Chapter 1
Evil's End and Beginning
Mace Windu inhaled and exhaled as he, Agen Kolar, Saesee Tiin, and Kit Fisto entered the Republic Executive Building to put an end to the war once and for all. The men were Jedi Masters of the highest order and were four of the twelve most powerful Jedi in the Galaxy. Skilled combatants all, they were veterans that were the most deadly lightsaber duelists in the galaxy. They were hand picked by Mace with the task they had arrived for in mind: The end of the Sith forever.
It had been a trying few years for the Republic since the Clone Wars had begun. Since the Confederacy of Independent Systems had seceded from the Galactic Republic, war had been waged for control of the Galaxy on two fronts. On the public front, the Droid Armies of the Separatists and the Clone Army of the Republic clashed, lead by their Jedi Generals in skirmishes across the Galaxy. On the secret front, the Jedi had been fighting the minions of the Dark Side of the Force. These forces had consisted of Bounty Hunters, Dark Jedi Knights, and the Lords of the Sith.
For over a millennium, the Sith had been thought extinct. Since the supposed death of Darth Bane, the creator of the Rule of Two, the Jedi had lived in peace and security. Unfortunately, the Sith had survived, passing their knowledge on from Master to Apprentice. There would only be two so as not to result in infighting and betrayal among their order. The Master would eventually die by their apprentice's hand, but only when they were ready.
The reappearance of the Sith Apprentice Maul and the death of Jedi Master Qui-Gon over ten years ago had confirmed the Sith's existence and the threat they posed to the Galaxy. Darth Sidious, Maul's master, had been planning for years to take control of the Galaxy and he may have just done that through the most insidious of means: The Democratic Process of the Republic Senate.
According to Anakin Skywalker, Chancellor Palpatine was the Sith Lord they had been searching for. Hiding in plain sight, with a smile on his face, presiding over the war as the ultimate symbol for good and democracy for the Republic.
"Why didn't I see it before," Windu thought to himself. "It's so obvious. Where else would a Sith Lord hide than in full view of the Galaxy?"
"Are you okay, Mace," Kit asked him as they made their way through the lobby.
Mace chuckled to his old friend. "It's nothing, Master Fisto. Just... trembling with anticipation at the thought of ending this war with the arrest of the Lord of the Sith."
Kolar nodded in agreement. "If it wasn't for Young Skywalker's information, we wouldn't have this chance. I knew we were right to trust him." The Iridonian Jedi had been one of those with the utmost faith in Anakin's placement as the Council's spy on Palpatine. "He may not be here with us now, but he has more than proven Master Qui-Gon's faith in the prophecy of the Chosen One."
"I'm not so certain about that," Tiin grumbled. "I feel an unease in the Force. Skywalker's role in today's event's is not yet finished." The Iktotchi Jedi was known for his light predictive abilities, able to sense incoming danger. It came in handy for his piloting skills. Mace could sense that he'd rather be in the air right now instead of the ground. In the skies, Tiin was untouchable, second to Skywalker himself.
"We will not need Anakin today," Mace huffed. "We will end Sidious today and we will do it without the Chosen One." When he said "Chosen One" it came out like he was spitting out phlegm that had been stuck in his throat. The other masters noted it as they entered the elevator that would take them to the floor where the Chancellor Suite was located.
Contrary to certain beliefs held by some members of the Council, Master Windu didn't dislike Anakin. While he appreciated his skills with a lightsaber and the information he had provided as the Council's spy, there was something about him that caused feelings of resentment to rise up. He just didn't trust Anakin. In his thirteen years with the Jedi Order, Skywalker had grown closer and closer to Palpatine to the point where Anakin had vocally spoken up for the Chancellor on more than one occasion. On top of that, Anakin had been granted a position on the Jedi Council at Palpatine's insistence to be his representative. To Mace, this was an insult. Politicians had no place in Jedi affairs and vice versa. Yet here he was: A member of the Jedi Council. Not through his own merits as a Jedi, but as an act of manipulation by a corrupt politician. Like a personal lap dog.
