Rising Informants

Chapter 2: The Antagonistic Allies

Agent Kallus quickly snapped his gaze toward the durasteel floor. He wanted to look inconspicous. "You mean to say that you believe she is truly alive?" he asked. "After Lord Vader dealt with her? Highly unlikely."

Admiral Thrawn gazed intensely at the Agent. It's only a matter of time before he breaks, he thought to himself. Sooner or later he'll have to; in order to save the girl. Assuming she is alive, that is. "Yes Agent, I am nearly certain she is alive. As I previously stated, our Emperor has sensed a disturbance... one not to be ignored. And anyhow, there have been some unusual reports in the Galaxy's core."

Agent Kallus continued staring at the floor thoughtfully. "Coruscant?" he finished questioningly.

Admiral Thrawn nodded his approval. I could have figured that out twice as fast, but not half bad for an ISB, he mused. "Yes, on Coruscant. Unusual, isn't it? Not just anyone can infiltrate Coruscant undetected."

"But," Kallus started hesitantly, "they aren't undetected; there have been unusual reports you said."

"Yes Agent - very perceptive. The Coruscant police had slowly been taken out around the Imperial Castle. Then last night someone broke a window on the top level. They are still inside the Castle as far as we know, and are believed to be headed toward the holocron vault," the Grand Admiral explained everything with such proficiency that Kallus assumed he was up late last night in contact with Coruscant.

"The intruder is believed to be the Jedi?" the ISB asked, suspicion lace in his voice.

"We believe it is the Force-sensitive," Thrawn answered vaguely. "But we won't know more until we get to Coruscant; the police can only do so much."

"Understood," Kallus replied. "But what of Rae Sloane?"

"Oh, we shall certainly be in need of her assisstance. Of course, I am not acquainted with her. You are, I presume?"

"I ran into her on a few different accounts. She has been chasing down Kanan Jarrus longer than I. We had to team up on an occasion or two."

"Splendid. Will you make a holocall or personal meeting?"

"I believe a personal meeting is in order; there is much to explain. And you said it yourself: this is a fairly confidential mission."

"Wise choice," Thrawn answered conspicuously. "Meet Lieutenant Gimm in the docking bay."

Is he trying to teach me his tactics? Kallus inquired himself. Without another word the ISB agent nodded slightly to Thrawn, then spun on his heel and walked out of the room.

"That was very strange," he mused to himself. As he thought about the "wise choice" Thrawn was referring to, he ended at the docking bay. He glanced around trying to find the Lieutenant. He saw a man - though resembling more of a boy - waving him down in the far left corner of the docking bay. He quickly walked over to the Lieutenant.

"Lieutanant Gimm, I assume?" he asked respectfully.

"Yes, sir. You're Agent Kallus: ISB, correct?"

"Yes," the Agent answered lifting an eyebrow. It was unusual for someone to know who he was. Generally it was confidential information.

Lieutenant Gimm seemed to understand his thoughts and quickly added, "Admiral Thrawn alerted me of your presence. He told me to patch you through to an Admiral Rae Sloane? He said you had to set up a personal meeting with her."

That explained it. But still, one question remained: why did Thrawn send him to the hangar bay? Couldn't he have just made the holocall to Sloane on the bridge? Or is he hiding something? he mused.

"Yes Lieutenant, I must. Thank you for your services. Now, if you'll excuse me."

"Of course, sir." Lieutenant Gimm left the far left corner and walked over to the far right corner of the docking bay where another pilot was waving him down. Agent Kallus opened up the transmission.

Admiral Rae Sloane's image appeared. She was still as spunky as ever. She had her blaster holstered and her hand on her hip. "Agent Kallus. What a surprise. What can I do for you?" she queried sarcastically.

"Hello, Admiral," Kallus replied stiffly. There had been some tension between the two for a few years now. Ever since the incident... "I need to set up a personal meeting between you and Grand Admiral Thrawn."

"Ah, yes. The Chiss," she replied.

Imperials really are a handful of xenophobics, he notioned. "Yes, he is a Chiss - but at least he actually delivers results," he stated pointedly.

"Why do you need to meet with me?" she asked, avoiding his previous statement.

Kallus sighed dramatically. "We need your... assisstance with something."

"Well, whatever you need, you won't get it from me!"

"What do you mean?" he asked. There was a bit of silence as she stared at him pointedly. "If you're still upset as to what happened last time, that was your fault - not mine!"

"Not your fault? Not your fault?! How is it anything but your fault?! You're the one that-"

"Ugh. I see that you still can't can't grow up, Admiral. Very well. But I ask you to at least listen."

"Fine, Kallus. But this had better be good!" she exclaimed, exasperated.

"Alright. I suppose I should star from the beginning?"

"Whatever you need to do, I don't care. Just don't talk my ear off with boring politics."

Kallus smiled to himself. He had forgotten how much she loathed politics and craved adventure. "It was a rhetortical question," he said. She just rolled her eyes at him and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'll start from the beginning.

"The Grand Admiral believes a certain Jedi is alive and has escaped death at Vader's hands. He and the Coruscant police believe that she -"

"I'm sorry - she?" the Admiral questioned hesitantly.

"Yes - she. Now quit interrupting," the Agent anwered, annoyed. Sloane just rolled her eyes once again. "As I was saying," he started once again, but more quietly. "He and the Coruscant police believe she is on Coruscant and that she took the guards out around the palace one by one, then broke in through a window on the top level. They think she is heading for the holocraun vault - whatever those are."

Admiral Rae Sloane nodded in understanding. For now she could act. Later she could act genuine. "I see," she stated simply. There was a very long pause.

"So, are you in?" Kallus asked, fearful of her opposition.

"I must say, this is a rather interesting predicament," she commented.

"So you'll join?" the ISB agent asked once again, but was more certain of her acceptance.

"No," she said insubmissively. "I won't." And with that, the transmission cut, and Agent Kallus was left staring blankly at the now disappeared hologram, wondering what on Corellia went wrong.