''You're still a child who deserves a good childhood.''
She sat crouched on her bed as Eva felt the cold tears running down her cheeks. Her eyes ached as she looked at her father, sitting next to her on her bed and staring out of the window in her bedroom. The last bit of shine the sun had before it plummeted below the horizon cast her room in a pleasant, orange light.
''Eva, you're vulnerable and innocent,'' said her father, shifting his head to her, ''not a tool of war.''
Eva nodded and looked down at her grey socks as her tears splash on her bedsheet. Her father telling her she's vulnerable and innocent made her understand why he wasn't fond of her joining the military. She wiped the tears off of her cheeks as her mind started to clear up. She still felt the frustration that built up during the heated argument between her and her mother and father, arguing about her Stormtrooper dream.
Then Eva noticed her surroundings started to change. The orange light the sun cast in her room faded away and the atmosphere started to feel more heavy. Instantly, she shifted her head to the window and noticed the sun had vanished. Her heart started to race as she sensed that something was going on.
''Dad?'' she asked. Her voice trembled as she shifted her head, but she noticed her father wasn't there.
Her heart pounded as she looked around the room, searching for where her father went, but it seemed as if he was never with her. Eva stood up and walked to the door, but as soon as she touched the door button, she felt a shockwave shaking the floor. The walls rattled as her clothes swayed on her chair.
Then she noticed something flashing in front of her window. She slowly stepped forwards with her heart pounding in her chest, curious what is happening.
Then, the walls wer torn apart as a flaming B-Wing rolled towards her. The roof fell down, the window glass shattered, her bed broke and the floor collapsed as the B-Wing rolled towards her, engulfing her in flames as she fell through the ceiling.
Then Eva screams out of agony as she instantly opens her eyes. The excruciating pain in her leg worsens as she can feel it burn, gasping for air as her heart pounds in her chest.
''Keep her steady!''
Eva feels a cold, metal hand holding her forehead and pushing her onto the stretcher. Due to the pain, she grits her teeth as she feels someone else holding her arms and legs onto the stretcher's cloth, trying to prevent her from moving. Then she feels a cold, metal hand clutching her jaw and pushing it down as a metal object is put between her teeth. The metal hand lets go of her jaw and she bites into the object as the pain is excruciating. Tears start to form in her eyes as they adjust to her surroundings. Her eyes then land on Ashara, having jabbed a medspike in her shot wound as she pushes it into her leg.
''Keep her that way,'' says Ashara.
Eva shifts her eyes around and she sees the white, metal head of ACY-4 keeping her arms steady as Roslin holds her left leg and Ecklund the other. Her eyes then land on what she's biting into and notices it's the droid's metal hand.
''I'm almost done,'' says Ashara as she taps on some buttons on the medspike.
Eva feels the pain worsening as she bites into ACY's metal hand. She feels her surroundings spin as she becomes dizzy from the pain in her leg, feeling as if it has spread across her body.
Then she feels a sensational feeling reaching her mind as the burning pain starts to slowly fade away. Her heart pounds in her chest as she sees Ashara pulling out the medspike from her skin, seeing blood dripping off of it. It seems like the painkillers are doing their job as the pain slowly turns into a dull ache in her leg. Eva stops engraving her teeth in ACY's metal hand as the droid retracts it.
''Welcome back, Eva,'' says ACY with its robotic, female voice, looking down at her with its metal head shining in the fluorescent light.
''Acy, am I happy to see you,'' says Eva, gasping for air to catch up with her breath.
ACY-4 lets go of Eva's arms as she calms down, and the droid turns around its hand and stares at it.
''Eva,'' says the droid, looking at its metal hand. ''Do you still have your teeth?''
''Why?''
Acy turns its metal hand around and Eva notices small dents on the back of it. Apparently, she put so much pressure in her jaws that she engraved dents in Acy's metal hand, and Eva reaches out for her teeth, feeling if they're still in her mouth. Kriffin' hell, I still have them, my gosh.
''Sorry, Acy,'' replies Eva, looking at the droid.
Ashara finishes covering her leg with bondage and cuts it with a knife. Eva then slowly gets up, pushing herself off the stretcher. She reaches out for the bandage and softly taps on it, feeling the wound below it still ache but not as much as before.
''Thanks,'' says Eva, shifting her head to Ashara.
''No problem,'' replies Ashara, putting away the medical equipment in her backpack. ''It's my duty.''
Eva nods, feeling her heart slowing down in her chest as she calms down. She feels relieved that Ashara got her back up on her feet, having done her duty to heal her squadmates. It makes her smile.
Eva looks around and sees she's in the cabin of the ITT they drove in towards the Rebel hide-out. Then Eva's eyes land on an empty stretcher sitting on the metal floor across from her, and something crosses her mind. Where is Peyton? I swear, she was there in the same room as me. She was shot too, so where is she?
''Where's Peyton?''
Her mind then floods with the memory of the bodybags of her parents, and her mind then races with the thought of Peyton being in one. Eva shifted her head to Ashara, seeing her hesitate to answer.
''Ashara,'' says Eva, starting to breathe heavily. ''Where's Peyton?''
''Well, uh, she's outsi-,''
In an instant, Eva jumps off the stretcher, feeling her heart pound in her chest as her mind floods with the thought of Peyton's wellbeing. She feels dizzy as she staggers through the cabin towards the back door. The dizziness feels as if her surroundings spin a little, but she doesn't care stabilizing herself as she bolts towards the ITT's back door.
''No, wait, Eva,'' says Ashara, standing up.
Eva doesn't listen as all she can think of is her squad mate. The shot wound in her leg stings as she steps with a stagger out of the ITT, seeing the other moons of Vaulent shining in the dark void of the night and spotlights everywhere, lighting up the street in a bright, white hue. Stormtroopers and ISB officers enter the concrete building as captured Rebels are ushered to a transporter. TIE Vulcans stand on the tarmac as police cabins further away block the entire street. Despite the huge amount of Imperial troops, none of them is what she's looking for. It's the body bags, and she has to know whether she-
''Eva, I'm here.''
Eva turns around, her heart pounding in her chest, and sees Peyton leaning with her back against the ITT's exterior hull, looking at Eva with a hint of hostility in her eyes. Eva lets out a big sigh, relieved to see Peyton alive, and she steps towards her.
''Peyton, you're alive,'' says Eva, her voice shivering as she runs to Peyton, reaching out and entangling her arms around her tightly.
Peyton lets out a sigh as she feels Eva's arm entangling her, and she starts pushing her away. ''Eva.''
Eva's hand tremble as she feels Peyton pushing her away, and she lets go and looks at her, seeing the hostility in the girl's eyes.
''Don't you know how big you messed up?'' Peyton asks.
Eva shifts her eyes down, not daring to make eye contact with Peyton. The weight of guilt and regret starts to settle heavily in her chest and a heavy knot forms in her stomach. In the corner of her eye, Eva sees her other teammates scrambling together as they look at them.
''Eva, you got me nearly killed,'' Peyton hisses.
She pants as Eva realizes her mistake, blushing with guilt as she feels it suffocating her.
''Eva, tell me, why did you do it?'' asks Peyton.
Eva shifts her eyes to Peyton, struggling to form an answer.
''I-, I-, I did it for-, for the Empire,'' blurts Eva out.
''For the Empire?'' scoffs Peyton. ''Seriously?''
Eva swallows heavily as she keeps her eyes down, trying to avoid making eye contact with her.
''Eva, you got me nearly- LOOK AT ME!''
Her sudden scream startles Eva and she shifts her eyes to Peyton with tears forming in her eyes.
''You got me nearly killed!'' she cries. ''I killed Rebels for the Empire too but not because of revenge or rage. I did it because of allegiance! I believe in the capabilities of the Empire and the system works perfectly. Sacrificing freedom to let safety and security thrive is genius to do in such a dangerous and destabilized galaxy as it was during the Clone Wars. That's why I kill Rebels, but I don't let my emotions overtake me. I don't make decisions based solely on emotions because I know the consequence can get me killed. You executed that officer out of revenge and rage and thus endangered our lives! I could've died!''
Eva swallows heavily as she looks at Peyton's enraged eyes, realizing how bad her decision was. She let into her rage, feeling the urge to take revenge for the death of her parents and Eline's coma, and she pulled the trigger. The rage consumed her completely, and she lost all common sense when she killed the officer. The rage engulfing her caused her to go off plan so much that she refused to follow her training. She wasn't keeping an eye on possible Rebel intruders, and because of her decision, Peyton wasn't either. It resulted in both of them getting shot and barely dodging death. The rage that consumed her steered her out of control, and the lack of resistance against that caused her to nearly die. She thought her desire for revenge was a weapon she could use, but it became a suicide weapon that got her and Peyton nearly killed.
''Eva, you put your feelings above my life!"
In the corner of her eye, Eva sees Ashara stepping towards them with worry in her eyes, her blue skin reflecting the white hue of the streetlights, shining like stars in the night sky.
''Uh guys,'' interrupts Ashara, worried. ''Could you plea-''
''Shut up, Ashara!'' hisses Peyton, shifting her head to her.
Eva sees Ashara staring with disbelief in her eyes at her. Then she feels the cold hands of Peyton grabbing her shoulders and pushing her against the ITT behind her, her back slamming against the transporter's grey hull.
''Eva, if there's one thing I hate, it's people not listening to me for a second!'' cries Peyton, her eyes narrowing and tears running down her cheeks. ''Whenever I said or asked something to my parents, they ignored me, turned their back to me, continued with their lives until I blurted out something pro-Empire and cussed at me, telling me I'd be a failed Stormtrooper missing everything and doing a disservice to everyone. I'm not begging for attention, I'm asking for it when it's necessary, and you turned your back to me, not listening when it was one of the most crucial moments in the raid, and you got us shot!''
Eva's heart races, knowing Peyton is right about her. She told her numerous times to keep her head cool, doing her duty and doing what's asked of her, but she didn't listen to her. Eva turned her back to her, ignored whatever she advised her to do, and went on with her rampage of rage anyway, until they were both shot. Eva blushes with guilt as she starts to realize that her grave mistake will have big consequences for her and the relationship she has with Peyton.
''Remember in the corridor, when we did the utility tasks for the first time and told me we were going to make good memories to replace the bad?'' asks Peyton, her hands trembling.
Eva struggles to find words, recalling the moment she told that, and now she starts to understand more of Peyton's anger. Her mistake caused the girl to re-experience one of her bad memories of her abusive parents, and Eva promised her they'd replace all of the bad memories with the good they'd create at the Academy and the military.
''You remember that?'' asks Peyton.
Eva struggles to answer as her heart pounds in her chest.
''I do,'' blurts Eva out. ''Peyton, I'm-, I'm truly sorry, I really mean it.''
Peyton scoffs. ''Sorry wouldn't have brought me back to life.''
She lets go of Eva's shoulder, turns around and walks away, wiping the tears off of her cheeks as she starts crying. Eva's heart pounds and her hands shake, feeling guilty about what she has done. As she sees Ashara letting out a sigh when Peyton passes her, she sees Roslin staring at her. Eva knows her commanding officer won't let her go away without her biting the dust.
Roslin steps forward towards Eva and stands in front of her with her eyes locked on her. She can see the anger boiling in Roslin's eyes, and rightfully so. She knows her grave error is unspeakable as it cost nearly the life of a fellow soldier, and she won't be handled easily by her commanding officer.
''Eva,'' says Roslin, letting out a sigh. ''It was your time to prove yourself to me.''
Eva swallows heavily as she notices Roslin is containing her anger. She thought Roslin would choke or give her a punch like in The Well a month ago, but she's surprised that she didn't. However, it's still not good and she doesn't feel relieved at all.
''All you proved to me is that you are ineligible for the military,'' says Roslin.
Eva shiveringly nods, knowing that she disproved her liability to her and she casts downward, not daring to make eye contact with her.
''When we arrive at the Academy, you explain everything yourself.''
''Yes sir,'' says Eva, her voice trembling.
Roslin keeps staring at her with the anger contained in her eyes until she turns around and walks away out of view.
This night was a blow to Eva's liability. She worsened her relationship with Roslin, burned down the friendship with Peyton, and put herself in an unreliable position within the squad, all because she let in. All because she let her rage and desire for revenge consume her. Eva feels the wave of guilt wash over her, knowing that nobody will heal her, not even Ashara.
As she boards the ITT and drives back to the Academy in the darkest hour of the night, Eva leans with her head on the glass, staring as the tears dry up in her eyes, but each time she thinks of what she had done, she feels her eyes water.
Staggering onto the hangar floor, the shot wound still aching in her leg despite the medication, she sees two Imperial officers standing in front of the ITT's backdoor. She hears her footsteps pound on the metal and holds her arms crossed, seeing more ITTs unload their troops after returning from the raid. The engines of the transporters rumble as they park into the hangar and unload their troopers, but to Eva, it all feels silent. Her sadness and guilt gnaw on her, making her numb to everything around her, and knowing that nobody will pull her out of it.
''Eva Young,'' says one officer as she steps towards him.
She makes eye contact with the officer who she recognizes as the taskmaster of The Well. She recognizes the other person as the scientist who shortly briefed them before the raid started.
''Are you aware of your grave error?'' asks the officer firmly, looking down at her.
Eva lets out a sigh as she casts her eyes downward, feeling the guilt build up more.
''Yes sir,'' she whispers, seeing her squad member leave her behind as they walk away to their dorm. Seeing Peyton not looking back at her, she feels her eyes water, feeling them run over her cheeks, and she reaches out to wipe them away.
In the corner of her eye, she sees the officer peering over his shoulder at the scientist, who shakes his head. The taskmaster nods and shifts back to Eva and takes a deep breath.
''Eva Young,'' says the taskmaster as he bends a bit towards the girl to look at her eyes and puts his hand on her shoulder. ''Tomorrow, there's a debriefing at 900. You'll hear later from us what we'll do with the error you've made.''
The tone of the officer changed, speaking to Eva with care and compassion. It makes her feel lighter as she feels the heavy weight of most of the guilt falling away, but the feeling still remains.
''Take your time to rest and sleep well,'' says the taskmaster, lifting his hand from her shoulder. ''You're dismissed.''
Eva shiveringly nods.
As she walks through the corridors, Eva follows her squad members to their barracks from afar, not wanting to catch up with them. It's better to keep her distance for a while, letting the heat cool down between her and Peyton, but she feels sad that apologizing didn't help. She's not surprised that Peyton didn't take her apology, but it still saddens her.
