Star Wars: The Hunt for Obi-Wan Kenobi

Chapter One: Knightfall

In a dark room on Coruscant, Anakin Skywalker knelt down before Darth Sidious. He was going against everything he had been taught, everything he had once stood for. But he couldn't let his love die.

The old man raised his hand and set it on Skywalker's head. "You are now Darth…Vader."

It was Skywalker who had knelt, but it was Vader who rose. "Thank you my master."

"Every Jedi, including your friend, Obi Wan Kenobi, is now an enemy of the Republic. Go to the Jedi Temple, Lord Vader, and do what must be done."

"Yes, my Master."

In that dark room, the death sentence of every Jedi in the Galaxy had been signed.

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Admiral Antidar Madakor silently donned his armor. He hadn't received the summons, but he knew they were coming. He knew the moment the 501st Legion had touched down on Triple Zero. He knew the moment his security monitors captured footage of four Jedi Masters striding towards the Supreme Chancellor's office. And he knew, when he saw Anakin Skywalker christened as Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith.

He caressed the blades that were on his wrists. He would be putting them, as well as his mastery of the martial arts form Teras Kasi to the test. His specially trained company of Clone Assassins was going to lead the assault on the Jedi Temple. But before he went, he needed to meet one person.

Jedi Master Arligan Zey waited patiently for Madakor on the landing platforms outside GAR Intelligence HQ. "What's going on?" demanded Zey. "What's happening? My clone troopers tried to kill me! Even Captain Maze!" He stopped short, eyeing Madakor. "Why are you wearing you armor?"

"The Supreme Chancellor has issued Order 66," said Madakor simply.

"Is this some nonsense order that strips more power from the Council?"

"No," said Madakor. "It states that all Jedi are now enemies of the Republic. Every Jedi is to be killed."

Zey paled, but drew his lightsaber.

Madakor sighed. "Zey, just…leave. Run away. For old time's sake, I'm willing to let you go. I've always respected the Jedi, but my loyalty lies with the Republic."

Zey didn't move.

"Go, Zey. Go before I change my mind."

A blade of forest-green erupted from the silver hilt in Zey's hands.

Two fifteen-inch blades of cortosis alloy slid smoothly into place on Madakor's forearms. "I'm sorry, old friend."

"So am I."

Zey slammed his blade down. Madakor barely had time to cross his blades and block the saber strike. He lashed out at the Jedi's chest with a straight kick. Zey stumbled, but blocked Madakor's attack, delivering a kick of his own. He swung his saber horizontally, a strike meant to separate Madakor's head from the rest of his body. To the Admiral, Teras Kasi made everything seem too slow. He easily ducked under the blow, pulled his arm back…and stabbed Zey in the heart.

Zey's face seemed to mirror the surprise Madakor felt right now: I killed a Jedi Master.

To the Jedi's credit, he didn't cry out in pain. He simply looked at Madakor, and murmured, "…why…?"

Madakor pulled the blade out slowly, and Arligan Zey crumpled to the ground without another whisper. His lightsaber clattered onto the landing platform and rolled to a stop at the feet of Captain Maze, the ARC trooper formerly assigned to the Jedi. The ARC trooper's armor had a long gash going down diagonally from the left bicep to underneath the right side of his rib cage. His helmet had a similar gash, and Madakor could see the clone's eyes.

"Sir?" said Maze, "are you alright?" As he was speaking, several clone troopers of the 132nd Shock Trooper Legion in their distinctive red-emblazoned armor ran onto the platform from an LAAT/i gunship. They methodically searched the corners and shadows, calling out 'all clear' when they were satisfied no Jedi was hiding there.

"Sir?" repeated Maze.

"I'm fine," said Madakor. "Remove the body and dispose of it in a respectable fashion."

"Yes sir." Maze motioned to two troopers, who dragged Zey's body onto the gunship. The LAAT lifted off, carrying Maze with it. Madakor looked at the horizon, where he could see the huge plume of smoke that was the Jedi Temple.

The Republic as everyone knew it was dead.

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Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith. That was the new persona of former Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. To those that didn't know the real person under the mask, Anakin Skywalker died when the 501st Legion assaulted the Jedi Temple. When Madakor accompanied the new Emperor Palpatine to Mustafar, he had been horrified at the sight of Skywalker's body. That the man was still alive was tantamount to an act of Providence. Madakor did not witness the change that transformed Skywalker's burnt, maimed body into a Sith Lord, but he had to admit the results were successful. Vader towered seven feet tall, clad entirely in black. The helmet was skull-like with a triangular vocabulator that emitted raspy breaths.

The effect was terrifying.

Many of the other officers noticed it too; their faces paled when that expressionless helmet's gaze passed over their features. However, Madakor refused to be cowed by this shadow of a man, an abominable mix of flesh and machine. To increase his own figure of authority and respect, he was still clad in his armor. It was a heavily customized Phase-II clone trooper armor set, black with red trim. The Clone Assassin-like blades gleamed on the Admiral's arms, safe in their sheathes. A DC-17 ICWS Inter-Changeable-Weapon-System blaster hung on a sling over his shoulders, and a DC-15A blaster rifle was holstered on his right thigh. On the left side of his waist and his right ankle was holstered a DC-15s sidearm. A jetpack very much like the one used by Commander Cody rested on his back. His T-shaped visor glowed an eerie blue, like a Clone Commando's. The Admiral himself stood a good six feet and four inches.

