Star Wars: From the Clone Wars to Starfaring Heroes

Chapter 282, Section 284 - Warning!

There was no proper meeting area on the Intruder.

The space beneath the bridge module was mostly occupied by a huge ammunition magazine, while the superstructure was compressed to its limit, barely filling the engineering staff quarters necessary to keep this over-designed warship running.

Since they couldn't host the Jedi Masters in the mess hall or on the command bridge, Raine had to settle for a slightly larger empty cabin.

There was a metal table inside, but no bedding could be found.

Rein wanted to make a good impression on this woman who could potentially change the course of the battle in Sereno, so he had to come up with a plan on the fly.

The most valuable piece of fabric on the entire "Intruder" was Ryan's purple Ondron silk cloak.

Now that he no longer needs to curry favor with his superiors as he used to, he might as well put this idle piece of silk to a practical use.

Renn glanced down at his feet; the LEP service robot was looking up at him.

This little guy is always so mysterious.

Hearing the door slide open, Ryan immediately stood up straight.

"Welcome, welcome! Please come in and have a seat."

Master Luminara sat down gracefully, while the clone commander beside her remained standing.

What's his name?

He couldn't remember for a moment.

“I am General Ryan Bontry,” Ryan introduced himself fluently, “but the title of ‘General’ is a recent addition.”

“I am Jedi Master Luminara Unduri,” the Jedi Master replied calmly, tilting his head slightly to indicate, “This is my clone commander, Gerry. Gerry, please remove your helmet.”

The clone soldier removed his green-painted helmet, revealing a face that... was the standard appearance of a clone, except that he had two striking reddish-brown stripes on his head, unlike most clone soldiers who had short black hair.

This guy seems to have more personality than his brothers.

"Nice to meet you." Renn waved casually. "Sorry, there's nothing here to offer..."

"May I ask how you survived in Lundelli?" Master Luminara leaned forward slightly, her eyes filled with inquiry. "The entire Republic thought you were dead. Is Carly Trier still alive?"

“It was all luck,” Ryan answered truthfully, the nightmarish battle still frequently replaying in his dreams. “And there were some particularly capable robots who helped, as for Carly… you probably know more about that than I do.”

“The HoloNet reports that she was killed in action,” Luminara said, pursing her lips slightly. “But then again, they also claim that you were killed in action… You know, the battle at Lundli was too chaotic, especially the final cleanup.”

“You’ve piqued my curiosity,” Ryan said, narrowing his eyes. “Could you tell me more about it? Of course, if you’d like.”

“The relationship between the Jedi and the Navy has always been delicate, as you know,” Master Luminara explained. “It’s best not to say too much about the prisoners of war captured by the Home Fleet. Admiral Honor Salima had ordered the capture of prisoners, but Carly Trir’s frenzied raid disrupted the Home Fleet’s communications, and sporadic fighting continued for hours after the battle ended. At least that’s what the official reports say.”

In other words, those who unfortunately fell into the hands of the home fleet crew were likely to be executed on the spot.

Renn could imagine that scene.

The pent-up frustration, anger, and resentment exploded instantly. Although the Battle of Dilly was not large in scale, it was one of the bloodiest and most chaotic battles of the entire war, largely due to the 19th Mobile Fleet.

Who would stop those bloodthirsty gunners from blowing up the escape pods?

The hangar crew claimed that the prisoners of war resisted arrest and that they killed them in "self-defense," but who would bother to investigate that further?

They are seeking revenge.

Who will stand up and condemn them?
Who would try to stop it?

Could they be their comrades who have already sacrificed their lives?
“However…” Master Luminara continued, “Obi-Wan Kenobi’s open-circuit fleet did capture some prisoners of war, though not many. I have reliable information that the Jedi High Council provided them with protection, saving them from the clutches of the Republic’s intelligence services.”

A faint glimmer of hope rose in Renn's heart.

The clone soldiers of the Open Fleet are far more disciplined than the crew of the Home Fleet.

Moreover, the open-loop fleet did not bear the pressure of the main battlefield.

maybe……

But the next second, Renn dismissed the idea.

As Master Luminara said, the Open Fleet captured very few prisoners of war, simply because they were not in the center of the battle when the campaign ended.

The sinking of the Serenno Star occurred precisely in the airspace where the fighting was most intense.

It's pointless to have unrealistic hopes; such naive ideas should have been abandoned long ago.

"Do you know where they're being held?" Ryan couldn't help but ask.

The Jedi master shook his head regretfully: "I'm afraid only the Jedi High Council knows. You can ask Master Adi Gallia—this kind of thing is her specialty."

Despite his efforts to remain composed, Ryan's spirits sank upon hearing this. "Well, at least knowing that some comrades survived that disaster is some consolation... By the way, I hope we can have a good talk about future cooperation today. I know I'm not as good as General Trench, but..."

"What does this have to do with General Trench?" Commander Gerry suddenly interrupted abruptly.

Raine glanced at him, then turned to the Jedi Master: "Didn't anyone notify you? Maybe it was a matter of timing..."

