Anakin Skywalker lay back into the warm, soft bed. Being treated as a high general did have its benefits. Anakin was a young Jedi Knight of 21 from the desert planet of Tatooine. While he was in training as a Padawan, he and his master Obi Wan Kenobi had often had to slum it in poor conditions when making long journeys. In those days, the Jedi were tasked with small missions to border disputes and diplomatic crises on far flung planets and moons. The Jedi often had to organise their own transport. Sometimes they even had to go undercover. Now though the full force of the clone wars had broken like a tidal wave over the galaxy. Peacekeepers and diplomats had become generals. And generals travelled in style, in a warship's best quarters. This time though, he wasn't on a military campaign but back into the sly realm of diplomacy. It was a different kind of diplomacy nowadays though. It was more desperate kind; with sharper words and hands never too far from blasters. He hoped that this time it wouldn't come to that, but with the separatists involved, he knew a peaceful solution may not be likely. As he drifted back into the kingdom of sleep, he remembered back to the start of the mission, three days previous.
It had been a bright winter morning when he had received the call on the coms to meet Obi Wan in the Jedi temple gardens. Padme woke as he slid out of bed. Her apartment was specifically designed to keep the busy sounds of the city out, and yet this turned out to be an impossible challenge. The thrum of the constant speeder traffic could be heard humming through the room as the young Jedi pulled his clothes on. "Where are you going?" Padme murmured sleepily. The young and yet experienced senator looked beautiful with her dark eyes and dark hair even without her make-up and elaborate clothes. "A call from Obi-wan" he replied tiredly "I'm not sure what about." The senator pulled herself out of bed and peered through the dark blinds at the long lines of rush hour traffic slicing through the urban sky. Anakin threw on his cloak and walked to the door, which slid silently open at his approach "I'm sure it's not important, you don't need to get up." Padme sighed "It's fine; I have a meeting with the chancellor in a few hours anyway." Anakin had given her a kiss and left speedily. Jumping in his speeder he had pulled off on his short journey across the city planet to the Jedi temple, eight miles away.
Coruscant being a central planet, far away from the main fighting, had hardly been affected by the war. There were a few signs, though. The first was the reduced traffic. As Anakin glided his speeder smoothly across the city, he was hit by how few vehicles shared the skies with him. Unemployment had risen dramatically over the past year as trade between many planets was brought to a halt. To add to this, the Coruscant central government and the Senate had bought out many manufacturing companies in order to produce weapons and equipment for the war effort. Many had lost jobs as the military cut them to save money. Anakin cut out of the main traffic flow and turned a corner, coming in sight of the temple. The huge square building dominated the entire city around it. As he swerved into the speeder bays underneath the west wall, the young Jedi spotted the other key sign of the war. The rising unemployment had a much deeper effect on the planet than traffic. Every day, the temple supplied free hot breakfast to the starving homeless of the never ending city. Over the course of the war, the queue outside the temple's side entrance had grown from a scattering of the area's most unfortunate to a huge line which resembled a small army. The ragged people looked hopefully over to him as he leapt out of the speeder and hurried towards the door. 'The confederacy had a lot to answer for, for starting this war' he thought silently.
"Tulus" he repeated grumpily. The Gardens were an oasis of peace and calm in the hive of activity which was the wartime temple. The sounds of the city could be hardly heard, instead the tweets of birds and the cries of small scaly creatures replaced them. A cool wind blew through, rustling the leafless trees as his ex-master raised his eyebrows. "I thought you would be pleased. This isn't some awful outer rim hellhole, or a front line battle. This is the Corellian system. A core world."
"It's just…" Anakin sighed, he obviously couldn't explain "nothing." He still had a week of leave from his duties. He and Padme had been planning to stay a few nights in the romantic setting of Saiheir; a rich historic district on the far side of the planet. "We all want to stay away from the horrors of the war Anakin," reminded his friend "but duty calls." Anakin slowly nodded "ok, tell me the mission."
Obi Wan looked at him cautiously for a moment before starting "Talus is a temperate planet in the Corellian system, home to three main species all immigrated from the other planets in the system: humans, Drawl and Selonians. Until now, the planet has remained neutral, but this looks about to change. Tension is growing between the Selonians and the federation of double worlds – the government of the planet plus it's twin – Tralus. And guess who has seen this crisis as an opportunity?" Anakin sighed exasperated "let me guess, the seperatists?"
Obi Wan nodded sadly "our spies reported a small CIS fleet has arrived and are currently in talks with both sides. It is your mission to go to the planet with Senator Padme and attempt to force them into joining the republic instead, as peacefully as possible." "Wh…what" Anakin had stuttered "Padme's going?" "Yes, she is being briefed by the Chancellor, later this morning. You have the rest of day to get yourself, Ahsoka and your commando squad prepared and ready to leave. Your Venator leaves from cruiser landing platform 61 tonight." They sat in silence for a moment listening to the small sounds of life around them and then the older Jedi stood upright.
