn't nearly stupid enough to say that in front of her, let alone Chewie. Wookie warriors like Chewbacca were honor bound to those that saved their lives, but even his bond with his friend wouldn't protect him if he pissed off the giant furball.
"You'll get your money." As soon as I figure out how to get the rest if old Ben doesn't have it. Alex gave the man a mildly disgusted look as she briskly turned and left the small compartment. God I hate this guy, even Zaeed had a little more decency than this prick.
"Remind me why I agreed to this Chewie?" It was a rhetorical question but Han knew the wookie beside him would answer anyway.
The wookie glared at Han as if that as the dumbest thing he had ever said. "RRRRAAAAHHHHHRRRRRAAHHHAAA."
"Yeah, not giving Jabba an excuse to gut us is a pretty good reason." The smuggler just sighed as he watched the unending void of hyperspace pass around them. "At least she was nice enough to give us a heads up, so if we are walking into a trap, we had fair warning right buddy?" Chewie grumbled his response, earning a small smirk from Han as he looked out the cockpit window again.
ETA to Alderaan, thirty seconds.
Han cast an annoyed stare behind him to the overly crowded cockpit before turning back to the controls. Alex just crossed her arms and waited while Jim tensed up in worry. Last thing I need is a damn audience right now. Doing his best to ignore the passengers behind him, Han continued as if he didn't have anyone looking over his shoulder. "Alright Chewie cutting to sublight engines." The moment the void of hyperspace disappeared, their worst fears were realized as sizable chunks of rock flew past the ship but there was no sign of the planet. "Looks like we jumped into an asteroid field! Something's wrong, the charts don't show anything like this in this part of the system. Maybe an asteroid collision?"
Kirk was the one that broke the silence. "The entire planet's gone." Alex never would have believed such a thing possible, but the look on Jim's face spoke volumes. Ben silently nodded as he took in the devastation he already knew they would find. This is just like Vulcan all over again.
"How is this even possible?" Luke asked, bewildered just as much if not more so than the others around him.
"Destroyed, by the Empire." Ben said, confirming what Alex and Jim had feared even though Han didn't seem so quick to believe it.
He ignored the old man and offered his own two credits into the conversation. "It's not. It'd take more firepower than a hundred star destroyers could carry to blow up a planet like that." Chewie and Han were barely able to avoid the larger chunks of rock as they neared the edge of the massive debris field less than a minute later.
If they thought they were out of the woods however, they were sadly mistaken as the ship shook violently right before a small fighter sized vessel flew past. "It followed us!" Luke shouted as he raced to get a better look at the enemy craft.
"No, it's a short range fighter. Even I can see that." Alex said while Jim and Ben nodded their agreement. "There's no way a ship that small could get out here on its own. There's gotta be a station or a carrier craft nearby."
Ben tracked the fighter with his eyes while his tone remained patient and calm. "It's an Imperial fighter to be precise. And you are quite correct in your assumptions, it wouldn't be alone in this system."
"Whatever it is it won't be around long. Chewie jam its transmissions. One of you make yourselves useful and head for a turret." Han didn't plan to let that thing report them in.
"It's best to let it go, it's too far out of range." The Tie Fighter was even then speeding off into the blackness of space, and Ben doubted their ship could catch it in time even as Jim and Alex ran off to the quad gun emplacements onboard.
Alex had just slid down the ladder before jumping into the lower turret's seat as her eyes locked onto a bright white speck in the distance. Few times had she felt cold dread hit her, but seeing the growing white dot in front of her made that feeling return with a vengeance. That's not good. At least we know where he's going. They must have a base on that planetoid . Alex quickly grabbed a nearby headset and spoke into the mic. "Are all of you seeing this? The fighter is heading for that small moon."
"I see it Shep. I don't think it's a moon though...look how uniform that one gigantic indentation is." Jim said, having a bad feeling of his own which was growing steadily worse the closer they got.
Ben stared at the ever expanding object before them and knew the man was right. "You're correct. That's no moon, it's a space station."
