CHAPTER TWO
"The Hutts, you say?" Jedi Master Xanus Baran muttered. The Grand Master of the Jedi Master scratched his chin. "Are you sure this information is valid?"
"Right now, it's the only thing we have to go on," Jaden Korr replied, his holographic form shimmering before the four present members of the Jedi High Council. "Unfortunately, my informant was killed, which makes me think the info is indeed valid and someone does not want it in someone else's hands."
"Do you have an idea on who the killer was working for?" asked Master Corran Horn.
Jaden shook his head. "I doubt they were mere bounty hunters. I was forced to kill one of them and injure two others, so I could prevent causing a scene."
"Ah, so there was more than one." Master Van-Sar-Nodan stroked his grey beard. "Quite interesting..."
"And just how does killing or injuring someone in public not create a scene?" asked the Mirialan Jedi Nira Maren, her tone bitter.
Jaden stared at the Jedi Master before shrugging. "I suppose Master Katarn's rather unorthodox teachings have rubbed off on me. I do wish I could've gotten one of them for questioning."
Nira opened her mouth to retort but Master Baran raised a hand to silence her. "Good work, Jaden," the Grand Master said. "I hope you and the others can find more information when you arrive on Taris."
Jaden nodded. "So do I. Farewell, masters."
Once his holographic image had faded away, Nira folded her arms across her chest. "I'm surprised he hasn't fallen to the dark side yet."
"While I do agree that Jaden Korr's use of both light side and dark side abilities may seem questionable," Baran said, "I have enough faith in Katarn's student that he will keep himself in check."
"I certainly hope you're right, Grand Master," Nira muttered as she turned to leave the room. "I certainly do..."
* * *
"I still think we should've taken the Rogue Shadow instead," mumbled Arek Cobalt, pilot and soldier for the Galactic Alliance Defense Force and former member of the now disbanded Rancor Squad.
Kyle Katarn looked up from his bowl of Bantha soup and smirked. "We could have, but the ship is still stuck with a Sith-slash-Imperial identification code. We'd probably get fired upon on sight."
The two of them sat at a rather small booth within the large, AA-12 Coruscant freighter's middle deck, along with Jedi Master Taana Di, he apprentice Natia Dorn, and the assassin droid HK-47.
Once they had completed their mission on Manaan, Kyle and his team had left to meet Anakin Solo and the others on Kashyyyk. However, the moment they arrived in the Kashyyyk system, said system, as well as its sun, was no where to be found. After reattempting the hyperspace jump a few times to make sure they had the coordinates correct, they had no choice but to return to the Defense Force's new main headquarters on Coruscant and report to the Triumvirate.
During the two months that followed, Kyle did extensive research on what could have happened to the Kashyyyk system and where it could have gone, if it went anywhere at all. After coming up with nothing, he decided it was best to go to the ultimate source of intelligence and information in the galaxy: Talon Karrde. An infamous smuggler and information broker, Talon Karrde was a valuable ally during the last three years of the Galactic Civil War, specifically during the Dark Empire's initial attack on the New Republic.
The only think Kyle needed to meet with Karrde was his current location...and a lot of credits. The first thing was the easy part. Kyle was on good terms with a smuggler affiliated with Karrde's organization and was given the broker's current location on Dalandae. Now all he needed was the money. Talon Karrde didn't exactly talk for a cheap price...
"Why did we bring him along?" Natia suddenly asked, breaking Kyle away from his thoughts. The young, red-haired human girl was gesturing at HK-47. "Isn't he an assassin droid? What if he tries to kill us?"
"If he wanted to kill us, he would have done so by now," Kyle replied. "Besides, he owes me for saving his life on Manaan."
"Correction: I do not owe you anything, meatbag," HK-47 said. "Statement: While I am grateful of you repairing me, I only spare you because I realized that we shared the same enemy and objective."
"So once all of these Glorians are dead, you're gonna start killing us?" Arek asked, eyebrows creased with skepticism.
"Statement: Only if my master orders me to do so."
"And who is your master?" asked Taana Di.
"Answer: I am afraid that is not for you to know, Jedi."
The Togruta Jedi Master simply sighed, shaking her head. Turning to Kyle, she asked, "What will we do if Talon Karrde doesn't have the information we need?"
Kyle shook his head. "If Karrde doesn't have it, no one does. Han Solo once told me that no one can call a friend or family member without him knowing about it. His communications network is bigger than the HoloNet."
