Beginning on Coruscant and winding its way around the dense deep-core, passing through the central hub of the Corellian sector and following a trail out through the Corellian trade arm, the Corellian run was an ancient trade route mapped out thousands of years in the past. It boasted passing many well known worlds along the way. Near the end of this nigh eternal trade route, a short stop from infamous Tatooine, lay the Ryloth sector, so named after its brightly shining central star. Second from this roiling, nuclear furnace drifted a burnt bronze planet. The planet was named by original the Republic navigators in honour of the star, which it danced around, Ryloth.

Both Ryloth the planet and Ryloth the star twirled endlessly around, facing each other at all times. The planet was tidally locked with its creator. Ryloth's sun facing side, also known as the Brightlands, was a barren wasteland. The star's rays beat a relentless assault upon the desolate rock, causing huge heat-storms and temperatures too hot for normal sentient life to handle. But life persevered on Ryloth now, just as it always did. A small part of the planet was relatively habitable. Around the circumference of Ryloth, a small barrier between the eternal night and day of Ryloth existed. This twilight zone proved supportive for the needs of the local Twi'Lek civilisation.

Glancing up from this twilight zone, many Twi'Lek could witness something which their kind had rarely ever seen. An entire Republican Naval Fleet was in orbit. Shadows against the backdrop of Ryloth's largest and brightest moon, the Open Circle fleet travelled in a slow rotating orbit, using the minimum of fuel, since achieving geosynchronous orbit was impossible.

Anakin Skywalker, famed Jedi Knight and Hero of the Republic, stood on the bridge of his personal Venator-class Star Destroyer, The Resolute. Glancing out of the viewport he could see a narrow band of dark empty space. Below him, Ryloth's Brightlands burned eternally. Above him, Mehtap, Ryloth's largest and closest moon reflected the star's light. Tilting his head slightly to the left Anakin began watching The Victory, another Venator-class ship, as it slowly overtook The Resolute.

"General Skywalker, generals Kenobi and Windu have let us know that they are make the jump into Hyperspace, and are leaving momentarily.", Relayed Admiral Yularen.

Anakin turned slowly, his eyes staying on The Victory as long as possible, before turning his attention to the Admiral standing to attention a few feet from him.

"Thank you Admiral… Please open communications with the bridge of The Victory." A few thoughts were cruising through the young Jedi's mind that needed clearing.

"At once General.", The Admiral gave a curt nod before turning to one of the clones manning the communications station. Without having to say anything the cloned CO, the young soldier nodded in understanding and began opening the necessary channels.

"Channel Open… Acknowledged… We have transmission general."

"Thank you Lieutenant." Anakin acknowledged the CO and began striding over to the central Holoprojector. Stepping into its field of vision he looked up and greeted the figure on the other end amiably.

"Obi-Wan. Glad I could catch you before you departed."

"Not at all Anakin, I was just about to call you myself." Obi-Wan-Kenobi returned.

"I am sorry that I didn't talk to you right after the last tactical meeting, I feel I owe you more explanation as to why you are staying here and we are leaving." Obi-Wan continued.

"Good, Master Windu really didn't elaborate on, or justify anything he said. I really don't like being left in the dark here." Anakin retorted.

"Yes, not to worry Anakin. I'm afraid I can't tell you exactly what is going on now, I do not even know everything myself. Master Windu is still waiting on confirmation before he issues any orders. But believe me, there is a reason you are being left here. We need someone competent in this sector for the immediate future.", Obi-Wan said as flatteringly as possible. His former Jedi pupil was sometimes a little predictable, as Anakin's stance relaxed a little more, before he questioned.

"Separatists amassing nearby? Grievous spotted?"

"Something like that, I can't say over communications, this really has to be kept clandestine for fear of discovery…"

Anakin nodded understandingly, and let his friend continue.

"…I'll return from Master Windu's fleet when I have news. It'll probably be at least a week before I'm back. In an emergency case scenario where I can't return in person, be ready to receive an Alpha-level encoded message."

