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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.
—
Nal Hutta
Jango turned to Gorga the Hutt. "That's not a Jedi."
He had heard the rumors, as most of the galaxy no doubt had by now. He knew it would present him with opportunities. He thought the Sorcerer was just a Force user, one who thought it was magic.
Now, he was starting to think it was not a title given by a kid who had no idea what he was not doing.
More so, he knew how to fight. He wasn't just using his skills at random. He had wiped out the entirety of Jabba's forces with the efficiency of a seasoned warrior.
"What?" Gorga, responsible for handling the Hutt Council's work, growled.
"I fought Jedi before. I don't know what that boy is, but he is not one."
"Are you refusing to take the bounty?"
"No. I want double the amount and more hands." Most Jedi weren't that dangerous if you knew what you were doing. This boy, with his portals, light constructs, and elemental abilities, would be dangerous and more than a match for multiple Jedis.
Which made him dangerous.
The footage was also unlikely to cover the entirety of the Sorcerer's capabilities.
The Hutt trudged closer, his massive body trembling in fury. Jango didn't even react, but he was ready to act. "Fine. You will have it."
As Gorga left, a more feminine and humanoid voice called out. "My, even the mighty Jango Fett is cautious."
He glanced at Aurra Sing for a moment before turning to watch the footage. "You are a fool if you aren't."
"Where is Cad Bane? I hate his smug face, but he would be useful here." Bossk said. The Duros was nowhere to be seen, and missing such a lucrative contract wasn't his style.
"He was on Tatooine the last time anyone saw him. He is either dead or has left the planet." Seeing as there was no sound from him, Jango was betting on the former.
Sing smirked. "So who else are you going to hire?"
"Everyone I can find."
—
Tatooine
Fort Freedom
Doctors and droids all over the planet worked like moisture vaporators in the Dune Sea. There were too many slaves and not enough hands or supplies to anesthetize and operate on every single one.
Most of the planet was already cleared of Jabba's influence. Their savior and his countless abilities were what made it possible in the first place.
"Sir, they are not speaking. If you would let us…" Carlen, a human who was quickly chosen by the men to handle the operations, said. While Anakin was the one who started the war, he didn't have the experience to lead men. Carlen, before he was caught, was the leader of a small rebel cell.
He was their best option.
"No need," he said, turning to their queries.
Right now, they had to access Jabba's wealth to buy supplies from off-world. Mosep Binneed, Tessek, and Shasa Tiel kept track of various fronts of the hutt's wealth. They, however, were refusing to speak.
He pointed at the middle of the throne room, right where Jabba would throw his. "Can you move them there? I believe that's where the trapdoor to the rancor pit is."
"The rancor pit?" The long whiskers of the Nimbanel twitched. All three suddenly stood straighter.
Anakin smiled, the only part of him visible under the hood, and knelt down to Mosep's ear. "Yes. If you aren't going to help us, then you are Jabba's accomplices. As such, you should share the fate of his victims."
Tessek tried to rise to his feet, but the Twi'leks pushed him down. "Perhaps we have been too hasty. I am certain we can come to an agreement."
The Quarren's words were approved by his colleagues, whose heads tilted up and down earnestly.
"Give us all of Jabba's wealth, and you three are free to go," he said. The rancors beneath their feet would have to be dealt with. How, though, remained a question.
"Of course, of course."
"Sir, no way they will give us everything," Orlen said, scratching his graying stubble beard.
"They won't. Which is why we are not going to push it." These bastards were no doubt embezzling from Jabba. Along with the Hutt's most secretive businesses, the three accountants would try to sell what they could and escape.
His brown eyes locked on him, a questioning glint in them. "I don't understand."
"You will," he said, patting the taller man on the shoulder, remembering a passage from the Art of War.
Guards were assigned to watch over the accountants as the transition of wealth started. Jabba didn't have massive piles of peggats laying around; no one would. What he had was thousands of businesses, funneling the wealth to the banks across Tatooine. His accounts were still loaded, though.
Once the bank was coerced to hand the wealth over, since they technically possessed all of Jabba's credentials. With that, the necessary supplies began to flow.