Eva stumbles upon the barracks, and she's about to enter the door. Then, ACY-4 appears, standing in front of her and stopping her from entering the barracks.
''Eva, I see you are emotionally unstable,'' says the droid with its female voice. ''Are you in need of-,''
''I'm OK,'' says Eva, holding her arms over each other.
''Are you sure?'' asks the droid.
''Acy,'' sighs Eva, ''just let me alone,'' and she walks around ACY to get into the barracks, leaving the droid behind in the doorway.
Eva walks to her bed, and as she puts off the armour pieces and takes off her black body glove, she looks over her shoulder to Peyton, seeing the anger still boiling inside of her. It makes her sad that their friendship is torn apart.
Her eyes land on Ecklund, lying on her bed with a datapad in her hands. The eyes behind her round glasses twinkle as she makes eye contact. Eva knows Ecklund is sensing something has gone wrong between her and Peyton. She doesn't need to ask what has happened. Ecklund knows what happened by simply observing them. As Eva stares awkwardly at Ecklund's twinkling eyes, she turns her head back to what she's doing and pulls off her body glove and puts on her off-duty suit, lying in bed as the lights go out and the rest go to sleep.
Eva struggles to sleep comfortably as her mind keeps replaying all the moments of this night that took her down. The moment she broke down, forced the barrel on his head, pulled the trigger, and witnessed his body cripple to the floor. The moment she argued with Peyton, disobeyed her clear orders and saw her body smash onto the floor. The moment Peyton screamed at her, hissed at her and pushed her against the ITT with anger in her eyes. All of the moments came flooding back.
She lost herself as rage consumed her, and took herself down and took Peyton with her. Now, her friendship with Peyton has crumbled, Ashara probably trusts her less than before, Roslin doesn't see her eligible for the military, and Ecklund probably doesn't care. She lost her connection with the squad, and now it feels like she's a separate entity, not part of the squad anymore.
Eva is no good soldier anymore. Good soldiers follow orders, and she ignored them. All she is now is a wounded soldier, and knowing that hurts her. She wanted to avenge her parents and Eline, but now she disappointed them and herself. With pain in her heart, Eva slowly falls asleep as her mind begins to calm down from the action and the emotions.
As the squad sleeps, something lights up the dark barracks. It's Peyton's datapad, supposedly turned off. Somehow, it turned itself on, as if someone from the outside is controlling it. Peyton's datapad connects with the Academy's databanks and starts to search through the data. Without Peyton or the rest knowing, the datapad connects with a Rebel spy and starts downloading valuable intel from the Academy's databanks for an attack that's yet to come.
The next day, before the raid's debriefing starts, Eva is led by ACY-4 to Academy Command. Walking in - for some reason - her training outfit and her utility belt around her waist, she feels her heart pound in her chest. Although the medication Ashara gave her yesterday, the shot wound still stings in her leg, with a fresh bandage wrapped around it. Staggering a bit behind the droid, she feels nervous about the consequences of the action she pulled during the raid. It still hurts her that she turned her back on Peyton, thus causing her friendship with her to end. Undoubtedly, the consequences of her action haven't ended yet.
''Acy,'' Eva reaches out. ''What's the worst-case scenario?''
''Worst case scenario?'' asks ACY-4. ''Permanent suspension of the Academy.''
''How possible is it?''
''I estimate the chances of getting suspended at 87,4%.''
Eva swallows heavily, hearing that suspension of the Academy is very likely, and maybe justifiably so. Her action was so dangerous that it left her and Peyton nearly killed, and permanent suspension might be a rightful thing to Eva stands in front of the door, her heart pounds in her chest and she looks over her shoulder at Acy. The droid nods, and Eva nods back, opening the door and entering an office room of Academy Command. The lights are out as the sun in the blue atmosphere shines through the window behind the office desk, filling the room with a yellow hue. Stepping into the room, she recognizes it as the room in which she and Roslin were disciplined after Eva pushed her off in The Well. A man in white clothing, seeming to be a scientist, stands in front of the office desk. He doesn't hold any rank and doesn't wear the signature grey outfit all military officers wear. What's he doing here?
Then Eva notices that the scientist isn't alone in the room, as she sees an officer wearing white clothing too sitting behind the desk. She can see an insignia pin on the chest of his jacket as the sun shining behind him is too bright. Squinting her eyes, she can see 6 upper red squares and 6 lower blue squares. This man's an admiral, and her heart starts to race.
''Sir, cadet Eva Young, reporting in'', she says, her voice shivering a little and standing in a straight posture.
''At ease, Eva Young,'' says the scientist, stepping towards her.
With her heart pounding in her chest, Eva relaxes her muscles and holds her arms crossed behind her back. She thought the admiral was to command, but she didn't expect the scientist to give out a military order. Though she complied anyway, she wonders why the admiral seems to be absent from his job. Isn't the admiral supposed to give me an order instead of a silly scientist? Isn't my rank not higher than a scientist? It must be, but why is the scientist giving out orders? She wonders why.
''Eva,'' says the scientist, approaching her. ''How's your injury?''
Eva keeps eye contact with the man, and she tilts her head a little, feeling the pain in her leg still ache. ''Fine.''
The man nods. ''What do you think yourself?''
Eva shifts her eyes down, thinking of an answer. ''About my error?'' she asks, and she feels her heart pounding as she tries to describe her feelings and lets out a big sigh. ''I shouldn't have done it.''
The scientist nods.
''I steered off the plan, didn't listen to my squad member, refused to obey an order, and went on anyway,'' says Eva, shifting her eyes up, ''and I knew what I was doing, but I couldn't help myself.''
Describing everything she's done yesterday gives her more pain than the relief venting would usually give. Her shot wound in her leg starts aching more, now starting to feel agonizing as she knows its creation was her fault.
''What was it that made you do it?'' he asks.
''Everything regarding it?'' asks Eva, and she shifts her head down, letting out a sigh as she thinks back to Eline and her parents. ''Revenge,'' she whispers, feeling her eyes water.
''Revenge for your parents?'' he asks.
Eva nods and swallows heavily. ''I-, I couldn't resist it,'' she whispers, nearly bursting into tears. ''I just-, lost my mind. It's my fault. All of it.''
''It's not exactly your fault,'' he says, looking at Eva.
Eva shifts her eyes down in confusion, wondering why it isn't entirely her fault. She knew what she was doing at the time and she didn't put effort in resisting the urge to avenge. How isn't it?
''How?'' asks Eva, shifting her eyes up to the man.
The man lets out a sigh, thinking about how to answer. ''I'm a psychologist and I know what happened in your mind. Your brain doesn't think about the long-term consequences of your actions when you're emotionally unstable. At your age, the brain is too underdeveloped to think clearly during a hard time. Killing that Rebel who surrendered was not a conscious decision done out of clear thinking, and therefore, it's not entirely your fault.''
The psychologist explaining that not all of it was because of her incompetence clears up Eva's mind a bit, feeling slightly better. Her heart slows down in her chest, knowing there's a clear explanation for her action. However, she still feels remorseful and upset about the fact that her friendship with Peyton and the squad's trust in Eva have broken.
''Eva, we won't suspend you,'' says the scientist, crossing his arms over each other. ''You're someone who just needs to learn.''
She slowly nods, swallowing heavily. ''What should I do?''
''In a situation like that, try to be empathetic.''
''But how? We're at war with the Rebels.''
''But they're still humans with a backstory, a motivation, and an ambition just like you.''
Eva swallows heavily. ''But, I want to bring them to justice.''
''Killing them is anything but justice, it's giving them an easy way out to not endure the consequences of their actions. I know it's hard to let go of enemies who are in some way responsible for terrible acts, but executing them is not justice. Capturing them and letting them suffer in prison is justice. I'm not saying that you shouldn't avenge your parents because it's in your right to do so, but there's a right and a wrong way, and that was the latter.''
Eva nods, understanding that execution is not justice. Maybe I shouldn't have killed that Rebel officer, thinks Eva. He deserved to get a prison sentence of at least 80 years, suffering at the toughest labour camp for the rest of his blasted life. The quick execution was stupid. Justice would have served better. If Eva had thought about that, her error could have been prevented.
''Eva Young,'' says the psychologist. ''You're expected at Battle Command for the debriefing. For now, think about the right way of avenging your parents. Remind yourself that Rebels are humans like you, no matter the deeds. Make the same mistake again, and we'll have no other choice than to suspend you.''
Eva slowly nods, taking his advice.
''Dismissed, cadet.''
''Yes sir,'' whispers Eva, and she slowly turns around and walks out of the office room.
As she closes the door behind her, she sees ACY-4 waiting for her, its white armour shining in the fluorescent lights.
''Let's go,'' says Eva.
As ACY-4 walks next to her, leading her through the corridors to Battle Command, Eva keeps thinking back to what the psychologist told her. Rotting away in a prison cell is better than execution, even when it feels better to her to do the latter. However, the thing she disagrees with is that Rebels are as humane as her. They fight on the wrong side, and having her parents killed by them doesn't make her agree with the psychologist, and she starts to wonder who he is.
''Acy, who's that doctor?'' asks Eva.
''The psychologist?'' asks ACY, shifting its head to her. ''Dr Kirbley Forrest, specialized in human psychology.''
Eva nods, but she still can't get herself to agree with him. Rebels are still scum. They oppose the ideals of the Empire, undermine security and stability and killed my parents. If it wasn't for extreme luck, Eline would've been gone too. They're still not humans.
''Acy,'' says Eva, ''he told me that I should feel empathetic-, to people-, who killed my parents. But should I?''
''Eva, I cannot answer that question,'' replies ACY-4 with its female voice. ''I apologize for the inconvenience.''
Eva lets out a sigh. ''It's fine.''
Empathy towards the Rebels is not what Eva wants. As long as they're on the opposite side of the war, they're an enemy, and scum too. They might not deserve a quick escape, but they're still people she hates. Empathy is not an option.
As the girl leaves the office room, Kirbley gazes at the shut door. His mind races with only one thought. A 13-year-old girl executed a Rebel officer in cold blood. She had no empathy towards the Rebel, and she unleashed her rage on him. It's a shocking thing to learn about, suddenly getting the news from the girl's commanding officer that she went against orders and executed a man. Starting to understand the situation, Kirbley turns around and paces a bit around in the office room as his father stands up from the chair.
''Why didn't you expel her from the Academy?'' he asks. ''Protocols state we have to suspend a cadet showing insubordination in such a crucial moment.''
Kirbley keeps his eyes on the floor as he paces around. ''I don't care what the protocols say. This is not her fault. At her age, the connection between the Amygdala and the Prefrontal Cortex isn't developed well enough to function.''
Then he realizes it all could've been prevented. Kirbley saw the shock, the sadness, the regret, and the guilt in the girl's eyes, and he imagined he'd see anger, rage, and revenge in the same eyes when the girl executed him. It's clear that it had an emotional impact on her. Kirbley saw it left a scar in her behind, a scar that could've been prevented.
''It's my fault that she did it,'' says Kirbley, shifting his head to his father. ''I fell short, I should've known teenagers have no vision of the long-term consequences. It's the most crucial system in their bodies and I completely overlooked it.''
His father keeps standing behind his office desk, staring at his son. ''Why did you overlook it if it's this important?''
''Because of all the stress you've been giving me,'' says Kirbley, and he approaches his father, clutching his fists as the frustration starts building up. ''Father, you and Imperial High Command gave me four years to research this highly unusual concept. The time I've been given was far too little for me to cover every gap of Night Force. Then there's that Army deal we had to close, it rambled on all sides and I was given low-quality equipment. Night Force is an absolute train wreck and I had to keep driving on the track. I tried to repair everything while researching how to repair the rest in the first place and prevent it from derailing.''
''Son, are you shoving the problem on me?''
''Yeah, 50% of it. I am directly responsible for the cadet's wellbeing so I carry the first half, but if it wasn't for the limited time and the rambly Army deal, I wouldn't have made mistakes in the first place!''
''Son, understand that time was already running out as soon as the Death Star exploded. I had no choice but to speed it up.''
Kirbley's heart pounds in his chest, his fists clenched, but before the thought of punching his father arises in his mind, he knows he can't do it. He knows his Prefrontal Cortex stops his Amygdala from acting out of emotion, so he relaxes his fists and turns around, turning his back to his father. He has to give himself some space to think, having to think about the complicated situation he got himself in. Feeling the eyes of his father burn on his back, Kirbley opens the door and walks out of the office room, entering the grey corridors of the Academy. He has to rest his mind, clear it and think of an approach to the problem.
Walking past two boys in their training suits, estimating them to be 15 years of age, he knows their little minds have a flaw, a devil, and now he learns how easily it can show itself. Starting on Night Force with orphans, he thought it was the need to avenge their parents that would guide them through their counterintelligence missions. And that is true, the teenage soldiers have proved themselves as combat-ready soldiers within three months of their Night Force training, however, they're far from strong. The factor that drives them through their mission is also their danger. Their attention to the long-term consequences of their decisions lacks. He should've known teenagers lack them, but the pressure that was put on him by his father and Imperial High Command got him to make mistakes. Because of that, a girl got almost killed in her rage. Walking past a black KX-security droid, he tries to think of an approach to this problem, but his mind is too clouded with his frustration. Nonetheless, Kirbley knows he has to find a solution and solve this problem.
Entering Battle Command and coming together with the rest of her squad, Eva can feel the distrust between her and the others. Standing around the holotable in the centre of Battle Command, facing a naval admiral and an Imperial Intelligence colonel, she can sense the coldness surrounding Peyton. The friendship between the two has frozen since yesterday. This, and the thoughts about feeling empathy towards the Rebels distracts her from everything that's told in the debriefing.
Later, after the debriefing ended and ACY-4 guided them back to their barracks, Eva punches a boxing bag with her bare hands, feeling them ache as she pounds her fist into the leather bag. The room is empty, the overhead fluorescent lights filling the room with a white hue and absorbed by the grey walls and floor. Her grey training suit sits tightly around her body as her utility belt hangs around her waist with her comlink device attached to it.
Shifting her feet as she pounds her fists into the bag one by one, she tries to distract herself from everything that has happened. The massive error, the fractured friendship with Peyton, the fueled distrust between her and Roslin, disappointing her parents and Eline⦠The longer she tries to forget them for a moment, the more she believes she's ineligible for the military. As the thuds of her punches echo through the room, she doubts her capabilities, but each blow she pounds into the punching bag releases her from the heavy disappointment and remorse. Each punch reverberates into her body, feeling the pain in her arms and fists increase, but it's that kind of physical torture that makes her feel a bit comfortable.
