IE XXIV: CHASING THE DARK SIDE
Darkness. Never has it been a threat. Until now.
Every faint step she takes, Eva feels like the darkness is chasing her heels as the hair on her neck stands up right. Every step forward feels like a step closer to a pit she can't climb out of.
No step is safe. And yet, the darkness isn't the only demon hunting her.
Eva presses herself against the cold, steel pillar, holding a roof up that's no longer visible. The lights have gone off and the emergency lights have failed to go on - probably sabotaged. Struggling to quiet her breath, the air is stale and thick, hard to breathe in, pressing against her lungs like unseen hands. Ventilation has probably failed too. Before her, she can barely see the silhouettes of suitcases lying discarded, frozen on the conveyor belts.
Her heart pounds like distant artillery shells as Eva clenches the Artefact in her hands, squeezing it against her throbbing ribs. Her burning nerves ring in her ears as a constant, monotone hum. She frantically gazes around. She has to move. If she stays for too long here, Kishtung will undoubtedly find her, and before she can even let out a final gasp, her throat is already split in half with her cold blood gushing out onto the floor until she has nothing left. She'll be nothing but a cooling corpse in the dark. A shiver ripples through her spine, her breath hitching. She has to find an emergency exit. There must be one nearby.
And then, a voice. She tenses, her fingers rushing to her blaster.
"You know, I woke up this morning and realised why I suddenly enjoyed this." The sharp voice of Kishtung echoes through the void, "why I enjoyed slashing through the throats of my enemies."
Footsteps. Faint and deliberate. The floor shivers with each step. Trembling, Eva peers past the edge of the pillar, looking to find a glimpse of a shadow, but the void before her is equally dark.
"They think they can change the river - throw a rock and alter its course. Dam it off and steer it elsewhere."
Then, a glimpse. A shadow, darker than dark. Slow and silent. Eva races back to her cover, pushing herself into the pillar. Shit. She's close.
A soft smirk erupts from behind her. "The funny thing? Seeing the realisation in their eyes that they'll drown in a shallow lake."
Eva forces herself onto her toes, ready to move.
Kishtung's voice turns sharp, laced with venom. "Unable to swim up, unable to resist with their feet tied to the bottom."
Eva's feet thud lightly on the floor, but each feels like a pound on metal. Every faint sound - a shuffle, a gasp, a drop of sweat splashing on the floor - can betray her position.
Kishtung chuckles, softly, like Eline. The soft, playful tones, the faint gasps amidst the laughter - the same as her sister. But the chuckles aren't the same. There's something dark at the edges of her laughter, something demonic. Eline's face and her sparkling, blue eyes flash before her eyes, lighting up the dark void like firework. Eline, please be okay.
Kishtung's chuckles cease. "And you know what? Even if the water is at their throats, they still ask for mercy."
Eva crawls past the little wheels of the office chairs, avoiding any contact with them, and presses her back into the console desk. Five meters further. Not much. It feels like an endless desert lies ahead of her, devoid of any water. The heat scorches her skin as Eva's heart pounds against her ribs.
And then a clink. Something soft and metallic - a light tap - echoes from the distance. The scrape of metal against flint. Sparks. It sounds like… A lighter.
A lighter. Hold up. Eva races to the corner of the desk and peers into the darkness. Is Daxan here, searching for her? That sounded a lot like the lighter Daxan uses to light up his cigs. Is he nearby?
Wait. Why would he light up a cig when it's literally hell down here? Eva moves back to her cover and clasps her head as her brains burn with agony, running out of control. Dank Ferrik. It's driving me insane. The darkness… It's like… it's possessing me.
Her mind is tricking her. Whatever she feels, hears, sees, smells - nothing is to be trusted.
Then, a cold hand grasps her shoulder. Eva shudders and draws her blaster, her fingers rushing to the trigger, until a hand stops her from pulling it. Shivering, her eyes focus on the figure. It's not Kishtung. It's Roslin. The sweat on her face reflects the little light that pierces through the dark.
"Eva," Roslin whispers with a tremor in her voice, her face as pale as the clouds, even in the dark. "Easy, it's me."
Eva slowly drops her shaking blaster. "Shit, Roslin," she whispers. "You didn't have to startle me like this."
The sweat glistens on Roslin's forehead as the muscles in her jaws twitch. "Sorry." She shuffles closer until their faces are just inches apart from each other.
"How's Eline?" Eva whispers, her lips trembling, feeling the faint breath of Roslin blowing into her face.
Roslin wipes the sweat off of her forehead with her arm, which equally shimmers with sweat. "Squad's working on it."
Eva clenches her jaws. "Working on it? I'm letting myself get bitten in the legs here. Tell them to hurry the hell up."
Roslin shakes her head vehemently. "Complications. We need to buy them more time."
Eva's gaze darts away. More time? She's been here for what feels like an eternity. How much has already elapsed? An hour? A day? A year? Even time feels meaningless in the dark. Her cheeks shiver as she can barely hold in the pressure. Her eyes water and her gasps turn frantic, only coming out in short bursts.
"How much more do I have to stretch it all out?" Eva wheezes.
"Just… Don't think about it," Roslin stammers. "The heavy cargo terminal is ahead. You'll have bigger chances there."
"Bigger chances?" Eva whispers. "Bigger chance of dying, you mean."
"You have to stay here - with Kishtung," Roslin snaps. "We have to make her believe that she can still get the Artefact. If you flee, she'll send out the order to kill your sister."
Eva stares down at her own feet, her lungs squeezing tighter. "But… It feels… like I'm losing my mind here."
Roslin grasps Eva's cheeks firmly with her warm hands. "Just hang on tight."
Eva holds silently onto Roslin's arms, feeling her warmth radiating through her. For a brief moment, the darkness retreats a little, but still looming from the distance, ready to chase her heels again.
Eva makes eye contact with Roslin, and she gives her a faint nod. "Will do. And you?"
"I'll buy you time," Roslin whispers.
"How?" Eva mutters. "She's invincible."
A faint, almost playful smirk erupts from Roslin. "Some Rebels lended me their frags."
A thin smile forms on Eva's face. So, the building will shake soon from the explosions. Hopefully, it'll work.
"Just get the hell out of this room, got it?" Roslin whispers.
Eva nods again. "Just… Promise me one thing." She swallows hard. "Just stay in one piece, please?"
A faint smile forms on Roslin's face as she gives her a curt nod. "I won't let you down. I promise, my little soldier."
Roslin presses Eva against her chest, embracing her tightly. Feeling her heart pound into Roslin's chest, Eva feels the blood rushing and churning through her veins.
Eva squeezes Roslin tighter in her arms as regret fills her. After the last job where they dismantled a Rebel forgery with brute force, she refused to celebrate it with Roslin with a drink. She should've accepted it. It wouldn't have mattered much in the long run - it may have changed absolutely nothing - but it doesn't matter.
"When we get back, I'll take that drink."
Roslin smirks. "You better be."
As Eva releases her, she looks at Roslin one last time, until she spins on her heel and crawls out of the console desk, leaving her behind. Her footsteps thud on the floor as Eva follows Roslin's directions. Directly ahead of her, there should be the heavy cargo terminal. That should give her more breathing space to hide from Kishtung until Peyton, Ashara, and Daxan have saved her sister.
Her eyes scan around until they land on a sign on the wall. Heavy Cargo Terminal, dead ahead. Eva wanders into a narrow corridor. Her footsteps bounce off the walls as she looks back. How will Roslin exactly hold Kishtung back? What is her plan?
Then, head-first, she slams into a steel door. A pound erupts as Eva crashes onto the floor. With a burning face, Eva lurches to her feet and reaches for the control panel beside the door, but as her hand hammers at the button, the display flickers red. No kriffin' way. It's locked?
Trembling, Eva shakes her head. "No, no, no, you can't be locked!"
