Destiny on the Front – by Editor Jen
Oo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOOo0oOo0o
Summary: Fauna, an amateur hacker, meets a boy caught within the confines of a video game but can't remember how he got there. The pair teams up with a retired game designer, and the three of them go on a quest to save their friend.
Disclaimer: Star Wars Battlefront belongs to LucusArts. "PlayStation" is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. LucasArts is a registered trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd. This story, however, belongs to me, and this sniper won't tolerate fellow gamers stealing my work.
Author's Note: Okay! Time for a creative outburst! How about a new chapter of Destiny? Since I've joined my SWBF (Star Wars Battlefront) team, we haven't lost a match yet! Keep rooting for us! (www. clan – rabid .com) Take out the spaces; I had to put them in there so they don't think I'm advertising. Haha. Enjoy. And fear not, these chapters will get longer.
Oo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOo0oOOo0oOo0o
Chapter 2 – Firewall
Evan mumbled something just loud enough for Fauna to hear. Her hands began to tremble and her grip on the controller tightened in response. 'What did he just say? That's impossible!' Her gaze flickered from her computer, to her PS2, to her television and landed on the shivering pilot.
'Just what is he trying to pull?' she fumed. Her eyes narrowed. She might very well be one of the only girls to have ever bought a copy of Battlefront, but she wasn't completely gullible. Damn these teenage boys and their tricks.
"Screw you and your jokes!" she retorted, venom lacing her voice. Evan tried to interrupt, but his plea fell on deaf ears as Fauna continued. "Go to hell! I mean it!" Her Rebel Marksman turned away. "What are you trying to prove anyway? Honesty! Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I have to put up with this!"
Without warning, shots erupted in the Cantina and the command post's symbol began to blink furiously. Two stray bullets whizzed into the secret room and caught Evan's shoulder. He let out a scream. Fauna winced and yanked the headset off, staring at it blankly. 'Could he be telling the truth?'
The screen caught her attention. Evan's character was hunched over. The pilot's breath came in sharp gasps and he didn't even try to dodge the shots that strayed into the room. Fauna's compassion finally got the best of her.
"Evan!" she cried. He didn't respond. His face twisted into a painful grimace. Fauna's heart leapt into her throat. The characters in this game weren't programmed to show emotions; he could be telling the truth!
'I have to get him out of here!' she decided. After a moment's consideration, Fauna came up with an idea. "Just hold on, Evan! Heal yourself; you're a pilot! I'll get us out of here!" Before Evan could respond, she muted her microphone and turned to her computer.
"Rein! Open connection to PS2." The computer's monotonous voice began to respond, but Fawn called out more orders.
"Create a server!"
"Please list specifications," it answered.
Fawn sighed. There wasn't time for this! She swiveled her chair to face the computer and frantically punched in the specifics on the keyboard: 999 reinforcements; 2 maximum players; 0 AI per team; 2 minimum players to start; Jedi Heroes Off; Team Damage Off; Player-Select Teams. She clicked to add all the possible maps to the list and entered in her hosting bandwidth. She mashed the un-mute button and yelled into the microphone.
"Can you enter a server that has a password?" She looked to the screen for the boy's answer.
Evan shook his head. The pilot was hiding behind her now, his hands clinging to her shoulders; yet another motion that was definitely outside the game's parameters.
Fawn threw the headset to the floor and reached for the keyboard again, disabling the option for a server password. She hit the 'enter' button, hoping it wouldn't take long for Rein to hack the PS2. Hopefully, she could apply something similar to a firewall to keep even the most persistent hackers away. A metallic voice jarred her back to earth.
"Please specify session name."
Fawn knew she needed something girly; something that other hackers wouldn't even want to bother with. She said the first thing that came to mind.
"Destiny."
"Session name accepted. User Fawn, the server, "Destiny," will be created in… five… seconds. Please prepare to be transported. Four… three…"
Fawn fell to her knees, scrambling for the headset and shoving it into place.
"Evan! Hold on to me! I'm getting you out of here!"
