Even in the dark, Kallus could see how the breeze played across the grass, giving the illusion that the gentle rolling hills were shivering in the night. That only made his late night ride across the plains of Lothal all the more ominous, but he had no choice. Thrawn knew about the attack. Without this warning, the Rebels would face certain doom.
Arriving at the tower, Kallus was quick to make his way inside. This visit there was no time to analyze the abode, piece together the years of the boy's life. At one point that would've been a game, but as time went on, as he wore his role of Fulcrum longer, he found analyzing young Ezra's life was starting to stir too many uncomfortable feelings. The most prevalent of which was guilt.
There was no time for such thoughts now, though. He turned on the transmitter, made sure he was dialed in and broadcasting properly, and prepared to start recording his message. The system was set to record a thirty second message and play it on a loop. It would stop after the 300th cycle. That would, hopefully, be long enough to catch the rebels' attention.
The transmitter was was old, especially compared to what the Empire currently had in use, but it had proven effective in the past.
"This is Fulcrum with an urgent message. Thrawn knows about…"
Static sounded and then the transmitter's hologram flickered from white to red. Kallus looked to the dials. Everything was in order, but the recording had…paused? No, it was something more than that. It was being jammed.
"By the light of Lothal's moon."
That low, sure voice chilled him, assured him that his trepidation was correct. He'd been discovered. There would be no going back, not that he had any desire to, but that didn't help still the cold terror growing inside him.
Kallus turned to face Thrawn. Standing tall, seemingly looming above the seated Kallus, Thrawn wore his usual stone-faced visage.
"That is your code phrase, isn't it, Agent Kallus?" Thrawn asked, no hint of emotion in his tone. "Or would you prefer I address you as Fulcrum?"
Kallus had already made the calculations. He knew that he was no match for Thrawn. Alone, unarmed, he had no chance. He knew this day would come but…karabast. Not now. He wasn't ready. He wasn't done with his work as Fulcrum.
"I'm afraid your rebel friends won't be getting your transmission." A touch of pleasure finally saturated Thrawn's voice, and to add to his taunt, he held up the device he'd used to jam the transmission.
Kallus knew he had to fight. Blast the odds! He had nothing left to lose. Soon enough, he'd be put to death. Injuries now were a minor trifle. There was little left he could do, little choice he had left in this life, but he could fight, and, while he surely wasn't going to beat Thrawn, he could still try and get his message through. It wouldn't be much, but it would tip the rebels off. He hoped.
Kallus sprang up, coming at Thrawn with a sweeping kick with his left leg. He could feel the clumsiness in the move, and he wasn't surprised when Thrawn easily blocked it. Already he miscalculated. His right leg had never gained its full strength back after the Geonosis Moon. It still ached in the mornings and in the cold. He had started to go in for a right kick and immediately switched to left. Stupid…stupid…not going to win like this…
A flurry of jabs and punches followed, Kallus holding his own better than he would have imagined, but, soon enough, he found himself flat on his back. He was quick to jump to his feet, the movement earning him a warning pain in his right leg.
"Your technique is good, but limited by your training in the Imperial Academy," Thrawn said.
Kallus welcomed the reprieve from the fight. Thrawn had allowed his need to taunt his prey distract him just enough to let Kallus scoop up one of the Storm Trooper helmets from Ezra's collection.
"Predictable," Thrawn sneered, catching the trooper helmet as Kallus pitched it at him.
Thrawn was far less prepared for the diving kick Kallus aimed at his feet. The blow knocked the Chiss to the floor as Kallus slide past. Loosened from Thrawn's grip during the hit, the jamming device fell to the floor. With deft speed, even though his right leg now throbbed, Kallus jumped to his feet and stomped on the jammer.
The transmitter's hologram flashed from red back to white. It would be able to complete its thirty second recording and send. It might not have been a huge win, but it was a win. Which reminded Kallus, he had a fight to lose.
"You talk too much," Kallus panted. Well, if he had to go down, he might as well throw at least one verbal jab.
Thrawn's mistake, edged with the taunt, meant the Chiss was no longer in any mood to draw the battle out. Kallus was fully aware of that as he stepped forward into a barrage of jabs that soon found him flying out of the tower room. If not for catching the railing hard in the back, he would have had a very unfortunate fall.
Two Death Troopers appeared quickly, grabbing him roughly by the arms and hauling him to his feet to face Thrawn.
Kallus' heart was racing now. He was trapped, helpless, injured and tired. The transmission had gone through, what little of it there was. This was the end. He knew, as Thrawn stepped forward, this would be where he would die.
With his rigid stance, Thrawn towered over Kallus. "You have the heart of a Rebel."
Still panting for breath, Kallus answered without thinking. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Yes, those seemed to be fitting last words. Too bad, Kallus thought, no one who cared was around to hear them.
Then Thrawn turned to re-enter the tower and the Death Troopers dragged Kallus in after him.