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After Dular had successfully attempted in clearing his name, Bodotor Thuvat had declared that he knew the location of several Nockudumey bases on the planet Adirof. Postboning his trial, Chancellor Palpatine secretly sent him to find the information, along with Dular, Commander Krenis, and Lieutenant Drewton to ensure both security and production. According to him, this would also help his case in the Senate, for the evidnece that had been presented meant little for the Rodian due to his deals with the Separatists and the Black Sun.
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Though Bodotor’s trial had been postboned, it was clear it would resume immediately after the information had been located, and even still he would most likely be in a Republic prison, despite Palpatine’s words.
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“Sorry about this,” Dular said to Thuvat.
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“Doesn’t matter much now, does it?”
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In the cockpit…
“Captain, I’m picking up a comlink signal from the engine room,” a clone pilot nicknamed ‘Reeves’ informed Raymus Drewton.
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“I gave orders that no comlink was to be activated during the flight,” Raymus said in surprise.
“Standard procedure that none is, anyway,” Reeves assured him.
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“I’m sure it’s nothing, though,” he continued. “I’d be surprised if Commander Krenis even let the Rodian, Arcona, and Mando move around. And if there were any Separatists in this sector, we would know.”
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Back in the main hold…
“You’re lucky, Rodian,” Kyle Krenis said with anger in his voice. “If I was the one deciding, you’d be in a prison block right now for the rest of your life.”
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“Oh? Questing the Chancellor’s orders?” Bodotor askedf, appearing interested.
“No…I just would do things differently.”
“Then you are questioning the Chancellor’s orders, are you not? Like you did above Coruscant, ya’ see, when you disobeyed your orders and replaced them with your own.”
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“By now, your reputation should have gone sky high!”
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Dular, Tarisian observed, suddenly had ‘the look’. “Like we’ll be in a few moments…Separatist battleships.”
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“I don’t care about my reputation!” Kyle yelled drawing his blaster, ignoring the Jedi.
“Put the blaster down,” Tarisian said sharply.
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Outside the walls of the shuttle, the battleship which Dular could now be scene near the moon of Adiraf’s atmosphere.
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“That’s a Separatist battleship! Lucrehulk-class! They must have tracked the- ”
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“Reeves?!”
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Shielding his eyes from the fire that consumed the pilot’s body, Raymus Drewton prepared for his own death.
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Meanwhile, onboard the Lucrehulk-class battleship…
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“How goes the war?” Asajj Ventress, a disciple of Count Dooku, asked General Grievous.
“Continuing to improve,” replied the once-Kaleesh warlord who had nearly destroyed Dantooine.
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Ventress’s hologram transmitter chimed, and the image of her Master appeared.
“My lord?”
“I understood you are in the Adirof system, Asajj,” Dooku said in a calm, polite voice, as always. “Fortify the droid base of Adirof’s moon. It is key to the struggle for the Outer Rim.”
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“You didn’t inform him of the Republic shuttle,” Grievous said in surprise when the transmission went dead.
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“When there’s no need to report something, I don’t report it. I will deal with any survivors myself.”
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On the moon below…
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Fortunately, Reeves was the only casualty. Though all at least slightly wounded, Raymus and the rest of the passengers had managed to eventually escape the shuttle’s wreckage.
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“I have my suspicions of who told the CIS of our coming.”
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“Don’t be a fool, jetiise gett. If Thuvat or Nozah contacted the Separatists, they wouldn’t have a battleship wating for a shuttle. They’ve probably had a base here for weeks or months now.”
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“We need to get moving and find a way off this rock,” Tarisian said. “Those Seps will come looking for us - if they’re not here already.”
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“The shuttle crash occurred three standard hours ago,” a B1 battle droid told Asajj Ventress further away. “It is possible that they could now be anywhere on the moon’s surface.”
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“No.”
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“I can sense them…the Force is with them.”