"What happened?" The serious-looking clone leaned forward, his gloved fist almost slamming onto the silk-covered table in Renn.

Raine raised his hands to signal calm: "Admiral Trench has reached an agreement with Jedi General Ram Kota, and his Second Fleet Group can safely pass through the Salin Corridor. If he continues toward Botajev, he should be rendezvousing with the expeditionary fleet by now."

Commander Gerry's jaw was clenched, his gloved fingers forming fists, clearly struggling to process the news.

He looked abruptly at Master Luminara, his voice filled with disbelief.

Master Luminara remained expressionless, but a hint of worry flashed in her eyes.

"General Kota actually allowed that old spider to pass through the Salin Corridor? To put it mildly, it's reckless; to put it more seriously, it's treason!"

“Commander,” she pressed Gerry’s arm to calm him down, her tone still steady, “we don’t know the whole story yet, so don’t jump to conclusions.”

The Jedi Master then looked at Raine, his gaze seemingly piercing through his soul: "I suppose you'd be happy to provide the relevant background, Admiral?"

Ryan took a deep breath, ready for a detailed discussion.

Trench, Trench, how did you do that?
However, he is a six-foot-tall, two-legged spider.

When Trench speaks, people usually listen attentively, whether they like it or not—especially when every primal instinct in your body is screaming for you to get away from this predator.

“As I briefly mentioned before,” Ryan began in a relaxed tone, “Count Dooku’s Sereno regime is an unrecognized separatist force within the Confederation. Admiral Trench and General Cotta must have found common ground; after all, the Second Fleet Group and the Expeditionary Fleet don’t need to go to war, they share a common enemy.”

“I’m afraid the war is far more complicated than that,” Master Luminara replied calmly. “Master Ram Kota is not that kind of person either. If that maverick agrees to Trench’s passage, there must be a bigger scheme behind it… big enough for Master Kota to consider its importance outweighing the risks.”

Raine sized up the dignified Jedi Master, then glanced at the expressionless clone commander.

The two of them, one gentle and the other strong, complemented each other perfectly, as if they were born to be partners.

Renn hesitated for a moment, wondering whether he should risk speaking out.

Commander Gerry clearly felt that the silence had gone on for too long.

However, before the clone could activate its powers, Renn decided to take the risk.

“Because the expeditionary fleet is about to be destroyed,” Raine asserted, “Master Kota hopes that Admiral Trench can save as many Jedi as possible before or during the destruction.”

"annihilation..." Commander Gerry exclaimed in shock, "How exactly did this happen...?"

Master Luminara raised her hand to stop him, her tone calm as ever: "I'm afraid we need to understand the cause and effect first, General."

Ryan noticed that after hearing this astonishing news, the clone remained remarkably silent, despite his curiosity about the master's sudden willingness to accept the explanation.

“I suspect this is related to some emergency code of the Grand Republic Army,” Raine leaned back, interlacing his fingers. “You’ve probably heard of it, haven’t you?” “I didn’t expect you to know even that,” Master Luminara replied, her gaze becoming even more profound.

The stars in deep space are dazzling, mysterious and awe-inspiring.

“Actually, I’m not entirely sure these instructions really exist,” Ryan shrugged, his tone quite frank. He felt there was no need to hide anything. “Besides, I only know the name and purpose of one of them… that’s Instruction 66.”

The Jedi Master and the clone commander both froze...

More accurately, the clone commander was clearly stunned.

The Jedi Master, however, remained motionless, like a statue.

Commander Gri waited until Luminara silently put down the data panel in her hand before speaking, clearly having received her silent permission.

“Putting everything else aside, only the Supreme Commander has the authority to issue orders of this rank,” Gerry said slowly, as if explaining a basic principle to a child. “And it doesn’t make any sense. Even if there were disagreements before, the Jedi are still generals and heroes of the Great Republic Army, and heroes of the entire Republic. No one of sound mind would betray them.”

“Excuse me for speaking frankly, Commander,” Ryan replied calmly, “I have always thought that clone soldiers are trained to obey all orders from legitimate authorities.”

They are designed by nature to obey.

Ryan didn't say it aloud, but everyone present understood his unspoken meaning.

The clone commander, Gerry, showed displeasure: "The clone army and the Jedi have been fighting side by side for two years. I admit that a few people may choose to obey, but most will not, and the entire Grand Republic Army will never do so."

“I understand…” Renn said thoughtfully.

The situation has become complicated.

Raine's understanding of these "emergency orders" mostly came from a scene in "Revenge of the Sith" that he vaguely remembered, and he could no longer recall the details.

He had considered having the "Priestess" try to intercept the 66th command signal from Coruscant, but that would immediately expose the "Priestess's" presence.

Moreover, there are at least 65 other emergency directives, and Palpatine could choose any one of them to achieve a similar purpose.

God knows how many there are in total, maybe hundreds or thousands, covering all possible...emergencies.

So, what if we replace instruction number 66 with another instruction?

