Battle for Ringo Vinda! Republic forces are locked in heated combat with the droid armada on a massive space station that encircles an entire planet. Anakin Skywalker valiantly leads his men against the onslaught which has lasted several rotations with neither side gaining any ground. Aided by the twin sister Jedi Masters, Tiplee and Tiplar, the Republic now mounts a desperate offensive to break the deadlock....

Jedi Generals Anakin Skywalker, Tiplee and Tiplar push the offensive forward. With the Force, Tiplar pushes shielded droidekas off their footing long enough for her troops to roll neutralizing droid-popper EMPs under them. With this last resistance neutralized, the clone squads reunite in the communications center, ready to proceed to phase two: the conquest of the command center held by the notorious Separatist tactician, Admiral Trench.

As the troops prepare to break off, Tup holds his head as he is overcome by a strange sensation. He tries to shake his head clear of the sudden confusion, and he focuses on Master Tiplar with an uncharacteristic -- and deadly -- intensity. He quickly snaps out of this strange episode as Fives prompts him to focus.

The clone troopers continue their push forward, but Tup freezes. The trooper enters a trance-like state and once again focuses his attention on Master Tiplar, who is making short work of a spider droid. Tup removes his helmet, and whispers under his breath, "Good soldiers follow orders."

Driven by a mysterious compulsion, Tup marches up to Tiplar, and coldly murders her with a shot to her head at point-blank range.

Tiplee reacts with shock and runs to her fallen sister. Fives tackles and restrains Tup. In the confusion, the Republic line falters as the Separatists unleash destroyer droid and super battle droid rocket trooper reinforcements. Anakin calls a retreat. He orders Fives to find out what has happened to the delirious Tup.

Admiral Trench contacts Count Dooku via hologram, and informs him of the deadly betrayal perpetrated by a clone trooper in the thick of battle. Dooku attempts to dismiss it as a traitor in the Republic's fold, but Trench insists it is something beyond that; the trooper seemed entranced.

Meanwhile, at his palace on Serenno, Lord Tyranus makes contact with the holographic form of his master, Darth Sidious. He reports his concerns that a clone has exhibited evidence of the Sith Lord's secret programming contained within the Republic troopers. Sidious orders Tyranus to seize the clone for examination, lest their carefully laid plans be exposed too early.

At Ringo Vinda, Tup has been transferred to a medical station aboard a Jedi cruiser, where he lies restrained to a recovery bed. When Fives tells Tup what he did -- that Tup murdered Master Tiplee -- Tup cannot believe it. He thrashes against the restraints and is promptly sedated by a medical droid. Kix is at a loss to explain what ails Tup. His medical scans come up clear.

Rex rejects any notions that Tup is suffering an emotional breakdown. Fives wonders if it's the effects of a drug or virus. Regardless, such detailed examination isn't possible aboard a Jedi cruiser. As Kix explains, for Tup to truly be studied, he needs to be sent back to Kamino. Tup is restrained to a hover gurney and loaded onto a Republic medical shuttle in the hangar bay of the Jedi cruiser.

The shuttle takes off into space, escorted by a quartet of ARC-170 fighters. Before the ship can escape into hyperspace, however, it is ambushed by a missile-laden droid gunship flanked by super battle droid rocket troopers. A missile clips the shuttle, sending it reeling while the battle droids overwhelm the fighters. The gunship fires a missile packed with buzz droids that slice their way into the shuttle cockpit, killing its pilots.

The shuttle's artificial gravity and power cut out, plunging the troopers aboard into weightless darkness. They put on breathmask survival gear in time as the super battle droid rocket troopers and buzz droids cut their way aboard. A micro-gravity gunfight ensues, but the clones are blasted by the droids, and the intruders cut Tup free from his restraints, moving his body from the hovergurney to a shielded medical capsule. Later, in the Separatist command center, Admiral Trench reports to Count Dooku that they have captured Tup. The Count orders the clone brought to him immediately, alive and intact.

The Jedi shuttle streaks towards the Separatist-held side of Ringo Vinda, following Tup's extremely faint tracking signal. The ship lands inverted, on the underside of the ring station section that holds the principal Separatist hangar bay. Anakin, Fives, and Rex space-walk across the surface, clamber towards the hangar and peer inside.

Within the cavernous bay stand a hundred battle droids, super battle droid rocket troopers, as well as several vulture droid and landed tri-droid fighters. A Separatist shuttle sits on its struts, warming up. Kraken approaches the craft with the unconscious Tup lashed to a gurney in tow.

Fives hatches an idea: using their ascension cables, the clones and Anakin latch onto the departing shuttle as it flies overhead. The Republic heroes reel themselves aboard the shuttle, and cut and blast their way past the security contingent of battle droids and commando droids. Anakin demands answers from a stubborn Kraken, but when the tactical droid boasts about being able to resist intimidation, the Jedi simply slices off its head with his lightsaber.

With the enemy dispatched, Rex and Fives find the ailing Tup. The captive clone's life signs are fading. It is imperative they get Tup to a proper medical facility on Kamino. In short order, Tup is transferred to medical frigate 517, bound for the cloning hatcheries of Kamino. Rex will accompany Tup. Fives wants to go as well, explaining to Rex that Tup is his best friend. Rex allows it, but orders Fives to stay by his side and proceed by the book -- no more slipups.