Disclaimer: This is getting repetitive…I do not own Star Wars. George Lucas does (duh) :)
So much mystery…so much…(sigh). Ya, so how do you guys like my original character so far? Mysterious huh? Well hopefully you faithful readers are still enjoying Iile :)
Iile
The Predator streaked out of hyperspace and headed towards the dark blue planet of Kamino. Kish Tyres leaned back in the pilot's chair with a sigh. It had been a very long day. First her assassination attempt had been fouled due to the target having a backup plan, which caused her to have to pull some tricky maneuvers while dodging an insane amount of blaster fire before finally managing to shoot a hole through the target's chest and make her escape. And second she was running on three hours sleep in the past two standard days with her belly constantly complaining every moment, reminding her that she hadn't eaten for even longer.
She couldn't remember another time when she had been so glad to see Kamino in the view port of her ship. The thought of a warm place to relax with people, who wouldn't slit your throat as soon as you let down your guard, was a welcoming thought. Boba's face appeared in her mind. There was something about him that seemed to melt away her defenses and open herself up to him. There wasn't another person in the galaxy that did that, at least none that still lived. She wondered how he was coping with the pain from his attack and hoped that her advice had been useful in some way. It wasn't often that she gave advice but at that moment she felt as if she had to say something to Boba. She didn't want him going down the same path she had…
Kish rubbed her leg trying to ease the ache from the blaster wound she had gotten there during the fight with her target. By now it should have healed almost completely but due to her energy level being so low, her healing abilities had slowed down. She frowned. Back on her home planet she could've cut herself down to the bone and it would heal within minutes. But that had been a long time ago and with time and the fact that she was no longer on her planet, the power had faded along with who she had been.
The thought passed within seconds and soon Kish forgot that she had even been thinking about the past. Her mind was on flying her ship steadily towards Tipoca City, the main cloning facility on Kamino where Jango and Boba lived.
Kish held back a yawn as the moments passed. What she wouldn't give for a soft bed right now and a hot cup of coffee with a few shots of Corillian whiskey in it to help it go down. She knew that Jango would frown on her need for alcohol but he could kiss her ass right now. She didn't care if she let down the deadly and silent assassin thing for a few moments. It wasn't as if she was in danger around the two Fett's or the tall white Kamino's and their millions of clones.
Her nose wrinkled in distaste as she caught a whiff of herself. She smelled like wet Wookie and acid, probably due to the fact her target had been hiding within an illegal chemical plant. The stench of the mixing substances in the vats that she had walked by seemed to have permanently soaked into her skin and clothing. She ran a hand through her hair, shaking loose some of the soot that had accumulated there and most likely was also marking her face and hands, which had been bare during the chase. A bog slug probably looked better than she did at that moment and probably had a better personality to boot, she thought with a frown. Oh well, if anyone complained they would find her fist in their face…except for Boba that is. Kish couldn't explain the connection she felt towards Jango's son. She had been around the other clones and had not felt the same type of force associated with them as she had with Boba, and that was strange since they were almost exact replicas only the clones had growth acceleration or something along those lines.
Kish picked up a hologram projector from the console and stared at her reflection in the blank screen. Boba was also one of the only ones who could make her actually smile, and a full smile no less… The corners of her mouth slowly lifted upwards as she tried to repeat the expression. It felt alien and looked alien, however her normally emotionless image seemed to transform; her eyes growing brighter, a soft flush creeping into her white cheeks and a gentle warmth spreading within her chest.
The intense flash of pain as memories suddenly formed in her mind made her fling the hologram projector over to the far corner of the cockpit. It bounced off the metal wall and hit the floor, skidding to a stop within the shaft of blue light, which illuminated off of Kamino through the view port. Kish trembled as she stared at it, her hands gripped together in her lap, the knuckles turning white under the pressure. She couldn't believe that she had allowed herself to do that! She knew that the pain wouldn't have disappeared, that it would rear its ugly head as soon she let down her guard.
Kish slumped down in her chair, the action having exhausted her. This was why she didn't like these long trips, there was too much time involved therefore allowing memories to resurface. She would rather be under in the deadliest of battles instead of having to remember.
A beeping sound made her get back to the task at hand and she sent her ship down through the atmosphere of Kamino. The dark seas twisted and moaned beneath the Predator as it skimmed over the water towards a small group of lights in the distance. The rain poured from above, pounding against the outside of her ship and almost drowning out the rumble of its engines. She didn't mind this type of weather, it always fit her mood. Poor Boba though, she could tell the kid hated the constant rain and was longing to go to a planet that at least had some sunlight. Maybe she could offer to take him somewhere… Kish gave herself a mental shake. She didn't know why he was affecting her so much, making her soft and forgetting who she was. It had to stop, but how? Kish didn't have the heart to tell him straight forward, knowing that she was one of the few people he was ever in contact with, therefore making him alone most of the time. She sighed; that's what she got when she started to get close to people. She had managed to keep a good distance between herself and Jango but even then he had been a threat to the walls she had accumulated around her, the walls which protected her from the outside world.
