Chapter Text
The first time Rais heard the term “Jedi-hunter”, he was standing beside the holotable aboard the Eloquence, trying his best to appear calm after hearing the Jedi Council’s update. He gripped the rim of his helmet tighter, holding it like a lifeline against his hip as General Taheed shut the hologram off with a huff of frustration.
Rais held his breath as the Jedi took a sharp breath and threw his datapad across the holotable. “It’s barely more than a hunch at this point with how little info we have. Finding this ‘Jedi-hunter’ could be a waste of time we don’t have.”
No one dared speak. Not Rais or Lucky or even General Taheed’s own captain. They all stood stock-still at the outburst until the small twi’lek padawan stepped forward and placed a slender blue hand on her master’s arm. She tilted her head so her lekku fell over her shoulder and said resolutely, “We’ll find her, Master.”
Rais admired the girl’s faith. Sarai, if he remembered right. He had only just met the pair six days ago on the mission to Kashyyyk, just before Tara went missing. He had heard of other clone units having padawan learners as commanders, but now, seeing the kid stand proudly beside her master, he felt sick. They were about to attempt a rescue mission and apprehend a monster whose livelihood revolved around killing Jedi—breaking them—and she couldn’t be older than 13.
A chart of the Outer Rim flickered to life on the holomap, marked with red dots that indicated possible dealings with this “Jedi-hunter”. Rais was thankful for the distraction. He stepped forward and set his helmet down on the edge of the table, focusing once again on the map he’d already spent hours poring over on his own.
“The Council mentioned reports of activity in the Gaulus and Abrion sectors,” he recounted, moving the map to the Abrion sector where a dozen or so planets were scattered. “It’s not much, but if any of the rumors are true, it gives us a starting point, sir. I suggest we start with planetary scans in the marked systems.”
General Taheed looked directly back at him, the light of the holomap casting a blue glow over his deep brown skin. After a moment, he set his jaw and gave a subtle nod.
“I agree with Commander Rais, sir. And seeing as this is the closest the Republic’s ever come to capturing this sleemo, I’d wager we’ll have the resources we need.” Captain Dax crossed his arms on the other side of the table and Rais could see the streaks of tan paint across both vambraces. The mark of his Jedi general.
For the first time, the green and black paint portraying Tara’s facial tattoos on his own helmet made his stomach twist with something he couldn’t quite place. When she went missing on Kashyyyk, he thought he was prepared for any scenario—Trandoshans who had somehow gotten the upper hand on her, a bounty hunter wanting a big payout, a crime syndicate wanting to make an example of a powerful Jedi—kriff, he had even considered the Zygerrians. But in each of those instances, it never made sense to him how she hadn’t escaped yet. Now it did.
"What about Master Sunad? She'll be coming with a whole other flagship, maybe we can cover more ground if we send out starfighters," Sarai chimed in, leaning against the table.
Captain Dax regarded her with a smirk and lifted an eyebrow. "You just wanna fly, kid."
Sarai narrowed her eyes and fixed the man with a withering look. Rais almost chuckled when Lucky flinched in her line of sight.
"My padawan has a point," General Taheed admitted, cupping his chin in thought. "Lenal will be here soon, with more men, Talia, and Master Kaelin. They want to find their padawans as much as we want to find Tara."
Rais and his men hadn't been given much information about the two missing padawans, but he knew they had been taken suspiciously close to Tara's capture, on separate planets. He suspected they'd receive a full debrief when the other Jedi arrived. Two flagships, parts of three legions, and 4 (and a half) Jedi was a bigger operation than he'd ever been a part of. He wondered if the Jedi Council or Senate suspected their captor was in league with something or someone more dangerous.
Vaguely registering what those around the table were saying, Rais pinched the bridge of his nose and decided he needed a quiet place to think after all of this. He almost smiled at the thought. Maybe his general had succeeded at turning meditation into a habit for him after all.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
After the plans had been made, orders had been given, and a course was set for the Rishi system in the Abrion sector, Commander Rais stood on the bridge and stared out the viewport as the Eloquence sped through the bright blue and white streaks of hyperspace. That unsettling feeling returned, this time making its way up his spine and into his chest, squeezing the air out of his lungs. The one that should’ve been conditioned out of him on Kamino. He was afraid.
He thought he had felt fear in the jungles of Abagoo when he had watched his men be dragged away by creatures with claws the size of blasters. He thought he had felt it when he had led Drexel Squadron into a real battle for the first time and ended up being outnumbered 50 to 1. He thought he knew fear, but he was wrong. Those had been nothing compared to what he was feeling for Tara's safety right now.
Fear is what keeps you alive, Commander. It’s your body’s natural alarm system. It warns you and keeps you alert. Use it. The memory of Tara’s voice entered his mind like a blaster bolt to the chest. Sudden, burning, painful. He missed her guidance, the strength in her leadership and the way she carried herself, the kindness she showed to his brothers. He missed his general, but even more than that, he missed her. His friend. Perhaps something more.
The thought scared him more than it should have.
Standing there on the bridge, he wondered if somewhere out past the blur of hyperspace and endless stars, she knew they were coming for her.