Running Again... (COMPLETED)

[Lady DeVille]

[Continued from pub23.ezboard.com/fthesit...D=78.topic]


*Lost amidst the stars, De'Ville slept uneasily in the pilot chair, knees pulled up under her chin.

A red light started blinking from the console. Then a blue light alternated with it, throwing strange colors on De'Ville's face.

She woke up suddenly, terror captivating her bones. The blinking lights greeted her, and she threw herself towards the panel in front of her before she realized what they were.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, De'Ville flicked a switch and read Live Wire's message. She slammed her hand into the console, and too late realized that she should be careful what she hit. With a screech of stressed durasteel, the My Vengence was torn from hyperspace. De'Ville hit her head on the console, opening up a two inch long cut on her forehead.

Blood ran into her right eye, temporarily blinding her.

She cursed, and quickly ripped her sleeve off, binding it around her head in a crude field dressing. Grabbing the controls of the Interceptor, De'Ville checked the engines.

::Hyperdrive Offline::

Blood, and bloody ashes! *De'Ville kicked her chair, and then checked the star charts for the nearest system. She was pretty much in the middle of nowhere, but if need be she could limp her way to Coruscant, the city-planet of her birth.*

[Lady Vader]

*LV finished tinkering with her ship, and wiping the grease from her hands with a small towel, went off towards her room in the Sith Palace on Corellia... on her way there she passed Garrett's room and glanced in, seeing LW in there confronting him*

*she frowned*

What in blazes was going on?

*she kept walking down the hallway... as she passed LW's room, she noticed the door ajar and a small light blinking inside on LW's comm consule... curious, LV walked in and checked it out*

*it looked like LW had sent a message and LD had recieved it... LV frowned again and punched in a few buttons to get a fix on LD's ship, tracing it through the recieved message... no good, LD had blocked it somehow... why would she be running like this? and from what?*

*slightly exasperated, LV threw the towel on the consule and walked out of the room back towards Garrett's room to speak with LW and see if she knew anything*

Time to get some answers.

[Lady DeVille]

*De'Ville shivered. She had rerouted climate control to regain some mastery over her blown engines, and it was nearing freezing inside the c0ckpit.

She cursed again, and threw a hydrospanner against the bulkhead. The Interceptor was crawling towards Coruscant, but at this rate it would be at least two days, if not three, before she reached the main shipping lanes.

Sighing, she left the navigational controls on autopilot, and retreated to her cabin.

Lying on her bed, De'Ville bundled her slim body in blankets, and breathed deeply. In and out...

...in and out...

...her eyes fluttered shut as she entered a Force induced trance-like state.

The My Vengence sluggishly continued on its way*

[Garrett Blade]

*Live Wire had been staring at Garrett for over a minute now, but Garrett had not even turned around to look at her. She shouted at him, and he slowly rotated to meet her enraged face. Once his eyes had targeted hers, Live Wire stepped back in dread is Garrett's eyes had turned completely black.

Live Wire: Garrett!! What have you done??? Whats wrong with you???!!!"

Garrett Blade: It's happening again!! Everything he said would come true!!! It's happening all over again!!!"

Live Wire: "WHat??? What are you talking about??? What is going on???"

*As she said this, a deep, two inch cut suddenly formed on Garrett's forehead. It began to bleed quite badly.*

Live Wire: "Garrett! Your head!! Let me get you something to heal it with!!!"

Garrett Blade: "It doesn't hurt!!! It's nothing compared to what she's going through!!!"

[i]*Garrett wiped some of the blood from his forehead. As he did this, he began to cry. Tears of blood could be seen around his eyes"

Live Wire: "Garrett! I'll get a m edpac!!! Wait there!!"

*As Live Wire turned to leave for the medical bay, Garrett grabbed her by the arm, which caused her to let out a small scream. He held on to her, whilst Fenix leaped up off the bed and guarded the door...*

Garrett Blade: "I lost my faith in science and progress!!!"

Live Wire: "At least let me..."

*He stopped her before she could finish...*

Garrett Blade: "You could say that I lost my faith in the forcely-ways!!!"