Madakor was very intimidating.

Vader spoke to each officer in turn, promising them rewards for serving the Empire…and punishment for not serving it properly. Finally, Vader turned to Madakor. He rumbled, "You will remove your helmet in my presence, Admiral."

Madakor removed his helmet slowly and stared tight into the 'face' of Vader. He remained stock still.

"Why do you wear armor, Admiral?" asked Vader.

"The Empire is still in a state of war, Vader," Madakor replied smoothly. "Being the right hand of the Emperor, I would assume you know that."

"Be careful how you speak, Admiral, or else—"

"Or else you will choke me with the Force, hurl my body into the air and throw it into the sky-lanes of Coruscant. Yes, I know what happened to Captain Jace Dallin." Madakor knew he was treading dangerous ground, but he had the backing of the Emperor; there were still Jedi to catch, and Madakor's network was the only one that could find them. "Killing able officers and soldiers doesn't win respect, Vader. Fear, maybe, but never respect. I want to make one thing clear, Vader: I do not fear you. And I don't respect murderers, either. I answer directly to the Emperor, not you."

Vader didn't move. He merely looked at Madakor for a long time. He knew killing the Admiral would risk severely displeasing his new master, so he said, "Be thankful, Admiral, that the Emperor values your services so greatly." He retrieved a data pad from his belt and handed it to Madakor. "I am giving you a new task: I want you to find Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Dead or alive?"

"Alive. I will deal with him myself."

"I see." Of course, Vader wanted another crack at Obi-Wan Kenobi. Anyone who had lost three of their limbs to the Jedi Master would want to kill him too. Madakor had even felt a measure of pity for the ruin of a man they had brought back from the volcanic hellhole called Mustafar. But only a little. Any respect he had had for Vader had quickly evaporated when Vader killed Jace Dallin; Madakor had requested the able captain be transferred under his command. No, he didn't respect Vader, but he had to carry out his duties as head of Imperial Intelligence. "I've received word that a group of Jedi led by Roan Shryne has escaped Order 66.We're tracking them."

"How did Shryne escape?"

"Apparently, they escaped with the help of Captain Climber, a Clone Commando, who didn't understand why he had to execute his commanding officer without a good reason. He and his squad are currently under arrest on Murkhana."

Vader said, "I will deal with them myself." With that, the Sith Lord turned heel and swept out of the room.

Madakor turned to his subordinate, ARC-1138, or 'Switchblade' as his call sign was known. He had helped Madakor train the Clone Assassins, and had discarded his normal Phase-II armor for one more closely resembling those of his students. "How many assassins are left, Switchblade?" asked the Admiral.

"Fifty-two, sir. They tried to overwhelm Kenobi and Yoda, but they failed."

"I see." It was a tremendous loss, and a testament to the skills of Kenobi and Yoda. "Have the survivors transferred under my command. I also want Commander Cody to be transferred under my command as well. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir. I'll get on it right away."

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Events happened this way: Vader executed Captain Climber and had the rest of his squad killed, then he killed another Jedi Knight, then the survivors fled to Kashyyk and tried to ambush him there while the 501st stormed the beaches at the Wookiee capital of Kachiro. Vader then followed a false lead on Kenobi's location despite Madakor's reasoning that it might be a trap. The Sith Lord discovered several Jedi on Kessel and killed quite a few on his own. Vader was nearly killed, and would have died had Madakor not convinced Commander Bow of the 501st to disobey Vader and go to his rescue. In the meantime, the Rebel Alliance had risen and delivered a first blow, defeating Imperial forces at the Battle of Toprawa by a narrow margin; Madakor had arrived with ten Venators once assigned to the Open Circle Fleet, but not in time to prevent the theft of the Death Star Plans.

For his actions, Madakor was given a fleet of thirty black-hulled Venator-class Star Destroyers, with sixty Acclamator-Class Star Destroyers to act as frigates, several Tartan Patrol Cruisers to act as scouts and screen his Venators from enemy fighters and bombers, and many ARC-170 fighters refitted for recon missions. He had the dock-masters at the Kuat Shipyards paint the edges red. Madakor chose as his personal flagship the most heavily armored and armed ship, and christened it Bloodshine. When Grand Moff Tarkin ridiculed the old ships that had valiantly defended Coruscant, Madakor had every one of his Venators upgraded to such an extent that they could match the new Imperial-Class Star Destroyers. Bloodshine herself could outmatch any Star Destroyer, as evidenced when she engaged in single combat with the traitor Moff Kalast. Bloodshine and the Blood Fleet participated briefly in the Second Battle of Geonosis.

Madakor had Commander Cody and the 7th Sky Corp transferred under his command, and renamed them as the 7th Imperial Intelligence Corp, although he would refer to them by their old name. He had their orange markings repainted black and the white portions of their armor repainted in a jungle camo scheme. He considered the new stormtrooper armor to be stupid and inefficient, so his soldiers kept their modified Phase-II armor. They briefly participated in the Imperial attack on Geonosis, helping other elements of the Imperial Army put down the last remnants of Geonosian and Rebel resistance.

Madakor, the Blood Fleet, and the 7th Sky Corp would, however, have their prowess put to the test at the Battle of Eriadu.