He smiled over the planetary city of Coruscant as they rode the elevator up. It really was a beautiful city on the surface, hiding a dark secret underneath its shining skyscrapers. He had lived here his entire life and he would die to defend it and its people. Soon, it would be over. Palpatine would put up a fight of course. It was the nature of the Sith to resist the inevitable. But they would win the day in the end. The Jedi would survive and Sidious would face a trial and most likely be executed. His followers were all but gone. His apprentice, Count Dooku, was dead by Skywalker's hands and General Grievous, the leader of the Droid Army, was already confirmed dead at the hands of Skywalker's former Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. Sidious was going to lose the war he had started and Mace was going to be the one to take him in. Not Skywalker. Him.
At the Jedi temple, seated in the Council Chamber, Anakin Skywalker was in conflict with himself. For years, he had been assured of his moral code as a Jedi Knight. Yet, since his arrival to Coruscant, he had been under the watchful eye of a Sith Lord. What did that make him and what did that mean for the life of his one true love Padmé Amidala?
Since he was a boy, Padmé had never been far from his thoughts or his heart. When he was a true man, he had confessed his feelings for Padmé and she in turn to him. They had married not very long after the Clone Wars had begun, violating his oath of forswearing all singular attachments, romantic or otherwise.
In his heart, he understood the need to swear off romantic attachments, but he couldn't deny what he felt in his heart for Padmé. Since the death of his mother, he couldn't just let go of those he cared about. He had to protect those he cared about. Master Obi-Wan, Master Yoda, and Padmé were all dear to him. Them and... Chancellor Palpatine.
"How could he be a traitor," Anakin muttered to himself. "He's been like a father to me. Like Obi-Wan. He's been there for me ever since I came to the Order. He's listened to my troubles and encouraged my abilities when no one else would! And he said he could help me prevent Padmé's death. He's... he's been more of a father to me than Obi-Wan has."
When Anakin had told him of what he had done to the Tusken Raiders that had killed his mother, Palpatine had commended him. "They were less than animals, Anakin," he'd reassured him. "They may have walked like men, but they were willing to torture a helpless woman simply because she wasn't one of them. One less tribe of Tuskens is a blessing to the settlers of Tatooine. You did the right thing." Anakin had assured himself of that many times over. He'd hated the Tuskens. He had done the right thing killing those animals. At least, that was what he told himself at the time.
He just couldn't understand how Jedi could let go of the dead. When Anakin had started dreaming of a possible future for Padmé that ended with her death while giving birth to their child, he had gone to Master Yoda for help. Yoda had advised him to "let go". To train himself to let go of those he feared to lose. It felt heartless to hear, especially from Master Yoda.
"What does he know? How could he understand? How could any of them understand?" Anakin's blood boiled at the thought that advice. It was cruel to ask him to let go of someone he loved. To let go of his own wife. He had lost too much in this life as a Jedi: His fellow knights, his mother, and his apprentice.
It was unfair of them to ask so much of him. Yet, here was Palpatine, offering him the ultimate prize. The ability to prevent those he cared about from dying? It would make him the most valued of Jedi.
"Palpatine must be arrested, that much is certain. But if he could pass on this knowledge, the Jedi would become more powerful than possible. The teachings of the Sith can be used for good!" He stood up and began pacing back and forth while glancing out the window towards the Executive Building.
"They should be there by now," he thought. As he pondered whether or not Palpatine would go quietly, he reached out using the Force. Not towards the Executive building, but towards the apartment he shared with Padmé He felt her there. Her and the life that was growing within her. Their child. A life born in the wake of this awful war. He was certain it was going to be a boy. He would be fine with a girl too, but he could tell it was going to be a boy. Padmé was already planning where they would raise him.
Naboo would be nice for him, but he also wanted to show his son Tatooine. He wanted to show him where he came from and he would be there when Anakin liberated Tatooine from the Hutts. Anakin would introduce him to his step-brother Owen Lars and his step-father Cliegg Lars. He would be a good father to his son. That is, if Padmé and the child survived what was to come.
Peace was in the grasp of the Republic and soon, him and Padmé would finally be together. He could change things in the Order. If Master Ki-Adi Mundi could have five wives to maintain the population of Cerea, Anakin was allowed someone to share his life with! It was only fair!
As he began to pace even more furiously back and forth, a chill went up his spine. It was like a wave of energy coming from... The Executive Building! Either Palpatine was dead or... Master Windu and the others were dead! He had to do something. He had promised Windu he would wait for him, but if he could do something to make sure peace came to the Galaxy in the least harmful way to everyone he needed to make it happen, he would do it.