*Garrett let go of her, and then he and Fenix left the room and went off to the right...*

Live WIre: "Garrett...where are you gong???"

Garrett Blade: "To the hanger!!! To my ship!!! To find De'Ville!!!"

Live Wire: "Garrett!!! The hanger bay's that way!!!"

*She heard Garrett turn round, and then joined him as he walked in the opposite direction to that he intended to go...*

Garrett Blade: (To himself)"You could also say that I lost my sense of direction..."

*The two sith walk together, in silence, to Garrett's YT-2000...*

[Lord Dagger]

:: Dagger appears out of the shadows next to LW and Garrett ::
"If i may my Lady, DeVille is my friend, i would like to help you find her, and help her if i can when we do"

[Lady DeVille]

*The small cabin inside the TIE Interceptor was still. There was no sign of life, except the occasional puff of condensing breath from a lump of humanity on the bunk.

De'Ville was not as peaceful as she appeared. Inside her mind her thoughts were as chaotic as hyperspace. Colors, feelings, nightmares and daydreams all collided in the midst of her brain. She literally had to struggle to maintain the suspended state of animation she had entered.

In front of her lightly closed eyelids a face appeared. It grinned at her, and then melted like wax into a screaming skull.

De'Ville came out of her trance screaming, cold sweat all over her body. She sobbed uncontrollably, hands on her head as if to keep her unconcious thoughts inside.

Fresh blood trickled down the side of her face, staining the collar of her shirt. Her makeshift bandage had come off. The sobs subsided, and she swung her stiff legs out of the bunk as she went in search of a medpac.*

::Proximity Alert::

*An alarm sounded*

Blood and ashes! *De'Ville slapped her hand over the cut on her forehead, and stumbled into the c0ckpit. Once there she could see nothing, so she punched the distress beacon, and grabbed the controls to her ship, slowly bringing it around 90 degrees. There it was...

Through the viewscreen she could see a good sized Correlian freighter. The other vessel hailed her*

:::To the Interceptor My Vengence, this is the frieghter Justified, may we be of assistance?:::

*De'Ville choked on the words* I would be...grateful. My hyperdrive --

*The other captain interrupted.* We are aware of your engines situation, make preparations for docking with us. We'll have you fixed up in no time.

[Lady Vader]

*LV happened to be standing outside the room when Garrett started to walk out the door... she placed a hand on his chest and stopped him dead in his tracks... from the look of her face, she meant buisness*

LV: Garrett... I just heard what transpired in there. What's this about "it's happening the way he said it would". Who said? What's happening? Do you have some connection to LD leaving? And what's with the gash in your forehead?!

*she was annoyed and slightly angry... nothing Garrett did would really surprise or startle her... but all that was happening was happening too fast and with no explaination... LV hated that, and she was determined to get some answer, or at least understand the actions that were taking place*

*LV looked at Garrett again, narrowing her eyes*

LV: Well, answer me.

*LW came to stand just behind Garrett, listening*

[Live Wire]

*Live Wire was getting impatient with the whole situation and decided it was time to take matters in her own hand*

LW: Garrett get yourself to the medical bay and thats an order! LV you're comming with me now!

*Without waiting for either of them to say a word LW grabs LV's arm and draggs her towards the waiting ship. The two sith women run up the waiting ramp and LW runs toward the cockpit to start the engines. LV closes the ramp and sits herself down in the Lightning's Strike copilot chair*

LW: *sighs* seems like we are always running somewhere.

LV: Yeah I know

*the strike takes off speeding away from TSO HQ*

[Garrett Blade]

*Garrett sat on a repulsor-stretcher in the medical bay. The droid lumbered its way over to him with an assortment of medical devices. The droid placed the tray on the bed nect to him. The "astromech apothecary" then turned around and went back into the preparation room...*

Garrett Blade: "I can't take this anymore!!!"

*Garrett looked down at the tray by his side and caught sight of a scalpel. He paused for a moment...then turned away...*

Garrett Blade: "No! Not yet!!! That time will come!!! I have to do it first! I have to right the wrong I have caused...before its too late for her! Before it's too late for me!!!"