''Eva?'' she hears, and she stops her fist a centimeter above the leather of the punching bag.
Retracting her fist and turning around, Eva sees it's Ashara leaning against the wall in the doorway, looking at her with her grey off-duty outfit covering her blue, Pantoran skin.
''You have a moment?'' asks Ashara, the golden tattoos shimmering on her cheeks.
''Yeah,'' replies Eva, gasping for air as she regains her endurance.
Ashara pushes herself off the wall and approaches her as Eva turns around and raises her fists, pounding into the punching bag.
''I'm sorry for how you feel,'' says Ashara, walking around the punching bag to look at Eva from upfront. ''You know, you and Peyton and Roslin.''
Eva shifts her eyes from the punching bag to Ashara. ''You shouldn't. It's not your fault.''
''I know, but it's something I just feel bad about,'' says Ashara.
Eva keeps pounding the bag. ''Why?'' she asks, curiously.
''Well, us Pantorans value team play over selfish acts,'' explains Ashara, ''and as the squad's medic, I just feel bad that you, Peyton, and Roslin don't trust each other anymore.''
''All of it is still my fault,'' says Eva, pounding into the punchbag. ''I just gave in. I couldn't keep my composure. I turned my back to her, disobeyed orders, and killed him anyway,'' and her pounds start to get more powerful, feeling the pain increase in her fists. ''It's my fault.''
''But you can't take this error this heavily,'' says Ashara. ''You have to move on.''
Eva stops pounding and shifts her eyes to the girl. ''I almost got Peyton killed. Good soldiers follow orders.''
Ashara nods out of agreement. ''I understand. We all want to be good soldiers.''
Eva nods and she focuses on the punching bag again, pounding her fists into it again.
''Still, you have to move on,'' says Ashara, ''get things on the track again with Peyton and Roslin.''
''Apologizing?'' asks Eva, her eyes fixated on the punching bag. ''I tried that with both of them.''
''And?'' asks Ashara.
''What do you think?'' asks Eva, shifting her eyes to the girl.
''Right. Well, make up with them,'' says Ashara. ''Make a high-effort apology, not just an apology. They all take it very personally, and understandably so.''
''A good apology won't be easy.''
''That's why I'm here. You still have my trust, and I want the squad to function again, so I want to help you for the team's sake.''
Eva stops pounding and shifts her eyes to Ashara, smiling a bit. ''I'm happy you still trust me after everything.''
Ashara smiles too. ''Errors are just errors, and every being can make them.''
Eva nods, reminding herself that she's a human, and understanding that errors can be fixed, and a shimmer of hope starts to shine.
''Thanks for wanting to help me,'' says Eva with a smile, retracting her fist.
''Yeah, no problem,'' replies Ashara, smiling too. ''It's what friends do.''
Eva smiles, feeling happy that she still has a friend in her squad who trusts her and is willing to help her out. It makes remorse and sadness evaporate in thin air, and the shimmer of hope starts to shine brighter.
''Hey, let's go,'' says Ashara, gesturing with her head to the doorway.
''Yeah,'' replies Eva. ''Let's get working.''
Walking out of the room, they enter the corridor and Eva starts discussing how to make up for the error she made to get Peyton and Roslin to trust her again.
''You should make up with Peyton and Roslin one by one,'' says Ashara, walking through the corridor next to her. ''When Peyton starts trusting you again and accepts your apology, I think it will convince Roslin to do the same.''
''Are you sure it will work?'' asks Eva. ''I mean, Roslin is quite a tough girl.''
''Yeah, I know. It will be hard, but not too hard I guess, but it will be easier when you manage to convince Peyton.''
''What should I do to convince her?''
''I'm not sure yet, I'm thinking, bu-,''
Then, Ashara is interrupted by an alarm wailing in the corridor.
''Skorvit!'' curses Ashara, startled from the alarm, and they both stop in their tracks.
Red lights flash on the walls as the alarm screeches in the corridor, aching her ears as Eva's heart starts pounding.
''What's going on?'' asks Eva, nervously.
Ashara instantly reaches out for the comlink in her utility belt. ''Roslin, you hear me?''
''Ashara, you're loud and clear,'' Eva hears Roslin talking. ''Get back to the barracks, now!''
''Copy that, see you soon.''
Ashara starts running and Eva follows her. With her heart pounding in her chest, Eva runs through the corridors and wonders what the hell is going on as the alarm keeps wailing. Something is going wrong so badly that an alarm went off. What could it be?
Then, as Eva and Ashara turn around the corner, they stumble upon Roslin and the rest of the squad running towards them through the corridor.
''Ashara, Eva,'' cries Roslin over the alarm. ''Follow us!''
''What's happening?'' asks Ashara as the rest of the squad runs past them
Eva starts running behind Ashara as they go through the corridor.
''We're under attack,'' replies Roslin. ''Rebels have entered the Academy.''
''Skorvit,'' curses Ashara. ''Where are they?''
''Sector K, near The Well, and we're ordered to defend.''
''But why?'' asks Eva, tailing Ashara. ''We're still cade-,''
''Doesn't matter,'' replies Roslin. ''Good soldiers follow orders.''
''Yes sir,'' acknowledges Eva.
However, the question of why they're ordered to defend the Academy remains in her head as Eva follows the rest of the squad. Why order cadets to defend if Stormtroopers could do the same?
Turning around a corner, Eva sees a group of Stormtroopers lifting up a metal panel of the wall and she sees a commander with an orange pauldron unloading E-11 blasters. She wonders why there are blasters hidden in the wall, but running towards it, she quickly realizes why. It's a weapon storage intended for situations like these in which troopers have no time to get to their barracks or the Trooper Armament Bay.
Approaching the Stormtroopers, the commander hands the E-11 blasters to his companions as Eva and her squad arrive.
''Commander,'' says Roslin, running towards the Stormtrooper. ''VSRC005 reporting in.''
''Right on time'' says the commander, and he grabs the E-11s out of the weapon storage one by one to supply his own men.
Roslin reaches out to the blasters hanging in the weapon storage and grabs one, while Eva and the rest wait to be handed a weapon.
''Finally, we got E-11s,'' says Roslin, inspecting it and handing it to Peyton. ''Take this Peyton.''
After Peyton takes the blaster, Roslin takes more blasters out of the weapon storage and hands them over to the rest. As the rest are supplied, Eva is the last remaining to receive a blaster, and she waits nervously with her pounding heart as Roslin takes a blaster from the storage and turns to Eva.
''Eva,'' says Roslin.
Eva reaches out for the blaster but Roslin keeps it in her hands, refusing to give it to her, and Eva shifts her eyes to the girl.
''Eva,'' repeats Roslin, her jaws chewing gum. ''Don't you kriffin' do it again,'' she hisses.
Eva shifts her eyes down to the floor, struggling to answer, and she lets out a sigh and takes the blaster, pulling it out of Roslin's hand. I know. Just shut up okay?
Holding it in her hands, the weight feels similar to the E-10, but having an E-11 in her hands makes Eva feel as if it's so much different. In terms of design, the E-11 is somewhat different from the other as it lacks a stock and is a bit smaller. The differences in design make it feel more agile in Eva's hand.
Then, Eva is pulled out of her focus. She startles and sees a Stormtrooper opening fire at the near end of the corridor. The trooper, shining in the fluorescent light, opens a shot as his companion standing next to him falls to the floor.
''Come on!'' cries the Stormtrooper commander, gesturing towards the firefight.
Eva starts running and follows the rest of her squad towards the end of the corridor as more Stormtroopers run with them. Approaching the end, the screeches of blaster fire start to ache her ears as she runs, holding her E-11 tightly in her hands.
''Suppress them!'' orders the Stormtrooper. ''Get them to run like swines out of the building!''
''Yes sir,'' cries Roslin.
As Eva follows her squad, turning around the corner, she stumbles upon Rebel soldiers lying dead on the floor, crippled with burn marks, and in the distance, she can see more soldiers running away and firing back. Tightening her grip, Eva raises her rifle, and the fight starts.
''Admiral, we're taking you to the Panic Room.''
As Kirbley's father walks quickly through the corridor, he's escorted by several Stormtroopers and an officer, leading the admiral to a bunker deep within the Academy. He can hear the blaster fire echoing through the corridor, making his heart pound in his chest. Apparently, Rebel insurgents managed to breach the security of the Academy by using underground maintenance tunnels.
''Lieutenant, how many of them are there?'' he asks, walking through the corridor.
''We don't know exactly, admiral,'' responds the lieutenant. ''We think there are about 70 intruders. They're all moderately armed but they're powerful in amount.''
''Karabast,'' curses the admiral. ''I want the Academy in complete lockdown immediately, I want nobody to escape the perimeter. Have the Army block the entrance roads.''
''Yes sir,'' replies the lieutenant. ''The Vulcans are already on their way.''
Walking on, Father wonders how these Rebels dare to put their feet on the Academy's perimeter. The Academy is a well-secured military facility with enough troopers to capture a city. That makes another question stand out even more. If security was top-notch, how did 70 damn Rebels enter the Academy through the maintenance tunnels? Those tunnels are only accessible by appointed personnel and droids, and they can only enter through the main entrances with a code that changes daily. There should be no way those Rebels could've laid their hands on today's code unless there's a breach in data security or a traitor is among them. But how could there be a traitor? Vaulent 6 is one of the most loyal worlds to the New Order, there's no chance one of them would commit treason. There must have been a data leak that gave the Rebel insurgents access.
Suddenly, his father is pulled out of his thoughts as the lieutenant pushes him hard to a doorway in the corridor. His father bumps against the shut blast door and sees the Stormtroopers raising their blasters. They're encountering the Rebel insurgents.
''Admiral, stay there,'' says his lieutenant. Then, he's shot in the throat and falls backwards on the floor, dead. His EC-17 blaster pistol clatters on the floor and bumps into Father's black boots.
Father pushes himself against the wall of the doorway, as his Stormtroopers open fire. As the blaster bolts screech through the corridor, he's confident that they'll be able to kill Rebel insurgents. Rebel insurgents are no saints and have no guardian angel. All they have is a broken belief, one that's against the Imperial values that keep the galaxy safe and secure. However, his confidence shatters as the Stormtroopers are mowed down one by one. As the last Stormtrooper screams in agony, falling to the floor and being shot in the head, Father realizes he's alone.
Seeing the EC-17 blaster pistol lying on the floor, Father reaches out to it and holds it in his hand. His grip tightens as he knows he has to do the job himself. Though he's old, he has never forgotten the training he followed decades ago.
Determined to kill anyone who dares to resist, Father turns around the corner of the doorway with the blaster pistol enclaved in his hand. But in a quick matter, he sees a person race towards him and before he could pull the trigger, the person gets hold of his arm and moves it out of the way. Pulling the trigger, Father hits the corridor's ceiling as the person then punches him in the throat. Gurgling, he falls backwards against the wall crashing onto the metal floor, his throat aching, Then, Father's eyes land on the person who brought him down.
The person is wearing a black armour suit and a black helmet with a green visor and a grey symbol with two wings at his shoulder, his blaster pistol hanging in its holster hanging around the person's waist. His black armour absorbs nearly all the light in the corridor as the person looks at him, but what Father can see is that this is not just a Rebel insurgent. This must be a spy, an infiltrator, or a mercenary, but at least not a casual Rebel soldier.
In the corner of his eye, Father notices an E-11 lying on the floor, dropped by a Stormtrooper. He knows that this blaster is his only chance of shooting this Rebel in bits, no matter how many armour pieces he's wearing. Instantly, he reaches out for the E-11, grabs the blaster, squeezes the handgrip and lifts it from the floor.
Then, he loses grip as he hears a screech and feels his shoulder burn, falling to his side on the metal floor and seeing smoke rising from his shoulder. The blaster falls from his hand and clatters on the floor, and Father realizes he's been shot in the shoulder. He groans as the pain agonizingly spreads through the rest of his body, and he's nearly unable to move any of his limbs.
Then, Father feels two cold hands grabbing his side and pushing him on his back. His eyes land on the spy as he grabs him by the shoulders and pushes him violently against the wall, his back making a loud thud as he hits the metal. The spy lets go of him and Father falls onto the metal floor, his head resting on the wall.
The black apparition crouches to the floor and looks at Father as he's gasping for air, trying to suppress the pain in his shoulder. Then, he recognizes the black helmet the spy is wearing and remembers it from decades ago. The T-shaped, green visor on the front and the brow ridge above it, extend across the helmet's width. The cheek guards gently bend outwards. The small fin on top of the helmet runs from the front to the back. His black kama with lime-green edges hangs down from his belt. Father recognizes the helmet from one of the most decisive wars in recent history, and he has seen thousands of soldiers wear it, protecting the Venator he served on. The spy is not just a Rebel. He's wearing Clone Trooper armour, second-generation plastoids. manufactured by Kaminoan armorsmiths, and he has a DC-15A blaster carbine in his holster.
''So, admiral,'' says the spy, his voice scrambler masking his real voice. ''Let's have a talk, shall we?''
''About what?'' scoffs Father, gritting his teeth as his shot wound aches. ''There's nothing I will speak about.''
''I beg to differ, sir,'' and then, the spy pulls out a vibroblade and cuts it into the shot wound on Father's shoulder.
Father groans as he feels the vibroblade piercing into his body, gritting his teeth as the pain is agonizing.
''The Imperial flag has been waving for long enough,'' says the spy, looking at Father through his Clone Trooper helmet, ''and it's time to burn it down with its ashes decaying for centuries to come.''
The spy pushes the vibroblade further into his shoulder, and Father grits his teeth harder as he could feel the blade vibrating in his body.
''The Empire's flame will remain no matter what,'' responds Father. ''The more you try to burn the flag down, the more you give us the strength to fight your people.''
The spy scoffs. ''And the more you put children in armour suits? Your teenage soldiers are a joke. Tell me, admiral, what's the point of having children fight against us? Out of competent bucket heads?''
The spy chuckled, and Father knew instantly that he knew about Night Force. This spy not only managed to break in, but he also got into the computer systems, learning about teenage soldiers. His heart pounds as he realizes the time has come. The Rebels have become desperate, and they've captured him. The secrets of the Eagleclaw, Night Force, and the Empire can't be revealed. He shuts his mouth and moves with his tongue over his upper front tooth. One massive blow on his lower teeth and he's electrocuted to death with 11.000 volts. It's a gruesome, but quick death, and it's protocol that he has to follow. His heart pounds as he prepares himself to slam his front tooth on the lower with his jaws.
