After William and his men returned to The Emperor's Conviction, he walked off and looked back to his men, two carrying the female they had taken from the rebel cell. "Get her to the..." He paused once more, seeing her unconscious form and strangely feeling concerned for her. The lead trooper, holding her by her calves, looks to William, the helmet tilting to one side in confusion.
"Sir, what are your orders?" The trooper asks, the static coming from the helmet jolts the prisoner awake, the loud noise shocking her. William also snaps out of it, growing more agitated. "Send her to the med bay, if she had no major injuries, send her directly to the prison cells." William then storms off, approaching an officer. The captain rips his helmet off and tosses it to the officer, who fumbles with it before securing it in his arms and following the man soon after. The two troopers that were carrying her set her down, though the one that was carrying her by the arms stayed behind her, their E-11 D placed firmly against her back.
The rebel that had been unconscious looks around, an expression of panic taking place in her face as she realizes the data disc her father had given her was gone, and that she was in an Imperial hangar. She looked behind her, seeing the red plated trooper behind her. The trooper's helmet made a static sound, and the barrel of the blaster in their hands poked the back of the rebel. Although she couldn't understand the trooper holding her at blaster point, she understood the message the trooper was convening. 'Move.' She began following the trooper in front of her, and proceeded deeper into the belly of the beast.
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The door to the armory slides open, an angry William entering the room. Andriana awaited him, looking up from the data pad she was, at the time, reviewing. She was about to congratulate her friend until she saw the expression he was giving. She then noticed that she was in his path, stepping aside. William walked past her and suddenly punched a pillar, causing her to jump from the sudden sound of the suit's fist making contact with the pillar in the room. William removed the fist, and the smallest dent was visible where his middle knuckle had made contact.
"Captain, are you alright?" Andriana asked, a slight quiver in her voice, seeing her friend in such a state putting fear in her heart. The fuming captain turned to her, a snarl coming from his mouth. He violently grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. Andriana, fearing what he was going to do, shut her eyes and winced. As William saw the fear plastered on her face, however, he seemed to return to normal, his grip on the shorter woman's shoulders loosening. She opened her eyes, and saw the face of her friend, the same face that had greeted her back at the academy. The man she grew to admire for his loyalty and devotion to the Empire.
"My apologies, Andriana. I-" He lets go of his second in command, looking away. He then looks to his hands, clenching his fists. "If you'll excuse me, I must take off this armor." He walks to a robot that was built specifically to take apart and put together William's armor. The robotic arms began working as soon as William stepped into the work space, planting his two feet on the indicators and grabbing onto the provided handles to his sides. He waits for a moment as the arms continue to remove the suit. As the pieces of armor and components were being taken off his body, thoughts flowed through his mind.
Why did he have those thoughts about that rebel? Why was he so enraged at seeing her unconscious? Why had he only calmed down after seeing Andriana?
He looked to his now freed body, the black mesh that made the 'skeleton' of his suit being the only thing remaining. He walks out and begins to leave, before seeing Andriana staring at him, there was a look in her eye, one that William had never seen.
Concern.
William approaches his friend slowly, keeping eye contact with her as he does. He gently places his hands on her shoulders and snaps her back to reality. "Andriana, I sincerely apologize for the events that just transpired. I truly have no idea what took hold of me, but I intend to find out. You have my word." He gives her shoulders a light squeeze before walking away and out of the armory.
Andriana released the breath she had been holding, placing her hand over her chest. Her heart was racing, trying desperately to beat out of her chest. She was frightened and flustered, the former being to the display of rage, the latter caused by how close he had gotten. She took a deep breath and ran her hand along her hair, flattening any strands that may have gotten free. She then collected herself and began to make her way to the bridge, where William would go after changing into his officer's uniform. It had startled her, but she reaffirmed in her mind that he would be there for William.
The Imperial she admired.
The Imperial she desired.
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Draxacon watched William as he entered The Emperor's Conviction, noting at how he reacted to the blonde prisoner, and how he almost raged at his second in command and trusted ally. The officer rubbed his chin, studying his friend as his rage subsided. "Interesting. Very interesting." He continues to watch the Armory feed as William closes the distance between the armor station and his friend. He then looks to the Med Wing, watching as two of William's troopers escorted the blonde prisoner into the reception area, the officer there looking puzzled at the new arrival. "Let's see if you are who I think you are, Blondie." Draxacon gets up from his seat in his office and exits, not bothering to put on that restraining coat he 'had to wear'.
