Back in the Game (COMPLETE)

9.10.4

Upon receiving the emergency broadcast, Chancellor Kayla Kanai immediately called for an audience with the Jedi High Council. Some of them were off on missions, but those who were able connected via hologram, as did the Chancellor herself. There was no time to speak to them in person.

Yoda answered the call initially, and noticed the distress in her face immediately. "Chancellor Kanai, what is the problem?"

"One that I do not know how to address, Master Yoda," she admitted, bringing up the distress call. "The Republic received this minutes ago from the Corellia system."

Although there was no visual feed, the audio was so desperate that a vivid image filled everyone's mind as it played. "This is Lucius Mevinow, governor of Coronet City! We are under attack! I repeat, we are under attack from Separatist mercenaries! They-they are attacking innocents! My people are going to die!!! We have not provoked this invasion, Corellia is a neutral system, we have no stake in the Clone War! Please! If anyone is listening we need hel-!"

Static followed, leaving the fate of the governor for them to imagine. None of the possibilities were pleasant. 

Mace Windu looked over at Yoda. "This is happening now? Why? What is there to gain from attacking a neutral system?"

"Neutral systems have been attacked before," Depa Billaba reminded them. "Granted, the Separatist armies are under Dooku's control now, but this isn't uncommon."

"Yes, but those attacks had strategic advantage," Obi-Wan explained, his voice crackling from the video feed. He was currently on a mission, so he was streaming from a cruiser. "They were clearing space for factories, or trying to force the government's hand. This is..just...ruthless. Not like anything we've seen from the Separatists before."

Kayla nodded her head at Obi-Wan, folding her hands. "I don't understand much about battle strategy, but that was my thought as well. My other concern is what the Republic has the power to do in this situation, with Corellia being a neutral system and all."

Mace Windu played back the message one more time, paying attention to wording of the broadcast. When it finished, he addressed the Chancellor. "Usually, we would not have the ability to interfere, but this is a, however informal, plea for help. As it is the Separatists that are attacking, we should be able to justify providing aid. It...may be a bit of paperwork on your end, however."

"A small price to pay," the Chancellor decided. "If that is your consensus, then you have orders to protect Corellia by whatever means you deem necessary. We will address the politics of this situation later."

~

Although it took longer than preferred, three Republic cruisers went to meet the cruiser that had brought the chaos to Corellia. Adi Gallia, Rig Nema, and Mace Windu were commanding a cruiser each. They were minutes from jumping from hyperspace, with no idea of what they would find when they entered Corellia's orbit. The Separatists had already thrown them one curveball, who knew what they had up their sleeve next. 

Windu hadn't told his clones or the other Jedi but an instinct had risen up in him, one that felt familiar and not friendly. Of course, he couldn't pinpoint exactly what was setting him off, because that would have been too easy, wouldn't it? No, he was only stuck with a pit in his stomach, one that was telling him to turn and run. Which he had orders not to do.

He braced himself as the three cruisers jumped out of hyperspace, expecting to see a swarm of ships and blaster fire before him. Instead, all he saw from the bridge was Corellia itself. Slightly on fire and damaged, from the look of the surface, but there was no Separatist fleet decimating the planet.