Author's Note: My dearest readers, welcome to the second part of my second annual Halloween special! Before we start the show, I'd like to give some very special review shoutouts to Regina007 and CJG! I raise my lightsabers to both of you and hope you enjoy today's adventure!
Long Live Imagination and have a Happy Halloween!
~ Michael
THE FROZEN FORCE HALLOWEEN SPECIAL II
Chapter: 87 Shadow Sister (Part II)
"The biggest fear a society can possess is that of the unknown."
IT'S ALIVE! The sinister Dr. Facilier has unleashed a supernatural terror upon the people of Naboo. Proving to be resistant to his will, the powerful being fled into the swamplands. As this replicant comes to terms with who and what she is, she embarks on a murderous rampage with no end in sight...
From his origins on Kamino, Sergeant Blazer had followed Anna through thick and thin. There had never been a command too simple nor too outrageous for him or any of the other Deathchasers. Yet in all of their wanderings, none of them had ever witnessed such a harrowing sight. To experience a being so hauntingly identical to Anna's sister, yet undeniably opposite of her personality. Its destructive nature was evident by the armored corpses laying at her feet. There was little time to examine her further, as Anna issued an order she'd yelled countless times before.
"Attack," she said with the utmost intensity.
There was a momentary silence across the eerie bog. Anna Dellian filled that vacuous void as she sprung into action. With her saber raised for Form IV Ataru, she carried that intensity into a mighty strike. While the Elsa doppelgänger slid to evade Anna's green blade, the Deathchasers quickly opened fire. Their bright muzzle flashes illuminated the mist before a volley of lasers struck the woman. Anna's eyes widened in disbelief as each blast scorched her enemy's flesh, yet she remained barely fazed. Instead, the woman roared and took a swipe at Anna. Her speed was unanticipated, as was the amount of force she could truly strike with.
Anna felt like the air had been sucked clean out of her as a shockwave rippled through her body. The woman might as well have ripped out Anna's lungs with how out of breath she felt. A single punch from this being was enough to crack her abdominal armor and send her flying upward. Anna barely got a saber swing in and heard plasma meet flesh. She couldn't even observe where as the sky swirled above. Before she knew it, she was enduring a face full of mangrove leaves as she crashed. A thick branch struck Anna's temple and her body went limp.
"General!" Speedy worried and saw her dangling hand.
"Keep up the fire!" Blazer commanded. No matter how concerned he was for Anna, he forced himself to keep shooting.
Their relentless barrage left a vast array of green holes across the woman's body. Only when she stopped slouching did the clones realize the extent of Anna's saber strike. Before being punched up into a tree, Anna had managed to slice the woman's face on the diagonal. An emerald essence misted and oozed around the deep slash. Half of the woman's face coiled downward like a broken spring and only remained attached at the neck. The other half fought to remain functional while a spiteful eye observed her attackers. Her split mouth quivered until glowing fibers reconnected each end. Even as the clones shot her body to pieces, the woman's cells reconstructed. Her spiky black hair reformed as she emitted a hellish screech...one so loud that it had the helmeted clones wincing. With her attackers stunned, the being moved in.
"Take her down!" Blazer yelled until she thrust both hands forward. Green magic pulsed through her body and sent him tumbling into the marsh. With the sergeant out of the way, the woman stomped towards Sparx. A single swat from her hand smashed the lieutenant's rifle and brought him to the ground. As she raised her fists to crush him, Speedy lunged from behind.
"No!" the clone retaliated and kicked the woman back. His cybernetic leg had enough of an impact to get her staggering. Keeping up the intensity, Speedy kicked again, only to have the woman snatch his leg. Speedy stumbled and flailed in his foe's unwavering grip. Her emotionless and fearsome eyes stared him down as she slowly started to twist. While cybernetics were a form of artificial body part, they were directly tethered to the organic being. Speedy gritted his teeth as she continued to apply pressure. Reaching for his sidearm, he desperately unloaded rounds from his blaster pistol into her face and chest. The woman didn't falter and kept twisting until his leg started to malfunction. Speedy's grunts turned to bellows as the cybernetic casing came undone. Gears on his leg sprung out while wires snapped and sparked. She started yanking upward in attempt to sever the contraption from his organic body.
In that instant, a sudden hiss had the woman peering up at the trees. A conscious Anna leapt down and performed a furious downward slash. She severed both of the woman's forearms as Speedy collapsed beside her. "Blazer! Sparx!" Anna shouted. "Thermals!"
On her orders, the clones flung thermal detonators towards their foe. Timing her mild Force push just right, Anna sent the beeping grenades spinning into their foe's stumbling torso. Having never seen grenades before, she wasn't sure how to react until it was all too late. Anna dragged Speedy back into cover behind one of the mangrove trunks. They braced themselves as two blasts shook the swamp to its murky core. The ensuing silence was as pulse-pounding as it was chilling.
"Dellian," Watcher called in and nearly startled the Jedi to death. "Do we have a confirmed kill on that thing?"
"Gimme a sec," Anna whispered and cautiously poked her head out from beyond the trunk. The double grenade blast had left a mucky crater in the swamp as Anna prepared to make the call. "I think we got-" Suddenly, a nearly obliterated...fleshy skeleton crawled into view. "Holy kriff!" Anna blurted and briefly took cover again. As she emerged for another look, she watched the regenerating 'Elsa' disappear back into the mist.
"Dellian?" Watcher beckoned. "Dellian!"
Anna caught her breath over what she'd just experienced. Shaking her head, she called back over comms and said, "Negative...negative. It's still alive. I don't know what the hell this thing is, but it's not my sister." No matter how much Anna tried to slow her breathing, she still kept hyperventilating. Especially when she looked at Speedy's decimated, cybernetic leg. "Watcher...Colonel Roze," Anna continued as blood trickled from a cut on her temple. "Lock down Moenia City even further. Lock down kriffing Naboo if you have to. We can't let it get offworld."
Ever since she was a youngling, Elsa Dellian had learned to find solace in meditation. Even in a Republic holding cell, she sought calmness by delving deep within her mind.
"There is great deception at work," Evara the Force Wraith spoke from within. "Have you felt it?"
Elsa nodded as she replied through her thoughts. I feel it...but things are clouded.
"The Dark Side is shrouding our perception," Evara explained.
Do you think this framing has to do with the Sith? Elsa considered.
"I am unsure, young one. But what I do know...is that no shadow can linger forever. Our light can ensure that the truth shines through."
Even from a holding cell? Elsa jested.
"Don't lose faith in your companions," Evara lectured. "Trust in them just as they do in you."
