Mid Rim
Centares System
Officers' Quarters of the Enforcer, Imperial II-class Star Destroyer
Hours later…
Agent Sluka sat in an office chair before a desk and glanced down at the two datapads sitting before him. The lightsaber of the Unnamed King sat to the left of the datapads. He slowly tapped his fingers upon the display of the left datapad.
Here is what Janda sent me, Agent Sluka said in his head as he brought his fingertips to rest on the datapad. Empty assertions that Commander Rivenner is a traitor to the Empire. Assertions that I'm supposed to investigate, he added. But his actual service is exemplary, so it's plain to see what this really is about. Agent Sluka frowned. Commander Rivenner is one of countless Commanders who have a long history of active cooperation with Assistant Director Magnusson, a friendship dating back to the Academy, and successfully taking him down would put pressure on her. Agent Sluka started tapping his fingers on the datapad again. Pressure that would ease her movements against Janda and call into question her very investigation of him.
Agent Sluka pulled his hand from the datapad and placed it in his lap.
He glanced toward the right datapad and reached out to it. And this is what Rivenner passed on to me through Tenneka. I can't believe she thinks I'm the same guy that Rivenner's been working with. I guess the Force is with me on this. He laughed for a moment then his mind moved on. Agent Sluka stared at the datapad, contemplating the contents. Rivenner allocated Imperial resources to do Inquisitor Marrik's leg work for him. All in pursuit of Inquisitor Marrik's own agenda, separate from that of the Galactic Empire. Agent Sluka frowned again, indecision filling his head. Are Rivenner's actions so different from mine? Agent Sluka asked himself. Decision and focus locked into place within his mind.
Agent Sluka slammed his fist against the table.
Yes, my reasons are different, he snapped. I didn't dedicate Imperial resources to steal children from their parents so that I could teach them fear and hate. He paused in his thoughts. And some of those other things I did for the Empire instead of my own ambitions? Images flashed in his mind. People being shot in the head with blasters. Explosions. Interrogations. I guess I would deserve to be killed for those things if someone were trying to stop me from doing them.
His thoughts were interrupted by a voice, that of his door sentry program.
"A visitor is awaiting outside your door," the voice said. "Records indicate the individual to be Sergeant Conor, recent transfer to the Enforcer's complement of Imperial Army troopers."
"Admit Sergeant Conor," Agent Sluka quickly replied.
The entry door to Agent Sluka's quarter slid open and in came Sergeant Conor in his Imperial greens, his one mechanical hand clearly visible. "Come on, Malgo," Sergeant Conor said. "Time to go."
"What?" Agent Sluka replied. "Time to go where? And that's Agent Sluka, or sir, to you," he added.
"We've known each other too long for that," Sergeant Conor snapped. "I play that silly game because we're like blood, now come on."
"I just like giving you a hard time, Conor," Agent Sluka laughed. "Now what's this about?"
"The boys are ready," Conor said. "You said to let you know when I had them ready for you to run drills with them. They're ready. So, let's go."
"I said let me know," Agent Sluka said, still trying not to chuckle. "I didn't say come drag me away from what I'm doing."
"Are you coming, or not?" Sergeant Conor asked, the terseness of his voice showing some agitation.
"Yes sir," Agent Sluka snapped and hopped to his feet.
Without another word, Sergeant Sluka turned and walked out the door. Agent Sluka reached back toward the desk and the Unnamed King's lightsaber flew into his hand. He placed it on his belt then quickly caught up to Sergeant Conor and they quickly made their way, side by side, down the corridor.
After a few minutes walking and then dropping to a lower deck via an elevator, the two stepped into the trooper field house of the Enforcer. They stood at the end of a passage which opened into a large space for drills, perhaps fifty meters across, with a track which circled its outer perimeter.
And it was empty of troopers.
"Where is everybody that I'm supposed to drill?" Agent Sluka asked.
"They're in here waiting for you," Sergeant Conor answered pointing around the corner of the end of the passage to a door. "Meeting room," he said. "I thought you might want to give them a speech to start things off."
"Whatever you think's best, Conor," Agent Sluka replied. "I trust you."
Sergeant Conor walked away from the end of the passage and to the door, followed by Agent Sluka. The Sergeant opened the door and walked in with Agent Sluka right behind him."
The fist came straight at Agent Sluka's left temple. He ducked, and as it passed overhead, took a step forward. A fist came from the right, and caught Agent Sluka but he rolled with it. That's when the body collided with his hips, arms wrapping around his waist. And another set of arms wrapped round his left ankle. And another around his right. A fist caught Agent Sluka in the temple as he tumbled forward. He looked up to Sergeant Conor for help.
The Sergeant just stood there with a smile on his face.
Pull the lightsaber to my hand? Agent Sluka quickly asked himself as he twisted his body back and forth, throwing elbows onto those who had latched onto him. Use the Force to throw them off my body? Sluka asked himself as more arms latched onto him. Latched onto his arms. He knew better. He knew what was coming and what he had to do. The first boot caught him in the ribs. Then the second.
"You've got the Horned Serpent on your chest, Malgo," Sergeant Conor said. "We can't simply let that go."
The kicks and punches kept landing until the darkness came.