She pounds her fists against the metal, trying to break it open by brute force, or hoping that someone outside hears her cries for help. But each pound is weaker than the previous as Eva slowly realises that no one is on the other side to hear her. Her hands burn as Eva stumbles away and spins around. Her eyes dart across the corridor for another way out. Doesn't matter what way it is. A tight vent, a room full of acidic snakes - any way out. But as she scans her surroundings, there is no other way of escape. Just the same walls of monotone, stainless steel boxing her in.
There has to be another way to the Heavy Cargo Terminal.
But then, before she can take a step forward, the void ahead of her lights up like a lightning strike, until the blastwave of the explosion crashes into her. Eva stumbles away as the floor shakes. The building on top of her creaks as she feels the dust raining down on her.
That… that was Roslin.
She has gone on the attack. Now that the darkness ahead of her is an active warzone, Eva knows she can't enter it. What if one of Roslin's thermal detonators traps her? She'd be vaporised in an instant. Shit.
Then, her only way out is the shut door behind her. If it won't open, she'll have to make it open. As the red flashes of screeching blasterfire erupt from behind her, Eva's eyes dart around, searching for a way to open it with brute force. Then, she spots something - a cabinet in the wall with a tempered-glass sealing. Eva hurdles towards it. It's a fire extinguisher, big but heavy, possibly enough to force the door open. Without hesitation, Eva pounds her blaster's butt into it, shattering it into a million, flickering shards. She grasps the extinguisher in one hand while holding tightly onto the Artefact. As it slides out of the cabinet, the extinguisher's weight yanks her down, almost making her stumble onto the floor before regaining stability. She strolls towards the door, puts down the Artefact on the trembling floor, and swings its butt into the door. A dull clang rings through the air as Eva lifts the extinguisher up and pounds against the door again, denting the panel. She raises it again, and then… Silence.
The blasterfire behind her has ceased. Gasping, the fire extinguisher slips out of her hands as a shiver runs through her spine. Slowly, she spins around. No flashes are ahead of her. The fighting seems to have stopped. Her breath catches in her throat. Roslin?
And then, an agonising scream erupts from the darkness, shuddering the floor, tearing the silence apart, followed by a dull, metallic crash.
Eva freezes. Cold dread seizes her chest. That scream… It's Roslin. She didn't… die, did she?
And then, a yellow flash. Lightning strikes while the dark grows darker. The shadows shift. Kishtung's coming. Blast it.
With a final burst of energy, Eva's hands hurdle to the extinguisher, raises it, and pounds against the door.
"Please, open!" Eva wheezes, her eyes tearing up.
With burning muscles, Eva lifts it and pounds it into the door again. This time, the dent grows. The metal hinges rattle. Almost there.
The hair on her neck stands upright, electrified as she spots the shadows fleeting into walls in the corner of her eyes. She's close. She can tell it.
"Come on, go open," Eva cries, and with one final blast of energy, she strikes the door again. It's launched out of its hinges and clatters on the floor with a bang, shuddering the floor like an earthquake. Her heart jumps out of her chest. Kriffin' hell. Finally.
Eva grabs the Artefact from the floor and stumbles through the doorway, her feet pounding on the remains of the door. Sprinting through the corridor, she can sense two, sharp eyes burning on her back, but she doesn't stop.
She crashes into a cold atmosphere. Eva's feet skid over the floor as she stops. Her eyes land on heavy containers all around her, stacked on top of each other like city blocks looming over her, each with a different colour. The shadows of large cranes stretch across the floor. Their steel legs sit on idle, repulsor platforms, extending towards the ceiling like the arms of a skeleton. Thick cables dangle from their frames, swaying in the air in an invisible current.
But there, amidst the steel frames of the cranes, Eva spots something - catwalks. Since the baggage direction bay is below the terminal building, she'll have to go up again to reach streetlevel. That should make Kishtung's pursuit much harder - or so she hopes.
Eva scans around, frantically, her eyes hopping from container to container, wall to wall, but no staircase nearby. Her eyes land on the weathered legs of the nearest crane. It has metal rods for a ladder going all the way to the top. That will do.
Eva sprints towards the crane, climbs onto the repulsor platform, and puts her foot on the first step, and starts climbing to the top. Her hands burn with agony as if her bones are crumbling apart, climbing step by step, quickly.
And then, the cables above her sway much harder. A storm is approaching.
Eva gazes down with burning nerves, and there, below her, she spots a dark figure.
"Dank Ferrik," Eva gasps. She's already here.
The figure's dark robes sway in the tentacles of a hurricane as Kishtung stares straight at her with narrow eyes. She has to climb quicker. Shit, shit, shit!
Eva continues to climb, racing to the top, and she's almost there. Just ten meters and she's at the top of the crane, and she'll be able to jump to the catwalk.
And then, the world seems to tremble. The walls seem to topple sideways and the metal rods nearly slip out of Eva's fingers. Are her senses playing up again? Why does it feel like it's all tipping over, as if someone's pushing the world on its side?
She suddenly notices it. The cables - they're tilting too. First, they were dangling straight down, but now, they are slightly tilted. It's not her senses.
Eva gazes down through her legs, and there, she sees Kishtung, one arm extended, reaching for her with a stretched hand. Her heart then sinks in her chest as Eva realises that it's not her senses. It's Kishtung doing this.
Memories flash before her eyes from when Kishtung had locked her up in a cubicle in that Rebel base, and then, with enraged, furious eyes, pushed Eva's body up from the floor by her throat with an invisible force. She's using that force now to topple this entire crane over along with her!
She has to speed up. She has to reach the top now!
Eva's feet slip towards the edge of the steps as her stomach twists, pushing her to throw up, as she almost reaches the top, while the crane tilts further. The steel frames creak and moan with pressure as she hears the repulsor platforms below her screeching with pain. The floor comes into view in the corner of her eye as it's now no longer below her. The floor is now almost next to her. Dank Ferrik. Come on!
Then, she reaches the final step. Eva climbs onto the top of the crane. The catwalk is in reach. Only a run-up remains. With the Artefact tightly pressed below her armpit, Eva sprints over the leg of the crane - not on the top, but on the edge of it. Her lungs burn as Eva steels herself for the jump. She reaches the end and launches forward, banging into the side of the catwalk with her chest. Eva cries with agony as her ribs burn with agony. Slowly, she climbs over the edge, curling up on the cold floor of the catwalk. Dank Ferrik. Did… I break a rib?
Slowly, Eva rises from the floor, reaching for the cramps in her chest as the crane plummets from her view, crashing down onto the floor. The building shivers, shaking the catwalk as Eva stumbles around, one hand landing firmly on the steel railing. The remains of the crane splatter on the floor, breaking the ground open as Eva's eyes land on Kishtung's shadow. She's staring straight at her.
She's not done yet.
Eva's eyes dart around. At the end, the catwalk leads to an open doorway. Her heart leaps. That's her way out - away from the demonic hellspawn below.
Wheezing, Eva sprints towards the end. Her feet burn as if she's walking through molten steel.
And then, a tremor in the floor, followed by a loud crash behind her. Eva glances over her shoulder. The catwalk is no longer there, except for the support beams hanging down from the ceiling, torn apart from the floor. Then, Eva gasps as the floor behind her, where she just ran over, is ripped from the ceiling, plummeting into the abyss below her.
She doesn't even have to look who's doing that.
The end is almost in reach. Eva sprints quicker, her heart pounding against her aching ribs. But then, the last segment of the catwalk crashes down. The steel beams are ripped from the ceiling. Blast it. Jump… Jump that last part.
Eva nears the drop-off and leaps over the gap, flying to the other end and crashing onto the floor again, her body skidding through the door and into a corridor. The Artefact slips out of her hands, sliding over the floor as Eva rests her head on the ground. Gasping, gasping, and gasping.
She's made it.
She's kriffing made it.
