Recording II:

Anakin Skywalker

Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker strode purposefully down the hallway of the Jedi cruiser Intrepid, as chaos and calamity engaged in a downward spiral around him. Explosions rocked the ship, and he had to use the Force on more than one occasion to steady himself. But he kept marching on.

The lights dimmed, flickered, then went out. The red emergency lights, which would take up less power as the Engineering section tried to boost the engines, came on. They turned the white helmets of the clone troopers running to and fro an eerie crimson.

Anakin couldn't help but shudder. The fisherman down on the planet they were orbiting – Koru Neimoidia, one of the Neimoidian colonies – had a saying that was oddly related to the battle that the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the Grand Army of the Republic were currently fighting: "Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky at dawn, sailors be warned."

It was dawn, if one was using standard time, and the lights on his command ship were red. That was a bad omen if he had ever seen one.

Just to be on the safe side, he sped his brisk walk into a jog.

Anakin was nearing the bridge. The motion sensors installed close to the door, which always opened unless they were on override, kicked in, but failed before it had opened all the way. As using the Force to open the door might result in the compromising of certain key systems located nearby, he was forced to execute an awkward shimmy through the narrow opening.

Once through, he dusted off his cloak and righted his belt, only to have a proximate screen spew sparks at him. He nonchalantly blocked it with his prosthetic hand, the tough leather glove covering it shielding him from the ailing machinery.

The captain of the 501st Clone Battalion, known as Rex if one used the names that the clones had created for themselves to develop a sense of individuality, ran over to him, offering a quick salute before speaking.

"General Skywalker, our engines are nearly gone!" the captain reported. "We've sent a team to work on it, but I don't think that we're going to hold this position much longer. Most of our systems are failing. And, to top the whole thing off, General Kreen's forces have sent out a boarding party that's gaining fast."

Anakin closed his eyes for a moment, looking to the Force for guidance. This was a difficult situation, as his four or five cruisers had lost nearly their entire battle capabilities. Obi-Wan Kenobi, his old Master and a close friend of his, had promised reinforcements, but they still hadn't arrived. He was now afraid that they had been caught up elsewhere with something more important.

Not to mention that General Kreen, a new and extremely effective battle strategist, was in command of the seven or eight Separatist dreadnaughts engaging his force. After all, this was one of the Neimoidian purse worlds that the Republic was trying to take, on a tip that the Governor-In-Chief had information that could prove useful to them. It would have been foolish to expect it to be poorly guarded.

The enemy ship was impenetrable; at least with their resources. The best thing to do now was to order a retreat, to regroup in a nearby system with Obi-Wan's reinforcements. Assuming that they were coming.

Suddenly, an idea struck him. A memory of an old technique that he had invented – albeit unintentionally – during the Invasion of Naboo that just suit their purposes in this particular situation. "Rex, what are our missile capabilities?"

Rex sighed. "I know what you're thinking, General, and the answer is no. Our rocket launchers on the starboard side were completely decimated by the enemy. We would have to turn the entire ship around to use our cannons against the droid control ship. And, with the engine situation getting worse by the minute..."

"That wouldn't work," he finished. Scratching the plan that had been forming in his mind, he looked out at the Separatist forces separating them from the planet. As was part of his tactical analysis every time he was in a conflict, he scrutinized the angle and the distance of the enemy flagship. But then he noticed something.

The Intrepid just happened to be exactly aligned with the enemy ship!

The hint of a smile appeared on his face. "Rex, call for an evacuation to the nearest cruiser."

"Sir?"

His smile widened further at his captain's obvious shock. It was true that 'Jedi General Anakin Skywalker, the Hero With No Fear' was hardly one to back down from a fight or retreat easily, but Rex was overlooking his other key trait. He rarely ever did what others expected.

"Don't worry. The escape pods won't be noticed amongst all the debris." He put a hand on Rex's shoulder. "Just trust me on this one, all right? I have a plan. I know how we're going to take out that command centre."