-Chapter 11: Dark Intentions-

Location: Coruscant

"Remove the shadow from the light and the shadow will grow."

After the 'attempted' assassination of Senator Amidala and the demise of Senator Binks, the reported findings of a shadowy red-eyed killer began to circulate around the Republic. Apparently, some high end officials who were more involved in the war effort began leaking information about the 'signs of a wraith' that had been discovered on numerous worlds. While some adapted the moniker 'Wraith' for more common usage, others referred to the subject as 'the Clone Killer'. With the rise of reports about a shadowy killer making mincemeat out of Republic forces, citizens of the Republic began to acquire a fear of the unknown. The prospect of a seemingly invisible killer who struck at random began to worry even the most stoic Republic leaders. Who knew who would be next.

An artist by the pseudonym of 'Shabby' drew up some rather humorous concepts as to what this killer might look like. His images quickly circulated around the Holoweb, bringing much mirth to those who saw them and temporarily alleviating the looming threat of fear.

This mirth was quickly replaced by terror when Shabby was discovered beheaded in his studio, lying in a pool of his own blood.

While fear and terror were common undertones to this discovery, some people began to question the legitimacy of these attacks. These supposed 'experts' began to make some rather audacious claims concerning the rumors about 'the Clone Killer'.

Chief among them was an opinionist by the name of Daav Philo'nis.

Owner and operator of a blog known as TruthHurts, Philo'nis started claiming that the 'so-called' Wraith was nothing more than a scare tactic, an attempt at fear-mongering and psychological warfare by the Separatists... a "poorly executed one" according to him. Many people started believing his words, desperately hoping that his comments were in fact real and that a brighter tomorrow (without the threat of death and destruction) was coming.

But there was one individual who was angered by Daav's claims... and his name was The Wraith.


Scipio was busy instructing Wraith on how to use his latest anti-personnel device: the stun chip.

"Now, the device is engineered to generate a powerful electric shock just five seconds after activation. It works under any circumstances, but the closer in contact it is with actual flesh, the better. The timer is located on top, all you must do is press it once to activate the countdown sequence." He explained the device's inner-workings. "I've had a few manufactured for you, you can store them on the new belt I've engineered for you. The magnetic strap along the lining will allow you to keep multiple metallic items on hand."

"Right." Wraith curtly replied, promptly taking the device and sizing it up for himself. Scipio cocked his head. He had been noticing an odd pattern in Wraith's behavior recently, some abrupt sentences and dismissive tones to name a few.

It was as if Wraith were enduring a mood swing.

"Are you alright, my boy? You sound rather perturbed." The doctor asked, curious if Wraith needed a mental adjustment or a flat-out overhaul during his next reconditioning session. The soldier gave his creator a quick glance.

"I was reading Philo'nis' blog recently." He admitted.

"Again? Wraith, what have I been telling you?" Scipio sighed, shaking his head. "You're better off not reading that garbage. All it serves to do is put you in a bad mood."

"A mood I could work off if I had some Clones to slaughter." Wraith retorted. "This naive fool claims me to be nothing more than a rumor!"

"Then just ignore him!" Scipio countered. "If you keep reading his nonsense, you're likely to go rogue and slaughter him. Don't think I've forgotten that stunt regarding Shabby. I barely convinced Count Dooku to keep you in service!"

"An effort I am grateful for." Wraith added, relaxing slightly. "I still believe all who degrade us should taste our fury."

"Perhaps one day they will." Scipio replied. "For now, keep your killer instincts in check... just this once... please."

"Fine." Wraith begrudgingly agreed to do so. "Have you even read the things this lunatic has posted?"

"I can't say as I have, but I believe you've told me enough." Scipio replied.

"Maybe I can introduce you..." Wraith mused, "the felon is supposed to be a talk show guest later today. Perhaps I can sway you into action with his words."

"Don't count on it. Unlike you, I'm not a 'glutton for punishment'." Scipio retorted. Turning on his heel, the doctor made for the exit. But as he left, Wraith uttered a few simple words that made him stop.

"Why must I be such a secret?" Scipio turned to eye his creation. Never had Wraith ever asked a question like this. "You and I both know I could do the cause a world of good by being out in the open." Wraith continued. "If I were on the battlefield, the outcome of the war would shift in our favor."

