A/N: Took me a while to write this chapter (a lot's been going on and finding time to wiggle this into the lineup was a task), but I hope you'll like what I've got and you'll think the wait was worth it :]
So Kallus has learned a lot from the crew. Let's see if he's learned the most important thing.
Field Test
Kallus should have known it would be the week before his probation ended, that everything would fall apart.
The Ghost crew had been given a simple mission. At least, he'd thought it mind-numbingly simple. They would scavenge an old Republic base which had been recently found, searching for weapons and supplies that could be repurposed for the rebellion and its needs. Given the organization's growth and ambitious objectives, missions like these were often given higher priority, but no one had thought it would be difficult.
It should have gone perfectly. All hands had been called for this mission, since the base was expected to contain a great deal of cargo. AP-5 and the lucky addition of Miss Wren, who'd been visiting, came as well. The Ghost was crowded with the additions, but it was also full of life and energy which Kallus couldn't help but be infected with, even begrudgingly. Once they'd arrived on sight, they'd split into two ground teams and a command team.
Kanan and Hera would stay behind on the Ghost, monitoring progress and keeping an eye out for any Imperials. Miss Wren and Ezra would lead the teams, each taking either Kallus or Zeb for support, along with a droid.
Kallus was assigned Miss Wren and AP-5 and, as everyone except Bridger had expected, their team accomplished their half of the mission in record time, with efficiency and cohesion. In comparison to the riot which hallmarked Bridger's team – clear enough on the comm-channel for everyone to hear – his, Wren's, and AP-5's team had been the definition of professionalism. They, at least, hadn't accidentally upended a crate filled with enough food rations that AP-5 had to suggest using the entrenching tool he'd issued Kallus to help shovel the mess. Captain Syndulla had agreed it was an efficient way to clean it up for transport.
When the comm-chatter abruptly ended, however, and the alert signal had been sent to their team from Kanan, the situation stopped being simple and grew much more complicated.
Imperials had found them, and through his, Wren's, and AP-5's combined efforts, they were able to slice into old security feeds to find a small group of Imperials had somehow apprehended the others. Both Jedi were disarmed and Captain Syndulla glared beside them defiantly where she was bound. Chopper had a restraining bolt fastened to him, and Zeb was prone on the floor after either being stunned or taking blaster fire – it was hard to tell from this position. The small squad of Imperials had them on their knees and looked about ready to transport them.
If they didn't shoot first.
"We've got to do something," Wren said as she studied the monitor with hard eyes. "It looks like Kanan and Ezra's lightsabers were taken. They're over there, near that trooper guarding the cargo. Looks like Hera and Zeb's weapons are there too."
"We'll never reach them," AP-5 muttered as he provided his analysis. "The chances of us making it that far without the hostages being terminated are less than five percent."
"We'll have to thin them down," Kallus said. Luck was on their side that it wasn't an entire platoon's worth of stormtroopers at the officers' – a lieutenant and an ensign – disposal. It was only a small squad of stormtroopers, but even with so few, they'd managed to capture and disarm the rest of the crew. Whether it had been luck on the side of the Imperials, or foolishness for the crew, Kallus was going to err on the side of caution.
The lieutenant appeared to be the one in charge, the ensign and three stormtroopers reacting to his commands where they stood guard over the specters. Kallus had never seen these officers before, so he couldn't use the usual counter-strategy he'd become adept at providing. But judging from the lieutenant's body language, and the reactions of those around him, as well as the reluctance of the Ghost crew to so much as twitch, it seemed reasonable they were dealing with a familiar 'shoot first, ask questions later' mentality.
Not a favorable complication for a rescue mission.
"I might be able to blast those fuel cells back there." Wren pointed to the canisters on the screen. "That could cause a distraction long enough to get their attention away from the others. Wouldn't surprise me if Ezra's already got a way out of his binders."
"Wouldn't surprise me in the least," agreed Kallus before he shook his head. "A good idea, but I doubt it will work to our favor." He pointed at the stormtroopers closest to the bound specters. "They'll move too fast for either of us to stop them, and are likely to open fire on the crew. We need something else. A different diversion so we can get close. If we're lucky, close enough to retake the weapons our crew have lost."
