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Anakin Skywalker is on the path to become one of the greatest figures on the galactic scene. If you want to read an original story of greatness, you can check my story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.
—
Tatooine
Sanctum Sanctorum
"I was thinking…" he said to his teacher, grunting as he blocked the downward slash.
Strange spun on his heel, firing two half circles that were deflected. "Go on."
"Since we draw energies from other dimensions to power our spells, can the same principles apply to hyperspace?" It was a question that plagued him ever since he began to spend more time around ships.
Strange stopped, one arm at his back, the other stroking his graying beard. "That… could actually be possible. Why don't you explain to me what exactly hyperspace is first?"
"Spacetime works differently in hyperspace. Basically, the distance between celestial objects shrinks enough that a ship can travel thousands of light years in hours."
His teacher contemplated it for a good while. Eventually, he raised and dropped his shoulders, the left side of his upper lip curling up. "Well, my astrophysics knowledge isn't good enough to make any guesses. You will have to figure this one out yourself."
"Guess I better go and find a spaceship." What better way to see if he could use hyperspace than to enter hyperspace?
—
Mos Espa Spaceport
He appeared in the middle of the port through a portal, startling several workers. Freedom First fighters saluted him, each one calling him "sir." He walked to the nearest hangar. Workers were painting a HWK-290 light freighter. It was a cargo ship originally but had been modified to be a warship.
It resembled a bird of prey, with a raptor-like head.
Nose-mounted dual heavy laser cannons, a 360-degree ventral ion cannon turret, and hidden concussion missile launchers that were being loaded currently.
"Sir?"
"When will it be ready for liftoff?"
"It's ready, sir."
"Good. I need someone to fly the ship into hyperspace to test something."
"Velin, take the helm."
—
"Sir, can I ask what we are testing?"
"Nothing dangerous. I just need a couple of hours in hyperspace."
"Yes sir. Charting a route, entering hyperspace," Velin said. The ship came to a stop, a hum barely above silence reaching his ears. It shot forward, turning the darkness of the space to blue and white streaks.
He took a deep breath, feeling the foreign energy assault his senses. The particles were fast and excited, like a swarm of womp rats that chewed through a crate of stimulants. He took a meditative position, focusing.
He felt the gravitational shadows cast by stars and planets for thousands of light-years.
This was already looking promising.
—
"Sir? We are about to come out of hyperspace."
Anakin opened his eyes, smiling.
"No, I don't think we are," he said, slamming his palms together. A spherical mandala, white and blue rather than golden, spread out, covering the entire ship. The Mirror Dimension folded the space around the ship, turning it back towards Tatooine without the need to stop.
"What the?! This can't be right," Velin said, running diagnostics on the nav computer.
The results came back clean.
"Sir, we just changed directions. The ship is heading back to Tatooine."
"I know."
The hyperspace routes were paths established long ago to chart the galaxy safely. You couldn't enter a certain direction and go wherever you wanted, not unless you wanted the ship to be torn apart by the massive shadows. A ship also couldn't change directions in the middle of a transit.
Unless you could manipulate hyperspace to a greater degree and make U-turns, something that has never been done before.
He wasn't done, though; the rest would have to be tried while he wasn't out in space.
—
Tatooine
Fort Freedom
He instructed Velin to keep quiet about the matter because he had an idea.
An idea that would be one of the biggest shocks in the history of galactic travel and hyperspace technology. For now, he had another matter to deal with.
"Who did you say sent us these?" he asked, inspecting the intelligence on the datapad. Hutt fleet numbers, the notable commanders, the total number of troops, and most importantly, the date of their attack.
"A freedom cell in Nal Hutta that is sympathetic to our cause," Corlen said. He knew their leader but had not expected him to reach out. Especially not this quick with this much intelligence. It felt like there was something he was keeping out.
"What makes you believe it is trustworthy?"
"Why would the Hutts bother to send us false intelligence saying they are amassing a fleet when they have the power to do that?" Corlen asked. The Hutts could field an even bigger force. Compared to the makeshift fleet they didn't quite have ready yet, those prideful, arrogant slugs would have no reason to resort to deception that would harm their image.
Not when they had the power and wealth to crush the rebellion.
"True," he admitted. The Hutts had all the advantages for a conventional war.
"Around two hundred ships. Half are warships, the rest are transports," he said, mostly to himself.
