The Jedi Master Plo Koon was fast carving out a name for himself as one of the greatest fleet commanders in the Republic, a solid tactician who could be counted on to gain victory. But even the great Master himself was wary about the upcoming battle.

In the briefing room of the Acclamator-cruiser Courage sat General Obi-Wan Kenobi, Lieutenant Anakin Skywalker, two elite ARC troopers and the captain of each of the six ships in the Duro task force. Also present was the Jedi strategist Oppo Rancicis, his hologram broadcasting from the Jedi Council chambers on faraway Coruscant.

Plo Koon stood at the pulpit, backed by the dead world of Duro spinning lifelessly in space. A Kel Dor, Koon had to wear a rebreather mask to protect his alien form from harmful oxygen. Speaking through the device, his voice had a tinny quality.

"Our intelligence for this operation is severely limited," Koon announced gravely. "In fact the only thing we do know is that last week, the orbital city of Jaratuu was pulled down onto the Republic outpost on the planet, killing the Jedi Knight Saras Amn and several hundred clone troopers. This all points to one thing: the precursor to Separatist invasion."

"If the Confederacy holds Duro, that will put them in reach of Coruscant itself," mused Kenobi.

Koon nodded. "Master Rancicis and I have tried to devise a strategy that would allow us to repel any attack on Duro, but with severely limited intelligence we were unable to come up with any solid plan. For all we know, this move could be a feint by the Confederacy, an attempt to draw six cruisers out of the war zones.

"No," said Lieutenant Skywalker, abruptly. "The Separatists are going to strike here. I can feel it."

"I don't suppose your Jedi powers can tell us the location of the enemy fleet, or when they plan to strike?" asked one of the ARC troopers, sarcastically.

"I sense it too!" said Obi-Wan, just as the bridge officer burst into the room.

"General Koon!" he cried, "five new contacts entering the system!"

"This is what we've been waiting for!" announced Plo, "Captains, get to your cruisers and may the Force be with us." As the crowd dispersed, Plo turned to the officer. "Separatists?" he asked.

"No," trembled the bridge officer, "Hapans!"

*        *        *

Cruising out of the Courage, Anakin was surprised to see the disk-shaped forms of five Hapan battle dragons driving their way into the Duro system. Through his starfighter's comlink, he contacted his master aboard the Courage. "Master, do you think the Hapans have allied themselves with the Separatists?"

Obi-Wan's reply was terse, worried. "No, I don't see how that could happen…the Hapans are fiercely neutral."

"Yet there they are, attacking us." That was General Koon's voice.

"My scanners aren't picking up any Separatist support vessels. It looks like they're operating alone. Permission to engage, General Koon?"

"Permission granted, Lieutenant Skywalker. If the Hapans are planning on attacking us, it's time to teach them a lesson they won't forget."

"I'll inform the Jedi Council about this development," said Obi-Wan, sounding shaken.

*        *        *

Seated in the lavish war room Dooku had installed in his Kal'bari estate, Grievous watched a holographic representation of Duro space, with five green friendlies – the battle dragons – facing six large red markers – the Acclamator ships – and countless smaller dots, each one representing an individual starfighter.

"The forces seem to be evenly matched, Count," Grievous declared, pacing from side to side, keeping both eyes on the battle. "Although the Republic has the advantage in numbers, the Hapan battle dragons are formidable weapons."

Dooku nodded, engrossed in the battle. Eventually, he jabbed a finger at the centremost Acclamator ship. "Have the battle dragons concentrate their fire on this cruiser," he ordered, "even if we're going to be losing this battle, we may as well take down a few Republic ships with us."

Grievous gave the order.

*        *        *

"Did you see that?" exclaimed Obi-Wan, staring out of the Courage's main viewport at the burning hull of the Elegy. "Those battle dragons are too powerful!"

"In a straight fight, we could never hope to beat them, even with our fighter escorts. But Hapan ships have painfully slow firing rates, and poor targeting computers. Disperse the remaining warships in a scatter formation, General."

"I'll give the order."

*        *        *

"Master, we're stretched too thin as it is! If we abandon formation, then we've no chance against these Hapans!"

"General Koon seems to think differently. He says that their targeting computers will fail."

"I don't care! We need to stay together and coordinate our attacks! What chance has one fighter got against one of those cruisers?"

