"Are
you certain of that, Darth Maul?" Darth Sidious demanded. Even
in holographic form he was intimidating.
"Yes.
There is no doubt in my mind that it is her," Maul nodded
gravely.
Sidious
stared at his apprentice for what seemed to Maul like hours. "You
must bring her to me."
"As
you wish, my Master," Maul stated, keeping all emotion out of
his voice.
There
was a long silence, and Maul knew that Sidious was probing his mind.
"It
is not open for discussion," Sidious snapped, then cut the
transmission.
Maul
lowered his eyes. He had been running errands for his Master for
weeks, and he was weary from the relentless space travel. He had
aided in the destruction of four Rebel outposts, and single-handedly
taken out the small but vital station on Léonna VI.
Maul
yawned, an act that he had rarely experienced. He was run-down, and
suddenly barely able to keep his eyes open. He put his Sith
Infiltrator II into autopilot, and retreated to the small bunkroom,
disrobing as the door slid open.
He
carelessly dropped his cloak and robes on the floor, then curled up
on the mattress, thoughts of the blue-skinned, orange-eyed dancing
girl he had encountered four years ago replaying in his head...
* * *
There was a rapping on Lou's
door, so she switched off the screen she had been reading, and went
to the door. "Who's there?"
"It's Kane."
Lou rolled her eyes, opening
the door for him. "Can I help you Captain?"
Lindsey smiled, realizing that
she would probably never call him by his first name so long as she
lived. "I just wanted to see how you were. Park explained the
situation to me."
"He
did?" He's dead.
"Yeah," his voice
was clouded with suspicion at the way she had responded to his
revelation. "He said that you haven't been sleeping well and
sometimes that...'affects your mental state'?" Lindsey quoted
Park for the last part.
"He
did?" He's very dead.
Lindsey nodded, even more suspicious now. "Well," Lou
forced a smile at her Captain. "It's true that I haven't been
sleeping well lately." She pondered for a moment. "Come to
think of it," she lied, "I guess it really does affect my
mental state." In fact, it turns me into a loonie
ready to kill her crewmate, she
seethed inwardly. Park was going to get his this time.
"Alright," Lindsey
was saying. "You can return to the Bridge whenever you feel
ready."
"Thanks, Captain. I'll be
there shortly."
"Good, good,"
Lindsey was clearly relieved. "I'll tell Breckin." He could
not keep the smile off his face. "He's been bitchin' at me for
hours." He started back to the Bridge.
"I'll bet he has."
Lou had to smile, too, thinking about Breckin, sitting on the Bridge,
wondering where his relief was, probably harping on Taggart...the
smile dissolved. "How's Raine?" she called after Lindsey.
The Captain stopped and came
back. "He's...he's been better, but...I dunno, he doesn't want
to talk about it."
Lou nodded in understanding.
They stood in silence for awhile, wondering what the other was
thinking.
Lou glanced over her shoulder,
then stepped out of the way, allowing the door to slide closed behind
her. "To the Bridge, then?" she arched her eyebrow at him.
Lindsey nodded, motioning for
her to lead the way.
"Thank
you so much for
deciding to show up," Breckin snarled, surrendering his station.
"You could have called
Rustin," Lou shrugged.
Breckin narrowed his eyes at
her. "Rustin doesn't know the chair from the monitor," he
snapped, then left.
"What's he got stuck up
his ass?" Lou asked Taggart.
"I don't know and I don't
care," he answered, not taking his eyes off the screen ahead of
him.
"I see," she watched
him fidget with his wedding ring. "How are you?" she almost
whispered.
Taggart stopped fidgeting. "I
keep meaning to take it off, but it's a...habit," he stumbled
over the answer. He looked like he wanted to say something more, and
Lou waited for his thoughts to express themselves. "I miss her,"
he said finally. "I haven't seen her in two months, and fourteen
days-give or take a few hours." Taggart shook his head, closing
his eyes. "And now I'll never see her again."
Lou squeezed his shoulder
reassuringly, as he began fidgeting with his ring again. "You
don't real have to take it off."
"You don't have anyone,
do you?"
Her eyes went distant. "No,
no I don't."
"Good. That's the best
way to be right now, with this war on, and all." Lou nodded,
unable to speak. She was thinking about Darth Maul. Taggart still was
not looking at her, otherwise he would have caught the sadness in her
eyes. "Anyways," he sighed, his fingers hovering over the
keyboard.
