"Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means." - Ronald Reagan
In a galaxy far, far away...
WAR!
During the early years of the conflict between the Grand Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, a war which was slowly coming to a dangerous climax. Many of the worlds that weren't aligned with either side was forced to due to threats, liberation, or just being caught in the middle of a battle
It consumed the whole galaxy...
However, before this war was a movement within the Republic that lead to the war happening.
The Separatist Crisis, also called the Secessionist Movement, was a period of political turmoil in which thousands of star systems seceded from the Galactic Republic and pledged loyalty to Count Dooku and the Confederacy of Independent Systems.
The political turmoil bred by the Separatist Crisis rocked the Republic, with Chancellor Palpatine publicly claiming that he hoped to find a diplomatic solution and avoid a war with the Separatist Alliance.
Many in the Confederacy, including members of the Separatist Senate, also did not wish to fight, as they simply wanted to be free of what they saw as the corruption of the Republic.
Though it was soon made apparent that peace wasn't an option.
After the attempted assassination of Padmé Amidala, the senator of Naboo and an influential member of the Republic's Loyalist Committee, the Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi began an investigation that led him to discover the clone army on Kamino, as well as a gathering of powerful business interests on Geonosis.
These business leaders, who would become known as the Separatist Council, committed their resources to Count Dooku's cause. These interests included the Trade Federation, which committed to producing countless battle droids for the Separatists.
The Crisis culminated in the Battle of Geonosis, when members of the Jedi Order arrived on Geonosis to rescue the captive Master Kenobi, Senator Amidala, and Padawan Anakin Skywalker from execution.
The clone troopers, commissioned as the Grand Army of the Republic through emergency executive power granted to the chancellor by the Galactic Senate, arrived under the command of Jedi Grand Master Yoda and fought the Separatist Droid Army.
The first battle of the Clone Wars occurred after a series of events forced the Jedi order to stretch their limited forces thin across the galaxy and initially began as an execution of then Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and Senator Padme Amidala for the charge of espionage.
After a brief struggle in the Geonosis arena with a reek, nexu and acklay, a team of two hundred Jedi led by Mace Windu confronted Count Dooku, Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray, Archduke Poggle the Lesser and Bounty hunter Jango Fett who were watching the planned execution. Count Dooku was nevertheless undeterred, and called upon numerous B1 and B2 battle droids to assault the Jedi.
During the ensuing battle, Fett managed to kill a Jedi warrior threatening Dooku's life and engaged Mace Windu with his blaster pistols, but was grounded after his jetpack malfunctioned. Unable to escape, Fett was promptly killed by Mace Windu, much to the dismay of Dooku and of Fett's son, Boba Fett.
With superior numbers, the battle eventually turned in the favor of Dooku and his Separatist Droid Army, and after surrounding the remaining Jedi, Dooku offered to spare the survivor's lives in return for their surrender.
Mace Windu however, refused the offer.
About to be executed, the timely arrival of Jedi Master Yoda and the Grand Army of the Republic spared the lives of the remaining Jedi, engaging the droids in the arena with several LAAT/i gunships while larger Acclamator-lass assault ships loomed overhead.
After the successful extraction, the remaining Jedi were thrust into the now larger battle erupting outside of the Geonosis arena with thousands of clone troopers and battle droids from the recently formed Confederacy of Independent Systems assaulting one another. With the outcome of the battle now appearing grim for the Confederacy, numerous Separatist leaders such as Gunray and Rune Haako escaped Geonosis in numerous starships, while Poggle the Lesser entrusted the plans for the unfinished super-weapon; the Death Star to Count Dooku.
But before Dooku could make his escape however, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi confronted him in a Geonosian hangar, where a brief and vicious conflict erupted. Despite Kenobi's advice, Anakin Skywalker impulsively attacked the Count causing him to be thrown aside by Force lightning. Dooku eventually managed to injure Obi-Wan and cut off Anakin's arm, however the arrival of Yoda forced the Count to hasten his escape.
Using the force to collapse a large pillar over the bodies of Anakin and Obi-Wan as a distraction, Dooku managed to win the valuable time needed to escape on his solar sailer as Yoda diverted the pillar with the Force.
Not long after the encounter, Count Dooku under the Sith title of Darth Tyranus traveled to the Works on Coruscant to meet with his Master, Darth Sidious, who reassured the Count that the war between the CIS and Republic was proceeding as planned.
In the Jedi Temple, Yoda, Windu and others pondered Dooku's warning that the Sith controlled the Senate, in which Yoda was hesitant to believe, reminding the Council that the dark side was capable of breeding fear and mistrust.
At the same time, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and Onaconda Farr oversaw the deployment of thousands of clone troopers onto Acclamator-class assault ships.
The Clone Wars had truly begun.
Although the Battle of Geonosis was a victory for the Republic, the prospect of a war between the Republic and the Confederacy was now inevitable. Millions of clone trooper units departed from Coruscant on missions to find and defeat the Confederacy.
