A.N.

Put your feet up, grab a cup of your favorite hot drink and settle down for a quiet night of classic Star Wars themed adventure, mystery, drama and romance.

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Prologue -

The Clone Wars is nearing its end as The Separatist Alliance begins a daring attempt to push deeper into The Core Worlds. The Jedi have been stretched thin across the galaxy while they desperately try to quell The Sith conspiracy to topple The Galactic Republic.

Unbeknownst to The Jedi however The Sith plans have already been hindered by recent events and now a far more insidious threat is looming on the fringes of space that threatens the existence of the entire Galaxy itself.

Leading a squad of Republic Commandos, Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano and Obi Wan Kenobi have been sent to Count Dooku's homeplanet of Serenno to unveil a mysterious artifact dug up by The Sithlord from the graveyard planet of Korriban with the hopes of revealing more about his plot and help restore peace to The Galaxy...

Chapter 1 – Mission to Serenno

Day 0; Serenno Space, The Serenno System, The Outer Rim

Space is a journey. Its length immeasurable in numbers, but rather calculated in stories; tales of struggle and war spanning the entire lifetime of The Galaxy. The ever expanding stars always witnesses to the rise and fall of civilizations, echoing their light indefinitely across the vacuum of space. It was a silent ordeal, but in its scale was louder than anything one could possibly imagine.

Such was the immensity of this place, and the battlegrounds of this war.

How could any individual measure up in strength to end this entire conflict? How could he destroy The Sith and bring balance to the Force? It was beyond Anakin to comprehend, and yet he knew that task fell on his shoulders alone.

The questions continued to ponder in his mind as he looked out the viewport within the cabin of the space hauler. Ahsoka was in the seat next to him, not necessarily comfortable with the worn out cushions and protruding edges that poked against her orange skin.

The hauler, a rusty, long, rectangular, bulky looking ship was pretty much a troop transport inside. The seats were arranged on either side of the hold, filled mostly with Republic Commandos. At the front of the cabin was the cockpit made up of two seats- Obi Wan piloting, Commander Cody navigating and Artoo was plugged into the navicomputer.

Ahsoka looked to her former Jedi Master, she could easily sense his anxiety, and he wasn't trying hard to hide it, "What's wrong?"

It wasn't long ago when Naboo had fallen under siege and The Jedi Council had learned of Anakin's relationship with Padme. This was due to a tip off by Captain Typho, Naboo's Head of Security, who had discovered the couple celebrating their victory in private after the battle. This shocking revelation pushed the Council to consider exiling him from The Jedi Order.

When news of this reached Ahsoka Tano, their relationship changed rapidly.

Jedi Master Plo Koon explained to her that it was love that had put Anakin in this situation, and with the help of Jedi Master Yoda, she was able to determine that love and attachment were not the same thing. And with this new found knowledge she convinced Master Obi Wan Kenobi to make a stand for Anakin while The Council was in session.

However, Anakin was unable to face the trial, especially after Padme had announced that she would divorce him if the people of Naboo would forgive her for betraying their trust; and they did. A chase through Coruscant to capture Anakin ensued that almost left Mace Windu and some other Jedi Masters severely injured, and it ended in vain. Anakin had escaped.

The shock of this news led Ahsoka to escape the Temple and seek him out on Tatooine, where she found him by his mother's grave close to death- wounded after a Tusken ambush. Despite his pleas to let him die in peace and be buried by her side, Ahsoka saved his life, then confessed her love for him.

Yes, she loved him and she never realized it. This discovery was just as much a journey for her as the war was. Perhaps it was the Jedi teachings that had suppressed these thoughts all along? Or perhaps it was her self discipline that concealed it from surfacing? It could also have been jealousy that sprouted after she discovered her Master had kept a secret like his affair with Padme from her all this time?

But she knew more than anything else that it was her fear of losing him that played a bigger part in these feelings. Essentially, that was what drove her to protect him from The Council; it was what pushed her to track him down on Tatooine, and it was what made her save his life despite his protests.