"Right, I had better go, I have duties of my own as always" he smiled "oh and Anakin, please do this, as without violence as you can, this is a peaceful planet and I know what you and Ahsoka are like for rash action." Anakin looked back with mock outrage "I honestly don't know what you're talking about Mast…I mean Obi-wan." The older Jedi grasped his shoulder warmly and then walked calmly away. Just as he was about to leave the garden he had turned back a second time. "Anakin" he called loudly, making other relaxing Jedi look up in annoyance "may the force be with you." "And you" replied his old apprentice.
"Master!" the shout seared through Anakin's head and quickly pulled him out of the sea of dreams like a fish on a line. He opened his eyes to see a red skinned figure stood over him, with folded arms. She was a pretty, slim bodied, teenage Togruta, and she looked amused.
"Nice sleep?" she asked "hoping to sleep though the war?" Anakin sat up "I wouldn't be the first. What do you want snips?" Ahsoka Tano was his headstrong apprentice, though they often bounced off each other, they got on well and were a great team. "Yularen's wants everyone up on the bridge" Ahsoka answered "we're nearing our destination, we'll be coming out of hyperspace in a few minutes." He heaved himself out of bed with a groan "ok Snips, I'll meet you there in a minute." She leaned on the door frame "Are you sure you don't want a longer rest? I'm sure the Senator and I will work it all out fine, while you laze back here." "All right, all right, enough," growled Anakin "now leave me alone, you tyrant."
It had only been two minutes when Anakin ran up into the ships bridge. Admiral Wullf Yularen looked positively annoyed that he had entered his presence. "I am glad you have finally found it in yourself to grace us with your presence, sir" he noted in his upper class accent. Captain Rex raised his eyebrows. "Sorry, have I missed something, is it now unacceptable to sleep?" Anakin shot back. Before they could argue any further though, the situation was suddenly rescued by an excited pilot. Admiral, generals," he saluted "we're coming out of hyperspace." Padme emerged from the doorway giving Anakin a loving look "what's occurring?" "We're here" answered Ahsoka excitedly. They all turned to the front viewing window. With a heavy vibration and a dull mechanic whirr sound the starry blur of light speed faded into a vision of space. Filling up Anakin's vision, were two very similar looking green planets orbiting a distant yellow star. "Talus and Tralus" noted Rex "they look nice." He paused. They had all seen it. "That" he continued "does not." Sat in orbit next to the nearest and slightly larger of the twin planets was a collection of separatist cruisers and frigates. They reminded Anakin of leaches sucking at the lifeblood of the planet.
"Sir" called a communications officer "we're being hailed, should I put it through?" "Do it" ordered Anakin. He turned to the others "well I wonder what these nerf-herders want with us." Ahsoka grinned "I bet it's friendly." The Admiral straightened his back "We're at war, I highly doubt that."
"I was actually being sarcas…" the young Togruta shrugged "you know what, never mind." Suddenly a warp sound filled the cabin and a silver protocol droid appeared on the screen. "Here we go" muttered Rex under his breath.
In a voice that reminded Anakin of C3PO; the protocol droid he had built himself, the robot began. "Greetings, I am TC-324 of the war cruiser; 'The Cat's Scar', I represent the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Unfortunately, our Admiral is on the planet at the moment and the Vice Admiral is…err…how can I be of assistance to you?" Anakin smirked and leaned towards Ahsoka "What do you think Snips?" he muttered "a bit over friendly isn't he?" Padme stepped forward "Errrm, thanks. We need to get to the Talus planet surface and meet with the Federation government, for diplomatic reasons."
The droid nodded as if in agreement "ah yes, I see. Unfortunately, we are in fact at war with you and so it is my orders to ask you to turn back or to blow you out of the sky." TC paused "I'm awfully sorry about this." Rex clenched his fists "This is more the separates I know." Ahsoka smirked "Well at least he's polite about it."
"What now marm?" Admiral Yularen asked Padme "We can't win. They outgun us at least two to one."
"No, no," replied Padme "we don't want a fight anyway. This mission is all about a peaceful solution." She turned back to the screen. "Is it at all possible to send a small peaceful diplomatic mission down to the planet's capital? The planet is neutral and we have that right. It's written in intergalactic law. Please." The droid seemed to brighten up with her polite manner "Oh well, let me think, as long as it's completely for peaceful purposes, I don't see how that…It should be fine. As long as you only take down enough men to guard you, ten shall we say. And your Venator star destroyer must stay far away from the planet." They all looked at each other surprised. "Th…thank you" she responded unsure. "You're welcome" stated TC "have a nice day." There was a second warp sound and the communication screen went dead. "Well" declared Anakin "that was unexpectedly easy. Very well Rex, ready nine of your best men." "Yes, sir" nodded the clone and marched off. Anakin spun around to the Ahsoka "Snips, tell the hanger crew to prepare a shuttle. Let's go and make the republic a new ally."
