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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 1981274" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 135: First Date with Destiny - IntroductionsThe hyperspace trip as a whole was uneventful, which was a very good thing in everyone’s minds. Even arrival at Coruscant was simple enough. They responded to the comm transmission from the docking authority with a simple three clicks of the comm. Well, it was simple for Alderaan, but Loki wasn’t completely sure how the clicks should sound, so there was a pause where he screened different sounds to Akan. Once it was close enough, Loki almost transmitted the clicks. It was an old ‘trick’ of sorts that Akan had learned in the time he’d been with SpecForce.  The comm clicks was a way of telling the Docking Authority that you were a resident and had your own personal hangar. Technically, while in SpecForce, Akan had a very nice apartment on one of the upper levels of a gigantic building overlooking the senate hall. Of course, he’d never spent much time there, but there were a lot of short cuts that came out of that which were still useful.    And so the two ships cascaded through the atmosphere of the planet-wide city, navigating by Shadow’s intuition and Akan’s eyes(when they got close to buildings). The Alderaan stayed back far enough that it was easy to adjust course without slamming into Loki, who was making many sharp turns as Shadow worked out exactly where to go. Thankfully, they were at a high altitude and away from the main traffic centers of the planet. Then again, there was only about two places on the planet that were like that. One of them was the ‘nature preserve’ which was just a well crafted fake that tourists loved, and the other was in the more industrial sections of the planet. Currently, they were over the sprawling agricultural district. The ‘ground’ was in view, covered in row after row of crops grown in a completely artificial environment...not counting the air. It was likely that the actual ground of the planet was a good kilometer or so down, maybe even more.    Just as Akan was starting to get worried that someone might become suspicious of the two ships aimlessly flying around, Shadow made an ‘ah-ha’ type sound. Before he could ask the obvious ‘what is it?’ question, she waved a hand to keep him quiet and directed Loki off to the east. Focusing on the distant feeling which was mixing with a sense of deja vu, Shadow dropped Loki down even farther, nearly skimming the crops...which soon turned to small buildings and piping. What they were, Shadow didn’t care. She did care when they rose up in random spots, as it provided a momentary distraction. Her mind continually picked up from where the distractions had stopped her. Reaching. Searching. It was like pulling on a thousand kilometer long piece of string. She knew it was there, but it was faint, and very fragile. Forcing it simply caused it to ‘snap’ and Shadow had to start all over. It was the cause of the wandering they’d been doing. Taking it slow meant following the mental trail without losing it.    Suddenly, the string became a bright, shining beacon. Shadow nearly jumped back at the sudden strength of the feeling even though it faded a half second later. What was that?! But...there!! A grin on her face, Shadow brought Loki down even lower, so much so that the ship started to protest cautiously, though Akan quieted Loki by telling him the truth. Shadow was going to listen, and she wouldn’t let anything hurt her ship. In the distance, they could see that the piping and assorted...things...faded into buildings. They were smaller when compared to the towering complexes near Imperial Center, and were likely mostly maintenance facilities and similar things. It wasn’t long before Akan could tell that she was aiming for one building in particular. It was smaller, with a circular top that had tons of little antennas sprouting up from it.    Then, Shadow spoke. It nearly sent Akan jumping out of his seat after he’d gotten so used to hearing nothing but Loki’s voice and the soothingly organic noises that the ship made, “Get in your hunk of metal and blast that hangar open.”    “What hangar....oh,” he trailed off, mentally seeing exactly which one her mind had locked onto. Biting his lip, Akan risked a question, “Why not just have the Voorts blast it open?”    Shadow pressed a small button that Akan had come to know as the comm unit, “Scan the small circular building up there. Specifically, can you blast that hangar open for us?”    A pause, then Jen’s voice, “We aren’t a warship, Shady. That thing is made of something strong. We can try, but Titus says it will just be a waste of time. Good news is that its empty in there. I’m assuming that’s our place?”    “It’s where we park,” Shadow answered, then said, “Alright, hang back and we’ll get the thing open.”    Jen was about to acknowledge that when Shadow cut off the comm and looked over to Akan, “Up. Back. In ship. Boom.”    “Thank you for the layman’s description,” Akan grumbled, getting to his feet and heading out to the hangar.    Shadow just smiled to herself, waiting until she knew he was in his X-Wing and pulling out from Loki’s small hangar to reply. [I always believe that its best to describe things for idiots with short words and many diagrams.]    [Oh really?] Akan’s mental voice responded, sarcasm and at least a little bit of annoyance dripping. [Well, you forgot the diagrams. What is it that’s supposed to go boom again? And how far back? Oh! My back, right? My back’s in the ship...hmm...so my back needs to go boom? How do I do that]    She rolled her eyes, knowing he could at least feel it. That wasn’t worth the honor of a response, so Shadow just shot a few emotions across their link to get the point across that way. It wasn’t long before the X-Wing streaked past Loki’s viewport, approaching the building before coming to a stop just as the other two ships had. There was a long time when nothing happened, then Akan’s voice returned. [The main cannons can’t do anything to that. That’s some serious plating on there.]    [You do have those torpedoes, yes?] Shadow asked, back in her business mode and getting slightly bored with how long Akan was taking. He didn’t respond to that, but she could feel a strong urge to argue. Yes, Shadow knew that there were only a couple of those things left, but this was one of those times that they were useful. And if Akan didn’t figure that out soon and fire at least one, she was going to have Loki give the X-Wing a nudge. Thankfully, in Loki’s opinion at least, Akan acted. Both the Voort’s and Shadow were at an angle where they could only see the X-Wing rock back slightly. The blue glow of the torpedo wasn’t visible around the X-Wing or the soft red glow of the four sublight engines.    However, they did all see the explosion. A proton torpedo was technically overkill, and the explosion proved it. They were all glad for the distance as the entire front half of the hangar detonated, flying up and out from the force of the explosion. The top of the building didn’t collapse in, but instead shot straight up and back, eventually falling across other buildings around. Now, the once enclosed building was a mess, but was open. Shadow sighed. Hopefully that didn’t destroy anything important.    “You two set down first,” Akan’s voice sounded over the comm, sounding scratchy as usual, “The structure should still be okay...that roof was up high and I think the structure’s mostly intact.”    “Mostly intact?” that was Jen again, “You realize what will happen if its not mostly intact, don’t you?”    Shadow listened a moment, then decided to bring Loki in anyway. As she set down the Kanyak very carefully(between some rubble and two walls that weren’t designed to be destroyed), Akan’s voice responded, “Yes, but I think Shadow will get to me before you do.”    Ignoring it, Shadow made sure things were alright before getting up and patting the wall gently, “Lock up and stay alert, Loki. I shouldn’t be too long.”    Ten minutes later, the two other ships had set down in the ruined hangar and everyone was out. Shadow had gotten her vibroblade and even the lightsaber, but was fairly sure she wasn’t going to need them. Fairly was enough to bring them, though. Akan and the Voorts were standing around babbling on about nothing...well, no, Jen and Titus were talking and Akan was looking like he wanted to run away. At least they kept trying, but Shadow knew that he wasn’t going to open up at all. She’d tried to shut him up about all the worrying about Jen long before and knew at this point that it was just something to deal with. If it got in the way of things that needed to be done, then he would simply be left behind so that he wouldn’t get in the way.    When Titus saw Shadow, he smiled and asked, “So now that the place is open, where area we going?”    “I thought you said you worked security there,” Shadow asked idly as she walked right past them to a small door that was, thankfully, on the wall that was still in one piece.    The three others fell into step behind her, with Titus saying, “Yes, but I didn’t exactly bring myself to this place. It was high enough security that I doubt there were even pilots in the airspeeders.”    “Which is why we go down,” Shadow said proudly, hitting the switch on the door to reveal a turbolift. This was almost disturbingly similar to their last ‘family visit’ to Coruscant. Though none of them needed to say that, of course. Without any other words, they all stepped in and the switch was hit to take them all the way down. At the speeds that most turbolifts moved, there was a lot to be gathered from the fact that it took five minutes for the turbolift to stop. The door slid open to reveal a pitch black corridor. Or at least, pitch black to the two humans. Both Akan and Shadow could see the corridor very faintly.    “Bottom floor: Dark corridors, mysterious smells, and evil intent in the air,” Akan commented, being the first to walk forward, “All victims and fools, please step out of the turbolift and enjoy your time on the wonderful of Coruscant.”    “Cute,” Jen commented in the direction of the voice. She looked around the black, hearing a few footsteps that she assumed to be the two Alraxians moving along and probably thinking that she and Titus could see just fine, “Akan, a little light please.”    “Huh? Oh...” his voice trailed off, and for just a moment she thought that he was going to say something else. But Akan’s sarcasm was cut off by his worry, and instead the next sound was the snap-hiss of his lightsaber. The blue-green blade was about ten meters ahead, shedding a very faint light that did little but show her where Akan was. Lightsabers were glowrods. But at least it gave a little direction.    And then, the blade started moving. Both Voorts followed silently, Jen keeping an hand on Titus out of a slight sense of worry. Darkness like this was worrying to most anyone. Ahead of Akan was Shadow, which they only knew because of the soft noises of her footsteps. She wasn’t trying to be silent...and even then, it was a faint sound. Corner after corner they turned. Back and forth. Down. Always down. The corridors became slanted, at nearly a twenty degree angle. But no steps. No doors. On and on and on. Downward. Left. Right. Forward. Left. Left. Down...down...    The lightsaber stopped moving. The Voorts stood still. They watched the blue-green blade go from an upright position to a more casual place off what was likely Akan’s right side. After a moment, a few sounds echoed beyond them before Shadow’s voice called back, “There’s a door.”    “Doors open,” Akan commented, sounding a little too serious and much less sarcastic than usual. Maybe it was just the general tension in the air, but none of them were surprised at Shadow’s growl.    “Yes, they do. And tails can be cut off.”    Akan heard at least one soft chuckle from behind him, but decided it was probably warranted. This wasn’t the best time to start picking at Shadow. Or anyone for that matter. The lightsaber rose up again before moving forward. For a short moment, the light from the blade provided the Voorts with a quick sight of Shadow stepping back. Then, the lightsaber stopped moving just in front of the door that now had a small amount of coloured light across it. Enough that they could see writing.    “What does it say?” Jen asked as Akan moved the blade, probably getting ready to cut his way in. The weapon stopped, and moved back just slightly.    After a couple of minutes, Akan said over his shoulder, “Um...Security Level Gamma Two Seven Five. This facility is monitored. Anyone entering without the express authorization of the Emperor, himself, will be executed immediately. Blah, blah, blah...the usual.”    Then, the lightsaber moved up slightly. It stopped again. Akan’s voice echoed back to the Voorts again, much quieter and sounding surprised, “There are claw marks all across this thing.”    “What kind of claw marks?” Titus asked, speaking up but already knowing what the answer was going to be.    The answer came from Shadow, “Alraxian. Those are deep. Looks like someone wanted in.”    “Do you think there’s another Alraxian here that we don’t know about?” Akan asked, sounding much more worried than before. Jen was actually surprised he’d said that out loud. She had gotten used to the two Alraxians speaking amongst themselves in the most private way possible...mentally. Either he wasn’t thinking about it, or he wanted the two of them to hear. Doubtful. Akan probably just wasn’t thinking about it.    “I would expect that they aren’t new,” Titus spoke up again, “I remember...many incidents that involved things getting clawed to pieces. Not just doors, either. It could have easily just been a clone that didn’t want to come back.”    