"May I help you?" The Twi'lek woman said with strained Basic. "You don't have an appointment, so the Doctor-"
I cut her off with a wave of my hand. "Don't trouble yourself, we know this isn't a doctor's office." I flashed a grin, liking the fearful look that swept over her features for a moment. She hit a button quickly on her keyboard, so I knew we had little time.
I crossed the rest of the office in two long strides, knocking the now unconcealed blaster from her shaking hand. I hit her at just the right spot on the neck, and she was out cold. Poor girl.
I hopped behind the counter, recognizing the system in no time. "They haven't changed much tech-wise in the time I've been gone, ne?" I flashed another grin at Dätura, who was looking more and more unsettled by the moment. I quickly hacked through the password-protected files, searching for anything with a name on it. I got past the main data used to mask the real stuff, but still couldn't find anything. I glanced at the clock. Thirty seconds past. I didn't have a chance.
"Kisama!" I slammed my hand against the computer, and jumped over the counter once more. I grabbed Dätura by the arm, pulling us both towards the door.
Behind us, another door opened and I heard more than saw the security guards come in. Just one more step, and we could run into the shadows. I even had my hand on the door.
From behind, I felt Dätura being pulled back violently, spinning me around to see the two huge, burly men, one of which who had Dätura between his large arms. The other one was reaching out a huge hand for me, which I ducked easily, kicking him in the stomach.
He didn't even budge.
I saw the punch before it was thrown, but my block did nothing. His forearm crashed through me, knocking me into the wall, then to the floor.
"K'so," I coughed, trying to stand after that powerful blow. "Ya' know, we really didn't want any-" The man picked me up by the arm, pushing me against the wall again. "Trouble…" I growled through clenched teeth. The man sneered at me as I attempted to break free, but he was as hard as rock.
I cast a quick, fleeting glance at Dätura before they pushed us through the door from which they had come. Her face was filled with fear.
We were lead through bleached, white halls and around so many corners that I became disoriented. Dätura was putting out a thick feeling of dread, which only made me feel worse. Finally we were pushed into a large, white room with only one door. The men stood by it, staring at us with cold eyes.
I stood between them and Dai, holding her hand comfortingly. She was afraid, though I couldn't really tell why. I had been in worse positions before, and this didn't look too bad. We had our lightsabers and our wits, after all. Dismissing Dai's trembling hand as her worrying for my safety, I glared straight back at the men.
"So, what are ya' planning there, boys?" I scoffed. "Come a little closer and we can show you what we're made of." I laughed a bit.
:: Please don't make them angry, Dez…:: I nearly lost myself as I heard Dai's weak voice inside of my mind. She squeezed my hand a bit harder and moved closer behind me. ::Something bad is going to happen, I can tell.::
I went cold inside for a moment, then hot with anger. Why was she so worried? I could handle this. Where was her confidence when I needed it?
At just that moment, the two men by the door stepped aside, and the door itself opened. A man stepped over the threshold, his chocolate skin and jet-black hair contrasting darkly with the whiteness of the room. He smiled sweetly and knowingly at me, and I realized that he was no older than Dätura, and no taller than I was. He stepped forward, and the men were at his heels. White teeth and the deepest violet eyes flashed as he spoke like song.
"Deseray Sequoia of Rosemary from Morbos, I presume?" He laughed, and I shook. His voice seemed to rattle my very bones. I took a step back as the men came forward, but they proved faster than I had thought. Seizing me and Dätura, they pulled us apart. I tried desperately to get lose, but even my strength was useless against their large arms. I cast glance at Dätura, who was looking to the floor, obvious lacking hope. I was enraged by her lack of faith once more.
"Bastard!" I screamed at the man, glaring with all my might. Screw my ever-lasting mask of smirks and quips. This man was dangerous, and was upsetting Dätura. We needed out. "What gives you the right to capture us like this?!"
He chuckled, and stepped closer. I caught his sweet scent, matching his voice well. "Deseray, you know as well as I do that I'm just being careful." He purred softly as he spoke. "We are both searching for the same thing. Or, perhaps, the same person."
My blood went cold, but I tried to show no sign of it. "I don't know what you're talking about, or how you know my name, but you are either going to let us go, or you're going to see trouble later on." I growled the last few words, and bored my eyes into his. But he just smirked back, reading me like a book.
