Episode IV
The Growing Darkness
The present collides with the past!
The heroes of Class 1-A, having completed
the Sports Festival prepare for the next stage
of their educations: Internships
But what they do not know is that the ones
that they will soon see as their enemies are
already on the move. Displeased by their
actions they seek to force them to adhere to
their views on how heroes should behave
And as these bastions of the Old Guard move
into position the current and future enemies
of society make their own moves to prepare
for the futures THEY desire…
"So doc," Cathleen Bates said, sitting down on a table (and quickly applying a Rule to make it able to support her weight) with her arms folded over her chest, "what do we know about the new arrivals?"
She had removed her mask and tied her hair up into a messy bun, not wanting it to get into her eyes. Cathleen still had her costume on but the cape had been removed and hung up; she'd snagged a quick power nap and could speak from experience that the material used to make her cape was utterly amazing at dealing with all sorts of problems… but instantly because a wrinkled mess the MOMENT she laid down. She'd even tried to apply a Rule to it and the damn thing stubbornly found ways to wrinkle all the same the moment she let her head hit a pillow. That left her just in the main bodysuit she wore, a bit too casual for what they were potnetiallly dealing with but she honestly didn't care.
"They are rather interesting," Doctor Richard Stark said, leafing through the papers on his clipboard. He was old school, always doing everything with paper and pen, because his quirk allowed him upon touching any document that he had written to enter into his mind without him needing to actually read it. He gestured towards the bank of cameras that showed off the group of eleven. All but the little girl were in the same matching interrogation room; the child, who had finally told them she was 'O-Me-Ga', was in one of their waiting rooms. Still being carefully watched incase she had an aging/deaging quirk but allowed a bit more free reign. At the moment she was watching tv, occasionally touching the screen. "What are your thoughts?"
Cathleen fought back a groan; she HATED it when the Doc demanded she give her theories.
But seeing the man just stand there, not even looking at her, left the young woman huffing before she began into her thoughts.
"Multiple mutation quirks. All of them save for those two-" she pointed at the two metallic beings, "-are clear fighters. Even the girl shows signs of training." She paused. "Are those two humans or robots? I would assume robots but the gold one at least has far more personality than I've ever seen. I don't think it's a suit…" She shook her head, realizing that the Doc wasn't going to answer her questions until she finished. "So those four there are clearly family… brothers I'd wager, maybe even quadruplets. The biggest one most likely as a strength quirk but I'm not sure about the others. Then there is the pretty one…" She couldn't help the small smile that formed on her lips; she had a type and that one was hitting everyone one her boxes HARD… and she wanted him to hit HER box hard… "I can tell that he is far more dangerous than he lets on. And he's still letting on a lot."
The Doc nodded. "Interesting. Very interesting. Horribly wrong for the most part but you ARE getting there, Cathleen." He smiled even as she glowered at him. "I mean it. Most heroes don't even get a tenth of what you see. Its merely piecing it together-"
"Doc, do the Sherlock Holmes thing later and tell me what to expect. I imagine our guests are tired of waiting." She said that even as she saw two of them were currently meditating, looking rather peaceful. Same with one of the brothers, the one with the crosshairs scar over his eye. But the one with the tattooed face was clearly casing the room while the one with the glasses was sleeping and the large one was pacing and demanding someone let him out.
"The brothers aren't brothers," the Doc said. "They aren't even quadruplets. Their genetics are far too close… oh, there are differences but they are basically the same person with a few tweaks."
"How does that happen?" Cathleen asked.
"We don't know. More concerning is the fact that NONE of them have a quirk."
"Seriously?" Cathleen asked, surprised. "9 quirkless… or is it 11?"
"Nine and that's the final thing. Those last two ARE robots… but the most advanced I've ever seen. That's why I've made no move to examine either of the… honestly I'm worried I might break one of them if I tried and that would be like tearing up a classical painting."
"But are they dangerous?" Cathleen asked.
