Well, the reunion most of you have been asking for is just around the corner. Those of you who have been waiting for a certain Jedi to come into the plot will get their wish very soon. This chapter might be a bit of a tease, but after this there will be plenty of him…trust me. Also, I'd love to get more feedback and see what everybody thinks of the story so far – negative, positive or constructive criticism are all welcome. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related.

CHAPTER 3

Betrayal

Utapau

Mace Windu pondered over the situation he found himself in the middle of. Unfortunately, he had come to question some of his firmest beliefs as the rise of the powerful secessionist movement grew. He recalled the shock he had felt when it had first been revealed that the Separatists were gearing up for war. After the fighting began and gradually progressed – even though he constantly reminded Chancellor Palpatine that the Jedi were peacekeepers and not soldiers – numerous members of the Order found themselves leading platoons of troopers just like he was now. Much to his dismay, they had assumed the role of galactic soldiers. He preferred the title 'freedom fighters', but he was far from happy with the circumstances they were fighting under.

He peered down into the deep porous crust of the planet, studying the pools of glistening water at the bottom of the massive sinkhole he stood near. The squad of clone troopers sent to assist him with his mission were posted outside their transport – the ship having sustained serious damages by enemy fire. After a short wait, the pilot approached the Jedi Master to update him on their current status.

"Sir, we will be back up and running shortly," he informed him.

"How long is shortly?" Mace questioned, a detection of impatience evident in his voice. He knew that the soldier didn't deserve the harsh retort, but his aggravation with Palpatine and the assignment he had been given by the Chancellor were beginning to grate on his nerves.

"We estimate ten to fifteen minutes to finish repairs, sir," the pilot answered.

"Very well," was his only response.

He watched the pilot rush back to the transport and looked over at the group of troopers standing guard. The commanding officer had his back to him, but he could tell that he was talking to somebody through his comlink. He watched with mild interest for a moment before returning his attention to the large sinkhole in front of him.

He proceeded to stare down at the life-giving water below him until he heard footsteps walking towards him from behind. He could tell that the footfall belonged to more than one individual and assumed that the troopers were coming to notify him of the transmission they had just received.

Turning to face them, his eyes widened when he saw his squad taking aim at him with their blaster rifles.

"What is the meaning of – "

They opened fire before he could finish his sentence.

Quickly diving out of the way and pulling his lightsaber from his belt, he ignited its violet blade and deflected the following shots meant for him. Several of the advancing soldiers fell to the ground after being struck by their own blaster fire, instantly taking them out of the unexpected skirmish.

The entire squad had been dispatched within a matter of minutes and Mace immediately deactivated his weapon, hurriedly making his way back to the transport.

"I must warn Master Yoda," he spoke aloud to himself as he boarded the ship.

Kashyyyk

Commander Gree stood beside Yoda while they watched the battle for Kashyyyk unfold before their eyes. The homeworld of the Wookiees had been invaded by enemy forces and unfortunately the Separatist army was rapidly gaining ground.

"Sir, you have an incoming call," his second in command called out from behind them.

"I'll be right back, sir," Gree told the small Jedi Master before moving to the other clone troopers' position. Once he reached him, the glowing blue image of a hooded figure appeared. "What are your orders, sir?"

"The time has come, Commander," the figure venomously replied. "Execute Order 66."

"Yes, sir."

Through his strong connection with the Force, Yoda felt the sudden loss of life across the galaxy wash over him in waves. His eyes shut tightly as he struggled to regain his composure. Something had happened…something very bad.

They shot back open a moment later when the sound of a gun cocking stirred him from his thoughts. Instinctively flipping through the air and activating his lightsaber in the process, he decapitated Commander Gree mere seconds before he opened fire on him. Then, using the Force to shove his accomplice, the other soldier was thrown into a nearby wall and rendered immobile – the impact of the collision knocking him unconscious.

"Happened, something terrible has," Yoda said, turning to the two stunned Wookiees that remained in the room with him.

Tarfful and Chewbacca both whined in response. Hoisting the Jedi onto his shoulder, Chewbacca followed suit as his elder fled the area.

