Kallus sat in his office and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. It had been weeks since he'd last been able to really get information of any use to the Rebellion. It seemed that he had been frozen out of all important matters ever since the incident where Bridger had been sent in to extract him.

Looking back, perhaps Kallus should have left when he had the chance. He'd thought that he'd been able to avoid detection but if that were true, why was he excluded from the meetings that he had once been a part of? He tried to tell himself that Thrawn was just being hypervigilant because he was extremely thorough. Instead, he had to set his mind on figuring out ways to be more creative in how he gathered his information to pass on to the Rebellion.

Days later, he stood on a catwalk above the shuttle bay at the Imperial Complex and watched as Thrawn arrived and met with Governor Pryce and Admiral Konstantine. Not too long ago he would have been called to stand at her side to greet the Grand Admiral, as well. Now, he was no longer even an afterthought.

Kallus used his recently reprogrammed mouse droid and directed it to use the vents to wait in the walls of Thrawn's office and listened as the droid recorded and transmitted everything that was said inside. While listening, he overheard that Thrawn still believed that there was a traitor in the midst. That meant that he didn't actually buy it when he'd framed Lyste. Kallus listened carefully as Thrawn warned that what those present in the meeting were about to hear must not fall into the hands of the rebellion.

This was precisely the kind of information that he needed. He then heard Tarkin's voice come over a transmission. He and Thrawn discussed the fact that the Phoenix Squadron were planning to attack the manufacturing of the new TIE defenders. As Kallus heard how Thrawn planned to take out the squadron he couldn't believe how much he'd figured out already. The rebels had to be warned that they would be walking into a trap.

Kallus did his best to not draw any attention to himself as bade his time throughout the day and waited for nightfall. Several hours after dark when he thought it would be safest, he headed to the motor pool. The troopers gave him strange looks. Or at least he assumed that they were under their helmets. Were these the same ones who were on duty when he'd left with Valour? Were they now assuming he was leaving to find a companion for the night elsewhere? So be it. Let them think that.

Kallus jumped in then steered the borrowed speeder toward the old Bridger hideout to get his message of warning out. He raced up to the living area up on the second level of the tower and hurried to send out a message of warning.

"This is Fulcrum with an urgent message. Thrawn knows about-" Kallus paused when he realized that he was being jammed. He tried to adjust the frequency in frustration but stopped when he heard a cool voice behind him.

"By the light of Lothal's moons." Kallus's blood ran cold. He turned in surprise and looked up to find the blue Chiss standing in the open doorway. "That is your code phrase, isn't it, Agent Kallus?" Thrawn took a few steps inside before he added, "Or would you prefer I address you as Fulcrum? I'm afraid your rebel friends won't receive your warning."

Thrawn held up a jamming device and Kallus knew that if his rebel contacts were going to have a chance then he had to get that device so that he could get his warning out in time. He launched himself out of his chair toward the Grand Admiral knowing that it was a matter of life and death. Not just his but those of who knew how many.

The two men engaged in hand-to-hand combat and Kallus gave as much as he got, though Thrawn annoyingly chose to act as if the blows that he'd received didn't faze him at all. He also decided to run a diatribe as Kallus jumped back and prepared to square off once more.

"Your technique is good but limited by your training in the Imperial Academy. Predictable."

Kallus grabbed a nearby storm trooper helmet that rested on the table. He was suddenly grateful that the Bridger boy collected them. He held it down low and waited for an opportunity. When he saw it, Kallus threw it at the other man as he went to cut his legs out from under him. While Thrawn had caught the helmet it had given him the distraction needed to take the man down. As the Chiss prepared to stand up Kallus stomped on the jamming device so that his limited message could get out.

Finally, he said something that he'd been wanting to say to the other man since the day he'd first met him. "You talk too much!"

Kallus knew he likely didn't have a chance at getting out alive, but he'd given the rebels the only help that he could. Now, he planned to go down swinging. He gave everything that he had but it wasn't enough. Thrawn took him down as easily as if he'd been a child's toy. He was hit, kneed, and thrown out of the old building and slammed into the railing that lined the balcony.

As he sat on the floor he looked up and saw troopers reaching for him. They'd been right outside the door the whole time. Thrawn could have sent them in to shoot him but instead he had chosen to deal with Kallus personally. In doing so he also told him that he hadn't considered the man to be a personal theat. He didn't need the troopers to protect him against Kallus. The troopers pulled him up and held him as Thrawn approached, not even panting from their fight.

"You have the heart of a rebel."

Kallus couldn't control his own breathing, so he panted as he replied, "I'll take that as a compliment."

Blood mixed with spit as he spoke and fell to the ground. The troopers then drug him back into the old building where Thrawn tortured him for information. Kallus was glad that he didn't actually have any. The rebels were smart in making sure that their agents didn't know any locations of the bases. Didn't even know the names of other agents. So even if Kallus had wanted to break, he wouldn't have been able to. Not that he wanted to. Nor was he even tempted. He just wanted to get this over with. Thrawn's self-righteous attitude and cool demeanor were grating on his last nerves. Death had to be more merciful than listening to this man's self-congratulations for catching him.

Hours later, Kallus was strung up, still at the old tower that had been his command center, as Thrawn had the holo-map up of the planets that he'd narrowed the list of possible rebel bases to.

