A Living Nightmare
Chapter 2: Fuck Mondays
"You fear what you cannot control. Master Jedi, lifeforms are all the same. Greed, fear, all of it is a universal truth that your kind denies."
Location: The Maverick- Engine Cooling Room Entrance
The Imperial Stormtrooper designated TK-421 had his armored back against the wall, his E-11 blaster held up in both hands as he looked to his fellow stormtrooper across from him. They both had gotten commed from the Admiral that they had located the origin point of the electric pulse. He had informed them that the techs up on the bridge ran a heat scan on the room and due to the cold temperatures in the room, a single heat signature was found. Which meant the rebel scum was still inside, probably lying in wait to ambush whoever came to find him. Oddly enough, Verrits ordered them to set their blasters for stun.
When TK-421 objected, the Admiral gave him a cold glare and said: "I am acting on Lord Vader's orders. Would you like to voice your opinion, trooper? I am certain he would not bat an eyelash killing you for disobedience. Now, do it."
Now, they were ready to breach the room that held the rebel scum inside. His fellow guard nodded quickly before turning even quicker into the room, its sliding door already opening by the time the muzzle of his blaster came to point at the room. The room itself was bathed in an eerie green glow as green coolant flowed in clear tubes along the walls and ceiling. There were a few crates in the room, each one holding a means of repair in case of a leak. TK-421 was glad his suit had its own air conditioning system, otherwise he was certain he would turn into a shivering icicle the moment he stepped a foot in the room. Looking around, he spotted a body on the floor, the torso leaning against one of the blue crates. His buddy was kneeling down on one knee, getting a closer look at the rebel, his hand pressed against the side of his helmet as he placed his blaster down.
"Admiral, this is DY-1138 reporting in from the cooling room..." said TK-421s fellow guard, his conversation getting blocked out as TK switched his internal comm off.
Now bathed in the green light, the stormtrooper took a good hard look at the rebel. 'Boy more like' he corrected, observing his features. The boy, no older than twenty, had brown hair or black from what he could tell with the light tinting everything. The hair being buzzed and cut short did not help the deduction to be sure. His attire was a black mesh jacket made to ward off the rain yet stylish in its look. Underneath the jacket was a blue shirt that had no sort of markings, just a simple shirt. He wore rugged pants that were baggy, its color blending into the light of the coolant.
His shoes had no laces, they were just black form fitting footwear. The kid's face was just like his attire, nothing really noteworthy. His skin was a light tan, his cheekbones were quite prominent and his jawline seemed to have been drawn at a forty five degree angle. Observation over, he saw his friend pick up the rebel, throwing his unconscious form over his shoulder.
Turning his internal com back on, he asked: "Well, what did the Admiral say?"
"He said to put him in the brig. I ran a med test on him and sent the data back to 'im. The rebels' blind, probably from the pulse bomb he used." replied DY-1138, shifting the so-called rebel that was slung over his shoulder. TK walked out of the room in silence, followed by his comrade.
There was an important tidbit of information he left out, there was no bomb to be found in the room. The scanners in his helmet couldn't find any trace evidence of such a device. Which left the question in DY-1138s' mind, what happened in that room? But he was expected to be a voiceless grunt of a trooper who did not question authority. Following orders was his job, so he planned to do it. Stopping at the lift, the door opened and the two men went into the lift. TK punched the button inside the turbolift to head up to the detention center, where the Admiral was waiting to question the brown haired rebel.
Location: Unknown
I felt nothing. I saw nothing. I smelt nothing. My senses were void, my thoughts were blank. I felt like I did not exist yet I retained a small amount of consciousness. In truth, I shouldn't exist. Not anymore, after what happened. But what exactly did happen? I could not tell you, even if I knew I probably would not wish to talk about it or think about it. Is that why I could not recall what had transpired to leave me in this state of limbo? Perhaps this feeling of being nothing is a way of punishment, for some unspeakable sin I had committed.
Yet I know something had occurred, something important. So, my entire existence is whittled down to nothing, end of story right? Fate seemed to have other plans. One moment I'm in complete bliss, the next all of my senses explode.
My lungs gasped for air while my body felt its chilly sting. I breathed in and out rapidly as I shot up from whatever I was laying on. My hands latched onto the side of what I realized was a metal bench that I had substituted for a bed, the material felt slick under my touch. After a few moments, my body returned to its normal breathing pattern along with my heart, who had felt the need to try to thump over a million times a minute.
Silence followed my awakening for only a few minutes, I was lost in my thoughts. I was unsure as to where I was. I could not see, the room was as black as could be, there was not a speck of light to be seen. Perhaps I had been kidnapped? No, I was of no importance although there were those who would say otherwise. Most of those being my family. I thought about them for a second.
