A.N. This story had been brought you you by C21 FX's music and lots and lots of coffee.

So, if you havn't noticed, this story is a major AU. Anakin's a Sith, Padmé's a jedi. Yup. But other than that, the story's mostly like the movies. Now, I'm not going to be posting again until I get my reviews. *greedy face* So go and hit that little button!

R&R!

Chapter One

Enter darkness. Leave the light.
Here be nightmare. Here be fright.
Here be dragon, flame and flight.
Here be spit-fire. Here be grief.
So curse the bones of unbelief.
Curse the creeping treasure-thief.
Curse much worse the dragon-slayer.
Curse his purse and curse his payer.
Curse these words. Preserve their sayer.
Earth and water, fire and air.
Prepare to meet a creature rare.
Enter, now, if you dare.
Enter, now... the dragon's lair!

-Nick Toczek

Padmé Naberrie walks slowly through the great halls of the Jedi Temple. She pays no heed to the jedi milling about around her. Padmé's thoughts are reflecting inward.

As she walks, she puzzles over the war.

War, of all things. It was unimaginable. Yet only a few months ago it had happened. The Republic had gone to war.

It had all started with the Blockade of Naboo, her home world. She had only been a child, barley even three years of age. Her family had been some of the unfortunate few who had not survived the occupation.

Padmé had.

And she always would. She was a survivor. She had something to live for. She lived for her people, for helping others.

That is what the jedi had seen in her. The will to continue on, to do the impossible, all in the name of good.

The jedi saw this, and decided to teach her. Yes, she was older than most, but she was still young enough.

The day of Naboo's independence, Padmé had been forever taken from her home. But not without sacrifice.

The jedi who found her, who had saved her life, died that day. Qui-Gon Jinn had been killed fighting a Sith.

Yet another puzzle the galaxy had yet to answer. How were the Sith still alive? Hadn't they all been whipped out?

Apparently not, for Qui-Gon was dead, and Padmé was once more alone. In her grief, she gravitated towards the only other one who felt as she did. Obi-Wan Kenobi. Qui-Gon's former student. They had both lost a father figure that day.

They had latched on to each other, and refused to let go.

That was how Padmé had found her master. A few years of basic training at the temple, and Padmé was ready to become a padawan. And who chose to teach her, but Obi-Wan. It had most certainly been the happiest day of Padmé's life.

Sixteen years of adventure, she had spent with her master. Sixteen years of protecting the galaxy, learning all there was to learn, and enjoying the friendship with her father and master.

But it had all shattered on that fateful day on Geonisis.

First it was the unease caused by the Separatists, then the betrayal of Count Dooku, (one of their own!) then the attacks on the outspoke leaders against the Separatists.

Padmé had been ordered to protect one such leader, Duchess Sateen. It had been decided that Padmé would see to the Duchess's protection while her master searched for her assassin.

The results of the search had proofed fruitful, but disastrous.

The revelation of a secret clone army built for the Republic was shocking enough. But then the Separatist openly declared war by trying to execute Master Obi-Wan, with Padmé and Sateen along with him after a failed rescue attempt. (Something Padmé was greatly embarrassed by.)

Thank the Force the other jedi arrived in time, but the loss of life afterwards hardly seemed worth it.

In the coming battle, droid had clashed with clone, man against machine. Thousands of lives had been lost.

At the end of the battle Padmé and Obi-Wan had managed to catch up to Dooku, only to find he was indeed a Sith apprentice and nearly be killed by him. With only the intervention of Yoda did the two survive. But Dooku escaped.

On that fateful day, the Clone Wars had begun...

Padmé is shaken from her musings by a gentle hand on her shoulder. She glances p to see the kind eyes of her Master. Obi-Wan smiles to her. "We're here." He says simply.

Padmé nods and takes a breath.

Together they enter the chamber of the Jedi Council...

Anakin Skywalker stands before the gilded doors of the Chancellor's office. He had already been waiting several minutes for Palpatine's meeting to end, yet on it went. Should he not be first priority?

Anakin understood the need to keep character. Sidious' plan to destroy the Republic from the inside out was genius. The planning that had gone into it was extensive, but that didn't keep the impatient young Sith from growing irritated at his master's neglect.