"Diversions are a particular specialty of mine," Wren said as she tapped her pouch where her grenades were always ready and waiting. "But I don't think that's what you have in mind."
"Your right. This situation calls for discretion," Kallus agreed. "Any other time I'd like your plan, but this is an old base, and those men don't appear to have a problem pulling their triggers, if Zeb's condition is anything to go by."
"What do you have in mind, Kallus?" Wren asked, and Kallus looked between the Mandalorian and the supply droid as he considered their options. A plan formed, not one he liked, but one he thought would improve their odds. Hopefully enough to work.
One which, to his unease, would make him play his trump card.
Kallus took a deep breath, then he pressed his hair back, back in the old way he used to wear it when he was still an Imperial. To his surprise it smoothed back obediently, and though Kallus could feel how long it was in the back where the ends prickled his neck, a quick glance at a reflection told him in the front, at least, he looked like he always had before rebelling. Next, Kallus straightened his spine. Pulled his shoulders back. Lifted his chin.
Kallus held the word 'Empire' and all his memories of being an Imperial in his mind just right, and the man in his reflection an instant before — rough and jagged and practically unrecognizable — had vanished. In his place was the man Kallus had left behind. The Imperial.
Agent Kallus.
Kallus he studied himself. It was sickening how easy it was to slip back into this skin.
But he had to, and now that he was shifting back into the part, he snagged Wren's arm and turned her around, snapping binders on her wrists though he didn't lock them. Her brow furrowed but she didn't struggle, and he smirked at her.
"My plan, Sabine, is to take you hostage while AP-5 secures the weapons. Then, while I have the Imperials distracted, you and your crew are going to do what you do best."
"I think we've cleared the area," the lieutenant boasted as he stood in front of the Ghost crew, who were detained and under threat of blaster fire. "There doesn't appear to be any more rebels around."
"You're mistaken, Lieutenant," Kallus said as he shoved Wren forward, hand wrapped around her upper arm to prevent her from accidentally falling over. "You missed one."
The sound of blasters readjusting to lock on him made Kallus pause, and he jerked Wren to a stop, putting her between them even if it was the last thing he wanted to do. She sneered at him, and if he hadn't known better he'd have thought the only thing in the world she wanted was to rip his guts out and feed them to a rancor.
The Mandalorian gave a convincing performance, because even though the blasters were still trained on him, he caught the way the soldiers gave slight glances toward one another. Checking each other to see if they had seen the same thing.
That was good. More experienced soldiers wouldn't have twitched. These were younger soldiers and a bit easier to sway.
Now it was time to find out if the same was true for the lieutenant and the ensign.
"Who are you?" the lieutenant demanded as he leveled his blaster at Kallus. "What's going on?"
Kallus kept his voice cool as he ignored the probing looks of the Ghost crew. "I believe it's obvious. I'm helping you. I'm one of you, after all."
"Fracking traitor," Wren snarled, and Kallus smirked. The ensign cast a searching glance to the lieutenant, who studied Kallus shrewdly.
"You don't look like one of us," he shot back before nodding to one of the stormtroopers. "Take her and get him into a pair of binders."
"You won't want to do that, Lieutenant," Kallus said. "You can take her off my hands, gladly. Getting her restrained was difficult and I'd advise you to treat her with utmost caution. She's … tenacious. But you might want to listen to me before you do anything hasty."
"Kallus, what are you doing?" Bridger hissed, his eyes hard as Kallus shoved Wren into the waiting trooper. Kallus rolled his eyes at the young Jedi, embracing his role.
"What do you think, Bridger?" he replied. "I'm betraying you."
"What?" said Captain Syndulla's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't."
Kallus snorted and gave her a condescending smirk. "You didn't actually believe I'd do all of this, suffer so much humiliation because I wanted to rebel, did you? Apologies, Captain, but I was never on your side."
"That's not true," Zeb grunted in pain from where he lay on the ground. "The Empire's not you, Kallus. You can't have done all of this for nothing!"
Now that Kallus was closer, he could see the Lasat had taken a bolt to the shoulder, and that it was bleeding profusely despite the pressure Zeb kept on it. He needed medical attention. This needed to end soon, for Zeb's sake.
