Consequences

[Trixie]

“Is this it?” Nova asked, aiming her flashlight at the shoddily bolted ‘6’ and ‘2’ on the rusting storage unit.

The numbers were completely rusted and looked as if they would fall off with the slightest touch. Trixie’s lips pursed in a silent expression of annoyance. Prying open the rust covered keypad the red-head pressed the rough metal keys in sequence with her Imperial serial number or ISN. The lock beeped, a red light blinked green and the hydraulic lock was released. Wrenching the door open the two Ensign’s were immediately bombarded with the horrid sting of mildew clinging to the air.

Covering her nose and mouth with her arm the red-head stepped into the storage room and shined her light on the various items.

“Well what a surprise. This unit must be from the damn beginning of the Empire.” Trixie spit on the stained concrete floor. “Air tastes like this room hasn’t seen daylight in years.”

Nova picked up a rifle which proceeded to fall apart in her hands. With an amused laugh she blew the dust off an obvious weapons crate. The resulting cloud of particles caused both women to suffer from a fit of uncontrollable coughing.

“Really?” Trixie asked dryly, as she finally calmed her respiratory system.

 “Yep.” The blond replied, cracking open the trunk.

While Nova was busy assembling the weapons from the crate Trixie spotted a sword lying against the back wall. As her eyes met the blade she could almost feel it calling to her. Faint whispers caressed her mind and beckoned the force user to pick up the blade. Trixie made her way to the back of the storage unit and knelt down to examine the scabbard laying before her. Faint wisps of force energy licked across her lips as her left hand poised ready to grasp the blade. As her skin made contact with the hilt the energy forced its way into her mouth and down her throat, throwing the red-headed force user out of the room and into the new torrential downpour.

“TRIXIE!” Shrieked Nova, as she ran to her partners’ side.

Unbeknownst to both of them the blade had vanished. A swirling blue energy wrapped itself around Trixie’s mind before disappearing completely. The redhead awoke with a cough.

“Lord Ragnos?” Trixie asked, bewildered.

“Who are you talk-“

Trixie’s eyes clenched shut and she shrieked in pain as her mind was assaulted by the ancient force ghost. Standing before Beatrix, invisible to Nova, was the towering figure of Marka Ragnos. His piercing gaze drew her mind into a different realm. The look alike version of herself was there in all her prissy, blazing glory. Without a second thought Ragnos illuminated one of his clawed hands in blue flame and purged the copy.

“You are Sith and nothing else, mortal.” His words shook her mind.

“You have somehow come to exist in this pitiful universe as I have.” The Dark Lord concluded aloud.

“Thanks for the observation.” Trixie spat through clenched teeth, fighting intense, ear splitting pain.

“Watch your tongue follower of Sadow!” Marka Ragnos commanded.

“Sadow was a failure and a coward!” Trixie shot back.

A grin formed across the face of Ragnos before he vanished, releasing Beatrix’s mind back to the real world. Nova had assembled the weapon and was in the doorway to the storage unit scrolling through a data pad. Sitting up, Trixie placed a hand to her wet and matted head as pain throbbed its way from the back of her skull through to her eyes.

“We have a target. Someone is seeking information on you and has been spewing all over the Dataverse. Saying you’re in league with Diablo and crap like that. Some nobody named Dominator shot it down. Which is lucky for us.”

A momentary chill ran through the Sith’s spine as she swallowed nervously, careful not to show it. Getting to her feet as lightning streaked across the cloud covered sky, Mistress Zulenka took her data-verse device from the pouch on her messenger bag and slid it open.

“I can almost guarantee that it’s Jaxx.” Zulenka mused aloud.

“How do you know!?” Nova exclaimed, almost sure Trixie would have no idea that Jaxx was present at the site when she was banished.

“I know more than you think.” Trixie replied blankly. Her mind was full of Foresight visions that she had finally learned to decipher.

While her time in the Underverse had been extremely traumatic, it had taught her much more about herself and the power that she was capable of using.

“Come.” The mistress commanded, walking past her blond romantic interest.

Dissolving the sword into its base omnilium form the red-head stored it for a later time when she actually had more than seconds to think. Taking a holdout blaster from a shelf the Sith wrapped the nylonite straps of the holster around her right thigh and pulled them tight. Returning to her feet, Trixie took the datapad Nova was holding and scrolled through the series of text that she had been reading. Some idiot was indeed trying to warn people about her.

Bring him in. He will be our stepping stone.

The grating voice of Lord Ragnos echoed through her mind. Without a second glance the mistress tossed the datapad back to her concubine and proceeded into the rain soaked city.

“Where are we going?” Nova shouted, shutting the storage door and jogging to catch up.

“To find Bardan Jaxx,” replied Beatrix, with a sinister grin forming over her features.