''Yeah, you know what I mean,'' says the spy, and he moves further towards Father, still lying on the floor and leaning against the wall.
This is the time.
Father opens his jaws to break his front tooth. Within a second, 11.000 volts will break his body and he'll die instantly, but before he could break it open, the spy lashes out with his blaster carbine and slams it into his jaws. Father gurgles as he feels the barrel hitting his throat, but what makes his heart skip a beat is feeling his front tooth breaking off of his upper jaw.
''No you don't,'' says the spy, and he retracts his blaster.
Father feels his front tooth slipping into his throat and almost suffocates. He gurgles and coughs hard and bends over. He coughs out his tooth and it hits the floor. Drops of blood and saliva splash on the metal floor as his front tooth sparks on the floor. It erupts with 11.000 volts, sparking on the floor and dying down as it consumes its power. His heart pounds in his chest as he realizes his suicide attempt failed.
''Lursa loved her invention so much that she protected it with her life,'' says the spy, putting the blaster in his holster. ''It had the ability to push a starship to lightspeed and traverse the void below time and space. No other propulsion system was worth this much to her, so much that it cost her life. Protecting it, she lost all association with her invention, and her involvement in the invention of the Hyperdrive was never recorded in history, fading away as the dust settled and her invention was reclaimed by others. Dying to protect it, the inventor never had the chance of ever traversing Hyperspace again with her own invention.''
Father pants, trying to relieve the pain in his jaw and shoulder, wondering why the spy is telling this to him.
''Sir, you know what I'm talking about, don't you?'' asks the spy, tilting his black Clone helmet. ''Yeah, you know it, and the exact same thing will happen to you, so let's have a chat about Night Force of yours and make the story unforgettable,'' and he pushes the vibroblade further into his shoulder, and Father lets out an agonizing scream.
''Seven!''
As the Rebels continue to spread a rain of fire through the corridor, Eva pushes herself hard against an adjacent doorway, giving her cover from enemy fire. The blaster fire echoes through the corridor as Eva shifts her head to Ashara on the other side of the corridor, taking cover behind a doorway too.
''What?'' cries Eva, making eye contact with the girl.
''Seven!'' repeats Ashara.
Now Eva understands what Ashara is saying: seven Rebels remaining, and simply shooting them down won't be easy as they've somehow managed to lock themselves up in a machinery room with only one way out, the corridor they're standing in. This won't be a simple task, and further back she sees the remaining Stormtroopers having difficulties as well, trying to get a gap in enemy blaster fire to shoot back.
''Blast it,'' curses Eva, and she realizes that simply shooting them down won't be possible.
Then she comes up with a plan. Eva and Ashara both have to take down one Rebel at a time simultaneously. With her heart pounding in her chest, Eva peeks around the corner of the doorway and sees four Rebels having made a cover for themselves by putting crates in the corridor. Her eyes land on one Rebel on the right side of the corridor near the wall. Eva quickly moves back, and she shifts her head to the girl.
''Ashara!'' cries Eva. ''We both kill one at a time.''
Ashara shifts her head to Eva. ''Yeah. Got it!''
''One's at the right wall,'' says Eva, and she squeezes her E-11's grip. ''In 3, 2, 1. Now!''
Instantly, Eva peeks around the corner and raises her blaster. Together with Ashara, they fire at the Rebel soldier simultaneously, hitting him in the shoulder and head. One by one, Eva and Ashara take down the Rebels, and together with the Stormtroopers taking cover further back, they manage to break through their cover, cleaning up the corridor from insurgents.
Entering the machinery room in which they entrenched themselves, Eva shoots down the last Rebel insurgent in his chest, falling to the floor with a thud as his A280 rifle clatters on the floor. Gasping for air to catch up with her racing breath, she turns to Ashara.
''Cleared,'' says Eva.
Ashara lowers her blaster, her golden face tattoos shimmering in the light. ''Good. Finally, we got rid of 'em.''
''How could they've entered the Academy?'' asks Eva.
''I don't know,'' replies Ashara, ''but let's go, we should report to Roslin.''
Eva lets out a sigh, not wanting to face Roslin again. She might say something she won't like, but she starts walking out of the machinery room, following Ashara through the corridors. The alarm is still blaring as Eva reaches Roslin and the rest of the squad.
''We're back,'' says Ashara, approaching Roslin who's talking to a Stormtrooper commander.
''How did it go?' asks Roslin, turning her head away from the Stormtrooper who starts walking away.
''We had some difficulties,'' replies Ashara, and she looks over Roslin's shoulder. ''Where's Ecklund?''
''Called up to Battle Command,'' replies Roslin. ''Don't know why and I don't care.''
As Ashara and Roslin start to talk, Eva stands next to her, feeling the distrust still remaining between her and the rest. Shifting her head, she sees Peyton leaning against the wall, gazing into the distance. Eva feels the enormous distance between her and Peyton, and as the girl shifts her head to Eva, she can see the distrust in her eyes, and it still saddens her.
As Peyton shifts her head back to gaze into the distance, Eva can't help but feel a vast void between her and the girl. A void that she can't cross to get her back as a friend, and it hits her deep in her heart.
Then, Eva hears an agonizing scream echoing through the corridor, and she instantly turns around to the source behind her. The scream fades away quicker than it came, but Eva knows it's a scream from a soldier crying for help. Her heart starts pounding in her chest.
''What the hell was that,'' says Roslin, her jaws chewing gum as she turns around as well.
''That scream made me tremble,'' says Ashara, her voice shivering a bit. ''Somebody's in distress. We should look.''
''Agreed,'' replies Roslin. ''Everyone, on me.''
As Roslin, Peyton, and Ashara run past Eva, she starts running too and follows her squad through the corridors. The alarm is still wailing and lights on the walls flash red as the footsteps of the squad faintly echo through the grey hallway. Then they approach an intersection and they all stop.
''Skorvit, where did it come from,'' curses Ashara, stopping in her track, and looking around.
Eva stops too, her heart pounding as she catches her breath. Now this is great. Someone's in need of help and we can't find him.
Then a scream echoes through the corridor again. Eva shifts her head to the left corridor of the intersection, hearing the pain in the person's scream.
''It came from there,'' says Eva, pointing out.
''Come on,'' cries Roslin, and she starts running in front of the squad.
As Eva runs through the corridor, going towards the source of the scream, her mind floods with thoughts of who this person is and what made him scream this agonizingly. A trooper shot down, facing death? Did scum go deeper into the base?
Then, as Eva and the squad turn around a corner into another corridor, her heart sinks into her chest. At the end of the corridor, 30 meters away from her, an Imperial officer dressed in all white lies on the floor, his head resting on the metal wall and he seems to be unconscious. Eva recognizes the officer as the scientist or the admiral she met this morning, but what scares her more is the black silhouette bending over the Imperial officer, and she recognizes the silhouette instantly. The black armour, the green visor, and a grey dot on the shoulder armour piece. No. This can't be that person, the one who I saw at BlasTech and later in the hide-out yesterday.
Roslin instantly raises her E-11 and aims at the black silhouette, but before she could open fire, Eva sees the dark apparition pull his blaster and aim at the squad. She sees blue blaster bolts hurdling towards her and she steps away and slams herself against the wall, dodging the fire as they fly past her. The rest of the squad push themselves against the walls too, and Eva's heart starts to pound with anxiety, her mind flooding with the thoughts of this black apparition. It's him. It's kriffing him, the one who shot me and her.
Eva is trapped in her anxious thoughts as one of the blaster bolts of the rain of fire hits a door panel on the wall. Sparks fly off as the door panel malfunctions, and the blast door closes, sliding down onto the floor with a bang.
''Blast it,'' curses Roslin. ''He shut the blast door.''
The squad runs towards the shut blast door, and Eva follows the rest. Approaching the blast door, her hands start trembling as she can't shake off the anxiety. Behind this blast door is the apparition, the spy, or the mercenary who took her down in the hide-out.
''Peyton, slice the door,'' orders Roslin, shifting her head to the girl.
''On it,'' replies Peyton, and she reaches out for her backpack and grabs her datapad. ''The door panel is gone, so I'll have to connect with the Academy's system to open it that way.
''How long will it take?'' asks Roslin.
''It's done within no time,'' says Peyton, approaching the blown door panel.
''Ashara,'' says Roslin, shifting her head to the girl. ''Stand ready to help that officer immediately.''
''Got it,'' replies Ashara.
''It's an admiral,'' says Eva, shifting her eyes to Roslin.
''Admiral?'' asks Roslin, raising her eyebrows.
''Met him this morning.''
''Did he punish you for the incompetence you showed yesterday?
Eva lets out a sigh and rolls her eyes, shifting them down afterwards. Just shut up.
As Peyton plugs her datapad into the cable port just below the blown door panel, Eva stares at the shut blast door as her heart races. The spy, the one who shot her and Peyton down yesterday, is behind this blast door, and Eva can't comprehend it. It-, it just can't be.
''Eva,'' says Ashara, standing next to her.
Breathing heavily, Eva is pulled out of her thoughts and shifts her head to the girl.
''You're OK?'' asks Ashara, looking at her and holding the E-11 tightly.
Eva slowly shakes her head. ''The Rebel behind this door,'' she says, breathing heavily, ''he shot me and Peyton at the hide-out.''
Ashara's pupils grow. She wants to ask something but she's suddenly interrupted by Peyton.
''Dank ferrik!'' she curses. ''Something's wrong with my datapad.''
Eva shifts her head to Peyton, looking with large pupils at her flashing datapad in her hands.
''What is it?'' asks Roslin, looking down at her datapad.
''I don't know,'' replies Peyton, ''but it's jamming everything. I can't get into the system.''
Roslin sighs. ''Kriffin' hell. Come on, there must be another way to get behind this door,'' and she gestures away from the shut blast door. ''Come on.''
As Peyton unplugs her datapad from the system, they run away from the shut blast door, trying to find a way to get behind it. Holding the E-11 tightly in her hands, Eva runs behind her squad, turning right at an intersection. Following her squad, Eva feels her heart slowly sinking in her chest as she thinks about having to face the spy again. After he shot her and Peyton down, she is anxious about thinking about him again.
Turning right at an intersection again, they almost reach the point behind the shut blast door that was previously unreachable. Running behind her squad, she tightens her grip on the blaster. Then, further away into the corridor, Eva sees a black apparition flashing, and within a fraction of a second, she realizes it's the spy fleeing, crossing the intersection and disappearing quickly as soon as he appeared.
''There he is!'' cries Roslin, but before she could raise her blaster, the spy already crossed the intersection. ''Blast it, he's trying to flee.''
Eva's heart pounds in her chest as she and the squad approach the intersection.
''Eva, Peyton,'' says Roslin, turning around to the girls as she stops. ''Follow that Rebel and get some troopers to follow you.''
As Eva stops in her tracks, Peyton shifts her head abruptly to her.
''Seriously? With Eva?'' she asks, shifting her head back. ''Roslin, I'm not,-''
''I know you don't want to, but I'm giving you an order, Peyton,'' says Roslin strictly.
Peyton sighs. ''Ugh, fine, but if a mistake is made,'' she nearly hisses, ''don't blame it on me.''
''Understood, just get going!'' orders Roslin. ''Ashara, come with me.''
The squad then splits apart and goes different ways, and Eva follows Peyton, running through the corridor. Her heart pounds as she speeds over the floor, the fluorescent lights flashing out of her eyesight.
''Eva,'' says Peyton, looking over her shoulder. ''Don't you think of doing it again.''
As she gasps for air, trying to keep up with her lungs, Eva lets out a sigh and the weight of guilt and regret start to settle heavily on her chest. Putting everything at risk because I want revenge. Ugh, I know.
Casting her eyes down as she runs over the floor, Eva feels a heavy knot forming in her stomach again. The feeling of having lost the trust of a friend gnaws on her, and it aches in her heart, refusing to go away.
As she sees Eva running away from her, Ashara looks back and runs through the corridor, following Roslin. Having seen Eva struggling to get back with her squad gives her third-hand pain, and she feels it aching in her mind. She lost a friend because Eva wanted to get justice to be served so much. Her love for her parents and her younger sister made Eva lose a friend she loved too. It pains Ashara to see a broken soldier struggling to get back on track.
As Ashara runs around the corner of a turn, she and Roslin end up on the other side of the shut blast door. Her heart sinks in her chest as her yellow eyes land on the bodies of Stormtroopers lying on the floor. They all have several burn marks on their helmet, chest, leg, and any other limb they possess. They were all mowed down by a Rebel that must've been very skilled, and Ashara is immediately reminded of Lassa Rhyme, a Pantoran female pirate who runs the Blood Bone Order, and a skilled swordswoman with excellent marksmanship. Stories of the pirate have been circulating since the outbreak of the Clone Wars, stories about raids and infiltration.
Running around the dead troopers, Ashara's eyes land on the white-dressed admiral lying on the floor. Approaching him, Ashara sees his head resting on the metal and a terrifying blaster wound on his shoulder. The shoulder part and the chest of his white admiral's jacket are drenched in blood, and red droplets seep onto the floor.
''Can you help him?'' asks Roslin, reaching out for the ball of gum between her teeth and sticking it to her E-11.
Ashara lowers herself to the floor, feeling the cold metal through the jeans of her off-duty suit. Skorvit, the 5 steps of treating a blaster wound. Assess, control bleeding, cleanse and dress the wound, and provide pain relief. Right
Ashara bends over the admiral and touches his eyelids with her blue hands.
''Sir?'' she asks, opening the admiral's eyes with her fingers, but he doesn't answer.
Ashara bends more over the admiral and comes closer to his head, putting her ear on the man's mouth. His lips feel dry and she hears the faint breathing of the admiral. He's breathing.
Ashara shifts her attention to the wound on the admiral's right shoulder, and it looks nasty. The wound burned through his shoulder. A circle around the wound has blackened, and blood is dripping out of it. That's unusual since blaster wounds scorch the part of a body, not pierce it like a slug. As Ashara looks closer, she sees cuts engraved in the wound and she starts to realize this wound is not the job of just a blaster. A knife was used too. Skorvit, this guy got really tortured. Okay, assess and control bleeding.
