Star Wars - The Clone Wars - Secret Missions #4 - Guardians of the Chiss Key

by Ryder Windham

  Fisto shook his tentacled head. “You’ll have to ask Kelpura.”

  The trooper that Breakout Squad thought was Sharp wore his helmet as he left the Suwantek freighter. He did not go straight to the clone medics who were with Chatterbox in the Republic cruiser. Instead, he walked across the docking bay, passing members of Kit Fisto’s platoon, and went through a hatch that led to a shadowy corridor where he knew he would have at least a few minutes of privacy.

  The holocomm unit that he removed from his utility belt appeared to be a standard military issue device, but it had been modified for long-range encrypted transmissions across space. As he held the holocomm in one hand and tapped the small data keys with his thumb, he used his other hand to remove his helmet, revealing the strong features of a clone soldier.

  He glanced up and down the corridor to make sure no one was approaching and then exhaled. The color of his flesh shifted to a grayish green. He blinked his eyes, and they changed from brown to yellow, from human to reptilian — revealing his true form as a shape-shifting Clawdite.

  The holocomm projected a flickering light that transformed into a hologram, a three-dimensional image of a woman’s head. She was bald with ghastly white skin and pale blue eyes. The Clawdite had no difficulty recognizing the assassin Asajj Ventress.

  Ventress said, “You should have reported to me hours ago.”

  “I don’t have much time,” said the Clawdite. “Things went wrong on Vaced. Lalo Gunn’s ship crashed. A Mandalorian assassin and Black Sun were involved.”

  “What?!”

  “Now I’m with Breakout Squad at Bilbringi Depot.”

  Bilbringi?! Ventress suddenly recalled her recent meeting with the Duros bounty hunter on the moon Bogg 5. The bounty hunter had delivered two stasis pods that contained the unconscious forms of the Jedi Ring-Sol Ambase and a single clone trooper.

  Dooku had instructed her to send the Duros bounty hunter to Bilbringi, and she knew Breakout Squad’s arrival to Bilbringi could not be a coincidence. She said, “Why did you go to Bilbringi?”

  “We’ve… I mean they’ve captured Overseer Umbrag,” the Clawdite said breathlessly. “A Republic cruiser just arrived with a platoon of troopers, and…” Glancing back up the corridor to make sure he was still alone, he continued, “You have to get me out of here. Breakout Squad almost made me give blood for a wounded clone. I pretended I was sick, but they must be getting suspicious. It’s only a matter or time before—”

  “Enough!” Ventress snapped. “Stay with Breakout Squad. I will contact you in one hour with new orders.”

  “New orders? But… but I’ve already done everything you asked!”

  “And you’ll keep doing what I tell you, shape-shifter, or our deal is off.”

  “Wait! I don’t even know where I’ll be in one hour! You can’t expect me to—”

  The hologram flickered and died. The Clawdite stared at the empty air for a moment, then returned the holocomm to his belt and put his helmet back on. As he walked back to the docking bay and headed for the Republic cruiser, he tried to control his breathing and remain calm.

  The clone troupers who were stationed outside the cruiser did not take any special notice of the armored Clawdite as he approached. The Clawdite said, “I’m Sharp, with Breakout Squad. I’d like to check in with the medics to see how my friend Chatterbox is doing. Permission to come aboard?”

  “Permission granted, and we hope your brother pulls through.”

  “Thanks.” The Clawdite stepped up into the cruiser and moved down a narrow corridor until he reached the infirmary, where a trooper directed him to a trauma room. The Clawdite looked through a window to see a team of clone medics and a multilimbed medical assistant droid operating on Chatterbox, who was lying on a med pad. A transparent breath mask covered Chatterbox’s nose and mouth, and his eyes were closed.

  One of the medics noticed the trooper standing on the other side of the window. The medic stepped out of the room, gave a quick study of the trooper’s armor then extended his right hand and said, “I’m Quills. You’re with Breakout Squad?”

  The Clawdite shook the medic’s hand. “Sharp.”

  “Glad to know you, Sharp. No need to wear your helmet in here,”

  The Clawdite winced as he rapidly adjusted his facial muscles and pigmentation to transform his features. When he removed his helmet, his head was almost identical to the medic’s. He gestured to the window and said, “How’s my friend?”

