IE XVIII: BOUND BY FEAR, DRIVEN BY HOPE
Two guards inside, a shit ton outside. A distraction should get them to me. They open the door for some emergency, I take them by surprise, and we're done.
It's been possibly two days.
Squeezing the steel bars, Eva gazes out of her jailblock and into the corridor, mapping out her rescue plan. Her eyes linger on movements of a Rebel guard seemingly doing some administrative work on his datapad as her nerves burn through the cold bars. Thoughts race through her mind with all the possible methods and outcomes screaming as loud as they can, and Eva tries to control them, but the urge to escape and make an end to that Jedi scum grows unbearable. Her hand squeezes the steel bar further as if it is Kishtung's throat.
Getting that guard to come for her, open the door, and then getting him by surprise does not seem simple; it is easier said than done. And how is she going to distract that guard in the first place? Scream for an emergency? Tell them she's hurt? Eva isn't sure.
What she's sure of, however, is getting Eline the medicine she needs. On the other side of the corridor, just barely out of reach, lies her backpack, slumped against the concrete wall. Eva drops herself to the ground and tries to grasp it once more. She bumps her shoulder against the bars as she stretches her arm as far as she can until her muscles burn as if they are tearing apart while in flames. Clenching her jaws, Eva twists with her fingers, trying to touch her bag, but falls inches short. Her heart burns with agony. The medicine, the gold, is lying straight ahead of her, shining into her face, right before her eyes, but barely out of reach forever. It feels gut-wrenching as if no star wants her to have the tiniest bits of luck. Eva drops the tension in her arm and drops it on the cold floor, gasping with frustration.
"Dank ferrik," Eva sighs, her voice echoing twice through the prison cells.
Her arm throbs from the straining pain as her body slumps against the cold floor, her head stuck between the bars and her eyes fixed on the ground. The hope nearly sinks into the abyss, but she clenches her fists, letting herself not drop into hopelessness.
She will get Eline and herself out of here, no matter what. All and everything for Eline's life.
Eva's tongue dries up as she's gasping for the stale air. The ventilation unit hanging on the wall, low above the floor, is rumbling as if its insides have come loose. It has been making weird sounds for some time now, and its absence has left Eva and Eline with a stale, thick air to breathe. Even in the dark, she can see the dust particles swirling in the air. The air tastes foul on her tongue.
"Eva?" Eline's voice is barely audible from the far back of the cell. It is a far cry from the joyful sister Eva has always known. "Are you okay?"
Eva swallows hard and forces herself to sit back up. Her eyes land on Eline's dark face, her body slumped against the back wall in the block next to hers. "Yeah. I'm fine. Just… thinking."
Eline lets out a faint, almost dead hum. "Trying again?"
"Yeah," Eva responds. "Still out of reach, though."
Eline remains silent. Curled up with her arms holding her knees close to herself, she peeks through the shadows with her blue eyes like two stars. "Stop trying," she murmurs.
Eva recoils, her heart tightening at Eline's emotionless voice, as if she's lost all hope. As if escape is no longer possible. "What do you mean?" she asks.
Eline sighs, her frail voice breaking. "I mean, you've tried… tried… and tried…" and she drops her head onto her knees, her blue eyes vanishing and her long, blond hair falling over her face. "It's not coming closer."
Yeah, she's really lost hope. The hopelessness in her voice strikes her burning heart as Eva crawls over the cold floor to the back, to Eline. She has to instill a hint of hope back in Eline. "It comes closer if you try hard enough."
"The backpack won't walk to you," Eline's voice cracks.
"I don't mean that," Eva responds, and she reaches out to Eline's head, tugging her soft hair. "I mean that, pushing and pushing, not losing hope and remaining determined will get you out of here. It will. Where's the hope?"
"Hope?" Eline glances up, drawing out the word, almost tasting the bitterness behind it. Her hair slides away from her face as she rests her cheek on her knees, revealing her blue eyes, now flickering like two dying stars gazing at her. "Isn't that a Rebel thing to say?"
Eva remains quiet, staring at her sister as she retracts her hand. It is a bitter irony that cuts deep into her heart. Hope has always been the Alliance's symbol for the willpower to fight Imperials like her. It is tied tightly to the Rebel effort to undermine and destroy the Empire. For a moment, Eva is unsure how to respond. But even if it is tied to the kind of scum she has sworn to destroy, Eva realises hope has never belonged to them alone.
"Hope…" Eva sighs. "It's… not theirs. It's for people who fight to survive in hard situations. Us."
Eline shakes her head faintly, dismissively. "Still sounds like a foul word."
Eva presses her lips, nodding a little. "Okay. Let's call it… wanting things to get better-believing that it gets better. Don't you want to get things better, to escape this prison?"
Eline's eyes shift to the floor with uncertainty, until she slowly nods.
Eva smirks, her smile curling with disgust as she curls up, reaching for her legs. "I know. Me speaking about hope… It's… gut punching."
"Gut punching?" Eline murmurs.
Eva inhales deeply. "Gut punching to realise that… we're not really all too different," and she glances at Eline, making eye contact. "Rebels and us. Hope is their symbol." She smirks softly. "Here we are… with hope."
Eline's eyes lock onto Eva's for a long moment, as if searching for something in her pupils, until she gazes at the cold floor again. Her breath is shallow as she's uncertain of how to respond.
Eva releases her legs as they drop on the cold floor, and sits up straight. "I've always had the thought, and I hate admitting it, but here we are," and she glances around a little, her eyes drifting from the dark prison cells surrounding her. "Here, I believe we will get out of here. Even when a hundred Rebels face us, I am certain that we will escape."
"Escape is not easy," Eline murmurs. "What do we hope for, exactly? A bomb to drop onto us?"
"For a eureka moment," Eva smiles.
"Yeah, right." Eline lets out a frail chuckle, dropping her head onto her knees. For a moment, the colour of her skin returns on her face and her hands twist a little, returning with life. She glances up again with sparkling eyes. "How's that coming along?"
Eva reaches out to her and holds her hand tightly. "I'm close. Just hang on for a little longer. Can you do that?"
Eline squeezes Eva's hand weakly. "I'll try," she whispers.
Eva smiles. She reaches for Eline's head and slowly pulls her towards her, pressing her lips on her forehead and giving her a kiss. She pulls back and rests her forehead gently against Eline's. "Just have a little bit of faith in me. Just try, and I'll do the rest."
Eline clenches Eva's hands, squeezing them with finally some warmth after so long.
Then, the blast door opens. Eva pulls back and they both gaze at a sudden flood of fierce light rushing into the prison block with the shadows of two figures being casted over the floor. Mumbling, they step into the corridor and Eva sees one guard armed with a blaster. The other one seems to be unarmed. Intrigued, Eva forces herself to sit straight.
"This is the AC unit?" one man asks.
"Yeah," the guard responds. "It's been broken for a day, I think."
The man crouches down and drags Eva's backpack away. Its content rattles as the man glances at the AC unit with a flashlight. Eva notices he seems to be carrying some sort of toolbox.
That man seems to be the mechanic, coming to repair the AC unit. Eva glances at Eline. Her sister's eyes shimmer with a window of opportunity. Hope did its magic.
Eline gives her a slight nod, her eyes flashing with hope. Remaining silent, Eva glances back at the two men bantering around about the AC unit. This is the time to act. Her heart starts racing in her chest as Eva slowly crawls towards the front of her prison cell, towards the two Rebels. Her hands clasp the bars with a soft clang. The guard jolts around, clenching his blaster and aiming at her. Eva shudders for a moment, recoiling back.
"Hey, back off, kid." The guard sways with his blaster a little, pointing at the back of her prison cell. "Hush hush."
"No, no, it's fine," says the mechanic, glancing over his shoulder at him. He briefly turns around, glancing at Eva and making eye contact. Eva notices his soft, open eyes, seemingly devoid of any hostility. "Let her be."
"You have no idea who that girl is," the guard snarls, his blaster still aimed at her. "Kid, get moving!"
"Hey, if you want some fresh air in your office again, get comfy and let her watch," the mechanic responds. "All I see is an imprisoned kid."
The guard hesitates, glancing back and forth from the mechanic to her. His grip on the blaster remains tight, until he finally lowers it, slowly. "Fine," he grumbles under his breath. "But girl, keep your distance. Don't try anything funny."
Eva swallows hard, giving him a slight nod.
After giving the mechanic a curt, but warning nod, the guard turns around and heads out of the prison block, closing the door behind him and leaving the two behind. The mechanic grasps a screwdriver from his toolbox and starts removing a panel from the broken unit. Eva glances into his toolbox and sees a few items. There are some spare parts and a pair of other screwdrivers differing in sizes. Her eyes lock onto them, her mind calculating. A screwdriver can be used as a weapon. Small, but enough to make a difference. One punch in the throat and this mechanic or any guard for that matter would bleed out in ten seconds or less. It is a stretch, but it seems to be in range. Carefully, Eva shuffles closer to his toolbox, ready to snatch the screwdriver away.
The mechanic turns around a little, glancing at Eva, his eyes soft and curious. "So, who's my colleague here?" he asks, casually.
Eva freezes for a moment and meets his gaze "Colleague?" she stammers.
"Yeah, you," he responds.
Eva swallows hard. "I don't… work with Rebels," she murmurs, slowly.
The mechanic lets out a soft, sudden chuckle. He shifts his focus back to the unit as he pulls off the panel, exposing webs of cables. His attention is elsewhere, and Eva glances back at his toolbox. It lies close, within reach if she moves quickly enough. Quietly, Eva shoves closer and extends her arm through the steel bars. She reaches for the toolbox. Her muscles burn as it lies barely within range. Her heart races in her chest. Images flash before her eyes, seeing her hand snatch the screwdriver, grasp his throat and punching a hole through his artery. His blood would flush out in an instant.
Then, the mechanic's voice pulls her back to reality. "I never worked with Rebels as well, at first."
Eva freezes. Her hand hovers near the toolbox, not yet in range to grasp it as the mechanic's words echo in her mind. Her eyes dart to the man as her thoughts sway to what he has just said. "What?" she blurts out.
"Believe me or not, but I was with the Empire for some proud years," he responds, his eyes fixated on the insides of the unit.
"You… You were an Imperial?" Eva blurts out. Her hand slowly twitches back. "You defected?"
The mechanic nods as he shines into the mechanical guts of the AC unit with his flashlight. "Yes, I did."
Eva pulls her hand away from the toolbox entirely. Even if she is almost in range, Eva cannot get herself to do it. Not even when a possible way of escape lies in reach. The intrigue gets the better of her. She's never met an Imperial defector before who joined the side of terrorists. This might be the only Rebel who may be at the same level as her, someone who may understand her, having seen the war on both sides. Why did he defect? Why did he join the Alliance? Would she be able to get some sympathy out of him to make her escape possible, to let her and her sister go? That last one might be unrealistic, Eva quickly realises, but the spark of hope persists.
Her fingers curl into a fist. "Why did you leave?"
He glances over his shoulder at her. "Couldn't take it anymore."
Eva clenches the steel bars. "Why?"
The man reaches for the smaller screwdriver in his toolbox. If she had taken it, he would have noticed it in an instant and would have been caught. "I was stationed at Camp Forward on Mimban during the Empire's campaign there," he replies. "I was a mechanic there, did repairs and kept things running smooth. Sometimes I was sent out to perform flash repairs on immobilised walkers."
Eva's heart peaks at the mention of Mimban. She heard about it on the vidscreen at home years ago when CH7 reported about the aftermath of the Mimban Campaign. Most of the flashy, thrilling action footage featured on Imperial Defense Daily came from the battlefields of that single, forsaken planet. She remembers when TIE Bombers struck their targets with perfect precision, AT-STs unleashed pure hellfire, and Mudjumpers hurtled through the smoking trenches to move the frontline forward by meters a day. They were and still are gloriously iconic pictures of the Imperial war machine and are often shown in conscription calls, promoting the bravery and the heroes of the Empire. They've become engraved on the minds of many who aspire to become one of them—brave heroes of the mighty Galactic Empire.
Eva cannot shake off the shining images of the videos flashing before her eyes. "Mimban?" she blurts out.
"Crazy, huh?" the mechanic replies, and he inhales sharply through his nose. The dust swirls in the rays of light emitted by his flashlight. "Lots of work, there. You don't want to know how many artillery guns, water pumps, relays, and walkers I fixed there. One day, an artillery gun had its shaft blasted into pieces. I was dispatched to replace it at dawn with a window of an hour before they'd advance further. The frontline lied ten clicks away."
His voice shivers with a hint of fear, something Eva has only heard from those fearing their lives. She listens closely, silently as she feels her heart pounding like distant artillery shells. It feels as if she's listening to one of the crazy, historic stories of Mr Dane in class.
"When I arrived there and started working with a team, we were taken under fire by the Mimbanese Liberation Army." His voice shivers slightly, but he manages to maintain steady as he glances over his shoulder at her. "It was hell. Every second, a shell rained down from above to strike us."
Eva meets his gaze. The explosions of shrieking artillery shells raining down from the skies flash in his steady, but scared eyes. Her hands squeeze the bars with intrigue growing.
"We wanted to retreat, but command ordered us to stay and do our job," and he lets out a sigh, glancing back at the open AC unit. He takes a spare part from his toolbox and inserts it in. "Most of the team I was with died by the rainfire." He stops as he screws on the spare part inside, slightly rattling. However, it leaves Eva wanting to know more.
"And then?" she asks.
"I came back and reported it to my superiors," he continues, putting back his screwdriver. "I thought maybe-just maybe, someone would care enough to look into and fire the bloody fierfek that ordered us to stay. Let me remind you that I lost almost all of my colleagues because of that faulty order. Well, you know what, the Empire did nothing. No inquiry, no apology. Not even an acknowledgement that my team ever existed. They just moved on. Me and my team were the broken wheel to be replaced."
He lets out a sharp sigh with a hint of rage shivering in his voice as he shakes his head. "That's when I knew we did not matter. We were expendable, ready to be thrown in the meat grinder—Mimban was the meat grinder."
Eva's lungs tightens at his words as she glances down at the floor with slight unease. She imagines the fire raining over her, desperately trying to take cover, only to discover she is chained to her position by her superiors. However, she wonders whether the superiors could do anything about it. Maybe they just had wrong information? It could have been a simple mistake.
She swallows hard. "Maybe they just made a mistake," she says, very slowly, drawing out each word.
"Mistakes?" The man erupts in a soft laughter. "No chance, and if they did, they are still scumbags for not admitting it. Look, it happened to me. I was quickly replaced by others. The same can happen to you."
Eva's eyes dart to him and slowly shakes her head. He may have been shoved aside, but she doubts it can happen to her. She's a cadet part of a program that seems to be of high importance to the point that even High Command seems to be highly interested in its performance. Surely they wouldn't disregard soldiers of a program that seems to be so prestigious. Would the Army really shove her aside as a discarded object? And even if she wasn't a special kind of soldier but a petty private, she cannot believe the Army would still do it. Privates and ensigns still form the backbone of the Army.
Sure, sometimes there are hard decisions to be made—sacrifices and massive losses, but is there any other option if that is the one they choose? Resources are not infinite. They do not replenish by themselves.
"I don't believe you," Eva stammers. "Anyone's too important for the Empire. They wouldn't do that to me."
The mechanic shrugs. "Up to you, kid. I'm not gonna tell you what to do. I'm not your father, but let it be a reminder, a whisper of the danger."
Eva swallows and her eyes slowly drift down, uncertain of how to reply.
A long screw rolls over the floor, past his foot. Eva's eyes draw to it as it rolls closer and stops in the middle of the corridor. She glances at the mechanic as his hands pry into the AC unit. He does not seem to have noticed it. Thoughts flash through her mind. That long screw can work as much as a weapon as the screwdriver, and even better, it is easily in range. Should she take it? Eva hesitates as her hands reach through the bars. Her hand twitches closer, but remains hovering above the sharp screw.
She may not be replaceable, but she knows the Imperial hierarchy can be ruthless. Orders with great risks, battles of high deathrates, strategies with only a quarter of the information… irregular, but real occurrences. Eva recognises she may very well become the victim-again. She remembers that when she did her first raid on a Rebel hide-out in the heart of the Capital, there was no to little information about the armament the Rebel insurgents possessed. A few blasters or bombs with the power of decimating the entire building-nothing was known. With incomplete intel, she ventured through the corridors until a Rebel decided to bomb himself to bring her, Peyton and the corridor down along with him. The incomplete information almost got her and her friend killed in action. The work of an Imperial soldier is risky.
The mechanic's story may not be too far off. Now, remembering the errors of her superiors in the past, Eva realises his story holds some ground. However, even with his soft, caring voice and his past service at the Empire, Eva remains doubtful, but she keeps his story in mind, letting it warn her when it gets real.
Her thoughts are interrupted by shuffling feet behind the closed blast door. Her eyes dart to the door and sees the Rebel guard is coming back. As the door starts hissing, Eva's hand quickly grasps the screw and pulls back her arm in an instant. The blast door slides into the wall and the Rebel guard walks in, his hands tightly wrapped around the grips of his A280.
"You done yet?" he asks.
The mechanic glances at him as he grasps the weathered plate from the floor to put it back on the AC unit. "Almost done," he responds. "Just finishing up."
Eva firmly squeezes the sharp screw in her hand and tucks it into her sleeve. Her heart pounds in her throat as she slowly backs away. The mechanic screws the panel back on the AC unit. He flips the switch and it starts whirring.
"Job's done," he says, and puts his screwdriver back in his toolbox, ready to leave. "You'll be getting your fresh oxygen in no time."
He wipes his hands on a rag, and as he stands up, glances back at Eva one last time. He gives her a small, curt nod and heads towards the door. The guard steps aside, letting him pass, but his eyes remain on Eva, sharply keeping an eye on her. Eva hides her racing lungs, trying to gasp as silently as possible as her hand still grips the screw in her sleeve. Her fingers twitch as the guard heads to the door and closes it behind him.
Eva lets out a shaky breath and her eyes drift away into the darkness. The adrenaline slowly fades away and releases the screw from her fingers. She lets it drop into her fingers, fiddling around her tips as its sharp edges roll over her skin. At last, she has gotten a weapon. It feels like she finally has a bit of control over the environment around her.
Eva crawls to the back of the prison cell and leans her back against the cold, hard wall. Eline crawls closer to her, her arms clasping the steel bars as her sparkling eyes gaze at her.
"Eva," she whispers. "Why didn't you do it?"
Eva glances at her, clenching the weapon in her hand. "What?"
"Kill him," Eline responds.
Eva shrugs. "I don't know," she sighs.
Doubt flickers through her mind as she wonders whether she should have used it on the mechanic. She could have taken his arm, clasp his throat, and stabbed the screw into the artery in his throat. Or, she could have taken him hostage, demanding from the Rebel guard to open or else his colleague's blood would flood the floor. Dropping her head with uncertainty, Eva is not sure why she did not act. Perhaps because this man did not deserve it. For some reason, something stopped her from doing anything bad to that man, even if he was a Rebel. And the fact that there is even a reason for her not to kill a Rebel makes fear run through her nerves.
What if the ISB finds out? What if Rebel sympathy has truly infected her? Eva's heart cracks with fear, unsure of whether she should start forcing herself to be the ruthless, Rebel-scum killer she has always been, but she knows it is exhausting.
However, Eva can't let herself fall. She has to keep believing that the path will open up. The one thing that matters and she should focus on is getting Eline to safety and getting her the meds she so desperately needs. As she clenches the sharp screw in her hand, Eva starts forming a plan…
Suddenly, it all makes sense. Everything clicks together seamlessly. Kishtung recoils with shock and opens her eyes, stepping out of her meditation as the Artefact lies beyond her feet on the cold floor. Its whispers slowly dissipate into the air as her heart starts pounding in her chest.
Kishtung may have found its intention. The Artefact has its secret laid bare right in front of her eyes. Her short gasps echo through the chamber and into the cold night through the skylights. A shiver runs down her spine as her gaze locks onto the Artefact. Its faded whispers swirl in the back of her mind as she realises that this object is a source of power.
And it can change everything.
Kishtung straightens up with excitement. If this thing can do what she believes it can do, it might restore everything. It can defeat the Darkside that has corrupted and infected everything in the galaxy like a ferocious disease. Whatever the Artefact holds, it may cure everything. However, Kishtung regains her composure. Even when her nerves burn with excitement, she is not certain about its true power and use. She has to activate it and test it. It is the only thing Kishtung can do to confirm the Artefact's true purpose, to finally reveal its biggest secrets.
Kishtung stands up, almost shivering by the sheer revelation. She pushes her robes aside and grasps the comlink from her waist.
"Commander Girkin, I have good news," says Kishtung. "I think I know what the Artefact's true purpose is."
The old man's voice crackles through the speakers. "Good news indeed. This conquest may finally end."
A snarl of cynicism erupts from the other end, pulling a string in her stomach wrongly.
"I think it is a source of knowledge," Kishtung responds, disregarding his tone, "but I am not certain. I want to test out my theory by activating it. I want an assembly in the main chamber with all of your regiment commanders."
Girkin lets out a faint sigh. "Of course. Within 10 minutes, you will have everyone there."
Kishtung nods. "Thank you."
Before she signs off, her mind drifts to Eva, the girl now stuck in the prison block with her younger sister. Kishtung recognises that all of this was not possible if Eva had not given up the Artefact to her. Without her, nothing would have been possible, and Kishtung would have been at step one. All the time she was frozen in carbonite, Eva kept the Artefact intact. Her effort, even if she is Kishtung's enemy, was priceless. She deserves to witness the Artefact's power with her own eyes.
Kishtung clenches the comlink and moves it closer to her chin. "And… bring the Imperial girl in. I want to congratulate her for her effort."
