The shores of Utapau consisted of windy rolling dunes with tufts of yellow sea grass and the occasional rocky shoal. As he flew over, Obi-Wan thought it strange that Utapau was known only for its minerals and not for its natural beauty. As he flew farther inland though, he started to realize why.

The plains of Utapau were hot and the air rushing by him could only cool so much. The savannah below him was sparsely vegetated, and most of those plants seemed to be dry. He did spot the telltale entrances to large underground burrows though. At least in this region, most things seemed to prefer living underground.

Through the heat haze, Obi-Wan could see the first of the many pit cities occupied by the Separatists. This wasn't the one that he was looking for, but he used it to figure out which direction he needed to go. It wasn't much longer until he was circling over the top of the capital city of Pau. Every structure built into the shaft's walls that he could see seemed to be made from the bones of large creatures. This was likely less a stylistic choice and more to do with the lack of available trees for timber.

After a few loops for surveillance, Obi-Wan guided his delsev downwards into the pit, heading towards the wide landing platform in front of the monastery. As he descended, he noticed that there was a lack of the native flyers that he had expected. As the delsev touched down on the landing platform, a pair of red glowing eyes set into a skull-like head observed the movements of this unexpected visitor.

Obi-Wan climbed down from the saddle and walked towards a group of Pau'ans approaching him. The one at the head of the group wore one of the high-collared maroon robes denoting him as one of the senior members of the clergy.

"Greetings, young Jedi," the monk said, bowing. "What brings you here to our monastery today?"

As Obi-Wan rose from his own bow, he answered. "Unfortunately, the war."

"There's no war here. Unless you brought it with you."

"With your kind permission, I would like some food and water for my delsev and to use your city as a temporary base to search the surrounding region for General Grievous."

The monk gave a pious nod and turned to speak to his brown robed acolytes. He said something in the native dialect and they bowed before half moved towards a water trough while the other half headed towards the monastery, presumably to get food.

The monk leaned over to Obi-Wan. "He is here," he whispered through his sharp teeth. "We are being held hostage. They are watching us."

Obi-Wan nodded subtly as his eyes scanned the rooftops. "I understand."

"Grievous is in the monastery. There's also a garrison on the tenth level. Thousands of war automata."

"Tell your people to take shelter. If you have warriors, now is the time."

The two men bowed again and Obi-Wan returned to his delsev. The Jedi patted the giant lizard behind its head to get its attention. The delsev looked up from the meat that the Pau'ans had given it and craned its neck towards Obi-Wan.

"I need you to return to the ship. Can you do that for me?"

The delsev blinked both sets of eyelids and Obi-Wan sensed its understanding. He gave the lizard two praising pats and then turned to the bronze nautical automaton. "Once you get back, tell Cody that I've made contact."

The nautomaton beeped in acknowledgment.

The brown robed acolytes that had finished their duties rushed over to the monk. One of them, eager for good news, addressed his superior. "Is he bringing additional warriors?"

"He didn't say," the monk replied in an uncertain tone.

The Magnaguard that had been spying on Obi-Wan since his arrival watched as the red delsev took off and soared out of the pit, completely oblivious that the Jedi was not leaving on the wyvern's back. The automaton turned and retreated back into the shadows.

Once the delsev was over the rim of the pit, Obi-Wan emerged from the shadows that he had dashed into to hide from spying eyes. His next objective was to find a way into the monastery without raising an alarm.

After careful observation, the only viable method that Obi-Wan found for getting in was from above, but this was easier said than done. The monastery was set into a large rounded hollow in the wall of the pit and while this was aesthetically pleasing, it also made rappelling or free climbing unfeasible. Obi-Wan moved to the level above the monastery and was pleased to find one of Pau's stables. A short conversation with the Pau'an stable master later and Obi-Wan was riding out on one of Utapau's native animals.

While the stable did contain flying creatures like dactillions, Obi-Wan decided that subtlety was the better approach. The mount he chose was a varactyl, a reptile with a birdlike beak and a mane of feathers. Their legs are fairly stubby, with five-toed feet that let them hold onto any surface like the much smaller geckos found in the tropics.

Obi-Wan looked over the edge of the level and into the depths of the pit below. Vertigo gripped him for a moment before he calmed himself. He made sure that he was securely strapped into the saddle and popped the reins to urge the varactyl onwards. It crawled over the edge and onto the pit's sheer wall. The sudden shift in perspective slightly disoriented Obi-Wan, but he adjusted quickly.

