!AUTHOR NOTE! Happy New Year!
I'm glad to announce that I've been invited by the ReExpanded Universe group to be part of their effort to re-establish the EU continuation through fanfiction. So from now on, Imperial Elite will be part of the EU timeline. Despite IE being intended to fit into Canon, no major course corrections had to be made, and only small revisions were necessary to align with the EU. Future Imperial Elite projects will still follow the planning I made when I started with Part 1 years ago, so no big course corrections.
Also, I cooked up a cover image for Imperial Elite 1, so check it out!
Have fun reading, and I wish you all the best!
IE XVI: NO TURNING BACK
Racing down a desolate road through nowhere, Eva twists the strands of her blonde hair into a knot, shielding it from the relentless wind. Remaining quiet since they embarked from the viewpoint, Eva focuses on the passing scenery and clears her mind while she can. Daxan's words of last night echo through her mind, now that she understands the weight of enjoying peace while it lasts.
Clinging onto Daxan, a mighty structure of torn, duracrete pillars looms over the woods ahead of her.
"Look!" Eva points out. "That should be the hovertrain bridge."
Daxan hums and pushes the pedal a little further, dashing past trees and shrubs that turn into blurs of green.
During the first centuries of Vaulent 6, trains hovering across land and water transported goods to factories and settlements all across the moon. Not just goods though. People, too. Industrial communities the hovertrains weaved together, grew into sprawling cities. In the light of these days, their tracks are left behind, abandoned, to dominate the land they pierce through. Mighty lines of steel, crossing all over the moon.
Along the route of the hovertrain, there should be a hidden building belonging to the Rebels. At some point, it should cross a river. As they shriek further, the vegetation clears and the ocean-blue shades of water appear through the green shrubs. Her heart jumps for a moment as they're nearing the destination.
Where the bridge returns to land on the other side of the river, Eva catches the glimpse of something. It is a structure darkened by the shadow of the bridge. That might be the hide-out they are looking for.
Daxan parks his speeder behind a shrub and they embark. With drawn blasters, Eva passes through shrubs towards the structure, low and quietly.
On her toes, Eva approaches a steel door and waits for Daxan until he catches up.
"This is so-,"
"Sssst!" Eva snaps.
Daxan swallows. "Sorry," he whispers. "Got too excited."
Eva hums. She quietly turns the doorknob, hoping to enter, but a metallic click erupts from within. Locked. If the door refuses to be a door, well, then she can make her own.
She turns to Daxan. "Attention."
Daxan hums and squeezes the handgrip of his blaster. Eva aims at the doorknob and fires, shooting a burning hole through the door, destroying the lock. The door gently swings open and Eva aims her blaster into the building. Rays of sunlight shine through the holes in the metal roof, bathing the interior in a yellow hue. A smell of old, rusty steel and burnt plastic rush like a wave into her; a dreadful stench, prickling in the back of her throat. Crates lie randomly around, steel cabinets lie on their side, and the roof seems to collapse at any moment. But most importantly, it is abandoned, too abandoned it seems.
"On me," Eva whispers.
Eva steps inside as Daxan follows her heels, copying exactly her moves as she scans her surroundings with her weapon. Her nerves burn as she scouts the area, but as Eva checks all corners one by one, there seems to be no Rebel anywhere. Not even on the roof, preparing to blow her up along with the building. No. It is abandoned and the Rebels are gone. What they have left behind is a mess.
"Are they already gone?" Daxan whispers.
Eva's eyes dart around, pivots her head, but sees or hears no sign of anyone else with them. Slowly, Eva drops her blaster with her heart starting to race with frustration. "They're gone," and she curses under her breath, realising that the Rebel lied. "Blasted scumbag."
Daxan pries a broken crate open with his blaster. As the lid breaks off, he finds nothing. "Nothing," he sighs. "They must have left in a hurry."
Eva clenches her fist with anger. Why-, oh why did I ever believe that scumbag.
"He lied. That snow boat lied," she hisses, grasping a stone from the ground. "Ass sucker!" and she throws the stone at the garage door.
A loud bang erupts as the door topples over and crashes onto the soil, letting the wind blow through the newly created crevice.
Eva buries her face in her hands, trying to calm herself and let her lungs breathe with cold air. Her nerves slowly wind down as she drops her hands and casts her eyes downward, trying to calculate what's next.