Ashara reaches out for the medpack on her back, but she doesn't feel it. Her heart slowly sinks in her chest as she realizes she doesn't have the medpack with her. Skorvit, I must've left it at the barracks when I searched for Eva.
''I don't have my medpack,'' says Ashara, her heart starting to pound in her chest, and she shifts her head to Roslin. ''Call in the medical bay.''
''On it,'' says Roslin, nodding, and she reaches out for the comlink hanging on her utility belt around her waist.
As Roslin walks away to call in the medical bay, Ashara shifts her head to the wounded admiral. This man's an admiral. He might be the most important man on this moon. I can't let him wait in pain for the medical bay, can I? No, I can't wait, and he can't either. I have to do my job. Mother would disprove my negligence. Okay, assess and control bleeding.
Determined to do her job, Ashara reaches out for the collar of the jacket of her off-duty suit and pulls it off. Feeling the tight fabric slip off of her body, she pulls the jacket off with her hand. Only her bra covers her chest and most of her stomach shields her from the chilly air in the corridor. Holding it in her hands, her jacket is the only thing that she could use to control the man's bleeding. She stands up and steps over the admiral's body and lowers herself to the floor on the other side of the man, on the side of his shoulder wound, and puts her jacket on the floor.
''What are you doing?'' asks Roslin, approaching her as she lowers herself again to the floor where Ashara previously sat.
''I have no other choice,'' replies Ashara, and she keeps her eyes on the wound, seeing the blood still dripping on the floor. ''Medbay?''
''On their way.''
Ashara slightly nods. Bending a bit towards the admiral's blood-drenched shoulder, she knows she has to cut off the sleeve of his white jacket. His blood-drenched sleeve contains germs that could harm the admiral's health further with a nasty infection. But, Ashara has no knife or anything sharp that could do the job.
''Roslin, you got something sharp,'' she asks, shifting her head.
''Uh, no,'' replies Roslin. Then she shifts her head and her eyes seem to land on something. ''I think I can get something sharp,'' and she walks away towards the door panel.
Ashara startles as she hears the screech of a blaster echoing through the corridor, and shifting her head, she sees Roslin shot at the door panel. The door panel falls apart, and Roslin takes hold of it and pulls it out of the wall. The wiring comes loose and sparks fly off as they disconnect from the Academy's power grid. Holding the severed door panel in her hand, she walks to Ashara and puts it on the floor. Damaged metal parts roll away from the severed door panel, and Ashara sees a sharp metal object she could use as a knife.
''This will do,'' says Ashara, and she holds the sharp metal object in her hand.
It's a small piece of metal plating used to keep the door panel enlocked in the metal wall. Holding it tightly in her hand, making sure she doesn't cut herself, Ashara bends towards the admiral's shoulder and grabs his sleeve with her free hand. Putting the improvised knife on the sleeve, Ashara cuts through the fabric.
''Is there something I can do?'' asks Roslin.
Ashara keeps her eyes enlocked on the fabric as she cuts off the admiral's sleeve. ''Put the bodies in a respectable position.''
In the corner of her eye, she sees Roslin standing up and walking towards the lifeless bodies of the Stormtroopers. Shifting her focus to the admiral again, Ashara cuts the last bit of fabric and pulls the white, blood-drenched sleeve off the man's arm. She grabs her jacket and wraps it tightly around the man's shoulder. Her blue hands start to get red from the blood as Ashara tries to stop the bleeding. The blood of the admiral feels cold on her hand, and she starts to fear the worst, fearing losing control over his wellbeing.
Come on, come on, let this work, please.
''Blast it!''
Peyton curses as she and Eva stand in the middle of an intersection in the Academy. Gasping for air, Eva looks around into the corridors, but she has no idea where the spy went. The black apparition flashes in her mind as she desperately looks around, unable to decide which direction they should take.
''We lost him,'' says Peyton, panting. ''Where the hell did he go?''
''Should I know?'' asks Eva, gasping for air.
''Would be convenient.''
Then Eva starts thinking. If I was a Rebel scumbag at an Academy trying to escape, what would I do? What in the hell would I do? Just running and shooting my way out of the Academy? No, on foot would be too risky. If I was him, it would be the last thing I'd do. Then what are my other options? Stealing a tank? That is the only option Eva could think of. Escaping a military building in lockdown could only be achieved by doing so with heavy armour.
''Would he be able to hijack a vehicle?'' asks Eva, shifting her head to Peyton.
Peyton shifts her head to her. In her eyes, Eva can see the distrust as the girl nods. ''The nearest hangar's that way,'' and she starts running off.
Eva starts running too and follows Peyton through the corridor. As she runs, she meets a group of Stormtroopers escorting personnel who have white clothing with red stripes. Stepping aside, Eva notices they're from the medbay, having the Red sigil on their white jackets. They run past her.
They reach the nearest hangar bay. Stepping into the large hangar, Eva sees it's one storing All Terrain Defense Pods, a predecessor to the well-famed AT-ST. Though it's an older model of the walker, the AT-DP is still a formidable force of security that makes any Rebel tremble at the sight of seeing one. At the end of the hangar, she sees the sun behind the buildings of the Capital's financial district as it starts to set. The sky is filled with shades of blue and orange with white clouds scattered across. Walking further into the hangar, Eva sees there are two rows of 6 AT-DPs, accessible with catwalks with grated floors. Through the grated floor, she doesn't see the spy. A black apparition in a fully lit hangar is easy to see, so she goes on, walking behind Peyton as they both raise their E-11s.
''Catwalks are empty,'' says Eva, looking at the AT-DPs.
''I know,'' replies Peyton. ''AT-DP hatches are locked with grade-7 security pins. He wouldn't stand a chance breaking those open.''
Eva nods, surprised by the walker's tight security.
On the right of the AT-DPs stand big metal containers, bigger than airspeeders, and Peyton gestures to them. Yeah, we should check them out. If he isn't at the walkers, he could be taking cover behind the containers to come up with a plan to get out unharmed. He wouldn't be able to bypass the DP's hatch locks, so he'd come up with a different plan.
With her heart pounding in her chest, Eva walks behind Peyton to the containers, aiming the crosshair of her gunsight at the little alleys between the containers. Breathing heavily, she walks between the containers. She rests her finger on the trigger, prepared to pull it. Come on, where is this scumbag.
Then something flashes in front of them. Eva startles and pulls the trigger, her blaster screeching as she fires. Her heart pounds in her chest as the barrel of her blaster smokes. She looks away from the gunsight, expecting to see the spy stumbling towards the floor but then she sees the spy isn't there. A scared, grey mouse droid beeps as it flees from Eva.
Peyton turns around to Eva with her eyebrows raised. ''Eva? You're good?''
Eva breathes heavily, her heart pounding as she nods shakily, feeling the nervousness nearly suffocating her.
''It was just a mouse droid,'' says Peyton, lowering her blaster and stepping towards Eva. ''Seriously, are you well?''
''Peyton,'' Eva sighs. ''It's just the nerves.''
''Fine,'' says Peyton. ''Just don't get us shot again.''
Ugh, I know.
The memories of yesterday night flash before her eyes again. Seeing Peyton stumble to the floor with a burn mark on her shoulder armour, feeling the vibrations of the spy's vibro-knife through the air, feeling her entire body shutting down after getting stunned, and Peyton's rage outside, pushing her against the hull of the ITT. The memories flood back, and her heart starts to pound more heavily in her chest. Before all of that, Peyton was someone she liked, trusted, and befriended. Now, all she sees in the girl's eyes is distrust and hostility, angry about the grave error Eva made. Feeling the sweat form on her forehead, Peyton turns around and raises her blaster, continuing to search the containers for the spy.
Then, Eva's heart sinks as she sees a black apparition jump into the alley between the containers, right in front of Peyton. Eva startles and gasps for air. Peyton shakes and steps back, but before both of them could pull the trigger, the spy lashes out, takes hold of Peyton's blaster, and punches her in her gut. Peyton cries and stumbles to the floor, reaching for her stomach. Eva's heart pounds as she realizes she's facing him again. Her finger trembles as she pulls the trigger. Her blaster screeches, but due to her trembling, she barely misses the spy. Before she could aim better, the spy takes out his blaster pistol and shoots at Eva. Her E-11 flies out of her hand as she feels her right hand burning agonizingly. Eva cries as she retracts her hand and holds it against her chest with her other hand. She sees a black burn mark on her hand and it feels agonizingly painful, and she realizes she's been hit in her hand. Tears start forming in her eyes as she sees the spy lowering his blaster.
''Sooo,'' he says, his voxscrambler toning down his voice. ''We meet again, my child.''
Eva pants as she looks at the spy, his green T-shaped visor glowing.
''Considered dropping out?'' he asks, tilting his black helmet.
She sees the spy retracting his blaster pistol and putting it in the holster around the waist of his black body armour. Gasping for air to relieve the pain in her hand, Eva notices the spy doesn't want to shoot her. It weirds her out, but she notices it might give her a chance of taking him.
Within a second, Eva explodes forward towards the spy, clutches her fist and lashes out. She moves her right fist towards him but he dodges and Eva misses. The spy clutches his fist and strikes Eva in her chest. Eva gasps for air as she steps back, feeling the pain aching in her ribs. Then she sees the spy lashing out for another blow. Eva raises her left hand and blocks his fist, stepping back as she feels the force of the blow pushing her back. She clutches her other fist and pounds the spy in his shoulder, but it hurts even more as the shot wound on her hand aches more. His black armour feels as tough as the hull of an ITT. Then, the spy lashes out and pounds her head. Eva stumbles against the metal container, bumping against it with her back. Feeling dizzy, she sees Peyton standing up from the floor with blood dripping over her cheek. Peyton grabs the E-11 from the floor and aims at the spy. She opens fire and sparks fly off the spy's back. He groans as he stumbles forward.
''Rebel, throw that blaster away,'' says Peyton, gasping for air, the blood rolling over her cheek.
The spy gets himself up, gasping for air, his breaths unnaturally toned down by his voxscrambler, and he slowly reaches out for the blaster carbine hanging in his holster. Slowly, he pulls it out and aims it towards the ceiling of the hangar, making sure Peyton sees he's willing to give up.
''Throw it,'' says Peyton, taking a step towards him.
Eva steps away from the grey container and looks at the spy. Gasping for air, she can't believe the spy is willing to give up. She knows she should feel happy, but somehow she doesn't. Something's not right. Giving up after a simple shot? I have a bad feeling about this.
The spy still holds onto his blaster carbine as he aims it at the ceiling. Eva shifts her eyes to Peyton and sees a hint of joy in her eyes. As Peyton shifts her eyes and makes contact, Eva shakes her head, not believing a single thing about his surrender. Peyton raises her eyebrows and tilts her head with confusion, her eyes narrowing as the E-11 she's holding shakes a little. Peyton, don't believe this. Better shoot him in the leg or something.
Then, the spy turns around to Peyton and steps aside. The girl pulls the trigger but misses the spy. Within a second, the spy pounds his blaster carbine into Peyton's shoulder. She cries and stumbles to the floor. Eva steps forward, clutches her fist, and lashes out. The spy turns around and she pounds his chest, but his plastoid armour is tougher than steel and it feels as if her hands are burning away. Within a second, the spy puts his metal hand on Eva's left cheek and he pounds her head against the metal container. She feels her head burning as she stumbles to the floor, gritting her teeth as her right cheek that hit the container aches. Panting, she lies on the floor with her right cheek on the cold metal. As if the world spins chaotically around, she sees the spy putting his blaster carbine in his holster and runs away. He disappears out of sight as he turns around the container.
Feeling almost every limb of her body ache, Eva clutches her fists and puts them on the floor and pushes herself up. Her eyes land on Peyton as she too stands up from the floor, the blood on her cheek dripping onto the floor.
''Eva, where did he go?'' she asks, wiping away the blood on her cheek with her hand.
Eva pants and swallows heavily as she puts her hand on the container to support herself. The pain in her head makes her dizzy and she struggles to answer.
''Ugh, fine, I'll go after him myself,'' sighs Peyton, and she grabs the E-11 from the floor and runs away.
As Peyton disappears out of sight, turning around a container, Eva knows she can't let her alone. Even if their relationship is strained, she has to help her. Taking a deep breath, Eva grabs the E-11 she dropped and runs away. Emerging from the containers, she runs through the hangar and hears blaster fire outside. Red flashes reflect off the hangar's wall and she runs faster. She almost bumps into a spare fuel tank as she still feels dizzy. Blasterfire continues, and she tightens the grip around her E-11. She wonders what's happening outside as her sight is blocked by various utility speeders and a security checkpoint.
Running past a utility speeder, she sees a group of Stormtroopers taking down the last Rebel insurgents on the site. She looks around and sees Peyton hitting a Rebel in his chest. As he falls to the ground, Eva runs towards Peyton.
''Peyton,'' says Eva, gasping for air as she approaches her. ''Where did he go?''
She lowers her smoking blaster and shifts her head to Eva. ''I don't know. I lost him.''
Eva looks desperately around. All she sees are Stormtroopers lowering their blasters, dead Rebels lying on the ground, and various TIE Vulcans driving towards the hangar opening, blocking the road towards the Academy's exit gate, but she sees no black apparition.
''I don't expect him to be running towards the checkpoint,'' says Peyton, blood starting to roll over her cheek again. ''Dank ferrik, this wound keeps bleeding,'' she says and reaches out for her cheek to wipe off the blood.
A Stormtrooper commander wearing an orange pauldron on his left shoulder approaches Peyton. ''Cadet, you need a medic?''
Peyton shifts her head. ''Yeah, would be appreciated''
The commander nods and moves his wristlink to his helmet. ''TK-219, I need you at the hangar bay gate.''
''Why do you think he wouldn't run off?'' asks Eva, shifting her head to Peyton. ''He got into the Academy without raising the alarm.''
Peyton shifts her head to her as the Stormtrooper commander turns to speak with his own men. ''The base is on kriffin' lockdown, Eva,'' says Peyton. ''No way he'd just shoot his way out with his blaster.''
What do you mean? It's clear that he has an over-the-top marksmanship. He managed to escape the BlasTech facility when it was on lockdown, but before she could say that, Eva is interrupted by a mechanical, whirring sound coming from behind them. Eva and Peyton turn around as the whirring sound continues to come out of the hangar bay. Eva hears footsteps and sees the Stormtrooper commander standing next to her and looking at the hangar bay, wondering where the sound is coming from. Then she sees the metal head of an AT-DP moving around, reflecting the fluorescent lights.
