Episode 9: Nemesis of the Force Part 2

Skywalker Saga

The Shadows of the Past Trilogy

Episode 9: Nemesis of the Force Part 2

                Above the planet Dromund Kaas, Saydra’s shuttle drops out of hyperspace.  A large garrison fleet hovers above the dark, storm-ridden world.  The ship descends to the planet’s surface.  Fierce storms rage in the skies as the ship lands at a massive fortress.  A docking platform extends out from the fortress, and after the ship lands, it retracts back into it.

                Saydra and Stalker step down out of the ship.  Stalker is carrying Leia.  As they enter a corridor just beyond the landing area, Saydra says, “Take the Chancellor to the labs.  Have them extract her DNA.  They can do with her whatever they want after that.”  Stalker doesn’t even say a word.  He just heads down the hall in the opposite direction with Leia on his back.

                Saydra enters the Empress’ Throne Room, and upon arriving she finds a diplomat standing at the base of Empress Amelia’s dais.  Twenty marble stairs ascend to the throne.  The throne is made of gold with red designs serving as trim.  The back of the throne extends to the high, vaulted ceiling.  Golden pillars and walls gleam brightly, also adorned with red tapestries and artistic works.

                Amelia sits upon her throne, staring down at the diplomat as if she has never been more bored in her life.  She is considerably younger than Saydra.  While Saydra appears to be roughly in her forties, possibly older or younger, for few can truly tell, Amelia appears to be just barely twenty.  Adorned all in white with gold trimming, Amelia’s gown is extravagant.  It is made of one fabric, and though it is modest at the bust, covering everything and even wrapping around her neck, the dress exposes the center of her back.  Long white gloves with gold trim cover most of her arms, only allowing her shoulders to be exposed.  Upon her head, the Empress wears a headdress, rather than a crown.  It matches the rest of her outfit and is fancifully designed to make her look almost as if she has golden stars encircling her head, dancing upon white bands of fabric.

                As soon as Saydra enters, the diplomat sees her and withdraws to the side of the chamber, near to one of the royal guards who are all dressed in shiny royal blue armor.  Each guard carries a force pike and a ceremonial sword on each hip.  Saydra doesn’t even look at a single one of them.  Her gaze remains focused on Amelia as she snaps, “Leave us!”

                Instantly, everyone hastily exits out the various doors in the chamber.  Saydra doesn’t stop until she has ascended the stairs and is standing over Amelia.  Finally, she addresses the Empress in a bit of a stern voice.  The Empress, however, does not change her expression.  She merely looks up as if annoyed.  

                “Well,” says Saydra, her expression hard and cold.  “I have done as you asked.  I have personally seen to it that Chancellor Organa was brought to you.”  Then her expression suddenly alters.  It is clear that Saydra is a bit angry with the Empress.  “Will you now keep your end of the bargain?”

                The Empress only continues to stare up at her, but her expression also changes from boredom to anger.  “I find it very interesting that you want me to keep my end of the deal, but you are, even as we speak, sabotaging me and NOT keeping your end.”

                Saydra’s eye narrows to a slit.  “How so?”

                “I asked that you bring Leia Organa to me, unharmed.”  Then her expression shifts again to one of pain and emotional hurt.  “It was the one thing I was asking of you.  I just wanted to repay her for her kindness to me all those years ago.  I wanted her to be able to spend the remainder of her days in peace.  It is the least she deserves.”  Then anger returns to her as the Empress rises from her throne to the same height as Saydra, staring her eye-to-eye.  “But you couldn’t even do that much for me, could you?”

                Saydra’s expression turns cold again.  “What makes you think that I have NOT fulfilled my end of the bargain?  Can you not feel her presence in this very building?”

                “Do you think you are the only person who can see in the Force, Saydra!”  The Empress speaks her name with great emphasis and sarcasm.  “I know that you sent her to the labs.  I know that you are planning on cloning her and using that clone to pacify me, like I’m still some child to you - and also to use the clone to manipulate the Republic forces into allying with us against the First Order.  You are so used to lying and manipulating that you can’t even help yourself anymore, can you?”

