On the bridge of the Star Destroyer a grouping of some of the galaxy's worst were gathered; the lowest scum of the universe!
The assassin droid IG-88.
The reptilian Mercenary Bossk.
The insidious duo of Zuckuss and his Protocol Droild 4-LOM.
The handicapped former soldier, Dengar.
And the worst of them all, the man who's name spread unease throughout the galaxy...
Boba Fett.
Among them walked Darth Vader, the Emperor's right hand, without an ounce of fear. It was, in fact, quite the opposite. His mere presence incited fear even in the hearts of the toughest of bounty hungers, even if they would never admit to it. "I want this woman found and dealt with." He'd just finished giving the description of the person he was after and turned to see if anyone had questions.
Boba Fett spoke up first. "You do realize you're going to need to pay us more than ten-thousand credits to catch this woman, right? There's someone else who wants her head, too." He said with no small amount of arrogance. He'd tangled with Vader before. He knew he wouldn't win in a fight, but he could get the fuck outta dodge when necessary.
Vader turned to look at Boba Fett through those absorbing, life-less eyeglasses on his helmet and spoke in his booming voice. "Twenty-thousand credits for the man that brings me her head. Do we have an agreement?"
Behind his Mandaloriaan Commando helmet, Boba snorted. "Please. Jabba has always held the offer of fifty-thousand credits for her pretty cyan-haired head."
There were murmurs of agreement. The second highest bounty Jabba had ever offered. The highest being that smuggler Han Solo. And that was because his error cost the lord of Tatooine more than just a headache.
"He isn't here, is he?" Vader asked and turned to regard the others. "Do any of you feel you are being treated unfairly?" This was a dangerous question and they all knew it. Vader wasn't known for his patience or for putting up with people that antagonized him. In truth even now, with a dozen of them alone in the room with the Dark Lord, they were unwilling to risk angering him.
Still, Boba Fett pushed the buttons, but only as far as he would go. "Twenty-five thousand. Take it or leave it." Indeed, it was why Boba Fett was considered the greatest of all Bounty Hunters. He would toe the line with death when necessary.
"Not a credit more. And you have a week to find her," Vader agreed.
"I agree to those terms." Boba said seriously.
The towering man stood there for a moment more, the sound of his artificial respirator pervading the room, before walking out. As soon as he stepped out of the room there was a sense of relaxation coming from everyone.
"...Damn, he's creepy," Boba allowed now that Vader was out of the room. He turned his head. "Even creepier than the rest of you ugly bastards."
More than one sneer was directed his way.
Boba Fett ignored most of the other trash and already started making his way out of the room. He had a week to hunt. He intended to collect that bounty.
---
As Vader walked towards his chambers he felt the repulsion for the bounty hunters in his men's minds. He couldn't really blame them. The door to his personal room opened and he quickly made his way to his chair. Pressing a few buttons an image appeared in his screen. "General Veers, report."
"General Veers here!" Reported the Imperial Officer on the screen. "What is your request, Lord Vader?"
"How goes the search for the Emperor's prize?" Vader asked ignoring the whimpering that came from a corner of his room. He'd deal with her in due time.
"We have not had time to produce significant results to find the heir, Lord Vader," General Veers said. "The search has gone on for only six hours, and we have not found anyone that could be the son of our Emperor." He looked over his console. "However, we HAVE found a surprising number of youths with a Mitochlorian count that actually tripped off the scales."
If Vader was surprised he gave no sign of it. "You know what must be done with them, General."
Veers nodded. "Very well. I will have them transported to the Liberation. You may do with them as you please."
"Proceed with everything as planned. And..." Vader trailed off. What was this feeling he was getting?
The hairs on General Veer's head stood up as Darth Vader went silent. That was NEVER a good sign for an Imperial Officer. Tentatively, the General questioningly asked, "Lord Vader?"
For a full minute the only response was the sound of Vader's respirator. When he eventually broke the silence it was to give an immediate command. "General, spread out the cruisers and cut all access to the system. I don't want a single ship getting in or out. Is that clear?"
