!AUTHOR! There's an Alien reference hidden in this chapter. Good luck searching!

IE XIX: RESPITORA

As the damp fumes swirl skyward from the sewer vents in the tarmac, Eva's eyes slowly drift to her cold, trembling hands. Her palms are mostly pale except for burning red spots - itching blisters and burn wounds, left behind from the Artefact's blastwave. Its rage has left its marks all over her. Her muscles tremble and shiver, unable to hold breath as it feels like she is constantly out of air.

Dank Ferrik. I have to calm myself down.

Eva tilts her head up and gazes into the starfield above her, twinkling in the void. Slowly, the heat radiates out of her body, vanishing into the dark expanse before cooling off. A cold breeze of air blows over her skin and Eva closes her eyes with bliss. The cold air rushes into her burning lungs, flooding her veins with cold blood. Eva slowly opens her eyes as her heart slows down with peace. Everything feels calm.

Then, Eva shudders with a heart attack to a thundering roar in the sky. Her eyes dart to a light bolt in the darkness, piercing and thundering through the sky. For a moment, the Artefact's blastwave shimmers before her eyes. The buildings creak under the energy as an object with more power than a thousand stars is at the brink of bursting open. Eva shakes as the walls light up and the windows rattle as the light bolt thunders over her until it passes. The thunder decreases into the familiar sound of roaring ion engines; a TIE, presumably rounding up its surveillance sortie, heading back to base; or responding to the blastwave.

Eva's eyes track the TIE until it vanishes behind the tall buildings, leaving her with burning nerves. Like a gust of wind crashing into her, all of her peace was taken away in an instant, burned away in the blastwave. Even if Eva tries to forget the Artefact, the Artefact won't try to forget her. It has its claws deep in her nerves, unable to release her. Shivering, Eva gazes down at her feet with fear running through her veins. Will the Artefact remain to haunt her? Will it release her once all of this is over?

The Artefact's doomsday power, capable of erasing Vaulent Capital off the map, is too terrifying. She fears it might be a fraction of its total power. When fully mastered, it might flatten entire districts. Such a small piece of unworthy looking stone hiding so, so much power… now, the Rebels have it, and she is sure that they will undoubtedly use it for their own cause. Eva embraces herself in her arms, trying to find some comfort as she imagines buildings falling over like cardboard while a blazing fireball rises into the dark sky. Flaming debris falls down like stars, crashing into the soil, too scorched to ever grow a tree on. Just the thought of it sends a chill racing down her spine.

She'll have to find out what the Rebels will attack next. A Rebel attack can now no longer be without Kishtung and her weapon of destruction. She has pretty much linked herself to the Rebel cause. Once she finds out where they will strike next, Eva can find her and stop Kishtung before she can use it.

She sees Daxan shuffling towards her. The smoke swirls from his cigarette as he takes a drag and blows it into the night sky. He inhales sharply. "I've had contact with your squad. They're on their way."

Eva takes a deep gasp, trying to hide her jumping nerves from him before she glances at him. "I hope they're on time."

Daxan gives her a curt nod. "They will."

She makes brief eyecontact with Daxan before glancing away, hoping he hasn't caught the faint tremors in her hands. That distant, thunderous blast from the Artefact, destroying everything in its path with flames, still echoes in her ears. Eva clenches her hands, trying to forget all of it. However, she starts feeling the burning sensation of Daxan studying her with keen eyes.

"Are you alright?" he asks.

Eva gazes down, closing her eyes, realising he has been watching her the whole time. He's noticed her fear. He seems to understand her eyes better than most.

With uncertainty, Eva makes brief eyecontact and sees the concern etched on his face until she glances away, shaking her head a little. "I'm fine. Just… processing things."

Daxan inhales deeply through his nose. He shuffles closer, leaning against his bike as well, standing next to her. "Processing things is easier when done together, so… if you need to talk, you know where to find me."

Eva remains silent, shaking her head. "I'm fine," she whispers.

I don't need you, Eva thinks, clenching her jaws with defiance. If she's going to tell him or anyone her true fears—the nightmares, the blast—how will she be seen? As a child peeing in her pants, shivering from fear, or the ruthless soldier, bound by nothing but burning men? Her fellow cadets on the battlefield and at the Academy, chuckling behind their backs, the officers in the corridors looking down at her, her squad members unable to trust her. She might never reach the first step of the military's rank if fear controls her from within, if nightmares rule.

