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Alexsandr is exhausted, mentally, and physically. She was told her appearance at the party would be brief: dress up, shake some hands, and be seen with a few people of interest. Honestly, she just wanted to sleep, but when Yularen made a beeline for her, shoving a glass of something pink and fizzy into her hand, Alexsandr knew she had no choice but to stay at the ball.
She can still feel the blood on her hands, thirty minutes of scrubbing in the sonic hadn't really helped. Nobody else could see it, of course. To the rest of them, she looked just like another one of the Corusanti elites milling around. Yularen had picked her as his companion, as was routine. He looked every part the immaculate Imperial Colonel, in his full military formal dress. Although Kallus was in all but name more powerful than most of the other officers there, she had been given a silky pale blue dress and a pair of uncomfortable heels. The other ISB men she outranked, however, all got to wear their uniforms. That's why she preferred the Chimaera and Admiral Thrawn's company. With him and Vanto, she was able to dress and act like the commander she was. Be respected, as she should be. She respected Yularen, surely he had a reason, but she felt dead on her feet in the six-inch stilettos. Alexsandr felt worlds away from the way she was dressed earlier. However, despite everything, the soft curls of her hair felt much better against her neck than the cold hard helmet. The luxurious silk dress revealed her figure, whereas her Imperial blacks hid her skin from view. Hours before Alexsandr Kallus had been a weapon, and now she was an ornament.
"-that right, Alexsandr?"
Alexsandr looked up at Yularen who had his political smile back on. She looked between him and the two men now stood in front of her. Alexsandr groaned internally. Senators. She hated them. She lost her focus for one minute and now she's ambushed...
"My apologies, Colonel." Alexsandr covered her lack of attention with a smile, "I must have had one too many drinks."
She let out a giggle, catching the eye of one of the strangers with a bashful grin. Yularen joined in the amusement, though he knew she hadn't even finished her first drink yet. The two senators eyed each other quickly, but Alexsandr caught whatever had passed between them. They had picked up on her supposed drunkenness and had found reason to communicate about it. Alexsandr knew Yularen would pick up on the same, his skills just as honed as hers, but he probably didn't view the danger in the same way that she did. Alexsandr looked back at Yularen, eager to carry on the previous conversation. She wasn't in the mood for sex, and she would not let herself be convinced, or otherwise, by the two strangers.
"Senator Fairfield here was just commenting on the turnout. Plenty of guests even after Ascendancy week." The Colonel said, and Alexsandr nodded, humming. She turned to the younger men with a smile and a polite "indeed". They didn't need to know half of the invites were classified as suspicious personnel by the ISB.
Alexsandr took a sip from her drink and smiled at them charmingly. "Have you gentlemen been busy in the Imperial Senate?"
The older of the two, a brown-haired human man, laughed and turned to Yularen.
"I must say, Colonel, I do love it when they try and keep up with the conversation. Poor thing, she just can't help but be polite! Charming thing, isn't she? Where did you find her?"
Oh, Yularen knew that Alexsandr was anything but drunk, but she could do nothing but grip her glass and let the men laugh. Alexsandr was usually undercover at these types of events, the pretty young thing an accessory on the distinguished Colonel's arm. Not his wife (or daughter), the intrigue was usually enough to lull most into a false sense of security. Most recognised her face in horror when she turned up to personally interrogate them. Alexsandr did enjoy that feeling.
"Agent Kallus! There you are, I assumed you'd be givin' this a miss with working so late!"
Alexsandr gave a tiny grin, Eli Vanto to the rescue. His interruption had been the most perfect timing.
"Lieutenant Commander Vanto, good evening." Alexsandr was polite, careful not to show her relief. "Is the Admiral needing me?"
Fairfield narrowed his eyes, "Agent?" He looked at the other senator, glanced towards Alexsandr's half-drunk glass of sparkling wine and back to Yularen. His face turned a satisfying shade of red in embarrassment.
Alexsandr gave both a polite smile, "Agent Kallus, ISB-021. A pleasure, gentlemen. Charming to meet you."
And with that, she took Vanto's arm and allowed him to lead her away. Yularen was probably annoyed, she didn't care. Vanto was in his best uniform, dressed appropriately for the occasion. Alexsandr was almost envious of the ease with which he could walk and move around. Still, she'd been trained for this. A couple of hours in a pair of heels wouldn't hurt. Unless she had to dance. Or chase someone. Or take the blade hidden beneath her dress to someone's neck.
"Apologies if I blew your cover, Agent. Y'just looked really uncomfortable." Vanto's Lysantran drawl was thick, a nice change from the polished Coruscanti accents she'd been listening to.
"Thank you, Vanto. You gave me the perfect excuse. The Colonel is much too proud of Thrawn to question it." Alexsandr said, with a smile.
She tossed her hair back, nodding at a passing waitress, and placed her glass of sparkling wine down on her tray. It was disgusting anyway.
"He, er, actually wanted to ask you about some data. Oh, and something about combat..." Vanto ran a hand through his perfectly styled hair, ruffling it.
"At a ball? Just after Ascendancy Week?" Alexsandr rolled her eyes, of course, Thrawn did. It was Thrawn. The Chiss liked all his reports filled out on flimsi, not electronically via a datapad, and unfortunately, Alexsandr usually had to check them for rebel influence because of this.
"You know what he's like, Kallus." Vanto shrugged, clearly used to Thrawn's peculiarities by now. "He's usually right, I just go with it. He doesn't really need the flimsiwork stuff until later, it can wait if you'd like another drink."
Alexsandr shook her head. She could think of nothing worse. "I'll speak to the Admiral and then make my departure. I've had enough for one day."
She had been chasing a potential rebel threat through Corellia for the past week and just wanted to rest and get back to her datapad to start her reports. The intel had been compromised, and Kallus had taken a lethal shot to stop the target divulging information to the wrong people. The blood spatter had felt warm on her face. Her palms grew sweaty just thinking about it. Drinking and dancing were the last things on her mind. Yularen had not sent her an official briefing for anything regarding today, so she was annoyed at the note on her datapad and the outfit left on her bed when she returned. Between her rebel hunting and the previous Ascendancy week's parties, she was exhausted. If it was an official job to be at Yularen's side all night, she would have had to have been there like a dutiful agent. Since it wasn't, she didn't even want to contemplate the possibility of staying in this sith-forsaken ballroom any longer. Let someone else do it for a change. The blood of the rebels she had hunted down hindered the possibility of having an enjoyable night. Alexsandr just needed some sleep. Vanto shrugged and started leading her towards a quieter corner of the ballroom. He eyed her, side on, as they were walking.
"You alright? You seem a bit out of it. Anythin' to do with your assignment? Chimaera has been real quiet without you." He asked, sounding genuinely sincere.
Alexsandr raised an eyebrow. "That's classified, Lieutenant, and you know it." But bless him, the man was sweet, so she added, "Next shore leave I'll buy you a beer. You're the only one who's noticed."