"Captain Lindsey,"
McDougall strode past Lou to talk to the Captain. "I believe I
have deduced the exact opposing force that laid siege upon our
vessel."
Force,
funny that he would choose that word,
Lou thought.
"Who talks like that?"
Taggart murmured.
Lou smiled at him. "Not
I."
Taggart shook his head.
"Oh?" Lindsey looked
up at McDougall. "By all means, share your finding."
Lou guessed what ship had
attacked them before McDougall responded to the Captain's query. "The
Sith Infiltrator."
"The Sith Infiltrator
II," McDougall was saying. "Piloted by an unknown
sentient."
"Piloted by Darth Maul,
you-"
"Lou?" Taggart was
shaking her lightly. She looked at him, confused. "You were
talking to yourself."
"I was?" Taggart
nodded. "Oh," Lou turned her attention back to her station.
"Are you alright?"
"I wish people would stop
asking me that," she snapped.
"I was just returning the
favour," he returned defensively.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Lou
honestly felt bad that she had insulted Taggart. He was going through
enough as it was already, he did not need her attitude. "I'm
just a little out of it."
Taggart nodded, but did not
reply. Lou tuned into Lindsey and McDougall's conversation.
"Where did it come from?"
"Presumably, the Sith
Infiltrator II has been cloaked and following us for a lengthy period
of time," McDougall explained.
"Why?" Lindsey asked
the same question Lou was wondering.
"Do you want me to
hypothesize?"
Lindsey folded his arms across
his chest. "Sure."
McDougall
stood in silence for a few moments, formulating his theory. "Perhaps
the pilot's mission was to destroy the Angel
and her crew." The Captain waited while McDougall speculated
other possibilities. "Or he was following us to ascertain the
location of our fleet, or a secret Base." McDougall looked
directly at Lindsey. "I will research the Sith and their
prospected abilities, and then I shall present you with a sufficient
response to your query."
Lindsey nodded at him,
seemingly thinking about what McDougall had just proposed. McDougall
bowed his head, then returned to his station.
I
was looking for you, Jareena.
Maul's voice was talking to her again.
Lou
closed her eyes. Leave me alone, Maul. You're dead. Why are
you haunting me four years later?
I'm
not dead, and I'm not haunting you. I need to see you.
No.
Taggart watched Lou curiously,
but said nothing to her.
Park looked up from his
station suddenly. He felt as though he was no longer alone with his
thoughts, like there was another presence in his mind. He furrowed
his eyebrows, wondering if this is what one felt like when one was
crazy.
He looked down at the floor,
then up at the ceiling. He reached his hand up to touch the light
fixture.
Yes,
Park decided, I am insane.
No,
you're not, came a low, gravelly
voice inside Park's head.
Right,
was Park's sarcastic response. Then who are you?
You
know who I am.
"Uh, Park?" Lindsey
was standing below him, staring incredulously.
Though Lou still had her eyes
closed, she could see what was happening. It was like a dream, and
she could not wake up.
Stop
it, Maul, she pleaded. Let
him go.
Will
you change your choice?
I can't, Maul.
Very well.
Icy,
invisible fingers clamped around Park's neck, cutting off the air
traveling into his lungs.
Lou
wanted to get up, to scream, to do something,
but she was rooted to her seat, watching it all play out in her mind.
Let him go, Maul!
He did not respond. Lou felt panic rising, but there was nothing she
could do. Maul, stop it!
Taggart put his hand on Lou's
shoulder, and her connection with the Sith Lord was broken. She got
up quickly, and ran over to Park. She could see that he was losing
consciousness.
"What the hell is going
on?" Lindsey yelled at Lou, expecting her to know the answer.
"Alright, Maul! Let him
go, and tell me where!" Lou ignored Lindsey completely, opting
instead to save her friend's life.
Coruscant.
Park literally dropped to the
floor, gasping. Lou put her hand on his shoulder, and he gave her a
'was that him?' look. She nodded, and Park looked down at the floor.
He had many questions that he wanted to ask her, but they would have
to wait until the two of them were alone.
Clarissa Nordat took up Park's
station, as Lou helped him to his feet.
"Maybe you should go back
to your quarters and get some rest," Lindsey suggested.
