Innocents of Ryloth
Scene 1
High in orbit over Ryloth's northern hemisphere. The hangar bay of the Republic military assault cruiser Peerless.
The planet Ryloth – a lovely gem of swirling muted colors, a prosperous and inviting island in the endless sea of stars and the void, an oasis in which many centuries of Twi'lek colonists had made for themselves and their descendants a simple, harmonious life amid a dreamlike landscape of rock sculptures and exotic orchards. In the Force, the planet appeared as a complex, shimmering sphere – a trembling life now held imprisoned in a crushing grip. Darkness and fear seized the world and held it in a pitiless grasp; a million voices moaned in despair, weak from starvation and cruelty…
"General."
…and the dark hand squeezed a little tighter, perhaps sensing the approaching invasion force, unwilling to relinquish its hold on the valuable prize. Sought to wring out every last drop of wealth, of blood and strength, from the captive orb – desiring only to possess, to plunder and devour…
"General Kenobi. Sir."
Obi Wan opened his eyes. The clone Commander Cody stood at attention before him, face conveniently hidden behind the opaque visor of his helmet, but exuding a certain baffled exasperation nonetheless.
"Greed is the true enemy here, Cody. We must break Watt Tambor's stranglehold on this world before he destroys it. Greed ultimately consumes that which it seeks to contain."
"Yes, sir," the faithful Cody responded automatically. He passed over the tidbit of Jedi wisdom without comment. To him, the planet was a strategic locale in a military campaign, the engagement to come just another day of business as usual. If his general chose to see it as a spiritual struggle between the principalities of light and dark, well, then… his eloquent half-shrug said that it was none of his business. "The men are on board and ready for your signal, sir."
"Very good, Cody. Stand by."
The clone commander saluted and turned, as prosaic and efficient as ever, to join his identical brothers in their identical battle armor inside the nearby troop transport standing ready for deployment as soon as the cruiser broke the planet's atmosphere. A slight tremble of turbulence in the deck underfoot indicated that they had already entered the ionosphere.
A broad, deep ripple in the Force announced the arrival of Mace Windu, who strode across the hanger's dull durasteel floor at a long, measured pace. His dark face was focused to a burning intensity; a few deck hands and mechanics who happened to glance up at the formidable Jedi master as he passed went scuttling away in the opposite direction, like hooved animals fleeing over the savannah in the face of an impending thunderstorm.
Obi Wan considered his respected colleague thoughtfully. Only five years ago he himself might have flinched in the face of Windu's brooding power – but the war had changed everything and everyone, even the Jedi. One could sense it in relationships, conversations, in eyes and voices, and even – or perhaps especially- in swordsmanship. Mace had dedicated himself to Vapaad, his own masterful and idiosyncratic saber style, which brought Form VI as close to Dark side flirtation as could be imagined. Only one so deeply rooted in the true Force could play on the lethal edge between light and dark without falling; Mace had made of himself in battle the very expression of just retribution, of the wrath of Light. It was still pure…and good…but there was a cold undercurrent to it. One seldom saw Mace's white flash of a smile anymore. Perhaps never at all.
"General Kenobi." The Korun Master would use only the formal military title within earshot of the troops. He lowered his rich, resonant voice to a near growl. "I have just spoken with young Skywalker. I have advised him to employ a less dramatic strategy to consolidate our control of local space."
Obi Wan carefully concealed a smile. He felt obliged neither to defend nor to censure his former Padawan's actions. Anakin had, mere hours ago, destroyed the Separatist blockade over Ryloth by single handedly piloting his crippled flagship into the Trade Federation core ship, destroying both vessels in a spectacular conflagration. The victory had been decisive, even if its young hero had to be rescued from an escape pod floating amid the immense debris field.
"We will require a more cautious approach in order to liberate the planet with ground troops," Windu continued.
Was that a compliment? Obi Wan wondered. Or an admonition? He was painfully aware of his own growing reputation as a brilliant and cunning tactician. Victory had practically fallen into his lap in the last few engagements; but he was personally quite sure that his success stemmed from the thousand and one bitter lessons learned playing – and losing – at sabaac against Qui Gon Jinn all those years ago. He was also painfully aware that more than one of his fellow Councilors suspected Anakin of exerting a subversive influence on his former master, encouraging bold, risky, aggressive moves hitherto uncharacteristic in the older man. And who was to say that they were entirely wrong?
"We will need to secure both hemispheres. According to our intelligence reports, Tambor is occupying the capitol city himself. The Separatist supply lines are established in the southern desert regions," Mace went on, apparently satisfied that his message had been duly understood. "We must strike on both fronts at once."
"Our first trick will be getting our troops on the ground," Obi Wan observed, focus already narrowing to the very present moment and his own impending task. The war had taught him that lesson even more harshly than all his prior years of training. Mind on the moment.
"If we take the city of Nabat first, we will have our landing spot," Mace Windu declared confidently. He had already formulated a plan. A natural leader with a long tenure on thr Jedi Council, he had taken to the demands of wartime strategy like a fish to water.
And that was that, Obi Wan reflected privately. So simple: they would just stroll in and take the city of Nabat: a heavily fortified, nearly inaccessible, and fully occupied citadel near the equator. Do or do not. There is no try.
"Well, it's time to meet the natives," was all he said aloud. He stepped gracefully backward and up into the waiting gunship, and the armored blast panels slid shut behind him with a determined and final thud.