"I have and I did," Kallus replied, his heart tightening at the collective glares of betrayal the Ghost crew were giving him. Like they believed this.
It had to be an act. They had to know he wouldn't. That he had changed. That this was all it was: an act.
But it was difficult to say, when they looked at him like that, and he forced himself to ignore the doubt growing in his chest. Time would tell. He had a job to do right now.
Facing away from them and keeping his face composed and blank to the cold emotions growing in his chest, he waited. The lieutenant eyed him after watching the interaction, and Kallus lifted a brow.
"Fine," the lieutenant scoffed. "Amuse me, sleemo. But you better be fast. It's been a long day, and if you think you're going to be wasting it, I'll make you pay for it." The lieutenant aligned his blaster with Kallus's skull, as if his intentions weren't clear enough.
Kallus resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the posturing. Instead, he straightened into his Imperial bearing like slipping on an old coat. Kallus looked down his nose at the young officer.
"I am ISB agent 021. Agent Kallus," Kallus recited with false pride which threatened to make his stomach roll. He didn't want to be that man anymore, but he had to sell this. Kallus let himself feel the phantom curl of blind arrogance he'd held in such high esteem when he'd been an Imperial. "I've been under deep cover on mission to infiltrate the Rebel Alliance, and gather intelligence on behalf of the Empire. My mission has been going on for some time now."
The Imperial scoffed again, skeptical. "I'm sure. If you've been undercover," he reasoned, "why are you blowing it now?"
"Because I'm nearing the end of my mission anyway," Kallus replied blandly with a one-shouldered shrug. "As it was, I'd been planning on eliminating these rebels soon anyway. Your presence here is good timing, and the fact that you've apprehended the crew already is even better. You've certainly made my job easier."
The lieutenant glared at him incredulously, reluctant to buy into the fabrication. But Kallus could see the faintest flicker of doubt in his eyes when faced with Kallus's unwavering confidence.
Good.
"Yeah, forgive me if I'm not buying this, Agent" the lieutenant suddenly barked. "You want me to believe you? Give me your code cylinder and the name of the person you report to. Once you're cleared, then we'll see about all this."
"As you wish," Kallus replied, moving into the next stage of his act. "My cylinder is in my boot. I can get it, but you are welcome to retrieve it yourself."
Slitted eyes were answer enough for Kallus. The muzzle of the lieutenant's blaster slipped down to target Kallus's chest. "You try anything funny, and I won't just kill you. I'll kill them too."
Kallus shrugged, gambling and hoping this wouldn't backfire in his, or the crew's, face. "By all means. It's been hell being undercover with them. If you think I care about their wellbeing after everything they've put me through, you're sorely mistaken."
With aching care, he reached into his boot and retrieved his old code cylinder from where he kept it. He'd hoped he wouldn't have to play this card – well, at least not this soon – but it didn't matter now. He was playing it.
He held it up and, though the lieutenant glared at it like it was something offensive, he snatched it from his fingers.
"And just who am I supposed to contact to verify your story?" the Imperial said with a snide show of his teeth. Kallus smirked, confidence and blatant arrogance curling around his body in retaliation.
"You may contact Colonel Wullf Yularen, of the ISB."
The lieutenant's jaw was seconds from dropping, and Kallus was mildly impressed the lieutenant had caught himself in time.
"Colonel Yularen? There's no way," the Imperial exclaimed.
"I'm an ISB agent, Lieutenant. Can you claim to know all of the Empire's covert operations?" Shaken, the lieutenant frowned at the code cylinder, and Kallus knew he was close. "Contact him. Use my cylinder as proof. I'm sure he'll tell you everything you'll need to know."
The lieutenant eyed him skeptically, fighting back against the physical evidence before him. "I'm sure."
Kallus shrugged again, unperturbed. "Don't, then. Ruin everything I've worked for months on. You'll have him to answer to. I'm sure you'll enjoy a posting on some back-world base on the edges of the Outer Rim. Once you've been demoted."
Though the Imperial's features didn't change, his face paled. As expected, that was the perfect detail to convince the lieutenant to leave. The Imperial narrowed his eyes at Kallus before he nodded to the younger officer.
"Keep an eye on them, Ensign. They so much as twitch wrong, shoot them all."