"I know. I'm only doing what the Council calls for." Scipio replied. "I tried to put you into action on Teth, after your very first mission to Christophsis. But Count Dooku said no."

"Does he not understand my true potential?" Wraith asked, turning around. "Sure, I'm good at undercover and hit-and-run missions... but I BELONG on the field of battle! That's why you made me. I'm a soldier; a living, breathing, organic soldier! I may hunt, but I'm wired to fight." Scipio could hear the desire in Wraith's words. He understood his creation's passion to lead the Separatists to victory, it was ingrained in his mind, part of the mental programming process Scipio made to ensure Wraith remained the perfect soldier.

"I know." Scipio simply replied. "Wraith, you know I'm just looking out for our best interests. I don't want you to lose favor with the Separatist Council... and I don't want to receive another choking from Count Dooku. And while hit and run operations may not be your dream, it is keeping us in good favor."

"Hmph." Wraith grunted, crossing his arms, not seeing Scipio's point.

He was a bit of a stubborn soldier.


Later that day, Wraith had pulled up a seat before the holotable and keyed up a specific communication frequency. Scipio was busy in his lab, supposedly working on Wraith's next enhancement. Wraith decided to capitalize on the moment, ignore Scipio's suggestion and watch the talk show Philo'nis was going to be featured on. He wanted to both see and hear the criminal words from Daav's own mouth, so he could feel justified in hunting down this fool of a man who sought to make a mockery of the valiant Confederacy.

After all, that artist paid the price... why shouldn't someone else?

Syncing the live feed and calibrating the display options, Wraith set about cloaking the signal output of the holotable, disguising it like another common holotable. The HoloNews was a vast place, where anything and anyone could be discovered... even him. He didn't want the location of his base to be revealed, then there'd be even more hell to pay. If Scipio even knew what he was up to, the amount of planning and preparation he'd done for this, surely there would be consequences of some caliber. Their severity depended on how successful he was.

And he had been proven to be very successful.

He planned on watching the broadcast, the talk show known as The Fode and Beed Show, where the special guest was Daav Philo'nis. During his investigations into this man, Wraith had learned just how much Daav enjoyed the spotlight and thrived off power. As long as gullible people continued to feed off his lies, half-truths and twisted facts, Daav would remain in his element and enjoy his prominence.

An arrogant prominence Wraith had a very strong desire to end... brutally so.

At long last, the program began... well, not right away. The beginning of the show was slow and tedious for Wraith's liking. It was not what he wanted, but it was the format of the program. The two-headed Troig took time to recap the recent Podracing event on Theron and detailed the upcoming championship on Anoat. Having been an announcer for the popular Boonta Eve Classic on Tatooine, the show gained a large portion of its viewership from podracers from around the galaxy. Fodesinbeed Annodue proved a popular host in podracing circles. The show itself was half podracing talk, half special guests.

It was a bit of an oddity. Much like its host.

But once the podracing was out of the way, it was time for the special guest portion. One Wraith was eagerly looking forward to.

"And now for tonight's special guest!" The Troig announced with gusto, possibly as excited as his audience. "I'm sure most of us have read his blog and enjoy his expert opinion and ability to debunk Separatist ploys and generally hopeful outlook. So please, give it up for Mister Daav Philo'nis!" Beed quickly translated into Huttese as Daav made his way on stage. Wraith leaned back in his chair, firmly crossing his arms as the studio audience applauded the man who entered from stage right. For the first time, Wraith could get a good look at the man who's work belittled his reputation. Daav was a round man with a circular head and body to match. A salt-and-pepper beard adorned his face, which remained somewhat hidden beneath his broad-rimmed hat. Such a design Wraith had only seen in images of the bounty hunter Cad Bane, only Daav's was significantly smaller. The man walked over and shook one of the Troig's four hands before waving to the audience and sitting down. The man's very aura seemed to carry a level of pride.

"Arrogant fool." Wraith growled, his anger already stirring. He continued to watch as the two exchanged pleasantries before Fodesinbeed moved on to a series of questions.

"So, tell me, how did you come up with writing a blog like yours? I mean, you don't see a whole lot of people doing what you do."

"For good reason." Wraith rumbled.