The only think Kyle needed to meet with Karrde was his current location...and a lot of credits. The first thing was the easy part. Kyle was on good terms with a smuggler affiliated with Karrde's organization and was given the broker's current location on Dalandae. Now all he needed was the money. Talon Karrde didn't exactly talk for a cheap price...
"Why did we bring him along?" Natia suddenly asked, breaking Kyle away from his thoughts. The young, red-haired human girl was gesturing at HK-47. "Isn't he an assassin droid? What if he tries to kill us?"
"If he wanted to kill us, he would have done so by now," Kyle replied. "Besides, he owes me for saving his life on Manaan."
"Correction: I do not owe you anything, meatbag," HK-47 said. "Statement: While I am grateful of you repairing me, I only spare you because I realized that we shared the same enemy and objective."
"So once all of these Glorians are dead, you're gonna start killing us?" Arek asked, eyebrows creased with skepticism.
"Statement: Only if my master orders me to do so."
"And who is your master?" asked Taana Di.
"Answer: I am afraid that is not for you to know, Jedi."
The Togruta Jedi Master simply sighed, shaking her head. Turning to Kyle, she asked, "What will we do if Talon Karrde doesn't have the information we need?"
Kyle shook his head. "If Karrde doesn't have it, no one does. Han Solo once told me that no one can call a friend or family member without him knowing about it. His communications network is bigger than the HoloNet."
"And what is the Galactic Alliance's stance on that?"
Kyle shrugged. "Normally they would try to shut him down, but since he was a very reliable ally during the war against the Empire and the Sith, they've decided to let him keep his network as long as he used it for good intents and didn't put information in the wrong hands."
"What if he's done so unwittingly?" Taana asked. "These Glorians are shape-shifters, after all. Anyone could be one of them."
Kyle considered this as he observed the passengers of the Coruscant freighter. All around them was a various range of beings, consisting of humans, Twi'leks, Bothans, and several other species. If any of them was a Glorian in disguise, there was no way of knowing.
Suddenly, the ship shook violently, causing his bowl of soup to fall over and pour hot broth onto his lap. Through the freighter's many viewports on the side, he could see the tunnel of hyperspace vanish as the ship came to an abrupt stop. Before he or any of the passengers could wonder what was happening, a cold, menacing voice spoke through the ship's intercomm.
"Attention, passengers of the Scion of Tammuz. For the glory of the Glorian Empire, you must all die. Have a nice flight."
At that moment, the roof of the second deck began to burn as beings clad in silver armor dropped out of circular openings they had quickly carved with torch-like blades and spears. Kyle, Taana, Natia, and Arek instantly got up from their seats. The three Jedi activated their lightsabers while Arek and HK-47 brandished their blaster rifles.
Shortly before chaos ensued, the assassin droid decided to speak. "Amendment: To back up my previous statement, these Glorians are a lot more fun to kill than a mere meatbag."
Kyle shrugged. "Normally they would try to shut him down, but since he was a very reliable ally during the war against the Empire and the Sith, they've decided to let him keep his network as long as he used it for good intents and didn't put information in the wrong hands."
"What if he's done so unwittingly?" Taana asked. "These Glorians are shape-shifters, after all. Anyone could be one of them."
Kyle considered this as he observed the passengers of the Coruscant freighter. All around them was a various range of beings, consisting of humans, Twi'leks, Bothans, and several other species. If any of them was a Glorian in disguise, there was no way of knowing.
Suddenly, the ship shook violently, causing his bowl of soup to fall over and pour hot broth onto his lap. Through the freighter's many viewports on the side, he could see the tunnel of hyperspace vanish as the ship came to an abrupt stop. Before he or any of the passengers could wonder what was happening, a cold, menacing voice spoke through the ship's intercomm.
"Attention, passengers of the Scion of Tammuz. For the glory of the Glorian Empire, you must all die. Have a nice flight."
At that moment, the roof of the second deck began to burn as beings clad in silver armor dropped out of circular openings they had quickly carved with torch-like blades and spears. Kyle, Taana, Natia, and Arek instantly got up from their seats. The three Jedi activated their lightsabers while Arek and HK-47 brandished their blaster rifles.
Shortly before chaos ensued, the assassin droid decided to speak. "Amendment: To back up my previous statement, these Glorians are a lot more fun to kill than a mere meatbag."
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