Those words created an odd silence among them all. Even Titus had felt uncomfortable speaking them. Eventually, the lightsaber moved again. This time, it finally dug into the door, producing a soft red orange glow. There was a crumbling and melting sound that echoed along with the lightsaber’s hum. Slowly, the glow and the blade moved to the left. As it did, pieces could be heard dropping to the floor. Akan started to cut down, then back, creating a square within the door. But as he reached the bottom and got ready to move back to the right, he decided to push the lightsaber in a little more. The blue green disappeared, leaving only the red of superheated durasteel.    But then, as he pulled the lightsaber across, the blue green blade started to become visible. Larger pieces began to drop, and then something else. A sharp, tiny beam of light. Akan didn’t stop when it appeared, but continued cutting. The light grew, following the blue green and the red in an odd collection of colours in the darkness. Before he had even cut halfway across, the door started to crumble. The crumbling became a sudden crash, and the lightsaber was pulled back as light flooded into the corridor.    Blinding white light. When their eyes had adjusted again, they all saw a small airlock-like room. Akan was the only one to know his lightsaber had been deactivated. He was right next to Shadow when she stepped into the room. The Voorts caught up quickly, and Titus reached out and caught Shadow’s hand before it reached the switch to open the next door. She spun around to give him a confused and slightly angry look, but Titus just said, “You are ready for this?”    “Yes,” Shadow said, her voice hinting at least a little fear, “Are you?”    He managed a nod, pulling his hand back and saying quietly, “I am.”    Jen wanted to say something about the lights being on, but for some reason decided against it. There were more important things that just couldn’t be interrupted. Shadow turned back to the door, and managed a short look to Akan. [To the end.]    Shadow nodded slowly, then allowed herself a deep breath. Slowly, her hand shaking slightly, she reached for the switch again. This was it. She was in there. Marix. But what else? What else was in there? What things from her past were hidden away within those walls in the depths of Coruscant? Amazing how so very many things ended up relying on one simple action. Press the switch. That was it. That was all that had to be done. Yet Shadow hesitated for one of the few times in her life. It was like when Akan had been killed. She had hesitated for a half second, then steeled herself to what had to be done...no matter what the consequences. In the end it was worth it, and she knew never to regret it. But that had been complicated. Taken work. Effort. Thought. This...just a switch. Open. Close.    And then she pressed it. Without a single noise, the heavy blast door opened like a diamond shaped iris. It opened quickly, giving no time for things to slowly appear. Instead, they were overloaded with what they saw. At first, it was just a single, stark white corridor. But at the end of it, beyond a small desk, was everything. Shadow nearly ran forward to that junction where the corridor opened up. Stopping at the desk, her eyes took everything in at a closed distance. Through the glasteel window, she could see a room. It was large, with at least ten levels going straight up. Each level of the square room was lined with large cylinders. Cylinders that almost looked like bacta tanks. Almost. But bacta had a certain colour to it. There was no colour here. But no...this wasn’t close enough!    Frantically, and ignoring the hallways going both directions, Shadow found the entrance to that single room. The door opened and she charged in, suddenly realizing the true scale of it all. The room was at least sixty meters wide and probably close to eighty or ninety long. Loki could almost fit inside. But the scale didn’t matter because Loki could fit. The scale mattered because of what she could see inside those cylinders. The bottom level where she stood(with the three others behind her even though she wasn’t paying attention) had each of the cylinders labeled. Alpha. All of them. Alpha, and then a number. Inside each were bodies. They floated in an unknown liquid, eyes closed and not moving at all. Each of them had long, white hair with a single, thick black stripe down the center. Feline ears popped up out of the hair in some places, and many of them were chipped or cut at. Tails floated behind the unclothed bodies, the same coloured markings on them as the hair. Every single body was Alraxian. All of them female. And all of them looked exactly like Shadow would...except for one major difference.    