Disclaimer: Characters are not the property of the author but of George Lucas.
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Chapter 11: Mêlée
From his spot on the Mon Calamari Heavy cruiser Freedom Obi-wan watched as large angular ships began to emerge from hyperspace. Communication with Kessel had been lost not that long ago.
"Did they not buy our bait?" the Mon Calamari captain of Freedom, Captain Ackbar, asked.
"They bit," Obi-wan said, "But they're a Rancor and our bait was merely a bantha steak."
Ackbar didn't really get the reference but nodded anyway. He made the assumption that a Rancor was an extremely large animal and a bantha steak a small piece of meat that humans liked to eat.
"We've nearly completed our objective here," Ackbar informed Obi-wan.
"We need to get out of here," Obi-wan said, "Tell all non-engaged ships to prepare for the jump to hyperspace. Remember four random jumps before arriving at the designated meeting point."
Ackbar nodded and went off to relay the order to the rest of the Rebel fleet. All around the Corellian ship yards were nothing but clumps of debris gravitating towards each other. To put a damper on ship production the plan was destroy as many of the Empire's shipyards as possible. The Kuat shipyard was the shipyard that would be most difficult to strike at since it was so large and filled with incomplete but operational ships, as well as huge numbers of fighters, attacking it would constitute suicide.
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From his place on board the Scourge Anakin watched as several rebel ships began jumping into hyperspace. However, several of the larger rebel ships remained to help cover the retreat.
"Fire ion cannons at that ship," Anakin said indicating a large Mon Calamari ship.
His communications officer relayed the information and then blue ion blasts were racing through space and striking the Mon Calamari ship.
"I'll board that ship myself," Anakin told his deck officer before he entered the turbolift to go down to the shuttle bay.
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Across Freedom the ship was running on emergency power.
"Get as many people off the ship as possible," Obi-wan yelled, "We're about to be boarded."
He looked out the view port to see a dozen boarding ships approaching.
"All hands to the escape shuttles," the automated Mon Calamari emergency call began.
Obi-wan however went in an entirely different direction. He ran back to the bridge, where Captain Ackbar still was.
"You have to abandon ship," Obi-wan said.
"A captain does not abandon his ship," Ackbar said.
"You must," Obi-wan insisted, "You hold crucial information about the Rebel Alliance; I can't allow you to be captured."
"What about yourself?" Ackbar asked indignantly.
"I'll be fine," Obi-wan said, "I can take care of myself. They won't be able to take me alive."
Ackbar reluctantly stood up from his command seat and made for the turbolift, but then turned to face Obi-wan.
"I need to know just what you are planning to do," Ackbar requested.
"I don't really know myself," Obi-wan admitted.
Ackbar gave Obi-wan a look that was entirely foreign to Obi-wan, who was not a master of Mon Calamari facial expressions, before he took a turbolift down to one of the secondary docking bays.
Obi-wan looked over the shuttles slowly approaching. On board one of them was his former apprentice. Obi-wan wasn't sure if he was ready for this confrontation, but he felt that this had to be their final confrontation. If this was allowed to continue there would be more death and destruction in the galaxy. He sat down cross legged on the floor and began to meditate for what he hoped would be the final battle.
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Anakin and his clone troopers stormed onto the bridge.
"Well, well look who it is," Anakin said as Obi-wan stood up and ignited his lightsaber.
"This fight is only between the two of us," Obi-wan said, "Leave them out of it."
Anakin turned to the head clone trooper and nodded. The clone troopers marched single file off the bridge.
"Just what were you trying to accomplish with this rebellion of yours?" Anakin asked.
"We just want a galaxy that is free to govern itself, rather than be under the control of a crazed lunatic," Obi-wan replied.
"So a hopeless bureaucracy that never accomplishes anything is better than an Empire that has accomplished more in months than the Republic could in years?" Anakin asked.
"What right does Palpatine have to make the decisions for everyone else?" Obi-wan asked, "Why should some people have a say and others have none?"
"Power exists to be taken," Anakin replied, "The strong are the best to hold power."
"That goes against everything you ever learned as a Jedi." Obi-wan said.
"Everything I learned as a Jedi was wrong," Anakin said, "I've learned more in a month than I ever learned from you."
Obi-wan twitched visibly at that remark.
"Let's end this," Anakin said as he slashed at Obi-wan with his lightsaber.
Obi-wan blocked easily and counter-attacked. The two traded blows as they move around the command deck. Anakin tried to gain the high ground by balancing on the top of Ackbar's command chair, but Obi-wan slashed at the bottom the chair causing it to topple over. Anakin toppled backwards off the chair. Obi-wan hopped up on the remains and pointed his lightsaber down towards Anakin, but Anakin kicked the remains and Obi-wan tumbled backwards, rolling up to his feet somewhat awkwardly.
I can't do it, Obi-wan thought to himself as he traded blows with Anakin once again, I had a chance to kill him and I hesitated.
Anakin's stance became wider and each swing became more powerful. Obi-wan hit Anakin with a powerful force push that toppled him over.
I've got to get out of here, Obi-wan thought, this isn't going to accomplish anything.
Obi-wan ran off the bridge, leaving Anakin lying on his back, stunned and angry. He disposed of the clone troopers in his path with ease as he ran to the secondary shuttle bay. There was one shuttle remaining. Obi-wan quickly boarded it and set in a random set of jump co-ordinates, before vanishing into hyperspace.
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Not the final conflict that some of you may have been expecting. But honestly, it's still too early in the story. Still what will happen now and what will become of the rebel alliance? Review and watch for updates to find out.