"Now, now, Deseray," he cooed. "I don't think there's any need for that sort of thing." His smile took on a sour note. "Your friend Tori is in a bit of trouble, and if you don't cooperate, then she might not make it out..." He laughed. "Unharmed, shall we say?"
I almost lost it right then and there. For a split second, I felt a voice other than Dai's in my head, telling me the right path. The path that help and escape lay on. If I could relive that moment again, I think that I might have listened to it. The Dark Side.
"KISAMA!" I yelled, pushed away the dark thoughts as best I could. "BASTARD!" My voice was broken and desperate. This man was keeping me from Tori, and so help me Goddess, I was going to get her back.
::Please!:: Dätura's voice wailed inside of me, faintly and full of grief. ::Don't push the man! He's dangerous…:: Her voice trailed off and I gave her a backward glance. I growled deeply, but she didn't meet my eyes. Hers where glued to the floor, and for a moment, I thought I saw a glimmer of tears form in them.
"Dätura…" I whispered, feeling my heart strings tug painfully.
"Dätura, is it?" The man now stalked towards her. I fought once more with the sons-of-bitches who held me back. It was useless. "Dätura… a very nice name indeed." Her eyes still on the floor, he cupped her chin with his hand, bringing her to look at him. A single tear fell from her eye, and part of my heart died. I struggled harder, but the man only smiled at her. I screamed with rage as he pressed his pink lips to hers, trying with all my being to get free. Dätura winced, and I felt for a moment her mind reel before she completely shut herself down. He let go, and laughed the most of evil laughs I had ever heard up to that point. The large man behind her let her drop to the floor, and the dark man laughed again. Another piece of me died, and I near gave up. He stooped, plucking her lightsaber from her belt. He did the same with my lightsaber, tucking both of them away inside his clean-pressed suit. I couldn't resist, only stare at Dätura, lying helpless on the perfect bleach-white floors.
"So, back to the business with Tori Miller of Zoicite." He continued as if nothing had happened. I felt another presence, one I hadn't felt before, brush against my mind. My eyes flew from Dai to the man standing before me, and I knew it was him. I felt absolute despair. If he could use the Force, then what hope did I have without my lightsaber? I could have cried then, but I only stared back in utter hatred of the man. "You see, my name, that is, the name I use in business, is Pohl. You might have heard of me a bit around town, in your highly indiscrete ways of finding information. I really don't know why a sloppy girl like you hangs with the likes of a talented smuggler like Ms. Miller." I growled. "But then again, nobody is perfect." He waved his hand a bit. "You obviously know," he pressed my mind again, but my defenses held fast. "What has become of your dear friend or partner." He glanced at Dätura suggestively. Though I find it hard to believe that you share your bed with two."
I lashed out again, this time with the Force and my body. But to no avail, because of my lack of skill in the area of moving things with the Force. Pohl patted my head lightly, mocking my attempts at escape or revenge.
"Now, now, Deseray. None of that." He shook his finger at me. "So, I am willing to make you a proposition. Give me the location of one Tori Miller, and I'll let you live. If you refuse, then one of you dies." I looked at him with both shock and hatred, knowing what he meant. At that time, he drew out Dätura's lightsaber, inspecting it. "I trust it won't explode when I turn it on?" He chuckled a bit, before Dätura's voice rung in the air, clearing my mind for the moment.
"Go to hell." The fire in her eyes as they glared at him brought me a spark of hope. Maybe all was not lost.
But he only smiled. "You know more than you let on, little one." Flipping the switch on her weapon, I saw for the first time that it was an amazing blood red. As rich and true as any Sith saber, obviously made to kill. Pohl smiled, and my heart fell once more. I had now seen a part of Dätura that I couldn't understand, and it scared me.
He laughed, seeming to read my mind. "Love is not for a Jedi." He said to me, his voice now stern.
"Those who live by the sword die by it." Dätura spat back. He only shrugged, his eyes not leaving mine.
"So I have heard." His smiled darkened. "Tell me where Tori is." I simply shook my head. "Well, then, I guess I'll have to kill one of you now." He turned to Dätura, who was again brought to her feet and held back by the large man behind her. I began to struggle again, harder than ever, drawing on whatever power I could. I yelled and cried, and began to feel the sting of tears behind my eyes. I would cry much that day.
