“You should be going away,” Ambase said.
“Really!” The offended droid hovered out at the room.
“Greetings, Master Ambase.”
“Greetings, Nuru Kungurama.”
“I just visited Master Kelpura. He is feeling much better. I hope you are, too?”
Ambase smiled. “Yes, much better. Thanks to you.”
Nuru shook his head. “I don’t deserve any special thanks, Master. After all, I did try to… well, kill you.”
“There were extenuating circumstances,” Ambase said, “such as the fact that I was trying to kill you at the time.” Ambase sighed. I take it that you’ve reviewed my report to the Jed Council.”
“Yes, Master.”
“I still don’t understand everything that happened. Why would Dooku go to such incredible effort to convince me that you were trying to steal the Chiss escape pod?”
“Unless Dooku tells us himself, there are a lot of things we may never know,” Nuru said.
“I was informed about the Clawdite and the three men with Black Sun tattoos. Was Republic Intelligence able to identify their bodies?”
“They’re still trying.”
Ambase frowned. “I wish I could help you reconstruct details, but… I still don’t remember leaving Kynachi or arriving at Dooku’s castle in the Bogden system.” Ambase closed his eyes. “How, Nuru? How could I have been so blind? How did I allow myself to be so… manipulated by Dooku?”
“I can only guess, but… perhaps because he was once your friend, part of you held some hope that you might trust him again.”
Ambase smiled again. “You’re wise beyond your years, young one.”
Nuru bowed politely. “How soon can you return to duty, Master?”
Ambase looked out the window. “I won’t be returning to duty.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I’m leaving the Jedi Order and returning to Kynachi.”
“But… why?”
Ambase looked back at Nuru, “Even though I don’t understand what Dooku and Ventress may have been up to, I can’t blame them entirely for what happened to me. I’ve reviewed your report, too, Nuru, about your meeting with the Chiss Aristocra at Bilbringi Depot. I didn’t mean to kill that girl when I returned fire to her ship. But I am responsible for taking her life.”
“Master, you didn’t know what you were—”
Ambase raised a hand to silence Nuru. “Nuru, forgive me, but this war has taken its toll on me. Despite all my training, I allowed myself to be misled, to lose direction. I gave in to fear and anger. I gave in… to the dark side.
“But the dark side didn’t take you, Master. You… you came back.”
Ambase smiled sadly. “Although my memory is foggy about various periods over the past few weeks, I remember every detail of our duel in the Dacho District. I don’t like admitting it, but I never felt so alive in my life.” He touched the bandage on his forehead. “If I hadn’t been wounded, I do believe I would have killed you.”
“But you didn’t. Master.”
“You don’t understand, Nuru. I was touched by the dark side of the Force. Part of me wanted to cut you down. That is no way for any Jedi to think.” Ambase shook his head. “The war is over for me. And so is my life as a Jedi. I have a brother on Kynachi. He has a farm. I hope to find peace there.”
“But—”
“And I hope your next Master is a better Jedi than I.”
Nuru was so astonished he didn’t know what to say. He turned and walked slowly to the doorway.
“May the Force be with you, Nuru Kungurama.”
Nuru glanced back to the man seated on the edge of the bunk. “May you find peace, Ring-Sol Ambase.”
Nuru felt dazed as he left Ambase’s room. Proceeding past the droid receptionist, he made his way to the nearest lift tube. The lift tube’s door slid open, and Nuru was surprised to see Breaker and Yoda standing inside.
“Good,” Yoda said. “Found you, we have. A meeting with you, Chancellor Palpatine has requested.”
“Ah, Nuru Kungurama,” Supreme Chancellor Palpatine said, smiling as he stepped away from the broad desk in his office in the Senate Office Building. “At last we meet in person.”
Standing beside Yoda and Breaker, Nuru bowed politely. Nuru casually surveyed the office Behind Palpatine’s desk, a wide window offered a sweeping view of the air traffic that moved in neat paths across Galactic City’s skyline. Although sunlight poured in through the window the office’s red-painted walls were so strangely dark that Nuru had to blink a few times to adjust his vision.
Palpatine came to a stop in front of Nuru and said, “I just wanted to thank you personally for everything you’ve done for the Republic.”
“You give me too much credit, Chancellor.” Nuru gestured to Breaker. “If not for the other members of Breakout Squad, I never would have survived the mission to Kynachi.”
