FORESIGHT and SCOPE: BOOK TWO

C H A P T E R S I X T Y-F O U R

Tick.

"You...You could have saved him!" Crosshair growled.

"Perhaps you didn't hear me." Nolan said, deepening his inflection. "He is expendable, as are you. And if you speak to me again with such disrespect, I'll see to it you meet a similar fate, clone. Now, leave him and get back to work...both of you, while you're still useful."

Consequences. Athena bit her lip as she stared at Crosshair's face. She cradled his left cheek in her palm. She read his pain, and her heart ached. Every choice he's made—deciding to remain loyal to the Empire, ignoring my warnings and sticking to his pride and arrogance...even leaving his former squad in the first place. After all he's been through, he's paying a price for it... The man who dedicated himself to a purpose no one wanted from him and sacrificed everything was finally realizing how dispensable and replaceable he was to that same Empire. This man, who was always distant, cocky, and a damn good soldier...was now facing the bitter consequences...

The bounty hunter recalled their discussion on Endor...

"Tell me what Hunter said."

"On Kamino, when Hunter was under my custody, he told me what the Empire was doing throughout the galaxy and that clones were being replaced. He told me, 'All you'll ever be to them is a number.' His words didn't particularly phase me because, well, I don't really care what happens to me as long as I serve my purpose in the Empire."

There was no more denial.

"Do you believe you are expendable, Crosshair?" She watched him slowly nod. "And you've accepted this?"

Another small nod.

"Well, I don't...You heard me. I do not think you are expendable. No matter what you believe your purpose is in this Galatic Empire, you better convince yourself that you matter and you deserve recognition for your service."

"Says the clone who doesn't exist."

Athena Quinn didn't need to exist. She was no longer haunted by her past, because she had accepted that it was what led her to this moment. And she wouldn't trade it for the galaxy.

Lt. Nolan walked away.

Caw...Screech...

Above the clones' heads, ice vultures circled eagerly. Hungrily.

"Crosshair?" In Athena's arms, she felt Crosshair grow stiff. Then, he began to pull himself to his feet. The bounty hunter did not protest or question him, instead she aided the weakened clone. When her eyes trailed down to his left hand, they broadened with cathartic realization as his fingers curled around his blaster. Then, a sense of composure softly sighed through her nose when she noticed his hand trembling. Still clinging to him across the back of his rib cage with her right arm, she reached down with her left and wrapped her fingers over his. The two clones lifted the blaster slowly. Athena exhaled again deliberately through her lips, her breath harmonizing with Crosshair's labored respiration. Once the weapon was steadily poised, she squeezed his hand to brace him, support him of this desperate, frustrated act...an act she understood would have... consequences.

And we shall act, despite all. Athena focused her serene gaze on Nolan's back. One last sigh exhaled from her lips. Crosshair and I are finally one of mind. You, Lieutenant, a pathetic, ignorant excuse of a military officer has broken the precedent of one...Mayday was the last straw.

We are most likely to be executed for treason; but the commander deserves to be avenged, nevertheless. We are ready to die right here...on this outlandish, depressing Outpost. But I will fight for us until my last breath. I will end every single Imperial's life who stands in our way for the sake of our well-deserved future. From this moment on, Crosshair is not a commander nor I an agent of the Empire. He is no longer an obedient soldier nor I a ruthless bounty hunter.

He is Crosshair, Experiment CT-9904.

And I am Athena Quinn, Experiment CT-9900.

"Lieutenant..." Crosshair snarled.

Nolan pivoted on his heel and faced a man and a woman, in all their glory, holding a blaster at his disdainful, cruel heart.

They pulled the trigger together.

Pow!

With a single wheeze, the Imperial officer stumbled and collasped with a thud.

"Crosshair!" Athena gasped as the soldier suddenly fell unconscious and crumbled in her arms, the blaster clattering to the metal platform. The bounty hunter caught him across his chest. "Crosshair. Crosshair, don't—Not now. No, no, no, you need to wake up." She moved her arm up and cradled his head, his mouth buried into the crook as his cheek relaxed into her bicep. As the crown of his head nestled under her cheek, her palm pressed into his webbed scars above his left ear. "I'm right here." she whispered through sharp breaths. "Crosshair, if you can hear me—whatever happens, I love you. All of you. Even the parts that you believe are unyielding, severe, an-and broken and unworthy. I love—"

"Hey, you!"

Athena glared at the stormtroopers rushing towards them, unshakeably clutching her partner.

The very image of a formidable woman devotingly protecting a broken man...would rattle any spectators to the core.

Tick! Tick! TICK!

Athena's instincts snapped. Still holding Crosshair's head to her collarbone, she surged forward and snatched up the blaster. She jerked her arm out and aimed at the troopers. Her bloodlust erupted in every cell in her body, roaring at her to act upon her nature to her burning heart's content. Only this time, she must protect Crosshair.

"Stay back!" she shrieked hysterically, whipping the weapon side to side. "Get back! Stay away from him! You will not touch him!"

The Imps invariably did not listen, swarming the clones. "Drop it! Now!" They moved in.

"You don't listen!" Athena screamed, and fired.

Pow! Pow! Pow!

Pewsh!

Stunned from behind, Athena dropped. As her body sprawled across the platform, her arm was crushed under Crosshair's temple.

The last thing she saw was the clear, blue sky...and the majestic ice vultures waiting ever so patiently...