Back in the Game (COMPLETE)

9.17.3

It was already Tuesday, and Gauges and Gears had still heard nothing from Tano. They knew she had warned them that this might happen, but it still didn't put them at ease. Not just because she was one of their better employees, it's just she had a habit of getting into trouble.

After the work shift was done for the day, everyone gathered in the staff room, even people like Nox and Tyme who usually didn't stick around this long. Trace was really only there because Leslie and Rya were, but she was there.

Luce was flipping through news channels to see if anything sounded like it might explain where Tano was, and Wheeler was calling her parents to see if they knew anything. It showed how worried she was for Tano because she never called her parents. Ever. Everyone was reaching out to old friends to see if they had heard anything about an orange Togruta. They even called people like Granger on the off chance that they had heard anything.

Thyla even tried calling Tano herself, but that didn't work either. They didn't know if that was because she was just really far away or if she wasn't answering her comlink. Journey suggested that they check her house to see if maybe she had gotten back recently, but that idea was shut down. She would answer a call if she was home.

Kind of tired of all the concern for someone she barely knew, Trace groaned, "Why are we still looking for her? It's not like we're going to find her."

"So?" Jackson argued, sinking into a chair and collapsing on the table. He had just finished calling Granger, who hadn't heard anything either. "It's not like we have anything better to do."

"Maybe you don't, but my sister is probably worried about where I am," Trace fired back. "I'm not usually out this late."

"Do you ever think your sister may be a bit too controlling?" Rya asked cautiously, propping her chin up on one hand.

Trace looked confused as if she had never heard of such a thing. "No, what makes you say that?"

The Twi'lek shook her head, not really wanting to explain it right now. "Never mind."

Behind them, Wheeler ran into the room, having just got off the communicator with her mom. "Channel eighty-seven," she told Luce, who immediately complied and switched the projector.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and focused on the hologram, which showed a distressed reporter in front of a building that was absolutely demolished. It was smoking in several areas and parts of it had been blown up. None of them knew what building it was, but it didn't comfort any of them.

"-Senate has only recently released details on what has happened and why, and the news isn't exactly promising for the Republic. It does provide answers, though, to the question everyone is asking: what has happened to the Jedi?"

"But Tano isn't a Jedi!" Tyme argued, pointing at the news reporter. "What does this have to do with her?"

Everyone else shushed him as the frame transitioned to a shot of the Senate building lobby. "Earlier this week on Sunday night, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker was stationed at the Senate Building to protect Chancellor Kanai. In this security footage, he was walking with Senator Amidala and Senator Organa, only to be fired upon by a group of clone troopers. The Jedi managed to deflect all blaster fire and escape the building, where he was pursued across the surface until he escaped into the tunnel system near the Detention Center." Various clips of footage played, showing the different aspects of the story. "A few minutes later, his battalion, the 501st Legion, reported him dead."

Quietly, when Anakin's picture was put up on the projection, Leslie mumbled, "Nooo, that's the cute one."

Everyone within her vicinity either groaned or laughed while the reporter went on. "No explanation was given for this sudden turn of events, but it didn't stop there. This course of action has taken over all battalions of the Grand Army of the Republic. Jedi generals and commanders all over the galaxy have been reported dead by the hands of their clone troopers. Of the eight members of the Jedi Council that were reported alive after the recent attack on Coruscant, all but one have been executed." The screen showed the profile pictures of all the Jedi Masters before darkening them, except for a green alien with white hair. His picture remained lit while the other pictures disappeared. "While not all Jedi have been reported dead, those who may still be alive are missing in action, and their identities will be protected until more information about this massacre is released.