"Will be arranged," Girkin responds, and quickly signs off.
Lowering her comlink, Kishtung's eyes draw to the Artefact. Even when its whispers have died, she can still feel it pulling at the edges of her mind, trying to draw her in with its tempting secrets.
But perhaps it is not the light calling her…
With sweaty hands, Eva pokes the sharp screw into the lock of her prison door, hoping to pry it open. Her fingers tremble with anxiety as she listens carefully for each metallic click and clack erupting from the door lock. Eva has never lockpicked before and she hopes that luck will give her a chance to free Eline and herself. However, each click she hears is drowned by the pounds of her heart, beating like gunfire in the far distance, echoing through her ears.
"Is it working?" Eline murmurs, her frail voice echoing through the prison block.
Eva does not respond as her attention is tightly concentrated on the movement of her fingers, fiddling and twisting the screw in the keyhole.
Then, she hears faint footsteps. Eva's fingers freeze as her eyes dart to the blast door. The pounds on the concrete floor grow louder. Dank Ferrik. Someone's coming.
The hydraulics of the blast door hiss. In a heartbeat, Eva pulls the screw back out of the keyhole, clenches it in her hand and stumbles away, nearly tripping over her feet with burning nerves. The door slides open and two figures appear, walking into the prison block. Their eyes are sharp as they stop before her jail and glance at her with focused eyes, looking for anything out of the ordinary.
Eva freezes in place as her silent gasps echo faintly through the bars. Her nerves burn with panic. They didn't see her trying to lockpick the door, right? If they did, she might risk being beaten up with an electrobaton, breaking each and all of her bones or at least pulling a strand of hair from her head. As Eva firmly squeezes the sharp weapon in her sleeve, her eyes drift to the hand movement of the foremost guard. In the dark, he seems to take something out of his pocket and inserts it in the lock. Shit. They may have truly seen her.
Her nerves explode as Eva stumbles back, her gasps growing shallow as the door opens with squeaking hinges. She almost drops the sharp knife from her sleeve as the Rebel guards step into her prison block. Eva trips over her feet and drops on the hard floor. They look at her with stern eyes, looking at a misbehaving hound that needs several kicks in the ass with a shovel. However, the guards seem unwilling to punish her as their blasters are low.
"Alright kid," says one, loudly. "You got lucky."
Uncertain, Eva remains on the floor, gazing in silence while her heart pounds like distant explosions.
"You've been given first row seating. Now, come on," and the guard sways with his blaster towards the open door.
Eva's jaws clench. They want her to follow them. Why? Where are they going? What does he mean by first row seating? A shiver runs down her spine. For some reason, punishment through torture scares her less than the reason she has to follow them. For what do they need her? Information? Brainwashing? Execution? Freedom? Any scenario is now possible. An infinite possibilities of outcomes now lay bare in front of her, and she has no idea which one she's forced to pick.
The guard lets out a sigh of impatience. "Do I really have to do this myself?" and he pounds towards her, grasps her arm by the wrist and yanks her up from the floor.
Eva stumbles forward as her body shivers with fear.
"Get walking," and the guard pounds his blaster into her back.
Eva shrieks and explodes forward, almost bumping into the steel door and stumbles out. The other Rebel guard looks at her until he turns around and heads to the doorway. The thought of escaping now or using her hidden weapon to kill them both flashes through her mind, but her instincts stop her quickly. Eva can kill one guard, but then there would still be one left with an open shot. No chance she is able to eliminate them both. All she can do is follow their commands and do as they please. Eva knows she is not at an advantage whatsoever. Any action can lead to her demise. If these Rebels have no problem with abducting her sister, they would have no problem killing her either.
With scorching nerves, Eva is left with no other option than to follow the guards. Before she steps out, Eva glances one last time over her shoulder. Her eyes meet the worried gaze of Eline, looking out of her solitary confinement with her pale, frail hands wrapped around the steel bars. Her heart burns as Eva is forced to leave her sister, but Eline gives her a slight nod. Everything will be okay. Eline seems to be sure of it, and so must Eva.
Following the two guards, Eva is led through a dazzling system of corridors where every Rebel present watches her with eyes of despise. She does not dare making eye contact as she follows the guards into a large chamber. A cold atmosphere crashes into her face, making her shiver as finally, Eva dares looking up.
Rebel soldiers are scrambled all around, forming a grand, half-a-circle around a slab of stone lying on the floor. It is the Artefact. What is it doing on the ground, and why does it feel like these Rebels seem to worship it like some holy grail?
The guard behind her shoves Eva forward. She stumbles towards the center with pounding footsteps and freezes with bone-chilling fear as, directly in front of her, Kishtung stands by the Artefact. The Twi'lek's pink face is illuminated by the faint glow of the Holocron in her hand. The colour of her eyes twist into hurricanes as the glow is reflected in her dark pupils.
Eva is frozen to the floor as Kishtung glances at her and gives her a nod. "Eva, I am happy that you are here." Her alien eyes draw to her handcuffs. She unveils her hand from her white-brown robes and gently twists with her hand. "You won't need those."
Eva hears a click from her handcuffs and the grip loosens on her wrists. It slowly slides off and clatters on the ground. Slowly with disbelief, she clasps her wrists as the handcuffs have left pale marks on her skin. Her heart leaps in her chest for a moment, relieved that her wrists can finally breathe, but it still feels like she is chained. Even if her hands are free, she herself is not.
Twisting her hands slightly, Eva remains silent as she glances with unease at the Twi'lek.
"Whether you know it or not, you were instrumental in securing the Artefact," says Kishtung as her arms vanish behind her back. "I thank you for your cooperation sincerely."
Thank you for your cooperation? As Eva silently stares at her, her eyes grow sharper than blades. Her mind burns with the pale face of Eline and the blood she coughs straight out of her lungs. The thought of her sister, abducted from the dark of the night, from her bed, as a bargaining tool, tightens her throat with rage. The nail in her sleeve heats up with anger as the thought of slashing her throat instantly starts screaming at her.
Kishtung inhales sharply through her nose. Without any fear in her alien eyes, she slowly steps towards her. Her footsteps pound on the hard floor, shivering through the ground. "Eva, I wanted you here to witness the power of the Artefact."
Eva's fists clench tightly. "Why?" her voice breaks, barely hiding the flames burning within her.
"Because you deserve to see it," Kishtung replies. She stops inches before her, staring down at her with open and soft, yet menacing eyes as her cold breath blows into Eva's face. Her robes sway in an insensible storm. "You're intelligent, Eva, and the love and care for your sister is unbreakable. You fight hard to protect her and I respect that more than anything. I can see very well that you are steadfast, determined to reach a goal. You hold your missions dearly. I do so as well, and I'd feel hurt if I would not be able to see the outcome of all my struggles."
Slowly, Kishtung tugs Eva's arm with her cold, pink fingers. They run over her skin, hardly able to cool her burning nerves as Eva's eyes narrow further. She wants to twitch back, shout at her and insult all of the alien's grandmothers with every disease imaginable. But she bites her lips. Any response can swing back to punch her in the face. As her nails dig deep into her palms, Eva barely manages.
"You deserve to witness the secrets that were barely out of your reach," Kishtung responds. "It may never put us on the same terms, but at least you will leave us knowing everything you've done or lost wasn't in vain. Besides, you freed me from that ship in the woods."