The clones were led in these missions by the Jedi knights, the first time that the Jedi Order had taken up arms en masse since the Seventh battle of Ruusan a thousand years prior. Despite the scale of the opening battle of Geonosis, however, neither side yet had the resources or the strategy to fight a major galactic war.
The Republic in particular was bedeviled by the fact that at this early stage the Grand Army of the Republic, numbered only 3 million troops in the beginning.
Though it launched a few coordinated attacks in the first year of the war that were usually successful, for example, at Muunilinst and Dac, the Republic's war was typically a defensive one, with most offensive operations being small-scale raids. The few pockets of Separatist space in the Core, for example, Cato Neimoidia, Scipio, Castell, and Foerost, were blockaded.
Until it could build up its armed forces to overwhelm the Confederacy, the Republic was vulnerable to the Confederacy's stateless strategy.
The Separatists pursued a defensive strategy for the first few months of the war, seeking to blunt Republic drives into their dispersed territories. Its first offensive moves were combinations of surgical strikes and terror operations, a stateless strategy designed to deny the Republic key invasion corridors, undermine support for the war, and sever key fleets' supply lines.
Dooku rapidly moved to secure key hyperspace nodes to ease the future deployment of the Separatist Droid Army, as well as for occupying whatever opportunistic pockets of space declared themselves.
The Confederacy quickly secured the hyperspace crossroads of Yag'Dhul on the Rimma Trade Route and the Corellian Trade Spine, as well as Sluis Van, solidifying their hold on the southern Rimma.
Soon began the Northern Campaign for the Republic.
Both sides made a handful of large offensives in the first year of the war.
In the Republic's case, the Muunilinst campaign, the Ninth Army's push north towards Agamar in an effort to break the Separatists' lines of communication from Muunilinst to the Outer Hydian, the Twelfth Army's early advance up the Perlemian from Lantillies to Centares, and the Eleventh Army's battle at Florrum to create a salient to separate the Separatist enclaves on the Outer Hydian and Perlemian. In the Separatists' case, the Hunt for the Decimator and the Dark Reaper Crisis.
However, the majority of operations consisted of small scale raiding.
The Republic raided to Pengalan IV to destroy a diamond boron missiles facility in the city of Tur Lorkin.
In the aftermath of the Battle of Christophsis, Jedi Master Aayla Secura and Clone Commander Bly captured an important Separatist T-series tactical droid on a planet. Secura and Bly were later ambushed over the planet Quell. The Battle of Quell began shortly afterwards, as Secura's ships were assaulted by rocket droids, Jedi Skywalker and his apprentice Ahsoka Tano, arrived and helped Bly and Aayla evacuate the decimated Republic Cruiser.
As part of the Eleventh Army's drive to separate the Confederate enclaves on the Perlemian and the Hydian, the Commerce Guild's planet Felucia was targeted.
High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi General Anakin Skywalker, and Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano were dispatched with a clone trooper detachment of the Grand Army of the Republic to take the planet.
The Jedi and their forces soon began to be overwhelmed by the Separatist battle droids, however, and Republic reinforcements were sent to extract the troops from the planet. While Republic Star Destroyers engaged the Separatist blockade surrounding Felucia, Jedi Master Plo Koon led several gunships and their starfighter escorts to rescue the Jedi and clone troopers on the surface.
After Skywalker, Kenobi, and their troops abandoned their AT-TE walkers to escape on the gunships, Kenobi contacted Tano, who had led a squad on a jungle patrol and had separately engaged the droid army. Though Tano initially refused to retreat, the gunships landed between her forces and the droids, forcing the Padawan and her squad to abandon their fight and escape.
Just as the gunships retreated, the AT-TE walkers and the Juggernaut tank that Tano had left behind were blasted apart by a large group of battle droid reinforcements.
The Republic retreated, leaving the Confederacy victorious on Felucia.
Techno Union Foreman Wat Tambor set out to conquer the planet Ryloth for the riches that rival Separatist Magistrate Passel Argente had secretly stowed there.
The Twi'leks on the world were subjected to a brutal droid occupation and were starved. While Jedi General Ima-Gun Di and Twi'lek resistance leader Cham Syndulla defended the planet from the Separatists, Senator Bail Organa and Representative Jar Jar Binks were able to gain permission from King Katuunko of the neutral Toydaria to use his world as a staging ground for supply ships that would deliver rations to the starving Twi'leks.
Though Di and his forces were ultimately defeated, Syndulla's resistance survived and used the Republic's delivered food and medical supplies to great effect.
Following its successful defense of Kamino, the Republic's Fourteenth Army launched an attack of its own to free occupied Ryloth.
Skywalker, Tano, and Yularen were sent with a Republic fleet to breach Separatist Captain Mar Tuuk's blockade of Ryloth so that Kenobi and Mace Windu could land with the main assault force. Although Tano's Blue Squadron was unable to break the blockade in their initial assault and was forced to retreat with the rest of the fleet, Skywalker used the damaged cruiser Defender to return to the Ryloth system and rammed it into Tuuk's flagship, forcing Tuuk to flee from the battlefield.