As they entered the Chancellor's office, Windu could feel the Dark Side pouring out of the room. Now that they were aware of the Sith Lord's identity, they knew what to look for. He would never be able to hide from them again. He was theirs.
Palpatine, hearing their arrival, turned in his desk chair to face them with a smile. To Windu, it looked like a throne. Made sense for a Sith. "Master Windu," Palpatine greeted them. "I take it General Grievous has been destroyed." He noted their postures and expressions, his tone becoming decidedly more serious. "I must say you're here sooner than expected."
It was time. No point in putting it off any further. Mace reached down to his belt and removed his lightsaber and ignited it, the blade of violet illuminating his features. "In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you are under arrest, Chancellor."
Palpatine's old eyes, normally soft, hardened and stared daggers into Windu. "Are you threatening me, Master Jedi?"
Windu stared back, his expression unflinching. "The Senate will decide your fate."
"I AM the Senate," Palpatine retorted, his voice becoming deeper and more jagged.
"Not yet," Windu replied simply.
"It's treason then," The Sith Lord said while standing up, his hands at his sides.
What happened next felt like it happened in the blink of an eye. A lightsaber dropped out of Palpatine's sleeve and into his hand. It ignited a blade of bright crimson and Palpatine was across the room in a second. In a flash of red light, the blade had impaled Kolar and in a continuing arc had slashed Tiin across the chest. The two masters fell to the floor, crying in pain, and the battle was joined.
Kit was a skilled warrior and managed to block Palpatine's blows as he alternated between him and Windu. It wasn't enough, however, as Master Kit Fisto soon joined his brothers in arms on the floor of the Chancellor's suite, a lightsaber slash across his chest. Mace was alone against the Sith Lord. Alone, yet not afraid. More that he was resolute. First blood had been spilled by Palpatine. The Jedi was now in defensive mode and he was not going to lose to this monster.
As Anakin entered the Executive Building, he noted that there were two elevators, but only one was available. As he entered the one directly in front of him and pushed the button for the Chancellor's floor, a Duros repairman was seen running towards him. He didn't have time to wait. He had to get up there. The Duros seemed to be shouting to him to stop to which Anakin shook his head. The elevator doors closed and he felt himself being lifted up.
Igil the Duros had tried calling for the Jedi to stop. That there was another elevator around the corner. That the one he had just entered was supposed to be closed for repairs, but he had lost the sign that indicated it as such. He hoped that the Jedi wouldn't be inconvenienced. That particular elevator was known for getting stuck about halfway up.
As the battle between the Jedi Master and the Sith Lord raged on, Mace wondered if he could keep this up. The Korun Jedi was a master fighter, the creator of his own fighting style of Vaapad, but Sidious managed to match Windu's quick and precise strikes with a ferocity that didn't match the kindly old man he had pretended to be all for all these years. Mace could beat in terms of physical strength, but Sidious was clearly just as skilled a fighter. Possibly even more so.
As the two combatants fought their way through the Chancellor's office, it became clear that Palpatine was trying to win this fight as quickly as possible. Every blow Sidious made was not meant to wound, but to kill. It also seemed that he was gaining speed with his swings. It took all of Mace's senses to block every strike and thrust aimed at his midriff, chest, neck, and head. Sidious had him on the defensive, even though he was being driven backwards towards the large windows that overlooked the city of Coruscant. Almost as if he was preparing to fling the Jedi out them as soon as he got the chance. Mace had to take back the offense. He had to find a weakness in Sidious' technique. He had to find a way to beat him.
As Anakin waited for the elevator to reach its destination, he felt a jolt. Not from inward, but from without. The elevator stopped suddenly, throwing Anakin and his head against the door, causing him to see stars. As he shook his head, he realized that he wasn't moving. He checked the floor listing and found out he was only twelve floors away from his destination! He had to get out. He could feel the battle all the way down here. He pulled out his lightsaber, ignited it, and in two flashes of blue light, sliced the doors open to make a path for himself. He squeezed himself out and ran to try and find a staircase. Anything that would get him there in time to resolve this conflict.