Eva squeezes herself in her arms with her eyes closed, trying to reach out to her inner fury that once ruled her. No nightmare could stop her while she charged through walls and doors of Rebel outposts. Eva. Eva, where are you?

Suddenly, she hears the growling engine of a heavy vehicle approaching. Eva opens her eyes to a fierce light entering the tarmac until they morph into two headlights of an ITT. Her lungs race. The squad is here. Eva takes some deep gasps, trying to calm down her racing heart. She steels herself, steadying her nerves.

The door of the ITT flies open and Ashara and Peyton step out first. A short smile forms on Eva's face as she makes eye contact with the two, happy to see them again. Ashara crashes into her, embracing her in her arms and squeezing Eva tightly like a teddy bear.

"Ana'tari seka," Ashara murmurs. "What were you thinking?"

Eva's air is almost pushed out of her lungs by Ashara's embrace as she gasps with relief striking her heart, pressing her head against hers. "Couldn't sit still," Eva whispers.

"Of course you couldn't," Ashara chuckles, and finally releases her with worry fading away in her yellow eyes. "Didn't think differently of you."

Eva smiles as she pulls away from Ashara's embrace, glancing at her friend's hopeful, familiar face. Ashara's eyes then drift to the swollen blisters on Eva's palms and her blue hands immediately draw to them with a worried gasp escaping her.

"Skorvit, you got messed up," Ashara remarks, and she glances at her. "What did they do to you?"

Eva tilts her head and presses her lips into a thin line. "I'll tell in no time."

Ashara presses her lips and releases Eva's wounded hands. "Well, I'll get you patched up anyway. Your hands will shine like a new Scout walker rolling out of Corellia."

Eva smirks, smiling as her attention drifts to Peyton standing next to her. Her head is slightly tilted and her arms are crossed firmly. Eva glances at her and her face seems soft but encased in a hard, tough shell as her eyecontact is fierce. Peyton doesn't seem very happy to see her again. Eva recognises that Peyton might have grown a distaste of her common AWOL practices, and understandably so. A rogue soldier in a squad might be a headache for any commander, but so is facing the consequences of inaction. Hopefully, Peyton sees sitting back is more destructive than she thinks, but she may feel more assured of her own assumptions.

They give each other a firm hand and embrace each other. As Eva holds her arms around her, Peyton's heart bumps into her chest, and then, the girl's grip around Eva grows firm.

"Glad to see you're still in one piece," whispers Peyton softly, and releases her, glancing at her with relief shimmering in her eyes. However, her eyes drift downward with an expression hard to read.

Eva gives Ecklund a short handshake, firmer than firm. Eva's eyes draw to the black hand gloves Ecklund is wearing as the plastoid grips on her fingers poke in her skin. The girl gives her a quiet nod, remaining silent but assured firm like an anchor. The stars reflecting off of the girl's round glasses shimmer with trust.

A moment of silence dominates until Eva sighs with a smile. "Good to see you too, Ecklund."

Ecklund smiles as her cheeks start glowing red. "Sorry, it's good to see you."

Eva chuckles. Her eyes draw back to Ecklund's hands. "New hand gloves?"

Ecklund nods. "They give me more grip."

Eva hums "So it makes you an even better sharpshooter, huh?"

Ecklund smiles as her eyes drift away until regaining eye contact. "Yeah. Thanks."

Then, Eva's eyes draw to a figure towering over her in the corner of her eye, casting a faint shadow across the ground. Eva's eyes meets its gaze and to her surprise, she realises it is Roslin. Eva's eyes linger on her as relief strikes her heart with warmth.

"Roslin…" says Eva, softly. "You're back."

Roslin gives a slight smile, gazing down briefly. "Didn't expect to see me on my feet again so soon?"

Eva shakes her head. "No… Honestly, I hadn't thought of you for a long time. It's been quite hectic. It's good to see you back."

Roslin nods. "Yeah, I've heard you've been into something, though I heard it from… shall we say, someone's who's not all too happy about it."

Eva's smile vanishes from her face as she slowly peers over her shoulder at Peyton. They make eyecontact and Peyton's eyes seem filled with defiance. Her lips are tightly pressed together into a thin line. She is indeed not all too happy to be here.

