The Road So Far:

Journeying Through The Force, P1

Journeying Through The Force, P2



It's unknown how much time has passed since Peter Vaughn got trapped in the Matrix.

Okay, that's a simplistic way of talking about what's happened. Essentially, a surprise 'gift' to Vaughn to help him relax and prepare for a May 4th Star Wars show has backfired greatly, with Vaughn's wet hair seemingly causing a catastrophic series of events that have him currently jumping from story to story, world to world, having to fight to keep himself alive. He's battled against several non-canon characters from the books, as well as having to survive creatures like the krayt dragon on Tatooine. When last we saw Vaughn, he found himself cornered in the Emperor's senatorial office, with several vaguely familiar Jedi surrounding him. Help showed up, though, in the form of the Master Cleaner, who finally found a way to break through into Vaughn's VR nightmare. Now, they fight together, while those on the outside continue to work to find a way to release Vaughn from the VR's grasp.

---

Use this music to set the mood for the battle to come.


~As the music begins, we see Vaughn in mid-air, his face contorted into a ferocious yell as he moves in slow motion. We see another shot of The Master Cleaner, also in slow motion, his lightsaber extended in front of him as he flies through the air next to Vaughn. We get past the singing, with time suddenly coming back to normal as Vaughn makes contact with the first Jedi in front of him, their sabers meeting in an explosive clash. Vaughn continues to whirl around, striking again and again, fighting three Jedi at once. The Master Cleaner also has his own group, seemingly having no problems keeping track of everyone inside his Force bubble. We cut back to Vaughn, who dodges two swings at once, then slashes down the middle, managing to catch his opponent unawares and cutting them in two. With a scream, the person vanishes, their robe falling to the ground. The other two Jedi redouble their efforts, trying to drive Vaughn back. They slash at him at the same time, sending him staggering backwards towards the desk. The two Jedi move in, as Vaughn glances over at the Master Cleaner, who is still doing well. Vaughn smiles, then raises up his lightsaber, causing his two foes to take a step back. He presses a second button... and another blade comes out the other end.~

Peter Vaughn: That's right, call me Darth Maul, bitches.

~Vaughn spins forward, his motions completely different, as he now has the two Jedi on the defensive. Behind him, the Master Cleaner is moving almost like Yoda, bouncing between his foes, slashing at them whenever possible. Already, two of his opponents have fallen, with the third looking desperate. Meanwhile, Vaughn blocks two attacks, cutting one of his opponents' hands off. That man staggers back, screaming, as the last one tries to dive at Vaughn. But she stops in mid-air, floating there, as Vaughn turns, grinning towards her. He flashes his hands, scorching her with lightning and sending her flying out of the window, her yells ending far in the distance. The last Jedi, despite having lost a hand, tries to grab his saber with his left hand. But Vaughn twirls towards him, cutting him down. Vaughn stands over the empty robe, looking over at the Master Cleaner, who has finished up his own fights. Interestingly, all three of his attackers are still alive, though in much worse shape than they were previously. Vaughn looks over at them with suspicion.~

Peter Vaughn: You spared them? Interesting choice, master.

Master Cleaner: There was no reason for me to be too harsh on them. They didn't create this mess. We're not the evil ones here, are we?

~Vaughn glances back over his shoulder at the destruction he had wrought... then shrugs.~

Peter Vaughn: I am who I am. I saw the path in front of me. I just took the logical choice.

Master Cleaner: So I see...

~The Master Cleaner seems slightly disturbed by this, but he puts it to the side for now. The two men leave the room, getting on the elevator and heading downwards.~

Peter Vaughn: So something's obviously gone wrong.

Master Cleaner: From what I've heard, your specific system is stuck in an ongoing loop, keeping them from being able to log you out. They're working on solutions.

Peter Vaughn: So, I might be screwed?

Master Cleaner: I'm going to get you out of here, Peter. You must trust me.

Peter Vaughn: Can you, maybe, keep me here? I prefer the cityscape to some of the other places it's taken me.