"Hey, Eva," Daxan's voice breaks through her thoughts. "Look what I found."
Clenching her fists, Eva turns around to Daxan with impatience. In his hands, Daxan holds the shimmering screen of a datapad and a sudden spark of hope erupts as Eva leaps towards him.
"Oh shit," Eva murmurs. She grasps the datapad from his hand and wipes off the layers of dust from the screen, feeling each crack pricking in her fingers.
"Found it in some forgotten container," Daxan responds.
Eva gives him a nod. "Good find," and she activates the device.
Eva watches it flickering to life. She finds the datalogs that have been stored on this device, and to her surprise, Eva sees it contains files. Trying to open some, Eva finds out that some are corrupted, but halfway through, she pulls up a file that is still intact.
She pulls up a list of logs. Most of them contain timestamps, but it is not clear what. Eva's eyebrows furrow as she moves the screen away from her, puzzled and confused. It all seems random, the mumbling of a madman recorded by a psychiatrist, but Eva senses there is something behind it. Beyond the lines, the digits of Binary code, there must be a message; 'something something' at the very least. These timestamps mean something, but she cannot understand yet why.
Eva hands it to Daxan. "It contains timestamps of something, I think. Can you make sense of it?"
Daxan takes the datapad and glances over the entries. He frowns as the screen is reflected in his eyes. "These timestamps seem to have been carefully taken. Like, it's not 15:34 or something. It's exactly 15:00 or 15:30, or something."
"What could that mean?"
Daxan shrugs. "I'm not sure. Looks like a schedule of something."
"Transfers?" Eva asks.
"Yeah. Supply runs, movements, something. Question is of which side these refer to."
Eva nods. "Could be Rebel or Imperial."
"Or anything else. It can literally be the timetable of a starliner or a taxicab."
Eva drops her head. She swivels with her feet. "Any kriffin' thing," she sighs.
She can't make sense of it. The evidence is so vague it can be about anything. This won't get her much farther. But perhaps it may come to use later. Eva slips the datapad into her bag and zips it shut, sweeping it onto her back and gazing into oblivion, deep in her thoughts. Now what? Now. What? I thought I could find something here. Well, it's a dead end, I guess.
Eva buries her face in her hands, recognising that, if she wants to find a solution somehow, she'll have to think in peace. She prepares to walk away. "I need some air."
Eva walks outside, hearing the wind whistle through the cracks of the dilapidated building. Walking through the tall grass, Eva breathes in and out, trying to clear her mind. Kicking the little rocks on the riverbank, the rushing, clear water sparkles like stars. Eva drops to her knees and sticks her hand in the cold water, gently moving around her wrist as it tickles on her skin. She washes her forehead as her eyes linger on the scenery on the other side-a lush green forest with above, the bright, blue sky. Drops of water streak down her face and round her chin, tickling her skin gently.
Eva sits down on the side of the river as her ears fill with the rustling sound of the water rushing past her feet. The sound tickles in her ears, clearing her mind of some frustration, but not all has washed away.
Daxan drops to his feet next to her. His boots disturb the gravel and they quietly watch the water rushing away, past their feet.
At last, Eva breaks the gentle silence and lets out a faint sigh. "It's hopeless," she murmurs.
Daxan glances at her. "Hopeless?" he snorts.
"We can do nothing with just a timetable," Eva responds.
Daxan presses his lips and his eyes drift away. "I know how that can feel. Couldn't make dick from balls too."
Eva breaks into a chuckle. "Dick from balls? Really?"
Daxan chuckles too. "Sorry."
"Nah, I'll keep that in mind whenever I'll need it," Eva smiles, barely holding in her laughter.
Daxan shakes his head with a smile, chuckling lightly. His cheeks turn faintly red, barely noticeable to Eva as she looks at him until she glances away and at the rushing water.
"But…" Eva murmurs. "It really is a shit position we're in right now. We crashed face first into a dead end."
Daxan nods in silence. He leans back on his hands as his gaze drifts over the rushing water. "It's funny," he says quietly, as if speaking to himself. "You think it's a dead end, and then, when you wanna crush your head against the wall, the maze shifts."
Eva glances at him. Her eyes drift to his fingers fidgeting slightly on the gravel. Is something bothering him? This seems rather… anecdotal? What is he up to?
