Chapter VIII

It's impossible to tell inside the cave, but night set over Thakwaa. Ahsoka finds Callan sitting outside along the mountain side, the recon troops lessen their patrols at night. Callan looks on to Tunka City and the shimmering lights of the Star Destroyer. The scene almost looks as if a city is hovering over another city.

Ahsoka slowly approaches Callan sits beside him.

"Evening, Ashla."

"Shila told me about you and her."

Callan gives a small laugh, "So she opened up to you now? She must have dismissed you as being a spy." Callan rubs his eyes and takes a deep breath of the crisp night air. "I don't know what we're going to do about that Star Destroyer. It'll be impossible for the six of us to take on an army of that size."

Ahsoka tries to think of something Master Yoda would say, "The number of fighters you have is irrelevant, your strength in will to fight for what you believe in will be your victory."

"Still, an army would really help. However, I think we may have a fighting chance now that you're with us."

Ahsoka side eyes him, not sure what to think of his odd comment.
"What do you mean?"

Callan takes his eyes off the Star Destroyer and puts them Ahsoka. A confident smile creeps across his face. "I saw what you did in the ambush this morning." Callan leans incredibly close to Ahsoka's ear and says under his breath, "I know you're a Jedi."

That same feeling Ahsoka had on Raada when Kaeden found out, embrasses her. It feels like a lump in her throat that refuses to go down - or come up. She knows there is no way to get out of this, no way to lie, all she can do is tell the truth and hope Callan will listen. Ahsoka takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, and clears her mind.

"Yes, I did destroy the tank. Once in a distant life I was, a Jedi learner." Ahsoka says the last part under her breath in case an Imperial probe droid is hiding in the tallgrass. She raises her voice but only enough for Callan to faintly hear, "But I left years ago, it was my own choice. When the Empire came to power I and-"

-Ahsoka was about to say she and Rex faked their deaths, but she doesn't want to drag the veteran clone into her risky life of exposure. Wherever her old friend may be in the Outer Rim, it's best he remain as he was when they went their separate ways - dead.

"I faked my death." Ahsoka continues without mentioning Rex, "And have been hiding in the outer rim, trying to keep my distance from the Empire."

There is no record containing a description of Ahsoka after the incident on Raada. Otherwise the Empire would have launched a galaxy wide notice for Ahsoka's arrest through the HoloNet. Ahsoka decides to keep Raada to herself.

And Fulcrum of course.

Callan nods. "I once believed in the Jedi, I still do. I believe them to be the galaxies most self righteous, they embody a part of ourselves that we wish we were."

"The Jedi were not gods, Callan. They were just like you and me, only they could feel the connection to the Force where others couldn't."

"As I am aware. I long for the days of the Republic to return, for the Jedi to return." Callans becomes sullen and his face shows it. "I was born shortly before the Clone Wars, I grew up knowing nothing but war. I have no memory of what life was like before the Clone Wars, but I imagine it was peaceful. The type of peace I-" Callan looks towards the cave. "We want to bring back to the galaxy."

A loud hum is heard overhead, the sound of an Imperial freighter flying low overhead. The freighter slowly passes carrying six TIE fighters beneath its hull. Callan and Ahsoka quickly jump up and duck behind a nearby rock and wait for the long ship to pass. Call asks Ahsoka if it's an attack, but Ahsoka denies it.

"If it was an attack they wouldn't send that freighter." Ahsoka assures, "It's destined for somewhere else. Are there any ports where it's heading?"

Callan nods, "Yes, it's just a shipping port. Tunka City's airfield doesn't have the capacity to handle large shipments. That port is meant for shipments on and off world and distributes goods to nearby cities and settlements."

Ahsoka thinks for a moment. She has to get off Thakwaa and see Bail about these freedom fighters, and Hord's Rebellion. She doesn't want to abandon these fighters, for one she has gained their trust and two these are potential recruits if Hord's Rebellion is not as it seems. There would also be the possibility for Ahsoka to get help from Bail and do something about the Empire on Thawkaa.

