Work Text:
Briefly Darcia wonders how her life got to this point as she deflects blaster fire with the ‘new and improved’ lightsaber her boss gave her.
Well, she calmly thinks, it probably started with that assignment from her old master, Darth Knux, where she was ordered to capture the Jedi/Sith hybrid scientist known as Janelle Forthstar so that the Sith Lord – Palpatine, or Sideous, honestly Darcia was never sure what his actual name was – could have control over all unstable wormholes, or something. Honestly Darcia never really paid attention to Knux’s elaborate speeches and monologues (which might actually be where this all started, her inability to be a true Sith Padawan) and therefore wasn’t entirely sure why she had to capture Janelle in the first place.
She had turned up at Lady Forthstar’s base of operations, ready for some kind of fight or elaborate traps or something , but instead had found a frantic, small, Dathomirian rushing around a space covered in papers and tablets and holograms, as she tried to stop a massive fire … which had been coming out of a portal in the wall?
Forthstar hadn’t even blinked more than twice at Darcia before ordering her to another machine and telling her which buttons to press. Which Darcia did. For some reason.
When all was said and done, and the portal to a genuine hell dimension had been closed, Janelle had offered Darcia a job. Which she had accepted, for a good reason.
Darcia hadn’t felt anything quite as strongly as her last fifteen clicks with Janelle since she began her training, at like thirteen. The elation as saving the lab (and later it turned out the universe), the worry over the fires she still had to put out, the confusion as Janelle muttered about calculations and anomalies … This was also where Darcia realized the Sith were just as full of shit as the Jedi, since even though they said that emotion was power, they clearly did. Not. Mean. It.
Darcia liked her emotions, thank you very much, and was going to continue using them.
A particularly close blaster bolt drew Darcia away from her musings, “Janelle?! Is the portal ready?”
And now, with both the Sith and the Jedi after them, Darcia and Janelle were getting out of this shit hole. Janelle had found a universe several thousand megalight years away which did not have Jedi or Sith influence, but did have a booming economy and a developing interest in space. They hoped to either sneak in or seek asylum, depending on whether or not they could blend in.
The entire left side of the hanger – which Darcia was guarding – was the portal that was going to take them and their favourite aircraft (filled with Janelle’s research and Darcia’s stuff) out of this crapfest. Darcia hadn’t really gotten a good look, but she could see the tops of buildings, almost similar to Coruscant, past the great ocean Janelle had created the portal on top of.
Hearing the ship turn on Darcia turned back to the invading forces, before quickly raising a hand and pulling .
It turned out that truly using your emotions meant you were much more powerful than expected.
The entire roof came down, bending and warping so that the Jedi/Sith and droids on the other side would have to break through that before continuing their fight. Well. Trying to continue their fight. Rushing back Darcia leapt onto the ship’s ramp and slammed the button to close it. She didn’t even bother watching as it closed, instead running to the front and strapping herself in to the pilot’s seat.
“Ready to blow this joint?”
Janelle sat in the co-pilot seat, her hands holding the control for the portal, “Let’s do this.”
...
Darcia parked the ship at the bottom of the river, calmly turning in her seat to an equally calm Janelle.
Which was to say they were both grinning like loons.
“Are you sure the portal is closed?” Because, priorities.
Janelle pulled out one of her doo-hickies and pressed a couple of buttons before showing Darcia the screen, a couple of squiggles in red and purple with a blue background. From her expression Darcia could tell that the squiggles clearly meant something to Janelle.
“You do realize that I don’t know what any of that means, right?”
Janelle’s raised brow bone showed her disbelief at Darcia’s inability to understand any of her SCIENCE! even after working with her for so long, “It means that the portal is definitely closed.”
Darcia relaxed back into her seat, finally feeling some semblance of the stupid-ass calm the Jedi were always spouting, “Awesome.”
And then there was a knock on the spacelock of the ship.
The sound jolted Darcia out of her sprawl and a quick glance confirmed that Janelle was similarly alert, silently they pulled out their weapons – Darcia’s old red light saber and her new and improved orange one, Janelle’s whip-like saber and it’s matching blaster – before heading over to the spacelock.
“Computer?” Janelle’s voice called out, “Turn dura-glass on spacelock to transparent.”
With a beep the non-AI computer complied and Darcia and Janelle’s eyes were greeted by a single droid, made of red and gold plating, who seemed similarly surprised at their appearances. Critically Darcia eyed the droid’s build, honestly she knew so little about engineering it was almost laughable for her to give an opinion, but in her opinion this droid was not built to the best it’s obviously weaponized model could be. It was much too big and …
Janelle interrupted, “Darcia open the outer spacelock.”
“Sure boss – wait … what?” Darcia barely stopped herself from automatically opening the spacelock, when her hand continued to press in the command sequence Darcia turned on her boss “JANEY! NO MIND POWERS!”
