Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 1949254" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 118: A Familiar ScentShadow had, quiet literally, picked up a scent. She hadn’t noticed it until they had returned to Loki and she’d morphed back to her Alraxian form. It had been just before stepping into Loki, having given up on telling Jen it was dangerous to walk around Coronet on her own. But Titus had decided that it was alright, saying he wouldn’t be much help in negotiations involving money. Shadow had given up not because she didn’t think Jen was being stupid, but because of that smell. Without anymore than an “I’ll be back” as explanation, she disappeared into the city again.    Now, nearly an hour later, she stood in the center of one of the larger outdoor parks within the city. Park was a stretch, as it really only contained a huge, elaborate fountain and some plants on top of the usual metallic ground. Metal everywhere. Despite years of living in this part of the galaxy, there was still that primal aversion to it. The idea of walking on it was enough to drive any normal Alraxian crazy. But Shadow had learned. Heavy boots were comforting, as were other heavy clothes. Not only for warmth on the colder(by Alraxian standards) planets, but currently they also assisted with concealing her unusual appearance. Alraxians were easy to spot around here. Well, around anywhere that wasn’t the Empire. The real Empire, in Shadow’s opinion, not one that had taken over in this part of the galaxy and not even lasted a century.    Sniffing the air again, Shadow pushed her way through the crowd and continued the tracking. It was a smell that one didn’t find much in this area. In fact, up until Akan had been the subject of that little accident and got his new body, Shadow had nearly forgotten it. But this wasn’t as simple as just an Alraxian scent. It was more familiar than that. One that worried Shadow. It wouldn’t have only a few months ago, before her knowledge that she was actually a clone of the real Marix. The real Marix probably wouldn’t worry at all. In fact, she’d probably be excited. Okay...so Shadow was a little excited, too, but there was worry masking it.    There. Movement in the scent. It was stronger...her ears twitched under the heavy hood, following an odd noise. No, that was an older ship leaving one of the hangars. Follow the smell. Focusing on some old things she’d been taught, Shadow put her mind on only the smell. Her eyes worked only to move her around the buildings, the crowds, and anything else in the way. Her ears did the same. Smell guided her. It guided her around one corner after another, down many of the main streets that were scattered through the city, and Shadow couldn’t help but notice how the scent seemed to avoid all those back alleys. That only helped to confirm the identity of her ‘prey’.    And then it stopped. She took one step and it was gone. Another step back, it was there again. Hmm...Shadow went back to actually using her eyes and looked around. It didn’t take long. Right there, directly in front of her, was a large building. It was a hotel. Under the hood, she grinned. A fairly cheap one by the look of the sign. Anyone having to put “Best Rooms Within Three Blocks!” was really pushing their luck. And it fit with the relative naivete of her suspected prey in how this galaxy worked. He’d believe it. But the smell didn’t go inside? Why? That didn’t make sense...he wasn’t smart enough for that.    Her ears started working again. When they did, she found out the reason for the end of the scent. There was an air vent just above the entrance, obviously designed to give some kind of odd effect when one entered. When Shadow walked in, she only felt annoyed at the rush of air in her face. When she stepped into the lobby of the hotel, the scent was back. Along with a thousand others that really weren’t worth trying to think about. Ignoring the older looking human behind a desk, she followed the scent straight to the single turbolift. The man probably tried to say something to the mysteriously heavy cloaked humanoid that plodded past, but Shadow didn’t hear it. This was Corellia, if the guy wasn’t used to people ignoring him by that age, he was a hopeless idiot. And so, Shadow stood in the turbolift, wondering which floor to go to.    This was the part where guessing took over. Maybe asking that guy at the desk would have been a good idea...but no, would he really be registered under the same name? Surely, he was dumb enough to actually be registered, but under his real name? Shadow stopped a moment. Yes...yes he would. Sighing, she just pressed a button anyway. A matter of seconds later, the door slid open to reveal a small, boring hallway. The scent was there. Grinning, Shadow followed it. Reaching the door, Shadow took a deep breath. How long had it been? Surely before Marix had left the Empire. So why was he here now? Why hadn’t she thought about this before making it all the way here?! Sometimes, hunting instincts were problematic.    Some part of her would figure out what to do. That part was also already taking over, having gotten control of her left arm and then knocking on the door. There was nothing for a few minutes, and Shadow couldn’t help but wonder if he was really even there. But no, the scent was strong. New. And she could...feel him close. Hopefully, he would notice that, too. Hopefully. But that was pushing it.    