Alex Rider: Mission Jedi
Jedi Goat
Disclaimer: I don't own Alex Rider or Star Wars.
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Chapter 2: Mission Briefing
Alex rode up the elevator to floor sixteen of M16 headquarters. He was solemnly silent, still unable to get over the fact that he had killed – mistakenly or not, the truth still echoed in his head. I killed him. I killed him.
Finally, the elevator doors slid open. Alex walked down the corridor to door 1605. He tried the doorknob. The wooden door swung open easily. Alex stepped inside Alan Blunt's office.
The room looked so ordinary, it was hard to believe this was the office of the man in charge of M16. The room was large, impersonal and square with plain white walls and a wide window out onto the street, floors below. Yet Alex knew that with the push of the button the window transformed into a wall of security cameras observing the surrounding area.
"Sit down, Alex." Mrs. Jones had spoken. She and Blunt sat behind the wooden desk, the only furnishing in the room. Alex sat in the chair stationed in front of them.
For a moment, no one spoke. Blunt was checking over a file on his desk and Mrs. Jones was sucking on a peppermint. Alex felt uncomfortably nervous; he knotted his fingers together in his lap.
Blunt eventually closed the folder and slid it aside. "Alex," he began, his tone suddenly sharp. "What, exactly, were you trying to accomplish in that alley?"
Alex felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. Of course. They know all about it. "I was just trying to help, sir."
Blunt snorted. "Help! It would have helped if you contacted us or the police, not running into the situation! Now we have to cover it up!"
Alex nodded tiredly. His temple was now throbbing and he could think of nothing better to do than go home. There's no reason for me to be here. Blunt's just going to go over and over my mistake...
Mrs. Jones must have seen Alex's disinterest in talking about the situation, for she quickly intervened, popping another peppermint into her mouth, "Anyway, we need to talk to you, Alex. We need you again." She glanced meaningfully over at Blunt.
Blunt nodded, his face blank once more. "Alex, when we brought you to M16, we didn't tell you everything about your uncle."
"Huh," was the most creative thing Alex could think of saying.
Blunt pushed the folder toward Alex. "We usually accept spies when they are in their late teens. We send them through training at our training center."
Alex nodded; he remembered too well his harsh two weeks spent at the training center learning survival.
"After training, some agents choose to get 'extended training'," Blunt continued.
"The training is more like field work," interjected Mrs. Jones. "Real missions with an organization called the Jedi."
Alex blinked. "Jedi?"
Mrs. Jones explained, "The Jedi aren't quite secret agents like us. They defend justice in the galaxy. A M16 trainee would be sent to join a team of Jedi on a mission to learn what it's like."
Alex nodded slowly. "Let me guess...Ian had extended training with the Jedi?"
Blunt nodded. "Your uncle got very attached to Jedi life. In the end, he decided to stay and be trained formally as a Jedi. Although he worked for us, he often was off on distant planets helping-"
"Wait a minute," Alex interrupted, earning a stern glance from Blunt, "Ian was on distant planets?"
Blunt nodded as if this were something completely normal. "The Jedi work all over the galaxy."
He's nuts, Alex thought. "That's impossible!"
Mrs. Jones smiled sympathetically. "It would come as a shock to you, not knowing about the galaxy outside. It's been kept secret, along with the Jedi's existence, from everyday people."
Alex nodded, slowly absorbing this. "Go on then."
Blunt cleared his throat. "Your uncle was often off on distant planets helping the Jedi. Now, since you are a M16 trainee, we've decided that it would be a good idea for you to join the Jedi on a mission as well. Especially since they are dealing with the Trade Federation, who has had contact with Sayle Enterprises over the past few years. Your knowledge about their operations could be useful."
"I thought the galaxy was kept secret."
"It was, but alas Herod Sayle was an intelligent man. He found out."
Alex nodded, sighing. "Okay. I'll go on this mission."
As neither Mrs. Jones nor Blunt replied, Alex assumed he was dismissed. He stood up.
"This file includes information on the Jedi and your mission," Mrs. Jones added, indicating the folder. "You should read it."
Blunt nodded coolly. "The Jedi team will be arriving tomorrow at ten AM to pick you up."
Alex tucked the folder under his arm and headed for the door. He was halfway across the room when he remembered something important. "Will I get any gadgets?"
"Smithers will have them ready tomorrow," Blunt replied dismissively.
Alex nodded. "Alright."
He walked out of the building, still in a confused state about his mission.
Meanwhile, on the planet Coruscant, two Jedi were having a conversation.
"Master? Are you sure that this boy is the Chosen One?"
The older Jedi turned to stare out the window. "We'll find out when we meet him, Padawan."
To be continued...
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