Star Wars Rebels is owned by Disney and I make no money off this use of their intellectual property.
I know I said I wasn't going to do anything Star Wars for a while but after seeing "Call to Action" I felt inspired.
The idea started as Maketh dealing with the deaths of Aresko and Grint but like most things I write it became something else as well along the way. (Things may very well get out of character later on but roll with if you can)
I hope you enjoy.
Years of Loyalty and Moments of Doubt.
By Slayzer
-Imperial Headquarters on Lothal, Minister Tua's office-
'It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I must inform you about the death of you father, Commandant Cumberlayne Aresko...'
Maketh Tua stopped typing the letter of condolence as she saw in her mind the red blade of light slicing through the man's neck like it was nothing. She felt the sickly horror wash over again as strongly as it had when she watched it unfold the first time. Those two had walked into a meeting with Tarkin not knowing that it was their own execution.
Maketh had the realization of what was going to happen before those two poor fools did and maybe that was a mercy. Maybe they had died before they even knew what was going on.
Grand Moff Tarkin having no need for her help had ordered Maketh to write up an 'official' report for the Commandant and Taskmaster's deaths.
Everyone already knew that they had been killed for there repeated failures, However they couldn't just list 'death by the psychopathic whim of the Grand Moff' as the cause of death.
This was the hardest thing she ever had to do.
It didn't help that now every time someone paged Maketh her heart would stop.
Was she next to go to a meeting only to walk into the Inquisitor's lightsaber or a firing squad?
Maketh noticed that her hands were now quivering as she pulled them away from the keyboard.
"Get it together Maketh. Fretting about things that you can't change won't help anyone, lest of all yourself."
"But couldn't have tried to help? No, I don't suppose you could have." Commandant Aresko asked with his severed head held in his lap as he sat in front of the minister's desk.
Maketh's panicked yell at the sight of the dead Commandant summoned her secretary droid.
"Is there a problem Minister?" the sliver protocol droid asked politely.
Maketh pointed a finger at the empty chair where Aresko's headless corps had just spoken to her.
She was losing it.
"I'm just going to step out for a bit." Maketh said leaving her desk and heading out into the hallways of the base.
"Of course, Minister." The droid said but by then Maketh had already left and sealed the doorway behind her.
Yes this is what she needed. Maketh thought to herself as she walked the clean and orderly hallways.
There had been too many meetings with Aresko and Grint in her office. That was not some ghost haunting her but a figment of her understandably stressed mind.
Maketh had a job to do and she would see it through.
Her report would read that Commandant Cumberlayne Aresko had dead in a tragic accident. He would be buried with full military honor fitting his rank and his family would receive his death benefits in full.
Maketh had meet Aresko's family several times when he brought his young daughter to the base. The commandant had been a widower and his ten year old daughter was the world to him. It was a major violation of protocol but no one could deny the cute girl who had her father so perfectly wrapped around her little finger.
People would often wonder how a rat-face like Cumberlayne could have such an adorable child?
Now that sweet beautiful little girl was an orphan.
Well there had always been orphans on Lothal but Maketh would see that that Cumberlayne's daughter was taken care of. The money from Aresko's death benefits should see that she not wanting for anything and being the child of an Imperial officer she would be placed into a respected orphanage.
Who knows in a few years the young Aresko might enroll in the Imperial Academy herself and become a great asset to the Empire.
'The same Empire that murdered her father.' Maketh thought as she imaged the young girl's life now without anyone to lover or take care of her.
Maketh's stomach started to rebel and she had to rush into a near by restroom.
Without even looking to see if she was alone she pushed into the first open stall. The minister's hat fell off her head as she dropped to her knees in front of a toilet and then proceed to vomit, repeatedly.
Maketh had not been able to eat anything after seeing the deaths of Aresko and Glint but somehow her stomach still found something to purge. When she had no more food or liquid to puke up she started dry heaving.
Just how long would it take for her to puke out the all the fear and guilt?
It took sometime but eventually even the dry heaving stopped.
The minister hugged the toilet like a lover while kneeling on the dirty floor.
Maketh picked up her hat and slowly got to her feet. She had to lean on the stall wall for support as she took those first shaky steps. Moving toward a row of sinks and mirrors Maketh saw her refection and winced. She was pale and sweaty and there was some vomit on her chin.
