CHAPTER TWO
"Any word from Naboo?" Supreme Commander Garm Bel Iblis asked the Bothan general Norr Ruk'thri as he entered the Supreme Commander's quarters.
Norr shook his furry head as he looked at his datapad. "Rogue Squadron scouted the Naboo system and found no sign of Imperial activity. Either the Queen is exaggerating or the Sith are being really sneaky."
Bel Iblis scratched his chin as he glanced out of his office's window. Ever since the death of former senator Ruto Graven, both the people of Naboo and the Gungans had reported several mysterious disappearances, including the vanishing of former King Narus. So far, however, the Republic had not been able to prove these occurrences.
"If you ask me, I think the Naboo are just looking for attention," Norr went on, snorting disdainfully. "Just because one of their own was the mother of the leader of the Jedi Order. does not mean-"
"That's quite enough, general," Bel Iblis snapped, raising his hand for silence. "Recall Rogue Squadron back to Coruscant. I shall contact Queen Nalida and find out the meaning of all of this."
Norr nodded as he turned to leave. "Will you inform Valorum of this?"
Bel Iblis bit his lip as he glanced out his window again. "No," he said quietly. "I think it's best if I handled this situation without his knowledge."
* * *
Zin Jato groaned as he dropped another heavy steel crate outside a Republic outpost on the planet Skustell. The planet's inhabitants, the Ongree, had recently joined the New Republic and had agreed to have a over-water city be constructed for visitors.
As a preparation for a possible Imperial attack, the Republic had sent a small group of ships to transport defenses and other materials to Skustell, with operations being overseen by Jedi Masters Nens-Coro and Ean Marrab, the later who was Zin Jato's master.
As Jato headed back to the ship to retrieve more supplies, he noticed his brother Nat aiming a pair of electrobinoculars at something Jato could not see.
"What do you see, Nit?" Jato asked, predicting it would be another one of his brother's exaggerations.
"It looks lime someone just landed on the East Port," Nat replied. "It looks like they're...a Jedi."
"A Jedi?" Jato said incredulously. "I thought we were the only ones who were supposed to be here."
Nat shrugged and handed his brother the binoculars. "Maybe the council thought we would need some help."
Jato doubted that as he rose the viewing device to his eyes. In the distance, he saw exactly what Nat had described: a tall, strong-built figure wrapped in a dark brown cloak. The stranger seemed to be walking briskly, as if they were determined to reach their destination.
Jato lowered the binoculars. "Get Masters Marrab and Coro," he told his brother. "Something isn't right..."
* * *
Darth Ravage growled quietly as he approached the military base on Skustell. From the looks of it, it appeared that he was too late; the Jedi had already made contact with the Ongree, who were likely now trustful of them.
So much for sowing distrust, the Zabrak thought bitterly. Still, perhaps he could create a scene, one which could show these Jedi to be rogues to the Ongree.
Ravage smiled to himself. Yes, that should work.
As he walked up to the Republic outpost, he found two young Nautolans waiting outside. While the youngest of them ran back into the base, the eldest walked up and blocked Ravage from going any further.
"Who are you?" the Nautolan demanded. "Are you a Jedi?"
"Yes," Ravage lied. "I am Master Zavar Rarnok. The High Council has sent me to oversee the operations being taken here."
The young Jedi eyed him suspiciously. "Masters Marrab and Nens-Coro are overseeing the operations. We don't need anyone else."
"The council feared that the Empire may attack, and you wouldn't be able to fend them off," Ravage said.
"If that was true, the council would have sent more Jedi to accompany you."
When Ravage did not answer right away, the Nautolan unhooked his lightsaber from his belt. At that same moment, the other Nautolan returned with two other Jedi-a human and a Mon Calamari. The human Jedi narrowed his eyes at Ravage.
"Can we help you?" he asked skeptically.
Ravage smirked. "I suppose. You can start off by dying."
All four Jedi immediately activated their lightsabers. Ravage chuckled as he unhooked his own weapon from his belt. "But I guess we can play for a bit too."
* * *
Toah gave a frustrated sigh. His entire trip to Telos-including the one he took more than a dozen years ago-had been for naught. The Telosian academy he had been searching for was long gone, and he was now one step behind in finding and defeating Darth Vorath.
Noticing his distraught, Vima tilted her head and smiled sadly. "Can Vima still help you? Vima is very willing to help!"
Toah shook his head hastily. "No, no, that's quite all right. I just need to find a way off here."
Vima seemed to perk up at the sound of this. "Vima knows a way! Vima can show you!"
"Thanks, but I-" Before Toah could finish, Vima grabbed his arm and pulled him away with remarkable strength for a woman her age.
She dragged him all around Thani, attracting strange glances from passer-byers. Toah attempted many times to wrestle himself free from Vima's grip, but soon realized it was futile. They finally reached a spaceport on the outskirts of the city. Standing outside was a silver RA-7 protocol droid.
"Ah, Mistress Vima!" the droid said. "Master Raj has been searching everywhere for you! Where have you been?"
"Not now!" Vima said hastily. "Raj must see Jedi!"
"A Jedi?" The RA-7 turned to Toah. "My word! What's a Jedi like you doing on a scummy planet like this?"
Toah could not reply, for Vima had dragged him quickly into the docking bay.
And what he soon saw before him was the Millennium Falcon.
No comments:
Post a Comment