Tano and Yularen then entered the system with Skywalker's flagship, the Resolute, and cut through the droid defenses, allowing Kenobi and Windu to safely approach the planet.
However, the Republic invasion fleet was prevented from landing on Ryloth by a group of heavy proton cannons that had been stationed in the city of Nabat with T-series tactical droid commander TX-20. Once Kenobi, Commander Cody, and Ghost Company had infiltrated Nabat, taken out the cannons, and defeated TX-20 and his droid forces, Windu landed with the main body of troops and headed to retake the captured capital of Lessu.
In the aftermath of the Malevolence chase, General Grievous once again set his sights on Kamino, home to the Republic's vital cloning facilities.
In collaboration with Ventress as his agent on Kamino, Grievous advanced his invasion fleet through the Rishi system and sent a squad of BX-series droid commandos to secure the Republic base there and hot-wire its "all-clear" signal so that the Republic would not learn of his attack.
Although the droid commandos were able to do so, several clones - Hevy, Fives, Cutup, and Echo - were able to escape from the droid assault.
Though Cutup fell prey to a Rishi eel, Hevy, Fives, and Echo came under the command of Captain Rex and Commander Cody, who had stopped at Rishi Station during an inspection run of several of the Republic's listening posts and tracking stations.
The clones were able to retake the base, and though droid reinforcements sent by Grievous threatened to recapture the station, Hevy sacrificed himself to destroy the station, cutting off the base's "all-clear" signal and warning the Jedi of the impending assault. Skywalker, Kenobi, and Yularen promptly arrived and drove Grievous's forces out of the system, thwarting his attempt to invade Kamino.
In the aftermath of Dorin, the Republic launched a full-scale planetary invasion of Geonosis to shut down the droid factories.
The Second Battle of Geonosis proved to be a hard fight. Tasked with the challenge of landing on the planet and establishing a staging area, the Jedi mounted a three-pronged attack on the Geonosian defenses in what became known as the 'Battle of Point Rain', with Jedi Generals Ki-Adi-Mundi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Anakin Skywalker each leading an assault force.
After establishing a landing zone at Point Rain, the Republic army regrouped and disabled the factories' ray shields, making way for the rest of the clone trooper forces to safely land. In order to eliminate the factory, Generals Skywalker and Luminara Unduli battled the facility's droid defenses in open warfare while their respective Padawans, Ahsoka Tano and Barriss Offee, sneaked into the facility via the catacombs beneath it.
Tano and Offee used a super tank to blow up the facility's reactor and collapse the factory from the inside. A hunt for Archduke Poggle the Lesser and the Geonosian Queen Karina the Great ensued in the aftermath of the battle.
The Jedi and their troops destroyed much of the queen's lair during their escape, killing Karina the Great and burying her warriors beneath the temple, and the Republic's recapture of Geonosis was secured.
Several months after the destruction of Rishi Station, Grievous and Ventress planned another assault on Kamino.
Skywalker and Kenobi caught wind of their plan when they had intercepted a coded message between Grievous and Ventress. They immediately rushed over to secure the clone planet. While Grievous arrived with a fleet to challenge the Republic's fortified blockade of Kamino, he secretly led Trident drills down to the surface by disguising them as debris from the space battle and having them crash into Kamino's oceans to join Ventress, who was already down there with her ship.
Once the assault craft were assembled, they rose out of the oceans and deployed their forces to attack Tipoca City.
While General Shaak Ti led the clone troopers to defend the city's Military Complex, Skywalker intercepted Ventress, who had stolen the clones' DNA template, while Kenobi dueled Grievous at the clone barracks. Both duels moved outside, and though Ventress and Grievous escaped, Skywalker managed to retrieve the DNA, and Ti was able to drive the droid forces away, thwarting the Separatists' invasion of Kamino and securing the key world.
At Coruscant, the Separatist fleet under Dooku and Grievous launched a week-long siege of the galactic capital. Confederacy C-9979 landing craft were unleashed on the capital along with swarms of Vulture droids and Droid tri-fighters. Hundreds of millions of battle droids and tank droids ravaged the streets of Galactic City, causing much damage to lives and property.
In response, the Republic deployed its Clone forces against the Separatist droid forces. As the battle raged in space, in the sky and on the ground, Grievous broke into 500 Republica and kidnapped Palpatine, slaying several troops and Jedi in the process. Realizing that they had been lured away from Coruscant, Skywalker and Kenobi made their way back to the capital world with the Open Circle Fleet to join in the attempt to rescue Palpatine.
Boarding the Separatist flagship Invisible Hand, they made their way through the ship to where the Chancellor was being held.
However, before they could escape they were met by Count Dooku, who once again faced off against the Jedi.