"I will Master." Anakin returned. "Any idea what I could do to keep myself amused here Obi-Wan?" he joked, lightening the mood further.

Obi-Wan furrowed his brow for a moment before relenting, "All right. I know you are barely serious. I wouldn't try that line with Master Yoda if I was you or you will receive a long lecture on Jedi behaviour and etiquette… Still, I hear the Flying Rock Gardens of Ryloth are particularly nice, as well as some of the luminescent plants of the Nightlands."

"Thank you Master." Anakin said with a wry smile as Obi-Wan turned and began walking out of the Holoprojector's range. Just as he reached the edge he turned partly and said.

"Oh yes. You didn't hear it from me, but I did hear that a certain type of race is taking place here soon. I've no idea when or where, it's just a rumour. Investigate if you wish, but please, be ready to jump at a moment's notice."

Anakin's brow furrowed and said sincerely, "Thank you my friend, good luck."

Turning away again Obi-Wan finished, "And you my friend, may the force be with you."

"Channel and connection closed…", the nearby CO reported as the Holoprojector's image flickered and disappeared, he continued, "Fleet reporting jump in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… They're away sir... All remaining vessels present and accounted for. Orders General?"

Anakin turned from watching the ships jump and strode across the bridge towards the door. "Thank you Lieutenant, continue orbiting Ryloth, send probes to the edge of this system and set a continuous CAP through all local sectors, and get on the horn to the repair barge, I want this ship in stellar condition as soon as possible… Admiral, you have the deck." Anakin nodded to Admiral Yularen before departing through the automatic blast doors.

"Yes sir." The lieutenant replied before opening the necessary channels and relaying these commands around the ship.

The blast doors shut behind Anakin just as Admiral Yularen took up his post in the centre of the bridge.

* * *

Though his stride seemed filled with purpose, Anakin's mind was far removed from the artificially lit, metallic interior of his assigned cruiser. He was, as he often was, troubled in his thoughts. Obi-Wan's snippets of information had given him some serious food for thought. Something big was going down, and he was unfortunately not privy to it yet. This of course grated, was he not trustworthy enough for Master Windu. He silently thanked his friend that he had revealed all he safely could to him. Pushing those thought aside he thought of the last thing his former master had said to him. As dangerous as normal, sanctioned podracing was, illegal podracing was infinitely more dangerous. Only the most crazy, foolhardy psychopaths of any race tended to take part. More importantly for Anakin, however, was the culture that went with it. Normal podracing was an almost lawless affair in which slaves played a vital role, and would take place in lawless territory such as the Hutt space. But for podracing to occur on a Republic planet, something else must be happening. And as the culture often proved true, it would most likely be a large slaver's meet.

What puzzled Anakin most was that Obi-Wan had told him about this at all. He knew how Anakin felt about slaves, and that he would most likely rush out to try and do something. He go the feeling that there was more to this than met the eye, and that Obi-Wan wanted him to look into it.

Anakin's feet made a harsh clanging sound as he came to a halt in one of the hallways. His hand rose to his chin in a thoughtful pose while his brow furrowed even further. He was torn about how to approach this situation, almost everything, including Obi-Wan was pushing him to do it, which was the only reason he was giving this serious thought and preparation.