In the monastery's central chamber, General Grievous paced in front of the semicircular table at which the Separatist leadership sat. Shafts of light poured through the open skylights bathing the chamber in an almost otherworldly glow.

"It will not be long until the armies of the Republic track us here," said the bony general. "I am sending you to the island of Mustafar in the Outer Rim."

For just a moment, the light coming through one of the skylights was interrupted by something large blocking the hole high above, but none present noticed.

Grievous wheezed before continuing his speech to the Separatists. "It is a volcanic island. You will be safe there."

Viceroy Gunray scoffed. "Safe? Pah! Chancellor Palpatine managed to escape your grip, General. Without Count Dooku, I have doubts about your ability to keep us safe!"

In the rafters above, Obi-Wan dismounted from the saddle and crept along the wide beam until he was right overtop of the meeting.

"Be thankful, Viceroy," said Grievous with a venom to his voice, "that you have not found yourself in my grip." He turned away, wishing he could run the Viceroy through with a Lightblade for how much grief he had given him over the course of the war. "Your shuttles are waiting outside."

As the Separatist leadership stood and headed towards the door, Obi-Wan decided that this was the opportune time to make his move. He jumped down from the rafter, cushioning his fall with the Force. Grievous was completely unaware as Obi-Wan stood from a crouch a short distance behind him.

"Hello there," said the Jedi in a cheery voice.

The half dozen Magnaguards around the edges of the room came to attention and activated their staves. General Grievous turned slowly. "General Kenobi!" He cackled as his bodyguards encircled Obi-Wan. "You are a bold one! Kill him."

The Magnaguards moved in, but Obi-Wan had chosen his position very deliberately. He ignited his Lightblade and reached up with his off hand, taking hold of the bone chandelier above with the Force. Obi-Wan jumped away as it fell, leaving the chandelier to fall on all six Magnaguards at once.

One of the Magnaguards wasn't fully destroyed by the chandelier and frantically tried to crawl out from underneath it with its one free arm. Obi-Wan cut its upper torso in half as he walked past on his way back to Grievous.

All the commotion had raised the alarm and a large group of war automata including automekas and Juggernauts streamed into the chamber. They assumed formation and readied their weapons.

General Grievous raised a six-fingered hand towards his troops. "Back away! I will deal with this worthless Jedi myself."

Obi-Wan smirked. "Your move."

"You fool." Grievous undid the gold cinch holding his cape and grabbed two Lightblade hilts from his hips with each hand. "I was trained in your Jedi fighting arts by Count Dooku." He shrugged the cape off his shoulders and it fell to the floor.

Grievous held out his arms wide. There came a strange snapping sound and each arm split in half down its length. One by one, he activated the Lightblades in his four hands. This was unlike his usual strategy. Typically he would wait for the opportune moment to play this trump card, but he was in pain and wanted to end the fight as quickly as he could. "Attack, Kenobi."

Obi-Wan smiled and gave a nod. He had been looking forward to this fight for the entire war. He readied his Lightblade and assumed a riposte stance, knowing better than to make the first move.

Grievous snarled and crouched slightly, raising his lower set of arms above his head. He started to spin the Lightblades in opposite directions, making twin windmills of blue and green death. The blade tips hit the ground with each rotation, kicking up showers of sparks and leaving glowing hot gashes in the stone floor as he slowly advanced.

Obi-Wan stepped backwards, caught off-guard by Grievous' unorthodox technique. He carefully watched the spinning blades, memorizing the pattern. Closer and closer Grievous drew while Obi-Wan moved backwards.

Suddenly, Obi-Wan thrust his Lightblade forward, stopping both spinning blades at once. The two combatants both pulled their swords back. Obi-Wan swung downwards, only for Grievous to block with the crossed blades held in his upper hands. He thrust his two lower blades forward, but Obi-Wan anticipated this move and somersaulted over the Separatist general, landing behind him.

Grievous blocked Obi-Wan's subsequent swing with his left blades and unleashed a flurry of swings towards the Jedi. Although a challenge, Obi-Wan blocked or dodged each of them, but he wasn't sure how long his luck would hold. He had to level the playing field.

Obi-Wan ducked another series of swings and held out his Lightblade just as one of Grievous' wrists was passing by. The General groaned as his lower left hand and the blade it held fell to the floor. He jumped back and looked at the glowing stump with rage.

