Carpathia

The endless rain of Kamino greeted Thalia and Obi-Wan the moment they stepped off their starfighter, the downpour drenching their cloaks in seconds. Sheets of water lashed against the landing platform, the wind carrying the distant rumble of thunder across the stormy expanse. The sky was an unbroken swirl of gray, flickering with lightning that illuminated the sleek, sterile structures of Tipoca City.

Thalia pulled her hood lower, wrinkling her nose. “Do you think Kaminoans evolved to enjoy miserable weather?”

Obi-Wan shot her a knowing glance. “I doubt they spend much time outside.”

A tall, willowy Kaminoan awaited them at the entrance, her pale features smooth and unreadable. The way she moved—graceful, almost gliding—made her seem even taller. She regarded them with cool civility. “Master Jedi,” she greeted smoothly. “The Prime Minister has been expecting you.”

Thalia exchanged a glance with Obi-Wan. “We were expected?”

“Of course,” the Kaminoan replied as she turned, leading them into the facility. “He is quite anxious to meet you. After all these years, we were beginning to think you weren’t coming.” The sterile halls of Tipoca City gleamed under bright, artificial light. The only sounds were the soft hum of machinery and the rhythmic clatter of armored boots echoing from distant corridors. The Kaminoan led them into a grand chamber, pristine and almost unnervingly bright. At its center, a figure waited—tall, elegant, with an air of quiet authority. “This is Lama Su, the Prime Minister of Kamino.” Obi-Wan and Thalia bowed respectfully.

“Master Jedi,” Lama Su greeted, his elongated neck inclining slightly.

“I am Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

“And I am Thalia Monore,” she followed smoothly.

Lama Su offered them both a pleasant, if distant, smile. “I trust you will enjoy your stay.” He waved a long, slender hand, and with fluid precision, two sleek chairs emerged from the floor. “You will be pleased to hear that we are on schedule. Two hundred thousand units are ready, with a million more well on the way.”

Thalia exchanged a glance with Obi-Wan, who remained composed, though she could sense his unease mirroring her own.

“That’s… good news,” Obi-Wan said, his voice carefully neutral.

Lama Su’s expression remained unchanged. “Please inform Master Sifo-Dyas that his order will be met on time.”

Thalia kept her expression neutral, but the words sent a chill through her. Master Sifo-Dyas had been dead for a decade. Yet here was an army—cloned, trained, and fully equipped—supposedly commissioned in his name.

Lama Su gestured toward the expansive training facilities visible through the windows. Below, thousands of troopers in pristine white armor moved with military precision, bred for loyalty, discipline, and war.

“You must be eager to inspect the units for yourself,” the Prime Minister continued.

Thalia forced a small smile. “That’s why we’re here.”

Obi-Wan nodded in agreement, though beneath the surface, the mystery only deepened. Beyond the transparisteel, rows upon rows of identical soldiers moved in flawless synchronization, executing training drills with machine-like precision. Cadets—mere children—stood in formation, their movements eerily uniform. Thalia felt a flicker of unease settle in her stomach. There was something deeply unnatural about it all. The efficiency. The obedience. The fact that this army had been bred for them—without their knowledge.

Lama Su gestured toward the vast training facility beyond the transparisteel windows, where rows of identical troopers moved in perfect synchronization. Their steps were precise, their actions calculated—an entire army bred for war. "You will find that they are immensely superior to droids," Lama Su said with quiet confidence. "We take great pride in our combat education and training programs. This group was created about five years ago. They are totally obedient, taking any order without question. We modified their genetic structure to make them less independent than the original host."

Thalia folded her arms, her gaze sharp. "And who was the original host?"

Lama Su barely hesitated. "A bounty hunter called Jango Fett."

Obi-Wan’s expression remained neutral, though Thalia could sense the shift in his focus. "And where is this bounty hunter now?"

"Oh, we keep him here," Lama Su replied smoothly, as if discussing an honored guest rather than the man whose DNA had forged an entire army. "He is quite well compensated for his services."

Thalia exchanged a brief look with Obi-Wan. The pieces were coming together, but the puzzle only grew more unsettling. By the time they were led to the private quarters of the bounty hunter Jango Fett, Thalia’s nerves were taut. The moment they laid eyes on him, seated calmly in his quarters with his young son Boba nearby, every instinct told her the man was lying through his teeth.

"This is Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Master Thalia Monore." Taun We introduced. "They've come to check on our progress."

"That right?" Jango looked coldly at the two Jedi.

"Your Clones are very impressive. You must be very proud." Obi-Wan said calmly.

"I'm just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe." Jango replied coolly.

"Aren't we all?" Thalia remarked, her eyes shifting over Jango's shoulders to the armour in the bedroom.