The journey seemed like it was over from there. Anakin had decided to stay in exile regardless of her arguments, and Obi Wan who had trailed Ahsoka's footsteps to Tatooine, took her by the hand and proceeded to guide her back to the Jedi Temple. To Ahsoka, the story of Anakin Skywalker was on the verge of ending, and his light was all but faded.

But he returned however, and just in time to rescue her and his former Master from a massive Tusken offensive against the moisture farmers of Tatooine. He then begged for her pardon to be allowed back into the Order.

Ahsoka took that opportunity and did the unthinkable. She offered him her hand in marriage; a bond that ceased to exist for thousands of years in The Jedi Order. A bond that was made forbidden.

In his shock Anakin saw a vision; it was a vision the Council had seen long before all this came about. A burning galaxy, a fallen Republic and a dying Jedi Order under the hands of a malicious race; ravaging planets and stripping the galaxy of its resources. Except it was not of The Sith, no they weren't like them. They were worse. These creatures were barbaric.

Anakin then realized he had to bring about change within the Order - change the Jedi needed. Change that started with him. He proposed to marry Ahsoka in front of the council...and they agreed whole heartedly, much to his surprise. They understood just as he did what danger was looming before them and agreed that it was time for a change.

And so, under the supervision of Obi Wan Kenobi, their trial began with a lavish wedding within the Jedi Temple Ceremonial Hall and they left the next day; dispatched by the Jedi Council on a mission to discover just what it was Count Dooku found on Korriban.

"Anakin?" Ahsoka repeated his name, but he didn't look at her. Instead he stared through the viewport and spoke, "Something isn't right."

She watched him curiously as he unclipped his seatbelt and moved from his seat towards the cockpit, then quickly she did the same and followed him, "Are you gonna tell me what's going on or will I have to..."

He ignored her and stopped just behind Obi Wan's seat, "Master, are you sensing it as well?"

Obi Wan turned and found him scanning the stars in front of them, "I can't say I am. What is it?"

Cody was hitting some buttons when he scoffed, "With all due respect sir, it's probably nothing. You Jedi always sense something before a mission. Could be nerves for all we know."

"Unlikely." Ahsoka interjected as she stopped next to Anakin.

"It's the darkside. I'm sure of it." He explained and continued to stare at the planet Serenno. An immense ball of forest green, oceanic blue and cloudy white orbiting an even greater star. Then everyone looked at him when his eyes widened and he spoke in alarm, "They know we're here."

"Anakin, don't be ridic-" Obi Wan's voice was cut off as the alarms began to blare on his panel. He glanced over his scanners and let out a gasp, "That doesn't sound good."

"Kirff!" Cody snapped, "Vulture droids coming in twelve o'clock!"

Ahsoka's eyes fell on Anakin, "But how?"

He slowly shut his eyes and gritted his teeth, she asked again, "How did they know we were coming?"

A fleet of Munificient Frigates and Providence Destroyers dropped out of hyperspace, imminently followed by Lucrehulk Control Ships with even more fighter escorts. The entire planet was blockaded in seconds.

Anakin at last replied grimly, "We've been betrayed, Snips."

"This mission was supposed to be confidential." Cody spat, "Who could've done this?"

"Anakin," Obi Wan started calmly, "Care to take over?"

He let out a breath and nodded, "Right."

As they switched places Anakin looked over to the droid behind them, "Artoo, activate the turbolasers and switch all energy to the forward shield generators."

"We're still going ahead with the mission?" Ahsoka snapped.

"We came all this way didn't we?" Anakin didn't take his eyes off the panel, "Cody, I need you to locate the clearest route through those control ships."

"Yes, sir."

"You're out of your mind!" She continued, "Anakin, we can't break through that blockade! And even if we did, there's no telling what's waiting for us on the ground."

