Subject: [OTL]: (alt. Betsy/Star Wars) Fanged Butterfly 2: Knightcross 62/? (PG-15) From: Phil Hartman Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:24:42 +0000 will1@earthling.net Fanged Butterfly Vol. 2: Knightcross Chapter 62 by Phil Hartman DISCLAIMER: Marvel's are Marvel's. LFL's are LFL's. Any original characters are mine. The rest belong to their owners/creators. No money is being made off of this. Please don't sue. WARNING: Violence, language, themes. ------------------------------------------------------- 40 ABY: Galactic Anti-Skrull Guard HQ, Galactic City, Coruscant, Core Worlds: Eight days after death of Ailyn Vel: ------------------------------------------------------- As soon as the chairs retracted into the gymnasium's floor, Betsy marveled at how fast the place transformed. She was pretty sure any building inspectors who walked in - assuming any were out on the streets at this time of night with the Skrulls running loose - would be mortified. There were at least THREE large farm animals on spits - Kettch's relatives, who'd gotten to Coruscant before the planetary shields went up, had brought them - with smoke rolling up to the ceiling vents. With those was a huge table full of delicacies - the Storm Ewoks had a REMARKABLE chef on hand, and thankfully, had promised not to serve Skrull as "the other green meat." (Skrull wasn't the first green meat, either, they'd assured.) Mirta Gev had pitched in with a large uj'alayi cake, politely - for the Mandalorian woman - dismissing the pleased gasps of surprise from the crowd with a simple, "We're all in this together, aruetiise, Mando'a - we kill Skrulls together, we eat together. Dig in." And the Hutt with the BERET (!) had brought several kegs of Corellian ale, fizzade for the children, and even a cask of Chiss ma'trel'krev wine, to celebrate the new alliances. In other words, Betsy thought happily, it was a PARTY. And as soon as Myri and Kettch finished their vows, it started. ---------------------------------------------------------- "DAD!!!" Corran Horn grunted - still winded, Betsy sensed, but regaining his strength after being nearly blown apart by that Katarn-Skrull's abuse of Corran's energy absorption Force-power - as Jysella and Valin hugged him while the food line formed. "Glad you're both all right, also - and not screaming at each other," Corran said, kissing Jysella's forehead and ruffling Valin's hair, despite the "boy" being almost as tall as Corran. Jysella blushed, and Valin winced. "About that ... I'm sorry we just tore out of here. I know we have to think about the greater picture, but Myri was at Thrackan's mercy," Valin tried to explain, nodding at where Myri and Kettch were still shaking hands (or paws) in the receiving line. Corran snorted, albeit kindly. "You did what needed to be done. Politics can be repaired. Losing a friend - practically one of the family - because we didn't act would be ... obscene," he told Valin, pride evident in his voice as Jysella's eyebrows rose. "And before you go yelling at Master Skywalker - either of you - think on this: Valin DID the right thing by disavowing any ties to the Order. Regardless of what Luke did to our minds, the Jedi HAVE to remain neutral in this mess ... at least, now we do, after the fiasco of the planetside missions on Corellia, and Jacen's alliances," Corran told his kids - mostly Jysella, Betsy noticed. "I still don't trust `Master' Skywalker. If we learn anything from this business, it's that Force-users can come in all shades - and NO, I don't mean `dark,' Dad. I mean, the Jedi are only one career opportunity," Jysella grumbled. "And here I thought you'd end up following your mother's footsteps. I wish she was here ... but then she'd be trapped with the rest of us. At least Booster's keeping her safe on their -" Corran said, glancing at Jysella guiltily. The irony of an ex-CorSec officer keeping secrets about his wife's quasi-legal supply business from their cop daughter, while the couple's elder son had become a "rogue Jedi," was almost too much for Betsy to keep from laughing at. To her credit, Jysella just threw her hands up and said, "I don't want to know. I learned my lesson about judging family members who follow their consciences. Law and justice aren't always the same. I get it. As long as Mom's safe." #Well. Someone HAS grown up,# Betsy thought approvingly ... and she grinned when the Horns