“Ah, the modesty of a Jedi.” Palpatine smiled again. “I hope the Jedi Council appreciates your efforts. While I understand why the Council may have had misgivings about letting such a young Padawan lead a series of missions, I believe you accomplishments speak for themselves. I commend you and Breakout Squad.”
Yoda remained silent. Nuru said, “Thank you. Chancellor.”
Palpatine looked to Yoda. “Master Yoda, at this time in history, every Jedi capable of leading troops is a great asset to the Republic. And I think you’ll agree that if we’re to defeat the Separatists, we need all the help we can get. Nuru Kungurama and his squad have already proven most resourceful.”
Yoda narrowed his eyes as he glanced at Nuru and muttered, “Hrmm.”
Still facing Yoda, Palpatine said, “I would never ask you or the Council to consider allowing just any young Padawan to lead missions, but Nuru Kungurama is not just any young Padawan. Circumstances have given him invaluable experience, the very kind of experience we need to preserve the Republic.”
Before Yoda could respond, Nuru said, “I do appreciate your confidence in Breakout Squad, Chancellor, but I think you overestimate my abilities.”
Palpatine looked at Num. “You really are too modest. If you had the Council’s permission, you would continue to lead Breakout Squad, yes?”
“Yes, Chancellor.”
Returning his attention to Yoda, Palpatine said, “The Kynachi government requites military support to transport starship technology to our new facility at Bilbringi. Breakout Squad is familiar with the routes between those systems. Unless another Jedi is available to lead Breakout Squad, perhaps Nuru Kungurama could do this?”
Yoda frowned. “Discuss this with the Council, I will.”
“Thank you. Master Yoda,” Palpatine said. “I admit, I was reluctant to ask for your help in this matter, but these are extraordinary times, and we are at war.”
Yoda and Nuru bowed to Palpatine, then Breaker followed the two Jedi out of the office. After his visitors had left, Palpatine went through a door that led to a smaller meeting room. He looked to a high-backed chair, on which a girl was seated. The girl had blue skin, red eyes, and gleaming, black hair.
“I apologize for that interruption, Aristocra Sev’eere’nuruodo,” Palpatine said. “I appreciate your patience.”
“I cannot remain here much longer,”
Palpatine frowned. “But we have so much to discuss. If our governments are to form an alliance—”
“The Chiss Ascendancy is considering an alliance.”
“Yes, of course,” Palpatine said. “Might we at least finish what we were discussing? You said you suspected there might be a conspiracy to conquer the Galactic Republic?”
“I did.”
Keeping his eyes fixed on Veeren, Palpatine lowered his voice as he said, “You don’t really believe that, do you, Aristocra?”
Veeren blinked. “No. Not anymore.” She rose from her chair.
“Aristocra, before you leave, I hope you might enlighten me about something. The Jedi Council allowed me to rev
iew Nuru Kungurama’s report of his last sighting of you at Bilbringi. He remains under the impression that he saw your ship explode and that you were killed.”
“As I have already explained, an approaching ship fired at mine at Bilbringi. I deemed it necessary to leave no trace of my presence there. I detonated the outermost shell of my ship’s hull to distract the attacker, and at the same time made what you might call a micro-jump into hyperspace so no one could follow me.”
“So you told me, but what I don’t understand is… why do you wish for Nuru Kungurama to continue believing you are dead? And why trust me with that secret?”
“Because I have my reasons,” Veeren said. “At least for now.”
“If that is your wish, so be it. But when might you and I have another discussion about an alliance?”
“Perhaps after your Civil War is over. Now, I must return to the Chiss Ascendancy.”
Palpatine bowed deeply. “Until we meet again, Aristocra.” When he rose, he saw Aristocra Sev’eere’nuruodo was already walking straight for the door that led to the private lift tube that would deliver her to her waiting starship. She entered the lift tube, and the door hissed closed behind her.
Knuckles, Sharp, and a newly refurbished Cleaver were in the clone trooper barracks, their eyes riveted to a holovid report. The projection of the female Rodian reporter’s image vanished, but her voice continued to speak as her image was replaced by a group of Mandalorian guard examining an empty display cabinet
“But the Mandalorian government has reported the theft of a suit of Mandalorian armor from the Sundari Peace Museum three days ago, the same day a MandalMotors Pursuer-class enforcement ship went missing from the Sundari shipping docks. An investigation by Mandalorian authorities has determined that both the armor and ship were stolen by a Corellian bounty hunter named Ranno Task, whose remains were positively identified on Vaced one hour ago. In other HoloNet News…”
Knuckles switched off the holovid. “I guess that settles it.”