Peyton clenches her jaws. "Let me remind you that we are here without official clearance."

With slight frustration, Eva's jaws clench. This might become an uncomfortable confrontation with Peyton she is not looking forward to. Their perspectives are most probably going to crash into each other with full speed; Peyton might not want to fight Rebel insurgency without official clearance from any of their superiors. She knows that all of this is off the Imperial radar; Command would not have given them any clearance to fight Rebels at the last minute. Even if they did, Eva's role might have gotten stuck to Imperial orders and protocols while a doomsday device is in the hands of a Twi'lek, supernatural wizard.

She can't stand aside and watch it all happen.

Peyton might have wished to do things by the book, something Eva has realised does not always respond well enough to tackle crises, like the one now.

Casting her eyes downward, Eva glances away from Peyton and back at Roslin with a heavy weight pulling onto her lungs. A faint sigh escapes her. "I get it…"

Roslin shifts from foot to foot. "Your friend called us because you need help. Make your case, why? What did you find?"

Eva straightens. Her lungs tighten as she recalls everything she's seen. "I followed traces of the Twi'lek to a big Rebel group here on Vaulent 6, active as we speak," and she continues telling her squad about the Starbird group, its plans to do something, and the Artefact's destructive power, enough to erase all of a district off the map like it is child's play.

With every detail escaping hastily from her mouth, Eva feels the tension of discomfort rising like electricity around her. Roslin's face turns from stern to invisible fear boiling within her.

"This weapon can erase whole districts," Eva stammers. "We have to stop them."

Behind her, Peyton lets out a scoff. "We? You say that after you dropped us into this?"

Digging her nails deep in her palms, Eva turns around and glances at Peyton with the discomfort brewing in her chest. The girl's stern eyes burn through the cold air between them. Is Peyton aggravated by her? Why does she seem so upset?

"What's up with you?" Eva asks, softly.

Peyton recoils. "You put us into this, why should it come down on us? Why is it us?" and she steps forward, her boots pounding on the tarmac. "Why don't you see this? You're more of a solo-player, yet you decide to pull in others at the last moment."

"You gave me permission to leave and to call in for help whenever I need it," Eva growls. "Are you forgetting your own orders?"

Peyton shakes her head, her eyes burning intensively. "I came here to get your ass out of shit which I'd gladly do, don't get me wrong, but I didn't come here to stop a weapon of mass destruction in the hands of an alien wizard the Army failed to kill. We went after that alien before, and guess whose idea that was, huh? We bottled that hard. I didn't wake up for this. I didn't have that in mind when I let you go."

"But… You can't change terms, you agreed to them!"

Peyton shrugs. "I didn't change them. They were always there. We were both just blind to them."

Why does it matter if they're here unwillingly if a literal eraser is in the hands of a Rebel group, ready to strike whenever possible? If such a threat is at play, feelings should not be in the way of dissolving it. Before Eva can respond, however, Roslin steps in between.

"Peyton," Roslin snaps. "Stand down."

With fierce eyes, Peyton shifts her eyes over Eva's shoulder to Roslin. She presses her lips into a thin line and glances at Eva for a brief moment, seemingly unwilling to let this matter - her feelings - go. Then, Peyton steps back as she drops her head. In her eyes, something shimmers. Eva cannot place it. Perhaps a sliver of frustration, angered that Eva is willing to take such risks; a hint of doubt, uncertain of whether this threat can be tackled at all; or a flicker of regret, recognising she may have gone too far with bursting her feelings all onto Eva at once. Whatever it is, Peyton seems to cool down, on the outside at least. It leaves Eva with mild intrigue. She's never seen Peyton this aggravated. Perhaps only when she rose to the ranks of Lieutenant Commander, but it strikes a string in her heart. Eva's eyes draw to the ground as a sudden pain in her heart stings her feelings. The streetlights of the parking lot flicker. Peyt, are we still friends?

It seems far away. All Eva can see in Peyton is duty, a person swallowed by a Lieutenant Commander.

Eva follows Roslin away from the others to speak privately. Eva glances over her shoulder as she walks away, and her eyes land on Peyton. She's looking at her until something else catches Peyton's attention, and glances away, breaking off her eye contact. It's really bothering her.

