Star Wars: From the Clone Wars to Starfaring Heroes

Chapter 112-113 - The Truth?

“General, your entrance… was indeed quite unique,” ​​Raine admitted, with a hint of barely perceptible sarcasm in his tone. “Grievous will either attribute it to ‘friendly fire’ or claim that he was aiming at the ‘Core Glory’ and didn’t pay any attention to the unfortunate ‘Jeffer-class’ Star Destroyer in the trajectory of the fire… I personally lean towards the latter.”

“It is indeed difficult to prove that he harbored clear malice.” Tann’s voice was devoid of emotion.

“General,” Ryan stopped in front of a heavy turbine elevator door and pressed the open button, “may I make a suggestion?”

He watched Tann walk into the elevator, then followed him in, the door sliding silently shut behind him.

The elevator vibrated slightly and began to descend: "Never face General Grievous alone. He is Count Dooku's puppet. I am certain he has received orders to eliminate you, and he is specially trained to hunt Jedi."

"Specializing in hunting Jedi?" Tann repeated, his crimson eyes turning to Renn.

Raine nodded vigorously, his expression grave: "Christophersis's battle report is very detailed. He personally killed at least three Jedi, and if the rumors are true, one of them was a member of the Jedi Council."

Tann's brows furrowed deeply, and deep lines appeared on his forehead. "I will consider your suggestion, Brigadier General."

The turbine elevator smoothly transported them to the starboard hangar.

The space here is quite cramped.

Most of the "Vulture" robotic fighters on this "Generosity-class" ship are mounted on external supports, and the hangar can only accommodate shuttles and landing craft.

For example, the Heathpide-class shuttle belonging to the Flame Messenger, with its unique tripod, is quietly parked in the center of the hangar.

Ryan's gaze swept across the hangar, and he barely recognized the girl whose arms were being tightly restrained by Xiaota.

Paris Orpheus has grown much taller, and the once childish features of her face have become more defined. Her hair is messy and hangs over her shoulders, making her look somewhat haggard.

The restraints on her wrists, gleaming with a cold light, were particularly glaring, and she stared blankly ahead.

However, as Xiaota slightly adjusted her posture because of their arrival, the girl's shoulders subconsciously straightened.

In that instant, Renn caught a fleeting emotion deep within her incongruous blue eyes.

It was a mixture of confusion, pain, and a certain indelible obsession.

He had only seen that look in one person's eyes before.

Severn Tann searched his memory and finally connected the figure with a nearly forgotten name.

Then, she also noticed the qualities that Raine had noticed in Baria, perhaps through a subtle sensing of the Force, because the deep red light in her eyes seemed to have dimmed and settled a bit.

“Baris Orpheus,” Ryan greeted her calmly, his voice sounding somewhat out of place in the empty hangar. “It’s been a long time. You did a good job on the mission.”

The tall robot responded with a deep hum, but did not loosen its grip on Paris's arms.

“Separatists…” the restrained Jedi Vallis suddenly spoke, her voice hoarse and trembling slightly. She gripped her arm tightly, her knuckles turning white. “Do you really want to end this war?”

Ryan instinctively wanted to give a standard diplomatic response, but as the words were about to come out, a thought flashed through his mind.

He glanced at General Tann beside him. This was a perfect opportunity, not to listen to his own clichés, but to hear how this key figure of the Confederacy would respond.

He deliberately took a small step back, relinquishing control to Tann.

After a brief silence filled only by the low rumble of engines, Tann spoke, his voice steady and clear: "...Ending the war has always been the Confederation's goal, Miss Orpheus, and that has never changed."

Baris's jaw muscles tensed instantly. She raised her head and looked directly at Tann: "The Jedi... have lost their way! The Republic we now serve has long since turned its back on the people it is supposed to serve! If... if you allow me to return to Coruscant, to the Jedi Temple, I will do everything in my power to reason with the Council..."

Raine's expression was as if he were wearing a cold mask as he turned to Tann: "General, what is your opinion?"

Tann scrutinized Barris's face, pondered for a moment, and then said, "I feel that her words come from the heart, there is no deception." She leaned forward slightly, an invisible pressure spreading out, "But I must ask you, Miss Orpheus, do you really believe that you alone can change the deeply entrenched Jedi Council?"

A flicker of doubt and uncertainty crossed Paris's young face, but soon, an almost stubborn determination returned to her eyes: "I will tell them everything I have seen and felt with my own eyes, and they will understand... they must understand!"

"And what about the Republic?" Tann continued to press, his tone steady yet penetrating.

“If…if we can persuade Master Yoda,” Baris’s voice held a glimmer of hope, “he…he will talk to the Speaker, and there is still hope for peace…”

A very soft, short sound came from Ryan's throat, carrying an uncontrollable mockery.

He quickly realized he had lost his composure.

Their gazes instantly focused on him, as if they were tangible objects.

“I admire your conviction, Miss Orpheus,” Ryan said dryly, trying to hide his momentary lapse in composure.

"But you think this is just a naive fantasy." Tann accurately caught his unspoken thoughts, raising an eyebrow slightly. "You seem to have something else to say?"

At that very moment, Renn was engaged in a fierce internal struggle.

Everything he knew.

Palpatine's conspiracy, the shadow of the dark side, the impending empire.

Is it appropriate to reveal everything now?
On the surface, this is undoubtedly a terrible idea.

However, a stronger thought overwhelmed everything.

Why did he initially strive so hard for status and power, even at the cost of getting involved in the Confederation?
In the brutal mire of war, he almost forgot about that core objective.

Standing on Severn Tann's side, wrestling with Dooku in the shadows, accumulating enough power to build a dam, just so that when the monstrous flood known as the "Empire" sweeps across the galaxy, there is a chance to resist.

The slight vibration of the communicator pulled him back to reality.

“Hal,” Rein pressed the communication button, his voice regaining the calm characteristic of a commander, “Once I return to the bridge, immediately connect to Commander Vinok’s communication channel, highest priority.”

"What do you know?" Paris suddenly raised her head and tried to struggle forward, but the cold mechanical arm of the small tower was like a steel hoop, instantly pulling her back to the spot.

She staggered, her voice rising with agitation, "What are you hiding?! What is that?!"

Ryan did not immediately answer Paris's question.

He turned to Tann, and their eyes met in the dim hangar lights.

Tann's deep red eyes seemed to see right through people's hearts. Raine forced himself to calm down and not avoid that inhuman gaze.

He took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind.

Then, with an almost ritualistic solemnity, he reached out and tore the Confederate emblem from the epaulettes on Barris's prison uniform.

Then, he opened his palm, took off the rank insignia that symbolized his status as a brigadier general from the collar of his uniform, and gently placed it in Paris's handcuffed, slightly trembling hand.

The cold metallic touch made the girl involuntarily flinch.

“As I just said, Miss Orpheus, I admire your conviction.” Ryan’s voice was deep and clear, each word like a hammer blow on a metal plate. “Come with me, let’s learn the truth… It’s never too late.”

(End of this chapter)