"{\fad(800,1000)}{\when surrounded by war, one must eventually choose a side}" "Republic forces in retreat." "While rescuing General Aayla Secura from certain defeat," "Anakin Skywalker has been seriously injured." "After a narrow escape, our heroes crashlanded on the remote world of Maridun." "Stranded, and with no way to contact the Republic, the Jedi receive medical aid from the peaceful Lurmen colonists." "But even on this tiny planet, the war threatens to follow the Jedi." "Commander Bly, we've got company." " Friendlies?" " Negative, sir." "A droid ship coming straight our way." "Acknowledged." "Get back here." " General?" " Yes, commander?" "We've got a Separatist ship incoming." "This is neutral space." "It won't be neutral for long, not if the Separatists have their way." " Help me up." " Don't struggle." "I'm sorry, but you're still too injured to move." "What menace have you brought to our village now, Jedi?" "Father, you can't blame them." "He's right." "The Separatists don't even know we're here." "And they can't know." "We've got to hide." "Your presence here endangers us." "You must leave before your enemies find you." "But you'll need our help." "You can't fight them alone." "We will not fight them at all." "We would rather die than to kill others." "You're going to surrender?" " But how can you..." " Ahsoka, stop." "If the Lurmen want to remain neutral, we won't force them into war." "See to it that they leave." "I must see what our new visitors want." "Take it easy, sir." "We'll assist you." "I am General Lok Durd of the Separatist alliance." "I am Tee Watt Kaa, leader of this colony." " What do..." " You are now under the protection of the Separatist alliance." "I congratulate you on your good fortune." "Thank you, but we enjoyed good fortune well before your arrival." "We are a peaceful people, General." "I do not condone your presence here." "Then stand aside." "I would like to inspect my new colony." "Ransack this dung heap." "Why are they tearing apart our homes?" "We've done nothing to them!" "Violence, that's what those droids are programmed for." "Can't we do anything?" "No, and if we are discovered, all of the Lurmen will be slaughtered." "We'll be okay if we make it to the tall grasses." "There is no evidence of any weapons or Republic contraband, General." "In the future, we may conduct more periodic searches like this one in order to maintain security." "Because we are such an obvious threat to you." "We'll offer no resistance." "Your species is smarter than you appear." "Father, are you okay?" "At least the Jedi escaped." "Yes, but they nearly brought harm to our entire village." "But now, thanks to you, we're safe to grovel before every petty tyrant who enters our system." "You would mock our very way of life?" "I have just ensured we will have peace." "Yes, but for the moment, and at what price?" "Are you not concerned about the Jedi at all?" "I have no quarrel with the Jedi, but we cannot help them without being drawn into their war." "Tub, track the Jedi." "Follow them and make sure they get off world." "You know, I can't figure those villagers not wanting to fight." "No pride I guess." "I call it no courage." "Sometimes it takes courage to stick to one's beliefs, young padawan, as any Jedi well knows." "We need to find a ship, and I think the only one around here belongs to the Separatists." "We know they have a landing ship." "They might have a shuttle." "Sir, you talking about stealing from one of the clankers?" " Count me in." " We need to find them first." "I think we just did." "Blast it!" "Jam its signal!" "After it!" "I'm fine." "Just go!" " Which way did it go?" " This way." "Hurry!" "We can't catch it if it gets out in the open." " I wonder where it was headed." " Maybe we can see them from up there." "I hope you're feeling better, Master, 'cause look what we found." "I'm getting stronger all the time, snips." "But I'm not sure I'm ready for that." "That shuttle's our ticket off this rock." "It's not gonna be easy, sir." "There don't seem to be any flaws in their security line." "Apparently, the Separatists have a new toy." " See if you can get a closer look." " Yes, sir." "I'll go with you, Commander." "Is the defoliator capsule ready?" "Today is a grand day for the Separatist cause." "We test a new weapon of my own design which is capable of catastrophic destruction," "a weapon which will destroy organic matter but leave machines unharmed." "But first, we need two volunteers." "The volunteers are you and you." " Me?" " Me?" "Go to that ridge." "Roger, roger." "Stay down, boys." "Count Dooku," "I have located a world in which we can test my..." "Excuse me, our new weapon." "I hope it turns out to be worth the expense." "You may proceed." "Yes, my Lord." "Ready?" "Roger, roger." "Aim." "Fire!" "Should we take cover?" "No, idiot." "That is not even gonna hit us." "That's some toy..." "It took out every living thing." "As you can see, the landscape has been