all sat down to eat together. ------------------------------------------------------------- Tycho nibbled his salad, smiling when Kettch and Myri sailed by, dancing happily to an Alderaanian reel. "They look happy, Dad," Tace said - and Tycho ruffled his son's short hair, relieved that the boy seemed to be OK, despite ... "Tace, did the Skrulls hurt you?" Tycho asked - he didn't want to traumatize his son - HIS son, Jacen would just have to accept that - any further than Tace must've suffered. Tace shook his head - and Tycho knew his son well enough to be confident that the little guy wasn't just being brave. "They gave me a black jumpsuit to wear, and food - nerf. I didn't tell `em nothin', though - they hurt Mommy," Tace said, frowning, and Tycho nodded, proudly. His boy was brave. Then Cilghal walked in with a hoverchair, which held - Winter. "MOMMY!!!" Tace cheered, racing to Winter's hoverchair. She scooped him up, ignoring her obvious pain - Tace winced, but Winter whispered something in his ear, and he relaxed, grinning while Tycho ran to them. "Tycho. You found him," Winter said, as he kissed her - she was still too pale ... and he glanced at Cilghal. "She can stay for dinner - there was no damage to her GI tract, although I'd recommend nothing stronger than the soup - but then she needs her sleep," Cilghal said, despite Winter's glance. "Got it, Master Cilghal. Thank you," Tycho said, fighting tears - and then Winter's face brightened again, but with also with sorrow, as Han and Leia approached ... with Tenel Ka and Allana. "Lady Winter. General Celchu," the Queen Mother said, giving Tace a warm smile, and he smiled back at her ... his birth mother. "Your Majesty - Leia, Han. And the Chume'da ..." Winter said - what everyone now knew, didn't need to be said. But Leia squeezed her old friend's hand, smiling at her - and giving Tycho a promise in her look at him - "Tace stays with you two. You're his parents." "Fact," Tenel Ka promised - and the Celchus relaxed. "You mind if we visit, though?" Han asked - and Tycho and Winter beamed, as Tace leapt off of Winter's lap and played tag with Allana, laughing. "Who else'll teach Tace the Solo Slingshot?" Tycho chuckled. ---------------------------------------------------------- {Master Skywalker! I have been eagerly awaiting a chance to speak with you! May I have a moment with you and your wife?} "Certainly - er, Rotta, you said?" Luke asked - he'd rarely been around such a young Hutt, the equivalent of a ... well, adolescent in Hutt years, about 60 years old or so, Zayne had told the Skywalkers. And Rotta was - well, well-kempt for a Hutt. None of the usual drool or mucus, with a clean ... beret ... on his head. Luke glanced at Mara, who gave a miniscule shrug and brought their plates with them from their table - Ben was chatting with Jace and the rest of the Solos, and the rest of the Council were scattered throughout the reception. Rotta and his small retinue - all of whom also wore the odd berets - were sitting at a small table near a particularly raucous bunch of Storm Ewoks. It was definitely different - but, Luke had remembered, different was good. {I must thank you, and your wonderful sister - your family and mine are quite connected. Your father saved my life when I was an infant, during the Clone Wars - before his fall, please forgive my bringing up such tragic events. And your sister ... my father was Jabba. I mean you and yours no harm, however,} Rotta said. Mara didn't betray any surprise visibly, but she did radiate a mental "whoa!", and Luke nodded, wide-eyed. "That's ... very generous of you. I gather that you're different from many Hutts ...?" Luke asked. {Ho ho ho ho ho. You honor me, Master Skywalker. I'm an exile. I am Jabba's heir, but I seek to free the poor species held in bondage since the Treaty of Vontor. The Klatooinians, Vodrans and Nikto are victims of my species' arrogance. Democracy!} Rotta boomed. "VIVA LA ROTTA! VIVA LA PUNKY-MUFFIN!!" most of Rotta's entourage echoed - and they MEANT it, out of RESPECT, Luke sensed. What surprised him even more than Rotta's passion, though, was that the older Togruta woman behind the Hutt was - Force-sensitive - ?! And she looked at Luke like ... she was looking into the past. Rotta didn't miss the exchange of glances, and chuckled. {Well, `Mom'? You going to tell the poor man?