Eva follows her commander into the dim yellow hue of a streetlight. Roslin stops and crosses her arms tightly. She turns around slowly as her mind seems elsewhere, pondering. Her eyes are fixed on the ground.

"You know…" Roslin starts, making eye contact, "Peyton isn't wrong, though. It isn't our job to handle this. It shouldn't be."

"Why not?" Eva asks.

"Well, we're not a special forces team." Roslin shakes her head . "We are not cleared to get involved in this. If Command knows what we're up to, and we bottle whatever our plan is to capture that Twi'lek…" She trails off, her eyes drifting away, but her meaning is clear.

Eva lets out an uncomfortable sigh, her eyes drifting away, too. "I know. Suspension."

Roslin smirks with discomfort. "Maybe worse."

"Yeah…" Eva sighs, "but trust me, it won't."

Roslin shakes her head, the doubt reflected in her eyes. "You seem to have instincts that I don't because I don't think it is a good idea. We went after that Twi'lek before - which was your idea too, by the way, and we bottled that hard. Two of us barely made it out. I don't think it is our job, our mission to capture her again if we have failed our previous attempt. It's clear it's not an enemy we can take - or want to take."

"Commander," Eva snaps. "We had zero knowledge on who and what that Twi'lek was. I know, running after her through the woods was a mistake. I couldn't control myself. We had no chance of stopping her. But now, I know more about her than anyone else does. I know even more so than the military. I am the backdoor. I know she's a Jedi, some ages old, the supposed knight of the light, willing to do anything to keep the Artefact from any foe. I know its destructive power. I've seen it blasting away the facility I was held prisoner at, and I am sure it is capable of doing more."

"Even so," Roslin snaps, "it is still not our task. As cadets, we have orders to stand-by at Malstrom Base."

Eva clenches her fists, her nails digging into her palms. "Well, kriff the orders," she barks. "I can't stand doing nothing while I have the information we need to catch that Twi'lek and stop that weapon from destroying more."

"I'm sorry," Roslin responds, "but you can just brief the Army or the ISB about it and they'll do the rest. Eva, why is this so important to you? What's the drive?"

Eva hesitates, glancing down as she calculates her answer. "Because I can't sleep knowing there's a literal world destroyer at my doorstep," her voice breaks. "If I'd tell them, they'd put me on a bench and let me watch it all happen on the vidscreens. Kriff that. That ain't right. I can't sit and watch everything unfold when I have the key. And… They have my sister." At last, she swallows hard, trying not to let her emotions make her burst into tears. "She needs us… And I have to do something!"

"I get it because of your sister, but hold on for a second," Roslin snaps. "You gotta be real here with me, because I can hear the emotions coming out of you as clear as hell. Tell me, are the emotions speaking or your head?"

Eva shakes her head, her voice firm now. "I'm talking with both. Emotions push me, but my instincts make the decisions. I know we don't have orders, but if we don't do something, if we don't go against our orders, then imagine what would happen if the Rebels are lost to us." She releases a tense sigh. The nerves make her shiver as she swallows hard. "I know that my sister's situation complicates things. But regardless of her, they now have a superweapon they can use anywhere they desire. Imagine this thing at the Strategy Conference. Thousands dead. We'd lose almost all of the Imperial top. Or the Imperial Center. Millions."

Roslin's eyes trail off, crossing her arms even tighter.

"Or here, at home. Our home." Eva inhales sharply through her nose as a shiver erupts from her spine. "The Rebels have a war to win. They have a weapon that can finally match a Star Destroyer. No way will they sack it. They won't hesitate using it, and the only one that can stop them is us."

A pause of silence lingers between them. Roslin remains quiet, but her unspoken fears reflect heavily in her eyes, shimmering like two alarms. Roslin's eyes drift downward and sighs deeply, her shoulder slumping a little. "You seem certain of this. You trust your instincts?"

A surge of conviction rushes through Eva's nerves as her eyes narrow. "I wouldn't have done this if I didn't believe in it."

Slowly, Roslin nods, but in the corner of her eyes, Eva can still see hints of uncertainty. "Then… I'll back you up. We'll do it. But if this goes sideways," and she steps towards Eva, towering over her like an enraged giant. "Remember that I'm going to use you as a scapegoat."