Twenty Hutt Security Cruisers, sixty bounty hunter ships, and twenty more modified freighters acting as torpedo platforms. The cruisers were Action-VI class transports, modified with turbo laser batteries welded to the hull and cargo sections converted into hangars. The reinforced shields went without saying.It was a force they would be fools to even try matching in a conventional battle.
"The warships clear any opposition in space and on the ground while the transports land an army without a contest."
Corlen nodded. "Most likely." The Sorcerer could fight the army off, probably. With Freedom First backing him, it would be more than a probability. The problem lay in space. He couldn't protect everywhere if the enemy simply decided to commit orbital bombardment.
"How many ships do we have?"
Sinya handed him another datapad, which detailed their situation. "A hundred, but we are outgunned and outclassed."
The pink-skinned Twi'lek was the head of their engineering corps. She didn't know much about fighting but did everything she could to retrofit their ships for war.
"What if a portion of the fleet, mostly the warships, were to turn back to Nal Hutta?" he asked. The short time he had spent in hyperspace had given him an idea. One that could reduce, even negate, the possible damages Tatooine would suffer in battle.
Corlen raised an eyebrow. That certainly could level the playing field. "The transports would be armed but not enough to make a difference. If we could get rid of half or more of the warships, I believe we could win. Though it will be at a heavy cost."
"What if we were to catch them by surprise, right at their rear?"
"If you can arrange that, this would be a monumental victory for us."
"Weren't we going to board the ships?" Vega, the closest person they had to a procurement officer, asked. The human was a former smuggler who had fallen afoul of Jabba and ended up as a slave. He knew where to find what, and his talents had proven to be extremely valuable.
"If it weren't for Jango Fett, we would have. He is the best for a reason." While he could defeat Fett, same as he had done to Cad Bane, the Mandalorian would be ready. There were no doubt countermeasures against him boarding the ships.
"What about our water situation? Without offworld imports, none of this will matter."
"There are several underwater reservoirs. I can transport them to anywhere you want."
"That would be great."
"Two weeks, gentlebeings. We have two weeks before the Hutt forces are here. Make your preparations," he said, ending the meeting.
Corlen stopped at the door, turning to him. "One last thing. There are some Jedi who want to speak to you."
"Jedi?" He leaned forward, feeling the old chair creak. "About what?" Though it was obvious, he still felt the need to ask.
"They didn't say, but we can guess."
"Send them in."
Corlen nodded and left, allowing three people inside, two humans and a Kel Dor. All three wore brown cloaks. The Kel Dor removed his hood first, followed by his companions.
The alien gave a small bow, followed by the rest. "Greetings. I am Jedi Master Plo-Koon. My companions are Jedi Master Quinlan Vos and Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi," he introduced with a calm, respirator-filtered tone.
He didn't remove the hood but felt the Cloak of Levitation's increased movements. "We don't see many Jedis in this part of the galaxy, if any."
The dreams he had long ago, of him becoming a Jedi who would save the slaves, came to the front of his mind. He was quick to banish them, realizing how naive it was.
"Quite frankly, your abilities have our order stumped. Beyond reporting the humanitarian situation to the Senate, we were sent to learn whether you were using the Force in a never-before-seen manner or possessed powers beyond it."
Anakin huffed, a short huff of air escaping his lips. His hand snapped out, and the space before them broke.
The hallway got longer, pushing the Jedis in different directions. The ground then broke apart into platforms, forming intricate designs. The palace collapsed on itself over and over again, causing the gravity to change directions. All three fell, standing in front of the sorcerer as they tried to make sense of what had happened.
"Force…" Obi-Wan muttered, seeing the broken, twisted reflection they were in.
"Tell me, Master Jedi, can you do this with the Force?"
Plo Koon felt no disturbance in the Force as the space broke apart and the known laws of physics decided to get high on death sticks.
Quinlan and Obi-Wan weren't faring any better, looking at the broken reality warily, hands hovering over their lightsabers.
"No, I do not think so," he admitted. Whatever this was, it was beyond the Force.
The Sorcerer's smirk was visible beneath the hood. With a snap of his fingers, they returned to the hall, as if the impossible sight had not taken place.
"If there is nothing else, I have work to do."
The Jedi contingency left in a daze. The real deal was even more impressive and puzzling than the recordings. They would return several times, trying to learn more, but left with empty hands. Anakin had no reason to reveal the Mystic Arts to them.
They might have been guardians of peace and justice as they claimed, but their reach went as far as the Senate allowed it.
