Hello there readers! I know it's been a VERY long while since I updated last. Real life and all that jazz. Anyway, I just wanted to say that this story is not dead yet; not by a long shot. Here's the newest chapter and I will be going back and fixing some things in the previous ones. Smiles! Oh and I do not own Halo or Star Wars: Star Wars is a trademark of Lucasarts...blah blah blah, now on with the story.

Halo 2: Attack of the Clones:

Taking Stock

Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood read the dispatch from the paper on his desk. He had hoped fervently that victory would be theirs, but had never really expected to win. "Sonuvabitch. We actually beat them," he said. He read onwards. It kept getting better and better. He glanced at his Republic counterpart. "Well Obi-wan, we actually got some prisoners as well. That's rare." He muttered the last part to himself. Of course with his Force-enhanced hearing, the Jedi Master couldn't help but pull the words out of the air. "You make it sound like this is a first," Obi-wan said inquisitively. Lord Hood flicked his gaze up from the report. "It is a first," he deadpanned. Obi-wan frowned. "Not a one? ", he inquired. "Nope. Well, not usually, and never en masse. They're religious zealots, the lot of them. They never surrender, show mercy, or desert. They can't be bought and they are fanatically loyal to their leaders." The UNSC leader leaned back in his chair. "And I think it's time you tell me more about this 'Republic' and ' Jedi Order ' that you say you're associated with." Blast, the Jedi Master thought. He was spared the long lecture by the blast doors onto Courageous' observation deck as they opened, admitting a man covered in grime, dried blood, and sweat...and missing his right arm. Hood's mouth almost dropped open, but he managed to keep his face neutral. Obi-wan, on the other hand, appeared concerned. "Anakin," he started, "What happened to your implant?" Anakin seemed a bit perplexed. "I had a run-in with an Elite armed with some kind of energy weapon, like a lightsabver. It's design was almost...artistic. So was his fighting style. He's dead. But it was close, I'll tell you that." Hood was now absolutely goggling. "You beat an Elite in one-on-one combat? Only Spartans are capable of such a feat! How...how are you even still alive?" Anakin looked at Hood. "I said it was close. See?" He waved his useless stump of an arm and grinned. Obi-Wan still looked troubled. "Anakin...there's something you're not telling me."

Anakin was actually a bit panicky. He had touched the dark side, more by accident than anything, almost reflexively. It had been so easy, just like on Tatooine...he should have guessed that Obi-Wan would detect something...off. He decided to bluff and hope his former master wouldn't call him out. "Well," he began, " If they all fight like this, then we'll be hard pressed to beat them back. We can't possibly fight both these Covenant and the droid army." Obi-Wan's frown deepened. Anakin could feel a bit of sweat rolling down the back of his neck, though whether from Obi-Wans' scrutiny or from his duel, he didn't know. Obi-Wan dipped his head in agreement. "Yes, you could be right at that." It took all of Anakin's willpower to keep a straight face and to project concern into his force presence to mask his relief.

Obi-Wan knew Anakin was lying. It was a good lie, really, but he could read his former apprentice like an open book. But this wasn't the time or place to bring this up, especially in front of the UNSC's highest ranking officer. He cautiously probed Anakin's force aura. He found an almost imperceptible cloud of...darkness? It chilled him. His friend caught his eye. Not now Master, he seemed to say.Obi-Wan cocked an eyebrow. We'll talk about this later, he shot back. He returned his attention to Lord Hood, who was speaking again, cheerfully oblivious to the unspoken exchange between the two Jedi. "...then perhaps we could come to a compromise," Hood was saying. Obi-Wan shook his head. "I promised you our support, and you will receive it." Anakin grimaced. "Master, with all due respect, as much as I want to help the UNSC, we don't have the logistics, we're in a different galaxy, no one in the Republic even knows where we are, and we only have a small task force. Unless we-" A clone burst through though the open doorway. "Excuse me sirs. General Kenobi, we're intercepting part of a very powerful transmission emanating from an uncharted sector three standard days from here. Its an open frequency." The two Jedi exchanged a glance. "Patch it through to the deck screen," Anakin ordered. The deck screen flickered and came to life. It depicted the High Prophet of Truth. Anakin grimaced. "Hello ugly." Behind him, Lord Hood snorted in suppressed merriment. "My brethren, I am the bearer of grave news. The Sanghelli have betrayed the Covenant and the gods. This heresy must be brought to heel." The view switched to show Tartarus. "My brothers, unite! Cast down the traitors," the brute said in his deep, gravelly voice. The screen once again was replaced by Truth. "Loyal Covenant, one and all, I call upon you to execute any Elites in High Charity and in this galaxy. Together, we will forge a path into the divine beyond, and begin the Great Journey. These dark times are trying in the extreme, and while hope may seem out of reach, this is actually a time to rejoice. For the sacred Icon has been found, with it, our passage guaranteed and no one, not even the Flood can stop it." Off screen there was a sharp squeal, and a collective gasp from Truth, his bodyguards, and the Prophet of Mercy. "Kill the demon!", Truth stammered, and the screen went black. Hood stood and approached the now dark screen. "Well," he said. "At least we know the Chief's alive."