Chapter Two: Worlds Colliding

[Akirapryde]

When Things Go Wrong
Outer Rim World of Geonosis
Baktoid Industries
Date: 2919 AOK (A day before Auro’s Birthday)

The view from the air duck was limited, but the sounds of combat could be easily heard. Down the corridor, the entrance of the ship lit up with intense blaster fire. Bolts of energy slammed against the haul of the ship sending sparks flying. The sound of men screaming and lightsabers whooshing about. A heavily armored man stormed in to the ship and spun around to face the entrance. He pulled up his rifle and fired multiple times as he yelled out for his companions.

A pair of armored men rushed in to the ship and took up position near the entrance. Like the first soldier, they two turned and started to fire. Another three soldiers rushed in to the ship, with one dragging Cordelia behind him. Beyond the entrance, the sounds of lightsabers continued to whoosh as more blaster fire filled the entrance.

The first soldiers to board the ship grabbed one of his soldiers, “get us off the ground before those fighters take to the sky!”

“Yes Sir!” The man replied then ran down the hallway.

At the same time, Orchid and Barriss walked backwards in to the entry way. Barriss deactivated her lightsaber as she turned and ran the rest of the way up the ramp. Orchid on the other hand continued to spin her two lightsabers blocking blaster bolt after blaster bolt. Once she reached the top of the ramp, Barriss reached over and activated the ramp. This caused a thick door to slide in to place and protected Orchid from further blaster fire.

Finally, safe from the advancing fire, Orchid turned and walked in to the corridor. “Why are we still on the ground,” Orchid snapped.

The commander, the first one to come aboard, turned to her, “I have given orders to take off. Where shall we set a course for?”

Orchid stormed over to a communication panel as she deactivated her lightsabers. She reached up with her right hand and turned the panel on. “Bridge! I don't care where, but get us out of system,” she ordered. She added, “I get us in to hyperspace NOW!”

Orchid turned to Cordelia, who was being held tight by two soldiers. Orchid didn’t say a word as she walked over and punched Cordelia in the face. The hit was so hard that the three hit the wall behind them. “I know you tipped off the authorities,” Orchid spit at Cordelia. The two soldiers struggled to hold Cordelia up as Orchid hit her again and continued to spit, “I don’t know how you did it. But I know you did!”

Barriss watched with a sadistic smile on her face. She couldn’t hold back as she said, “I told you sister that we couldn’t trust her. She is no longer one of us.”

“Right, not one of you,” Cordelia said as she struggled to get back to her feet. “If you drop me off at any number of worlds. I will go my own way.” There was a slight humor in her voice despite the seriousness of the situation.

Orchid took Mya’s lightsaber and aimed it at Cordelia's heart. “I am done trying to bring you back to the fold, sister.” Orchid said with anger in her voice, “we once ruled the underworld of the Galaxy. But you are leaving me no choice!”

“NO” cried the leader of the soldiers. “We still need her for the Naboo job.”

One of the other soldiers turned, “without those droids, there is no Naboo job, Sir!”

“We all almost died and you were the agent of that ambush,” Orchid said with anger dripping from her voice. She pressed Mya’s lightsaber up against Cordilia’s chest. “I should kill you right here and right now, sister.”

“It’s never too late, Orchid. You too can turn back from the darkness. Like I have, you can be saved” Cordelia pleaded. “We choose our paths, and we can choose a path of light instead of darkness. Please Orchid!”

Orchid struggled as she pressed the hilt of the lightsaber in to Cordelia’s chest. “You have chosen your path,” Orchid said with disdain. She added, “sister” with even more disdain and anger. “Your chosen path is that of traitor!” Orchid moved her fingers towards the activation key of Mya’s lightsaber.

Barriss watched calmly as the anger induced Orchid leveled her wrath at Cordelia. As it became clear that Orchid was going to kill Cordelia, it was then that Barriss stepped up. “Sister,” she said with a calming voice. “I have a solution to our problems,” she said with a smile. “We can bring back Vixen.”