While their first meeting had required the use of mind powers Darcia did not want to be hypnotized into doing things again. Not after Sideous. Or Maul. Or Dooku. Or Ventruss (she stopped her train of thought there, clearly Darcia should just refrain from ever thinking of her training because all those bad memories kind of made her want to cry).
At least Janelle looked vaguely guilty.
Before Darcia could even begin shouting at and then placating her best friend the outer space lock made a confirming beep as it closed.
Whirling around Darcia’s fingers gripped her old and trusty saber, but before she could even ignite it Janelle’s soothing presence and calm little hand – poor Janelle was so small for her species, barely passing Darcia’s own meagre human height – tugged her wrist back, “That’s not a droid, Darcia.”
“Of course it’s a dr- oh.”
Together they watched as the water funnelled out of the spacelock and the first door opened with a beep revealing the red and gold mecha, it stepped into their ship, and Darcia – despite her need to show no fear - pulled herself and Janelle back a few feet. That caused it to pause and then unfamiliar words came out.
Darcia rolled her eyes, “We very clearly are not from your planet, why would you expect us to speak your language?”
The being paused before it held up a finger and then flashed a hologram on it’s palm of another human-like being.
“GREETINGS!” The tiny-hologram boomed, in basic, “I am Prince Thor Odinson, of Asgard, one of the warrior protectors of Midgard, also known as Earth, my shieldbrother, Tony Stark is currently projecting my visage and yours so we may speak without you leaving the comfort of your ship, how may I address you?”
Janelle brushed past Darcia, “I am Janelle Forthstar, scientist and former Jedi,” she waved a hand, “My,” she paused, “shieldsister” Darcia’s heart melted a bit, “Darcia, formerly of the Sith clan of Bane, and now adopted Forthstar” Darcia’s heart melted a lot “and I wish to plead sanctuary on this planet.”
“I am not the one to agree to sanctuary requests, but I am in the company of others who can convey your wishes,” he reached over and called out in basic, “SON OF COUL! Come greet your new guests,” wow if Darcia wasn’t wrong the expression on his face was practically mischievous, he pulled another human-like being onto the hologram’s viewport, who nodded to them, before speaking to Thor.
Janelle spoke, “Prince Odinson, I was under the impression that the reigning species did not speak basic …”
Prince Odinson glanced up from the man, clearly this Son of Coul, “Yes, they do not.”
Oh wait Darcia understood now, how on earth did this Earth-ling understand Prince Odinson’s previous words? Sensing a trap Darcia’s fingers inched towards her saber. She could see this Stark was also reacting. Shit were they about to be forced to fight their way off another planet?
“How does your translation device fluctuate so easily between languages? Does it only effect the listeners ears or is the language itself part of the technology?”
Darcia deflated. Or maybe it was just a SCIENCE! thing.
The clear delight in Prince Odinson’s expression at someone having noticed his subtle displays of technology could be read loud and clear, although Darcia’s brain sort-of short circuited at their sudden indepth conversation on the use of metaphysical wavelengths within language to create translation in the listener’s brain.
A sharp elbow to her ribs woke her from the light doze – ahem, meditation – Darcia had fallen into and she glanced down to find an armful of angry Dathomirian scientist, and (a quick glance up confirmed) a slightly amused mecha.
Janelle’s eyes quailed any snarky comments Darcia was about to make and she turned back to Prince Odinson, “As I was saying Thor” wait when had they gotten to first name terms, “Darcia and I will move the ship to the suggested area, where we will speak to the country’s political leader, not a single government agency.”
“Ay, I understand Lady Janelle,” and wait was that a blush, “But I fear that you will have an argument on your hands from my Earth-based duty’s superiors.”
“Well then they may bring up their argument with their Earth-based superiors, we have spent too much time dealing with shadow governments while the actual rulers have no idea of what’s going on. I want to be completely transparent with your temporary head of state.”
Here Prince Thor seemed contemplative, “It did take me far too long to speak to their head of state due to the agency I am currently attempting to represent,” he paused, “And I would assume you want me to mediate?”
Janelle smiled beatifically, “You would assume correctly.”
He seemed to think for a moment, before he nodded, “Then I shall do so. However I must caution you, I do this as a hopeful friend, and Prince of Asgard, but not as one of the warriors of Earth, my Earth-bound superiors still disagree with your approach.”
Thor seemed to be making more adoring eyes as Janelle nodded, “Yes I expected that.”
Darcia quickly spoke up before the connection could be cut, “And what of your companion, this Tony Stark?”
Thor smiled, “Why Friend Tony has always been for more information and more knowledge to the people of Earth, he supported this possible conclusion from the moment I privately consulted with him after we witnessed your battle in space.”
“What.”
And that was how Darcia learnt that the rip that created the portal had practically projected over the entire city and most people already knew they were there.