Author's note: This builds off my reimagined version of Episode I: The Slave Jedi. Find it on my author's page if you need to catch up.
Five years after the Battle of Naboo, the Clone Wars still rage. The war that was supposed to be short has been stuck in a stalemate that appears to have no end. Exhaustion is overtaking both sides, although finding a way to end the fighting has been elusive.
With the Republic now at full mobilization, offensives are being raged on all fronts. The tactical brilliance of Grand Admiral Thrawn has led to many victories for the Republic. Despite this, the Separatists have been able to remain in the war by manufacturing a seemingly endless number of battle droids.
Needing to strike a finishing blow against the Separatists, the Republic has sent a fleet to search for the most powerful Separatist warlord, Hego Damask. Under the leadership of the Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, their fleet has dispatched hundreds of probe droids in the sector of the galaxy where he is rumored to be hiding.
...
A Republic star destroyer flies through the blackness of space. Its ventral cargo bay doors are open, and as it flies probe droids drop out of it. The droids fly off in all directions. Each one has a particular destination, but they all have the same mission, find the secret hideout of the warlord Hego Damask.
All the data coming in from the probe droids is being processed by a team of four analysts working on the bridge. The four analysts are new members to the fleet, flown in to replace the others who needed rest after four months of non-stop work. While they are anxious to do a good job and do their part to end the war, they find it impossible to give their data the attention they should. They are taking constant glances over at the Jedi on the bridge. His name is Anakin Skywalker, although none of them know it, in keeping with the tradition of Jedi anonymity. He is looking out the large viewport of the bridge, his back is turned to the analysts and his hands are clasped behind his back. There is no reason for him to be there, other than to intimidate the rest of the crew. The new analysts don't care for this and can't help but talk about their displeasure amongst themselves.
"Why does that Jedi have to be here? There's nothing for him to do."
"He wants us to know he's watching us. He must figure we'll just goof off if he isn't around."
"It's insulting. Does he really believe we have so little desire to do our jobs? We want this war to end just as much as anyone else."
"I wish he could be more like that other Jedi, the bearded one. That one trusts us. He doesn't try to lead by intimidation like the tall one over there."
"I know what you mean. The tall one doesn't act anything like the Jedi I've heard about. And it's not just about how he treats us. The accent he has, the manner in which he speaks, the way he carries himself. None of it is like the other Jedi at all."
"I heard it's because, he was never raised as a Jedi. He didn't join them until just a few years ago. Comes from some backwater world where he wasn't identified as Force sensitive as a child."
"He didn't join until he was an adult? How is that possible? I thought the Jedi would never allow such a thing."
"Well, apparently they allowed it with him."
"Why?"
"Because he is supposed to be powerful, real powerful in the Force." The man looked around and leaned into the others so he could speak even softer. He was that scared about being overheard. "I've heard he's THE Jedi."
"Theeee Jedi." One of the analysts couldn't help but giggle over the way the other man put a special emphasis on the word. "What do you mean by the THE Jedi."
"Haven't you heard about the one Jedi, who's enormously powerful in ways no one has ever seen before?" The silence coming from the other made it clear he needed an explanation. "There is apparently one Jedi who has been single handedly winning one battle after another for us. He's been doing it since the very beginning of the war, maybe even all the way back to the Battle of Naboo. Some people think the Republic would have lost the war early if it wasn't for this Jedi."
"Can there really be a Jedi like that?" One of the other analysts who had heard the rumors felt the need to voice his skepticism.
"If this Jedi doesn't really exist, then where do the rumors come from?"
The analyst rolled his eyes as he didn't see why he should have to explain how unfounded rumors came about, but he thought he would give it a try anyway. "I don't know where they come from. Maybe people are scared about losing the war, and it makes them feel better to believe we have some super Jedi on our side. Or maybe our government has spread these rumors in order to intimidate the Separatists."
"You know if this Jedi really did exist, it would help if they released his name and let everyone know he was real. Who knows how many worlds would surrender if they found out there was this super Jedi coming after them?"
"That's why I think everything you said is just rumors. If this Jedi was real, there is no way Chancellor Palpatine and the war council would let his identity remain a secret. His face would be all over the holo-news. The public could certainly use the boost of confidence to know we have someone like that on our side."
"They can't release his name because of Jedi anonymity. The Jedi don't want any of their members to have the kind of fame you just described. They want to believe they are all equal in the order. They want their Knights to fight for peace and justice, not fame, fortune, or notoriety."
