Towards the future I see

Chapter 31 Part 3

Putting my hair up took longer than I expected. But I managed to get it done alone. Unlike Padme, who had different hair arrangements, had servants to do her hair. I watched as the hair was done and sometimes even helped with it. But for my own, it had to be simple, neat, and fast. The last mentioned was crucial since when Vader called for me I had to be there immediately. As for the first two, it was the best choice for when I had to meet with Senators or other people. Then I wouldn’t be so noticeable. When there was a formal occasion Vader would grant me a visit to the salon for the hair and make-up. Now, I simply put my hair up in a clean low bun and covered it with the hood as always. I don’t know what Thrawn wanted me to put my hair up. I hope he doesn’t expect me to take part in the battle.

It was very late, the sky of Lothal was dark and I could see the moons of Lothal shine bright. Yet still, the vision before was bothering me. It showed me that Thrawn had the fleet surrounding a planet, and surely it had to be the location of the rebels. What bothered me more were the glowing eyes in the storm. What was it? Since Thrawn asked me to have my hair out of the way, I also chose to wear my other set of clothes. One that allowed me to move freely. It was less elegant but still similar to my regular outfit. It also allowed me to carry things on my belt. Vader didn’t allow me to have a blaster but Thrawn suggested that I at least carry a small blade or a knife. Once I got everything ready, and I had sat down to read my book for a while, my comlink began to sound.

“Lady Mira, it’s time to go. Have the shuttle ready for departure.” Thrawn said through the comlink.

It was a short and clear call. I left for the hangar and saw to it that everything was ready. True to his word, Thrawn arrived just after I had confirmed with the pilot that we were ready to go. When I moved from the cockpit to the passenger side, I clasped my hands over my mouth as I saw who else was on board. The two Death troopers that came along had brought Kallus who was clearly beaten up and handcuffed with restraints. Thrawn saw my reaction and walked to my side.

“I believe you recall our friend, the rebel spy, Fulcrum?” Thrawn asked.
I said nothing. The state Kallus was in was horrible. Was he tortured? Thrawn must have guessed what I was thinking.

“If you worry about the possibility of torture, then don’t. The Death troopers don’t take kindly anyone who betrays the Empire. We are fortunate that Kallus has still use to us, otherwise, I doubt that he could have joined us now.” Thrawn said placing a hand on my shoulder. “Thank you for your assistance on this.”

Assistance? When did I? What did I do to aid in this? Kallus looked at me with confused eyes, since he also heard what Thrawn said.

“Me? I didn’t do anything.” I voiced my thoughts.

“On the contrary, thanks to you we could capture the spy. He had many chances of escaping, yet he chose to stay.” Thrawn explained. “He stayed because there was someone who had to be extracted, but that someone chose to remain where she was. Instead of leaving, our spy remained here waiting for a better chance to execute the extraction and perhaps a change of mind from the person in question.”

I trembled as I heard his words. So, when he said then that all I had to do was be myself, was because he knew that I won’t take the offer of defecting from the Empire. Without realizing I had helped him. Kallus indeed had more than one chance to escape or simply disappear without a trace. More so when I told him that he is suspected. But he had stayed. Because of me. I felt so terrible about it that I turned away from all of them and was heading to the farther corner of the craft when I heard Kallus.

“You weren’t kidding when you said that death was your only escape.” He said.

I spun around and almost demanded he remains silent about the things we had talked about. But I stopped as I saw the face Thrawn had on. It was brief and soon it vanished behind the cool surface of his stoic expression. The very little moment I had glimpsed that expression, I thought of seeing the face of a troubled and a bit angered Admiral. But it all passed my mind as Thrawn ordered the Death troopers to keep him under guard at all times. The Death troopers didn’t bother in checking how Kallus was, they roughly pulled him up and move to the other side of the ship and out of my sight. I tried to keep my eyes on them because what Thrawn had said was true of the Death troopers. They may act like brainwashed droids, but one thing that they did have was their loyalty to the Empire. And they usually expressed that in the way they treated traitors. I didn’t get to follow them when Thrawn blocked not only my path to them but also the sight of them.