Waving Captain Howzer away to leave them, Rov's jovial rapport with Howzer faded quickly. Howzer's attention was drawn to Alanja's arms hugging herself and the drop in her gaze.
"What's happened?" asked Howzer.
Alanja sniffed but kept her eyes down. The concern in the clone's voice was deep, and he was instantly ready to act.
Howzer had been a curious thing to Alanja, loyal in an impossible way. She wanted to believe it was not his inhibitor chip bending him to her brother's service, but how could it not be? All clones were good soldiers that were ready to follow orders. Captain Howzer was a slave to the chip like the rest of them. It was only Clone Force 99 that had escaped that fate. And it was only because of Alanja that Crosshair possessed his sometimes irritating free will.
Crosshair sneered at Howzer. "You should leave."
A glance from Rov confirmed the order, and Howzer and his men departed, closing Rov, Alanja, and Crosshair in together.
Rov strode straight for Alanja, putting his warm hands on her shoulders, his searching look begging her to gaze up at him. "Alanja?" Her name was a fearful question on his lips.
She leaned into him without explanation. Over her, as his arms encircled her, Rov asked Crosshair with just his gaze, "What has happened?"
Crosshair cocked his head. "Senator Taa had plans." He harrumphed. "I interrupted them."
Rov held Alanja tighter, but she could feel his warmth turn into fire. "Don't worry, sister. I have plans for Orn Free Taa."
Dinner with Crosshair and Rov felt electric as the two chattered on about a plan to wrench complete control over the teetering peace on Ryloth. Taa's foolhardy advances on Alanja only bolstered their strategy. Both men were enraged with the senator and eager for revenge—to punish the senator's greed and impropriety. The two of them were cunning.
"Why waste such a perfect opportunity?" asked Rov as he gave a small toast to Crosshair.
Rov disliked the clones as much as she did, but like her, even he was fond of Crosshair. Sometimes, she thought that their dark humor was cut from the same cloth. Never would she have described the two as friends, but comrades-in-arms was apt.
After dinner Captain Howzer was left behind with Alanja as Senator Taa was invited away into Rov's conquering plans. Crosshair and Rov had both given Alanja a knowing nod as they departed, drawing a concerned eye from Captain Howzer.
Like all clones, as they aged, they became more individual than the younger clones like Corsair and his squad back on Kamino; Howzer was no exception. Though he was not, Howzer seemed taller and more majestic than most, with a pronounced scaring under his left cheek. He was a valiant survivor. His black hair was clean on the sides, while the rest was neatly combed back with care. His watchful gaze was that of a warrior, commander, and empathic soul.
Alanja thought of Jango Fett then. How different the clone was from that man. Howzer's warm demeanor was straightforward yet altruistic. However, that chivalrous outward appearance was only skin deep. His inhibitor chip was still intact. And for that, he was her enemy and could be turned on her by the orders of the Kaminoans at any time.
"You're very close with Commander Crosshair." The statement was probing but not intended to be provocative or rude, just friendly as if he respected how kind she was to Crosshair.
She smiled. "Yes. The commander and I are good friends."
"Surprised he has any," laughed Howzer in his warm way. "I've heard of Clone Force 99. They are a very interesting band. Very successful in their unconventional warfare tactics. I am sure it was not easy for him to part with them."
"No, it was not easy, even if he would say otherwise," she said. "It has been complicated for him. I try hard to be… comforting. But I am a poor replacement for his past company, I am afraid."
Howzer gave a slight blush. "Miss. You are the kindest of anyone I have had the pleasure of meeting. Most don't trust us clones, but you are different. We all see it. I respect you for that, for showing Commander Crosshair that honor."
She sighed. She had no respect for clones, just Crosshair. "Well, I am glad," she lied; Howzer's admiration made bile rise in her stomach. "I try hard to make Crosshair feel appreciated."
Howzer nodded with a boyish smile. "He does. How you treat him does us all good after this war."
That struck her, and she gave a dismissive laugh. "We won, Captain Howzer. Just like Crosshair told me once. You. Me. Him. All of us. It is time to rebuild and create order from this mess of winning."
Howzer nodded as if he understood. She wanted to trust him, but he and those under his command could quickly turn on them. She had seen what the Kaminoans had done to force Crosshair to obey the order of her friend, Tarkin. Howzer was blissfully unaware of his slavery, of how his very presence risked the lives of everyone he thought he cared about.
Late into the night, Alanja waited up for Rov and Crosshair to return. When Howzer asked if she was alright, she replied, "I'm just worried for my brother." Howzer seemed satisfied by that answer, but the truth was that Rov and Crosshair might die tonight if their plan went wrong, and a rebellion would consume Ryloth with her trapped there as a hostage of Cham Syndulla and his rebels.