I knew in a way that I had a family, and I loved them. I knew I had aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins but...I knew nothing else about them. It was like there was something preventing me from recalling anything about my past. At least anything specific about my past. It is the past that defines who you are in the present after all, but without a past I have no sense of self. In a way, I am the same way I was before awakening in this dark place: an empty husk. I inhaled and exhaled out of my lungs, the cool air almost choking me where I sat. I needed answers, but more importantly I had to find a way out of here. I knew I was in a room due to the fact the bench-bed was welded to the wall but other than that I could not tell how big it was or where the exit was due to the darkness.
I blinked a few times to keep my eyes from drying out in the cold room, the air drying out the edges of the eyeballs. I brought my hand up to my eye and closed it, rubbing my eye to try to help get whatever was in it out. In the silent darkness I stopped what I was doing, I could swear the was someone watching me. I could just...feel it. I could not explain it but I could somehow tell there was someone out of this room, waiting to act. A shiver ran down my spine and my palms got sweaty. I could tell whoever was outside of these walls had a small vendetta against me, their anger was kept in control under strict discipline. The logical side of my brain reeled back in surprise, what I just learned should be impossible.
Being able to tell others emotions without even knowing they are in the room with you, let alone without seeing them and getting the vibe from the posture and language of the subject. But the other side of me was simply in awe, almost in childlike wonder. The impossible just became possible within the span of a few seconds.
I let out a short breath and tried to concentrate on the person outside the walls of my little room but my mind hardly took a step in that direction when an odd sound filled the room. It sounded mechanical, like metal clamping down onto another piece of metal but with a cushion of air so that there was not too loud of bang. I simply figured a door had opened. Puzzling enough, I did not see any light that would come from an opening nor see the person that I felt enter the room.
Is this entire place built for people that can see in the dark? Or maybe they are blind so that they can see through hearing I thought to myself.
My ears picked up the sound of boots hitting the metal floor, each pace measured to keep in rhythm with the next. It was at that moment that I realized, when the person stopped right in front of me, that I had every single one of my senses back.
They were all back except one. Now I knew why everything was so dark, why I did not see the light streaming out from the opening and closing door and why I did not see the being standing before me now. I couldn't. I just couldn't see.
I...I'm blind. I realized, too afraid to speak the words out loud lest they reinforce this new reality. I felt my heart begin to race as an amalgamation of emotion poured through me. Fear was chief among them, followed by a mix of anger and sadness along with a tiny pinch of disbelief to add flavor. But before I could allow the most basic of emotions to rule me, I stowed them away and compartmentalized. That was one aspect from my past that I had kept, I was focused. I knew what had to be done to achieve a goal. Did I always do it? No, of course not. But the times I did, was when I shined the brightest. Or, I'd like to think sp. And now was one of those times. Looking up to what I hoped was the face of the person in front of me, I opened my mouth to speak but I was cut off before even a vibration left my vocal chords.
"Young man, it is good to see you have finally awoken.", came the voice from the abysmal darkness.
Instantly I evaluated the voice's accent and tone. The speaker was male, his heavy accent had given him a well mannered air about him.
Most likely in charge of wherever I am, I figured. The man was disciplined, from the way he spoke each of his words in a calculated way to the way he kept his own anger at me under control. The man continued to speak while I had thought up my assessment.
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"Now that you are able to be coherent, could you inform me as to how you arrived here?" he asked, his tone calm and even.
I smirked and gave a small chuckle, thinking of the irony of what he just asked me.
"Is something funny child?" he questioned, most likely quirking up an eyebrow.
I could tell he was slightly flustered with my deflection of his question, so I answered him plainly.
"Well, yeah. I mean, I would tell you how I got here if I knew exactly where I was!" I said, a little bit of bite added to the end of my sentence to add credibility that I truthfully did not know where I was. Because, well, I had no damn clue.
The man stayed silent for a second, pondering what I said and how to reply correctly. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he answered.
"Very well. I should have figured there would be further complications aside from the blindness. We are currently aboard the Maverick, an Imperator class Star Destroyer, in cell-block 7156." he informed me, "And you, are the rebel saboteur who attempted to cripple my vessel."
"I don't remember doing such a thing." I said, ignoring his comments about my lack of sight.
"Admiral." I added it as an afterthought. I may as well give the guy the respect he deserves, it might just help my standing since I am labeled a freaking terrorist for all intents and purposes.
The unnamed, faceless admiral let out a heavy sigh.
