Chapter 35 – Gunray

DISCLAIMER: We do not own Star Wars or any of the characters in it, though we wish we did. xD

Author's Note: In which Gunray is captured by the Republic. ;)

~ Amina Gila

Dooku isn't nearly as surprised as he maybe should be when he gets the news that Senator Amidala successfully captured Nute Gunray of the Trade Federation. Gunray was never noted for his high intelligence. His greed was, and still is, the main reason why Dooku is working with him. Nevertheless, it definitely poses a problem to the Separatist Alliance as well as the Sith. If he cannot be recovered, he must be silenced, because he knows far too much.

Sidious calls shortly after Dooku has begun to plan ways of retrieving or silencing Gunray. He kneels before the hologram of his master as is usual, listening to him obediently. "Gunray's capture could be a serious threat to us, my friend. The Viceroy will not last long under Jedi interrogation," the Sith Master declares.

"Yes, my Lord," Dooku agrees. "I have a plan. I will send Lord Vader to infiltrate the Jedi ship and either free Gunray or silence him."

Sidious hums lowly. "Yes," he concurs, "I believe he is more than up to the task, but I believe you should send Kenobi as well. This will be his first major mission of importance as well as the first which will put him in close proximity to the Jedi. If he plans to betray us, he will now have a prime opportunity."

Realization crashes over Dooku, and he looks up at the hooded holographic figure. "You mean to test him." It's been a month since the destruction of the Malevolence. A month in which the Death Squadron has begun to gain a name for itself. But in every single battle, Kenobi has remained on his flagship, directing the battle from afar, while Anakin has flown into the thick of the battle, unless his presence is required elsewhere. Death Squadron has more than earned its name, and it strikes terror into those on the Republic's side from what Dooku has heard. The Republic rightfully fears it.

Skywalker and Kenobi. They have become something of a legend for those who support the Confederacy of Independent Systems. They are The Team now, often called the Hero with No Fear and the Negotiator. Anakin is fearless on the battlefield, channeling his pain, anger, and aggression into controlled chaos and devastation. He seems determined to outdo himself and his past levels of destruction in each battle, and it worries Dooku, if he's being honest. Anakin might be gaining a greater control over himself, but he's rapidly slipping into the embrace of the Dark Side. Being surrounded by so much death and destruction – caused at and by his hand – is not at all conducive for mental stability. He's barely even twenty.

Obi-Wan has talked many a Republic commander into surrender – the Jedi having died at Anakin's hand. The surviving clones are taken as prisoners-of-war, and the Republic has yet to find the prison where they're being kept. When the Death Squadron attacks, there are no survivors, no one left to report what happened. That's the way Anakin wants it. It's the way Sidious likes it too. Their only hope is to end the war as fast and expeditiously as possible. Sidious is trying to make the Republic systems see how horrible the war is, and it's working. Too well, even.

Ever since the Republic failed to get an alliance with Jabba on Tatooine, it's become increasingly hard to sustain campaigns on that part of the Outer Rin. The longer the battles go on, the more expensive and costly they become. It's only a matter of time before Republic control in the systems near Tatooine disappear entirely because the Separatist's base on Tatooine makes it easy for them to replenish lost troops. Not so for the Republic, which has been forced to expend resources on protecting supply conveys to the Outer Rim.

Sidious smiles, his dark glee echoing into the Force. "Yes," he confirms, "Proceed with the plan, but you must move quickly before the Jedi have time to interrogate Gunray, thereby putting all of our plans in danger."

**w**

"Alright, listen up." Anakin's voice echoes through Obi-Wan's wrist-comm as he speaks to everyone who is participating in the mission. "We need to move fast. Gunray is being held by the 212th Battalion, so your armor has been provided accordingly." He's speaking mainly to Rex, Fives, and Echo, who were chosen to accompany them on this mission. This is the first time that the clones have been assigned a mission which puts them in close proximity with their brothers, and that's all the more reason to ensure that everything goes without hitch.