*Garrett leaped off the bed and darted for the door. He was outside just in time to see Live Wire's ship zoom overhead and leave the atmosphere of the planet. As he did so...he fell down to one knee as an immense pain shot through his head. Garrett remembered in dread as a voice echoed through his mind...*

I TOLD YOU DIDN'T I!!! BETTER HURRY UP!!! UNLESS YOU WANT IT TO END LIKE BEFORE!!!

*Garrett shook his head, and foced both the pain and the voice back into the void where it had come from. He rushed to the hanger bay only to find his YT-2000 had been sabotaged. There was a sign written in blue paint on the side of the grey hull...*

Garrett! Sorry about this! It's for your own safety! Stay here!!!----Live Wire

*Garrett cursed Live Wire - though completely unintentionally and on behalf of the moment. He then looked arounf the hanger bay. Suddenly his eyes came to rest. An evil, cheecky grin appeared on his lips. Garrett slowly and inconspicuously walked towards Gav's heavily modified advanced sith infiltrator...The Demon. he booted up the primary systems and blasted off. Once he was clear of the planets atmosphere and gravity well...he stopped for a moment. He closed his eyes and searched the void of the force...searching for Lady De'Ville. But to no avail...

He tried again...this time searching his feelings.....but without success.....

He tried a third time. He paused...and instead searched his heart. It had almost been his undoing before...but he was willing to give everything up...just to save her...even if it meant loosing himself in the midst of the chaos which was uprising even as he sat there in the coldness of space......


Suddenly.....his eyes shot open.....revealing that blackness just as before. He powered up the hyperdrive and whispered something to himself...*

Garrett Blade: "Found you! Don't worry! I won't let it happen again! Not this time! Not to you!"

*As Garrett uttered the words he engaged the hyperdrive and disappeared towards Coruscant...*

[Lady Vader]

*LV sat in he copilot chair watching the streaking stars of hyperspace as both she and LW made their way towards LD's ship's distress signal*

*she sighed... she had helped LW saotage Garrett's ship... in a way, it'd been fun, but also felt wrong... she knew he'd do anything to find a way off planet... there really weren't that many ships in the hangar that housed Garret's ship... not many that would...*

*LV's eyes widened and she sat up*

LV: Emperor's Black Bones!!!

LW: What?

LV: Garrett! Ship!

*LW looked perplexed*

LW: Come again?!

*LV shook her head and pounded her fist against it*

LV: Stupid, stupid stupid!

LW: WHAT?!

*LV turned towards LW*

LV: We sabotaged Garrett's ship, and there really weren't many ships in that hangar for him to take.

*LW nodded*

LW: Yeah... your point?

*LV frowned*

LV: What we forot was that Gav's ship was due for a maintanence check this afternoon. The ship probably arrived in the hangar AFTER we left, leaving Garrett plenty of time to hack his way in and take it!

*LW cursed the universe for mainanence checks scheduled at odd times*

LW: I thought it was scheduled for morning.

*LV looked sheepish*

LV: It was, but I postponed it so I could work on my ship.

*LW sighed and cursed again, while LV shook her head*

LW: Well, nevermind that now. What's done is done. We've got a mission to complete.

*both LV and LW waited for the countdown to real space to come*

[Lady DeVille]

*De'Ville allowed herself a slight grin as she docked on Coruscant. In the middle of Imperial Center no one would find her, of that she was certain. What she was not so sure of was whether or not she didn't want to be found...

She growled as a grasping technician demanded a bribe in order to give the My Vengence extra security and a long term berth. She wasn't sure how long she would need to stay here.

De'Ville entered a turbolift, and shot down a few levels into a huge crowd of commuters and diplomats. She hailed a repulsorlift taxi and got in, closing the door firmly behind her.

The taxi cab flew into the midst of Coruscant's traffic, and De'Ville was lost -- lost in thought, and perhaps in danger of losing herself...

Back on the My Vengence , the distress beacon still transmitted coordinates.*

[Garrett Blade]

*Garrett paced backwards and forwards in Gav's quarters. He was tempted to go rooting through his master's stuff - but resisted the temptation. He walked back to the piolts seat to check on his position. When he got there he sat down and began to fiddle with the sensory equipment in front of him. He was about 3 hours away from wherever the hell it was he was heading for. he tried to load up the master star chart but required an access code...*

Garrett Blade: "SON OF A ....!"

