Light in the Darkness

Chapter 7

Nova would much rather be facing Lance then walking back into the same room with Aria. The last she had seen of the Galra she was thirteen and had just beaten Nova senseless for breathing too loudly. It had been one of her bad days. There were days where she was praised more than the rest, but more than naught she was getting punished for things that Garbhan had instigated.

She stood before Aria hands clenched at her sides, the floor holding Nova's attention.

"Is that any way to treat me after all these years?" Aria asked. She pulled a blade from its sheath, the sound bringing Nova's attention up.
It was a beautiful silver blade,the intricate designs of leaves and vines ingrained Nova's memory. That was her blade. The same one she used on assignments, that left her a little more empty inside. A part of her hoped she would never see the weapon again, but there was that small part of her that wanted to feel that rush of killing again.

"Your little boyfriend isn't here, but i'll gladly go get him if it will make you more likely to talk." Aria smiled.

"What do you want?" Nova growled out taking a step forward. The guard to Aria's left stepped forward drawing their weapon.

"I want my best assassin back." Aria replied, waving the guard down. With a warning glance in Nova's direction the guard returned to their place with a hand on their hilt.

"I'm not coming back. I ran because of this life I couldn't take it anymore. All the killing." Even as she said it Nova knew it wasn't true. Killing had been such a huge part of her life growing up it didn't bother her anymore. But then there was Lance, and the team. They had taught her what a real family was, what it meant to be loved and supported. She didn't have to choose this life. "Whatever you say I'm not coming back, I'd rather die."

Aria tossed Nova's old blade at her. "Whatever you say." In a second movement she waved her hand at the guard who had moved before. He had his sword drawn and was down on her before Nova realized what was happening.

Nova dogged his blow pulling her dagger from its sheath. She placed her feet a shoulder length apart holding her weapon out towards the guard who paced around her in a circle. There was only a second before Nova lunged aiming high only to drop low at the last second.

In one fluid motion she had the guard's feet swept out from under him, his blade sliding across the floor. In a second movement she was straddling the guard arms pressed beneath her legs and blade pressed against his neck.

She panted her hair slipping into her face as she glared down at the guard. This was her life before. She was trained to take anyone down in three seconds flat. In this life she was a killer. Distant from all except her target, she knew her target better than herself. Only to forget that they had a son and daughter as blood seeped from the cut of her blade along their neck.

Nova tossed the blade in front of her, it skidded across the floor stopping a few inches from Aria's feet. Rising she placed distance between herself and the guard.

"I don't want anything more to do with this life." Nova stood defiantly in front of Aria a glare, the only thing keeping her from losing her nerve.

"Even if it would save your love?" Aria asked as she bent to retrieve the blade. "I'm sure even you would want that."

There's a catch. She always has some sort of twist. Her past self spoke. "What's the catch?" Nova asked.

"No catch." Aria played with the blade, flicking it to her left- "Just your skills-" then to the right- "For your boyfriend's release." She pointed the blade at Nova Handle first. "That shouldn't be too hard for you to do."

Nova took the blade, staring at the handle as it moved closer to her. Her life for his. Nothing too difficult about that.

Only it was.

"Do we have a deal?" Aria asked. Her fingers drummed impatiently on her arm.

Doing this meant she might never see him again. She's about to be swept back up into her past life in order to save his future. And yet she was reminded of the fact that he was sitting in a cell feeling betrayed and hurt because of what she had kept secret from him. He deserved someone who didn't have any secrets who could be open and honest about everything. That wasn't her. She wanted to ensure the best future for him and acquiring that required him leaving this ship, even if she wasn't by his side.

"Deal."