"I have a plan." Ahsoka says, "But I need to get off Thakwaa, and your going to have to trust me."

Callan realizes that in this short amount of time, Ashla has gained the trust of his crew, even Shila. Plus Ashla is a Jedi whether she denies it or not, and long ago Callan had faith in the Jedi and their ways. It's that same faith he wants to have again, if he can't trust Ashla, he can't trust anyone. "Alright." he says, "What do you have in mind?"

Ahsoka takes off her boot, bewildering Callan. She holds it up and shakes it a couple times before the small code cylinder drops out and lands in her hand. She opens her palm to present it before Callan. With her opposite hand she puts her boot back on, relieved that she has a little more space now.

Callans eyes go wide, "An Imperial code cylinder! How did you get it?"

"I took it off an officer back at the cantina. We can use it to access Imperial shipments off Thakwaa. But to do that, I'm going to need yours and Shila's help."

Lieutenant Dalmer stands at Thrawn's side in the Chimaera's hanger, both watching outside the hangers shield gate. Dalmer is excited at the same time astonished that Grand Admiral Thrawn has included him in his ring of associates since the rise of Imperial activity on Thakwaa. Dalmer looks out the corner of his eyes to see Thrawn calmly straightening up his white uniform.

"Grand Admiral?" Dalmer says without directly looking at him, "I still do not understand who is coming."

Thrawn runs his fingers through his slicked back hair. "Nor do you need to know the exact details, Lieutenant. All you must know is they are agents of Lord Vader himself. Productivity of the Seventh Fleet and Tenth Army on Thakwaa must be at its best."

"Yes, Grand Admiral."

Two TIE Advanced v1 fighters emerge from the hanger doors and slowly move through the shield gate to land before Thrawn and Dalmer. The sleek wings of their fighters fold and collapse inwards towards the cockpit before uniformly setting down next to each other. The hatches open in unison and two figures jump out. Both are masked, but based on their figures one is clearly a male and the other a female.

The female is dressed in black under armor with leather boots and gloves that run up her extremities. Her breastplate and shoulder pads too are black and glimmer in the hangers light, each of her shoulder pads have on them the Imperial monicure. The mask retracts into her helmet that comes up to a point. With the mask gone, a sinister grin shows across her yellow Mirialan face. Her golden eyes send chills down Dalmers spine, just as Thrawn's did when he first saw him.

The male's face is still shrouded by the mask, but his eyes too are gold behind the red visor. Unlike his companion, his under armor is gray with accents of black lines. His boots and armor are black as hers, only he has no markings that disticint him as part of the Empire. Thrawn can tell by his demeanor that he is apparent to be the leader.

The two walk up to the Grand Admiral, the man slightly ahead of the woman. They stop a few paces from Thrawn, Thrawn in turn bows courteously.

"Welcome Inquisitors." Thrawn graciously says, "I trust to find your reputation to be fulfilling as Lord Vader assures."

The masked Inquisitor speaks, "My Master will not be disappointed. Where you have failed to remove the Jedi, we will not."

Thrawn is discouraged by the Inquisitors accusations of his command - him, the Emperor's best strategist. "I have come to understand that one of your agents in fact was killed on Raada. Slain by the same alleged Jedi on Thakwaa. How are you certain the past will not repeat itself?"

The man reaches for his face and removes the mask. Dalmer is set back by his appearance while Thrawn remains at ease. His bald head is pale white with red tattoos along his cranium and under his menacing eyes, making it appear as if blood is dripping from them. But what is more disturbing is the parallel lines running down his head and sunken cheeks. His grin terrifies Dalmer as it shows his barred teeth that are sharpened to a point. Thrawn recognizes him as Darth Vader's Grand Inquisitor.

"Because the Sixth Brother was not me, Grand Admiral."