—
"They are willing to sell supplies under market value? Why?" he asked. Typically, logistics didn't fall under his purview, so he didn't receive these types of requests. In fact, he didn't do more than fight and give people hope. The people of Freedom First did all of that.
The matter was simply intriguing enough that they brought it to him.
Several Republic worlds, such as Naboo and Alderaan, had sent an unofficial message, along with unregistered ships filled with medical droids and all kinds of civilian supplies. They promised material support as long as their war against slavery and the Hutts continued. It was all under the table, of course.
"To summarize, they want to support our war. They can't do it by sending soldiers, but selling or sending supplies is apparently allowed for humanitarian reasons."
"Well, better than the Trade Federation," he said, handing the datapad back. The Hutts had dealings with the Trade Federation and the Banking Clan. As such, buying or dealing with them was not possible. This was especially true given that the Hutts were such lucrative business partners.
Corlen nodded. "The men are worried about something else. The hutts will come with ships and an army. What do we do then?"
"They can't gather an army that fast. The Hutts will target me first." He was the head of the rebellion. The Hutt Council would want to make an example out of him.
"Still, we don't have the means to defend ourselves in space. We took everything we could, but it isn't much." The ships and weapons taken from Jabba's holdings and everyone else in his employ amounted to a small, mismatched fleet. The heaviest ships were cargo freighters, which they were trying to fit with torpedo launchers.
"The Republic-affiliated organizations wouldn't sell us weapons, and the Trade Federation has relations with the Hutts, so they won't either." Corlen had reached out to his old contacts, but no one was willing to risk their necks for a rebellion in a world like Tatooine.
He was strong, but the movement was weak. He alone couldn't do everything.
"We wait for the Hutts to send a fleet and then take them over," Anakin said. It was a dangerous idea, but the potential benefits would be worth it.
Corlen raised an eyebrow, the brown skin around his eyes turning wrinkly. "You can do that by yourself?"
"By myself? "No," he shook his head. "We'll get strike teams; I'll open portals into bridges, and we'll take over. After that, we shut down the life support systems and vented the atmosphere to kill them all."
"That could work. I'll get the men ready for the next push in the meanwhile."
—
Mos Espa Spaceport
"Reason for visit?" The Togruta clerk asked behind the
"We are observers sent by the Senate of the Galactic Republic and the Jedi Council to report on the current state of the war," Plo Koon said. This was technically an official visit, but one only meant to determine what the humanitarian situation was.
Their mission of finding and speaking to the Sorcerer didn't really concern the Senate.
"Right, the Jedi Masters. You better head to Fort Freedom then. It's Jabba's former palace in the Northern Dune Sea."
"Thank you."
"That was easy. I expected more bureaucracy and questions," Obi-Wan said. The security was heavy. On Republic worlds, it would mean everything would slow down, sometimes even for the Senate. In a non-member world, they had
Quinlan huffed, head slightly turning to the knight. "Not from a spaceport clerk whose job is just to handle the records. I am sure you will get all the red tape you want at this Fort Freedom."
"What about our mysterious sorcerer? What we heard so far says he isn't seen much unless there is fighting." Which could mean they could potentially be stuck in the middle of a battlefield.
Obi-Wan thanked the Force for deciding against bringing Ferus.
Plo Koon stopped, searching for transport among the bustling port. "We'll see if we can find him through diplomatic means. If not, the Hutt clans are unlikely to leave Tatooine alone."
"I heard they inquired with several arms manufacturers about anti-ship weaponry," Quinlan added. If the Republic could only get its act together and send support to Tatooine, this rebellion could be the end of the Hutts.
"The Chancellor is unwilling to take a side, not with all the tension in the Senate. While the Hutts aren't a danger to the Republic, they could be if we are seen as supporting the rebellion." Plo Koon's assessment was spot on, which put a dampener on their mood.
"I hate politics," Quinlan said with a flat voice.
Obi-Wan nodded. "So do I."
—
Bestine
The capital city of Tatooine was like the rest of the settlements on the planet. Dusty, poor, and under Hutt rule. The rebellion had yet to touch the city. While Jabba was dead, his influence on the capital continued, largely due to the existence of the Hutt Council.