Vanto laughed. "Thrawn and I are on shore leave, Kallus. Y'wouldn't think it though."
"Don't tell me I have to deal with the Lothal bitch on my own." Alexsandr really, really, hated Arihnda Price. The nickname was her and Vanto's favourite inside joke.
"She's been making eyes at Thrawn all week. Claims it's for political influence, but we all know she just wants a kriff. Like Thrawn would look at someone like her!" Oh, Alexsandr thought with a grin, the man was jealous.
Alexsandr's stress and exhaustion slipped away momentarily. This was an interesting development. She wouldn't exploit the knowledge of course, at least not in the way most would. A bit of light teasing and leverage over flimsi-work however, was an opportunity for the taking. She knew that Vanto had a *thing* for Thrawn, but she didn't realise it was (perhaps?) reciprocated.
"You'd rather he look at you?" She asked, and Vanto's reaction confirmed all her suspicions. Eli looked at her like she'd smacked him. As if someone might come and take him away for what she'd dared to imply what she just had in public.
"Easy, Vanto. It's safe with me," and then, switching to Sy Bisti, added, "It's sort of my thing to know what others don't."
Poor Eli choked out in a stutter, "How long have you been able to speak Sy Bisti?"
Alexsandr shrugged, "long enough." The poor man looked terrified, so she added, "I'd say trust me, but that's probably not wise. How about we say... I know where you're coming from."
"About Thrawn? Or about the fact we're both men and-"
Alexsandr couldn't help but laugh. "Both."
Thrawn was a gorgeous man, and one Alexsandr admits she did have her eye on. On the other hand, she knew just how risky it was to engage in same-sex and inter-species relationships within the Empire - she had done both. But for Vanto and Thrawn to do both at the same time...? Vanto raised an eyebrow, still a hint of red on his tanned skin from embarrassment. The panic had faded from his eyes, but he still looked mildly uncomfortable. The Empire hadn't outlawed same-sex relationships, but they were frowned upon in the same way non-human mixed couples were frowned upon. Eli was living a dangerous game getting involved with Thrawn. Thrawn, of course, had all the political influence and prestige, he had even impressed the Emperor personally from what Kallus had heard. Eli had to watch himself. Thrawn, she guessed, would do his best to protect Vanto, but Eli was unfortunately disposable. Kallus' own relationships were kept quiet, but she knew she was better protected than most. Having the patronage of Yularen had some perks. Eli needed someone on his side other than Thrawn in case things went south. Alexsandr was happy to be that person.
"You're safe with me, Vanto. I swear. You and I- we're similar. Both undesirables, both from undesirable areas in this Empire."
Vanto nodded. Remaining quiet, but seeming pensive - they had almost reached Thrawn and Governor Pryce.
"I'm not trying to intimate you, you looked out for me. We're allies."
That made Vanto laugh. "Allies? Kriffing hells Kallus, I'm honoured."
His easy energy was back. Good, Alexsandr decided, this could work well for both of them. Especially where Arihnda Pryce was sticking her nose. Kallus and Pryce had the unfortunate luxury of working with one another. Pryce was Lothal's Governor, and Kallus had been assigned to monitor the rebel threat there. Pryce liked to use her connection to Thrawn to her advantage, but she had little control where the ISB was concerned. Pryce and Yularen may have had dealings, but Alexsandr was Yularen's own mentee. He had prepped and groomed her for the job since her academy days, taking her on without hesitance when she graduated at the top of her class. Kallus was known in ISB circles as the pride, the right hand - she was untouchable. To Pryce, she was little more than an obstacle. Those who weren't aware of Kallus outside of her status as Yularen's pride and joy or through her position on the Chimera underestimated her. Nobody at that party, save for a few, knew the glittering bauble on Yularen's arm was the ruthless butcher of Lasan, the shadow of the ISB. Alexsandr Kallus lived a double life, split between being ISB-021 and the beautiful Alexsandr. She was the reason Yularen could play well-to-do Colonel in the public eye. She was dangerous, well-trained, and well-versed in hunting down and eliminating enemies of the Empire.
So yes, she would make a good ally, and perhaps friend, to Eli Vanto… in time.
"I read your last meeting report, Pryce has been pushing Thrawn to allow a permanent stormtrooper task force on Lothal?"
Eli raised an eyebrow. "You actually read those things? I'm still in the habit of doing two copies, one for Thrawn in Sy Bisti, from the early days."
Kallus nodded, letting a sly grin form on her lips. "What do you think helped me learn?"
Eli snorted, "If I'd have known, I'd have used fewer bullet points in that Sy Bisti version. You really do take your job seriously."
"I had some free time in between interrogations." Kallus replied with a shrug. It was true, though her interest in Vanto and Thrawn went beyond political.
Eli laughed, then nodded. "Pryce thinks the 'troopers would do better under her control, and not yours. Thrawn isn't easily swayed though, he likes your work."
"He likes that I get results, you mean."
They were close enough now to see Pryce laugh at something Thrawn had said, tittering with a peal of false laughter. Perhaps real enough to fool a few, but Alexsandr knew better. She knew a social climber when she saw one. Pryce was smarter than this, surely. She didn't think Thrawn was so easily deceived, did she? Though Alexsandr had to admit, he did look rather handsome in his Admiral whites. Eli was a lucky man. There was something undeniably captivating about the Chiss. The way he carried himself, the way he spoke. The way he calculated things. Thrawn was a fearsome opponent to go against and an incredibly beneficial ally. Alexsandr was surprised Vanto just didn't waltz up and interrupt, the same way he had saved her. But no, he seemed to be waiting for something. Of course. Vanto wanted her to break into the conversation.
"Admiral Thrawn, good evening." Alexsandr's neglect to greet Governor Pryce was purposeful.
Thrawn turned to Alexsandr, and gave a nod of the head, "Agent Kallus." If he was surprised at her outfit, he didn't indicate so.
"Playing dress up for the occasion, Kallus?"
It took everything in Alexsandr's power to not snap back at Pryce. She could ruin the woman's night (well, future) - Arihnda's precious little wife back home on Lothal was unfaithful and disillusioned with the Empire. Alexsandr knew this, well, because she had been (one of the beings) in the pretty little thing's bed. No, that was a card better kept for later. She didn't even spare Pryce a glance, instead carrying on addressing Thrawn. Vanto coughed, but it sounded suspiciously like a disguised chuckle.
"Lieutenant Vanto said you wished to speak to me, Sir?"
Thrawn nodded, "Ah yes. Right this way Agent Kallus, I have a request of you. Follow me, we shall take a side room."