"This is your sword, Jedi," he whispered, though I don't know how I heard it over my own yells. "So you should die by it." Dätura's face hardened, and she met him gaze for gaze. "But so should she!" With that, he sidestepped once until he was in front of me, and I caught a glance of Dai's panic-stricken face as the red-hot blade fell towards me. Something pushed me from my right side, and…
Dätura taught me many things that day. She taught me of hate and of the Dark Side. She taught me of revenge and bloodshed. She showed me what it meant to be truly loyal, and what it meant to make a sacrifice for love. And yes, most of all, she taught me of love.
The lightsaber cut through flesh and bone and muscle, tearing open the chest cavity and boiling blood the same color as its blade. Agony and the purest of pain coursed through my veins as it continued downward. I didn't have time to yell or cry out. All I could hear was the sound of the blade and of a girl, far away, screaming. My heart was torn and ripped open. I think that I died. But through it all, over the screams and deafly hum of the lightsaber, I heard one voice cry into my mind three words, which I will always remember.
"I love you."
Dätura's voice.
At first I didn't understand. I just stood there, faintly noticing that all had gone silent. No more of my screams could be heard, and the other girl's voice had gone away. Just silence besides the hum of the lightsaber, still in Pohl's hand. The man who held me had been knocked to the ground. I just stood there, staring at her. She was so beautiful. With her orange hair, and eyes like fire. But now liquid fire, hot but without life, poured from her like it never should have.
I dropped to my knees. The lightsaber was turned off, and dropped to the floor. I touched her hair, still as soft as ever. Her skin still just as pale. And she was warm to the touch. I leaned down, placing a kiss on her cheek.
She had loved me. Loved me. And now… and now… What had happened? How could this be? Why wasn't she happy that I wasn't killed, and where was Tori when I needed her? Why had Dätura pushed herself into me at the last moment? Had she? Or was this just a clone, making me think that my love was on the floor in front of me, and her killer was laughing over head.
No, this wasn't real. I was going to wake up any minute now and she was going to be there beside me, and we'd kiss, and I'd tell her that I loved her because I did. Then we would make love, and I'd caress her again and she'd cry my name into the darkness of space and and and…
I screamed with all my heart and soul, screamed with everything I had inside of me. I could feel it now, growing. The hatred. The need for revenge. I yelled and screamed and swore to every God and Goddess I knew. And then I screamed more.
The Dark Side gave me strength right then, as I lay on the floor with Dätura's dead body beside me. Her blood was spilling out over the bleach-white floors, soaking my pants and after a while, I felt the tug of hands on my arms. They pulled me away from my lover, and the anger took control.
It was glorious.
I turned suddenly on the large man behind me. His eyes were full of shock. I could feel everything now, absolutely everything. Each heartbeat, each emotion, each move before it was made. The anger inside of me gave me strength. I thew the man to the floor, and turned to the other one. He was filled with shock for a moment. Without another thought, I pushed him against the wall with the Force. He crashed into it with a sickening crack. I smiled.
Turning to Pohl, I laughed a bitter and hate-filled laugh as has never been heard before. I might have spoken, but all I remember are his screams. He was running towards the door. I caught him by his shirt, and brought him to the floor. Easily pinning him with my new strength, I hit him, enjoying the splatter of blood across the white floors. I hit him again, this time knocking out a few of his pearly-white teeth. And I hit him again and again, until his cries where silenced as he slipped into unconsciousness. And still I beat him, breaking his skull and punching through his ribcage. The sound of cracking bone and the smell of blood is intoxicating. I broke him to pieces, near taking off his head with the force of my punches.
I lifted my gaze from the body of former Pohl to the other two men in the room, whose fear I thought amusing. The only door in or out of the room I was blocking, so they were trapped.
Slowly I rose, stepping over their boss's body, and around Dätura's. My heart was numb, and I could only think of killing those who had done that to her.
