Chapter Text
Three months after the battle of Yavin
The hooded figure moved with an almost mechanical awkwardness, as though conflicted about its purpose. Organic Interface Aleph-4 was finding its organic components rather more difficult to operate than usual. As it approached the Lothal Spaceport, its organic components began to resist it, resulting in compromised locomotion.
It would report these anomalies back to the central database after the mission; further modification may be necessary. It was a shame so much organic material was needed for the intended purpose of this unit.
Organic Interface Aleph-4 had been interfaced with a Lothal-originating Human male. Approximate age: 19.
It had been activated for combat operations ahead of schedule after the battle of Yavin. Current Primary mission directive: Neutralise Phoenix Cell.
Secondary Objective: Locate current rebel staging points.
Priority assigned to Rebel Individuals: Luke Skywalker - Priority Alpha-1. Mon Mothma - Priority Alpha-2.
All other individuals, low priority.
It entered the hangar area it had determined the target was most likely based in. As its organic and synthetic optical components focused on a carbon-scored, heavily modified VCX-100 Light Freighter, new combat algorithms were activated. The organic components also began to scream. Aleph-4 ceased all respiration in an attempt to silence the malfunctioning organic components, but it had managed to shout a warning.
Disappointing. Abandoning stealth protocols, Aleph-4 charged towards the cargo ramp as a large, purple-furred Lasat emerged. Identification subroutines confirmed the Lasat as ‘Spectre 4’.
Aleph-4 activated it’s ‘shunt’ protocols, and tried to throw the Lasat off-balance. Nothing happened. Logging the malfunction, Aleph-4 deployed a pair of vibro-blades from its armour and attempted to slash the Lasat, moving as quickly as its malfunctioning organic components would allow it.
No simulation or training exercise had encountered such difficulties with carrying out termination protocols. Most concerning. Somewhere in the attack, the Lasat managed to pull the hood from its head. As anticipated, the exposed facial features caused a look of shock to cross its face, and a momentary hesitation in the Lasat’s movements. One of the vibroblades finally connected, missing the target point (which would have ensured it’s loss-of-strength, and rapid termination), instead only cutting off a portion of the Lasat’s furry hide.
“Hera, Sabine! We have a problem out here!” The Lasat finally yelled. Inefficient. As Aleph-4 raised a Vibroblade for a killing blow, having finally cornered the beast, a shock-prod was applied to an exposed data interface for its armour. Aleph-4 malfunctioned and went offline.
Ezra choked and gasped as he began to breathe again. The ‘organic interface’ as it called itself, had deactivated the moment someone had shocked them. Small mercies for prototype monsters. He lay paralyzed on the deck of the Ghost’s cargo-hold, Zeb was bleeding from a nasty cut along his shoulder, and was staring in equal parts horror and sorrow at the sight before him.
Ezra had caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror a few times since his ‘augmentation’ by the ‘Advanced Imperial Cybernetics’ division. Extra occular implants had been fitted to his forehead, his ears had been removed, replaced by advanced sensor and datalink systems, embedded just under the skull, and intruding into his neck. His hair had been removed, and his skull was a mess of implants and dataports.
He gasped out a request. “Kill me, please…”
The “Whomp-Whomp?” from behind him told him how he’d been freed.
“Chopper, please…” He gasped again, struggling to work his raw and nearly-atrophied throat and tongue “You have to kill me before it reboots. It’ll make me kill you.”
Zeb’s eyes were hard to look at. “Can’t do that kid. We got word of some freakish program, and were told one of its ‘subjects’ was coming for us.” The pity in Zeb’s eyes only seemed to grow. “Karabast kid… I wish I could.”
The gasps behind him told him that Hera and Sabine had finally arrived, and had seen what Chopper had caught. There were no celebratory noises out of Chopper. There should have been.
“Oh Ezra.” Hera’s voice sounded like it was breaking from grief. “What did they do to you?”
Ezra tried to force a smile, for their sakes. “They fitted me with what they’re calling an ‘organic control interface’.” He tried to gesture to his head, but his arms wouldn’t cooperate. “It’s wired into every part of me, it knows everything I’m thinking, and in theory, it can override every action I try and take.”