"That is likely due to the...electromagnetic ion pulse you used to scramble the Mavericks electronics. The ion radiation emitted from the device you used may be the cause for your lack of memory, given that you were in the small room you set it off in. There have been accounts of such things before. The high electrical currents can do quite a number as you can see..or not in your case." he said, a bit too smugly. I could practically feel the little smile on his over confident face. I returned one of my own, with a little flame of agitation in my voice I asked yet another question.
"Do you have any evidence to support your claims, Admiral?"
I was curious to be honest, that was why I let my mouth widen a little in shock when the high ranking naval officer gave the clipped reply that started with a n and ended with an o.
I opened my mouth to say some smart remark but the man beat me to the punch, just like when this conversation started.
"We found you in the same room the pulse originated from. You were unconscious with no identification, no markings, no chain is hardly a solid foundation to label you a rebel terrorist. I understand that perfectly, so in a way we have no hard evidence against you. However, you are here without proper authorization or clearance, therefore you will remain a prisoner until we can determine your identity."
With that he spun on his boots heel and made the walk back to the metal door, talking as the thuds bounced off the walls.
"Oh, do not believe yourself victorious. My..superior has means of prying information from even the strongest minds. He will unlock your befuddled memory and will learn the truth about you." he said, stopping once the door opened but did not walk out into the rest of the brig. Rather, he turned his neck to look at me over his shoulder, I had no idea I knew, I just...could tell.
"And you, rebel scum, shall beg for death by the end."
With that, the Admiral of the Maverick left me in the darkness of my cell.
I shuddered at the thought of who his superior was, I could practically smell the fear pouring off of him when he mentioned the person who was over him. I shoved those thoughts away, I'd rather not think about my obviously upcoming interrogation. I knew it would not be a simple Q like what had just happened between me and the nameless Admiral. I was afraid of what would come next but at the same time, I knew it could not be the worst thing I would endure in my life.
I had nothing to do, no memories to think about since I had no way to access them. Just facts without feeling. I was on a ship, labeled a terrorist and a stowaway. The commanding officer was a man to be feared and his subordinate Admiral has a bone to pick with me since I supposedly damaged his beloved Star Destroyer. For some odd reason, every time I thought those two words, I had a feeling I should know what it is but my mind was unable to recall just why it seemed familiar.
Soon enough though, my brief memory block would be crushed when I felt a dark presence embrace the room I was in. I could feel the unrelenting rage and anger kept under a cool and unfeeling demeanor. This presence was cold and calculating, easy to anger but hard to please.
When the door slid open, the noise that met my ears told me everything I needed to know. The deep, rasping breaths of a built in respirator. The measured breaths spelt death for hundreds and thousands of life forms. My mind's eye brought an image to the front, the embodiment of death itself. The black cape that absorbed all light that hit it, the skull like helmet that sent fear with but a glance. The black suit and control box was just as iconic, with those who saw this being left with the question if he was a man, or a machine. I knew who had just entered the room, the lock on my memories was shaken, letting loose a small droplet before the dam finally gushed forth in a torrential tidal wave. All it took was the whisper of a single word to return them, the whisper that came out of my mouth.
"Vader." I whispered. The dam broke in that instance, the block on my mind crumbling under the flood of memories. A great fear welled up inside of me, my body running cold as images flashed by.
Images of my childhood at home, with my siblings in the yard, plastic swords of green, blue and red in our hands as we pretended to be in one of our most favorite movies of all time: Star Wars.
Realization hit me like a flying car with jet engines on its hood, those toys were not swords but toy lightsabers. Another image flashed by as I remembered all the scenes in the movies, shows and video games based on Star Wars that I imprinted into my memory. Obi-Wan blocked a flurry of strikes from Darth Maul's saber staff, rage fueling his defense. Yaddle confronting a young Count Dooku after the death of his beloved Padawan. Anakin and his master facing Dooku on the Invisible Hand, the yet to be Emperor smiling with satisfaction. Ahsoka standing amongst the ashes of the Clone Wars. Starkiller getting stabbed from behind and betrayed by Darth Vader. Kanan Jarrus facing down the Grand Inquisitor, a blue bladed saber in each hand. Luke Skywalker railing blow after blow on a weakened Vader, anger apparent in his face. Finishing it off, a red cross guarded saber and a legendary blue one intersecting in a snowy forest.
I remembered watching these scenes at my home, some times with my friends at their house. I always wondered what it would be like to live in a galaxy far far away and experience it for myself. It would be a dream come true. Yet, now that I am here. It's more like a nightmare now, considering what era I'm in. An era of darkness and fear where good is stamped out and burned away. My hands clench up as I try to steady my breathing, noting the cold sticky sweat that is coalescing in my palms.
