Anakin watched the transition from atmosphere to space with rapt attention. It never got old in his opinion. He turned the Eclipse into orbit racing the terminator below, something he also loved.

"So, do we have a plan this time? Beyond all that 'follow the Will of the Force' stuff." said Dala interrupting him.

"I have a plan." said Anakin.

He was about to elaborate when he was interrupted by a sharp hoot from the astromech, a squat blue droid that had come with the ship. Like the ship it sported several extra upgrades Anakin had thought may be useful. He wondered what he would do when finally asked to give the droid back. List him as lost? Anakin had grown attached to R2-D2/A4T9S-5. It would be like selling a friend.

"I so too have a plan. First step is Coruscant. I find you two's lack of faith in me disturbing." said Anakin jokingly.

R2 beeped in indignation.

"I agree. So, tell us of this grand plan then." said Dala, folding her arms.

"It's quite simple. We go to Coruscant, we check the Jedi archives at their temple, ask around and then we go get the cure." said Anakin

"Just like that?" said Dala.

"Yeah, basically. Sort of. I guess there may be some other stages, but the basic plan is sound." said Anakin.

"Oh Kay. Well R2, you heard the great Jedi Master, plot us a course to Coruscant." said Dala.

The droid moved up to the navigation computer and extended a probe. After a series of beeps and trills the Eclipse turned and boosted for high orbit and the hyper limit. After reaching the safe distance the ship jumped.


Anakin slept. He dreamed.

He stands on the bridge of a mighty star cruiser, bigger than any built. Before him lies Coruscant, bright and gleaming, outshining it's sun. But the light is wrong. Distorted. It as if it is being viewed through a shield filter. He also moves stiffly, awkwardly. That is okay though, often in dreams it is hard to move freely. He turns to a dark uniformed officer.

"It is done. We are at peace." he says, again that strange distortion, like from a bootleg holo.

"Yes my Lord." the officer says and nods.

"Send a message to my wife. Tell her it is finished." he says.

Rather than move to obey, the officer stares blankly.

"Pardon, my Lord?" the officier sounds puzzled, confused.

"Did you not hear me?" he says turning on the officer.

"I heard you, my Lord." says the officer paling in fear.

"Then why do you not do as I command." he says, anger rising.

The officer looks worried, "You, are not married, my Lord."

Not married? Ridiculous! Insane! He finds he can pick the officer up as if he were but a small child.

"I am married! Her name is..." he pauses. The name will not come.

"Her name is..."

Anakin struggles to remember but his dream self cannot, in his grip the officer screams and screams and...


Anakin woke to a massive jolt and blaring alarms. Staggering to the cockpit he noticed they were back in normal space ahead of schedule. Instead of the blinding light show that was Coruscant they were in deep space. As he quieted the alarms and checked the ship's systems he noticed they were in deep space, no nearby system at all. Where the hell were they?

"Attention Confederacy vessel. You will manoeuvre into the designated lane for scanning and inspection. Any deviation from this request will be interpreted as a criminal act." came a voice over the comm.

Anakin found the comm. "Who is this? What is this?" he said blearily.

"This is the Resolute of the 12th Fleet, Republic Star Navy. This is a checkpoint Sep. Just to make sure you don't try anything." came the voice.

"Us try anything? We didn't try gassing Pad, um, the First Citizen." said Anakin.

"Steady on there. The Republic does not send assassins. Anyway, state your business." came the voice primly.

"I am Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight on a mission of mercy seeking a cure for several hundred poison victims." said Anakin.

'Someone forgot the off switch and yeah, that's me.' thought Anakin as he listened in to the muffled commotion on the other end. After a while there was a new voice.

"This is Captain Talan of the Resolute. I hear you have a special case." it said.

"Yes, and this is wasting both time and lives." said Anakin.

There was a pause. "Understood. Do you have an official writ or orders." said Talan.

Anakin considered his options. Padme not preventing their departure, while an approval of sorts, was hardly a legal order. He also doubted citing 'The Will of the Force' was going to cut it, especially since he had not been formally recognised by the Jedi Order. That was something he had to get round to doing, if the Will of the Force could spare him the time, of course.

"No, I guess I don't." Anakin said.

"Then I am sorry Mr Skywalker. You will have to wait like everyone else. While I sympathise with your plight, understand that I have my orders." said Talan.

"Yeah, I hear you. Maybe once your done here you can visit Heresita, Navionine or Malachor. They tell me people were just following orders there too." said Anakin and cut the com.

"Are we really going to wait in a queue?" said Dala at the doorway, yawning.

"There are two answers to that. Artoo!" said Anakin smiling. He began manoeuvring the ship to join the queue. A few seconds later the droid rolled into the cockpit.

"Set course for Alesatrina Artoo." said Anakin. The droid moved to the navigation computer and Dala sat in the co-pilot seat and strapped in.

"I'm guessing the correct answer is 'no'." she said.

"Close." said Anakin setting controls and switches and paying close attention to the scanner showing the artificial gravity well being generated by a spindly looking ship. Just before entering the line of civilian vessels he pulled the ship off the line and fired the thrusters. Anakin and Dala were pushed into the seats as the compensators struggled with the acceleration. "It's Hell, no."


Thrusters at maximum burn the Eclipse leapt towards the gravity ship. The patrolling fighters expected any ship attempting to run to try to clear the gravity well first, not dive into it. Not prepared for such an unorthodox tactic the Republic ships were caught off guard. It cost them precious seconds as the Eclipse dove towards the centre of the gravity well.

You cannot safely jump in or through distorted space. Well, you can, but it's advised to pray to whatever gods you have else you smear yourself across a dozen separate dimensions. It's the reasoning behind hyper limits, hyperlanes, jump calculations and artificial gravity generators like the one directly in front of the Eclipse. It is accepted wisdom that you do not jump deep within a gravity well. Every ship with a hyperdrive has emergency cut outs to prevent bad jumps and to crash you out of hyperspace should you find yourself clipping a gravity well.

But like anything, that is the simple explanation. The one in school texts and pop science guides. Truth is weirder. There are eddies and flat safe spaces in any gravity well, explaining why occasionally the unlucky and desperate sometimes do survive. Detecting them is regarded as impossible. It cannot be done.

The Force laughs at such considerations. In the Force, the laws of physics are mere vague suggestions. One moment the Eclipse was on a collision course with the large, ungainly vessel. The next a flicker of motion and it was gone.


Captain Talan watched the events from the bridge of the Resolute. He scratched his chin.

"Captain! Bandit has made transit sir." called the sensor operator.

"Successfully?" said Talan.

"Don't see how sir. That close to Negator. No way." came the reply.

"Assume the pilot used the Force. Assume they were not committing suicide. Where were they pointing?" said Talan.

"That's going to be tricky sir." said the operator.

"I do not care about tricky. I want answers. I want that ship. Skywalker will not run rampant through the Republic on my watch."

"Yes sir. Right away sir."

"Communications, get me Fleetcom. Put out an alert on Skywalker. Let them know he is extremely dangerous. Also prepare a message for Corruscant."

"Sir?" said the comms tech.

"Message will be for the Jedi Temple. It takes a Jedi to catch a Jedi." said Talan.