Shadows and Shades (#4 Post-Order 66 Series)

Shadows and Shades - Part 14

A/N: IMPORTANT! I'm putting the warnings for this chapter at the end of this chapter since one of them is a MASSIVE spoiler for this chapter, so if you've got some subjects that you try to avoid in fics, please go take a look at the end to view the complete list of warnings. It's good to be back (sorry for the long wait on this one... work's been bananas).

The world around Crosshair seemed to be distant, echoing, and dark. It was as if his soul was sinking back into his body slowly after a period of separation. He felt the stiffness of the dried blood on his lips, the throbbing of his head, and the tension in his shoulders as a pair of binders held his hands behind his back. He was vaguely aware of the toes of his boots dragging along a smooth surface, voices muffled around him. His eyelids were heavy as he struggled to open his eyes, trying to focus on the blurred figures around him. His vision swam and a passing bright light felt like it slammed into his skull. He snapped his eyes closed again, breathing sharply through his nose as his mind raced.

We're being moved.

He opened his eyes again, fighting the fog in his head to bring things into focus. He could just make out a pair of stormtroopers in front of him being led by a figure in grey. In between them, they dragged what appeared to be a human woman.

Iden.

Everything came roaring back to him in that instant, and a rage settled into his chest as he noted some blood dribbling from Iden's temple. He snarled, trying to work his arm free, but the stormtrooper to his right wrenched his shoulder sharply enough to where he thought he may have torn some ligaments.

"Enough. Stand up and walk if you're awake."

They dragged him to his feet, and he felt the cool muzzle of an E-11 press against the nape of his neck.

"Move."

He glared at the other stormtrooper before his eyes flicked ahead to where Nisa had paused and was watching the exchange with a smirk on her face.

"I'd do as he says. You being alive was the only requirement I was given." She didn't say what the alternative was, but he didn't need her to. Crosshair seethed as he strode forward.

"You'd condemn your own sister to death then?"

"I have no sister. Haven't for a long time." Despite her even delivery, Crosshair could still see something flickering behind Nisa's eyes, and while he hoped it was doubt or misgiving, he couldn't be sure. He didn't have time to evaluate it further as he was shoved through a doorway into a rather large office.

There were large windows that looked over the city proper behind a large polished wooden desk. A stiff, high-backed chair sat behind the desk, but aside from that, there was little decoration in the office. The desk itself was filled with neatly stacked data pads and reports, but the nameplate on its front caught his attention, making his blood boil further.

Admiral Rampart, Imperial Navy

The sound of metal scraping against tile snapped him out of his furor, and he whirled to find Nisa dragging two chairs towards him. The stormtroopers carrying Iden dropped her in the first one unceremoniously, only bothering to slip her arms behind the back of it. Nisa set the other chair back-to-back with it before placing a hand on Crosshair's shoulder and pushing him down into it. The stormtroopers roughly adjusted his arms, sliding his bound hands behind it's back. He tested the binders again without any luck before glaring at Nisa through his eyebrows.

"You really think the two of us will be enough to make up for losing that weapon and half the factory?" he spat.

Nisa sat back against the edge of the desk calmly, resting her palms on the edge. He could tell she was trying to maintain an air of indifference, but one of her legs was nervously bouncing. The leaf necklace glinted at her throat as she cocked her head at him.