Rebel Defenders: Fighting the Framework (Book 4 MCU/Star Wars Crossover)

Daredevil is Dead

Karen folded her arms and frowned.

"This is humiliating. You know all this about me and I know nothing about you."

Matt turned towards Karen and his voice filled with sorrow he spoke.

"Karen I want you to know you have every right to be angry with me."

"You fought to protect me and everyone else in Hell's Kitchen. I'm surprised you're not making a case for yourself." Karen noted

"Because you cared for me as my girlfriend and yet I broke your trust." Matt replied

"Stop saying the right thing as if this is something we can move past. Where is the suit?" Karen demanded

"In the closet. I keep it inside a chest. I already unlocked it."

Karen walked over to the closet and opened the chest. She stood transfixed at the sight of the Daredevil armor just sitting in a chest. It was too much for her to take in.

"Karen from now on. I'm not going to keep any secrets from you. After what happened on Malachor...Matt Murdock is going to make this city a better place. Not Daredevil. As of today Daredevil is dead."

****

Present Day - August 23, 2033

Chopper stared at R2B0 as he continued to emit sparks and his oil tank leaked. Chopper knew another droid was responsible for this attack. He realized it was the new protocol droid's fault. Chopper raced through Chopper base formerly known as the Avengers training facility to find Zeb and his friend AP-5. Instead he crashed into Danny Rand and started beeping in high pitched frantic tones.

"Woah woah calm down. What's wrong Chopper?" Danny asked

"I'll explain it to you. There's a droid that your Rebel friends brought to base. It's disguised as a friendly protocol droid. In truth it's a hybrid infiltrator probe droid designation EXD-9. It's design is based on 3 true outcomes programming." The new Fulcrum explained with a distorted voice scrambler

"How are you still connected to Chopper? And how do you know all this? Are you an Imperial?"

"Jessica Jones is responsible for me having access to the connection. If someone as cynical and irritable as her trusts me then you should trust me."

"Fine. I get answering any questions about yourself would blow your cover. What's 3 outcomes programming?" Danny asked

"If someone prevents EXD-9 from leaving the base, it will explode and destroy the base, and the Empire will come looking for it. If someone prevents EXD-9 from exploding but doesn't let it go, the Empire will come looking for it. If someone stops it from exploding and lets it go, it will report where they are, and the Empire will come looking for them. All the options result in the base being compromised. Your only hope is to evacuate the base quickly and escape in different directions to prevent the Empire from tracking you." Fulcrum explained

"That's not possible. I can't find anyone on the base. Yet all the equipment is still here. They must be on a secret mission or out scavenging." Danny replied

"Well that leaves you and your partner the unenviable task of outsmarting a dangerous droid."

****

"Hogarth, Chao, and Benowitz is Empire friendly but its to help innocents. More importantly to step in when good men like yourself face injustice. Our reputation makes it difficult for Imperials to beat us in court. Though your case was an exception because it was very complicated. Thankfully the set of files you gave us detailing your late brother Willis Stryker's illegal involvement in your incarceration made it possible to get you released. I just want to apologize for not being able to do it sooner Mr. Cage. Or is it Mr. Lucas?" Foggy explained

"I'm Luke Cage and there's no need to apologize. I'm just grateful to be free. Thanks to Senator Organa, Princess Organa and you Mr. Nelson." Luke replied

"You can call me Foggy. It's what my friends call me. If you need anything to help you adjust just let Claire know and she'll contact me."

"Wait a minute. You allow your friends to call you Foggy?"

Foggy smiled and said goodbye to Luke taking an air taxi from the Harlem transportation center to Hell's Kitchen/Lothal. Misty exited her police car and approached Luke with a warm smile.

"I'm happy you got your name cleared. And I know you need time to move on from the past. To move on from what your brother did to you. But I could use your help if you're up for it." Misty requested

"I don't need to move on. I just need to move forward." Luke replied

"Good because it has to do with Mariah and Shades."

"Where are they? I want to stop them from controlling Harlem. Seeing both of them behind bars would be nice after they tried to hide evidence of my brother Willis framing me." Luke said

"They're laying low. Waiting until all the increased Imperial attention on this Project TIE Defender decreases before making any major moves. There's some mysterious new player in town. He looks to be smuggling in some equipment to do something big but I have no idea what it is. It's all classified under Imperial seal thanks to the actions of the late Lt. Perez. Shades and Mariah bribed his family with an early retirement fund before he killed himself. Imperial officers of high rank are the only ones with access to those investigative files."

"So you want me to go out and conduct my own off the books investigation?" Luke asked

"Something like that." Misty said with a smirk

****

Karen thanked the waitress after she finished pouring coffee for herself and Matt. The pair were eating brunch at a diner celebrating Matt's success in a recent legal case.

"You know anything about this test for a new airship called the TIE Defender? Governor Pryce was droning on and on about how it's success will lead to an expansion of the factory at Rand Enterprises to a complex that will stretch through Hell's Kitchen. The case I just won was for a client who got sick because of the fumes from chemicals that they're using to make fuel accelarant for the Defender." Matt asked

Karen sighed, "Rand Enterprises has been very quiet on this factory project. The CEO Ward Meachum is on rehab and the Chief legal council and Chief of Operations Joy Meachum is on a leave of absence for personal reasons. I think the Empire got to them because Joy was working with Jessica Jones."

Matt opened his mouth in shock. He shook his head.

"I've been doing pro bono cases. Helping people as a solo practioner of the law and it feels like I've barely made a dent in Grand Admiral Thrawn's plan." Matt complained

Karen smiled and said, "You've worked a lot of good cases these past 8 months. You helped a family get an 11 million credit settlement from Rand. That's life changing money."

"What are you saying?"

"Matt Murdock is making a difference. People have someone they can turn to when they need justice. If you put on that Daredevil suit then you'd be throwing away 8 months of hard work of living a better life."

"Are you talking about my new law practice or are you talking about our friendship? Cause if the Empire succeeds in making Hell's Kitchen/Lothal the birthplace of the TIE Defender then everyone is screwed including us and our friendship." Matt warned

"8 months ago you said Daredevil is dead." Karen protested

"Well right now Daredevil is coming back from the dead."