Daxan snorts lightly. "Yeah. Had to learn that the hard way."
Eva tilts her head as her curiosity sparks. "What do you mean?"
Slowly, Daxan glances at her. His eyes are unreadable, but his breath trembles faintly with nervousness. "There are… things nobody knows about me." He seems to hesitate as the words are on the tip of his tongue.
Eva narrows her eyes at him, sensing the weight behind his tone. What is he so nervous about? "Like what?"
Daxan shifts uncomfortably. He buries his hands slightly in the gravel. At last, he takes a big gasp of air while Eva watches him closely with intense eyes.
Suddenly, the sharp howl of Eva's wristlink shatters the stillness. She jolts, her heart skipping a beat as if an explosion has gone off. In an instant, her hand moves to tap the button and moves her wristlink close to her chin. "With me."
"Eva." It is the voice of ACY.
Daxan exhales softly as his eyes drift away.
Eva eyebrows rise with surprise. "Acy? Didn't expect you. What do you need from me?"
ACY remains silent on the other end, leaving Eva with uncertainty. "Eva, I have urgent news regarding your sister."
Oh. Did her meds not arrive? She remembers when Eline skipped her medication because she ran out of it. A new delivery was to come, however, and she did not bother. However, it became clear that skipping even one day made Eline struggle more with breathing. Failing to take the medicine all together may have catastrophic results—her lungs collapsing under their own wounds. It is of high importance that Eline takes it in.
With worry, Eva's hands clench. "Did her meds fail to arrive?"
"No," ACY responds. "I am not quite sure how to tell you this."
"Just fire away."
ACY remains silent. "The Imperial Scouting Group contacted us about your sister. She has gone missing."
Eva's heart stops. The water stops rushing past her feet. "What?"
"Your sister was not accounted for during the morning inspection at the Imperial Scouting Group," ACY responds.
Her heart starts pounding erratically as Eva's eyes burn through the gravel. The air she breathed in moments ago now feels like shards of ice stabbing deep into her lungs like knives. Eline, gone? No, that isn't possible. Her gasps turn into wheezes as Eva shakes her head. "No. No. It can't be. They must've just missed her when counting heads."
"Capital Police is already on-site," ACY snaps. "Even they have not found her."
Eva's eyes water as her lungs shudder. "You-, you've got to be kidding me," she wheezes, trembling as the thoughts start to sink in.
Then, the water rushes past her feet quicker. Whirlpools form as the water crashes into the riverbank like a hurricane setting foot on land. The light of the sun vanishes and she is left in the shadows. Eline, then sleeping, and now, gone from the face of the moon. Her stomach twists and turns into knots. Her legs shake and are at the brink of collapse, but before she can break down, Eva's eyes turn cold and stare at Daxan.
"Daxan," she almost cries with a steady voice. "We have to go."
Daxan's jaws tighten, his eyes bathed in fear as he nods. "Understood."
They sprint through the shrubs, branches snapping under their heels as they reach the speeder. Eva's heart pounds in her ears as Daxan turns his speeder to life. Eva leaps onto the back, gripping tightly as Daxan speeds forward. The clouds turn into twisters as the woods turn into frantic blurs of bleak green, racing faster than ever before.
Eline. Oh, Eline. Don't tell me it's true. Please, let this be a joke.
Eva's thoughts race through her mind, whispering, screaming, and mumbling, forming incohesive twisters of words. Her gaze lingers on the blurs of the trees as they shriek towards Eline's camp.
With her nerves boiling her alive, they drive onto the parking lot. Dozens of police cruisers block the entrance with holographic ribbons splitting a world in two. Officers guide the personnel and little scouts away from the site as they approach. Eline must still be there, right?
With her lungs burning with agony, Eva jumps off and sprints towards the camp. Her sight narrows with panic, gasping for air as she dashes past personnel, until two arms of an officer stop her and almost bring her to the ground. "Stop stop stop!"
Eva crashes into him, trying to push him aside. "Let me go!"
More officers rush in, taking hold of her arms and pulling her away as she tries to break free with tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Let me go!" Eva sobs. At last, she collapses to her knees with burning eyes, shivering and crying. "My sister-" her voice breaks.