Ezra paused for a moment. “I don’t know how I was able to slow it down though.” He couldn’t see Sabine, or Hera… not even Chopper. “Please, just… take your blaster, shoot me in the head. You don’t know what it’s been like…” Tears began to well in his eyes, the words came easier as he kept talking, but as he said that, he felt the first warning buzz in his mind. Aleph-4 was rebooting.
He felt himself being rolled over, his back exposed, and something was yanked out with a sickening, organic ‘pop’... and everything went black.
Aleph-4 completed its power-on diagnostics. The remaining mission directives were still active in its buffers, but it had no access to the organic components it was grafted to. Peculiar.
Strategic and tactical planning had indicated that, on facing the organic that had once been their crewmate, they would attempt to rescue him, not terminate him. Aleph-4 should have been able to resume the attack at once, unless…
A quick check of the suit functions verified motion consistent with deep, slow breathing. His organic components were active, but appeared to be in a medically-induced inactive state.
It activated its vocoder unit. “Capturing this unit was inefficient but expected. You have been marked for neutralisation. Surrender, and you will be spared augmentation.”
The voice of the Mandalorian, Spectre 5, began speaking. “So, that’s what you’re calling this body-jacking? ‘Augmentation?!’” The tone of her voice indicated a greater awareness of the effects of the process than had been anticipated. Calculations showed a 75% chance that the organic components had remained active after Aleph-4 was rendered inoperative. Disappointing.
“Sabine, is it?” Aleph-4 asked, emulating the voice of its host, and his inflections. “He cared deeply for you. You should have killed him while you could.”
Aleph-4 attempted to mobilise the armour, that should have been simple. It couldn’t move. Curious. As it was now clearly at a disadvantage, it changed tactics.
“We broke him, you know.” It stated, now aiming to force the ghosts to reveal more information. “We spent months poking, prodding, invading every memory, wiring into every neuron of his mind. We know everything he knew. Every secret fear, every deep, dark desire. We even managed to make him use the force against his will.”
Audio analysis of the room revealed that they were strapped down to a surgical table. This was not unexpected for the event that they were captured, but the relative silence was statistically unlikely. What was different?
Another voice spoke now. “Organic Interface Aleph-4. Interfaced with the Organic unit known as ‘Ezra Bridger’, one-time member of the Alliance to Restore the Republic” It knew this voice.
“Former ISB-Agent Alexsandr Kallus. Still trying to atone for Lasan?” Data indicated that he had never forgiven himself for his part in the eradication of the Lasat. “I would have thought Rebel Intelligence would have retained you for your knowledge of ISB protocols. Clearly, they think you’re another washed-up spook, haunted by your own ghosts.”
A third voice spoke now. “Clearly, you didn’t pay attention when you were programmed with our profiles.” This was the infamous Spectre 2.
“Hera Syndulla! A pleasure to make your acquaintance. My creators would have such delight in breaking each of you, one by one.” Its prediction algorithms were desperately trying to access the organic’s memories. It had to find a way to jump-start his mind… But it couldn’t find a pathway. “It’s a pity you resisted, I was authorised to offer you a pleasant prison term, rather than the almost-certain augmentation and experimentation you will now be subjected to.”
Spectre 5 spoke again. “That would be more intimidating if I hadn’t already disabled you. Ezra’s on life-support, and we’ve nearly disengaged you from him.” Not Possible. To possess such capabilities, they would need a detailed understanding of the augmentation process, the surgical notes… And a replacement organic interface unit, ready to implant.
“There’s no need for threats,” Aleph-4 said hastily. “I can see that you are far better informed than we were led to believe. Was it one of the scientists? Someone within the institute who…”
Spectre 2 spoke again. “It doesn’t matter how we did this. I wanted to hear what the ‘organic interface’ had to say for itself. The answer? Nothing but empty threats. Sabine, kill it.”
There was an electrical ‘pop’.
Darkness.
Sabine’s body lay mostly intact on the ground, the paralytic dart protruding from the neck joint of her armour. Zeb’s chin rested on his chest, almost looking peaceful, if it wasn’t for the bloodstain, spreading across his chest.
Kallus? He’d been lucky. Aleph-4 had driven the knife through his spine, it had killed him instantly. Hera’s Lekku lay on the ground, looking almost peaceful, her vacant eyes staring at the ceiling. And as Aleph-4 picked up Sabine, taunting him that she would suffer as he had, Ezra began to scream.