Although Dooku originally had the upper hand, the Jedi changed lightsaber styles during the middle of the battle in order to put the Sith Lord on the back foot. Dooku quickly swung the battle back in his favor by throwing Kenobi against the wall through the Force and knocking him unconscious. Dooku and Skywalker fought on, with both Dooku and Palpatine urging Skywalker to give in to the dark side.
This backfired on Dooku, as Skywalker gained the upper hand, disarmed his opponent.
On Palpatine's instructions, decapitated Dooku, destabilizing the Separatist leadership into the military faction led by General Grievous and the civilian faction led by Nute Gunray.
Skywalker, Kenobi and Palpatine were later recaptured by General Grievous, but with the help of R2-D2 they gained control of the ship and landed what remained of it down on Coruscant. However, Grievous escaped and together with the remains of the Separatist fleet fled to the Outer Rim Territories.
GATE: The Clone Wars
Chapter 1: New Enemies Emerge
The empty darkness that which was called space erupted as two small spacecrafts, those capable of carrying one pilot, could be seen flying through space as they approached a planet unlike anything ever seen before.
It's surface looked to be completely made of massive buildings, a sight which was rarely seen else where in the galaxy. As the two spacecrafts approach the planet, a massive fleet of warships appeared behind them, currently the force which was escorting the two spacecrafts into battle.
"Master, we're approaching the battle and by the looks of it, they already started the party without us."
A voice said over the the communications array and another voice responded, "I figured as much Anakin. You know how general Grievous is when it comes to making his big entrance in battles like these."
The young man - now named Anakin - started laughing as they soon approached the battle over the capital world of the Republic as it was being attacked by what remained of the Confederacy of Independent Systems and their droid forces.
"Now let us join in on the fun." said Kenobi.
Soon a device in front of the two Jedi knights created an image of a young man around the age of Anakin, "Skywalker, Master. I assumed you two got the mission details from both master Yoda and Mace Windu."
Obi-Wan nodded, "Yes we did. And I hope your fleet has made progress towards creating a hole for both me and Anakin to slip in through."
The young man's lips became thin, "Unfortunately. . .the enemy fleet is far stronger than we originally anticipated and I believe over the last few hours, I think I've lost three to four cruisers while a few more are severely damaged and are in need of repair. The CIS have certainly decided to make this their last attempt at any kind of offensive aimed towards crippling us. But I think we've weakened them just enough for you two."
Both Jedi understood their fellow member has certainly done his best to do what is asked of him.
"Thank you Raiden. Just hold out long enough and keep the droid army busy." asked Obi-Wan, knowing that the enemy wasn't going to go down without fighting.
~o0o~
Near Coruscant
A Few Minutes Earlier
The battle in space raged as Republic ships fought their way through the endless number of CIS warships, desperate to get to the Invisible Hand; Grievous' flagship. The Separatist ships forming a barrier around the capital ship, engaging the Republic relentlessly in an effort to stave them off as the Invisible Hand tried to find an open way to jump into hyperspace with their prize. . .
Chancellor Palpetine, the leader of the Republic.
The Venator-class ship called Benevolence engaged in a broadside battle with a Separatist Munificent-class frigate, the turbolaser on its starboard unleashed an onslaught of fire and cannons lining the frigate firing ceaselessly. The ship was also receiving punishment of its own from the frigate, explosions rocking both ships as the turbolaser rounds slammed around the two ships.
Within the bridge, the ship's crew fought desperately to knock out the frigate. Standing at the front was a young man around his early twenties with black hair and dark, calculating grey eyes, currently witnessing the scene before him as numerous cruisers engaged the Separatist fleet.
A scene that included over thirty Republic cruisers under his command were sent in to break through and allow for Jedi knights Obi-Wan and Anakin to slip in and get back the chancellor before the Separatist escaped.
Nearly two hours have passed and neither side has made much headway towards their objective. Something that Raiden was more than ready to do in order to stop the enemy. Turning around, he walked back to the command center and found the crew members trying to keep contact with the rest of the fleet and coordinate the attack.
"Divert all engine power to the turbolasers," said the ship's captain. Raiden approached the table and saw that they were still locked in heavy combat against the CIS and with the way this battle was going, nothing was going to change.
"Sir, one of our turbolasers has just been severely damaged," said a clone bridge attendant. Raiden and the captain looked at each other for a moment, both men realizing the importance of this mission as time was not on their side.
"We're going to need more reinforcements. The Chancellor's life is in our hands," said the captain.
"Sir, we have a new group of enemy signals coming from our rear and above," said another crew member.
"More Separatists?"
"No. They're friendly. They're coming out of hyperspace now." Both Jedi and captain looked out to the left to see the incoming ships. First one Venator came, followed by three more, then eight. Above their ship, two more appeared. He looked closely at their insignia to confirm their identity.
A yellow circle with a red diameter around it save for open spaces on the circle's left and right.
