Private I Could Not Stop For Death

[Ishani Dinn]

Aboard a shuttlecraft
En route to Test Site Verdant Pasture, Dahrtag...

"We are closing in on the south pole now," Bithia said. She sat in the pilot's chair, in her Pilot Form. Red was presumably somewhere behind them or elsewhere in the shuttle.

It was just the two of them on this mission. Bithia wished she could've brought Nimdok along on what was supposed to be their final takedown of the Lord of Doubt, but it was too risky. Besides, if anything happened to her or Red during this mission, someone would have to be there to take care of Miri.

Through the viewport windows, she saw the wall of snowfall part like white curtains, revealing a rocky valley dusted with snow. The shuttle hovered over the crack, searching for the facility hidden away somewhere below. The shuttle's instruments picked up a signal.

"Identify yourself," a smooth, youthful male voice said over the radio.

Bithia recognized him. It was Errol Aylmer, Messala's "son". He was the one who had killed her so that the Lord of Doubt could imprison her soul. Maintaining her cool, she replied, "Shuttle Tridurium requesting deactivation of the deflector shield."

"Shuttle Tridurium, transmit the code for shield passage."

"Transmission commencing," she said softly, pressing a button. A few tense moments passed, then the radio crackled.

"Please identify yourself and your purpose here."

"This is Lydia Mina. I've captured Inanna Hoole's partner, the Jedi mercenary known as Red. I am bringing him to the Lord of Doubt in chains."

A brief pause. "Excellent work, Miss Mina. Shield deactivation will commence immediately. Follow your present course."

She kept the shuttle moving, headed for the glint of metal she spotted jutting out from the crags. "I'm a bit surprised that worked," she remarked. "I don't think he suspects anything yet. Let's try to keep it that way. You might want to put those cuffs on, if you haven't already."

Subject 73 Red​

 

[Subject 73 Red]

Ishani Dinn

Red stood behind Bithia as she piloted the ship. He stared out the cockpit. This was it, he would finally face Messala, and finally finish this mission of his. Red had been hunting him for far too long. Now, one way or another, they would finally be able to close this. And of course, their plan for getting inside involved him not having his wide arsenal of weaponry. But he would have to make do, this wasn't the first time he had been in a tough situation.

Then, Bithia spoke to him from the pilot's seat, stating that they were coming close to their location. "I have to admit, Messala sure knows how to pick his base location." Red admitted.

Then, a voice crackled over on the comms, and Bithia responded, telling the voice why she was here. After some brief moments of conversation, the voice seemed to buy it, and let them through. They bought that way too easily, and Red considered for a moment if this was a bit too convenient, if this was a trap. Unlikely, but the possibility was still there. "Well, they bought it. A bit too easily if you ask me, but nothing we can do about it now."

Then, Bithia pointed out some cuffs that Red should put on. Red picked them up and secured them to his wrists. "So, what's our back-up plan if this fails?" He asked her, hoping that they wouldn't have to resort to the back-up plan.

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Test Site Verdant Pasture was definitely a sight to behold. Bithia had never been here herself, so her awe and curiosity was genuine. She hadn’t given much thought to what would become of all of Messala’s property and possessions once they had him where they wanted him, dead or imprisoned. Perhaps she could take control of this base, but use it for good rather than evil. Or maybe it would be best to simply destroy it all.

Bithia shrugged. “Whether it’s smooth sailing or worse comes to worst, we’re going to have to fight either way. Messala isn’t going to come quietly. If they don’t let us through, I’ll hack their mainframe, pick the locks on all the doors, nuke it from orbit, whatever I have to do.” Thanks to her strange new nature, she no longer truly feared injury or death. Red was a different case, but she was confident that he would be able to look after himself. They were not leaving until they had rid the galaxy of this evil bastard.

The docking sequence had begun. She lowered their shuttle into the hangar bay and turned off the engines. "Time to go."

***​

Inside the facility, Messala was having breakfast. His Children ate with him, all seated together at the table. At the beep of his comlink, he paused in the middle of drinking hot tea so that he could answer the call.

“One of your biots has returned,” Errol explained. “The one called Lydia. It says it has captured Inanna Hoole’s partner.”

“You mean Red?” Messala stroked his chin with a claw. “I didn’t assign her to capture him. That was Daphne’s job. Has she docked yet?”

“About to. I already lowered the shields.” Errol sighed. “Is it just me, or is this obviously a trick?”

“Of course it is. Be ready to capture them both. You remember her weaknesses?”

“Should we set up a giant magnet? Grate garlic against its skin? Blast it with sonic weapons? Bust out the bafforr pollen or an unmasquer? Push her into the pool?”

“Could probably get away with simply cutting her up with your lightsaber, then stashing the body parts in the freezer.” Messala sipped his tea. “As for Red, eh. Thetis couldn’t take him, but then she was a fool and she paid the price for it.” His wayward apprentice was currently rotting away in a Silver Jedi prison, last he heard. “But I’m sure you could take him, Errol.”

“It would be my pleasure,” Errol replied. “I’ll keep you updated. Shall we set the droids upon them first?”

“Only as a distraction. Take advantage of their preoccupation with other enemies and use it to your advantage. Oh, and don’t give her a chance to change form. It'll make things easier for you. Transitus out.” Turning off the comm, he went back to eating his omelette.

Subject 73 Red​