-CHAPTER II – Awakening
Anakin stopped outside of the transport he used to arrive at the Palpatine's office. He was angered. First his mother, now his best friend, and possibly his wife…Anakin stood there looking into the night sky. A figure slowly walked behind him and put his hand on Anakin's shoulder.
"Anakin, don't let your emotions control your actions. Sometimes they can lead you down a dark path…"
Anakin grinded his teeth as a tear ran down the eye that was unscarred.
"Master Windu…is it possible for me to travel to Utapau? I plan to hunt down Grievous and that is where I will start."
Mace Windu looked at Anakin as he thought very deeply. "I do believe that you are ready. If you find any information please report it back to the Council."
Anakin slowly closed his eyes. "Thank you Master Windu…"
Mace Windu took his hand from Anakin's shoulder and said one last thing before he walked in the direction in which he arrived. "May the force be with you…"
The first thing Anakin planned to do was say his goodbye to Padmé. He jumped into the transport and headed towards Padmé's house. As he flew to her home in Courscant all he could think about was Obi-Wan, he had been there when Anakin always needed help. Anakin lost his two mentors and now for once felt he was alone in the galaxy. The only thing he had left was his wife and child on the way.
He opened the cockpit and climbed out of the transport. As he arrived Padmé was sitting outside as if she knew he was on his way.
"Anakin! Whats wrong, did something happen?" Anakin began to cry.
"Obi-Wan…he was killed." Padmé covered her mouth.
"I am so sorry. What happened? Who told you?"
"Greivous! I will slaughter him until there is not a scrap of metal still visible. HE WILL PAY! And…the Chancellor, he was the Sith lord we had been searching for from there very beginning. Master Windu killed him…I don't know what to do Padmé. He said he knew how to save you and I don't! If you die…I have nothing left…"
Padmé began hugging Anakin. "I will be fine Anakin; it was just a dream…"
"Well my mother died in my dreams and it became a reality! I won't let it happen again…I WON'T. I promise I will die before I ever let you die Padmé…but I must go. I have to find Grievous and end this war."
"Anakin, you don't have to. Let someone else go after him, you are dealing with the loss of your friend."
"No…I have to do him justice, he would do the same for me." The two kissed as if it would be last one they may ever have. Anakin walked back to the transport and climbed back into the cockpit. He sat for a second to watch his wife cry and stared at her as he began heading back to the Jedi Temple.
Anakin arrived back at the Jedi Temple's hangar. As he landed he noticed Master Windu was waiting for him. Anakin climbed out of the cockpit and walked toward him.
"Anakin, you have done well today. I want you to wait to travel to Utapau until we can gather some clone troopers to go with you. You can't do this alone…" Anakin smirked and looked at Master Windu.
"Thank you Master Windu, but it is my decision and I am going now. I want to investigate Utapau and find where Grievous has cowardly run to. Without the Chancellor to bark orders to him, he has nothing. It can't be too far from the Utapau system, and when I find his location I will inform you and the rest of the council."
"Very well, may the force be with you…" Anakin walked over to a green Jedi Starfighter where a droid was already attached to it. "That was Kit Fisto's starfighter, I believe it can be yours as he has been a dear loss to us today…" Mace Windu walked away toward the inside of the Jedi Temple.
Anakin jumped into the cockpit of the starfighter and closed his eyes as he began to concentrate. "Obi-Wan, I am sorry. I will find you." Anakin opened his eyes and powered up the starfighter as he left the hangar and headed toward Utapau. The planet of Courscant slowly faded as Anakin continued to fly further into the galaxy.
Anakin finally had reached to Utapau system and began approaching the atmosphere. As he entered the atmosphere Anakin began to feel a strong force life form. Anakin began to think that Obi-Wan was still alive.
"Goodbye old friend…" echoed in his head and the departing Obi-Wan appeared in his eyes. He began descending toward a landing bay in the large sinkhole known as Pau City. The closer he was getting a message was being transmitted to the starfighter.
"R4 patch it through." Anakin said unsure of who it might be. Suddenly an ugly face of a native Pau'an appeared.
"Good day Jedi…this is Timon Medon. What business does your kind have in Utapau considering there is no war here anymore?"
