Imperial Detention Centre,
Imperial City
The restraints bit sharply into her wrists and she couldn't stop the grunt in response.
"Don't struggle, Dr Baey, it'll hurt more if you do." One of the Security officers advised.
"I'm. Not. Struggling." She ground out, as the two troopers practically lifted her off the floor and now she was on tiptoe.
"And I can walk quite well." She continued, trying to claw back some pride. They released their grip slightly and lowered her, so that she walked instead of, tip toed along. She felt as if she had gained something but panic was still urging to run and she struggled to keep calm.
"What's the problem?" She asked, desperately trying to keep her voice steady.
Silence.
"What have I supposed to have done? I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation." She added.
Silence.
People stared at her, watching as she was dragged away like a common thief from level 1313. Some looked away or at the floor, avoiding eye contact; had they known her and didn't want to be contaminated by association. She didn't recognise any of them.
They reached one of the interview rooms, at least it wasn't one of the holding cells with the ray shields. She assumed the room was covered by well hidden surveillance equipment; she couldn't see anything.
The metal chair clattered slightly, as the troopers pushed her down into it: her arms dragged painfully across the matching metal table, where her wrists were restrained and the binders clamped onto a hook in the middle, stretching her arms. She could not move without them cutting deeper into her wrists, causing painful welts and was stretched out so she could only perch on the chair.
She tried to look around, taking in her surroundings, not that there was much to take in. The walls, floor, ceiling, everything was a matt grey, even the furniture such as it was. It drained the colour from everything and everyone that entered. Presumably that was deliberate, as the result was depressing and demoralising. You wouldn't need to be a Jedi, to extract information from a prisoner, if they spent any length of time here.
Time dragged, as she was waiting, trying to keep her breathing calm and unhurried. There was no chronograph, both hers and her comlink had been removed. She could have been here one hour— two—even three; she just didn't know. She didn't have an in built chrono like some. After, what seemed like an interminable wait, three men entered the room; two were clone troopers or Stormtroopers as they had been referred to by the Imperials she had already met. These had already exchanged their armour, there were no individual battalion or Jedi General markings, they were pure white.
Are you the new clones the Nulls had found out about?
Do you look like Den?
She wasn't sure how she would deal with that, or if she would even be able to.
The pale blonde haired Imperial Officer now sitting opposite her, looked soft and out of condition, in comparison to the battle hardened troops she had worked and lived with over the past three years. He had the beginnings of a paunch. He faced her with a datapad in his hand, which he was reading intently. He was in charge here. He removed the restraints from her wrists and she rubbed them , slowly regaining the feeling back in her hands and fingers, finally, he spoke.
"So, Dr Baey, you worked with the Clone troopers during the war?"
She watched him, still rubbing her wrists to try and ease the pain. She was afraid to say anything, afraid of what would come out of her mouth, if she opened it even a little. Afraid.
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Sa Cuis, currently in charge of Special Operations, so there is nothing to be afraid of." He spoke calmly and softly. "I know things have happened quickly and not everyone was prepared."
She stayed silent, whilst he tapped again on the datapad.
"You were found in the Bacta treatment area checking on a Commando….. IC – 1309."
His eyes bored into her. She shivered, feeling as if someone had walked over her grave
"Yes." She couldn't argue with that.
"Why?"
Ryssa swallowed, frantically trying to think of the best, least incriminating thing to say.
"Please answer my question." Sa Cuis was persistently, unfailingly polite.
"I had seen him fall, knew him, thought I'd check on him."
"Knew him?"
"Treated him — before."
"A number of Commandos are unaccounted for, presumed deserters, specifically the Null ARCs, some of the Alpha ARCs and a number of Republic Commando squads. And their training Sergeants."
He watched her reaction.
Her stomach churned. He'd escaped and they knew. She tried not to smile, at the thought that he was free.
Sa Cuis turned the datapad over to her and showed her the list of names. She looked and saw the Nulls, Yayax squad, half of Omega, Maze—that was a name she hadn't expected to see, and others she did not know. All unaccounted for. Missing. Deserted.
She kept her face blank.
"Did you know them?"
"Yes. Some." she replied, if he was a force user, he would be able to tell if she was lying. "I treated some of them."
"Their Sergeants, did you know them?" He pushed.
"Er….Skirata and Vau, they seemed very protective of their squads." She explained. "They always wanted them to have the best treatment and aftercare."