Leyna Azira was a great speaker, you couldn't deny her that. The words she spoke painted a picture of inspiration and promises of future greatness. The crowd who had gathered at the stage to watch her speak were positively buzzing with excitement. Some in the crowd had come specifically for her, some had been told about her and were checking out the rumours and advise, some had come just to see what was going on. Almost all would leave believing in her vision. This is what worried Admiral Zyne Trent. It worried him greatly, because the words she spoke were filled with prejudice and hatred. "Well, say what you want about her, Leyna knows how to work a crowd" commented Captain Selo Hive dryly "with a skill at speeches such as that, she could inspire me to murder my entire family if I found out they supported the 'Federation of double Worlds'. He grinned sideways at his old friend. Zyne did not smile back. "It's space scum like her that creates most of the hate and violence in the galaxy" he muttered quietly. "There are some of them at the top of the republic, and leading our dear confederacy. That's why we're at war."
"…Higher taxes. They keep raising them; higher and higher" she continued. "Yet, do we see any of the infrastructure, they promised with the money?"
"NO!" yelled the audience.
"No," Leyna agreed "they hoarded it; the human filth, on their massive homes in the city. And then they breed to create more disgusting creatures. They are inferior to us. We are the better stronger species are we not?"
"YES!" screamed the audience.
"We were here first. This land is ours" her voice was raising now. "They should never have come here and they certainly shouldn't have become the government. Thinking themselves above us."
Zyne turned back to his friend "I'm beginning to worry that the peaceful solution that we want may be slipping slowly out of our grasp." Zyne was a 39 year old Zygerrian admiral and general of the CIS. He was relatively short for his species at 5' 11" and stocky. His feline mammalian appearance made him seem quite at home amongst the weasel like Selonians in which they were now surrounded by. He had come to respect the unusual way of life of the Selonians and had enjoyed their stay in the forest town of Shein. Fellow Zygerrian and best friend of his, Selo Hive though found it all a big joke, as he found everything in life. At 31, Hive was younger, taller and fitter than his superior officer. A point which Hive never let him forget.
"A peaceful solution would be nice, but didn't grumpy Mc-beardy face want the planet to join the Separatist cause 'at any cost!'" Hive quoted.
Zyne shrugged "Count Dooku? He's no boss of mine, I answer to Grand General Sandi Kretori. She specifically stated it would be advantageous if this system didn't have to be occupied by force."
"A nice notion, I'm sure" broke in Hive coldly "but I'm afraid, the boss of your boss is still…your boss."
They went silent for a while. It seemed Leyna was nearing the end of her speech because she was yelling now. "…we must drive the human disease off this planet and take back what is rightfully ours! They think of us as primitive slime, so we must do the same to them! Kill any that stand in our way!" The crowd was cheering her on with all the spirit they had in their souls.
Suddenly the mobile communicator in Zyne's pocket started beeping at him like an angry alarm clock. Hurriedly, he yanked it out "It's from the scar" he stated. He flicked it open and a blue hologram of TC-324 popped up. "Good day Sir. I hope the mission goes well…"
"Get on with what you have to say TC" interrupted Zyne grumpily.
"I well, basically, the republic diplomats have arrived."
"HELL!" Zyne cursed "I thought we'd have more time."
"Sir, I let them through" continued the protocol droid "Just a small group of diplomats. I had to, and they did seem very nice."
"YOU DID WHAT!?" yelled Zyne so loudly it caused some of the crowd members to turn around "Hell! Poodoo! Frell!" He looked about to smash the communicator to pieces. Hive laid a hand on his shoulder "It is intergalactic law." He turned to the hologram of TC "How on earth did Cock let you get away with letting them through anyway?"
"Vice-Admiral TX-45 was not on the bridge at the time. He doesn't know yet."
Hive laughed out loud "Yeah that would be the reason you're still in one piece, or that Grievous has not descended upon this star system and murdered everyone in sight."
The admiral was pacing the ground, a trapped animal, ready to strike out at careless people who tested him.
"We must act quickly to counter this new threat, this makes our situation even more desperate. I will head immediately to the capital with Fiana and the others to try and win the support of the federation government."
"And where will I go while you're on your mighty mission to Dearic?" asked Hive with a creeping smile on his face.
"I need you to go back to the Cat's Scar, It's only a matter of time until 'Can of Corrosion' finds out about the republic diplomats, And when he does, he is going to go on a rampage." He turned to his fellow Zygerrian "please, deal with him."
Hive grinned "It will be my pleasure."