Coming from literally anybody else, Alexsandr would expect the next course of action to be getting shoved up against the wall or bent over a plush recliner chair. When Vanto also took a step in the same direction, it dawned on Alexsandr that this looked positively scandalous. A (civilian-clothed) ISB agent disappearing into a room with an Admiral and his aide? That could feed the gossip mills for weeks. So, maybe she did need to acknowledge Pryce. Alexsandr turned her attention to the Governor. She was also dressed in a ballgown, opulent but not tailored, and certainly not a particularly good colour on her. In fact, Alexsandr was reminded of the blood she had been scrubbing off her body just hours earlier. Rather apt for Pryce, however, despite it jarring with her skin tone.
"Colonel Yularen invited me personally as his guest, rather than as a work commitment, Governor." Alexsandr said, and because she just couldn't help herself she added, "I see you are here alone, did your wife not wish to attend?"
Pryce's face looked rather like she had swallowed a particularly sour jogan fruit. Alexsandr knew Vanto would get a kick out of that.
"Oh, personally? Will he not miss your company?" Pryce didn't miss a beat, despite her expression (and completely ignored Alexsandr's jab.)
"Admiral Thrawn is also a favourite. Our talents are so different, the Colonel will be happy to see us collaborating." Alexsandr smiled, hoping the message of 'Kriff you' was adequately delivered.
"I'm sure the Colonel appreciates your... physical talents, Agent Kallus."
Vanto wheezed, to which Thrawn looked at the man, concerned. How touching.
Alexsandr let her smile grow wicked, "That is a beautiful dress Arihnda, you'll have to allow me to borrow it. Such an interesting shade, almost a blood red, would you say? How practical."
Alexsandr could sense the amusement in Thrawn's eyes, and chose to turn back to him. She gestured for him to lead the way, taking his arm with appreciation. Poor Vanto trailed behind them, as was proper for an aide until they entered a side room. Inside, Vanto visibly relaxed and caught up to walk on Thrawn's other side, on his left. If Pryce wanted to spread the rumour that Alexsandr was fucking Thrawn, let her. Alexsandr could very easily announce how good Arihnda's wife's mouth had felt on some rather intimate areas. Or, how traitorous words were spoken with that same mouth. Both would get Arihnda blacklisted, the latter likely arrested for interrogation. A satisfying thought.
But back to the pressing issue.
"You wished to speak to me, Admiral?" Alexsandr asked, perching herself on the arm of a plush sofa.
Vanto plopped down into an armchair with a rather loud sigh, but did not physically recline. Thrawn stayed standing, and walked towards Vanto's chair. Alexsandr was sat opposite the men, and crossed her arms. The two did make a fine pair. Thrawn placed a hand on Vanto's chair, and looked down at the man, before fixing his gaze back on Alexsandr.
"Before your arrival, Agent Kallus, I was speaking to our friend the Colonel." Thrawn said, measured. "It has come to my attention that your skills for combat are highly coveted. Therefore, I wished to request that you personally train Lieutenant Commander Vanto. I would be much appreciative of the act, of course."
Well, Alexsandr hadn't been expecting that. Neither had Vanto from the way the man sat up, and turned to face Thrawn with a questioning look.
"Train me? I thought this was about data!" Vanto gasped. Then, added a half-hearted "sir", likely for Alexsandr's benefit.
"The data is something our discussion can come back to, Lieutenant." Said Thrawn.
Vanto scrunched his face into a sour look.
"You say you would be much appreciative of this favour...?" Alexsandr first of all wanted to know what was in it for her. She'd probably enjoy training Vanto, but Thrawn always had a bigger picture. She also thought it better to interupt Thrawn and Vanto's emerging (lovers?) quarrel.
Thrawn looked amused, "Yes. Very much so, Agent. Indeed, there is an emerging rebel threat on Lothal, I would be honoured to personally inform the Colonel of my appreciation of your work."
In other words, help Thrawn train his aide (she'd done stranger things), and gain more sway and power in Lothal. Thrawn was right, the rebel faction there was growing more... forthright.
Alexsandr grinned. It sounded like a good deal.
"Lieutenant Vanto, with your permission, we start early next week."
...
It was during their training the following week that Eli noticed just how tired and worn Kallus looked. What was left of the Imperial-regulated makeup she usually wore had been sweated off whilst putting him through his paces. Though her skin was slightly red from the exertion of sparring, she looked pale. Her hair had fallen out of the regulation bun and was now in a messy, drooping updo. Her light brown hair was plastered to her forehead and slightly greasy. The bags under her eyes were dark, clearly she hadn't been sleeping properly either. This was a far cry from the glittering socialite that Yularen had her impersonating at the Emperor's ball. Quite frankly, she didn't look well.
Kallus had fought with him fiercely, and Eli knew he'd be aching tomorrow. The agent had followed her instructions from Thrawn to the brief. Thrawn had requested her to train Eli in physical combat and self defence, and their lessons (though so far there had only been three) had been going well. Kallus was a master with an electrostaff, and had demonstrated the best techniques. Eli had heard rumours that the one she used with its electrified ends was a Lasat king's prized weapon, one she had taken as a trophy after she had slaughtered the planet's population. Kallus didn't let him use it, and Eli to be truthful did not want to. The woman was ruthless in battle, but Eli had seen a few glimpses behind her cold exterior - trophies didn't seem like her thing. And he didn't even know if the Lasat's planet had ever been ruled by a king.
Kallus was the ISB's executioner. Eli had heard it mentioned in the break room, whispered whenever Kallus had slipped in for her midday or nighttime meals (usually before she vanished back to her quarters with a tray.) People would stop and stare; some in awe, some in fear, some in animosity. The Butcher of Lasan, they called her, the lone survivor of an ambush that led to her bloodthirsty revenge on the entire planet. The message was clear: you wrong Kallus, and you get destroyed. The agent, dressed in dark grey complete with shiny chrome helmet, was her main reputation. Whispers of ISB-021 floated about occasionally - when she was sent on rebel-hunting missions by imperial security. What most didn't know, though, is that she often went undercover or disguised in plain sight for work too. She was a good leader, able command battalions of troops when needed. She was clever, quick, and strategic. Often deadly.
Most of the rebels and defectors she interrogated didn't make it out alive. But she always got the information that was she asked to reveal. The bodies littered in the aftermath just make her reputation grow.
Eli knew that the woman in front of him had tortured a defector (apparently a former friend of Kallus') to death by cutting his eye out, or so Thrawn had told him. It was odd to think of it now, looking at the sickly looking woman with a bottle of water in her hand. Thrawn had no reason to lie, at least not to Eli. He'd found out one day when Kallus had marched out of Thrawn's office, covered head to toe in blood. Thrawn had confessed to him afterwards, when they had been laying in bed together, that he'd requested Kallus' presence from Yularen urgently, to consult on a rebel matter. The ISB had taken this urgent request seriously, and sent Kallus fresh from an interrogation with not-yet-dried blood coating her clothes and hands. Thrawn had thoroughly decontaminated the door controls afterwards. It was rumoured that this defector was the former Lieutenant Jovan. Kallus had imprisoned him, blinded him, and killed him. Eli was wary of Kallus for good reason.