"It seems like the Republic would really benefit from them breaking their rules."
"The Jedi don't break their rules for anything."
"I don't know about that. According to you, they broke their rules to let the guy in the order in the first place."
"Okay, so I'm not exactly an expert in all things Jedi."
Their conversation had to end abruptly as the tall Jedi turned around and headed directly for them. Fear gripped them, and they did their best to look as busy as they could. They started pressing buttons furiously, knowing they wouldn't do anything other than produce a clanking noise that would cause the Jedi to think they were doing something.
"What have you found?" the Jedi bellowed when he reached them. He stood perfectly straight between them with his hands clasped behind his back. He glanced around at the four of them, waiting for one to summon the courage to reply. They glanced around at each other as none of them wanted to go first. Realizing he was going to have select someone, Anakin glanced down at the man directly to his right. His height made his glare especially intimidating. The analyst felt like his heart was going to stop. Doing his best to push those feelings aside, he found a way to stammer a response.
"I've, uh, got a, uh, got an uncharted settlement on Myrkr. It's smugglers. Well, it's probably just smugglers. It's small, so it can't be much more than smugglers, or some kind of criminals. Certainly not large enough to be the warlord base we are looking for."
Feeling bad for the man, one of his compatriots came to his aid. "I've got a similar finding from Bpash. Uncharted settlement, very small. Not what we're looking for."
"I'll be the judge of that," Anakin scowled as he glared at the analyst who had just spoken. "Map out those settlements for me." The analyst did as requested, and on his monitor appeared a map of the star systems. Anakin moved around to look at it, leaning over to do so. On the screen he saw two systems were colored red to indicate the settlements they were talking about. "Has anyone found anything similar?"
"I have. I've got an image of an uncharted settlement on Bisk. The architecture of the structures is almost identical to the other two."
"That's good. It means they were all built by the same people." Anakin leaned over even more to get a better look at the monitor screen. "The three systems highlighted all seem to be an equal distant from that one in the center." Anakin pointed to the system he was referring to on the monitor.
"That's Utapau."
"That's a heavily populated system," Anakin remarked. "What did our probe droids to that system show?"
All the analysts exchanged worried glances. "No probe droids were sent there. Since it's a heavily populated system, it is unlikely Damask would be able to hide there."
"He could hide there if he's cowed the populace into compliance."
Once again, one of the analysts spoke up to deliver some skepticism to the conversation. "If that was the case, I am sure our traditional intelligence assets would have picked up that information."
What the officer was saying made sense, but Anakin's instincts were telling him something different. He had an inkling that was the system where Hego was. "Damask is on Utapau. I can feel it. Set a course for that system and inform the rest of the fleet of our destination."
"We will be doing no such thing." The voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi was stern and commanding as he walked over to the analyst station.
"But we have good information that Damask is hiding out on the Utapau system." Anakin was trying to speak sternly, but it was hard to do when he was pleading with his former master.
"We have your hunch, and little else." Obi-Wan crossed his arms over his chest as he glared at his former apprentice. "The analyst was right. It's unlikely Hego could be hiding out in such a heavily populated system without us already knowing it. I am the commanding officer of this fleet, and I will decide our destination. Until we get some real information indicating Hego's location, we will continue on our present course."
"If that is to be the case, then I will go and examine the system myself." Anakin was doing a remarkable job of acting calm despite the fury he was feeling. "My ship is my own, and I can take it where I want." As he walked away, he radioed Artoo. "Artoo, get my fighter ready to leave. We are traveling to the Utapau system." Artoo beeped something back that Anakin had come to understand was confusion.
"While I think you are being rash, you are free to go, as you say." Obi-Wan felt the need to get in the last word with everyone watching. While he was proud of the training he had given Anakin, the man had proven to be a very trying Padawan. He had felt a certain relief when Anakin had been promoted to a Jedi Knight. It meant the difficult task of training him was over. Now, he just had to hope that Anakin would remember and take heart all the lessons he had tried to teach him.
...
Anakin walked briskly through the halls of the ship. He did his best to hide his emotions, but from the look on his face and the way he was walking, it was clear he was angry. Everyone he passed did their best to get out of his way once they saw him. Their actions served to cheer him up slightly, as he knew he never would have gotten those reactions at the beginning of the mission. Back then, he was a blank slate to everyone, they just assumed he was a normal, stoic Jedi. They soon came to learn how intimidating he could be. It was a reputation he had worked to cultivate, as he knew it was needed to keep the underlings focused and disciplined.