"Well Fode, I guess you could say I was inspired by everything going on around me." Daav replied. "I saw how the war was throwing people into a depression, worrying that the Separatists would be triumphant and that they would conquer the galaxy. So, I decided to 'expose' them, as it were. I wanted to let people know that the Separatists weren't nearly as big and bad as they seemed, that everything they're doing can be undone."

"A mistake you shall pay for dearly." Wraith muttered.

"How exactly do you pick apart these 'conspiracies', as you call them?"

"It's simple research, really. I just look for telltale signs, or flaws, that match up with previous findings and similar events. There's nothing new that the Separatists haven't already tried. That's why I can honestly call it like I see it, because I know exactly what it is and it's been done before."

"You know nothing!" Wraith growled.

"Let's talk about your personal life for a moment." Fode moved on. "It's obvious from your writings that you support the Republic. Do you happen to have any particular favorites among the commanders?" What a bizarre question.

"My favorite Clones are dead ones." Wraith chuckled darkly. "I like my Jedi the same way." That's when he paused and considered Skywalker's apprentice: Ahsoka. She struck him as unique, not like the other Jedi. There was something about her he simply couldn't shake, a desire within him to... to...

Well, he didn't really know what.

"I will admit I admire Jedi General Plo Koon and his Wolf Pack. The way they survived the Malevolence Incident was very impressive." Daav responded. Wraith made a mental note to put Plo Koon in a body cast if he ever came across the Jedi. Host and guest went back and forth, sharing commonalities in front of the studio audience. Wraith was growing bored. But then, Fode made a move that piqued his interest.

"Let's go to our comms now, I'm sure there's a few people who want to ask you a few questions."

"Or compliment my work." Daav joked, earning a few laughs from the crowd. Wraith immediately stood. If his plan was going to work, now was the time for him to call in. Obviously, he wouldn't be the first to speak, but his delayed message would only serve to heighten the moment.

After so much praise... a very grave threat.

Ignoring the apparent fangirl Daav was conversing with, Wraith made his way over to the base's communication system. He knew he had to cloak his frequency signal to keep the base a secret, something easily accomplished.

"What do you think you're doing?" Scipio asked, announcing his presence, sounding worried as Wraith activated the communications system. Wraith was unfazed by the sudden appearance of his creator.

"Patience is a virtue, doctor." Wraith calmly replied, activating the outgoing call system. Daav was already on to his second caller, another fan and avid reader.

But soon, the critic was about to meet a critic...

"Let's take this next caller..." The Troig continued, triggering the next holo communication. "hm, no visual. Oh well, go ahead Mister-"

"Daav Philo'nis. A man who sits on a pedestal built upon falsehood. I bet you're feeling quite proud of yourself." The synthetic voice resonated throughout the room, sending chills through quite a few spines. Including Daav.

"I'm sorry, who is this?" Fode asked.

"My identity is known, yet I am unknown. But what's more important is the fact that Mister Philo'nis fails to comprehend the consequences of his actions. You see, it is a universal effect known throughout the galaxy: actions and words have consequences. There is nothing we do that will not have some result. The bill always comes due. Cause and effect. You see, Mister Philo'nis prides himself on promoting the truth. But what he has failed to realize is that his efforts, his actions and words, have levied upon him the heaviest of consequences. He has belittled and tarnished a name of great repute in the name of 'truth', and now he will pay for it. Listen carefully, Mister Philo'nis; I am giving you five hours to run and hide from me. And when those five hours are up, I will find you. I will seek you out and hunt you down like the dog you are. And then... only then will you receive your bill... and we will see just how true your claims really are." The room had grown deathly quiet. Both Fodesinbeed and Daav looked quite fearful, Daav looking downright petrified.

"Sir... Sir, did you just threaten Mister Philo'nis?" Fode timidly asked after a moment.

"Threats are idle. Menacing in tone but weightless in value. No, that is no threat... but a promise!" The voice growled. Though he could not see him, Wraith could only imagine the look on Philo'nis' face. "You'd better hurry, Daav. The clock is ticking..." Wraith ended his call and turned back to watch as the communicator in the studio quite suddenly displayed a bold CIS emblem, a surefire indicator as to who had spoken. Scipio was in shock.

"You blatantly disobeyed me!" He cried, angered by Wraith's actions.