With a shivering breath, Eva nods as Roslin's last word echoes in her mind. But regardless, whatever the future will be, all of it is built upon the foundation Eva has laid. If it collapses, so will everything else, and all of it will be her fault. So be it, then. Refusing to take responsibility is what scumbags would do.

Roslin presses her lips into a thin line as a hint of guilt shimmers in her pupils. "I'm sorry, I hope you-,"

"I understand," Eva snaps. "I shall take full responsibility."

Roslin nods. "Well then. I'll talk with Peyton. You're dismissed."

Roslin seems to be fully on board now. A short smile forms on her face, grateful for Roslin's understanding.

"Yes sir," Eva nods, and turns around with uplifting shoulders, filled with pride.

Finally, Roslin seems to understand that sitting still will eventually make them pay the price. Acting now is the most important, regardless of whatever Command is thinking. With or without orders, stopping the Rebels and their new weapon is what they must do.

Suddenly, Roslin's voice echoes over the parking lot. "Eva, one more thing. There's a saying in the Imperial military."

Eva glances over her shoulder slightly as she continues walking back to her squad.

"Good soldiers follow orders," Roslin continues.

Eva stops in her tracks. For a moment, the hums of the Capital cease to exist. Good soldiers follow orders; words she hasn't thought of lately.

"What happened to it?" Roslin asks.

Her words press against her chest like chains entangling her body. Slowly, Eva turns around. She meets Roslin's sharp gaze, her jaw tight. Good soldiers follow orders. They were drilled into her mind as it became clear that all the taskmasters desired from her were following them. Following their words without question was the key to become the best, most prestigious soldier of the Empire. The red flag of the Empire waving at her chest was all that mattered. It was the cornerstone of the Academy and shaped her into the ruthless, Rebel scum killer all cadets seem to admire her for. And yet, it feels like it has fallen into despair. Orders now seem to be a second-grade priority. Orders now have to be broken.

Roslin's arms are still crossed as she is enshrouded in pure darkness like a dark shadow. Eva's narrow body draws a short shadow over the tarmac. The light above her hums faintly.

"We all believed in it, and still do," Roslin continues. Her voice sounds calculative, choosing her words carefully. "You too, right?"

Eva swallows hard. "I did. I still do," Eva admits, quietly.

"What happened to it?" Roslin repeats, stepping closer.

"I believed in it because I thought orders would always lead me to the right path - that I would become a better soldier, the best possible," Eva responds. "But… I've realised that sometimes, following orders isn't enough. I can't rely on distant men. Sometimes, I have to act by myself to do what's actually right for us - the people of the Empire. I have to act on instincts," and she takes a big gasp of frigid air, rushing in to cool her burning nerves. "Good soldiers follow orders. I still do, but maybe I'm not so mindless or brainwashed after all. Maybe I have to take things into my own hands - make work of it."

The words hang in her mind as Eva's gaze lingers to Roslin. The Empire demands loyalty, unwavering and unquestioning. It's how they've conquered the galaxy. But Eva recognises that orders do not always reflect the truth - what should happen. Sometimes, the extra step is required, even if it goes against standing orders.

Good soldiers do not only follow orders; they follow their humane instincts. She trusts what mom and dad have given her.

The darkness has never seemed this dark. Her soft footsteps echo through the sewage pipes below the city as Eline wanders behind her Rebel captors. The only light comes from the erratic beams of the Rebels' flashlights, lighting the way up ahead as the sewage tunnel stretches towards the infinite darkness. How long have they been walking here? An hour? Two? It feels like years already.

As a lightbeam crosses her, a heavy weight briefly slips from her shoulders. Amidst the cold darkness, she shakes with warmth as if a sudden, hot gust of wind pierces through the raging blizzard. As the Rebel turns his flashlight away from her, she is left in the dark again, and the cold returns, crashing into her. The light feels like the only familiar thing in this place.

Eline wraps her arms around herself, squeezing herself to death. A nauseating pain throbs in her lungs. She's been without her medicine for almost a week and the terrible symptoms of Respitora Constriction have gotten worse. In the first days, she could live with only a few coughs, but now, things have escalated terribly. Her lungs feel like they're about to collapse and burst open simultaneously. It is as if a monster is stuck in there, trying to get out, punching against the insides of her ribs while her body tries to fight it.