Once more the Doc smiled. "That is a good question… and it speaks well for you. Most would have dismissed them as not a threat due to a lack of quirk."
"The big one is stronger than me when I don't give myself super strength." Cathleen's quirk, New Order, was the source of her power and ability to be a hero but that didn't mean she was a weakling. She worked out daily, training up different parts of her body so that she wouldn't NEED to use her Quirk all the time. She knew how someone, with the right moitivation, could become stronger. She constantly teased her boys when they decided to slack off about how if they just put in one more rep, one more cycle, one more lap, they could be stronger too. "The one with glasses… I don't understand what a quarter of his gear does and I'm willing to bet it will cause all the other lab boys fits. I can't figure out the other two yet and what they bring to their unit but they must have some specialty."
"Their unit?" The Doc asked.
Cathleen smirked and gestured at the screens. "Matching armor. Yeah, they are personalizing it but it matches. That's a unit. Those two-" she pointed to the woman that looked to have a fish mutation quirk… despite the fact that the Doc stated she didn't have a quirk… and the long haired man. "They are a unit. Not sure where the others fall into place but we have two different teams working together… and that is rather interesting."
"It is," the Doc said and Cathleen rolled her eyes; of course he already knew that. Doc loved to test her. Admitedly it made her a better hero, using her brain and being creative, but sometimes she did wish he'd just be straight with her. "So… who do you want to talk to first?"
"The pretty one," Cathleen said with a grin. She couldn't help it! She had a type!
"Should have figured," the Doc said as Cathleen stepped out of the room.
~MC~MC~MC~
"Sorry about the delay," the tall blond woman said as she entered the room. She wasn't as gaudily dressed as she had been before but was still wearing her eyesore of a body suit. "When they told me you hadn't eaten anything yet I decided to bring you something." She gestured at the tray loaded up with weird foods. The only thing that looked like a food product he'd ever seen was the nerf burger. "I figured we could split it… I can always order more." She paused. "And it proves we aren't going to poison you."
"Smart," Cad Bane said, tilting his head at the large woman.
"I'm Cathleen, by the way," she said with a friendly smile. "Also known as Star and Stripe. Unless you already knew that."
"And why would I know that?" Cad asked with a scoff; of course he'd get someone arrogant enough to believe that he knew who they were.
That caused Cathleen to raise an eyebrow. "Just saying. Usually I get recognized."
"Not by me," Cad said darkly. "And I have little time for showboats who only care about fame."
"Oh, there is a story there," Cathleen said with a smile as she grabbed what looked like a tuber cut and dipped it into some red paste. She munched on it, leaning forward in her chair. Cad found it interesting she wasn't upset by his comment. "Come on… I can tell you are someone who enjoys telling stories… tell me that one."
Cad considered her for a long moment before shrugging; until he found a way out of this place he wuld need to play their games and the woman seemed genuine enough. Certainly better than the gangers or the Jedi he'd dealt with. She was smart enough to eat the same food as him to prove it wasn't poisonous. Of course she had no idea that he had the cures for nearly every known poison tucked away on his person, hidden in his boots and in his coat despite them checking all his clothing over.
"One time me and another bounty hunter, Jango Fett-" And there was no reaction to mentioning Fett… that was telling, "-met up with a Bith bounty hunter, Culler. He was making a name for himself, letting everyone know how dangerous he was and how he could capture any being that got on the wrong end of someone with credits. Culler tells us he has a job he's been asked to do and makes a big show of being willing to let us be 'support' if we want. No credits for the job… get 'exposure'."
"Seriously?" Cathleen complained as she cut the nerf burger into bits. Cad didn't see any rhyme or reason to the cuts so he didn't think she had only poisoned part of it. "Come on… that is just stupid as all get out. Pay people what they deserve, that's my motto. You two were going to do work for him and he can't even give you enough to pay for your supplies?"
