Shadows and Shades (#4 Post-Order 66 Series)

Shadows and Shades - Part 15

A/N: Alright, so if you missed the last chapter, then SPOILER alert on these warnings: canon-typical violence, graphic description of injury, pregnancy. Also, some Reunion spoilers in this chapter. As always, thank you to the outstanding Teletraan_1 for beta-reading this for me!

A chill rocketed up Crosshair's spine as his eyes met the consistently indifferent gaze of Admiral Rampart for the first time in years. He'd replayed the last moment they'd seen each other so many times in his mind that he could confidently recite it from memory.

"So you returned then." Rampart's eyes didn't even leave the datapad he was reading as Crosshair was escorted into his office onboard the Venator.

The sniper stood at attention. "I'm loyal to the Empire. My job isn't finished."

"And your squad? Did they also manage to survive?"

Crosshair stared at him evenly. "They did not. They were buried in the wreckage of the city. They died serving the Empire honorably and-"

Rampart raised a hand to cut him off. "That is not the squad I'm referring to." His eyes finally drifted up from the datapad, boring into Crosshair's with what almost seemed to be disinterest. "I'm aware Clone Force 99 escaped with you. Would you care to elaborate on how that happened?" He heard the click of the troopers behind him tightening their grips on their blasters.

He sighed as defeat sunk in, fighting the urge to allow his shoulders to sag as they suddenly became heavy. "Why would I elaborate when you clearly already think me a traitor?"

Rampart huffed a laugh. "Oh, I don't think anything, Commander. You missed one of your squad mates, and they were more than happy to relay exactly what took place in the training center." He flipped the datapad around to face Crosshair. "In fact, we were able to pull footage from the Tipoca City back-up relays that broadcast their security feed."

Crosshair watched as his brothers stood, surrounded by his squad. Hunter was in binders, Tech, Wrecker, and Echo standing behind him with their weapons flung to the ground. As he watched, Tech glanced over at one of the reflectors he'd placed, nudging Wrecker and jerking his head. Of course he noticed them first. Crosshair felt a twinge of something akin to affection warm his stomach just before he watched himself turn and fire his sidearm at the reflectors. The bolt pinged around the circle, and his entire squad slumped to the ground. Rampart placed the datapad on his desk, standing and striding across the room to Crosshair. Out of habit, Crosshair straightened to attention once more, staring straight ahead as Rampart came to stand directly in his line of sight. An uncharacteristic glimmer of annoyance flared in his eyes for a moment as he clasped his hands behind his back before meeting Crosshair's gaze again.

"I see that perhaps Moff Tarkin was correct in his assessment of you and your squad. How unfortunate."

Crosshair wet his lips as his mind raced for a way out of this. It felt as though his world was crumbling beneath his feet. I came back. I was a good soldier. I chose the Empire.

"I am-"

"You are a traitor," Rampart interrupted. "Your exemplary service record and any favor it might have earned you vanished the moment you chose your former squad over the Empire." He leaned forward, speaking quietly, as if he were sharing some private joke. "A waste of genetic material, if I'm honest." Crosshair didn't need to turn his head to see Rampart's lip curl upward for a moment before he stepped back, his voice returning to a louder volume, announcing his verdict to the room. "No matter. CT-9904, you are charged with treason against the Empire. You are hereby stripped of your rank, your service record, and will be remanded to an Imperial prison until your court martial."