Utapau – Pau City

Year 981 after the Ruusan Reformation - Third year of the Clone Wars

Fire raged across Utapau. The Republic army had assaulted the planet and rooted out a significant Separatist presence in Pau City. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was leading the attack to capture General Grievous, leader of the Separatist Alliance. Obi-Wan had also received word that the Separatist Council was there. Of course, Nute Gunray and his capitalist cronies were second priority. Obi-Wan's biggest target was that Kaleesh scumbag. So far, the battle was turning for the Republic's favor. The clone troopers were beginning to gain positions against the droids.

Marshal Commander CC-2224, also known as Cody, stood in a large corridor, leading the frontal assault against the droids. Obi-Wan had let him in command while he pursued Grievous. Also, Cody had picked up Obi-Wan's lightsaber after the Jedi Master had lost it after his brief duel with Grievous. "Move it, troopers!" he said in a powerful roar that shook the skies of Utapau. Although the battle was going in their favor, the droids were no pushover. Cody had to be a hope-bringer for his forces. "General Kenobi has been there for me when I need him." Cody thought to himself. "Now, I have to be strong for him." Raising his DC-15, Cody blasted as many droids as he could.

"Come on, let's help the commander." said a private, inspired by Cody's example. Getting off the trench he had made to protect himself from the droidekas, the private grabbed two DC-17 pistols and got to Cody's side. The other clones barricaded on the trench followed, and the Republic began increasing its foothold on the city.

"About time you grew some guts, Jaden." said Cody, smiling under his helmet.

"Thank you, Commander." replied the private. Jaden was not a coward; he was just a little shy. He only had been taken out of the Kamino training facilities just a few months ago. Sure, he had seen action on Cato Neimodia and in Malastare, but Utapau was his first full-scale battle.

If things weren't good enough, a squad of LAAT/is flew nearby the corridor's edge, unleashing a barrage of missiles on the droidekas. The super-battle droids tried to shoot them down, but heavy troopers also gave them a taste of good ol' Republic missiles. In a few minutes, the corridor was wiped clean. No droids in sight. It was a good start for a Republic victory.

"Righteous fury, you shameless clankers!" shouted Jaden, gleefully celebrating the Separatists's casualties.

"Okay, okay, Jaden. No need to get all bloodthirsty." Cody said to calm down the private.

"Sorry, commander." Jaden replied. "It's just that it never came to me that battle was so exhilarating. I mean, is it wrong for me to enjoy fighting?"

"War is in your blood, Jaden. In all our blood." Cody imparted wisdom on the young soldier. "If it's right or wrong, I can't say. But if you like something, then be good at me. Be the best at it."

"Thank you, Commander." Smiling, Jaden reloaded his guns.

"Alright, everyone." Cody addressed the troops present. "General Kenobi pursued General Grievous to the lower levels. I'm taking a squad to provide him assistance. I want you to go to the upper levels and maintain Republic superiority on Pau City. If this goes as planned, General Grievous will be captured and this battle will end. Come on!"

The soldiers, emboldened by the commander's words, left Cody and boarded nearby vehicles and left to their designated targets. Cody and a small squad of 9 soldiers remained on the level, Jaden among them.

"Let's assist the General." Said Cody, who ran as fast as his legs could, followed by his subordinates.

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan was pursuing General Grievous across the city. As expected from someone as cowardly as Grievous, he had run from Obi-Wan as soon as the battle had begun turning to the Republic's favor. Grievous was riding on wheel bike, trying to escape from Obi-Wan, who was pursuing the Kaleesh warlord on his trusty Varactyl boga.

"Give up, Grievous." Obi-Wan said as he tried to keep with the Separatist scumbag. "If you win here, the Republic will not stop fighting. This is a fight you can't possibly win."

"I'll take my chances, Jedi filth!" Grievous replied, revving up his bike. The chase raged across the streets of Pau City, going across the mess the battle had made the city of.

As Obi-Wan caught up to the General, Grievous thrust at Boga with an electrostaff he stashed in the wheelbike. Kenobi managed to grab hold of the shaft of the weapon and wrench it from the cyborg's hands. Kenobi then attempted to destroy the wheels on Grievous's vehicle with it before attacking the General himself with it. Grievous managed to regain hold of it, and pulled it back, and Kenobi along with it. As the two grappled for control of the wheel bike, Grievous pulled out a blaster and attempted to shoot Kenobi, though the Jedi evaded the shots. Unfortunately, Obi-Wan's movements off-balanced the wheelbike, causing it to flip as they arrived at Grievous' landing platform. While they were thrown off, the bike skidded off the platform and fell into the sink hole below.

"Jedi scum! Prepare to meet your doom!" Grievous was angrier than ever. Grabbing his blaster, the Kaleesh warlord menacingly walked towards Obi-Wan, ready to end the life of his most dangerous and persistent foe.

"Not gonna happen, Grievous." Obi-Wan recovered from the sudden fall and grabbed the electrostaff. He quickly engaged Grievous in short-range combat. Disarming Grievous, Obi-Wan unleashed a flurry of jabs against the Kaleesh's torso. Grievous kicked Obi-Wan, throwing him across the platform. Obi-Wan regained his footing, but Grievous took the advantage in the melee.

While Grievous's mechanical exoskeleton provided him with a clear advantage, Obi-Wan managed to pry apart the armorplast plates that protected the Kaleesh's internal organs before Grievous threw him to the ground. Obi-Wan counter-attacked with kick to Grievous's leg, but only injured himself against the hard durasteel. To say that it wasn't his best idea was a humungous understatement.

