Sola Gerrera's words set Lux's heart racing. He shouted back, "Don't worry! I'll prove myself! I'll start by destroying this THOR! I'm going back now—I'll get more intelligence!"
With that, he turned and ran out.
Sola Gerrera watched his retreating figure and smiled. Then he picked up the intelligence file Lux had left on the table. Looking at the terrifying weapon caught in the briefest glimpse in the photograph, he frowned.
"How could you say that to Lux? Don't you know the risks he's taking in all this?" Stila walked over and demanded.
"Every one of us is taking risks. Risks of death," Sola Gerrera said coldly.
"You're asking a child to betray his mother!"
"His mother is a Separatist senator, one of the people enslaving us! She deserves no sympathy!"
"I heard Mina Bontri is an enlightened senator, and that she has always been fighting for peace on our planet! What you're doing might make us lose a powerful supporter!"
"Then tell me—when Mina Bontri stands before us, will she pat us on the shoulder and say, 'Well done, friends,' or will she immediately call in a swarm of droids to arrest us?"
"You're becoming more and more extreme, Sola Gerrera! I can't agree with this!"
"I don't need your agreement. I only need you to obey."
"You are not our leader. No one here is. We are equal brothers!"
"I can lead everyone to destroy the secret weapon THOR!"
Lux Bontri returned home, only to find his mother, Mina Bontri, already waiting at the door.
She still wore her sharp, practical short haircut. Her long years in high office gave her an imposing presence. She glanced at Lux and said irritably, "You skipped military training again, Lux! Where did you run off to this time, fooling around