Howzer's head quirked as a message came for him over his comm. "Yes, Admiral," Howzer replied to the voice in his ear. "Right away." His attention was on Alanja as he spoke and then on the door. With a slight bow of his head, he addressed her. "Admiral Rampart has requested my presence right away. You will be safe here. I have troopers stationed outside the door," he assured.
Shrugging off his statement as if he was being absurd, she said, "Of course, I will be. You and your men have impressed me." But she did not feel safe.
A humble smile eased on his lips, and he rose up tall as he donned his helmet. Though Alanja disliked clones, she didn't want Howzer to leave.
Alanja stood up tall and gave him a reassuring nod. "Farewell, Captain Howzer," she said her goodbyes as he left her alone in the sitting room adjoining the dining room where she took meals with Rov and Crosshair. She ached to see the two men sitting together at the table with her again, and she longed for the peace of past days.
Turning her back on the dining room, Alanja curled up on a cushioned chair and drifted off to fitful sleep. When dawn rose over the Rylothian landscape, Alanja pretended not to wake at her brother's entry. His silhouette passed between her and the windows as he draped a blanket over her where she was still curled up in the chair. He waved someone past her into his office. The black armor and smell of gun oil gave away his identity instantly. Crosshair was with him.
Sometimes Alanja wondered if the clone liked being at Rov's side more than hers. Feeling a pang of jealousy, she wouldn't be surprised if he did. Rov always had more exciting things for Crosshair than afternoon strolls and fancy meals.
Rising from where she curled in the chair, Alanja pulled the blanket tightly about her and crept towards Rov's office, where he and Crosshair shared shots of Rylothian whiskey. Crosshair looked as uncomfortable as he always did doing the things normal people did. That awkwardness made her toes curl in her slippers with delight. Everything Rov and Alanja shared with Crosshair was a new adventure, even if Alanja had done those everyday things all her life.
"Come in, Alanja," Rov called without glancing her way.
As she stepped into the light, she saw that her presence was not a surprise to Crosshair either. He gave her a cold nod as if he had taken care of something for her and expected respect for it. She didn't greet either of them as she came to a chair before Rov's desk closest to Crosshair, plopped down, and pulled her knees up under the blanket. Though she was relieved to see them both safe, she sniffed at them and turned her gaze to the windows. Clearly sensing her bitterness, Crosshair took a step away from the chair.
Pleased with himself, Rov gave Alanja a haughty grin. "The plan worked, sister."
She tugged the blanket up under her chin. "Is Senator Taa dead?"
"Better," Crosshair answered. The way his voice lilted upwards at the end of the word sent a chill down her spine and stirred her ire as he basked in his accomplishment—whatever it was.
Rov continued to smile as Crosshair took up a place beside him. Rov gave Crosshair an approving pat on the back. Her eyes glanced between their pride. "Crosshair didn't kill him. But left him as a perfect tool that knows how to keep his fat hands off my sister and obey his new masters."
Alanja swallowed hard and bit her lips. Rov's tone scared her.
"Now if you will excuse me," Rov bowed to her, "I have matters to attend to. I leave you in capable hands." Rov gave Crosshair another pat. "Well done."
When they were alone, Alanja asked Crosshair, "What did you do?"
"I shot him but left him alive enough to know better than touch you again."
Alanja shrank in the chair. There was a sense of possession over her in his voice that she had never heard before.
Her rejection of his accomplishment angered him. "Your brother thinks better of me than you," he growled.
She shook her head. "He cares about different things than I do."
"You think I shouldn't have done it?"
"The both of you are so stupid. You could have died."
Crosshair smirked at that, pride puffing out his chest as he put a toothpick in his teeth. "Not likely."
Alanja shot to her feet, letting the blanket fall to the floor as she stormed right up to him and slapped him in the face, wiping that proud look off of him. Stunned, he glared down at her. Her eyes burned, and she tilted her head back as she swallowed her frustration.
"Not likely is not good enough for me," she growled at him, trying to force him back under her control. She brought her left fist up to her chin, the metal scope ring glinting.
His brow furrowed. "It'll have to be. I am a soldier."
That was when the tears finally broke through. Rivers of moisture trailed down her cheeks, and her chest heaved in heartbreak. He was right. That was the same thing her husband said when he left to fight. He never came back. He was buried in the sands of distant Geonosis with a platoon of clones as green as Corsair and his men.
Her shoulders trembled as she turned her back on him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his lips part and his face turn to regret as she picked up the blanket and left for her room.
As she hid around the corner from Rov's office, she whispered, "call me back, friend." But he remained silent.