An instruction that would benefit them?
Even so, the existence of the "priestess" will still be exposed, but logically there should be instructions such as overthrowing the current government...

The problem is... they don't know the authentication key for each emergency command.

For example, Directive 66 may stipulate that it can only be issued by the Speaker of the House... but there is certainly more than one way to authenticate.

What if the speaker is coerced or unable to perform his duties?

What if the transmitted signal is fake?
The Supreme Speaker's voiceprint and image may be a key.

Could the specific frequency of ultrasonic communication be another factor?
Is it still necessary to verify the responder ID, password, or the deputy speaker's approval?
Such extreme instructions must have multiple verification mechanisms in place to prevent abuse.

Moreover, it is clear that not all emergency commands use the same authentication method.

For example, an order aimed at removing the Speaker of Parliament may be issued by another body.

Is it a Senate majority vote?

Security Committee?
Supreme Court?
Strategic Planning Center?

Is a four-party joint authorization still required?
This type of information is likely to be strictly confidential, with tight security.

Although the "priestess" are all-encompassing, they are not omnipotent.

It's simply impossible for her to ascertain the existence of all emergency commands, figure out the authentication key for each command, and complete the forgery within a reasonable timeframe... It's just not realistic.

But the most crucial point is...

“If the Supreme Commander really did issue such an order,” Raine looked directly into Luminara Onduli’s eyes, “the Clone Army will obey. The Grand Republic Army as a whole may not, but the clone soldiers certainly will. I have no doubt about that.”

Both men were about to retort, but Ryan didn't give them the chance.

“No, I don’t know the specific reasons or methods, but I know the outcome will be the same. My certainty about this is as strong as your faith in the Force, and I have no reason to lie about this.”

“…Since you know all this,” Luminara tapped the declaration lightly with her knuckles, “the Republic’s intelligence services must also know this, so why hasn’t the Supreme Commander issued any orders yet?”

Commander Gerry twitched slightly, but said nothing.

That self-control is truly astonishing.

If it were Renne himself, he would probably be tormented by anxiety and curiosity.

“I don’t know, Jedi Master,” Raine deliberately let a hint of suppressed frustration seep into his tone. “I can only guess what he’s waiting for, or who he’s waiting for. He’s waiting for an opportunity, an opportunity to let this… conspiracy fully ferment, and then he will make his move… and the expeditionary fleet will be thrown into chaos.”

"Can we issue a warning?" Luminara pressed, "Or find a way to notify the Jedi Temple?"

“I suspect they already knew it,” Ryan replied. “Look at the names on the documents; all the parties involved are aware of the risks involved. They’ve already rolled the dice and are waiting to see how it goes.”

“Baris…” Luminara murmured, her voice almost inaudible, “Adi took her on as an apprentice.”

“That’s true,” Raine confirmed.

The Jedi Master from the Mileria system looked at Raine: "Was this also part of your plan? Did Barris know about it too?"

“Jedi Master,” Raine gave a slightly apologetic smile, “this plan itself was devised by Barris, and the intelligence network we used to intercept this document… was entirely established by Barris Orfie.”

"..."

“Master Jedi,” Raine tried to communicate again, “the situation at the Jedi Temple is beyond our control, but we can trust that Master Barris and Master Gallia can handle it. However, the fate of the expeditionary fleet is in our hands, which is something General Ram Corta has realized and hopes you will understand as well.”

Luminara's expression remained calm, but Renn could see that her thoughts were racing once he looked into her sapphire-blue eyes.

Her uniquely patterned fingers rested lightly on the edge of the declaration, almost motionless, with only a very slight tremor.

Was it nervousness? Hesitation?
Or is there still a lingering doubt?
Rennes could not confirm.

Jedi are highly trained and extremely adept at concealing their emotions, but even the most skilled person will always reveal subtle flaws.

For most of his adult life, Ryan spent learning how to read people's minds.

He braced his elbows on the smooth silk-covered tabletop, needing to apply a little pressure to prevent them from slipping.

He squinted and carefully observed the Jedi Master, noticing that her breathing was steady but slightly shallow, and that there was a barely perceptible twitch in her eyebrows. Her gaze quickly swept over Gerry before returning to the documents.

She's weighing the risks, Ryan thought.

The risks of taking action, and the risks of inaction.

This is the stage where changes are most likely to occur.

People can be influenced and persuaded, but the human heart is ultimately unpredictable... even when dealing with the most law-abiding people.

Despite being quite confident in his plans and how he presented information, a sudden thought was enough to undo all his previous efforts.

Commander Gerry stood beside her, equally silent, but his muscles were tense, his jawline stiff, and his posture upright yet tense, making it easy to imagine the turmoil within him.

He was like a loyal soldier, awaiting the final order.

Suddenly, Luminara Unduly straightened her back, and Renn immediately sat up straight as well.

She handed the declaration to the clone commander beside her, but her gaze never left Raine.

“Admiral Bontri…” she finally spoke, her voice regaining its usual calm and decisiveness, “You are the most outstanding naval tactician I know. Now, please tell us how to turn the tide?”

(End of this chapter)