Finally! I've been wanting to write this for so long...
Kallus and Tua watched as the Inquisitor's lightsaber lit up and Grint's head rolled to the floor. Aresko squeaks in fear, realizing just how close he'd come to death. Tua looks away in horror. Kallus stands frozen in shock, eyes wide.
Tarkin faces them, "make no mistake, failure will have consequences. Agent Kallus, you will dispatch probe droids to all known locations of insurgent activity on Lothal, to find the whereabouts of these criminals. We will make examples of them."
Aresko hyperventilates into a bag. He never thought the empire was this bad. Killing rebels? Sure, that makes sense. His closest friend and coworker? One of their own? Why!? they could have just as easily sliced his head off too. All because they didn't catch the rebels. Whereas the rebels made sure there was no casualties. "am I working for the wrong side?" he asks his reflection. it didn't appear to have anymore clue than he did. He sighs, "he won't tolerate another failure." he stands straight and walks out of the room.
Tua, after much soul searching, walks into her office to see Aresko trying to get on her computer. "Aresko? What are you doing?"
he jumps out of the seat, "nothing! I just needed some information."
"on my computer?"
"yes." he squeaks.
"you could have just asked." she pushes him aside, "what exactly are you looking for?"
"just, um, information on suspected rebel sympathizers." he pumps his fist, "I wanted to get a head start on monitoring them for suspicious behavior."
Tua looks at him, unsure, "you're acting quite suspicious yourself."
"me?" his voice so high it hurt her ears. he forces it lower, "me? No, I just... please don't tell Kallus!" he falls to his knees, begging.
She walk to the door and closes it, "I won't. Actually, I was planning to do the same."
"really?" he asks, surprised.
"yes. I'll pull up the information. Please try to act normal, just tell yourself that you're only doing your job." she hands him the information.
"okay." he takes it and leaves.
"now I need a different plan." she sighs. An idea forms and she starts typing.
Less then a week later Aresko is blown up in a plot to frame the rebels. Tua halted her information gathering until Kallus left. Not long after, the Inquisitor dies in the munitions factory.
No Price, Kallus, or inquisitor. She now feels safe.
Three months later...
Tua's doorbell rings. She answers it and sees Kallus, with a broken leg. She inwardly panics, "Kallus! What are you doing here?"
he looks at her face, "are you a traitor?"
"what?"
"answer the question."
"why would you think that I..?"
"please." something in his resolve cracked.
She looks at him, surprised, "why?"
"may I come in?"
"of course." she lets him in and fetches tea. "what happened?"
"first, I'll explain what you've been doing. If I'm right just nod."
she nods.
"you've been collecting information about imperial sites here on Lothal."
she nods.
"you've also been reassigning troopers to protect less important shipments."
she nods.
"now, the truth. Are you a rebel sympathizer?"
she nods, holding her hands in fear.
"good."
she stops and blinks at him, "what?"
"I... need an ally."
"are you going to tell me what happened?" she sits across from him.
"it started when I was fighting Zeb, the lasat. I had cornered him in an escape pod during..."
she was mesmerized by his story, almost forgetting why she was listening to begin with.
"and I was hoping we could work together."
she blinks, "what? Sorry, you make a very good storyteller."
he sighs, "I don't want to do this alone."
"alright, what's your plan?"
"first, make you look less suspicious."
Lothal became a hot spot of rebel activity with attacks every other Tuesday. Kallus had managed to capture a few, most escaping after awhile. in fact, that was the idea. A rebel or two would be caught, given information, and then pull off a daring escape. Once Kallus' leg healed he was called off world. Tua monitors rebel and imperial communications, relaying important information under a false name. Kallus checked in with her once a week, making sure things were running smoothly. The time they spent on the communications grew longer as they talked about unimportant subjects. One day as he signed off an idea passed through his mind.
He walks beside her in the marketplace. She drags him to several stands, mostly fruit or perfumes. He smiles as she smells a cart of flowers and he fingers the box in his pocket.
"Minister, may I talk to you?" he walks her to the middle of the large space.
"yes Agent Kallus?"
he drops to one knee and opens the box, "will you marry me?"
she gasps.
Woo! First chapter done. So excited. But I feel like it might only be two or three chapters long.
Please review.