Cordelia's eyes went wide with terror. “No” she cried out. Fear filled her voice as she added, “That’s not who I am…. I have changed. Please sister.”

Orchid smiled as she pulled back, “get your things together, Barriss,” she ordered. Orchid returned Mya’s lightsaber to her belt as she pointed down the corridor, “the rest of you. Take her to the lounge and hold her there.”

Cordelia cried, “please Orchid, I have tried so hard to stay on the path of the light. Please don’t take this from me.”

Orchid only motioned for the soldiers to carry out their orders. Cordelia tried to fight back the best she could as she was dragged away by the soldiers. Barriss walked off the opposite direct while Orchid followed the soldiers. As the scene moved down the hall, Cordelia’s cries and pleas could easily be hard echoing. The observer moved from the opening of the vent and moved deeper in to the air duck network. Slowly the sounds of Cordelia’s screams seemed to fade a bit. Those cries echoed down the duck as the observer continued to move through the air circulation system of the ship.

Finally, the scene in the lounge came in to view. The observer could see Cordelia being held by two armored men while two others stood there waiting for further instructions. Cordelia struggled against their grips as Orchid stood looking out the window. There were tears in Cordelia’s eyes as she turned to Orchid to plead for mercy.

“Orchid, sister,” Cordelia said struggling against the grips of the soldiers. “Please…. Don’t do this”

Barriss walked in to the lounge with a grin on her face and a leather-bound roll in her hand. “Sister, you brought this on yourself.”

Cordelia turned her eyes towards Barriss, “please Barriss. I have struggled so hard…please…”

Barriss motioned to the table as she spoke, “gentlemen. If you will, please.”

The soldiers forcibly pulled Cordelia as she cried with terror in her voice towards the table. The soldiers were not gentle as they lifted her up in to the air and slammed her down on to the table. She fought as they flipped her over on to her belly. The other two soldiers stepped forward and each of them took control of Cordelia’s legs. The two soldiers that put on the table each took control of her arms.

“Orchid, please……” Cordelia sobbed. “I don’t want to fall from the light again…please”

Barriss stepped up to the table with her eyes on Orchid, “you know sister, you should have allowed this sooner.” She grabbed Cordelia by the hair and held her head still. “It would have cut down on so much of her misbehavior,” Barriss added.

As Orchid looked out the window, Barriss only shook her head. It was clear by the look on her face that she realized that Cordelia was Orchid’s weakness. It was clear that what was about to happen was not pleasant for Orchid. She couldn’t even bare to watch it. It was a weakness that Barriss planned on removing in due time.

Orchid frowned as Cordelia continued to plead for mercy, “you brought this on yourself.” She snapped then turned to walk out.

The commander, who was holding Cordelia’s left arm called out, “what are we going to do without those droids?”

Orchid didn't bother to stop as she crossed the lounge, “we will set a cruise for Nal Hutta. I am going to call in a favor,” she said as she walked out of the room.

Barriss paused as she watched Orchid walk out of the room. For the first time since Cordelia had been returned to them, their wayward sister had been left at her mercy. Her grin grew as she turned her attention back to Cordelia. “Come on, Cordelia. Your used love being Vixen.”

“Please,” Cordelia cried, “please don't do this. I worked so hard to change….”

Barriss only paused because she enjoyed the mental suffering Cordelia was going through. She forced Cordelia to watch as she ready her leather-bound roll. She slowly unrolled the clothe to reveal four hypodermic injectors. Cordelia’s eyes widened as she saw them, this caused Barriss’ grin to only grow. She was delighted with the terror that Cordelia was going through.

Cordelia's voice was filled with terror as she started to cry, “please….” Her words were more of a whimper than anything else. She still held out hope that something would change. The door hissed opened and for a moment, Cordelia hoped against hope that Auro had come at the last moment to save her. To save her from this fate worse than death. That moment of hope turned to poison as a pair of soldiers walked in. Her eyes filled with tears as she realized there would be no last-minute rescue.