} he asked - "MOM?" "Behave, Rotta. Master Skywalker ... my name is Ahsoka Tano," the Togruta said, both kindly and tentatively. "I was Anakin Skywalker's only Jedi Padawan. And we should talk." ------------------------------------------------------------------ Mara's eyes widened, and she had to keep the Phoenix from rearing up in a protective flare of energy - the woman was TELLING THE TRUTH. "Ms. - Tano? - I can sense you're telling what you THINK is the truth, but with the still-sketchy records of the Purge era -" Luke sensibly started. Ahsoka - Mara filed the woman's name away - held up a hand, and smiled knowingly. "You're as sensible as your mother. And I get that you need to check on things. I'll tell you what happened to me, and you can check around, like why Obi-Wan never mentioned me?" she asked. "Those questions did come to mind," Mara interjected, and Ahsoka nodded at her respectfully. The woman might be older than the Skywalkers, but she wasn't condescending - admirable. "I'm not looking for handouts; I found work as a retainer for Jabba on Nal Hutta, where he hid Rotta away after the assassination attempt Anakin and I stopped on our first mission together," the Togruta said. Her whole demeanor changed, becoming ... diminished ... when she added, "I left because I had a vision. It was months before Grievous took Palpatine - before Order 66. I was approaching 17, and my powers were considerable. Anakin WAS a good teacher ... but then I saw him, burning - a metaphor, I thought." Tears welled in Ahsoka's eyes, and she mumbled, "I was afraid. So - like a scared child - I hid in the Force, and ran to Jabba. He sent me to Rotta, and I've been his teacher, his protector, ever since. And we know what happened to the rest of the Old Order ..." "It's a good story - except for the part where no records of Ahsoka Tano, Anakin's Padawan, have ever been found," Mara said pointedly. "Unless the Council erased my existence to keep from embarrassing themselves," Ahsoka said, the first traces of bitterness in her tone. {From what Ahsoka told me, the Council believed her lost on a mission to Praesitlyn with Anakin Skywalker. Instead of blaming him and risk alienating Palpatine further, they agreed to `fictionalize' Ahsoka - all the news footage of her fighting with Anakin was disavowed as holo-recreations, propaganda,} Rotta said. "The Council were wary of Palpatine, though. It doesn't make sense," Luke pointed out. "They were also manipulative, arrogant bastards who couldn't smell the shavit in 500 Republica," Ahsoka spat, as Luke blushed. Ahsoka sighed, then looked at Luke and added, "You're not the same as those blind idiots. You've been wisely wary of your nephew - now, follow through. Keep your son away from Jacen Solo, and hold the `colonel' accountable for his thuggery." The Togruta was being kinder than she could have been, Mara noted - but reminders never hurt. #Maybe after the party, I can remind Farmboy MY way ...# ------------------------------------------------------------- "- `bleat once for yes, bleat twice for no!' HAHAHAH!!!!" "A talking gornt ... yes. If you'll excuse me," Jag begged - almost LITERALLY begged, these GAG types had awful humor - and slipped away from the black-clad troopers to get some air. It was the height of irony that Jag was ... uncomfortable with a group of military sentients - Jacen had, at least, not barred women or non-humans from joining the Guard. #I have changed,# Jag reminded himself, snorting as he slipped onto a balcony - after sweeping the immediate area for life-signs, using a scanner augmented to detect Skrull DNA. #A bounty hunter's precaution, not an Ascendancy colonel's. I use contractions more frequently, rarely shave more than once every three days, and curse. And drink. I ... have become a pirate,# he admitted - then spun, blaster in his hand. "Relax, brother dear. You'd think you didn't recognize me," Chak snickered - disrespectful little brat. It was one of the things Jag had liked about the kid. #Before he supposedly got killed by the Vaagari ... and before -# "Cherith -" Jag began, but Chak held up a hand, smiling. "I know. Everything. And I'm sorry about ... everything. But I had a chance at a real promotion, after Outbound Flight, and the Storm Ewoks are GOOD soldiers. Thak'erat brandy?" Chak offered, and Jag accepted the snifter his brother held. "I am glad you're alive. After everyone we lost ... is -" Jag dared to ask - but Chak