"You look troubled, Lieutenant."
Eli realised he had zoned out, Kallus was talking to him.
"Nothing, Kallus, just worn out." He said.
Her lips quirked, but the smile didn't meet her eyes, "is that so?'
Pathetically, Eli hadn't even got a good hit on Kallus. She had rejected a promotion to major, again, because as a captain she was still able to fight alongside her troops. She was a ferocious opponent to face. Kallus was untouchable. She was dangerous, well-trained and well versed in hunting down and eliminating enemies of the Empire. Yularen, Thrawn had told Eli, had basically molded Kallus for the job - he was as close to a father figure as the Empire would allow. Those who didn't respect her feared her instead. Those who didn't respect the Empire didn't live long enough to flee. The rumours were that if you saw Kallus hunting you it was too late. You were dead already. She was like a phantom. Silent, deadly, an agent of chaos.
"A credit for your thoughts?" Kallus continued, raising an eyebrow, "or are you just trying to stall me for a break?"
And Eli assumed that he was probably the only person that she could consider a friend, or anything close. Kallus, of course, didn't have friends. She was either feared, or respected, and either way she was obeyed. But here, when she fixed him a smile, it seemed almost genuine. She was good at faking things, but it really did feel real.
"No, Kallus. I don't need a break. Do you?" Eli asked, cheekily.
"Never."
And she flew at him, instantly trying to swipe his legs out from underneath him. Eli stepped out, grabbed under Kallus' arm like she had showed him, and tried to roll her over his shoulder to the floor. She wouldn't go down easily. She struggled in his arms, not going down without a fight. He intended to get her down on the mat flat on her back, but when Kallus did eventually give up and roll with him over his shoulder, she landed on the mat with a crouch, rolled forward, and sprung up.
"Good. You stayed calm, and your opponent tired themselves out struggling."
Eli rolled his eyes, "Kallus you forward-rolled and got up. I wanted to get you down on the mat."
Kallus smirked, "most people aren't trained the way I am. You need to swing with a little more momentum, wind them when they fall onto the floor, I could see a way where I could get out of it. Most would eventually tire themselves out by wriggling. You held on, did not break your grip, and successfully completed the intended subduing of an opponent."
Eli felt like he was back in the academy, being lectured about ship schematics and hyperspace calculations. The Butcher of Lasan, the annihilator, was teaching him combat. Eli really had to laugh. But, they continued to spar. They practiced the technique that Eli had used on Kallus, eventually moving onto fighting with staffs. It was harder to twirl the wooden pole than Eli had imagined, Kallus spun hers like a pro. It was her main weapon of choice, the electrified bo-staff, but Eli was glad they were both using wooden ones. It hurt like a mud-scuffer when it hit the back of his calves, but at least it didn't singe a hole in his uniform. Incredibly, somehow Eli didn't fall over. Kallus gave him an impressed nod, and proceeded to try and whack him over the head with the staff. Eli chuckled, but blocked the easy shot with his own weapon. Though Eli was clumsy spinning the staff, he was rather good at blocking two-handed. He grabbed one end of the staff with two hands and launched it at Kallus' legs, where she had aimed it at his. To his surprise, Kallus caught the staff with one hand twisting it from his grasp, and locking the two on either side of Eli's head in a cross.
She grinned at him, a trace of what Eli might call cockiness on her lips. "If I was using my real staff, this would be the two electrified halves. I'd have your head on the ground. You're doing well for your first few lessons, but don't get sloppy, Vanto."
Eli fought the urge to roll his eyes.
"Lieutenant Vanto."
Eli stiffened at the sound of Thrawn's voice. How long had the Admiral been watching? Eli stood to attention purely for Kallus' benefit, she may have figured out there was something going on between him and Thrawn, but Eli knew to show Thrawn the correct respect in front of others. Kallus, however, did not show Thrawn the same respect. In theory, she should have saluted him. Instead, she gave him a lazy nod and a "sir".
"I am impressed with your teaching, Agent Kallus. I will commend you on that." Thrawn said.
Eli knew there was a 'but' coming.
"However," there it was, "you pushed Lieutenant Vanto harshly. His level of skill is not compatible to yours, yet you kept forcing him past his abilities."
Years ago, Eli would have been offended. Now, he knew Thrawn was looking out for him. In a way.
"You think yourself a more suitable opponent?"
Sith-spit, Kallus was pushing the line. If it was any other Admiral, she'd be reprimanded. Instead, Eli quite enjoyed Thrawn's little grin, his aloof shrug, the tilt of his head as he thought.
"Quite."
Eli shuddered. Confidence suited Thrawn. He made it quite clear, however, it was confidence and not arrogance that he spoke with.
"A learning opportunity for you, Vanto," Kallus smirked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Though surely Admiral, you can't spar wearing your uniform?"
Eli nearly choked. Kallus was going to get herself into deep trouble if she continued. To an outsider, it may have sounded like she was flirting with Thrawn. Eli knew it was all for his benefit, however, as she glanced over to Eli with a grin. Thrawn began to unbutton his white uniform jacket, Eli watched as his long, deft fingers popped button after button open. Half hoping to see nothing but Thrawn's bare chest, Eli was slightly disappointed to see a black vest underneath the uniform. Hm, pity. Kallus rolled her shoulders back, punching her arms forward to loosen off the muscles. She was wearing tight black exercise pants and a black long-sleeve top, certainly more prepared than her new opponent. Eli retreated to the back wall, leaning against it as he took a sip from his bottle, watching the two square up. Kallus looked bare without her usual armour. It was strange, Thrawn was almost overdressed. The pair began to circle one another- Thrawn took the first move.
He aimed a punch at Kallus, who blocked it easily. In return, she swiped a left hook at the Admiral. Thrawn sidestepped and kicked the woman back, causing Kallus to stumble. The pair exchanged hits, mostly ducking and weaving, avoiding each other and hitting back for a short while. That was until Kallus kicked Thrawn square in the chest. She wasn't as tall or as powerful as the Chiss but the man fell to the ground, landing on one knee. Thrawn gazed up at Kallus, who was breathing heavily, looking even more tired than before. She cocked her head, eyes flicking to Eli, seemingly caught off guard when Thrawn got back to his feet and grabbed her by the hair. Kallus was powerless to do anything but to follow Thrawn. His fingers gripped her hair tightly in a fist, dragging her along with him. It was brutal. Eli stepped forward. This wasn't like him in the slightest, Thrawn wasn't known for fighting dirty (Eli knew he could and would, but only if the situation demanded it).
"Get your karking hands off me." Kallus growled, elbowing the Chiss right in the face. Thrawn groaned, blood leaking from his nose.