A sudden set of footsteps had Elsa gasping out of her meditative state. She watched as a uniformed man stood beyond the ray-shielded doors. The crimson beams bathed Admiral Tarkin's visage in a hellish hue. Elsa raised a suspicious brow until he powered down the cell's defenses. The ray shields warped off and Tarkin stepped towards her. His judgmental stare fixated on her meditative stance until she rose to meet him.
"Admiral," she greeted respectfully.
Tarkin wouldn't be so formal. Instead, he cut right to the point and scratched his thin chin. "It...appears that there may be some merit to your claims," he said.
"What do you mean?" Elsa asked.
"A task force was sent to investigate the situation on Naboo," Tarkin explained. "I was skeptical of their findings at first-" Tarkin looked as though the next words were bitter against his tongue. "-given that they came from a direct relative."
"Anna," Elsa whispered under her breath. She smiled softly and figured Frost had contacted her.
"But as I stated before, nothing can deny solid evidence to the contrary." Tarkin coldly stared Elsa down. "And unless you sport powers that you have yet to divulge, it would be impossible for you to murder four more soldiers from the confines of your cell."
"The imposter struck again?" Elsa murmured.
"And it is likely that they will continue to do so until the Republic puts them down," Tarkin affirmed. With a reluctant huff, he stood aside and gestured to the empty corridor. "You're free to go. I've contacted the Deliverance and they've been instructed to meet us along the next hyperspace lane."
Elsa smiled blissfully as her compliance paid off. Her respectful and customary bow was met with coldness as Tarkin didn't budge. "Thank you, admiral." Elsa told him. "Thank you for underst-"
"Do not mistake my logic for courtesy, Jedi." Tarkin intoned. His voice was as stern as his unblinking gaze. "This incident does not negate the fact that your Order's actions remain vastly unchecked."
"Respectfully, admiral." Elsa said. "We're striving to maintain peace amidst this conflict by all and any means."
"Peace," Tarkin scoffed. "The very fact that you, the peacekeepers, are leading our war effort is precisely what uneases me. You live by a code, yet you choose when and where it applies to you. You preach peace when you see fit and demand that others to do the same. Because you believe that you're leading by example. But you cannot have it both ways. Your kind's weak unpredictability makes you a liability to the Republic."
Elsa took a deep breath as she looked into Tarkin's chilling eyes. A plethora of possible responses sparked within as she struggled to pick one. With a solemn sigh, Elsa finally spoke up. "Admiral," she confessed. "Something tells me that there's nothing I could do that would ever meet your approval. I surrendered into your custody. I chose peace and I'm called weak for it. If I would've retaliated, you would've labeled me as dangerous." Elsa bowed her head again, irking Tarkin. "I respect your words, sir. I accept you as you are." As she raised her head, she looked to him with furrowed brows and a determined stare. "But be that as it may, I will still strive to protect you. Just as I would any other life in our Republic. May the Force be with you," Elsa said before heading down the corridor. Tarkin's glower deepened as she departed. Her words left a unsettling sensation in the air as he watched her leave. Tarkin subtly shook his head, and was glad to be rid of the eldest Dellian.
Returning to the Deliverance was oddly unsettling. Elsa detested feeling like a transferred prisoner when...to a certain extent...she was. Nevertheless, she found comfort in the clones that were happy to see her. Elsa was quick to humbly silence their applause and approach Commander Frost in the hangar. Porgen eagerly squawked and waddled up to his returning creator.
"Are you alright?" He immediately asked. "Did they hurt you?"
"I'm fine," she insisted and shook her head at him. "I take it the unveiled truth was your doing?"
"Your sister's," Frost admitted. "Although I contacted her." Elsa surprised the commander with a light embrace. "Thank you," she said as he patted her back. "I knew I could count on you to see things through the right way."
"But respectfully, our situation is far from over," Frost lamented as they walked to the bridge. "This...thing is on the loose and we believe it's going to kill again."
"Then we'd best put a stop to it all," Elsa affirmed.
Frost's tone deepened as he said, "First wrongfully accused and now dealing with this? I'm sorry that your birthday isn't going according to plan."
"Life rarely does," Elsa sighed. "But hey...aren't birthdays all about surprises anyway?"
"That's one way to look at it," Frost chuckled while they entered the command bridge.
"Welcome back, Elsa." Admiral Taka said. "You're just in time. There's someone here who'd like to speak with you." While a holographic figure turned towards Elsa and Frost, Taka fulfilled her new orders. "Set course for Naboo and make the jump to lightspeed," she decreed. At her command, the officers below had the Deliverance rocketing into hyperspace.
Elsa focused on the hologram and was surprised to see Watcher standing before her. "Ma'am," the Jedi greeted.
"I trust you know that Admiral Tarkin was only following procedure," Watcher first explained. "Had it been anyone else, he would've acted the same."
That's comforting, Elsa quipped to herself.
"This being said-" Watcher continued. "-it's all hands on deck to stop the bleeding on Naboo."
"Is Anna alright?" Elsa worried.
"Your sister will be fine, but she and her team took quite a hit from this imposter you have. Moenia City has been placed under complete lockdown. Queen Neeyutnee of the Naboo has even sent a detachment of the royal guard to aid Republic troops. Although I doubt they'll be of any use after what I've seen this woman do. If it truly is human." Watcher sighed frustratedly. "Knight Dellian...I know that you and your sister have often disagreed on matters pertaining to the war. But despite your conflicting ideals, we may need your non-lethal tactics on this mission. In agreement with local Republic leadership, the queen feels pressured to warrant our enemy's execution. But I fear that doing so will turn Naboo into a warzone...again."
"She's just trying to protect her people," Elsa realized.
"But it's more than that," Watcher continued. "I understand that today is your birthday, Elsa. Are you aware that you share it with Naboo's Festival of Light?" The Jedi shook her head and Watcher continued. "The festival commemorates the anniversary of when the planet joined our Republic. Major political figures will be present. Now luckily, we believe this mystery woman is still isolated in the Moenia swamplands and far from Theed...where the festival will be held. But time is of the essence and we must find a solution before more lives are lost."
Elsa used the ongoing hyperspace flight to analyze and strategize. She paced around the hangar while Sir Porgen teetered on her shoulder. The haunting image of her doppelgänger loomed on a wall-mounted holoprojection as clones lingered about. "Who or what are we up against here?" Elsa pondered.
"I'll do you one better," Rip said while munching on a bag of meiloorun slices. "What do we call her?"
Elsa rolled her eyes while her troops presented other options. "Maybe she's a clone," Doubles said. "Like us. A modified clone given her hair, but a clone nonetheless."
"Only the Kaminoans are skilled enough to clone," Donz retorted.
