Neuromancer [M]

[Trixie]

Major Bardan Jaxx of the 9th Ranger Battalion saluted Commander November Terra of the 72nd Special Forces Regiment and placed a hand on her shoulder. Nova saluted the ranger standing before her and turned to board the drop ship back to headquarters.

“She’ll turn up, Commander.” Jaxx said as the sliding door of the transport shut.

The repulsor engines kicked into gear and the aircraft lifted off the ground. A Special Forces medic began removing the damaged pieces of Terra’s gear and attending to her wounds. As she laid down on a cot an attending nurse inserted a needle for an intravenous bag into her arm.

“Five minutes to HQ Medical.” The pilot yelled back.

Nova didn’t know how she was going to face the Colonel.

***

It had been two weeks since she had given her report to Colonel Morrigan. Trixie’s leftover equipment had been moved into the storage locker in the armory. The one thing from the mission that remained was Falkner’s blue lightsaber; she had kept it as a moment. November had tied her hair into a tight pony tail. It was draped over her right shoulder as she did push ups in the gym of her giant Tier 2 apartment. Pushing up on one arm she immediately switched to the opposite and lowered herself to the ground. She wore a black sports bra sporting the Imperial logo on the back, tight black spandex gym shorts with a white line down the thigh, and a pair of white running shoes. Around the blonde snipers neck were her dog tags that listed her name and service number. Sweat dripped from her chin to the floor and had begun to puddle beneath her.

Nova’s gaze was locked on the mirror in front of her, staring in disgust at herself. She had grown tired of losing squad members in the field. Her immediate expertise in combat was long range sniping and stealth operations. She may be the leader of the uni, but Terra felt that it was her lack of extra training that led to Trixie’s banishment. As she lowered herself to the floor a loud buzzer rang throughout the gym. Nova sprang to her feet and slid her fingers under the hilt of the vibrosword lying next to her. She brought it up to bare and slid on her knees under a swing from one of her sparring partners. Spinning on her knee she turned to face the four training droids coming after her. Pushing off the floor Terra was on her feet and swinging wide with the dulled edge of the sword. It was blocked by a vertical blade; the blade stopped dead in the air, the impact jolting her hands. Pushing against the droid and the fatigue in her limbs the blonde sniper switched hands and deflected a slash with her left hand. Pushing the edge to her right the droid’s weapon was moved left, exposing his right arm. In one fluid motion November slashed at the droid hitting its, but she had left herself exposed. A blunt strike from the polearm of another droid sent her stumbling backward into the wall of the gym.

“Again, you stupid machines!” She screamed in frustration.

The loud buzzer rang through the gym again and the four sparring droids came at her. Slashing downward she broke through the first droid and split it in half. Catching an incoming polearm blow with her free hand she drove the sword through the droid’s abdomen. Grasping the hilt with both hands she pulled the weapon free and pivoted on her left foot. With a wide swing and a scream of frustration she carved through the third droid just before crushing the fourth into a ball with her mind. The lights flickered as November dropped to her knees, a scream bellowing from her lungs, as her telekinetic mind began to lose grip on reality.

A cloaked woman appeared at the entrance to the door of the workout room.

“The compiling sequence is complete. We’re ready to begin penetrating the firewall at Imperial Intelligence.” She spoke through a voice modulator attached to her neck.

Reality came crashing back down upon November as the words sank in. The worm was ready. The time had come to finally find some dirt on Morrigan. Getting to her feet Nova headed toward the door where her accomplice stood, grabbing a towel off the hangar next to the doorway. Wiping her face and neck she followed the red cloaked woman into her computer room.

“Give me the go ahead and I’ll inject the code.” The woman focused her red eyes on the blonde next to her.

“Just know that if we’re caught…”

Nova interrupted her. “I’m aware of the risk Luna. Just get ready to inject the code.”

The blonde leaned over the desk where Luna had been sitting and pressed a few buttons. The joyful face of a laughing man appeared on one of the smaller monitors.

