Ambassador

Chapter 36: The Last Day of Lama Su

Alanja paced in Rov's office on Kamino, wringing her hands. How long was he going to be gone? How long did something like that take? It required every ounce of self-control not to page him over the comms to see what was happening.

Today was the day that the black heart would be torn from the flesh of Kamino. There would be no going back after this. She thought of the night on Ryloth that Captain Howzer betrayed the Empire. Rov had laid beside her in his bed, listening to her warning and admonishment. He had heard her wisdom too late, and Ryloth burned because of it. Right now, Rov was not waiting but acting.

Alanja checked over the pistol Rov had left with her. A coup was transpiring, and her brother was in the face of it. For the hundredth time, she flipped the safety on and then back off. She would be ready this time if the clones came for her again like Gimbal did on Ryloth.

Nearly jumping out of her skin at the sudden hiss of the blast door, Alanja gaped, fumbling the pistol into a red position.

"It is done," said Rov as he trudged in unannounced.

Her brows rose. Was it really over that quickly? "Lama Su is dead?"

"Yes," he seethed, the doors sliding shut behind him. "You were right, Alanja. The prime minister was planning to make a run for it. We stopped him before his larger plans for us came to fruition. He didn't even see us coming. Fool. You should have seen the look on his face when I brought Nala Se before him to confirm her loyalty to the Empire. Disgusting."

Alanja gingerly placed his pistol on the desk. "Things will move fast now, brother."

"Yes, but everything is still on schedule," he replied, dismissing her concerns. "Commander Crosshair was very thorough before he departed for Daro. We are moving right along."

"Have you heard any word from him yet?"

Taking his pistol and flipping on the safety, Rov clacked it back onto the magnet under his desk. "Yes. He has remanded CT-9901 and is en route back to Kamino."

Alanja placed her hands over her heart and gave a sigh of relief.

"Pack up the last of your things tonight and get them to the transports," Rov said as he took a seat, immediately returning to work. "Ready mine too if you don't mind."

"How much longer until...."

Rov didn't bother to even glance up at her. "Tarkin has left that up to my discretion."

"Soon then?"

"As ambassador, you will be one first to know and one of the last to leave, Alanja." He looked up at her then. "Commander Crosshair will arrive right down to the wire. I want you to get a good look at CT-9901 and his interaction with CT-9904. ES-02 will be there to escort you off of Kamino when you have completed your observation." He went back to his tasks. "Don't interfere, though. Let the commander do his work."

When she didn't reply, Rov shot a heated glare at her. He raised his brow like she was a small child being warned not to steal from the cookie jar.

"Yes, sir," she conceded, not liking the idea of being forced out of helping convert the lost CT-99s.Rov's glare turned into his haughty smile. "Thank you for your service to the Empire, Ambassador Rampart. There are great things ahead in your future. I look forward to watching your career."

Rov had such a way with words. He knew exactly what to say to puff her up with confidence. Nothing was better than someone so sure of themselves announcing their respect for her work. She gave him a reverent nod. "Thank you, Admiral."

Emboldened by his compliments, Alanja strode around his desk and nudged him over a bit to pull open the drawer.

"I don't have candy in there for you bride clones with," he laughed. It felt so good to hear him so happy, the tension of what he had just done to Lama Su suddenly breaking.

She stuck her tongue out at him and scoffed as she retrieved the sheathed vibro-blade Rov had pulled from Teller's chest out of the drawer. With a quirked brow, Rov watched her saunter away with the knife to the door. When it slid open, and the white light from the hall enveloped her, Alanja ignited the blade. It hummed, white-hot as she carved off a sliver of the pale wall. Holding up her prize, she shut off the blade and tossed it back on Rov's desk.

"For my collection," she said of the small chunk.

"Ah yes, your collection."

"There are no pebbles on Kamino."

Rov shook his head. "You intend to put it in your bowl in the officer's galley?"

"No," she replied. "I plan to gift it to Tarkin."