Thread: Outlaw Rising (Frelance & darkangel76)

STARSHIP GYPSY DANCER, CIVILIAN CLASS, ILLUMINATI ROYAL VESSEL Destination, Planet Themis. Darkness. It consumed Laela entirely as she shivered, crouching low with her knees hugged to her chest. She remained still and quiet in the escape pod, terrified and confused and...so very cold. She had no idea what was happening or why, but she could hear the muffled shouts outside, the sound of gunfire. There was a moment when she'd almost decided to peek and see what was going on. But she thought better of it, that vision of the guard being hauled enough to jar her back to reality. Just what was happening? Why would anyone want to harm Illumati royalty? It didn't make any sense! Laela buried her face against her knees, tears welling in her blue eyes, her dreams of finally going to Themis for a vacation completely dashed in an instant! What was more she felt the impending dread that whatever or whoever was trying to harm her family, her guards had no regard for morality or life. How could they if they were targeting the Gypsy Dancer. Butt she had to hold onto hope. Hope that her people would put these unwanted guests in their place or that they'd leave just as quickly as they'd come, not noticing her in her quiet hiding place. Just then the door to the pod opened and a harsh streak of light flooded inside. Laela looked up to see unfamiliar faces and to hear unfamiliar voices. Terror shot through her in that moment, the cold reality that her guards hadn't managed to defend the ship. It had been hijacked! Her eyes widened and before she knew it she was kneeling on the floor with several othersall of them either guards or servants of the ship. But where were her parents? Had they managed to escape on the pods or... She didn't want to think on the 'or'. It was enough that she was stuck on the ship with people she didn't know. Her eyes moved down to her lap, her copper skirts rumpled from the earlier chaos. How she longed to change and she didn't even want to think on what the rest of her looked like. No doubt she looked ghastly. Her eyes pricked with tears. She wanted to home! Laela barely listened to the man who seemed to be in charge. She was too frightened and upset, too overwhelmed by all the new faces to truly take it all in. She tried, but only heard parts of what he'd said. Her eyes drifted to the man who seemed to be levitating a knife. People could do that? She'd never heard of such a thing! Magicians and tricksters had come to entertain the royal family at times in the palace, but it was well known that their tricks were illusions, skilled sleight of hand and other such cleverness. Never had she seen anyone do that, not without proper aid. She became transfixed, watching the knife spin around and around and around and... Swish...slice! That knife suddenly sunk into the flesh of a man standing nearby. Laela felt the bile rise into her throat, her tummy turning queasy as she watched the blood spill. He'd killed him! That trickster man killed him! And he hadn't lifted a finger! Her blood suddenly turned to ice, her body trembling as her mind turned numb. She could barely make out the voices ridiculing her station, the fact that she was Illuminati born. Why did that matter? Her eyes stung, her heart thumped hard. Never before had she felt such fear. Looking at the man, Laela tried to form words, but her mouth had gone instantly dry. What did he ask? If she'd join them? She looked at the man who'd crumpled on the floor. She knew she had no choice. None. A tear rolled down her cheek and suddenly she found herself being told she'd be heading to the bridge. I... she stammered, the first thing she uttered since being found. But her words were cut short and once again she was forced to follow like a servant. What did these people have against the Illuminati anyway? She didn't understand it! Laela's parents kept her out of the political arena entirely, sheltering her away in palace life and even keeping her away from court. Though she'd known that this vacation to Themis would be ending those wonderful days of freedom. She was coming of age soon and would need to marry, her role within the royal family needing to play its part. Her parents had someone in mind for her. She'd yet to meet him. But they'd assured her the match was perfect, one they'd approved of entirely. A part of her desperately detested this. She'd always wanted to marry for loveone full of furious passionbut this was something she was told she could not have. It was the one choice that was not her own to make. Despite this, she knew her parents had the best of intentions. They had a system to run, one that was crawling with outlaws trying to take over planets! Her parents and the Illuminati elite wanted to better the system and they'd started with the Inner Sanctum of planetsHelios being the first and then Themis. They had a vision! They wanted peace! If everyone could only just understand this... It seemed like a long walk as Laela made her way to the bridge. She sat down when told and kept quiet. She didn't like the way people seemed to be waiting for something as if something 'bigger' was being planned. She eyed the new captain, blue eyes narrowing into slits. She'd never forgive him for ruining her life, for ripping her family apart and turning her world upside down. Life as she knew it would be forever changed. If only she had the power to alter time! Minutes passed and suddenly there