Star Wars - Jedi Fugitive

Chapter 3

Jethro caught a cab to the gates of the C.M.O.

On the way, he tried to comprehend what he had just learned. He was shaken, and he felt like the whole world was going to crash down around him.

The cabbie tried to make up small talk with him, but Jethro was in no mood for conversation, and things soon fell silent.

How could this have happened? She had told him she had a duty to the people, that they both had duties that prevented them from stepping away. And he had agreed. He had stayed with the order, decided to wait until the end of the war, and she had failed to do the same.

He felt betrayed.

By the time they pulled up outside the C.M.O. he had managed to put a lid on his emotions and regain some form of composure.

"Thanks for the lift."

Jethro tossed a handful of credits into the front seat.

"My pleasure."

The cab lifted off and soared back into the Coruscant skyline.

Jethro entered the Command room.

The rest of the team had already gathered around the briefing table, along with General Mach, who stood at the head of the table, glaring in his direction.

"Commander Sarn. I'm glad you had time to join us."

Jethro shot the general a half-hearted smile. "You know me," he said, "always busy."

"I'm just glad you decided to fit me into your schedule."

Jethro could sense General Corsa Mach wasn't going to put up with any of his crap today, so he promptly decided to shut up.

"We're sending your team deep behind enemy lines again. This time however, it's not an extraction."

"Demolition?"

"Assasination."

Next to him, Jethro could feel Blazer turn to look at him.

"Aren't assassinations illegal under the treaties of war?"

"Jethro, you should know better than anyone else that the enemy won't play by the rules. If we're going to win, then we have to do the same."

"So what's the target?" Dom asked, seemingly unphased by the revelation of their mission objective.

A hologram appeared over the table, showing the flickering image of a Quarren. His facial tentacles drooped with age over the lab coat he wore.

"His name is Raz La. He is an eminent scientist within the confederacy, and a dangerous man."

"What does he specialize in?" Jethro asked.

"Unimportant."

"What do you mean, unimportant?"

"I mean it doesn't matter to the mission."

"I need to know everything about an opp so that I can make the right calls and get my men out alive. You of all people should know that."

"You won't need those details for this mission," she insisted.

"If I'm going to break the rules of warfare, then I want to know what it is he did to merrit it."

General Mach sighed. "So that's what this is about. You want to know what he's done, fine. He is a genetic research specialist who has research and knowledge that could unhinge the clone army."

"Then we bring him in, just like that doctor we just brought in."

"This one is too dangerous to be left alive."

"What harm can he do in our custody?"

"Plenty."

"Not to disrupt this riveting argument, but where am I flying them?" Corsair asked.

"The target is located on the Confederate Capital planet of Raxus."

"Kriffing hell," he said. "I've pulled some doozies before, but the Sepratist Capital is a tall order."

"We don't have a choice, and speed is essential. We need him eliminated as quickly as possible."

"Any leads once we're there?" Dom asked.

"All our intel says is that he's on Raxus in the Capital city of Raxulon."

"So we're going in blind to do something illegal," Jethro retorted.

"You're a smart crew, you'll figure it out."

After the briefing was over, Jethro made his way through the exiting officers to the general.

"General Mach," he said. "Why is it so imperative that he be killed? We could just as easily take him captive, just like our last opp."

"Command has changed their mind about these scientists," she answered. "It has been decided that if they are left alive then they could fall back into enemy hands. Dr. Alyan is to be executed tomorrow."

"Without trial? Sir, we're in the heart of the Republic. The odds of an attack are slim to none."

"And yet intelligence has picked up chatter that the Separatists are gearing up for a last ditch strike at Coruscant."

"Here? They would be crazy to try."

"Never-the-less, we've pushed them to the brink, and a cornered womp-rat will do anything to survive."

"Shouldn't we be here, defending the Chancellor?"

General Mach laughed. "Someone fancies themselves very important."

"I just meant that as many men as possible should be held here in defence."

"I understand what you mean, but the fleet will take care of any attack force. You just need to worry about your mission."

As he left the briefing, Jethro did worry about the mission. The answers he had been given were vauge at best. He worried that there was more about their target and his reasearch that they weren't being told, and he worried that whatever that was, it was going to spell certain doom for him and his whole team.