For more than a decade, the Republic has been under the rule of the Sith.
Ruling the galaxy.
Practically ruling the Jedi, although no one in the Order would ever admit to it.
I have just been told the truth. By young Anakin Skywalker. The Chosen One. The shatterpoint in all this.
He has just told me that the most powerful man in the galaxy was a Sith Lord. The one we've been looking for. The one we fought a war with. The one we shared victories with. The one we reported to after every mission.
Palpatine.
The man who didn't need to overthrow the galaxy because he already controlled it.
Palpatine.
We—Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, Saesee Tiin, and myself—Mace Windu—are on our way to...deal with Chancellor Palpatine.
I can not foresee the outcome of this confrontation. The next hour could be the turning point for the galaxy.
We have to be ready for anything.
May the Force be with us.
Chancellor Palpatine's Office, Coruscant. Final hours of the Clone Wars.
Mace Windu, Saesee Tiin, Agen Kolar, and Kit Fisto swept into the lower levels of Palpatine's building expecting a fight.
All they met was a receptionist eyeing them warily and inquiring about the Jedi Masters' intentions. Mace told her that they were here to see the Chancellor. She passed them through without another word. The Royal guards posted at the turoblift doors let them pass unimpeded.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Kit Fisto said, his black Nautolan eyes reflecting the lift's ceiling lights, giving them a crazed gleam. His numerous head tails were flicking in agitation. He was radiating anticipation and worry.
"I'd feel better if Yoda were here with us. Or even Kenobi. On Ord Cestus Obi-Wan and I—"
Saesee cut him off. "Yoda is fighting a battle on Kashyyk. Obi-Wan is wrapping up the battle at Utapau, not to mention out of contact. We dare not hesitate—the Dark Lord has revealed himself. Think not of it, Master Fisto; this duty has fallen to us. We will suffice...we must. We have to." Saesee sounded as if he were saying this last part to himself as well.
Mace nodded in agreement.
They rode the lift in agonizing silence. The Jedi Masters centered themselves in the Force, drawing on it for guidance, to hone their vision, reaction time, sense of smell.
It was the longest turbolift ride Mace had ever ridden.
Finally the doors parted and they entered Palpatine's suite. The front room was empty. He must be in his office.
"Masters," Mace said. "Friends. May the Force be with us."
The others only responded by snapping an arm out. Their lightsabers each smacked into their palms and remained unlit.
Kit Fisto gave Mace a weary grin. "Let's do it," he said with a confidence that belied his Force-aura.
It was the last thing he would ever say to Mace Windu.
The four Masters walked forward.
Mace was proud to have these three stand with him in this dark hour. He was very close to each of them. The had fought in the Clone Wars together. He knew he could rely on them unconditionally. He took a breath as the doors to the chancellor's office parted.
The Gates of Hell.
Palpatine almost looked surprised. Almost.
"Why, Master Windu," the Sith said. "What a pleasant surprise!"
Pleasantries seemed as absurd as offering him refreshments at the moment, Mace thought. "Hardly a surprise, I'm sure, Chancellor. And I don't believe it will be pleasant for neither of us."
Palpatine looked perplexed. "I'm sorry? Masters Fisto, Kolar, hello. Master Tiin, I see your horn has regrown. May I ask what brings you four Jedi Masters to my office at this late hour?"
Mace narrowed his eyes. "We know who—what you are. We are here to take you into custody," Mace bit out.
Palpatine still looked mildly confused. "iExcuse/i me, Masters? Last iI/i checked, I was the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic! To whom iyou/i have sworn service to!"
"You're under arrest," Mace said calmly.
"On what charge, Master Windu!"
"You're a iSith Lord/i!"
"Am I?" Palpatine said innocently. "Even iif/i I am, that is hardly a crime! My philosophical outlook is a personal matter! Last I checked in the Constitution, such persecution is against the law! So, I ask once more, is my alleged crime, Master Windu? Do you expect to justify your mutiny to the Senate? While you're at it, why don't you arrest ithem/i as well!"
Mace Windu glowered at the Supreme Chancellor. "We," he said, "Are not here to argue with you."
"Right," Palpatine said. "You're here to imprison me without trial! So this is the plan at last, revealed: The Jedi are overthrowing the Republic!"
"You will come with us, now," Mace said. "In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic," Mace said, igniting his weapon simultaneously with the other Masters, "You are under arrest, Chancellor." He raised his blade of shimmering purple energy. Mace glared at him. He felt the tension in the room coming to a breaking point. "The Senate will decide your fate," he said decisively.
