Not long after the first battle of geonosis and the beginning of the Clone Wars, Jedi
General Anakin Skywalker and his Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi were sent far into the outer rim to
negotiate with a very rich and noble separatist family, who were providing resources to Count
Dooku’s cause.
While there however, Anakin’s forces got into a heated standoff with unarmed, and defenseless
transports, where they were fired on and destroyed, killing the whole crew.
Anakin didn’t order his force to take the shot, but unfortunately, he was framed and
punished for war crimes anyway.
So before we get into it, make sure to hit the subscribe button for more awesome Star
Wars Lore content.
The story begins high above the Rial Kroon system, where Jedi Master Toluz Cheq is under
heavy fire from separatist vulture droids, leaving him in an absolutely horrible position.
He quickly calls out to his droid, R-3 to contact the Jedi temple, because the Vulture
droids that he has been coming up against are not like the rest, they are highly modified
and extremely deadly.
Unfortunately, Master Cheq’s padawan is dead, his fleet is destroyed and he has absolutely
no way to escape the accurate fire of these modified vulture droids, meaning this will
be his final ever transmission.
As his ship erupts into a massive yellow fireball, the transmission is successfully sent by his
astromech, before being received by Chancellor Palpatine and the Jedi.
As Anakin realizes that Master Cheq has been killed in the battle, he falls into a deep
anger, remembering that he was one of Jedi Order’s best pilots.
Anakin and Master Cheq even went through flight training together.
Palpatine, of course already pulling Anakin’s strings from this early in the war, offers
his sympathies to the young Jedi and tells him that this war has claimed far too many
good men.
Following this, Obi-Wan tells the group that he has studied Master Cheq’s transmission
carefully, and it appears that these new Vulture droids are equipped with advanced engines,
Manufactured by the Valahari people.
Anakin then adds to this by saying “The valahari people build some of the best ships
in the galaxy.
If they’ve joined the separatists…”.
Windu however cautions Anakin, telling them that the VAlahari claim to be neutral in the
war.
Palpatine however chimes in, noting that the Noble houses of the Valahari Sector have always
caused trouble to the republic.
Because they have huge amounts of money and almost unlimited influence, they think they
have special status.
Following this, Palptine rises from his seat and declares that the Republic must make a
stand.
All neutral worlds that trade with the separatists, give them aid or help them in any other way
will now be treated as enemies of the Republic.
Finally, Palpatine orders a blockade of every Neutral planet that helps the separatists.
In response to this, Mace Windu agrees, but warns the Chancellor that the Republic fleet
is stretched very thin, and that the Blockades should first focus on the neutral planets
providing Military supplies and weapons to the Separatists only.
Obi-Wan on the other hand, suggests that they try diplomacy first and speak with the royal
family on Valahari, obviously because he is the negotiator.
Obi-Wan also spend time there with his Master Qui-Gon Jinn back in their younger days, so
he believes that he can convince them to stop supplying the separatists with weapons.
Yoda then agrees with Kenobi, and Palpatine signs off on the plan, on the very strict
condition that if they Valahari noble family does not stop selling their engines to the
separatists, the Republic will blockade the planet.
As the meeting finishes, Obi-Wan asks Anakin to join him the mission, but he is a bit reluctant
at first, believing he should be out there avenging his fallen friend’s death.
With the approval of Master Yoda, Anakin travels to Castle Vane, on the Planet Valahari, owned
by the noble Vane Family.
As they arrive, they are welcomed by the Vane Family butler, and are told that they will
meat with the head of the family at Dinner.
Anakin however, is slightly distracted when he sees one of the locals working on his podrace.
This sends emotions and memories of his childhood on tatooine rushing back to him.
As Anakin walks up to the man working on his ship, he tells Anakin that the ship is the
fastest in the Sector.
Anakin is skeptical at first, but the local, named Tofen, soon emerges and tells Anakin
that he Knows so, because he built it.
Tofen immediately recognizes Skywalker as the great hero of the REpublic, with One Thousand
Nine Hundred and eighty starfighter kills, but Anakin brushes this off and says he hasn’t
been keeping count.
Tofen also recognizes Anakin as the best starpilot in the galaxy, offering to take him out for
the a podrace, unless Anakin is afraid he might lose.
Of course, Anakin is never going to turn down an offer to do podrace.
The two begin zooming through the mountain forest track, taunting each other and throwing
jabs all the way to the finish line, where they can’t decide on the winner and agree
to have a rematch later on.