I beat then like I had beaten Pohl. To the edge of death and beyond, tearing them apart while they still screamed for help. Oh well, I thought. Too bad for them these walls are soundproof. The Dark Side pulsed through my veins, giving me power beyond all reason. It knew my pain, and my need for revenge. With the Light Side, all I was left with was grief. Not so with this evil, this power. This was my path. My path of revenge.
Against the wall first, cracking the bulkheads and moreover cracking their bodies. I kicked them and choked them. With my new power, I broke every bone in their frail, vulnerable bodies. I killed them, brutally and painfully. I will never forget the feeling I had that day, as I took away the lives of those three men. I won't ever forget their faces and their screams. The way that the scent of blood fills your nostrils is something that should haunt me until the end of my days, but I know it will not. Because I killed those men for Dätura.
I turned back to her at last, but by this time her body had gone cold. I was covered in blood, both of hers, mine and those three men. The pool of blood around her was beginning to go hard and dark. I dropped down beside her, and began to cry. I let my tears fall onto her perfect face. My sorrow bent out in waves around me, cracking the walls, floor and ceiling. They bent outwards with the force of my emotions. A voice, deep and hollow inside of me echoed. I had nothing left, and it knew my emptiness. I was going to take my revenge on everyone, and it was going to help me. The Dark Power that had helped me kill Pohl and his men was going to help me yet again. Everyone here would know my pain. Dätura would be avenged in full.
The door to the room slid open, but I didn't turn. I knew who it was by their soft footfalls. Their breathing was labored behind me as they entered the room, the door sliding closed behind them. The blood was overwhelming, I'm sure. But her voice was clear and soft.
"Now, this doesn't seem like you at all, Deseray."
My anger flared, but I didn't dare look at her. "Where have you been?" I growled, trying not to let my hatred lash out at her. "I've been looking…" My voice broke, much to my dismay.
I didn't see her, but I knew she shrugged. "Waiting. Getting some money. I wanted to surprise you when you found me."
I threw my fist against the floor, splashing blood onto Dätura's already torn body and putting a dent in the bulkhead. "KISAMA! I looked everywhere for you!" I stood quickly, nearly throwing myself off my own two feet. My vision was blurry with rage, but I looked her up and down. She hadn't changed a bit. She never wore boots, just a few leather straps around her feet. Tight cotton pants that flared past her knees and hugged her hips still graced her long legs. A slender waist and a too-short blue sleeveless top barely covered her enough. The rest of her was bare, revealing her swirling blue-and-black tattoos and letting her thick brown hair frame her face beautifully.
Tori shook her head slowly. "I ran into some trouble. This man," she gestured to the body of Pohl, "was dabbing in the Dark Side. I tried to stop him, but he had the upper hand. Too many men." She sighed deeply, and her hand tightened on her lightsaber. Her voice became labored. "But now, it's just you and me." Her blade jumped forth, but I did not look at it. I knew that it was a bright white, yet a deep, unseeing black at the same time, making it impossible to look at without becoming dizzy and disoriented. "I guess I'll have to kill you now that you've fallen to evil." She took her fighting stance against me, and for a moment, I was ready to defend myself.
With a thought, I called my lightsaber to my hand, igniting the lavender blade with ease. I never got off all the blood from the wooden hilt, after that. I stood ready to fight, though I didn't really know why. Tori stood before me, her carefully blank face staring back at me coldly. I glared at her with all the hatred I had in me. After all, she had deserted me in my moment of need. She had left me all alone, without my memories. I had looked all over the planet-side for her, across the galaxy, and still no sign of her until now. And now…
"Dätura is dead," I whispered, barely audible over the hum of the sabers. "Because of you. Because… of … YOU!" I screamed at last, throwing myself forward, clashing blades with Tori. I was inches away from her face, and I pushed my lightsaber against hers even harder. She didn't budge, so I pushed her with the Force, throwing her backwards. She landed on her back near two of the dead men, and jumped up again, not even wavered. I ran forward, attacking again. She blocked one, twice, then swiped over me as I slipped down under her blade. I jumped as she aimed low then, and tried to cut her as I came down. She parried, pushing me back a few steps. All the time, no emotion crossed her face, and her eyes were locked on mine. A million different colors swirled in her depths, calling me back to sanity.
"Sanity?" I laughed. "This is sanity! I've got the power to take my revenge for my love, and by the Goddess, I will!"