"Yes, sir."
The lieutenant left with one of the stormtroopers, leaving only the ensign, and two troopers to deal with. An improvement, but he had hoped for better. His bluff wouldn't last long. Once the lieutenant ran his cylinder, it wouldn't matter what lies he concocted. The remaining Imperials needed to be thinned again, and the crew needed their weapons so they could regain the advantage. That meant AP-5 needed to hurry up while Kallus continued his act.
Thankfully, with everyone's eyes still on him, no one noticed AP-5 slip quietly along the wall with surprising stealth, nearing the supply crates where the weapons were laying.
"You've done well," Kallus said to the ensign and troopers, keeping their attention. Though he was acting, this part was true. "I don't know if you've heard much about the rebels, Ensign, but this particular cell is prodigious, and well known throughout the Outer Rim."
The ensign eyed him, his training and the command from a superior officer making him reluctant to engage, but it was clear he had something to say. Kallus lifted an eyebrow encouragingly.
The ensign caved.
"This … this is a team in their Phoenix Squadron," the Imperial said with a hint of an excited smile. "The Ghost crew, right?"
"Correct, Ensign," Kallus said with a humorless smirk.
"So, they really are Jedi?" he asked, pointing an elbow in Kanan and Bridger's direction.
"Indeed."
By now AP-5 had made his way to the supply crates and was nearing the weapons when their luck snagged as he attempted to maneuver around the mound of stray food rations still covering the floor. The ensign's attention shifted, and that was enough to get one of the troopers to redirect his blaster. AP-5 froze.
"Droid, halt!" the ensign ordered and AP-5 faced the Imperial. Even from where he stood, Kallus could sense the snarky come-back just waiting to be voiced. Kallus discreetly narrowed his eyes over the ensign's shoulder. Seeing it, AP-5 gave a great, put-upon sigh before he addressed Kallus.
"Agent Kallus. I can hardly do my work when I have a blaster pointed at me. I believe you wanted an adequate inventory of what was collected by these rebels. A set-back like this will put me gravely behind schedule. I'd hate to be the reason your report to Colonel Yularen is delayed."
"So, it's true? You work for Colonel Yularen?" the ensign said, flicking his eyes back to Kallus as his blaster drooped. "ISB Colonel Yularen?"
"Who else?" droned AP-5, tilting his head as if to roll non-existent eyes. "That's who we report to."
"I'd ignore the droid," Kallus said soothingly, trying to get the ensign to lower his guard again. "I reprogrammed him while the rest of the crew weren't looking and installed a secondary protocol. That supply droid will begin inventorying everything that was scavenged here in the name of the Empire. It's better these supplies remain out of rebel hands."
"You kriffing liar!" Bridger crowed, his teeth bared at Kallus. "I knew it! I knew we couldn't trust you!"
The sharp shout passed through Kallus's internal defenses, even though he refused to let it show on his face. The viciousness behind Bridger's reaction. Was that only acting?
But what if it was real? What if, despite everything, Bridger really believed he'd strung them along, after all this time?
"How could you, Kallus?" Hera growled, green eyes sharp as knives. "I stood up for you! We all did!"
"Don't do this, Kallus. You're better than this," Kanan said as he lifted his blind eyes. "Don't throw it all away."
Kallus stared at them, and excusing Wren … the doubt rushed in. What … what he was doing was an act. They had to see that.
But maybe they didn't. Maybe everything he'd been through with them, everything he'd believed to be true, had been a lie. The bonding, the teamwork, the trust they'd said they had in him.
All lies.
Perhaps they hadn't trusted him at all. And he'd been the fool for believing them.
Much as the ache of that realization beat at him, he breathed through his nose and focused on his composure. He shouldn't be as surprised as he was. No one should trust him, after all. This was just … a reminder of that fact.
So be it.
Kallus lifted his chin, displaying nothing but the cold Imperial. "Perhaps you judged wrong, Jedi." He cast his brown eyes across them all, hiding the truth as he had with everyone, all his life. "Perhaps you all judged wrong."
"And now they'll pay for that," the ensign said. Though the lieutenant hadn't come back yet with confirmation, it appeared the hostility the rest of the crew was sending Kallus's way was enough to convince this junior officer the lie was true.
