Chapter 2

Well... lol, I have enough reason to do another chapter I suppose. Normally, I'd go for a 30,000 words-ish story but... I'm not feelin it XP

Also, I still like Reviews, readers... opinions, questions, and I might answer so long as it doesn't impose on the story itself. I plan on it being at least... between 5, and 10 chapters long... so nothing too special lol. I'm taking a break from Ponies xD

Anyway; Continue.

Coruscant, the great capital city of the Republic controlled worlds, and minus the war... capital of the Galaxy. While the transports of cargo, or civilian simply cruised on by amidst the seemingly bottomless pits, and ever towering skyscrapers, it never seemed to be devoid of activity.

One Jedi battlecruiser was in mid flight for all to see. It marked where the Republic military headquarters was located, hovering quite lowly above.

Not far from said location, probably a number of miles, but still very well in view... the Jedi temple. Standing out amongst all other buildings because none others looked so old, and bleak. A squadran of fighters passed overhead regularly, but mostly it was peaceful... with minimal traffic entering, and exiting regularly... mostly Jedi starcraft.

Inside the dim-lit meditation rooms, a handful of Jedi watched a small holocron, a recording of a message sent all the way from the Mid-Rim planet... Serus 4.

The common masters present... the ever wise, and knowing Yoda, the powerful Mace Windu, and the conservative Obi-wan Kenobi. Each of them, with expressions of pure unsettlement as they watched what was insuing before them.

The large sword sweeping by on the camera's, and the clones being hacked to pieces... it disgusted them, and it pained them to watch such mindless slaughter outside of the real war.

"But this is not the part we should be worried for.", Obi-wan spoke up, they were halfway through the recording.

The message from the butcher played back, soon after he had impaled the commander, and ended the pleas for help, "I grow tired of your clones, Jedi!-"

"Skip ahead.", Obi-wan gestured softly... "There... play here."

The messaging device paused it soon after the order... showing when the clone was thrown into the brig... and for the dark man to turn toward the camera that filmed this particular scene. He raised his palm... and gave a squeeze, and the video began to flurry, turning into static.

It was quiet for a moment, as the three masters pondered this development.

"Hmmm... one with the force, this opponent is.", Yoda looked down, and off to the side, "An unexpected development, this has become."

"I agree...", Windu rubbed his chin, "For something connected to the force, and pass under our radar, does not happen often."

"It appears that our new friend has enough knowledge of the force to pose a danger to us all, master Yoda... I suspect an agent of Dooku?", Obi-wan rested on the holocron table, putting his weight onto his arms, and starting another playback.

"No...", the green creature shook his head, "An agent of Dooku, this warrior is not... unguided he is, to attack the clones... nothing to gain from Serus 4.", he sighed, "Mmm... more hatred, I suspect."

"But it cannot go unchallenged.", Windu paused the video relay just before the man crushed the camera, and ended the transmission, "But I fear we may be walking into something we don't understand..."

"Hatred is a powerful tool of the force.", Yoda nodded, "Thrive it can, in the closest of places around us... but blossom it cannot... brought forth this man must be... and face a greater judgment.", he tapped his cane.

"Who can we spare to find this warrior?", Windu added, "We are spread thin as it is... It isn't a top priority.", he looked to Yoda, who seemed lost in a calm thought.

Then Obi-wan spoke up, "Do you think he may be working for a lesser official under Dooku's regiment?", he stood tall, and crossed his arms, "Now I highly doubt this... but IF he can breech the data systems in that Communications outpost... the republic would suffer if the seperatists got a hold on any usable data that may be stored there..."

"IF he knew how to hack the computers...", Master Windu replied.

"Mmm...", Yoda quieted them both, "A fool, this man may not be... A Jedi we must send.", he confirmed.

"But who will go?"

Obi-wan Kenobi raised his head, "Anakin and his padawan Ashoka have just returned from their incursion on the Bondii Pirates and their spying operation tied with the Seperatists... if we can cut their next briefing out of their schedule... they should have the time to deal with this problem as soon as possible."

"Sounds like our only option.", Windu crossed his arms, and looked down to Yoda.

"Hmm... agreed... but cautious we must be... what power a warrior holds, underestimated it cannot be.", he softly began to turn around, his walking can at his side, "Go we must... issues we must deal with beyond this turn of events there are...", he grunted softly with each step.

