Right behind the enormous droid, the silhouette of a humanoid could be seen through the smoke. It entered the room as graciously as it could, avoiding stepping on debris and parts of the door mechanism scattered about. The figure stood right beside the giant droid and looked around without a sound. As the smoke began to clear, it was evident that the figure was also wearing mandalorian armor. The flight suit was a deep, deep purple. Most of the armor was a polished silver that reflected its surroundings like a mirror. Alongside the unknown mandalorian, there were two other dark figures flanking her. Soon after, two more figures approached the room and maintained watch just outside.
The Mandalorian-clad figure took a few steps, stopped and signaled toward her. The droid disarmed the built-in weapon in its right arm, and began to walk towards Okha.
Ignoring the pain, and gathering some thoughts from the entire experience, Okha got to her feet as quickly as she could. Covering her nose and mouth, she continued to cough as she tried looking around the room for her helmet and locate the weapons Emmaneld and her had brought back from the armory. The shockwave had sent everything in different directions across the room. As she turned her head back to her would-be attackers, the gigantic droid was already over her - ready to place his left hand around her neck. Okha tried to jolt back, but it was too late. The hulking droid’s cold steel claw worked its way between her clavicles and the tender areas just below the base of her skull. The droid’s servos hummed as it began to lift her entire body off the ground.
Instantly, Okha placed her feet against the droid’s chest and pushed away. Nothing. She even ignited her jetpack for a long, strong burst. The droid did not budge. If anything, it allowed the claw to dig deeper into clavicle, one snapped. Ignoring the pain of the fracture, Okha pointed her flame projector at its head.
Whoooooosh
The droid’s head was engulfed in flames. Yet, it did nothing, nor did it move.
“There is no point to persist”, a strong, yet feminine voice projected from the mysterious mandalorian-clad attacker. “Go ahead, try your mini-concussion rocket. It may hurt you more than him…”
Okha gasped and struggled to keep air going through her windpipe. “Whaaa… ttt..”
“Oh, what’s that? Yes, he is made entirely of pure mandalorian steel. The REAL mandalorian steel, that that cheap imitation foil you have on”, she said with a chuckle.
Okha continued to gasp, as her face began to turn purple. “Whooo… ggg…”
“Oh, what’s that?... Who am I?...” She paused and chuckled to herself. Okha could imagine a large grin under that helmet, with an array of teeth she would love to paint red with its own blood.
“My poor, poor little girl. Can’t you tell?”, she motioned her hands to her chest. With her fingers gently curled inward toward her breast plate, she let them fall across her navel and caress her hips. At the end of her gesture, she allowed her palms to face outward and flared her fingers outward, “I am no one.”
Keeping her hands and fingers flared out, she began to take steps toward her. Okha continued to gasp for air. She came to within an arm’s reach of Okha, and continued, “but, to you: I am your worst nightmare.”
She proceeded to the workstation, undocked Dudeel's portable Droid and shook her head. “Tisk tisk, working so hard for someone else to take the credit. Didn't you learn anything from being a supposed bounty hunter?” A mocking laughter ensued.
Suddenly, she stopped, “oh, oh my, how rude of me! I really haven't answered your question, my child.” Making fists with her hands and placing them on her hips, she shifted her weight to her left. Slowly, she cocked her head in the same direction, and continued in a very slow, mocking tone, “next time you look in the mirror, and see your failures - the failures you should have not allowed.” She proceeded to motion her fingers from the top left of her helmet to the bottom right. “Then, and only then, you will know who I am.”
Okha knew she was mocking that scar on her face. She had experienced enough.
Okha points her mini-concussion rocket at the unknown mandalorian female and fires.
In an instant, she dodges it. The rocket continues toward one of her henchmen and explodes.
Laughter. Nothing but laughter from her attacker, despite the loss of one of her men.
Once her laughter ended, she continued, “that’s right, perfection. Perfection, my child. I am that which you’ve tried to obtain your entire life. And now, you probably despise.” She paused, took a look at the portable Droid in her hand, “which reminds me, now I have everything. Everything: perfection, power and now, your life… yes, your life... time to end it.”
Without warning the droid tossed Okha across the room like a ragdoll.
BAM!
THUD
Knocking whatever little air was left in her lungs, Okha coughed and tried to breathe through her bruised windpipe.
“Before you die, you might want to know my name. Oh - but you SHOULD know it already!… after all, it is only the name of your TRUE self.”
Okha could not believe what she was hearing, and almost did not care. At first, her thoughts focussed on survival, breathing and finding a way out. She managed to locate the scattered weapons Emmaneld and her had brought in earlier. However, her helmet was still nowhere to bee seen. As the huge droid’s steps began to feel closer, her thoughts shifted. Death. If death was a possibility, her only desire was to see Moon one last time. An unexpected yearning to hold her in her arms and tell her how much she loved her bagan to take over her entire mind.