As Mace blocked a downward swing and countered with a strike to Palpatine's side, which he blocked, he noticed something. A flaw in Palpatine's style. Or at least, a flaw in how he held his lightsaber. Every Jedi's lightsaber was unique to how the Jedi fought. Sometimes the hilt was designed to be held with two hands or with one. Palpatine's was much smaller than Mace's, which could be held with two hands quite easily. Palpatine's was a saber that one could easily hold one-handed, yet he chose to duel two-handed. Mace had him at last. He knew his flaw. Palpatine probably once fought with two lightsabers instead of just one. Whatever the reason, he had decided to fight with just one, thus limiting his advantage. His two-handed grip appeared to be firmer than fighting with one hand, but that was an illusion. If Mace could use that against him, he could win.
Releasing his left hand from his lightsaber, Mace used it to send out a wave of Force Energy to knock Palpatine back. It just about missed the Chancellor, but had an equally beneficial effect for the Korun Jedi Master. The wave of Force Energy shattered the window behind Palpatine, causing a rush of air to be released from the sealed room. Palpatine, his hands still on his saber, made the mistake of looking over his shoulder in surprise. This was Mace's chance. He swung his lightsaber and connected with Palpatine's. He then spun his arms in a circle that released Sidious' saber from his grip and sent it flying out the window towards the ground below. He had him. He had the Sith Lord at last.
Palpatine turned back towards Master Windu and began to back away slowly until he came into contact with the wall beside the open window. Mace pointed his lightsaber directly at Palpatine's throat, daring him to make a move.
"Your reign is at an end, My Lord," Mace said with all the snark and venom he could muster. Palpatine glanced at the door to his office, as if he was waiting for someone to come bursting in at the last minute to save him. An accomplice or his guards, it didn't matter to Mace. He had him. He'd defeated him. "You have lost." Palpatine's eyes flashed angry yellow at him in response, his rescuer having not arrived after all.
"No... No.. YOU WILL DIE," he cried. Extending both hands in front of him, lightning burst forth from his fingers, Mace barely managing to block the attack. "I have worked too long and hard to be stopped now," Sidious roared. "You will fall! The Jedi will fall! THE REPUBLIC WILL FALL! YOU WILL ALL FALL AND I WILL RISE!" He did so as he raged at Windu, pushing the Jedi back and to his knees as he bombarded him with Force Lightning.
"Only six floors to go," Anakin thought as he raced up the stairs. As he did, a wave of cold terror washed over him. Something horrible was happening up there. He had to get there as fast as he could.
Mace held his lightsaber in front of his face as Palpatine tried desperately to kill him. He could feel his grip begin to loosen, his stance fading, his strength failing him. This was the true power of the Sith: Unrelenting and unending power. He wasn't fighting a normal opponent. He was fighting the Dark Side itself and he was losing.
"You... will... not... beat me," Mace said through gritted teeth. "The Jedi... will not let... the Sith's oppression... rise again!"As he said this, he began to sink to his knees.
"HA," Palpatine scoffed. "You have done that well enough for me already! All those years, staring at you and that little green toad you call a Master? You have no idea how much I wanted to thank you for letting me take control of the Senate! How much I wanted to laugh in your face and to tell you that your greatest threat had been right here! Right in front of your eyes! But of course, you were all too arrogant and self assured to see it! Now... I will end you, condemn the Jedi for treason, and have you all wiped out as enemies of my new Sith Empire!" As soon as he heard that, Mace's resolution hardened. He couldn't let it happen again. The Sith had ruled once before and had been nothing but petty tyrants that delighted in the pain of others. He would not let that happen. Not again!
However, Mace was weakening. He could feel himself slipping away. He wanted to win, but it was just... too much. The power of the Dark Side was too much for him.
"I cannot do it," he thought to himself. "He's won... I have lost. I... have failed you... Master Yoda." He was about to lower his lightsaber to let the lightning take him when suddenly he heard a voice.
"Are you really going to let this impostor of a Sith kill you, you fool?" The voice was that of a woman's. It was old, sharp, and yet soft. It berated him, yet encouraged him at the same time. The voice of a true Master.
"Who are you," Mace asked out loud.
As if he was talking to him, Sidious answered, his eyes having turned bright yellow. "I am Darth Sidious! Lord of the Sith, ruler of the Republic! Slayer of Jedi," he cried, his voice having adopted a hollow tone to it. One that felt like the void was standing in front of him.
