Star Wars: The Bad Batch - Keeper's Arena

Chapter 16 - The Search

Jade almost found it ironic that she actually wanted Keeper to speak, now. She willed him to look in her direction, but she didn't think he had the strength for it. Besides that, she was a little distracted by the imperial officer watching her carefully, noticing her blaster. Still, Keeper was the only one with any connection to her parents, and here he lay, dying.

"Where are they?" Jade whispered just loud enough for Keeper to hear; she was closer to him than the officer was.

Keeper looked over his shoulder, a sly grin on his face. He froze, trembling. Jade waited impatiently, her eyes traveling back and forth. She didn't want the officer to try anything while she was distracted. When her eyes landed on Keeper again, she realized his eyes were blank, and his hand slipped off of his stomach.

"No," Jade breathed shakily, feeling as if she had lost her parents all over again.

"Keeper mentioned you," the imperial officer announced suddenly, and a small group of TK troopers entered the room, brushing past the man to force Keeper's guards back.

A clone commando came last to stand beside the imperial officer, eyeing the TK troopers to ensure they did their job correctly. The guards, however, didn't put up a fight and dropped their weapons immediately.

"I don't know you," Jade replied, tightening her grip on the blaster after seeing the imperial officer's support arrive.

"I am Colonel Hyde of the Imperial Army."

"Kriff," Jade thought. "I'm not just dealing with someone from the Empire. I'm dealing with a high-ranking officer."

She knew attacking Hyde would warrant more than just trouble, and she didn't want the Empire to interfere with her life. Keeper had done enough of that. Hyde paused to give Jade a chance to speak, but she put on an unimpressed expression. Grunting slightly in disapproval, Hyde continued.

"I was not present for most of the negotiations that took place before our arrival. Keeper resisted our demands at first, but that's what negotiators are for. He agreed to step back, and we are now in complete control of the Arena, including its facilities and affiliations. We can deal with the locals in due time. He also agreed to share his experimental and technological advances. All he wanted was credit and enough currency to start fresh, I suppose. Perhaps this drug is more powerful than I anticipated, if Keeper was willing to stab us in the back for it."

"It doesn't belong in your hands," Jade said. "It doesn't belong in anyone's hands. Keeper would never let you acquire it, anyway."

Hyde looked at the unmoving Keeper as if to confirm he was still, in fact, dead. He chuckled and lifted a communication device.

"Lieutenant Bright, report."

The reply was choppy but decipherable.

"Locating the drug is proving to be more difficult than we thought, sir, but we'll find it. We ran into some trouble."

"Question various workers and guards if you must. If they lead you astray, dispose of them," Hyde sighed, rubbing his forehead.

Jade backed up, reaching behind her in the process. She had one dagger left, and it was her final means of surprise.

"And what exactly do you know about me?" Jade asked, cocking her head in fake interest.

"You are a former champion; one of very few who managed to escape this place. In fact, I intend to learn those details so we can improve the Arena itself. You are a local, nearly twenty, I believe? Young, but capable of great things. In fact, Keeper told me you were one of his best champions, if not the best. He told us about his project – creating a stronger drug – and how he needed to find a new champion and a test subject. In Keeper's eyes, your brother seemed the best candidate. Perhaps he assumed he shared such vigilant, courageous blood. However, there are still a great many mysteries shrouding you, Jade, is it?"