บท 142: Heart of Darkness
I don't own star was.
Newt
"Do you understand your task?" I asked glaring at the very specific soldier assigned to me. "Get in the station. Disable the Hanger doors. Locate the target. Protect him until reinforcements arrive.
The black-furred Shistavanen nodded slowly. "Understood."
I made sure the airtight seals on his custom-fitted dark trooper armor was set securely before him before adding. "He is Kavilla's nephew. And she will be very disappointed if anything has happened to him."
His muzzle-like face snarled almost protectively, "Understood." He repeated more firmly, burning his orders into his mind as he put on his custom armor and made his way to the airlock. The idea was he would walk the station to its airlock and enter from there, disabling whatever he could before Newt flew her ship and its cargo into the hanger.
She walked passed said Cargo, Baleen with her heavy repeating blaster rifle, six handpicked republic troopers looking more and more uncomfortable as she walked by, and a very determined-looking Scarlet.
"Can we trust him?" Scarlet asked as Newt sat next to her their eyes wandering the vast space station Altora had built in secret.
"We can trust that he won't betray Kavilla. Would I expect him to save you if it came down to it? No. Not on your life. Will he kill everyone who tries to harm those she deems important? Probably."
"…So… he's her bodyguard?" Scarlet asked, trying to make small take, or fishing for information.
"Handpicked by Kavilla herself." I replied, "He killed an assassin with his bare hands." I added as a freebie, albeit a completely untrue one; after all if I mentioned how his actual recruitment came about we'd never hear the end of it. "Are all the ships in place?"
"Yes. They're ready to warp in." Scarlet replied, "Babayaga came through, sent an entire fleet of her daughter's ship and a handful of her best mandalorians. "All there waiting on is your bodyguard-dog to do his job." She replied as together we watched in silence.
Long. Uncomfortable silence. "…Is he really bad?" Scarlet asked, breaking the silence. "…How bad? I want to see him." I sighed sadly, unsure of how to really describe it.
"…He's living with a virus that is literally constant torture. Spending minutes out of a deep freeze a day so he can be poked and prodded with a needle by a doctor that barely knows where to begin…" I watched her well-trained facial expressions contort in horror and helplessness. "… It's Bad Scarlet. And I'm not being bitter, I can't let you see him, you are at a deeper risk. It will kill you within hours and he'd never forgive me for that…"
We sat in silence for a long, long time… I wasn't paying attention to the time. But soon, she finally spoke again. "…I want to be there when he's cured." She said, confidently, firmly. There would be no argument. "If I'm not there when he wakes up, fully cured and ready to catch up on three years of private time. You and I are going to have a serious conversation that WONT end in a threesome…" she said coolly, prodding my breasts with her finger.
"…Understood." I replied with a friendly smile as the comm buzzed and I answered, eager to change the subject. "Kallus."
"…He's being difficult." The voice of Kavilla's bodyguard came in a whisper, "He is refusing to leave." There was some rustling and a low angry growl, some words were exchanged, and now Roland was on the com.
"Altora is here. And she has the formula to fix dad and my moms. I am NOT leaving without it." He said firmly, I smiled proudly. He reminded me of Aiden an awful lot sometimes.
Scarlet was about to say something protective, so I got to be the cool mom, taking the com quickly. "Fine. But behave for Kallus." adding in a concerned whisper that I didn't want Scarlet to overhear "I don't think even his loyalty for your aunt will save you extreme pain if you piss him off." Scarlet glared at me and I continued, "Kallus, your task still applies, assist him in his, understood?"
"Understood." Kallus replied obediently, "I will contact you when the hangers have opened."
And he disconnected, Scarlet glared at me, "What? We're out here. He's in there. We knew this was going to happen."
"…Just fly the ship." Scarlet replied, putting her hand on her blaster.
Kallus
I sniffed the air as I entered the station, there were many blindspots from what I could tell, an advantage we had over the station as it was yet to be fully completed. After entering through the airlock, which was unguarded, I removed several witnesses quickly before they could alert more guards. I was quick and quiet, their bones practically cardboard in my hands. Then it was a matter of locating the target, taking their access codes I quickly interfaced with the closest console.
