Ninety
Roly Melusar started his day as he always did.
Thinking nothing about anything. Humming gently to himself as he moved about his allocated quarters with the usual familiarity.
Shower, dress, caf before sitting down and watching the 0600 Holonet news from across the galaxy.
He always tuned in for this report.
Roly liked nothing more than watching the Twi'lek presenter and what she was wearing than listening to the actual news. Her buxom blue breasts would lift in time with her words, her voice, husky with a strong accent.
He thought she was just wonderful.
Today however, Roly wasn't as impressed with her choice of outfit, black didn't work with her blue complexion, and he flicked his head with slight disdain.
Not too worry, he stopped for a second before he whistled brightly to himself, she would be back again in the morning and he could judge her new outfit against todays.
Grabbing his backpack, he filled the shell with the usual; commlink, data pad and some spare credits. He then checked the charge of his pistol and holstered it onto his right thigh.
Once in place he slapped it quickly twice, more of a habit than a necessity.
It might not have been standard issue, and it also might have been an old weapon, but Holy Roly knew that just a glimpse of his Verp meant others would steer clear and give him the desired amount of creed as he walked the corridors to his office in the Commando Compound of the Imperial Barracks.
Once there, he threw his pack into its usual corner and immediately flicked on his screens.
Nothing out of the ordinary, but a message from High Command took his attention.
Meeting at 0900.
Annoyed at the red flashing alert, that meant his second caf from the canteen would have to wait.
He sighed and grabbed his commlink as he retraced his steps back to HQ.
…
The ship lowered down noisily.
Rex frowned and strained to look at the hull, running a quick eye over her for anything that might have come loose.
Nothing obvious.
The trees began to sway as the propulsion bent them from one way to the next. Up until this moment, there had been no communication with the group that had flown to Iridonia saying they were arriving that morning. There was nothing more than a quick comm message from Ahsoka two days ago stating that the objective had been found.
It was all he needed to know, the ARC's were in charge of this mission and he had the upmost faith in that they had done their job.
As they were trained to do.
Rex had found it easier than he thought to let go and allow the men to drive their own destiny. To search for the others and then begin again on Hoth.
A rebellion.
A fight to begin what they had risked life and limb to leave.
He had thought about it, a lot, since they had left.
But watching Piia and Echo's children had only reinforced his decision to stay on Oriis and raise his daughter to the best of his ability.
The ship landed rougher than usual and Rex was now more concerned that something had happened to the crew on the way home.
The ramp lowered and two men came out talking loudly.
"I guess I'm a little out of practise!"
"Darn right rusty in my opinion."
"You might want to take a look at that rear thruster."
"Me? You were the one who engaged it too close to the ground on take off!"
Rex knew he recognised both voices, but he was confused. Frowning again he walked towards the craft but still couldn't pinpoint the other voice.
That's when it all became apparent for CT-7567.
"Force Rex, you look good for a dead man!"
The deep, gravely tone threw Rex, but the cybernetic right eye didn't.
"I could say the same about you Commander."
.
Roly wandered into meeting room B1.27 without consequence. He placed his data pad down in front of him and waited for the room to fill. He was there 5 minutes early.
The grey suits arrived, all buttoned up and stiff, looking to one another, too scared to ask the reason for this impromptu meeting the new Emperor had called.
With all the chairs filled, the second the clock turned 0900 the door swished open and the military who's who all stood to attention.
The tension was apparent to Roly Melusar.
But unlike the institutionalised military men, he wasn't scared. Nothing frightened him, so when the Brass rolled in, followed by the billowing cape of Vader, Roly thought nothing of it, other than annoyance at the sound of the dark lords annunciator.
"Gentlemen, I'll get straight to the point."
Everyone's back moved an inch straighter, Roly sensed their nervousness and smirked inwardly. He then stared out into space in front of him, mentally tracing a scratch in the pale wood of the meeting table.
"We have had intel that there are a group of ex commandos on Mandalore."
Old Roly nearly chocked on his own spit.
"The information was made apparent to us a few weeks ago and what we can't understand is why no action has been undertaken."
Suddenly Roly Melusar felt as if he was the only one in the room. Being the sole representative for the Commando's in that meeting, he knew who the question was being directed to.
But his mind was already one step ahead.
'That shabuir Gregor.'
'He set me up!'
'It was a sting from the very beginning!'
Everything went rushing through his head at light speed.
All of a sudden, the mechanical breathing sound was deafening.
Roly felt as though his brain was going to explode.
He couldn't respond.
"Melusar, do you have anything you would like to add?"
Khooh, Khaah, Khooh, Khaah…
It became mesmerising.
The truth be told, Roly had never even met Skywalker during the course of the war, the commando units never bothered themselves with the damn Jedi.
Roly then straightened his back as the others had done.
Khooh, Khaah, Khooh, Khaah…
"Is there a reason you withheld this information Mr Melusar?"
Khooh, Khaah….
"No, no reason," he switched to major damage control, "I was simply waiting for …"
But Vader never let him finish his sentence.
It was as if the sound of everything had been sucked from the room, and all Roly could hear was the drumming of his own heart as his throat became tighter and tighter.
He fumbled for his Verp, but his hands failed to meet the handle.
It was the only time it had ever let him down.
He had underestimated his position within the institution.
He had underestimated Gregor.
And now he would pay for that error in judgement.
With his life.
…