"This is Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight for the Galactic Republic. I am in search of another Jedi that was seen here during the war, his name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. Any idea of where I may be able to find him?"
"That I have not, but please you are more than welcome to search our city. All I ask is for no trouble; we Pau'ans appreciate not having to worry of violence."
"I appreciate the hospitality and I guarantee I will be of no trouble to the people of Pau City."
The transmission ended. Anakin knew he had to know something of Obi-Wan, but knew that the CIS could very well still be around. The starfighter sank into the sink hole and found a landing pad where Timon Medon stood waiting for his arrival. Anakin climbed out of the starfighter and approached the Pau'an.
"Forgive me Jedi Knight, I tend to be an honest person. Our people are stilled being watched by the walking machines…I have something I to show you."
Timon turned around and began walking toward a security station. Anakin followed watching the environment for any sign of Grevious' army. The doors opened and the two walked into the small building. Inside the building stood Pau'ans watching the two walk toward a door. Timon Medon opened the door by entering a code and inside stood bacta tanks containing republic soldiers.
"The far one to the left…he is the only one with a different face." Spoke Timon. Anakin slowly walked toward the bacta tank and found a bruised and beat Obi-Wan.
"Obi-Wan! Is he alive?" asked Anakin.
"That he is…he was not in the best condition after falling from our northern landing pad when we found him, but we knew we could let General Grievous know that he was still alive. He is in a good enough condition to leave with you. However…I will not release him until you do something for us Pau'ans."
Anakin looked at him and nodded. "What is it?"
"We Pau'ans are not strong enough to fight. We need someone to save us, the CIS use us as a safe ground. We want the republic to fight them off of this planet and then leave. We want no part in this war."
"Agreed. Let me inform the Republic to send reinforcements here and it will be done."
"Many thanks Jedi, I will begin releasing him from the bacta tank while you do what you must."
Anakin walked away and back out of the security station to find a squad of Mangaguards waiting for him. Anakin reached for his lightsaber and slid the switch on it as a blue emitting sword was revealed.
"General Grievous wants you dead Jedi scum."
"You can try..." Anakin thrust forward and began fighting the droids. He slashed forward as he slit one droid's body in half. Another droid went to hit him and Anakin kicked him back causing him and another droid to fall. With the force he welded both droids together into a giant ball.
"Catch." He used the giant ball of mangaguards and threw it another causing the ball and droid to fall of the landing pad. "Well that was fun."
Anakin walked toward the Jedi Starfighter and began transmitting to the Jedi Council.
"Master Windu I have arrived on Utapau and found that the people here need the help of the Republic to finish the remaining CIS troops. In return they will release Obi-Wan as they found him in critical condition. He is now in a bacta tank and doing well, but still needs to return to Courscant to fully recover. Other injured clone troopers are here as well."
Anakin ended the transmission and turned to find Timon Medon and Obi-Wan slowly walking toward him. Obi-Wan was holding his ribs in pain.
"Obi-Wan! Are you alright?"
Obi-Wan laughed "Well I am still alive so I can't complain. It is good to see a familiar face."
"I agree…it is great. Let's get you back home."
The three stood there waiting on the arrival of the Republic to free Pau City from the CIS' imprisonment…
SOMEWHERE IN THE GALAXY…
General Grievous stood over medical droids as they repaired a body. The body appeared to be Zabrak with newly constructed waist down similar to that of Grievous. Grievous himself had some repairs due to damage from battling Obi-Wan. His centerpiece now was completely sealed hiding the heart with protection. His hands were newly crafted into a similar design as before.
"At last we will have our revenge on the Republic and Jedi scum. At last the true master of darkness will awaken to rid the rule of the weak!" shout Grievous.
"General Grievous, the repairs are finished. He will awaken in a couple minutes once the sedative wears off."
"Good job. Now leave us be!"
The medical droids left immediately leaving only him and the motionless Zabrak. Grievous pressed a button on a control panel and the table he lay upon began rising. Suddenly the Zabrak covered in black tattoos and red skin opened his eyes. Pure evil eyes covered in red and orange opened. The horns of the Zabrak were fully grown and stood nearly a foot long.
"KENOBI!" shouted the Zabrak in a furious manner.
"Welcome back Darth Maul." Said Grievous.