The night skies of Coruscant burned with a thousand lanes of traffic, a spiderweb of light in perpetual motion. Yet Obi-Wan Kenobi's gaze was fixed not on the city, but on the slender silver dart resting in his hand. He turned the Kaminoan saberdart over carefully, studying the ridged shaft, the crystalline head, the faint etchings that seemed almost alive under the glow of the Jedi Temple's lights. Whoever had sent the assassin against Senator Amidala had covered their tracks with professional precision.
He was running out of leads.
The Jedi Council had urged caution, but Obi-Wan knew that time was slipping through their fingers. Anakin Skywalker had already departed with Senator Padmé Amidala, disguised as simple refugees, traveling with R2-D2 to Naboo for protection. Obi-Wan worried for his padawan Anakin's feelings were far from subtle but duty kept him anchored here. He had to find the source of the dart.
Obi-Wan descended into the Archives, the vaulted chambers alive with the faint hum of holoprojectors and the soft footfalls of scholars. He approached the analysis droid, who rotated its head toward the dart.
"Magnificent craftsmanship," the droid droned. "But I cannot identify it. This weapon does not appear in any of our systems."
Obi-Wan's frustration deepened. No Jedi records? That was rare indeed. He bowed politely, though irritation flickered in his eyes.
Minutes later, he sought out Master Yoda. The ancient Jedi was in a training chamber, surrounded by a circle of younglings practicing the basics of lightsaber defense. The dart gleamed faintly in Obi-Wan's hand as he waited for the lesson to finish.
"Found something you have, Obi-Wan?" Yoda asked, leaning on his gimer stick.
"I've run the dart through every record. Nothing. It's as if it doesn't exist."
Yoda's eyes narrowed with quiet thought. "Lost a planet, Master Obi-Wan has. Or perhaps… hidden, it has been."
Yoda gestured to the star map. Obi-Wan fed the dart's resonance signature into the system. The holomap shimmered, constellations swirling into view, yet the result was baffling—an empty void where data should have been.
"Gravity's pull there is," Yoda murmured, pointing with his cane. "But no planet recorded. Impossible to erase gravity, it is."
Obi-Wan bowed deeply. The clue was enough. "Then I will go and see for myself."
Naboo
Meanwhile, far away, Anakin Skywalker walked alongside Padmé Amidala as their transport touched down on the serene plains of Naboo. The smell of fresh grass and the hum of waterfalls greeted them. Padmé looked more at peace here than anywhere in the galaxy. Anakin's eyes lingered too long, his emotions too open, but she did not push him away.
R2-D2 trundled after them, warbling softly, ever the watchful guardian.
Kamino
Obi-Wan's Delta-7 starfighter cut through the maelstrom of Kamino's storm clouds. Lightning raged across the horizon, striking the endless ocean that stretched to infinity. Waves the size of mountains rose and fell, and in the center of the storm stood Tipoca City, gleaming white against the black water, supported by spindly pylons that anchored it against the fury of nature.
"Quite the welcoming world," Obi-Wan muttered as he guided the starfighter into the landing platform. Rain hammered the cockpit canopy, and the wind howled like a living beast.
A tall, willowy Kaminoan greeted him. "Master Jedi. We have been expecting you. Please, this way."
Obi-Wan's expression hardened. Expecting me?
The Clone Revelation
The sterile corridors of Tipoca City gleamed like polished bone. The Kaminoans walked with long, graceful strides, their voices calm, almost hypnotic.
"It is an honor to finally meet a representative of the Jedi Order. The army we have created is most impressive."
Obi-Wan blinked. "Army?"
They guided him into vast cloning chambers. Transparent tubes lined the walls, each containing developing embryos. Rows of accelerated-growth tanks stretched endlessly, filled with identical faces, all waiting for a war no one had yet declared.
The Prime Minister spoke softly: "Commissioned by Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas, nearly a decade ago. His foresight has proven most beneficial."
Obi-Wan's heart pounded. Sifo-Dyas had been dead for years. Something was wrong terribly wrong.
Jango Fett
At last, Obi-Wan was brought face to face with the prime template: Jango Fett.
He stood with the easy menace of a predator, armor gleaming, helmet tucked under his arm. A young boy peeked out from behind him Boba. The boy's sharp eyes studied Obi-Wan with suspicion.
Jango's gaze was cold steel. "Always a pleasure to meet a Jedi."
Obi-Wan matched his tone. "And where did this commission come from? Did you deal with Master Sifo-Dyas directly?"
Jango smirked. "I was recruited by a man called Tyranus. Beyond that, it's none of your business."
The tension in the room thickened like a storm about to break. Obi-Wan's instincts screamed at him this was the man who had hired the assassin.
Battle on Kamino
That night, rain lashed against the city as Obi-Wan returned to the landing platforms. Jango and four armored Mandalorians were already moving, preparing their ship the Prowler for departure.
"Jango Fett!" Obi-Wan called over the storm. "You're under arrest."
Blasters roared.
The fight exploded in an instant. One Mandalorian launched a flamethrower burst, fire slicing through the rain, steam hissing where it met water. Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber, the blue blade crackling as it cut through the flames. Another hurled a whipcord, snaring Obi-Wan's arm, dragging him toward the edge.
Obi-Wan twisted, pulling with the Force, yanking the Mandalorian off-balance and sending him crashing into a support strut. Lightning illuminated the battlefield as Jango jetpacked into the air, twin blasters blazing.
The Jedi deflected each shot, but another Mandalorian barreled in, vibroblade sparking against Obi-Wan's saber. Rain made footing treacherous; every step was a battle against both man and nature.
Obi-Wan fought with controlled fury, flipping over one foe, cutting another's blaster clean in half, but their numbers pressed him hard. Jango struck from above, firing a rocket that detonated against the platform, throwing Obi-Wan to the ground.
Boba, safe within the Prowler, cheered his father on.
"Time to go!" Jango barked.
Obi-Wan leapt, his saber slashing through a Mandalorian's jetpack, sending the warrior spiraling into the sea. But Jango's gauntlet fired another cable, wrapping around Obi-Wan's wrist, dragging him across the slick platform.
With a surge of strength, Obi-Wan cut himself free. The last Mandalorian tackled him, fists pounding, helmet smashing against his jaw. Obi-Wan rolled, using the Force to hurl the man backward into Jango's rising ship.
The Prowler's engines roared. Jango and the surviving Mandalorians launched skyward, disappearing into the storm.
Obi-Wan staggered to his feet, soaked, bruised, but alive. His starfighter powered up, and he gave chase.
Geonosis
Through the storm and beyond Kamino's gravity well, Obi-Wan tailed the Prowler into deep space. The trail led him to a red, dusty world—Geonosis. From orbit, he could already see massive droid foundries belching smoke into the sky.
"This is bigger than anyone thought," Obi-Wan whispered, recording everything for the Council.
But before he could escape, Geonosian fighters swarmed his starfighter. His ship was hit, forced down into the dry canyons below.
Captured, Obi-Wan was dragged before the Separatist leaders, his eyes widening as he recognized them: Trade Federation, Techno Union, Banking Clan all gathered under Count Dooku's shadow. The pieces of the puzzle fell into place.
And now, the Republic would learn the price of inaction.