The woman's voice answered as well. "I am someone who can help you kill this man. I am someone who can help you put an end to his pathetic plans. I am someone who can teach you to be strong. But only if you are willing to go to a place darker than you have ever gone before, Jedi of Korun." She knew who he was. She could clearly see him for who he was. But the power she offered... was it of the Dark Side?
As if in response to his thoughts, the woman seemed to berate him for asking such a stupid question. "Does it matter, you fool? The point is that you are going to die if you do not take this chance. Do you accept or not?" The voice was like a whip cracking at his brain. Mace opened his eyes to gaze upon Sidious. The Sith Lord was clearly winning. He was going to beat him if he didn't fight back. Mace had no other choice. The fate of the Republic, of the Jedi Order itself, rested on this battle.
"Teach me," he thought to himself. He had given his answer.
"Good," the woman's voice replied. Follow my instructions exactly and you will survive this. Take your left hand off of the lightsaber." Mace did. "Good. Now, open your hand and point it palm out at the impostor." Mace did that as well. "Now... imagine a void where your hand is. Imagine that there is a rift of power within. A rift that contains the Living Force itself. The Force is aching to be released. To be directed at the fool that has abused it for decades. The fool that could have taken this Galaxy long ago, but decided to bask in luxury and decadence. The fool that has used you, your brothers, and your Government. Direct that anger you feel. That rage. That hatred. Direct it all at him and release it!" Mace did just that.
From Master Windu's hand came a barrage of Force Lightning that struck the Sith Lord in his chest, eliciting only a shocked expression from him. It flung Palpatine across the room and against the wall, causing paintings to fall around him. The voice spoke again.
"Now, you fool! Now! While he is down! Finish him off once and for all!" Mace obeyed without question. He hurled himself towards Sidious, his lightsaber pointed directly at his chest.
The only question that went through Sidious' mind as he collided with the wall was, "Where did that power come from?" Had he underestimated the Jedi after all? Had Master Windu been practicing forbidden techniques in secret? No. No, he would have used this sooner. As he looked up from his prone position against the wall, he saw Mace Windu hurtling towards him, his lightsaber pointed directly at him. Palpatine threw his arms up as if to strike again, but it was too late. He only managed to get one word out before it happened. That word was "No". Then it happened. The blade impaled Chancellor Sheev Palpatine through the chest just as Anakin Skywalker entered the room.
Palpatine stared up at the Jedi Master standing above him, a look of triumph in his eyes. The pain he felt was fading away. At first, it had been a searing pain in his chest, accompanied by a smell of burning fabric. The pain soon began to dull as his organs were cauterized from the inside. It had been going so well. Anakin was sure to have been here by now. He was the one who informed the Jedi, but he was supposed to have been here long... before... He turned his head slightly just in time to see Anakin, staring in horror at him.
"I wonder... would he have helped me... or Master Windu? I suppose I'll never know." He smiled to himself and looked back up at Master Windu. "Maybe I didn't need him, Master Jedi," Palpatine muttered. "Perhaps I just needed someone willing to do whatever it took to get the job done." He gave a wheezing cough, a sign that his lungs had been punctured.
"Him who? Who did you need," Mace demanded.
"Someone... who just needed the right type of motivation." He gave a chuckle. "It's funny. I promised him so much, but I would never have been able to give him what he desired. I never... figured... how to prevent people from dying... Would have used it... on myself first..." A gurgle emanated from the Chancellor's throat and a sound like a rattle soon followed. His eyes rolled back in his head and the Chancellor of the Galactic Republic and the Lord of the Sith died.
Anakin fell to his knees and looked around the late Chancellor's office. Furniture, priceless works of art, and the corpses of Jedi Masters were scattered about. He looked at Master Windu removing his lightsaber from the Chancellor's corpse. He'd felt his death in the Force. A wave of emptiness from the Dark Side of the Force had flowed outward from his body, as if it was sending a message to all those that were in tune with the Force. That message? The Sith were dead. It felt like a call of reassurance. That it was over and that the Galaxy was at peace. They were all going to be safe at last. All except Padmé.
"You killed him," Anakin whispered.
"What was that, Anakin," Master Windu asked, his voice strangely calm and composed.