"Well, maybethey made her." Doubles considered. "Like an experiment gone wrong."
"But Naboo's nowhere near the Kamino System," Elsa muttered. "How'd she get there?"
"Dark Elsa," Rip mumbled. "Elsa 2.0...The Elsamorph..."
"What if she's some kind of advanced droid?" Frost proposed.
"Robot Elsa!" Rip blurted. "No! Elsatron!" His blathering was cut short when Doubles smacked him.
"While I like your theory," Elsa told the commander. "It wouldn't explain her regenerative...and almost supernatural abilities."
"If she is some sort of clone," Frost murmured. "Would it be possible to recreate Force sensitivity?"
"I've never heard of a Jedi being cloned," Elsa confessed. "But I find some of these eyewitness accounts most concerning. This description of green essence warping around the being...I've seen it before." Elsa winced as memories of apprenticeship returned to her. "When I first ventured to Felucia, I had an encounter with a Dark Sider who specialized in magic."
"Magic?" Frost uttered. "It's real?"
"I knew it!" Rip snapped and nudged Doubles. "During one of our deployments, a traveling magician approached Doubles and I! This fool didn't believe, but I knew better. So I watched as he waved his mighty hand, following each twiddling finger. And when he was finished...my blaster pistol was gone."
"I'm pretty sure that man just picked your pocket," Doubles grumbled.
"Boys," Elsa intoned and they quieted down. "As I've come to understand, magic is very real. Whether it's an extension of the Force or not remains to be seen. However, I've felt connections to the Dark Side in my particular experiences with it." She glanced up at the spiky-haired projection of herself. "If this being is magical, we must take extra precaution." Elsa sighed as the flametrooper raised his hand. "Yes, Rip?" she worriedly asked.
"I've got it," he declared with a snap of his fingers. "Evil Elsa. Short, simple, and terrifying."
The ensuing awkward silence was only broken by Elsa's tremendous facepalm.
The Deliverance soared out of hyperspace and found itself among multiple Venators. "It feels like the entire Republic fleet is here," Elsa huffed while observing the orbiting star destroyers.
"What are they going to do?" Frost jested. "Orbitally bombard the target off the face of Naboo?"
"It certainly feels that way," was all Elsa could whisper before Admiral Taka approached.
"Elsa," she said. "We have a transmission from the Fifth Fleet."
"Put it through," the Jedi replied and straightened her robes to look presentable. To her surprise, three figures projected over the holotable. Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, and Mace Windu peered down at her. "The situation is graver than I suspected," Elsa said while bowing to her fellow Jedi. "Forgive me, for I didn't realize how big of an operation this had become."
"You're partially correct, Knight Dellian." Mace said. "While you are responding to the current crisis in Moenia, the three of us are enroute to Theed."
"We've been tasked with ensuring that the Festival of Light goes unhindered," Anakin added.
"Then with all due respect," Elsa began. "Would it not be best to aid us in our efforts here?"
While Anakin and Ahsoka seemed equally pensive, Mace appeared to have alternative thoughts. The master kept whatever he had in mind to himself and said, "We have been requested to protect the Supreme Chancellor. There are other forces at work, Dellian. And the Jedi are needed to safeguard all fronts."
Elsa raised a brow at the master's cryptic response as the chancellor himself stepped into view. Palpatine's elderly face flickered across the projection as he said, "The watchful eyes of so many brave Jedi are greatly appreciated. After all, our enemies could be hidden in plain sight and we must be wary." His calm gaze fell upon Elsa as he continued. "Young Dellian, the report from Moenia has been most...concerning. The concept of some form of sinister replicant is as eerie as it is abominable. Nevertheless-" Palpatine flashed a reassuring smile. "-I have full confidence in your ability to resolve this matter."
"Thank you," Elsa replied as the transmission concluded. There was something about the call that left her feeling uneasy. Her senses were clouded by the overwhelming shroud of the Dark Side...but the question was: Why? Could this replicant truly be so evil? Or was something else at work? What was Master Windu hiding? These questions prodded Elsa all the way to Moenia City.
As LAAT-5 descended through Naboo's cloudy skies, Donz opened the hatches to grant his passengers a clearer view. "By the Force," Elsa said upon observing the darkened city. "Everything's under lockdown."
The only major light source came from the nearby military complex. Anna was cooperating with clones and Naboo police alike when she heard the whir of several gunships. As Elsa's forces descended on a nearby landing platform, Anna was quick to meet them.
Frost met with Colonel Roze's clones while Elsa disembarked towards her sister. The young women dashed across the spacious platform and pulled each other into a much-needed embrace. "Am I glad to see you, sis." Anna rejoiced. "The real you. Happy birthday."
"I only wish the circumstances were better," Elsa lamented. As they parted from their hug, she noticed a bacta-laced bandage on her sister's forehead. "Goodness. Are you okay?"
While Elsa cautiously raised a hand to survey the wound, Anna gently set it down. "I'm fine," she assured. "So are the Deathchasers." Her faint smile faded into a grievous glower. "But Elsa...this thing. It's unreal." Only then did Elsa realize that Anna's torso armor was missing. Her little sister explained all as they walked into the base together. "I take it you saw the footage," Anna said as Elsa nodded. "She was unlike anything I'd ever faced before. Fast and incredibly strong. My brothers lit her up and she still didn't go down." Elsa subtly smiled at her. "What?" Anna mumbled.
"I just think it's nice that you refer to your squadmates as brothers," she said.
"Family isn't limited by bloodlines," Anna answered. "I'm sure you feel the same way about your troops."
Elsa glanced back at Frost and the other men of the 213th. "Each of them has their own personal value," she said. "They're all alive for a reason and I'm honored to strive for peace alongside them."
Anna nodded in agreement as they entered a command center. Colonel Semaj Roze appeared stressed out of his mind, pacing back and forth across multiple holotables. Members of the Naboo Royal Guard reported to him as he exasperatedly gave orders. "I don't care if we've combed that spot twice," he huffed. "It has to be in those swamps. Double the patrols and send reports every fifteen...no...ten minutes."
"Colonel Roze," Anna beckoned as Semaj lifted his head. "This is my sister, Elsa."
Semaj appeared genuinely upset that he'd let stress get the better of him. With a heavy sigh, he wiped the sweat from his brows and straightened his uniform. "My humblest apologies," he confessed. "I'm normally more hospitable. But the current lockdown and search situation has me everywhere, General Dellian."
"I completely understand," the eldest Dellian said. "And you can just call me Elsa. My men and I are here to help resolve this as swiftly as we can."
"Good," Semaj said. "Because I'm running out of options. However, with your added troops...we may be able to launch a true offensive."