At the same time Barriss had turned her head to see who was coming in to the lounge. Her head turned back to Cordelia, “hope is a destructive thing. Sister,” she said picking up the first of the injectors. “I am going to take hope away from you,” she said holding Cordelia’s neck still as she maneuvered the first injector up to Cordelia’s neck. “You will never think of hope again,” she said pressing the injector in to Cordelia’s neck.

Cordelia's heart sank as she felt the needle’s pinch. Her vision nearly completely obscured by her own tears. As Barriss slowly pressed the injector, sending the fluid in to Cordelia’s neck, Cordelia pleaded for mercy. It was clear that the fluid was taking its effect on her as her head shook while Cordelia pleaded against all hope.

In reaction to Cordelia’s body starting to shake uncontrollably, the four soldiers placed their entire weight upon her. Cordelia looked up and for the first time spotted the observer.
It was the last act of will Cordelia could take as she looked up at the observer. As if reaching across time and space, she reached out with her eyes filled with tears. Her mouth slowly opening yet no voice was heard. It was by design as this message was only meant for one person. She mouthed the words, ‘I’m sorry.’

Barriss rested her hand on Cordelia’s head with an uncharacteristic show of kindness, “there there, sister” she said with kindness. “That's the first one,” Barriss said as she set down the first injector and carefully picked up the next one. She steadily maneuvered the injector towards Cordelia's neck. “You remember how it used to be,” Barriss said as she called upon the darkside and affected Cordelia’s mind. “How close we all were before they took you from us,” Barriss slowly pressed the next injector in to Cordelia’s neck. “How much you loved us,” Barriss said softly. “That time you spent with the Jedi, let those memories fade to darkness. Let the darkness wash away the past and fill your heart once more,” Barriss eyes turned yellow as the power of the darkside flowed through her and in to Cordelia’s mind.

Each passing moment tears washed from Cordelia’s eyes and dripped down her face. Her body shook as the influence of the drugs and the power of the darkside took hold of her. With all of her will, Cordelia reached out with her eyes to the form hiding in the duck. She so badly wanted to see him again. She tried so hard to hold on to his image in her mind. The single thought that held her routed in the light. Slowly the shadows of her mind started to cloud his image, cloud her memories. She just kept mouthing the words repeatedly, hoping that he would somehow know how sorry she was.

The next injection slowly made its way in to Cordelia's neck. The effects of the drug were almost immediate as she fought to hold on to his image. She would give up everything if she could only see him once more. Cordelia watched the light of the room slowly break apart in to its base wave lengths as shadows of her mind and of the room slowly merged together. She tried to focus on the form, but her eyes would no longer obey her commands.

“Search your memories sister and you will find only shadows of a life that was never to be,” Barriss said allowing darkness to fill Cordelia’s memories. “Just like before, Vixen, you were never gone from us. There is no time where we were apart. The Jedi, will lie to you. But you will know the truth. We are a family,” Barriss explained. She drew in a deep breath and allowed the last bit of her dark control flow from her in to Cordelia’s mind.

The third injection caused her eyes to change. Starting at her pupils, they slowly grew bloodshot as the shadows slowly consumed her. The red color soon crossed from her pupils and spread to the rest of her eyes. By the time the fourth injection was given, Cordelia laid on the table motionless. Her mouth hung open with her tongue partially out. Her eyes shifted unnaturally around the room as if they were searching for something.

Barriss slowly backed up from Cordelia and motioned the soldiers to do the same. “Vixen,” Barriss called. “Vixen, my sister,” she said in a soft voice. “Look who has returned to us,” she said causing an illusion that only Cordelia could see. “It’s Chad,” she said allowing the illusion to take hold in Cordelia’s mind. “You remember Chad, he helped you see through the lies of the Jedi. Through the lies of the Republic. He opened your heart to the truth.”

Beyond Cordelia's sight Barriss waved her hand and just like that, through dark forces, Chad came in to being for Cordelia. For Cordelia he was the man of her dreams, the only one she could ever love. The only one that could ever love her. As if a flood gate had opened, memories of their exploits filled Cordelia’s mind. She had been his girlfriend for so many years. For her, they had been together this entire time. She remembered everything now…..

