Nova wanted to go home, but the problem was she didn't have a home to go to. If she became a deserter there would be nowhere in the galaxy for her to turn to. No one in the galaxy would ever open their home to her. She learned that the hard way as a kid, but especially now that most every world would see her as old enough to take care of herself?
There was nothing she could do except what was required of her. After that daunting realization occurred to Nova, her entire outlook on the situation changed. It was in her nature to always look on the bright side of things, but now her ability to do so was diminished.
All Nova could see was how she would lose in this fight against the Jedi. Before yesterday the worst fight she's gotten into was on the street when some skughole tried taking her daily meiloorun. Now she was expected to fight a Jedi knight and win? Nova could only see this going one way: her inevitable demise.
Even though it sounded stupid, all the things Nova wanted that she never got was flashing through her head. She always wanted a best friend to talk to, even though she didn't always have anything of interest to say. She wanted a job to appreciate and one that she would enjoy working toward. She wanted to meet someone who she could possibly love more than a friend. She's only fifteen, and it's all about to be over. And finally, she always wanted to know where she came from, even though it was on the back burner since she was living on the streets.
It used to embarrass her thinking about it all, wondering if it would ever come true. Now as she was standing on this gunship waiting to be dropped of on the surface of Christophsis, she wasn't embarrassed about it at all. Nova wanted what she wanted, and within the circumstances she is, suppressing it all made her even sadder.
Nova was fresh out of hope for escape. Two assassin droids were assigned to never leave her side. She would've found it insulting if she didn't feel guilty about planning an escape. But there was no more planning, no more hoping for her. Nova hasn't exactly come to terms with her demise, but she couldn't exactly stop it so why worry?
A sudden stinging sensation washed over Nova as she practically ripped her sleeve off to look at her arm. She rolled up her sleeve delicately despite the urge, she hated what was there. Before Nova left, Count Dooku had one final task she must complete. He branded her with the mark of the Separatist Alliance on her wrist. The intricate markings were permanently etched into her skin, and it burnt like hell even after the deed was done.
Her careless attitude vanished when the gunship hit the ground. The heavy, hard-hitting emotions racked through her entire body, sending shivers down her spine. Nova's sensitive skin was crawling with goose bumps. She was quite literally shaking in her boots. It didn't help when the doors opened.
All the droids were systematically dropped, she was last. Nova didn't willingly march into battle and start shooting though. She held the light saber she was given and stared down at it. Eventually the two droids behind her jabbed her with the the tip of their blasters. Nova took one step off the platform. She jumped when the ship took off.
"You're target is estimated to be 6 klicks west from here, ma'am." Nova allowed herself to get sidetracked when she heard something she liked. Nobody had ever called her ma'am before. It gave her a sense of responsibility and a rush of strength, but it vanished when she realized nobody has called her that still since the droids aren't even alive. The. What she had to do popped back in her mind and she was deflated once more.
"Come on, then." She whispered out of defeat. Nova started the trudge west, blaster fire and screams from robotic and human voices alike filled the air. Every time she heard either one, Nova felt like she was gonna throw up. She tried not to look at the battle; the bloodshed.
"Is it always like this?" Nova asked the droids who she assumed had to be in one before. She was not dignified with a proper response. Nova sighed, wishing she had someone sentient to talk to. Her wish was about to be granted.
"Should we go up there for a better view?" Nova pointed to the top of a building. The droids didn't respond. She was starting to get aggravated with that.
"Fine then, just follow me I guess." Nova took off into the building cut off from the roadway and hopped in the lift. The droids weren't fast enough.
"Hey!" They're robotic voices yelled out as the started shooting. Nova was way past inexperienced when it came to using a light saber, but lucky for her these droids weren't great shots and the lift was moving quickly. After she got to a high level she leaped off and cut the line with her saber, immediately deactivating it. The red blade felt wrong to Nova. Suddenly she just realized what she had done.
"Oh kriff..." she looked over the lifts edge to see two fallen droids right where she inadvertently left them.
"Dooku's gonna kill me." For the next several minutes Nova couldn't stop her inner battle raging in her conflicted mind. Should she go on with the mission and say one of the Jedi killed the droids? Should she take this opportunity and run with it? Didn't work out so well last time. Nova could feel her breath quickening past the normal pace so she deeply inhaled and blew it out.
"Okay, focus. What do we know? There's a Jedi down there that I'm somehow supposed to kill. Okay, right? Okay." It just then occurred to Nova, she didn't even know what a Jedi was. Regardless of the many setbacks her insufficient knowledge was creating, she held up the binoculars and zoomed in towards the clone army station.