Wheezing with pain erupting all over her body, Eva slowly rises from the floor. She turns around. The entire catwalk is gone. All that's left is a trail of destruction below. Eva wanders towards the doorway, her head feeling like it's filled with helium.
Down there, she sees the swaying robes of Kishtung. Her face is enshrouded in the dark, but very visible is a crooked smile. She's enjoying it. She enjoys chasing her heels while the ground below her sinks into the abyss.
Eva gasps, stumbling away with a heart struck with fear. You… you sadistic… evil… maniac…
No longer able to look at her, Eva turns around, rushes to the Artefact and runs away with the stone in her armpit. That Twi'lek has gone insane. The last time she saw her was at the Rebel base. She was crazy, too, when she strangled her in the air with almost no effort. Yet, Kishtung seemed to remain calm and reasonable. Now, she's completely derailed. It makes Eva wonder. What happened in the meantime? Did something consume her? Did something possess her?
Eva stumbles into a corridor. Fluorescent lights illuminate the floor with a faint, yellow hue. Her lungs open a little as the atmosphere seems lighter. Eva gasps as cold air rushes into her veins. Finally, she's able to breathe.
But, where to, now? Has the squad already freed Eline? If yes, she can find her way to the emergency exit and get the hell out of here.
She raises her wristlink to her chin. "Anyone read me?"
Monotone hum.
"Peyt', Ashara, Daxan," Eva calls out, wandering over the cold floor. "Y'all read me?"
No answer, except for a faint hum on the comm channels.
And then, a hiss. Eva spins around, her heart pounding in her chest as she freezes to the floor. The sound she just heard sounded like something mechanical like a hydraulic press or an animal like a snake. Or… It's a lightsaber. The sound echoes faintly through the corridor, bouncing off the walls, until all Eva can hear are her own, frantic gasps.
Eline's fate is a mystery. Eva wants to escape, but if she does, Kishtung might buzz the alarm and the agents holding her locked up will put the blaster on her head. All of this would've been for nothing. Capturing the stone, getting herself consumed by the darkness, having her life almost snatched away, Roslin's fight - without Eline, the world may burn regardless.
Her heart burns as Eva tries to imagine a future without Eline - but she can't. All she can see before her eyes are flames towering over her. She can't imagine a future that's hopeful in the slightest. Eline is her last anchor of this war. She always reminded her of the past. Without that, all she would be is a shell of something that was once a person, frozen in an endless tunnel with no light at the end whatsoever, while the darkness behind it consumes everything whole.
She can't just escape, yet. If she does, Eline is dead. Then what? Will she have to wait until she gets the message from any of her squad? How long will that take? It already feels like she's been locked up here for a decade.
How long does this nightmare have to last?
Eva shakes her head, vehemently. If she stays here, doing nothing but ponder about future consequences, she'll be dead anyway. Kishtung will find her if she doesn't move. Her only way is forward.
Eva starts walking on her toes, trying to keep her gasps quiet. Her eyes dart around, trying to identify where she exactly is and what lies ahead of her. Perhaps there's something like a safe room. Some spaceports, especially the larger ones, have specialised, armoured cages that protect highly-ranked officers or wealthy businessmen from Rebel attacks. Once inside, the doors anchor themselves to the ground. The walls are made of a secret alloy that's only used in the housing of hyperdrives or main reactors of certain ISD's. The people inside are provided fresh air by its own oxygen generation system. If she manages to find one of them - which is a gamble itself - she might be able to open them. There should be camera's stationed outside those rooms. They may see she's in need of help.
But it's still a gamble. She should map out the alternatives before she busts her head into a locked door - one without a fire extinguisher nearby to break open. Besides, that would eliminate the point of a safe room.
Her footsteps thud lightly on the floor as Eva gazes around, opens a squeaking blast door, and enters an intersection. She finds a sign on the wall.
Fire exit, left. Fire exit, right. Water pumping station, dead ahead. Standing before the sign, Eva lets out a shivering sigh as her eyes dart to the two arrows pointing at the fire exits. Two chances of getting out of here, and she can't take them. While she'd be able to get out, Eline would not.
"Blasted hell," Eva murmurs, her shoulders slumping. "How did I get myself into this situation?"
She starts wandering towards the water pumping station. Perhaps, there's another road sign there that'll lead her elsewhere. As long as she remains out of Kishtung's reach - her invisible, ghost-like eyes morphing through the walls - any direction is fine.
Eva drops her head, slowly, pondering about her next steps. Kishtung isn't here yet. She hasn't seen the shadows moving or felt her hair stand upright on the back of her neck. Has she truly lost her? Kishtung might just be playing around with her, making Eva feel like she has lost her, only to come back when she thinks it's safe. Kishtung might be a mile behind or right in front of her.
Hopefully, a safe room will enable Eva to outplay her. Those rooms are nearly indestructible, and perhaps, it is as indestructible to Kishtung as it is to a Base Delta Zero. She'll try slicing through the walls until Imperial forces flood the area.
Speaking about Imperial forces, where are they? Have they shown up already? She hasn't heard the ceiling tremble by a Turbo tank racing by, the roars of TIE Fighters, or the faint, pounding footsteps of Stormtroopers. Hopefully, they'll arrive quickly.
She then hears something. Eva freezes to the floor. There's something rattling behind her. Eva spins around, but the corridor stretching towards the horizon before her is empty. Her gasps come out in short, silent bursts. The ventilation shaft above her hums faintly while the rattling continues, which seems to erupt from further into the corridor. Is that Kishtung prying a blast door open?
The rattle stops, leaving Eva with only the deafening pounds of her heart. What was that?
Slowly, Eva wanders further, staring at wherever that rattling sound had come from. In the corner of her eye, Eva notices a shut blast door blocking her path. Her clammy hands reach for the door panel, her trembling finger slipping past switches until she feels the smooth button. Eva presses it and the door opens slowly, scraping lightly over the floor.
As it's opening, Eva hears the rattling sound again. She spins around, turning her back to the door, gazing into the desolate corridor. The sound faintly bounces off the sterile walls. Her nerves remain electrified, scorching her from the inside. Though the sound is minimal, it still manages to put her nerves on constant alert. Thoughts race through her mind. What is making that sound? Is it Kishtung? No, it can't be her. She'd be making no sound at all. She'd be as silent as the shadows. She wouldn't betray her position. What else can be making that sound? Vermin, perhaps? It might be just mice creeping through the ventilation shafts.
A fluorescent light next to her flickers a little. Eva's eyes dart towards it. It starts humming louder with each short burst of light, flashing faintly in her face.
Then, a cold breeze.
The fluorescent light goes out, leaving her in darkness. Eva's heart freezes as the hairs on her neck stand up right while a gust of icy wind crashes into her back, howling in the air. The steel ceiling plates twist like thunderstorms. Her pupils grow.
Slowly, Eva turns around to the open door. It has opened to a dark abyss before her, completely enshrouded in the dark. And there, she spots a shadow.
Eva stumbles back, her nerves exploding.
A sharp chuckle erupts from the darkness. "They think they can change the river."
Wheezing, Eva's breath hitches in her throat. A shadow stretches onto the floor from the darkness, slithering closer. Her footsteps shiver the floor as Kishtung emerges from the void. The fluorescent lights flicker, leaving her face with darkness as Eva's eyes linger to Kishtung's deliberate movements. On the Twi'lek's face, she notices a cruel smile tugging at her lips and two burning eyes.
The corridor before Eva stretches into infinity, the darkness where Kishtung morphed out of vanishing, except for the Twi'lek herself, standing just meters before her. Her steps are slow and heavy.
Kishtung tilts her head, slightly. "The funny thing? Seeing the realisation in their eyes that they'll drown in a shallow lake."
Eva snaps out of her daze as her nerves electrify. She thought she escaped her. Instead, Kishtung was ahead of her all the time. She has to get away, now, before Kishtung slashes into her throat!