"What, are you all crazy? It's too big to be a space station." Han said in disbelief as he gestured towards the view ports.
"You're in denial Solo. Get us out of here! NOW!" Alex shouted, half tempted to go to the cockpit herself by that point. If not for the fact she didn't know the first thing about piloting a ship, she would have done so. If she hadn't seen something it herself, she'd have had a hard time believing it too, but the proof was there for them plain as day. Why couldn't Han admit it was beyond her.
Jim was quick to back Alex up as he stared at the massive construct in awe. "I hate to say it Han buddy, but I strongly suggest you listen to Alex. That is a space station." By then the 'moon' had completely filled their respective windows, and it was still growing in size and scope the closer they got. How in the Hell did they make something that big?!
"Alright, setting a new course now." Han frowned as he adjusted the controls which had no effect whatsoever on their flight path. "Full reverse, Chewie lock in the auxiliary power." Chewie pulled another lever but again nothing happened.
"Why are we still moving towards it?!" Luke shouted as the ship started to shake even as they were slowly reeled in.
Jim was already starting to head for the ladder as he spoke up into his headset. Alex was only a few steps behind him as she climbed up to the main deck. "We're in a tractor beam or some kind of magnetic grapple, I'd guess. Han, cut back on your engines before they blow. Too late to get away now anyway."
"Already on it blondie." Han hated to give up so easily, but he didn't plan to go down without a fight as he and Chewie's hands flew over the control board in front of them. The ship powered down almost immediately, leaving only the lights and life support still powered up.
"You're a smuggler, you have to have a bolt hole or hidden compartment on this hunk of junk. Get in it." Alex said as she soon joined Han and the rest of the group in the cockpit moments later. The surprised look on Han's face confirmed her suspicions. "Long story on how I'd know that, just do it."
"You thinking what I am Shep?" Even as the obvious danger of their predicament distracted his mind, Jim gave Alex his best cocky grin. "Maybe we just got lost and wanted some directions from that fighter?"
"Jim, shut up." Alex interrupted him even as Ben, Han, Luke, and the two droids disappeared somewhere in the back. She was glad they had listened as she got comfortable in the copilot's chair. Even as the ship was pulled through an energy field which served as an outer bay door, the feeling of dread continued to grow like a snake coiled around her guts. Someone or something here was making her incredibly nervous, and she didn't like it one bit.
(Time for some mood music! Play the Imperial March, looped as many times as needed to finish this chapter for added effect!)
When the Falcon touched down on the deck, there was no welcoming committee as Shepard and Kirk had expected. There wasn't a large group of men in uniform. In fact, there was no one at all waiting to greet them as far as they could see as they gazed at the eerily silent hangar. "I know it's a cliche...but this is definitely too quiet Shep."
Alex wholeheartedly agreed with Jim's assessment, but she was already moving to the ramp controls as she looked over her shoulder. "Keep on your guard. We need to go out there or I'm sure they'll send someone in to get us. Let's not let that happen shall we?"
"So, how you want to play it? Armed or unarmed? Personally, I'd be more comfortable strapping one of the pistols Han let us borrow to my hip." Kirk held out the two weapons, letting Alex decide how they should proceed.
"They'll just take them away anyway, but let's have them." Alex sighed as she took one of the offered guns. "I figure they would expect us to be armed, so might as well do what they expect." Only a fool goes in unprepared.
The duo cautiously walked down the ramp a few minutes later and were surprised that the bay was still deserted. "Looks like they're giving us the silent treatment." Jim instantly whirled around, hand on his blaster, as the sound of a door opening echoed through the empty chamber. "Spoke too soon I guess."
"Stay back." Alex said, putting herself between him and the stranger that was slowly but surely approaching their ship. He wasn't the source of her discomfort, but he definitely seemed ready for a fight. Something about the young man radiated danger. "Who are you?" Alex asked as she let her hand rest on the blaster on her hip, while her spare hand started to glow blue behind her back. The moment he showed a hint of aggression, she'd flatten him.