Even if Jabba were gone, another Hutt would come to take his assets. If the city surrendered at the first sign of trouble, the new management wouldn't be merciful. Beyond that, the slave owners weren't willing to let their property go.
The rich and elite of the city would fight.
They had created a loose coalition, bringing their forces together. The Commerce Guild Hall was their staging point. He had already scouted the place. Pirates, bodyguards, and mercenaries created a well-defended fortress.
Unfortunately for them, it also turned them into an easy target.
He threw his hands forward, fingers spread like claws. He followed by bringing his hands to chest level, crossing his wrists, and keeping his index and pinky fingers extended. He threw his hands forward again, calling on the demon Ikthalon.
The icy tendrils struck everywhere at once. Buildings, people—no one was safe. The subzero temperatures of the tendrils quickly grew layers of ice.
That wasn't all.
Ikthalon's ice actively drained all heat and hope, like a parasite would drain the strength of its host. The weaker the enemy got, the stronger the ice grew. Their struggles made them die faster. Blaster fire did not work either. The intense heat of the plasma was drained, leaving behind harmless gas that froze.
He poured everything he had into it, mostly the hate and the fury. When the tendrils ceased, the Commerce Guild Hall was one giant iceberg, shining but not melting.
The surrounding forces felt despair settle on their minds. It grew like the pillars of ice, draining all hope.
When Anakin floated above them, none had the will to fight. The Freedom First rounded the living without a single shot being fired.
—
Once Bestine was under their control, they had access to most of Jabba's accounts, his businesses, and, most importantly, control over planetary communications. The state of the guild hall was projected to the remaining cities still against them.
The icy graveyard on the desert world had the Hutt loyalists scrambling to surrender.
One city at a time, the slaves were freed and operated on. There were thousands willing to join their cause. Miners, dancers, guards, and more. Even children tried to join, wanting to do their part, though Anakin could see they wanted revenge. Those without caretakers were admitted, not to fight, but to handle small tasks. It would give them a purpose and prevent them from seeking out their own justice.
He wasn't against revenge, simply against the fact that they would die before achieving it.
Ships, weapons, money, and all other assets were seized for the war effort. Engineers, whether freed or people simply against slavery, were put to work in the factories. They could only produce small arms, but it was better than nothing.
The first battle was won, but no doubt more difficult challenges awaited them in the future.
At the end of the day, though, he returned to the Sanctum, giving the good news to his mother and teacher.
—
Naboo
Theed Royal Palace
"My queen, the preliminary report from Tatooine is here," Vaelia said, holding out a gray datapad.
The silver, metallic hand glinted under the lights as she reached for the datapad. "So it's true. He is quite young."
The curt, emotionless voice of the queen suddenly had a lighter tone.
"Fourteen or fifteen by our estimates. He doesn't show his face, but his abilities are real."
"The state of their rebellion?" Padme asked. Her previous, less than effective actions against slavery, which were to bring it to the Senate's attention in the hopes they might do something, were just another sour memory.
It felt good to see someone actually taking action. Action that she would support as much as possible.
"They are showing great success on the planet. We believe they will target the capital city soon. If it falls, the rest of the planet would be unlikely to continue fighting," her handmaiden said.
"And they would win. What about the Hutts? What is the state of their preparations?" Their contacts in the Outer Rim weren't numerous. A possible end to the Hutt rule had made them work very earnestly.
Which was proving useful.
"Bounty hunters, pirates, mercenaries, and all other hirable fighting forces all along the Outer Rim are being called. They also assembled a small fleet. Since Tatooine doesn't have the means to defend itself in space, it would be more than enough."
Padmé's face ached slightly as a smile tugged at her lips. "Unless the Sorcerer can't turn the tide."
It invigorated her, knowing a teen was scaring the Hutts so much.
She handed the datapad back, an idea forming. "Send him a discreet message. Include everything we have on the Hutts. If they survive the first storm, then perhaps we can help them more."
She had to see what the Gungans could spare from the joint arsenal. They couldn't possibly send them equipment in time for the response of the Hutt Council. Should they succeed, however, the hidden might of Naboo could allow Freedom First to strike the Hutts everywhere.
"As you wish."
—
In the next chapter:
"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?"
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