Eva jolts around as her heartbeat hammers in her ears, gasping frantically and bolts down the corridor. The floor trembles beneath her feet. She doesn't look back. Can't look back. Can't stop. Her mind screams with one thought only: the emergency exit. She just passed it. It has to be nearby!
"Unable to swim up, unable to resist." Kishtung's voice echoes from behind her, demonic and laced with venom.
Her lungs burn as Eva's eyes dart around, searching for the emergency exit. She storms onto the intersection and spots the sign on the wall. Emergency exit!
Eva darts forward, rushing towards her escape. Her lungs burn as her vision blurs at the edges, barely able to keep in the pressure.
Wheezing frantically, Eva storms towards the emergency exit. Ahead of her, she spots a bright red blast door, heavily fortified. That's it!
Eva's feet skid over the floor, coming to a halt. She frantically looks around, searching for the button to open it. There, on the wall, a panel with buttons!
Eva's hand launches towards the button, trembling and shaking, until the bolts that keeps the panel anchored against the wall rattle, tearing apart by an invisible force. And then, the door panel launches out of the wall. The object flashes before her face and Eva tries to dodge it, but the flying shrapnel slices into her cheek, sending shockwaves of pain. Eva shrieks, wheezing uncontrollably as she clasps her face. The warm blood leaks onto her fingers, splashing on the floor. Her eyes linger to the metal remains of the door panel as the screws roll and rattle over the floor, realising that without it, she won't be able to open the door.
The door controls have been destroyed, and now, Eva stands before a dead-end. Eva curses under her breath as faint footsteps emerge before her, shivering the floor. Her eyes dart to the other end of the corridor, and there, she sees Kishtung. Her robes sway in a hurricane, her burning eyes sharp with a cruel smile on her face, blocking Eva's only way out.
Kishtung smirks darkly. "Their feet tied to the bottom."
Eva scans around, searching for any other way out. Her heart pounds like distant artillery fire, but she can't find anything. Slowly, Eva realises that she's been boxed in. Her only way out is either blasting her way through this shut blast door, or somehow getting past Kishtung. She can't outsmart her anymore. She can't hide anymore.
Fight.
Eva's hand races to her blaster, clenches the grip, and draws her weapon in an instant. She pulls the trigger. The stock pounds into her chest as a blaster bolt streaks through the corridor. Kishtung draws her lightsaber and reflects it into the wall. Sparks burst. Eva squeezes the trigger. Kishtung spins her lightsaber, deflecting her shots into the walls as she slowly closes in on her, calm and deliberate.
Her pulse hammers in her ears, crashing against her ribs as she fires again, again, and again. Each shot ricochets into the walls, painting them in bright, fleeting flashes, but nothing is stopping her. Kishtung's burning blade swings like a pendulum, batting aside every shot.
Eva's wheezes echo amidst the pounding blastershots as her eyes turn watery. Come on, please. Please!
Then, a blastershot strikes back at her. Eva screams as she's launched backwards and crashes into the door. Her body crumples to the floor as Eva smashes her head. Her blaster clatters on the floor. The Artefact slips away and pounds into the blast door. Groaning, Eva notices smoke swirling from her shoulder, spreading the pain like a wildfire. She tries to get up, but her muscles freeze, unable to move. The floor trembles with each pounding footstep of Kishtung growing closer as the shadows creep through the walls.
Eva lifts herself from the floor as Kishtung steps towards her. Her lightsaber is down, burning a trail of molten steel through the floor, ready to slash her. With burning nerves, Eva crawls away from her. Tears roll over her cheeks, splashing on the floor, mixing with the crimson blood leaking out of her. She bumps into the blast door behind her, unable to get away. She's stuck, and Eva realises that this was all planned.
When she thought she was safe, Kishtung was always with her, observing her from the shadows. When the time was right, she morphed into reality, forcing Eva backwards, throwing her into a pit so steep she couldn't climb out. She's been waiting for this moment the entire time. She's always been staring straight at her face. Kishtung knew every step, and now, she has her cornered in a place with no escape possible. The colour in her eyes twist with blood, as her cruel smile crookens with satisfaction. The reflection of Eva's dead body shines brightly in her sharp eyes.
Her lungs tighten as the edges of Eva's vision darken. The oxygen is sucked out of the air, making her unable to breathe. Sobbing, Eva curls up, reaching for her legs and pressing her knees against her body.
"Wait," Eva stammers, her voice shaking with agony. "Please, don't. Don't kill me!"
Kishtung scoffs with satisfaction. "Even if the water is at their throats, they still ask for mercy."
Eva squeezes the Artefact against her chest, wailing in agony. The face of Eline flashes before her eyes. When she pressed her forehead against that of Eline, staring at her sparkling eyes through the steel bars of her prison block at the Rebel base, Eva didn't know that would be the last time she'd ever feel Eline in her hands. Her soft voice, innocent and joyful - she won't ever hear it again.
Eva gasps for air that no longer exists as the water rises to her throat. "No, Kishtung, please, I beg you!"
Kishtung twists her lightsaber, playfully. "They still ask for mercy," she repeats.
In the reflection of Kishtung's eyes, Eva notices the Artefact, squeezed in her arms. Its inscriptions are glowing as if it feels Kishtung's approaching steps.
Eva buries herself in her arms, her eyes burning with agony as she knows her last seconds are about to pass. "Let me live, Kishtung," she wails. "Please."
Kishtung stops merely a meter before her. The heat of her lightsaber burns on Eva's skin as the lights flicker like lightning. Whispers emerge from the shadows, echoing through Eva's ears until they vanish into a deafening, monotone hum. Her heart thunders in her chest as her eyes linger on Kishtung's hard face.
The Twi'lek moves her lightsaber, gripping it firmly with two hands. The blade pierces downward between her legs. Her smile turns into a compressed line on her face. "Meet your fate, vermin."
In a heartbeat, Kishtung lifts her lightsaber, piercing towards the ceiling. With combusting nerves, Eva's hands grip the stone and raise the Artefact, desperately trying to shield herself. But in the end, she knows it is futile. The inevitable flood is about to strike. The eye of the storm cascades over her as everything goes silent.
"Eline," she whispers, the tears streaming down her chin.
And then, the lightsaber strikes down.
…
She's still gasping. Wheezing, Eva's hands tremble. Warmth spreads across her fingers and into her arms. Slowly, Eva opens her eyes, her body shivering with fear. Her hands hold the Artefact in the air above her as the heat radiates onto her face. A faint, burning line blazes through the middle of the stone as Kishtung's lightsaber burns into it. Her pupils grow. Is the stone… holding off her lightsaber?
Sparks swirl in the air before her and vanish before they hit the floor, hissing as they extinguish. The glowing inscriptions of the Artefact fade away. The whispers die. And then, the stone explodes. Eva jolts, squeezes herself against the door and closes her eyes. A heap of dust drops on her lap, flooding over her trembling legs like sand. A cloud of dust swirls in the sky, clogging her nostrils as Eva coughs out the bits that get into her throat.
Eva opens her eyes. The Artefact is destroyed. All that's left are its ashes, swirling away and spreading over the floor. Her hands are covered in its dust as it slips out of her fingers and onto her lap. It's gone. The object she's been fighting to keep away from her enemy has disintegrated into dust. Nothing is left of it anymore. It… broke? What happened?
Eva's hand rushes to her chest. Her heart pounds into her ribs relentlessly. It still does. Eva drops her head onto her knees and sobs, feeling the weight on her shoulders release, realising that she's survived. Her tears splash on the floor as Eva wails with a burning heart.
As the tears begin to dry up, Eva slowly looks up. The ash of the Artefact cascades over the floor as the soft currents from the ventilation inlets carry it away. Some of it has piled up against two knees on the floor, directly across from her. It's Kishtung. She's on her knees. Her head is dropped, her hands pressed onto the floor. Her frantic gasps echo through the silence. Her lightsaber is clenched in her hands, its tip smouldering and glowing.