was a voice coming through on the comm device of the ship. Laela perked up, her muscles tensed as she glanced around and gripped her seat. She looked at the captain, her eyes widening when she distinctly heard him mention that her very own life was on the line. What? Laela shrieked, completely in shock. STARSHIP NIGHTSHADE, MILITARY CLASS, ILLUMINATI ELITE VESSEL Orbiting Planet Themis. Reisa just grinned at her captors as one of them moved toward her, another punching buttons on a control panel. It wasn't long before the screen came to life and she was able to see it break up into four quadrantsone for Helios, another for Themis, another for Thallassa and yet another for Charon. She knew other planets were able to view the room she was being held in, but those four planets always came on screen in every military ship. They were the default unless settings were changed to view more windows or different ones. Glad to know I'm such a star, Reisa spat out. One of the guards looked her way and slapped her across the face. The blow stung and left a red mark across her cheek. Feel better? Reisa added, which resulted in another strike, this time causing her nose to bleed. Reisa just giggled before abruptly stopping. She tilted her head and watched the one sitting at the control panel, her fingers flying over the keys. How she longed to be sitting at something like that. Just then, her fingers twitched and she felt a spasm run along her arms. Oh, how her muscles ached! Suddenly, there was a voice coming through the communication speaker. Reisa bit down on her lip, her blue eyes closing for a moment as she listened and just smiled. No, the woman at the control panel stated plainly. We're under strict orders. She looked at the Elite who'd struck Reisa, her eyes showing worry. Turn off the screens, you idiot! Turn them off! he shouted. Reisa just laughed as the woman punched at the buttons. His gaze showed malice as he stalked over towards Reisa. I'll kill you with my bare hands, girl. Mark my words. I don't need a public viewing to see you're dead! Reisa just looked up at the guard, unaffected by his words. But she could see his eyes flashing, the corners of his lips twitching. Out of the corner of her eye the woman at the control panel looked stunned, her pretty features turning ashen as she watched the scene before her. If only she had that job. But it wasn't meant to befor now. This ship was Illuminati, but something deep in her bones told her that things were about to change. The demand just made over the speaker had said it all and the way everyone was reacting only made things even more evident. Just then, Reisa was pulled away from her thoughts and back to the moment. The guard who'd struck her suddenly crumpled to the floor, his body fallen at an odd and disjointed angle. She stared for a moment, studying the brutish guard who'd made her time on the Nightshade less than pleasant, memories flooding her mind of all the things he'd done. Illuminati Elite indeed! But no more. Never again. She smiled then, looking up as she was approached by the one she was certain was her rescuer. Without any effort, he freed her from her bindings, her body falling forward and into her rescuer's arms. Are you my escort off this ship? Reisa asked, her blue eyes bright and sparkling. In the distance, she could hear scuffling and gun fire, the woman at the control panel stood up, her hands in a gesture of surrender. PLANET THEMIS Illuminati Science Labs Dr. Sophie Bracken watched with great enthusiasm as the execution of Reisa Amis suddenly was about to air on all the channels of Themis. She knew it would be airing on every planet in the systemon Helios, Thallassa, Charon...all of them. Reisa was of particular interest since she'd been a former patient. The dark haired woman sighed as she remembered the young girl fondly. The bitty thing had shown such promise at being rehabilitated. It was a pity that it didn't hold. Instead, she'd turned monstrous, so unpredictable. It was a shame that such a prodigy had to be thrown away. But such was the way of things. Reisa was too dangerous to allow to linger. Her name was linked to notoriety and it was something that the Illuminati could not afford. The girl's parents had already caused enough trouble. Allowing her to live would only further the cause and drive the rebels into a fit of frenzy. It wasn't needed nor wanted. Such a shame. Sophie watched as the camera focused on Reisa. The girl seemed a bit dazed and confused. But wasn't that the way of things! The doctor smiled, her dark eyes glittering as she remembered the fits that Reisa sometimes consumed the young girl. She shook her head and frowned. Oh! she gasped as she watched the guard strike her twice. A sadistic smile crossed her face. Suddenly there was an interruption. Rebels! The execution went off air. Oh no... Sophie muttered. Sophie stood up and headed for her transport shuttle. It wasn't much, but it was something she had in case she needed to evacuate on short notice. As she boarded her shuttle, she quickly alerted for a small assembly team to assist. It wasn't long before she settled herself and was leaving Themis. Her destinationCharon. Send a message to the Royal Official of Charon, Sophie stated to her guard. Let him know that I'm coming and that Reisa Amis may be at large. She paused and tapped her chin. This could be very bad for the Illuminati, for the entire system. Rebels are in the Inner Sanctum.