The League of Assassins: Nova

Nova III

REFUGE:

Kylo's taken our son to Mustafar. He's going to wage war on the League, and i've sided with the League. Khan and i've taken refuge on Takodana. In the dull lighting of the tavern Khan's even more attractive. "If you love him, why did you stop him?" He asks, referring to my interfering with the fight. "Because I love him." I say, downing my drink. The bitter concoction causes me to cringe, before Khan refills my glass. "I'll never understand you womenfolk. But in exchange for you sparing my life, I offer you the truth concerning your mother and father's deaths." His words cause me to choke on my drink. Coughing, I clear my throat. "I've already been told of their deaths." I say, wanting to believe that what I was told, was the truth. "All of the League members are descendants of former rogue League members, children taken for contracts not honored. Some meet their mates, and want to end their contracts early, the cost is their first born." I'm literally at a lost for words.

"They're kept on the grounds in separate wings from us completing their education and training. When they're ready, they're moved to the assassins side. You father was an Alpha, and Arro his Beta. They fell in love with the same woman, your mother. She chose your father and Arro was resentful, which caused a riff between the Alpha and Beta. Your mother wouldn't complete a contract, killing a former assassin and taking his child, so she ran. Your father went with her, and Arro would finally have his reprisal. Asking for their contracts, he found them, drugged them and made your father watch as he executed the ancient "Lingchi" on your mother."

"Death by a thousand cuts." I say, heatedly. "And my father..." I ask. "The heretics fork." He says. The act of being hung from the ceiling, a two sided pronged fork placed between the breastbone and the throat. The wearer would be kept awake for days. The moment their head dropped with fatigue, the prongs pierced their throat or chest, causing great pain and a a drawn out death, if there is no one around to remove it.

"How do you know this?"

"As the Alpha, i'm made privy to a lot of things that other's aren't. Is my debt cleared?" He asks.

"It is." I say.

"I could keep you..."

"Don't say it, you'll condemn yourself. By saying it, they'll know." I state.

"Do you really care?"

"I do, but you know that i'm in love with another."

"And for this love, you know that i'm going to kill him."

"I know."

Sleeping fitfully, I awake to the morning light streaming in through the window. Khan's floor mat is empty and thinking the worst, I make a dash for the door and run right into him. "Where are you going?" He asks, balancing a tray. "I thought that you left me." I say. "I brought you something to eat." He says, leaving the tray on the table. "We're heading back to the League today."

"That's fine." I say, not knowing what awaits me there.

THE JUDGEMENT:

Trying to control my nerves, I stand before the council with Khan at my side. "Nova, what are we to make of this? He's taken the child, and in your attempt to retrieve him, you've failed." Says Silver. "She sparred my life, and that should show where her allegiance lies." Says khan.

"With you obviously, but what about the League? Ask's Arro. Watching him through narrowed eyes, I know that he knows, that I know the truth of my parent's deaths.

"I am the League." Khan says.

"Fair enough, your contract still stands if you can secure the child. Silver says, to me. "All in favor?" Once again standing before the council i'm subjected to a unanimous "Aye!" of judgement.

As everyone leaves, Arro attempts to stop me, but I have no time and no words for him. "Nova!" His commanding voice stops me outside of the room. "What do you want liar?"

" I didn't lie, I just omitted the truth."

"Yeah, you lied. If this doesn't go as I intend it to, i'm going to kill you." I say, leaving him at the door.

The Abduction:

Using the camouflage mechanism on the aircraft, I succeed in landing the craft on Mustafar. Gaining access is easy, taking out a few troopers, and using my sight to navigate the place, I locate my son. He's with the domestic from our home in Naboo. Letting my jealousy get the best of me, I hit her, knocking her to the floor. "Please!" She begs. "Master Kylo brought me here to look after the child." Yeah, like i'm going to believe that's all she's been taking care of.

I go for her face again, and she throws her arms up to protect herself. "Get up, and fight back!" I scream. "I can't, i'll be out of work for sure, if I do." She says, watching me from beneath her arm, still shielding her face. Not willing to attack someone who doesn't fight back, I go to my son. In his bed, he makes cooing sounds. Taking him, I secure him to my back and leave her on the floor.

It doesn't take long for an alarm to sound, and troopers are deployed. A trooper shoots at me, and is promptly reprimanded. "She's to be taken alive!" Throwing my dagger at him, it pierces his chest shield. Falling to the floor, I'm on the other, slicing his throat. Retrieving my dagger, I quickly make an exit, only to come face to face with Kylo. Going for his throat, he's quick to disarm me. "I don't want this, but you leave me no choice. Give him to me." H e says.

"If I don't take him, they're going to kill me."

"You disappointment me."

Stormtroopers surround us. "Give him to me." I have no choice but to relinquish my son to him. "Take her.' He says, in leaving.

Using my gift of sight, I can see that Kylo's begone his siege upon the League. From inside of my room, where i'm being held, I bring up the vision. Stormtroopers emerging upon the compound, assassins fight for their lives, their honor. Even the apprentices have taken up arms in the fight. It's a bloody war, and I don't want to see the outcome. Coming out of my vision, my sight returning, my door opens to a stormtrooper and Khan. Dispatching the trooper with a slice to the throat, he crumples to the floor. "Come on, let's get the child." He says.