*Garrett suddenly stopped when he heard that same voice in his head. It sent shivers along his spine...*

Can it be that the legendary Garrett Blade is losing control all over again!!!

Garrett Blade: "What do you want? Just leave me alone! Just go somewhere and die!!"

But I can't die! Remember! Just like you! Thanks to her!!!"

Garrett Blade: "Shut up! Leave her out of this! I already feel bad as it is!!"

And so you should! Just think how easy it would be if you would just accept this and let her fulfil her destiny!

Garrett Blade: "Because it's not her destiny! It's MINE!!!!! Bah! You can't even call it a destiny for me anymore! Oh yeah sure...perhaps before I met Gav and De'Ville and Live Wire and all my other...friends... back at TSO...perhaps then it could have been called a destiny. But now...I don't even know what it is now! Hell...I don't even know what I am now! Perhaps it would be better if I left...things would get back to normal and I could end this thing without any risk to them! NO! I have to save her first...THEN I'll finish it!"

*The voice disappeared from whence it came...whiulst Garrett sat down again in the chair. He watched as the ETA counter decreased...and got lost in his thoughts......*


The only question is.....how???

[Gav Mortis]

"Certainly Lord Mortis, this way. The team should've finished the maintainence on your ship by now" declared a scruffy looking officer as both him and Gav made their way towards Bay 023.

"Ah here we..." the officer was silenced in shock as they both turned a corner.

"Umm...where's my ship" asked Gav before the man could resume speech.

He walked over toward the spot where his ship should be and as soon as he stepped onto the platform the floodgates of his mind burst open and images came flooding in uncontrollably, resulting in immediate migrane.

"Sir, I can assure you that... Urgh!"

The man fell to the floor unconcious after being leveled by Gav's fist connecting with his jaw.

"Damn it! I'm going to need something heavily shielded to catch up with the others, they must have left hours ago!" he concludes, making his way towards the drive yards.

[Lady DeVille]

*Stepping out of the repulsor craft, De'Ville set her feet on the duracrete walkway. The building in front of her was one she had not seen in quite a few years. Built on top of yet another 'scraper, the old Imperial Orphanage look a little worse for wear. The repulsor craft left her standing outside in a sudden updraft of wind.

She shivered. She hadn't remembered to change her outfit, and her thin white blouse was still stained with her blood, and missing the left sleeve. De'Ville stamped her boots on the duracrete, and hugged her arms to her body, rubbing them to restore warmth. She took a deep breath, and walked through the automatic doors into the murky darkness of the orphanage.

At least, that was what it had been. As De'Ville looked around her old home she was not surprised to find it quite empty. She had only sensed a few life forms inside...but still... She had hoped to find someone who could tell her what she wanted to know.

De'Ville walked down a narrow hallway and up three flights of dank, dirty stairs to her old dormitory. She paused outside the door.

The keypad was old, and crusty with mold, but the code was old too. De'Ville scraped the keypad clean, and tapped in the authorization code that she remembered. The door slid into a recess in the frame, screeching awfully. De'Ville sensed-- and ducked quickly as a mynock came flapping out of the room, just barely missing her head. De'Ville pulled her blaster and shot the creature as it flew haphazardly down the hallway.*

Never liked those... *She cautiously entered the room, and fell to her knees just inside the door. Emotions flooded her mind like a tidal wave, and she retched on the floor, hands white knuckled and sweaty. The smell was incredible, a mixture of old cheese and Mon Calamarian military rations. De'Ville struggled to her feet, and walked slowly down the row of tiny bunks, searching for her old bed. It was right by the transparisteel window, covered with filthy blankets.

She looked out the window, and saw the familiar sight of 'scrapers and sky hooks. Traffic whizzed by, never pausing. There was nothing here to stop for.

Turning back to the bed, she sat at the foot and kicked the wall in frustration. She stood up quickly as insects started crawling out of the blankets that were mounded up on the bed. The light was bad, but they looked like maggots. Looking closer, De'Ville caught her breath. It looked almost like...