Cad knew she was his captor. He knew that. And yet… he couldn't help but feel a bit more respect for her. Still annoyed she was holding him captive but more and more it was looking like she was just some government official doing her job and not setting them up for punishment.
"Well, we turn him down and he makes a huge scene about how we'll never amount to anything because we have no idea how to actually branch out and work with others."
He paused.
"Half a cycle later we learn that he'd dead on some no-name planet. See, that big bounty? Came from the brother of the Wookie he'd brought to the Hutts for a fat price. The brother and his friends took their time too. Pulling off little bits of him rather than whole arms." Cad shook his head. "Never get so famous that your enemies can find you easily. No problem with a reputation but never be so loud that you can't even step outside your ship without a blaster in your face." It had been a lesson he'd been trying to beat in Boba, quite literally, for the entire time he'd mentored him. The boy didn't want to hear it though, believing that since he was his 'father's son' he should be already known and able to call the shots. Cad had explained once after he'd left Boba bloodied after messing up a simple task that he needed to stop getting so defensive about being a clone… that was the best fucking army in the galaxy! He could easily make himself look like one of a million other beings! He could get close to Jedi, Senators, planetary leaders, and kill them without anyone ever knowing. But no… Boba had to be original and different and special-
"Did… did you say another PLANET?" Cathleen asked.
Cad stared her down. "Yeah…"
"…you're from outer space?"
"Everyone is from outer space," Cad said automatically even as his brain began to race. He had wondered what was wrong with the world they found themselves on. What was different about it. He hadn't been able to figure it out… until that moment.
It had no space-traveling capabilities.
"Oh," Cathleen said slowly.
"Oh," Cad echoed her.
~MC~MC~MC~
"Hhmmmm."
At once Class 1-A went silent.
Aizawa smirked at that. Just barely but it was there. "Only took you 3.1 seconds to quiet down. Good. Now we need to work on you realizing I am approaching so you can already be quiet before I even open the door." Walking over to his desk he set down the heavy box he was carrying, rolling his shoulders slightly to work out the kinks. "Now then, you all did reasonably well at the Sports Festival. Everyone made it to the Second Round and we had a good representation in the Final Round. And no one from the other classes did so well as to boot any of you out of class so you don't have to worry about that."
Several students began to cheer at that only to get dark looks or, in the case of Denki, shouted declarations from Bakugo to 'shut the fuck up'.
"But he just said we didn't have to worry!" Denki whined.
"About this time! But now that we've impressed him he's going to jack the expectations sky high, you idiot!" That caused Denki to go utterly pale and ramrod stiff.
Aizawa raised an eyebrow. The kids were learning.
Good.
"Sensi!" Ida called out, hand shooting straight into the air. Literally. It was perfectly straight. Just looking at the boy's posture made Aizawa want to slouch in protest. "Does that box contain our Internship Requests?"
"It does," Aizawa stated and the class began to talk rather loudly again. Every time. Every time he said something. Seriously. "Quiet!" he snapped and the students, to their credit, went silent. "They do. Now, usually for First Year we get a handful of students that get requests while the rest of you select from the lists of Agencies that are willing to take on any interns. This year however all of you got at least one request."
What he didn't mention was that despite the showing they had given they had gotten far less offers than normal. Especially from the top heroes in Japan. And Aizawa knew why: Endeavor.
The hero had been rather vocal in telling Nedzu that he wouldn't be taking any interns from UA this year, choosing instead to focus on other schools. He had clearly thought that his threat would get the rat to change things, perhaps expel Midoriya because Endeavor was a quirkist. But Nedzu had merely stated that it was disappointing that Endeavor was too busy but he understood the need to find students better suited to his… style. And that this would allow many new and upcoming heroes to finally get a crack at UA students.