  “We’ve got him stabilized. Chatterbox is a tough one, he is. If I were a betting man, I’d wager he’ll live. I’d like to get him into a recovery facility on Coruscant as soon as possible. When we get back, we’ll put him in our best place.”

  “Well, I… I’d better go tell my squad.” The Clawdite turned and went to the infirmary’s exit, taking his helmet with him, and returned to the docking bay floor.

  “Hey, Sharp!” Breaker called out.

  The Clawdite jumped slightly as he turned to see Breaker and Nuru Kungurama approaching. Nuru said, “You saw the medics?”

  The Clawdite nodded. “Chatterbox is stabilized, but he’s unconscious. A medic named Quills said he’ll live, but… he doesn’t look good.”

  Breaker lifted his gaze to the docking bay’s ceiling. Then he closed his eyes, lowered his head, and muttered, “This awful war.”

  “We’ll hope for the best,” Nuru said. “How are you feeling. Sharp?”

  “I’m fine. Commander,” the Clawdite said. “I don’t know why I got queasy earlier, but it passed.”

  “You look pale.”

  “I’m fine. Really fine.”

  “Good,” Nuru said “We have new orders. We’re taking Commissioner Sommilor, his pilots, and Overseer Umbrag in the Suwantek freighter to Coruscant while General Fisto’s team finishes securing the depot.”

  The Clawdite said, “I hope General Fisto won’t take long. Quills said Chatterbox should go to a medical facility on Corusсant as soon as possible.”

  Breaker said, “Well if Chatterbox is stabilized, maybe Quills could return with us?”

  Nuru said, “I’ll check with Quills and General Fisto. I’m sure we all want what’s best for Chatterbox.”

  “Indeed, sir,” said the Clawdite.

  Quills helped Breaker and Cleaver transfer Chatterbox and the necessary medical equipment from the Republic cruiser to the Suwantek freighter and placed Chatterbox in the freighter’s passenger quarters. Quills also confirmed that the Kynachi pilots Pikkson and Sunmantle were fit for duty. While the pilots went to the cockpit and Breakout Squad prepared for liftoff, Gizz stayed posted outside the chamber that held Overseer Umbrag.

  Minutes later, when the freighter lifted off and moved out of the docking bay, it carried one young Jedi, two active clone troopers, one unconscious clone trooper, one clone medic, one reprogrammed droid commando, one malodorous humanoid giant, one diplomat, two pilots from Kynachi, one Skakoan prisoner, three dead men who bore Black Sun tattoos, and one increasingly anxious Clawdite shape-shifter disguised as a clone trooper.

  But by the time the freighter reached Coruscant, the men with the Black Sun tattoos would not be the only dead passengers.

  Still hiding in the asteroid belt in the Bilbringi system, Ring-Sol Ambase and the actual clone trooper named Sharp sat inside the Corona-class transport and watched the departing Suwantek freighter’s thrusters grow bright. Ambase leaned forward in his seat as the freighter transformed into a streak of light that almost immediately vanished in the distance.

  Ambase slumped back from the cockpit’s window. “Nuru Kungurama was on that freighter.”

  Sharp cocked his head and said, “Judging from the trajectory of their jump, they’re taking the Namadii Corridor, the course that leads to Palanhi.”

  “And Coruscant.”

  Sharp looked at Ambase and said, “Do you want to wait for the Republic cruiser to leave the depot before we proceed?”

  Ambase was still pondering that question when a bur
st of static sounded unexpectedly from the comm console. Ambase glanced at Sharp and said, “It’s working?”

  Sharp examined a datascreen and said, “Yes, General. And we’re picking up an encrypted holocomm transmission. It’s coming from… the Bogden system.”

  Dooku? Ambase leaned over beside Sharp to face the comm console and said, “The Republic cruiser won’t detect the transmission?”

  “No, sir. They’ll only read static.”

  “Then let’s see it.”

  Sharp pressed a control button, and a hologram of Dooku materialized over the console. Dooku said, “Ring-Sol! Are you all right?”

  Ambase considered whether to respond, then said, “I’m doing better.”

  “When I realized you and the trooper were missing during the attack on my retreat, I feared the worst. But then I learned a freighter had left my landing pad, and I’ve been trying to locate you ever since. I’m relieved to know you survived.”