"Pardon?" Elsa queried.
While Roze brought Elsa and Anna over to another holotable, Frost approached Sergeant Blazer. The two were rather cold as they looked each other over from head to toe. "Blue," Blazer greeted with a stern nod.
"Red," Frost replied before stepping past him and following Elsa.
Everyone gathered around as the colonel projected an expansive field on the table. "Our situation is dire, folks. While we haven't been able to relocate the creature, our previous encounter puts it around here." Roze gestured to a thick marsh near the fields. "Lianorm Swamp. If our target continues on its projected route, it'll head across the Great Grass Plains. These grasslands stretch for twenty-four miles before someone on foot would reach Theed. But we've seen how fast it moves. This is not a chance we can take." Semaj cleared his throat as he leered at the plains projection. "Perhaps it's fate for the being to take this route. During the Battle of Naboo, those plains were where our Gungan allies valiantly battled the Trade Federation. Now we must face another threat."
"Colonel Roze," Elsa spoke up. "What exactly are you proposing?"
"Our last engagement showed us that the being is capable of regeneration," Semaj explained. "However, we don't know if there's a limit to how much it can heal nor do we know how quickly. General Dellian-" The colonel gestured to Anna. "You said the thermal detonators reduced the being to a skeletal form?"
"That's correct," Anna affirmed.
"We need to find out what even greater firepower could do to it," Semaj insisted. "With our combined forces, we will lure the target out into the open and hit it with everything we have. We will shred it beyond its skeletal form and down to its last atom, leaving no room for cellular regeneration."
"Colonel," Elsa intoned. "The idea is to avoid turning Naboo into a warzone. And my words go beyond the Festival of Light. What if this luring trap doesn't go according to plan? You have cities nearby teeming with civilians. Families that-"
"Master Jedi Knight-" Semaj said with a flustered wave of his hand. "Or whichever title I'm supposed to properly say. I know you mean well as a peacekeeper, but I don't appreciate being told things I already know about my own planet. Before serving in the Grand Army of the Republic, I was a member of Queen Amidala's Royal Guard." He glanced over at one of the women wearing his old uniform and reminisced on those days. "My wife was one of her handmaidens at the time. But when the Trade Federation invaded Naboo, we fought together to defend our home. Nothing has changed since those days. I love Naboo and its people. I know of the families at risk, Elsa. My wife and daughter live in Theed. And I will do whatever it takes to protect them."
Realizing that she may have overstepped, Elsa bowed her head. "I never meant to disrespect your family nor your service," Elsa placated. "I just wish for us to look at humane options as well."
Semaj shook his head. "The target forfeited humane options when it slaughtered Naboo and clones alike. It almost killed your sister."
"But maybe there's a link," Elsa insisted while Anna resisted an eye roll. "Is something provoking the attacks? From the reports given to me by Watcher, the bar killings started when a patron assaulted her. Every moment after has dealt with people shooting or chasing her."
"And that justifies the killing?" Blazer scoffed.
"She's not saying that," Frost defended and turned to Elsa. "I get it. You're saying we could be triggering some sort of defensive mechanism."
"This is crazy talk," Anna blurted. "Speedy and I almost kriffing died." She glanced across the command center to keep an eye on her fellow Deathchaser. Speedy was sprawled out across a bed while two droids were making repairs to his ravaged, cybernetic leg. "I get where you're coming from, Elsa. But I saw this thing in person. You can't sit down and have tea with it. But the 213th could turn the tide. Imagine a laser volley from your troops while your flametroopers move in."
"I do like burning stuff," Rip mumbled from the back.
His comment was the final straw as Elsa rapidly shook her head. "I-...I need a moment," she huffed and stormed off.
"Sis!" Anna called to no avail. "Kriffing hell."
Even as Elsa left, Colonel Roze remained steadfast. "We can't keep idling by," he said. "I will gather my forces and prepare to set up along the plains. This ends tonight."
Elsa stepped out of the base and frustratedly tugged at her bun. It would've come undone had she not quickly exhaled to calm herself. "Elsa?" Frost worried as she hung her head.
"Just because I often take the path less traveled, doesn't make it enjoyable," she whispered.
"Then I'll walk it with you," the commander assured. "Maybe take some pressure off of your shoulders." Elsa simpered, only to suddenly freeze up. Her eyes listed elsewhere and focused on something by the base's walls. "What's wrong?" Frost asked.
Elsa squinted as a peculiar, yet familiar card was wedged between the durasteel barricades. As if hypnotically drawn to it, Elsa rushed to snatch it up. Frost dashed behind her as she recovered the ebony card. Her heart sank when she flipped it over and examined the image across it. The card depicted a blonde youngling tucked away in a corner. "I've seen this before," Elsa uttered. As she peered up, she discovered a second card rustling in the bushes beyond the base. "Frost," she said. "Come on." She and the commander raced out of the base and soon found themselves on a hunt for mysterious cards. Each depicted the same sad youngling and lured them deeper into the swamp. As they entered a mossy clearing, the collected cards suddenly spewed out of her hand. They spiraled through the air as if being controlled by an unseen breeze and Elsa followed them into a dark sleeve. An all-too familiar face emerged from the shadows upon recollecting his cards.
"Duchess Menzel, is it?" the Dark Sider teased. "Or whatever else you're calling yourself these days."
"Facilier," Elsa said. "I should've known that you were behind all of this."
Recalling him from the Crimson Dawn banquet, Frost aimed his blaster as Facilier chuckled. "Such hostility," he remarked. "Even after I invite you? I thought you two were supposed to be the so-called civilized ones."
"This replicant situation has you written all over it," Elsa scorned. "I should've figured it out the second magic was involved. Where is she?"
Facilier scratched at his scruffy chin. "That's the real question, isn't it?" he jested. "Truth is...I don't know. But what I do know, is when to call it quits."
Elsa raised a suspicious brow. "Explain," she demanded while clasping her lightsaber hilt.
"Ever wonder how dear Clayton found you on Aren in the first place? I crafted a tracking talisman forged from locks of your own hair. Courtesy of our altercation back on Felucia. You see, the two of us had struck a deal. He gets his revenge, and I get your body."
"You sick sleemo," Frost scoffed and intensified his aim.
Facilier raised a hand to explain as Elsa flashed a disgusted face. "Now now, I had my reasons. It's no secret that you're extremely powerful, Dellian. I mean, not every Force-sensitive can say they took possession of a fully-grown sarlacc. So I started planning. And I thought to myself what it would be like to recreate your mighty essence. So I delved into Dathomiri necromancy and planned to reanimate your corpse to serve me. But I should've anticipated Clayton's failure...and in that failure came my own eagerness. I couldn't resist the urge, and sought to sculpt my own being in your image. One bred by the deepest of dark magics and superior in every way. To serve at my side and eliminate her inferior self."