'Everyone knows that some of the deepest bonds young heroes make are during their internships. Especially their first. Endeavor's little stunt got the other Top Ten heroes to do nothing but that just means that rising heroes are going to get a crack at UA… and that will matter in a few years.' He hid his smile. 'And… there is the matter of All Might…'
He pulled himself from his thoughts has his students clamored all around him. This time he let them jabber about that for a bit longer. Honestly they had earned it. He remembered what it was like, worrying that you wouldn't get a request… and when you didn't feeling like you were lower than mud. Yet another cruelty of their profession.
"That said," Aizawa stated, "I would suggest all of you also look over those agencies."
"Why, sensi?" Yaoyorozu asked politely.
"Just because you get an offer doesn't meant it's a good fit for you," Aizawa stated. "Too many hero students only look to see who is the highest rated hero to select them and go with them. They don't bother to think about battle methods, quirk typing, or who could help them strengthen a weakness." He pointed out Bakugo. "You got 517 requests. One of the highest was Flicker. Would you take that internship?"
Bakugo opened his mouth… only to snap it shut and actually consider the question. "…only if everyone else was such a loser that it would make me look weak going with them. Because Flicker is too much into his looks for me."
Aizawa was impressed… the boy was learning. Flicker was highly ranked but he was all about style and showing off. The only reason one could truly call him a hero and not a poser was that Flicker actually donated most of his pay to charities and did a lot of community outreach. But he wasn't a hero to go into big clashes… and thus was horribly suited for Bakugo.
Maybe there was hope for him yet.
"Now then," he said, "we'll be going over these in Hero Studies with Kenobi. Both of us will be there to help you select the best choice for your Internship." He shot them all a cold stare. "And I want you to think hard about your internships. They will affect you for the rest of your hero career. If you select the right one it can help you strengthen a weakness. Or fine tune a strength. Teach you something you don't know or help you…" He shut his eyes in pain, "god help me… go… plus… ultra." He couldn't believe he'd walked into that one.
The class all looked at him with smirks and grins and at once Aizawa felt a bit of fear run down his spine. Damn it, he hoped none of them had recorded that.
"Anyway," he said, quickly going back into his aloof teacher mode, "the internships aren't to be taken lightly. You will have one week to think it over." That had been something Kenobi had pushed for HARD. He said it was insane to demand students decide within a day or two something so important. Aizawa had agreed with him and the two had implemented the change. "But before we get into that we'll be having Midnight take over the class because I suck at this next part."
"Sensi?" Ochaco said in confusion. "What is it we are doing?"
"Something very important!" Nemuri declared as she burst into the door… as she did EVERY year. Seriously, he could see the dents in the walls from her forcing the door to open too fast. "Something that will be just as important to your futures!" She held up a white board. "Its time… to select your hero names!"
~MC~MC~MC~
Good soldiers follow orders.
He wasn't for sure WHY that had been floating through his head recently but it had.
No… no that wasn't true. He understood exactly WHY that thought kept going through his head.
'If good soldiers follow orders is the reverse true… does following orders make you a good soldier?'
Commander Cody let out a sigh as he walked along the ruined streets of the city of Itho. It had not been the greatest place to begin with, before the war. Cody could tell that in an instant. A place where those went there only if they had no other choice. And those that stayed… well, it reminded him of the barnacles he'd sometimes see on the vessels in Kamino that the long necks were always fretting about. Disgusting little things that clung to their sleek and polished ships and cities and that required their droids to chip away at almost constantly. Hard people that clung to the rock and refused to budge. The town had maybe 20 buildings at most, all a touch too small but that was due to the Dilphians being rather short in stature but the barnacle people made do, crouching down or modifying the buildings to suit their own needs.
Why the Separatists had wanted some backwater Outer Rim planet Cody didn't know. Why the Republic wanted it… he didn't know. It wasn't part of either group, as far as he could tell. Most likely the only reason they were there was because the Separatists wanted it and when hadn't the Republic craved something that the Seppies had…
He grimaced. 'Careful there… that is sounding a bit treasonous.'
That had been happening more and more, he'd noticed. Over the last year or so his thoughts had been… bitter… towards the Republic.