Following this, Obi-Wan and Anakin are finally brought to dinner with the Vane royal family,
lead by Lord Harko and his Lady Elodore.
Tofen, the man Anakin just podracer, and his sister Omi also join the family for dinner.
Lady Elodore then tells Obi-Wan that he has grown into a handsome young man since the
last time she saw him, and Lord Harko adds that the news of Qui-Gon’s death was devastating
to the Vane Family.
Following this, Anakin is shocked that Tofen is a member of the Royal family, but before
they can discuss it much, his sister Omi asks Anakin if he has a Wife…
Anakin nervously responds to her, saying “No, my Lady.
The Jedi are Forbidden to marry”.
And surprisingly… this makes Omi Sad…
Immediately after, Lord Harko pulls a surprise guest of nowhere, shocking Anakin and Obi-Wan
and Leading them to pull their lightsabers out.
It’s Count Dooku.
Dooku enters the dining area and greets the entire family, before Lord Harko informs the
two Jedi that Count Dooku is an old friend of the family, and that they fought side by
side when he was still a Jedi Master.
Eventually, Obi-Wan and Anakin get to business, telling Lord Harko that they must stop stealing
starfighter engines to the separatists.
Tofen is outraged by this, but Obi-Wan tells the family that it is a direct order from
the chancellor, and could be considered an act of war.
In response to Obi-Wan, Dooku then chimes in saying that many in the corrupt republic
senate are jealous of Valahri’s long standing tradition of starship engineering and all
of the wealth it brings to their planet.
Obi-Wan then tells Dooku that the Republic are concerned because the modified Vulture
droids are taking countless lives, but Dooku responds by saying “and Republic weapons
are not”?
This then leads to a massive argument, with Lord Harko venting his frustration at the
unfair republic taxes and regulation, and says he will do what he must for the good
of their economy.
This infuriates Anakin, sending him into a heated discussion with Tofen about what this
War truly means and the countless lives lost in it.
10 rotations later, the Republic blockade finally arrives over Valahari, ready to intercept
any incoming freight, transport or supplies leaving the plant.
The Valahari fleet however is no longer going to accept the blockade of their planet and
is trying to break through.
Despite this, they are completely unarmed, defenceless, carrying medical supplies, and
will not be able to fight back against any republic aggression.
In response to this, Anakin scrambles his Gold Squadron, but warns his men to target
only their thrusters.
Obi-Wan Orders the defenceless Valahari Fleet to stand down, but they refuse…
Leading to the unarmed transport ships being brutally destroyed, killing everyone aboard,
including Lord Harko.
Anakin of course realizes that this a war crime, demanding to know who in his squadron
fired on the unarmed transport.
After hearing back from everyone however, he discovers that it wasn’t any of his men.
Anakin has just been framed for a War crime.
As the intense battle begins above the skies of Valahari, Tofen and his mother are shocked
at the death of Lord Harko, vowing revenge against the REpublic.
Some Days later, Dooku returns to the Vane household where he expresses his condolences
for Lord Harko’s death to his son, but slowly works him into joining the separatist cause
permanently.
Because of his father’s death and his view that the Republic are evil, he joins Dooku’s
cause and vows to have the Galactic Senate on Coruscant burned to ashes, and badly wants
revenge against Skywalker for his actions.
While this is going on, Anakin is broughy before the Jedi council, where he pleads with
them, telling the masters that he is innocent.
And that Republic fighters were not the ones that fired on the transport.
Surprisingly, Mace Windu and the other council members actually agree with Anakin, but because
of the politics of the situation, they must Punish Anakin publicly.
The counsel then reassigns him to one of the worst sectors in the galaxy, far away from
Valahari.
Anakin begs Windu not to face this punishment, but Unfortunately his decision has been made,
and he will now patrol the sector whicih includes Ryloth system.
Obi-Wan wishes to investigate the situation further for Anakin, but Master Yoda warns
him to proceed with Caution.
And to end the story, Commander Toffen has now fully joined the separatist cause, using
brutal tactics such as flinging Jedi Starfighters back into their Venator’s bridge, killing
the admiral and it’s crew.
On top of this, he commits a war crime himself, firing on defenceless Clone Trooper escape
pods as they eject from the Venator.
His citizens then cheer for him, and he vows to get REvenge of the REpublic and Anakin
Skywalker.
Thanks so much for watching, I really hope you enjoyed it.
Cheers guys, hope to see you in the next one!