"You don't understand the atrocities this man is committing." The soldier retorted as he moved back to the holotable. He saw Daav was getting up to leave.

"I... I must go... There's s-somewhere I need to be..." he stammered, quickly making his way off stage.

"Perfect." Wraith was pleased his plan was working. "Now for part two." As he bent over the table and began to key up some more information, Scipio had a sudden realization: Wraith had planned this. Despite his orders and encouragement, Wraith had actually been planning the downfall of this Daav Philo'nis.

"You... You've got this all planned out..." he gasped.

"Right down to the most minuscule detail." Wraith casually replied.

"But... But..." Scipio stuttered, lost for words.

"But how does it work?" Wraith finished for him, knowing full-well what Scipio was trying to say. "Given the Fode and Beed Show is produced and aired in locations such as Malastare, it's been proving difficult to track down Daav. Fortunately, I managed to concoct this plan and force him into my cross-hairs. The question then remained: where would he go? And there is only one place where he would feel safest." Wraith pulled up a holographic display of a series of buildings. "The Coruscant Communications Grid. I can monitor all outgoing and incoming calls of high importance. But, given its complexity, I would have to either re-wire a terminal or plant a bug. Both are obvious, but a bug is far subtler." Scipio had a much graver concern.

"You mean to tell me you plan on traveling to Coruscant? The heart of enemy territory?!" He exclaimed incredulously. Wraith thought nothing of it.

"I've had more than my fair share of stealth missions to know how this works. Coruscant may be trickier, but in the end, it'll be no different from all the others. And it's the one planet that could possibly protect Daav... even though it won't be enough." Wraith began to walk out of the room, bypassing Scipio. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a promise to keep." Scipio stood frozen in disbelief. The sound of metal tapping against metal resonated as Wraith walked to the exit and disappeared into the base, probably heading towards the landing pad. Scipio remained alone in the room, reeling from the revelation of Wraith's plan. He didn't even move when the central systems array alerted him that the shuttle was leaving... but he did move when an incoming communication was detected. After entering a few commands, the holographic appearance of Count Dooku materialized before him.

"Doctor, I don't know if you are aware, but there is a man by the name of Daav Philo'nis who has been tarnishing the Separatists and making a mockery of us. I want Wraith to-"

"Go and dispose of him." Scipio finished with a sigh. "I'm afraid he's already moving. He's aware of who Philo'nis is, and apparently has been planning his demise for some time." The Pau'un explained. Dooku raised an eyebrow in apparent surprise.

"Well now. He seems to be a rather ambitious one." The count mused before trailing off into his own thoughts. "We will discuss this later." He stated before ending his communication.


Sometime later, on Coruscant...

In the office of the Supreme Chancellor, Jedi Master Mace Windu and Grand Master Yoda were discussing an unfolding situation with Chancellor Palpatine. The two Jedi convened with the politician via holocommunication.

"Nearly an hour ago, famed HoloNet blogger Daav Philo'nis was threatened during a live interview. The hostile party told Mister Philo'nis he had just five hours to 'run and hide' anywhere in the galaxy, before he would be hunted down." Palpatine explained.

"We are aware of Daav's work in 'exposing' Separatist plots. His latest focus was on 'the wraith'." Windu replied.

"Perhaps the threat and his recent focus are related?" Palpatine suggested.

"Either the Separatists want to keep their wraith a secret, or perhaps he actually exists."

"Prefer the former, many would." Yoda added. "Daav Philo'nis, his current plans do you know?" He asked the Chancellor.

"Mister Philo'nis contacted me shortly after ending the interview early. He wishes to come to Coruscant and has asked me for asylum." Palpatine explained.

"The Separatists wouldn't dare try and attack him here." Mace was hopeful the plan would be uneventful, given it was Coruscant.

"Forgotten the Senate raid, have you?" Yoda asked him.

"Those were bounty hunters, rather prolific here on Coruscant." The Jedi Master countered.

"Nevertheless, we do have some of the best security in the galaxy, being the heart of the Republic. Daav's flight will take most of the allotted five hours, so we won't have much time to move. He will be in a common unmarked transport, so we won't know exactly when he will be arriving." Palpatine informed them.

"Any ideas for how to counter the threat?"