"You're behaving like a caged tuk'ata." Says an icy voice behind him. Anakin turns around to face none other than fellow Sith, Sly Moore.

Sly had been the Master's first apprentice, and one of the only Sith in recent history to obtain the title of Master without killing their predecessor.

It all had to do with Sly's origin. The fact Sidious was her father had little to do with her loyalty. Unknown to most, Sly was only half Umbaran. Her mother had been the Senator for her home world, and in a play for power, she and Sidious became lovers.

The product of such an action was Sly Moore.

Sensing the fetus's great Force sensitivity, Sidious had urged her not to terminate the pregnancy. Instead, she had gone to Kamino, where the embryo was removed and placed in an artificial womb.

The only altercations the Kaminoans had made few altercations to the growing child, only altering her DNA enough so it could not trace back to either parent, as well as a Loyalty Programing, making her loyal to a fault to her father and her father only.

Once born, Sly was raised in secret by Sidious to become the perfect Sith.

However, her midichlorian count wasn't as high as he expected. Sidious decided to keep her however, as he formed some semblance of an attachment.

Confidant in her loyalty, he taught her everything he knew, she became the sole keeper of all Sith knowledge.

Through her, the Sith legacy would forever be engraved in history.

"You would know, wouldn't you?" Anakin bites back, referring to her obsession with the beasts. Sly had obtained a tuk'ata pup on her first trip to Korriban had since trained and raised it. She had named the female pup Talon after Sly's role model and inspiration, Darth Talon.

Sly smirks. "Are you accusing me of abusing my pet?" She asks with a bite in her voice.

Anakin decides to ignore her. Rather, he asks, "What are you doing here?"

"Same as you, I'm here to talk with Palpatine." She says simply.

Anakin raises a brow. He hadn't know the both of them had been summoned to Sidious's office.

Before he can answer, the doors to his master's office open. From them leave several senators, some grumbling among each other, others looking quite smug. How Anakin would like to white that look from their faces.

Instead, he and Sly enter the red and gold room. Behind them the doors slid shut on their own accord. Or rather, through a nudge of the Force from Sidious.

Sidious sits at his grand out desk, his chair turned around so he can look upon Coruscant.

Sly gives a half waist bow. "Father." She says simply. Anakin nods, the only form of respect his proud self with give.

Sidious turns his chair around, a kind smile on his face. But beneath the warm is a raising evil, a smirk of a man who has already won the game, in is ready to gloat in his spoils. None say the underlying grin, but Anakin did. After seven years with the man, he had learned to read Sidious quite well.

"Ah, my children." Sidious greets. "It's good to see you."

"You as well, Father."

Past the pleasantries, Anakin cuts to the chase. "Why is it you called us here?"

Sidious shows no outward annoyance out Anakin's disrespectful attitude. He knew Anakin did now show respect in words, but actions. He was too proud to show submission to anyone, even his master. Rather, he showed his respect through perfect obedience. It was simply how he was.

"I have a mission for the both of you?" Sidious says at last.

"Oh?" Asks Sly Moore, a hairless brow raised. "And what might that be?"

"Sly, my daughter, I wish for you to travel to Korriban. Take your hound with you. There is something I need you to pick up for me." Sidious's expression turns dark. "The jedi are slowly catching onto us. I need a bit of leverage."

Sly bows. "It shall be done."

Sidious turns to Anakin. A wicked smile on his face. A feeling of foreboding fills him. He knows, deep inside him, that whatever his master says next will change his fate forever...

A.N. Bwahaha, cliff hanger! I'll hopefully update soon, as well as my other fics. So, wut ya think? Yay? Nay? I need feedback!

Alrighty, yeah, I added some interesting back story to Sly Moore. I had the random idea that she was Palpatine's daughter, and it sorta ran from there. i hope I didn't piss any of you off with this. (And her being a Force user is cannon! Tuk'atas are also cannon) And in this fic, she is much prettier than in the movie. I always thought she looked a bit... ugh. This is a bit more what she would look like art/Lyy-54080277 (Art belongs to The Mozzy) In this fic she's about 28 or so. Anakin is 17 and Padmé´is 19. Obi-Wan is the same age as Sly.