章節 272: Friend Or Foe?

In a dark cell, at the lower levels of the Coruscant Maximum Security Prison, a huge mon calamari suddenly knocked the cell's door. The member of the Coruscant Guard outside, knowing that he was mute, looked at two other clones, and, after warning his commanding officer, opened the door, his blaster ready, set to stun mode. The prisoners here were amongst the worst in the galaxy, so he could never be too careful.

However, the precautions weren't enough. The mon calamari seemed to disappear, and suddenly appear in front of him. A hand grabbed his head, and, with strength much bigger than his body seemed to have, the mon calamari lifted him, and threw him against the two other guards, knocking them out.

When the other guards, having received the alarm, came to contain him, they discovered the mon calamari hadn't tried to escape, but was sitting on top of one of the clones. The Coruscant Guard members, knowing he was dangerous, stunned him immediately, and brought him to an interrogation room.

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After a week, most of the clones wounded in the Third Battle Of Kamino were completely healed, and only those critically injured were still undergoing treatment. Whether or not they will survive, was still impossible to know. The Kaminoans were the best at their job, but there were some wounds not even them could cure.

Hell Squad, however, wasn't one of those clones. Even Metal's broken leg had recovered rapidly, and, although he was still using a cast and a crutch, he would only need a few more days to be back to his peak.

Dageer was currently sleeping, but when a trooper opened the door of Hell Squad's quarters, he instantly woke up, and reached for his weapons. When he realized there was no threat, he relaxed, and got up.

"What is it, soldier?"

"General Shaak Ti requested your presence, commander."

"All right. Dismissed."

"Yes, sir."

After the clone left, Dageer turned to Hell Squad, who had questioning gazes, and shrugged. He had no idea what the Jedi wanted.

Before putting on his armor, he took off the bandages on his shoulder, revealing two new, and slightly red, scars. Compared to the dozens of other scars in his body, it wasn't much. After making sure they wouldn't open, he put on his battered armor - which had a dozen new scratches on it - and went to meet the Jedi.

...

As he walked the corridors of Kamino, Dageer incited respect from the clones he met. He was a legendary figure amongst the Clone Army, and his status was equal to any commander, if not above them. Leader of Hell Squad, the best special unit the Republic had, a group of normal clones who had risen above ARC Troopers and clone commandos. The commander of the 303rd Attack Legion, which gave everything they had, including their lives, to protect Ryloth. The clone who was said to have fought Separatist leaders like Asajj Ventress and General Grievous, and survived.

At that moment, that famous person was heading to the center of Tipoca City, absentmindedly returning salutes. After the battle of last week, several of his closest brothers had died. It was always painful to lose a clone, but the truth was that he didn't know most of them. There were millions spread to the galaxy, and more were created every day. However, Dageer was acquainted with many of the older troopers, those who had been there since the start.

99 had been one of those. The clone was deformed, defective, and weak, but for Dageer, he had been as valuable as any of his brothers. 99 had died a hero, fighting for his home, but that didn't change the fact that he was dead.

Shaking his head, he entered a room, and found General Shaak Ti waiting for him in front of a hologram table. On it were Commander Fox, and a small Jedi Dageer had seen only once, but for whom he had the utmost respect.

"Fox, General Shaak Ti, General Piell."

"Uhmm... I have to say, Commander Dageer, I never thought I would see you in such position, considering the first time I saw you, you were just a soldier. Very good."

"Thank you, General Piell."

The small and pale Jedi was largely responsible for many of the decisions Dageer made. Not only had he saved his life, but also given Dageer something that, at the time, few clones had. A name.

"Gentlemen, should we move on to what brought us here?"

"Of course, Master Shaak Ti. Commander Fox, go ahead."

The leader of the Coruscant Guard, stern as always, nodded.

"Yesterday, a prisoner named Hiigi, who you are very familiar with, Dageer, got our attention. He did that by simulating an escape attempt, and broke a guard's neck on the process. As you know, Hiigi is a mute, for unknown reasons. However, we think he overheard someone talking about the Separatist leader General Grievous. He was very emphatic, and emotional when we finally arrived at the conclusion that it was Grievous he was 'talking' about."

Dageer nodded slowly. Hiigi was an old enemy. Dageer would have preferred to kill him long ago, but that was not the Jedi's way, and they ordered him to be captured.

"Unfortunately, we couldn't get anything else from him, no matter our... No matter what we did."

The two Jedis frowned when they saw Commander Fox hesitate. They were very clear about what the clone was talking about. The Republic was by no means as respectable and righteous as they tried to pass as, and the Jedi Order knew that, but there was little it could do.

Putting aside the daily schemes and intrigues in the Senate, it was easy to imagine how things worked in the darkness of the prisons, since they were in the hands of the politicians. And, one thing the Jedis had long realized, was that the genetic of the clones didn't make them do what was right, but what it was needed.

"I think I know what you want, generals, but I probably am not the best person to get Hiigi to talk. Every occasion I saw him, he tried to kill me. Hell Squad killed most of his men on Scarif, so he hates us."

"We understand that, commander. However, Hiigi showed such hatred against Grievous that we think he might be willing to reveal something. The fact that you know him could help."

Dageer wasn't sure about that plan of action, and he wasn't looking forward to being in the same room as Hiigi, but orders were orders, even if they were very subtle. Keeping a straight face, he put his hands behind his back, and nodded.

"Yes, sir."