"And you provided it?" He pushed on.
"Sometimes. It helped that I wasn't a medical droid, for some of them." She paused "And I had three Clone medics to help in the Treatment Room."
"Was that all you provided?"
Ryssa held his gaze, trying not to blink so fast.
"What do you mean?"
"Were you in a relationship, with a Clone Commando?" He asked outright.
"No!" She retorted, trying to sound offended.
He twisted her wrist over. "And this—It's Mandalorian script."
"Is it? It just looked good in the shop."
"Why did you have it done?"
"I had it to upset my Mother. She hated tattoos."
"Upset your Mother? Why would you want to do that."
Ryssa shrugged. "We had our problems. I was what they called at the time a 'Wild Child.'"
"Ah."
She hoped she hadn't pushed it too far.
"A child of wealthy parents on Coruscant who frequent some disreputable clubs, and undertake risk taking activities, in order to annoy their parents. Yes, I understand."
He sounded as if he had just read the urban definition but she still didn't like the look he had; he could play Sabacc.
"Have you seen Nils'Lenit recently?"
"No."
She hadn't. She tried to keep as near to the truth as she could. But he knew of Nils. He ticked something on his datapad.
"And what exactly happened to your Mother?" He asked, changing the direction of his questioning totally.
"So..Sorry?" she was blindsided by the question and stuttered.
"Your Mother? What happened to her?" He pushed again.
"She died." Ryssa replied, not wanting to go there; it made her feel even more vulnerable.
"Just died?" Another push from him.
"Murdered. By the Separatists." Responded Ryssa; what could you say, if you couldn't really remember; then she realised he was asking questions to which he already knew the answers.
"And after?"
She paused, trying to remember exactly what happened after her Mother died and she couldn't. She couldn't remember feeling any loss or grief, not for any length of time, fleetingly, yes, but shouldn't it have lasted longer? She came back to the question.
"I joined the medical section of the GAR."
"Before the GAR and directly after her death, where did you go?"
"That was three years ago why do you need to know?" She couldn't really remember the exact details; it was all bit fuzzy around that time.
"It's protocol, just answer the question." Sa Cuis continued, without any emotion.
"I came back on General Kenobi's Star Destroyer." She remembered parts.
"Did you meet Kenobi?" Sa Cuis asked, pushing further.
"Yes, a few times. I think. It's all a bit hazy around that time."
"Anything else?"
"I operated on a Clone Trooper. The General's Commander."
"Ah, yes CC - 2224. Then you came back and walked into GAR Medical." He put it as a statement.
"Not exactly, I had to apply—Don't you have all this information already on my records?" She felt warm, it was stifling in the room, hardly any air. She pulled at her collar undoing it slightly, "Could I have some water please?" She asked croakily.
He waved at one of the troopers, who went out, returning with water in an clear container. She gulped it down, almost in one swallow. The trooper took the cup away.
"There appear to be discrepancies and missing information on your records." He eventually answered after make more taps on his datapad and studying it intently. "We are treating it as a cyber attack by persons unknown to disrupt the smooth transition to the Empire. A large amount of information has been lost. We are piecing it back together, slowly." He read his datapad again. "But."
Neryssa fidgeted in her seat.
Shit! Now what?
"There are more questions you need to answer. You weren't a registered Doctor at this point but the GAR still took you on." He paused. "Why do you think that was?"
"I didn't think, I accepted what they told me, which was that they were desperate for medical staff, due to the high casualties." She took a breath. "And my registration had only lapsed. I could work to certain level. Plus, it meant I didn't have to wait on tables. Not that there's anything wrong in that." She rambled.
"Hmm." He responded, non-committed.
Why she had felt the need to say that she didn't know.
"Did you know that the Jedi Council put pressure on GAR Medical to take you on?"
He looked directly at her now and expected an answer.
"No! The Jedi?" She asked "Why would they do that?" It was a question she was asking herself now.
"We don't know but thought you might?"
"No, I..I..had no idea." She said quietly.
Shit! What else don't I know about myself.
"Were you in a relationship with a Clone?" His questions changed direction again. "There's nothing wrong in that; if that's what you're interested in. Units. Things. It's not specifically against regulations, we just need to know."
How to answer this? Agree.
Say as little as possible.
Don't lie outright.
"Yes, I was."