"How'd that work out for you?" Elsa sassed and Facilier held back a scowl.
He sucked his teeth, forced a smile and said, "She couldn't take orders. In fact, it appears that all she comprehends is death and destruction. It is my belief that through this dark magic, she will continue to spread chaos wherever she lurks."
"If you truly believe this, why are you telling us?" Elsa asked.
"Because I'm your only chance at stopping my creation," Facilier said. "If you're willing to listen. More than your sister is anyway."
Elsa followed Facilier's side-eye to a nearby tree and sighed. "Anna," she groaned. "You can come out now."
Her little sister grouchily stepped emerged from cover and crossed her arms. "How the hell did he know?" she griped against Facilier. "Does your magic let you sense things?"
"Red and white armor in a jungle," Facilier corrected. "Not very subtle."
Anna scowled and looked at her sister. "We can't trust this guy," she said. "He's part of Crimson Dawn and you said he almost killed you in the past."
"It's all true," Elsa admitted. "But right now, the enemy of my enemy is my friend." She squinted at Facilier. "What can we do?"
Elsa, Anna, and Frost braced themselves as Facilier raised his hands. With a flick of both wrists, he proceeded to conjure up a mysterious rod amidst a plethora of green smoke. The rod continued to stretch until a sharp tip materialized. "I stole this enchanted spear during my wanderings on Dathomir. Forged by the Nightsisters themselves, this powerful weapon will drain any being it strikes. If you attack my creation with this shadow spear, her regenerative and other enhanced abilities will fade. This will allow your forces to deal the killing blow." Elsa swallowed hard as Facilier handed the spear to her.
"I don't know about this," Elsa said while clasping the weapon. Even its dark, crimson metals provoked a deep sense of foreboding.
"There was only ever meant to be one Elsa in this galaxy," Facilier said. "The natural order must be corrected."
"Natural order?" Anna hissed. Her breaths hastened as she clenched her fists. "You were willing to kill my sister and replace her with that...that...monster! How's this for correcting the natural order? I'll kill you!" Anna ignited her lightsaber and lunged towards Facilier. As she did so, he narrowly avoided her attack and disappeared into a cloud of powdery residue. "Coward!" Anna screamed into the shadowy swamp. As she deactivated her lightsaber, all eyes fell to the spear in Elsa's hands.
The shadow spear clanged against a powered down holotable. "Despite all he's done and all we've been through-" Elsa began. "-I don't believe Facilier had a reason to lie. He's a survivor, shifting to wherever the tide flows. Unable to control his creation, he's siding with us to stop it."
"He probably thinks that it will gain him some kind of favor with the Republic," Anna griped. "Yeah right."
"But we're gonna use the spear, right?" Blazer blurted. "If it can shut down this thing's abilities, why not?"
"I concur," Semaj said. "We need to utilize every advantage at our disposal."
"But what if there's still more to this than we know?" Elsa asked. "What if she just needs-"
"She?" Semaj scoffed. "No offense, Elsa...but enough. This Crime Syndicate sub-leader created it from some form of dark energy. Don't give this killer feelings. This thing is not human."
There was a heavy pause across the command center before Elsa said. "Colonel Roze...the target was created from my genetic makeup. So in a sense, she is my clone and a life nonetheless. Before you go dehumanizing clones, I simply ask you to consider those who serve under you." Elsa's words made Semaj's blood run cold. He fought back a conflicting wave of shame as he looked at the clone troopers around him.
Facilier's creation aimlessly wandered through the Lianorm Swamplands. The ongoing mist shifted through her bold and spiky bob. Her steps slowed when she heard chattering in the distance. A high-pitched giggle had her head snapping towards the peculiar sounds. Unlike the haggard and belligerent revelry she'd heard in Moenia, these sounds seemed docile. She hobbled beyond the mist and continued through knee-deep waters. The ripples caused by her advance attracted the attention of a small being. It appeared amphibious in nature, with a broad bill and bulbous eyestalks. Its finlike ears were long and floppy. Those familiar with the planet easily identified such traits as those belonging to Gungans. Curious about its giggling, the woman stepped closer. When she did so, the Gungan child squealed and startled her just as much.
The woman's eyes went wide as the child fled towards a pair of lanky, adult Gungans. "Baguni?" The child's father worried. "Yousa okeeday?"
Baguni hugged her father dearly while her mother gasped over the approaching woman. "Shesa scare me!" Baguni panted.
Her father looked upon the woman and sighed. "Mesa so sorry," he told her. "Ouren little one be getting mui scared."
"Don't'n be scared, Baguni," her mother assured. "It's'n only an outlander."
The woman's ensuing hiss concerned the Gungans. Their worries faded once they realized she was trying to speak. "S-...s-" she struggled, having heard the Gungans say the word repeatedly. "Scared," she reiterated.
"Yesa," the Gungan father confirmed. "Ouren daughter be getting scared. That's what mesa said." His eyestalks narrowed when the woman didn't seem to comprehend. "Or...yousa saying yousa scared?"
"Mesa no thinken shesa understand," the mother said. She let her ears flop out from their tie and placed them over her face. The woman watched with suspicious curiosity as the Gungan pretended to cower and be frightened. "Yousa see?" she checked and revealed her face again. "Scared."
Before the woman could comprehend the Gungan's teachings further, a landspeeder's engines echoed from beyond the trees. "Hey!" A Naboo guard hollered to the Gungans from the passenger seat. "You can't be out here! The queen and the Republic have issued a lockdown for Moenia and its swamps. Please return to your village and-" The guard stammered when his landspeeder came to a screeching halt. "What in blazes was that for?" he scolded his partner at the controls. The anger drained from his face the moment he noticed the driver's frightened expression. As he slowly turned his head towards the water, he noticed the woman standing before them. "By the stars...it's the target."
"Don't just st-stand there," the driver fretted. "Sh-sh-shoot it!"
His partner flailed an arm at the Gungan family. "Get clear! That thing's incredibly dangerous!" The sight of a guard drawing his pistol caused the Gungans to scream and flee. Their panicking noises bared a painful contrast to the joy the woman had heard earlier. Any sensation of tranquility ended when that guard pulled the trigger.
The debate over the shadow spear never seemed to end as arguments carried on across the holotable. The rambling only concluded when a clone trooper barged into the command center. "Colonel Roze!" he announced. "Colonel!"
"What?" Semaj asked.
"I've got one of the patrols on comms," the clone panted. "They've found the target!"