A smug, confident smirk appeared on the man's face as he studied Shepard for a moment. "All you need know is that I am to bring you to my Master. If you resist, your friend will be punished."
"Over my dead body pal." Jim said as he pulled his gun before Alex could stop him and only managed to shoot once. The red bolt of energy was reflected by a red energy blade before the bolt hit the floor between Kirk's feet. The truly astonishing part however had been the fact that the man had moved only as much as he had needed to in one swift movement. "Oh crap." He barely moved an inch! How are we supposed to stop this guy?!
Alex reacted the moment Kirk's shot was reflected and threw out her right hand. Several dark energy explosions shot out of the floor straight towards the dark warrior in front of her. There was enough power behind her Shockwave to flatten a YMIR mech, but when the man merely raised his own empty hand, her idea of what power was was blown away when her attack was flattened. An invisible wall of telekinetic force slammed into her Shockwave, dispersing the dark energy she had thrown out, and she and Kirk were subsequently thrown back hard. Even as she flew through the air until she hit the deck, Alex did note that the man she had tried to kill was mildly flustered as her attack pushed him back a few feet. Alex prepared to attack again as she heard a familiar yelp of pain to her right. Kirk had been thrown into a stack of storage containers as he thudded to the metal deck once again.
"This is getting tiresome. You have ten seconds to drop your weapon and do as I ask, or you can watch your pathetic companion die horribly." As if to emphasise his point, Jim slowly started to rise off the deck, his hands grasped around throat as if trying to stop someone from choking the life out of him.
No, don't you dare Shepard! "Shep...don't..." Jim tried his best to shake his head as the edge of his vision started to go black.
So long as he doesn't remove my amp, I can surprise him later. As much as Alex hated giving up a fight, she dropped the blaster without a second thought as the man started to close his raised fist. "Now put him down!"
"As you wish." Kirk fell unceremoniously to the floor, breathing but unconscious. It was enough for Alex as she took a steadying breath of her own so she didn't end up doing something stupid that would blow their chances of escape. "Follow me, before I change my mind. My Master wishes to see you immediately."
"What about my friend, and who is your master anyway?" Alex growled even as she fell in behind the powerful man in front of her.
She worries more for her ally than herself. If only she knew what awaited her. "He will be dealt with, but left unharmed so long as you cooperate. As for my Master, he will give you his name if he wishes you to know it." The man glared at her with his dark brown eyes as if she were a bug, an insignificant nuisance at best.
"Fine, who are you then?" Alex crossed her arms under her chest as she glared at the back of her captor's closely shaven head. She'd be damned if she showed him fear as her glacial blue eyes stared deeply into his brown orbs until he turned to face forward once again.
A look of doubt crossed his face for a split second before his smug attitude reasserted itself. "That is unimportant, now start moving before I finish what I started with your weakling friend."
"Fine. You can call me Shepard." She didn't care if he wanted to know or not, the fact he had shown even a slight moment of weakness had bolstered her hopes considerably. Maybe he isn't as tough as he pretends to be. He might have blasted aside my Shockwave, but I've never been a one trick pony. I'll bide my time and see where this goes for now.
My Master was right to send me, but what is she? She does not seem to be Force sensitive, yet she pushed me back, even if it was just a few feet. His Master would find the answers, that he had no doubt about, but something about her felt off. It made him feel uneasy despite the fact he had already proven able to deflect her power with relative ease.
The sheer size of the station made it hard to get anywhere in a relatively short amount of time as Alex followed her 'guide'. They finally reached what had to be an elevator after roughly thirty minutes later as he motioned for her to get in with a jerk of his arm. "Shall we?"
As if I have a choice. Alex stepped into the small lift and tried to stay as far from the darkly grinning man as possible. Despite how uncomfortable she was with her guide's close proximity, Shepard's mind was a whirl as she went over everything she had seen since stepping off of the Falcon. She had seen blast doors, security stations, dozens of uniformed personnel and droids running around, and dozens of opportunities for chaos since the hallway they had just left had been riddled with vent covers, power junction boxes, and pipelines of all kinds. All she needed was an opening.
