The story was put about that Palpatine had sent his apprentice, Darth Vader, to negotiate the final surrender of the Separatist leaders. To bring an end to the war, to bring peace to the galaxy. He said that the Jedi sent asassains, as part of their rebellion against the Senate, to eliminate Vader, to carry on the war. That they killed the Separatist leaders in an orgy of mad violence.
As far as the public knew, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, once heroes of the Clone Wars, vanished into history. Darth Vader simply appeared out of nowhere, already clad in the black armor that would be his trademark for twenty years of terror.
But I remember the truth. I remember the pain in his eyes. The fear he felt as he slid into the lava. And I remember, every night, picking up his lightsaber, turning my back on him, and walking away. Leaving him to die.
Every night I dream of it, out here in the desert, watching over his son. I dream, and I remember, and I hope that one day his nightmare will end.
-- From the journal of Ben Kenobi.