The Warrior

Chapter 3

    I woke when I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. I sprung to my feet and tackled whoever had touched my shoulder, my forearm slammed into the person's throat, effectively stunning them. I recoiled when I saw it was the jedi from earlier.

    I cursed my reactions and pulled him to his feet, apologizing. He sneered at me and slapped my comm in my hand.

    "Call your contact in the order. I want to know if you're really trustworthy," the man growled. I powered up the comm and found the contact I wanted. I pressed call and waited for them to pick up.

    The image of a little green man with a cane appeared. I bowed in respect before greeting the master.

    "Master Yoda, I do apologize for taking your time, but one of your Jedi thinks that I am a spy. I would be grateful if you could explain that I am not a spy and was just trying to gather my things," Yoda contemplated my words as the other Jedi fumed in the corner.

    "Trust him, you should, Skywalker. Raised him, a dear friend has. No harm, he means," Yoda said in his odd pattern before asking the Jedi dubbed Skywalker to release me from the brig and meet my needs.

    "Master Yoda, with all do respect, he snuck aboard my ship and caused a lot of trouble. Why are you defending him?" the Jedi looked pissed that Master Yoda had told him to be hospitable. Yoda was quick to reply.

    "Find out, you must. Understand, you will, Young Skywalker," Yoda cut the transmission and the Jedi turned to me with fire in his eyes. I didn't back down or flinch, I was used to people trying to intimidate me. I just sighed as he pushed past me into the hall.

    I ducked under the door frame and walked out into the hall. The soldiers on both sides of the door stood at attention, but I knew it wasn't for me, or for show. They were waiting for their general to leave their sight. Once he was gone, they relaxed, but they still were allert.

    I sighed and wandered off in the direction I assumed to be the bridge. After about fifteen minutes, I finally stumbled upon a person. It was the clone that I had pushed down earlier. I approached him from behind, leaning forward to not hit my head on the ceiling.

    "Amahi," I greeted as I appeared on his left. He jumped at my sudden presence.

    "No need to be afraid, clone trooper. I will not hurt you again," I could sense his unease as I moved to crouch beside him. He shifted from foot to foot, trying to avoid my gaze. I just laughed at his behavior.

    "What do you need?" He finally asked. I shook my head as I laughed again.

    "I would be grateful if you could show me to the bridge, although the hangar would be just as good," I mumbled the last part, hoping he didn't fully hear. He nodded and started to walk in the direction he had been going previously and I stood and followed.

    He walked down the winding corridors like he had done it thousands of times before, and he probably had. I couldn't help but wonder just how long the clone had been serving the obnoxious Jedi, and I hoped it hadn't been long.

    I was slapped out of my thoughts as he walked through a pair of automatic doors. I quickly followed and was met with the sight of a large room with control panels and windows lining the walls. There was a man standing at the front of the room, gazing out at the planet before him with his hands behind his back. He turned at our entrance and a confused expression crossed his face.

    I recognized the bars and medals on his chest, marking him an admiral. I continued to walk, even after the clone had stopped. I came to a stop a few feet in front of the admiral and offered a salute, which he returned without hesitation.

    "I do apologize for the interruption, Admiral, but I need to contact the surface as soon as possible. And I don't know about Republic cruisers, but the long distance transmitters are usually on the bridge," I explained my reason for being there and he nodded.

    "If I may ask, aren't you the man that was caught in the main hangar?" I felt my lips tighten as I remembered my stupidity.

    "Ah, yes. But everything has been cleared up and I would be grateful if you could let me contact my battalion so they A) don't shoot you out of the sky and B) don't think that I'm dead or that I've been kidnapped. Please and thank you," I let my irritation slip into my usually controlled voice, trying to prove my point. He sighed and led me to a long distance transmitter. He stood by, waiting for me to make my call, not wanting to leave me alone.

    I walked up to and bent over to put the right comm ID in and then I stepped back. The blue light that should have projected my apprentice instead remained a soft glow. I glanced at the admiral and he kept his stoic expression. I checked for any problem I could think of, but found nothing. The damn Seppies were jamming the signal.

    Now, I wasn't someone who would lose their temper easily, but now I could feel the anger that had built up over the past week from failed plans and a half-assed invasion followed by having to deal with the Jedi who clearly thought he was above everyone. I clenched my fists, trying to relieve some of the stress, but it didn't accomplish anything.

    I was shaking with rage by the time a clone is standard uniform ran up to the admiral and said that an unidentified cruiser was approaching the planet. I snapped my head to look at him and before I could stop myself, the words fell out of my mouth.

    "Is it a Jeju A-7 Cruiser class?" He looked confused at my question.

    "Can you see it from the bridge?" I asked with a monotone voice.

    "Yes, sir," I nodded and pushed past him and the admiral who I really didn't care for. I practically ran to the bridge, spotting the behemoth of a ship. My anger seemed to disappear as I saw the symbols its crew had painted on it. It was the Star Raider.