Maketh set her hat down on the next sink. She turned on the lukewarm water and splashed her face with it. Then she let her cupped her hands fill up with water before rising the sour taste sickness out of her mouth. When she was done Maketh bowed her head as her hands gripped the white porcelain sink for dear life.
Was this really the Empire she was so proud to serve?
"Minister?" a commanding baritone voice asked.
Maketh looked up as saw Agent Kallus reflected in the mirror. She quickly spun a round to face the ISB agent. "What are you doing in here Agent!?"
Kallus cocked an eyebrow at the Minister and glanced at a long row of urinals. "This is a men's room."
Maketh looked around and noticed for the first time that it was a men's bathroom she ducked into. Her face burn red with embarrassment as she thought about how long she was in that stall puking her guts out or who had seen her.
Kallus picked up her minister's hat and brushed some dirty off it before handing it to her. "Feeling any better?"
Maketh took her hat and fixed it on top of her head as she turned away from Kallus. "I don't know what your talking about."
A tight corner of Kallus's mouth turned up into an almost smile. "It is unwise to lie to a man from the Imperial Security Bureau."
If it wasn't for the playful almost smile Kallus's words would have chilled her. The ISB agent dug out something out of his pocket, a little white candy disc, and passed it to Maketh's hand.
"Eat this."
"What is it?" Maketh asked still somewhat frightened.
"With all due respect Minister, it's a mint and you need it."
Maketh popped the mint into her mouth and started to suck on it. Strangely the mint seemed to numb her tongue and clam her down. She took a deep breath as the mint dissolved in her mouth and she had a realization. "Agent Kallus did you just drug me?"
Kallus's smirk became a full on grin, which wasn't at all unattractive, and said. "It was only a mild sedative and you needed that as well."
Oddly enough Maketh didn't get angry not because the depressant had eased her anxiety but because she was grateful. "Thank you Agent." Maketh said as she made her way to the door.
"Ma'am, I think I should leave first and check that the coast is clear."
Maketh backed away from the door and let Kallus exit first.
It was a good thing too as a large group of people had gathered in the hallway. It seemed that the only thing faster then hyperdive was gossip.
All it took was one hard glare from Kallus and the crowd remembered that they all had other places to be. Kallus then held the door open for Maketh and the two of them walked back to her office.
Back in her office Maketh put her hands on her desk and leaned forward while let her head sag. "I've made a complete and total fool of myself haven't I?"
"It was not an easy thing to see the deaths of the Commandant and Taskmaster. In fact I'd be more worried about you if you didn't have a reaction at all."
"I knew those men Agent Kallus. I worked beside them for years. Aresko had a young daughter and Grint was taking care of his elderly parents. What can I possible tell their families about how they died?"
Kallus thought about it for a moment and then answered in a stern voice. "Tell them the truth."
"The truth?" Maketh asked with a laugh as if Kallus was joking.
"Write whatever little fiction in the official recorders that will appease the Grand Moff but tell their families the truth. As harsh and unforgiving as it can be the truth can't be denied and they will come to accept it."
Minister Tua turned around and let her hips rest on the on her desk as she leaned back while facing Kallus. "I wish I was strong like you Agent Kallus. All I've done for the Empire is get roads, housing and factories built. I've never even fired a baster that wasn't in a shooting range or see someone die. I wonder if I'm strong enough for this work."
"Minister I have been to many places in our Empire and I've worked with many diffident kinds of people. Most are men who used their power because they can but you are something rarer, you are kind."
Kallus walked toward Maketh and held her gaze. "We've capture the Rebel's Jedi leader. Unfortunately they hijacked a communications tower and broadcast some propaganda across Lohtal and several other systems. While the Grand Moff thinks it's enough for the people to see our strength I think I would be better if they saw your kindness as well."
Maketh looked into Kallus's eyes and found herself captivated by them. "The Rebels will not back down just because we have their leader."
"No they won't. I suspect that they'll just fight even harder but that will just give us more opportunities to crush them."
"Then you'll move on to your next assignment?" Maketh asked softly.
Kallus nodded his head. "As is my duty."
