Topic: Fan Fic: The Handmaiden & the ARC Trooper
During the BFFC's down time I started this fan fic, it's a work in progress so please be paitent. Sorry about the lame title, haven't come up with anything better as yet...
An ethereal figure floated in the bacta tank with her dark hair flowing about her. Conscious thought was starting to return to her: the feel of cool fresh air on her skin after a long flight, the deafening boom and the sudden blackness. Versé blinked to awareness at the faint but vivid memories that returned to her.
The handmaiden of Senator Padmé Armidala had been believed dead. The attack at the landing platform had killed Cordé who had been disguised as the Senator, for her protection, along with the rest of the crew who had exited the ship with her.
Versé attempted to peer through the bacta as she tried to work out where exactly she was but her vision was distorted by the vicious fluid.
Outside the tank sat a man who watched her curiously, he had a face that would soon be familiar to billions throughout the galaxy but for now he was as inconspicuous as a streetlamp in a city. His designation was Alpha-08 although he tended to go by the nickname of “Tweakâ€Â. Tweak was an Advanced Recon Clone Trooper, or ARC Trooper for short. He had been trained directly by Jango Fett, from whom he was cloned, and then placed in stasis until he was required for duty.
Tweak had been awakened before the rest of his brothers, as his mission was one of secrecy and utter most discretion. Tweak had proved himself as one of the best, his competence at everything he’d been trained in had exceeded all expectation. He felt his talents were being wasted in babysitting a woman in a bacta tank. He did not complain though, it sure beat being in stasis.
After Tweak’s awakening on Kamino he had been introduced to his General and told of his mission. He was flown to Coruscant without delay. His mission was to assassinate Senator Armidala, however someone had beat him to the punch or so he had thought. The body of Senator Armidala and some members of her staff had laid dead on the landing platform high in Coruscant’s skyscape. A simple DNA test had told Tweak that the woman dressed as Senator Armidala was in fact a decoy, it was her handmaiden Cordé.
Tweak had searched the bodies only to find that handmaiden Versé was still alive, well just. She was seriously injured to the point that it was easy to assume she was dead. He had carried her away from the platform before the cleanup crew arrived. There were enough strewn bodies to assume that Versé was still there. Tweak had used his advanced slicing skills to quickly add a Death Certificate for Versé to the list of the deceased from the explosion.
It had been over a four days since the assassination attempt and Tweak hadn’t been able to get near the Senator. Tweak hoped that Versé would be able to provide him with information that could aid him in his quest. Of course he would have to be careful to avoid talk of Armidala’s ultimate demise as Versé would certainly feel loyalty to her mistress.
Tweak couldn’t help but look at Versé. Women were something of an enigma to Tweak, not to mention all Clone Troopers. Contact with the opposite sex had been practically nonexistent during training and Tweak found himself staring at Versé with unsuppressed fascination. In some ways she was so similar to him and in others so different. It took him a few moments to realise that she was trying to look back at him.
Tweak shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t like the idea of being caught staring at her, especially when it was by Versé herself. He almost jumped when her hand pressed to the transparent tank wall with a thump.
It was time to let her out. Tweak activated the tank and watched as Versé was released from her liquid containment. She stood on wobbling legs as he approached her with a white robe. “How do you feel?†He asked.
“O-Okay,†she said as her teeth chattered, “c-cold.†Tweak had forgotten to turn on the climate control, he was used to harsh conditions, it appeared that Versé was not.
He wrapped the robe around her and was surprised when she slumped against him. Her wet hair pressed against his cheek and he smelt the antiseptic scent of bacta. He grabbed her upper arms and straightened her up so she could stand on her own. “I’ll adjust the climate control,†he said with a cool tone that belied his true emotional state. Tweak started to release his grip only to feel Versé start to wobble again. He was unsure what to do, he looked around for a moment and decided to shuffle her back to a stool which she could lean on.
Tweak started to move her towards the stool but she was as so unsteady that it almost seemed like she had no bones. He decided the best course of action was to pick her up and move her where he wanted to put her. He sat her on the stool and made his way towards the climate control panel. He quickly set the temperature and heard the air conditioner kick to life with a quiet hum.
Versé had managed to shift herself into a more comfortable position with her elbows. “Where am I?†she asked as she looked around slightly dazed.
“Coruscant,†Tweak said simply.
She frowned, “I figured as much, but where on Coruscant?â€Â
“The Twelfth Eastern Medical Centre,†Tweak said as he shifted to stand before her in typical military posture.
Versé blinked as she tried to remember what had happened to her, “I remember some sort of explosion, I’m guessing that’s why I’m here.â€Â
Tweak tilted his head down and then studied her from beneath his dark brows, “You were the only survivor.â€Â
Versé gasped, “No it can’t be! What about Pa- the Senator?â€Â
Tweak shook his head, “The Senator died in the explosion.â€Â
Versé shook her head and then blinked as she looked back at the bacta tank. “What was she wearing?â€Â
“Dark clothing, looked like it had been a flowing dress but it was hard to tell in the aftermath.†Tweak said with little subtly, he’d never really been trained in the intricacies of conversation.
“Aftermath?†Versé said with disbelief as her eyes darted about as if the things around her would give her answers to the questions rambling through her mind. Then her eyes seemed to focus and she looked directly at Tweak. “What about the sentry pilots? Did they survive?â€Â
Tweak lifted his head slightly picking up her desperate tone, “Yes they did.â€Â
Versé let out a squeal of delight them covered her mouth as she tried to conceal her excitement. “Sorry I’m just glad there were survivors.â€Â
Tweak nodded but made sure he looked impassive, “I can understand that.†It gave further clarification to him that Armidala had been on one of the sentry ships. Armidala was known to substitute herself with her handmaidens. It was poor form on the assassin’s part, as they obviously didn’t study their target.
“What do you remember?†Tweak asked as he crossed his arms.
Versé managed to sit up straight as her muscles started to function under her own will, “I remember landing. I was part of the Senator’s entourage.†Versé looked at Tweak without really focusing on him, she was searching her memory for the fragments of the landing.
It was like thousands of voices cried out for a sequel and were suddenly silenced...