Master Cleaner: I'm afraid not. Until we can get you out, it's going to keep jumping you from story to story. But I have your account information now, so I should be able to find you each time.

Peter Vaughn: Why am I feeling like Scott Bakula in Quantum Leap?

~The elevator dings, opening up on a new level. The two men walk out, seeing a bunch of children Jedi standing around in front of them.~

Child: Master? Do you know what's going on?

Peter Vaughn: Nope. Not a chance. I'm not a monster.

~Vaughn turns and gets back on the elevator, with the master following him, looking relieved. The doors shut again, with them heading a few more floors down. This time, they open up at the lobby level, allowing the men to walk out of the building and be outside.~

Peter Vaughn: Well, I'd appreciate it if you tell the Head Custodian and his crew to HURRY THE HELL UP! I've got a match coming up that I've got to be ready for.

Master Cleaner: We will get you there, I'm sure of it.

~Suddenly, there's the sound of energy building up. Vaughn and the Master Cleaner look around, noticing that light is starting to shine all around them.~

Peter Vaughn: Damn it, here we go... .

Master Cleaner: I'll find you, Peter! I'll see you-

~The flash gets intensely bright, taking out the entire area. When Vaughn's able to open his eyes again, it's still bright, but for a different reason. He looks around at the snow beginning to fall all around him. He appears to be on Hoth, one of the coldest planets in the galaxy.~

Peter Vaughn: Oh, boy...

~Vaughn begins to trudge away, clutching his arms around him to keep warm as he begins looking for a shelter.~

---

Well, I said I wanted to prep myself for the match, didn't I?

I wonder who decided that we should fight it out in a frozen warehouse, Vita. I'd say our Star Wars connection is weaker than most, really. I mean, you couldn't airlift us out to the Antarctic for the contest or something? I suppose a warehouse is much cheaper and easier to arrange, but it's still a disappointment. But it's what we've got.

So who do you think has the edge in this match, Vita? Can you look at it without being biased? Probably not. But if you were objective about it, you'd realize that I've got a lot of advantages here. Sure, you're this vampire who's used to being cold in bed, and everywhere else, but I've also been a nightcrawler in my life, working those midnight hours with the heater turned off to save power as we clean the entire building. I can go back even further than that, to the times where our landlord shut off our power every time he thought my father hadn't done a perfect job that day. I'm a man who grew up learning how to keep my temperatures as focused as possible to stay alive.

There's also the fact that the objective of this match is to lock a person in a room. You know what I did in my first pay-per-view match here in the XWF? I did this exact kind of match, as I've said, to take down Drew Archyle. Okay, without freezing temperatures, yes, but the rest of it was the same. I'm experienced in matches like these, where anything can be used to break down my foe. I have an eye for locating weapons to use against my opposition. I think I've shown that enough times.

I wonder if there will be a fire extinguisher in there, to lower your body temperature even more? Something to think about.

How about my advantage of not being a good guy? I mean, we've already talked about it in length. I don't have that "honorable" conscience that tells me what I should and should not do. I know you're happy to be a fan favorite again, but you have to remember how freeing it was to not be hampered by those limitations. I'm not exactly concerned with how badly I injure you on Wednesday. I just care about making sure you end up in that freezer.

Really, I'm having trouble thinking of anything that could be seen as your advantage going into this one. Maybe your emotional state? Admittedly, mine's pretty much disconnected at the moment. Maybe being in touch with your feelings will help you fight harder in the match. Or maybe it'll just cause you to make mistakes, while I'm sticking with the straightest path to victory. Hmmm. I'd say you'd have the fans behind you, but we're going to be locked in a warehouse, so you won't really be able to depend on their strength.

Maybe if you drink the blood of someone REALLY strong right before our match? I mean, just drain them dry so you can have all their power running through your veins? Oh, wait. You're good now. You wouldn't do that anymore. Too bad.

