[fic] Sleeping Dragons

[machievelli]

Sleeping Dragons

 

The woman scanned the building. There were supposed to be a dozen guards within. But there was only one life form in the building. She considered the situation. Why would the target have removed his defenses?

 

No matter. She had been hired to kill Moran Cos. That was her guiding purpose today.

 

She slid back from her perch. The way into the building was clear. A security net of mines and sensors were laid over the area, but there was a narrow way in. Enough to get her in.

 

It took an hour; sliding past the kath hound pack they had imported, and the electronic sensors. She had slipped through the defenses like a knife through nerf butter. She was inside, and she mentally checked her weapons.

 

The rooms were silent, and she anticipated some trap. Not that it would help the one she sought. Traps had closed on her, yet had never seriously slowed her.

 

Yet there were no traps. The door opened, and her weapon extended, locked on her target. He looked up. There was no fear in his eyes, not even the acceptance of his fate. He leaned back. “I have waited for you. I sent my guards away. No need for them to die to prove your prowess, my daughter.”

 

Her finger relaxed a mere millimeter. “Speak.”

 

He told her why she should not kill, him, or rather, why she should wait. Her finger relaxed, and she slid the blaster into her holster. “There is someone you should speak with.” She said.

 

 

Sela leaned forward, her tears staining the console of her ship, Subtlety. Gentle hands touched her. Sela Yah, a godsdamned HRD massaged her neck.

 

“Please, tell me it isn't true.” She moaned.

 

“It is the truth, my sister.” The duplicate told her gently. Her hands plied the pressure points on her original's back.

 

She sighed. Against her will she was relaxing. Godsdamnit, why had she faced this of all things? “Sela Yah, please.”

 

“You have to speak with him.” Sela Yah told her flatly. “After that, you can do what you want.”

 

“What I want? Or What I have to do?”

 

“Whatever you decide.” Sela Yah leaned forward. “As it should be.” Her hands stopped their gentle movement.

 

“Damn you.” Sela snarled. She turned, rubbing her eyes to wipe away her tears. “Bring him in.”

 

Sela Yah walked out, coming back in with Moran Cos. The man stopped. He looked from Sela Yah to Sela. “A clone?”

 

“Sort of.” Sela Yah replied. “Tell her what you told me.”

 

He looked at Sela. “Sela, I am your father.”

 

She stared at him. “I have no father!' She snarled. “He ran away, left mother and I. Then she died and I was left in that hell hole of an Imperial orphanage.” She stood, hands clenched into fists. “I promised to kill the bastard if I ever met him.” She reached down, the blaster coming out of the holster. She lifted it, aiming between his eyes. “Any last words?”

 

He sighed. “Your mother obviously never told you what I did. I was a smuggler, a good one until I got caught on the Kessel Run. I was imprisoned working in the spice mines of Kessel, sentenced to life. I escaped, and tried to find you. But the Orphanage had reported that you had been killed in an accident. I lost all hope.” He looked away, his eyes glistening. “I joined Black Sun as a ship's captain. I was good at my job, and made a lot of money. Enough that I bought my own ship.

 

“Then I heard of a bounty hunter, a woman of unsurpassed skill, that carried out her missions with skill and daring. That turned Callum Dorrt over to Prince Xizor after going through Dorrt's defenses. A woman named Sela.”

 

He wiped his face. “I quit. Black Sun doesn't like people quitting, so they sent bounty hunters after me. I knew if I stayed on the run long enough, they would send you. I risked my life for only one reason, to meet you in person before I died.”

 

He raised his hands, looking at her with something she had never expected to see. “Your choice, Sela.”

 

 

“Excellent work.” The Vigo purred. “Giving up your ship was choice.” He reached into a drawer, pausing as the blaster she carried was aimed at him. “Relax.” He lifted his hand out. There were half a dozen chips in it. “A bonus.”

 

Sela holstered the piece, taking the chips.

 

“What are you going to do about a new ship?” He asked.

 

“I seized Cos's ship to replace it.” She looked at him levelly. “You have a problem with that?”

 

“No.” The Vigo shook his head.

 

“Good.” She stalked out.

 

The ship was a work of art. The design had been built by a Corellian yacht maker for people who like to travel to dangerous sectors. She was shaped like a bird in flight, and hidden in her nose were a dozen laser cannon large enough to shred anything smaller than a blastboat. Sela walked up the ramp, closing it.

 

Sela Yah looked up from her preflight. “Welcome home.”

 

“Home.” Sela sighed. “I wonder what it will be like to have a home.”

 

From the copilot seat, Moran grinned. “We can find out together, my dear.”

 

Sela Yah shook her head, slipping on her headset. “Tower, Sleeping Dragon departing.”

[JediAthos]

Mach as I always do I enjoyed your piece. The twist of Moran being Sela's father was a good one and the name of the ship sounds like it fits her profile. I honestly though Sela was going to kill him so the fact that she decided to join him came as a surprise to me as well.