Obi-Wan does not want to put the clones in the position where they have to choose between their brothers and Anakin. Until now, most of their work has been behind the lines, but now, that's changing. He knows that Anakin is testing their loyalty to him, testing to see if they'll desert given the chance, just as he knows that Sidious is testing his loyalty.

This is Obi-Wan's first mission in which he'll be sent directly into the middle of the action. Even Ahsoka has been fighting on the front lines more than he has. He doesn't like it, but it's the cost he has had to pay for refusing to submit to the Dark Side and Sidious. However, he has been given other pieces of intelligence to pass along to the Republic, thereby building his credibility with the Council. While he doubts that they'll ever entirely trust him, it will make it more likely for them to believe him in the future when he gives them a bigger piece of information. Like he's supposed to do now.

"Rex, Fives, Echo, you three need to slip into the clones and get Gunray out of the cell, claiming that you're taking him to a more secure location," Anakin instructs. "Obi-Wan, you keep the Jedi distracted, lure them away from the brig. I will go to main reactor and set charges to destroy the entire cruiser, maybe make a distraction if I need to so as to divert the Republic forces. No one can know that we have clones on our side."

"Copy that, General," the clones echo. Obi-Wan can feel their determination mingled with uncertainty and apprehension. They don't fear Anakin, though maybe they should. Anakin has killed thousands of their brothers – though rarely any of those in the 501st Legion for which he harbors a fondness. While Obi-Wan knows that Anakin would never willingly hurt them, his judgement isn't always the best, especially since Sidious has immense control over him.

The weeks of fighting together have brought them even closer, and he's willing to admit that Anakin reveals a side of himself to Obi-Wan which he never shows to anyone else. He doesn't know why – he's never had a reason to ask – but he does know that he will never betray Anakin's trust. They're openly friends, and neither of them would hesitate to call the other as such in front of others. They're more than that too, though he can't quite name what. He would prefer to think that they're like brothers, and maybe they were in the beginning, but sometimes, he could swear that Anakin looks at him with unfiltered admiration and adoration.

"I'm ready if you are," Obi-Wan assures Anakin, shifting his position inside the droid boarding ship. The vulture droids will attack first, distracting the Republic forces enough to allow the boarding ships to penetrate the hull and unload the super battle droids inside the Star Destroyer.

"Everything is under control, Master!" calls Ahsoka. "You're clear to go." That's another thing which has changed. In the past few weeks, Ahsoka has taken to infrequently using the term Master on Anakin. It doesn't make Obi-Wan jealous; on the contrary, he's actually relieved, because he never wanted to train her. He'd always felt that she was not meant to be his Padawan, and time has proved him right. She fits with Anakin in a way that she never has with anyone else. The Force itself seems to want them to be together.

"Then let's get this operation moving," Anakin declares, the familiar darkness gathering in his Force signature like a storm about to break loose.

The ship begins moving, but there's no viewports, of course, so Obi-Wan can't see their progression through space. He still knows when the battle begins, able to feel the faint vibrations of laser fire outside. There's a jolt as the boarding craft slams into place, opening up and beginning to unload super battle droids into the cruiser. Blaster fire reaches Obi-Wan's ears as he waits inside the craft, crouching until he finds the right moment to leap down.

Distraction, Obi-Wan thinks despairingly as he feels Anakin throw himself into the battle. He leaps down from the craft, standing back, hood pulled up over his head as he watches with dismay as Anakin rips through the clones like they're nothing. He doesn't even seem to notice or care that he's killing, but then again, he is a Sith. It will never become easier for him to see Anakin like this, to see him so ruthless when Obi-Wan knows how caring he can be. The almost-shy and quiet man he is in private is completely different from this whirlwind of chaos and destruction which he becomes on the battlefield.

"All units!" calls one of the clones frantically through his commlink. "General Skywalker is here! We need reinforcements!"