Open Circle Fleet.
Immediately, the bridge crew let out cries of joy and praise as the ships moved to engage the Separatist ships, starfighters exiting from their hangars by the dozen.
Kenobi and Skywalker.
"Finally, about damn time these guys got here." Raiden muttered to himself as he walked towards one of the communication officers. After setting up communications between their fleet and the two Jedi knights that have entered the fight.
"Alright. . . let's end this fight."
~o0o~
Over Coruscant
Present Day
"Flying is for droids," said Obi-Wan. His starfighter was currently dodging the missiles of the Vulture droid. He veered and weaved through the the engaged capital ships. The missiles still kept following him. However, he was more shocked when they flew past him. They exploded some distance in front of him.
He saw green-grey spherical objects appeared out of them and latch onto his ship.
"I'm hit. Anakin?" said Obi-Wan. Trying to figure out whether or not he should be alarmed or not.
"I see them," Anakin replied. "Buzz droids."
The buzz droids unlatched from their shields and went to work doing what they do best: mess up the starfighter. Already one was delving into the ship's hull to get to the control wires. Obi-Wan could only watch as the buzz droids began their dirty work. One scuttled over his cockpit window towards his astromech droid, R4.
"R4 be careful, there's a-" the older Jedi knight said.
The buzz droid got to the astromech and was already tearing into his dome. With little effort it cut through enough to tear the astromech's head off and send it flying into space, the head whining as it flew behind him.
"Oh dear," said Obi-Wan. He knew he was heading into a world of trouble. A buzz droid managed to carve its way into the control gauntlet, hampering any efforts Obi-Wan could make to steer the ship.
"Well," Obi-Wan started, "They're shutting down all of the controls," said Obi-Wan. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Anakin's fighter came up directly behind his.
"Move to the right so I can get a clear shot at them," said Anakin.
"The mission. . . get to the command ship. Get to the Chancellor. We're running out of tricks here," said Obi-Wan. His fighter at the moment was done for. It wouldn't make sense for Anakin to try and help him when he could continue on the mission to save the Chancellor. Any normal person would have left Obi-Wan to his fate and carried on.
Anakin wasn't a normal person by any means
He fired his lasers as carefully as possible, hitting a few buzz droids on Obi-Wan's ship. The strategy was working until the ones he was aiming for on the ship's left wing moved enough to where the cannon blasts hit the wing instead. Good news, the buzz droids were detached from the left wing and shot into space. The bad news, Obi-Wan had only one wing left.
"In the name of!" Obi-Wan yelled. The two ships moved through an area heavily contested between a Star Destroyer and a Separatist ship, explosions all around them.
*BOOM*
"Hold your fire, you're not helping here!" said Obi-Wan.
"I agree, bad idea," said Anakin, hitting himself in his mind to how undeniably reckless that approach was. A buzz droid near the nose of the starfighter damaged a coolant cable, causing it to spray onto Obi-Wan's cockpit window.
"I can't see a thing. My cockpit is fogging," said Obi-Wan, straining to see out the window. Anakin moved to get his ship into position, another idea in his mind.
Hopefully, he thought, it just my work.
"They're all over me. Anakin-" said Obi-Wan. Suddenly, he felt something hit his left as if to batter his already crippled starfighter. It hit him again, confirming his suspicions that it was Anakin. From what he could strain out of the glass, he could see Anakin trying to crush the buzz droids with his wing.
"Move to the right," said Anakin.
"Hold on Anakin. You're gonna get us both killed," said Obi-Wan. "Get out of here, there's nothing more you can do."
"I'm not leaving without you Master," said Anakin, ending all debating between the two. Anakin expertly moved his starfighter until he and Obi-Wan's ships were lined wingtip to wingtip. He moved in in order to ram into the ship one more time. This time the buzz droids were crushed, save for one. The lone survivor climbed onto Anakin's ship as he pulled away, immediately targeting R2.
The little blue droid fished out his charge arm to ward the buzz droid off.
"Hit him R2," said Anakin. The buzz droid made the first advance. R2 countered by hitting him with the arm, sending it scurrying back.
"Watch out," said Anakin. The buzz droid tried again, only to be sent back again.
"R2, hit the buzz droid's center eye," said Obi-Wan. R2 beeped, aiming the arm at the droid's center eye. He charged it up and fired it as the buzz droid got close. The buzz droid had moved in close, wanting to try and finish him off for good. It wasn't prepared to counter the electric hit. The arc of electricity hit it dead on, frying the eye and the circuitry inside.
It slumped to the floor, deactivated. The outside pressure sent it sliding off the ship.
"Yeah you got him!" Anakin cheered.
"Great R2," said Obi-Wan. Continuing their flight the turbolaser, anti-aircraft flak, and other guns intensified.
"The general's command ship is dead ahead," said Anakin. The Invisible Hand stood as a bastion of firepower as it shot not only at them, but other ships in the area. R2 screamed as their ship narrowly avoided their fire. It seemed like every gun on the ship was firing.