General Veers looked startled for a moment. "Sir, we only have eight Star Destroyers. That's only enough to cut-off a planet! Eight Star Destroyers alone can not isolate a Solar System. We need to send a call in for more ships."
"Do it." Vader didn't explain his reasons further, he just ordered Veers to follow his commands.
General Veers nodded. "Yes, Lord Vader!"
Vader cut the connection and sat there in silence for a moment. This mission was starting to become more and more interesting as time progressed. He stood up and walked over to a shadowed corner. He didn't mind the way its occupant shied away from him in fear and anguish. "You seem ready for another session," he said just before increasing his hold on the Force.
Setsuna grit her teeth. "Just kill me..."
Vader loomed over the broken form of the Senshi of Time. He didn't answer as he invaded her mind once again, bringing forth all her fear, anger, resentment. Everything. Everything that was dark in Setsuna's soul was brought to the fore.
The woman's eyes flashed red and she lunged from her spot on the floor like a wild animal, intent on tearing the Sith Lord's head off!
Vader moved back incredibly fast, contrary to what his huge frame suggested, and avoided her lunge. All the time he kept pumping her with dark feelings.
The woman struck out blindly in her rage, her red eyes seeing nothing but the pain and betrayal she'd been dealt with over the years. Seeing her hard work for some dead bitch go to waste as some mother-fucker from outside the galaxy took everything away from her.
Vader fought off her attacks, not that it was very difficult since she was lashing out like a wounded beast instead of a trained fighter, and felt satisfaction. It was coming faster than he expected. Very soon Setsuna would be completely turned to the Dark Side. He'd never taken an apprentice himself, but it seemed like now was the time. Setsuna's feelings screamed so loud it was easy to... What was this?! Vader extended his senses and could feel... "All to easy..." He said as he attacked through this new route. Who would've thought Setsuna, a woman as beautiful as she was, held such resentment towards her lack of a sexual life because of her duties. This was what he needed to turn her from that stupid princess and towards the upcoming Emperor.
The woman was angered further and further into a blind rage as the target of her hatred kept weaving back and forth in her attacks. Hands went to scratch like claws, yet seemed to miss every time, as if her opponent was nothing more than an apparition.
"Release your anger. Hold onto your hate to destroy me," Vader said as he took a hold of her wrists. "And those that have kept you back from what you truly desire."
The green-haired woman pulled back desperately to free her wrists from the death-grip the dark creature before her. With a roar, she smashed her knee up into Vader's abdomen...
...And that roar turned from a mix of anger to pain and resentment as she cracked her kneecap.
"Search your feelings. You know it to be true! Follow your feelings and let them guide you to what you truly want." Vader started pumping her mind with scenes of war and destruction. Not a difficult thing to do since he was there most of the time, guiding the attacks. Then he started to overlap what she remembered for the Silver Millennium with scenes of Empire controlled cities. It was order, it was peace. There was no war. He also, and most cruelty, reminded her of all the times she couldn't follow her feelings of lust and love because of her duties and merged that with the unknown image of the to be Emperor. She could have them both. She could have both her dreams if she allowed herself to.
As Setsuna struggled her emotions went through tumbling through her mind. Fear. Relaxation. Anger. Resentment. Lust. Sadness. Eventually the woman stopped straining and just was held up by Vader, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
Vader remained as he was, holding her up by her wrists, and waited for the results of their latest session.
After long moments of silence, broken only by the sounds of Vader's respirator, Setsuna finally looked up into those reflection-less eyes. "I fucking hate you..." She said, literally spitting into the face of the mask.
"Good. You are on the right path, then." Vader's words hurt more than mocked her. She knew he was right, he was breaking through her defenses with incredible ease.
God, how she hated him.
"Return to your corner. We will continue with this in an hour," Vader commanded and let go of her wrists.
The green-tressed Senshi of Time fell unceremoniously. Whimpering, Setsuna crawled off to her corner. She couldn't walk; her kneecap surely fractured at the least.
Vader saw the woman crawl towards the corner with grim satisfaction. Soon, very soon, the new Emperor's bodyguard would be ready. It was just a matter of time.
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(Posted Mon, 24 Jan 2005 01:47)
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