The creaking corridors of the derelict ship, flooded in darkness, flashes before her eyes like lightning. Rainwater had washed away the soil that covered it the night before. Eva still hears her footsteps echoing into the vast darkness until Ecklund's voice echoes in her ears, screaming she's found a survivor, frozen in carbonite. Little did she know, a heroic act-saving a lost survivor-changed the path before her drastically. She should've left her there. She should've left her there to rot, to never be found.
With sorrow shimmering in her eyes, Kishtung gazes down for a brief moment, until she regains eyecontact with Eva. Her voice turns soft. "You know… even if we stand on opposite sides of the river, I will never take away the pebbles you throw in the water. I will never feel ungrateful for what you did. Thank you for saving me."
Eva bites her lips. Her pulse races faster with every second of being in Kishtung's dark presence. Her mind flashes with thoughts. Never will this alien ever be on the same terms as her. Never will any apologise make up for the kidnapping of her sister, taken from her bed at midnight. Thoughts flash through her mind as she can already taste Twi'lek blood in her mouth. Quick, swift, final, but Eva closes her eyes for a moment, trying everything to stop herself. She knows she can't let herself go loose like a hungry Lurca. With so many Rebels around, Eva won't stand a single chance to do anything against Kishtung.
Kishtung's eyes stare into Eva's burning soul until she shifts her attention back to the Artefact. "Now… let's unveil the Artefact's true power."
Kishtung turns away from Eva as her nerves boil her alive. The Twi'lek acts and talks as if her mission is for a noble cause when Eline's lungs are at the brink of collapse. Her sister is suffering hard for a flat piece of stone. The question why burns in her mind.
Eva's eyes flicker to the Holocron in Kishtung's hands, pulsating a little with a faint, blue glow like a beating heart. Gasping to cool her lungs with frigid air, Eva swallows hard. "You know what its intention is?"
Kishtung draws closer to the Artefact and raises her hand above it with the Holocron upside down. "I do not. All I have are suspicions."
Eva shudders. If she doesn't know what she is about to unleash, should Kishtung even open it at all? This cannot be safe, can it? What if it is some kind of weapon if she has to believe the Artefact's mythical status? It may destroy them all!
Eva snickers. "So you don't know what it does-, what it can do?" she growls.
With sharp, determined eyes, Kishtung stares at the Artefact lying just beyond her feet. "I feel what it can do. I can feel its power rippling through time. I believe it can unlock the secrets to destroying the Darkside of the Force that has corrupted this galaxy while I was gone. I've missed 400 years of life. I might be able to cleanse this forsaken zombified world, and reboot the Light and restore it as it once was." She glances briefly at Eva as the dark and the light swirls in her eyes. "Let's start, shall we?"
Eva's stomach churns with fear as she remains silent except for her frantic gasps of air. She watches from a distance as Kishtung closes her eyes and whispers words that fade away before Eva can't understand what she is praying. Her hand still holds the Holocron tightly as its glow starts to pulse. Its light flickers like a dying star until it bursts with energy, shining as bright as six supernovae. It burns through her eyes and Eva stumbles back, looking away and hiding her face in her hands, trying to shield her from the sharp light. Through her fingers, she sees the silhouette of Kishtung releasing the shining Holocron from her hand and stepping away, continuing to stare at it with admiration.
Then, the radiation burst vanishes and everything is left in darkness. Eva lowers her hands and sees the Holocron is hovering above the Artefact. It is drained of the life it previously possessed as a ray of light swirls down like a chaotic twister. Eva is unable to move, unable to think as the oxygen is sucked out of the air. Waves of pressure push through the air, rattling the concrete walls and trembling the floor beneath her feet.
The lightray from the Holocron connects with the Artefact and it lifts up from the floor. The stone joins the hovering cube in the dark sky. Eva's jaw drops on the floor with dread shivering her bones, stumbling back, while the Rebels around her close in on the surreal scene with astonishment and awe.
The dead Holocron and the living Artefact hover parallel to each other in the air, floating in a calm, gentle storm. The Artefact hums through the chamber as if the gates to heaven have opened up before her, ready to collapse into the burning underworld.
For the first time, Eva feels something else. A primal sense of dread, as if the Artefact is not just an old relic, but a living entity, a ghost of the past, just waking up after centuries of slumber. Eva can feel through her nerves that it is hungry, longing for something.
Kishtung lets out a sudden gasp as her shoulders drop. "The answers… it's here."
Eva's heart aches with pain as she glances at the Twi'lek. "Answers?" her voice shivers. "Are you sure it is not the gates to heaven, a portal to wildspace?"
Kishtung smirks, unable to take her eyes off of the hovering Artefact. "Eyes can be deceiving."
Eva scoffs. "Are you sure this is not dangerous? What if it explodes or something?"
Kishtung slowly shakes her head, dismissing her fears silently. Eva takes another step back, fearing that it will burst open with more power than any supernova ever has. Even if the star illuminating from the Artefact is calm and gentle, Eva feels like it is anything but. There is something it is hiding. Perhaps it is the storm raging inside, the flames, or death.
As Kishtung's body forms a silhouette in the sharp light, she slowly reaches out to the Artefact. Her arm is steady and fearless. She bows before the stone, and raises again. "Holy spirits of the past, I am delighted by your presence."
As Eva watches, it seems like the orb flickers a little as a response. And then, she hears them. From the most distant corners of her mind, Eva hears faint, very faint whispers. Her heart stops as she hears them. She glances around with terror in her eyes, trying to deduct where the voices come from, but they seem to originate from everywhere and nowhere, all at once. She tries to comprehend the words, but they sound like slithers and hisses as if they intend on being secretive to her ears.
However, the voices are not what strikes her the most. Her eyes draw to the Rebel commanders and officers all around her. Hypnotised by the magic, the Rebels have their eyes glued to the Artefact. Its light is reflected in all of their eyes as if they have all been taken over by a single mind-that of the spirit residing in the Artefact. They show no acknowledgement or any response to her actions, even if she is slowly backing away as if she's going to escape. They all seem to have forgotten her as they are too taken away by the awe.
Her eyes drift to the shuddering floor, her mind storming with thoughts as her hand twitches to the sharp nail hidden in her sleeve. Everyone is hypnotised by the light, while Kishtung's attention is all focused on the Artefact. Eva realises she might have a chance now. Her jaws clench and no longer are her nerves ruled by fear and dread, but by rage, too. The spirit residing in the Artefact seems to be more worthy to the Rebel Alliance than her very own sister. They kidnapped her for this. Eva's eyes narrow as she longs for justice to be served. The words Kishtung has said before echo in her mind: You deserve to see the secrets. Her nails dig deeper into her palms, leaving spots of blood. She doesn't deserve to see anything. She deserves to have justice served.
The voices grow louder.
Then, Kishtung pulls her out of Eva's chaotic thoughts. "I know you can hear them too," she murmurs.
Eva glances back at her, her heart pounding so quick it can no longer keep up. "What? The voices?"
Kishtung softly hums. "It takes a special connection to hear what it is saying. Its verses, its melody… it's all from this Artefact."
Eva's blood boils in her veins, scorching her from the inside. It takes a special connection to understand it; is Kishtung complimenting herself? Praising herself while she kidnapped her sister? Or is Kishtung talking about her? Does she mean that Eva has a special connection with it?
Eva's stomach turns with disgust. "I don't kriffin' care," she growls. "I want my sister back."