A nearby *Clang* broke Anakin from his thoughts, he looked up and looked around, eyes scanning the hallway for the source of the noise. Hearing only nondescript humming noises emanating from the bowels of the ship Anakin soon gave up and was about just about to stride off to the hangar deck when another *Clang* reverberated through the walls. Identifying the sound of the noise as coming from the next door down the hallway he took a few steps to reach it. He stopped at the threshold as he realised where he was. It was the room belonging to his Padawan learner, Ahsoka Tano. A teenage Togruta from Shili, taken from her home planet by Master Koon, raised in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and assigned to him as his apprentice. She tended to have a slight temper at times, was sometimes difficult to control and deal with. He had a far easier time dealing with other females, such as the solitary Shaak Ti or of course his calm and collected wife Padmé. And if he was perfectly honest, there were times where Anakin wished he hadn't been assigned her, or any Padawan for that matter. He preferred to do things his way, without having to babysit someone at all times. That's why he much preferred going on missions with Obi-Wan. Even though Obi-Wan was far more cautious and passive than Anakin when it came to dangerous encounters and still tended to try and give, in Anakin's opinion unnecessary, teacher's advice, he could handle himself without anyone's help and always understood Anakin's style of dealing with situations. Anakin did, however, see a little of himself in his charge, the brash, impatient side. This had helped him get used to her and he had to admit, albeit begrudgingly, that she was quite skilled and on her way to becoming solid Jedi Knight material. Still, he did often wish he didn't have to deal with her at times like this.

He stood before her door looking at the name engraved on the doorframe… Ahsoka Tano … it may be better if she was left here while he went to the surface to investigate what was going on with this race. Anakin was just about to open the door to her room and let her know he'd be making a trip to the surface on his own, when he heard another *Clang*, followed by an almost hysterical muttered oath. Anakin leaned in to the door, pressed his ear to it, closed his eyes and listened.

His eyes opened again and he took a step back when he recognised the sound of a crying girl coming from inside the room.

"Master?" Anakin took a step back and raised both hands in front of him in a subconscious form of defence as he heard Ahsoka's voice.

"Master, are you there? Don't come in… I'm… I'm in the middle of meditating…" Ahsoka managed to get out, between hidden sobs.

But her Master was already gone.

* * *

Anakin reached his own room a few minutes later and locked the door after himself. Slouching over to his bed he dropped backwards onto it, let out a loud sigh and took in a deep, cleansing breath, before sitting bolt upright.

He could deal with anger, he could deal with rashness, he could deal with disrespect, impatience and cockiness coming from his Padawan, but having an emotionally upset Padawan was not something he knew how to deal with. He had a good idea that she was still torn up about causing the deaths of so many of her wingmen only a few days previously. He didn't know what he could say to her that he had not already said.

"She'll have to deal with it by herself for a while longer." Anakin muttered with a tone that almost denoted finality.

He reached out and grabbed the communicator beside his bed and slicked the switch.

"Connect me to the hangar bay… Chief, this is General Skywalker. I want the Twilight ready for takeoff in one hour galactic standard… Excellent, thank you Chief."

Anakin placed the communicator back onto his nightstand before rising and heading out of his room.

Once outside he began taking the straight line along the ship's spine towards the bridge. He intended to meet with the Admiral and Captain Rex in person and explain his plan before departing for the surface.

Anakin rounded a familiar corner and strode through an equally familiar corridor. Passing his Padawan's room he slowed a little and strained his ears to listen. She was no longer crying, or no longer there. He paused for a second.

"Damn it anyway!" He exclaimed under his breath. He realised that she was his charge and apprentice, even if he couldn't deal with what was bothering her, or if she would possibly be a nuisance in the upcoming mission, she was still his Padawan. And it was his responsibility to teach her. Nothing would be worse than ignoring her plight now and leaving her by herself, Anakin could attest to that.

He turned and knocked on the door before loudly saying, "Ahsoka, are you there?"

There was a pause, when it was clear that no answer was coming Anakin simply opened the door and stepped in.

His Padawan was sitting on the bed with her legs crossed in a meditative position. Her temporarily, slightly swollen eyes were shut, and her lightsaber floated, chest high, in front of her.

"Ahsoka, I want you ready to travel planetside in less than forty minutes, understood?" Anakin requested in a firm, but non-harsh tone of voice.

"Yes Master…" Ahsoka's temporarily tiny voice managed after a short pause, "…where are we going?" She continued.

"Training." Anakin said after a long pause. And with that he left the room, closing the door behind him.