Coruscant

It had been a long time since he had set foot in the Jedi Temple. A part of him took pleasure in being back, but his other half felt repulsed by being within the walls of the towering structure again. It had been a great blow to the Order when he had voluntarily renounced his commission. His beliefs had often been out of step with those of the Jedi Council -- despite the fact that his former mentor, Yoda, held and still did hold a lofty place in their governing body. His views had occasionally been echoed by his former padawan, Qui-Gon Jinn, who had sometimes defied the council himself during his time.

He felt a sharp stab of remorse at the memory of his old apprentice…he wondered what he would think if he saw him today, a Sith Lord and soon-to-be murderer of the Jedi. However, the thought quickly faded from his mind.

He had always been a political idealist. He felt that the Order weakened themselves by serving an institution as corrupt as the Republic. After his departure, the Jedi had wondered where he had disappeared to. Oblivious to the fact that he would later emerge as a political firebrand that would be fanning the flames of rebellion in the galaxy, they would be too late to stop the forces he had created within an alarmingly short period of time. It was he who had helped rally thousands of systems to his cause -- eventually building the Separatist movement that he knew would now split the Republic and end their reign. If they were too blind to see what was happening around them, they deserved what he and his Master held in store…

He had started the Clone Wars and now he would end them. Opportunists working in his name had started flashpoints of violence, but the Jedi Council had refused to believe that he had been personally responsible for the conflicts. They believed that his Jedi training elevated him above such acts…little did they know he had been empowered by the dark side. Behind a veneer of elegant charisma and well-tabled political arguments, there was a Sith. By tradition, he had adopted the name Darth Tyranus and had possibly grown even more powerful than Yoda himself due to the wise teachings of Sidious.

Rounding the corner that led to his destination, Dooku called upon the Force to snatch his lightsaber from his belt. He had a duty to fulfill…

A familiar Jedi Knight came into view when he glanced up. The young man protectively ignited his own lightsaber and stood between Dooku and the group of younglings behind him.

"Aah, Master Skywalker, I should have known you would be here," Dooku was the first to speak. He casually took a step forward as his crimson blade burst to life. "Are you sure you want to do this? You must be careful, my boy, you will soon find you are running out of limbs."

Naboo

The scent of freshly baked bread filled Obi-Wan Kenobi's nose as he stepped into the royal dining hall. Queen Jamillia sat at the head of a long table while her handmaidens lined either side of it – Captain Panaka and several other palace guards standing guard at the entrances and exits.

As Obi-Wan approached his gracious hosts, he could identify the already prepared meal that consisted of various fruits and pastries set out before them.

"Master Kenobi, please have a seat and join us for breakfast," the queen greeted him with a friendly smile.

"I don't mean to be rude, your majesty, but I really think it would be best if I got started as soon as possible," Obi-Wan politely declined. "Though, I do thank you for your generous offer and hospitality."

"It is the least we can do," she reassured him.

All eyes turned to the main doors to the room when they suddenly slammed open. Obi-Wan's unit of clone troopers steadily marched into the dining hall with blaster rifles in hand, heading straight for their general.

"What's going on, Sergeant?" the Jedi Master asked.

Without saying a single word, the once loyal troopers opened fire on their former commander. Obi-Wan swiftly grabbed his lightsaber from his belt and deflected their shots before diverting his gaze to Captain Panaka and his men; all of which were now engaged and returning fire with the rogue soldiers.

"Captain!" he exclaimed, instantly catching the distracted Captains' attention. "Get the queen to safety – I'll take care of this!"

Panaka nodded his agreement and rushed towards Queen Jamillia and her frightened handmaidens.

With a wave of his hand, Obi-Wan called upon the Force and flung one of the unoccupied chairs that rested at the table in the direction of his attackers. The abrupt motion caught the troopers unaware and took a few of them out as the piece of furniture flew through the group. He immediately advanced on the so-called 'soldiers of the Republic' and began cutting them down with the blade of his lightsaber, expertly taking them out with ease and grace.

Delivering a fatal blow to the last standing trooper, Obi-Wan cautiously switched his humming blade off and glanced around the area to make sure he had finished all of them off as its limp body collapsed to the floor in a lifeless heap.

"Master Kenobi, are you alright?"

Whipping around at the sound of Captain Panaka's familiar voice, he clipped his lightsaber back onto his belt with a relieved sigh once he spotted the good captain returning to the scene of the battle, and calmly walked over to meet him half way.