Agent Kallus was suddenly taken by surprise when Minister Maketh Tua hugged him. "You have been a great confront to me Agent Kallus and not just for today. I'm sorry you must think the worst of me for saying this but I need to feel your strength. I want to feel you..." Maketh's words died as she blushed bright red.
Kallus leaned forward and kissed Maketh softly. It was surprising a tender thing from a man who was always so severe.
Maketh pulled Kallus closer to herself while she leaned back. Soon she was laying on top of her desk with her legs wrapped around his waist. The both of them were still fully dressed but hurried hands were quickly remedying that.
Maketh had just gotten Kallus's armor off as he undid her blouse when the ISB agent's comm bleeped.
"Sir, your have a meeting with the Inquisitor in five minuets." a voice on the comlink said.
Kallus answered his comlink. "Understood I'll be there..." he then stopped at looked at the beautiful woman laid out in front of him. Maketh's blouse was open and Kallus watched see her full bra heave with every breath as his eyes tailed down her flat stomach. "... in about twenty minuets."
"Sir?" Come the reply on the com.
Maketh pushed herself up with her arms and gave Kallus a challenging smile and a passionate kiss.
"Make that a half-hour." Kallus said before deactivating his comlink. He then and buried his face in between Maketh's shoulder and neck and began kissing her soft white skin.
-Forty-five Minutes Later-
Agent Kallus reported, very belatedly, to his meeting with the Inquisitor. "Sorry for the delay but I was held up."
The Inquisitor turned he yellow eyes from a datapad he was reading to the ISB agent. "Indeed and how is the minster doing now?"
"Sir?" Kallus asked guardedly.
"Come now agent Kallus I know all about it. I saw how she looked after the deaths of the Commandant and Taskmaster. She seemed quite shaken and I had assumed you went to comfort her."
"Maketh... that is Minster Tua was somewhat distraught by recent events. I merely helped her through them."
"So you left her satisfied then?" there was just the barest hint of amusement on the Pan'an's face.
To the ISB man's credit he didn't even flinch at the question. "I really couldn't say, sir."
"Oh dear. Well if your having trouble in that area there are books and pills that can help you but I think you handled her well." The Inquisitor then showed the datapad in his hands to Kallus.
It was security footage from minister Tau's office. With her and Agent Kallus on top of her desk.
Then it showed them on the floor.
And lastly it was Kallus in the minister's office chair with her grinding on top of him.
The Inquisitor deleted the file from his datapad as Kallus's mouth hung open in stunned shock.
"I never would have thought the minister was so flexible. Regardless it just won't do to have the acting planetary Governor and head of the ISB investigation unit fornicating like lovestruck cadets in a supple closet. So if you two can't control you human urges then at lest have the foresight to turn off the security cameras. It would be bad for troop morale if this got out you know." The Inquisitor then patted Kallus's shoulder as he walked passed him. "Come on then, we have a Jedi to interrogate."
Kallus took a moment the think about how this assignment had go so badly so quickly for him in so many ways. Then he thought of Minister, no, he thought of Maketh and a stiff smile crossed his lips.
Okay, it was a complicated assignment but it hadn't been all bad.
-The End-
Kalleth, that's what I'm calling this ship with the cracked hall.
Kallus is a damn stud and with that voice that is made of equal parts sex and authority how dose he not get laid? (Also you'd think those muttonchops would tickle Maketh's inner thighs went he... Ah, on second thought let's not go there.)
I've somewhat fallen for Maketh Tua as well. She like one of few people in the Empire who seems like a 'nice' person. If she survives her meeting with Tarkin then I hope she hooks up with Kallus. That or after seeing for herself what kind of inhuman bastards run the Empire becomes a Rebel sympathizer.
I wanted to have the Inquisitor act not like himself but in more of a 'Bro' kind of way. It doesn't make his job any harder or easy if Kallus and Maketh are getting on behind closed doors so he doesn't care. But he would torment them with that knowledge that he knows in ever so subtle ways.
I also had the odd thought of seeing a Vientiane's Day here perhaps Maketh and Hera could talk their normally unromantic men into doing something romantic, like a fancy dinner in town.
Then comically not only do the two couples go to the same restaurant but are seated next to each other.
Hilarity would then ensue.
Thank you as always for reading.
Please tell me what you thought in a review.