Chapitre 135: Secret
Dageer wasn't the only one who found Bonde Lee's attitude weird. Onaconda Farr was also looking at the duros with sharp eyes.
"My dear Lee, is there something you want to tell us?"
"N-No... I... I am just..."
"Afraid? We all are. Maybe you should take a rest."
"Y-Yes... Thank you, Senator Farr."
The duros left the room quickly, all the while holding his hands near his chest, his feet dragging on the ground. Dageer intended to stop the man, but Senator Farr glared at him, stopping his actions.
As soon as Bonde Lee left, Dageer called Brain. This time, Onaconda Farr didn't oppose to his actions.
"I want a two-man escort with the senators at all times. And I want one of us with the Senator Bonde Lee. Keep an eye on him."
When he said us, Dageer wasn't talking about the clones in general, but Hell Squad. After giving his commands, Hell Squad's leader turned to the rodian.
"Senator, I need a good explanation, or I am arresting both you and Senator Lee."
"I want to talk with Master Ima-Gun Di."
Onaconda Farr didn't flinch, even under the threat of being arrested. His eyes stared straight at Dageer's, and for a moment the clone felt like he really should call General Di. Then he shook his head.
"The general ordered me to stay with you and the other senators. If you have anything you want to say, you can say it to me."
Senator Farr glanced at Dageer, then smiled. He approached Dageer, and took his hologram projector, without caring that the clone had almost aimed his blaster at him. Of course, Dageer would never do that unless he was ordered to, because as a senator, Onaconda Farr was much higher in the command chain than him.
Using the hologram projector, Senator Farr showed Dageer a path between two star systems.
"Sub-commander, that was the path our ship was supposed to take..."
Using his finger, he changed the path to another one, that followed the same line most of the time, but at the end diverged completely.
"And that was the path it actually took. Can you tell me what is wrong?"
Dageer didn't answer. The senator was clearly on the Republic side, but he was just too cunning. He remembered Dageer of the jedis, but without the crushing feeling that the Force provided them.
"Someone altered our route. Someone from the inside. If such person really did so, then I have reasons to believe he will try to contact the Separatist again."
Once more, Dageer kept his thoughts for himself, and let Senator Farr continue talking. The rodian didn't stop, as if he was already expecting Dageer to agree to everything he said.
"I believe you know what we should do if we catch him contacting the Separatist. I and the Senate are very much interested in knowing if and why a senator betrayed the Republic."
Senator Farr walked past Dageer, and left the prison area. For someone who was used to all the comforts of life, he had dealt with his short capture just fine.
Seeing the rodian disappear in the stairway, Dageer gave the prison one last look before talking in his comlink.
"Brain, change of plans. I want four men with every senator. You and Tech take turns with Senator Lee, and have Cell follow Senator Farr, without anyone noticing. I have reasons to believe he might be a target."
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Two weeks passed by, each day marked by a deadly battle after another. Many things had happened in those two weeks. The Galactic Marines had arrived, and one or two of their cruisers had forced their way through and landed on Mygeeto, and reinforced the 303rd. The Sincerity had taken severe damage, and was forced to leave the combat. The battle in space had entered a stalemate, and while the Separatist couldn't totally repel the Republic, the latter also couldn't break through the blockade.
Meanwhile, the troops on the ground, although reinforced by Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi and Commander Bacara, could at most enter a war of attrition with the droids. It was a battle fated to last, and the clone commanders knew very well that it could continue until the Clone Wars were over.
Being tied to the ground, the clones couldn't send the rescued senators away. So, Bonde Lee, Onaconda Farr and Terato were forced to follow the clone army wherever they went.
On those two weeks, Senator Lee hadn't tried to contact anyone, but each day he seemed more and more terrified. Dageer also received reports of Senator Farr talking with him several times, but when he or General Di questioned the senator, he said he still hadn't discovered anything.
But now Dageer hadn't the time to worry or ponder on that. He was in a precarious situation, caught between a rock and a hard place. The city that the clones were currently holding was attacked, and they were forced to retreat. On the confusion, Hell Squad and thirty-odd clones were left behind.
Well, it wasn't totally accurate to say that they were left behind. Their path of retreat was cut off by a bunch of clanckers, but if they could force their way through, Commander Keeli had some men waiting for them. Situations like that were the ones on which Hell Squad was most proficient.
"Watch south!"
Peeking from behind a house, Dageer heard the soldier's warning, and crouched just in time to dodge the lasers fired by two B1 battle droids. From the same position, he returned fire, and took out the droids.
Urban combat was very favorable to the clones. Clanckers weren't good at dodging or hiding, but at firing without stop. On an open field, the Separatist had the absolute advantage, but inside a city, Dageer was confident to force his way out.
"Sir, destroyers, two hundred meters south!"
Amongst the men that Dageer had with him were Berro and Shield, and the first had just spotted three Droidekas at the far end of the street.
"Lieutenant, we don't have time for this! Deal with it quickly!"
The lieutenant grabbed an RPS-6 - a bazooka - from his back, knelt to get more stability, and fired the rocket. The blue ball of destruction struck the destroyers right on the middle of their group, and exploded. Their energy shields could protect them from most types of lasers, but not from a ball of fire like the one that engulfed them.
Lieutenant Shield dropped the RPS-6. Usually, a powerful and expensive weapon like that wouldn't be used to deal with mere Droidekas, but the clones were running out of time.
"Keep going!"
// Author's Note //
Well guys, here I am again, after a two weeks vacation. If any of you want to know, it was amazing. But that is not what I am here to talk about.
I know I have used a lot of excuses for not updating (all of them true, but I might have been able to publish if I was a little more persistent), but this is the last one.
I knew this moment would arrive eventually, and I am not happy it is now, but I can't promise a consistent release schedule anymore. I've been studying a lot, and I have to focus on it even more now.
I know many of you will be angry, and maybe even stop reading my novel, but I ask you to at least leave it in your library. I will update when I can, and I won't rush it, because I want to guarantee the quality.
Before anyone leaves a stupid comment of sorts, I want you to remember the synopsis, because I said there that Broke: A Clone Wars Tale was a project I couldn't guarantee stable releases.
Just to finish my note, I want you all to know I really do appreciate your support, and that the novel won't stop. Please, give it a chance and leave it in your library.
May the Force be with you.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone