22 BBY, Month 8
Rylann
Rylann wanted to scream. For the first time in her life, she realized that she was scared of death and as Master Kenobi explained the mission, the reality of its importance hit her like a shuttle-bus.
Around her, the Batch was seated in a specially modified omicron-class ship. The blue glow of hyperspace was like a peaceful lull in the background.
"So, this is a quiet mission?" Crosshair asked, taking the toothpick from his mouth as his eyes narrowed at the holo of the Jedi General. He flicked the toothpick, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed. "We don't do 'quiet'."
Kenobi paused and Rylann could tell he was chewing his words carefully. "None of our Special Operations teams have assessment scores like yours—though you lack the discipline the GAR requires." Crosshair opened his mouth to retort, but Kenobi shook his head. "And it's not a bad thing, especially in circumstances like this one."
"Why won't you come and stop it yourself?" Hunter asked, eyes narrowing. "Don't you know the Duchess?"
Kenobi's frame lagged from the distance in communications. "I know her and that's why I know she'll never listen to me. She trusts her own people too much."
Rylann furrowed her brows as she sensed guilt roll off of the older Jedi.
"So, we are trying to gather information on a group known as Death Watch?" Tech asked, scrolling through his datapad after he set his controls to autopilot. "I cannot find much information on this Mandalorian clan."
"I wouldn't call it a clan, per say," Kenobi said, stroking his beard. "It is more of a terrorist group. They've started small like on the moons or nearby systems, not touching Mandalore yet."
The room grew silent as everyone took in the information. Rylann wiggled in her seat at the thought of the danger. "But you think they are going to try?"
Kenobi nodded. "And I believe soon." He crossed his arms behind his back, squinting his eyes. "My intel says that they are trying to assassinate the Duchess. There is a location on the map provided that is supposed to be where they are going to set up the sniper. I want him captured and sent to Coruscant for interrogations."
Tech nodded, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "An easy enter, intercede, and exit strategy?"
"With explosives!" Wrecker exclaimed, eyes lit in a hunger for fire.
"I don't want the Duchess to know that we are intercepting this attempt on her life..." Kenobi paused. "So, no explosives, please."
"Why not?" Rylann asked, crossing her arms. Something wasn't adding up. "Aren't you and her friends? If my friend knew someone was trying to kill me, I'd want them to tell me."
Kenobi grimaced. "The Duchess and I aren't exactly on good terms."
Rylann's mouth dropped before she snapped it shut. She had presumed that they had been on good terms—like good terms of being in love or something, but apparently not. Well, Rylann presumed that Kenobi had a lot of good friends who liked him because she saw him as a huge flirt.
"Alright, so at these coordinates, there should be a sniper?" Tech asked, popping up the provided holos for the debrief. In blue the building appeared on the holo. "Where will the duchess be?"
Crosshair leaned forward scratching his chin. "The only place that would make sense would be either this street here—" Crosshair pointed to the long highway-like street below the building. "Or the amphitheater here." He then pointed to a place on the opposite side of the building.
Alarms rang in Rylann's gut. "How will we know where she is?" Rylann turned to Master Kenobi on the holo. "Your intel revealed her location to you, right?" The Jedi master remained silent. Rylann's heart sped up in anxiety. "Right?"
"No," the general stated with a sigh. "You will have to split up to cover both bases."
Reality sunk in Rylann's gut like a downed ship. "There's only five of us."
Kenobi cleared his throat. "Actually, one of mine will be there unofficially to help."
Hunter narrowed his eyes. "Who is this 'help'?"
"His name is Commander Cody of the 212th," Master Kenobi stated, pulling up the file on the clone. Rylann vaguely remembered seeing him when the recruitment was happening on Kamino.
"A reg?" Wrecker asked, confusion and anger entering his voice. "We don't deal with regs."
"We'll have to, Wrecker," Rylann cut in, recalling how legendary Cody was in the clone gossip train. "That way we will have an even number of people in each position." Rylann stood up to get a closer look at the map. "I would like Wrecker and Tech to take the amphitheater and remain on look out for the Death Watch assassins, Hunter and Crosshair do the same on the streets, and that way you all can not work with a reg, leaving me and Commander Cody to deal with the sniper."
Kenobi cleared his throat. "Cody won't be able to make it into the building." Rylann furrowed her brows, gesturing for the older man to continue. Kenobi pinched his nose. "This is no abandoned building, but is, in fact, a very prominent community center. Whoever takes this one needs to go undercover as civilians and Cody's face is too recognizable as a clone."
"But we are clones, too," Wrecker grumbled, crossing his arms as he slouched back into his chair.
"But peculiar ones at that," Tech replied, frowning to himself. "Wrecker can't go with Rylann since his large stature would be too noticeable."
"I'll go—"
"I'll do it—"
Hunter and Crosshair glared at each other for a moment.
"I can sense the surroundings better," Hunter stated, narrowing his eyes at his brother.
"I know how snipers think," Crosshair countered, replacing his toothpick in his mouth. "And besides the community center is 'very prominent' which means busy and you'll get overstimulated."
"So is the street," Hunter grumbled under his breath.
Before Crosshair could reply, Rylann held her hand up. "I'll take Crosshair with me. I need Hunter to take things with Commander Cody." Hunter opened his mouth to retort, but she just shook her head. "Do you really think Cross could handle a reg better than you?"
Hunter paused before letting out a sigh. "Fine," he muttered as they exited hyperspace, the planet of Mandalore a silhouette in the distance. "You heard her, the plan is finished."