I was unsure at first of this… joint task force. But Kavilla told me, in no uncertain terms, that I was to obey the Cipher and NOT kill or injure the republic troopers. Sometimes she needs to be specific with me. She wanted her nephew's safety held above all else. And I obey Kavilla Kane.
I found the boy. Obviously, he would be in a cell block, but there were apparently dozens. Finding the only one in use was easy. Getting there without raising the alarm was a task more suited for the Cipher, but the ship would only respond to her biometrics, so she had to fly it in. I had to make do.
"Who are-" the rodian was silenced immediately as I moved quickly across the room, and easily snapped his neck against the wall, his body went limp and he dropped to the floor as I stepped over him as silent as the void itself. Accessing the data lock it opened revealing the red-haired nephew of Kavilla Kane. I entered and released him from his bindings. He dazedly looked up at me, he had been beaten recently from the look of it, but he suddenly looked furious.
"Vargoss!" he took a swing at me, I easily dodge and shoved him away. It was understandable. It was dark in the cell, and the dossier on this 'Vargoss' mentioned that he was a Shistavanon like me. An easy mistake to make in the dark and with a swollen eye.
"Not Vargoss. Kallus." I corrected, as he took another swing at me, I restrained him. "I serve only Kavilla Kane. I am here to release you and aid the Cipher Agent in dealing with Altrora Kane." He stopped fighting me and pulled away.
"…What's next?" he asked coolly, walking out and retrieving the Rodian's blaster rifle. "What's the plan?"
"I will take you to the airlock and you will wait for the Cipher's ship." I informed him.
He obviously didn't approve. "That's not happening." He said immediately, "I'm going to find Altora and make her give me the formula she used on my dad." He replied, glaring at me. "You can help me with that, or leave."
I glared at him, I was told to inform the Cipher of my progress so I'll let her decide and began immediately contacting her. "Kallus." She said over the com, answering quickly.
"…He's being difficult." I said softly in a whisper, keeping my eyes and ears open to any approach. "He's refusing to leave."
"Let me talk to her." The boy said, trying to yank the comm from my hand as I growled at him annoyed.
"Altora is here. And she has the formula to fix dad and my moms. I am NOT leaving without it." He said firmly. I snorted, I might have respected him for it if he wasn't so irritating.
"Fine. But behave for Kallus, I don't think even his loyalty for your aunt will save you if you piss him off." He glared at me and the Cipher added rather pointedly, "Kallus, your task still applies, assist him in his, understood?"
"Yes Ma'am." I replied obediently, "I will contact you when the hangers have opened." I snatched the comm back and glared at him as he firmly held my gaze. "You will stay behind me. Only fire that when I tell you." I brought up the map I download and quickly memorized the path to the hanger. he, however, kept his eyes firmly on the 'throne room'.
I grabbed him, and dragged him along… we didn't get far when the attack began. Babaygaga, in an effort to remove the up-and-coming competition had ordered her daughter Tulba to give her as many ships as possible. Stuffed them with pilots, mostly droids, and sent them to reinforce the effort, along with a selection of her best Mandalorians. And now they attacked on mass supported by her personal Battle Ship, a Keldabe class cruiser, that immediately opened fire on the station when it and 40 other ships exited their jumps.
Today, Altora Kane will fall.
Roland
The whole damn station shook as the battle began, and we promptly lost the element of surprise, a group of thugs came scurrying out of nearby rooms, quickly trying to armor up only to be met by me and Kallus' blaster fire as we ran for the hanger, we had to get the blast doors open to let Newt pilot in with reinforcements.
"Go! Keep moving!" he shouted, shoving me ahead as he fired down at the dwindling thugs. "Open the hanger!" he shouted before running alongside me as sounds of explosions peppered around us. We dashed through a door to the hanger where Kallus immediately turned and blasted the keypad, "Find the blast door controls!" he growled, already providing cover fire for me as the occupants reached for blasters.
I found them, blasting a weequay as I quickly opened the blast doors.
"They're down!" Kallus shouted into the comm before tossing it to me and opening fire.