One thing that surprised Anakin was the amount of leeway Obi-Wan gave him in his actions. Jedi were not supposed to lead by intimidation, but he never sought to correct his former apprentice. The approach he was taking was no different than their years as master and apprentice. Despite that, Anakin was still surprised Obi-Wan let him treat the others in the fleet the way he did. He figured Obi-Wan was giving Anakin the room because he figured the years of war were taking its toll on him, and he was willing to forgive his actions because of that.
What Obi-Wan did not realize was it was not the normal toll of war that was affecting Anakin, it was his secret relationship with Padme that was difficult. Because of their unique connection, it was not nearly as difficult as it could have been. No matter where they were in the galaxy, they could connect through the Force and read each other's minds as well as experience the other's emotions. It allowed them to keep their relationship alive, but always left Anakin wanting more. He wanted to see her, talk with her, and touch her just as much as any other husband. During the first couple years of the war, they had seen each other often whenever they were both on Coruscant. As the war dragged on, Padme got increasingly fearful of their relationship being discovered. She kept insisting Anakin stay away from her. The time they spent together was greatly lessened, but Anakin was able to accept it. Padme was on the war council, and she kept telling him they believed the war was close to being over, and once it was, they would be free to be together. Their analysis was incorrect. The war just continued dragging on. There was no way to know if the war would be over anytime soon. Anakin had no way of knowing when the two of them would be free to be together.
The time away was even more unbearable now that Padme insisted they stop communicating through their Force connection. The last time he was on Coruscant was four months ago, right before they departed to search for Hego Damask. He had spent several days trying to see Padme, but she did her best to avoid him. She finally let him come to her apartment. He thought they were going to get to spend some real time together, but she just wanted to see him briefly to tell him they would no longer be able to communicate through their connection, as it was just too risky. Anakin didn't understand, so she had to explain to him she was learning of things through their connection she shouldn't have known. When she inadvertently revealed the information, she had to come up with quick explanations on how she obtained it. Not wanting to experience that situation again, she insisted they stop connecting until the war was over. They fought over the issue but ended up settling it quickly. Padme let him spend the night, and that was the last time they had even talked to each other. The four months without contact was the longest they had ever gone, and it was killing Anakin.
After one month without contact, Anakin couldn't take it anymore. He tried to form the connection but couldn't. This puzzled him, as he couldn't understand how she was able to block it. He didn't think much of it, as they never understood it in the first place.
When Anakin reached the hangar, he saw Artoo had completed all the pre-flight checks on his Jedi starfighter. Anakin slid into the cockpit and flew the fighter out of the ship's hangar. While the nav computer was finishing the calculations for the hyperspace jump, Anakin recorded a message for the one person on Coruscant who was still talking to him. It was Chancellor Palpatine who had devised the mission to hunt for Hego Damask. He had personally selected Obi-Wan and Anakin to lead it and had requested that Anakin personally give him updates. He recorded a short message just to let him know he was following a promising lead on Utapau. He sent it out right before he pulled the lever to send his fighter into hyperspace.
...
Chancellor Palpatine did his best to sound pleasant as he walked around the room, working the crowd. He was having a small, informal meeting with several senators, trying to implore them to commit even more forces to the Republic military. It seemed it was the only thing he ever did any more, and he despised it. He wished he could just requisition whatever forces he wanted without having to deal with anyone else.
Palpatine was thankful he was not talking to the senators alone. Bail was there with him. He was now serving as the Senate's delegate on the committee. It was a non-voting position, but allowed for the Senate to have more direct input on the conduct of the war. Grand Admiral Thrawn was also assisting him, speaking through a droid that was emanating his holo-image. He was light years away, currently leading one of the many fleets of the Republic navy. Palpatine required him to explain the military need they had for even more ships. Once Thrawn explained that, Palpatine would explain to the senator how much their system would stand to benefit from committing even more forces to the Republic. He did his best to convince them once the war was over, the galactic economy would explode, and the government coffers would be full to distribute to those systems which had done the most to bring about peace.
In the middle of talking to Aslee Teem, Palpatine saw Senator Garm Bel Iblis walk into the room. He was surprised to see the man here, as he had previously declined the invitation to come. Feeling the man might not have been committed to staying, he excused himself as he rushed up to greet him.
"Senator Bel Iblis, I am surprised to see you here." Palpatine rested one hand on the man's shoulder as he vigorously shook the man's hand with his other. "I thought you were supposed to leave for Corellia today."