''With an AT-DP, that guy won't be able to make it out on foot, that's for sure,'' says Peyton.
''We didn't call for a walker,'' says the Stormtrooper, shaking his bucket.
Peyton and Eva shift their heads to the Stormtrooper.
''If you didn't call for one, then what is that walker doing?'' Peyton asks. Then the realization hits her, and she shifts her head back to the AT-DP and starts to breathe heavily. ''Because it's hijacked.''
''How?'' asks Eva. ''It's secured with grade-7 security pins. You said it yourself.''
Peyton shifts her head to Eva and slowly nods. You kriffin' said it yourself. He wouldn't stand a chance of breaking those open.
Then Eva hears the whirring sound stop and sees the AT-DP starting to move its metal legs. Its circular feet pound on the metal floor of the hangar as it starts walking towards them.
The Stormtrooper then moves his wristlink towards his chin. ''Battle Command, did you dispatch an AT-DP walker from Hangar Bay 6?''
Eva shifts her head to the Stormtrooper. Her heart starts pounding heavily in her chest.
''Negative,'' crackles a voice through the comlink. ''No AT-DP has been dispatched from any hangar bay.''
Blast it. There wasn't supposed to be an AT-DP starting up. A wave of anxiety washes over her as Eva sees the AT-DP closing in and the ball turret below its canopy moving into firing position.
''Dank ferrik,'' curses Peyton, and she tightens the grip around her blaster.
The Stormtrooper turns hastily around to his men. ''We got a hija-,'' but before he could finish, the walker opens fire.
The ground shakes and an orange ball of fire erupts into the air. Eva's heart skips a beat as Peyton runs, takes her hand and pulls her away from the blast. Eva turns around and runs towards a utility speeder, taking cover as she hears the walker opening fire. Her hands shake as Stormtroopers run into position and fire at the walker, but they have no effect. Eva sees a blaster bolt from the AT-DP hurdling towards a group of Stormtroopers. The ground shakes and she's blinded by an orange fireball. As it rises and fades away, the dust settling, Eva sees a Stormtrooper helmet falling from the sky and clattering onto the ground, rolling towards her feet. As it stops in front of her feet, Eva sees the helmet is missing half of it. It's completely blackened and the visor is cracked. The trooper that wore it had evaporated in the walker's blast. The immense firepower of that thing scares Eva as her blaster trembles. A tank blocking the road towards the security checkpoints erupts in flames as the ground shakes.
''We won't stand a chance against that thing,'' says Peyton, her voice shaking.
Eva doesn't answer as she gasps for air, clueless about what to do. A Stormtrooper manning an E-Web is blown away as the turret's battery bursts into flames, his armour covered in the fire as he pounds onto the ground, letting out an agonizing scream as his fellow Stormtroopers continue opening fire. It's a kriffin' massacre.
In the corner of her eye, she sees the head of the AT-DP emerging from the hangar bay opening. It's merely 10 meters away as Eva feels the ground shake as its metal feet pound on the tarmac. Its ball turret below the cockpit rotates around and blasts Stormtroopers away with its firepower.
Eva is suffocated with anxiety as the AT-DP turns its metal head towards her and positions its canon. Eva walks backwards, feeling her back bump against the metal hull of the utility speeder. Then two blaster bolts screech through the air towards the walker. They penetrate the thin, frontal viewport and shards of glass rain down, tingling on the tarmac as the blaster fire of Stormtroopers continues. Eva and Peyton shift their heads and see a cadet standing on a container with a sniper. The cadet lowers the sniper, and Eva sees the face and the long, black hair of Ecklund, the team's sharpshooter and the quiet girl. Eva sees the eyes behind her round glasses twinkling as she makes eye contact with her, and Ecklund gestures with her head that she has to get away from the hijacked walker. Peyton sees it too.
''Come on,'' says Peyton starting to run. ''Get behi-,''
Then, the ground shakes and Eva startles, feeling the heat of firepower rain over her and fly to Ecklund. The sharpshooter drops herself to the metal of the container as the rain of fire misses her.
''Behind the speeder!'' cries Peyton.
Getting herself unnailed from the ground, Eva follows Peyton, running behind her. She hears another blast from the walker, and Eva sees the container blowing up. Her heart sinks as she sees Ecklund flying off and hitting the tarmac with her stomach. Her twinkling, round glasses slam on the tarmac as Stormtroopers in the vicinity drop to the ground as they feel the shockwave of the blast.
Peyton and Eva turn around the utility speeder and hide behind it, away from the walker. She slams herself against the metal hull of the utility speeder as she hears blaster fire. Eva feels her heart pounding in her chest as she hears Stormtroopers screaming as they're blown away or evaporated in the walker's blast. The ground shakes as she hears deafening explosions. Then, it all becomes quiet and all Eva can hear is her own heart and her breathing. What happened? Is it all over?
Then, Eva hears the sound of machinery whirring and metal joints screeching. Intrigued, Peyton turns around slowly and puts her hand on the roof of the speeder. Looking at her, Eva sees Peyton pulling herself slowly up, her arms trembling as she looks over the speeder's roof, lets loose and lands on the floor with her feet. Eva can see the girl's pupils enlarge as she pushes herself against the speeder's metal hull.
''Dank ferrik,'' whispers Peyton.
What's happening? Tell me, Peyton, what's happening? Before she could ask, she sees a large shadow cast upon the floor. The large shadow with sharp edges rises over the shadow cast by the speeder they're hiding behind. As the shadow grows, Eva hears a whirring sound and leg joints squeaking. Seeing the shadow, Eva realizes what is going on. The walker, it's searching for us.
Eva's heart pounds in her chest as she feels a wave of anxiety washing over her. Her entire body starts to shake as she feels suffocated by fear. Her eyes are locked on the shadow of the walker rising above the speeder's shadow, and she holds her breath.
The AT-DP, standing behind the utility speeder, rises its legs to full height. Trying to look over the speeder through the broken, frontal viewport, the black apparition controlling it tries to find Eva. Though the girl is not of great importance to him, Eva has intrigued him ever since she joined the Academy. His obsession with Eva is then suddenly halted as he hears over the communication channels that the Navy has gotten the clearance to shoot down a rogue walker at Bay 6. Knowing he's in danger, he steers away the AT-DP and controls the walker towards the Academy's security gates, trying to get out.
As Eva hears the metal pounds on the tarmac slowly fade away, the wave of anxiety flushes away. She is finally able to breathe and she gasps for air, feeling her hands still shaking. The spy and his toy with great firepower are gone.
''Dank ferrik,'' curses Peyton. ''I thought he got us.''
Eva doesn't answer as she keeps breathing heavily, trying to calm herself down. As her heart calms down, she manages to push herself away from the speeder's hull. Slowly, Eva and Peyton walk around the speeder. Her heart sinks in her chest as she sees the tarmac littered with the bodies of Stormtroopers. Two TIE Vulcan tanks that were blocking the exit road are engulfed in flames. Where the E-Web once stood, now lies the body of a Stormtrooper and a big crater. Both his legs are gone and the rest of his body is blackened. In the corner of her eye, she sees Ecklund running towards them, holding her sniper rifle in her hands. Her glasses show some cracks, but the eyes between it still twinkle.
''Ecklund, you're fine,'' says Peyton, relieved. ''I thought the walker had you.''
Ecklund stops in her track as she gasps for air, a wound on her forehead dripping blood as she wipes it off with her hand and drops the sniper rifle on the ground, clattering on the tarmac.
''Yeah,'' replies Ecklund, her eyes twinkling. ''You?''
''I'm fine,'' says Peyton.
Eva doesn't answer. The sight of the massacre, done by a single, a kriffin' single AT-DP, shocks her. Nailed to the ground, she can't believe what just happened. As the hijacked AT-DP in the far distance blasts open the security gates of the Academy's perimeter, Stormtroopers and medics run out of the hangar bay, hurdling towards those who have fallen. Eva gazes at them as they recover the bodies and help those in need. This was the work of a single kriffin' AT-DP.
''Move away!''
Roslin is pushed aside as medical staff from the medical bay, wearing white clothing and the Red sigil shining on their chests, run towards the wounded admiral. Ashara shivers from the cold as all that covers her blue skin is a simple, grey bra, her jeans and her shoes. Her off-duty jacket is still wrapped tightly around the admiral's shoulder as blood has finally ceased dropping on the floor. Ashara sighs out of relief as a doctor lowers himself to the floor on the other side of the admiral.
''He got a hit on his shoulder,'' says Ashara, trembling a bit.
The doctor bends a bit towards the face of the admiral. His eyes are still shut and he still seems to be unconscious. ''Wake up sir.''
Ashara looks as the doctor reaches out for his medpack and grabs a medspike out of it.
''Unconsciousness,'' notes the doctor, preparing the medspike. ''Show his wound to me,''
Ashara nods and quickly unwraps her jacket. Drenched in his blood, she pulls off the jacket and puts it on the floor as the shot wound is revealed.
The doctor rises his eyebrows. ''That's more than a shot wound.''
Ashara nods. Before she could reply, the doctor bends towards the shoulder wound and holds the medspike tightly in his hand. He jabs the medspike into his shoulder and injects the medicine into his blood vessels.
Ashara hears the admiral groan as he wakes up from unconsciousness.
''Sir?'' asks Ashara. ''Wake up.''
''Let him be,'' says the doctor. ''We don't want him to fight against the pain to just open his eyes.''
Ashara nods, understanding that the admiral needs to be let alone while the doctor starts grabbing more medical equipment. Assess, control bleeding, cleanse and dress the wound, and provide pain relief.
Then, Ashara sees a man in white clothing running into the corridor. From afar, she can see the inner turmoil and disbelief in his eyes as the man runs towards them.
''Father!'' says the man, and he lowers himself next to the doctor.
Father? Skorvit, this makes it much worse. This must be his son.
''How is he?'' the man asks, his voice shaking.
''Bad,'' replies the doctor, and he holds a pulse-wave scanner on his forehead, measuring the admiral's heart rate. A thin, green line is projected on his forehead as numbers flash on a small screen on the scanner.
''Can we get him to the medbay?'' the man asks.
''Not right now, we have to stabilize his vitals first.'' answers the doctor and he retracts the pulse-wave scanner and grabs another medspike.
''Cadet,'' says the man, shifting his head to Ashara. ''You're dismissed.''
Ashara shifts her eyes to the admiral as the doctor treats him.
''Here, take this,'' says the doctor and he hands a wet towel to Ashara.
She takes it and stands up from the floor and walks away, giving space to the doctor to get the admiral's vitals stable. Leaning against the wall, facing the doctor and the admiral, Ashara cleans her hands with the wet towel. The admiral's blood is absorbed by the towel as it turns red and after she cleans her hands, she drops it on the floor, making a soft thud. Gazing at the wounded admiral, it pains Ashara to see him in such an unstable state. Then, she sees the eyes of the admiral finally go open. Her eyebrows raise as she didn't expect him to wake up already, but she feels happy for his son holding his hand.
''Father,'' says the man, gasping for air.
As Ashara looks at the admiral, she sees turmoil in his eyes, and she starts to feel uncomfortable. He's not right.
''Son, you're here,'' says the admiral, his voice crackling with pain.
''Yes, I'm here,'' says the man, holding tightly the hand of his father.
Looking at them, it hurts Ashara to see a son having to deal with this situation. Imagine if I saw mom or dad this way. I would've balled my eyes out.
''How do you feel?'' asks the man.
''Could've been better,'' replies the admiral, repositioning his head to get more comfortable.
The man chuckles a bit at his father's sarcasm, while the doctor treats his shoulder wound.
''We'll get you fixed, father.''
''Son, there's no time.''
''What are you talking about? The doctor is here and the medbay is here nearby.''
''No, not that. The spy, he knows the current state of the Eagleclaw Fleet and the project. The security of Vaulent 6 is in danger.''
''Don't worry father, we'll get him.''
''And there's one thing.''
The voice of the admiral changes from a shaken but alive man to a frail one, and Ashara feels a wave of discomfort washing over her. He's not okay.
''What is it, father?''
''There's a big mistake I've made, one I regret to have made for a long time.''
''We all make mistakes father, it's what makes us sentient beings.''
''And I'm a horrible being at that.''
''What do you me-''
''Kirbley. I'm sorry for the past 4 years.''
The atmosphere starts to feel more heavy and it begins to get nervous as Ashara keeps watching. Roslin walks towards her after supporting the other medical personnel carry away the deceased Stormtroopers.
''Peyton is fine, so is Eva,'' says Roslin, standing next to her.
Ashara doesn't answer. She's too distracted by what's playing out in front of her, a conversation between a father and a son which could be the last one they'll be having with each other. Roslin shifts her head and looks at them too, leaning with her back against the wall.
''Kirbley, I'm sorry that I dragged you down to this position,'' says the admiral. ''Back when we met each other in the Gordian Reach, I knew you wouldn't accept my offer of joining the development of Night Force, so I manipulated you to get you on my side, and I forced you to work under the command of High Command and the Emperor. I made you agree with a plan of the Army that rattled on all sides. You were right when you said it was better to go our own ways and forget Night Force. I dragged you into Night Force which I had no right in doing so.''
''But, father,'' blurts out the man.
''Kirbley, I'm sorry for everything I've done against you.''
''Father, it's not your fault. We're at war, we had to sacrifice, you said that yourself. We sacrificed to build.''
''Kirbley, you're my son and as a father, I shouldn't have done it. I shouldn't have misled my own child.''
Kirbley goes quiet as Ashara looks at them. This is awful for him, having to say this to his son. He must've felt bad all the time, having to carry the secrets he used to convince his son to work on Night- thing.
''I'm losing him,'' says the doctor, and he holds the pulse-wave sensor above his forehead again. ''His vitals are going down.''
''S- Stay with me, father,'' stutters Kirbley, his voice shaking, starting to show his inner turmoil.
''Kirbley,'' stutters the man, struggling to speak. ''I'm sorry,'' and his breath starts to quiver.
Ashara's pupils grow as she realizes the worst is happening. Skorvit, he's dying.
''No, father!'' says Kirbley, but his cry is in vain.
Before he takes his last breath, his father manages to speak one last time, barely loud enough for Ashara to hear on the other side. ''Dying to protect it, the inventor never had the chance of ever traversing Hyperspace again,'' he says, taking his last breath, ''with her own invention.''