Kishtung nods slightly. "I understand. Let's continue quickly, then," and she reaches out to the Artefact again. "Holy spirit, I am calling on your wisdom with sincerity. This galaxy has been corrupted by the Darkside. I want to know how to destroy it. Please, light the way forward."
The orb emitted by the Artefact flashes as the voices grow louder, but still inaudible to Eva's ears. Her eyes draw to Kishtung and she seems to be listening carefully and thoughtfully to the voices around her. She knows the entity is speaking to her.
"Forest moon…" Kishtung murmurs, softly. "Forest moon of Endor... Vaulent 6…"
Kishtung's words fall on deaf ears as Eva's chest tightens with rage. Every muscle in her body tense as her fingers grasp the sharp nail hidden up her sleeve. The voices grow louder with each pound of her heart, until all she can hear is the thought of killing her. No Rebel is watching. One strike and it's all over. Her fingers tighten around the head of the nail, the cold steel pressing against her palm.
As her eyes focus on Kishtung, the Twi'lek steps back slightly, twitched by something with an unusual sense of caution. The atmosphere shifts to danger as Eva takes a step forward, while Kishtung takes one step back. The weapon slides out of her sleeve, squeezed in her hand. Kishtung takes another step back, seemingly terrorised by something as if the Artefact revealed the most horrible secret known to the galaxy. But all Eva can see is scum. The Twi'lek deserves nothing but death for what she's done to Eline-taking her and leaving her without her life-saving medicines. What she's done to her sister is torture.
The Artefact's orb of light shifts firey red and intensifies, blinding every Rebel in the chamber with pain except for her. Her eyes narrow sharper than blades. The air crackles with energy as Eva's free hand fires forward, ready to punch the nail into Kishtung's throat, to see the sparkling blood gushing out of her veins.
But before she can strike, a final blast of light punches her out of her rage. Her eyes dart to a blinding explosion, bursting from the Artefact, and her rage evaporates, replaced by overwhelming fear. Her lungs stall with dread and her striking hand lowers as the Artefact unleashes its true power.
Kishtung jolts around, her white robes erupting in flames as her hand snaps towards Eva. A wave of air punches her in her chest, sending her flying out of the chamber. Eva shrieks with panic until her back slams into the cold, hard floor, the impact knocking the oxygen from her lungs. Gasping, Eva watches as the Rebels around her scream with pain, seeking cover as some erupt in flames.
The Artefact pulses violently as its light twists into an inferno, unleashing its raw power onto the vicinity. Glowing sludge of molten metal drips from the ceiling as the heat in the chamber escalates. Before her, in the radiant glow, the silhouette of Kishtung is standing fiercely amidst the fire as a glow of blue surrounds her like a forceshield.
Eva shivers as the heat sears through her uniform. She is unable to comprehend what is happening until one word screams in her mind: escape. She has to get herself to safety now! Staying here any longer and she's vaporised into dust.
Eva forces herself to move as she crawls across the floor, her eyes darting around in search for cover. Her limbs shake as her heart thunders in her chest. She enters a corridor, heading away from the collapsing star ready to burst behind her. Ceiling plates clatter on the floor. The walls collapse onto her path, obstructing the corridor.
Eva stumbles back and dodges falling chunks of concrete, pounding on the shattering floor. "Dank Ferrik!" she screams.
With dripping sweat, Eva's eyes dart around, looking for another way while behind her, she hears the blood-curdling screams of burning men. Going back is no longer an option. Panicking, her eyes draw to the door of a small security cubicle. She has to hide, now!
Eva stumbles towards it, trips over her feet and smashes onto the floor with her chest, crawling into the room with pain erupting from her stomach. She finds a desk on which the computer screens shiver like an earthquake. She slams the door behind her, and with a final burst of strength, Eva throws herself below the desk. Shaking, she curls up, hiding her face in her hands. She slams her back into the wall, trying to shield herself from the heat, but even the concrete starts to crumble under the immense energy. Eva hides in her arms as the floor shivers. Please, let this be over with. Let this be over with. Let this be over with!
A sudden blastwave shakes through the room. Everything falls down as the roaring explosion nearly deafens her. The walls crumble, threatening to tear apart as Eva squeezes herself in her arms, sobbing with fear.
And as quickly as it has shocked the world, it disappears quickly. The scorching heat dies down, and the roar of the explosion fades into silence. Everything seems to calm down. All that is left is the breeze whistling through the cracks of the ceiling and the walls.
With her arms curled around her knees, her tears drop on the cracked floor as Eva gasps frantically for air. The sweat pours down her face as her body trembles with fear and agony. Can she open her eyes? She is not certain. Is she gonna see the world in flames? Everything flattened? Eva fears the destruction she will open her eyes to, but she knows she has to look.
Shaking, Eva opens her eyes to vague lines. Her vision blurs until her eyes finally adjust, and through the smoke and dust, Eva sees the entire ceiling has collapsed onto the floor and the desk above her. The breeze blows through gaps in the concrete wall as misformed, steel bars stick out. The air feels cold.
Is it over? Can she come out? Eva isn't sure, and she remains still below the desk a little longer, keeping herself together.
What happened? What did the Artefact do? What will she find outside? The questions rising in her mind terrorise her.
The silence continues as if it is a walk in the forest. It seems to be safe. With a pounding heart, Eva slowly uncurls herself from below the desk and crawls out. She moves slowly out of the debris, avoiding contact with anything. The blast the Artefact unleashed may have put the entire building on the brink of collapse. Any shift in weight, caused by her or anyone else, might cause everything to come down onto her.
Eva opens the door and slowly peeks out from the security cubicle. Her pupils grow as she stares through the dust and into the chamber. The explosion has left it completely unrecognisable. The walls are covered in scorch marks, steel pillars holding the ceiling up have melted away, and any sign of life-Rebels and even the Twi'lek herself, are gone. As if a thermonuclear bomb had detonated, everything is destroyed. At ground zero, the Artefact still hovers in the air, humming with energy as it's glowing like molten steel. Its whispers shriek like the angels of despair grinning at what they've brought upon the world.
The Holocron hovering above is scorched with black marks like claws of a monster digging its nails deep into the steel, until both slowly descend to the floor and land with a bang. Eva twitches forward but hesitates. She knows she has to retrieve the Artefact, but if it holds this amount of unstable power, is it even safe to touch it? Her bones shiver with the thought of even coming near it.
Embracing herself in her arms, Eva gazes around, trying to find any trace of Kishtung, but she is gone. Perhaps she's been evaporated by the blast, but she has a feeling in the back of her mind that she escaped this, too.
Then, as the blood manages to run to her brains, all thoughts stop but one: Eline. She has to find her and free her. She's free with the Rebels possibly eliminated or disjointed into chaos. No one is now stopping her from escaping with Eline.
Eva starts running out of the chamber, jumping over debris that's scattered everywhere across the floor. Behind her, she hears the faint voices of Rebels rushing in, alarmed by the sudden blast. She rushes through the corridors, following the path the guards took her through. At last, she reaches the prison block, opens the door, and rushes inside. However, debris is blocking most of her path. A support beam has fallen down, barely balancing on the deformed, steel bars of an empty prison cell. The explosion must have triggered a mini earthquake.
"Eline!" Eva shouts, her voice echoing through the chamber.
Then, through the darkness, she hears a frail cry for help.
