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Post by Force_Flow on Aug 8, 2007 23:41:18 GMT -4
For the first two hours, Scout slept well enough. It was during the third hour that her brain started to register what had just happened. She had already embraced Cerasi as part of herself, but these dreams would have made a Corellian deckhand hide in a closet with a blaster by his side. It was night all over again. The light had come and gone, but it was in her mind, in her soul. The dark was starting to push her back, into a corner… from where Scout knew she would die.
She was only dreaming, but it felt real.
In her mind’s eye, she saw Jaskia, Nait, Sora, Fi, and Padmé walking towards her, weapons aimed at her chest. The hardest face of them all was Naos. “Please,” she begged. “I love you, I love you!” These words were directed at Naos, but he didn’t even flinch. He didn’t even blink.
She fell to her knees in the imaginary corner, waiting for death. Instead she fell down, down into the torture chamber. She tried to speak, and found she couldn’t. She was reliving that day as clearly as it had happened. The scientist had cranked up the torture device full-scale.
The real Scout gasped in pain and brought her knees to her chest. Movement could be seen under her lids.
Vader was ripping her memories apart now. One-by-one, he took them out and replaced them with something completely different. Scout was like a ghost, trapped in her body, riding around in her head in a moment that happened two years ago—exactly two years ago.
The real Scout started to sweat and whimper in her sleep.
The process was almost done. It was a drain on her and her emotions. She struggled a thrashed, and felt a jolt of real pain as her foot lashed out and hit the nearby wall. She didn’t even flinch.
Now she was somewhere else. She couldn’t tell where. It was dark, and lonely. Pain racked her body as Cerasi appeared before her. Her face was pale and twisted by the Dark Side. And Cerasi winked at her. ”Embrace the Pain,” Cerasi muttered. ”He doesn’t love you. He wanted to kill you on Kamino after he figured out who you were. He tricked you.”
The real Scout curled her fist. She was shaking.
Cerasi smiled. ”Why deny it if I’m right?” she asked. ”The suffering will only continue if you resist. Give in for once.”
The pressure on her mind doubled. Scout pushed hard against it. It wasn’t even a real battle. One part of her mind was convinced she was Cerasi, while the other was without a doubt convinced it was Scout. These two halves controlled the same amount of concentration and midi-chlorine levels, and they were pressing against each other. Once thing common about Cerasi and Scout was that they were tenacious. Very.
Pain racked her head. Scout became aware of a long drawn out scream, and was aware that it was her. Struggling towards consciousness, she woke up sobbing, muttering for Nait, Naos somebody.
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Post by hk47fan on Aug 8, 2007 23:51:21 GMT -4
Naos
I had dozed off every now and again, but my head snapped up when Scout began to mutter for people. She was having a nightmare, obviously a nightmare about Vader or Cerasi.
I bolted from the chair and to her side "Scout, wake up. It's me." I whispered into her ear softly, and began to slowly shake her, and gave her mind a Force Nudge "It's all over. You are safe now. Far away from Vader, and his torture. We're all here."
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Post by Force_Flow on Aug 8, 2007 23:56:38 GMT -4
Scout didn’t hesitate.
She threw her arms around Naos’ neck and cried gently. For a moment, she didn’t know where she was or who she was clinging to. Ordo would’ve called her a fool for not paying attention to the details. The thought had barely crossed her mind when the shaking began. She buried her head in Naos’ chest and stayed there.
Why was it so cold in here?
It wasn’t cold at all, but Scout was shaking. It was the only explanation her unusual slow mind could make up for as she tried to recall the dream. It had filled her with such dread, she didn’t know if she would live her die. She was afraid. She remembered the feeling of being pushed into a corner, nowhere to run to, or escape…
“Kill me,” she muttered. “Please… Please just kill me…”
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Post by hk47fan on Aug 9, 2007 0:00:26 GMT -4
Naos
My arms wrapped tightly around her, and I just cradled her for a moment. She's alright. I reassured myself She's alright. She must be.
However my heart and stomach both dropped when I heard her words. "Scout, no." I said in a monotone and even in a slightly cold tone "That won't get anything done. It would make things worse, for you and us. This is just the hardest time, as your memories come back and you only came back into the Galaxy nine hours ago. It will all get better....
I promise."
Those words echoed in my head. Would it get better? It had to, but it would be hard. Or would she be like this forever?
NO!
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Post by Force_Flow on Aug 9, 2007 0:13:47 GMT -4
The shaking continued. Her eyes were raw and numb, her face deathly pale… She pulled away from Naos and into a tight ball on the floor. How did I get down here? she wondered distantly. She pressed her head against her knees and went through a series of Jedi Calming Exercises Yoda had taught her as a youngling. In through the mouth, out through the mouth… Try and regulate the breathing, keep a steady hearbeat…
Gradually the sobs stopped. She sat there ten minutes going through the exercises with Naos rubbing her gently on the back as she did so. She finally threw her head back and pressed a hand to her forehead. She was warm. Just like last time she checked, before she had figured everything out… Running a fever probably. Her mouth quirked down in distaste.