"Obi Wan," Anakin took a hold of the control yoke and pulled the ship into a tight maneuver away from a stream of turbolaser fire, "There's a gun at the back, I'm gonna need you to cover us from those vulture droids."

Obi Wan nodded and turned to the back, "I'm on it."

"Anakin, are you listening to me?" Ahsoka pulled herself into his view just as a pair of frigates hovered in on them, unleashing a barrage of energy, "WE'RE GOING TO DIE!"

"AHSOKA!" His cry came with a violent impact against the ship's hull. The crash was powerful enough to drop the Togruta out of balance and onto his lap with a "WHOOPS!"

The hauler swerved uncontrollably towards one of the Lucrehulk ships, increasing in speed and picking up pursuers along the way. Laser fire pelted the ship's hull.

"We've lost shields!" Cody cried.

Anakin pulled Ahsoka off of him then hissed at her, "Get in the back and strap yourself in."

She glared back at him until he turned to the controls, then quietly stormed out of the cockpit.

"Navigate us on to the planet." Anakin ordered.

"What?" Cody frowned.

"It's our only chance. Do it now!"

With a deep breath he got to it in a hurry. The ship maneuvered away from the various towers and countless turrets above the lucrehulk's hull. But starfighters ripped at the hauler's rear, tearing into the metal and steel holding it together.

"We're losing power, General." Cody shook his head and grimaced, "We're not gonna make it."

"Hold on, Commander." he tightened his grip on the controls as the yoke began to vibrate.

Artoo let out a panicked chirp followed by wild beeps, Cody translated, "We're entering the atmosphere, sir!"

A vulture droid whirled around and came at the hauler head on. Its missiles locked in place and its targeting sensors spotting a weakness. With a quick affirmative to its wingmates it unleashed two loaded projectiles at its target.

"Incoming missiles!" Cody cried.

"Blast it." Anakin spat. He knew there was no way he could maneuver this piece of junk away from the missiles, he just hoped its armor would hold, however unlikely that may be.

The missiles rocketed with a harmonious musical chime. A beautiful performance, trailed by a purple haze that perfectly matched the white clouds and the cyan sky. Then it engulfed the hauler's side with a glorious explosion. A powerful fireball filled the passenger hold tearing the seats apart. Those who weren't swallowed up in the fireball struggled against the vacuum that threatened to send them plummeting down to the planet surface by holding on to anything they could. Two clones fell out screaming.

Ahsoka drew on her greatest Force strength to keep her grip tight on the skeletal remains of her seat as she was being pulled from her feet. Obi Wan held on in the gunner seat and called over his comlink, "Anakin! Anakin, are you there?"

"We've been hit!" the reply came, "I'm gonna try to land this thing."

Obi Wan grunted, "Oh, I knew I shouldn't have let you pilot this thing."

The vacuum disappeared and Ahsoka fell on her side, she noticed most of the commandos were no longer on board, "Oh yeah, this mission is so busted."

"Hang on back there!" Anakin called. The ship descended rapidly towards the forest below, leaving a trail of thick black smoke for the vulture droids to chase. Inside, the ship shook violently and the view port was filled with a quickly growing forest. Finally realizing that he could no longer regain control of the ship, Anakin flinched and braced for impact.

Reality vanished behind a glorious, white blaze.

Trivia:

1. Serenno is Count Dooku's fortress home planet.

2. The hauler used here matches the description of 1-138. An automated ship that transported cortosis from Cloud City on Bespin to Cairin Station, an asteroid that belonged to the Empire. It made its appearance in the game Jedi Outcast.

3. Captain Rex was killed in a previous story, his position was replaced although I haven't gone into that yet. I suggest you read 'Murder on Toledo' if you're interest to learn more. Now a new clone captain is due to be posted in the 501st legion.

A.N.

I'm really excited to have at last posted this new adventure. It's the biggest in scale I have ever written and I promise a variety of stories are going to be explored throughout it with regular updates planned.