“Remember what I said, Vixen,” he illusion said at Barriss’ command. “You can only trust me and your family, baby. The rest will only lie to you.” Barriss motioned for the soldiers to let Cordelia go as she commanded the illusion, “its only me and you sweetheart.”

Everyone standing around Cordelia watched her slowly get up from the table. Her eyes now completely red as she fell victim to the drugs surging through her body. She walked strangely out of balance towards the center of the room with a strange smile on her face. It was if her eyes were focused on something yet there was nothing there. However, force users could tell that there was a manifestation of the darkside within the room. Barriss was still calling upon the darkside to tighten her hold on the now helpless Cordelia.

Cordelia tilted her head to the side and reached up as if she was entering in to a loving embrace with someone. She pushed up on her toes and closed her eyes. In her ears music played as she was reunited with the man of her dreams. Around her, her family watched the reunion. But for Cordelia, this was not a reunion. She had never been separated from her family. That prefect song played in her memories as her lips touched the man of her dreams.

The soldiers watched on with shock and horror. To them, they had never seen anything like it. For them, this was the danger that the Force brought to the galaxy. Barriss watched the scene with great delight as she controlled the illusion that invaded Cordelia's mind. “Vixen, your family has never left your side” Barriss said then added through the force, “you cannot trust anyone but your family.”

Vixen pulled back from her passionate kiss and while still looking deep in to his eyes, she spoke finally, “bouncy, bouncy, bouncy”. Her voice didn't betray anything. Her madness now completely consumed her. Speaking as if she was answering a question, “we will bring chaos to the galaxy, lover” she said laughing.

Across the galaxy, Auro slowly opened his eyes. The softy cool ocean breeze washed over him. This did not change what he had just saw through the force. Anger and sadness filled his heart but was quickly washed away with a calm sense of serenity. He wanted to rush off and rescue Cordelia from what appeared to be a fate worse than death. But in that moment his eyes were opened to the truth of the situation.

Auro slowly rose to his feet and stood in the center of his quarters. He reflected on the movement of the force around him. He suddenly didn’t sense the urgency to rush off. He half turned and allowed his eyes to fall upon a simple picture of Cordelia on his desk. The Force gave him insight in to what Orchid was up to. He had a starting point and their next destination. It was the very first time he had a real chance to get ahead of Orchid. All he needed to do was exercise a health bit of restraint.

He turned his attention towards the large open window and the vastness of Sembla’s sea. He smiled as he felt at ease here. He reached down and tapped in a code in to the communicator on his desk. As the transmission was being placed, Auro walked a short distance to the window and gazed out. The waves washed up and down on the beaches that lined the massive landing area. He could even see from his advantage point, the waves splashing up against the haul of the Vengeance.

“Auro” Chancellor Syrdash said. “How are you enjoying your trip home?”

“I am due to meet with my half-sister, and met with my father,” Auro said calmly as he looked out over the ocean. He wasn’t sure what Orchid was up to, but that vision gave him clues to build upon. These clues now occupied his thoughts. Cordelia’s situation cast a dark shadow over his actions and he realized the dangers of attachments. He could have them, but he had to act carefully and most importantly follow the Will of the Force. “In all, I have found this trip to be enlightening and refreshing.”

It was time for his mother to pause before saying, “Auro. Is something wrong, my son?”

Auro paused for a moment before continuing, “There are a couple of things I wish to ask of you mother. First, could you look in to any criminal activities that were linked with a droid storage facility or a factory. I would like to know where and what happened. Second, do we have any intelligence assists on Nal Hutta?”

As Auro continued to watch the waves moving across the beach on the far side of the lagoon, his mother replied, “that is a strange request my son. Can I ask why?”

Auro finally turned his eyes to the hologram of his mother, “I wish I could tell you more. But the truth is, all I know is it has something to do with Orchid and her next move.” He thought about telling her about Cordelia, but opted to keep that bit of information close to his heart. He would find a way to save her.

She nodded, “Alright son, I will place my best people on it.”

“Thank you, Mother” he said softly and allowed her to end the communication.