                Saydra remains silent for a moment.  When she speaks, however, her expression suddenly becomes soft and gentle.  It is as if Saydra has suddenly become a human.  “My dear, you are kidding yourself if you think that Chancellor Organa will appreciate your sentiment.  She has lived by the blaster and she will die by the blaster.  There is no other way for her.  She knows nothing of peace.  She cannot understand it.  It is a foreign language to her, especially now that she has lost her husband and twin brother.”

                “You’re wrong,” the Empress replies, though with lack of conviction.  “She has done nothing but fight for peace for her entire life.  She deserves to at least have some peace before she dies.”

                “She will not be comfortable.  She will not enjoy it, as she has fooled herself into thinking that she will.  Look at her family.  She is the daughter of Vader.  For more than four years she helped lead the Rebel Alliance against the Empire.  For thirty years after that, she remained a Senator in the New Republic, fighting politicians.  It was not physical warfare, but it was warfare nonetheless.  She even fought so hard that she sacrificed her own family for it - and for what?  She has gained nothing but more warfare, for now she leads a desperate, broken government; fighting enemies on every side.  Do you think she could truly rest and have peace in the midst of all of this - and with her own son as her primary enemy - whom she views as lost to the Dark Side?”

                “No,” continues Saydra.  “She will hate you and resent you for keeping her against her own will.  The entire time she will look to find a way to escape.  She will only view you as her enemy, for you rule an empire yourself that she detests.”

                “And whose fault is that!” the Empress snaps sharply.  “You are the one who insists on butchering countless numbers of people, replacing them with clone workers and troops on every world we conquer.  Did I ever want that?  Did I ever say I approved of that?  If anything, I have done nothing but show you that I HATE the senseless killing.”

                Saydra’s expression becomes cold again.  “It is necessary to eradicate freedom in the galaxy, my dear.  Freedom is overrated, and it breeds rebellion.  You almost died because of “freedom”, or have you forgotten this.”

                “Spare me your lectures!”  The Empress practically spits the words at her.  "Sometimes I wish I HAD been killed by that assassin."  She then storms down the stairs away from Saydra and the throne.  “I’m so sick of the lectures.  It’s all I’ve ever known.”  She continues on, without looking back.  “I already know how you justify your actions.”  At the bottom of the stairs she stops and looks back up at Saydra.  “Let’s face it, Saydra,” she adds, sarcasm dripping once more as she speaks Saydra’s name.  “You’re the true ruler of the Zyn Empire; not me.  I don't even know why you pretend.  I’m just your tool, your pawn.  I’m the one who takes all the blame.  Well, there’s the throne.  It’s yours.  I don’t want it.”  Then she turns back towards the main doors and strides off towards them.

                Saydra continues to stand on the dais, seemingly unmoved.  As the Empress reaches the door, Saydra shoots off a final comment which stops Amelia dead in her tracks.  “I will contact the labs at once.  I will ensure that no harm comes to Organa, as you have requested.”

                “No need,” says Amelia, without looking back at her.  “I’ve already taken care of it.”  Then Amelia continues out the door, leaving Saydra staring after her with an unemotional look on her face.  The door closes, and the scene changes.

                In the labs, deeper inside the fortress, Dr. Vasner, an older Cerean gentleman who is one of the chief lab technicians, is working with his back turned to Leia.  Leia is strapped down on a table.  She is beginning to stir and return to consciousness.

                Suddenly, the lab doors open and in comes Kalah, one of the Empress’ handmaidens.  She is dressed all in white, similar to the Empress’ outfit but much simpler and less restrictive.  She wears a cowl over her head so her features are somewhat concealed.  “Whatever you are doing, cease at once,” she says authoritatively.  She comes to stop before Vasner, extending a data pad for him to read.  “By order of the Empress herself.  No one is to harm the Chancellor Leia Organa of Alderaan ever again.”

                Vasner regards her with a cool expression.  “I have my orders from Saydra,” he replies.  “I was to extract her DNA for cloning purposes and then use her as a test subject for the Nemesis Project.  It was going to be painless, I assure you.”

                “Well the Empress’ orders supersede Saydra’s.  After all, last I checked, the Empress Amelia Zyn is our ruler, not Saydra.  Yes?”  Vasner seems determined to not give up on this just yet, but he is cut off by the sounding of an alarm.