A sudden cough erupts from Eline's lungs. The sound rips through the dark, followed by a sharp, wet rasp. Her trembling hands brush her lips, and as she holds them before her eyes, she can make out the crimson spots of blood on her palms. Her breathing quickens as panic swells in her chest. Eva… I hope you're not too late…

Eline stumbles and nearly falls, but catches herself against the cold, steel wall. Her eyes catch the glimpse of the Twi'lek ahead of her. Her silhouette looms tall in the light as her voice cuts through the oppressive darkness, while a smaller silhouette walks besides her.

"Sir, we do not have much time left now that the Empire is coming down onto what's left of your old base," Kishtung snaps, calm yet menacing. "If we want to gain the upper hand in our escape, we will need the Artefact.

That other silhouette belongs to the commander of the Rebel group as he points his finger at her. "The Artefact is not a weapon, it is a doomsday device," Girkin retorts.

His tone is low, likely trying to keep the echoes of their conversations from carrying too far. Their words blur in Eline's ears as they fall apart. Their silhouettes are barely visible.

"We are going to need it if we want to break into their base," Kishtung responds. "It's outside the residential areas. Staging an attack there won't harm any civilians."

"Regardless of the measures we take," Girkin snarls, "It has a lot of pedestrian traffic. I do not want the lives of thousands on my conscience. You don't want to either."

Their words blur together, but they peak her interest and Eline tries to catch more of their exchange as she leans forward. However, her vision swims in and out of focus. The pain in her lungs drown out their voices as her own rasping breaths sound deafening.

Then, a surge of pain rushes through her spine. Eline gasps as everything spins out of control until her legs give out. She crumples to her knees with a faint cry and crashes into the steel floor. Eline tries to breathe but her lungs pulsate with pain as if they're collapsing with full force. Her throat burns as she tries to breathe but no oxygen can enter her lungs. Tears form in her eyes as the panic burns within her, whirling violently.

Footsteps rush towards her. Two hands go under her armpit and grasp her chest firmly and roll her over, gently onto her back. Her swollen eyes land on a Rebel medic kneeling at her side. His flashlight burns in her eyes before he tilts it away. His face is barely visible through the dark.

"Sit still for a second," he urges, his voice calm and steady.

His hands feel cold as he lifts her head up. A hint of disgust flickers through her body as she tries to resist, but her body is too weak to move. The medic shoves his satchel below her head to rest on instead of the hard, cold floor.

"I-, I can't breathe," Eline squeezes out of her lungs, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Shh, I've got you," he murmurs as he digs into his medpack. "What do you feel?"

Eline swallows hard. "My chest… hurts."

The medic nods. "You got anything you know of?"

Tears steak down Eline's chin. "Respitora," she sobs.

"Got it," he responds, and moments later, she feels the itching prick of a needle in her arm.

Eline gasps as warmth spreads through her veins like warm water, dulling the edge of the pain in her chest. Her lungs open up and the cold air rushes in like a storm. Eline wheezes as she gasps for every bit of oxygen in the air. She straightens. For a moment, she feels the tiniest flicker of safety in the care of the Rebels.

The Rebel shuts his medpack. "Okay, kid. You'll be okay for now," he says, his tone gentle. "I'll carry you."

He grasps her armpits and lifts her from the floor as though she weighs nothing. Her body bumps into his as her head lands on his shoulder. Her arms embrace him, trying to keep herself from falling.

"Let me know if you feel worse, alright?" he murmurs, softly.

Eline nods weakly as she rests her head on his shoulder. A hint of disgust still murmurs within her. She hates them - their cause, their methods, their terrible acts against her… they are the reason why she's lost her arm and had it replaced with a metal facade. Yet, as her hand grasps the Rebel firmly, a strange warmth stirs alongside her. Are they all monsters? Or is she too broken to trust her instincts anymore?

The Rebel soldiers around her, following the light to safety, blur around her into vague silhouettes. The echoing footsteps fade out as any sound slips away. The darkness dances around the edges of her vision as the medicine pulls Eline into a semi-conscious daze. She tries to stay awake, trying to catch a glimpse of where they're going, but each step pulls her deeper into darkness.

The face of Eva flashes before her eyes, etched with determination. A spark of hope bursts within her before she closes her eyes. Eva… please, find me before it's really too late…