"Put them through," Semaj commanded as comlink channels uploaded through the holotable. "Come in, Patrol Team: 7. Do you read?" The colonel's inquiry was met with an ear-splitting scream that had him leaning into the table. "Patrol Team! What is going on?"
"She's after us!" a frantic voice screeched over engines and blasterfire. "Trying...to...drive away...Shoot it, damn it! Shoot it!"
"I'm trying!" his partner's voice panicked.
"Blast," Elsa cursed under her breath. "They must've provoked her again."
"Patrol Team: 7," Semaj asserted. "Listen carefully. I need you to lure it out towards the plains. We'll meet you there." As the transmission cut, the colonel raised his hands to give more orders. "Wings up!" he boomed. "We're moving out! I want gunships and all the firepower we can get to converge on those plains!"
"Ready the gunships," Elsa ordered Frost. "And commander," she added. "I want every trooper in the 213th setting their weapons to stun. No one shoots to kill."
"Yes ma'am!" Frost saluted and rushed off to fulfill her order.
"Deathchasers minus one!" Anna quipped. "Let's go!" She passed by Speedy's recovery bed and patted his shoulder. "We'll win one for you, tough guy. Watch a good holodrama for me." As Anna grouped up with Sparx and Blazer, she glanced over at the shadow spear.
Citizens locked down in Moenia watched as sirens blared throughout the evening. Republic gunships soared overhead, beyond the swamps, and over towards the Great Grass Plains.
A landspeeder barely made it out of the swamp and swerved across the fields. Its silver hull was scraped and dented with multiple, supernatural fist marks. The guards aboard haplessly fired at their pursuer, who was keeping up with the landspeeder on foot.
An entire swarm of Republic gunships descended over the plains. "Donz!" Elsa yelled over the roaring engines. "Think you can beat out the colonel's gunships?"
"I know I can!" the old clone hollered back. "Punch it, Toto," he urged his co-pilot as they maximized the thrusters. The 213th gunships broke formation and cut ahead.
"All troopers, prepare to fire stun blasts." Frost commanded.
Back at ground level, the woman lunged onto the landspeeder and punched through its engine. She ripped out any component she could get her hands on, scorching her flesh in the process. The guard yelled as her bony hand regenerated before the vehicle crashed. Out of ammunition and trapped with their killer, the guards braced themselves for the inevitable. Before she could strike, Elsa's gunships glided in from overhead. Their astounding whir was a new sound for the woman and she glared up at them.
Their hatches opened and entire clusters of turquoise-armored clones took aim. "Stun!" Frost shouted and fired several blasts of his own. Elsa watched as a cacophony of high-pitched shots rang out. Blue-ringed blasts rained down from above and bombarded the woman's robed body. The clones had to shake off all disbelief to maintain a steady rate of stunfire.
"That'd be enough to take down a wild rancor," Toto commented. "How is she still standing?"
The woman rolled under the damaged landspeeder as one clone yelled, "She's taking cover!" Only when a distinct grinding sounded did he realize how wrong he was. Instead of hiding, she angrily lifted the vehicle in its entirety and flung it at one of the gunships. "Holy-" was all the clone could say before the landspeeder severed one of his gunship's wings. The gunship spiraled out of control and forced the pilots to land.
"Get us down there," Elsa said. "If we can't stun her, we can tie her. Prep ascension cables and use them for grappling." Frost reissued her order as the gunships entrenched their target.
"Sis," Anna called from an adjacent gunship. "Your men are gonna die if they get that close."
"Not if we work together," Elsa responded once they landed. "First group! On me! Launch cables!" Her clones charged forward and unleashed a wave of thick ascension cables.
"Second group!" Frost ordered. "Now!" More clones propelled a web of wiring to entangle their target. She screeched and wriggled while shifting between each cable. "Pull!" Frost yelled as the clones tugged as one. Their ascension cables tightened, ensnaring the woman in one tremendous trap. Her arms twisted among the cables while the clones struggled to hold her steady.
"We got her!" Rip cheered while pulling on a cable with Doubles. "We got Evil Elsa!"
As Anna observed the sight, her heart sank when a flash of green flickered across the woman's eyes. "That's not good," the Jedi mumbled and took matters into her own hands. "Blazer...Sparx...on me."
Suddenly, the woman gathered what bushels of wiring she could in each hand. With gritted teeth and flared nostrils, she pulled with enough power to yank clones off of their feet. Screams sounded as troopers went flailing through the air. Cables snapped clean off of their weaponry while men collided with one another. Frost was among those who tumbled towards her feet.
"Commander?" Elsa gasped as the realization took hold. She sprinted over, watching in horror as her lookalike descended on the troops. The target grabbed Frost by the breastplate and slammed him into the ground. The impact knocked the wind out of him while his helmet went rolling off. He peered up through his weary daze and watched the woman prepare to finish him off.
"NO!" Elsa cried out. Her voice cracked as she screamed and caught the target's attention. It was as if time had frozen when Elsa's replicant finally saw her. Shock and bewilderment filled her eyes as nothing else in the world mattered. All she wanted to understand, was how someone else looked just like her swamp reflection. How someone else could not only look, but feel so similar to her. "Please don't," Elsa pleaded and raised her empty hands. It was as if she and Elsa were the only two standing in the plains. The woman squinted in sheer disbelief and continued to observe such a bizarre phenomenon. She stepped away from Frost, sparing him as she tried to make sense of Elsa's existence. It was this pure focus that made her so...unaware.
Much like the bizarre gungans, she didn't understand Elsa's behavior. Unlike the others trying to cause harm, she was just yelling at her. Yet there was no malice behind her chaotic plea. Which made it all the more confusing when Elsa's eyes suddenly widened. A sharp sting came upon the woman. One of which she'd never felt in her short existence. The sting became a profuse throbbing as she peered downward. The newfound sensation of pain sparked within as she observed a dark spear protruding from her chest. Just when she thought the pain had subsided, an extra jolt emanated from her back. As the woman fell to her knees, Anna Dellian continued to dig the shadow spear into her body.
Elsa was at a loss for words, watching her sister impale her clone. "It's working!" the redhead shouted so nonchalantly as her victim weakened. "Blazer...Sparx...now!" Anna sped away as her troopers opened fire. For the first time, their foe actually felt the scorching impact of each blast. A fading, mystical essence permeated from her skin as she fought to withstand the shadow spear's effects.
Meanwhile, Colonel Roze and his troops descended from their gunships. "They've got it down!" he declared and drew his personal pistol. "Give it everything you've got!"
