CHAPTER TWO
They had just arrived at Master Plo Koon's Republic Battleship, after traveling through light-years, when Obi-Wan immediately took off to the central-control bridge, where the Jedi Master and the Clone Generals were beginning the meeting. Without slowing down his pase, he jumped off their transport, almost yelling back, "I need to get some information about our stay here, we were instructed here for a reason, Anakin. You and Ahsoka help the clones with the cargo. Meet me at the bridge when you're finished." The last words were barely audible for
"What's up with him?" Ahsoka was a bit bewildered, the young padawan wasn't yet used to the elder Jedi's ways. She had known Obi-Wan for almost three long years, and fought along him countless times during the war, yet the surprises of his attitude were never absent. Every time she met him again, she learned some interesting new facts about the zealous Jedi Master. He never stopped surprising her.
Anakin turned to the small Republic transport they had just arrived in and began carrying out the supplies. Most of the contents were either food or armament requested by Master Plo Koon himself. "Let me get that." There were four clones carrying an immense metallic box, its heavy weight making them saunter tremendously slow. They all let go at Anakin's command, grateful for the Jedi's help, Anakin then continued by carrying the box with the help Force and placing it outside the craft, next to the rest of the load. "Obi-Wan is a special Jedi, Snips, you should have learned that by now." He is the most special Jedi of them all, he thought.
"All Jedi are special in their own way, Master. For example you..." a serious thus sarcastic grin beamed on her face.
He answered with the rolling of his eyes. "Yes, of course, every living being for that matter, but Obi-Wan is just... different."
"Yeah, sure Master, whatever you say. Let's just get this done."
...
They arrived at the bridge minutes later after finishing unloading, both Jedi Masters were still informing each other about the progress of the Republic fleet against the Separatist army. Data about won battles in different sectors and the loses of many troopers during the multiple battles. When Master Plo gave out the exact number of casualties and heavily wounded clones, Anakin noticed the veiled twitch on Obi-Wan's face. He knew him better than any other being in the galaxy, he knew exactly how he felt about violence, he could feel what his master felt in that moment...despair. Years and years of coexisting, of sharing their entire lives, opinions, feelings, and hearts had created a firm bond between Master and Knight. "What terrible news." He rubbed his flawless beard for a moment. "So why has Master Mace send us here? I don't suppose a battle. We don't seem to have arrived with enough troops to back-up such task." Only Anakin could perceive the slight touch of sorrow still lynching from his Master's voice. He was good with deception, which had made him a great negotiator, probably the best one of the Jedi Council, but even though he could fool almost everyone in the galaxy he could never hideaway his true thoughts from Anakin.
"No, that's not why you are here, no. The Jedi Council has decided to send us all into a rather important mission..." Plo Koon's expressions changed as he talked, but his mask covered them from his partners sight.
Anakin walked over to Obi-Wan and whispered without sharing a direct look, "Are you okay Master?" He gently placed his left hand on his master's stiffened shoulder.
"I'm fine Anakin, let's listen." He slowly stepped away from Anakin and walked towards Master Plo, both staring into the universe laying before them, millions of stars and planets, most of which were highly populated and at war. Obi-Wan kept on thinking about all the innocent lives lost.
Anakin was left standing alone in the middle of the room, his left hand had fallen to his side.
"You see that planet Master Kenobi," With a large scarlet finger the tall Kel Dor pointed at a small planet that lay distanced away from the ship, four moons, all differently sized, floating around it's olive atmosphere. "That's where we land."
"Onderon? Isn't it?" Said the padawan as she began skimming through the files in a computer.
"That's right Ahsoka." Master Plo always spoke with his rough voice, not showing any emotion at all. He was thought of as a tough Jedi, for he was, but his personality wasn't lacking. "Our mission is rather simple, but there are multiple obstacles we will face, not to mention that we are not sure of what we might find."
"The beasts." Padawan Tano kept on skimming though data about the planet. "It's a planet infested by many wild animals. And the landscape doesn't look accommodating either." Everyone waited for the sharp Jedi to go on. "There aren't any cities except for a large community called Iziz, the inhabitants build it in the past in order to survive the monsters whom they shared the planet with. It's surrounded by immense walls that work as protection. They are quite reserved from any contact outside their planet." She looked up from the screen, not at all pleased with the information found in the archives.
"And it is heavily guarded also. Turrets guard it's outsides as well as Separatists troops." Added Plo still looking at the stars and the many worlds.
"I thought the planet was a neutral system, they have enough survival problems on their own civilization to be at the slightest interested in the war." Ahsoka walked up to the two Jedi Masters. "I don't understand."
"That must be where we come in then." said Anakin.
"Exactly." Plo turned to the cobalt crystal hologram that hovered in the middle of the room, he pressed a button and a floating image of the main city appeared. "Iziz has been home for secret Separatist research and meetings. One of the Separatist's members, Mina Bonteri, has lent her home world to their cause. Since it's a neutral planet it seemed to be the perfect hideout for plan making. Since, we got the information we have sent some spies to investigate on the matter, however none of them made it back, moments later after they arrived to the inside the city we loose all possible contact with them."
Everyone present in the room took a look at the hologram, four armored turrets around the city's perimeter, at least a dozen tanks, and battle droids protecting the city's only entrance, making it impossible for a ground assailment and absurd to try and make a surprise air attack without harming any civilians or spending trooper's lives. "Iziz, it holds most of the planet's inhabitants, doesn't it?"
"Indeed, Anakin, that makes the task even more difficult to accomplish." Obi-Wan answered to this, looking at Anakin, he made a swift worried gesture and then turned to Plo. "So what's the plan?"
"We secretly attack on land. It will only be possible to land some distance away from the capital, otherwise the turrets will start firing at the appearance of our ships, and with the civilians unwarned, we won't be able to respond to an attack like that without harming innocents." The Master looked at the three Jedi and the four clone commanders that stood around the hologram. "This will be a difficult mission, there are animals out there that will attack without warning, but it's the only way to get to the city unnoticed."
** ( So I decided to stop here because I don't want to fixate too much on the Jedi mission, but more on Anakin and Obi Wan; the next chapters will have much more of their relationship and their feelings towards life and each other)
***(And a little spoiler, Obi-Wan will have his own introspective chapter very soon... I'm not sure if it should be #4 or #5 )
