Star Wars - The Bodyguard

Chapter 3

Coruscant: Level 5127 - 3 Days After Attack

Jethro stood once more before the council. Again, he felt an impending sense of doom.

"Explain to the council again why you left the senator's side," Windu asked.

"I saw the attacker escaping, so I pursued."

"That wasn't your assignment."

"My assignment was to protect the senator. That's what I was doing."

"By leaving her side, you left her open to a possible second attack."

Jethro rolled his eyes. It seemed to him that the council would never be happy with his actions.

Master Windu ignored his open disrespect and continued.

"From now on, you are not to leave the senator's side. Protect her, but leave the apprehension to the clone security force."

"Go with her you will, too Pantora," Master Yoda said.

"The council has convinced the senator to return to her homeworld until this threat can be dealt with," Windu explained.

"Careful you must be. Try to follow you, the attacker might."

"Don't let your guard down."

Jethro nodded, then bowed to the council. He left the chamber trying to push down the anger rising from the pit of his stomach. 

He had tried to apprehend the attacker so that he could get back to fighting the war, and all the council had for him, was criticism. 

Coruscant: Level 1313 - 3 days after Attack

The bounty hunter wrapped his burned arm in a fresh bandage.

While his armor had protected him from most of the impact, it had done almost nothing to insulate him from the heat of the flames. Still, he had been lucky, all things considered. He hadn't been expecting a Jedi.

The small apartment had the bed he sat on, a small table that held a communicator, and a refresher through a door that barely worked.

There was a layer of grime over everything, but he didn't mind. No one could find him here, and that was all he cared about.

The communicator started beeping. He already knew who it was, even as he keyed it on.

A hooded hologram flickered into existence before him.

"Why isn't she dead?!"

"I ran into some complications."

"This is the second time you have failed me, bounty hunter."

The hooded figure spat out the last words in a way he didn't really like.

"You didn't tell me there was going to be a Jedi involved."

"Is that going to be a problem?"

"No, but it'll cost you extra."

"Money is of no concern to me. Just see to it you don't fail me again. She could ruin my plans; she must be dealt with."

"She'll be dead, don't worry."

"She had better be, for your sake."

The hologram fizzled away, and the bounty hunter folded his arms behind his head and leaned against the grease-covered wall.

The Jedi had startled him, but now he knew what to expect, and he had a few tricks for dealing with Jedi.

Coruscant: Landing Platform - 4 Days After Attack

It was a crisp, clear morning on the landing pad. The senatorial shuttle sat, waiting for its passengers to board.

Jethro guided the senator towards the craft. He didn't like how exposed they were out here and wanted to get her out of the open.

"I don't like this. I should be here for the vote."

As expected, the senator had been complaining the whole way there, and he expected that she would continue until they reached Pantora. 

"You can address the senate remotely, from Pantora."

"What kind of message will that send. We need to show the opposition that we refuse to bow to threats."

"Please senator, just get on the shuttle."

He gave her a slight shove up the ramp and into the waiting ship before following her in.

"Have a seat," Jethro said, motioning to one of the acceleration couches.

The senator did what she was told with a glare at Jethro.

The door slid shut behind them, sealing with a hiss. Seconds later, he felt the shuttle leave the platform.

Taking one last look at the senator, he headed to the cockpit.

"Where are you going?"

"To check on the pilots."

He needed to get away from her. He didn't know how much more he could take of this.

Inside the cockpit, the two Pantoran pilots guided the ship through the traffic lanes towards orbit. Below them, a yawning chasm stretched downward into the bowels of the planet.

A monitor began beeping.

"What's that?"

The copilot checked the readout, then began fiddling with the computer.

"Nothing to worry about sir. We just lost alignment on the starboard engine."

Jethro felt the ship shudder under him.

"Should I still not worry?"

The copilot's face took on a look of concern.

"The computers aren't responding. We're going to have to land and realign manually."

Another alarm went off. The shuddering got worse. The pilot checked his instruments.

"We just lost port alignment!"

"Starboard is getting worse!"

It felt as if the ship were going to tear itself apart.

"We have to land!"

"The controls are locked!"

"Starboard engine failure!"

Jethro launched himself through the doors back into the passenger compartment. Halfway to the senator, he felt the floor drop out from under him.

The ship started a steep nose dive towards the planet as the port engine failed as well.

From the ground, the bounty hunter watched as the shuttle plunged towards the planet.

It impacted with the side of the crater, bursting into flames and plummeting into the undercity.

The bounty hunter smiled beneath his helmet. The data spike had worked perfectly. Now all that remained was for him to confirm the kill and get paid.