Elsa watched in horror as his unit unloaded a seemingly endless barrage of blasterfire into Facilier's creation. Her skin flaked beneath an inner, emerald coating as she collapsed further. "Now's my chance!" Rip boasted and went for his flamethrower. He was about to nestle his finger on the trigger when he noticed the rest of the 213th. They stood in solidarity with Elsa, watching as the others fired upon their target. A twinge of guilt came upon Rip and he glanced over at Doubles. A brief head shake from his brother in arms had the flametrooper lowering his weapon.
The woman's excruciating expression was soon obliterated under the barrage until nothing more than a glowing skull remained. She raised her twitching, skeletal hands and hopelessly tried removing the enchanted spear. As Elsa watched the devastation, she heard the words of others speaking from within.
"Elsa...this thing. It's unreal."
"Don't give this killer feelings. This thing is not human."
"There was only ever meant to be one Elsa in this galaxy. The natural order must be corrected."
"The very fact that you, the peacekeepers, are leading our war effort is precisely what uneases me. You live by a code, yet you choose when it applies to you. You preach peace when you see fit and demand others to do the same. Because you believe that you're leading by example. But you cannot have it both ways. Your kind's weak unpredictability makes you a liability to the Republic."
Every word and memory snapped Elsa back into the moment. And as she watched the woman suffer, she dared take a stand. Against all odds and orders, Elsa sparked up her lightsaber. Frost and the others watched in astonishment as she leapt into the fray, her blue blade pulsing beside her. As she landed beside the being, Elsa swung her lightsaber down against the shadow spear. To her surprise, the enchantments within prompted a powerful surge of energy to pulse outward. Still, Elsa refused to yield and dug her saber into the lance. A powerful glow permeated from the cracks before an explosion surfaced. Metal burst through the blinding light as an enchanted shockwave sent people tumbling off of their feet. The ground around Elsa and her clone was unearthed as tremendous clouds billowed through the air.
"Elsa!" Anna worriedly shouted before the bright shockwave reached her.
The blast was deafening and even left ears ringing on those who were wearing helmets. As an eerie silence filled the explosion's aftermath, Elsa didn't even recall being knocked to the ground. Her entire body ached as she slowly regained feeling in her hands. Elsa was confused at first, for she felt a cluster of fragments shifting in her palm. Her heart sank when she felt the weight of her kyber crystal, just as she had the day of the Gathering. "Huh?" she uttered and slowly faced her hand. While she'd managed to destroy the shadow spear, breaking the enchantment had cost her dearly. The very lightsaber she'd so lovingly forged as a youngling had been destroyed in the explosion. Its teal, arcetron fragments splintered around her blue kyber crystal. As Elsa rolled over in dismay, she dropped the fragments and cradled the crystal as a mother would her child. Holding it close to her heart, she only lifted her head to the sounds of her doppelgänger's groans.
Elsa crawled over and found her clone sprawled out across the scorched terrain. While destroying the spear had reverted her back to her original state, her abilities had been hindered to a degree. She was very much in pain as she reached towards the smoky skies. The woman could hardly see straight as her dark and spiky tresses dug into the soil. Her eyes widened when Elsa inched over and held her trembling hand.
In those quiet and heart-stopping moments...all Elsa could do was faintly smile. If she couldn't reassure herself, she could at least strive to bring peace to Facilier's creation. A young woman who was more confused than anything else. Unsure of who or what she even was in a world that was moving on without her.
As if she was staring into her own reflection, the shivering woman tried to copy Elsa's smile. Her lips suddenly quivered into a frown as her eyes grew misty. A lone tear rolled down the woman's cheek as she whispered to Elsa, "Scared." Tears fled Elsa's eyes as the woman's grip loosened. As the smoke cleared, Frost and Anna became the first to reach the blast's epicenter. As they did so, they found a crying Elsa cradling her fainted clone.
Elsa didn't stop clutching her kyber crystal for hours. She held onto it for strength as she and the others were brought before Queen Neeyutnee of Naboo. Contrary to Moenia City, the capital of Theed was a regal and expansive paradise. Rows of royal guards lined the courtyard as Naboo's youthful queen spoke up. "Between the protection of Chancellor Palpatine and the swift resolution of this rising threat, I cannot thank the Jedi enough for their dutiful services," she said.
Anna, Elsa, and the other present Jedi bowed to the queen before reconvening. "I heard what happened," Ahsoka Tano told Elsa. "A Jedi lookalike? That must've been very difficult to deal with."
Noticing her big sister's unease, Anna tried changing the subject. "But hey!" she blurted. "How about you all? Stopping bounty hunters? Must've been one crazy festival."
As the groups conversed, a heavily guarded pod caught Elsa's eye. She watched as clone troopers transported her clone in a repulsorlifted stasis chamber. Regardless of what the woman was feeling, she looked peaceful as she slept within the chamber. "Astounding work, Knight Dellian." Chancellor Palpatine said and nearly startled Elsa. "I just knew that a Jedi of your talents would be up to the task."
Elsa sighed and felt guilty about accepting any compliments. "What will become her?" she asked. "She's my clone and I was able to connect with her. Maybe we can take her back to the temple for-"
Palpatine gently squeezed Elsa's shoulder. "Dear child," he lamented. "You've given this Republic so very much already. You need not burden yourself further. I assure you, that this young lady will be well taken care of in Republic hands. She will be brought to Kamino, where we can keep her safe from the galaxy."
"I'm not sure that's the best idea," Elsa worried.
Palpatine forced a smile and patted her back. "You have a hopeful heart, young Jedi. But you saw how the Republic treated that woman. She's not ready to be taken out from under our watchful eyes. But I assure you-" Palpatine's eyes swayed towards the capsule as it was loaded into a shuttle. "-everyone shall have their moment in due time."
"Hey Elsa!" Anna hollered from alongside Ahsoka. "Come check this out!" She and the Togruta stood beside a winding set of stairs.
Elsa sighed. "Anna, it's been a long day. All I want is to go home."
Anna and Ahsoka briefly glanced at each other. "It'll be real quick," Anna insisted. "I promise."
With a somber sulk, Elsa agreed and followed the two Jedi upstairs. The venture took her far beyond the courtyard and up towards a floral verandah. Once at the top, Anna and Ahsoka cleared the way to reveal a set of intricately-lit bulbs. The glowing strips were nestled within floral decorum and illuminated the group awaiting Elsa.
"I know your first birthday surprise kinda got botched," Anna sighed. "But I was really hoping this could make up for it." The surprise was less startling than the 213th's had been. Rip, Doubles, and Frost were present alongside Anna's Deathchasers. Masters Yelena and Mattias stood amidst an assortment of Naboo delicacies. "They had a bunch of food left over from the Festival of Light," Anna continued. "We couldn't just...let it go."