"So, may I continue with my work?" AP-5 droned. "I'll have you know that the rebellion usually sends operatives out to investigate when a team doesn't respond to a check-in. They've missed theirs, and that doesn't give me much time to do my job if we're going to leave in time."
"The rebellion's coming?" the ensign gasped, eyes wide, and Kallus rolled with AP-5's lie.
"Likely. They did miss their check-in."
"Well?" AP-5 pressed in blatant annoyance, and his and AP-5's combined efforts created enough pressure to cause the ensign to cave again.
"Alright," the ensign said, trying to hide his nervousness behind a command. "But trooper, keep an eye on it while it works."
"Smart man," Kallus praised. Now they had two to deal with directly, and he thought he could disarm the ensign easily enough. It was the final stormtrooper he worried about, and they were all running out of time before the lieutenant came back. "I'll be sure to tell Colonel Yularen about you."
"I've always thought about working in the ISB," the ensign confided. Kallus almost couldn't hide his smirk. This young officer was making it way too easy on him.
"Perhaps I'll put in a good word?" he lied. "I think you have potential."
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the crew watching him, but now a particular quiet had settled on them. A familiar stillness he'd seen many times before. One of waiting. Of potential action about to spring. They had to know now, with the lies he and AP-5 had spun, and he'd caught the discreet way Wren had nudged them all. A warning.
A clang struck the floor as the entrenching tool leaning against the crate with the spilled rations toppled over with an 'accidental' nudge. AP-5 bent at the waist.
Kallus took a deep breath and hoped this next part worked like it should.
"Pardon me," AP-5 droned as he reached behind a crate as if to pick up the shovel. The stormtrooper guarding him neared, but it also put him within range of the other who was also watching the droid. "My mistake."
With ease that almost made the throw appear lazy, AP-5 tossed a stun grenade Wren had given him before they'd enacted this plan. The stormtroopers had no time to react. Electricity arched out, the area of effect encompassing both troopers, and they screamed before dropping limp to the ground.
"What?" said the ensign, his breath sharp before he regained his senses and tried to level his blaster at Kallus after realizing he'd been played.
It was too late.
AP-5 threw something at him. "Kallus!"
Instinctively, Kallus reached out and seized hold of a metal shaft and, winding up, swung and slammed the end of it against the Imperial's brow. The muted thud permeated the air, followed by a soft, pained moan.
The young officer crumpled, his blaster falling to the ground harmlessly. Kallus turned to the crew.
"Now, Sabine!"
In a flurry of color, Wren was up and out of her cuffs just as Bridger shed his. Kallus dropped the makeshift weapon AP-5 had tossed at him — the bloody entrenching tool of all things — before he reached for the ensign's blaster and yanked the restraining bolt off Chopper. The astromech chittered at the success of the plan and his subsequent freedom.
"Their lightsabers," Kallus told the squat droid, who saluted Kallus before rolling rapidly away, even as AP-5 tossed Captain Syndulla her blaster, and Bridger his. Chopper swiped up the lightsabers and shot them at the Jedi who caught them midair. With a snap-hiss, Kanan's flared to life, cutting through his binders. Then he climbed to his feet, facing Kallus.
Kallus waited for the fist which should be impacting his face right about now, but instead all he got in return was a firm hand on his shoulder, and a brilliant smile on Kanan's lips.
"Great job with the distraction, though you cut it a bit close."
Freed now, he moved past with Wren and Bridger flanking him, and Kallus watched, stunned. Another hand gripped his arm, squeezing it and catching his attention. He stared at Captain Syndulla, who gave him a nod and an approving smile.
"Get Zeb. He needs medical attention and I need to get the Ghost ready while the others take care of the other Imperials. Once you get Zeb on board, do what you can to help load the Ghost."
"Yes, Captain," Kallus responded reflexively, struck dumb by what was going on. But with a blink, he realized now wasn't the time to be hung up on the crew's reactions. On how quickly they'd gone from hatred to acceptance, when he'd been steps away from surety that he'd lost their trust.
He'd been given orders. He needed to do them.
Kallus crouched by Zeb and helped the Lasat sit up before he wrapped Zeb's good arm around his neck and tugged him up to standing with a grunt.
