Okay Everybody, sorry for the reeeeeeeeeeeaaally long absence, but I had a bad case of writer's block and It was a stubborn little &% ^!*#$. Anyway ;) lol, here is is! Enjoy, and please R&R!

-Anakin Skywalker-

My saber blazes in the gloom of the huge unlit hangar bay before me. Rain pours in through busted skylights in the soaring ceiling, drumming on the roof and hissing as it hits my lit blade. I am cautious…I sense a wild wave of hatred and darkness here, untrained yes…but dangerous, none the less. A strange urgency drives me forward and around a corner to reveal two shadowed figures locked in combat, red sabers hissing and screeching.

They are obviously both force users of little ability, most likely assassins or those blasted Hands the Emperor was so fond of. The Sith Lord buried within me scoffs at their amateur wielding of the Dark Side and suggests that I step in, but I resolutely push him down. Now is not the time for him to make suggestions.

I watch as their fight brings them closer to me, and I ready my saber. I'm surprised they haven't seen me yet, but I suppose they are so intent on one another that their guards have dropped. Foolish. I center myself in the force and prepare to strike…..

…..and suddenly they are interrupted by a massive force push that catapults them both into opposite walls.

"Stop!"

I look toward the voice to see a tall, wiry figure silhouetted in the glow of a doorway. The two battling assassins pick themselves off the ground and dust themselves off, but did not resume their duel. They seem to obey him.

Interesting.

He is stronger in the Force than both of the former apprentices, and seems to be a natural leader. We will have to watch out for this one. If only I could get a name and a face….

He starts out of the door, toward the seething warriors.

"We will get nowhere with this pointless fighting. The hierarchy is closed. You will gain nothing but displeasure from our Master."

His voice is surprisingly young, and his features are average and human, as far as I can tell.

The apprentice on the right steps forward into the light, revealing a young woman with flaming red hair.

"Oh, go kriff yourself Galen. I don't have to listen to you."

'Galen' leans forward and smirks, his blue eyes like chips of ice. He steps forward again, and the heel of his hand brushes the saber hilt strapped to his thigh.

"Care to try me, Jade?"

She spits on the ground, but unsurprisingly, backs down. A hissing voice comes from the shadows, where the second assassin still lurks.

"This is not the true reign of the Sith that our Master spoke of. How are we to advance ourselves without the Rule of Two?"

'Galen' stops, his mouth hardening, and his face drawing into a scowl.

"You know the situation is...precarious, Kata'li. Iradeus is not truly The Apprentice until he kills his predecessor, no matter what he says. And our Master wants Vader alive, which means his hands are bound, as are ours. We cannot become The Apprentice by killing Iradeus, nor can we claim victory over Vader without incurring our Master's wrath. For now…we will wait. You remember our teachings, brother. Patience is to our Advantage."

They both seem to acknowledge this as fact before begrudgingly walking back into the lighted room in an uneasy truce, the door hissing shut behind them. However, I am still crouching here behind this corner, trying to process what I have just heard.

Wait. I am….oh Sithspit. No wonder the old bastard wants me so badly.

A strange sort of glee overtakes me, and I have an odd urge do a dance. I have really been a Bad Apprentice, haven't I? I remember all those hours of him speaking to Vader about the Sith and their Legacy, forcing us to kneel for hours while he ranted. And now I've thrown a wrench in his decades of planning and scheming. Vader wants to laugh in his face, and for once, I really agree.

I don't though, just out of principle. Never a good time to agree with a crazy, Sith Lord alter-ego. He might get ideas.

The Council should hear this. This information might be..

"Anakin!"

Padme? What's she doing…

"ANAKIN! ANI! WAKE UP!"

Suddenly I find myself in my bed, blinking awake, with Padme shaking me gently. It was a dream, then. Ahh…the Force is up to something.

I roll over toward her, glancing at the chrono as I do.

"Angel?"

She smiles and kisses my forehead.

"You need to get up, sweetheart. Obi-wan is here. The Council is having an emergency meeting, and they need you there."

I blink, still fuzzy from sleep, and confused from my vivid dream. I note that it's still dark outside and blink again.

"They're having a meeting? At this hour? Why? And why do they need me?"

Padme ruffles my hair, and pulls her robe tighter around her as she gets up and heads to our closet, chuckling.

"I believe that is why they are called Emergency Meetings, my dear. Now, if you get up, I can get you and Obi-wan some Caf before you go."

I stretch and get up. Good. I think a Talk with my Master might be good about now. Truly, this dream has me on edge, but I have no doubt we will get to the bottom of this. After all, the Force is our ally, and a powerful one, it is.