"I am. In a couple hours. I was going to skip this meeting, but a couple politicians back home messaged me and implored me to come. They have been willing to give the Republic whatever it needs, and they wanted me to hear what the Republic needed now." The senator glared at Palpatine with an expression that indicated he knew he was the one who had told those politicians about this meeting.
"I'm glad you could come to report back what we need." Palpatine decided to ignore the insinuations the senator had made.
"I should warn you, the belligerent politicians who implored me to come here are not exactly a majority. It is going to take a lot more votes than just those in order to send along any more forces to you."
"Then it appears you are really going to have your work cut out for you," Palpatine pointed out.
Bel Iblis slumped his shoulders as he realized Palpatine was going to manipulate events to get what he wanted once again. "You know, it would be a lot easier if you just recorded a message detailing what you needed and radioed it over to Corellia," Garm said.
"Come on, senator, we both know that's not the way things work." Palpatine grinned from ear-to-ear in amusement. "As you just said, there are not enough easy votes on Corellia for me to procure what I need. That is why you need to make the sale. Only you know the people whose votes are winnable, and you need to know all the details yourself to make the proper pitch to them." While Palpatine had been talking, the droid projecting Thrawn's holo-image had walked over to them.
"I think Admiral Thrawn can take it from here." Palpatine and Bel Iblis listened in silence as Thrawn made his pitch. He started by praising the attributes of the Corellian ships he had in his fleet. He listed all their marvelous qualities and how valuable they had been. He told the senator the Corellian ships allowed him to carry out attacks he would not have been able to carry out with any other ships. The Corellian ships were vital to the war effort, and the Republic needed all of them that they could get.
When Thrawn was finished with his pitch, Palpatine was sure he had succeeded in convincing Garm of the need for the additional ships. He tried to read his face to see what the man was thinking, but his expression was stolid and unreadable. He got his answer when Garm shook his head.
"Your admiral gave a good pitch, I will give you that. I am sure if I went back to Corellia and repeated many of the details he gave me to the right politicians, I could win the votes I need to get the ships you want, but I won't do that. I am the senator for a reason. I have been entrusted to be the sole decider for my planetary system in matters such as this. And it is my decision that my planet can not spare any more resources being diverted to ship building."
From the look on Palpatine's face, it was clear he could not believe what he was hearing. "I should remind you, the Republic has been paying handsomely for the ships we have been buying form you. The money being pumped into your economy is incalculable. I don't see why you would be turning money down like this."
"Now, if you don't mind, I think it is my turn to make a pitch, and your turn to listen." As Bel Iblis began his spiel, Palpatine noticed Secretary Amidala walk into the room. He stared at her, but looked away when she held up a hand to him, sending the message that he should not betray her presence to the senator. Bel Iblis had his back to Padme, and didn't know she was there. Palpatine believed it was remarkable he couldn't feel her presence. She had a way of lighting up a room whenever she walked in. He could feel the eyes of everyone else were on her. He knew it was hard for people not to stare given her beauty. He didn't think it was possible, but over the past few months, she had seemed to grow even more beautiful. She had a glow to her that had appeared out of nowhere. In a time of war, it was remarkable. While everyone else was growing weary, Padme became rejuvenated. It seemed to make her even more effective, not that she had any problem before. She was one of the most respected members of the war council. Palpatine almost stopped Bel Iblis in the middle of his speech, as he knew once he was done, Padme would swoop in and find a way to convince him to do what they wanted.
Bel Iblis talked about how much labor on the planet was being diverted to war production. While the money was nice, the changeover to the war economy had been disruptive, and he knew changing back once the war was over would be even more disruptive. He felt it was his duty to save his planet from such malaise in the future. He then reminded Palpatine the situation he just outlined was the best-case scenario. He explained the length of time it took to build a ship from the initial laying of the hull to the final launch. Each ship was quite the commitment, from the standpoint of time. Garm knew how war weary the citizenry was, and he knew the government would need to end the war soon or face a revolution. The war would be over by the time the ships were completed, thus they would be useless for it."
"You have made a good pitch, I must say," Palpatine began. "These ships are not just for the current war. I believe the galaxy is about to enter a period of turmoil that will require a strong military. Keeping the peace after the end of the war is going to be difficult, and we are going to need all the forces we can muster. The government is going to have a need for those ships in one capacity or another."
"It's not just about will the government need them, it's about whether the government will be able to pay for them upon completion."
"Those ships will be paid for, I promise you that." Palpatine did his best to convey confidence.