"Maybe you should cut
your hair," Park shot back.
Lou tried not to laugh, as she
said, "Come on, Morty. Let's get you in bed."
"Ooh," Park
snickered.
"That's
not what I meant."
"Lou, I want to talk to
you when you get back, so don't be too long," the Captain told
her.
"Yes, Sir."
When he and Lou were out in
the hallway, Park managed to ask, "Are you sure that was him?"
his voice was a low croak.
"Yes, I'm positive."
"Only fools are
positive."
"Are you sure?"
Park's laugh turned into
coughing. "I'm alright," he assured her, swiping his
keycard. "You'd better hurry back. Lindsey wants you."
"That's not funny. Are
you sure you'll be okay?"
"Oh, yeah," he
coughed again. "I've never felt so fantabulous in my life."
Lou gazed at Park, not wanting
to leave him alone. She sighed sadly, then said, "I'm so sorry,
Morty."
Park
shook his head. "Nah, it wasn't your fault. It's not like you
wanted him to do it, or suggested
for him to do it." He paused to catch his breath. "What I
don't get, is...isn't he dead?"
"I...I thought he was.
But now I'm not so sure." Lou forced a smile, and squeezed
Park's hand. "I'll come by later to check on you."
"Sounds good."
Sensing that Lou was not going to leave before he closed the door, he
stepped back into his room so that the door could slide shut.
Lou forced herself to return
to the Bridge.
"This way, Ensign,"
Lindsey directed her into his office. Lou followed him, noticing
Breckin sitting at her station. "What the hell is happening,
Lou? And don't tell me you don't know because I know you do. Why did
you freak out the other day? And why the hell was Park floating?"
"It's a long story."
"Well, start talking,"
he ordered.
"I can't tell you, Sir,"
she said, taking a deep breath.
"Why the hell not?"
Lindsey's anger was ready to wage war on everything in its path.
"Because, Lindsey, I-"
"Tell
me something, Lou. I'm
not stupid. I can see that your change in mood is linked with that
ship that attacked. I know
that you know who pilots that ship." Lindsey stared into her
eyes. "I don't want to have to confine you to your quarters. Or
lock you in the brig." Lou's gaze narrowed. "Tell me who it
is, that's an order, Ensign."
Lou deliberated over her
answer. Even if she did tell her Captain the truth, he probably would
not believe her. But if she lied...Lou's exhalation came out in a
huff. "You won't believe me."
"Yes, I will. You're the
only person onboard with any kind of a clue. Tell me."
"It's...Darth Maul."
"It can't be. He died-"
"Three years ago, I know.
But I don't think Kenobi killed Maul."
"Then who was it?"
"I don't know."
A
clone.
"Maybe a clone."
It
was not my idea.
Why do I care?
I just thought you would
like to know. How's Morty?
Leave off, Maul.
As you wish.
"-and who did it?"
Lindsey was pacing, trying to think this through verbally.
"Did what?" Lou had
not been listening, as she had been 'speaking' with Darth Maul.
"Cloned the Sith. Who
would have-of course, whoever his Master was...he must have foreseen
Darth Maul's death, and decided that he needed him around still."
"It's possible."
"How much do you know,
Lou?"
"That
is what I know."
"I'm going to let you off
for now, Ensign, but I want you to know that I'm going to watch you
very closely, and if you do or say anything suspicious, I won't
hesitate to lock you up."
"Well, thanks for the
warning," Lou muttered sardonically. "I'll remember to
watch my back from now on."
"Don't
leave this office thinking that I'm out to get you, Lou, I'm not. But
I am responsible for
the well-being of my crew, and right now their well-being is
threatened."
"You don't have to
justify yourself to me, Lindsey." The Captain nodded at her.
"So, can I go? Are we done?"
"Yeah, sure. Dismissed."
Lou turned on her heel, then
waited impatiently for the door to slide open. Lindsey watched her
go, struggling with his feelings for her and the overwhelming
responsibilities faced by every captain. He did not truly believe
that Lou was intentionally endeavoring to endanger his crew, but she
had not been acting like herself lately.
Lindsey shook his head at his
thoughts. He would dead with this as it unfolded.
"Kane, I need to talk to
you," Taggart intercepted him exiting his office.
"Of course," he
gestured back into his office.