"I would like to send Master Kenobi in addition to Master Skywalker and his apprentice. Accompanied by a small detachment of Coruscant Police Troopers, this should be a more formidable front that may very well deter Mister Philo'nis' pursuer." Palpatine suggested, informing them of his plan.

"I certainly hope so. This alleged 'wraith' has caused the Republic enough problems as it is. I for one would like to put the rumor to rest once and for all." Windu mused.

"You and the rest of the Republic." Palpatine agreed. "For now, we need to focus on keeping Mister Philo'nis safe."


Wraith heard it all.

Having wired a bug into the Coruscant Communications Grid, The Wraith was now able to intercept transmissions from anywhere in Republic territories. But all the important communications were outgoing from Coruscant. Specifically, the office of the Supreme Chancellor.

Wraith had to wonder if, one day, he would be called upon to assassinate the Chancellor... and truly bring the downfall of the Republic.

He had arrived in relative silence, piloting his unmarked shuttle down to the lower depths of Coruscant. Forced to hide his trademark attire to avoid being spotted, Wraith had disappeared into the crowds undetected and slowly made his way through the throng anonymously. His first target was the communications grid, as his mission required immediate access to all incoming and outgoing transmissions. It wasn't easy traversing the heavily guarded station, forced to kill a trio of guards and hide their bodies to maintain maximum stealth, but it was well worth the reward. Wraith wired in a bug, the same kind of bug he had used all those years ago on Christophsis, that allowed free access to every communication sent or received on Coruscant. No doubt the Separatist Council would thank him for this.

After they punished him... for going off on his own accord.

That's when he had overheard the Chancellor's conversation with the two Jedi and learned that everything was going according to plan.

His mind quickly calculated his next course of action. Should Skywalker and his allies be the ones to meet Philo'nis first, Wraith would have to intercept them. Somehow, he needed to learn what they knew, listen in when they...

That's it.

Wraith would plant a tracer, either on one of the personnel or on the speeder they used. All he would have to do is follow their movements and deal with them when the time was right. Or maybe he could sabotage the speeder, that way he could maintain the territorial advantage.

Regardless of how he went forward, Wraith knew his next destination would be the Coruscant Spaceport.

Good thing Scipio had tricked out his belt with all kinds of little gizmos.

Four hours later...

It had been a long wait. A very long wait.

Not to mention a bit of a pain to get there.

Wraith had to maneuver through the crowds of Coruscant once more in order to make his way to the spaceport. He found it a real pain to have to hide in plain sight, he felt so exposed when he wasn't wearing his jacket and helmet.

But he had survived and was now lying in wait for his prey. Like a bestial hunter.

For four hours he waited atop a high rise in full battle gear. Wraith was more than eager to take down Daav... and wished he had control over time. It was night now, evening had passed him by and a curtain of stars shone brightly above him. He had checked, double-checked and re-checked his weaponry. Instead of his carbine, he had chosen to equip his sniper rifle instead. No doubt it would come in handy when he was pursuing his quarry.

And he was about to find out, for an armored airspeeder had arrived at the spaceport. Recognizing the trio of Jedi with ease, especially Ahsoka, Wraith quickly counted six Coruscant Police Troopers in addition to the three Jedi. The company of Republic forces moved quickly to one of the landing pads, leaving the speeder unattended.

How foolish of them.

Given the placement of the speeder, Wraith knew he had only one option to sabotage the speeder, and that was to...

Hold on. Maybe he didn't have to use an explosive.

Reaching for one of the stun chips on his belt, Wraith quickly upped the discharge voltage to its highest setting. Given the anti-gravity engine systems all airspeeders worked on, his stunner could overload the power system and force the speeder to crash, as long as it delivered a big enough jolt to completely fry the system.

With pinpoint accuracy, honed over sixteen years of continuous training, Wraith flicked his wrist and flung the chip through the air. The device landed squarely on the front of the vehicle.

Perfect. Step one complete.

Now Wraith just needed to plant a tracker. Fortunately, his rifle had been equipped with hollow shells, granting him the ability to load devices into them and stick them to any surfaces. Having prepped a tracker beforehand, Wraith readied his weapon and quickly determined the best place to hide such a device. Aiming for the rear engine strut, Wraith's aim and accuracy proved flawless as he stuck the tracker cleanly to his intended target.