The automatic door shut behind the Sith Lord as he walked into the cell I occupied. His seven foot asthmatic body had to duck his cranium into my cell, considering he had to do the same to enter Leia's cell on the Death Star. My eyes widened slightly when I realized a very important fact. I had all this information to use to either help or harm this universe. I knew what happened here in this room could change the course of the entire galaxy. It could be for the better or worse, and I did not want to take that chance..
Vader cannot find out what I know. He just can't. I thought, and instantly I clamped my mind shut. Gathering all the flooded memories and throwing them back into the dam that was the block to those memories. I could still access them but I had to make sure to keep from doing so. Already I could feel Vader trying to poke around in my mind, skimming my surface thoughts. Another thought hit me.
How can I even tell that he is in my mind? I just could not explain it. It was the same way how I could sense the Admiral outside of my room and his hidden feelings. I could just...feel it, it was hard to explain.
I gulped when the Dark Lord's presence encompassed the entire room, the temperature dropping even further. Goosebumps riddled my skin the moment his booming voice rang out into the room.
"It is the Force." he stated, answering my unsaid question. His unforgettable voice reverberated through the room with a light echo, the modulation adding the hint of a synthetic mask to it. He took a step toward my sitting form, the Dark Lord's presence resembling a controlled hurricane of raging emotions.
"I sense fear. Fear of me. And yet you told Admiral Verrits that you have no memory. Why did you lie to the Admiral?" he demanded, his voice getting dangerously low like a rumbling of rocks down a mountain side. A near inaudible click was heard, followed by the iconic snap-hiss of a lightsaber. The blade hummed.
"Answer truthfully, and you will be left with your life."
A sudden burst of confidence filled me as I stood up from my bench, looking straight up at where I guessed his helmeted mug was.
"Make me." I said, narrowing my blinded eyes with a tone that said I was not up for this bantha shit.
Yeah, big mistake.
The next thing I knew, I was slammed into the wall by an unseen force, the pressure around my body felt like it was trying to indent me into the wall. The pressure was intense, I swore I could feel my bones begin to crack.
The now furious Sith held his arm forward, his prosthetic gloved hand now forming a fist. My eyes widened when I felt the air begin to leave my lungs followed by my windpipe forcefully start to close.
My vision began to fill with green, blue and yellow spots, a near welcomed change from the constant darkness. Too bad it was due to the asphyxiation I was in the process of experiencing.
"Give me the answers I seek!" he demanded, loosening his grip on my throat.
I swallowed as the air returned to my lungs, my breathing slightly faster than it should be.
I let out a sigh before answering.
"I did not lie, Vader." I said, my previous attempt at defiance instilling a slight sense of fear. This man will kill me, and I sure as hell don't want to die. "I had no memory until you got here! You sort of...unlocked them somehow?...I dunno anything else other than my name." Yet again I lied. I held memories but I did not think about them, in fear of him searching my mind and finding them, altering the course of history.
Vader said nothing for a second or two, his blade humming at his side.
"I swear, I know nothing else." I said, feeling a chill run down my spine as I felt him enter my mind yet again.
He was like a predator, looking for prey in a dead snowy forest in the midst of winter. And like a wolf he let out a growl of rage and brought his blade up and stabbed it into my kneecap. The pain was blinding as it stayed in my leg, burning the bone and flesh, searing it together with the energy of the laser. I let out a cry of pain, hissing as the burn seemed to affect my entire leg. I could feel the pain throughout my entire body. It hurt, bad. Imagine putting hot coals into a bullet wound then add some salt and pepper. I'm sure to a cannibal the thought would be tasty but it fucking hurt like nobody's business.
"I will learn the truth that you continue to hide in the recesses of your mind. I already know what you are. You are no rebel. In fact, you do not even belong in this galaxy. I peered into your mind after you caused a disturbance in the Force. The disturbance that crippled this ship briefly, and the disturbance swirls around you even now. The Force itself protects you, shielding you from my attempts to enter your mind. I was able to glean one lone fact about just who you are..." he told me, much to my surprise. Hell, today was just full of surprises!
Oh, and here is another one: he began to choke me yet again. Yeah...not much of a surprise but honestly, the pain from the laser sword in my knee made me want to focus on rambling and anything but the pain...yeah not much luck there. My vision began to get invaded by blobs of various colors, My senses started to dim, Darth Vader's breathing began to get quieter as my body slowly lost all feeling. Before I lost all connection to the waking world, Vader finished his revelation.
"You are Alonzo Revanche, and now a servant of the Empire." he stated in a matter-of-fact tone, wrenching his blade free of my knee and allowing my body to fall straight onto the floor. I could feel the floor rushing up to meet my head and my last thought before I smacked into it was: I fucking hate Mondays.