Howling, he swung his three remaining Lightblades in a frenzy, forcing Obi-Wan backwards under the assault. The Jedi locked blades with the two in Grievous' right hands and neatly rode his Lightblade down one of his opponent's.

Grievous' lower right hand flew away and the Lightblade clattered against the stone floor. The General swung towards Obi-Wan with his two remaining weapons, using his upper body to add to the force of the blows. The Jedi pushed back and just barely held his ground, the leather soles of his boots slipping slightly.

Obi-Wan jumped backwards as Grievous pulled one of the blades back to attempt a swing. The General reared up and assumed a different stance, ready to continue their duel.

The sound of gunfire startled both of them. They looked to the chamber's main door and saw the unmistakable white armor of homunculi through the throng of automata. The mechanical soldiers had been so focused on the duel that they had been caught completely off-guard by the attack and were unable to turn in time to mount an adequate resistance.

In the pit outside, hundreds of la'ats circled around, landing on any available platforms and offloading their homunculus passengers. The sounds of gunfire became incessant as more and more soldiers from both sides entered the fray.

General Grievous laughed. "Army or not, surely you must realize that you are doomed."

Obi-Wan smiled defiantly. "Oh, I don't think so."

Obi-Wan feigned a turn to run before turning back and unleashing a great push of Force energy. Grievous grunted as he flew backwards, striking the dias on the far end of the chamber. He leapt to his feet and crouched down before launching himself onto first the wall, then into the rafters with his powerful legs.

Obi-Wan jumped up after him with the aid of the Force. He rushed to his varactyl as Grievous crawled through one of the skylights. The Jedi buckled himself into the saddle and took off after him.

Once on the monastery's roof, Obi-Wan saw Grievous standing on the edge, just under the lip of the pit's wall above. "Not this time, Kenobi," The General yelled. He jumped and dug his metal claws into the stone and began walking upwards.

Obi-Wan wasn't going to let Grievous escape this time. He gave a "hyah" as he pulled on the reins. The varactyl reared back and bellowed, then leapt off the monastery's roof. As though like magnets, its feet stuck to the wall of the hollow. It travelled upwards, going inverted before crawling over the edge and onto the vertical shaft wall.

Even though Grievous had a head start, the duel had left him out of breath and his legs were shorter than the varactyl's. If he could just get to the level above, he could steal one of the Pau'an grindwheels and make a break for his belbullab. All around both him and Obi-Wan, the sounds of gunfire and the screeching of la'ats continued as both the Republic and Separatist forces battled on the many levels of Pau.

Obi-Wan had almost caught up to the General but in a risky move, Grievous jumped the rest of the way to the lip of the level above. His grip was unsure with half of his fingers missing, but he held on and clambered onto the level, snarling at his Jedi pursuer.

Grievous cackled as he saw what he had hoped for. Three Pau'an grindwheels sat in one of the level's excavation areas, unused since the Separatist arrival. These grindwheels were machines powered by proprietary magics that the Pau'ans had imported and used to dig their pit cities many centuries before. Each grindwheel was built around a bucket wheel and a counterweight and had four clawed anchor legs that were also used to walk. The Pau'ans had also discovered that if the bucket wheel was operated while the legs were retracted, a grindwheel could be used to travel around quite quickly.

Grievous leapt into the driver's seat on the left side and grabbed the control sticks. Obi-Wan and the varactyl came over the level's edge just in time to see him take off towards one of the tunnels leading up. The Jedi gave a sharp snap of the reins and the varactyl raced into the tunnel after the fleeing General.

Back in Coruscant, Anakin and Master Windu stood in the Jedi Temple's war room discussing battle reports with the silver forms of Masters Yoda, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Aayla Secura. The conversation was interrupted by a fourth form taking shape.

"Excuse my interruption, Master Windu," said Commander Cody. "General Kenobi has made contact with General Grievous and we have begun our attack."

Mace Windu nodded. "Thank you, Commander."

Cody gave a salute before his silver form vanished.

Master Windu then turned to Anakin. "Anakin, deliver this report to the Chancellor. His reaction will give us a clue to his intentions."

"Yes, Master."

Mace Windu waited until Anakin had left the room before he spoke again. "I sense a plot to destroy the Jedi. An aura of the Dark Side surrounds the Chancellor."

