The Second Fulcrum

Death Trooper Downtime

Zeb stared glumly at his shot glass.

It had been another 2 weeks after the transmission and Zeb was feeling like a sack of Bantha dung.

As Zeb downed his 5th shot, he heard the old bar door swing open by the tinkle of the bell.

Two men came and sat by the bar.

It was then Zeb realised that they were wearing Death Trooper Armour. Considering they were on Lothal, it was likely that these were Thrawn's.

Thrawn's.

With that realisation came the overwhelming need to punch these guys in the head.

But something deep inside Zeb stopped him.

Why would elite Death Troopers be at a bar?

Zeb decided that he would wait before smashing their skulls together. For all he knew, they could know the exact location of the Emperor and be able to lead him to the demon himself.

The thought that the Death Troopers could have valuable intel stopped him.

It would turn out to be the best decision of his life.

"K4?" A death trooper asked.

"What is it K7?" K4 asked distractedly.

"You know the Admiral's prisoner?"

An uncomfortable silence followed.

"Yes... Where are you going with this K7?"

"The other day, I noticed he actually had a rank badge and code cylinder." K7 whispered conspiratorially.

"Shut up, he did not." K4 scoffed.

There was a pause.

"Did he?"

K7 nodded.

"But if he's one of us, why would they...?"

"I don't know K4."

K4 paused, thinking.

"Could be a crackdown. The admiral's known for being tough."

"Oh, so not flushing the refresher means that the Admiral gets to blind you? I don't think so." K7 clearly didn't buy it.

"What was his name? That could help. I do work in data, I'm sure I could find a file on him, see what he did." K4 was reluctant but curious.

"Didn't catch his name but I think it was Kallis?"

Zeb stared at K7 & K4.

Kallus.

Not Kallis.

Kallus.

Thrawn would have wiped his code from the system but would have seen no need to remove his rank plaque or cylinder, seeing as they were both useless.

In fact, Thrawn would have been more obliged to keep it there as a warning to other Imperials.

These two had seen Kallus.

Then the other important part of K7 & K4's conversation hit.

"Oh, so not flushing the refresher means that the Admiral gets to blind you? I don't think so."

Thrawn had blinded Kallus.

His beautiful eyes.

Those auburn eyes that could hold such intense fury, yet be soft and caring if necessary.

The eyes that would always note every weapon in a room and call out every detail.

They were gone.

Kallus was just like Kanan now.

Zeb felt like killing the troopers, then dragging their bodies out behind the bar, ripping them to shreds, and then mailing it to Thrawn himself.

His claws were already curling, his arms shaking with the tension.

Zeb stopped himself at the last possible second.

I need to talk to Hera.