She tries to look defiant and strong...but I can feel her fear under all that anger. My Master should be able to turn her quickly enough, the seeds of her downfall have already grown within her. Strangely, the idea of seeing this woman broken down and beaten by his Master gave him no pleasure. He was mildly disturbed to realize that it instead brought him a feeling of dread, perhaps even a tinge of guilt.
I might be afraid, but I can handle whatever these guys can throw at me. She had faced Saren, Sovereign, the Collectors, and Harbinger. She could face this next challenge and overcome it, she just had to hold out long enough for her contingency plan to unfold. Let's just hope Kirk recovers fast enough from whatever this asshole did to him. Rubbing at her bare right arm, Alex sighed as the lift came to an abrupt stop and the doors opened, her guide already moving forward again. The hallway they stood in now was red and black except for the floor which was lit up with faint white fluorescent lights underneath the black grating. Besides a security station that they passed as soon as they left the elevator, there was no one else to meet them until they reached a black blast door at the end of the hall.
"My Master will see you now." Alex noticed that the man clearly wasn't going to follow her into the room as she stood to the right of the blast door.
Good. Maybe I can deal with them one at a time and then go help the others. I just hope the others are doing alright, Jim and I might have to count on them to get us out of this mess. Even with the feeling of dread still present in her gut, Shepard hid her discomfort well as the door opened with a barely audible hiss and a small slam as it locked into place. Her guide merely nodded for her to proceed into the darkened room in front of her, an odd look in his eyes, before the door slammed shut behind her.
The soft inhale and exhale of a man breathing through some type of apparatus was the only sound she could hear besides her own footfalls. "Well, you wanted to see me so damn badly, here I am." Shouting at the room at large, Alex continued to walk forward until she saw a faint black outline in the darkness.
"Your defiance is astounding, but utterly pointless and futile." The voice was augmented by his mask's speakers, but even if it hadn't been, Alex was sure she still would have been shaking minutely in her figurative boots. Garrus Vakarian, a seven foot tall turian, would have appeared tiny compared to the immense build that the black armored clad man before her possessed. "You will kneel."
"How about you go screw yourself?" Alex's hands were clenched into tight fists of rage which started to glow a dark blue as she glared coldly up into Vader's masked face. "I want to know who you are and why you insisted on this meeting."
Vader chose to ignore her insult, strange as it sounded to his ears. "Your strange abilities are impressive...most impressive." The towering figure almost seemed surprised that she didn't know who he was. The fact her hands were glowing greatly intrigued him as well, and so he decided to show her some small courtesy. "I am the Hand of the Emperor, second only to him, but you may call me Lord Vader. As for why you have been brought before me, that is simple. You will serve me and become my apprentice." Vader sounded as if she should have been grateful at his offer to join him.
So, this is the man that destroyed the Jedi. At least now I have a face to go with the name. "From what I saw of your friend outside, I'd say that's a bad deal. What happens if I refuse?" Her hands continued to glow, but she had relaxed her clenched fingers just enough so that blood could return to her whitened knuckles.
"You will not." A large screen came to life behind him at a wave of the giant man's gloved hand. "If you wish for your friend to live, then you will give yourself to the dark side, and to me." Alex was horrified to see Jim strapped to some type of metal table as several sharp looking spikes started to spark with energy in front of him. Then the table started inching him ever so slowly towards the waiting spikes.
Alex's entire body was engulfed in dark blue biotic energy a split second later. "You have three seconds to let him go before I rip that breather off your goddamn face!"
Vader was far more impressed by the sudden spike in the disturbance she generated than intimidated. It seems that rage increases this woman's strange power. Most impressive indeed. "Your anger gives you strength. Use it, and let us see how strong you really are."