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Later…
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“We could be here for a while. I’ll look around for supplies,” Raymus told them. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t…”
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“Not only did you plan this, Rodian,” Kyle said turning to Bodotor after Drewton had left, “but this is probably a Nockudumey base, as well!”
“Me? What could I have done? I was stuck in your, err, Republic, shuttle.”
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“If the question bewilders you, then…”
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“…let’s get to the point.”
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“I’m sure we can find a peaceful way to deal with this,” Dular said approaching them in a reassuring voice, but with a lightsaber in hand.
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The Jedi, however, was knocked out by Daklif.
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For a few moments, all were silent…
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…before Dem Nozah grabbed a dagger of his own and lunged at Kyle.
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Unexpectedly to the Arcona, his attack was blocked by Tarisian.
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“Why?” he asked blankly.
“We’re not…necessarily on opposite sides,” Tarisian said as if in a different place. “You were just at the wrong place and at the wrong time…”
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“Choose, Tarisian!” Kyle told him as he pointed his knife at Dem instead. “You can either defend the terrorist, or end this threat to the Republic yourself!”
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The two options weighed equally, Tarisian simply yelled and pointed his dagger between both beings…
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…while his brother arrived, completely surprised by the madness that had occurred since he had left.
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Rising again, with lightsaber ignited, Dular said, “I’m sure we can find a peaceful solution to this…”
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It did not last long, however…
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…when battle droids emerged from the beach’s ocean.
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“Time to leave.”
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“Commander Dular!” a clone trooper who had accompanied them and survived the crash exclaimed when he finished pulling the Jedi up a cliff via grappling hook.
“The CIS’s already here! We need to get away from here, or we’ll die!”
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“If the Separatists are here, they’ll probably have ships with them. We can use one of those,” Raymus suggested when they had all arrived.
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“And you are not coming with us,” Kyle said to Bodotor, pointing a knife towards his throat as he had before.
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“Calm down, Kyle,” Tarisian warned in a disapproving voice. “Don’t take the law into your own hands, even if you’re right.”
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“Wait…where’s Dular?”
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Dular had left the group to escape the madness…
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…only to find Asajj Ventress.
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Running away from the battle, Dular soon located the group once again.
“Commander Ventress is here! Dooku’s dark side disciple!” he exclaimed.
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“Looks like she followed you.”
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Surprising them all, Ventress herself appeared before them.
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“Go,” Dular said. “If you try to assist me, you’ll die, and this will be meaningless.”
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Meanwhile…
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“We can easily take it. Only a few B1s…and, hopefully, we can rescue Dular.”
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“You can still come back to the Jedi, Ventress. I’m sure the Council would be merciful.”
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“Such are the lies! I propose a counter-offer. You will at least listen to my Master, and find the truth. I’m sure he would welcome another Jedi who has turned…I sense you will not always by the Jedi’s servant.”
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“Well, that appears to be my cue to leave,” Dular said smiling soon after, seeing a starhip flying overhead.
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“Coward.”
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Far away, on another world in the Outer Rim, Count Dooku communicated with his Master, Darth Sidious.
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Interrupting the conversation, the hologram of Asajj appeared.
“Child, I am speaking with Lord Sidious!” Dooku said reprimanding her, one of the few times she had seen him actually angry.
“My apologies, my lord.”
However, in contrast, Sidious’s hologram said, “I would here what your disciple has to report.”
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“Very well. Report, Ventress.”
“A Republic shuttle crashed on Adirof’s moon, and I failed to prevent the survivors from escaping. I fear the Republic now knows of our occupation there.”
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“A Republic shuttle?” Sidious questioned. “Good. I anticipated its landing. And even if events did not occur according to plan…enough will have been achieved, I am sure. And if not, which I highly doubt, there is still another chain of events which I know will soon be concluded successfully…”
“Also, my lord,” Ventress added, “Bodotor Thuvat and Dem Nozah remained on the moon. They seek to make a deal with you.”
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