Tori shook her head. "You've gone mad, Deseray."
I laughed again. "No, I haven't. I've just seen the light."
"You mean the darkness!" Tori's voice and features suddenly turned desperate. I knew that she was serious, and however much she didn't want to kill me, she would. Just to rid the galaxy of a servant of the Dark Side. It didn't matter that it was me she was going to have to destroy. She struck towards me once more, and I almost forgot to block. When I did, it was weak and the force of her blow made me stumble. She tripped me easily with the Force, and I fell backwards, landing in the pool of Dätura's blood.
I gazed up at Tori, her lightsaber posed to deliver the final blow. I would have died on that floor, right beside my lover, at the hands of my best friend had it not been for my tears.
I began to cry again. I flipped off my weapon, and let it clatter and splash to the wet floor. I sobbed, covering my face with my blood-soaked hands. I heard Tori's lightsaber go off with a whoosh. My heart was throbbing with pain and agony was shooting through each of my veins. I wanted to die, to join Dai in the world beyond.
"I'm sorry, Dez." I heard Tori's voice far off, beyond my sobs. "I can't do it." My hands fell to my sides, and I stared blankly at the ceiling. I cried until I couldn't cry any longer.
Rolling onto my side, away from Dätura's body, I slowly pushed myself to my feet. I looked at Tori, whose eyes were clouded over with sorrow. I could barely breath, barely stand. I took one step in her direction, and stumbled. Tori caught me as I fell, despite my blood-soaked clothes. She held me tightly as I wrapped my arms around her waist. I began to sob dryly against her chest. I wanted to kill everyone, including myself, to avenge Dätura, but Tori was holding me back. She was trying to save me for some reason. I couldn't understand the world any longer. Sounds began to fade and all I could feel was pain. Etching it's way into my bones and cramping my muscles. She cooed and soothed me until I stopped shaking at long last. I tried to talk, tried to tell her to let me die, but she shushed me. Lifting me into her arms, she helped me out of the room and down the corridor. She led me outside without comment, and when she drew from her pocket a small detonation switch, I knew what she was about to do. I couldn't stop her.
About five blocks from the compound, she pressed the switch, sending the entire building owned by the former Mr. Pohl into flames.
~~`~{@
I woke in a warm bed, in the dark. I could barely feel the covers around me, or the soft vibrating of the hyperdrive, but I knew both were there. My breathing was labored and stiff, and each breath brought new pain. At first I was disoriented, not knowing quite what had happened. I came to the conclusion that I had been in a bad fight, and all of that had been a dream. There was no girl named Dätura, and there were no stasis tubes. I would roll over, putting my feet onto the Galaxia's floor, and maybe I would replicate some breakfast. Yeah, eggs and toast… Tori would like that.
I tried to move, but the pain flared. It must have been some fight. I wonder where Tori is, I thought.
"I'm here." Her voice cut like sharp glass into my mind, and it touched on so many memories and feelings that my heart broke once more. A sob escaped from my lips. It was no dream…
"I don't want to live." My whisper was well heard in the darkness.
"I know."
Anger flared inside me. "Then why don't you let me die?" I said through clenched teeth. I tried again to move, but it seemed like all my body was on fire.
"Because you're the only one who understands me." Her voice was sad, but confused. But I understood that all of her mind was telling her that I was just another agent of the Dark Side, while her heart was telling her to be kind to me. Tori is just the kind of person, you see, who would serve the Light Side of the Force through killing those who serve the Dark Side. That would include me, as well.
I nodded, despite the flaring pain in every joint. I had to build the strength to end it. I had to keep my anger in check so I could use all that self-hatred building in me. I had to hang on just a little longer.
I called for my lightsaber with what was left of my soul, and in spite of the pain, I lifted my hand to meet it. But it never came. I tired again, calling it with my mind. Again, it didn't come. I could feel it across the room, lying on the floor where Tori had dropped it. I let my hand fall, and I heard Tori sigh. She had been holding her breath.
"You need to sleep. You're weak." I felt, faintly, beyond the pain and anguish which seemed like the entire universe to me now, Tori's hand lay against my brow for a moment. It felt like ice against my burning skin. Then it was gone, and I remembered no more.
End Chapter 10