Taking advantage of his enemy's sudden moment of weakness, Grievous grabbed Obi-Wan by the collar and threw him across the platform. Obi-Wan barely managed to grab onto the edge. Grievous retrieved the electrostaff and advanced on Obi-Wan, ready to deliver the killing blow.

Obi-Wan tried his best to keep his hands on the edge. He had no time to come up with a plan to get out of this mess. Suddenly, his eyes gazed upon the blaster he had knocked off Grievous's hands. If he could take it, then maybe, just maybe, he could roast Grievous's internal organs. Not a civilized way to end an enemy's life, but this time, he could make an exception. Obi-Wan extended his hand and used the Force to attact the blaster to him.

However, Grievous was not a fool. When Obi-Wan made such a movement, he knew that he was going to "Force" his way out of his grip. As he turned to the floor, Grievous saw as his blaster was slowly being drawn to Obi-Wan. The Kaleesh general unleashed a small growl of fury, and sliced the blaster in half. Obi-Wan was in shock. Grievous had taken him for surprise.

Laughing, Grievous walked towards Obi-Wan, electrostaff in hand. "The Force will not save you now, Kenobi!" He then raised the electrostaff. In a few seconds, it would be over. Obi-Wan would be dead, and the war against the Jedi would be a little easier from now on.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and prepared himself for the killing blow. Is this the way it would end for him? Becoming one more of Grievous's victims? No. There had to be another way. The will of the Force would save him. He had faith in that.

And in the next few seconds, his prayers were answered.

Commander Cody and his squadron had reached the hangar and unleashed a rain of laser bolts on Grievous. "Get away from him, you Separatist trash!" said Cody, firing his blaster as fast as he could. The other soldiers, dedicated to their duty, kept up the pressure, resolute in not giving Grievous another chance to escape.

With a roar of frustration, Grievous used his staftt to deflect the clones's shots. Albeit injured, Grievous was still a dangerous opponent. He then pulled out a small comlink from his belt and pressed a red button. And a few seconds later, his personal starfighter, the Soulless One, entered the fray. The Soulless One unleashed its own rain of laser on the clones, who had to take cover. Also, an army of Vulture droids had arrived to provide cover fire for Grievous. The Kaleesh general climbed to his fighter.

"Don't let him escape!" said Obi-Wan, climbing back up to the platform.

But it was too late. The ship's canopy was closed, with Grievous inside. Recovering his breath, Grievous took the helm and flew his ship away from the platform, followed by his droid guard. Republic gun batteries tried to take him down, but Grievous was just as a skilled a pilot just as he was a ground soldier. No one could get a clear shot on him.

Seconds later, Grievous had regrouped with a Munificent frigate on Utapau's orbit. The Munificent was loaded with the Separatist Council, and several Providence carriers were providing it with cover fire from the Republic's Venators. In that moment, Nute Gunray, Viceroy of the Trade Federation, manifested on a hologram in Grievous's holoproject.

"General…" said Gunray. "… the other council members are on board. Now get us out of here or Darth Sidious will be informed of your incompetence of protecting us!"

"Be quiet, Viceroy!" replied Grievous. "While you were crying on a corner, I was defending your sorry butts from the Republic. You should be more thankful."

"Keep the Republic off our backs or you will never learn the true meaning of gratitude!" retorted Gunray as his image disappeared from the holoprojector.

Controlling his anger, Grievous let out his next command: "All Confederate ships, prepare to enter hyperspace. Go to the rendezvous point!"

Every Separatist vessel who heeded Grievous's orders activated their hyperdrives, quickly disappearing in hyperspace. Munificent, Providence and Recusant vessels quickly abandoned Utapau, escaping from the Republic's fury. A few Vultures and tri-fighters also escaped with the cruisers. There was a significant number of troops and ships left on Utapau, falling prey to the Republic's fire. But the Confederacy had escaped once again.

Later, on a command post, Obi-Wan was getting his injuries treated by medics. He was sitting next to the holographic telling the Jedi Council about yet another Jedi failure in capturing Grievous. It was painful to him, and not because of his injuries. His responsibility was to bring the greatest war criminal in galactic history to justice, and he had failed. Not only to the Jedi, and to the Republic, but to himself. The Jedi Council nevertheless praised his efforts in rooting out the Separatist presence and said to Obi-Wan that he would get another chance in catching Grievous.

But the feeling of failure lingered, even when the Jedi Council disappeared from the holoprojector. He was giving himself the same treatment Anakin Skywalker gave himself. Maybe he and his former Padawan were not too different after all. Afterwards, Cody, Jaden and the rest of the squad neared the Jedi Master to report the Utapau situation.

"General…" Cody said. "…we have secured the city. But the other cities in the planet are still under Separatist possession. It will take weeks, maybe months, until Utapau is under Republic control."

"Maybe so, but Grievous escaped." Obi-Wan replied. "His capture is crucial for the end of the war. However, with the intel we gather here, we can pick out some clues. So, this didn't turn out to be a wild bantha chase." He then stood up from the box he was sitting on. "Well, I'll get back to the Vigilance. I'll coordinate the planetary assault. Commander, you're in charge."

"Yes, sir." answered Cody as Obi-Wan got into his Eta-2 fighter and left the planet. "Alright, troopers. We still have a lot to do. These droids aren't going to send themselves to the scrapyard. Go, go, go!"

General Grievous had escaped, but the Republic was victorious. The war continued…