Shadows block all of our minds. Some, to keep the truth that would destroy us away, others to foil and poison your mind. But shadows aren't a problem for Mace Windu; he is a Jedi.
Even now, Mace was sorting through the shadows in his mind; trying to sense the actions of Skywalker and Palpatine. The duel with the Sith Lord had made him weak, but Mace continued to live.
He swerved in and out of Coruscant traffic in his newly obtained speeder. Stealing was against the Jedi Code, but surely the Code would allow Mace to compensate just this once. The Sith Lord would surely be sending Clone troops to the temple right at this moment, to eradicate the "traitors".
Mace looked down to the ground; he was there. Windu parked the speeder at the bottom of the Temple steps, jumped out, and ran up to Jurokk, the gate keeper.
"Master Windu! What's happened? I felt a disturba…"
"Seal the doors Jurokk, and gather all the Padawans and Younglings to the Main Hangar Bay." Mace said this quickly. No time could be wasted on explanations. An attack was coming on the Temple, and the Jedi couldn't put up an adequate defense in such short moments. The Order was moving.
"But Master Windu."
"I'll explain this all when we're safe, but nows not the time Jurokk." Mace was growing impatient; time for such explanations had run out, they had to move.
"Yes Master," said Jurokk solemnly. He bowed and began to work on the computer on the Main Gates. Windu left him to his work.
Mace then reached out to Master Shaak Ti. The others are dead Master Ti; I was defeated but am still alive. The Sith Lord is unaware of this. He has also obtained a new apprentice. Skywalker has joined Palpatine, he stopped me from killing the Sith Lord. Gather all remaining Jedi Masters inside the Temple; we'll meet in the Main Control Room.
Chaos now began to flood the Temple. Here and there were young Jedi children running about, Master-less Padawans trying to lead them in the right direction. Mace turned up the stairs and quickly made his way to the Main Control Room.
Mace walked through the door into the room quietly, not making any big entrance. Shaak Ti was the first to speak. "Mace, are you all right?" She seemed genuinely worried about Master Windu.
"I'll make it, but I'm not the topic of discussion. We need to get out of here," said Mace.
Master Cin Drallig spoke up. "Master Windu, you can't possibly attempt to hid the entire Order somewhere on Coruscant. We'd be found out in a week. I say we make a stand at the Temple. We can hold off the clones." The old dueling master was sure of himself, sure of the Order.
I would be too, thought Mace, had I not faced off against Palpatine and then betrayed by Skywalker.
"I believe, Cin, that Master Windu proposes leaving Coruscant itself. Tell me if I'm wrong Master Windu." Master Dass Jennir spoke these words in a far corner of the room, slowly coming out of the dark.
Dass Jennir was a Jedi Master of about forty. His hair had already grayed, probably from the Clone Wars. A master strategist and duelist, Master Jennir had spent much of the war on the Outer Rim, making him quite skeptical of the Republic and their war. He had come back changed, but Mace knew he could rely on this old war horse.
"Yes Master Jennir, I propose that exactly. Already the Younglings, Padawans, and remaining Jedi Knights are at the Main Hangar Bay, awaiting orders. We will load onto the gun ships there, and take over an Acclamator ship and relocate. Begin preparations, I must talk with Master Yoda."
Mace could sense some of the Masters didn't like this idea. Mace wasn't even sure if he liked it, but now was not the time to discuss, it was the time to act.
Mace hooked up a long range communicator and signaled it to Master Yoda's personal communicator on Kashyyyk. He waited impatiently as the communicator hooked up. Finally a small, blue image of Master Yoda appeared.
"Master Windu, a disturbance in the Force I sensed."
Mace quickly explained the events that had happened the past hour. "Master Yoda I have also prepared the Order to leave the Temple. Where should we relocate?"
Master Yoda waited a moment, "To Kashyyyk will you come. To great to be searched, are the forests here. Good friends am I with the Wookies, here they will harbor us."
"Very well Master, I will set up a beacon warning the other Jedi and telling them to relocate to Kashyyyk." Mace knew he had to act quickly. He went to a computer within the room and set the signal. Then as an afterthought, he set it to explode should anyone try to hamper it.
"It is done Master Yoda," said Mace.
"Very well, Master Windu, prepare for your arrival on Kashyyyk I will. Hurry you…" Master Yoda's image disappeared from the viewing screen, the sound of lightsaber could be heard. Yoda then returned to view. He looked up at Master Windu sadly. "Begun it has."
The screen then shut off. Master Windu ran out toward the Main Hangar Bay, they had to leave now. In every hall Mace took it was empty. Will we ever return to this sacred place? Thought Mace as he took a final corridor towards the Hangar Bay. Mace then felt a great disturbance in the Force.
Skywalker had arrived.
Mace ran into the Hangar Bay to see all the gun ships loaded full with Jedi. Master Jennir ran up to him.
"Your orders Master Windu?"
"Skywalker and his clones have arrived. Tell all the pilots that we're going to Hangar Base 19-A, it's the closest to Temple. It should also be under light guard, now let's go." Mace boarded the closest gun ship. He looked around to see only youngling and Padawans on board. They were all frightened but tried not to show it in front of Mace.
Windu turned to the pilot, a young Padawan known as Whie Malreaux.
"Head to Hangar Base 19-A, Padawan."
"Yes Master Windu," said Whie. He then started up the gun ship took off towards the base. Mace turned back to see Skywalker run in with fury on his face. Around him were Clone troopers. Skywalker then looked directly at Mace. Shock came over the traitor's face. With spite in his words he shouted at them all. "Jedi Cowards! You can't run from the power of the Sith!" But by then Mace's ship was the only one in hearing range. Mace then thought silently.
Don't worry Skywalker, we'll see who the cowards are in the end.