"You killed him! You murdered him! You were supposed to arrest him, not kill him," Anakin roared, tears starting to form in his eyes.
"I gave him every chance to surrender, Anakin," Mace answered. "I only fought to defend myself and in the process, I lost three Jedi brothers to this monster. I know you had some affection for him, but he was responsible for so much death in the Galaxy. He was responsible for this war!"
"But he was still entitled to a trial by a grand jury!"
"A grand jury that he would have found a way to control, Skywalker! Don't you see? One way or another, he was going to have to die!" Anakin couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"How can you say that?! You are a Jedi Master! You are dedicated to defending the peace and enforcing justice!" He stood up, tears streaming down his face. "How can you justify murder?" Mace turned around and glared at Anakin.
"Are you speaking as a Jedi, Anakin? Or are you speaking as a friend to the Sith Lord?" He began to approach the weeping Jedi. "You told me that you had discovered he was a Sith Lord. But how did you do this exactly? Did you deduce it through careful observation and casual conversation... or did he tell you?" Anakin stood his ground against the approaching Master. "Did he offer you anything in exchange for your help? Is that why you came here? To aid this traitor?" His voice was deepening and developing an edge to it.
Anakin's eyes narrowed. "I came here to ensure that any information he had wasn't lost! You cost us the chance to learn all we could about the secrets of the Sith! Imagine what we could have learned from him!" He stood firm as Mace halted in front of him.
"Anakin, let me tell you something. I have done things in this war that I will take with me to the grave. Things that will haunt me forever. I killed a boy's father in battle as he watched. I have had to leave soldiers behind in battle. I have watched brothers and sisters die around me. But I always told myself it was for the greater good. To secure an everlasting peace that would outlast the Sith. If killing a temporarily defenseless old man is what it takes to ensure that peace, I will do whatever it takes! And I know that if the situation was reversed, you would have done the same. You never shied away from drawing blood. So, I have to ask: What did you seek to gain from this Sith? What did he promise you?"
Anakin was cornered. He had no choice. "He... He promised me... the ability to help someone I cared about. Someone whose death I had a vision of. He promised me that he had the ability to stop people from dying. He learned it from his Master, Darth Plagueis the Wise. He said that it could only be learned... from a Sith." As he spoke, Anakin's entire body deflated. Like a great weight was being lifted from his soul.
Windu scoffed. The boy had been tricked thanks to Sidious manipulating his greatest weakness: His inability to let go of attachments. If it was up to him, he would excommunicate Anakin from the Order this instant. However, Anakin was right about one thing: What the Chancellor had known would indeed be useful to them in the future. And Anakin was still a great asset to the Jedi Order. He would bide his time.
"Very smart," the voice from before whispered in his ear. "This boy is weak in will, but he is still a powerful Jedi. Bide your time and wait." Mace knew what he had to do
"Anakin," he said, his voice softening. "I understand how you feel." He placed a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "I truly do."
Anakin's head shot up. "What did you say, Master?"
"You cared enough for someone to risk it all for their sake. I understand that. Unfortunately, so did Palpatine. He was using you, Anakin. Whatever he promised you, he would not deliver it. He said so himself before he died. He was lying to you."
Anakin's shoulder shook as he tried to hold back the sobs. In his heart... he knew it to be true. The Sith were built on deception and lies. But he had wanted to believe. He wanted to believe that he could prevent Padmé from dying as his mother had. But it was too late for her now. He was going to lose her.
"What do I do now," he asked.
"Remain on the Council, Anakin. I will help you and whoever it is that is in trouble. We will rebuild the Republic and the Jedi Order. Trust me as I now trust you."
Anakin looked in his Master's eyes. Mace had promised Anakin that if he had managed to stay in the Temple until his return, he would have earned his trust. He hadn't. Yet here he was. Being told that as of this moment, Mace Windu trusted Anakin. So why was it that assurance made him uneasy. But he had nothing else to lose.
"Thank you, Master Windu. Thank you."
As Mace smiled at him, the peace and serenity that radiated off the Korun Master seemed wrong to Anakin. It clashed with the horror around them. The bodies of the dead Jedi and the body of Sheev Palpatine presenting a stark contrast to how Master Windu appeared to be feeling. Anakin couldn't place it either, but something about Mace's eyes seemed off. For a moment... they looked as if they were turning... yellow.