Star Wars The Clone Wars: Cuy'Val Dar#Wattys2016

Twenty-Four

Unknown Space, Unnamed Planet, 1300

Null awoke to find himself now alone on the planet. He was amazed to find himself alive, and half expected Bacsa to jump out and try to stab him or kill him, but no further attack came. The patch of land where Bacsa's ship had rested was now vacant and he bounty hunter gone. Null rubbed his head, which was throbbing badly. He laid back for a moment, but the rough rocks and gravel were not as comfortable as he would have liked and he eventually sat up, keeping his movements slow so as not to grow dizzy and pass out again. 

After he sat there for a moment with his head down, he regained his bearings some and stood up. He looked around, checking for the bounty hunter one more time, then looked down again as a wave of nausea hit him.

You're so stupid, he told himself. To think you could take Bacsa alone, you'd have to be stupid.

He shook his head and cursed at himself for being such a di'kut. That's all he was, a thick-skulled, thick-skinned, prideful di'kut, and if he didn't do something about that soon, he was going to end up dead along with the rest. Sighing, he glanced over and saw his ship was still there.

Thank goodness, he thought in relief. He'd already spent two years stranded out in the unknown regions, he'd rather not do that again.

Boarding the ship, he checked the engine room to make sure Bacsa hadn't damaged anything or grounded him. Everything was in working order, thankfully and he headed to the cockpit to start the engines up. The question still nagged him of why Bacsa would've left such a perfect chance to kill him, though, as he sat down in the pilot's seat and started up the engines, checking everything.

He could killed me while I was passed out, and then left me to be buried in the same soil as my brothers, he thought, frowning as he lifted the ship off the ground. Something about the fact Bacsa had left him alive bothered him.

As he got the ship into space he let his mind drift onto the subject and he tried to come up with reasons the bounty hunter might have left him alive, but for every one he also discovered a reason Bacsa should've killed him right then and there. Then he found a note on the ship's transmitter. It was a recording of a conversation. Bacsa's voice came over first and after a moment, it became clear he was talking to the man who had kidnapped the Senators—Galen. Null listened intently, wondering what this had to do with his still being alive. As the recording came to a close he heard Bacsa mention Mirage squadron.

Bacsa: "They are...well associated with a man whom I have been hired to kill. I promise you that I mean none of your men any harm, I simply wish to locate my target."

Galen: "Ah, but you're mistaken on one thing. I don't Mirage Squadron to go unharmed." His grin grew into a malicious smile. "I want to kill them all, myself."

Null heard Galen's last line and he started forward some. He had to go warn the squadron. Bacsa had left him alive because he planned to drag Mirage into this as well and then let Galen take care of them. Sarge had to know about this. Null's hand wavered over the hyperdrive lever, ready to pull it and jump to where the Vengeance was but he paused. He remembered his fight with Sarge earlier and wondered if going back now was such a good idea. What is Sarge charged him with treason, or wouldn't listen to him. Null bit his bottom lip and grabbed the hyperspace lever. He'd have to risk it. Mirage squadron needed to know that Galen Kyle was about to make them his next target.

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Myner, Ktill, 1300 hours

Sarge watched for the General's reaction after he explained to her the information he and Bogie had discovered. A droid factory was only a few miles away and in full production, however, Sarge and his men weren't sure whether or not the droids were tied to the same hive mind as those in the city.