Before Rift Apart (Complete)

Through The Looking Glass

Corson V, Verdagris Sector, Nefarious City.

Rivet was looking at herself, but knew full well it wasn't her. The eyes of the other screamed untamed hatred. Neither would speak at first, only staring to see who would make the first move. Our Rivet made the first move, she didn't speak, and decided fighting would be a fatal move. She ran, as quick as she possibly could. The other made no move to go after her, it then occured to Rivet that whatever plan she'd come up with, this darker version of her would know what it was. So Rivet stopped and turned, which actually seemed to interest her counterpart. "So, looks like we're fighting after all." The other said with a smirk. Rivet stared on, unsure. She then decided to just talk. "Why work for Nefarious?" Rivet asked, genuinely curious.

"Because he gave me purpose, more than that he's willing to give something that you and your pathetic resistance can't: our brother." The copy stared. Rivet shook her head. "And what good would that do? He clearly changed you. What makes you think you'd get Layden back as he was?" Rivet asked, knowing the answer couldn't be obvious. She was trying to sow the seed of doubt in her counterpart, possibly to no avail but she figured she didn't have much to lose. The copy of Rivet did think, albiet extremely briefly before she got angry. "I have the same memories you do! I know full well how you feel about my brother.. Blaming him for leaving us the way he did.. I remember it." At that moment, it hit Rivet after a moment of thought. The copy only thinks this because the DNA used to make her was well before she came to terms with herself, and Layden's death.

Because of that, she was made feeling the same way. Another weapon against her copy. "You're wrong. I haven't felt that way in a long time. I came to terms with it. I think it about it often. I cried, begged and pleaded for the memories to just end, but eventually I just had to slowly get over it. I love my brother. I love him enough to know that he'd hate it if I ended up living on hate, fear and adrenaline like you are now. It's true.. I blamed him for getting himself killed.. For awhile. But.. He died doing the right thing. And we both have to ask ourselves.. Will we die the same way? I prefer to say yes. What do you say?" The other Rivet stared, she knew it'd be far too unlikely to be able to lie to herself. She simply nodded.

"I'd like to think I would too... But it doesn't change that fact that I was promised to have him back. And all I have to do to make that happen, is eliminate you." Rivet's eyes widened a little, seeing the weapon being drawn, and she managed to jump out of the way from a fatal shot, but she was badly grazed. She managed to get up fast enough and run off before the smoke had cleared, since her copy had shot a small canister with something in it. When it cleared, the copy found that Rivet was nowhere to be seen, she escaped. She intended to hunt Rivet down like an animal, but the words Rivet had said about her brother fresh in her mind. She pushed through those thoughts to pursue the one thing standing in her way, herself. The copy was easily a match for Rivet, and with all this anger she held within her, might even be stronger.

Rivet tried to be quiet as she ran from her copy, her breathing a little heavier than she would have liked, given the situation. Everywhere she went, it seemed her copy had made it there first. Every move, every thought was countered. Rivet had no idea she was going into a trap of her own making. She kept going, but without knowing exactly where she was going since she had taken an alternate route to escape, it did not take long before she found herself cornered by her copy and about a dozen security bots. All armed with particle laser weapons. Rivet decided she wasn't going to be served for dinner as a special tonight. She surrendered. Her copy smirked, and put Rivet in cuffs and slammed her down. "have fun in Zordoom prison."

Rivet had passed out, finally succumbing to all the memories, injuries and then the running she had been doing. When she was delivered to the Emperor, he was ecstatic. Finally he thought, he had defeated and gotten rid of one of the biggest thorn in his side. The copy had thrown Rivet in a cell herself, and went to meet with the Emperor. Rivet's copy was satisfied, she arrested the one person standing in the way of getting her brother back. "I'll be seeing you soon Layden..." She said to herself confidently. Now the Emperor was plotting the destruction of the rest of the Resistance, and is considering using Rivet's copy to do it.

The copy walked into the Emperor's room and stood confidently. "she's in a cell, now a deal is a deal. I gave her to you, now you give me Layden back." The Emperor was not accustomed to being given orders, but it was good at least for now to keep her around. "not just yet Rivet. Do another task, and you're guaranteed to have him back." He told her. "just take out the rest of the Resistance leaders, and I get you your brother back." This did not sit well with her. "That was NOT the agreement! Rivet for Layden, nothing else!" Emperor Nefarious glared for a moment. Being talked back to was usually a fatal thing to do.

He had to remind himself that she was still useful. "very well, a non-taxing job then? Torture Rivet for information on the Resistance, give it to me, and then you can have your brother back. How about that?" She thought for a moment and considered it. She nodded. "very well Emperor." Nefarious had a grin as the copy of Rivet walked away. She was really going to follow an order to torture herself? All the while, the copy had finally considered Nefarious may in fact be lying to her. She'd soon find out, after all, her goal was complete. The hate seemed to almost vanish. Almost. A debate within her had begun, but for now at least, she ignored it. She simply walked on to do her new task.