Everything was in place, now he just had to wait for the right moment. Fortunately, the Republic were returning with Daav in tow.

Soon, very soon, everything would come to a head... and fear would be sown anew.


Surrounded by a trio of Jedi and half a dozen Police troopers, Daav felt much safer on Coruscant than he had on that transport.

"We'll head straight to the Chancellor's office. Palpatine is expecting you there." Anakin explained as he powered up their ride. "You're in good hands Mister Philo'nis."

"I cannot thank the Republic enough." He timidly replied.

"Don't you worry, sir. Any Seppie who tries us is gonna regret it!" Ahsoka reassured him with a confident grin. Daav couldn't help but smile back at her youthful enthusiasm.

"And I certainly appreciate the help." The airspeeder lifted up and took off into the night.

"Know any shortcuts where we're less exposed?" Obi-Wan asked.

"We'll fly low over the streets, that way no one can get the drop on us." Anakin replied. "I want to avoid high rises and the possibility of an ambush."

"Good thinking." Obi-Wan approved. Silence ensued as seconds turned to minutes, everyone keeping a lookout for anything suspicious or out of place.

Suddenly, electricity erupted across the front of the speeder.

"What the-!" Anakin was surprised as his instruments suddenly short circuited.

"Anakin, what's going on?" Obi-Wan urgently asked.

"Everything's shorted out, the power's been overloaded!" Anakin replied, attempting to reactivate the speeder. Daav felt a chill ripple through him, a foreboding sense of dread and terror hastily filling him.

"I will seek you out and hunt you down like the dog you are." The chilling voice echoed in his head. Daav dearly hoped he would survive this night.

"I've lost anti-gravity, we're going down!" Anakin called out in warning.

"Any way you can slow us down, Skyguy?" Ahsoka asked.

"We've got no power, Snips. Best I can do is a controlled crash." Anakin replied, fighting to steer the powerless speeder. "Brace yourselves!" With smoke trailing from the engines and under the hood, the speeder began a rapid descent to the streets below. Fortunately, there were very few people about at this late hour. Anyone left quickly ran away from the careening airspeeder. The passengers were fortunate Anakin was a master pilot at pretty much every vehicle, and while the crash was rough, it was far smoother than other possibilities. The vehicle skidded across the road as Anakin drove the hood into the wall of an alley, at a sharp enough angle so the speeder bounced off and firmly wedged itself in the narrow side street, bringing the chaotic ride to an abrupt halt. A few minutes passed as the Republic shook themselves back to sensibility and began to crawl out of their wrecked transport. "Everybody okay?" Anakin wondered.

"We're all here, sir." The Police reported. "Just a few bumps and bruises is all."

"Mister Philo'nis?" Anakin asked.

"He's fine, just a little shaken." Ahsoka replied. Anakin breathed a sigh of relief.

"I need four of you troopers to guard the entrance, keep the onlookers away and look out for any sign of trouble." He ordered the police. They promptly complied, two staying behind to ensure the safety of everyone else. The Jedi climbed out, Ahsoka and the troopers ensuring Daav safely arrived on solid ground. Anakin paused to examine the front of the speeder.

"Don't think I took out a damage deposit." He quipped, eyeing up the smoking, dented hood. "I just wonder what went wrong..." he couldn't quite understand how a perfectly good speeder could suddenly short-circuit and overload. Unless there was a problem with a subsystem or one of the electrical subroutines had-

"Anakin! Look at this!" Obi-Wan called. The Knight as by his side moments later. "It's a tracker." Obi-Wan pointed to the device wedged in a strut, blinking red light an obvious beacon. Anakin suddenly realized that the speeder shorting out was no mere mechanical accident.

"We're being hunted." He breathed. Suddenly, the crack of a rifle resounded near through the street and one of the Police troopers fell dead, blood spraying from the bullet hole in his head.

"Sniper!" One of them cried, moments before he too was shot dead. Panic set in and any onlookers were quickly driven away.

"Fall back!" Anakin cried, moving to the rear of the wreck. The troopers quickly dashed back to the speeder, another one falling dead as he ran, felled by their invisible attacker. The other managed to reach his allies just seconds before a slug took him down as well. The Jedi swiftly drew their lightsabers, only two Police troopers remained. "Quick! Surround Daav, don't let anyone else near him!" Anakin ordered. The five did so, backing up against the speeder. Daav looked around, sweat continuing to bead on his forehead.