The officers let go of her, recognising she's no longer an imminent threat. One officer, seemingly the chief commissary, steps towards her. His jaws tighten as his hand touches his holster. "It's okay. Calm down."
Eva wheezes as her lungs tighten. "My sister-," and she swallows in an agonising knot in her throat. "Tell me you found her. Please!"
The officer's pupils widen as shock shimmers in the corners of his eyes. He kneels before her as Eva drops her head with tears splashing on her knees. He lets out an uncomfortable sigh. "I'm sorry. We're doing everything we can."
Her heart shatters, a gaping hole left in its place. Eva looks up at him. Her tear-streaked face and burning cheeks twist with despair. "I need to see her room," she stammers, her voice trembling. "I need to see. Please."
The commissioner presses his lips with hesitance. "I'm sorry, but I'm affraid that I-,"
"Please," Eva whispers, her voice shaking.
The commissioner glances at the officers around him, hesitating to let her pass the limits, until he nods slowly. "Alright," he responds, his tone careful. "But. Don't touch anything. The investigation team has not arrived yet. Until they do, we have to preserve the scene."
Eva nods, barely able to push herself to her feet. She stumbles back a step until Daxan, who has been standing nearby and powerless, catches her. The trees of the woods twist and turn into hurricanes in the corner of her eyes as Eva wanders behind the chief commissioner, dazed and deaf to the whispers of the birds.
Stepping inside one of the big, wooden buildings of the campsite, Eva's world narrows to the door in front of her, bearing the name of Eline on a metal plate, the last wall between her and the truth of her sister's fate.
The door creaks open, threatening and eerie. Eva's eyes linger on the bed directly in front of her. The bedsheet lies half on the floor, hanging down from the side.
Daxan swallows. "Want me to stay out?"
Eva doesn't respond. She steps inside first as the commissioner stays behind. She crashes into a frigid atmosphere, colder than outer space. Her lungs ache with the cool air rushing through her tightening throat. Her gaze sweeps over the room, her eyes drawing from the bed to her rusty bowcaster lying on the nightstand. The carpet on the wooden floor has a crooked tip, pointing at the door. Thoughts race through her mind as Eva rushes to take in every detail of Eline's room. A crooked tip, pointing at the door… she must have left through the door. Willingly or forced?
Her eyes draw to her desk. The chair's backrest is shoved against the tablesheet. So, she did not use it. Did she come straight out of bed?
Then, Eva notices something sitting on the desk, something that does not seem to belong there; a small, circular device. A red light blinks on the side. For a moment, the thought of it being Eline's alarm rushes through her mind, but it seems too small to be one. It seems more like a communication device. A hologram, perhaps? Did Eline leave something behind? A message?
The warnings of the commissioner rushes into her mind, but despite it, Eva steps closer, craving to get answers, her fingers trembling as she activates the device. On top, a ghostly figure in blue appears with headtails stretching down and a dark cloak sweeping down. Her breath catches in her throat. Her lungs stop. It's her, it's the Padawan.
"Eva," her voice hisses, dripping with malice. "This is directed to you, and only you. If you see this, you may already be aware of your sister. My true apologies, but-," and then, with seemingly a long sigh of hesitation, she pulls Eline into the picture.
Eva gasps, her world shattering as she almost collapses to her feet. Her gaze lingers on Eline, her cheeks swollen as tears rain down from her eyes, wailing in agony, only for her voice to be silenced by a gag of cloth stuck in her mouth. Eva swallows. "Eline," she breaks. What have they done to you?
"You have left me with no choice," the Padawan adds with clenched teeth.
The Padawan tightens her grip on Eline's arm. Her sister cries with pain as she tries to shake her captor off, but the Twi'lek remains to hold a vicious grip on Eline's life.
"If you want to see your sister again, bring me the stone, the Artefact. Come and meet us, alone. Coordinates and time are attached."
Then, Eline kicks into the Twi'lek's shin, weakening her grip for a short moment. In the window of time, Eline manages to shake the ball of cloth out of her mouth, coughing it out on the invisible ground with red eyes. "Eva!" she cries. "Help me. I lost my inhaler-," and she coughs with agony in her voice.