Nova gasped out of horror and threw the binoculars away when she saw a clone in yellow and white colored armor be shot down by an emotionless droid. Next to the clone she saw somebody else who looked very different. A man with reddish brown hair and a beard, dressed in tan and beige bathe robes pulled the clone trooper behind their barricade and felt for a pulse; Nova's heart sank when she saw the look on his face.
"Poor guy." Nova whispered to herself. She hesitantly grabbed her binoculars and honed in on the guy in bathrobes, she gasped slightly when he activated another glow stick of destiny like she now had, only his was blue. She thought that color suited him, much more than red suited her.
He turned around to talk to somebody. It was another clone with more slight yellow markings on his armor. He had alterations to his helmet with a weird visor on top. That clone turned to talk to another one with unique blue markings on his armor. He had a shoulder pauldron and a different type of weapon compared to the rest of the soldiers. He turned to talk to another person.
There he was; Anakin Skywalker. Nova took one look at him and knew she didn't stand a chance against him. She discarded her binoculars for the second time and stood up in a fury. How could Dooku give her such an impossible task? It's almost like he wanted her to fail.
It hit Nova like a freight train: he did want her to fail. That is quite literally, exactly what Dooku wanted. If Dooku's best assassin already failed then what hopes did a complete novice of the force have? Nothing! She was supposed to die on this "mission" so Dooku didn't have to put up with her trying to escape every other day.
With a new wave of determination hitting harder than that last realization, she gripped her light saber harder than ever and stared down at Skywalker from her perch. Nova decided then and there she would show Dooku what he was missing.
As she stared, she noticed him take a brief pause in mid fight. His saber swinging came to a stand still momentarily as he looked up. Right at her. Nova was quick to collapse to the ground but she was afraid it was too late.
"Kriff." She muttered again, her determination wavering already. If Nova didn't have the element of surprise she'd really be a dead girl walking. She decided it would be best to lay low for awhile, hopefully until Skywalker forgets what he saw.
}{}{}{
Lyra self-consciously started rubbing her fingers over her own etched skin from many years ago. She was willing to get the brand, didn't put up a fight to it until the hot metal touched her sensitive skin. She wasn't not proud of it, but it wasn't something she jumped at the chance to show people.
Not that she's met many people since she was that young. Lyra was a very socially shy person, but not reserved at all. If you said something Lyra didn't like, she'd let you know. It's when people say things she had no right to an opinion of where she felt uncomfortable. It's gotten her in trouble with Dooku on countless occasions. Despite him being a murderous psychopath, she was comfortable around him; believe it or not.
And she's never been more uncomfortable in her life compared to the awkward ride down to the surface of Christophsis. She fiddled with the mark on her wrist while staring at the floor the whole time, the only thoughts in her head were treasonous ones.
"Approaching drop zone." The droid piloting announced to the ship even though all the B1's and super battle droids were in crouched position on their holders. Lyra took out her light saber and inspected it. All these years she thought it perfectly represented her, Dooku chose to give it to her but now she just wasn't sure. She was always proud of the fact it wasn't red, it meant she wasn't truly evil.
"Clear!" The droids were activated as they systematically were let off the ship, Lyra being the last one. No droids we're watching her. She wasn't sure if it was because Count Dooku finally trusted her or if he just didn't care enough to keep her in line. Was she that insignificant to him? The thought irked her.
Lyra began her trek to the battlefield. She immediately sensed the presence of two strong force signatures across from her. Lyra didn't want to risk them sending her so she chose the long way. She chose a building down the Main Street but further back than the other Separatist forces marching towards the Republic troops.
I'm a building, she would scout the best solution for this. If there was a ship available, Lyra would take it. If there was a shot on Skywalker's life, she'd take it. Whichever popped up first really. Lyra grabbed her binoculars and scouted ahead down the road where two men wielding blue light sabers appeared to be arguing with each other.
"Heh." Lyra chuckled, finding the two adult men bickering hilarious. Suddenly, Skywalker peeled off with a splinter group of clones and disappeared from her sight.
"Where did you go to, sneaky little Skywalker." Lyra often talked to herself in I unstable situation. Actually, she did so in stable situations too. Lyra gasped when she found Skywalker and the rest of his men. They were on top of spider walkers, but these were unlike anything she had ever seen in size before.
"Damn." She whispered to herself, honing in on the Jedi expertly destroying million dollar Separatist war equipment. Watching him cut off the legs of the crawlers made her revel in awe. Now Lyra thought it'd be a shame if she did kill him because look at him!
The entire droid army was in full retreat, but a Republic ship flew overhead. Lyra watched as the two Jedi conversed friendly-like with each other. A smile crept onto her face whether she realized it or not. The two were a charming pair who seemed really close. Something Lyra could only dream of having.