Kishtung shivers as she slowly looks up. Her eyes are swollen, but most importantly, they are no longer burning in the dark like they used to. Her eyes move frantically, seemingly slowly realising what she has done. She lifts her hands and stares at them, faintly murmuring with panic in her shaking voice. "What have I done?"
Through the blur of her tears, Eva watches her enemy - an unstoppable, mythical force, untouched by fire - crying with agony, reduced to nothing more than a broken girl. As Kishtung's eyes snap to Eva, she notices the agony in her pupils. But it isn't rage or mad insanity that twist in her eyes like flames. It's guilt. Regret. Pain.
"Eva," Kishtung murmurs, her voice breaking. "I'm sorry. I'm so-, so sorry for what I've done. I didn't mean it." She breaks into tears, burying her eyes in her arms as her wails echo through the corridor.
Eva freezes to the floor, her body still shaking as she stares at her, unable to believe that a once invincible enemy has shattered before her in a snap. Her eyes dart to the dust - the remains of the Artefact - swirling over the floor, scattering around like a desert. Then, she realises it. Kishtung broke when the Artefact itself broke. The Artefact seemed to have controlled every thought and move of Kishtung until its connection got severed. The stone possessed her, twisting her into a furious madness with no way out, no light at the end of the tunnel, until Kishtung herself, most likely, accidentally destroyed it by the blindness of the taste of death. She wanted Eva to die. She fought back, stretched it out. Kishtung was thirsty for a dead body at her feet.
And now, it's as if Kishtung died. She's no longer the invincible, evil opponent that longed for her death. She's broken, shattered beyond salvation. The spirit that possessed her died along with the Artefact itself.
The stone wasn't just a stone. It wasn't just a weapon of mass destruction. The Artefact was a living thing. It was an organism. It held answers and power, and that came with a price. Kishtung paid for it with her life - with who she was. She gave up herself to wield the power and the answers she needed to fight the Empire. And in turn, the Artefact began to possess her, controlling her mind everywhere she went, making the decisions for her and turning her into a mindless zombie - a drone of a mystical force.
Eva can consider herself lucky amidst all the chaos and despair. What if the Artefact influenced her mind too? What if it seeded her with all the doubts and fears, pushing her onto a path to seal her fate? It might have done so, but she can't know for certain. All she knows is that the Artefact failed its mission. Kishtung is no longer under its power and Eva's fate remains in her own hands, and so is that of her enemy.
Gazing at Kishtung, still crying out all of her inner turmoil, Eva tilts her head, pressing her lips. Possibly fearing the Empire she found strange to her, Kishtung had unknowingly signed a contract with a ghost and sold her soul to the Artefact, forever stuck in a body she couldn't control with the mind of an otherworldly entity. Eva tries to imagine how it must feel, but her mind draws a blank. It must've probably felt horrible, making decisions that aren't your own.
Slowly, Eva uncurls and shuffles closer to Kishtung, her tears pouring down on the floor with light taps. Her fingers twitching, Eva slowly puts her hand on Kishtung's shoulder, feeling the tremors in her body.
"The Artefact had you locked in," Eva murmurs, her voice trailing off. "I suppose you couldn't have done something against it."
Kishung gazes up, her eyes red. "I should have!" Her voice breaks. "I kneeled. I sold myself to the Dark Side. I was blind to what I was signing and let myself be taken over by it. I should've known better."
Eva lets out an uncomfortable sigh, her eyes drifting away. "Could you?"
"I've been trained almost since birth to hold back the Dark side's seduction," Kishtung sobs. "But… this world was so strange to me, so enshrouded in darkness, that I lost the light."
Eva swallows heavily. Her grip on Kishtung's shoulder grows firm. "You broke free, though," she murmurs.
"It's not just the end that matters," Kishtung snarls. "What I've done on behalf of the Artefact - I've done evil things."
Eva presses her lips, her eyes drifting to her feet. What should she say to that? Kishtung is right. She was a vessel of dark intentions, and did dark things to accomplish the goals the Artefact tried to reach. Kidnapping her sister to use as leverage is unacceptable and vile. Kishtung may have destroyed the stone and all of its whispers - accidentally or not - but the past remains indestructible. The agony Eline had to endure - days without meds to keep her lungs from collapsing - remains to hurt Eva's broken heart like the stab of a dagger.
"I've brought hell upon this world," Kishtung murmurs. Her fingers twitch around her scorched lightsaber, wounded by the Artefact's pull to what she calls the Dark Side, and slowly, she raises her weapon. "I don't deserve this."
Eva watches in silence as Kishtung raises the scorched hilt to her eyes.
"This weapon was meant to protect people - the innocent who couldn't protect themselves." Kishtung swallows, a tear rounding her chin. "But… I used it to take them." She turns the hilt in her parm, staring at it as though expecting an answer. "I failed. I failed my Master. I failed the Jedi. I embraced the Dark Side."
Eva exhales sharply with discomfort, unable to form a word. Kishtung's words echo through her mind as there's nothing she can say.
Kishtung grips the weapon tighter, the hilt squeaking under the pressure of her hand, before she thrusts it forward, towards Eva. "Take it."
Eva recoils, her breath catching in her throat as her eyes snap to Kishtung. "What?"
"I've become the biggest danger to life. I've taken it away." Kishtung wipes away the tears from her eyes, but they form quicker than her fingers can keep up. Then, she reaches out to Eva's hand and pushes her lightsaber into her fingers. "I don't deserve to live."
Kishtung's fingers slip away from the hilt, leaving Eva with the lightsaber. Her lungs start gasping for air as she stares at the weapon pressed in her palm. Black scorch marks spread over the hilt like vines. She realises that not only is she wielding the weapon of her enemy; Kishtung's fate is now in her hands. The last minutes of her life will now be decided by her.
Dazed, Eva slowly rises from the floor. Her knees knack as her eyes linger to the lightsaber. The metal hilt is still warm as she can hear a faint hum echoing from within its core, shivering through her fingers. Damaged and wounded from the lives it claimed, the lightsaber hides a show of power unparalleled by anything. A single slash and it's done - so are Kishtung's last seconds on this world. Her last breath, her last thought, her last memory flashing before her eyes - it will all end by this weapon, broken by fighting.
Trembling, Eva's eyes slowly drift to Kishtung, kneeled before her, gasping intensively. Her entire body shakes, fearing what's to come, but knowing that it is inevitable. Kishtung's eyes gaze downward before she slowly looks up with watery eyes. No longer are they frantic. They have accepted her death.
"Eva," Kishtung gasps.
She makes eye contact.
"Please. I no longer deserve to see this world." Kishtung's voice grows firm. "I've become death, and so will I join them in the suffering."
Eva swallows heavily, her hands trembling as the lightsaber in her fingers rattle.
"End it." Kishtung inhales sharply through her nose.
Eva's eyes dart to the weapon. Should she do it? Should she strike down the one who did so much wrong to get what she wanted?
Eva isn't sure. But she knows it shouldn't be her who decides her fate. It shouldn't be her who should kill her. The weapon that should do it - the one Kishtung pushes her to ignite - wields not only power, but power over lives. It decides who gets to live and who doesn't. It strikes down those who oppose and knight those who yield. Unchecked in a weak hand, power becomes lethal.
Unchecked power. Unlimited authority. No one to stop you. Kishtung had no guide. She didn't stop herself. No one did. It forced her down a path into pure madness.
Should Eva make the decision when all the power lies in her hands with no one to hold her back?
Freezing, Eva's eyes drift to Kishtung. Her yellow eyes plead for death - eyes that were once burning with cruel satisfaction as Kishtung toyed with her. Eva remembers the smile that was etched on her dark face when she stood on the broken floor of the Heavy Cargo Terminal. The remains of the cargo crane had scattered everywhere. That smile… Kishtung enjoyed playing around with Eva's feelings. She enjoyed seeing her suffering hard while Eva fought for survival. Torturing her enemy with death made the adrenaline and the dopamine pump through Kishtung's veins.
