Ambassador

Chapter 35: Loyalty

Alanja knew better than to think that Tipoca City was colder than usual, but she felt chilled to her bones this morning as she walked along with Corsair and his squad from Rov's office to find Commander Crosshair. Rov had been in a terrible mood since he awoke, and it was coming up on lunchtime, and he was still disgruntled from his restless night's sleep. The tightness of his gaze as his handsome face drooped with disdain clipped every one of Alanja's pleasantries short as he informed her that one of Clone Force 99 had been captured on Daro after storming the training base there.

"The sergeant," Rov told her dismissively when Alanja asked him which one.

"Does he know?"

Rov glared at Alanja. "Commander Crosshair's preparing to leave as we speak. Best hurry along, sister, if you intend to see him off."

Since she returned from Ryloth, the pace on Kamino felt different. Rov despised it, finding it disruptive to his tasks. There was fear now. News spread quickly of how Captain Howzer's men had turned on the Ramparts, one of them nearly killing Alanja. The trepidation of her first arrival compared to the pure dread of her return to Kamino was palpable. The clones looked at her with reverence, while the Kaminoans with muted terror. Prime Minister Lama Su had been the only one who seemed to have retained his complete composure when he offered his heartfelt gladness that Alanja was returned to Kamino safely.

The door to the barracks of Crosshair's ES Unit slid open before her. Alanja, clad in pure white, sashed in a chain of gold with her long, brown hair unfettered in its natural state, held her head high as she glided in among Rov's elite soldiers. All eyes were on her, their faces not hidden behind helmets. Like everyone else, since the attempt on Alanja's life on Ryloth, they were alert and ready when she was around. Her veneration among them soared when she finally admitted to killing Gimbal herself. Their respect for it tasted like ashes in her mouth.

"Ambassador Rampart," ES-02 acknowledged first, her tone stiff and her gaze darting between Alanja and Crosshair. Secretly, Alanja wondered if Crosshair was egging his unit on, using his closeness to the Ramparts to keep them firmly under his command. Nothing would surprise her about his cunning anymore.

Their barracks were consumed with contention, but it was not over Alanja and Crosshair today. Though they kept their attention on her, the soldiers were not put off by her presence, now accustomed to her waltzing in among them whenever she pleased. However, this morning they were mulling over the most hazardous task they had been assigned since Crosshair was nearly killed on Bracca. Their trepidation was understandable. They were headed out to retrieve one of the most dangerous men ever made. Their prize was the clone commando, CT-9901. Sergeant Hunter had turned the loyal Captain Howzer against the Empire while on Ryloth. What was waiting for them on Daro? They were all about to walk into the unknown.

"Greetings, Redissa," said Alanja to ES-02, awakening from her thoughts. Alanja had very few friends here on Kamino, and she often pretended like the woman was one of them. ES-02 was cold and too inquisitive for Alanja's taste, though. Even now, with her simple greeting, ES-02 was testing Alanja, speaking up first to prod at Alanja's relationship with Crosshair as if it was any of her business. At least it was always refreshing to hear a female voice among the deep sea of clone chatter, regardless if she could be annoying.

The group of men and women around Alanja breathed hope into her. They were the best of the best the galaxy had to offer. Though none of them would ever be her true friends, their professionalism had been an outstanding refuge, like the tip of a spear cutting a path for her to traverse on even ground. They were all witnesses to what Rov and Crosshair had done to Senator Orn Free Taa on Ryloth. That dark night still haunted the unit. She hoped their stoic faces reflected a heart of service to the Empire, but it was hard to know. She had believed in that dream for Marjin once too. "Good soldiers follow orders," she repeated in her own head as if her will could be cast over them, protect them from Marjin's fatal mistake.