"Well have you noticed the shields are still up!" said Obi-Wan.
"Sorry Master," said Anakin. He spun his Interceptor around Obi-Wan's, firing his laser cannons at the shield generators flanking the Invisible Hand's hangar. The generators were destroyed after the sustained blasts, dissipating the hangar's shield. A metal safeguard door began sliding into place to keep the pressure inside the shield. The Interceptors raced towards the rapidly closing hangar door.
"Oh I have a bad feeling about this," said Obi-Wan, bracing himself for what was to follow.
They gunned their engines to the max. It proved fruitful. They managed to get past the hangar door in the nick of time, the doors closing shut as soon as Anakin's fighter made it in. Their fighters hit the steel floor hard, crashing past barrels, weaponry and droids.
Obi-Wan shot out of his cockpit, his lightsaber coming to life as he spun in the air before touching the ground and slicing straight through the droids around him.
Anakin's ship halted to a stop. He hurriedly took off his safety belts and opened the cockpit, also jettisoning R2 out of the ship.
"There they are. Fire!" said a battle droid squad leader. The other droids under his command fired at the Jedi Knight. Anakin's lightsaber was already on as he spun it around in a swirling display that had their shots ricochet back to the droids.
He and Obi-Wan steadily made their way towards each other, deflecting the blaster shots back at the droids as the droids in the hangar advanced onto their position. Obi-Wan and Anakin soon switched to go on the offensive, moving forward to slice through the battle droids heading for them.
R2 rolled till he was behind them as if asking for orders.
"R2. Locate the Chancellor," said Obi-Wan, slicing through another battle droid. R2 beeped and headed to the closest computer terminal as the two Jedi finished off the last of the droids.
The last droid fell to the ground, braying it's 'death' yell as it clattered to the ground. R2 connected to the terminal with his scomp link and broadcast an image of the entire ship. A white light displayed the location of the Chancellor's beacon.
"The Chancellor's signal is coming from right there," said Obi-Wan pointing to the hologram. "The observation platform at the top of that spire."
Anakin's senses became uneasy as he felt a familiar presence on board the ship. "I sense Count Dooku."
"I sense a trap," said Obi-Wan.
"Next move?" asked the young Jedi Knight.
"Spring it."
The two only smirked, they lost count of how many times that they've been through situations like this, honestly, they've gotten used to pulling off such stunts in battle. After all these years of working together, nothing too significant between the two of them had changed.
Something they wanted to stay that way. . .
~o0o~
Over Coruscant
Star Destroyer - Benevolence
The men on board the warship looked on as they soon saw the signals of both Obi-Wan and Anakin disappear as they entered the capital ship of Grievous. A figure who wanted nothing more than to rip apart both Obi-Wan and Raiden himself.
After all, Raiden and Obi-Wan personally gained the ire of the brutal general that lead all military operations for the Separatist forces.
It was here the opportunity presented itself as Raiden realized the chance of a lifetime by crippling the warship and keeping it where it was. Allowing for the general to be captured and ending this war quicker than before.
With both top leaders of the Separatist in the hands of the Republic, this would allow for them to deal with what remains of the leaders in the CIS. Men, who were for the most part, businessmen and people that had no idea as to how to run a government or a proper military force against the Republic.
Making it clear how outclassed these people when it came to making decisions that would have major consequences on their government. Soon he saw the ship starting to swing towards one direction, a particular open part of space.
One that would allow for them to escape the system. Something that they could not allow to happen, especially with both Obi-Wan and Anakin on that ship trying to rescue the chancellor from captivity.
"Captain! I want our forces to concentrate fire on the Invisible Hand. That warship is not to leave this system at all cost."
The captain spoke up, "Yes sir," he looked over towards the crew who operated the weapon systems, "Alright! You heard the general, concentrate fire on the capital ship of the Separatist fleet. We can't allow for them to escape."
All of the crew members got to work as they began to target the ship and with other Republic cruisers starting to open fire on the same target as well.
*BOOM*
*BOOOOM*
Explosions could be seen from the bridge of the warship as the sheer firepower of the Republic ships must have caused significant damage to the propulsion system in order to limit the ability for the ship to travel.
"General, we're currently engaging what's left of the Separatist fleet while still awaiting the signal from Kenobi and Skywalker."
The captain walked up right next to Raiden as he continued to watch the fleet of frigates continue to burn up. Raiden knew that this wasn't going to be the last battle with the Separatist as he knew there were still more of them out there.
"Come on you two."
He muttered to himself as he was left to his own thoughts after the captain left to continue monitoring the battle.
Time was beginning to run out for the Republic fleet as the capital ship remained dead in space while there was silence between both the two Jedi knights on board and the the fleet of Republic ships moping up the Separatist.
"Let's hope nothing ain't going wrong in there." said the young Jedi as he continued to mop up what was left of the Separatist fleet.