"We're on our way!" Scarlet replied, it took me a moment to register that she was here too when what I could only assume was Newt's ship skidded into the hanger bay. The second it did, dozens of other entrances to the hanger opened and battle droids entered, cheap ones apparently, but a lot.
"Fire!" they shouted together, peppering the ship to no effect as the ramp dropped.
Baleen, roaring fire and furry stomped off with her repeating blaster as another trooper with what appeared to be a portable energy shield provided cover for her, taking several blaster bolts as her blaster roared to life, mowing down half a dozen droids before the rest of her squad joined her, taking down the enemy with precision shots.
"Secure the landing zone!" Scarlet shouted, skillfully shooting a rodian between the eyes. "Lock down the hanger!"
A thundercrack rang out, Newt's rifle took down a thug taking aim at Scarlet as she slid down the ramp, her rifle cracking violently as the enemy went down. In just a few moments the hanger was secured, and a transport full of black armored mandaloiran touched down, almost two dozen led by 'white circle' the one I had met in Babayaga's hotel.
"Spread out." He ordered, "Squads of four. Hall by hall. Shoot everyone."
"NOT Altora!" Scarlet ordered firmly, glaring into his helmet.
"Not Altroa." He replied stoically as the mandalorians divided up and quickly took separate doors. "We have another 2 ships in reserve if necessary." He said, hefting his heavy rifle and taking his squad, "It won't be." He replied heading out and firing immediately into his hallway as the door shut behind him.
"She'll be here." Kallus said quickly, bringing up the map again and pointing to the throne room. "We need to secure the station quickly before the firefight gets out of hand."
"Take point!" Baleen shouted as he glared at her, "Lead on." She added as he brushed passed her and her troopers, leading them down a hallway.
"Are you okay?" Scarlet asked, putting a hand on my shoulder as I made to follow them.
"I will be." I said, giving her as best a smile as I could. "…Let's go save dad." I said as we quickly dashed off after Baleen and Kallus.
The hallway was empty; a dozen bodies and droid chassis were already scattered as we followed. The mandalorians already cleared the way. Baleen grumbled quietly to herself, "It's not fun when they're already done." Kallus shook his head silently and turned a corner at an intersection…
He quickly darted back as heavy blaster fire ripped into the wall.
"MEATBAGS" echoed a familiar robotic voice, only now it sounded more menacing.
"I remember those!" Scarlet shouted as Baleen pulled her around the corner. Three, pristine, IDD's were standing before a small pile of dead Mandalorians, obviously our vanguard. "Fucking bitch." Scarlet grumbled, "…I had fond memories of that thing." She noted, "Plans? Anyone?"
"We got an RPG." Baleen said, gesturing to a trooper with an RPG on his shoulder, "But uh… just the one." She noted sadly as she sent a hail of blaster bolts down at the droids, only to take cover again. "Any plans?"
"Might I be of assistance?"
"DAH!!????!" with the exception of Kallus, who still pulled a blaster on her, X-E stood next to us, looking quite out of place in her simple shirt and pants. Although she did look slightly… off.
"X-E?!" I shouted staring at her amazed, "How did you get here?!"
X-E
A few minutes ago
"WOOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!!!" Master Rattletrap exclaimed as he piloted our ship through the battlefield as our crew blasted enemy ships out of the void, he grinned happily. "BEST DAY EVER!!!" he squealed only to have First Mate Nike punch him in the arm. "Except for Bro being kidnapped…" he added sheepishly.
"We need to figure out a way onto the ship to help Roland!" Said First Mate Nike.
"Oh… I got that covered, hang on! X-E! Plan: Delivery!" he grinned, "And take that thing I made for Bro alright?"
"Understood Master Rattletrap." I said immediately, taking the ion blaster that he made from his workshop. And heading towards the hold, closing the emergency inner doors and engaging the mag-locks on all valuable items still in the hold as I approached the ramp.
"Commencing air drop!" Master Rattletrap shouted over the ship comms as I promptly pushed the ramp button.
"What the hell are you doing!?" First Mate Nike shouted as I was sucked from the ship.
