(A/N: This chapter is to be particularly dark, so be warned. And, oh yeah…REVIEW! I know that more people are reading this than those who review! Do it! Please!)
Chapter III
The blur of hyperspace dulled down to streaks of light, which then became stars. Lord Vader stared out into the continuum of space, the one place the Empire had not conquered, and never would. A memory of Anakin Skywalker's faded into his mind.
Anakin stared into Padme Admidala's eyes. They were so beautiful. Her angelic face, her soul…her beauty poured onto him, and he was at last at peace.
For a time.
Then the searing memories returned. The twisting of his soul into what became known as Darth Vader, the Battle of Mustafar…and the burning that withered his body into machinery.
"Lord Vader!" An officer called.
He turned around from his view on the catwalk.
"Yes, Captain Ventrak?"
"We're getting much closer. We're already in the solar system. Unfortunately, we can't use the hyperdrive without the chance of a mistake in such an unexplored system, so we'll just go to the planet with our standard-issue engines…um…Sir!"
Vader could smell the fear, feel it with all that he was.
"Excellent, Captain. I believe a promotion is in order. I shall discuss it with the Emperor."
"Y-yes Lord Vader!" Ventrak said, trying to sound as unexcited as possible and failing miserably. "Don't worry, milord. We should be getting there in about 4 terran hours."
"I hope you are correct officer. For your sake I hope you are correct."
Ventrak shuddered. He said nothing, and walked off.
---
"Professor!" Buttercup shouted. "Wake up!"
"Is he breathing?" Blossom whispered frantically.
"he'sgonnadiehe'sgonnadiehe'sgonnadie…"
"Shut up, Bubbles!" Buttercup virtually screamed.
Blossom put her hand up to his neck.
"There's a pulse," Blossom said, relieved. "We should still bring him to the hospital though."
"Got it," Buttercup confirmed.
Bubbles took a deep breath. "Alright."
With an unexpected gasp, the Professor abruptly opened his eyes.
"Professor!" Bubbles whispered.
"Are you…okay?"
The Professor had a horrible fire in his eyes, an urgency that the girls had never seen before.
"Girls…we need to get out of here. Now."
"Damn it, listen to me! I wasn't supposed to be get attached to the subjects, but I am! You're like the daughters I never had! Listen to me!" he yelled.
The girls began to back away.
"They're going to come! I--"
"Professor…" Blossom said quietly. "You…you need to stay calm. Whatever it is, it's going to be alright. Just tell us." She said it with a cool exterior, but she was burning with emotion.
Is the Professor insane?...God…what the Hell am I supposed to do…?
"Listen," The Professor said, his voice much more calm. "I…need to tell you something."
The girls were silent, listening nervously.
"You weren't born. You were made."
"We already knew that…" Buttercup said, trying to restrain from shouting out the obvious.
"No. What I mean is, you weren't made. You were…cloned." The girls' eyes widened. "That's not the worst of it by far. Please…forgive me for what I'm about to say. Do you promise…?
Blossom started to nod, and the others followed suit.
"The Empire told me to create you. It was fourteen years ago, and I remember the day--"
Blossom's eyes went blank.
Cold.
Glass.
"How soon will they be finished, Doctor Utonium?" a muffled voice said.
"Well, I'd give them about two years before their powers fully develop. Then, of course, they'll have to be trained." Utonium's voice came in clear, despite the fuzzy quality of everything.
"How efficient will they be?" the other voice said.
"Very. They're the most efficient killing machines in the galaxy."
"Fascinating. Any connection to the Force?"
"They are very force-sensitive, but they draw their powers from the Chemical X inside of them. I had to splice so many creatures to get a hold of that chemical. It nearly drove me insane."
No…oh god no… Blossom whispered. No more…no more.
"The hardest part was, by far, finding the right DNA donors. I took three captured rebel children, and…"
No…
"…spliced the DNA right out of their bodies. The poor things. They screamed throughout the process. I almost went insane."
"But you didn't, Doctor. That's why we hired you."
No...
"Thank you, officer. I'm sure that these will be a major success over the predecessors…"
No!
Blossom's eyes opened. The Professor was hovering over her, staring into her eyes with worry.
"Blossom! Are you al--"
"You…you monster…you killed them…"
"What happened?" the Professor asked, his voice shaky.
"I remembered. I heard you…I know what we are!" Blossom screamed. "So we're just weapons? Duplicates of children you killed?"
"No…you don't understand!" The Professor whispered, trying to refrain from crying. "I…I've changed."
Bubbles and Buttercup started to back away from the Professor as well.
"What did you see, Blossom?" Buttercup said, trying to comfort Blossom.
"We're death…we were meant for death…"
And with that, Blossom broke into sobs, collapsing onto the living room floor.
"Stay away from us," Bubbles said to Utonium, her voice quivering.
The Professor was quiet.
"I'm…I'll…" He shook his head. "I'll be down in the lab…"
Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup hovered up the stairs to their room. In about several seconds, all Hell would break loose.
To be continued.