Boom
Boom
The Droid's steps closed in.
Okha’s thoughts did not deviate from Moon. If anything, they became stronger. Suddenly, she could hear her screaming, “Okha!!!...”
What?!... How can this be ? Am I remembering?
Not too unlike her first encounter with Moon, she could hear her calling her name.
“OKHA!!! OKHA ZAAAAN!!!
Although light years away, it was as if she was in the same room with her. In a moment of clarity, she accepted the possible mental connection.
Is she in trouble? Or… does she know that I am in trouble? Okha thought.
The hulking droid’s footsteps continued to rattle the ground as it got even closer. Her instincts would typically kick-in and react to the matter at hand. However, her thoughts remained with Moon. Her mind began to fill with feelings of longing, with an additional feeling Okha could not identify.
The thuds of the droid’s footsteps got closer and closer. Its left hand opened to reveal an array of powerful talons hidden within each of his four claws.
The mandalorian female spoke one more time before she turned her away as to leave the room, “Goodnight, my sweet Arla…”
As the droid leaned over with his left arm extended to reach for Okha's head, time slowed down to an almost stand-still. The feeling Okha could not identify was some sort of power - a power she had never experienced. Perhaps she has seen a glimpse of in Moon’s eyes. It was now within her - surging, raging.
How is this possible?!
Okha took a deep breath. She felt an overwhelming surge of strength and speed take over her entire being. Her thoughts and actions became one. In a fraction of a second, she reached for the droid’s wrist with her right hand and stopped it from further advancing. As Okha’s eyes looked up at the would-be attackers across the room. The droid’s servos could be heard squealing. The mandalorian attacker stopped just as she was about to exit the Lab, and turned her head. Her would-be guards were beside themselves, looking at each other, not knowing what to do next.
Moon, my funnel flower, is this you?
In an instant, Okha pummeled her left gauntlet into the droid’s hand, crushing it. In that instant, all the all the talons that were about to dig into her skull, dropped to the ground like useless scrap.
The Mandalorian figure continued to turn, faced Okha, and remained motionless.
Reeling back from what just happened, the droid readied his right-arm blaster. As it pointed the weapon at Okha, she took another deep breath, ignited her rocket pack for a short, yet powerful burst. Once again, she reached for that unbridled power. Okha made two fists and pointed them at the droid’s chest.
BOOOOM!!! The rocket pack ignited.
POW!!! The droid’s metal exterior gave way to its inner chassis and soared across the room.
KABAAAM!! The droid’s metal slammed onto the floor near the would-be attackers. Twisted, mangled and inoperative.
Okha felt that her connection with Moon began to fade. However, she refused to slow down. She took flight and grabbed a double-bladed melee weapon, one of several she had brought back from the armory. One of the Dark-clad attackers leapt at the opportunity to fight and confronted Okha with another staff-like weapon that was on the floor.
His armor was unlike any she had ever seen. The helmet was smooth and contained a grid of steel across the front, covering its face. The writings on the side of it was unique. Several parts of his shoulder armor had metal spikes that protruded anywhere from 6 to 10 inches. The chest plate contained symbols and insignias that did not resemble any known language. In a show of abilities, he began to twirl and spin the staff in every which way. He projected his voice and began chanting and screeching a war cry for the ages. Suddenly, the staff transformed to produce multiple blades at each end.
Okha remained calm holding the melee weapon in her left hand.
She took a deep breath, and within a split second, unholstered her right WESTAR-34 Pistol and took a shot between his eyes. The attacker fell to the ground with a thud. Motionless.
“Who’s next?!”
From behind the Lab’s door entrance, the remaining two henchmen that were standing guard, began to pace towards Okha. The Mandalorian female warrior raised her left hand, and the two immediately stopped.
“Impressive. Most impressive. But we both know that wasn't you, my dear.”
“What are you talking about?”
“By this point, she's probably fast asleep and can no longer help you… And, let's imagine that you do survive this, you are too late.”
Okha's heart sank. “What do you mean?!”
“There was no way I was going to let you have this much fun without having a babysitter for the little nuisance in your life.”
Okha's eyes widened. It was impossible for her to hide her sudden desperation. Her sudden urgent need to run back to the ship and head back home to check on Moon.
“You were sloppy Okha. Very sloppy.”
Within seconds, the room got overrun with dark-clad, armed soldiers.
“I have what I came for,” as she held up the portable Droid, “and now, I need to leave,darling.”
She turns as to leave, with a confidence that this time she was not turning back.
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