'So many brothers lost, all for so little,' he thought as he checked to make sure that there was nothing left over from the battle that might cause them problems later. General Tapal had been rather firm in that. He had warned that if they left even a single unexploded frag grenade then the damage it caused would stain them forever, even if they never learned of it. He had commanded the entire area swept just before he'd left to return to the Jedi Temple; something about selecting an apprentice or Padawan, Cody couldn't remember. 'And I should remember,' he thought to himself.
That was happening too. Forgetting details. Being unable to focus. His mind wandering.
'And you know why,' he thought as he passed by some civilians, who quickly hurried away from him. It didn't matter that he currently had his bucket off or that he wasn't doing the sweep with the crisp precision that he'd normally demand of his brothers, they still ran. He hoped it was just because they were criminal scum who were afraid of what he might do to them but he knew it was most likely that they remembered him and his brothers storming into their lives and leaving carnage in their wake. 'You know why you've lost your taste for all of this.'
"You… look like you could use a drink."
Cody whipped around, hand going for his blaster, only to pause when he saw just who had spoken to him. The figure was dressed in blacks but over that was a worn dark brown cloak, barely more than a blanket with a hood attached to it, and clasped in his hands was a cane that he leaned against. It wasn't even really a cane… it more looked like a piping for some electrical system than a proper cane, what with the odd bits and pieces attached all over it. He saw a bit of metal at the bottom of the cloak where his boots should have been and mentally grimaced; a cripple. They'd run into a lot of people like that in Itho, who used whatever they could to still function. Cybernetic arms and legs that looked to be worse than not just missing the limbs. Cody had given a ration bar to a little girl who had been missing a hand and made do with a hook not even an hour ago, wishing that he could give her back her life. Or, perhaps, a better one.
"I'm on patrol," he said.
"That seems like something far too… menial… for someone of your command," the cripple replied, his voice smooth and cultured, quiet yet also commanding great attention from all that heard it. The words though… before Cody could bristle at that, to comment that NO task was too menial if it meant protecting the civilians, the cripple shook his head. "I'm sorry, that came out horribly rude. I just noticed that you are rather high up in the Republic army, aren't you? A… captain?"
"Commander," Cody said gruffly.
"Apologizes, I just learned of you all a few days ago… the war hadn't touched where I was and I only just arrived on this planet. Please… let me get you a drink." He gestured at the building behind him and even though Cody knew he shouldn't… "For what you've done for us… I think man that is willing to sacrifice all for an ideal… should at least be able to have a drink."
That was how, an hour later, Cody found himself sitting at a table with the cripple, a Zabrak named Seris Madreth, drinking some watered down booze (not synthahol… no, this was the real deal) and swapping stories of what they had seen.
"…rather rusty but… it did the trick all the same," Seris commented with a soft chuckle, Cody joining in. "Still… I didn't find what I was looking for."
"And what were you looking for?"
"Someone I used to know. You wouldn't believe me." Seris looked down before slowly looking up. "or… maybe you would. I get the sense that you know more than one would expect when it comes to losing someone."
"I… yeah," Cody said. "This compaign… we lost a lot of brothers. Same with all the campaigns, honestly."
"But its something else, isn't it?" Seris asked quietly. "Or… someone else?"
"Yeah," Cody admitted. He took another sip of his drink; it wasn't nearly strong enough to get his buzzed so he wasn't sure why he was spilling his guts out to the stranger. Maybe because he was 'Commander Cody' and that meant there wasn't a single member of his battalion he could truly talk to because he had to always be in control. They needed him to be strong and steady and unyielding and couldn't see him as a person. "About… I don't know, over a year now… there was this peace negotiation. I should have gone but… I didn't. Thought it was better if I handled the men. And…"
"And you lost someone?"