The inhaler…
Eva jolts around, her eyes darting around until they land on the nightstand where Eline's inhaler lies. The sight sends waves of panic through her. Her lungs start to wheeze as she realises that, without the inhaler, Eline's injury will grow agonisingly painful. It is the only thing that keeps her lungs alive, away from total collapse from its wounds. And Eline is now without it, in Rebel's custody.
"Quiet!" the Twi'lek snaps.
A smack echoes through the room as Eline's voice turns into a cry of agony until her sobs become muffled.
"Eva. Don't make me wait," and the hologram shuts off.
Staring at the inhaler, the room falls into a dead silence. Her gasps fill the space as her hands shake with sweat all over her skin. Then, slowly, the bloodcurdling panic turns dark. The room darkens, the clouds twist as her turmoil coalesces into a singular emotion-rage.
Eline didn't walk away. She was abducted, taken straight out of her bed without mercy, silenced and hurt, none other by the Twi'lek and her newly-found Rebel colleagues. And now, Eline has become the pawn, a senseless tool, to make Eva comply with her demands, using her injury as leverage. Eva's eyes narrow as her nails dig deep into her palms, piercing her skin as the burning fury howls with rage. Fire shimmers in her pupils as her body trembles, barely holding herself together.
Without a word, Eva storms out of the room with pounding footsteps and dashes past Daxan, caught by surprise. "Wait, Eva."
She slams the door open and runs out until she passes the ribbons with a racing heart. The shadows of the trees grow longer, casting tall, dark silhouettes over the soil like giant figures.
Daxan quickly catches up with her, the concern etched across his face as his voice turns soft. "Eva, what happened to her?"
Eva closes her eyes, trying not to break down. Her knuckles have grown pale with pain. "They took her," she whispers, shivering.
"What?"
"They took her!" Eva cries, and turns to him, her words as sharp as broken glass. "They took her, Daxan! That alien took her."
Daxan gasps, his pupils growing with shock as he stands motionless, his skin turning pale. "Why-, what does she have to do with this?"
Eva's eyes narrow further. "She wants the Artefact, and I have it. They-, those scumbags," she cries, "they want it in exchange for my sister. In exchange for her kriffin' life!"
Tearing up, Eva crashes into Daxan's arms, splintering into sobs with ragged breaths. Hot tears stream down her face as her eyes blaze with agony. But the shards of glass melt as the flames rise through the cracks of her agony. And as her fury howls with rage in her chest, her nails dig even deeper into her palms. Her mind clears with only one thought, one objective, screaming in singularity; no matter the price, that Twi'lek will be killed. No one gets to pull as little as a strand of hair from Eline. No one will walk away from that alive. No one will, and a plan instantly comes to her mind.
She clenches her jaws. "Hellspawn demons," she hisses, her head against his chest. "I'm going to find her, and I'll kill her."
Daxan tilts his head down to her, his arms curled around her body, pressing her against himself. "How?" he whispers. "We've lost all traces."
"They want it in exchange for her," Eva growls. "They can get me."
"What?" Daxan pulls Eva away with shock, tilting her head up to look straight into her red eyes. "You're going to turn yourself in?"
"What other choice do I have?" Eva responds. She swallows hard. "Eline's without her meds. She won't breathe in less than a week. I have to get to her. I have to save her."
"But-, but…that's exactly what she's counting on," Daxan stammers. "Rushing in, playing right into her trap, receiving you with open arms-that's what she needs to accomplish. You can't give them their victory. It is telling them that abducting children is working. There has to be another way. There-, there just has to be."
Eva shakes her head. "No. We don't have time. Our last trace became a dead end. We found nothing. I have nothing, except for the Artefact. Eline is in danger, and I can't lose her. Daxan. I. Can't. Lose. Her."
Daxan shuffles closer to her while still holding her burning cheeks. "Eva. I know. I know you can't. I wouldn't either. But right now, breathe. You're not thinking crystal. You're running off."
"My sister's been kidnapped," she gasps. "How else am I supposed to get her back?"
"Listen to me, we put a homing beacon in your shoes. When you meet them, we call the ISB and the Army and take them by surprise."
"I can't do that," Eva sobs, swallowing hard. "What if she sees through it? That Twi'lek has her blade against her throat. She'll slash her. Whatever our plan will be, I can't risk it."
