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| Omega Squad: Targets |
| SHORT STORY (2005) |
| Karen Traviss |
| IDG Communications |
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Synopsis:
A terrorist siege is launched at Galactic City spaceport
on Coruscant. The thugs are from Haruun Kal, and they
demand the Republic pull out of their planet now – or
their six hostages, most notably Senator Meena Tillis of
Mon Calamari -- will die. The terrorists and hostages
are holed up in a customs clearance corridor wired with
explosives. The Chancellor orders Omega Squad (Atin,
Darman, Fi and Niner) to the spaceport immediately. The
Republic Commandos rapel down from their gunship into
the middle of the spaceport, shooting out hovering media
camdroids as they do. The angry Coruscant Security Force
hold the commandos back for the time being; a Jedi,
Master Kaim, is coming down to negotiate with the
terrorists. When he arrives, so does a familiar face to
the commandos – Kal Skirata, the beloved “Sarge”
who trained them.
Kaim, at Atin’s request, sneaks a tiny camera into the
corridor as he enters – unarmed – to negotiate. To
everyone’s horror, the terrorists spot the camera
immediately – and a moment later, Kaim’s bomb-laden
corpse is thrown back out onto the concourse.
Instinctively, Fi leaps down upon the corpse and absorbs
the blast with his armor. (The commando, thankfully,
survives it.) Now that the CSF’s had their chance, the
commandos move in and lay charges around the corridor.
Skirata goes into the corridor first to offer food,
water and toiletries to the hostages and terrorists.
Then flashbangs go off and the commandos charge in
shooting. In less than 30 seconds, all the terrorists
are dead – and all of the hostages are still
alive.
Only afterwards do the commandos learn that Senator
Tillis wasn’t the main priority rescue-wise – it was
a member of the Corporate Sector’s Direx board. The
terrorists were hoping the commandos would kill the
boardman by mistake, forcing the neutral Corporate
Sector Authority to side with the Separatists. To make
sure of this, they’d clad him in their clothes –
only the last-instant intervention of Kal (and the
commandos’ affection for the Sarge) saved his life.
Omega Squad is immediately given a new assignment, but
Kal insists they get dinner first…
Synopsis taken from Christopher
G. McElroy's Time Tales, www.theforce.net/timetales.
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Chronology:
This story occurs 12 months after the Battle of Geonosis,
approximately 21 years before the Battle of Yavin. |
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