—
Their fleet was a joke. Besides the exceptions like the HWK-290 and other warships taken from dead mercenary groups or bounty hunters, they had old mining ships fitted with industrial lasers meant to tear asteroids apart and cargo vessels being fitted with weapons seized from the black market.
An aging, rugged joke of a fleet.
And he somehow had to deceive Jango Fett and Gorga the Hutt into splitting their forces. He had a plan, of course. One that depended on too many factors to succeed. If it succeeded, and he believed it would, they could win the first battle against the Hutts without him having to bring out something that would cause damage to the planet.
He continued to work with hyperspace energies to perfect his plan. Some of its limitations could be manipulated or bypassed with the mystic arts. It would give them freedom first, the edge they needed to win.
Morale was high, especially as the water issue was solved for the medium term. The restrictions were eased, and everyone could have more water. He had drained all the reservoirs he knew. Additionally, he had spent time discovering new ones.
Tatooine wouldn't be the lush, green world the Jawa and Tusken Raider legends claimed it was, but they at least wouldn't dehydrate to death.
By the end of the two weeks, their fleet was in a better condition. Black market weapons and components were installed on every possible ship. The engineers and workers were burnt out. They had worked round the clock, barely having the time to sleep.
When their fleet orbited Tatooine, it had turned into a game of waiting.
—
Strange Tides
"Sir! We are detecting ships leaving hyperspace. Two hundred ten in total. Twenty cruiserweights, confirmed Hutt Security Cruisers. Sixty-three warships of various weights, from fighters to modified freighters. Seventeen corvettes, classes vary," the sensor operative reported, bringing Anakin out of his half-asleep state.
His blood pumped, and all traces of lethargy vanished. "The transports?"
"Hundred in total, different classes. At least seventy thousand life forms on those transports."
"We are being hailed by the lead cruiser," the comms reported.
"Answer it."
—
The Boonta Maw
Jango watched the hooded kid for a while. Neither side spoke, stuck in a contest, weighing each other.
"Not bad, kid, not bad at all," he said. So young but already he had caused so much trouble to the Hutts. If the galaxy were a different, nicer place, he would have made a worthy Mando'ade.
The boy smirked beneath his hood, silent.
"The Hutts want you alive to make an example out of you. Dead if it proves too troublesome. Would you prefer to surrender or go out on a blaze of glory?" He hoped the kid would choose the latter. A warrior like him did not deserve what the Hutts would do to him.
The boy laughed, his teeth showing in the holoprojector. "How about neither?"
Jango crossed his arms. "We aren't here to negotiate."
"No. You are here with the majority of the forces of the Hutt Council. Which means Nal Hutta is the most defenseless it has been in recent memory. We can't beat you in space, but I wager your army wouldn't be so willing to stick together if I burn Nal Hutta to the ground and crush the council," he said, a cocky, self-assured smirk on his face.
"Who knows?" the sorcerer added as Jango tried to figure out what the boy was thinking. "Maybe I'll be your new employer once I have the wealth of the Hutts."
With those final words, the line was cut.
"He wouldn't dare," Gorga roared, shaking the bridge. The Hutt was sent as an observer to ensure the interests of the Hutt Council were met. It usually wouldn't be necessary, but the situation was too risky.
"He is bluffing. He won't leave his home to our mercy," he said. Unless the boy had suddenly found allies and was trying to draw his forces off, his words meant nothing.
"The ships are entering hyperspace on the Triellus Trade Route," the helmsman called. On the holoprojector, the ragtag enemy fleet reoriented before disappearing from space.
The kid wasn't bluffing.
Gorga turned to the navigation. The Weequay on the console shrunk as the Hutt rounded on him. "Quickly, we must turn the fleet around. Nal Hutta must be protected."
Jango raised a hand, stopping all movement on the bridge. "His fleet is nothing but mining ships and armed freighters. The cruisers and the heavier half of the bounty hunter vessels could chase them while we take Tatooine. He will have no home to return to and will be crushed. Just as the council wants."
Even if the boy's powers would allow him to destroy the Council, he would never be able to reach them in time, not before his fleet was destroyed.
The Hutt grunted but did not speak.
—
In the next chapter:
"Certain of this, are you?" Yoda asked. He believed in the Kel Dor Jedi Master. The situation just made him want to be extremely certain.
Plo Koon nodded. "We are, Master Yoda. We entered the route to test it. Our ship reversed course mid-transit after traveling for one point eight light years. We ended back where we started."
It certainly was a shock to them.
"This… this can't be the work of the Force," Windu said.
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