She lifted the blankets away with the force, and fell back against the wall, hand over her mouth in a silent scream of horror.

A small skeleton lay on the bare mattress, curled up in the fetal position. The skull was facing away from her.

De'Ville recovered her senses. This place, is so creepy... She paused in her thoughts. Why am I here? Turning back to the body on her old bed, De'Ville froze.

It was moving. The skull was turning to face her, looking at her.

She couldn't move. Was she even awake? De'Ville swallowed hard, fear rooting her feet into the crusty carpet. The skeleton was facing her. It pointed at itself, then extended a bone finger to point at De'Ville.

It laughed, a horrible, gurgling laugh. De'Ville screamed.

She found her feet, and ran. Fueled by fear and anger, she ran with force-enhanced speed out the door and down the stairs.

Bursting out of the front doors she gasped for air, sobbing and gulping oxygen. She fell to the ground again, scraping her exposed arm on the rough duracrete.*

Excuse me, miss? Do you --!? *A concerned commuter had pulled his repulsor craft over to her platform, and was leaning out of the door.

De'Ville looked up, and fear was replaced by instant and scalding hate. With a feral yell she lurched to her feet and ran to the man.

Grabbing his arm, she yanked him out of his car, and scrambled inside. He yelled something, and tried to hang onto the door as she pulled the craft up and out into the airways.

She didn't even notice him falling to his death on the levels below.*

[Garrett Blade]

*The Demon dropped out of hyperspace in high orbit above Coruscant. Immediately a voice was heard over the comm-tranciever...*

Airtraffic Control: "Please identify yourself and transmit your ID!"

*Garrett did not answer, but instead increased the speed of the sith infiltrator to maximum. Immediately, a squadron of TIE Fighters started an intercept course with the ship. garrett made easy work of the TIE's and entered the atmosphere. Immediately, a city-wide alert was announced of Garrett's illegal entry. Police units were placed on priority alert and ordered to shoot on sight. As Lady De'Ville piloted the craft through the vast traffic of the upper Coruscant highways, she noticed the flaming image of a sith infiltrator soar over head and crash a few miles north of her position...and crash into the Coruscant City morgue.....*

[Lady Vader]

*the indicator for the tracking equiptment began to flash... LV reached over and pressed a button, reading what was on the screen*

LV: Looks like LD's ship has changed coordinates again. The distress beacon is now transmitting from the inner core... Coruscant.

*LW grumbled, looking at the indicator for hyperspace... they still had ten minutes to their previous destination and she hated reveresing to real space prematurly*

LW: Damn! Ok. Make sure your crash harness is well fastened and hold onto something!

*she mumbbled*

LW: I hate doing this...

*LV checked her harness and grabed the consule... suddenly the ship reverted to real space, luckily not in any dangerous situation... the still stars greeted them in the inky black void of space*

LW: Alright. Setting a course for Coruscant. Why don't you give Gav a call to let him know where we are.

*LV nodded and raised Gav on his comm*

LV: Gav, it's LV. Listen... LD has made off again with no reason given. Her distress beacon aboard her ship shows to be on Coruscant. We're headed there in LW's ship.

Gav: That's fine. But where's MY ship?

LV: Oh, that. Ummm... it's a long story. You can borrow my ship for now. The code is Authorization GammaBetaDelta22375. Meet us at Coruscant. I fear LD is gonna get into some trouble.

Gav: Alright. Is your ship still berthed in Bay 021?

LV: Yeah, you'll find it there.

Gav: Ok. I'll see you guys later. Where do we meet?

LV: Dock on Coruscant near the Commerse Station. We'll land our ship there and then contact each other and make a search for LD. Oh, and we might have to find Garrett too.

Gav: Garrett?? What the hell is going on??

LV: We'll explain when we meet. We'll see you on Coruscant.

Gav: Alright. Gav out.

*LV cut the transmission and looked at LW*

LV: Message away.

LW: Good. And the navcomp has given coordinates to Coruscant. Let's move.