shook his head, saddened, and Jag knew his younger brother knew who Jag was about to ask about. "Davin is truly dead. I'm sorry. But ... there is another, who you might have thought was dead," Chak said, his cape blowing a bit in the breeze as a black-armored female form with a helmet joined him on the balcony, and he put his arm around her. Then the woman took her helmet off, and Jag's blood froze. "Hello, Jag. This is ... awkward," Shawnkyr Nuruodo - Jag's ex-wingman (and constant flirting partner), supposedly years dead at Tenupe during the Dark Nest crisis - said. --------------------------------------------------------- Jaina had THOUGHT she'd sensed a disturbance in the Force - one she hadn't sensed since the Dark Nest crisis ... #I need to find what happened to Zekk. Tenel Ka said he'd been replaced by a Skrull ... how long ago WAS that? Where - focus, Solo. One crisis at a time,# she reminded herself, finding Jag with Chak - and Shawnkyr. Jag flinched - inwardly ... /Relax. Not your fault Shawnkyr decided to show off her `I'm back from the dead' toy,/ Jaina sent through the Force. #That's a bit heavy-handed, isn't it?# Jag complained - and Jaina admitted, she was being territorial. Still ... /Considering her attitude? Let's see if being shot down did anything for her,/ Jaina replied. Jag coughed when Shawnkyr said, "Colonel Solo. The legitimate one - or did I violate protocol with that comment?" "I'm surprised you're authorized to speak at all, given the lack of intel we have on the Storm Ewoks. But then, Chiss who have skill with words do find their way into the diplomatic corps, regardless of their flight skills," Jaina said, *almost* kindly. "I spent two years on Tenupe thanks to your mother, dodging Killiks. I might have been preoccupied staying alive, instead of running around with a commissioned officer in the Ascendancy's fighter corps on a choke-chain, exiled unfairly for your psychotic brother's machinations," Shawnkyr *almost* snarled. "You are OUT of line, Captain! Baron-Empress Fel's relationship with me is one of mutual love and cooperation, NOT mistress/slave!" Jag snapped, his best squadron commander voice in full effect. /Don't give me ideas,/ Jaina giggled, and Jag managed not to blush. #Anakin and Tahiri's games are ... inappropriate for us?# Jag offered, and Jaina DID giggle aloud at that - and maybe a little too loudly, when Shawnkyr excused herself, blushing purple. Chak winked, and Jaina thanked her brother-in-law. "I am *your* man. And I thank my ancestors for my wife every day," Jag promised, hugging Jaina - WELL. THAT kiss was deep, with plenty of tongue. /You, Baron-Emperor, are a very smart man. There'll be plenty of celebratory ... well ... tonight. Shall we make excuses and slip out to a secluded corner?/ Jaina offered, grinning. ---------------------------------------------------------------- "Well, THEY seem happy," Warren whispered, watching Jaina and Jag slip out with a quick word to Myri and Kettch, and Betsy laughed. "They're young - all right, younger than we are - and in love. It's not unknown to us, after all - grab the time we have and enjoy it?" Betsy suggested to Warren - then the room chilled, and she sighed when she saw Jacen, the older one, looking at her from a side door. #I don't like him already. And this is second-hand, from the stories you told me - power-grubbing little punk,# Warren grumbled, as Betsy kissed his cheek. ~You have good instincts. Go, talk to Leia - she's sophisticated and better at small talk than I am ...~ Betsy sent as she pushed Warren toward the Solos' table. #Granted, a week of catching up in Warren's private villa in the Rockies was a definite start on making up for almost 16 years apart - but it was more of a down-payment. Bloody hell, nothing like a party to put an edge on the night's fun ...