[Fic] Twins' Destiny

[Grace]

Thanks to JasraLantill for reading and making corrections

 

 

Twins' Destiny

 

 

 

When you're a bounty hunter, being compared to Boba Fett is a great compliment... even after he's been dead and gone for nearly eighty years. It means you're feared and respected... and usually, it also means you're practically invincible. So when those who knew of Eva Hart began to make that comparison, she knew she'd reached her goal.

 

It was with that confidence that she entered into her next job, but nothing in all of the training she'd acquired over the last ten years, neither from the Jensaarai nor from bounty hunting would have prepared her for this...

 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 

 

“You know, people are beginning to call you the new Boba Fett,” her contact rasped cheerily. Eva smiled faintly and rubbed her right hand against the scarf she wore around her head. Beneath it, a loose strand of her dark brown hair had fallen into her face and now it was driving her crazy... but she could not remove the scarf, not while others were near. And so, the stray would have to remain.

 

“I have heard,” she answered, her only visible facial feature her deep blue eyes, which glittered with some amusement. “However, I think I should prefer the ‘Angel of Death’... not entirely sure on that, but it seems fitting, doesn't it?”

 

“As you never bring in live bounties,” the contact mused. He grinned. “I'll pass the word along.” He shook his head. “At any rate, the Aarkenfold Trust has a job for you.”

 

“Bring it on,” Eva challenged.

 

“Target's a Jedi,” the contact warned.

 

Eva shrugged. “Did you forget the stories that say I had five years training with the Jensaarai?” she wondered, tugging at her belt to release the hilt of a lightsaber that hung there. The contact laughed.

 

“That part of the story true?” he asked. Eva nodded wordlessly and gestured for him to continue.

 

“Ah, right,” he said. “Well, her name's Marisa Lynn. She's about the same age as you, had fifteen years’ training with the Jedi. Full on Jedi Knight now...” He went on to detail Marisa Lynn's observed strengths and weaknesses. Then, he said, “She's scheduled to be on Corellia next week. Visiting family, I hear. Price is 200,000 credits.”

 

“What'd she do?” Eva wanted to know. The contact shook his head.

 

“Got on some nerves,” he answered. “That's all I know.”

 

“Whatever...” Eva said, crossing her arms as though unimpressed. “Bounty on Jedi used to be a million credits from what I hear.” The man snorted.

 

“Things ain’t what they used to be anymore,” he pointed out. “500,000 credits. High as I’m authorized to go.”

 

“Good,” Eva murmured. “Good. I'll take it.” She paused a beat, and then inquired, “But what the droyk is the Aarkenfold Trust?”

 

The contact scowled. “Don't question your employer.”

 

Eva grinned and departed. The man she'd met with sat still a little while longer before he was joined by another woman. Where Eva was tall and a little mysterious, this woman stood at five feet tall and looked like a teenager. But it was apparent by her demeanor that she was no teenager, and that made her far more mysterious than Eva could ever hope to be.

 

“So what is the Aarkenfold Trust?” the man asked softly. The short woman smirked, her dark eyes sparkling with amusement.

 

”Don't question your employer,” she said, echoing his response to Eva. “You did very well, Cassius. Now run along.” She tossed him a small bag of credit chips and departed as swiftly and silently as she'd entered.

 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 

 

Eva researched the Aarkenfold Trust and found very little information. What she did find though was enough to convince her that they were in fact capable of paying for the bounty. As for the people involved in the Trust, there was absolutely no public information; it was all so classified that even Eva could not find a way into their private files.

 

Now back in her ship, Eva was scarfless, allowing her dark hair to fall along her spine in a mid-back length braid. Her tanned face was marred by a single white scar, running diagonally across her right cheek. Absently brushing her hand over it, the young woman put aside all thoughts of her employer and settled in to learn about her target. But as little information as was accessible about the Aarkenfold Trust, still less was available when it came to Marisa Lynn.

 

There were a few records in the Jedi Archives of the Old Temple on Coruscant, listing date of birth, date of initiation (whatever that meant), date of apprenticeship, date of trials, date of Knighting... Eva rolled her eyes. The Jedi had more celebrations than diplomats. But the thing that struck the young bounty hunter as the most unusual is that there was no image of the woman.

 

“No matter,” Eva said aloud. She knew Marisa would be on Corellia next week. Of course, Corellia was a large place, but Eva knew how to track someone. And a Jedi who didn't know they were being hunted would be a perfect target, shining out like a beacon, directing her hunter which direction to turn.

 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 

 

“Is she coming?” a low voice demanded impatiently.

 

“Patience, kid,” the short woman answered. “Marisa is always quick to answer to the call of her old master and Eva loves a challenge. As a matter of fact, there’s Marisa now.”

 

“Can you be sure they'll fight?” the man asked, stepping slightly out of the shadows only to be pulled back by the short woman.