Anakin flicks out a hand, snapping the man's neck without a second thought, looking around at the destruction all around him. All the clones are dead. His yellow eyes meet Obi-Wan's for a moment, and he gives him a nod, a signal for him to leave. The super battle droids continue onwards, shooting beginning only moments later from the hallway beyond. Obi-Wan can feel Siri here, can feel her presence drawing closer, and an uncomfortable feeling of guilt twists within him. What he's doing is necessary, but he knows their confrontation will be anything but easy, especially given how emotionally involved they are; they used to be friends.

Rex, Echo, and Fives drop down, weapons held at the ready. Obi-Wan doesn't miss how stiffly they're moving, how careful to avoid looking at the decimation all around them. "Gunray is being held prisoner by Senate commandos," Anakin tells them, extinguishing his lightsaber and adjusting the straps of the small backpack he's carrying which contains explosives. "They are not clones, so don't hesitate to kill them if you need to. I'll meet you there."

"Yes, sir," they chorus before Rex motions for the other two to follow him out a side door. They'll blend in readily enough. Now, Obi-Wan can only hope that they're able to accomplish their mission. They understand the importance of no one learning that some clones are working for the Separatists, so they'll be careful. Anakin trained them well.

Obi-Wan glances at Anakin again, and they exchange a look before walking towards the sounds of battle up ahead. Anakin splits off to do his part of the mission, while Obi-Wan mentally prepares himself for his coming confrontation with Siri. He's supposed to slip her some information when he sees her – he has to keep up his cover of being a double agent. Perhaps the future attack on Kamino won't be in the next couple weeks, but it will be coming. Hopefully forewarning the Republic won't hurt them in the long run. He hasn't forgotten their plan to have Anakin slip a new order into the inhibitor chip coding.

**w**

Anakin works his way through a back corridor, away from the main part of the battle. He knows that the Jedi will be looking for him which is good. They should run right into Obi-Wan, who will hopefully keep them distracted with talking until the main part of the mission is complete. He stops to grab a wrist comm from a dead clone – so that he can track the Republic's movements through their comm chatter – before he climbs through a grate into the ventilation system. He knows his way around Republic Star Destroyers by this point, so he works his way to the main reactor room.

"Super battle droids are everywhere. Fall back to the detention level! We have to protect the prisoner!" orders a random clone trooper.

Bar any conflicting orders from Dooku, Gunray will be retrieved in one piece and returned to the Separatists, even if Anakin has to slaughter his way through every single enemy combatant on board by himself. He reaches the engine room before long, slipping away the grate and watching two clones on patrol, who are checking to ensure that everything is secure. It makes him want to laugh because they have no idea how much danger they're in. All he needs to do is close his fist, and they'll both drop dead with no one the wiser.

He doesn't, letting them leave instead, and the second they're gone, he crumples the droid into a heap of scrap metal, before casually dropping down onto the walkways. It's easy for him to plant all of the explosives on the reactors before leaping back up to the ventilation shaft and disappearing inside.

Listening to the comm chatter, Anakin travels towards the detention level, knowing that while Tachi is likely confronting Obi-Wan right about now, her little sidekick, Olin, still seems to be in place. A pity. Anakin would so hate to kill him. Still, he trusts that his men will be able to figure something out. Either they'll wait nearby and blend in, or they'll come up with something which will make Olin leave. They're intelligent. It was because of that that Anakin chose them to be a part of his 501st Legion.

He cloaks himself, disappearing so that Olin won't sense him coming. How he loves dramatic entrances. When Anakin reaches the area right above the detention level, he uses the Force to rip apart the ceiling, dropping through the hole as he drops his shielding. All of the Senate commandos tense up, raising their blasters towards him.

"You really don't want to do that," he comments casually, waving a hand and tossing them all into the wall as if they're naught but a minor inconvenience. They stay down, stunned, albeit only temporarily.