Windu, and Kenobi followed shortly after.

"I have faith your student will bring this warrior to justice.", Mace spoke up strongly. The open corridors of the Jedi Temple moving by them, shafts of light through the windows, pointed down on their feet... and only a small number of Knights, and Masters were present in these large, open hallways.

"I only pray Anakin won't overdo himself.", Kenobi mumbled, "He is a strong Jedi Knight, but he has been known for his own wrath..."

Transition~

An empty plot of space over Serus 4...

While it was home to a small collection of slow-moving asteroids, it saw very few ships pass in and out regularly... mostly Republic supply craft for the comm outpost down on the surface. But given the circumstances... there likely wouldn't be another for some time.

Save for the arrival of a new ship. With the booming rumble of an exit-warp operation, an old, box-looking craft jumped out of Hyperspace.

It was perhaps frigate size, armed with three guns... a retractable wing on it's belly, and one main wing off of the right side. It was the Twilight, Anakin Skywalker's rigged spice freighter. It rumbled through space as it approached the soft, green atmosphere.

Aboard, two clone pilots began deactivating many of the ship's hyper-jump equipment.

"Almost ready to land, sir.", pilot 1 spoke up to the man behind him.

Standing between the two pilot chairs, and back a few feet, with his arms crossed... Anakin Skywalker. Like a beacon of power, he narrowed his eyes quietly on the planet, "That's good...", he stepped forward, and pat the shoulder plates on the clone, "Just keep her steady."

"Yes sir.", the clone nodded, hidden behind the helmet.

The cockpit door opened with a bright hiss, and the Togruta padawan of the Jedi Knight stepped in. Stopping, resting her hand on her hip, "So why did master Kenobi send us all the way out here again, while we COULD be fighting the tinnies on the forefront?", she went a little limp, an upset look on her dark orange face.

"Something about an upset native harrassing the clones.", Anakin seemed to highly doubt the ability of what they were up against.

The planet's light green atmosphere absorbed them, and the green world down below became very clear... devoid of intelligence, thriving with plant, and animal life.

"This is Serus 4?", Ashoka asked with much dissapointment, and confusion.

"Yep, smack in the middle of nowhere...", Anakin replied as their altitude decreased by the second. Cruising at a highspeed over the thick vegetation.

"Sir, the outpost is en range.", Pilot 2 replied, looking over his shoulder, "Their isn't a landing site on the facility... we'll have to land in one of the clearings around the outpost.", he pulled one of the ship acceleration levers

"Alright, but take us in slowly.", Anakin waved it off, "Come on Snips... lets get ready for a landing.", he moved back from the cockpit, and into the main compartment of the ship.

"Right behind you master... Hey; did Obi-wan want us to capture this guy?"

"That's what I would assume.", he latched his lightsaber to his belt, "Shouldn't be too hard.", he tossed Ashoka her own lightsaber.

"Hm, do you ever listen to caution?", she asked.

Anakin shrugged his shoulders, and tightened his belt, "When it involves a miserable pirate with Republic issues... not really.", he smiled back at her as the ship came to a hovering halt, and decended upon one of the plain, dry dirt clearings.

A clone entered the compartment with them... followed by six others, "Sir on our way down, we spotted a small vessel... capable of Hyper space jumping. It was landed in one of the clearings not too far off."

"Must be our target's ship.", the Knight confirmed, and clicked the hangar button, thus lowering the huge door. The outside air blasted against them, rather temperate, and only a little humid. A ramp was made, and the seven began to trek down, "Have two men guard it in case the pirate tries to make a break for it."

"Yes sir! Greased, you're with me!", one of the clones pointed to another.

"Right on...", he replied, the two jogging off in the pressumed direction of the enemy ship.

"Captain, how far from here to the outpost?", Anakin asked, unable to see over the treetops.

"About a thirty minutes walk, sir.", the clone dressed in white, with purple outlining responded. They all carried the good equipment, long rifles, and other standards.

"I'll take point.", Anakin waved them behind... and he led the group onto the thick forest path. This undoubtedly led to the comm outpost. It wasn't a very long walk until the large dish satellite could be seen just over the break of the narrow treetops.

"Anyone feel like it's just a bit too calm out here?...", one of the clones asked...