"You may have transmitted your warning, Agent, but in doing so, you've given me the last piece of the puzzle. Now this is the trajectory of General Dodonna's fleet, and this is the trajectory of your Fulcrum transmission. Taken separately, they mean nothing. But together..."

Kallus saw that the two lines met where the map showed empty space. He grinned. "Nothing. There's no planet there. The rebels are smarter than you give them credit for."

"A pity you do not study art, Agent Kallus." Kallus balked at the comment. What the hell did art have to do with any of this? "There is much it can show you if you know where to look. Such as, a system which doesn't appear on Imperial charts but is represented in the art of the ancient people of this sector. I believe they call this Atollon, now the home of your rebel base."

Kallus couldn't believe it. How had Thrawn deduced so much? He never had felt so helpless. So dejected. Thrawn knew not just about the impending rebel attack but now he knew of the location of the rebel base. Thrawn pulled out a communication device and signaled his latest flunky.

"Admiral Konstantine, deploy the fleet to these coordinates. We will join you shortly."


Kallus was shackled and forced to board the shuttle along with Thrawn to head to his star destroyer. He was then forced to join Thrawn on the bridge of the Chimaera as he launched the attack on the rebels. There he was, beaten, bloody and bruised but Thrawn wanted more. He wanted to break him. And he planned to do that by crushing those for whom he had risked so much in the last year before his eyes.

From his place in the shadows of the bridge Kallus watched as the rebel ships were bombarded by Thrawn's forces. The skies were ablaze with the burning of ships of all kinds and sizes. The rebels were outmatched and outgunned, and they didn't have the warning that Kallus had hoped to give them to get their forces out.

The Imperial blockade was too tight for ships to get past. At least before Admiral Konstantine ignored Thrawn's instructions and moved to initiate his own line of attack. Kallus had to chuckle after hearing the two men argue over whose strategy was better.

"Fighting over glory?"

"I do not require glory, only results for my Emperor." Thrawn shot back over his shoulder as he directed his attention back to the battle before him.

When one of the cruisers made directly for one of the Interdictors Kallus watched on as the men and women on board the rebel ship gave their lives so that a single ship could get away. It was the most brutal reminder that this cause was one that many have already given their lives for, and more were willing to do the same. Kallus had the feeling that his death wouldn't be as noble. Thrawn likely had one of humiliation awaiting him at the end of this day.

When the remaining rebel ships returned to the planet's surface Thrawn announced that he'd lead the ground assault personally once the orbital bombardment was over.

"Governor Pryce, you're in command of the fleet while I lead the ground assault." Seeing Thrawn's confidence, Kallus began to laugh. He didn't know if it was from amusement or from nervousness, but it caught the Chiss's attention. "Hmm. The plight of your friends amuses you."

"I've been in your position before, only to have these rebels pull a victory from certain defeat." And he had. That knowledge was all that still gave him hope that at the end of this day that the Rebellion would live on.

Thrawn looked insulted at the implication. "You and I are not the same, Kallus, as these rebels are about to learn."

He then strolled away from the bridge. That left Kallus under the supervision of Pryce. While the woman's sneering arrogance grated his nerves, he knew that he had an opportunity if he timed it just right. He hoped that he'd be given a chance to escape. After all, if he was going to do it then he would have to do it before Thrawn returned. In the meantime, Kallus was forced to watch the hours of battle from space as he knew that with each passing moment, there were likely rebel casualties.

When the Mandalorians showed up with reinforcements Kallus couldn't have been happier, given the situation. When they started to attack the Interdictor Pryce's arrogance went into high gear. He couldn't help it. Kallus's tongue started to run away with him. He only had a few hours to live, anyway, if she or Thrawn had anything to do with it. He decided that he'd say exactly what he was thinking during his last moments if this was to be the last day of his life.

"Thawn's not going to be happy with you making a mess of his fleet," Kallus said as explosions filled his view.

Pryce spun on her heels and faced him as she ordered the troopers, "Throw this traitor out of the airlock."

Kallus smirked. Not just for getting a rise out of the woman but also because he knew that she'd just given him his chance. He was pushed by the troopers as they manhandled him and forced him into a lift. As the lift closed with the three of them inside Kallus didn't bother to hide the smile as it crossed his face. He knew that he could take on these troopers despite the fact that both of his hands were restrained behind his back. He jumped, kicked, slammed his body into the men and contorted his body to bring his hands in front of him while bringing down final blows on the troopers before grabbing the keys to his restraints just as the door to the lift opened.

Once freed, Kallus didn't waste any time. He raced toward the escape pods. He hoped that this wouldn't be a really short trip. He frantically sent a transmission out to the Ghost with his coordinates. When he saw the ship headed his way, he knew that they had gotten it and that they didn't intend to leave him behind. Of course not. He was one of them and they don't abandon their own behind.

The Ghost effortlessly snagged his pod and jumped to hyperspace. Kallus sat back in his seat and breathed out a sigh of relief. He was safe. He'd live to fight another day.

He crawled out of his escape pod and joined the rest of the survivors aboard the Ghost. The ship was packed with wounded. So many men and women who nearly hadn't made it off of the planet alive. He stood and lined the hallway with the others as Kanan walked past him.

"Kanan. Thank you... For taking me in." That is when Kallus heard something that he didn't know that he needed to hear from the Jedi.

Kanan put a hand on Kallus's shoulder before replying, "Thank you for risking everything."

Kallus felt silly for nodding to the blind Jedi, but it seemed that the Jedi saw more than mere eyes could ever see.