FORESIGHT and SCOPE: BOOK TWO

C H A P T E R F O R T Y-F I V E

THIRD PERSON POV

Athena leaned against the wall with her arms and ankles crossed, her frown deepening as the holographic recording of the Senate Chamber assembly, that had occurred only a rotation ago, ended and dispersed. Crosshair stood next to her with the same reaction. His jaw clenched tightly as he glanced to his left at the woman, who slicked back her nasty, greasy bangs away from her oily face with a reserved growl in her throat. They both hadn't cleaned themselves nor changed out of the attire they've worn for the past three days. Neither smelled pleasant to passerbys, but the two of them could hardly recognize their pungency as they witnessed their entire purpose crumble under one single order...

"Well," Athena huffed. "That's that." She pivoted on her heel and marched out of one of many common areas and in a direct line down a corridor towards a destination she herself had no idea where. Crosshair followed behind silently, his sneered disposition shadowed hers. "Do you think they're going to kill him?" Athena questioned, then paused before scoffing, "A shame I won't get the honor and pleasure."

"He got what he deserved..." Crosshair said.

"Yes, but not everyone. Someone is still getting away with it all."

Crosshair hummed in agreement. "There is always someone higher."

"With us at the bottom of the food chain." Athena grumbled. "As it has always been."

Sensing the situation was taken more personally by the bounty hunter, the elite clone mumbled, "Welcome to the bottom." It was not a snarky quip, rather he was succoring her, in his own way; especially after what they had both experienced on Endor. The soldier, subconsciously, was beginning to come to terms with 'truths' he had denied for months. In the midst of his internal epiphany, he almost bumped into Athena's back when she suddenly halted.

She clenched her fists at her hips until her knuckles turned white. There were a million thoughts pricking every cell in her brain like microscopic needles—most involved her uncertain status within the tyrannical government's military. She then snorted, an ironically amused grin wavered across her face. She muttered to herself aloud. Her chin hung low. "In too deep now, huh, Athena? Dank ferrik. What was I thinking? Joining the Galatic Empire? I've doomed myself..."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you not been paying attention, Crosshair?" Athena rotated to face the towering clone, her neck arched back in their close proximity. "Do you know who we are serving? No one even knows I'm a clone and yet I've been pardoned against my will. Crosshair, the Empire will not let me leave unless I reveal I am a clone, and then they'll hold me accountable for withholding my true identity; thus, I'll be arrested and interrogated. And even though—" A realization rammed against her battling thoughts. Her fingers raked through her hair. "Scrag, I'll probably be questioned anyway just for being Rampart's personal abettor. To them, it doesn't matter if I joined after Kamino's destruction; I've been associated with him for far too long...

"I am an arrogant idiot. There's no walking away from this. We're stuck...I'm stuck."

Crosshair swallowed the hard lump forming in his throat. While all Athena was distressed about was understandable in his mind, empathy was foreign to him—at least, since he parted from Clone Force 99... Listening in silence was his safest form of sympathy...and perhaps performing a simple, yet meaningful gesture... With no words conforming to prolong their conversation, he simply flipped out his small metal case, selected a toothpick, and inserted it between his teeth. Then, he held out the open container to Athena. "Here." he said.

The bounty hunter blinked down at the case before raising her eyes to meet his. "Are you serious?"

"Well, if you are going to react that way—"