~o0o~
Over Coruscant
Star Destroyer - Invisible Hand
Obi-Wan was thrown hard into the railing of the upper stairway, falling to the ground. Dooku raised his hand, using the Force to cause the section to fall on top of him, knocking the Jedi Master unconscious. Anakin could only watch in stunned silence. Fear washed over him briefly as he realized he was on his own. Everything now rested firmly on his shoulder.
Sadness because his former master, his best friend, a man he could call his brother, was now currently unconscious on the floor.
However, another emotion was beginning to fill him.
Anger.
He looked with rage-filled eyes he got to his feet and charged Dooku, kicking him off the stairway. He leaped down as well and the two men continued their fight. Their lightsabers clashed endlessly in a display or red and blue, white sparking in every time their blades crashed together.
The Count's Makashi against Anakin's Shien. Their lightsabers met again, pressing into the other.
"I sense great fear in you Skywalker. You have hate; you have anger, but you don't use them," said Dooku.
Anakin hit the lightsaber away from him.
"If he wants hate and anger, I'll give it to him," Anakin thought.
For three years the Count had egged him, threatened him and his loved ones, and caused discord, chaos and death wherever he went. Anakin could still feel the tingle on the edge of his arm where his real arm met his robotic limb. From cutting off his arm to when the Count had captured them on Korriban to now, and the Count had the sense to have a smug look? This time, he was going to make him pay.
Anakin attacked first, using the emotions, the Jedi had forbidden others to use in combat.
He pressed the attack, for once causing the Count to lose ground as their fight took them around the Chancellor's chair. Dooku began to slowly realize that he his provocations were backfiring on him now as he fought to just keep up with Anakin's attacks.
Anakin now plainly saw that he was gaining the upper hand in their duel.
Their lightsabers clashed endlessly in intricate patterns and techniques prescribed to their forms.
Their lightsabers locked again and Anakin twisted their lightsabers down. Using an advanced Shien maneuver to move his hands around his hilt to twist it inside Dooku's grip. There was no defense to this. His lightsaber sliced of Dooku's hands.
The severed hands flew into the air to the force of the blow, Anakin catching the Count's lightsaber in his activation and activating the red beam.
The Count dropped to his knees as Anakin crossed the two lightsabers in an X around his throat. He was now completely at Anakin's mercy. On the other side of the observatory, the Chancellor's face broke into one of satisfaction at the sight that lay before him.
"Good Anakin, good," said the Chancellor, congratulating Anakin on his feat.
"Kill him." Both Anakin and Dooku's eyes widened. Count Dooku looked to the Chancellor as if pleading for his life, not understanding what was happening here. He thought his master would help him when the moment came to killing Skywalker.
Yet. . .
His master seemed to have merely used him. . . but for what?!
"Kill him now," harshly whispered Chancellor. The Count looked back up to Anakin. As Anakin looked at him, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of sorrow for the enemy at his mercy. The old man looked broken and utterly helpless.
Despite everything Dooku had done to him and countless others, how could he kill this defenseless old man?
"I shouldn't," said Anakin.
"Do it," said the Chancellor. Anakin looked down at Dooku's face on more time.
Suddenly, every negative emotion came back to him. The long three years of pain and anguish the Count made him feel. His eyes darkened at the thoughts. He flicked his wrists out, and the Count's head came tumbling down off his shoulders.
His body slumped to the floor, never to rise again. Count Dooku, leader of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, was dead.
"I couldn't stop myself," said Anakin, walking over to the chair.
"You did well, Anakin. He was too dangerous to be kept alive," said Palpatine as he comforted the young Jedi knight.
"Yes," said Anakin, turning the binders off on the chair, "but he was an unarmed prisoner. I shouldn't have done that. It's not the Jedi way."
"It is only natural," said Palpatine, standing up and moving around now that he was free from his confinement. "He cut off your arm, and you wanted revenge. It wasn't the first time, Anakin. Remember what you told me about your mother and the Sand People?"
"How could I not? I can never forget," Anakin thought.
"Now, we must leave before more security droids arrive," said Palpatine. Palpatine made for the stairs while Anakin went to check on Obi-Wan's state. To his relief, his friend was still alive.
"Anakin, there's no time. We must leave him," said Palpatine.
"He seems to be alright," said Anakin.
"Leave him or we'll never make it," said Palpatine.
"His fate will be the same ours," Anakin said grimly.
~o0o~
Over Coruscant
Star Destroyer - Invisible Hand
The safety shutters to the bridge windows finally shut, allowing Anakin, Obi-Wan and the Chancellor to get their feet back on the floor without a risk of getting sucked out into the airless vacuum of space.
Grievous has escaped, again, aboard his damaged flagship.
"Can you fly a cruiser like this?" said Obi-Wan.
"You mean do I know how to fly what's left of this?" said Anakin. "Strap yourselves in."