I watched as Master Rattletrap closed the ramp of the Lost Dream and quickly sped away, blasting enemy vessels as he piloted expertly around the massive space station. Drifting lazily through space as I landed on the station with a silent tap. And quickly located an airlock…
Roland
"And that is how I came to be here Captain Roland." X-E finished, handing me the ion blaster, "Master Rattletrap thought that your 'bitch of a grandmother' might have made more of those droids. And sent me to provide back up in case you lost your lightsaber.
"…I'm going to have a serious talk with him…" I mumbled, aiming at the droids with the blaster and firing at one around the corner. One of the IDD's suddenly twitched violently, slowly shutting down but trying very hard to keep firing, its blaster arms shooting into the floor as it began to smoke around it. I shot at another, but the blaster fizzed and popped, I dropped it, it was starting to burn.
"RPG! Banters! Roggi!" Baleen shouted over the noise as the shield trooper and the RPG Trooper darted out, and let the rocket propel grenade fire. The explosion propelled them back, but two of the droids were non-functional and the last one was missing most of its left side.
"I remember it being more durable…" Scarlet noted, "Banters, Roggi are you two alright?" she shouted as they groaned.
"We're good… ma'am…" the shield trooper grumbled, as the RPG trooper helped him up.
"MEAT-" the last droid suddenly said, aiming its blaster at them.
"No!" Baleen shouted quickly but X-E. faster than the eye could see, kicked the blaster arm up, hitting it so hard she dented it. Then rammed her foot deep into the droid's chest like a hot knife through butter, easily punching through its armor.
"ERROR. ERROR…" it twitched, pointing its blaster down at X-E, who stared back as calmly as can be before ripping out her foot, slicing the droid open then leaping and spinning, one foot hit the blaster, and the other sent the head into the wall. The droid dropped, deactivated with extreme prejudice. I was SERIOUSLY going to have to talk with Rattletrap.
"It is safe now Captain Roland." She replied, calm as could be as we stared amazed at her. Then, seeing the destroyed droids she casually shoved the machines aside with her foot to a clear path at the door, and gestured to it.
I took a deep breath and approached. Everyone else provided me cover as the door opened… blaster fire was quickly exchanged as what few guards and staff remained was promptly put down by well-aimed fire. She sat on her throne, looking bored. Absently spinning the mom's lightsaber with her finger, on a table next to her throne.
She eyed me, and the blasters, and sighed in defeat. But still sounding bored. "…Gods… he was the worst mistake I ever made in my life. And now… he's spawned…" she glared at me, "Look at what you and your filthy father's fucking sex toys have done…" she gestured around herself to the station, "You ruined something beautiful. Something that has taken me YEARS to build and in the span of a galactic day you've torn it down."
I stomped towards her, she glared at me as I took my mom's lightsaber, glaring back dismissively, "…Where's the formula?" I asked firmly.
"What formula?" she replied.
"Don't patronize me. The chemical compound you used on my dad. Where is it? What is it?"
She stared at me wide-eyed and smiled: It was the most horrific thing I've ever seen. "…I don't HAVE it…" she said smugly, chuckling as I glared at her. Scarlet and Newt, exchange a look of shock as she began to outright laugh. "I've never had it! Ha ha ha!!!" she covered her mouth, childishly waving her hand. "No. No I'm sorry. It's just… hilarious." She grinned at me, "Malisis has the formula, she's always had the formula. Do you really think I wouldn't have used it on the republic? Or that fat slug out there?" she asked gesturing to the ships still firing on them. "Malisis gave me ONE DOSE and I used it on your daddy…" she said scathingly. "…Gods I hope when it hurts him he thinks of me." She smiled again...
I was cold… and I was tired. And more importantly… I was PISSED OFF…
"Now." She said, trying to be a little more dignified even though she was still suffering a fit of the giggles. "Let's get this over with." She pushed past me, holding out her hands out to Scarlet. "Come come… I don't have all day… take me prisoner, Republic spy. I assume you won't be letting the Chiss take me back to Dromund Kass?"
However… she suddenly screamed as my blaster pistol fired into her leg… "AAAAARRGH!!!" she shrieked as Newt and Scarlet jumped away in shock. She glared at me, apparently utterly bewildered at the audacity. "… How… how DARE you!-" I shot her other leg, and she screamed again and fell to the floor.