  Sharp muttered, “I’ll bet he is.”

  Ambase discreetly raised one finger to signal Sharp to remain silent. Keeping his eyes on Dooku’s hologram, he said, “We didn’t know what happened to you, either. How did you find us?”

  “There’s a tracking device on the freighter,” Dooku said. “After all, the ship was my property. Now, I must say, I didn’t expect you’d travel to the Bilbringi system. Did you go there just to find out whether I was telling the truth about Nuru Kungurama taking over the depot?”

  “Why else?” Ambase said tersely.

  “What did you learn?”

  Ambase stared hard at the hologram.

  “I see,” Dooku said. “You found out I was right. I’m sorry your Padawan has taken the dark path. But it’s best that you know the truth, that you’re prepared, especially after the news from Coruscant.”

  Ambase stiffened. “What news?”

  “A Jedi scholar, Harro Kelpura, has been studying an unusual spacecraft and claims he has successfully deciphered extensive data about the civilization that produced the craft. Most of the data is related to the military offensive and defensive systems.”

  “And you’re relaying this information because…?”

  “Because the spacecraft is the escape pod that we found in the Unknown Regions eleven years ago.”

  Looking skeptical, Ambase said, “You expect me to believe you have classified information from the Jedi Archives?”

  Dooku shook his head. “No, Ring-Sol. I don’t expect you to believe anything I say. If finding Nuru Kungurama on Bilbringi didn’t convince you of my sincerity, nothing I say ever will. However, you might be interested in the fact that Harro Kelpura has moved the escape pod from the Archives to an abandoned manufacturing facility at Coruscant’s Dacho District for testing purposes. Furthermore, I’ve learned that someone intends to steal the pod.”

  Ambase knew the Jedi scholar Harro Kelpura well and struggled to maintain an impassive expression as he eyed Dooku’s hologram. He said, “I won’t bother questioning whether you’re telling the truth. But I do question your motives for telling me anything at all.”

  “Why?”

  “Because if anyone were scheming to steal an alien vessel containing data that might be used against enemies, my first suspect would be the leader of the Confederacy. Hence, I wonder why you’d warn any Jedi in advance.”

  Dooku sighed. “I didn’t notify just any Jedi, old friend. I contacted you.”

  Surprised, Ambase said, “You mean... you don’t want the pod for the Confederacy?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Then what do you want?”

  “When you and I discovered the Chiss escape pod, I said that it might be used as a key to another realm of space. While some might try to use such a key in good faith and with noble ambitions, the fact is that some alien civilizations are not eager to meet outsiders. Sometimes, a key can unlock the unexpected, and afterward, it’s too late to lock things up again.”

  “You believe the Chiss are a threat?”

  “Ring-Sol, the key itself is a threat. We know practically nothing about the Chiss. Therefore, we must allow the possibility that their military strength is greater than the Republic and the Confederacy combined. Can you imagine how using the escape pod’s data might cause a confrontation with the Chiss? A confrontation that not only escalates war across the galaxy, but far beyond the Outer Rim? I can imagine that possibility, and I won’t have that blood on my hands. It would be best for all if the pod were sent straight into Coruscant’s sun.”

  Ambase shook his head. “I still don’t know why you’re telling me all this.”

  “Because you and I found the pod and brought it to Coruscant. Although we were only briefly its guardians, we remain responsible for our actions. Now, the key to Chiss space is about to fall into the hands of an opportunist. We can’t let that happen.”

  “Do you know who’s planning to steal it?”

  “Yes,” Dooku said. “Nuru Kungurama.”

  “Nuru?!”

  “A reliable informant told me Nuru has already established contact with the Chiss, that he recently met with a Chiss ambassador at Bilbringi Depot, I wouldn’t be surprised if he has formed an alliance with the Chiss, an alliance that will serve the Sith Lords.”

  Ambase thought of the rage he had sensed from Nuru when the unidentified starship exploded as it was leaving Bilbringi Depot and wondered again if the ship had been a Chiss vessel. He looked at Sharp and could tell from the clone trooper’s grim expression that he didn’t trust Dooku.

  Sharp said, “It’s your call, General.”

  Ambase returned his gaze to Dooku’s hologram and said quickly, “The abandoned facility where Harro Kelpura moved the escape pod… where is it?”