"But we cannot risk the Twi'lek discovering the true purpose of the Artifact either," Daxan responds. "Even we don't know what it does. All we know is that it's somehow important to a mystical guardian of disproportionate power. Are you sure we—the Empire—can risk it?"
Eva glares down, recognising the conflict. If Eline is to be saved, she must hand in the Artifact. If the Empire is to be saved from whatever power or secret the Artifact is hiding, she must face the slashing of her own sister. Eva closes her eyes, dropping her head, having to make an undesirable decision, no matter which road she takes.
"I don't know," Eva whispers, wiping the tears off her cheeks.
Daxan holds her arms, biting his lips with the agonising torture reflected in his eyes. "Forget what I want," he stammers. "Just-, just do what you desire. Follow what your heart tells you."
Eva glances up, her heart beating like it's in her throat. "I want to save her. I want Eline back. I don't want to take risks while getting there."
Daxan's eyes drift away, letting out a sigh until he nods, accepting her decision.
"I'll be gone. Don't follow me," Eva responds, wiping away the last tears from her cheeks. Her eyes still burn like fire. "But-, but I'll kill her. I'll kill her after I've saved Eline, no matter what. I swear."
Daxan swallows, struggling to see her go. "Are you sure?"
"Just take me to the coordinates and go home," Eva responds.
Fiddling with his feet, Daxan hesitates, but finally nods with acceptance.
With her fury burning with flames, Eva's eyes linger on the buildings of the Capital, turning into hazes of vague structures as Daxan brings her to the agreed place, a desolate parking area in a commercial district, alone and barren. Eva hops off, glances at Daxan in the eyes shortly. A look of goodbye shimmers in his dark pupils as, after a brief moment of reflection, he pushes the pedal and shrieks away, out of the parking area.
Leaning against the lightpole, Eva's eyes are fixated on the tarmac, waiting and waiting as the blue sky turns yellow, orange, and at last, darker and darker. The lights of the city reflect off the clouds like faint flares as a cold breeze fiddles with her hair. Though it's been hours after sunset, her mind remains wide awake, unable to rest. Her hands squeeze Eline's inhaler in her hand.
Nervous thoughts flash through her mind. Where are the Rebels? Why are they taking so long? Are they hesitating? Eva's heart pounds as her hands shiver. They must come, right?
Then, after countless hours of waiting, headlights turn onto the parking area, their engines shrieking towards her as two speederbikes and a truck stop before her. Her heart fills relief for a moment, but it is quickly pressed away. The drivers draw their blaster pistols with eyes sharper than blades.
Her heart beating, Eva lifts her hands in the air as the drivers enclose her. Rebel soldiers pour out of the truck's back as their footsteps echo off the tarmac.
"Don't move," says one. He walks towards her and snatches the inhaler out of her hand. He fiddles it around in his hands as he glances at her. "What's this?"
Eva swallows, her lips pressing tightly into a thin line. "Where's my sister?"
The Rebel draws his blaster and smacks it into her stomach. Eva groans and falls to her knees, wrapping her arms around her stomach with pain. Her jaws clench as her eyes remain fixated on the ground. "It's-, just an inhaler," she gasps, biting through the pain. "My sister needs it."
The Rebel continues to fiddle with it in his hands. A quick inspection by a colleague confirms it to be a medicinal inhaler. He throws it on the ground before her with a clatter. A hint of rage combusts in her chest, her gasps turning into a hiss of anger. Rebel scum.
The handcuffs bite into her wrists, a feeling she's gotten used to since the last time she's had them. They push her into the back of the truck, putting her down at the far back of the cabin. A lone light in the roof illuminates it dimly as the door closes and the last sight of the starry night vanishes.
As her eyes are fixated on the weathered, metal floor, Eva's nerves burn with anxiety, knowing that whatever she is getting into is complete wildspace; an unexplored world where all that's to guide her are the sharp eyes of the Rebel Alliance, the teeth of the hounds to keep her in line. Thoughts race through her mind, unsure of what to face, but Eva knows that all of this will have one result: Eline's rescue and the Twi'lek's death. That is for certain. All and everything just for Eline's blue, sparkling eyes, her joy and her plays. Eline. Please, be okay, Eline.