“You know this person?” Luna questioned.

“Major Bardan Jaxx of the 9th Infantry Division. We dated...briefly. He owes me a favor.” Nova said with slight disgust. “A good soldier, but a horrible boyfriend.”

Pressing a button on the keyboard she took an earpiece from the drawer and waited for an answer.

“Commander Terra.” A voice on the other end said with joy.

November immediately muted the line.

“You know he’ll be the first suspect and this will be pinned on him, right?” Luna asked.

Nova shook her head. “Just fucking do it. We’ll deal with that later. He’s only inside Imperial Intelligence briefly each day. If I’m right they won’t believe a word he says.”

Luna nodded and began typing on the computer to her right. A computer virus attached itself to the communication channel that Nova had opened and using Major Jaxx’s communicator gained access to the network at Imperial Intelligence. The virus cut the call and erased any outgoing or incoming trace of itself and began working. Within seconds a status window with a percentage came up on a small monitor in the corner.

Luna turned to her client. “When that meter reaches 100% it will have opened a secure line into Imperial Intelligence and be ready to transmit back. Once that happens we’ll have complete access to all levels of their network.”

I’m sorry Jaxx.

Nova sighed.

[Trixie]

They had to act fast. Jaxx was only going to be in the open briefly and the capture team was going to need cover so they could capture him. Nova needed Jaxx alive to prove...well a lot of things. While the Empire couldn’t trace anything from his personal communicator or his military issued ones the Intelligence Agency was looking in the wrong place. As the rain on Tier 1 continued to drench everything it touched Nova looked through the scope of her high powered rifle. A smile formed on her lips as she touched the cross hairs to the sealed entrance into Imperial Intelligence. She was nearly two miles away and with the rifle Luna had provided she was going to cover the grab team. Bardan Jaxx had lost his left arm years ago when he was still a rookie in the 9th Ranger Battalion. That is where the evidence was hidden as to his innocence. Luna’s virus had implanted itself into one of the data nodes on Jaxx’s artificial arm and disguised itself as a process that monitored functionality. It was a genius move on the artificer’s part. The Major was going to be absolutely pissed; and rightly so.

“Worm decryption at seventy-five percent. Two minutes to door knock.” A female voice spoke over Nova’s ear piece.

From her camouflaged position the blond tugged on the magnetic hood covering her face and scope. As she peered through the optical device the sniper could make out two approaching Ultramarine’s. Clenching her jaw, November reached beside her underneath the urban camo and removed a large four round clip for the rifle she was using. Each round was of special design by the sniper herself; a very large caliber and heavy hitting round made of Mandalorian iron was first in line. The job of this shot was to dent the armor so the next round had a place to land and adhere. The next shot was a hollowed out long range shell filled with plasticene thermite gel; a plastic compound that when heated burned uncontrollably. Nova had to be precise as to hit an area where the armor was thick enough to withstand being melted from the outside. The fact that their suit was melting should provide enough reason to take their eyes from Jaxx long enough for the drop ship to pick him up.

Luna had acquired a decommissioned Special Forces drop ship in her travels and had it completely repainted and repurposed. It was faster than any active duty drop ship and had an extremely advanced cloaking system that she designed herself. As soon as the Ultramarines were fired upon it would be seconds before they would realize what was happening. The plan was going to be to drop Jaxx with a stun round and get him into the drop ship amidst the chaos of the smoke and burning armor. The blow from the first shot was going to be enough to knock a marine off balance so she had to make it count. Nova was trained for this; she just hoped she could cycle the weapon fast enough.

There he is.

“Drop ship inbound…fifteen seconds.” A pilot spoke over her earpiece.

One. She loaded the clip into the rifle and pulled the bolt back, chambering the first round. Two. Narrowing her vision on the first marine she scoped out his body. Three. They stopped briefly as the immense drop ship roared overhead with its ear splitting repulsor engines. Four.