Obi-Wan had seen the armour too. "Ever made your way as far into the interior as Coruscant?" he asked Jango coolly.

"Once or twice." Jango replied just as coolly.

"Recently?"

"Possibly."

"Then you must know Master Sifo-Dyas." Obi-Wan probed.

Jango didn't answer; he just turned to his son. "Boba, Slanar lo te ashi yamika bal gebbar te Kurshok." he instructed, and Boba went to close the bedroom door. Jango then turned back to the two Jedi. "Master who?" he asked innocently.

"Sifo-Dyas." Thalia pushed. "Wasn't he the Jedi who handpicked you for this job?"

Jango took a step closer to the two Jedi. "Never heard of him." he answered tightly.

"Really?" Thalia raised a brow.

"I was recruited by a man called Tyrannus on one of the moons of Bogden." Jango continued.

"Curious." Obi-Wan remarked smartly.

A tense silence fell on the room until Jango changed the subject. "Do you like your army?"

"We look forward to seeing them in action." Obi-Wan replied coolly.

"They'll do their job well. I'll guarantee that." Jango said with implied threat.

Obi-Wan then decided to bring things to a close before they could get too heated. "Thank you for your time, Jango."

"Always a pleasure to meet Jedi." Jango reciprocated with an undercurrent of threat in his voice.

"I'm sure it is." Thalia replied coolly. "Have a nice day." Then she and Obi-Wan left with Taun We.

As they walked through the halls, their minds reeled.  Thalia glanced at him, concern etched in her features. What if we're walking into something bigger than we expected?

Then we do what we always do—trust in the Force, Obi-Wan reassured her.

She met his gaze, a silent understanding passing between them. Together, she affirmed. Thalia exhaled. Obi-Wan went to send a message back to Master Yoda about their discoveries while Thalia wondered where she could. The Force was very uneasy here. Being alone in these halls amplified that. It just didn’t make sense why a Jedi Master would commission an army of clones. Master Dyas was killed long before the date that Lama Su said that he contacted them.

Obi-Wan nodded, already deep in thought. "He’s preparing to leave."

The explosion happened in an instant. Thalia barely had time to react before the blast sent her hurtling backward through the glass of a suspended catwalk. The sharp shatter of transparisteel filled her ears before she crashed onto a long cafeteria table below. Pain jolted through her back as five clones—fully armored—froze mid-meal, staring at her in pure shock. She groaned, rubbing her head.

One of the clones hesitantly offered, "Sir? Are you okay?"

Ignoring the throbbing in her ribs, Thalia sat up, spotted Jango Fett above, and, without hesitation, grabbed one of the clone’s food trays. With a precise flick of her wrist, she hurled it upward with enough force to send it flying through the shattered catwalk window.

It nearly caught Jango in the leg, slamming into the metal wall beside him and lodging itself deep in the structure. Through their Force bond, Obi-Wan’s exasperated voice rang in her mind. Was that necessary?

Thalia rolled her shoulders, wincing. "I aimed low," she muttered out loud. The clones continued to stare. "Right," she sighed, hopping off the table. "Quickest way to Platform 13?"

One of the clones wordlessly pointed toward the exit, and Thalia sprinted toward the hangar, determination overriding her pain. By the time Thalia reached the landing platform, the deafening roar of Slave I’s engines filled the air, the ship already ascending into the stormy sky. She skidded to a stop beside Obi-Wan, breathing heavily, rain plastering her hair to her face. The sleek silver shape of Slave I shot through hyperspace, vanishing from Kamino’s stormy skies. Without hesitation, Obi-Wan and Thalia returned to their own starfighter, tracking the homing beacon affixed to the bounty hunter’s ship. The coordinates led them to the arid, red world of Geonosis.

Exiting hyperspace, the planet loomed beneath them, its surface a vast, dusty expanse marked by deep canyons and hive-like structures. From their approach vector, they could see the unmistakable glint of a landing craft descending towards an isolated spire.

“There he is,” Thalia murmured, leaning forward in her cockpit.

“I see him,” Obi-Wan confirmed. “I’ll set down a safe distance away. We’ll need to move in quietly.”

Thalia’s lips quirked. “Stealth is your thing, not mine.”

Obi-Wan shot her a look. “Then consider this good practice.”

Their fighters landed in a rocky outcrop, hidden from view of the main Geonosian spire. The air was thick with heat and the distant hum of machinery. They made their way carefully toward the structure, sticking to the shadows of towering rock formations.

As they approached, the sound of voices carried through the open corridors. Thalia crouched beside Obi-Wan, peering into the dimly lit meeting chamber below. A long table stretched across the floor, where figures sat in tense discussion. The Separatist Council.

At the head of the table, Viceroy Nute Gunray’s sharp voice cut through the air. “This war must begin now! The Republic will never approve the use of their clone army if we strike first.” Thalia’s stomach twisted.