And… is Eva… any different?
Eva's fingers curl around the saber's hilt. The tip is still smouldering as the smoke swirls into the cold air. Her eyes focus on the twisting smoke until her world shifts. The sterile corridor of a battlestruck spaceport morphs into the clammy walls of the motel's bathroom. The atmosphere turns heavy and stale as before Eva, the Rebel driver that chased her over the highways spits out blood on the cold, ceramic tiles of the floor. His hands are tied to the steel towel rail. His gasps barely echo through the room as his life was dangling over the edge.
When Eva tortured the living shit out of him, demanding to know where their Rebel base was, she couldn't hold herself back as she pounded her fists into the man's ribs until they broke. That agonising scream meant everything to her. That man was a Rebel and deserved all the broken bones she could break, until she left him for dead for days without food or daylight.
That scream. She couldn't help but smile, knowing she had broken him beyond salvation. It was a pleasure to see him whisper his answers as Eva loomed over him with sharp eyes. It was intense, but the blood that spattered on her face didn't matter; it was part of the job. And she did it gladly, even with second thoughts.
Eva's hands shiver. She isn't any more sadistic and thirsty than Kishtung.
It was a nightmare that never stopped. She was forced to walk through the flames of hell while a sadistic demon was hunting her - not because Kishtung was searching for her, but because she enjoyed it. She stretched it out to make the torturing all the more painful.
Now, Eva realises how it must've felt - how that Rebel agent locked in the bathroom saw his life flash past him, locked in his own nightmare while a sadistic entity hunted for answers. What drove her beyond insanity wasn't the Artefact's dark pull. It was her obsession with answers, which she direly needed. Why did her nightmares lead to Kishtung? Where was she - questions that she didn't mind using extreme violence for to answer.
The Twi'lek, kneeled before her and pleading for her death, isn't any different. Eva's gasps echo through the corridor as her lungs burn. If she follows through and executes her, she wouldn't just be killing her. She'd be finishing the job that a cruel demon tried to achieve; death after joyfully playing around.
The silence is oppressing as all the weight is on her shoulders, screaming for a final decision.
Kishtung swallows heavily, one final time. "The galaxy's better off without me. Kill me."
Eva stares at Kishtung's watery eyes as she sees herself in the reflection. The hilt trembles in her hand as she tilts the front towards it. Her finger crawls to the trigger of the saber.
Then, Eva twitches back. It's a decision she cannot make. She lowers the weapon, her upper lip trembling as she gazes at the floor.
"I can't," Eva murmurs. She makes eye contact. "It's not right."
Kishtung presses her lips, her eyes turning sharp. "I've done terrible things on behalf of the Dark Side. Death is the least I deserve."
"But-, it's not right," Eva stammers.
"Justice is right," Kishtung snaps.
Eva scoffs lightly, tilting her head. "Not if I have all the power. I'm not the right person if there's nothing to stop me."
Kishtung gazes down, letting out a shaking sigh.
Eva's shadow looms over her. "The Artefact held unchecked power. It can do horrible things if left unchecked."
Though it's been destroyed, its power remains to reverberate through walls and bones.
"Your obsession with it turned you insane," Eva murmurs. "And I can't lie about myself."
Dazed, Kishtung faintly shakes her head. "I deserve the consequences of my actions."
Eva presses her lips. "The least you deserve is a second chance." Her voice trails away. "If… you… manage to escape the ISB, for which I can't lie about your chances."
Kishtung drops her head, gasping faintly.
Heavy footsteps echo from far away. Shouting orders. Eva glances into the corridor as her heart leaps with relief. They've arrived. However, while her nightmare is coming to an end, the nightmare of another is about to start, and Eva isn't sure which one is worse as she glances at Kishtung, defeated.
"Kishtung," Eva murmurs.
She doesn't respond.
Eva looks at her one last time as she slowly steps away. The pounding footsteps grow louder as she reaches for her blaster. "You have my sympathies."
Kishtung slowly gazes up as Eva draws her blaster and stuns her. Her eyes flicker. She lets out a fleeting gasp before her unconscious body crumples to the floor.
Dazed, Eva wanders through the corridors, her blaster loosely hanging from her hand as she gazes at the floor. The pounding boots of Stormtroopers come nearer as the floor starts to shiver with each of their marching footsteps. Shadows race past her. Some of their shoulders brush past her as they start clearing out the last sections of the wrecked Capital Stargate.
Stunning her was the least she could do.
Eva's eyes catch a bright shimmer before her in the middle of the corridor. The fire exit has been opened. Relief pounds in her heart as Eva steps out and into the cold air. Dust swirls past her in the breeze as the wailing sirens of police cruisers pass her. It's late twilight. Bright searchlights of TIE's shriek through the dark-blue sky as Eva takes a deep gasp of air.
The nightmare is finally over. The fight has ended.
TIE Vulcans shake the ground with their giant treads, rolling past her as she walks through columns of Stormtroopers securing the site.
In the middle of the avenue leading to Capital Stargate where the smoke plumes rise into the sky, Eva gazes around, dazed. It feels like a dream as all of the pressure is no longer on her shoulders. The breeze whistles peacefully through the sky.
As her heart pounds against her ribs, Eva searches for her squad. They should've rescued Eline by now. Her fingers twitch, barely able to wait before she thrusts her sister into her arms.
Eva scans around. There, staggering over the pavement, she sees a familiar face, carried away by Stormtroopers, carefully. It's Roslin. Her heart leaps. The last time she saw her, she was about to throw herself into the fire and face Kishtung head on. She survived!
Gasping, Eva sprints towards her. "Roslin!"
Roslin's eyes dart to her, and before she can react, Eva tightly embraces her arms around her.
Roslin gasps. "Easy there." She puts her arms weakly around her, embracing her as well. "You made it out, I see. Great job."
Eva presses Roslin against her body, feeling her heart pounding with a steady rhythm. "I'm happy that you got out alive." Eva releases her and glances at her. "What did she do to you?"
"Got scratched up," Roslin sighs, her shoulders slumping. "I'll have to get myself checked by the meds here. I'll see you soon, okay?"
"Yeah," Eva nods. "One thing. Where's the rest?"
Roslin shrugs. "Comms got cut off, I don't know."
Eva swallows. They have to be somewhere, right?
As Roslin staggers further with the arms of two Stormtroopers under her armpits, Eva searches further. She calls out over the comm channel, but all she gets back is a monotone hum. Is it broken?
The ground shivers as a heavy engineering vehicle - a TIE Crawler outfitted with dozer blades - pushes burnt wreckages to the side of the road. Their metal remains release swirling ash, forming hazy clouds on the avenue. Troopers of the Army Structural Engineering Corps shine around with their flashlights, attaching wreckages with cables to be towed away.
Eva gazes around, wandering through the smoke. Where could they be?
"Peyt'," she calls out, her voice echoing through the sky. "Ashara!"
Flashing blue emergency lights pierce through the smoke as an ambulance races over the avenue with wailing sirens. She tracks it with her eyes as it dashes past her with swirling smoke trailing it. Eline isn't in one of them, hopefully?
It'd be tough to find her back in the hospital amidst the countless logs of the wounded. Eva hopes it won't end with that. Her heart races in her chest as she hastily scans around.
"Eline!" she calls out.
No response.
Then, she hears her name, faintly echoing through the sky.
Eva jolts. She gazes into its direction, and there, she sees her. Eline's blue, sparkling eyes shine through the hazy clouds of smoke. Her frail hair swirls in the breeze, almost dreamlike, but Eva quickly realises that her eyes aren't lying.
"Eline," Eva gasps and she sprints towards her.
Eline leaps towards her and crashes into her arms. Eva's heart bursts like a supernova as she embraces her little sister tightly.
