บท 260: Hope
"That is impossible! Grievous is dead!"
Dageer looked almost furious at the poor trooper as he yelled, shocking every person in the command bridge. Commander Cody and Captain Rex both stepped forward, and put a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down.
"Evidently not, commander. Why do you say that is impossible?"
It was General Gallia, who didn't know Dageer before, who asked the question. It took a long while for Dageer to answer, because his mind was full of questions. If General Grievous had somehow survived the explosion of the destroyer over Falleen, then maybe...
"Dageer? Answer Master Gallia, please."
"I... Six months ago, in the Battle Of Falleen, Hell Squad boarded the capital ship of the seppies, a Recusant-class Destroyer. Our mission was to blow it up, giving the Republic the chance to maintain control over the planet. We were too late. By the time the energy cells were nearing the critical point, our fleet was long gone, and Hell Squad stayed behind."
"I remember that. You disobeyed your orders, didn't you, commander?"
"Yes, general. Under my lead, Hell Squad decided to stay, instead of leaving as General Secura ordered. We were too deep inside the ship, and we would never make it, so we didn't bother trying. The clancker, Grievous, was on the ship. When we reached the escape pods, he was already onto us. He nearly killed Three-four and Dab."
Dageer took a deep breath, and organized his thoughts. He never should have let his emotions take over, be he had been to shocked by the news that General Grievous was still alive.
"And?"
"Hell Squad entered the escape pods, and left the ship. We were forced to leave a man behind. Generals, I watched that destroyer blow up with my own eyes. No other pods left it. There is no way Grievous could have survived."
The Jedis exchanged glances in silence for a moment, before General Kenobi, who had gone up against General Grievous more than once, turned to Dageer.
"Grievous is slippery. I don't know how he might have survived, but he did, and he has a Jedi as a prisoner. We have to rescue Master Koth. Luminara and Ki-Adi will take Poggle to Coruscant, while us three will go after Grievous."
"Hell Squad requesting permission to tag along, general."
General Kenobi looked at Dageer pensively for a long, long while before answering.
"Dageer, I know what you are thinking. However, Grievous surviving doesn't mean your man did. I doubt the Separatist would be merciful to someone who blew up one of their most expensive ships."
"I've known Brain since we were cadets, general. If someone could have survived that explosion, that someone is him."
"With all due respect, generals, but I think we should take Hell Squad. Clones don't leave a brother behind. If there is any chance that Brain is still alive, we have to help him."
Captain Rex stepped forward, and looked at the Jedis straight in the eyes. Although he thought the chances of finding Brain alive were slim, he still felt it was worth a shot. Any clone would do the same for him, and he would do the same for any clone.
General Skywalker glared at Captain Rex, and then at Dageer, before nodding.
"Okay. However, Dageer, you must be prepared to accept the truth, whatever it is."
"I see my brothers die every day, general. If Brain is alive, we will find him. If he isn't... He went out a true soldier."
----------------------------
Two days later, the Jedi Council received a transmission from the Separatist. The hologram was recorded, and showed General Grievous stepping on General Koth.
"Greetings, Jedi. It would appear that, once again, one of your Order's has lost it's way. And, even better, a puny member of the Jedi Council. Listen to me, Jedi. I do not care about your politics. I do not care about your Republic. I only live... To see you die!"
An IG-100 MagnaGuard stepped forward, and hit the fallen Jedi with his electrostaff, making General Koth scream in pain.
"But death won't come so easily for Master Koth. I will make him suffer, because I know it is more painful for you all. Kakakakaka... Cough... Cough!"
Dageer stood behind Ragout, so he wouldn't appear in the projection. There were over ten holograms around the table, each showing a Jedi, since they were scattered around the galaxy, each fighting their own battle. At the moment, Ragout and Hell Squad were in the 501st fleet, above Coruscant. General Skywalker was on the planet below, at the Jedi Temple.
The clone could see the pain and despise in the faces around the hologram table. General Grievous might be a sadistic bastard, but he was right. The best way to make a Jedi fell despair wasn't to kill and torture him or her, but those close to them. Dageer was sure not even a Jedi would be able to go through the Separatist torture methods with losing their minds.
It was at that moment that Commander Wolffe, under General Plo Koon, appeared in the hologram, and said something to the Jedi.
"Commander Wolffe has found a message in the holo transmission. Play it back."
The transmission was replayed, and they soon found the hidden message. General Koth made several small, almost unnoticeable, hand signals, which had been missed before. While General Kenobi was translating, Dageer had already deciphered the meaning. After all, he and his men used such signals every time they needed to do something quietly.
General Grievous was in the Seleucami System. A nearly deserted system, with just a few colonizers from several different planets. It was a perfect base of operations for a wildcard like General Grievous.
"Decided it is. Master Kenobi, young Skywalker, and Master Gallia, to Seleucami System, go you must. Find Grievous, and an end to his cruelty, put."
The three chosen Jedis nodded, and left to make the necessary preparations. General Grievous was sure to have an entire army by his side, so even with their three legions, they weren't sure it would be enough.
"Master Yoda, I would like to go too. Master Koth is a good friend."
The green Jedi frowned, before shaking his head.
"Uhmm... When a youngling, you were, train you Eeth did?"
Ragout nodded.
"Let you go, I can't. Anger, I feel. A better job, I have."
The Jedi looked as if he wanted to complain, but he realized that Master Yoda was right. He was angry at General Grievous, and the first thing he learned when he was a youngling, was that anger led to darker emotions.
"Sorry, Master Yoda. I understand. What do you want me to do?"
"Uhmm... Good, good indeed. Control your emotions, a Jedi way is. Taught you well, Master Di did. To show those lessons you learned, and pass to the young ones, I trust. To Ilum, take the younglings, you will. Time for them to became padawans, has come."
Ragout nodded. It was a very important assignment, one that even many more experienced Jedis didn't have the opportunity to do. That showed that General Yoda trusted him.
"I will do my best, master."
"You will."
The transmission was ended, and the holograms around the table disappeared one by one.
"I will have to go to Coruscant, Dageer. Hell Squad will probably go on this mission to Seleucami. I can't be with you, but I do hope you find Brain, alive and well."
"Thanks, general."
"And remember: no matter what happens, don't let rage consume you."
-------------------------
"He controlled his emotions well. He will be a great master, one day."
"A lot of Ima-Gun Di, he has in him. A lot from him, this war took. But a lot, it also gave. Soon, time for him to become the master, it will."
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Reis123
Reis123 Hello guys! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and, as always, may the Force be with you!
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