"Just like old times," Zeb said with a pain-filled chuckle as he tried not to jar his arm. The Lasat must have been beaten because even though Zeb was on his feet, Kallus had to support a great deal of the Lasat's bulk. A task his weaker knee wasn't thanking him for as they made their way up the Ghost's ramp. Behind them the sound of blaster fire filled the area, and Kallus chanced a glance over his shoulder.
Bolts and lightsabers colored the air, and Kallus frowned as two more stormtroopers appeared, ones he hadn't known about when he'd made his plan. But it seemed the others had that well contained and already AP-5 and Chopper were busy ferrying supplies into the hold. Once Kallus got Zeb that far, Zeb pulled away and waved him off.
"Hurry and get the rest. I'll be fine."
Resolved not to think until everything was over, Kallus lifted his blaster and ventured out again, moving for the supplies. Between him and the droids, within a minute half the cargo was on board, the Ghost was alive and ready to go, and Captain Syndulla had given the order to fall back.
The others withdrew, and he provided cover fire for their retreat behind what remained of the supplies. Wren and Bridger dived for the Ghost while Kanan threw himself behind another row of supplies near Kallus's position. Ahead of them only one trooper and the lieutenant remained, both shooting fiercely.
In the officer's hand was Kallus's code cylinder. Kallus smirked as he dug in his pocket.
"What are you doing?" Kanan called as he deflected bolts back. The trooper dropped to the ground. "We need to go!"
"Just wait," Kallus replied as he armed his detonator, then pressed the switch.
His code cylinder exploded in a small flash of light.
The lieutenant howled and waved his hand, but his glove caught fire and his face appeared burned from where he'd been holding the cylinder too close.
Unfortunately, that didn't stop the Imperial from firing his blaster randomly. Next to him, Kanan dived as Kallus tried to determine a path to the Ghost without taking a bolt.
"Kallus, move!" Wren yelled a second later, her face pulling with panic, and Kallus saw a bolt of light flicker past his sight before it shot by. The bolt collided with a remaining fuel cell behind him. One he was uncomfortably close too.
There was sound and light. The shock of pressure and pain as he threw himself to the side to avoid most of the damage. Unfortunately, he wasn't far enough that he could avoid being thrown back. His body collided with something solid and hard, his head whipping back with a solid thwack.
Kallus's world went black, the sounds of shouting and blaster fire lulling him away into oblivion.
Pressure on his shoulders and gentle shaking motions caused consciousness to flick back on like a switch, and Kallus gasped and coughed as he bolted upright. The pressure — hands — on his shoulders stopped shaking him, and Kallus peered through bleary eyes and saw Captain Syndulla smiling at him in relief.
"Kallus? Kallus, are you alright?"
"What—!" Kallus coughed as he struggled to make sense of what was going on around him, waiting for his sluggish mind to kick back on as fast as his consciousness had. His head ached terribly, and he struggled past the haze. "What happened? Is everyone alright? How—?"
"Relax, Kallus," Bridger said with a grin. "You're back on the Ghost. Everyone's fine and we got away with most of the supplies we came for because of you."
"You got us out of that mess," Kanan emphasized, and Kallus realized that everyone was around, as if they'd been waiting for him to wake up. "It was a good plan, trying to convince them you were double crossing us. Good thinking."
"Though if your plan was to almost blow yourself up, your thinking needs more work," Zeb said from the chair he was sitting in. His arm was in a sling, and a bandage covered the blaster wound he'd taken there. "Still, Kanan's right. Shame that code cylinder of yours is destroyed now. Could've used that ploy again. Worked like a charm."
"Along with mine and Wren's support," AP-5 added. "It wouldn't have worked if my acting skills hadn't been so convincing."
Chopper gurgled in response, clacking his clamps to emphasize the real acting had been on the part of the entire team, Kallus included.
Kallus felt as if he was in some race and he was being left behind as his mind slowly came up to pace. He could only stare as he tried to understand what was going on. Move past the pain in his skull and the likely concussion there.
When he'd pretended to double-cross them, when he'd seen them react so readily to his bluff, the doubt had eaten at him and he'd fully expected the crew to treat him with caution again. With doubt and distrust because, for all they knew, he might have been telling the truth. That all these months spent working together might have been a ruse, like it had been when he'd betrayed the Empire. Lies meant to deceive.
Miss Wren and AP-5, he could understand. They'd been in on the plan. But the others?
There wasn't the faintest touch of doubt in them at all. They looked at him with pride and approval. There was no judgment there. Before it all began, he'd hoped they'd known better.
Impossibly, it appeared they had, and the one who'd bought the lie, the one who hadn't trusted his crew enough, was him.
"You never … you never doubted me?" Kallus breathed in disbelief as he addressed all of them. "Throughout all of that, you didn't once doubt me or my intentions?"
"Nope," Kanan said with a grin and Zeb snorted at him dismissively.
"No way," the Lasat said. "You think I can't tell when you're acting by now?"
"It's exactly what I would've done," Bridger stated proudly, and somehow that made Kallus feel slightly better. Chopper gurgled, wagging his small metal arm, and Bridger lifted an eyebrow. "What? Thought we wouldn't see right through the act? Please," Bridger rolled his eyes. "Zeb's right. You were transparent from the moment you walked in. Matter of fact, I was worried the Imps would see right through you."
Wren rolled her eyes. "That's not true. The performance was good. I couldn't have done it better."
"Again, it wouldn't have been successful without my help," AP-5 pointed out again. A warm hand dropped on his shoulder and he looked at Captain Syndulla.
"We know you, Kallus," the Twi'lek said gently. "All these months working together, we've seen how hard you've struggled to prove that the rebellion is where you belong. Where you want to be. We know. There was never a doubt in our minds."
Kanan nodded. "We just needed to help sell the idea that you had betrayed us."
"What? Did you believe us too?" Bridger questioned. "Like Hera said, we know you better than that. You should trust us by now. We trust you, after all."
Kallus didn't know what to say because … he had doubted them. He'd spent months trying to prove his loyalty, given everything and hadn't expected a thing in return. Hadn't thought he could ever deserve trust, even if he had to break his back to earn it.
The fact that he was receiving that trust when he hadn't even expected it… it broke through the last bit of tension he'd held within himself since he'd first joined the rebellion and become a member of the Ghost crew. The final bit of doubt and distrust he'd had in them.
Impossibly, Kanan huffed the faintest of chuckles as a smile pulled at his lips.
"Believe us now?"
"You're fools," Kallus muttered as he looked away so they couldn't see the naked relief and gratitude in his eyes. "You're all fools."
"And you're just as much a fool as the rest of us," Bridger said. "How does that feel?"
Kallus rubbed a hand over his cheeks, feeling the muscles there as they pulled a little wider, a little stronger, before he ran his hand up and through his hair. It fell to either side of his face easily, as if returning to its natural state. Taking a deep breath, Kallus looked up.
"Good," he admitted. "Surprisingly good."
Zeb laughed and Wren's smirk was amused. The hand on his shoulder squeezed again before it slid off.
"I think it's time we head back to Yavin," Captain Syndulla said. "We've got supplies to drop off, and your probation hearing is soon."
Kallus smiled, and he surprised himself by how real it was. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a smile that was real and true and honest.
He found he rather liked it.
"I, for one," Kallus said as he reclined on the cot, his smile small and persistent, though he had no use for it now. "can't wait."
It wouldn't matter with the Alliance decided during the hearing. Despite the likelihood his probationary period would end and he'd be made an official member of the rebellion, even if they threw him into prison now for whatever reason, he would go knowing that there were people who would fight for him because they believed in him and trusted him.
And now, he trusted them too.
A/N: What did you think? Figured I'd conclude Kallus's personal growth lessons with a practical test, and I hope you liked it! Mostly action, which is different for this fic in particular, but I think it fits in nicely.
Only one final chapter to round it all up. Before I post that (in a few weeks I think), I want to thank everyone who's read this story and supported it. To my wonderful reviewers, the biggest of thank you's go to you. Those reviews helped keep this story alive. Don't ever underestimate the power of a review, they mean so much.
Until the final chapter, then.
As always, you can follow me and my stories on my tumblr (Just search for my username. I've redesigned it. It now have update status's for my stories on the left-hand side, so you can see where the story is in the process).