"Eva," Eline gasps. "You're back."
"I never left." Eva's body trembles, barely able to keep it all in. "I'm so happy to see you in one piece."
Eline presses tighter. "I told you."
Eva smirks, her smile unbreakable. Eline's heart pounds against Eva's chest, strong and defiant. Though her skin feels weak and her hair fragile, Eline holds out. She's happy that she could.
As Eline keeps her locked in a tight embrace, Eva gives Peyton a firm handshake and a curt nod with a smile.
Ashara drops to her knees and shuffles closer, throwing her arms gently around them, joining in. "I'm happy you both made it out."
Eva rubs her head gently against Ashara with a burning heart. "Thanks for rescuing her. I don't know how to repay you."
Ashara smirks. "Just tell her to take it easy during her recovery process. That's enough for me."
Ashara releases them as Eva glances at her, resting her head on Eline's shoulder. "How is she, actually?"
Ashara presses her lips with slight caution in her eyes, glancing at Eline briefly. "She got a little bit too close." Her voice is low. "Currently, it's the stim-shots keeping her awake. She'll be gazing at stars in an hour or two, give or take."
Eva nods with slight worry suppressing the heat of her heart. So, Eline may be shining on the outside. On the inside, she may very well be functioning with the last straws she has left.
"We'll take her to the Academy for exam," Ashara adds.
Eva presses her lips as she tilts her head to Eline a little, still embracing her. "You hear that, Eline?"
"Affirmative," Eline snaps.
Eva glances at Ashara with a smile as the Pantoran shuffles closer. "Yeah. Hey, Eline, can you see me later in the troop transporter?" She gently tugs Eline's hair with her fingers. "I'm in transporter B-34, got it?"
"Got it," Eline responds with a frail nod.
Ashara rises from the ground. "I'll check in on the others. Take care," and she disappears from Eva's view.
Slowly, Eva manages to free herself from Eline's tight lock and releases her, looking her in the eyes - her blue, sparkling eyes. She can't get enough of them.
Eva's eyes drift to Daxan staring back at her with a smile on his face. She can barely hold in the gratitude for his priceless work on this mission, even though he isn't part of the squad. Perhaps that's what makes his work even more priceless. Anyway, Eva can't find the words to thank him, except for a silent, curt nod.
Eva glances briefly at Eline. "Hey, Eline. Have you met him?"
Eline looks at Daxan. "Yeah, he saved me from the Rebels. You should've seen how he did it!"
Eva's smile grows, her fingers reaching to Eline's hair, tugging her blond strands, gently. "Tell me more about it."
Eline clenches her fists with excitement. "I was held in a tank, so he flew on his speederbike, charged at us, jumped into the air and onto the tank," Eline gushes, speaking faster than her lips can move, "shot everyone inside, and got me out of it."
Eva glances at Daxan with joy. Really? You did that?
"And then they let me blow it up!" Eline squeals, clapping her hands together with glee. "You should have seen the explosion, it was so astral!
Eva breaks into laughter. "You let her do that?"
Daxan raises his shoulders with a chuckle. "Peyton's idea, not mine."
"Yeah!" Eline giggles, bouncing on her heels. "She thought I wanted some pay-back. Weird question, right?"
Eva chuckles and tilts her head. "Let's hope you don't want a thermal detonator for your birthday."
Daxan drops to his knees, his eyes shimmering with joy. "When is it?"
Eline glances at him. "Next month."
Daxan nods. "Thermal detonator, huh? I can handle that."
Eva chuckles, her hand thrusting towards Daxan. "No you won't," and she pushes him from his feet with a smile. "Okay, Eline, it's time for you to get a check-up at the troop transporter."
"I will," Eline nods. "But can I stay with you for a little longer? I missed you."
Eva rises from her feet as Eline's strands of hair slip through her fingers. "One minute, okay?"
Eline entangles her arms around Eva's legs, embracing her once again. Pressing her head against her body, her fingers tugging the individual strands, Eva's eyes linger on Eline, unable to look anywhere else. TIE Fighters roar over her in harmony as she can feel each gasp of Eline in her legs, her lungs rising and falling gently.
Daxan's feet shuffle closer. Eva's eyes slowly drift upwards, meeting his. "Thanks."
He nods and gives her a brief salute. "At your service."
They become silent. For a moment, it's all that exists. His Zabrak eyes - almost indistinct from hers - glimmer under the faint starlight. His deep gaze makes her heart beat quicker. His eyes drop briefly to her lips as he swallows hard, seemingly waiting for something Eva cannot place, but deep in her mind, she feels what it might mean. She doesn't dare to name it as her cheeks start to burn. Hesitation flickers across his face, uncertain about something, before he slowly leans in. Her heart throbs in her throat.
Then, a small tug at her sleeve jolts Eva back to the steady ground, breaking eye contact and glancing down.
Eline pulls onto her arm, staring into the distance. "Eva, look there!"
Eline points into a direction and Eva follows her finger. Amidst patrolling Stormtroopers, a convoy of dark-black Deathtroopers march into the terminal building. Their heavy footsteps pound on the pavement as Eva spots a shining insignia on their shoulders - ISB.
"Who are they?" Eline asks.
"Deathtroopers," Eva responds, staring at the convoy. "You rarely see those around."
Daxan follows her gaze. "You think they're coming for her?"
"Certainly. They only come for high-priority prisoners."
Daxan hums. "Checks the box."
Eva faintly nods as a shiver races down her spine. Even if they're on their side, Deathtroopers will still remain as the shadows of the Empire. She's heard that the screening and training of Deathtroopers is beyond difficult as the ISB only recruits the most battle-hardened minds that twitch back at no amount of spilled blood. Their faces must be as tough as durasteel. Never has Eva seen one without their helmet. She wonders what they think behind their visors.
But somewhere, Eva knows they'll not be thinking grateful about the new prisoner they'll be escorting. And for now, it's something she doesn't want to ponder about.
Anyway, it's time to go. She's been here for long enough. Home is calling, and all she wants to see now is just her bed at Malstrom; or the Academy. Anything with a mattress suffices.
Eva tugs at Eline's hair. "Okay, Eline, time to say goodbye to your hero. Ashara wants to see you."
Eline looks up and nods. She turns to Daxan and gives him a short hug, too, before running off to visit Ashara.
Tracking her sister with her eyes, her blond hair swaying as she leaps over the tarmac, Eva hides her hands in the pockets of her uniform, smiling as Eline disappears behind the troop transporters.
Daxan lets out a tired yawn. "Can't wait to sleep."
Eva glances at him. "Yeah, me too." She pulls her hand out of her pocket and thrusts it towards Daxan. "Thanks - not just for saving her. I was grateful to have you along the way."
Daxan grasps her hand firmly and gives her a tight shake. "Yeah, no problem. We did great."
"Definitely," Eva nods. "You were helpful. I couldn't have done this without you - and your bike."
"No worries," Daxan hums.
Eva glances briefly downward at her feet, inhaling deeply through her nose as a light breeze blows over her skin. "Anyway, I should see the rest. Ecklund got hit quite hard."
"Give her my best for a speedy recovery." Daxan shuffles with his feet. "Can't wait to see her back in action."
"Yeah." Before Eva turns around, she shares a final glance. "I'll get going. Take care."
"You too," Daxan nods. "See you tomorrow."
With heavy footsteps, they split. Wandering over the tarmac, Eva keeps her gaze ahead. Medical officers pass her, carrying injured bypassers on stretches. Must've been quite the surprise when the Rebels suddenly stood at the check-in points. Inside the terminal, she spots Rebel soldiers on their knees, their hands tied tightly behind their backs. Must've been a surprise indeed.
The bustling hum of military engines fills the cold air as slowly, something starts to tug at her. Her eyes drift away into oblivion. There is something deep inside of her - an unfinished feeling, pulling deep in her chest.