Dank Ferrik.
Eva steps over the debris on the floor and crawls below the collapsed support beam, until she finds Eline, clasping the steel bars of her prison cell. Her face is covered in pale dust as the panic is etched on her face.
"Eva, what happened?" she shouts, frantically and gasping heavily.
Eva drops to the floor and embraces Eline in her arms, tightly. "Too much to explain, but I have to get you out of here."
Eva releases Eline from her arms and stands up, glancing around as she tries to find any possible way of freeing her sister from her claustrophobic confinement. Eva tries the door, hoping for its lock to malfunction as it seems to have been battered by falling debris. She slams the button. It sparks, but the door doesn't open. Panting, Eva reaches for the door's steel bars and tries to pull it open with all of her power. Her muscles ache, barely holding it together, but the door gives no sign of motion.
Everything is collapsed and destroyed, and yet she is still unable to free her sister? No kriffing way is she going to let that stop her.
Eva's hands latch onto the bars, hoping for it to come loose, but as she starts pulling onto them, the ceiling above her cracks with danger, threatening to collapse. Eva realises that more movement, even further away from ground zero, may still collapse everything. If she would continue like this, she would engulf Eline and herself in debris, leaving no chance of survival or rescue from their Rebel captors. Her lungs race quicker. Eva shakes her head, trying to dismiss and ignore the danger, but she knows deep from within that the danger is far too big.
Clenching her fists, Eva clasps her head, her eyes watering with panic as she drops to the ground, cursing under her breath. "Dank Ferrik!" she shouts. "Any kriffin' movement can make everything collapse."
Eline shuffles closer, her hands making soft thuds as they clasp the bars. "What?"
Eva glances at her with tears rolling over her cheeks, the shards of her heart burning in flames. "I can't get you out," she stammers, swallowing hard but her throat tightens. She crawls to Eline, clasping the bars so tightly her knuckles turn pale. "Everything is going to collapse if I try."
Eline's eyes flash with panic, almost unable to speak as she tumbles over her words with a shivering voice. Eline starts shaking as she realises escape is no longer possible. "What-, what about-, the inhaler?" she stammers.
The inhaler.
Eva put it in her backpack across the corridor from her prison cell. She jolts around, but her eyes land on a piece of her backpack, buried in dust and debris. Eva hurries towards it, grasps the piece that is sticking out and tries to pull the backpack out of the debris. Her muscles nearly tear apart as she puts her foot on the cracked wall, trying so hard to free it. The piece she is holding onto tears apart and Eva stumbles onto her back. Her heart sinks in her chest as her eyes land on her backpack, still anchored by the heavy debris. Eline's medicine is in there, but now, buried and possibly destroyed.
The walls stretch into infinity and the ground drops below her into the abyss as Eva's hands start shivering. The very thing that keeps Eline's lungs alive is gone. It's always been barely out of reach, waiting for Eva to grasp, but now, once she's gotten the window to do so, the Artefact stabs its blade deep into her spine. The pain spreads all over her body quicker than a wildfire. Everything has slipped away. The plan to kill the Twi'lek and free her sister has failed.
"Eline…" Eva gasps, nearly unable to speak. "It's-, gone."
Eline clasps the metal bars with frail hands, trying to get as close to Eva as a tear streaks down her chin. "Eva."
As her lungs shudder with sobs she tries to suppress, she slowly turns herself to Eline. Her sister's skin grows paler than snow.
"I-, I won't be able to escape, am I?" her voice shivers.
Shivering, Eva shakes her head. "I'm sorry," she breaks.
Eline remains silent, her eyes casting down with sorrow etched in her eyes. Her tears splash on the concrete floor and vanish in the deep cracks. "Dank Ferrik," she whispers.
Eva leans closer, her eyes burning with agony. Her body trembles as if the weight of the galaxy is crushing her chest. "I'm so sorry that I can't free you no more," her voice cracks, the tears streaming down her cheeks. "I gave them what they wanted. I got nothing back."
"Eva," Eline stammers. Her lips tremble and a tear streaks down her cheek. "You have to leave me."
"What? No!" Eva snaps. "I can't. I won't. I just found you."
Eline shakes her head vehemently. "You have to. You can free me another time, not when they get you again."
"But-, look what they've done to you," Eva stammers, her heart breaking in agony. She extends her arm through the bars and holds Eline's hand tightly. "I don't want to leave you."
"Don't worry about me," Eline responds, her voice too calm amidst the chaos. "I mean, I've gotten this far," and for a brief moment, a short chuckle and a small smile appears on her face. Eline squeezes Eva's hand with warmth. "I can hold out longer. I can do it."
Eva's eyes linger to Eline's hand, frail but strong in power. Eline may be her sister, but Eva realises she is far more resilient than she seems. Even when pale and frail, power remains. For a brief moment, it makes Eva think of herself, beaten and battered but still enduring. Eline can and will endure. Eva can trust her on this.
Eva's eyes slowly drift to Eline's face. She presses her head against the bars as Eline shifts closer, and their heads gently touch each other. Eline's frail but firm hand is still entwined with hers. The quiet strength flashes in Eline's eyes.
"I'll come back for you," Eva whispers.
Eline swallows hard. "I know."
With a heavy, reluctant breath, Eva lets go and glances at Eline for a final time until she pulls herself to her feet. As her heart tears itself apart in flames, Eva steps away from Eline and crawls below the collapsed support beams and makes her way to the exit. The blast door is crooked as Eva squeezes herself through the gap and slips into the corridor.
With a final glance at the prison block, Eva wipes the tears from her cheeks. Her eyes burn with guilt. It still feels wrong to leave her sister, but she steels herself and clenches her fists, determined to make it out alive. She has to escape while she can to return to save her another day.
Eva starts running through the corridors as she tries to remember the way out. The path the Rebels took her when she first arrived here was a lengthy one. Eva tries to dig deep in her memories, but her mind draws a blank as she continues running. Well, hopefully, any direction is going to take her outside.
Eva then spots a green sign hanging on the wall as she runs past it, pointing at the emergency exit. It is dead ahead. As long as she follows that, she will definitely make it out of the Rebel lair.
Eva enters a small chamber, but then, two Rebels run into sight. Eva clenches her fist and before they can react, she pounds her fist into one's face, sending him staggering back with a groan of pain
The second Rebel draws his blaster. Eva snatches his wrist and slams her elbow into his arm. A violent crack erupts and he screams in agony. Eva punches him in the head, hearing his skull break below her knuckles.
Then, two arms catch her and throw her onto the floor. Eva crashes onto the ground with her back with a shriek as the other Rebel pins her down. The blood streaks down his hardened face as he looms over her. Eva's hands twist around the Rebel's wrists, trying to free her. The Rebel releases one hand, raises his fist, and lands a sharp punch across her cheek. The pain explodes in her head and Eva shrieks, her head snapping to the side. The lights blur into circles as he raises his fist once again and one, final punch strikes her face. Her head splits apart and her vision fades to black. Her heartbeat echoes from the distance like artillery fire as she loses grip and her hands drop on the floor with a thud. The tears streak over her cheeks as the fiery pain in her face burns through her nerves. The metallic taste of thick blood fills her mouth and trickles from her split lip.
"Dank Ferrik," Eva whispers, and she moves her arms, trying to get up, before a heavy boot lands on her chest and forces her against the floor.
