A new Menace. As the war between the Coalition and the Empire enters a standstill, entire colonies at the edge of Wild Space start disappearing. When a new enemy will prove to be a threat to both sides in the conflict, enemies will have to join forc...
Rarely had Naboo ever felt like home as at that moment. When the Admonitor left hyperspace over the planet and while she got parked at the space station, a shuttle brought down Iulius into Theed, where a few dozens people had seen the Star Destroyer and had come to cheer his return. Along them were a platoon of stormtroopers presenting their arms, and the people ready to greet him were his general staff officers and most importantly, Sekta.
Luckily for him, the handbook of a perfect imperial citizen was to always show respect to the elders and the parents, so he was justified to go in front of her and make a small bow, leaving a more intimate reunion at a later moment.
"I've returned, Mother."
Sekta made a bow too, while holding a hand on her heart. "Welcome back, Iulius."
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The Grand Admiral then turned toward his officers and was immediately given the salute.
"Krybos, Bolo, Sloane. I heard you held the ground while we were away. Good job."
"Thanks, sir." Krybos replied after all three of them lowered their hands. "But there wasn't much to do except shoring up our frontline worlds."
"I'm willing to hear a full briefing at HQ."
"This way, please." Bolo invited, pointing at a convoy of cars and armored vehicles waiting for them past the main gate of the spaceport.
While they walked the fairly long distance, Iulius used the opportunity to turn toward Cody, who was part of his escort.
"Commander, make sure there is everything the crew needs for the shore leave. Also, that nobody crosses the line of decency."
"Yes, sir." the clone replied dutifully, albeit Iulius felt that his mind was absent. Quite rare for the old soldier.
Yet, it didn't take long for Iulius to get a grasp of what was going on inside Cody's head. He put a hand on his shoulder so both of them halted in their tracks. As they were already far from the crowd, he motioned the rest of the group to proceed while he made a question to the commander.
"Are you thinking about Rex?" he asked.
Unmasked, Cody saw no point in denying it. "I admit it feels strange that we met only to be separated again. But I think I understand the situation between you and your own brother, Grand Admiral."
"I see." was Iulius' answer. "So you realize there might come the time when you will draw weapons against each other?"
Cody made a slow nod. "That had been clear since the beginning. But I'd rather have us kill each other fighting for a cause that we both chose. A clone can't ask for a better fate."
Iulius wasn't sure if he could grasp how deep that statement went and what it could mean for a being that had been artificially created to be a slave, but the thing he was sure about was that Cody meant that his loyalty to the Empire was not into question, no matter how much of an emotional earthquake seeing one of his brothers, and one he was particularly attached to, had caused in his heart.