Ahsoka joined Anakin, who had been standing beside Padmé Amidala. As they bid Elsa good tidings, she could only assume that parties weren't Master Windu's specialty. "You'll have to forgive me if I don't have much to say," Elsa sighed. "I appreciate all of this, really I do. But after what I've witnessed...what I'm still coming to terms with...I'd rather just see you all happy. So please-" Elsa gestured to the food, and it would've seemed like Rip hadn't eaten in years.
There was a profound calmness to the ensuing revelry as Anna snuck her way over to Padmé. "So...can I do the thing?" she asked the Naboo senator.
"Yes," Padmé relented. "Just please be careful."
"That's like my middle name," Anna quipped before dashing away from the party.
Elsa approached her former mentor and offered a bow. "Master Yelena," she greeted.
"Happy birthday, Elsa." Yelena said. "I heard about your lightsaber. I'm so sorry."
"Maybe it's for the best," Elsa replied. "Some sort of sign, perhaps." In that instant, Elsa couldn't help but notice a tense conversation across one of the display tables. Anakin was frustratedly venting about something while Ahsoka and Padmé tried to calm him. "Is he alright?" Elsa asked.
"I'm sure Knight Skywalker is fine," Yelena cautiously assured. "Elsa, why don't you and I take a walk or-"
Elsa leaned towards the conversation just as Anakin raised his voice. "Well what else is the council lying about then?" he scoffed. "There was no need to keep me out of this. I could've helped."
"Anakin?" Elsa worried. "Is everything alright?"
"That's exactly what I want to ask Obi-wan," Anakin replied. At first, his remark caught Elsa completely off guard. It had Yelena's eyes widening as Anakin realized Elsa still didn't know. Noticing her confused visage, he elaborated. "He never died, Elsa. He was alive and undercover so that he could protect the chancellor."
Feelings of relief, unease, and disbelief all collided within Elsa. Each sensation faltered when Yelena spoke up. "Elsa," she firmly whispered. "Can we just take a moment and-"
"Did you know?" As Elsa searched her feelings, she knew Anakin's words to be true. Her question brought all festivities to a halt and had a lump forming in Yelena's throat.
"Elsa-" the elder said. "Can we please-"
"Did you know?" Elsa reiterated, impulsively raising her voice.
As Yelena looked into her reddening and teary eyes, all she saw was that traumatized child from Aren. Guilt ravaged the master from within as she could hardly utter the word, "Yes." That simple confession had Elsa exhaling and staggering back. "Elsa," Yelena choked. "You have to believe me. It was the council's will to-"
"I thought we agreed to be done with lies," Elsa shook her head and bit her lip to hold back tears.
Suddenly, fireworks started to boom beyond verandah. Joined by several staff, Anna was setting off leftover festival fireworks. Each projectile's rapid burst was just like Elsa's shattered resolve. She stormed off amidst the festivities, leaving Yelena to worriedly look at Mattias.
Fireworks echoed in the distance as Colonel Semaj Roze traversed Theed's streets. With a tired sigh, he cracked his back and entered his humble home along the capital's outskirts. Situated away from the bustling madness, Semaj's requested peace and quiet was cut short by the random fireworks. "I thought the festival was over," he groaned.
"Maybe they're 'welcome home' fireworks," a woman teased. His tiredness subsided as he glimpsed the love of his life. His spouse's soft sleeping robes glided along the tiles before he pulled her into an embrace.
"I've missed you, Eudora," he said and placed a tender kiss on her lips.
She caressed Semaj's face and could practically feel the stress radiating off of him. "I heard about the lockdowns," she said. "I was so worried."
"Nothing I couldn't handle," he forced a chuckle. "But let's talk about it some other time. All I want right now is to be with you and-" A set of frantic stomps sounded from the second floor.
Such a patter brought a smile to Semaj's face as Eudora said, "Go. She's been asking about you all day."
As Semaj ascended to his child's bedroom, he was sure to make himself look presentable. Despite the horrendous day he'd had, he refused to show the slightest hint of exhaustion. He couldn't help but grin as he slowly opened his daughter's door. She hadn't noticed him yet, for she was so focused on the fireworks outside. Her bright brown eyes teemed with curiosity and determination. Semaj watched as the child raised a hand towards the window and pretended to snatch each firework as it burst. She suddenly gasped as her father's arms wrapped tightly around her.
"Daddy!" she rejoiced and spun to hug him back.
"Babycakes!" he cheered along with her. "I missed you so much. What are you doing up here?"
"Trying to catch the fireworks," she answered nonchalantly. "My friends at school say that if you catch one during the Festival of Light and make a wish, it's sure to come true!"
Semaj grinned and admired his child's belief. "And what would you wish for?" he asked her.
"To help keep people safe," she said and unfolded a drawing she'd made for him. "Just like you, Daddy."
Semaj peered down at the drawing, which featured the two of them aboard a triangle he assumed was a star destroyer. Dozens of clones surrounded them as they flew through a void of glittery stars. "Tiana," he said. "You have always been my shining star. And wish or not, I believe that all of your dreams will come true." He held her close as they watched the rest of the fireworks light up over Theed.
A Republic shuttle rocketed out of hyperspace and swirled across a vacuous void. "Are we sure these coordinates the chancellor gave us are correct?" one of the clone pilots asked. "There's nothing out here."
Within moments, a second Republic transport emerged from lightspeed across from them. "There," the co-pilot said. "Right on time." He sent a transmission to the vessel. "This is shuttle Dihedris, confirming transfer."
A clone's voice called in from the second transport and said, "We read you, Dihedris. Proceed."
The shuttle flew alongside its bulky counterpart and linked cargo holds. Once connected, two troopers transported Elsa's replicant into the second vessel before returning to the shuttle. "Transfer complete," the Dihedris' co-pilot confirmed before unlatching.
"Affirmative," the transport's pilot said and then immediately opened fire on the Dihedris. As the shuttle exploded, the commando droids piloting the transport returned to their normal voices. One of the deathly machines descended into the hold to confirm the stasis capsule had Elsa's clone in it. With her in 'Separatist' hands, the droids placed a holocall to their leader. He was quick to respond as his bearded visage projected before them.
"Count Dooku," one of the droids computed. "We have acquired the asset."
"Excellent," the count replied. "Proceed to the facility on Mustafar. My master and I will meet you there."
Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading the second annual Frozen Force Halloween Special! I appreciate you all so much and thank you for being part of this ongoing adventure. Holy kriff! We're down to the last three chapters of Season: 3! I feel like the premiere was just last week with how time has flown. I'll see you next week for Chapter: 88 - Sleight of Hans.
Happy Halloween Season!
~ Michael