"I am the Senate," Palpatine spat, his demeanor changing instantly.
"Not. Yet," Mace Windu growled.
Palpatine stood, slowly. "It's treason then," he said softly.
Mace felt the threat a split instant before it happened.
A lightsaber from seemingly nowhere slapped into Palpatine's hand. It ignited scarlet red. Palpatine was already moving, spinning through the air, howling howling throatily like a crazed akk dog.
Saesee Tiin never knew what hit him. Palpatine used the Force to make Saesee think the Dark Lord was coming at him from a different angle. This was how powerful Palpatine—no, Darth Sidious—was. Mace's threat assessment went way up. This all happened in a milli-second.
"Saesee!" Kit exclaimed. In the next instant, Tiin's head was bouncing on the ground.
The Sith went after Agen Kolar, then. He spun at what seemed to be the speed of light, lightsaber whirling in a scarlet arc around him. Sidious blocked Kolar's chop and then Sidious thrust his blade into Agen Kolar. Kolar's shock and pain resounded through the Force. "It...Doesn't...hurt," Agen seemed to tell his remaining friends as his life drained out of him. Then Sidious ripped his blade out of the Zabrak Jedi.
It had been exactly three seconds since Sidious ignited his weapon.
"No!" Mace cried as he felt the life pulled out of his friend along with Sidious's blade. Agen Kolar's body collapsed.
"Help—security! iMurderers/i! iTreason/i! iHelp—someone/i!" Palpatine said at the top of his voice. Then he lashed his blade backwards and stabbed into the wall. "For the audio recorders, of course," Palpatine said. "Can't been seen looking like the bad guy now, can I?" Sidious smiled.
Kit Fisto and Mace Windu stared in astonishment at their fallen comrades. Mace felt righteous fury well up in him. He fell deeper into the Force.
Kit took up a defensive stance.
"If you only knew," Sidious said softly, almost seductively, "How ilong/i I have been waiting for this."
Palpatine grinned maliciously. The Sith held his blade slanted, hilt buried in his armpit, tip of the blade pointed at the ground.
Then he attacked.
Mace flashed out to meet him, blade lashing out to parry his. Kit was right behind him, going for Palpatine's flanks. The Sith whirled his blade around him in a scarlet tornado, blocking both Mace's and Kit's attacks. So powerful was this counter attack, that Kit and Mace were both shoved back a few centimeters and their defenses were momentarily lowered. It was all the Sith needed.
He twisted at Kit, thrusting his blade, the Dark Side propelling his movements so that they seemed like a blur.
Kit Fisto was dead in the next instant, cut from the shoulder to hip.
Mace felt Kit's life torn from his body. He cursed himself silently. The battle had begun with four Jedi Masters and one Sith.
Three of the four were dead, and the Sith was nearly unscathed. Mace would make him pay for it. Dearly.
Mace rose his blade and glared at the Sith. He would not even think his name. The sick being before him did not deserve a name.
My friends...he killed some of my closest friends in under thirty seconds.
This acknowledgment did not weaken him. It strengthened him. Made him stronger.
Mace grabbed his blade with both hands and lifted it.
The Sith...smiled at him.
Mace hurtled forward. The Sith met him, their blades clashed, and they jumped back. Mace charged him again, this time dishing out a series of decisive strikes and counter-strikes, then they jumped back.
They went on like this for a short time, testing each other's defenses, their reaction times. Weaknesses.
Try as he might, Mace Windu could not see a shatterpoint. In Palpatine or in the situation.
Mace could sometimes can see the weak places in an opponent—shatterpoints where the unbreakable can be broken. They can occur in individuals…and in events.
And none presented themselves here.
Mace knew he must finish this now before he wound up like his friends. He sprinted forward, running his blade along the ground at his feet, sparks flying in his wake. Mace lashed his blade up a meter before he reached Palpatine.
Sparks flew out at Palpatine and met him full in the face. The Sith growled and turned away. Mace raced forward, jumped, lightsaber high over his head, swinging down for the killing blow. Palpatine raised his blade with one hand, covering his face with the other.
Pure energy met each other as the lightsabers clashed. Sparks flew. Palpatine kept his blade in that position only until Mace had landed on the ground, then he spun away.
He blinked a few times and glared at Mace. Mace wielded his lightsaber grimly, hilt by his ear, purple energy pointing a meter into the air above his head.
Palpatine sprinted forward now, and their blades clashed again. They held them there for a time, snarling at each other like squabbling mynocks. Palpatine pushed Mace's blade away and chopped at him quickly. Mace was faster.