Be careful.
"His designation and battalion, please." Again he tapped on the datapad.
"Why?"
"We need to know."
I'm sorry Coric.
"Coric….. his name was Coric, Sergeant with the 501st; I don't…..can't remember his designation number." She paused "He was a medic and worked at the clinic, when he was on Coruscant. He was recalled, by his Captain to the 501st."
"So. He did his duty." Sa Cuis commented.
"I assume so."
Sa Cuis, stared at her. She could feel the heat of a flush travelling up her body; a bead of sweat trickled down her back. He hummed, then looked down and tapped his datapad again.
"The Empire still need Doctors, loyal members of the Empire and we need Doctors, who have proven themselves. We prefer…..humans."
She looked at him, hoping she wasn't giving away her shock.
"From tomorrow you will be part of Imperial Medical and be based in the Barracks in Imperial City pending assignment. If there is anything personal you need to do clear it today. Here's your clearance. You can get your ID from Imperial Medical Admin."
He handed her a data card.
"So, all the questions?" She asked, as she closed her hand around the small card.
"A test, a small test, which you passed." He looked down at his datapad again. "Dismiss." He said, not even looking up this time.
The stormtrooper unlocked the door, she pushed the chair back, scraping the floor, with that screech, the one that makes you cringe, she rose, following the Stormtrooper who escorted her. She felt uneasy, worried that somehow he found out more than she said but she was getting out of here before he changed his mind. Her grip tightened on the small data card, as she walked quickly towards the exit. Certain it was a mistake.
.
"Sa Cuis here. Yes she has definitely been in close contact with Jedi in the past. I sensed traces of a mind rub by Kenobi, no less."
He tapped a few more times on his datapad.
"Oh yes. A Clone trooper Coric, member of the 501st." He tapped again. "First generation. Recently promoted to Lieutenant, ARC Trooper, loyal. He's with Vader's Fist now. A clone that Vader's happy to work with." He studied an entry on his datapad." Yes, I'm meeting with Lord Vader in a couple of hours."
He ended the call and rubbed his chin for a few seconds, as if debating his next move.
.
It seemed the Empire still needed Quartermasters, and he was human. Everyone was human. She hadn't seen an overtly non human since Shincarnan Bridge. She joined the queue at Point D, where the Stormtrooper had directed her. The assistant quartermaster looked her up and down, asked her name, checked his datapad, huffed and produced an empty box. They were busy, everyone was getting something new. She moved onto the next one, who scanned her and proceeded to dump various items of clothing in the box.
She was allocated her new uniform, her quarters, her electronic ID, and the code cylinders; she was told she would need them to access everything. At any moment, she expected alarms to go off, Stormtroopers to come rushing in and arrest her again but it didn't happen.
"You lose anything. You replace it. Captain or not." He dumped black high boots into the basket, amongst other items that she didn't keep track of, it was so fast. "Then you need to go there." He pointed to a room that said Admin above the door.
She carried the basket with her and joined the queue snaking out. The signage was being replaced all over the hall. Finally she reached the front and her retina was scanned.
"Dr Baey." The man placed the items in front of him.
"Chain code - your Imperial ID." Put in her hand.
"Comlink." clipped to her arm.
"Code cylinders. They let you into where you are authorised to go, including your quarters." slipped into special pockets in the jacket in her basket. "Don't lose them! It's a security violation if you do."
"Imperial datapad." He put it in her hand. "Again a security violation if you lose it."
Any moment someone will realise it's a mistake and shoot me.
She kept going, moving onto the next stage. A medic droid jabbed her in the neck.
"Ow!"
"Full spectrum Viral inoculations." it intoned.
Another one jabbed in her lower arm. "Birth control."
"Hey, don't I get a choice?"
"Not without permission."
The final one in her wrist and the one that really hurt. "Subcutaneous ID chip. To keep track of you."
She looked at the new message pinging on her Imperial datapad.
"Report to Cahu?"
That did take her breath away.
.
She had a choice. She could stay with the Empire and work from within or try and make her escape now. She decided, she would see what she could find out. The data card in her hand gave her permission to leave the Barracks to go to her Apartment. She took the chance while she still could.