It was a good move. Thrawn lost his grip, but pushed the woman into the wall, one hand reaching to touch his injured face.
"Good, Kallus."
Eli watched as Kallus sprang forward, grabbing her staff. She aimed it at Thrawn with a vicious blow, putting her full weight into it. The Chiss met the swing, grabbing the weapon. Thrawn wrestled it off Kallus, deflecting the hit. He punched her in the jaw, Kallus hissed in pain. She kicked Thrawn as she grabbed her staff back, and jabbed it into his chest, forcing him to the floor. She swiped his legs out from underneath him, staff swinging down, landing next to the man's head.
"Yield."
Kallus had beaten Thrawn, but Eli somehow wasn't really surprised.
"My apologies, Agent Kallus. I seem to have got carried away." Thrawn said, wiping semi-dried blood from his nose.
Kallus hadn't fared much better, her cheek swollen where Thrawn had punched her, her hair dragged into a mess. She looked Thrawn up and down. Glancing at Eli, she shrugged, before offering the Chiss a hand.
"You're good, sir." She admitted. Eli knew she wanted to say "But I'm better."
Agent Kallus was a finely tuned weapon but with an actual weapon? She was lethal.
"Next time, I'll try and take both of you at once."
Eli coughed - half amused, half shocked at the innuendo. Thrawn didn't seem to pick up on it, or if he did, he didn't comment. Good to see Kallus still bantering despite her clear exhaustion, anyway.
Eli just worried that Kallus was being pushed too hard.
...
Alexsandr visits Colonel Yularen’s office often. He is her commanding officer, after all. He usually gave her orders in person, resorting to the datapad only when she had been off base. Alexsandr hadn’t felt nervous entering the room in years – but today felt different. She knew that Thrawn had told the Colonel that she was training Lieutenant Vanto (and on all accounts, he approved). It was the tone of his summons that worried her. Helmet on, expression blank, Alexsandr keyed in her personal cylinder code and entered. Alexsandr kept her posture stiff but her face carefully neutral as she greeted her mentor. He was seated behind his desk, an equally measured expression on his face.
“You requested my visit, sir?” Alexsandr inquired, standing to attention in front of the desk.
Colonel Yularen raised an eyebrow, bringing up a file on his datapad. They hadn’t seen each other since the ball, since Alexsandr left his side in favour of Eli Vanto’s company. His silence spoke for him – he was displeased. They were never overfamiliar, there was nothing like affection between them, but the Colonel usually regarded Alexsandr with a slight hint of pride. She was his very own weapon, exactly what he created her to be. A protégé. Sometimes, Alexsandr thought of Yularen as the closest thing that she had ever had to a father.
“Do you care to explain… this?” The Colonel handed her his datapad.
Kriff. The Corellian. Usually, Alexsandr knew exactly when to stop with her interrogations. Yularen had trained her since her academy days for information extraction. She had used that training and made the call to take a killing shot to prevent her target from escaping. Escaping meant lost information, and the risk that it could be told elsewhere. Yularen had often told her a dead target was the absolute last resort. Torture – but do not kill unless necessary. Clearly, Alexsandr had made the wrong call.
“Sir, I-“
“I do not want to hear your excuses, Agent Kallus”. Yularen’s eyes narrowed. “A high value prisoner winds up dead, and then you make an outright mockery of me during the ball?”
“Admiral Thrawn requested my presence, sir.”
A tactical omission of the dead prisoner was purposeful, but Yularen caught it in Alexsandr’s reply.
“Last time I checked, Kallus, you answered to me, not to him. Your failure to neutralise the target alive reflects poorly on my reputation, and then you prance off to Admiral Thrawn as if I did not directly request your presence at the party.”
Alexsandr clenched her jaw, squeezing her hands together tightly behind her back.
There had been no such direct order, and they both knew it. Yularen was playing tyrant. Again.
“Colonel, the target was non-compliant. He would have escaped, alive, with information we could not afford to lose. I made a call. I understand now that it was the wrong one.”
It was as much of a grovel that Alexsandr would allow herself to make.
Yularen slammed his fist down on the desk, and Alexsandr did her best not to flinch. If Colonel Yularen told Alexsandr to jump, she knew that she should ask how high. She was a perfectly trained soldier, the best agent he had. And she had let him down. The fallout was not going to be pretty.
“You do not make the call, Kallus. You follow orders. Perhaps you are no longer as competent as I thought.”
“I can assure you, Sir, I will not fail you again.”
“You led the Lasan campaign well. You kill well, but that was not the mission this time.”
No, it wasn’t. Alexsandr swallowed her humiliation. She hadn’t made the decision lightly; she never decided to eliminate a target lightly. Lieutenant Jovan had been the last ordered elimination. Alexsandr knew he had deserved it; he had deserved for it to be her hands that ended him. He had betrayed them all – grown corrupt. Corruption was bad business.
“I know you get eager to please me, Agent Kallus. I do not want to be disappointed in you. I want you to prove all those who said I made the wrong choice to put my faith in you wrong.”
Alexsandr nodded and averted her eyes from Yularen. The man rose, but Alexsandr kept her eyes positioned on the floor. It was a deferential pose, one she hoped would show she knew her place. Alexsandr didn’t even look up when she heard footsteps and felt something brush against her neck.
What was that? It felt like a probe, but surely not. Alexsandr hadn’t even seen a droid in the room. A sharp scratch dragged across her neck, and Alexsandr bit a pained hiss back. It wouldn’t do to show pain or discomfort in front of Yularen.
When the Colonel spoke again, his voice sounded different. “You are my design, ISB-021.”
ISB-021 was very eager to please. ISB-021 had long existed to serve the Empire. To serve Colonel Yularen and serve him well – that was her true purpose. She had embarrassed him. That was wrong.
“Tell me, Agent. How did killing him feel?”
ISB-021 had betrayed her orders. It had not felt good to take the shot. She shook her head.
“Bad, sir.”
“But you did it anyway?”
“For the good of the Empire, sir.”
“You did it for the Empire, or me? What did you do?”
“I shot him through the neck, Sir. He bled out in the streets. For you.”
Yularen smiled, a cold and cunning grin settled on his face.
“Good girl. Violence suits you.”
ISB-021 smiled back.
Maybe it did.
“I saw that you took prolonged use of your water allowance when you returned. Washing blood away is untidy, is it not?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“But you would do it for me, is that right? Let yourself get coated in it if that is what I wish. Soak yourself head to toe in the blood of our enemies, if it was what I asked of you?”
“Yes, Sir. Anything to please you.”
Yularen stood and stepped over to ISB-021. She stood still, face blank, eyes following his movement.
“See to it that you do not publicly embarrass me again, Agent. I know that you were just trying to be a good soldier and please me, but good soldiers follow orders, do you understand?”
ISB-021 nodded.