“What settles what?” Lalo Gunn said as she entered the barracks with Chatterbox. Chatterbox was wearing lightweight pants with a matching shirt that covered the bacta patches on his torso.
Knuckles said, “The Mandalorians had nothing to do with that guy we ran into on Vaced. Still, that guy was a tough fighter, huh, Sharp?”
Sharp rolled his eyes. “For the last time, Breaker… I’ve never been to Vaced. Or to Chiss space. Or tangled with the Black Hole Pirates. You keep confusing me with the Clawdite.”
“Well,” Knuckles said, “when you think about everything that happened, it is kind of confusing.”
“I’m not confused,” Cleaver said. “I knew there was something odd about that trooper. When he shot Overseer Umbrag, I realized he moved remarkably faster than clone troopers.”
Gunn said, “Chatterbox and I were almost certain there was something wrong with Sharp.” She looked at Sharp and added, “I meant the Clawdite. No offense.”
“None taken.”
Knuckles said, “Gunn, I still don’t get it. The Duros bounty hunter hired you to take us off Kynachi and also fly us to Vaced?”
“Yeah, and he paid pretty well, too. But after we started suspecting there was a saboteur on board the Harpy, I told Chatterbox about the Duros hiring me, and we decided to find out if the Duros had planted a saboteur.”
Knuckles glared at Chatterbox. “You couldn’t have let your pals in on this secret?”
Chatterbox shrugged.
Gunn continued, “We didn’t tell anyone else, Knucklehead, because we wanted to catch the saboteur, not scare him off. But all I found out from the Duros was that he sent Robonino to the Black Hole sector to infiltrate the McGrrrr Gang and prevent the pirates from harming anyone on the Harpy.”
“But why?” Knuckles said.
Gunn scowled. “Remind me to ask the Duros next time I see him. Anyway, when all of you were at Bilbringi Depot, Chatterbox also noticed Sharp — I mean the Clawdite — moved faster than any clone. Unfortunately, Chatterbox wasn’t able to tell you that before he got shot.”
Gizz lumbered into the barracks, carrying a large container “Hey, guys, I picked up some food for everybody.”
Suspicious, Knuckles said, “Where’d you get the food, Gizz?”
Gizz beamed as he placed the container on a table. “A waitress in Co-Co Town gave it to me. She said not to come back to her diner until after I took a bath. Lucky day! Who wants ribs?”
Before anyone could answer, Nuru and Breaker entered the barracks. Nuru smiled as he looked at his allies and said, “I’m glad to see you up and walking. Chatterbox. And, Cleaver, you’re looking much better, too.”
“Thank you, Commander Nuru,” Cleaver said. “How is Master Ambase?”
The question caught Nuru off guard, but he managed to respond, “He’s doing… well.”
Sharp said, “How did your meeting go with Palpatine?”
Breaker said, “The Chancellor wants Nuru to continue leading Breakout Squad.”
“That’s terrific!” Knuckles said. “Next time the Chancellor’s up for election, he’ll have my vote.”
Nuru said, “My future really is the Jedi Council’s decision. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens. Personally, I don’t expect—”
Nuru was interrupted by his own loudly chirping holocomm unit. He took the device from his belt, pressed a button, and a small hologram of Yoda appeared above his hand. “Yes, Master Yoda?”
“A mission for you and Breakout Squad, we have,” Yoda said. “A freighter, the Spice Siren, has gone missing in the Tatooine system. An act of piracy, we suspect.”
Nuru was surprised. He had not expected another mission so soon. He said, “Master Yoda, may I ask… is there a reason you want Breakout Squad for this assignment?”
“Carrying munitions for the Republic, the freighter was. A secret mission, this is. And experience with such missions, you have.”
“I understand. We’ll leave at once.”
“May the Force be with you, Commander Nuru.” Yoda’s hologram flickered out.
Knuckles said, “We’re back in action!”
“I’ll bring the ribs,” Gizz said.
Gunn said, “Where’s Chatterbox?”
A moment later, Chatterbox emerged wearing his armor and carrying a blaster rifle. He said, “Let’s go.”
THE END
Star Wars - The Clone Wars - Secret Missions #4 - Guardians of the Chiss Key Page 9