# Betsy thought, shifting her expression to wary contempt. She needed her sneer for Jacen. He reminded her of another overly-rules-stickling idiot she'd recently chewed out ... ********************************************** 5/12/08: Camp Hammond, Connecticut, Initiative HQ, U.S., Earth: 09:00 hrs: ----------------------------------------------------------------- She watched the cadets - oddly dressed in costume tops and camoflague pants - marching past the window... led by the Taskmaster, the "former" supervillain lackey trainer. That only reconfirmed Betsy's ironclad belief that Tony Stark's "Fifty State Initiative," a program to create 50 teams of federally-sanctioned superheroes, one per state, was hideously flawed from the beginning. She looked at Stark - not himself the camp director, that was the duty of his fellow founding Avenger Henry "Yellowjacket" Pym - as he sat in a chair in the conference room of the main office building, and smiled. "They're coming along well ... even with the restrictions the `civil war' forced on us," Stark admitted. Betsy's glare held his eyes - she'd not back down from this moron, not because of the implied arrogance that Britons should follow an American lead, or any alleged difference in their social classes - as she replied icily, "Those `restrictions' kept the rest of the nations with large numbers of superhumans from kicking your arse. After the Red Skull was revealed to be behind the original draft of the Registration Act." Stark sighed, as Betsy continued, a tired frown on her lips, "And you can't force the mutants here in America to enlist, can you? Too many, and Magnus would invoke amnesty ... it'd be a public relations disaster." "Elizabeth, the Skull's involvement was purged from the Act's final draft. So please, don't slander me as some kind of fascist. And yes - superhuman registration singles out people of power. I admit that. But they don't HAVE to `enlist,' as you put it. With Charles Xavier's help, we have power training courses in public high schools - we recognized that a superhuman draft would be constitutionally iffy," Stark pointed out. Betsy rolled her eyes. "'IFFY?' Bloody HELL, you military industrial complex lackey! You've not only created the basis FOR a powered-sentient draft, you chafe under the legitimate concerns other nations have over your vile little `list'! Your Initiative teams may be restricted to acting on American soil, and may not be able to be used in overseas military actions, but they're MILITARILY TRAINED! And PLEASE don't say it's `self-defense'!" she snapped. Stark stood, scowling. "Personal responsibility! A LACK of it almost LEVELLED Stamford, when Vulcan - A SUMMERS, I might add - attacked the New Warriors!" he replied, but Betsy sneered. "Vulcan is bloody insane. And the New Warriors were acting in self-defense. If anything, they probably saved the town. Not a single unpowered human life was lost. And as for fascist parallels - the Initiative is bad enough, but your `Junior Guardsmen' program for underage children, inculcating your warped message of `join the Initiative, questioning is bad,' is SICK!" Betsy shot back. "And what, we should let those same kids wear `Magneto Was Right' T-shirts?! It's bad enough that the Xavier Institute is getting away with a loophole - all right, Charles IS an expert at power and ethics training for young mutants, and the students there are registered. It's STILL a needless parallel to our work here!" Stark snapped. "You mean it's a LIBERAL parallel to your paramilitary shavit-pile here, because Charles' students don't have to join your idiotic little stormtroopers! And I've MET Imperial stormtroopers, and THEY can actually THINK, these days, unlike your drones in training!" Betsy - ROARED, and she was taken aback by her ... ferocity. Stark leapt up - she HAD touched a nerve - and he SEETHED, "WE ARE NOT CONQUERORS. This is a DEMOCRACY." "Then it's best that Wakanda, Atlantis, Attilan, Symkaria and - yes, even Latveria - are keeping their eyes on you, now isn't it?" Betsy shot back, turning to go. Over her shoulder, she warned, "And, Anthony?" "Watch out for elevator shafts. It's a VERY long fall, I've been told." ********************************************* Betsy snapped back to the present, smiling too sweetly at Jacen as they stepped onto the balcony - the former headquarters of the 967 Commando Division, the foundation of the Galactic Anti-Skrull Guard, had an odd feeling of luxury, of *class,* for a military headquarters. Or maybe Betsy had forgotten how much firepower the X-Men had on hand in the basement of Charles Xavier's palatial mansion. "Well? Where do we begin? `Jacen, I'm bloody disappointed that you feigned Nelani's death, altered Ben's memories to protect your children, and acted to secure peace while skimming the dark side,'" Jacen mocked - and in a disturbingly ACCURATE, if whiny, Betsy-voice. Betsy refused to rise to the bait - yet - and just arched an eyebrow. "Soprano, now? You