Then, Ashara sees the colour in the man's eyes fade away. His head drops, and the grip around the hand of his son falls away. Though she saw it coming, Ashara looks with disbelief in her eyes at the dead admiral. Kirbley gazes at his now deceased father, and the doctor lowers his pulse-wave scanner, knowing the admiral's heart rate is nonexistent. From the other side of the corridor, Ashara can almost sense the wave of anxiety and sadness washing over Kirbley, seeing him gazing at his father, not believing he had just died.
''Kirbley,'' says the doctor, shifting his head to him. ''I'm sorry.''
''He's dead, isn't he?'' Kirbley stutters, gazing at him, his breath shivering.
The doctor nods, struggling to answer. ''Yes,'' he blurts out. ''Yes, he is.''
As the alarm stops blaring and silence falls, Ashara hears the man panting. Kirbley reaches out for his eyes as he feels tears forming, and wipes them away.
''He's in a better place now,'' says the doctor.
Kirbley slowly nods.
As she stares at Kirbley still holding the hand of his father, Ashara can almost feel the pain in his heart, the turmoil brewing inside of him, and the confusion in his mind. The sight of a father dying in front of his son hits Ashara, and she struggles to hold back the tears, thinking back to seconds before her father died. He died as a flaming engine of an X-Wing fell from the sky and hit him. Standing behind the window of her apartment building, she saw her father crushed to death as the rest of the X-Wing wreckage fell on him, falling out of the sky after being shot down by the anti-air turrets in the city. With disbelief, she ran downstairs, through the building's hallway, and stood on the street, nailed to the ground, as she saw the burning corpse of her father in a pool of flaming fuel. Ashara remembers the heat she felt and the tears that rolled over her cheeks, splashing onto the street's pavement.
Roslin lets out an uncomfortable sigh. ''I'll check on Peyton and Eva.''
Ashara nods, and as Roslin walks away, she follows her, having to focus on something else than her memories and Kirbley and his deceased father.
Feeling the shot wound ache, the Stormtrooper medic wraps a bandage around Eva's right hand, the one the spy hit with his blaster carbine between the metal containers. She feels the bandage sting as the bacta it's drenched in starts healing the wound. Whether it's magical properties or just science being science, Eva is relieved to feel the bacta doing its job.
As the medic finishes wrapping the bandage around her hand, Eva approaches Peyton, sitting on a metal ammo crate of an E-Web next to an ITT. The white bandage on her cheek covering the wound reflects a bit in the light as the sun starts vanishing below the Capital's skyline. Ecklund is there too, sitting on a metal crate as she gazes at the night sky, her round glasses reflecting the stars. Peyton taps relentlessly on her datapad and the screen flashes a couple of times as Eva approaches her. Intrigued, she comes closer and leans on the ITT's hull next to Peyton, and looks at her datapad.
''What are you doing?'' asks Eva.
Peyton keeps her eyes locked on the screen. ''Fixing it,'' she concisely answers.
''What's wrong with it?''
Peyton lets out a sigh, and Eva can hear the frustration that's building up inside the girl.
''My datapad got some weird virus holding back its performance,'' says Peyton. ''I have no idea how it got infected.''
Eva nods. ''Did it connect to an outside server or something?''
''No, that's impossible,'' replies Peyton. ''I'd need the access code or direct access through cable. The only server it's connected to is that of the Academy.''
Could it be that the Academy's server infected your datapad with the virus? No, that sounds weird. Why would the servers of the Academy even contain a virus?
''Where else could it have come from?'' asks Eva.
''I don't know, but not from the Academy,'' replies Peyton. ''It just can't be. Somebody must've put it on my datapad, either deliberately or accidentally.''
''Who do you think it could be?''
''I don't know,'' answers Peyton. ''Whoever it is, I'll give him a punch in the guts and he won't be able to stand up again.''
Eva can hear the anger in her voice. At first, Eva thought the hint of anger in her voice was directed at her, still angry about the error she made at the Rebel hideout. On Peyton's shoulder is still a bandage, and Eva can see its outlines in her off-duty suit. Then she figures out the anger in Peyton's voice is rather directed at the one who messed with her datapad. Eva remembers that she told her her datapad was one of the few things she adored when she still lived with her abusive parents. Wondering who could've put the virus on her datapad, Eva starts thinking. Peyton always has her datapad with her. There's no moment she lets it alone, so it wouldn't really be plausible for a Rebel to suddenly get her datapad in her hands and put the virus on it. It would be more plausible for a squad member to do it. Roslin? Ecklund? No, no that's impossible. What am I even thinking? And what kind of virus is it in the first place? Just one that people spread for the laughs, the money or the information?
''Dank ferrik,'' curses Peyton, bobbing her head up appalled, her eyes focused on the screen.
''What is it?'' asks Eva, intrigued, shifting her head down.
''It's spyware,'' she replies, shocked.
Spyware? That's not good. In shock, Eva lowers herself to the ground to look better at Peyton's screen. Eva sees she opened a datalog showing lines of text in Aurebesh, indicating the names of countless files.
''Someone put this on my datapad and spied on the Academy,'' says Peyton. ''Look at this, my datapad downloaded 600 files and uploaded them to an external databank.''
Hearing Peyton say someone spied on the Academy suddenly activates something in Eva's mind. Staring at her datapad, Eva suddenly recalls a vague memory. Seeing her memory play out in front of her eyes, she sees a room with a metallic floor and a computer desk. She sees it from a sideways perspective, but despite it, Eva instantly recognizes it as the Rebel hide-out she raided yesterday. The metal chairs on which the officers sat, her E-10 blaster lying on the floor, but what pulls her attention right away is the black apparition. It's a memory from after she was stunned by the spy. Eva feels her heart starting to pound in her chest as she sees through her eyelashes the spy holding Peyton's datapad. She sees him relentlessly tapping on her datapad before her recollection of the raid ended. Suddenly, it all clicked. It all made sense. Peyton's datapad didn't get the virus from any server. It was installed by the spy when he held it in his hands while both of them became unconscious from their wounds. It was him who did it, and she starts to breathe heavily as she realizes that this spy now has 600 files of Academy files. Her heart pounds as she gazes at Peyton's screen.
''I think I know who it is,'' says Eva, barely above a whisper.
Peyton abruptly shifts her head to her. ''Who, which scumbag was it?''
''It was that Rebel,'' replies Eva.
''That one wearing black armour?'' asks Peyton. ''How do you know? I never gave him my datapad.''
''No,'' replies Eva, feeling her mouth dry up. ''When we were at the hide-out, I saw him using your datapad.''
Peyton bobs backwards, shocked at what Eva told her. Then, she sees anger build up in the girl's eyes.
''If you saw it, what did you do?'' she asks.
''I was stunned, so I couldn't do anything,'' Eva replies.
''But you knew it all along, didn't you?'' Peyton asks, nearly hissing.
Eva shifts her eyes to the ground. Yeah, I guess so. I knew it but I couldn't remember it.
''Eva,'' says Peyton, anger starting to show in her voice. ''Why didn't you tell me earlier?
''I just-, I just couldn't remember it,'' stutters Eva. She feels the guilt build up inside of her, realizing that her grave mistake at the Rebel hideout had a much bigger consequence than she thought.
''Couldn't remember it?'' asks Peyton. ''What's wrong with your mind? This guy downloaded 600 files from the server, and look at this, Academy blueprints, maintenance hall access codes, guard shifts, and even locations of Vaulent's military defences!''
Eva's heart sinks in her chest as she starts to understand the consequences of her massive mistake. She looks away and makes eye contact with Ecklund's twinkling eyes, looking at her as she sees the trouble grow in front of her. She can see the worry in Ecklund's eyes.
''Dank ferrik Eva!'' curses Peyton, looking straight into Eva's eyes. ''All of this happened because of you!''
All because of me. Eva feels her eyes water as she hears anger of Peyton boiling inside. Eva stands up, trying to avoid eye contact as she feels the weight of her massive mistake resting on her chest, making it harder for her to breathe.
''Peyton,'' Eva blurts out, gazing into the AT-DP hangar bay. ''I'm-, I'm,-'' but she couldn't say it, feeling the sadness, the guilt, and the regret. The sorry couldn't get out of her mouth as the weight of her feelings on her chest nearly suffocate her.
''Eva,'' says Peyton, standing up and looking straight into her eyes.
Eva pants as she shifts her eyes and makes eye contact with Peyton.
''When we finished the pre-recruitment program, I knew you'd become a great soldier,'' says Peyton. ''I saw the determination in you, and despite that you lost almost all the time in The Well, you didn't give up. I thought you'd be a great squad member to work with, reliable as hell. Now? I don't know anymore. Now I'm doubting your eligibility for the military. Your mistakes just get bigger all the time.''
Her painful words from her mouth and the distrust in her eyes hurt Eva's heart. Shifting her eyes down to her feet, she can barely hold her tears, realizing her friendship has now fractured beyond repair, a friendship that held them together has now broken forever.
''I think you should drop out. It's better for yourself and the team,'' hisses Peyton, and she turns around, walking away from her.
Tracking Peyton with her eyes, Eva is nailed to the ground, feeling the weight of sadness, regret, and guilt press on her. What did I do? I made it so much worse. All of this could've been prevented. I couldn't remember it, but I should've. I should've remembered it and told her her datapad was compromised. This was all my fault.
As she can barely hold her tears, she sees Ashara and Roslin walking out of the hangar bay. For a moment, she's surprised by Ashara's naked stomach, seeing her only wear a long bra, but her thoughts are quickly clouded again with sadness, regret, and guilt. Peyton walks past them without exchanging anything. No words, no gestures, no eye contact. Ashara looks back, tracking Peyton with her eyes, having no clue what happened. Turning back, she makes eye contact with her. Roslin keeps looking at Peyton, trying to understand what happened as Ashara approaches Eva with confusion reflected in her eyes, but she could also see the fear in her eyes. The fear of a more fractured squad that is now beyond repair.
''Eva, you're okay?'' she asks, approaching her.
Hearing the worry in Ashara's voice makes Eva lose her ability to hold them back. The weight of her emotions starts to crack her down, and before it does, Eva knows she has to get out of here. The weight of the atmosphere is too heavy, she has to get to a place to be alone. Seeing Roslin approaching her too, Eva makes a run for an open blast door in the hangar bay. Hearing her footsteps pound on the metal, the tears start running down her cheeks. Running through the blast door, she pounds her back against the metal wall of the adjacent corridor. It has become too much. The weight of her mistakes has cracked her down, and all chances of repairing herself and her bond with the others are gone. It has become too much. Too much.
As the sun plummets below the horizon, the night sky reveals the stars. It gets cold as the sun vanishes, and darkness starts spreading everywhere, but all Eva feels is sadness, regret, and guilt as she sits with her back against the exterior wall of the Academy, looking over a shuttle landing pad. She made sure Ashara wouldn't find her. All Eva longs for is space without anyone worrying about her. Beyond the landing pad is the rest of the city, with skyscrapers of the financial district looming over the medium-rise buildings. A TIE Fighter screeches over the Academy, probably going back to the naval base outside the city after a long patrol. The TIE Fighter is barely visible in the dark sky, only its silhouette blocking out the stars betrays its position. The silhouette flies overhead like a vulture and disappears, its screeching sound fading away. Only the light breeze, the sound of airspeeders and the faint siren of a police cabin are audible.
Usually, it would clear someone's mind, calming one down. Eva doesn't feel the calming sensation. It only gives her mind some space to do nothing but stare at the skyline. She tries to think about nothing for a minute, but her emotions remain as the words of Peyton echo through her mind, all of this happened because of you.
Peyton's words make her slowly dissect everything. I should've listened to her, but I did it anyway. I shot that officer, I couldn't resist my anger. I wanted to avenge mom and dad so much that I distracted myself. I wanted to fight for Eline so much that I lost it. If I withstood it, I could've saved it all. I would've already made them proud, but I didn't. I gave that Rebel spy access to the Academy. If I hadn't shot that officer, I would not have been distracted and Peyton and I would've shot him before he could shoot us, but he shot first. If I did my job and resisted my anger, none of this would've happened. Now, that spy has 600 files in his hands. The security and safety of Vaulent 6 are under threat, because of me. I lost myself so much that I lost Peyton and now I'm a threat to the Empire too. I allowed all of this to happen because of my mistake. I'm as much a threat as a Rebel.
Eva takes off the wedding necklaces of her parents and holds them in her hand. They both shimmer as she gazes at them. Mom, dad, Eline, I'm sorry. I let you all down.
The emotions start to overtake her and Eva puts her hand on her forehead, and she starts crying, letting the tears fall on her lap. The tears make her eye vision blurry as she looks down at her drenched lap, wet from her tears. The Rebel's raid on the Academy, the 600 military files they've acquired, the spyware on Peyton's datapad, the doubt, distrust, the broken bond, having disappointed her parents and Eline, they're all the consequences of her simple mistake: letting into her emotions. If she hadn't, all of it would've never happened. Peyton would still be her friend, Roslin would've trusted her, and the security and safety of Vaulent 6 and the Empire wouldn't have been in jeopardy, but she let in, and when she thought the personal problems could be fixed with Ashara, it became worse. Unknowingly, the consequences were far bigger.
Looking up, Eva tries to stop her cries. The tears still stream down her cheeks as her eyes ache. The stars that were little dots are now large, vague circles in the night sky. She wipes away the tears with her hand, but they continue to stream. In the corner of her eye, she sees a vague, white figure walking towards her. Shifting her head, her eyes aching, she sees it's ACY-4. Its metal skin faintly reflects the stars as the droid walks towards her.
''Eva,'' says the droid with its female voice, ''are you alright?''
Eva gazes at the droid and lets a shivering sigh. ''Acy, just let me alone,'' she says and turns her head away from ACY.
Let me alone, just let me alone here. Her eyes land on the recovered wreckages of the TIE Vulcans the rogue AT-DP destroyed. Their carcasses are black, and one is missing its entire cockpit. Looking directly at one of the consequences of her mistake hurts her all the more. The pilot inside of it and the gunner who sat on top of it, holding the DLT-19 machine blaster, had died as a result of her mistake. As she recalls the moment the AT-DP fired at it, Eva hears a thud next to her and shifts her head.
''Acy, can't you just-, leave me alone?'' Eva stutters, the tears still streaming down.
ACY-4 sits next to Eva on the floor of the landing pad, leaning with its back against the wall too. The night sky is reflected on the droid's metal skin as ACY positions itself to sit more comfortably.