Time feels like it has stopped or never ticked by in the first place as, after so long, the truck's vibrations vanish. The engine stops running, leaving the cabin with silence until the Rebels open the cabin's door. Eva's eyes dart from the floor to the door as the Rebels step out. The two nearest to her draw their blasters. One takes hold of her hands, pulling onto her handcuffs and dragging her out of the truck like a lifeless doll. She jumps down, panting with her wrists burning with pain. Glancing around quickly, Eva notices she is inside of the hangar of some sort of building. It is the same kind of hangar where large, very large, heavy-duty machinery is stored, like excavators. However, instead of that, the hangar is filled with repurposed trucks, modified by the Rebels.
Eva is stomped on her back. She stumbles forward, looking over her shoulder with clenched jaws as a Rebel guards her. "Forward, Imp."
"Rebel scum," Eva hisses, whispering to herself as she starts walking forwards.
Seeing the entrance coming closer, Eva feels a wave of dread washing over her, wondering what the hell she was thinking, uncertain for a brief moment whether she made the right choice. But Eline's inhaler rattling from inside her backpack reminds her that there was no choice to begin with. The alien has her blade against Eline's throat. All she can do is comply; anything to save her.
With uncertainty of whatever lies ahead, Eva steps into the unknown, into the Rebel lair…
Meanwhile, from afar, Daxan keeps a close eye on the building where a truck and two speederbikes brought Eva to. In total secrecy, against the agreement he made with Eva, Daxan never turned back. The call to remain as her backup became too much to bear for him as all he can now think of is her safety.
Daxan continues watching from afar, but from the whistles of the cold breeze, whispers of doubt tell in the corners of his mind to change plan. He knows Eva can hold out, but now, he starts doubting it. That lair must be crawling with Rebels. Is she really able to go through each and every Rebel until she gets to the Twi'lek? And if it really comes down to him as the backup, how is he going to fight them? Not alone, and certainly not with two.
Dank Ferrik. Should I contact Malstrom?
As the nightly hours pass by, the urge to call in reinforcement grows in the back of his mind until the thought becomes too strong to ignore any further. This operation is too big and too dangerous for him to handle alone. He should seek help.
Daxan flips the ignition and shrieks away. He rushes to a nearby comm station, parks his speeder at the side of the street, and runs into a booth with a pounding heart. He dials into Malmstrom Comm Station, his lungs racing as the line buzzes.
"Malmstrom Training Grounds," says a male voice on the other end.
"Hi," Daxan stammers. "Connect me to VSRC005-squad under command of second-in command officer Peyton. It's urgent."
"Understood. Please stand-by." The voice disappears as a monotone hiss replaces it.
Within moments, Peyton's voice crackles through the speakers. "Hi, it's Peyton. Who's calling?"
"Hi, I'm Daxan-,"
"Who?" Peyton snaps.
"The guy from the training," Daxan responds. "I helped unjam Eva's blaster."
"I don't remember-,"
"Anyway, doesn't matter," Daxan snaps. "I'm calling because of Eva. She's in trouble and needs help."
On the other end, Peyton seems to hesitate. "Why… Why does Eva's business matter to you? Besides, I'm not in command anymore. I don't get to decide if we're going."
"Look," Daxan snaps. "Eva is going to exchange something important for her sister. Eline's her name, right?"
Suddenly, the silence that Peyton leaves behind grows tense, only for her voice to confirm it to him. "That-, that's her name indeed."
"Yeah, well, she got kidnapped by Rebels," Daxan responds. "She's now at their lair with dozens and dozens of Rebels. I need help to save her and her sister."
Peyton's voice turns cold. "Send me the coordinates. We're on our way…"
The line shuts off and Daxan lets out a sigh of discomfort brewing within him. Hopefully, he won't be alone if it's taking Eva too long to break out.
Aimlessly, Daxan wanders through the night, leaving his bike behind for a moment, deep in his thoughts. His boots splash in the puddles of dark rainwater scattering the tarmac. His eyes drift to the starfield above him. The first time he saw Eva, he had already heard of her. Whispers of the Rebel Scum Killer, a swift and ruthless machine, leapt from hallway to hallway, barrack to barrack, table to table. It was only when he saw her that Daxan knew Eva was more than that, but most importantly, that beneath the blood of Rebel agents, she was someone he could share his secret without being wished to die.
Now, Eva needs help, because now that she's in the cave of the Iridonian sand panther, Daxan knows she can't do it alone…