"Yeah," Cody said again, gruffly. Rex… and Obi Wan. The two beings in all the galaxy that Cody could allow see the real him, even if just in private. Who didn't demand that he always be the poster boy for the GAR. Gone in a damn attack at a peace summit. It sounded like a bad joke. "And now… well, things have changed."
The 212 had been dismantled and absorbed into various other Battalions. Cody had ended up with the 16th, the Iron Battalion, and they were good boys… but they mourning their original Commander, Rigor, and he never really got to develop a relationship with them like he had had with the 212th. Or with Tapal. He was a good man, a cunning warrior, and Cody was proud to serve him…
'But he's not YOUR Jedi,' he thought bitterly. 'You let your Jedi die.'
"Things change… things change," Seris commented softly. "Yes… I know that well myself. And yet I find that even understanding that change will come… I still cling to what once was." He let out a sigh and sipped is own drink, reaching down to run his finger through a drop of spilled booze. "That's why I'm searching for Kenobi. He is someone-"
Cody's head snapped up. "Kenobi? Obi Wan Kenobi."
"Yes," Seris said, tone curious. "You've… heard of him?"
"I have," Cody said, swallowing. "I'm sorry to tell you but… he's dead."
Seris leaned forward. "Truly? That is disappointing. I know he's been reported dead already but I had hoped to find him before whatever took him finished the job. Have you seen the body? What state-"
"What are you talking about?" Cody asked, confused.
"You don't know?" Seris asked. "Of course you don't… why would you? Its not something the Republic wants to talk about. A grave embarrassment." He leaned in and whispered, "The explosion that they say killed Kenobi… it was a cover."
"A… cover?"
"Yes. I'm not for sure what but… it is a cover. To hide him. To explain why he has disappeared." Seris shook his head. "And it isn't the Republic that is doing it."
"The Separatists?" Cody asked, heart sinking into his boots. "They have the General."
"That is my belief," Seris stated. "Its why I began this journey. To find Kenobi."
He paused.
"You are welcome to join me, if you wish."
"What?"
Seris chuckled. "I'm gathering up a small team to find him. Your skills would be most welcome."
"I can't… I can't leave," Cody said at once. "My men-"
"You mean to tell me that your General is captured and in danger and you aren't willing to save him?" Seris pressed.
Cody narrowed his eyes at that. "I would do anything to help him. But I have to do it right… alert High Command-"
Seris laughed, his tone mocking. "High Command knows that Kenobi isn't dead. They have always known. They just don't want to admit it. How would it look to the Galaxy if they couldn't even protect one of their greatest generals? Why… you might have Jedi wondering if they shouldn't leave the field entirely if they are at risk… and where would the war be without them?" Seris paused. "And you… aren't going to claim that the High Command would NEVER keep things from you…"
Cody didn't. He knew that High Command kept secrets. He had always calmed himself by thinking that they had to… that there was a reason why they didn't tell them everything and that was okay. That he just needed to know what he needed to know.
But now…
"Come now, Cody… you are one man. In battle you can only do so much… and there are millions literally like you. You disappear today and they will mourn for a few hours and then another will take your place. You will be forgotten in a week. And you won't be able to change what happens in this war. You're too… small. But… with me? You are one… and that might make all the difference."
Good soldiers follow orders.
But following orders… didn't make you a good soldier.
Or a good man.
Cody rose up.
"You have a ship."
"I do," Seris said. "My brothers are waiting for me there. They are helping me. We'll needed a few more but… we can see about collecting them along the way. We'll also get you new armor… that will stand out a bit too much." He nodded to Cody's armor and he nodded; yes, it would raise questions. Seris rose and walked towards the door, leaning heavily on his cane and after only a moment Cody moved to follow.
"You never told me… how do you know General Kenobi?" Cody asked.
"Oh… we go very far back. All the way to Naboo," the red and black skinned Zabrak said, glancing over his shoulder at Cody. "We met on Naboo. I was there when his master died. I think… yes… yes I do think I wouldn't be half the man I was… if not for… Kenobi."