destroyed, and the droids are undamaged." "Impressive, but now, we need to know how effective this weapon will be against living creatures." "Of course." "I specifically chose this planet because it is inhabited." "The colonists will make excellent test subjects." "Proceed, then." "I eagerly await the results." "Prepare to move out!" "Where are they off to now?" "They must be going back to the Lurmen village." "There's nothing else in that direction." "Those villagers won't stand a chance." "First we'll take out the droids' communication station." "{\Then, }After we get a shuttle, we'll go back and help {\the Lurmen}them." "But Tee Watt Kaa said he doesn't need our help." "There's a difference between pulling innocents into a war and leaving them to extinction." "Tell Wag Too that the Separatists are returning." "Hey, what was that?" "Get to the door." "I'll handle the droids." "Check the exterior." "We cannot have any surprises for the General." "4724, how does the west end check out?" "What the..." "The Separatists are on the march." "They're returning to our village." "They did not attack us before." "There's no reason to think they will this time." "Father, they wouldn't be coming back here unless they intended to do us harm." "This is war!" "But not our war." "We've done nothing to provoke them, and we will not." "That is their way." "So we will just lay down and be slaughtered?" "Father, even if we don't fight the Separatists, we must defend ourselves!" "Mounting a defense is still engaging in battle." "If we sacrifice our beliefs, we're no better than they are." "Our philosophy has helped us to survive for generations, and we will not change our morals now or ever." " Shield generator, sir." " Let's take 'em with us." "Everyone, please, please listen." "The Separatists will be here in moments." "What are you doing here?" "I told you not to return." "I'm afraid the Separatists don't care whether you're in the war or not." "We need to get you to safety before they arrive." "We will not abandon our homes." "But they've got a new weapon." "It'll burn this place to a crisp." "Is this what all of you really want?" "If it is our destiny to be destroyed in your war, so be it." "Droids inbound." "We've got eight minutes tops." "Come on, guys." "Let's get these shield generators in place!" "When Count Dooku sees how successful my weapon is against civilian targets," "I will no doubt be promoted to a more..." "Substantial position within the alliance." "Right." "Well, the villagers appear to have put some pods together" " in a barrier around the village." " Pods?" "How quaint." "Jedi?" "What are they doing out here?" "Halt!" "Pray stop what you're doing." "Stop building that wall." " I did not ask you to defend us." " This battle is inevitable." "You can stand by your beliefs, but let us stand by ours." "Thank you for what you're trying to do." "I'm sorry, but I cannot help." "My father is very..." "Strong willed and set in tradition." "Many others agree with me, but we were raised under a very strict code." "We must respect it, even if we don't agree." " They're holding position." " They're not going to charge us, not if they can hit us from long range first." "But if we can withstand that weapon, we'll draw them in." "Prepare to fire!" "Good-bye, Jedi." "Fire!" "Incoming!" "Power the shields!" "Now they'll have to get their hands dirty and meet us face-to-face." "Squad one, prepare to charge." "Prepare to charge." "Charge!" "That's a lot of clankers." "We got to stop them before they get through that shield." "Five, four, three, two, one, zero." "Sir, the first squad has been destroyed." "Squad two and three, attack!" " That wasn't so tough." " That was just the first wave." "Snips, get back to the village!" "I'll take care of the new weapon." "That's it." "We have to retreat!" "Take cover." "They've breached the shield!" "They're taking out the shield generators." "We have to do something." "Their shield is down." "Launch another shell." "Sir, there's a Jedi heading right for us." "Then blast him, you idiot!" "No survivors." "Wag Too, what are you doing?" " We're going to help." " I forbid this." "What more would you have them do before we are allowed to defend ourselves?" " But..." " We have to do this." "Help!" "I'll be defoliated!" "There goes my promotion." "The weapon has been disabled." "Copy that, General." " Thank you, Wag Too." " Thank you." "Our village would certainly have been destroyed without your protection." "Father," "I was just offering the Jedi our thanks." "Perhaps we do owe you thanks, but I still wonder, at what cost?" "Why am I always the lucky one?" "As if freezing our behinds off on this rock weren't bad enough." "What was that?" "Anakin and I have a full scale war on our hands since chairman Cho refuses to be reasonnable." "They are savages." "Trespassers!" "We must broker a peace between the Pantaurens and the creatures who call this place home." "Easier said than done."