Eva stops.
Her heart throbs in her throat as she glances over her shoulder. Daxan is still standing where she left him, staring into the sky as if letting it all sink in. The vapour of his breath swirl faintly into the dark sky like clouds. His shoulders remain slouched.
Eva glances at her feet. Should she…?
She only hesitates for a second before she pivots on her heel and strides back towards him, leaping over the tarmac. "Daxan."
He turns around, surprise flickering in his eyes, and before he can respond, Eva crashes into him and wraps her arms around him, pressing herself against him firmly. Daxan's heart pounds into her as Eva rests her head against his shoulder. Daxan stiffens, unsure of how to respond.
Eva pulls away briefly, rises onto her toes, and leans in, pressing her lips against his cold cheek, before entangling her arms around him again. "Thanks - and I mean it. You saved my little princess."
Daxan melts as his hands rest gently against her back. His lips tremble, wanting to say something, but no words come out.
Eva pulls away and smiles at him. "Okay, got to go," she blurts, stumbling away from him. "See you tomorrow, Daxan."
Quickly, she spins around and leaps over the tarmac. Her cheeks burn as her heart thunders in her ears so much so that it tilts the world onto its side. Her whole body feels like it's still locked in a tight embrace with him as she gasps deeply, trying to cool herself down. She shakes her head vehemently. Okay. What brick did Ashara mention? B-34?
She scans the ITTs parked alongside the avenue. Their engines rumble as Eva reads their designation number, until she finds B-34, nearly at the end of the road. Its back hatch is open as Eva steps aboard. On the benches, she finds Ashara pressing a needle into Eline's arm, waiting patiently for her medical checks. On the other side, Peyton sits curled on the bench, resting her hand on the chest of Ecklund. The quiet girl lies on her back on the bench, gasping faintly as her face is covered with bandages.
The awful thud she made when Ecklund fell on the ground after she got launched into the windshield of a speedercab remains reminiscent in her ears. It must've been very painful indeed to have literal glass shards in your face.
Eva tugs at Ecklund's gently braided hair. Even after having faced so much, the style of her hair still remains tightly in place.
"How are you doing, Ecklund?" Eva asks, softly, dropping to her feet.
Ecklund's eyes remain closed as her body slightly rises with each faint gasp. "I feel dead," she whispers, slightly opening her eyes, barely visible amidst the fluffy patches.
Eva presses her lips. "You'll be back in bed in no time."
"Can't wait," Ecklund she squeaks, and closes her eyes again.
Peyton smirks as she leans in. "Didn't expect us to long for concrete mattresses."
Eva smiles before she rises from the floor and thrusts her hand towards Peyton. "You did great, by the way."
Peyton gently shakes her hand, careful to not disturb the blister patches on her palms too much. "Thanks. It went all well, indeed."
"Does it hurt?"
Peyton shakes her head. "Can't feel a thing, but that's maybe because I pumped too many med-spikes in my veins." She releases Eva's hand. "Anyway, don't be worried about it. It's all worth what we achieved."
Eva smiles. Remembering Peyton's initial doubts about the entire mission, her heart warms with joy that she's changed her mind now that the real stakes have become clear. Thanks to her, Eline got free, and Eva still can't find enough words to describe how grateful she is for Peyton's hard work. Hard work as a Lieutenant Commander, the second man of the squad's chain of command. Eva remembers the heated moment between her and Peyton. They had just returned from the woods after failing to chase Kishtung. Roslin couldn't command, and so, a second-in command officer had to be appointed. Eva remembers jumping on her heels with excitement to take command and become Roslin's right hand. That role didn't go to her. It went to Peyton. Eva felt ashamed, feeling like Peyton didn't deserve it.
Peyton then crashed face first into the ground during her first training maneuvers at Malstrom Base. Colonel Amitash couldn't find the words to describe her ongoing failures. Even if Peyton was her squadmember and best friend, she still didn't deserve to be second-in command officer.
But Eva was wrong. She did deserve it. She did an excellent job at holding herself up in the face of unfavourable odds - fighting a tank that had Eline inside and saved her.
She didn't know she could admit it - half the time she wasn't even tied to Peyton's command at all - but she makes for a great Lieutenant Commander. And being bound to procedures and protocols makes her a better one than Eva if she had gotten the role. If she was Lieutenant Commander, Eva would have probably thrown her squad into every situation and cared not a single thing about procedures. Instincts over protocols, after all.
Eva recognises that, perhaps, it is good that she isn't the one leading the squad.
"Remember when we headbutted each other about who was to become Lieutenant Commander?" Eva asks.
Peyton nods.
"I'm sorry that I doubted you." Eva inhales sharply. "You're great as LC."
Peyton smirks. "Well, I have to keep at least one person here on a leash."
Eva smiles. Maybe it's for the better that she's just an ensign without any remarkable rank, and for the first time in a long, long time, Eva embraces her footsoldier role. No specific job, no rank - just her and her guts - perfect to go AWOL again and strike down the next Rebel super agent who tries to destroy the Empire here.
The engine growls as the lit windows of nightshops flash past her in a blur. The lightpoles mesmerise her as Eva curls up on the cold bench. She pulls her knees towards her as she gazes outside. The murmuring voices of the squad fade into background noise.
Eva lets out a deep sigh. Kishtung in the slammer, Eline saved, and another Rebel attack crushed. The Alliance must have lost quite a lot of resources considering how immense the operation seemed to be.
And although that's all behind her, there is still something left. As the people walking over the sidewalk flash past her, Eva's thoughts drift to the whispers still remaining in her mind. When Kishtung destroyed the Artefact, she mentioned the Dark Side. What does she mean by that? She knows from Mr Dane that Kishtung is a Jedi, a knight of the light. Are there knights of the dark, too? And what would they do?
Then, her thoughts flash to something else. Eva remembers running out of the market on Steel Crane Plaza, going after a thief who stole an inconspicuous slab of stone from Mr Dane's market stall. Eva chased him until she shot him in the back and found his fate in the grille of a speeder truck that couldn't stop. His skull broke in two as the blood that spilled onto the dark tarmac. Slowly, she slid the Rebel insignia out of his pocket.
Eva slowly rests her head against the glass, feeling it shiver faintly. Her eyes drift away. That stone he stole turned out to be a weapon that put the Capital and all of their lives at risk. At first glance, it looked like it would belong in the wall of a refreshing room, but this Rebel knew it was an ancient artefact that held power. And he stole it in the name of the Rebellion. Did that Rebel actually know that what he stole was so valuable? Did he know it was a weapon that was in the possession of a Jedi of eons ago?
This entire adventure started out with the Artefact, after all. Yet, it seemed like all of this happened by a coincidence: A Rebel robber with intentions unknown, who picked a worthless-seeming stone from an old man, jump-started this entire, lunatic journey in which she almost lost her life to a Jedi and her sister. All because of a crazy coincidence.
Why did he steal the Artefact? What did he know about the stone? Even she didn't know what it was at the time. And since he stole it for the Alliance, they must've known about it. Why else would they order one of their men to steal it?
She can hear her mind cracking with danger. Her vision swims in and out of focus. Even if it's all over, it still left bread crumbs that she cannot explain. And while triumph shines brightly in her heart, her thoughts are drowned out by whispers, begging for answers.
Suddenly, two arms catch her from behind and twist over her shoulders, around her. Eva glances over her shoulder and sees Eline, embracing her tightly. Her heart warms up as she shifts closer and presses her lips against her sister's cheek. What truly matters is that Eline is back.
Eline rests her head on her shoulder, gasping faintly and slower. Her head gently drops in the corner of Eva's eye.
The last time Eline slept peacefully, demons stole her from her bed. Stuck in a nightmare, the only faces she saw were shadows. Now, she can finally sleep in peace in a joyful dream.
Eva rubs her head gently against Eline's cheek. Sleep tight, Eline.