A massive wave of energy slammed into Vader moments later, but he deflected most of it without so much as a grunt of effort. The little that got through moved him back only a few inches, but Alex was far from done as she closed the distance between them. Vader's chest was the target as a blue glowing fist slammed into him before he could grab his lightsaber, knocking him back further even as a second fist went for his right arm above the elbow. She planned to follow the attack up with a grab for his head, but whatever his suit was made out of didn't allow enough of her strength through to shatter his arm as she had planned, let alone knocking him over with her blow to his chest.
With a gesture, Vader sent Alex sliding on her back towards the blast door. He looked with interest at the slightly damaged control panel on his chest. Excellent. She has even more potential than I believed. It has been a long time since anyone has damaged me even slightly. "Kneel, and I will stop your ally's torment before it starts."
"You first!" Alex shouted as she made a gesture of her own right before a swirling vortex of dark blue energy appeared before Vader. Everything that wasn't nailed down was sucked into the Singularity she had created, but the Sith Lord again didn't move even as his cape fluttered in front of him as it was pulled towards the black hole.
It was only after a canister harmlessly exploded against Vader's back that he decided he had had enough of the game. "So be it. He will suffer for your arrogance until you submit, or die." Shepard tried her best to block out the agonizing screams of pain that filled the room moments later as she focused every ounce of her rage at the man responsible.
The Singularity disappeared, but the blue aura around Shepard turned such a dark blue it was nearly black as her glacial blue eyes blazed with barely controlled power. "I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY!" Vader was surprised to feel his boots lift from the floor as he smashed into the ceiling before being accelerated into the metal deck with enough force to create a massive dent in the floor. Even as he rose to his feet, a large ball of dark energy slammed into his chest. Shepard wasn't far behind as she leapt at the man, pummeling his helmet and chest repeatedly with both of her glowing fists.
While Vader was almost shocked by her pure destructive power, he had enough presence of mind to stop the onslaught with brutal force. Shepard found herself lifted off of him by some unseen force as she found her throat constricted. Unable to breathe, Alex found herself completely helpless even as she tried to loosen the unseen grip on her windpipe by throwing everything she had left at Vader, which by then wasn't much. If she hadn't been suffocating to death, she would have taken pride in the fact his armor was at least ruined with numerous cracks, dents, and other signs of damage running over most of its surface.
She didn't notice the blood pouring out of her nose until she was dropped to the deck, gasping for air with multicolored spots dancing in front of her eyes. It seems there is a physical price to be paid if her powers are pushed to their limit. A weakness worth noting. "Your power is truly impressive, but it pales in comparison to the dark side. Kneel before me and save your friend. From me alone, you will learn the meaning of true power."
How did I let this happen? To be defeated so easily, to be brought this low with barely any effort on the part of her enemy, it was completely mind shattering to Alex. Worse yet, the one person she'd actually managed to trust in this reality was still screaming himself hoarse as he trembled in agony on the screen. I can't let my pride get him killed... "Just let him go…." Her voice was without any of the backbone she was known for across Citadel Space or the Terminus Systems, as she fell to her knees before Darth Vader. Her raven hair had fallen over her eyes, not quite hiding the tear tracks running down her cheeks as she looked to the floor in shame.
Closing Notes; Vergil1989; I've yet to see someone truly break Shepard. While it wasn't my idea to take things this far, I found I had chills at what my dear friend put together for this little confrontation between Alex and Vader, and that was just the start of the planning process. By the time we were done, I was practically covered in goosebumps and shivering in my figurative boots. I NEVER imagined that could happen to me, yet it did, and that just makes this all the more amazing yet terrifying.
Archer83; If it makes you feel any better Vergil, I felt the same. I HATE the idea of breaking someone like Alexandra Shepard, but she was simply outclassed and out maneuvered by a man far crueler than she could ever imagine or ever become. So...what is her fate going to be? Find out in the next chapter of Razor's Edge. Reviews are greatly appreciated.
Vergil1989; Don't worry about Kirk, he'll get his chance to shine soon enough. In the meantime, sorry about the cliffhanger, but that was actually my idea. If you want to send flames, now you have a nice target. D In all seriousness, we hope you enjoyed the story so far and we'll see you again soon.