After the ship landed and the railing collapsed to the ground, a youngling walked off. Lyra scoffed, zooming in on the small, orange skinned girl who reminded her of somebody. Lyra thought back to before her escape. The purple Togruta stuck in a cell just like her. Never before had regret hit her so hard. The thought that she is still in that cage was too much for Lyra, she had to look away.
Thankfully, her eyes landed on just the person she was thinking about.
"What!?" Lyra was shocked her shout didn't give away her position behind enemy lines. Lyra tossed her binoculars aside, unbelieving of them. But sure enough when she squinted hard enough she could clearly make out the purple skinned girl she was just thinking about.
"You've gotta be kidding me." She muttered. As much as Lyra hated to admit it, this was all a set up. A part of her deep down always knew the Count didn't care for her, but she never thought he'd resort to making two young girls compete in order to fight a Jedi. Lyra wasn't that good because she lacked natural talent. That poor girl wouldn't be any good because ha slacked any real training.
The next few minutes as she loosely monitored the Jedi, her main focus was on the other girl Dooku sent. There was no doubt in Lyra's mind he sent her here to kill Skywalker too. Now it made more sense, he wanted to see which one was more capable before choosing a new apprentice.
Lyra's blood absolutely boiled at that revelation. She wished she didn't even comprehend it. She wished she still felt the pull to Castle Serenno, after all she practically grew up in those halls, but now she didn't know what to want. There's nothing more Lyra wanted now then to become one of those emotionless droids with no conscious. Maybe then she wouldn't feel like saving this young girl was something she must do.
Lyra knew what she had to do, she just wished she didn't have to do it.
{}{}{}
The red energy shield like what Nova had to break through erupted around the entire Separatist force. Nova thought it was interesting how all the droids could be programmed to walk the same pace so they didn't die. She was sure that if she was in front of a ray shield she would've either accidentally ran into it or have into her intrusive thoughts and run into it head on.
She watched through her binoculars. Nova couldn't help the immediate attachment to her fellow Togruta. Nova had never felt a stronger pull to anyone, ever. She admired the small white and blue lekku, and suddenly felt very insecure about her abnormally large ones, especially for her ripe age of 15.
The mission was long lost on Nova as all she could think about was how pretty her fellow Togruta was, and how dull it made her feel in comparison. It almost made feel a certain type of resentment towards the orange-skinned girl, but Nova shook her head and refocused the binoculars of Anakin.
He was the target, not the youngling. Him and another Jedi, along with the youngling and a clone trooper. Nova watched as the young Togruta was followed, somewhat aggressively, by Skywalker away from the rest of the Republic forces.
"Not great, but it could be worse." Nova knew where they were headed because General Kenobi was kind enough to point at exactly where everyone would be and what they would be doing. He was nice like that. Kenobi and the soldier turned around and shut off the holotable they set up.
"I guess it's now or never." Nova muttered to herself again. Her mind was saying it was time to go but her legs weren't moving she heavily sighed, finally standing up. She immediately noticed how her legs were squirming so viciously. To say she was scared for her life would be a gross understatement.
Nova ducked when Skywalker dared a glance o Ee his shoulder to her position. Nova crawled in the floor back to the lift she destroyed. She went to the back of the building and scaled down the wall since she fried the lift. Lucky her, she was used to sneaking around by climbing buildings.
Now in loss of the high ground, Nova felt vulnerable so she fled behind the buildings in the streets. Skywalker and the girl were headed towards the shield generator to take it out. Not only would Nova be killing two Jedi, but she'd also secure a Separatist victory for Count Dooku if her new plan was to work. Then no matter he'd have to stop shooting her with lightning, right?
Nova was running to her destination the long way by circling around through the streets, which proved to take longer than me she thought. Nova couldn't shake the feeling that somebody was watching her. She wasn't sure if it was that force thing Dooku kept rambling about or if it was just her insightful instincts, but she couldn't deny the pit in her stomach.
Eventually, as she rounded a corner, Nova turned sharply and hid on the wall. She watched as moments later a blue and black blur sped by and leaped up to the second story patio of a home. She kept leaping and running further away. Nova watched her narrowly balancing on the teal tiled roof and instantly knew where she was headed.
"Probably another Jedi headed to help Skywalker." Nova concluded. She looked at the light saber being flung around but still stuck to the side of the blurs hip.
"Kriff. Just my luck." Nova followed the other Jedi and found it much easier than she made it took to leap into the air. She almost felt what Dooku was speaking of earlier, the force underneath her. After scaling her way to the top of the roof and furthermost building closest to the generator, Nova dropped to the lowest point of the roof and hopped to the floor. She hid behind a large rock in a crouched position, making her final prayers to whoever was outside their galaxy.