  Hearing the urgency in the Jedi’s voice, Dooku had no doubt that Ambase would soon be heading for Coruscant.

  Asajj Ventress scowled as her steered her Fanblade starfighter down through the rainy atmosphere of Kohlma, a moon in the Bogden system. She was not looking forward to her meeting with Count Dooku.

  She brought her Fanblade down on the landing pad beside Dooku’s castle, a dark, spired structure that appeared to grow from the upper run of a high mountain. She could see no evidence of the mock bombardment that had been engineered to encourage Ring-Sol Ambase and the clone trooper named Sharp to leave in a Kuat transport. She climbed out of her starfighter, walked fast toward the castle, and was already drenched when she saw Dooku waiting for her outside the castle’s entrance.

  A disc-shaped repulsorlift device hovered above Dooku’s head and emitted a thin energy shield that prevented the rain from reaching his body. Holding his hands behind his back, Dooku said, “Your report.”

  “Lalo Gunn’s ship crashed on Vaced,” Ventress rasped. “The Clawdite went with Breakout Squad to Bilbringi Depot, where they captured Overseer Umbrag. And then a Republic cruiser arrived at Bilbringi with a platoon of clone troopers. I suspect he has gone insane. He was babbling about Mandalorians and Black Sun.”

  Stepping away from the castle’s entrance, Dooku began walking slowly around Ventress. “These developments are most unfortunate. I invested a great deal of time and money into securing Bilbringi Depot so it could be transformed into a shipyard for the Separatist fleet.” Stopping beside Ventress, Dooku added, “You know how I deal with failure.”

  Ventress spun to face Dooku and snapped, “But you told me to hire the Clawdite for this assignment and to send the Duros bounty hunter to Bilbringi. If they failed to—”

  Dooku silenced Ventress with his penetrating gaze. “I’m not interested in excuses. I want results.”

  Ventress lowered her head. “I do everything you ask, Master. Everything. But I don’t understand why you involved the Clawdite or the Duros. If you had allowed me to capture Nuru Kungurama on Kynachi, I could have—”

  “Did you instruct the Clawdite to remain with Breakout Squad?”

  “Yes, Master.”

  “Then leave now,” Dooku interrupted. “I w
ill contact you when I have a need for your limited services.”

  Without another word, Ventress returned to her starfighter. After her fighter lifted off and vanished into the sky, Dooku walked back into his castle. Leaving his personal rain-deflector hovering near the doorway, he proceeded to his communications room and opened a transmission to the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.

  A hologram of Darth Sidious’s hooded visage materialized in the air above Dooku’s comm console. Only the lower half of Sidious’s face was visible as his eyes were lost within the shadows of his cowl. Dooku bowed and said, “My Master.”

  Addressing Dooku by his Sith Lord name, Sidious replied, “Lord Tyranus. You spoke with Ring-Sol Ambase?”

  “Yes. He is on his way to Coruscant.”

  “Excellent. And what of Ventress?”

  “She has reported that Breakout Squad captured Overseer Umbrag and seized Bilbringi Depot. When this news reaches the Hutt Cartel, they will no doubt contact the Galactic Senate to dispute the Republic’s takeover of Drixo the Hutt’s property.”

  “I shall deal with the Hutts,” Sidious said, his mouth twisting into a sneering smile. “I trust Ventress remains ignorant of our schemes.”

  “Completely. She has no idea that I arranged for Black Sun to capture and impersonate Commissioner Sommilor and his pilots or that I contracted the Mandalorian Death Watch to assassinate the men from Kynachi. Beyond her anger, I sensed only her confusion. She actually believes I’m disappointed about losing Kynachi and Bilbringi to the Republic.”

  Sidious’s lips twitched, and his smile vanished. “Ventress also believes she may become your apprentice. If you only manipulate her to fail, she will rise against you sooner than later. She will disobey your orders and try to make you fail. Do not allow her to become a liability.”

  “I will be mindful, my Master.” Dooku replied. “Should we be concerned about Overseer Umbrag?”

  “Umbrag has outlived his usefulness. Is the Clawdite spy still traveling with Breakout Squad?”

  “Yes.”

  “Has Ventress instruct the Clawdite to dispose of Umbrag.”