Guess that stays an advantage for me. I have no problems eliminating my enemies.

---

~We find ourselves back in the VR control room where Peter Vaughn's body still lays. More specialists have been brought in to work on the problem of retrieving him from the virtual reality he's become trapped in. One such specialist is sitting at a nearby computer, going through code line by line. He seems to be mesmerized by what he's reading. Standing nearby and pacing impatiently is the Head Custodian. He turns as the medical practitioner on staff is brought over.~

Head Custodian: How's Mr. Vaughn looking?

Doctor: I wish I had better news. It's clear that the process of being in a continual loop is taking a toll on him. His heart beat and blood pressure are going way higher than I'm comfortable with, and his brain activity is nearly off the charts. If he wasn't so physically fit, I would be demanding he be taken to the nearest medical facility for drugs I don't have access to. As it is, I still think it would be something to consider...

Head Custodian: ... Except he can't be disconnected and moved there. I understand. Give me the list of the drugs you require. We have ways of procuring what we need.

Doctor: Okay. But this can't last much longer. You do understand that, right?

Head Custodian: Of course I do! We're doing our best, doc!

~The doctor doesn't seem convinced, but he walks away to take a five-minute break before getting back to monitoring his 'patient'. The Head Custodian rubs his head, then goes over to the specialist, who is still busy sifting through the code.~

Head Custodian: Have you found any back doors we can use?

Specialist: Not exactly. But I HAVE found something very interesting.

~The specialist goes back to looking at the code, going to the next few lines. The Head Custodian stares at him for a moment before clearing his throat.~

Head Custodian: Are you going to tell me what's so interesting, or has the suspense not built high enough yet?

Specialist: Oh, oh, right. Sorry. It's just so rewarding to sit here and stare at this masterpiece of code. Still, yes, I need to tell you what I've found. So I looked at the safety protocols your team had initiated to avoid an issue like this occurring.

Head Custodian: A fat lot of good that did for us. We're looking for those coders now, just so I can give them a piece of my mind.

Specialist: Oh, it's not their fault. No indeed. You see, I'm showing that there was changes to these protocols made approximately 22 hours before Mr. Vaughn logged into the system.

~Instantly, the Head Custodian looks more interested, leaning forward.~

Head Custodian: There were changes?

Specialist: Yes. More specifically, the protocols were, for lack of a better word, removed. Commented out, you could say.

Head Custodian: So... so that's why this issue triggered after Vaughn put on the helmet with wet hair?

Specialist: Actually, from what I'm seeing, this would have happened anyway. I believe the changes were made to make the VR system completely fatal when a story was triggered. Interestingly, if I had to hazard a guess, I'd say the shorts and faults caused by the damp hair may have actually caused the loop, rather than one deadly story.

Head Custodian: Wait, you're saying Vaughn's wet hair... saved him??

Specialist: Yes! Funny that, isn't it? What a coincidence!

Head Custodian: I wouldn't say that. I'd say it's a god-damned miracle. So, hold on, does this give us a way to get him out? Can we trigger the protocols?

Specialist: Hmmm....

~The specialist looks off to the right, lost in thought. Seconds pass. More seconds pass. The specialist keeps thinking, nodding his head at times. The Head Custodian is being taken to the edge of his patience, waiting for an answer. The specialist then glances back at the code, staring at it again. After more time passes, the Head Custodian finally can't take it anymore.~

Head Custodian: WELL??

Specialist: Oh, you're still here?

Head Custodian: Still he-, Yes, I'm still here!! Can the protocols be turned on again to boot Vaughn out of the system??

Specialist: Ahhh, yes. Well, I would say that it would definitely remove him from the system.

~The Head Custodian nods, excited.~

Specialist: The question is, will his entire mind come with him?

~That answer stops the Head Custodian short. He calls over some of the other technicians to discuss it, as the focus returns to Peter Vaughn.~

---

~We return to the winter wasteland known as Hoth. Vaughn is stumbling along, trying to stay warm, as the blizzard doesn't appear to be letting up.~

Peter Vaughn: What I wouldn't give for a tauntaun to slip into right now...

~Vaughn keeps moving, knowing the best way to freeze to death is to stand in place. He crests another hill, at least it seems that way, as he starts moving downwards quickly. He almost loses his balance but regains it, managing to hop over a large rock near the bottom. He glances back at it, realizing that it's shiny.~

Peter Vaughn: Huh. An imperial probe droid? So I can't be too far from where I want to be.

~He nods, moving on, looking like he's becoming covered in Hoth. It's hard to tell if this 'training' will pay off on Wednesday or not. Still, Vaughn's sense of direction serves him well, as a short while later, he comes across what looks like a partially buried cave. With a smile, he steps inside... then stops, taking a moment to ignite his lightsaber.~

Peter Vaughn: Need to be ready in case there's a Wampa down here.

~He moves deeper into the cave, searching out the details. There doesn't appear to be anyone home. Vaughn sighs in relief and steps to the side, carving himself out a seat in the ice. He then uses the seat, cold as it is, and turns off his saber, content to wait for the Master Cleaner to show up.~

Peter Vaughn: Man, there's something about being out in that cold weather that just makes you feel more alive... when you're back out of it.

~Vaughn smirks to himself, then looks around to see if there's anything that could be burned for a fire. Apparently there's not, as he settles back in, disappointed. Suddenly, there's a noise at the entrance to the cave. Vaughn is immediately up, his purple lightsaber glowing again.~

Peter Vaughn: Master?

~There's no answer, as Vaughn peers out into the darkness of the storm. Suddenly, an area is lit up... by a light-blue lightsaber. Vaughn steps back, annoyed.~

Peter Vaughn: So, you found me again, huh, Luke Clone? Well, I'm more than willing to finish our fight.

~The figure steps forward into the cave, raising the lightsaber up towards his face. Vaughn's eyes go wide as he stares at... himself.~

Peter Vaughn: No, Peter. You're not facing him. You're facing your own destiny.

Peter Vaughn: This... this isn't possible... how could you be a clone? Where'd you get my DNA?

Peter Vaughn: You are in a simulation, Peter. Anything is possible.

~The apparent clone of Peter Vaughn moves forward, with our Vaughn, for once, left speechless. He raises his purple blade, as "Vaughn" raises his light-blue one.~

Peter Vaughn: So, this is how it's going to be? The inner conflict becomes manifested outside? If that's how it is, then so be it. I'm ready.

Peter Vaughn: Let this battle decide which one of us is truly leaving this place!

~The two lightsabers clash against each other, as the fight begins in earnest.~

---

You never know what's going to be around the next corner in this life.

Hell, it might be a spaceship with Canadian Mountie superheroes there to arrest you. Hey, I don't judge. Strange shit happens. Bummer you couldn't be on the Stone Cunt Podcast. I would have liked to hear you explain your views and get some rude call-ins from Twilight nuts. Do you still have to deal with the fallout of that movie? I mean, Robert Pattison has finally escaped it thanks to The Batman, but I assume you vampires are going to be dealing with it for much, much longer.

But I digress.

I'm hopeful that whatever happened to you will be resolved by the time we face off on Wednesday. It'd be a true bummer to show up in the freezing warehouse and not find you there. Actually, come to think of it, it'd be a disaster. How do I win and get out of there if I can't throw you in the freezer? So please, pay your bail and get your ass to Star Wars Land or wherever these matches are taking place. Hopefully, I'll be there as well, fully in mind and spirit, set to take the next step towards getting myself some championship gold.

And I know, you think my hands will sully the Supercontinental Title. After all, how could a wrestler like me live up to the man who beat the ever living hell out of you? Well, there's the rub: I think I can do better. I think I can defend that championship week in and week out, showing everyone that my loss to ALIAS wasn't the end of the Mechanic. It was only the first chapter of what I've got to bring here in the XWF. Now, it'll mean getting past either Mac or Marf, and that won't be easy. My money's on Mac, personally, so we can have a CCPE war for the belt, but either one of them won't be an easy victory.