need to wear looser undershorts," she shot back. Jacen actually laughed, his voice returning to its' usual bass - not a Katarn rumble or Han's warm tones, but an authoritarian arrogance Jacen had possessed even as a teen. "To think, the trash media once associated us as lovers," he sighed. "During the War, no less. That would make me even more of a cradle robber than I was on Earth - and that was with 20-something men," Betsy admitted - bloody hell, this wasn't going well. Jacen snorted, then sighed. "All right. I admit, I've been - obsessive. Dark. But despite that Togruta woman's advice to Uncle Luke, we CAN'T let the Corellians go. I'm truly sorry for hurting Ben, for driving the rest of the family away - but we can't splinter, especially now in the face of the Skrulls actually ATTACKING," he said, feeling remorseful. The sheer irony of the statement almost made Betsy's eyes bulge. "We can't splinter? Mr. `I'm the Savior of the Galactic Alliance, Family Be Damned'?! YOU drove Anakin, Han and Leia away!" Betsy blurted. "A Jedi's life is sacrifice! I *GAVE UP MY CHILDREN* for the Order, *GAVE UP MY ONE TRUE LOVE!* I *KNOW* I'M HATED - and I can ACCEPT THAT, because I'm DOING WHAT LUKE'S TOO SCARED TO DO! I was even RAISING HIS SON - Ben's turned out -" Jacen snarled. "BEN has turned out better than you could HOPE to be, BECAUSE of his questioning - leave him alone unless HE requests, CLEAR?" Betsy spat. "YOU'VE NO RIGHT TO HIM! YOU'RE NOT A SKYWALKER!" Jacen ROARED. "YOU'RE BLOODY *TOO MUCH* A SKYWALKER! AND A JEDI!*" Betsy yelled back, blushing - she hoped this wasn't being overheard. Fat chance. "That's insane," Jacen began - but Betsy's laughter at the absurdity of THAT turn of phrase, from HIM, cut him off. "'Insane.' Oh, Jacen. Stare too long into the abyss, and it stares back. Stare too long into the light, and it blinds you. You think the Force holds all the answers, will keep you warm at night. That's MADNESS - you need a woman, a few good drinks, friends, a LIFE, instead of obsessing," Betsy sighed. Jacen started to snort, but Betsy's glare shut him up. "And please, PLEASE - stop emulating your grandfather. He was an idiot. A redeemed idiot, but just a whiny, immature, insecure idiot who tried to grab onto stability by imposing order. He lost your grandmother, and the more he tightened his grip ... well, learn from your mother's quotes?" Betsy advised. "I am BEYOND Jedi OR Sith. Vergere was right -" Jacen snarled. "Yes, yes, the Force is a spectrum. Old news, dear. The Force isn't the end-all and be-all of reality. You spent five years in the wilderness, and what did it get you? A bad beard, a few new tricks and damn lonely. Newsflash: You're a FATHER. Honestly, if you weren't trying to badly emulate your grandfather, I'd swear all this bachelor-military-martyr shavit you're on is an attempt at evading parenting," Betsy snapped. Jacen turned pale with rage, but Betsy added, "I GET that Tace needed to be hidden. Bad Hapan schuttas. But maybe if you stopped with the self-sacrificial crap, actually let Tenel Ka love you, and got down off your `Hero with No Brain' pillar, you'd find that Allana adores you, and that Tycho and Winter might let you visit Tace." "You KNOW it's not that simple," Jacen growled ... a bit deflated. "What? You WANT me to state the scenario *I* think you deserve? FINE. Luke Force-strips you, Tenel Ka strips you period, and you end up chained to her bed as a kriff-toy, where you'd do the least damage!" Betsy said, blushing profusely - and then the Force shook, and they ran inside, as the screaming started. An ENORMOUS Skrull - with a tail like Nightcrawler, and a visor like Cyclops - loomed over Tace, who was protecting Allana and yelling, "GO `WAY! YOU'RE BAD! AND YOUR CHIN WRINKLES SMELL LIKE CHEESE!" "We'll tame you soon enough, boy - ah, Solo. A message from my commanders: We can come for you any time, anywhere," the Skrull spat - and he FIRED AN OPTIC BLAST - ?! - but Jacen deflected it with Force telekinesis, snarled something, andlunged at the Skrull, pushing Tace and Allana to safety as he lit his lightsaber ... and then the Skrull teleported away with Jacen in a BAMF. "Multi-powered super-Skrulls. Oh bloody hell," Betsy whispered, as Shevu roared commands and Leia gathered up Tace and Allana. "It's a whole new bloody shavit-pile ..." ------------------------------------------------------------------- tbc ...