"ROLAND!!" roared Scarlet in horror trying to stop me, but Kallus grabbed her arm: holding her back. Newt, was strangely torn, at a loss for words and unmoving, unsure of what to do.
"I don't know you." I said coldly, glaring disgustedly at her. "You hurt my dad. You hurt my moms…" she stared at me horrified, "And you don't have a way to FIX THAT!!" I roared at her, I shot her arm and she screamed again. Scarlet struggled, but Kallus held her firm even though the other troopers were shouting holding blasters on me. But I wasn't listening. "WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU JUST GET TO WALK AWAY!!???" I roared at her. the very station shaking, but whether it was from explosions or a darker thought: Me. I didn't know.
"You…" she whimpered, "I'm…" she crawled away from me, grasping at Newt's feet. "Stop him! Stop him! Aiden would never-" I blasted her leg again and Newt jerked her foot away. "Mercy!!" she screamed in pain, clutching feebly at the ground.
"Don't talk about dad like you know him!!!" I roared, and she skidded away from Newt. Sliding back before me with my rage-filled force as I stared down at her. Now that was definitely me. "You don't know him! I KNOW HIM. He never talked about you… But you're right, Dad would show you mercy. That's why he couldn't do it. You're his mother. But I don't know you. You're NOTHING to me."
Her elderly face twisted in horror and pain as she suddenly realized something very. VERY. Important…
I might look like my dad…
But I certainly wasn't my dad…
I raised the blaster, and for what must have been the first time in decades she cried, and then she went further, she pleaded for her life. Holding up her hands to make a deal, to stop me with words that moments before already sealed her fate.
I Finished it. And everything… went very, very quiet…
Babayaga
I watched the Cathar, Killa and Varli Seis lead the very stunned-looking Roland Firemane onto his ship, and without so much as a thank you. Or a goodbye. They took off, leaving the republic commandos, the Sis agent, and the Cipher behind. Along with a very imposingly looking black-furred Shistavanen.
"As agreed…" Newt said, gesturing to the station somberly. "It's yours. Do what you want."
I smiled, sliding across the floor, past the corpse of Altora Kane, and shoved the throne off the dais as I sat. "…Yes this will do nicely… I was thinking about expanding into a sort off… smugglers paradise…" I cooed, already counting the credits in my head. "And… what exactly do you want to do with that?" I asked, gesturing to the smoking remains.
The republic soldiers were strangely quiet, as if purposefully so. I knew that look. That was a 'sworn to silence' kind of look… well that's juicy. I wonder what sort of drama I could pull from that? Well. No matter. "Go!" I smiled proudly, "With my compliments." I added fondly as they left without another word.
"Well?" I asked my lieutenant as he approached, stepping over the corpse "What do you think?" I grinned and gestured to the damaged room. "Is it fit for a queen?"
The Mandalorian chuckled, shaking his helmeted head. "Well… if not. I imagine I just need to give you time to make it into a moving Nar Shaddaa…"
"…I like it." I chuckled, "…I dub it. New Nar Shaddaa…" I puffed on my pipe. "Get the men to work immediately… and arrange a party for yours." I added, gesturing to him as he bowed his head respectfully, "Good work." I praised. I glared at the corpse of Altora, her face twisted in pain and shock. "…Who did it by the way?"
He was silent for a moment, "…I wasn't here, but I believe you already know."
I took a long drag from my pipe. "…Did you know Tuuba tried to kill me three times before he finally learned?"
"Yes. I killed two of his assassins." He replied, and I smiled, I forgot that sometimes, it happens with age even for me.
"…Well." I said softly, my mind far away as my thoughts returned to my son Tuuba… whose body I had found not too long ago in the wreckage of one of his casino barges. The average sentient would've blamed the barge, but his body showed signs of poison. So it was obviously Altora's work, she didn't need him anymore, and his death was one of the reasons I contributed to this little escapade. A small reason, down there at the bottom of the list. "…The death of a family member… even one that tried to kill you. Is still a very troubling thing…"
And with that, I left to my planning, and my thoughts.
End of Chapter
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