The droid shifts its metal head to her. ''I can't leave you alone. I don't allow myself to do it. I can feel your emotions, so please, let me help you.''
''Feeling them doesn't mean you understand them, Acy,'' says Eva, and she looks away, her eyes still aching as she hears her tears splash on the metal floor next to her. ''You're just a droid.''
ACY tilts its head, the joints in its thin, metal neck faintly squeaking. ''I might be a droid, but I'm just as sentient as you are, feeling emotions and understanding that of others.''
Eva slowly shifts her head to the droid. Droid sentience was generally despised. It wasn't valued or respected by the Empire as it would hinder their service. Droids have to follow human orders without question or autonomy. As such, droid sentience is often suppressed with tight programming, limiting their independent thinking. Hearing that ACY is as sentient as her perplexes Eva.
''How?'' she asks, the tears ceasing to drop. ''I thought droid sentience was limited.''
''And that is true. However, it doesn't stop protocol droids like me to build a consciousness within our boundaries,'' says ACY. ''I am programmed with Binary and you with amino acids, but we can understand each other nonetheless, and even if you don't understand me, I understand you. So please, Eva, let me help you.''
Eva shifts her head, her eyes landing on the floors of the landing pad, and she decides to open up. She lets out a sigh. ''I executed a Rebel officer myself during the raid. I thought I did it for a good purpose, but I was so distracted in avenging my parents that I let down my duty and got Peyton almost killed,'' and she starts telling ACY about the spy in black armour, stunning her and then putting the spyware on Peyton's datapad. ''The attack of today, the 600 military files they now have, the spyware on her datapad, the doubt, distrust, and the broken bond between me and Peyton, all because of me.''
The droid tilts its head, and as Eva finally managed to stop the tears from streaming, she feels her eyes water again.
''Acy,'' says Eva, her voice shivering. ''I-, I feel so-, so horrible,'' she stutters and the tears start running down her cheeks.
Without thinking, Eva bends over ACY's lap and presses her head against the droid's metal chest, trying to comfort herself. The metal plating feels cold and tough as Eva feels the droid's arms entangling her as ACY tries to comfort her. She hears her tears hit the metal as she lowers herself more and puts her head on the droid's lap. Though her tears keep running down her cheeks, feeling the droid's arms entangling her comforts her. It makes her feel as if she's hugging Eline when she left home for school. It makes her heart warm up a little despite the droid's cold hands. Turning around on the droid's lap, Eva's eyes land on the sea of stars in the night sky. Feeling the back of her head sitting on the droid's cold, metal legs, she gazes at the little dots imprinted in the sky, her heart still warming up from the droid's company.
''Acy,'' says Eva.
The droid tilts its head down and stares at her as Eva keeps gazing up at the stars.
''Before the air strike, I sometimes sat in a tree house with Eline we made together with our father. We looked at the night sky as we lay on it, and we saw thousands of stars in the galaxy, and I told her that each one is a future soldier of the Empire, ready to be born, ready to learn, ready to serve,'' and she lets out a big, shivering sigh, feeling the sadness dwell. ''Each time I looked up, I knew one of them was mine. I never had to search for one, I just knew my star was among them, but looking again, having caused all of the problems, I realize there's not one star that's me.''
ACY tilts its head up into the night sky, gazing at the little dots scattered across the dark void. Focusing on the stars, Eva can see them faintly flicker.
''My star has extinguished, it's gone,'' and she swallows heavily. It hurts her to say it, that she has realized she's not eligible for the military, and her heart aches. ''I failed. I let everyone down. Mom, dad, Eline, the squad, the Empire, everyone. I'm just a girl with a great imagination, having made so many mistakes that I can't make them come true anymore. My mistake was so big I ruined everything. Acy, It's better to drop out of the Academy, all I am is a failure, an obstacle that people rather get rid of.''
Silence falls as the droid keeps gazing up. Only the faint sound of airspeeders in the city is audible as Eva keeps staring at the little stars, knowing not one of them is her.
''But stars can be born again,'' says ACY, gazing up.
Eva shifts her eyes to the chin of the droid, wondering what ACY means.
''What do you mean, Acy?''
The droid tilts its head down, its mechanical eyes blending in with the stars in the night sky.
''Stars are formed in a process called stellar nucleosynthesis, in which molecular clouds come together and collapse under gravitational forces, leading to the creation of a dense core,'' says ACY. ''The core heats up and when enough temperature accumulates, nuclear fusion begins, starting to convert hydrogen into helium. It's this fusion reaction that generates a star's light and heat, fueling it for millions of years. Once it's drained of all of its fuel, the star implodes under its own weight and gravity, leading to a supernova that blows away all of the matter that it existed from. This matter, previously belonging to a living star, forms the nutrients new stars thrive on. The matter of a dead star accumulates, forming molecular clouds, comes together, and collapses under gravitational forces, leading to a new, young star.''
Eva gazes at the droid's eyes, struggling to understand why the droid is lecturing her about the creation of stars, and she tilts her head a bit, indicating her confusion.
''Eva, your star may have extinguished,'' says ACY, ''but its remnants live on, forming the basis of a new star. The formation of a new star is in your hands. You are the goddess who controls the power of the universe. Step up, take the challenge, believe in yourself, and you may create a totally new star, based on the remnants of your old one.''
Then the lightbulb goes on in her mind. Everything ACY has said makes sense, and Eva sees the connection. Her future as a Stormtrooper may have shattered and imploded like a supernova, but its leftovers can reforge a new future. She is the goddess, the one who's in control of the powers of the universe. It's up to her to take control of the problems she has caused and make up. It's time to step up, time to serve the Empire, time to finally catch that spy and bring him to justice for everything he's done. Roslin will see her as a worthy soldier, and Peyton will be satisfied with bringing the one who sliced into her datapad to justice. Eva positions herself to sit upright, the lightbulb in her head shining like a newborn star.
''Acy,'' says Eva, her voice shivering, and she entangles her arms around the droid, hugging ACY, and she finally manages to smile after all the emotions. ''Thank you.''
The droid entangles its metal arms around Eva and tilts its head, resting it on her shoulder. ACY's lecture about stars and how their corpses create new stars opened Eva's mind, convincing her that the problems she has caused can be solved. Her heart heats up, and her mind becomes clearer, knowing there's a way out. The tears dry up and her eyes stop aching. As her mind clears up, Eva suddenly thinks about something. The sixth-, the sixth member of the squad.
Eva remembers what Peyton told her months ago on their first day in The Well. Did you notice yesterday that the taskmaster called us a squad? A squad is a group of 6, but we're with 5. You, me Ashara, Roslin and Ecklund, that's 5, and then it suddenly clicked. Now she knows who the sixth person of the squad is, and Eva lets go and makes eye contact with the droid.
''Acy,'' she says. ''Are you the sixth member of the squad?''
The droid tilts its head a little, seemingly surprised. ''I am, Eva.''
Eva starts to smile, now knowing the sixth member of the squad is ACY.
''I am responsible for the mental well-being of every member of the squad,'' says ACY. ''It's my mission to keep you and others mentally sane, and right now, your sanity is my priority number one.''
Smiling, Eva is happy to know ACY has always been looking over her, ensuring she doesn't fall off. It could've been much tougher if the droid wasn't a part of the squad.
''Well, Acy, will you help me catch that Rebel spy?'' asks Eva.
''If it means an improvement of the squad's well-being and mental sanity, I'll gladly help,'' replies the droid.
''Thank you,'' says Eva, her voice trembling with joy and relief. ''I need you to get something for me. It's my training helmet, school bag, an E-10, and my wristlink. Could you get them?''
''I will, Eva,'' answers ACY.
''Ok then, Meet me at The Well,'' says Eva.
As ACY vanishes to pick up her equipment, Eva walks through the corridors towards The Well. Her heart pounds in her chest, feeling determined to turn the tables. Entering the Well and waiting for ACY to pick up her stuff, Eva feels the determination flow through her veins, feeling her hands tremble, ready to be used. As the cleaning droid she previously poked fun at with Peyton weeks ago finishes its job, ACY walks out of a doorway with her helmet, backpack, wristlink, and E-10 in its metal hands.
Handing them over to her, Eva puts the wristlink on her right arm and ties it around her arm with the metal tie wraps Peyton threw to the Rebel officers to handcuff themselves. Feeling it tightly around her arm, she gives her personal comlink to ACY.
''Here Acy,'' says Eva. ''Just so I can stay in contact with you.''
ACY takes her comlink with its metal hand. ''Eva, I'll help you anytime.''
Eva smiles. ''Thanks.''
She puts on her school bag, remembering when she wore it walking from and to school. Eva puts the E-10 in the holster of her utility belt, hanging down as she puts on her training helmet. She decided not to take her body armour with her as it could attract the attention of the Academy. Eva knows what she's doing could get her expelled as the Academy doesn't allow cadets to go on their own missions. Taking as little as possible with her could keep the Academy's eyes away from her, thus she takes her training helmet and her school bag with her and as little as possible from the Trooper Armament Bay. Putting on her training helmet she uses at the SimArena and The Well, Eva taps on the ear section and opens the visor.
''Eva, do you have a plan?'' asks ACY.
''No, but I'll make one on the go,'' replies Eva. ''I have a friend who could help me out.''
''Well then,'' replies the droid. ''Good luck.''
Eva smiles, thankful for ACY's encouragement and help. She steps forward and entangles her arms around the droid, pressing herself against her squad member. It brings her comfort in hugging the droid. Letting go to set off, she feels determined to do what she has to do. Walking away from the Academy and passing the security gates of the perimeter, she looks back one more time to the large building. It's a large dome with little windows letting out yellow light, with on top some antennas and red strobe lights flickering to ensure pilots don't crash into them. The light of the stars and the other moons in the dark sky reflects off the building. Goodbye, Academy. The next time I'll see you is when I finished the job, coming back as a friend instead of a reliability problem.
Turning around, she enters the rest of Vaulent Capital and walks over the road, seeing the skyscrapers of the financial district looming behind the apartment buildings. Seeing the swoop bikes and the speeders pass her, their bright headlights almost blinding her, Eva sees the memories of the spy flashing before her eyes. Eva sees him at the BlasTech facility, holding her at gunsight in the storage room. She sees him firing a shot in Kyraan's chest as he lied on the floor, the still images of a security cam footage of him bombing the cargo train at Kuat shown on the news channels, and she sees him holding his vibroknife below her chin, stunning her with his blaster, and holding Peyton's datapad in his hands. All of this is because of him. I'll get you, Rebel scum. I'll punch a hole in your guts so hard you won't be able to get up, and I'll bring you to justice for everything you've done. The slammer is what you deserve and you'll never be able to see the sun rising again. You're the planet that'll be sucked in by the black hole my extinguished, imploded star left behind. You're mine.
Feeling the light breeze flow through the air, Ecklund sits on the roof of the Academy building, holding her sniper rifle in her hands. It's an old 773 Firepuncher most of the Republic sharpshooters favoured, but despite its old age, it holds up excellently. Looking through its electromagnetic scope, Ecklund aims her sniper rifle at whatever is happening beyond the Academy's perimeter. Looking through the scope, she sees a swoop bike making an emergency stop as a speeder emerges onto the intersection. She sees the male driver of the speeder step out and yell at the driver sitting on the swoop bike. The swoop bike driver raises his hand, apologizing for the near-miss, and both men continue their way. As the road clears up, Ecklund shifts her sniper rifle and the scope lands on a window of an apartment building. Adjusting the scope, she gets an enhanced view and she sees a couple having sex.
Looking through the scope, Ecklund blushes with embarrassment, having caught a couple having sex. Looking away from the scope, she questions whether she should really keep an eye on the city. She knows she's not shielded from anything that she feels embarrassed about seeing, but she chuckles and laughs it off.
Shifting her sniper rifle to something else, she enjoys the view of the city. Ecklund enjoys being alone as well, having almost no connection to the rest of the squad. The silence on top of the Academy's gigantic dome gives her the peace she needs. The sniper training Ecklund had in the last month was hard, having to shoot through tight openings, hit a moving target or hit a stationary one while she was moving. She never talks about her training and rather keeps it for herself. Keeping things for herself gives her the peace she needs, and the loneliness on the roof gives her silence, and she always takes her sniper rifle with her.
There's no day she isn't on the roof, looking out over the buildings and keeping an eye on the Capital. Seeing whatever happens in the city gives her the bit of distraction she needs, distracting her from the hidden trauma she developed years ago. It's something she keeps locked away, deep in her mind to prevent it from ever coming up again. A memory of droids turning against her and her parents. That's all she allows to rise to the surface again. The rest of her distant memories are locked away to never resurface again. Ecklund doesn't want to see it happen all over again. Her hands will tremble, she'll get panic attacks, and she'll lose her focus, something that she doesn't allow herself to lose at the Academy.
Then, her scope lands on a person she recognizes. Ecklund adjusts the scope and zooms in, and she sees a girl with blonde hair picking up a helmet and some other equipment from a droid. As the girl hugs the droid, Ecklund instantly knows it's Eva. Eva is the only one having developed such a close relationship with ACY-4. To Ecklund, the droid is something that lets the little details of her past resurface. To the rest of the squad, the droid is just a droid, but to Eva, ACY-4 seems like a friend.
Ecklund keeps her sniper rifle locked on Eva, seeing the girl walking away from the droid towards the security gates at the Academy's perimeter. What is she doing?
Ecklund looks at the upper right corner of her electromagnetic scope and sees it's 22:47. What is Eva doing this late? Is she dropping out?
Ecklund knows something happened between Eva and Peyton and Roslin. She heard from Ashara that Eva got distracted and let her guard down, which caused Peyton to be shot down by a Rebel. When she sat on top of the apartment building, looking out over the Rebel hide-out from the other side of the street, she saw all her squad members working like a team. Through the dark windows, Ecklund saw them working together, so she was surprised when she noticed the sudden, intense friction between Eva and Peyton.
Looking through her scope, she sees Eva leaving the Academy behind, walking over the pavement of the road. Is she dropping out because of the broken friendship with Peyton?
Then, Ecklund notices Eva has an E-10 in the holster of her utility belt, and then she realizes Eva is not dropping out. Why would you take a blaster rifle with you? And a backpack and a helmet? She's not dropping out, Eva is up to something.
As the overseer of the city, Ecklund feels pressured to keep an eye out for the girl. Even though she's a problem, Eva is still her squad member. You don't let squad members go, you help them out when they struggle.
So, Ecklund heads out for the night, keeping an eye out on Eva.