“Thanks,” she whispered, backing up to lean into Naos’ chest. “Thanks for… for everything. I hate this. It’s like she clawing inside my head. It hurts…” She squeezed her eyes shut again. “It all hurts… Am I sick? Please tell me I’m hallucinating…” She tried to bring humor in the situation. “It’s like a ronto versus a nexu up there…”
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Post by hk47fan on Aug 9, 2007 0:25:36 GMT -4
Naos
"Scout, all of this is in your mind. And these dreams are working up your nerves, this is why you had to use that calming excercise." I said, knowing what she was using, remembering when we had both learned it together "Your fever is probably just a short one, from your nerves....."
I only had begun to realize I was a lot more calm and could think easily alot more than I could two years ago, or more so a day ago. Maturing and having Scout back was causing me to finally grow out of my extreme coldness and stubborness, and be able to actually sooth and help rather than ruin it all, or being short in what I was trying to explain. Mabye it was just that I knew she needed me, and was trying my best to be more...calm. In addition I had gotten use to living this kind of life style.
"I'll protect you," I whispered "I won't let you go again. You have nothing to worry about."
"Think about it this way: Vader can't do anything more. You wouldn't turn willingly, and obviously even extreme brainwashing with machines and the Force. Everything is coming back, you are coming back, and have been for the past day." I said in a regular tone "What can he do now? I am confident he won't kill you. I learned that the hard way during these past two years. I could have saved myself...alot of energy if I had not been so confident when you were captured and we found that body on Apatros."
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Post by Force_Flow on Aug 9, 2007 23:02:31 GMT -4
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Scout muttered, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. “It’s my fault for giving up at the last second. I was thinking about Nait… I remember how you two used to tease me at the Temple. Made me angry. Lost concentration, and I could barely hide the memory of the ‘crew in my mind before he broke everything in there. It hurt… It still hurts…”
She took the thousand-mile stare and focused on the window shade, still down because her eyes were still adjusting. She had never been on Alderaan before. But Bail and Breha Organa ruled a peaceful planet. Even without the Force, she could feel the life pulsating beneath her. It felt good. Like the Temple again. She cracked a smile.
“I don’t want to go back to sleep,” she said after a moment. “Can we stay here… just for a second? Then I need to get my butt back into shape and make a few dry runs around the palace.” She was all military now. She had to take action. Because if she took action, she wouldn’t have to think. But it was also a soldier’s job to know how far she or he could push themselves.
She struggled back into a sitting position, uncrossed her legs so they were at least three inches apart, and grabbed the side of the bed to haul herself up. She teetered for a moment, locked her legs, and managed to stand. She didn’t need another’s help. They had shown her kindness, and she would respond in turn. An overwhelming sense of protectiveness hit her, and she didn’t know why. She found it intriguing.
“Can you show me around the place?” she asked. There was nothing in her voice to suggest that she had been crying minutes ago. “Just a quick tour of the Palace is all. You don’t have to show me anything you don’t want to. And if Bail’s hosting a dinner for the Imperials, we can’t be seen.” She needed fresh air. The air in the room was pleasantly cool, but Scout wanted the natural scent, the smell… She wanted to remind herself that she was still human. Mostly, though, she wanted to smell flowers again. To see mountains, and look over a city. You couldn’t do that when you were technically a wanted fugitive of the Empire—Vader had probably issued another bounty on her—because someone might recognize you.
The thought of Imperials in the Palace had awakened this sort of hunter’s instinct. She had switched to military mode just like that. She had become detached from everything around her. She needed escape routes, main entrances, observation points…
But, greatest of all her needs, she just needed to feel soft grass beneath her bare feet…
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Post by hk47fan on Aug 11, 2007 0:21:23 GMT -4
Naos
"He's still got that fracking dinner party going, it'll be hard if you really want to see anything. This palace may be huge....but the Imperials probably have bodyguards everywhere, anywhere. Also remember how Vader's gotten obsessive about anyone who is suspicious, and he may suspect Bail of something." I warned
"But....Scout, one real reason I can't is....I have more to deal with. Remember Darrina exists, it was hard for me to remember that. And I'm starting to feel like a two-timer, more than I already did." I told her, and slowly began to look away
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Post by Force_Flow on Aug 11, 2007 0:30:41 GMT -4
Scout shrugged. Holding back the curtains a bit with her hand, she looked out into the warm night. Gazing up at the stars, she let herself smile. It slowly faded at she looked down. A jolt was sent through her stomach as she looked at the three-hundred-foot drop below her. I thought we were on ground level, she thought. Her gaze wandered around the small buildings beneath her, probably the palace staff quarters. Then towards the indoor landing pads.
“You don’t have to be a two-timer,” she said. “You don’t even have to date anyone in this kriffing galaxy if you don’t want to.” She didn’t come away from the window. The air tasted like honeyed summer rain… Leaning on her elbows, she continued to look down, squinting at the shapes below her.
“You have the freedom of choice. We’re Rebel’s, aren’t we? We actually want the Republic back. And the Republic stands for freedom and peace. If we don’t have freedom, will they have it?” She gestured with her hand towards the open air. Towards the city. “I’d rather die free than die a slave to the Senate, to the Empire, or to someone I’m not even sure I can trust. You can’t trust me. So don’t weigh your decisions based on what I might think. As long as you’re happy.”
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Post by tallboydave on Aug 14, 2007 14:43:11 GMT -4
Mariel struggled back into a semi-concious state with a soft moan. She felt like a speeder bike had run over her. Twice.
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