"Can you really make a promise like that?" Bel Iblis practically scowled as he talked. "You managed to ascend to the chancellorship because of the war, but war time leaders are often tossed aside once the war is over. If the war ends soon, your chancellorship will be over as well, and any promises you make will quickly be forgotten. I know the state of the government's finances, it has gone into deep debt to fund the war. The next administration is unlikely to pay off its obligations. When that occurs, my planet will find itself with unfinished ships and economic misery."
"I can assure you that will never happen," came a voice from behind Bel Iblis. He almost jumped when he heard Padme's voice. When he turned around and looked at her, his entire demeanor changed. He smiled as his mood lightened.
Now, it was Padme's turn to talk, and to try and make the pitch she had successfully made to countless other politicians. "I, probably more than any other person, hope you are correct about the war ending soon. Ever since we threw the Federation off my planet, we have been living in fear they will return to exact revenge. We are anxious for the war to end, so that we may finally be able to start living in normalcy. Ending this war is going to take a continued commitment out of all of us. I know you think the ships we need will not be able to do anything to bring about the end of the war, but you could not be more wrong. This war is not about who controls the most territory, or who has the largest military. It is about who has the strongest morale. Building these ships will send the message to the Separatists that we are committed to fight this war as long as we need. The ships won't have to fire a single shot in order to end the war. They may not even have to exist. They just have to be on the docket to be built. I know you think the Republic is crumbling, but the Separatists are much worse. If we stay strong and hold together, we can get the Separatists to blink first. Once that happens, the warlord menace will be extinguished, and the galaxy will have peace. We will be able to rebuild, return to normalcy knowing the galaxy will never be ravaged by war again."
Bel Iblis shuffled around nervously on his feet before replying to Padme. "I want this war to end just as much as you. I promise you I will do whatever it takes to get you those ships." Bel Iblis stammered as he sounded apologetic. It was clear he was not lying to get her off his case. He truly believed in what she had told him. Before he left, he not only bowed to her, he took her hand and kissed it. There was no doubt Padme had won him over.
Padme's speech had been heard by everyone in attendance, and it won them all over. Many of them had been skeptical of making the commitments the war council was seeking. After hearing how much their commitment was needed to end the war, they were anxious to help. They were all weary of the war, but they believed the end was in sight, and that just a little more hardship would bring them not just peace, but victory. As they filed out, they all promised to give the war council whatever they needed.
When it was just the three of them, plus the holo-image of Thrawn, everyone relaxed. The Grand Admiral offered some kind words to Padme. "Congratulations, Senator Amidala. Being away from Coruscant, I rarely get to see you perform your magic. It is a pleasure watching you work. If I may offer one critique, it is that you should not make such a promise of victory. As a military man, I know it is my mission to earn it, but right now, the end of the war is more likely to come from the Separatists seeking a peace agreement. Any agreement will allow them to remain independent of the Republic. That would be a victory for them more than it would be for us."
"If it comes to that, then that would be a victory for them," Bail repeated what Thrawn had told them. "Our analysis of the Separatist systems indicate they are on the brink. It might not be long before they overthrow the warlords leading them."
"I am afraid that will never happen, the grip they have on power is just too strong." All eyes turned to Palpatine as he talked. "That is why I have been seeking to take out the warlords themselves. With the fleet hunting Damask, victory may be in our grasp. I have just received word they are following a promising lead. The warlord may shortly be in the custody of the Republic."
Padme's heart leapt into her chest, although she did her best to hide her feelings. She knew if the fleet was close to finding Hego Damask, Anakin would be putting himself at the front of the division sent to make the capture. While she knew his strength, she also knew how reckless he could be. Now, more than ever, she needed him to return home, safe.
...
Immediately upon exiting hyperspace and entering the Utapau system, Anakin felt a sensation come over him. His instincts were telling him he was in the right place, this was where he would find Hego Damask. Elation overtook him as he realized what this meant. If he could find him, and apprehend or kill him, he could end this war.
"Jedi Starfighter, what is your mission here?" Anakin wished he had tried to commandeer one of the disguised shuttles that was on the fleet. He had been so angry at Obi-Wan he hadn't thought how he needed to enter the system discreetly. Arriving in the Jedi starfighter alerted them to the fact a Jedi was here likely looking for Damask. At least, that is what Damask would assume. He would send Anakin somewhere as he prepared an ambush to take him out.
"I am here on a reconnaissance mission to the Republic. I request space to land my starfighter so that it may be refueled. I will also require a police escort to accompany me on my mission for the War Council."