Five.

The first shot felt like her shoulder had been ripped from her socket, but Nova fought through it. Cycling the weapon, she ejected the spent cartridge and chambered the next shot. Focusing, her optics showed her the path to the marine who was now on one knee. The round had planted itself dead center on his chest. Firing again Nova bit down on her hair to keep from screaming as the recoil tore into her shoulder. The thermite landed on target and began melting its way into the Ultramarine’s armor. Pulling back on the bolt once again, hair still in her mouth, November chambered the second high-powered slug and aimed at the second marine who had moved to cover the prisoner.

No. Don’t fight!

With a second thunderous explosion the rifle unleashed the round onto the unsuspecting Ultramarine who stumbled backward away from Major Jaxx. He stood up with his cuffed hands in the air as the second thermite round landed on the temporarily stunned marine. Pulling the empty clip away from her rifle Nova loaded an entirely new one into the weapon. Releasing the bolt, she fired, hitting Jaxx square in the chest with a stun round. He collapsed onto his back just as smoke grenades landed at his feet. Switching to thermal optics Nova watched as two unknown figures dragged Jaxx onboard and jetted away.

“Dump the rifle and get back here. NOW!” Luna directed.

November got to her knees and slung the weapon over her good shoulder. Shoving her camouflage into her open rucksack as she ran, the blond leapt from the building edge and plummeted downward towards Tier 2. Now that Jaxx was in safe hands she could begin working solely on finding out who she really was. Pulling her rain slicker up from her wrist Nova pressed a series of buttons on her armband. The boots of her armor lit up with energy and coalesced into a hover board. Pulling her hood tightly over her face she skated further into Tier 2 and disappeared between two structures.

[Trixie]

“Did you really think Morrigan wasn’t going to find out!?” The sounds of blaster fire echoing through the burning halls of Nova’s apartment nearly drowned out Luna’s voice.

“Palpatine’s fucking ghost, Luna! I’m not THAT idiotic.” Nova retorted, vaulting over her kitchen counter, landing her armored knee square into the chest of a storm trooper blowing him clear through the opposite wall where he collapsed onto the living room sofa.

“I’m perfectly aware that he’d suspect me. The fact that he firebombed my apartment in retaliation for Jaxx proves just that!”

The two women were situated in the hall that split into the kitchen using the island bar as cover. Putting her fist through the back of the counter she pulled a blaster through the splintered particle board and squeezed several rounds down the hallway toward the gaping hole in the side of her Tier 2 apartment. A Multi Assault Aerial Transport was hovering there unloading a small capture team to take the blond sniper into custody. Her red cloak whipping around her lithe figure Luna slid across the field of fire and let loose a few pink shots from her own weapon. Coming to a rest against the refrigerator the cyborg woman crouched down and pinned her back to the appliance.

“What makes you think he won’t just pull your plug, Terra? Leaving me here…exposed.”

The blond rolled her eyes. “I manually uploaded the files to my original self. So the November Terra locked up in some bacta tank knows the same information that we stole. I’ve had access for years under the radar. How do you think I’ve built the case thus far? Plus…Morrigan can’t alter my original form without permission from the Imperial Scientific Council whom he doesn’t have any sway with. The ISC is a division under Palpatine’s control.”

Aiming down the hall Nova nailed another oncoming trooper in the chest with a blue stun round, sending him back into his buddies writhing uncontrollably.

“In basic please?” Luna shouted as another incendiary round ripped into the apartment. A second transport had arrived with reinforcements.

“He can’t do shit!” Nova screamed as an autocannon ripped through the walls, shredding everything it hit.

Terra took hold of her underground compatriot and dragged her into the living room. Removing an explosive launcher from under the couch she leveled the weapon at the first breach to her apartment and blew the remaining walls down, forcing the oncoming soldiers onto their asses. Taking a thermal detonator from the belt of the lieutenant who was passed out on her couch she tossed it through the formal living area towards the second transport. The screams and cries of Stormtroopers avoiding the blast were muffled by the collapsing structure and raging fire around them. Ripping the radio from his belt Nova pulled the Stormtrooper up and placed him over her shoulder.