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William walked through the threshold and into his personal quarters, the door sealing behind him. He walked over to one of the walls, a small desk extending from within the wall. On the desk were a number of items, such as a personal terminal, a number of security cylinders placed in what could be described as a cylinder holder, and a small framed photograph. William looked at the photo, emotions of longing beginning to build within him. He picked the photograph up and looked at the two sole figures posing in it.
One was a young boy, holding his hand up to his brow, the Imperial salute, with a grin spread on his face. The other was a blonde who looked to have just turned into an adult, dressed in an Imperial cadet uniform. She was smiling and saluting as well, although holding a more serious gaze within her eyes. The eyes seemed to stare at William as he studied them.
As if she was expecting great things from him.
William set the photo back down, grabbed one of the cylinders and placed it on the desk. He was about to move away when he remembered the other object in his hand. He raised his hand and opened his palm, looking at the data disc he had taken from the prisoner.
"I'll look at you later." He placed the disc within a port on the desk, the disc sliding in. He then turned to his closet, the wall sliding open to reveal a number of Imperial uniforms. He quickly dressed in one and walked back to his desk, grabbing the cylinder and slipping it into the circular breast pocket. He walked out of the room, intending to go to the prisoner's cell.
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The blonde prisoner looked around. The two red Death troopers had escorted her to the med bay, and when the med bot there said she had no critical injuries, they pushed her all the way to the cell she was currently sitting in. She felt terrible, like a womp rat who fell into a sarlacc pit and was slowly being digested. It was painful. There were no shower stations at Polis Massa, the other male rebel troops would ogle her every chance they got when she wasn't with her father, the commander, and she hadn't eaten anything before the base was attacked. In some way, she was glad to be away from that hell hole. But then she reminded herself that she was the only prisoner, meaning that they most likely killed everyone else, including her father. She looked down at the floor of her cell, when the door slid open.
In the doorway stood a man she could only describe as a brute. He wore the pants and boots that an imperial officer would wear, but if he wasn't wearing them or the colored bars that were on the sleeveless shirt he wore, she would have thought him a mercenary. The large man walked into the cell, the door sliding shut behind him. He looked at the security camera in the corner of the cell, then back to the prisoner. He pulled something out of his pocket, and pushed on it, a beep being emitted from the camera. She looked confused, but then watched as he drew closer. She cowered, seeing the Imperial up close frightened her. He could easily break her bones with his bare hands. Calling him human would have been an insult. This man looked like a hairless wookiee with a human face. He knelt, his face a mere feet away from hers, uncomfortably close that she could feel his heated breath pressing on her. He opened his mouth, and for a moment she thought he was going to bite a chunk of her off.
"I only have one question for you, rebel. You need not worry about other Imperials knowing the truth, I've disabled the surveillance in this cell alone. Your answer needn't leave this room and to the Empire. It shall only be known by me." He then stood up straightening his shirt. "Now, answer truthfully, rebel. Although I do not know your name, the resemblance is painfully obvious." She looked to the Imperial in confusion, wondering where he was going with this train of thought.
"Was your mother's name 'Rialla'?" The prisoner gasped slightly, taken back that this Imperial knew the name of her mother, one of the most ruthless rebels to rise up against the Empire. The man grinned, seeming to take her reaction as her answer. "Good to know. Now, your name, at least?" He looked at her, a malicious glare peering into her very soul.
"Uh....uh...Ve-Verica, sir!" her voice slightly trembled, But as soon as she answered, the glare evaporated, and the man smiled once more, walking to the door. As he approached the door, it slid open, and the man that ordered her to be taken to the med bay stood there, only now he wore the uniform of a naval officer. He had a stern look on his face, and when his eyes fell on her, the amount of hatred was enough to frighten her more than the brute. He then looked back to the other Imperial.
"What have you learned, Draxacon?" The other asked, looking over the shoulder of the brute, Draxacon, and back at me.
"Not much, William. She only gave me her name, Verica." Draxacon then stepped out of the cell, allowing the one called William to enter. "Shall I call an Interrogation droid?"
"No need. I'll get the information from her myself." William replies, malice dripping from every word he said. "Tell Andriana to set a course for Kuat, and to also inform Lord Vader we have the data he desires."
Verica's heart dropped. The data her father had entrusted to her, the designs, were now going into the hands of the Imperials. She failed. She failed her father, the growing Rebel Alliance, and worst of all, her mother.
Draxacon nodded, and the door closed, leaving the two alone in the cell. Verica looked up to William, tears streaming from her eyes. "Now, Verica." She winced when William spoke her name, leaning back as he leaned forward. "Tell me why you and your friends were on that asteroid?"