Colonel Yularen titled her head back, brushing her helmet lightly with one hand. Deftly, he unfastened it, pulling it from her head. He stroked over her hair, gently, almost caring. But no, the Colonel didn’t need to be tender to ISB-021. That was not how one treated a soldier.
ISB-021 felt her vision go blurry. She blinked, and Alexsandr let herself look up. She touched the back of her neck.
Yularen placed the helmet on his desk, and Alexsandr let her eyes follow it. When had he moved to stand in front of her?
“You do not need your armour for what I need you to do next, Kallus.”
“No, sir?”
He sounded pleased, odd. Yularen stepped away and handed Alexsandr the datapad again. Alexsandr loosened her posture, reaching for the tablet. As she read, she did her best to keep her face neutral.
She was to watch Lieutenant Commander Eli Vanto closely.
Spy on him.
…
Eli knew straight away that his fear that Kallus was being pushed too hard was true. Yularen had summoned Thrawn to a part of the Imperial Palace that he and Eli had not been to before. From what Eli could tell, it was a detention block. Well, if detention blocks had torture racks in them. Eli, thinking back to the horror he’d felt when he realised that the Empire was using slavery to benefit their cause, felt a bit ill. Outwardly, he dutifully followed Thrawn, ever the loyal aide that the Chiss needed.
The odd lighting of the chamber shifted, and someone exited what Eli realised was an interrogation room. That someone, Eli quickly realised, was Agent Kallus. Her usual uniform was soaked dark with crimson stains, her face smeared with the same blood. Despite the appearance of the Agent, she looked bored. Well, bored in the sense she did not seem distressed. On closer inspection, Eli instead thought she looked rather… empty. Kallus nodded respectfully at Colonel Yularen, and then Thrawn. She proceeded to ignore Eli entirely.
Weird. Rude.
Thrawn’s eyes shifted to Kallus, taking in her appearance. It was perhaps the second time (that Eli knew of) that the Admiral had seen her in this way, bloody. Eli felt uncomfortable already, being forced to stand with Yularen, but even more still at the woman he was slowly considering a friend soaked in blood. It was all he could smell; a metallic tang coated the air. It was foul. He did his best not to retch, wondering how Kallus could stand it.
"ISB-021," Colonel Yularen began, his voice carrying a note of admiration, "you've once again proven your worth to the Empire. The intel you've extracted will be invaluable to our operations."
Kallus gave a curt nod, wiping some of the blood from her face with a gloved hand. "The prisoner was... resistant, but he eventually broke."
“Status?”
“Warm.”
Eli realised with horror that Yularen must be asking if the prisoner was alive or dead. He shuddered. Thrawn shifted beside him, Eli could have sworn Thrawn brushed his hand against Eli’s arm on purpose. For comfort. This was sick.
Yularen nodded, apparently pleased.
Kallus’s gaze fell on Thrawn, slid to Eli, and then back to the Colonel. She stepped towards Eli, fingers twitching for her belt. Eli realised with horror that Kallus was reaching for her blaster. The vibroblade on her belt hung next to it, dripping a trail of blood down her trouser leg.
Her voice was strange when she spoke a moment later, “My orders, Sir?”
“Dismissed, Agent. I am taking the Admiral and his aide back to my office for a meeting, now that you have given me a status report.”
“Yes, Sir.”
And with that, she was gone.
Eli’s mind reeled. Was that all this had been about, a status update?
It had been intimidation, Eli realised. The Colonel was showing him and Thrawn exactly what Kallus was capable of if they stepped out of line. It had been a threat, to show them her like this. Kallus turned and headed back into the cell, closing the door behind her. Within minutes, Eli could have sworn he heard a scream, a broken wail. Thrawn closed his eyes for a second, schooling his expression into something neutrally blank. If this is what Kallus did when she wasn’t prowling around the Chimaera and consulting with Pryce about Lothal, Eli suddenly felt much different about having her train him. This was going to be a conversation for when he and Thrawn were alone.
(Eli didn’t even notice Yularen’s satisfied smirk.
He didn’t even know that he and Thrawn’s well-disguised horror was playing right into his plan. These seeds of distrust towards Kallus had been Yularen’s goal all along.)
…
Weeks later, Eli had been dragged to a club on Coruscant by Hammerly and Pyrondi. He hated it, it was loud and the music awful. Turned out Kallus had also been invited, which shocked him. They’d not really spoken since the prison… incident. Kallus had been too busy for a training session, which Eli was secretly glad of. He’d expected to see her dressed in another gown like she had been at the ball, but she was clad in all black. A badly covered bruise marked her face, making her cheek a dusty purple, and her sleeves and trousers covered her arms and legs entirely. If Eli had to guess, something had gone wrong with something – something that she couldn’t talk about. She was holding herself awkwardly, almost as if she was in pain. The concealer lathered on her cheek hadn’t done much. Eli really wanted to ask, but the blank emotionless face Kallus had plastered on again stopped him.
“You drink ale?” Eli decided to ask her, eventually, shouting slightly over the awful music.
Kallus raised an eyebrow, “Do I look like I drink that cheap shit?” Her voice sounded normal this time, at least.
“I’m trying to ask if you’d like me to buy you a drink?” Eli huffed, annoyed.
Kallus must have realised he was trying to be nice because her face softened.
“Honestly, I’d rather go buy some deathsticks and some bottom shelf spotchka and get plastered.”
Eli snorted, “Didn’t take you for a smoker, Kallus.”
She shrugged, “Bad habit. Usually, I save them for when I’ve had a rough day, but…, well, honestly, I wouldn’t mind some spice.”
Eli’s eyes nearly popped out of his head, Kallus would get a stint in a labour camp for dealing or using spice as an officer.
“Wipe that look off your face, Vanto. I’m joking.”
Eli didn’t think she was. He sighed, and flagged down a bartender, getting them a couple of shots of spotchka each. Kallus took one, clinking the glass against Eli’s, and downed it.
Eli decided to break the awkwardness between them, “Haven’t seen you since the visit to the Palace, things been busy?”
Eli didn’t miss Kallus’ furrowed brow, “The Palace?”
Oh, she wasn’t going to make him spell it out, was she?
“The…”, Eli trailed off. “The interrogation? With Yularen? C’mon Kallus, don’t be an ass.”
Something flashed behind Kallus’ eyes as if she was recollecting something. She reached for another shot, and then another – downing them both. She nodded, schooling neutrality over her slight confusion.
“Oh. Yes, that. Busy, yes.”
She pulled her left sleeve lower down on her arm.
Eli leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You came out of that room soaked in blood, Kallus. You weren’t yourself.”
Kallus’s gaze dropped to her empty shot glass, the tension in her shoulders palpable. “It was a tough interrogation. Nothing more.”
Eli’s concern deepened. “You’ve been different, Kallus. Distant. What’s really going on?”
“Nothing is going on, Vanto.” Kallus gave him an almost perfect smile. “Colonel Yularen is pushing me; I’m getting used to having my own ship. That’s all.”