*the Strike jumped into hyperspace*

[Garrett Blade]

*Smoke hissed from the wreakage of the sith infiltrator amidst the ruble of the morgue. Numerous metal lockers were toppled over each other as a result of the impact. Dead bodies lied everywhere - nothing very unusual for a morgue. Then...something started to move. The ramp to the upturned sith infiltrator slowly lowered itself, allowing an extremely angry Garrett to exit the craft. He looked around whilst dusting himself off. As he looked around the morbid room he took note of the corpses surrounding him. He raised his hands above his head with outstretched palms and fingers*

*A red glow emitted from his hands and radiated out from the room. In an instant, Garrett's mind was invaded by memories of old - great wars, political strugles, common strifes and a whole ton of others. But a few seemed to interest him further. Suddenly a number of bodies struggled to their feet amidst the sea of death. Amongst them were a Wookie with a bowcaster in his hand, a man dressed in common spacers gear with a holster around his waist cradling a heavy blaster pistol and a dogtag around his neck which read "Han", but the rest had been scratched off. Also, the body of a black man, with a tattered cloack around him and seemingly noblemens clothing. Garrett smiled as he easily reckognised the men from his past.....*

Garrett Blade: "Ah men! I wonder if you could help me with a small dilemma!!!"

*The three undead beings looked at each other with puzzled looks on their lifeless faces...*

[Lord Dagger]

:: Dagger decides to follow the two Sith women how obviously don't want his help anyway and so board the SSD Dominator and lays in a course to intercept the Strike at Courusant. The modified SSD sets of only moments after the small ship, but, thanks to Daggers many modifications beats them there, arriving in orbit he waits for the others to arrive. The hail from control breaks his wait ::
"Unidentified Star Destroyer, please identify yourself"
:: Dagger leans forward and opens the comm ::
"This is the SSD Dominator, requesting persmission to remain in orbit for a time"
"Permission granted Lord Dagger"
:: Dagger smiled, 'oh good' they remebered him ::

[Lady DeVille]

*In an instant she felt him, and her blood seemed to turn to ice in her veins.

De'Ville opened the door to the small craft, and simply
fell
out.

Her mind cleared as the wind currents battered her body, and she hurriedly splayed her arms and legs out to slow her descent as she simultaeneously tapped into the Force to contain the fall. She slowed, righting her body in midair, until she was drifting downwards about two hundred and fifty yards off the nearest platform.

A horn blared as a repulsorcraft swerved to miss her, and nearly collided with another. De'Ville's eyes were closed, and her arms were crossed in front of her face, hands gripping the sides of her head. Another gust of wind caught her slim body as a taxi service vehicle barely missed her, spinning her around, and bringing her eyes open.

She screamed at the sight of a huge delivery vehicle barreling straight for her, and dropped, not bothering to slow the descent until she was about twenty feet off the far below platform.

De'Ville grunted when she hit, tried to get up, and then just decided to rest for a minute. She was so far down there was not much chance of anyone disturbing her.

Or, so she thought.* Lilaena? Is that you?

*A rough, masculine voice grated on her tired ears, and she tried to tell the being off, but only managed to squeak out a moan. Two callused hands reached her, and as they touched her exposed skin De'Ville tensed, ready to strike out with no mercy. However, at their touch she relaxed, and her lips softened into a smile.

Her eyes opened, but only saw a blurred image.* Darven?

*She fell into the terrifying void of unconsciousness*

[Darven Calmoarn]

Lilaena? *I grab the woman's head as her eyes roll back and her body goes limp.

Looking around I see no one who could help this fallen angel, for indeed she had fallen out of the sky directly in front of me. She had started bleeding from a previous wound on her forehead, the rich red blood trickling down her cheek.

I lift her up in my arms, and find her to be very light. Her arms flop, and I pull her left arm so it rests more comfortably on her body. Her flesh is cool to the touch, yet a sheen of sweat stood out on her forehead. Her blood stains my coveralls, yet something is very familiar about this woman.

She looks like Lilaena, yet I have never seen her looking so thin and pale before. The Lilaena I knew was thin, but robust somehow, and full of life.

I duck behind a trash container as a police unit cruises by my position. The woman/Lilaena moans in her unconsciousness, and I have to get her inside where she can rest.

I turn towards the open maw of a door, and carry the woman through it.*