Star Wars: Brotherhood by Mike Chen

Author:Mike Chen [Chen, Mike]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Random House Worlds
Published: 2022-05-10T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 31

RUUG QUARNOM

As soon as she called out “I’m on the target,” things kicked into motion, and Ruug knew exactly how Ketar would react even before the trigger was fully pulled. The cross-traffic of civilians gave cover to her story, though she hated the fact that they were potentially in the line of fire—and she was furious at Ketar for brandishing a pistol when terrified innocents stood in the way, government employees who had nothing to do with the investigation or any ongoing tensions with the Republic, political or otherwise.

As for Obi-Wan, Ruug had tracked enough targets to predict where they headed. This marked the first time such a target had Jedi abilities, but the same logic applied. An open window. Plenty of options.

An easy escape.

Ruug’s job was to make it look good. Risk assessment was an inherent part of Neimoidian culture, the counterpart to their inherent ability to calculate—except in this case, the risk was whether or not she’d accidentally take down a Jedi. The odds clearly showed the path as the marked escape route, and the combination of Obi-Wan’s current speed and what she’d witnessed mere moments ago created reasonable assumptions for her approach. All it took was a fraction of a second, a mix of practicality and instinct, and Ruug sent the deadly bolt whizzing barely beneath Kenobi’s feet as he vaulted up with a supernatural ascension.

Even for an experienced sniper like herself, such execution caused her to exhale with relief.

“He was in your sights!” Ketar yelled, and though she’d expected this outburst, she still acted with indignation at the way he lost his composure.

“Stand down, Cadet.” Ruug matched Ketar’s volume, well aware that everyone watched. “Remember who is the veteran here.”

“I don’t care, you had the chance to kill the Jedi and you didn’t take it.”

He’d spent time with Ventress, that much had been clear, despite Ruug trying to steer him away. Just days earlier, his grief seemed so overwhelming. And now he came up with evidence out of nowhere—without even informing his partner—and his urge to fight training droids had evolved into full-blown murder, despite civilian danger.

Ruug replayed the last few actions in her head from the chase out into the hallway to the moment Obi-Wan vaulted upward. And through it all, he had moved swiftly and carefully around any civilians. That spoke volumes about the Jedi’s integrity, and it gave her something to establish moral superiority in front of other Neimoidian guards. “Would you prefer me to rain blaster bolts on every innocent person in this hallway? Sacrifice them for whatever vengeance you seek?”

Ketar’s scowl spoke just as much about what he was willing to do. And just how far someone or something had pushed him in such a short time.

Ruug cursed herself for not taking Ventress more seriously during their meeting while on guard duty.

“This would avenge our dead.”

The fact that Obi-Wan had communicated with one of his Jedi brethren hadn’t surprised Ruug. His analysis had to come from somewhere, and the equipment

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