Eli liked talking ships, that was something he could change the subject with. “The Relentless, isn’t it? With Vice-Admiral Konstantine?”
Kallus nodded, “It is an honour, being able to command a Star Destroyer. Working with Vice-Admiral Konstantine, however…”
Eli snorted. He’d had experience working with Konstantine because of Thrawn. The man’s poor aide was often at her wits ends, and he knew that Konstantine enjoyed the company of many women. Eli glanced at Kallus, and as if she knew what he was going to ask raised an eyebrow. Kallus was rather attractive, Eli supposed, and she seemed to know it. Eli knew many men in Konstantine’s position thought that they could have who they wanted. He didn’t think Kallus would give in so easily.
“Under Yularen I’m a Captain – passed on the promotion to Major recently. Konstantine technically outranks me by seven ranks, so of course he’s tried it on with me. ISB or not, Kassius likes a pretty face.”
“Kassius?” Eli nearly spat out his drink at the familiarity.
“I served under him if you catch my drift. Nasty bastard until I gave in. He wanted me to call him his real name. I made him call me Kallus; he wasn’t best pleased.”
Eli hated the way that she glossed over the fact that the Vice-Admiral had clearly forced her into his bed, but Kallus didn’t seem too bothered. “Do you even have a first name?”
Kallus looked him dead in the eye, “I’m afraid that’s classified.”
Eli snorted. For all her strange behaviour at times, Kallus could be amusing. He suspected that there was more to it though, Kallus was likely spying on Konstantine more than anything. Even so many ranks below the Vice-Admiral, Kallus was a powerful agent. She led frequent hunts on suspected rebels, usually with cruel efficiency. She was someone he didn’t care to be on the bad side of.
“And he’s been okay with you since you…?” Eli trailed off, weirdly uncomfortable voicing the words out loud.
“Honestly Vanto, I didn’t take you for a prude.”
Eli felt a flush creep up his cheeks.
Kallus continued, “But yes. He’s been downright amenable. Sad little man just like his ego stroked occasionally.”
“Thrawn doesn’t like him. I think that he’s far too-”
“I don’t think I’m the best person to talk with about who your Admiral does or does not like around here, Vanto. Or yourself, for that matter. You know it’s my job to watch.”
Before Eli could respond to whatever that meant, (a very drunk) Pyrondi wobbled over to him. She slurred something about dancing and grabbed him by the arm, in an attempt to pull him away. Kallus looked between them, gave Eli a strangely icy smile, and stood up.
“I won’t keep you, Vanto. Go. I’ll see you around.”
Eli raised an eyebrow, assured Pyrondi that he would come in a minute, and bid the Agent goodbye.
Eli never saw Kallus again. Thrawn’s encouragement of Eli to go to the Ascendency was growing more and more forceful, he seemed spooked. Sure enough, Eli left not long after, emboldened by the praise Thrawn offered him and the good he could do in the Ascendency.
…
Well, Eli never saw Kallus again in the Empire.
It had been fifteen long years since Eli had laid eyes on another human, but here he was. Ar’alani was convinced that Thrawn wasn’t dead, aware of her subordinate’s longing. His mourning. For Eli, it was better to think Thrawn dead, rather than whatever monster the Empire had made him. By all accounts the Empire had finally fallen, a New Republic in its stead. Eli knew that some of the rebels whom Thrawn had once kept an eye on now had prominent roles in this new government. It was strange. Ar’alani was keen to work with them, seeing as she had found out that they had a lead on Thrawn. Naturally, to help find her oldest friend, Ar’alani had sent her only human officer – Eli had grumbled that he’d be deemed untrustworthy. With an enigmatic grin, Ar’alani had assured Eli that they were expecting him.
Eli hadn’t expected to step off the CEDF shuttle to a welcome party, but four people to receive an alien ambassador seemed ridiculously lowkey. The leader, a human woman with a vague Chandrillan accent introduced herself as Chancellor Mothma. Eli shook her hand, trying to tone down his Wild Space accent. Even after all these years, his Lysantran drawl hadn’t diminished when speaking in Basic. The Chancellor introduced him to her companions, a female Togruta was first. She looked at Eli with an expression that screamed distrust. Ahsoka Tano, one of their intelligence agents, apparently. The next two made Eli feel slightly uncomfortable – this woman’s face he knew. General Hera Syndulla. He’d heard Thrawn speak of the Twi’lek a few times. She was slightly friendlier than Tano, but that wasn’t saying much. The final face, a young human man, unnerved Eli. He seemed cheery, if not slightly too friendly. He introduced himself eagerly as Ezra Bridger and seemed to know Eli already. It was the words that he spoke that made Eli freeze.
“Lieutenant Commander Vanto, a pleasure to finally see you!”
Syndulla whispered an annoyed Ezra! at the young man, who seemed unfazed. Lieutenant Commander wasn’t a title that Eli had gone by in a long time. The man seemed far too young to have served with Eli, even if he’d been a young new recruit at the time.
“I’m sorry,” Eli said. “I’m not sure where we’ve met before.”
Bridger grinned, holding out his own hand for Eli to shake. “Thrawn spoke of you highly. I, er, apologise for blasting your ex to a different universe. Trust me, it wasn’t one of my better plans.”
How the kriff did this kid know that Thrawn was Eli’s ex? Not that they were ever properly a couple to be exes, but…
Eli opened and closed his mouth, unsure of what to say. Thankfully, he was saved by the interjection of Chancellor Mothma making her apologies that she had to leave, instead assuring Eli that he was in good hands with General Syndulla. Syndulla and Tano shared a look, something unspoken passing between them, and led Eli to a room. Eli was expecting a cell for an interrogation, an office was the furthest thing from what he anticipated. Inside, Eli could hear voices. Two, one male and one female. The female voice also sounded vaguely familiar, but Eli couldn’t quite place it.
It was Bridger who walked in first, kicking the door open.
“Alright lovebirds, hope you’re ready for an audience.”
Syndulla gestured for Eli to enter next. He nodded in thanks and followed the kid inside. The male voice belonged to a huge, hulking purple alien. Eli raised an eyebrow, he wasn’t quite close enough to a Wookie to pass as one, but he couldn’t think how else to describe the man. Large, furry. The biggest difference was the shocking purple fur. Eli nodded at the man, offering his hand.
As he did so, the woman gasped.
That drew Eli’s attention. They both seemed to recognise the other at the exact same time, both of their voices equally incredulous.
“Vanto?”
“Kallus?”
She looked different, but Eli knew it couldn’t be anyone else. Agent karking Kallus.
“Why did none of you tell me that Ivant was Eli kriffing Vanto?”
“So you didn’t kill him first, Kal.”
Tano’s voice was slightly amused, but Kallus’s confusion – anger? – was directed at the purple alien. Mostly. She seemed annoyed at them all, apart from the kid, but she was fixing the alien with a glare. The man didn’t seem at all fazed.