But just like I'm going to charge through you and shatter your heart into ribbons of hate, I'm going to storm through them to hold gold in my hands once again. I have to keep winning the belts. I have to keep my resume growing. I have to keep destroying people like you, who look down on me, who believe that they will always be greater than me. I have to keep proving you wrong.

Because I will be in the XWF Hall of Fame someday. And when I'm there, Vita? I'll make sure they transcribe your name on the list of people I decimated on the way to the top.

Prepare yourself for the most frigid Plunge ever delivered. You have been warned.

---

~We're back in the real world, or as real as we think it is, at least! Okay, yes, I'm a conspiracy nut. Anyhow, we see the specialist working on some code, typing away, as the Head Custodian and the other technicians watch over his shoulder.~

Technician: You really think this is the best idea, boss?

Head Custodian: I think we're low on options. The doc says Vaughn's not going to last much longer. We need to just trust in the specialist.

~The specialist finishes up the line of code he's altered and smiles, before looking back over his shoulder at the group watching him.~

Specialist: Oh, you're still here?

Head Custodian: ... Just get on with it. What else do you need?

Specialist: Oh, I've finished. Didn't I tell you that? Yes, the code is done and ready to be implemented whenever you give the word. You do know the risks, correct?

Head Custodian: I do. Start it up.

Specialist: Oh, how exciting!

~The specialist presses a few buttons, beginning the load of the new data to Peter Vaughn's helmet. All of the group leans towards Vaughn, waiting to see if there's any response.~

---

~We're back inside the frozen Wampa cave. There are signs all along the walls of a fierce battle that's taken place. The number of cuts through the ice walls are uncountable, particularly because they've all melted together. It's amazing the structure is still standing. We hear heavy breathing to one side, as the camera slowly turns. We see Peter Vaughn standing above his adversary, holding both lightsabers now. He can't stop staring downwards at what lays before him. Suddenly, there's a puff of smoke, and we see The Master Cleaner begin to appear, as he did in the Emperor's tower.~

Master Cleaner: Peter? Sorry, it took longer than expected to track you here. They're going to be trying to pull you out at any... second... oh... oh, Peter... what have you done?

~Vaughn doesn't say a word, just staring downward at the man he defeated. The Master Cleaner steps forward, shocked, when the world starts to change and warp all around them.~

Master Cleaner: They're starting the detachment program! Hang on, Peter! Fingers crossed that this exit is successful!

~The colors continue to dance in front of both men, as they seem to shake and shudder, losing their consistency, at least the way we can see them. Everything becomes a blur...~

---

~And then Vaughn is removed from the helmet in the real world, taking long, deep breaths. He rubs at his head, feeling where he was slightly burned by the malfunctioning circuits earlier. The Head Custodian slides in next to him, checking on him, as everyone else in the room gives a cheer. The only one not reacting is the specialist, who is just smiling to himself as he puts away his equipment in preparation to depart.~

Specialist: I love code. Goodbye, my lovelies.

~The specialist departs, with few noticing him leaving.~

Head Custodian: Peter, how are you feeling? Are you able to move all your fingers and toes? No blank spots? ... Peter, can you hear me?

~For a moment, Vaughn is quiet. He then looks up at the Head Custodian, bringing a smile onto his face.~

Peter Vaughn: I'm fine, HC. I'm just damn glad you got me out of there. I couldn't take any more non-canon book stories.

~Vaughn laughs, with a few others laughing along with him. The Head Custodian looks confused for a moment, but shrugs it off, just glad that Vaughn has somehow come out of this in one piece. The doctor moves in, wanting to check a few more things before he lets Vaughn go, as we slowly fade out.~

---

Vita Valenteen.

I look forward to meeting you in person.

It will be violent.

It will be bloody.

It will be glorious.