But no more shots came. Everyone grew still as anticipation and tension began to build.

"I can't see anything." Obi-Wan squinted as he peered at the darkness surrounding them. "It's... It's like we're being attacked by a phantom."

"Or a wraith." One of the troopers quietly muttered. Daav heard him. Anakin had had enough of the shadow play and decided it was time for much bolder front. He confidently stepped forward, just a few feet away from the group.

"Alright you! I've had enough of your hiding in the shadows!" Anakin challenged whoever was watching them. "We're Jedi, you can't beat us with blasters. So come out here and face us!" Stepping back alongside Ahsoka and Obi-Wan, Anakin readied his blue blade and waited. The police troopers kept glancing from side to side, watching the area around them for any sign of movement. Philo'nis, surrounded by his guardians, looked fearfully around too, expecting someone to leap out and kill him. Time ticked on as the Jedi and police stood ready and waiting. Philo'nis continued to sweat, trembling with fear.

Suddenly, a figure dropped down from a building before them, somersaulting through the air as it landed several feet away from the Jedi. Muscles tense, Jedi readied their weapons, assuming new attack positions. Seeing the arrival, the police immediately moved to alongside the Jedi, kneeling and pointing their weapons at the crouching figure. Ever so slowly, the form stood up and rose to full height. Despite the shadows, the Jedi could see his broad, menacing form outlined by the lights around them.

Then, the figure began walking towards them.

Stepping forward at a slow, even pace, the air grew thick with tension as the being approached the protective ensemble. Drawing close enough, the figure stepped into the light and revealed himself. Philo'nis gasped in horror. The Jedi expressing looks of sudden realization and shock. The dark blue jacket, duster hanging down to his ankles, twin sets of sidearms adorning his waist, rifle strapped across his back, arms bearing heavily armored plating, shining helmet, blood red optics, large Separatist emblem on his chest... for the first time they set eyes on the invisible foe who had plagued them battle after battle. The silent killer who struck swiftly and ruthlessly. The one whom many, many deaths could be attributed to.

It had to be... It just had to be...

The Wraith had been revealed.

"He's real!" Philo'nis gasped. "HE'S REAL!" He cried, consumed by terror. The police took aim, readying to fire. But in a swift move, the Wraith grabbed his pistols and fired four shots, each slamming into the trooper's heads, killing them instantly. His speed was incredible. Spinning his sidearms around his hands, the Wraith holstered them in one fluid motion.

"I... I don't believe it." Obi-Wan said in awe. "After all this time..." Wraith began advancing towards the Jedi and Daav, intent on fulfilling his mission. Having already identified the Jedi's weak points, he knew how to dispose of them. But they had to make the first move. Shaking off his shock, Anakin struck first, rushing in to attack. Blue lightsaber humming through the air, the Jedi Knight slashed at Wraith. But the Separatist held up an arm and blocked the blow with his gauntlet. Anakin was surprised, not expecting such a calm defense. Wraith capitalized on the moment and delivered a hard punch to Skywalker's face. Reaching forward, he grabbed the stumbling Jedi and landed two hard blows to Anakin's torso. The Jedi coughed from the impact, only to have his face smashed once again as Wraith delivered an uppercut that laid Anakin flat on his back. The blow to his face stunned Anakin hard, forcing the Jedi to black out moments after hitting the ground. Shaking off the surprise of Anakin's easy defeat, Obi-Wan took his turn to advance, diving in with a thrust. But Wraith calmly sidestepped the attack and countered with a sharp kick to Obi-Wan's ribs. The hard impact made Kenobi winced. Wraith followed up with twin kicks to the Jedi's chest before lashing out with a hard kick across the face. Obi-Wan spun through the air and landed on the ground, dazed and hurting before falling unconscious. The last Jedi standing, Ahsoka quickly moved in, leaping into the air in an effort to land an aerial assault, hoping to catch Wraith off guard. As she launched herself high, Wraith quickly calculated the angle of her fall and planned around it. Ahsoka dove in, lightsabers ready. But Wraith grabbed her arms, spinning around and propelled her into a wall. Surprised by the sudden, fluid change in direction, she hit the wall but quickly recovered, ready to turn about and fight again. However, Wraith whipped a small item from his belt, aiming for her exposed bare back. The stun chip contacted her skin and delivered a powerful shock. Ahsoka cried out as electricity coursed through her until she fell unconscious, collapsing to the ground in a heap. Wraith turned his attention back to the fear stricken Daav, stepping past the bodies of the downed Jedi as he advanced towards his critic. Philo'nis tried hard to move, but fear kept him cemented in place. What chance did he stand against someone who possessed a record like the Wraith, who had singlehandedly beaten three of the Jedi's finest without even breaking a sweat? Wraith walked right up to the frozen Senator, staring down through crimson eyes at his terrified victim.

