Broke: A Clone Wars Tale - Volume 1 Chapter 243 Pike Syndicate

“What did you say?”

A Rodian cowered behind a table, looking at a Kel Dor. Behind the Kel Dor, A Twi’lek and several clone soldiers, with different armors, looked menacingly at him.

“T-The Pikes took him. Three days ago. A human boy. Some people tried to capture him, but he pushed them using… I don’t know what it was. It was supernatural, and not from this galaxy.”

“That was what we call the Force. And that young child is one of us. So, tell me where I can find the Pikes.”

Seeing the Kel Dor shift his brown robes to the side, the Rodian followed his hands, and gasped in surprise. Hanging on the man’s waist was a short metal stick. A lightsaber.

Stumbling backwards, the Rodian tripped on a chair and fell on the ground. Since all eyes on the bar were already on them, the noise didn’t bother anyone. They were all too worried about the fact that there was a Jedi in the same room as them. Jedis had powers no one understood, and were feared by most.

“Th-They have a base. On the west side of the city. Th-That is all I know. I promise.”

Scoffing at the Rodian, the Jedi and his companions turned around, and left the bar. Not five minutes after, two men walked up to the Rodian, who was still shivering. One of them murmured something on his ear, while the other stabbed him with a dagger.

A few people on the bar looked curiously when they heard the Rodian groaning in pain, but seeing who his assailants were, they quickly turned back to their drinks. The Jedis instilled fear in them, but not as much as the Pike Syndicate did.

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When he stepped out of the bar, Dageer glanced warily at the surroundings. Short buildings, covered in mold and black stains, and trash on the streets. Droids and several tall people, with light green skin – Falleen, natives of the planet – yelled, trying to sell all kinds of things.

The group, which consisted of two Jedis – General Plo Koon and General Secura – and twenty clones – Hell Squad and thirteen soldiers of the 327th – had landed on the capital of Falleen, and soon got the news that a child using the Force had been seen. The rumors led them to this bar, where they found the Rodian, who in turn told them everything.

Holding his DC-15A up to his torso, Dageer warded off several street vendors, and looked at General Plo Koon.

“The Pike Crime Syndicate, general. That is bad news.”

Slightly waving his hand, the Jedi made the people step back, and leave them. While glancing at a map of the city that General Secura showed him, he answered Dageer.

“They don’t know that the boy is part of the Jedi Order. As long as we ask, they will return him.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that, sir. The Pykes have a reputation of not respecting anyone.”

General Secura stopped, and turned around to look at Dageer.

“Cal Kestis is, still, a youngling. If those bandits don’t hand him over for good, we will take him by force.”

“Aayla is right, commander, although she is harsh. We Jedis might be keepers of the peace, but we won’t let anyone suffer in the hands of a crime family like the Pykes, even more a youngling.”

Dageer shrugged, and shut up. The Jedis were going to rescue the Force-sensitive child regardless of what he said. Commander Wolffe looked at him, a bit discontent that Dageer had questioned his general, but said nothing.

“Generals, should I call in for reinforcements? General Unduli and the 41st will arrive soon.”

“No time, Bly. We can’t let the young one stay on the hands of the Pyke Syndicate for long. What they can do to him could ruin his entire life, maybe even turn him to the dark side.”

Dark side. It wasn’t the first time Dageer heard those two words, and they were mainly associated with Ventress. Thinking back to General Di’s death, and Ragout’s expression that day, he couldn’t help but wonder what was the relationship between the ‘good’ side and the dark side. For him, it seemed just a difference between the color of their lightsabers and for which side they were fighting.

Shaking his head, he followed the Jedis. He was a clone and a soldier. His job was to fight and follow orders, not think.

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“Sir, a group of Republic sc.u.m is asking about the boy we captured yesterday. One rat told them where our base is.”

“Was he taken care of?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Bring the child here. I don’t want to mess with the Jedi Order, not when a war is happening. I will try to elude them. If this fails, then we will use the child as a bargaining chip.”

In a large hall, two shadows finished talking. One of them bowed to the other, and left. The one that remained stood quiet for a long time, lost in thought.

“Vahra, prepare the ship to leave. Jedis and clones in Falleen, it is not a good sign. The Clone Wars are finally arriving here. Put all our savings on it. We are moving.”

“What about our men?”

“Small fries. Leave them.”

A third figure, which had been hiding in the shadows, unnoticed, left the hall. The first person got up from his chair, and walked to a landing platform outside the building.

“Droid, come here.”

He put a hologram projector on a small spider-like droid. Soon, a red-haired human boy was brought, tied up, to him. The man locked the child and the droid together, and entered a ship that was sent to pick him up.

…

Half an hour later, the doors of the building were blasted apart, and several clones, holding their blasters up, invaded.

“Clear.”

“Clear.”

“Clear too. First floor is empty, commander.”

“I will take the second floor, Dageer you take the third. Nict, Blast, Forge, with me.”

“Understood.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

The moment they heard the voice, the troopers turned around, and aimed their blasters at the source. Of course, veterans like they were, several of them kept their eyes pry to any danger, in case the voice was a distraction.

Fortunately, it wasn’t. A droid approached them, and a human-sized hologram was on it. The clones, however, ignored the hologram for now, because there was a boy chained to the droid. Dageer instantly knew it had to be Cal Kestis.

“Tech, free him.”

The trooper quickly opened it, and helped the child up.

“All clear, generals.”

After receiving the sign from Commander Bly, General Secura and General Plo Koon walked into the building. Seeing the young and tired boy, both of them used the Force to move him towards them.

“Don’t worry, young Cal. We got you now. Everything is going to be okay.”

“M-Master Plo… Are we going to the Jedi Temple?”

“Hehe… Soon. Now, rest.”

General Plo Koon waved his hand in front of the child, and he quickly fell asleep. Holding him on his arms, General Plo Koon nodded at General Secura, and left the building, followed by Commander Wolffe and three troopers.

The Twi’lek Jedi watched their departure, then turned to face the hologram. It showed a small person, but with a huge, blood-red mask, adorned by several spikes. On his hands, he carried a scepter with a giant white crystal.

“Master Jedi. It is good to see you. I was hoping…”

“Who are you, and why did you capture a youngling of the Jedi Order?”