"Are you alone?"
"I only have my astromech droid with me."
"We are sending you the coordinates for your landing platform. It is in a sparsely populated city that will allow you to land incognito. We are sending forces out from the capital to meet you."
Anakin knew the real reason why they were sending him to that city. The small city was the best place to attack him. Fewer places for him to run and hide. He had never intended to go to the landing platform they assigned him. He knew Damask was in the capital, and that was where he was going. He just played along to buy some time before they attacked.
"Yes Artoo, I saw the coordinates they sent us. We're not headed there. We're going to the capital." Artoo beeped furiously. Anakin looked at the translation on the computer monitor and saw Artoo was in the middle of delivering a screed on how it was a bad idea to defy the planetary security forces.
"Relax, Artoo. You're starting to sound like Threepio." Artoo let out a series of beeps that Anakin didn't need to read the translation in order to understand. Artoo was angrily denying he was acting like Threepio. He continued to beep a message that they should just head to their assigned landing platform.
"In case you haven't noticed Artoo, I'm the pilot of this ship and I will decide where we go. If you don't like that, you could always eject and try to fly to the surface yourself." Anakin pushed the engines to full throttle as they changed course to head for the capital.
"Jedi Starfighter, you are off course. You are not heading to the landing platform we assigned you." The security dispatcher was doing his best to keep his voice level, but Anakin could detect the agitation in it. He refused to reply as he kept his ship on the course he had set for the capital. He looked around at the fighters that were escorting him. They fanned out into attack positions. His sensors picked up even more fighters coming up from the surface.
"Jedi, please return to your previous course," the dispatcher was frantic now. "If you continue on course to the capital, we will have to assume your intentions are hostile. We will attack your ship. With our numbers, you don't stand a chance."
While Anakin had the utmost confidence in his piloting skills, he didn't want to have to kill any pilots who were just doing their jobs. He had to do his best to avoid a fight.
"My name is Anakin Skywalker!" he yelled. "Does that name mean anything to you?"
"We don't know the names of Jedi," the dispatcher replied, exasperated. "No one does."
"You may not know my name, but perhaps you've heard of my reputation. I am THE Jedi, the one who has single handedly been keeping the Republic from defeat. You do not want to try and attack me, it will only result in death for all your pilots. I know you might be scared of Hego Damask, but trust me, you should be terrified of me."
The laser blasts from the incoming fighters started hitting him right as the indicators on his control panel showed he had entered the planet's atmosphere. He shook his head over the mistake they had made by not heeding his warnings. He cursed the entire practice of Jedi anonymity. Given what he had accomplished during the war, the entire galaxy should have known the name Anakin Skywalker. It should have been a name that caused soldiers to tremble in fear. If the pilots around him understood who he was, they would be running to the surface.
From what Anakin saw on his scanners, it appeared he had the entire domestic defense force attacking him. He smiled as he knew how to make the numbers work to his advantage. He knew as the enemy fighters converged on him, they would be hampered in their maneuvers by their need to avoid running into each other.
As the fighters approached him from every angle, he had to take evasive maneuvers to avoid their blaster bolts. The fighters were swarming all around him, but he couldn't quite line up any in his sights to take a shot. He knew the battle was going to be difficult, but he figured he could shoot down everything in good time.
After the initial attack, Anakin was surprised to see most of the fighters staying back. They were going to make him chase them, and he was happy to oblige. He knew they were trying to set a trap for him, but he was confident he could break it.
Anakin chased the other fighters, shooting them down one-by-one. They were doing their best to avoid him and make him chase them. He assumed at some point they would start swarming around him once again, but no such thing happened. What he failed to notice was that they were leading him towards the surface, where their surface batteries could flood the sky with laser blasts.
All at once, the fighters around him dispersed, leaving him alone. He had just enough time to realize something was about to happen when the sky around him turned blindingly bright with blaster bolts. He tried to stretch out with the Force to see if he could avoid them all, but there were just too many of them. The ship shook as it took one hit after another.
When Artoo started squealing non-stop, Anakin knew the situation was hopeless. Before he could even tell the droid to eject, he saw Artoo shoot past his cockpit. The droid was equipped with both thrusters and a parachute, so Anakin knew he would be able to make it to the surface safely. He had just enough time to put his portable oxygen mask over his face and eject before the ship was completely obliterated.
