Star Wars: The Clone Wars Episode 2.16 Cat and Mouse

"A wise leader knows when to follow."

Newsreel:

An impenetrable defense! Separatist ships blockade the resource-rich planet of Christophsis, trapping Senator Bail Organa and his relief Effort. Desperate to aid the esteemed Senator, a Republic task force under the command of Anakin Skywalker must break the impasse. But time runs short for the Senator and the good citizens of Christophsis....

ACT I

Christophsis is ringed by a cordon of heavy Separatist cruisers. Anakin Skywalker's task-force of Republic cruisers weathers incoming fire, as he and Admiral Yularen make contact with the beleaguered Bail Organa on the surface. Organa's situation grows dire; the blockade has cut off all re-supply efforts, and the Senator's relief mission now runs low on food, water and munitions. They are close to being overrun by the vast droid armies that march across the planet's crystalline surface.

Commanding the Separatist forces from the dreadnaught flagship Invincible is the arachnid Admiral Trench. Trench's long range attacks begin picking off the transport ships in Skywalker's task force. Skywalker orders his crew to over-fire the Resolute's reactors as he prepares to charge the enemy, but belays that order with the sudden arrival of Kenobi's flagship, Negotiator. Skywalker reluctantly calls off his attack, and the Republic ships retreat behind Christophsis's moon.

Anakin shuttles to the Negotiator, where Obi-Wan shows off a new weapon in the Republic arsenal: a prototype stealth ship. The needle-shaped starship is invisible behind its cloaking shield. Skywalker's mission will be to take the cloaked ship on a mercy mission to Christophsis' surface. Skywalker would rather a direct confrontation with the enemy, however.

Meanwhile, aboard the Resolute, Admiral Yularen researches the markings on the Invincible, and recognizes the crest emblazoned on its hull. Yularen's worst fears are realized as he confirms the enemy ship belongs to Admiral Trench. Yularen calls for Skywalker to halt his departure.

ACT II

Yularen explains his past history to Skywalker. Some time ago, a corporate fleet blockaded Malastare, prompting a Republic task force to retaliate. Yularen served with the force, against enemy vessels commanded by Trench. According to reports, Admiral Trench died in the Battle of Malastare Narrows, but Yularen now recognizes Trench's tactics and efficient maneuvers here at Christophsis. He volunteers to accompany Skywalker, for he fears that one way or another, they will face Trench's cunning.

The crew of the stealth ship readies for takeoff, including rookie crewman, CC-1284, also known as Spark. Trooper Blackout takes the newcomer under his wing. The needle-shaped ship disappears in the envelope of the cloaking shield. It begins slipping through the heavily armed blockade.

Trench awaits the inevitable counterattack. Seeking to pressure the Republic into a foolish move, Trench targets the enemy outpost on Christophsis's surface with hyena bombers. The droid fighters zip past the invisible relief ship, and hammer Organa's headquarters. He contacts General Kenobi, desperate for reinforcements. Kenobi decides to engage Trench's forces, but Yularen recognizes it as a trap. Anakin decides to go on the offensive.

Skywalker decloaks the stealth ship and fires a volley of four proton torpedoes at the Invincible. The enemy flagship erects its thermal shields in time, blocking the incoming missiles. Trench orders return-fire, and targets the stealth ship with a quartet of discord missiles.

ACT III

The stealth ship launches decoy flares before vanishing beneath its cloak. Trench orders a barrage of laserfire, but Anakin's ship avoids destruction and continues to hide. Trench surmises that the ship's pilot must be a Jedi, for no clone is that skilled a pilot. He also figures the Jedi will attack again, given that he went on the offensive the first time. Trench decides to contact the enemy directly.

The arachnid officer sends out a general hail that is intercepted by the stealth ship. He calls out his unseen enemy, and tries to goad him into attacking. Trench boasts he has dealt with cloaked ships before. Skywalker and Yularen puzzle over this revelation until Kenobi's research uncovers that Trench has indeed faced off against cloaked cruisers in the past, but had gotten past their sensor countermeasures somehow. Anakin theorizes that Trench probably honed in on the ships' magnetic signatures with tracking torpedoes.

Skywalker begins formulating a plan. He once again disengages the cloak and fires a quartet of torpedoes. He then immediately recloaks as the torpedoes rain against the Invincible's thermal shields. Trench's tactical droid locks onto the stealth's ships magnetic signature, and Trench drops his shields to return fire with tracking torpedoes.

The torpedoes speed toward the stealth ship. Skywalker lowers the cloak and diverts full power to the ship's engines. He then speeds directly toward the Invincible, dragging the torpedoes with him. As the Invincible recycles its shields, the stealth ship skims past its hull at point blank range, leading the torpedoes directly into its bridge. The massive cruiser shudders as explosions tear apart its spine.

An amazed Kenobi praises Skywalker's unorthodox maneuver. The Negotiator engages the rest of the Separatist fleet while Skywalker makes good on his original mission to deliver relief supplies. Yularen is impressed with his unusual Jedi general.