Tipoca City loomed ahead of her as she remembered the few beings she had been close to, or as close as she had allowed that is. Roqtx-X was probably the one that she had been the most open to after leaving her home planet. The image of the large insectoid carnivore flashed through her mind and she wondered what he was up to these days. It had been almost fifteen years since she had seen him last, when they had parted their separate ways. They had been a team of sorts, along with a gray haired human called Ash, and had operated one of the most feared pirating vessels in almost the entire galaxy. It had been so long ago, Kish thought with a sigh. Although that time in her life had seemed more entertaining than now, the pain that had accompanied it had almost been too much to for her to endure. That was when she had been hooked on Acteuine, a very potent drug that she had used to force back the overwhelming amounts of power that had constantly tried to escape from her; the power that she had finally been able to overcome. In return, the Acteuine had caused her to have violent mood swings and bouts of insanity, and since she had been a pirate the two had gone quite well together.
The ship touched down on a landing platform and she gathered up her gear and headed for the outer hatchway. Those days were gone and now she was a hardened assassin with a lot more restraint on her behavior than in the past. She felt more in control of her life and control was always better when facing possible death.
Kish hit the panel for the docking ramp to close and suddenly found that she had to lean against the hull as a wave of dizziness swept over her. She frowned in annoyance as the platform beneath her seemed to tilt and she cautiously felt her forehead. It was burning hot to the touch.
"Please don't tell me that this is happening…" she groaned out loud as she shoved herself away from her ship, heading towards the landing platform doorway. The roaring of the waves amplified in her head, making them the only thing she could hear. Her footsteps began to get uneven as she stumbled trying to find her balance. Kish managed to get inside before the first illusion hit her. The metal walls of the facility disappeared and were replaced by a calm blue ocean that stretched out in front of her. She stood on a white stone beach that stretched along the edge of the water and she was wearing a light dress of cream and rose. The warm breeze formed small ripples in the water and the sunlight shimmered off of its surface. She hopped skillfully from rock to rock, her sandaled feet barely making a sound as she made her way down to the ocean. Tendrils of her golden hair strung out behind her and she bathed in the warmth and the beauty of her surroundings. She stopped by the water and looked down into it. Small fish swam beneath its crystal clear surface, their tiny golden and ruby coloured scales glinting as the sunlight hit them. They moved towards her and she smiled and walked along the edge of the water. They trailed her and she giggled at their game as she increased her pace.
Soon she was running swiftly along side the ocean, the fish frantically trying to keep up. Once in a while one would jump out into the air and twist in a dizzying summersault as if trying to show her how much fun it was having.
Kish eventually slowed down and kneeled before the water. She dipped her fingers into its coolness and slid them against the sides of the fish as they moved underneath her touch.
"Bye," she whispered to them and she got back to her feet. She moved away from the water and turned to see a figure laying on a large flat boulder down the beach. The figure noticed Kish and waved. Kish smiled and returned the gesture and began making her way over to it.
Kish slowly opened her eyes and found herself looking up at the lights of the hallway, their humming echoing through her head.
She moved away from the metal wall and resumed walking through the corridors, her footsteps scraping against the floor in an uneven pattern. She needed to get to Jango's apartment before her strength ran out. Her hands trembled as they clutched into fists at her sides and the weight of her armour pressed down against her, wanting her to fall to the ground in defeat. Sweat beaded on her forehead and she wiped at it angrily.
Her surroundings shifted again and she leaned back against the wall,
"No not again…" she whimpered as another illusion formed before her.
This time Kish was standing on a balcony overlooking a grand courtyard full of brightly dressed people. They were cheering for her and for the other seven who stood with her. She moved forward to the marble railing and raised her hands into the air. Immediately the crowd became silent and they all knelt on one knee, bowing to her. She smiled and the wind changed directions, making her forest green gown move gently around her. Her hair was tied back into a bun and her golden hair crest, decorated with leaf shaped emeralds, shone in the sunlight.
"Kumaba iqua na quioe!" she called out to the people below and they rose and looked up at her, happiness in their faces.
She lowered her hands and her lips parted as she began to sing.
"Korriii de, Korriii de ma ia, oh rede oh rede mayade dooo. Unte…ah unte iya…oh kunte oh kunte te rima yor ra, ridma yor ra komube demm ma."
Her voice danced upon the wind, petals of flowers mixing in with its breathtaking harmony.
The crowd began to sing along with her,
"Koree…..Koree…..Koree….ima ya ima yea de moo, Koree….Koree….Koree ima ma ma ya. Ohhheeyaaaaa…"
The trees in the courtyard seemed to stretch up with the song, Kish's voice filling every life form.
Tears ran down one woman's face as she smiled brightly up at the balcony, a man held his hands clasped together in front of him as he bowed down murmuring thanks, children sang as best as they could adding to the melody of the music... Their happiness filled her; carried her spirit along with the wind. She felt her power grow within her as her song blessed the crowd, giving them hope, joy, and strength.