With the ship gone, the surface batteries stopped firing. As Anakin descended to the surface, he saw the other fighters start to swarm towards him once again. They were waiting for him to start flying around with his jet pack. If he was to do that, he would simply be shot out of the sky. He had something else in mind.
While the fighters flew near him, they still stayed back a little as they were waiting for him to activate his jet pack. He took it off and tossed it aside, as he didn't need it. He preferred to just free fall at terminal velocity, as he had another idea for saving himself. Focusing on the nearest fighter, he grabbed it with the Force and started pulling it towards him. The pilot recognized what was happening and turned his fighter in the opposite direction as he put his thrusters at full throttle. It made no difference, as the only difference with the engines at full power was in Anakin's mind. He effortlessly pulled the ship towards him before turning it around, so he was facing the cockpit.
The surface of the planet was approaching fast, so Anakin had to act quickly. He ignited his lightsaber and thrust it through the cockpit when the ship reached him. He used the Force to press his feet against the fighter, allowing him to stand upright. He tore off the cockpit itself before pulling out the dead pilot and tossing him aside. He climbed into the pilot's seat and got control of the fighter just in time to pull it up and avoid crashing into the ground. He immediately flew the fighter back up into the sky so he could take out as many of them as possible before they realized what happened.
Tuned into the radio of the planetary defense force, he could hear the other pilots sending out the alarm that one of their own fighters had been hijacked by the Jedi. Those who had seen what had happened came after him. Flying without a plan now, they were easy pickings for Anakin. He downed all the ships around him in a matter of minutes.
Free now, Anakin sped toward the city. As the cities of Utapa were below ground instead of above, Anakin was going to need to rely on the ship's navigation system to lead him to the city. He found out how to bring it up and saw he wasn't far away from the city.
While working the controls of the ship, Anakin figured out how to use the radio. He used it to contact Artoo.
"Artoo, find a way to send a message through the hyperspace-link. Tell them I am on Utapa and have been attacked. Hego Damask is here. I need all reinforcements available. Repeat, all reinforcements available."
Artoo warbled to let him know he received the message and would send it out. Anakin switched the radio back over to its regular channel in time to pick up the chatter between the rest of the fighters still left. They were confused with little clue what was happening. Their confusion allowed him to take them out, as they never realized it was him in the friendly looking fighter. His hijacking of the fighter also paralyzed the surface artillery, as they couldn't fire at any of the ships without knowing exactly which one was his.
As he neared the depression that held the capital city, the commanders of the fighter patrol finally got smart and ordered every fighter away from the capital. Being the only fighter around the capital gave him away and the surface batteries started opening fire on him.
The surface batteries were few and far between, allowing Anakin to avoid their blasts before he reached the city. He took his fighter in a steep dive at top speed to avoid the multitude of batteries that he knew would be protecting the capital itself. All the alarms in his cockpit were blaring as they were trying to warn him he was due to slam into the ground. Right before he hit the bottom of the depression, he used the Force to bring the ship to a complete stop. He flipped the ship around and landed it gently on the ground as he wanted to keep it intact in case he needed it again.
His attempts to preserve the ship proved futile. Right as he started to step out of the cockpit, he got the sensation he was in danger. He jumped away from the fighter a mere second before it was torn apart by laser blasts.
When Anakin landed on the ground, he looked up to see the sky above him swarming with battle droids. Some of them had on jet packs and were flying, but most of them were just in free fall, having jumped from the higher levels to come down and attack him. They were all firing at him, but he was able to move his lightsaber fast enough to deflect all their shots. He then used the Force to push them all against the sides of the depression.
Knowing the droids were only damaged, but not destroyed, Anakin jumped up to the first level above him. He used the Force to sprint around the circular level, cutting through each droid he came across.
Anakin went through six more levels of the city doing the exact same thing, taking out all the battle droids that had been sent to kill him. When he reached the second to last level before the top, he could hear the thrusters of a large ship. As he hadn't come across the capital building yet, he figured it must be on the top level, and that the ship leaving was carrying Damask. If he didn't hurry, the warlord was going to get away.
Anakin followed the sound of the ship and leapt up to the top level to find a large passenger transport heading towards him as it ascended into the sky. He wanted to start devising a plan for bringing it down, but he wasn't able to focus on it as he had two large artillery batteries pointed right at him. They were both being operated by a single droid. Before the inept droids could fire at him, he used the Force to lift each one up before bashing them together.
Even with those two droids out of commission, Anakin wasn't able to turn his attention to the fleeing passenger liner as an entire battalion of battle droids was heading his way. He sprinted straight towards the line of droids, blocking all their shots with his saber as he headed for one end of the line. Once he was at that end, he threw his lightsaber straight through the line, watching as it cut apart every droid in the line.