"Am I still a scare tactic?" Wraith asked. His mechanized voice shocked the politician, who gaped up at his more than intimidating opponent. Raising one arm, a metallic ring echoed throughout the area as one of Wraith's arm blades deployed. Daav jumped in fright. "Now then, I gave you five hours to run and hide." Wraith told him. Rearing his arm back, he paused to savor expression on the petrified Philo'nis.

"Found you."


Hours later, Anakin, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan recovered. Picking themselves up off the ground, all the Jedi could see where the bodies of the police troopers. No sign of Daav or the Wraith. They returned to the Jedi Temple with a report of failure... and to confirm the Wraith's existence.

All they could do now was wait.

A couple days later, a crate addressed to the Senate was found outside the senate building. After carefully opening the crate, a gruesome sight, and smell, greeted the onlookers. Inside were the butchered remains of Daav Philo'nis, cut to pieces by a blade of unknown origin. Also inside was a simple holoprojector that, when activated, displayed a simple Aurebesh 'W' with a lightning bolt running through it.

The Wraith had made himself known.

The murder of Daav Philo'nis made headlines across the Republic. His brutal murder by the unapologetic Wraith encouraged the Senate to formally acknowledge the presence of the Separatist Elite Commando. But this only served to strike fear into many hearts. A lone man solely responsible for this much carnage and brutality was surely the biggest threat to ever face the Republic. The very balance of the war was at stake.


Later...

Scipio observed HoloNews broadcasts from the Republic, each one retelling the Chancellor's statements and the recent developments concerning 'the Wraith'. Scipio couldn't help but grin as he rewatched the moment when the Wraith's insignia was revealed, shocking the Senators. Despite knowing how all of this came to be, he still couldn't help but be impressed with the ruthless effectiveness of his creation.

Still, his actions would have consequences.

"Such horror. I never knew you had it in you." Scipio remarked.

"No matter how much breath is wasted, you cannot silence the unstoppable." Wraith responded, standing behind him. "He spoke out against me, called out the Separatists. And I answered."

"Well said Wraith." Scipio agreed. "And I see you have constructed a logo for yourself."

"It came to me while I was assembling the package."

"Not bad. Personally, I would've preferred a skull and crossbones over a lightning bolt." Scipio mused. "But you do realize this has made you public enemy number one." He added, getting back on topic. "The Republic will surely put a price on your head and not even I or the Separatist Council can bail you out of this."

"I am not concerned." Wraith shrugged off the hard reality. "I will not be stopped. I cannot be stopped. My time has come to join the front lines of the war, to do what I have been designed to do. My potential will no longer be stifled, but fulfilled. I know I acted against orders, doctor, but it was for the greater good. I am the superior soldier and I think it's high time I live up to that moniker."

"And I am here to make sure of that." Scipio added. Perhaps Wraith was right. Things could only get better now that his reputation had spread to Coruscant. The very image of the Wraith would be the death knell of the Republic army, a dirge signalling their coming end. Shutting off the broadcasts, the Pau'un stood up and stretched. "Come Wraith, you have a reputation to keep up." The doctor motioned towards his lab. It was time to get to work. Now that the Republic was afraid, it was time to strike hard and make their fear a dark and ever-present reality.


Author's Note: Well, crew, I just want to thank you all for reading and reviewing. Your positive comments are very uplifting and motivating. Now, as the school year kicks off once more, I am going to be very busy so don't expect any updates for a couple months. Sorry to leave you on a bit of a cliffhanger, but duty calls. Thanks again for over 6000 views and all the supportive feedback. See you soon (probably in December)!