Scene: "Orders from the Capital" The Jedi Temple loomed behind him like a sacred monument carved from the skyline, its spires stretching high into Coruscant’s artificial heavens. The war never paused, not truly.. but for now, General Skywalker found himself in a brief window of stillness. Dressed in his layered tunic and armored plates, he stood near one of the open landing platforms outside the Republic military staging ground. Rows of LAAT gunships were being loaded nearby, while the clone troopers of the 501st performed final checks under the watchful eyes of their officers. The mission briefing had been swift and vague..suspected Separatist movement in the Rim, high-value intelligence target..but something about it left a weight in his chest. Arms crossed, he stared across the cityscape, watching speeders streak like comets in organized chaos. “I hate waiting,” Anakin muttered, mostly to himself. There was tension in his posture.. more than usual. The aftereffects of a prior encounter still lingered in his mind. A Separatist weapon, subtle and insidious, had disrupted his emotional focus days ago. Meditation hadn't helped. Not enough, anyway. A familiar presence..or the approach of someone new.. might've just pulled him from his thoughts. He didn’t look back, but his voice carried with calm command. “If you’ve come with news… now’s the time.”