"Lieutenant Skywalker, this is a direct order! Break formation and swarm the dragons!"

"Yes, General," spat Anakin Skywalker, as frustration took over.

*        *        *

Aboard the foremost Hapan cruiser, Wardog, the fair-haired Captain Tarlasis ran a hand across his handsome features and paused to consider his options.

"Captain, two Acclamators, approaching us from either side!"

"Target them both, take them both down!"

"Sir, our targeting computers are having a little…"

"Just do it!"

The shots flew painfully wide of their intended targets, dissipating into nothingness.

*        *        *    

Looks like General Koon's tactic is working, thought Anakin, as he took his lone starfighter in closer to one of the huge battle dragons. But it's time to show the Generals that Anakin Skywalker is always right! Putting a thrust of energy into his twin engines, he dove between the sandwiched disks and closer to the heart of the dragon itself. Dodging the point-blank range defense turrets with inexplicable skill, Anakin flew around the centre of the dragon in a tight circle, blasting away at the saucer rotation struts, leaving the dragon sagging dangerously under its own weight, before loosing two proton torpedoes at the point where the two disks connected.

Fleeing from the fiery explosion, Anakin's ship rode the shockwave as he screamed, "Woohoo!" He'd just taken down, single handedly, one of the most impressive warships in the galaxy. He could do anything. And no one, not a General of the Republic, not his Master, could stop him.

*        *        *

The Hapan fleet was in disarray, down to only a pair of battle dragons and both of them failing, badly, about to be destroyed.

Count Dooku was content. "The ruse is almost complete. I shall inform my master on Coruscant, and he will see to it that the Republic forces withdraw from Duro."

Grievous nodded, clenching his fist in triumph. "I shall prepare my fleet at once. Duro longs for freedom."

*        *        *

With the battle over, with all five Hapan cruisers demolished, General Plo Koon and General Kenobi awaited further orders from Coruscant. When their next mission finally came, however, it proved to be a great surprise.

"It is most distressing to hear that the Hapans have apparently sided with the enemy," began the hologram of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, transmitting from his stately office, "and this development could turn the tide of the war. General Koon, I would have you take all combat worthy ships stationed at Duro to the Hapes consortium, and force them to back down."

"This will be an unprecedented move, Chancellor," said Plo, well aware of the implications. "The Republic has never before made an attack on a neutral system."

"Your orders still stand, General," snapped Palpatine, "for the good of the Republic you must have the faith to carry them out."

"Am I to accompany General Koon to the Hapan sector?" enquired Obi-Wan.

"No, Master Kenobi, I would like you and your apprentice to remain on Duro, and re-establish the trade outpost. Might I ask, how is young Anakin?"

"Oh, fine," replied Obi-Wan, puzzled by Palpatine's vested interest in his apprentice, "still recovering a little from the battle."

"Oh yes, I have heard about his exploits against the Wardog. No doubt he will be commended greatly for his efforts."

"No doubt," said Obi-Wan, a little too sarcastically. "Kenobi, out."

*        *        *

Moments after the final Acclamator left Duro, headed for the crusade at Hapes, another sixteen ships entered the sector – Separatist battle cruisers, heading for Duro itself.

Down on the planet, Obi-Wan was furious. "We've been deceived," he sighed, "the Hapan force must have been some sort of diversion. I only hope that Plo Koon's fleet isn't heading into a trap."

Beside him, his apprentice studied a battle map intently. "This is big, Master," he gasped, "that ship there is the Violator. That's General Grievous' flagship!"

"Dooku is here too, I can sense him. Anakin, contact the Jedi Council. Tell them that both Grievous and Dooku are present at Duros – quickly, quickly! This could be a chance to end this war!"

Two minutes later, Anakin returned from the communications booth, part of the light prefab base they had unloaded from the Courage. "It is done, Master. General Windu is on his way, and General Koon's forces have been diverted back."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Good job. Now we just need to hold them off long enough for our reinforcements to arrive. We've still got the fighters from the Elegy stationed at Bburru; we can use them to engage the Separatist fleet." Kenobi's voice changed, became softer. "Anakin, this may be the turning point of the war. Can't you feel it?"

The Padawan shook his head. "All I can feel is death."