Ryssa passed through areas of Coruscant once familiar to her, not any longer; huge areas were being rebuilt following the battle. There was re-construction everywhere and huge demolition droids clearing half destroyed buildings, hit by parts of destroyed ships. Everywhere, except the Jedi Temple, that was being guarded by the Stormtroopers still sporting red markings, the Coruscant Guard. It was smouldering, a blackened ruin; she realised she had stopped walking, staring, as she was taking in the new landscape of her city, where she had been born and raised.
"Can I help you Ma'am?" She recognised the voice, an older clone. "This area is restricted, if you have clearance I need to see it, Ma'am."
"Sorry, no trooper, I'll move on….. well done."
"Ma'am!" The Trooper saluted, She saluted back knowing it was a sloppier version than his.
Shit! I wish I'd taken more notice of the military side.
Walking through the equivalent of a construction site, she finally reached her Apartment block but any hope she had, that the block was unscathed after the Battle disappeared.
She picked her way through the rubble that lay at the entrance and tried the lifts. One was working. Shuddering, it took her to her level. Her apartment, the door was blown in but only hers, had been targeted. She knew it had a state of the art security system installed by Kal, so that when the looters had tried to get in and failed they had obviously decided she had something of very high value in it. The door had been blown, from the outside; the living area was ransacked, the kitchen was very similar; the fresher cleared out and the bedroom, everything had been pulled out, all the clothes, toiletries so she couldn't salvage much. They weren't valuable but it would have been nice to have a change of clothes. On her next day off she really needed to do some shopping, if she actually got a day off.
Rummaging through the remains of her furniture, she retrieved some wearable underwear and then she found them. Force knows how long they had been there, a set of Den's fatigues. She buried her face in them and inhaled, they still smelled of him, she wasn't sure if it was real or if she imagined it, either way it was the trigger. The tears seemed to last for hours, until she had none left, and was puffy eyed, and red nosed.
.
She knew where she was going, Sa Cuis had given her the idea— Nils. It was a risk but he was the only one who would be able to help her. He would have the contacts. She headed to the Industrial District.
Speeders had been abandoned, just left on the walk ways and she finally found one that still worked, within a few minutes she pulled onto the landing platform at the rear of MFN. It didn't look bad from the outside but that was deceptive. She walked through the store room and her heart sank. It had been looted and if Nils was here, alive, that would never have happened.
Climbing over the remaining crates, she headed for his office via the auditorium. She stood and stared. It had a direct hit from something that looked like part of a droid ship. She pulled out her blaster, just in case, and walked slowly around the object. It looked like, no was a giant corkscrew and appeared to have tried to burrow into the floor, then stopped. It appeared dead. She gave it a wide berth.
Continuing to the office, she could see no bodies. The club had been closed luckily. She gently pushed open the door; same story—ransacked. The desk covered in debris and the safe door wide open. She searched the room and then bent under the desk. The tiny silver coloured button was still there. She pressed it and the book case creaked open.
She wasn't really expecting to find anyone in there but she hoping that she didn't find a body. It was totally empty, including his secret stash of untraceable credit chips. If that was gone then Nils had gone. He had always said that if things went 'tits up' on Coruscant as he put it, then he would head back to Ryloth. Ryssa thought this definitely qualified as 'tits up'; she hoped he was safe and climbed back over the rubble to get to the speeder.
.
Walking back to the Imperial Barracks, the speeder had given up a few blocks away, so she had dumped it, she thought through her options.
Can't escape now, don't know anyone else.
Could go on the run and but how and Coruscant was swarming with troopers.
Bide my time, found out more about the Empire and survive, by any means.
Find my way back to him, any way I can.
I have to find Niner and Darman, check if they had any contact from the Nulls. If anyone can find a way, they can.
Keep my head down and blend in.
Be a good Imperial.
Soon enough, she was back at the Barracks and had to go through the security checkpoint and have her underwear examined in detail, by two of the new clones.
I wonder how much flash training they got on Lingerie?
Stuffing it back in a bag she brought from her apartment, she went to her quarters, washed then on to the Mess Hall. She needed to act normal, keep alert, keep healthy. She grabbed a tray and filled it with, she didn't know what; she had no appetite but she had to eat.
You need to keep your strength up.
Looking around, she tried to find an empty table but it was busy, everyone still went to the Mess Hall at some point. She found one with a couple of other Doctors sitting there, judging from the insignia on their uniforms, nodding at them, then with her head down, she concentrated on eating her food, as fast and as politely as possible.