“Kill hi… ‘Soka, honestly, I thought he was dead already. We were also pretty close back in the day, regardless of what either of us have done since.”
“This is Eli Vanto? Huh. I thought he’d be… I dunno, less pretty.” The alien man spoke up.
Eli scoffed, more dumbfounded than anything else. Kallus was alive. And a rebel. And – Eli looked her up and down – blonde, with a prosthetic leg. Wearing cargo pants. And a wedding ring? And a scar over her right eye. Leaning on a cane.
“Where are my manners, mate? I’m General Garazeb Orrelios, and a friend of Kal’s is a friend of mine. Sorry, yer just took me by surprise. And her, by all accounts.”
Eli looked back at the alien – Orrelios. Eli couldn’t shake the word playing on his mind, the way that Bridger had spoken to them. He had called them… lovebirds? Krayt spit, was Agent Kallus – known rebel hunter, the Butcher of Lasan – involved with this alien?
“I- I thought I killed you, Vanto.”
Well, Eli hadn’t expected that.
“What the kriff are you talking about Kallus? I went to the Chiss Ascendency, I thought Thrawn would have told you…”
Kallus let out a bitter laugh. “That damn blue bastard.”
Eli raised an eyebrow. Bridger caught his expression and put his arm around Kallus, who did nothing but give the boy a half-hearted glare. It wasn’t a touch of support, more like the way Eli had annoyed his cousins as a kid.
“Since when were you two friends?” Bridger asked cheekily. “Besides if you’re friends, then he should really know-”
Orrelios smacked the younger man on the arm. “Let her tell him herself, kid.”
Kallus seemed to collect herself, straightening herself up. “White suits you, Vanto. Seems you found your place with the Chiss. When they told me there was a contact, I never expected you.” She shook her head; Eli caught a glimpse of a plaque on her jacket. Was that… Major? Or something equally as senior, anyway. Guess she’d finally got that promotion.
“That was the intention, Kallus. But you’d know all about deception wouldn’t you.”
Orrelios laughed at that. Kallus shot him a look, but there was no malice in the glare, just as there had been none towards Bridger.
“Not anymore, Vanto. In the name of honesty… you can call me Lieutenant-Colonel Alexsandr Kallus-Orrelios. New Republic Security, former Rebel Intelligence.”
“So, you do have a first name.” And she was even higher in status than Eli had guessed.
Kallus grinned with a shrug. “Never said I didn’t, Vanto. Just that it was classified.”
And then Eli registered the surname. “Wait, Kallus-Orrelios?” She was married to the alien? Since when was Agent Kallus of all people into non-humans? Well, she'd told him years ago she had her eye on Thrawn. And she'd been after Pryce's wife. So, okay, this rather ruggedly handsome purple alien wasn't the strangest choice.
Kallus glanced at Orrelios with a small smile, “There’s plenty to catch you up on, Vanto.”
…
Of all the things Kallus told Eli, two things really stuck in his mind. One, the reason why Thrawn had dispatched Eli to the Ascendency was because he’d cottoned on to Yularen having Kallus spy on them. Kallus had claimed she’d had no knowledge of this at the time. One day, Eli was gone and Yularen couldn’t tell her why, naturally, she had thought that she’d killed him. She had also seduced her way into Thrawn’s bed, which Eli wasn’t too pleased by, but he was too relieved to see Kallus had been disillusioned too eventually (and that she was alive) to be too annoyed. Two, was that despite the fact that the woman sitting in front of him was the Butcher of Lasan, the alien sitting next to her was in fact a Lasat.
Thrawn had apparently nearly killed Kallus (she’d become a Fulcrum, a name he’d heard briefly back in the days Eli and Thrawn had been investigating Nightswan) because she’d defected thanks to said Lasat. Thrawn then went on to save Kallus’s life when she was almost publicly executed and then proceeded to turn into some evil mastermind for the Empire. Bridger had said that Thrawn was working with Dathomir witches and had declared himself the leader of a ‘new’ Emperor. Man, Ar’alani was going to be pissed. Kallus’s opinion was that the witches had somehow gained influence over Thrawn, or he had gone a bit mad in his ten years of exile. That didn’t explain how, once Eli had gone, Thrawn had turned into a tyrant. Kallus had thought it down to Eli’s supposed death/defection/absence. She had also (far too cheerfully) told him before she escaped death by airlock at the hands of Thrawn and Pryce, that Konstantine had been dumb enough to get himself killed.
“So that served him right for being an arrogant ass with a small cock.”
Eli snorted. Bridger looked downright horrified. Orrelios raised an eyebrow.
“Sasha, love, would it be easier for me to ask you who didn’t screw in the Empire?”
Oh, and the Lasat kept calling Kallus ‘Sasha’, which was weird.
Kallus pressed a kiss to Orrelios’s lips. “Probably. I never slept with Eli, so you don’t have to be jealous there.”
Eli shrugged when Orrelios shot him an amused look. “Different proclivities,” he offered, and then because he knew Kallus wouldn’t mind, “but you, big guy…”
Orrelios laughed again, his fangs baring into a large grin. Eli's eyes flicked to the lasat – Zeb – and something clicked. Alexsandr was relaxed, soft, glowing - on all accounts she's in love. Eli never thought he'd see Kallus (because that's what he's sticking with) settled on one partner long enough to do anything but share a bed for a night or two. Married? He wished they were still on the Chimaera and he could tell Thrawn. Or Faro. Or Hammerly, or Pyrondi. Eli's heart ached for a different time. It ached for a time when he and Thrawn acted in a similar way, though they could never have had anything as concrete as this.
"If we’re doing titles, you can call me Eli'vant'o. Senior Captain of the Chiss Expansionary Defence Fleet. Ivant, for short." Eli said, and then because he really can't help himself added, "I can't believe you're married."
Kallus - Alexsandr - looked up at Zeb like she couldn’t believe it either.
"Mated."
Eli nearly choked at the word coming from Kallus’ mouth. It sounded so... savage. Well, that was the ingrained Imperial xenophobia talking, even after all this time.
Zeb's eyes crinkled as he smiled, the fur on his face bunching together, "what if we said there's a kid too?"
"You're kiddin' me, right?"
(And then Eli meets a tiny little... thing. She had fur like Zeb, but in Kallus' golden colouring, and green eyes like her father. Her little fangs were sharp, like her father's. Kallus says to Eli that the girl is nearly six years old, but apparently Lasats live much longer than humans, so they age differently. The baby - Kassia - clings to her mother, seeming not to mind the huge staff also on her mother's back. She peers at Eli curiously and babbles at him. Even as Kallus tells Eli how she slaughtered Colonel Yularen, the baby girl tugs on her mother’s hair. A reminder, for them both, just how much things have changed.)