A deep voice, laced with authority, responded, “The droid army is nearly complete. Once our forces are mobilized, the Republic will have no choice but to surrender.”

As Obi-Wan activated his wrist communicator, static crackled through the connection. The signal was weak—too weak to reach Coruscant directly. He adjusted the frequency, searching for a relay point. The signal flickered before stabilizing. A familiar voice came through. “Obi-Wan?” Anakin’s voice was slightly distorted but clear enough.

Obi-Wan exhaled in relief. “Anakin, listen carefully. You’re the only one in range.”

Anakin’s tone sharpened. “What’s going on?”

“I need you to send this transmission to the Council immediately. I’ve tracked the bounty hunter to Geonosis and intercepted a meeting of the Separatist leadership. Viceroy Gunray is behind the assassination attempts on Senator Amidala. The Separatists are mass-producing a droid army. War is imminent.”

There was a brief pause. “Understood,” Anakin said. Then, a beat later, with concern creeping into his voice, he added, “Do you need backup?”

Obi-Wan’s expression hardened. “No. Your job is to stay where you are and protect Padmé. Do not do anything reckless.” Silence. “…Anakin?”

A sigh came through the transmission. “Fine,” Anakin muttered. “I’ll contact the Council.”

“Good,” Obi-Wan said. “May the Force be with you.”

As soon as he ended the transmission, Thalia let out a slow breath. “Do you think he’ll listen?”

Obi-Wan gave her a knowing look. “Not at all.” A low buzzing filled the chamber. Thalia turned her head sharply, sensing movement just before the darkened ceiling above them burst to life. Geonosian warriors swarmed from the shadows, clicking and shrieking.

“Damn it,” Thalia muttered, igniting her lightsaber.

“So much for stealth,” Obi-Wan sighed, bringing his own blade to life.

The battle was swift and fierce. Geonosian warriors attacked in droves, their winged forms darting in and out of the dim chamber. Thalia ducked, slicing through the spear of a warrior lunging toward her. Obi-Wan deflected incoming blaster fire, but even as they fought, more enemies arrived.

“We need to move—now!” Obi-Wan called, parrying an incoming strike.

Thalia spun, cutting down another attacker before leaping onto a lower platform. They raced through the winding corridors of the spire, but before they could escape, towering blast doors slammed shut in front of them. Thalia skidded to a halt, breathing heavily.

Obi-Wan turned, only to find Geonosian warriors blocking their retreat. A handful of battle droids stepped forward, blasters raised. And then, from the shadows, a tall figure emerged.

Count Dooku.

“You Jedi are most persistent,” the former Jedi Master mused, his tone calm and almost amused. “It’s unfortunate that your efforts are wasted.”

Obi-Wan tightened his grip on his lightsaber. “We know what you’re planning. The Republic will not stand by and let this war happen.”

Dooku tilted his head. “The Republic is already doomed, Kenobi. The Senate is weak, the Jedi are blind, and soon, all of this will be beyond your control.” Thalia felt a chill crawl up her spine at his words. But before she could respond, the droids stepped forward, their weapons aimed. “You will not leave this place,” Dooku said smoothly. The last thing Thalia saw before the stun bolts hit was Obi-Wan tensing beside her, his expression grim. Then everything went dark.

The dimly lit cell was cold, carved from rough stone, with the only source of illumination coming from the flickering energy field that held Obi-Wan and Thalia in their restraints. The hum of the containment field buzzed in their ears as footsteps echoed down the corridor.

Count Dooku entered with the calm grace of a man who had already won. His rich, dark robes flowed as he approached, his hands clasped behind his back, expression unreadable.

Obi-Wan’s eyes narrowed the moment he stepped inside. "Traitor."

Dooku sighed, shaking his head as though disappointed. "Oh no, my friend. This is a mistake—a terrible mistake. They have gone too far. This is madness."

Obi-Wan scoffed. "I thought you were the leader here, Dooku."

Dooku spread his hands in feigned innocence. "This has nothing to do with me, I assure you. I will petition immediately to have you set free."

Obi-Wan met his gaze evenly. "Well, I hope it doesn’t take too long. I have work to do."

Dooku tilted his head slightly, amusement flickering in his eyes. "May I ask why two Jedi Masters have come all this way to Geonosis?"

Obi-Wan remained composed. "We’ve been tracking a bounty hunter named Jango Fett. Do you know him?"

Dooku’s expression didn’t change, but Thalia noted the subtle shift in his posture, a flicker of something behind his eyes—calculation.

"There are no bounty hunters here," Dooku replied smoothly. "The Geonosians don’t trust them." Thalia remained silent, watching him carefully. Dooku could sense that neither one trusted him. “The dark side clouds your judgements." He leave with that.