Death Has a New Face

Prologue

Day 780 - Clone Wars - Space Above Umbara ['Grimm' POV]

(The six members of Death Squad are currently in the Bridge of The Fallen Blade finishing up communication with a hologram of the Chancellor, after a successful operation upon the planet's surface)

Chancellor: [I will notify the Senate that your operation was a success, Captain 'Grimm'. In the meantime you are to await further orders for operations, is that understood?]

Grimm: Yes, ... Chancellor.

Chancellor: [Is something wrong, Captain?]

Scratch: *walking forward, placing his hands on the holotable* {No, Sir, there isn't a problem.}

Crackshot: Scratch, your scrambler is still on.

Scratch: {Blast it.} *switching off his scrambler* Sir, we don't have any issues at the moment.

Mimic: *stepping forward* Actually, ... I have one.

Chancellor: *looking in Mimic's Direction* [Yes, Commando?]

Mimic: Why are we to always report directly to the senate, and not our supervisors? Why can't we just follow protocol?

Diamond: This is our protocols, Private, and you will accept that.

Mimic: Is that so? ... *looking back at the Chancellor* Are we special for no reason, Sir?

Chancellor: [I don't need to answer to a Dead Man, Commando. I will only say that you have your orders, so follow them. Am I clear about that, Commando, or do I need to have you brought back to Kamino for reevaluation?]

Mimic: I understand my orders, Sir.

Chancellor: [Good.] *the hologram begins to fade*

Blitzkrieg: *once the hologram is gone* I know that we're supposed to look up to him as our superior, but I trust Dad more than him. He doesn't fight on the front lines like us, he just does a desk job and expects us to think of him as the ultimate being.

Mimic: Yeah. I know what you mean, Brother.

Diamond: Stow it, both of you. I don't want to have you both sent back, but I will if the Chancellor orders it.

Mimic: *looking a bit frustrated* I was left behind by my team when they thought I died, I don't care if you think that I should think of him as the highest power in the Corps.

Diamond: I don't ca-

Grimm: ENOUGH! *sighs* I don't care what either of you think. We have a job to do, and so we do the job at any costs.

Diamond: Exactly.

Mimic: *under his breath* I still don't trust him.

Scratch: *walking away* I don't care for this conversation, I'm going to see what the others are up to.

Crackshot: *walking after Scratch* I'll join you, Brother.

Diamond: *looking at the last two members of Scythe Squad* I'll leave you both be. *walking away* If you need me, find me in the Barracks.

Grimm: Do you want to talk about that day?

Mimic: *leaning against the holotable* It's not the day that I'm concerned about, ... it's what I found that day.

Grimm: You mean the data that you stole from the frigate?

Mimic: Yeah, that. Hax has been looking into that information, and he found something. ... Coordinates for a location in the Outer Rim, just outside of Lothal.