"I need to contact the council and warn them of this unprecedented attack," Obi-Wan spoke intently. "Something is clearly amiss. If there is something wrong with these troopers, there is no telling how many more might be defective."

"Come with me," Panaka replied as he spun on his heels to retreat. "I'll take you to the communications sector."

"Lead the way, Captain."

Obi-Wan closely followed suit while the Naboo guard started out of the room…

The name Fett carried with it a cold air of fear and competence. To those that could afford the demanded amount of credits it cost to hire him and obtain his services, he held the undisputed reputation of the greatest bounty hunter available. By employers and colleagues alike, he was regarded as the best the galaxy had to offer in terms of capture or assassination. Rightfully so, he knew…he had earned the prestigious title. Not only did he have possession of the finest and latest technology in warfare – a sleek armored suit that featured an arsenal of weaponry – but he was also highly skilled in unarmed combat and a proficient marksman. On top of that, he was a professional and he always stayed true to his word.

It had been nearly a decade since the man named Tyranus had approached him on the moons of Bogden with an intriguing proposal. So intriguing, in fact, that he couldn't bring himself to pass it up. In exchange for a sizeable fee, he had become the template for a clone army. The more than generous salary the job offered and his own hidden agenda sealed the deal. In addition to his fee, he had requested an unaltered clone of himself. This clone would not undergo the growth acceleration and docility tampering that the army would – it would be an exact replica. It would be his son: Boba Fett.

During his stay in Tipoca City, the Kaminoans had provided him with private accommodations and he had temporarily dropped out of the bounty hunting limelight to concentrate on raising and teaching his son the ropes of survival and combat. He taught Boba the tricks of the trade while they extracted genetic material from him to build thousands of soldiers. It was years later before he took on another job…a job he had failed to finish.

Viceroy Nute Gunray of the Trade Federation had wanted to rid himself of Senator Padme Amidala, who had long been a thorn in his side. Jango had subcontracted the job to an assassin named Zam Wesell and left it in the independent mercenaries hands to finish the mission, but the hit was never completed. The failure had tarnished his spotless record and he had been forced to dispose of Wesell to keep his good name secured – to let his prospective employers know that he did not tolerate such ineptitude. His legendary past had stood the test of time until then and he would not allow it to be ruined by an amateur.

He had practically leapt at the chance to redeem himself when Lord Tyranus had contacted him about another job. Though he didn't know much about it, Jango knew that it entailed tracking and killing certain targets. His recent lack of work left him in no position to refuse even if he wanted to and he eagerly climbed out of the Slave I – his reliable and long-term ship – to meet with his acquaintance.

Beneath the mask that concealed his identity, his face fell when he saw somebody other than Tyranus waiting to greet him on the metallic landing platform.

"You must be Fett," the stranger said, its own identity hidden by the dark cloak it wore. "I have heard a great deal about you. My esteemed apprentice regards you with the utmost respect and confidence – "

"I'm glad you're impressed," Jango cut him off as he warily inspected his surroundings. "Where's Lord Tyranus? I'm here to deal with him and no one else."

"And steadfast as well, I see," the stranger replied, a slight trace of amusement in his tone. "Lord Tyranus is busy at the moment. I am his Master and I will be working out all of the details with you. Don't worry, my friend, you will be given the credits you have already been promised – nothing in the agreement has changed."

Jango skeptically hesitated before he spoke up again. "Fine. What exactly is it you want me to do?"

"The Republic is purging itself of the Jedi menace," the hooded stranger quickly answered. "Some of them will be able to evade our efforts and escape…I want you to find and eliminate them. I have a list of names and locations you may find useful."

"And just who are these Jedi you have in mind?"

A crude grin formed on the face of the mysterious stranger as it tilted its head up to get a better look at him. "What do you know of Anakin Skywalker?"

"Only what I see in the news," Jango replied.

"Find him first," the stranger sneered, his mood drastically changing. "He is the biggest threat to the Republic for the time being – destroy him and his Master. Once they are disposed of, track down the other survivors and do the same."

Jango took the datapad he was handed and turned back to his ship.

"I'll let you know when I'm done…"