 

“They'll fight,” she confirmed. “Eva will fight because she’s got a reputation to uphold. Marisa will defend herself and no more. But they'll both come around. Don't worry. Neither will die. I will step in before that happens.”

 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 

 

From a distance not so far away, Eva watched a lone Jedi depart from the little shuttle. She looked around as if uncertain, but then strode forward. Though there was no image anywhere to be found of Marisa Lynn, Eva was almost entirely certain that this Jedi was her target. Slowly, Eva began to make her approach. But when she was on level ground with the Jedi, a voice behind her called out, “Marisa!”

 

The Jedi turned and instantly spotted the bounty hunter, correctly identifying her as Eva Hart. After all, of the few female bounty hunters in the galaxy, only Eva was known to conceal her face with a scarf.

 

“Have you come for me, Hart?” she called out. Eva drew nearer, squinting suspiciously at the Jedi.

 

“Is this some kind of joke?” she demanded incredulously. Marisa froze at the sound of Eva's voice. Then, she frowned, staring into Eva's eyes as the hunter moved to stand face to face with her target. Slowly, Marisa reached forward, intending to withdraw the scarf from Eva's face and to her surprise, Eva did not resist.

 

“Impossible,” the two women murmured in unison. Though Marisa’s hair was cut shoulder-length and Eva had her scar, the two women were identical. Tentatively, Eva took a step back.

 

“Laura?” she asked softly. Marisa flinched at the use of a name she'd left behind long ago.

 

“Alisa...” she replied. Instantly, the two women sprang backward from one another, landing in defensive positions, two meters separating them. Slowly, they began to circle one another.

 

“You’re supposed to be dead, Laura,” Eva said softly.

 

“So are you, Alisa,” Marisa answered evenly. “Can I take your presence now as proof that you were to blame for what happened?”

 

Eva glared. “I was seven years old!” she protested. “And you were always the smarter one, weren’t you? That’s what everyone said, anyway...”

 

In the shadows, the man glanced questioningly down at the short woman, but she was completely ignoring him. In his mind, he saw an image flash before his eyes, an image of these same women when they were just girls.

 

“Twins,” he murmured. “Not clones...”

 

“Ssh!” the short woman hissed, lashing out at him with her right hand.

 

“Ooh!” he grunted, for her right hand was mechanical and had a far greater force to it than he was expecting. Without warning, the two sisters lunged for one another, drawing their lightsabers as they moved. Eva’s was dazzling emerald; Marisa’s was rich violet. Their blades clashed together with such force that both women stumbled.

 

“Why did you take the job, Alisa?” the Jedi sister asked quietly. “And what will you do now that you know who you’ve agreed to kill?”

 

Their blades clashed again in a flurry of strikes and blocks. After a brief period of engagement, the bounty hunter pulled away.

 

“I agreed due to a challenge, Laura,” she retorted. “You’re just more of a challenge than I could have ever expected. But the plan is still to finish the job. I don’t know you any more.”

 

“Because we were split up when just seven years old,” Marisa observed. “And it was for that same reason I knew from the moment I saw you that I could not trust you. But I will not kill you.”

 

“Then you will die,” ‘Eva’ said simply. But as she moved to attack her twin once more, everything in her mind screamed at her to stop. She ignored her conscience and emotions, stubbornly reminding herself that she’d taken the job and that she’d never failed a job before. It would be foolishness to break that record simply because of blood relation.

 

And yet, as she drove her blade down toward her sister’s head, a feeling of joy began to build in her. They’d each been under the impression that the other had been dead for twenty-five years; this was a chance to reconnect. Lower your guard, Alisa urged, but ‘Eva’ stubbornly refused. The sisters continued their fight, with the bounty hunter pushing hard and the Jedi merely defending. Then, with a carefully placed slash, Laura's blade cut cleanly through Alisa's lightsaber and the green blade winked out. Startled, Alisa executed a graceful, Force-aided backflip, drawing a concealed blaster as she did so. Just as she landed, she fired a single shot, which slammed into Laura’s hilt and just as the green saber vanished, so now did the violet. Alisa kept her blaster aimed at Laura’s chest. Dropping the now useless hilt of her lightsaber, Laura took a step forward.

 

“You intend to let Eva take you, then?” she asked softly. “For a split second, I saw my sister in there.” She smiled. “But Eva wants to take my life. Reputation to keep and all...”

 

“I should pull the trigger...” But Alisa’s voice was wavering and her hand began to shake.

 

“I won't stop you,” Laura answered. She took another step forward, but Alisa pulled back.

 

“What are you doing to me?” she hissed. “I'll pull it! I'll kill you!”

 

“Then do it and have it over,” Laura urged, again moving closer to her sister. This time, Alisa allowed her approach. Her hands, normally known for their stability during a job were now shaking uncontrollably and she could not aim. Tears came to her eyes.

 

“I can’t,” she whispered, dropping the blaster. Laura rushed forward to wrap her arms around her sister.