With the entire army of the capital city destroyed, Anakin was able to concentrate on the ship. It was far away now, but not so far that he couldn't do anything. He ran to one of the large artillery guns as he knew he could use that to shoot down the ship. It wouldn't be hard to line up the ship's exhaust and take out its engines that way. As he lined up the shot, he wondered who else might be on it. He reached out with the Force and could feel it was full of innocent civilians. He could detect the exact number, but it was immaterial at the moment. He knew how dangerous Damask was, and that the collateral damage would be worth it to take him out. If he had never become a Jedi, he would have fired and brought down the ship. Killing innocents like that was not the Jedi way, so he stepped away from the artillery gun. He might not have been able to kill Damask, but he could still capture him. He had stopped ships before, and he figured he could stop this one.
Anakin reached out with the Force. Instantly, the ship stopped moving and just hovered in the air. Anakin smiled over the thought the warlord Hego Damask was now his. Just as he was going to call the ship back to him, he felt a surge of Force power emanate from it. When it hit him, it made him feel ice cold as it threw him up into the air. Feeling frozen, hitting the ground caused him a great deal of pain. He laid on the ground, trembling as he kept one eye on the ship. Freed from his grasp, it sped away. When it disappeared from his sight, he knew it was over. It wouldn't be long until it would be able to jump to hyperspace. He had failed.
It took Anakin several minutes to feel normal again. When he had regained his composure, he radioed Artoo. "Artoo, send out a follow-up message. Tell them Damask has escaped. I am going to start investigating and see if I can find out anything about where he might be headed. I anticipate the other droid forces on the planet converging on my position and will need assistance. All nearby fleets are to head directly to Utapau."
Figuring the droid army would be arriving soon, he leapt out of the depression. When he landed outside, he could see an endless stream of battle droids were advancing towards the capital. He smiled as he relished the challenge before him. He activated his lightsaber as he sprinted towards the large army coming his way.
...
The clone troopers walked over the ground that was littered with dead battle droids. They were searching for stragglers, making sure there weren't any droids alive enough to attack someone. As they walked around, they all had the same thought, How did one Jedi do all this?
...
"Check the intercom logs," Anakin yelled to the techs. "Damask must have radioed to his pilots what destination he wanted. He would have wanted them to start the calculations for the jump as soon as possible."
"Anything said over the intercom is not recorded," one of the techs replied. He was doing his best not to sound exasperated.
"I apologize. I should have known that." Anakin truly felt sorry. He knew the techs had a tough job, and he wasn't helping by asking stupid questions. It was a sign his frustrations were getting the best of him. Capturing Damask likely meant the end of the war, and Anakin wanted to make up for his failure.
Anakin stood behind the techs as they worked, watching them closely. He could sense their feelings, and he knew his presence was making them nervous. However, their nervousness was pushing them to work harder than they otherwise would have. It was vitally important they work quickly, as Damask was likely going to travel through several systems before reaching his final destination. They had to start following him as quickly as possible before the trail grew cold.
Anakin watched for a couple hours, believing they had to be making progress. However, they reached a point where they all looked dejected. A few of them turned back to look at him but turned away quickly. Fury rose inside of him as he knew what that meant, they had found nothing, and believed they would find nothing no matter how hard they looked.
While Anakin was never one to tolerate failure, the Jedi code required him to be supportive and understanding of it. He ran through a couple Jedi calming techniques he had used extensively before in order to get his anger under control. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm, and his tone reasoned.
"I know you guys did your best. What we were asking of you was likely an impossible task. Damask did not get to be the most powerful warlord in the galaxy by being sloppy. I am sure he was always careful to prevent leaving a digital trail for where he might have fled."
Before taking his leave, Anakin bowed to them. As their commanding officer, it should have been the other way around, but Obi-Wan told him as a Jedi it was important for them to show humility. Anakin believed otherwise, he felt that subordinates should always be treated as such, or else they might not have the proper respect for their commanders. As with so many other issues, it was something where Anakin had to suppress his own feelings in order to follow the Jedi way.
While Anakin probably should have checked on the troops clearing out the last vestiges of the droid army, he figured Obi-Wan had the task under control. It had been a while since he slept, and with all the action he had seen he needed to rest. He had found the luxurious residential quarters of the governor's mansion. He figured it was the perfect place to rest and get some sleep.