Chapter 156 - Shape-shifter (1/2)

”You are not Onaconda Farr. Who are you?”

When General Di said that, the senator -the impostor, actually - nervously shifted his feet. He fiddled with his hands, not knowing where to put them. The impostor looked behind him, only to see Brain's and Dab's unhappy faces.

””W-What do you mean? I-I... I am Senator Farr, of course I am. I don't understand, Jedi master.”

The moment he said that, Dageer noticed his hand reaching inside his clothes, and a dangerous glint flashing through his eyes. Commander Keeli obviously saw it too, because he yelled at Brain and Dab.

”Hold him!”

General Di, however, was faster than any of the clones. The Nikto swung his lightsaber in a blur, and the K-7 Watchman Pistol that the rodian had pulled out was cut in half, together with three of his fingers.

The fingers were originally green and membranous, a characteristic of the rodians. However, in midair, they became long and grey, and yellow blood oozed from them.

The person impersonating Senator Farr kneeled, holding his hand near his body. Dab grabbed his arm, and twisted it around the back of the person, at the same time putting his knee against the person's neck, so every move he made caused intense pain.

When the person tried to get up, Dab twisted the arm harder, and the impostor was unable to bear with it, and crouched with his face against the metal floor.

General Di switched off his lightsaber, and the lethal weapon turned into a harmless metal stick. Serious as always, the Jedi approached the impostor. He had now become a grey-skinned and skinny being. His face had burn scars, and he only had a few scattered clumps of hair.

”Atyri umbiti chilek!”

General Di frowned when he heard the impostor speak.

”A clawdite. Speak the common language.”

”Tiryr weedte! Kitoy...”

Before the clawdite could finish, Dab pushed him to the floor.

”The general asked you to speak the common language.”

”Stand down, trooper! He is a prisoner, but that doesn't mean you can treat him like that!”

The aura that General Di released made Dab stagger backward, and let the impostor go. For a moment the clone looked at the Jedi, then acknowledged the order and let the clawdite get up.

Dab was a quiet soldier, but that didn't mean he was unemotional. Being scold by the general in front of the others - for something he considered unjust, since the clawdite clearly killed many clones - made his face heat up with shame, but he could do nothing.

Not for the first time, Dageer wondered if the compassion the Jedi showed for everyone and everything wouldn't be their doom. He, like many clones, respected the Jedis almost more than anything, but had his doubts about their qualifications to lead armies in a war.

”What do you want, Jedi?”

For the first time, the clawdite spoke the common language, although his tone was disdainful. General Di waved his hands in front of the impostor, in a gesture that Dageer now knew it used the Force to control the mind of a person. However, what General Di did was different than what Ventress did.

The clawdite's eyes became misty, and lost focus, but he didn't appear to be mind-controlled as Dageer had been, neither showed signs of feeling pain. Like always, the Jedi had a gentle way of doing things.

”Who sent you?”