The pilot swaggered, but tightened his hold on the Rebel Marksman. Fauna heard the faint crashing of static in her ears and listened out for and Rein's countdown. The pilot and her character began to fade and the screen flashed as the process to transfer them to the new server began.
Fawn was suddenly filled with an impeding sense of dread.
Her breath caught. The last thing she saw before the television flashed was another human character entering the secret room, his missile launcher leveled at her head. When she blinked again, she was in a new level, but his username was still etched in her mind.
Deimos.
Evan pushed away from Fauna and looked around warily. They were in Naboo. Sloping archways and steep brick stairs filled the corners of the Theed, but they seemed to be empty. Even the normally crowded balconies seemed strangely quiet.
Deimos. Fawn shook herself out of her trance. Where had she heard that name before? She turned her character to face Evan's, and stepped back in surprise. The transition to her server had somehow switched him to a Rebel Soldier. He looked weary and on-edge.
"It's okay. You're safe here, at least for the moment." He didn't reply. Fauna eyed him carefully. "It seems you have the ability to switch classes." He glanced at her, confused, and she explained. "You aren't a pilot anymore." She watched him inspect his new clothes and frowned. "That means you can't heal yourself."
He finally spoke after a long moment, but his voice was distant and tentative. "I feel… so weak." Fauna nodded, understanding.
"Okay, let's get you to a medical droid."
The pair had spawned in the center of the level, near the Palace. Fauna started toward the west, heading in the direction of the Office's command post. She knew there was a health droid there. She flushed when she saw Evan struggling to limp beside her and wished she knew the level better.
"Rein," she spoke, automatically looking to the sky. Evan flinched when a loud female voice answered. It sounded robotic and seemed to come from every direction.
"Yes, User Fawn."
The girl sighed. "Call me Fauna. Update your data."
"Yes, User Fauna."
"Ouch. And lower your volume, please." There was a pause.
"Done." The metallic voice was softer, almost hesitant.
"Rein, how much longer will this server be operational?"
"…Twenty-three hours, fifty-eight minutes, forty seconds."
"Thank you, Rein." Fauna snuck a glance at the boy. His brow was slick with sweat and he seemed to be walking more slowly. "Evan, you'll be safe here until the server fails." He grunted in thanks. "We're almost to the medical droid. I'm sorry I couldn't find a closer one."
"It's okay," he whispered, and stumbled for a moment. After he regained his balance, he timidly tried to change the subject. "Rein. She's your robot?" Fauna laughed.
"My computer. Actually, she was my brother's…" Her voice trailed off in thought for a moment before she continued. "But she's mine now, and quite useful. She can protect you. Just tell her what you need and-"
"I don't need protection," he said firmly, pushing himself to stand up straight. Fauna held back a smirk, thankful that they had reached the health droid. She had almost forgotten how stubborn guys could be.
"We'll talk about that later, then. Just relax and let the droid heal you."
Evan, too tired to protest, sank to the ground beside the droid and felt his strength seep back into his limbs. After a few seconds, he lifted a hand and watched his fist clench. He was as good as new. Fauna smiled as he stood up.
"Are you okay?"
Evan nodded. She was about to ask him how he managed to get stuck in a game, but reconsidered. 'Later,' she thought as she peaked at the boy's peaceful face. 'He's been through enough for now.' Even as a Rebel Soldier, his features still seemed to be faintly outlined with youthfulness.
They walked to the westernmost entrance of the Rotunda in silence. The scenery was beautiful; the Theed's sun was just on the brink of setting and its reflection glittered on the surface of the animated water.
"I always liked this level," Evan said with a wistful grin.
"I always hated this level," Fauna replied, chuckling. "There's not that many safe places for a sniper, and when I would finally find a place, one of the enemy vehicles would maul me over with missiles!"
Evan held his hand over his mouth, but his laughter broke out anyway. He leaned on the balcony, his whole body contorted with giggles and Fauna joined in at the whole absurdity of the situation. The ever-setting sun loomed over them as time seemed to stop for the two, or at least pause as they rested in their safe haven.