"There is a massive shift in the Force," said Ki-Adi-Mundi. "We've all felt it."

"To connect these things, speculation is all we have," said Master Yoda. "Proof we need, before taking this to the rest of the Council."

"Ze proof will come when Grievous is gone," said Master Secura in her thick Rylothi accent.

"If he does not surrender his emergency powers after the capture or destruction of Grievous, he should be removed from office," said Ki-Adi-Mundi, emphasizing the last five words.

Aayla's eyes widened at his sentiment. "Are you saying zat we may need to ah-rest him?"

"If that is what needs to be done," began Master Windu, "the Jedi Council would have to take control of the Senate to ensure a peaceful transition."

Yoda grumbled. "To a dark place, this line of thought will carry us. Great care, we must take."

When Anakin entered the Chancellor's office, the Chancellor himself was poring over a quire of parchments on his desk that looked to Anakin like designs for some kind of fortress. Palpatine looked up at Anakin and folded the quire over. He smiled. "Ah, Anakin."

"Chancellor." He bowed. "We've just received a report from Commander Cody in Utapau. Master Kenobi has engaged General Grievous."

"Well, we can only hope that Master Kenobi is up to the challenge."

Anakin's face fell. "...I should be there with him."

Palpatine frowned. "It really is so upsetting to me to see how poorly the Council treats you. They agreed to place you on the Council, but do you have any idea why they disallowed your promotion to master?"

Anakin had been pacing as the Chancellor spoke. "I wish I knew. More and more, I get the feeling that I'm being excluded from the Council. Even more now than before I was placed on it." He stopped pacing and looked at Palpatine.

The Chancellor looked back with an expression of sympathy. He nodded as though urging Anakin to continue.

Anakin shook his head. "I know there are aspects of the Force that they aren't telling me about."

Chancellor Palpatine sighed and stood to move to Anakin. "As I said before, they don't trust you. They see your future and fear what you can become. They know that your power will be too much to control." He placed a hand on Anakin's back and the two of them began to walk together. "You must break through the fog of lies that the Jedi have created around you. Let me help you to know the subtleties of the Force."

"How do you know the Ways of the Force?"

The Chancellor smiled innocently. "My mentor taught me everything about the Force. Even about the nature of the Dark Side."

Anakin stopped dead. "You know the Dark Side?"

"Anakin, if one is to understand the great mysteries of this world, they must be willing to study all of its aspects, not just the narrow dogmatic view of the Jedi. If you wish to become a complete and wise leader, you must embrace a larger view of the Force." Palpatine's innocent smile turned into a sinister grin. "Only through me can you achieve a power greater than any Jedi. Learn to know the Dark Side of the Force and you will be strong enough to save your wife from certain death."

Anakin's eyes widened. He had not told Palpatine about his visions of Padmé's death, let alone that they were married. "What did you say?"

"Use my knowledge, I beg you."

Anakin's blood ran cold as realization hit him like a block of granite. Suddenly a lot of things made sense. He drew his Lightblade and held the tip of the blade under Palpatine's chin. "You're the Sith Lord!"

"I know what's been troubling you, my boy. Listen to me. Don't continue to be the pawn of an unappreciative Jedi Council."

Anakin glared, listening to Palpatine's words despite himself.

"Ever since I first met you, you've been searching for a life greater than that of an ordinary Jedi. A life of significance, of conscience." He turned and stepped away from Anakin.

Anakin gripped the hilt of his Lightblade. A single swing was all he would need to destroy the enemy of the Jedi. But Palpatine's words made sense. More than that, Palpatine was the only one in his life who had been consistently supportive of him. Anakin was angry that Palpatine was the Dark Lord that he had dedicated his adult life to defeating, but he was more angry that everything he had been saying about the Jedi was correct, that he had been living a lie.

Palpatine closed his eyes. "Do you want to kill me?"

The tip of Anakin's Lightblade quivered. "I would certainly like to."

The Dark Lord grinned. "I know you would... I can feel your anger. It gives you focus. It makes you stronger." He turned.

Anakin sighed defeatedly and retracted his blade. He couldn't make eye contact with Palpatine. "I... I'm going to turn you over to the Jedi Council."

"As well you should." There was an air of smugness about him, as though he knew he had already won. "But... You're not sure of their intentions, are you?"

"I will quickly discover the truth of all this."

"You have great wisdom, Anakin. Know the power of the Dark Side, the power to save Padmé..."