"There it is!" Nova barely heard the young, enthralled voice of who she assumed was the girl say to Skywalker. Nova looked around as much as she could, but the other Jedi was nowhere in sight. But somehow she could feel her near, but not quite able to put a pin on her exact location. Nova was about to take the final few steps out of hiding towards Skywalker, but she heard something else."
"Stay close." He whispered, but Nova still heard it. His worlds first echoed around her head before he verbally said them, which tripped her out. Nova was even more befuddled by the amount of concern flooding out of his tone by the simplest of words. As far as Nova could tell, they had just met each other when she cockily strutted off that ship and yet here Anakin was, already caring for her?
She knew what she had to do, but now she really didn't wanna do it.
"Wait—"
"Why? We're almost there! It's right—" Ahsoka tripped as a result of stepping on a sort of land mine. Instead of exploding, the ground next to her sunk in to reveal a nice little Separatist surprise underneath the ground.
"Forget about the droids, set those char—" Anakin stopped just in time to sense danger. He activated his light saber and spun a 360 just in time to block his mysterious attacker.
"I'm so sorry." She whispered. Anakin used one hand to force push her back all the way. Nova's already torn up clothes skidded to a stop on the tiles, her light saber flying out her hand. Anakin marched toward her, twirling his light saber menacingly.
"Who are you!?" He barked.
"No, please, I didn't want this—" Anakin raised his saber above his head. He wasn't going to kill her, but Lyra who was standing by observing this didn't know that. Lyra leaped from her hiding spot and turned her blade to block Anakin's.
"She didn't want this!" Lyra cried out, too afraid to admit that a part of her did. The droids that were raised from the ground begun shooting at Anakin, and there for the two girls who gave each other weird looks. Lyra scooped Nova up in her arms despite the protests and hopped away, leaving Anakin to fend for himself.
In mid air, Nova shoved herself out of Lyra's hold and went spiraling out of control towards the ground. Lyra stuck her hand out and attempted to lift the girl with the force. Nova fell flat on her arse. Lyra was quick to put her hand down so none of the people present thought she was even trying to use the force.
"You okay?" Lyra asked with a stern face. She sounded concerned, like Skywalker did. Nova's heavy guard came crashing down for a second. Somebody did speak to her with such a softness as Anakin did to his padawan. All Nova could do at the moment was meekly nod.
"We need to get off this planet." Ova was too mesmerized by the beautiful twi'lek to agree or disagree.
"Wait, we? Aren't you a Jedi?" Lyra stuck her head above the rock they were both crouched behind to see how busy the two actual Jedi were still.
"Force, you're funny." Lyra remarked, happy to see the young padawan tripled the amount of droids there were on accident. That tried frizzled away when she saw the padawan learner taking out charges.
"We gotta go." Nova nodded more firmly and stood up, running down the street.
"Hey! Where are you—" Anakin screamed after the two fleeting assassins, but he started yelling for a different reason as a giant slab or a rock started to fall with him right below it. Nova gasped and turned around with her hands outstretched, ready to save Anakin's life. Lyra slapped her arms back down and dragged her away.
"No!" Nova didn't see if the Jedi died or not. She hoped with every fiber of her being he didn't.
"Come on!" Lyra couldn't care less frankly as she dragged Nova down the street. They never stopped running. Nova tried yanking her hand free several times only to finally succumb to Lyra's strength.
"Didn't you just try to kill him?" Lyra asked rhetorically when Nova's reaction to the rock falling on him finally sank in.
"I don't... I never could've done it." Nova weakly admitted to herself more than anything. Lyra already admired the girl more than herself, because Lyra wouldn't have hesitated if the other girl wasn't in the way. But the next question Lyra asked herself, why did she hesitate even with this dumb Togruta in the way?
"We need to find a ship. Republic or Separatist." Lyra asserted. Nova was still out of it. It took Lyra's firm grip on the girls arm for her to realize they had stopped running.
"Do you think he's okay?" She asked frantically, arms twitching as she paced rapidly. Lyra was too far on edge and about ready to slap some sense into her, but the explosion of the shield generator. Lyra jumped, but it made her discover how tightly wound she was from the tension. Lyra tried to calm down a bit to keep herself from killing the girl she just saved.
"I doubt that Padawan back there would've blown up the generator if her Master was dead. He's fine." Lyra asserted.
"Are you sure? Maybe we should go back just to make—"
"Are you dumb?" Lyra harshly whispered. Nova had tears welling up in her eyes. Lyra didn't care how rough she was with this girl who was actively jeopardizing their safety as she grabbed her by the forearms. Before Lyra could say anything else offensive, she noticed the tears.
"Dumb enough to trust you!" Nova kicked Lyra in the stomach and watched as she let go of her and doubled over in pain. Lyra only grunted for a se one before looking back up, but it was too late. Nova was gone.