They all moved to the 'recently' unoccupied chairs of the bridge crew. Anakin scanned over the controls of the ship. The engine flaps shut as he tried to slow the ship into the atmosphere to land down. Suddenly, an explosion rocked the ship dead center. The explosion spread out until the ship's rear tore off in a screech of metal away from the rest of the ship.
With the ship now without its primary means of control, it only made thing far worse than it needed to be.
"I think we lost something," said Anakin.
"Not to worry. We're still flying half of a ship," said Obi-Wan. The Invisible Hand now plunged towards the planet's surface, the outer hull glowing red from the heat of traveling through the different layers of the atmosphere.
Moments passed as the cruisers above them had witnessed the ship falling towards the planet, all of them wondering what was going to happen.
The ship hit the ground of the airfield hard, skidding along the metal surface. The slide completely tore apart the runway, and even a nearby tower. It kept on skidding until finally its momentum ceased and it was brought to a halt.
Inside, Anakin, Obi-Wan, Papatine and R2 let out a sigh or beep of relief. Obi-Wan ran his hand through his hair as he fought to keep from having a personal a heart attack.
"Another happy landing," he said. The comment caused Anakin to crack a smile, while the Palpatine looked at the two of them with mysticism and wonder as if asking how these two operated all this time.
~o0o~
Location: Unknown
Time: Unknown
Under the light of the full moon was an army of unbelievable size, over a hundred thousand soldiers armed with swords and shields. They all resembled soldiers of an ancient empire which has been long forgotten in the minds of many.
However, these men were not to be trifled with as they controlled thousands of square miles of land. Subjugating and ruling over it's citizens with an iron fist and making sure no one tried to belittle the command of their emperor.
Within the span of a few days however, they soon found a structure unlike anything they had ever seen.
A building which resembled a gate of some sort with great marble pillars holding up the ceiling and roof of this building. With the entrance filled with anything but the dark, it made the soldiers weary of what lay on the other side.
Leading them was a general named Tiberius Gaius, a man who was well respected for leading successful invasions of other nations which fell under the flag of the Empire.
Even he felt nervous about what could be found on the other side, their scouts never returned from the gate the previous day and many of the soldiers began to talk among themselves that this mission was suicide.
Feeling the pressure of leading a successful attack, the general soon commanded his men to prepare themselves as they were to soon start marching through the gate.
As he watched from the nearby hill, seeing the countless soldiers dressed in heavy armor and carried their shields with the pride of fighting for their nation, emperor, and even their families as this was important to support the war machine which was the Empire.
"Do you believe attacking whoever it is on the other side, is right?" asked the general.
Next to him was one of the advisers sent to oversee the progress of the army, it was a young woman with bright red hair and eyes of similar color, seemed to be quite young compared to most of the soldiers marching. This woman was the daughter to the emperor and someone who grew tired of being seen as a joke to many within the Senate.
"I believe we should do as the emperor commands. If he says we must attack whoever it is on the other side, then so be it." she responded.
During the course of her whole life, the young woman never questioned what her father had instructed his armies to do. However, even she couldn't stand the sight of seeing such barbaric acts performed by their armies as they enslaved thousands of people, many being woman and young girls.
Such thoughts disgusted her, but there was very little she could do. Even her older brother took part in such things and took a few of the female slaves for himself to enjoy.
"Lady Pina, I must ask you something?" the older general said, wanting an answer for why he was feeling so. . . anxious about what may happen on the other side, or what may happen to the very nation he serves.
Was this attack going to backfire and resort in the destruction of his army? Or something far worse?
"What is it general Tiberius?" Pina asked, curious as to what is troubling the general.
The man didn't respond as he gathered his thoughts for a few moments, "Do you feel as if this invasion is going to be different than all the rest?"
Princess Pina didn't say anything as she was relieved to know she wasn't the only one feeling as this attack felt off, almost like they were poking a predator they should have no business in dealing with. Merely the thought of attacking whoever it was on the other side, it may result in terrible things to come for her nation.
But it was too late. . .
Their soldiers were marching through the gate, heading to fight an enemy they have no idea about. Their army size, weapons, or what their capabilities were. . .
Far too many questions left unanswered and now they play the dangerous game of storming over the border, having to see up close and personal what this unknown nation was like and how long it would take for them to conquer.
Or, so they think. . .
Princes Pina soon left the general to his own thoughts, wanting to report back to her father with news of the army marching through the gate, while wanting to be as far away as possible from the battle about to erupt.
Soon the general began to follow closely, still nervous as to what was going to happen to his troops. . .
He felt as if he declared war on an enemy unlike anything ever seen in their world, or what his world has ever seen before.
NEXT ON GATE: THE CLONE WARS
CHAPTER 2: ATTACK
I don't know, I felt like posting a story like this because I wanted to.
Or because I love Star Wars to death. . .so maybe that's the real reason why I'm doing this story. . .
Besides, Rogue One is coming out in like two weeks, so yeah.
*This was rewritten*