 

“I admit, I’m rather glad of that,” she whispered into Alisa’s ear. For the first time in nearly twenty-five years, Alisa broke down, crying silently into Laura’s shoulder. But then, she began to feel a quiet rage build up.

 

“I am not that weak!” she protested through her tears, pushing away from her sister.

 

“This is not weakness,” Laura comforted. “What is reputation beyond word of mouth?”

 

The short woman strode forward from the shadows. “And this is word that will not be spoken. Call it not defeat; it was a test.”

 

The sisters spun to face the newcomer with identical looks of shock as one called her, “Eva?” while the other questioned, “Marisa?” After an exchange of confused glances between the sisters, the short woman chuckled.

 

“I am Eva Hart,” she said, “and I am Marisa Lynn.”

 

“I don't understand,” Alisa said with a frown.

 

“You are not meant to,” the short woman answered cryptically. “Do not question me. Now is the time you must listen, not speak.”

 

She strode forward, pulling Alisa down to her eye level by the shoulders. “Alisa, the galaxy has known you as Eva Hart for five years. Now it must know Alisa.”

 

Taking a step to the side, the short woman did the same to Laura. “Laura, for your fifteen years with the Jedi, I called you by a name you thought was mine and instructed you to call me only Master. When you were Knighted, you accepted it as your own and I left. But now, you must do as your sister and return to your name. Laura, you must be known.”

 

“The galaxy is not ready for that,” Laura protested.

 

“Perhaps not,” the Master answered. “But they will adapt when they discover the importance of your return from death.”

 

“I don’t understand,” Laura objected. “You speak of our importance...”

 

“Do not question me!” the Master repeated. “Very soon, the galaxy will have need of you, both of you, together. Do not shy from destiny.”

 

“You are being extremely vague,” Alisa pointed out.

 

“You will know when you are needed,” the Master replied, stepping back. “For now, reacquaint yourselves with one another. And return to your names. Remember, you have been chosen for a task greater than either of you alone. When you see the signs, do not hesitate. Become what you were meant to be.”

 

And with that, she vanished, leaving the twins alone once more. For a long period of silence, they stood together, staring at the spot where their former Master stood. Then, they shifted, turned, and entered Laura’s shuttle together, speaking softly about what had just happened.

 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 

 

From a distance, the Master watched the twins depart, a smile of relief lighting up her face.

 

“Laura made a mention of ‘what happened’, made it sound like they were seven at the time,” the man said from the shadows behind her. “What happened?”

 

“They were playing a game together,” the Master answered softly. “And then the ship blew up. A minor fault turned major and neither of the twins was to blame. But secretly, they both blamed themselves, blamed themselves for the loss of each other... and their family.”

 

“I don’t understand,” the man said, coming out of the shadows to stand beside her. “What is it the twins are needed for?”

 

“All in good time, kid,” the Master answered softly. “One day it will all fall into place, and then you will understand.”

 

“I’m a Jedi,” the man said, “so I can understand destiny. But I’ve never understood your interest in all of this. You trained them both very well... though how you managed it, I’ll never understand. Then, you come to me, representing the Aarkenfold Trust, a name I have never heard of before in the interest of getting them together. Why?” After a pause, he added. “And who are you?”

 

The Master watched the shuttle vanish from sight before answering:

 

“I’m no one... just the mother of a Jedi... and a Bounty Hunter.”

 

And with that, she turned and strode boldly into the darkness.

[JasraLantill]

Thanks, Grace. The thing I liked most about this story is the behind-the-scenes manipulation. It's almost as if there are twin bounties going on here--the obvious one being the monetary bounty offered for the Jedi, and the second one being the bringing together of the twins for some future purpose by the mysterious 'mother.' (Hmm... I sense a future fic spawning from this story... ) Well done!

[Darth InSidious]

Very good. Good use of style, although it slips occasionally. Reminiscent I think of "Sunset Boulevard"...Not sure quite how well this one relates to the topic, and I felt that the Master's manipulation was a little too convenient, but other than that a very good fic.

 

8.7/10.

[Bee Hoon]

Pretty good:) Though I must admit to some confusion once their true names were revealed:P I kinda saw the twist at the end coming, lol. I hope there's a sequel!

[Emperor Devon]

Nice job, Grace! The whole thing is pretty well polished and there's not a lot for me to criticize literary-wise. The only thing I'd have liked more of is the character's backstories. (Such as the accident and the character's mother)

 

Pretty good overall! My score: 8.8/10

[Grace]

Thanks for the compliments!

 

ED, as to the backstories, it's challenging to fit everything into a semi-short story for a competition... but now that I've come up with the characters, I want to come up with their stories.

[Jae Onasi]

I'd like to know what their destiny is, perhaps a foreshadowing, and how the mother survived. I'd also have liked a bit more fighting description--if they're pretty well matched, I think it would have taken a little longer. However, the descriptions are very nice and the behind-the-scenes machinations were fascinating. Nice job on this one.

[Empress Padme]

I loved it. Please tell me there will be a sequel.