The Clone's Hero (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

Price of a Galaxy (Final pt12)

What's a few lives compared to a million? Everything.

Steele stood with Lux and his fellow colleague, Saw Gerrera, in an open office in the capital palace of Onderon. Both Lux and Saw were typing furiously on a large tabular computer, getting down everything that Steele was telling them.

"...All started with an incident at Operation Ringo Vinda, where 501st clone trooper Tup shot Jedi Master Tiplar..."

Outside the capital palace, several ships were parked nearby. The entire place was heavily guarded and had minimal staff working. Only those whom Lux trusted most deeply were present, because currently, the palace was housing the surviving soldiers of the 304th, ex-Jedi Ahsoka Tano, and ex-Separatists of the CIS and their personnel.

Lux continued to type as Steele continued to explain everything he knew of Order 66 and more. He paced about.

"An investigation conducted by 501st ARC-Trooper Fives led to the discovery of the inhibitor chips, which is now confirmed to be related to the secret protocol."

"Can you explain again how the chips work exactly?" Saw asked Steele.

Lux notified his people of his and all his allies' arrival beforehand, and Saw Gerrera was quick in making preparations. The Onderonians received them all quickly and swiftly. They offered them hospitality, medical treatment, and a safe place to plan their next set of moves against their new common enemy: Chancellor Palpatine.

Steele was nearing the end of his detailed retelling of Order 66, the chips, and the potential fate of the Jedi. Lux and Saw had filled up their manuscript to the brim.

"All I can say is this," Steele faced the two Onderon men. "The Chancellor obviously wants the Jedi gone for good, it doesn't take a genius to figure that out. What I don't get is why. What has the Jedi done to him to warrant this level of hate? I just...I can't understand it."

Saw saves the documents he and Lux made and turned off the computer set. He answered, "The galaxy is filled with all types of people. Some are good, some bad, and some just downright crazy."

"Palpatine's not crazy," Lux corrected. "He's scary intelligent, that's what he is. And in order to compete with him, we need to step up our game."

"We're already doing so," said Steele.

~ O O O ~

The majority of the allies were gathered in the great hall of the palace. They surrounded Dr. Elav, who was standing amidst a makeshift surgical station, demonstrating the chip-removal procedure on the still-affected Coal. Everyone was watching intently. A holorecorder hovered above them, recording the entire operation from start to finish. The rest of Coal's group was being taken care of by Dr. Elav's research team, who were removing their chips one by one.

Dr. Elav neared the most epitomic part of the operation. "Now watch closely everyone, this is how you remove a clone's inhibitor chip!"

Smooth as ice, Dr. Elav inserted the extractor into Coal's head through an incision, right where the location of the chip was. Moments later, he took out the extractor and the tiny chip was seen right within the suction tip. Everyone clapped as he sighed in relief. It was the first time he did this without the pressure of pleasing Trench or Dooku.

"There," Dr. Elav announced. "Controlled no more."

"Told y'all he was a genius," said Kal to his surrounding comrades. He was currently wheelchair-bound and lost the use of both his legs. But at least he was alive.

Dr. Elav cleaned up the station and Coal was wheeled away to a recovery room, finally free of the protocol that was taking over his mind for so long. Steele came out of the office he was in with Lux and Saw. From where he stood, he could see the demonstration from a distance.