They were older. That was obvious in the body shape and structure, but also from how large they were. Most bodies were curled up slightly, bringing the near two meter tall bodies into a much smaller space. Shadow opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. No sound came out. Slowly, she looked up. The next level, she could see more tanks and more bodies within them. But even from this distance, she could see they were different than the ones here. No only were some of the cylinders on the next level empty...but many of the bodies within looked young. Much younger than Shadow was. They looked to be completely covered in fur, which would make them about the age of toddlers. Floating. But the same coloring. The same. All the same. She looked up more. Ten levels. Ten levels of them...and what state were they all in? Why different?    “Ah-haaa,” a voice echoed down through the room. It was hauntingly familiar, but none of them could place it. It also froze them all in their place, already shocked by what they were seeing. Now to hear a voice... “You are early. I had expected to have more time for fun. But no matter. This much better anyway!”    Far, far above, they all saw a flash of movement downwards, then a loud clank of metal. Then, the voice returned, “Those Alphas are all dead. First isn’t always the best, of course. Usually, it isn’t. The bodies worked out right, but their minds just aren’t...well, I think the correct word in this place would be wired. They aren’t wired correctly. In fact, they aren’t wired at all. Dead weight.”    Another quick flash of movement down and then a louder clank of metal. This time, Shadow and Akan could see that a figure was dropping down from one level to the next. And again, the voice spoke, still that familiar but unfamiliar sound to it, “The Betas, though, they did better. Instead of attempting to rush the growth to an adult stage, they tried to bring it back some and raise children. It worked well enough, but Alraxians at that age aren’t good at taking orders...even if they are programmed for it.”    After that, another jump down and another metallic thud. But all four of them heard something in that voice. Something about the last thing that it had said. There was almost a bit of disdain there...but when the voice continued speaking, it was back to the dangerous playful tones, “But after that, all went well. Yes, the Gammas are mostly dead, but all died in combat and on missions. Most of these up here are empty, actually...the select few that remain. Those...”    The figure jumped again, but this time not to the level below. Instead, it dropped three full levels down, landing with an almost deafening clank not ten meters in front of them. The figure had landed in a crouch, and Shadow was the only one that wasn’t amazed at not seeing a gooey splat instead of a live figure. A figure that stood up completely. For a two point six meter figure to stand up, it took a considerable amount of time. When fully upright, they looked upon what could easily have been Shadow...the same hair, even the same length. The same build, except much taller and very obviously female. Also, there was no scar on her face like Shadow had. And then grin on this Alraxian’s face was more dangerous than any of them had ever seen on Shadow before, “Those of us who remain...are worthy of it.”    The voice was very familiar. It was Shadow, but older. Just like everything else. Stretching very slightly, the larger figure seemed to take delight in the shocked looks on all of the faces, “Though you have obviously tainted that worth, Three,” the silver tinted eyes were on Akan, “But we have more interesting things to talk about than that, do we not?”    Finally, somehow, Shadow found her voice, “You’re...Nine, aren’t you?”    Nine grinned again, very proudly, “So you do have a working mind in there. Perhaps you even know why I am here...”    “Marix...” Shadow whispered, then, after a quick glanced at Akan, she spoke louder, “What have you done to Marix?!”    That got a very disturbing and long laugh out of Nine, “Now, now, Three. Marix is the least of your concerns. I would suggest that you first take up your grievances withe the rest of our sisters. It seems that they think you should be killed. Funny that. It leaves less work for me.”    Before anything else could be said, movement was heard. A large amount of movement. They all looked up, even Nine did. And they all saw figures dropping down. Hundreds of them. At least. There so many...so very many. The remaining clones of Marix BlueIce fell down towards Shadow, Akan, Jen, and Titus...claws extended, growls in the air. It was like nothing any of them had ever even imagined. Except for Titus, and he knew exactly what these clones were capable of.</blockquote>

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