Kish slammed her fist into the wall, abruptly ceasing the images. Her breath rattled in her throat and she found it difficult to breath. She didn't want to remember, didn't want to see their faces or feel the happiness within them. A single tear rolled down her cheek as the pain gripped at her soul and she desperately tried to hold onto the wall to keep herself from collapsing…
Boba Fett walked down the empty hallway, heading for the small eating diner. He had a craving for something sweet and wanted one of the chocolate wafers that were sold there. His father was back in their apartment getting ready to go on a new hunt. Jango had decided that Boba had recovered enough to be on his own for a short while and the hunt wasn't going to take him more than half a day at the most. Boba didn't mind for he had slowly been able to control the panic attacks that still once in a while swept over him. They mostly came with sleep, during his nightmares, so the daytime was a good time for Jango to leave Boba alone without worry.
He turned onto another corridor and suddenly saw someone hunched over, leaning against one of the walls. He was startled to recognize that it was Kish.
Boba must have made some sort of sound for she suddenly looked up at him. Her face was flushed and her body trembled violently.
"Boba?..." she whispered before her eyes closed and she collapsed to the floor.
Panic surged through Boba and he frantically tried to figure out what to do. Finally he turned around and bolted back to his apartment. He quickly opened the door and saw his father by the window.
"Dad! Something's wrong with Kish!" he yelled.
Jango immediately motioned for his son to bring him to her and they ran back down the hallway.
Upon reaching her Jango knelt beside her still body and put his hand against her skin. He frowned and picked her up in his arms and took her back to the apartment, with Boba trailing behind them, wondering what was wrong. When he saw his father carry her into his bedroom he felt anger itch up his spine. He didn't want Kish in there, that was where Zam had been…
He followed and watched as his dad lay Kish down upon his bed. Jango turned to him.
"Get me some cold water and a cloth," he asked Boba.
Boba nodded and quickly retrieved the items and placed them beside his dad. Jango took the cloth and dipped it in the water then applied it to Kish's forehead. This made her groan softly and Boba stared down at her with worry.
"Leave us," Jango told him softly.
Boba's head snapped up to meet his father's gaze. He was about to ask why when he remembered his training and fought down his reply and left the room quietly, shutting the door behind him. He couldn't believe that his father had made him go, leaving her alone with him in his room! She was just as much of his friend as she was with his dad. Suddenly an image from his dream flashed through his mind and he quickly went into the refresher and silently looked through the hole into Jango's room. He saw his dad remove Kish's vicroblades and belt along with its blaster and place them on a stand in the corner of the room. Then he went over to one of the compartments in the wall and pulled out a small vial of green liquid. He took off the cap and held the vial under Kish's nose. She coughed and her eyes opened to look up at Jango.
"What happened?" she asked groggily.
"You fainted." Jango told her. "Your fever has begun."
She groaned and shakily rubbed her eyes.
"When did it start?" he questioned.
"I think as soon as I landed."
"Good timing."
She frowned at him, not finding his dry humor funny. She cautiously sat up and took off her black overcoat and gave it to Jango before collapsing back against the pillow.
"Have the illusions started?" Jango asked. She nodded.
"I have a hunt to go on so I won't be able to stay," he said.
"I'll go back to my ship then," she told him and tried to get up. He shook his head and made her lay back down.
"That's alright; you can stay here as long as you want. I'll ask Boba to keep an eye on you."
She sighed in reply and closed her eyes. Jango could tell that she had fallen back asleep and he left the room. Boba was waiting for him outside.
"What's wrong with her?" he asked.
"She has a fever and I want you to watch over her while I'm gone. Will you do that for me?"
Boba nodded and Jango patted him affectionately on the shoulder.
"Good."
Jango retrieved his helmet and put it on and gave Boba a final nod before going out the door. Boba stood in the empty room staring after his father. From the conversation he had just overheard she had supposedly gone through this before. He went into Jango's room and looked down at Kish's sleeping form. Her lips were parted slightly and her breathing soundly faintly strained. He frowned and wished that he could somehow help her, just as she had helped him, but didn't know what he could do to ease her pain. He went back into the main room and took a book down off of one of the shelves and sat in a chair, leaving the room door open so that he could keep an eye on her.
*** This was a bitch to edit!! Just thought you should know that :P (hopefully it read well for you guys though). There, a bit more about Kish is revealed! Ta da! I'm so proud of myself :) What's wrong with her do you ask? Well, I can't tell you, at least not yet. You don't think though that I would end it here and not tell you anymore did you? The next chapter will shed more light onto it, don't worry.
Was that a bit of jealousy that appeared in our dear Boba during this chapter? Is Kish that special to him? Oh the questions… Hehehe, I can't believe I'm close to finally having a double digit chapter story!! (prepares the champagne). Wow, and almost 20,000 words to boot :) I'm getting this shit down pat! As always please review! I absolutely LOVE hearing from you guys, it always makes me in a better mood :)
To Ivy: Yeah, if you want to collaborate or anything I'm always free to chatting so just email me or something or leave me a message at the reviews…anything you want, or I'll email you :)
(skips off happily to go write more about our loveable Boba Fett)