"Don't move, kid." The vague silhouette of a Rebel soldier looms over her like a shadowy chimaera.
She hears a scoff laced with venom. "Can we even call her a kid? I mean, look at her. She's acting like some unhinged monster on Kessel Spice. What the hell are they feeding them?"
Their words echo through her ears as the pain in her cheeks throbs with each, agonising heartbeat. Her vision swims as she clenches her fists, trying to scramble her energy, trying to fight back the sharp pain in her skull. Her nails dig deep into her palm as she knows she cannot let herself lose. Not here. Not now.
"She's one of those experiments, right?" One of the Rebels looms over her, grasping her chin and moving her face around, inspecting her with eyes that burn on her skin. "They've probably brainwashed her, emptied her mind."
She clenches her jaws, her breath shrieking through her teeth like hisses. Keep your dirty fingers off of me, scum.
"What'd you say?" His grip tightens on her chin and forces her to stare at her as if inspecting a trophy. Her eyes sharpen as he turns to his companion with a chuckle. "She's still got some fight left in her."
The other Rebel, a vague silhouette in the corner of her vision, nods faintly as his hand is tightly wrapped around his arm. His gasps echo faintly. "Let's tie her up, then."
The other releases her chin viciously with a smirk on his face. His hands grasp her shoulder and legs, rolling her over onto her stomach. With the cold floor now in her face, Eva tries to move her arms, trying to break free, but the Rebel's body weighs onto her, forcing her against the floor. Dank Ferrik. What should I do? Kriff. Think, think. I could make a sudden move, destabilise him, break his neck, and… no, the other one would shoot me right here. Damn it. DAMN IT.
But then, a faint rumble shakes through the floor. Eva can barely feel it in her stomach. She notices the dust on the floor, and it's trembling too. Her pupils grow. Something is coming, and the vibrations are growing stronger.
"The hell's that?" barks one of them.
The fluorescent lights overhead flicker, casting the floor in sporadic bursts of light. The vibrations rattle her skull as Eva's eyes dart around. The hell's going on?
Then, a deafening explosion of steel erupts from beyond her vision. The floor shakes like an earthquake as the world around her collapses. The weight of the Rebel instantly lifts from her body, their shouts echoing through the chaos as Eva's hands race to her head, shielding herself as shards of debris rain down around her.
And as quickly as it has happened, the chaos calms down. Metal bits rattle on the floor and shards of glass tingle like dropped knives. With a pounding heart, Eva slowly moves her hands to the floor and pushes herself onto her back. A gust of dust crashes into her face as Eva, clogging her throat. Her eyes dart around, searching for the two Rebels, but they are gone, possibly swallowed by the debris that crashed down on them. Through the smoke, Eva catches something - the silhouette of something large that crashed through the wall. And then, the blurry shadow of a person appears, rushing towards her. The silhouette breaks through the dust, and Eva's heart leaps. It's Daxan.
"Daxan!" Eva gasps, the blood streaking down her cheek.
Of all people, it's Daxan who comes to save her. She told him to stay away to not put the mission in jeopardy. Though he broke his promise, a sharp, relieved smile forms on her face as Daxan drops to his feet.
"Eva," he gasps. "Oh am I happy to see you still alive."
His hands reach for her face and wipes away the streaks of blood from her cheeks. His hands feel warm and a shiver ripples through her skin.
"Let's get going," and his hands race for her shoulders and force her up and onto her feet.
Eva staggers through the smoke with Daxan holding her up, his arms wrapped tightly below her armpit, carrying her further. A large shadow comes closer, and through the smoke, Eva notices it's the side of a large bulldozer, it's engine rumbling like a beast as Eva scrambles up to the cabin on top. Holding onto the driver's seat, Daxan sits down and grasps the steering wheel firmly. "Hang on, tight."
With a pounding heart, she holds tightly onto Daxan's seat as he reverses back the way he came through.
They burst out into the open air as the night sky stretches above them. The cold breeze blows through her hair as most of her long strands fall over her eyes. Eva takes a deep gasp as the cold air rushes into her lungs, the first time in two days of confinement. For a moment, her nerves calm down with peace as the stars above shine at her, flickering with relief.
Her eyes drift to him as his seat wobbles him around, the engine roaring below them. "Daxan."
He glances over his shoulder and they make brief eye contact, a lingering gaze.
"Thanks," Eva smiles. "For showing up."
Daxan gives her a nod with a faint smile on his face.
Suddenly, an explosion tears the sky apart. Eva shudders as a wave of air strikes her, nearly knocking her off the vehicle. A fierce light burns through her eyes until a cloud of smoke rises in the air. The debris of a building fly into the sky. What the hell was that?
Behind her, Eva suddenly hears another, roaring engine. She glances over her shoulder and there, in the darkness, she spots a Rebel crawler looming. Its barrel is swiveling towards her as its light pierce through the void.
"Dank Ferrik, they've got a crawler!" Eva gasps.
Eva can barely believe her eyes as her gaze lingers on the crawler. Rebels rarely have heavy armament filling its ground forces. They barely even have an invasion force. How the hell do they even have a crawler? It should be impossible. Yet, she's looking straight at it. How is it possible?
Her thoughts are interrupted as the crawler's canon locks onto her. It's going to fire, and they are sitting Mynocks, unaware of the approaching Rancor.
"Daxan," Eva shouts, "get off, now!"
Daxan's eyes dart to her. "Why?"
"Don't ask," and Eva jumps off.
Daxan follows quickly and stumbles away as they run. Then, another blastwave shakes the ground, bringing Eva to her knees as an orange hue floods everything. Daxan pulls her up from the ground as Eva's eyes drift to the burning wreckage of the bulldozer. Its cabin is blasted off and its engine is spewing fire high into the sky.
Daxan pulls onto her arm, trying to get her to move. "E'chuta," he stammers with a shiver in his voice. "Come on, Eva, we have to move!"
At last, Eva forces herself to run and follows Daxan into a dark alley.
"Where's your speeder?" she asks.
"Close," Daxan gasps.
As they round the edge of a building, Eva spots Daxan's speederbike as they sprint towards it. It is half-hidden behind several supply crates as Daxan jumps onto the driver's seat and Eva climbs on behind him. With a racing heart, Eva holds tightly onto the bike as he revs the engine and fires off. They shriek through the alley, out into the open, and speed towards the gates of the perimeter. If they cross the border, they will enter Imperial territory, but as long as they're still inside, the Rebel crawler can get them anytime.
Eva glances over her shoulder and sees the roaring crawler smashing down the light poles as it tries to catch up. Its engine howls like a monster from the fiery depths of the abyss, but before it can fire, they cross the border. The gates flash past her as the crawler slows down and comes to a screeching halt.
With a leaping heart, Eva lets out a sigh of relief as her nerves calm down. Resting her head against Daxan's back, she is deep in her thoughts. Eline last, but resilient words echo in her ears. She will free her no matter what, even if a crawler stands in between. Her sister is still trapped in Rebel hands, and until her rescue, Eva won't stop.
However, Eva recognises she won't be able to do it herself. She needs reinforcement. She will have to call in her squad.
"Hey, Eva," says Daxan, softly, his eyes remaining on the road ahead of him. "I'm glad you're okay. How are you?"
Eva swallows. "Fine."
Daxan remains silent for a brief moment. "Sorry for asking, but now what?"
Eva's fists clench with determination. "We're gonna find another way to save her. I haven't lost yet."