We finish our set pieces, get the proverbial chess board ready, and finally, finally set up the Act III confrontation I’ve been dying to do. Next update, its showtime.
Back on Coruscant, its utter chaos all around as Anakin and company reach the top of the building, seeing several ships having already taken off. In the distance various ships fly around, battle, and are shot down. After blasting the lock on the elevator Skywalker spots a a small travel craft still left that various soldiers are running towards. He and Carima stay back as he orders the platoon to get a hold of it and they do so, bringing down the enemy troops before they board and (seen via a quick cut to inside the ship) quickly take out those inside.
On his communicator Nik gets the clear from his lieutenant for him and Nivir to board and they cautiously begin to move forward before a large blast from out of nowhere strikes the roof, coming within a hair of hitting the ship itself. Anakin and Carima fall back in shock, and soon enough see that it came from an enemy vessel, a two clone piloted fighter with three wings leading a small squadron of similar fighters. Bewildered, she asks why they’re attacking their own ship, and he mutters one of the soldiers on board must have gotten a message out before they were killed.
Skywalker begins to relay his command, and after Nivir gives him a heavyhearted, but understanding look, orders his platoon to take off and get away safe. The lieutenant loudly protests they won’t leave without him and the Jedi yells that they have risked their lives on his behalf for the last time today and that they have their orders. There’s a half second pause and with clear sorrow in his voice, the lieutenant agrees to obey. He and Carima watch silent as the ship gains propulsion and rapidly speeds away from the battle.
Just as quickly several of the clone fighters move from the squadron to chase after it, with one staying behind. Exposed in their current position they find cover behind a destroyed passenger ship in pieces on the roof as the sole fighter gets in close, its twin guns already firing on their position. All around the pair is dust and debris as the two keep their ears covered and eyes closed, waiting for the moment the cacophony dies down. It does so just briefly as the fighter moves past the building and begins to turn around for another pass.
Faces dirty and both breathing heavy, Anakin and Carima look at each other, sharing exhausted grimaces as the reality of the situation hits them. With only silence he lightly grabs her hand and gives it squeeze as the two ready themselves for the second attack. He however starts to sense something and looks up to the distant sky, expression curious at what’s coming. She starts to ask what he’s looking at and gets an answer as tumbling through the sky is a Phakerem’s ship with Kenobi’s still attached. This proves to be a distraction for the fighter which also spots it and breaks off from its attack.
On the Jedi ship, Nellith screams that they need to break off and with uncharacteristic joy 81 replies that they’ve finally got the field control working and hits the switch. And indeed the smaller vessel finally manages to break off just as it passes by the high rise, smashing into and destroying the clone fighter when it attempts fire. This comes at a cost as the ship is thrown off by the collision, and is still falling towards the surface. The Mandalorian ship manages to stop its tail spin but is also still descending.
In a wide landscape shot we see the vessels hit at an angle very hard, both taking out several small one and two story buildings as the ground is torn apart by the respective landings. Despite the bedlam of the battle, the crash is still terribly loud, with even Nivir and Skwyalker high above reacting to the sound. Following a quick check to see if there are any other enemy crafts coming, they make their way over to the edge of the roof and look down, seeing what’s left of the wreckage.
What’s left is not much, with the Mandalorian ship broken in several pieces; the front still intact and the rear section totally smashed to bits. Ben’s vessel some distance away fares slightly better, still intact but bent and malformed all over. On what’s left of the bridge the entire crew is down, as even Ben and Nellith are almost knocked out by the crash, with the two just barely getting to their feet, battling grogginess the entire way. Giving herself a moment to recover, offscreen she activates her lightsaber allowing her to cut open a hole in the wall we see her walking out of.
Obi-Wan meanwhile attends to the others nearby, checking up on several Jedi who are also recovering. A few feet away Darelda’s eyes open and she finds her body carefully cradled on the ground by HX, who appears to be powered down. Before she can try and move his emergency backup hits and the droid reactivates. Seeing she’s alright, he let’s her body go as Ben makes his way over to help her up. Kenobi says they need to see how bad the rest of the damage is and 81 examines the wreck around them.
“Well, if nothing else I’m told any crash one can walk away from is a good one.”
They glance down at his lower body and react. Briefly confused, he then realizes what they’re looking at as one of his legs is destroyed beyond repair. She manages a small smile. “I’m pretty sure protocol will demand that be called a hop, not a walk.” 81 sighs and dryly responds. “Protect Senator Organa they told me, she’ll be forever grateful by your service, they told me.” Darelda lightly laughs and he’s helped up by the two of them and once on his working leg, leans against the wall for support.
Confident that everyone in the immediate vicinity are alright, Obi-Wan walks out of the hole Nellith created and the others (including 81 using some small debris as a makeshift crutch) follow. They step outside and immediately witness the chaos of the current battle. Kenobi is relieved to see other surviving Jedi slowly coming out of the crashed ship and notes Nellith’s position several dozen feet away. Once next to her she points to the figures in the distance far away from them. He can’t actually see it, yet with the Force he knows what’s there.
What’s there is in fact is an alive and confident General Phakerem, with her own surviving Mandalorian shocktroopers by her side as the destroyed ship lays destroyed behind them. She keys in a code on her communicator and gets into contact with a specific location on Coruscant and gives a single command. “Send the neutralizers in.”
Back on the roof, Anakin and Carima sit near the wreckage, and she accesses their situation. “Trapped with no stairs, no elevator, and no ship. We’re just the biggest fools in the galaxy aren’t we?” Nik begins to say with a shrug that they’ve always been that, however he stops when he sees a very familiar ship come close and rather than fire at them, land carefully on the roof. He tells Nivir to stay where she is and moves to check it out. A tired frown spreads over his face as he sees two figures come out, the second in a hooded robe and instantly recognizing the first as the current chancellor of the Coaltion.
In contrast to their first encounter, Draezin Crayde does not smirk. His face is coldly furious, and he gives the Skywalker all the contempt he can muster which actually somewhat amuses Anakin.” Funny thing about that pending execution Chancellor; turned out not to be so pending.”
The other man stares back and speaks with a bitterness he’s not displayed before. “You’re a self righteous tool of the Republic, but I’ll give it to you, you stayed quiet, kept your group secret, and even pulled off an escape. The loyal soldier through and through.” Nik gives a sarcastic nod of acknowledgment. “Good to know an uncaring lowlife dictator still allows room for humility in his life.”
Crayde ignores the comment and continues. “You’ve taken away my full victory, but I’ll be damned if you take my spoils too. The general wants another Jedi clone, and for once, I’m inclined to agree with her.” Anakin goes stone faced and tells him a clone is no Jedi. For the first time that night, Draezin’s face brightens. “You lack faith in our abilities Skywalker, let’s fix that.” He gestures to the nearby hooded figure who activates a blue lightsaber and reveals his face, utterly shocking Anakin.
Nellith and Ben stand ready as their numerous Jedi allies come by their side, watching as the small Mandalorian army walks towards them. Korusya readies her lightsaber as small one person pods land near the General. Out of them emerge cloned Jedi, all with weapons and all with the same distant and unnatural look their eyes. General Phakerem gets her energy gaunlets ready, flanked by two Jedi clones that do the same.
On the roof, from Anakin’s perspective the camera zooms in close to reveal Crayde’s soldier, who’s expressions are inhuman and machine like, but otherwise is a perfect biological replication of Sir Obi-Wan Kenobi.