"Skywalker," Olin declares, igniting his blue blade and positioning it defensively. The clones are standing outside Gunray's cell as if protecting it, and Rex gives Anakin a faint nod. They're ready to do their part if Anakin can do his and lead Olin away.

"Time to play," Anakin singsongs, igniting his lightsaber with a flourish. The Jedi lunges and Anakin easily sidesteps his swipe, backing from the control room and into the corridor beyond which leads to the main part of the ship.

His hatred for this Jedi who stole his men is immense, and he lets it fuel him, the Dark Side singing through him, echoing the song of his kyber crystal. For him, it is time to play, because he'll go easy on Olin for now. There are times when he likes toying with his… prey before killing them, and now is one of those times. Besides, he needs to buy Obi-Wan as much time as possible. His conversation with Tachi won't be easy, especially since she'll probably be more likely to try and kill him than she will be to listen to him.

Olin remains stubbornly quiet, eyes burning with a furious passion as he attacks Anakin repeatedly. His form is flawless, but Anakin is better. Obi-Wan taught him the basics of Soresu, and right now, he's drawing on that knowledge, letting his opponent wear himself out, while deflecting his attacks with only one hand.

The Jedi pushes him backwards, and he lets himself skid a few feet, because it gives the clones more time to get Gunray out of there. Biding time for them is of utmost importance right now. He won't let any petty feelings of hate rule him, not right now. Olin leaps forwards, and Anakin blocks his downwards slash with laughable ease. As much as he wants to kill Olin, the true reason why he won't do it, is because when Tachi feels their bond break, she won't listen to reason. He's seen that, time and again, even as the Jedi preach about control, they tend to become emotional and erratic if their master or Padawan are killed.

He lets himself fall into the Force, picking up the pace of his attacks as he begins to do more than parry and block blows, slowly and continually leading Olin away from detention level of the ship. Dooku trained him to be a master duelist, and he is. Anakin blocks a strike aimed towards his left arm before unleashing a flurry of counterattacks and flipping over Olin when he returns them. Now that he's between the Jedi and the detention level, he can let go.

And he does.

He attacks brutally and without mercy, and within a minute, Olin is spending the majority of his time dodging blows and backing away from Anakin. Realization has dawned in his eyes, and he knows what Anakin was trying to do, but it doesn't matter, because he doesn't even have the time to try to warn anyone else; he's too focused on trying to stay alive.

Anakin's next blow scores a hit on Olin's arm, and he stumbles back with a cry. Oh, that's definitely going to scar. Good. It'll ensure that he never forgets this. Anakin can only feel the Dark Side burning around him, demanding more pain, more death, but he pulls back with a great effort so that he doesn't lose himself entirely. Olin hardly has a chance to recover before Anakin hurls him backwards, slamming him into the durasteel wall hard enough to knock him out cold. He levels his red blade at the Jedi's throat, inhaling deeply and asking himself: what would Obi-Wan think?

And he knows the answer to that. Obi-Wan knows who he is and what he has done and is doing. He hasn't left, choosing instead to stay with him, to help him. Anakin doesn't deserve his kindness. He doesn't deserve to have someone like Obi-Wan in his life. Their relationship is as complicated as ever, but Anakin doesn't mind how much it's changed. Obi-Wan is an anchor for him in the way Dooku never could be, and he knows that Obi-Wan would not want him to kill Olin. So, he extinguishes his lightsaber, moving back the way he came.

It's easy enough to find Gunray; all he needs to do is work his way towards the hanger bay. There are a few droids and clones still fighting, and Anakin makes quick work of the clones, letting the droids continue on their way. The three clones are clustered behind some crates, Gunray between them.

"Get him on a shuttle," Anakin orders, pressing the button to detonate the bombs in the main reactor. The entire ship jolts, and alarms go off as the damage becomes more and more apparent with each passing second. Now, it's time to fetch Obi-Wan and bring him here, so they can all leave together and flee to the Executor which is waiting. Anyone who stands between him and one of his closest friends will die.

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