Author's Note: I am now going to update chapters every other Thursday. I was almost done typing the chapter and then my computer crashed and I didn't save it so I had to do it ALL over again, I am not joking I was so mad! D: Hopefully this weekend goes smoothly, I am going to meet my long out of contact relatives, if it doesn't rain. I have been planning it for a while now so fingers crossed! :D
Chapter 14
Allies
"Vader." she said igniting her lightsaber "You've came a long way from your master."
"I am not a pet!" Vader yelled lunging for her and she easily blocked the blow.
"You're still as weak as before you turned into... this." she said blocking another blow, looking around she noticed someone was missing. "Where is your Captain, by the way?" she asked thoughtfully blocking
"You've always been picky over the details." he said dodging the blade swiftly
"That isn't really an answer." she said backing up still blocking the blade.
They started fighting through the corridors when the stormtroopers figured what was happening and pulled the blasters out shooting at the girl. When she noticed the bullets heading towards her, she ignited her other lightsaber and reflected the bullets sending them toward the troopers.
"You've grown stronger since last time we met." Vader said dodging the blade.
"It was a couple weeks ago," she said scowling "but thanks for the compliment."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"Back to my question earlier," she said blocking both bullets and blade. "Where is your 'special' Captain?"
"Not here." Vader then force pushed her toward the troopers. "Finish her!" Vader said walking away.
'Coward. What else is new?' she thought to herself turning towards the stormtroopers, that had their blasters pointing at her. When she got off the ground she ignited her lightsabers again and deflected every shot they gave her. When she made her way forward she sliced all the troopers "I would have thought they would've learned from last time." she said shaking her head. Turning around she ran in the direction Vader retreated.
###
"That is a new record, Gayle." Vader said "Will you become my apprentice?"
"Yes, my master." Gayle said
"I have a mission for you to do, and you alone." Vader said
"Name it."
"I want you to eliminate a youngling, not an ordinary one. She successfully kidnapped a trooper, stole trooper armour under heavy guarding, and stole an Imperial computer by blowing up a base door and taking down a trooper in the process."
"Easy, it will be done, master."
"Good, you begin immediately."
###
When Gayle reached the hospital, she walked into the door, and walked up to the secretary. "Hello, can I speak to Michelle? Is she here?"
"Sure, hold on one second." she said reaching for her commlink.
After a couple minutes Michelle walked into the lobby. "Gayle, what are you doing here?" Michelle asked warily.
"How do you know my name?" Gayle asked backing up
"We used to be best friends. You forgot about me? Well, I am not surprised though. Why are you here?"
"To... talk of course." Gayle said
"Okay, lets go for a walk then." she said turning around.
When they walked a couple corridors Michelle finally broke the silence "So, what did you want to talk about?" Michelle asked
"Uh... I just wanted to say... uh... I am sorry." Gayle said looking at the colorless walls of the endless corridor.
"What for?" Michelle asked
"For... uh... everything."
"I forgive you." Michelle said stopping and extended her hand "Friends?" Michelle smiled faintly
Gayle finally stopped looking at the walls and stared at Michelle shocked "You forgive me, after all the things I did to you?"
"Of course, that's what friends do, right?"
"Yeah, friends." Gayle said shaking her hands, then she reached for her head "Wh- What happened?" Michelle looked at her concerned
"Are you okay?" Michelle asked
"Yeah, I guess sewing our friendship broke the curse."
"What curse? Please tell me it's not what I think it is."
"I was gassed, I remember bits and pieces but the rest is foggy." Gayle said
"Oh no, not you too." Michelle said gasping.
"What do you mean?" Gayle asked
"Follow me." Michelle said walking toward the lift.
When they reached a door Michelle stopped Gayle from going in. "You promise not to scream?" Michelle asked and Gayle nodded. They both walked in and stopped in front of the bed and Gayle gasped.
"Is that what I think it is?" Gayle asked wide eyed and Michelle nodded
"He's a clone, his name is Echo and he is one of my best friends." Michelle said smiling faintly. "But, the Empire got a hold of him and his brothers, gassing them. Echo isn't like his REAL self, I tried to get him back, but with no success. We are trying but we don't know how to get him back. That isn't the only problem though, we still need to save his other brothers, but they are on different planets across the galaxy."
"I can help, if you want it." Gayle said
"That would be helpful, thank you." Michelle said and Echo started shaking his head.
"No, no, no. NO!" Echo yelled opening his eyes with flames inside. "YOU!" he looked into Michelle's eyes angrily and tried to get up. Echo then looked down and saw he was restrained to the bed. He started fighting against them angrily. "This is YOUR fault!" Echo looked at Michelle again
After fighting the restraints for a couple more minutes Echo started to lose consciousness. They could only hear the faintest plea. "Help me." Echo whispered calmly and lost complete consciousness.
"Well, at least we know he is still in there, somewhere." Michelle said "Lets go check on Chopper now, shall we?"
"Who's Chopper?" Gayle asked starting toward the door.
" A clone, that escaped before getting gassed, like the rest of his brothers."Michelle said
They visited Chopper, that was sadly still unconscious.
"I need to go take care of something really important." Gayle said running out of the door.
"Michelle, come here quick, there is something you need to see." Brian said through the commlink
Michelle got up and ran toward the x-ray rooms, to see what her dad wanted her to see.