“Shield your face!” She shouted before picking up the launcher in one hand and blowing an exit hole in her living room wall.

Placing a foot to her couch she shoved it out and let it tumble to the planet’s surface. Turning to Luna as both squads entered the room, demanding they drop their prisoner and freeze, she nodded.

“We have to jump!”

Grabbing hold of Luna’s cloak November Terra leapt from the newly created gaping hole in her apartment and started the long drop toward the lower tiers of Coruscant. Within seconds the three of them had left the fiery inferno behind and were plummeting faster than they could control.

“Nice plan, asshole!” Luna shrieked.

***

One hour earlier...

The hack had worked. Nova and Luna had successfully grabbed the entire database at Imperial Intelligence regarding the Imperial Cloning Division or ICD. Every file with a marker or flagged to mention November Terra was grabbed and downloaded to Luna’s personal server, the storage situated inside her person, and Nova’s personal system. Major Bardan Jaxx was secured at a remote and undisclosed facility that Luna had refused to share out of fear Colonel Victor Morrigan could learn it through November’s cloned self. What those files had revealed…

What they revealed were sickening. Terra was the first and only success in a soldier development program. By creating a body with the perfect genetic base and physical characteristics the Imperial Cloning Division could then use Nova’s original body to create a combat ready clone within months. Instead of paying for extensive training and worrying about losing their asset in the field the scientists and those with High Command could download what they needed into November’s true body and just clone her physical and psychological attributes. Her mental consciousness was transferred to the clone and they could change her appearance in any way they deemed fit; hair color, bigger breasts, more muscle, denser bone structure, more stamina, more lung capacity, acute vision. Literally anything they needed in a covert reconnaissance sniper they could pre-program. November couldn’t believe what she was reading. Even though the virus had taken the entire database none of the files revealed the location of her original body for exfiltration. They only referenced someone called the Neuromancer.

“The Neuromancer.”

Luna swiped down on her monitor and it went dark.

“Before you even ask. I don’t know anything beyond rumor. Last I heard it was a high level scientist who worked for Palpatine during the war with Diablo, but that’s purely conjecture. Any records from that period are in writing and/or accessible only by Palpatine himself.” She slumped back into her seat, the soft hum of her servos adjusting her legs.

November ran fingers through her hair, releasing a deep sigh, forcing strands of blond hair to fall into her face and obscure her vision. Further reading proved to be horrifying. There had been fifty attempts before her and all of them had failed in some way. Some exploded moments are being released from their pod, some lacked the confidence in combat and were slaughtered, and some literally melted because of failed cellular cohesion.

“This is just appalling.” The blond said, sipping on a protein smoothie.

“Of course it is. Just remember that all of those failures led to your creation.” Luna remarked, swiping on her datapad as it lit up.

“And you think that somehow justifies my imprisonment and the lives lost before me? I mean, my current iteration has died at least twice based on recurring nightmares I have.” Terra rebutted, now losing her patience.

Luna rolled her eyes. “You know that isn’t what I meant. I meant that when we successfully exfiltrate your body just know that their sacrifices will have made you possible. I hope we have your red haired friend by then though, because it isn’t going to be easy.”

“Trixie.” Nova had almost forgotten her in the mess of work they had been doing.

Almost as if like clockwork each of monitors in Nova’s office lit up red with a security breach warning. Security monitors and cameras displayed a MAAT transport hovering near the exterior wall of her apartment with an incendiary launcher pointed at the door. The cameras went blank as an explosion shook the foundation of the complex Nova and Luna were currently inhabiting. Two more explosions ripped through separate sections of the blond sniper’s apartment before autocannon fire ripped apart exposed structural material to make way for infantry.



Victor Morrigan had come to silence his pet.