I was just twenty three when it happened. I had only been a Jedi for six months when everything changed. It had started out an ordinary day, but then we heard the marching.
We were being attacked, attacked by our own clonetroopers, attacked by our own Chosen One. Anakin Skywalker was leading the desecration of the temple. I saw him march up our steps from a window in a hallway. I saw him leading the force that would bring our doom. I saw them enter the temple, and then I felt the screams of life leaving the body. He had betrayed us.
The Jedi Masters had always had trouble trusting him. It seems now that they were right. But Anakin had grown up with me and the other young Jedi. He had saved us from our Masters' anger and from death on the battle field. He had lead us in war and been our companion in peace. The Masters may not have trusted him, but we did. He was our friend, and our leader. And now he was our murderer.
Two younglings had come running through the hallway, a Togruta boy and a little human girl, screaming, not understanding why their insides were boiling and voices were crying in their heads. I grabbed them and ran with them to library. Maybe if we could hide there we might have the smallest chance of surviving. If not, I would to die protecting them. I would die for the children.
We hid behind a bookshelf in the far corner of the room and I made the children run through their calming techniques. If we were going to die, we would die as Jedi with the Force as our strength. We would not be terrified, panicking and weak. I held them close to me, whispering words of comfort, praying for their safety.
I heard the screams coming closer, and soon I heard them with my ears as well as the Force. The metal footsteps of clones sound as they marched to the library doors. The doors opened and I heard the mechanized voices issuing commands and I felt them ducking behind bookshelves. I heard a lightsaber open and blaster bolts go off. I heard the saber clatter on the floor and the blasters stop. I saw Jocasta Nu defend her beloved books, she died in her library. Somehow it seems like the way she would have wanted to leave. I heard the battle cry of a Padawan convinced in his own invincibility and I heard it cut short. I felt the presences of five Jedi signal to each other and jump out to battle the clones.
But then another presence entered the room. At first I didn't recognize it, it was so filled with hate and anger. But then I realized, the presence was Anakin Skywalker. I remembered what I had seen in the window, and I was terrified. He had always been the best of our age group. I had never beaten him the few times I'd sparred with him. I'd seen him defeat those who were better than me. As he entered through those doors, I felt the weight of my own doom settle on my shoulders. There was no way we'd escape now.
I heard his lightsaber open and cut down the five Jedi. He'd brought more clones with him and with an order the clones spread out in groups of three to five. It was only a matter of time. I might be able to take out a clone or two and save the younglings from blaster fire, but once it would be clear that the clones couldn't handle me, Anakin would come and cut me down.
How could he do this to us? He was the Chosen One. He was supposed to save us. He was supposed to lead us. We knew that the Masters had difficulty trusting him, but when we looked at him we saw the future of our order. We had known that there would be a day when he would sit in Master Yoda's chair and lead the Council. But apparently we were wrong. How could he stand there and watch us die. He was supposed to be our leader, but he was leading us to our destruction.
Anakin was in the back of the room now, coming closer to us. His lightsaber was on, ready to strike. The little Togruta boy with me felt him. I felt him sit up under my arm and I could feel the hope course through him. I had both him and the girl held tight to me with my hands on their mouth to keep them from screaming or crying. But he squirmed out from under my arm and pointed and said, "Master Skywalker's here." He ran out from behind the bookshelf and I saw his body jerk as the blaster bolts rip through his body. I felt his life go out of his body and I heard his spirit scream.
I realized I didn't know his name. I was going to give my life for these two children and I didn't even know their names.
I heard Anakin walking closer. I clutched the little girl close to me and murmured a last command and sent up a prayer that she might somehow escape her fate. I set her down and kissed her forehead. She ran to the other side of the bookshelf where maybe she could hide and from there somehow get to the door while I fought Anakin. I stood up and detached my lightsaber. It was the lightsaber of my Master. He had been killed by Count Dooku, now I was going to be killed by another Jedi who betrayed us.
He walked around the corner of the bookshelf and saw me. I took a deep breath and reached out for the Force and let it calm me. I focused on the upcoming fight and forgot about the little girl. I would not betray her. I took a defensive stance and waited. He took the aggressive stance and attacked. In just a few quick moves I was to the floor with his lightsaber at my throat.
I looked up into his eyes and I saw something I hadn't expected. His eyes were yellow.
My time had come. I let the Force flow through me as the world went dark.