Star Wars: Hutt and Hero

None of those he had asked his first question, other than possibly the Hutt, had been sadists, but there was more than one type of evil, so Ian went back to Mia; the little girl and asked her his second question.

"Have you... no... 'Why' have you harmed others for a greater good Mia." Ian altered the question he had in mind mid-sentence and made it a direct accusation. This way if the answer was an explanation rather than a denial, he would get both the answer to his initial intended question, and the motives behind it."

Although this was truly a more efficient method of inquiry, it had made Ian fall further into the test's trap, letting it lead him astray. By accusing, rather than asking, the suspects, he had shifted his own perspective on them. They were no longer innocent until proven guilty, but more so, guilty until proven otherwise.

They were just a group of potential villains that stood in his way; stopping him from helping the Junkers.

"I-I... haven't, hup," Mia replied softly, and Ian could barely hear her over riotous yowling laughter of Ben'bo'daga. "Hahaha... Foolish Je'daii, you think it's Mia... Are you an idiot, a momo, or do you just like seeing little girls cry."

Ian tried to ignore the Hutt, at first...

He questioned two other prisoners, with the Hutt constantly berating him, and aggravating him, but then he realised something. It had called the girl by her name, and there had even been a tint of familiarity in its tone, maybe even a touch of... unease, as he questioned her.

This Hutt... even if it wasn't the culprit it could know who was, and there was no limit on how much he could... 'question', it.

"You! Hutt! Who are these people?" Ian snapped out, and Ben'bo'daga scoffed, "Ha, you really are insane then... why the hell should I tell you?"

Ian's eyes became slits as he glared at the Hutt, "If you help me find the 'villain' I can let you go free..." Ian played along with the plot; if this Hutt was really a prisoner, then Ian had a bargaining chip, its freedom.

"Find the villain, pfff, if you're looking for a villain you'll find none greater than me! I have eaten babes, slaughtered children, raped, pillaged, plundered whomever and whatever I have ever wanted. Ha, I am a Hutt... It is my birthright... " The creature looked proud and condescending as it boasted about its various Ill deeds, and Ian could feel an almightly wave of seething rage, bubble up from within.

An overwhelming urge to kill this thing, this hideous creature, overtook him and he could sense a pulse of pure, unadulterated animosity, pumping through his veins. It then coalesced and Ian then felt something dancing between his fingertips, so he looked down, and there it was... The power he had been seeking, a power to save the Junkers: Force Lightning.

Having gained what he wanted, Ian lifted his hands up, and the lightning grew denser in his palms. He was just about to fry the grotesque slug when he noticed something.

The Hutt had closed its eyes, and there was a subtle smile upon its lips, something Ian recognised; a peaceful resignation to death. This thing had goaded him on purpose, it wanted to die, wanted to be seen as the villain. But why?

Ian turned and looked back at Mia, "Ohh... perhaps it wants to save the girl, sacrifice itself, that's..." Ian tilted his head, and there was a vicious grin on his face, "Leverage."

Ian turned and began walking to the girl, lightning still flickering on his fingertips, when he heard the guttural panicked screams of the Hutt, "Nooo, stop! It's me, it's me! " Ian took one more step, and he was about to threaten the Hutt with the girl's life when he felt a cold sweat break out on his back.

"What... What the hell am I doing?" Ian paused, thinking back to words he had spoken before entering the test. ("Fine, give me the damn test, but I swear to god if I get the sudden urge to kill children or blow up a planet or...") It had been maybe twenty minutes since he had spoken those words and yet...

Drip, drip, drip...

Ian shouted at the top of his voice, "F*ck off! I finally figured it out, it's me, right? I am the villain! or no... something... or someone else, has been messing with my head this entire time.

Ding, ding, ding...

~~~

("The inheritor has given an 'acceptable' answer and has passed the test: Finding Evil.")

~~~