The door slid open. When it opened, Shadow was surprised to see no one there. She could see the opposite wall, blank and boring. There seemed to have been a small entrance hallway into the likely equally small room. Step inside? No...a sound. Breathing? Yes. Not her’s. But where was he? These doors usually required one to stand in front of it to hit the switch. A moment later, she caught a hint of movement. Off to the left, inside the door, she saw the slight twitch of movement. It was a tail. Swishing just at the edge of her view. Shadow grinned. That finally confirmed it.    “You’re not hiding very well, Alyx,” she said, doing her best not to laugh instead of speaking.    The tail came into view again. It was a soft white colour, with the hint of an black stripe down it. Second, an ear appeared. Third, a familiar voice, “M...Marix?”    This time, Shadow did laugh. But even though she felt a strange happiness at this, it was decided by a well staffed committee within her mind to hold off on the whole ‘clone’ thing for he moment. So, her answer was, “Yes, Alyx, its me. Do you plan to crouch there all day?”    A head appeared. If anyone else had seen it, they would have sworn it was her’s, just with harder features and his eyes were a soft green instead of her silvery-purple. The two green eyes widened upon seeing her, and he stepped back, motioning inside, “Um...sorry...I uh...um...didn’t know you were...uh...here.”    Grinning still, she stepped inside of the small room. The door closed behind her, and it wasn’t long until she’d pulled the hood down and sat next to Alyx on the only piece of furniture in the entire place. A bed. Or...what passed for a bed in these parts. But that wasn’t important right now. Alyx had oddly mixed expression on his face. She saw the expected excited look, but it was mixed with something she couldn’t read. That was odd enough on Alyx’s face. He wasn’t the secretive type...he also wasn’t the type to be away from home. Alone. Her thoughts were following that path again, and Shadow quickly stopped them. But she’d stopped them too late, saying, “What are you doing out here?”    He gave her a careful look. Obviously, it wasn’t a question he wanted to answer. But just as she couldn’t lie to him very well, he was just as bad with her, “I’m not allowed to come and find you?”    Alright, so it wasn’t a lie. But it really was dodging. Together, they both sighed. One of them was going to have to stop avoiding the issue at hand. Her link with Alyx was not nearly as strong as her link with Akan, but it was still strong enough that base emotions could flow through with a little effort. And she felt it from him. Fear. Fear of what, though? That didn’t help much. He’d always been afraid of the simplest things. Shadow made the choice to be the one to bring it up, “Alyx...I know you’re not here just to see me. Or at least, not in that nice little way that we’re pretending to be true.”    Alyx nodded. His expression became depressed, and Shadow couldn’t help but wish she’d not said anything. Staring down at the floor, Alyx said, “Mom sent me.”    Mom. He never called her that. Well, once...before she...Marix had left. He really was worried. Afraid. Of what? No, calm down...do this slowly. This wasn’t some idiot to interrogate. This was Alyx. Watching him curiously, Shadow spoke quietly, “Something’s happened, hasn’t it?”    Again, he nodded. It was a few moments before he said, in a voice just barely above a whisper, “There have been a lot more Mrrakesh raids on the border since you left...and...and...Kyren...he...”    “What happened to Kyren?!” she snapped violently, grabbing Alyx’s shoulders and staring him straight in the eyes. That look worried Alyx, but thankfully, he knew she wouldn’t hurt him.    “He’s alive...” were the first words out of Alyx’s mouth. They were the smartest, and Shadow’s grip on Alyx loosened enough that he felt like he wasn’t being crushed anymore, “He was working with a group of Jendari on one of the trading worlds. It was...assaulted. The Mrrakesh attacked and took the planet. Kyren got away, but was injured.”    Letting out a sigh of relief, Shadow nodded and said, “Kyren isn’t the reason you’re here, though. Has anything happened to mother?”    Alyx shook his head, “No. No, she’s fine. We’re all okay...but...everyone’s afraid of this drastic move. Its been...been...a long time since anything more than border skirmishes!”    And who else would be best to assist there than the future Empress herself? It made sense. So her mother was just using her again. The people of the Empire would only take the lack of her presence for so long...and what better way to bring her back than to show she was a strong leader? The Empress was a healer, not a fighter...but her daughter. The heir. She was a fighter. An assassin. The Empire didn’t know this...they did know she was trained as a warrior, but not that she was a Tam-Day-U. They didn’t know why she was gone. But a story could be spread. One to strengthen the people. The Empress was up to her usual schemes and Shadow had never liked being stuck in them. It was part of the reason she...she...no, part of the reason Marix had left.    Quietly, without completely realizing that she was speaking, Shadow whispered, “I can’t go back.”    “Please...I...you know I wouldn’t have come all the way out here to find you if there wasn’t a choice,” Alyx hung his head and stared down blankly. But in that movement, Shadow caught something in his eyes. In that look. There was another layer to those words. If there wasn’t a choice...interesting words. They were the key. If he’d never said it, Shadow would never have known.    Her expression went cold. The hands on his shoulders just rested there, almost like a droid that had been shut off. This wasn’t lost on either of them, and Alyx knew he’d made a mistake. His head looked up and watched those cold, expressionless eyes for a moment. Now what? He’d screwed up...and...and...cutting off his panicked thoughts, she said quietly, “You know, don’t you? You all know.”    For a few short seconds, Alyx looked like he was going to break down and cry. But instead, he didn’t move, speaking in a completely different voice, one that was very unlike his usual kind and friendly tone, Alyx said, “...yes.”    “How long have you known?” Shadow asked in the same emotionless, droid-like voice. One that was impossibly unnatural for an Alraxian.    Swallowing nervously, almost looking more afraid than before, Alyx tried to look away and said, “Since...since mother tracked you down last time. She...we...I...they told me I should kill you if you knew.”    The way Shadow looked at him, Alyx couldn’t help but look back up into Shadow’s eyes. He saw Marix in them. Obviously, that terrified him. Strangely, though, Shadow felt her own expression soften just slightly, “Why am I not dead yet?”    Alyx sighed and closed his eyes, “I can’t...I can’t do it. You’re....you...you aren’t her. You aren’t my twin, but...but you are. I can see it in you. And I know you’re an abomination to life...everything that is evil. Yet...its...its been so long.”    When he started crying, Shadow panicked. What was she supposed to do? This wasn’t her brother. This was Marix’s brother. He said it himself. Yet...he was right. She couldn’t actually differentiate between her memories and Marix’s, so to her...this truly was her twin brother. Maybe not in every sense of the word, but there was something there that they could both notice. Carefully, she hugged him. As Alyx buried his face in her shoulder, Shadow asked, “How long has it been? How...how old would she be?”    It took a little while until Alyx calmed down enough to speak. His face was still in her shoulder when his muffled voice said, “Twenty cycles...she would be twenty cycles in a month or so.”    “You’ll be grown soon,” Shadow whispered, rubbing her brother’s back and thinking about all of this. She wasn’t that old. In fact, she was much younger than that. What did that mean? No. Think about that later. Talk to him... “Alyx, I still can’t. There are things I have to do here. I have a human...to train. And...” taking a deep breathing, Shadow knew the next words could change the entire exchange. But she said them anything, “And I think the real Marix is still alive. I need to find her.”    “She’ll kill you if she is alive,” mumbled Alyx as he sat back up and watched her closely.    Shadow nodded, “Maybe...but I have to find her anyway,” and then, seeing something in his expression, she changed her next words, “Go back home, Alyx. If I find her...I’ll send her. You know she’ll go. But you can’t stay here,” a grin appeared on her face, “You’re probably having enough trouble already.”    With a weak grin, Alyx nodded. Even for the smartest Alraxians, this place would be daunting. The idea of money was something that would throw anyone off for at least a week. To think of Alyx dealing with all of this couldn’t help but make Shadow grin more.“I’ll bring you your sister back, Alyx. I promise.”    He nodded slowly, then suddenly shook his head and looked her straight in the eye, “I hope she lets you live...you are...you’re so much like her. I should be appalled. I should be disgusted but...but even if you don’t find her, I know she’s still alive.”    When he hugged her, Shadow couldn’t help but be surprised. In all the Alraxians hatred for clones, it was never imagined that the clone could actually have a similar personality as to the original. Always, it was assumed that the clone would be an evil abomination bent on destroying everything...especially its original. The fact that Shadow showed this to be different had Alyx’s mind in even more of a spin than before. He shouldn’t have been so happy. But like he’d said...his sister was alive in this clone.    They didn’t speak much after that. What else could be said? So, after pointless small talk, Shadow knew she had to go. After making sure he would go home and not follow her around(which he, among all her brothers, was the most known for doing and getting himself into a lot of trouble from it), Shadow left and started on the long trek back to Loki. So now home was in trouble. At least she had an excuse not to run off this time. There was even an excuse not to go straight to finding the real Marix. Jen’s training was more important now. But she couldn’t help shaking the worries that had come from seeing Marix’s twin again. Somehow, Shadow was going to ahve to find a way to force herself to focus on Jen’s training. That wasn’t something to involve oneself in and be distracted in the process. One thing at a time. First: Jen. Then....well...then, things could just go wherever the Force took them. At least, that was the idea. Shadow ignored the rare occurrence with which things actually followed the original idea.</blockquote>

Verification