Chapter 276 - No Clone Is A Traitor

"Commander Dageer, we need you to betray the Republic."

In an instant, Dageer was shocked beyond describing. General Windu and General Yoda, the most powerful members of the Jedi Order, and important figures in the entire galaxy, just asked him to betray the Republic. The same Republic he had been created to fight and die for.

After a few dumbstruck seconds, he did the most logical thing, and aimed his blaster at the two Jedis.

"Generals, if you move, I will open fire."

The Jedis exchanged glances, surprised. They hadn't expected this outcome. However, what did they think it would happen when they asked a clone to betray the Republic?

"Calm down, you must, commander. Explain what we mean, I will."

General Yoda's voice brought a wave of calmness to Dageer, and he almost lowered his weapon. However, he quickly understood that the Jedi was using the Force to control him, which only made him more suspicious.

"What you ask is treason against the Republic, General Yoda. That is punishable by death. Don't move. "

He knew he had no chances of winning against those two Jedis. He wouldn't even be able to contact reinforcements to arrest the two, so all he could do was aim his blaster at them, and wait.

"There is a spy, who has been reporting all our movements and battle plans to the Separatist. We can't discover who. What we need from you, commander, is that you go undercover, fake a betrayal, and find out who that person is."

Frowning, Dageer analyzed General Windu's face, trying to discover if he was telling the truth. He wasn't stupid, so it didn't take long for him to realize that even if the Jedis planned on betraying the Republic, they wouldn't ask him to do the same. Clones were extremely loyal, and not afraid of dying for the Republic. Money and status didn't have any meaning for them. All they cared about was protecting their brothers and their home, the Republic.

Slowly, he lowered his blaster. Although it still was aiming at the Jedis, it wasn't as threatening as before. Not that they had looked worried at any moment. They knew Dageer was powerless against them.

"Explain it, general."

He was being extremely rude and disrespectful towards the Jedis, but, considering the situation, he couldn't let his guard down.

"As I said, there is a spy giving the Separatist important intel in our operations. We need you to discover who it is, and the best way is by looking like you betrayed the Republic."

"Why not a Jedi? I am a clone. No one will ever believe I betrayed the Republic. I was born to fight for it!"

General Yoda and General Windu exchanged worried glances, as if they knew Dageer wouldn't like what they were about to say.

"You might be a clone, but you have all the reasons to become a traitor - and I don't mean that, commander, otherwise I wouldn't be talking to you. However, one of the biggest reasons for betrayal isn't money, but anger. You lost your legion, including your general and commander. You have been captured, tortured, and the Republic couldn't help you. The resentment alone is reason enough. On top of that, you have disobeyed orders before, which means you can do it again."

Dageer tensed up. He didn't like the fact that General Windu made it seem normal, and likely, that he would betray the Republic. Worse, the didn't like the fact that all his dead brothers were being used as a reason for that.

"More importantly, commander, the traitor is a clone."

Those words were like lightning striking Dageer. His first reaction was to raise his blaster again, and shake his head.

"That is impossible. No clone would ever betray the Republic! Never!"

He was panicking. Even when he faced certain death, he was always calm and cold-blooded. But now, he couldn't think straight.

"Millions of my brothers died already, general, and millions more will die. No clone would side with the culprits behind all those deaths!"

"Uhmm... Right, I wish you were. But happened twice, this already have."

Unfortunately, Dageer knew General Yoda was right. As a commander, and leader of a special unit, he had access to information that most clones didn't. Sighing, he put down his blaster.

"They were examined, and proved to be defective."

It pained Dageer to talk about his brothers as if they were broken machines, but that was the only way the loyalty of the Clone Army as a whole couldn't be questioned.

"But it happened. As such, it won't be unbelievable for it to happen again."

Dageer took a deep breath, and he felt a headache coming. The smallest thought of becoming a traitor, even if it was just a fake one, went against everything his genetic code said. He was created to follow orders. And, in some way, that was an order.

"What do I need to do, generals?"

"You will have to become a spy. You will give the Separatist some crucial piece of information. That is the only way they will trust you."

Dageer immediately shook his head, disagreeing. Usually, he wouldn't defy an order like that, but the lives of his brothers were in the line.

"I can't do that, sir. I won't give the seppies even more means to kill my brothers."

Dageer had already prepared his mind to fake a betrayal, and even leave the Republic. However, what the Jedis asked was that he leaked battle plans, which could lead to the death of thousands of his brothers.

"Commander, this is war. Sacrifices have to be made. If we don't discover who the spy is, the losses will be much greater."

"Sacrifices I am not willing to make, general. I know my brothers better than anyone. If one of them is a traitor, I will find out. My way."

General Windu was ruthless compared to the other Jedis Dageer knew. This war had brought out the worst in everyone, including the Jedi Order. Not for the first time, Dageer thought they weren't the best choice to lead, but he would never dare to say that.

He stared at the two Jedis, waiting for their answer. General Windu was glaring at him angrily, while General Yoda had his eyes closed, and seemed... pained, for some reason. After a long while, the small, green being, opened his eyes.

"Too much, we are asking, understand that I do. However, important it is. Very important indeed. Hear your idea, we will, commander."

"It is simple, General Yoda. I need to see who knew of our plans every time we suspect intel was leaked. Then, we will put all those troopers in a meeting, somehow, and bait the traitor with information on one of our plans, which later we can use to ambush the seppies. Catch them on their own game."

"We already thought of that. There are too many people involved, and we can't keep an eye on them at all times."

"You won't need to. If... If one of my brothers really is a spy, I will discover on that meeting. If not, you will have to look somewhere else, generals."

General Windu looked at General Yoda, waiting for an answer. When the Jedi nodded, he glanced at Dageer.

"We will do as you say, commander. And may the Force be on our side."