                “Intruders!” says Vasner, and he quickly hurries to grab a blaster pistol for himself before checking his computer.  A cartoon image suddenly pops up on the screen of a female Zabrak dressed like a gang member in leather and torn pants.  It is a cute image with her smiling and winking.  A text bubble reads, “CONGRATULATIONS!!!!  You’ve had the privilege of being sliced by the galaxy-renowned slicer… the one…the only…Mirage!”  And confetti explodes on the screen all around the image.  A message scrawls below the image.  It reads, “Your first prize: Security Camera Time Out!  Your second prize: All doors sealed except the ones I want opened.  The third…”  The text continues on and on as the scene abruptly changes.

                In the halls of the Zyn Palace, as the alarm sirens begin blaring, Zelia Harone and her antiquated assassin droid IG-14, check to ensure the coast is clear and then begin making their way towards the labs as if they belong in the palace.  Following them is Kika, aka Mirage, a pale-skinned Zabrak female, covered in electronic gear and tools.  She is examining a data pad as they go.  She seems completely unconcerned about their situation.  Trotting along at her heels is Shadow, a strange, creature with soft, long, blue fir.  White streaks, almost like jagged lightning, course through the fir in various places all over the body.  Its head is similar to a dog’s, but its body is like that of a cat.  The creature is known as a Maachani.

                “And there’s our distraction,” remarks Kika with a mischievous grin on her face without even looking up from her data pad.  “Piece of cake.  Their computer security really needs some attention.  Of course, receiving the security codes from our defector didn't hurt.”

                “The Chancellor should be somewhere on this level,” Zelia comments through her silver helmet.  The armor looks somewhat like an old Clone Trooper helmet except all silver with royal blue accents.  It also has a royal blue cape that extends only from the right shoulder down to the waistline.

                Her droid, IG-14, also has a similar cape dangling from its right shoulder, and it has a large gun of some kind on its back that looks like a blaster cannon.  Its right hand has been outfitted with an actual five-digit hand, and it’s left has been replaced by a flamethrower.  On the droid’s back is the flamethrower’s fuel pack.  He remarks in a deep voice that seems almost as if it comes from the bottom of a well.  “When can I begin the killing, Master?”

                “I’m sure the shooting’ll start soon,” Zelia says, rechecking her modified blaster carbine to ensure it is set to kill.  “I doubt that we’ll be in and out this time without encountering at least a few Zyn Troopers.”

                “I have heard that before,” the droid replies, sounding almost disappointed.

                Then, as if in response, a squad of Zyn Troopers rounds the corner.  Before they can even react, Zelia has blasted two of them with her carbine, and the rest are torched by IG-14’s flamethrower.  They scream as the flames engulf them.  “Yesssss!” IG-14 comments in delight.  “The thrill of extermination!”

                “Tell me again why we keep him around?” asks Kika, but only with feigned concern.

                “I found him,” replies Zelia.  “He’s mine.  Also…”  Another squad of Zyn Troopers appears, but this time IG-14 has unslung his cannon.  He rests the barrel on his flamethrower’s barrel so the weapons are combined.  There is a special attachment to connect the modified cannon so that it is braced against the flamethrower’s barrel.  One shot causes an explosion that tears the squad apart and blows chunks out of the walls.  “…there’s that,” Zelia finishes.

                “That’s the lab,” remarks Kika who is still looking at her data pad.  She points at one of the holes that IG-14 had just made.

                “Ziggy, secure the hall,” says Zelia to IG-14, and she steps up to the hole Kika indicated, blaster carbine ready.  Vasner takes a few shots at her, as does the handmaiden, but Zelia ducks away and opens a nearby door, drawing their fire to it.  Then she swings back into the hole and fires two quick shots.  Vasner takes a hit to the right shoulder and Kalah to the left.  Both fall backwards, clutching their wounds as Zelia steps through the hole, keeping her gun trained on them.  “Grab the General,” Zelia orders Kika, and Kika rushes up to the table.

                Kika helps Leia stand.  “I'm so glad you're awake, Chancellor.  This is going to make my life a WHOLE lot easier.  I'm not really cut out for manual labor.”

                "Who are you?" asks Leia, looking confused.

                "Still groggy, eh?  Mirage.  Remember?  Felderra Dragons?  Sent by General Dameron," says Kika.  "Rescue mission, and more.  We can explain later."

                Leia seems to finally recognize them.  "Mercenaries," she replies as she gets to her feet.  "Yes, I remember now."

                "Got a nice, cozy ship waiting for you," says Kika.  "If you'll just come with me."

                There are more shots fired in the hall, and the light of the flamethrower can be seen as it flares to life again.  Kika makes her way towards the exit with Leia.  As she does, another technician jumps out at her from the shadows.  The Rodian had been hiding amongst the equipment, and with a scalpel, she comes at Kika as if to stab her in the face.

                That’s when Shadow pounces.  The once very cute looking creature vanishes, turning invisible, and leaps up, suddenly reappearing just moments before it bites down on the Rodian’s weapon hand.  Snarling ferociously with a terrible growl, the Maachani snaps down hard.  The Rodian screams as she loses the scalpel and tries desperately to fight off Shadow.  Whipping out her blaster pistol, Kika takes a single shot, hitting the technician in the chest and sending her flying into the lab equipment.  At the last second, Shadow released her, dropping to the floor again next to Kika.  “That’s my Shadow,” says Kika with a grin.  “Always got my back.”

                The group then makes their way down the hallways again with IG-14 taking the rear and Zelia leading the way.  Zelia taps her helmet comlink.  “Bannick.  Do you copy?  Organa is secure.  Making our way to the extraction point.”

                “Barracuda prepped and ready,” a human male voice responds.  “Contacting General Dameron.  He better come through for us.”

                “He will.  The Chancellor is too important to him,” replies Zelia.

                “Let’s just hope our “special friend’s” “secret hyperlane” pans out,” adds Kika.  “I can’t believe we’re trusting a Zyn defector.”

                “No choice,” says Zelia, blasting another trooper just before darting down another side hallway.  “But I’m not waiting for her at the rendezvous point.  I told Dameron to make sure she understood.  We’re not waiting for her.”  Another trooper is shot down, and Ziggy is seen firing at several more coming from the rear.  “If she’s not there, we leave her.”  Then another and another trooper is hit by Zelia’s incredible aim.

                Zelia opens another door and taps her helmet comlink again.  “Nearing rendezvous.  ETA thirty seconds.”

                “Roger that,” says Bannick.  “On my way.  Better make it fast.  I’m picking up on a LOT of activity.”

                Then the door opens to a landing bay, and there is a tall, dark haired woman standing there in fine dress slacks, shirt and jacket.  At her hip is a blaster pistol.  Her hair is wavy, but pulled into a tight ponytail.  She has fine features and is roughly in her twenties.  She has a pack on her back.  “You made it!” she says with a wide grin and relief written all over her face.  She then punches a few buttons on a terminal, and the bay extends out beyond the fortress turning it into a landing platform like the one Saydra’s ship had landed on.  The storm pours water down on an energy shield canopy above them.  “Is the Chancellor okay?”

                “Fine,” says Zelia, a bit annoyed already by the woman.

                A ship is then seen flying straight for the palace.  Cannons mounted on the outside of the palace begin firing at it, but it is a long and narrow ship and hard to hit from straight on.  A stock light freighter, the Barracuda is shaped like a “T” with the cockpit at the base of the “T” and the engines at the top.  Three turrets are mounted on top of the ship, one in front, one dead center and one rear.  Two other cannons rest atop the two ends of the top portion of the “T”, forward mounted.  Four of the five cannons blast at the fortress’ weapons in response, but they do no damage against the fortress’ shields.

                “He’s having trouble,” Zelia says as she turns to Kika.  “Any way to knock out those turrets?”

                Kika gives her a look as if to say, “That was a stupid question.”  Then she goes back to her datapad and hits a few switches.  “Done,” she says, and just like that, the turrets power down.

                "I see the security codes I gave you paid off," says the woman who had been waiting in the hanger bay.

                "Sure.  Yeah.  Thanks," says Kika, and with that, the Barracuda slides down onto the platform, the ramp lowering.  Zelia and her companions rush up the ramp, and the Barracuda launches away from the fortress.