Once again, I would just like to thank everybody for their reviews. They keep me going and I hope you are all enjoying the story so far. At this point, things should be heating up a bit…
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related.

CHAPTER 9

Bounty

Jango Fett took aim with his blaster as he swooped down towards his target and the other Jedi that accompanied him. He grinned beneath the helmet that concealed his identity, knowing that the Twi'lek woman would add a grand bonus to his current job. Even though Anakin Skywalker was his main objective, all surviving Jedi had prices put on their heads after Order 66 had been executed and he would receive extra pay for any other terminations he might make…anything to further the newly established Empire would please his employer and increase his salary.

His grin vanished and was replaced with a frustrated scowl when the two Jedi repelled his attacks yet again. So far, he had not made much progress with the assassination. If only Skywalker's companion had not saved him from his first attempt – then his work would have already been done.

Growing impatient with his targets, Jango dove down through the air and swooped close to the ground to end the ensuing skirmish once and for all. Unfortunately, his impatience paid off for his adversaries. Deflecting his incoming blaster fire, Skywalker managed to send his shot flying back at him and it struck his thruster pack – instantly causing it to spark and sputter. It left a thick trail of black smoke looming in the air behind him as he began to lose altitude and he silently cursed to himself for underestimating the Jedi. His thrusters increasingly lost power until he crashed to the ground a moment later, skidding across the snow covered palace yards and smoothly rolling to his feet before losing his momentum.

He clutched the blaster pistol he held in his readied hand and immediately resumed firing on his opponents without skipping a beat. His mind began to race when the pair of Jedi continued to block his shots and began to close the distance that separated them. He had encountered their kind before and knew that with his sudden loss of flight, they now had the advantage…

Sabe dashed down the hall towards her friend after she spotted her rushing in her direction with the group of younglings that had been staying at the palace. The concern and urgency on Padme's face spoke volumes and she could tell something was wrong – something of grave importance. As she drew closer, she could see that the former queen was panting from her run and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Padme, what is it?" she questioned.

"I don't know," Padme replied, still breathing heavily. "Something is here! Take the younglings someplace safe and hide there until I come to get you. I need to find Captain Panaka and have him gather his men – they might need his help…"

Sabe was still confused, but the look on her friends' face warranted no debate. "Of course, milady."

"Follow Sabe, she will take care of you," Padme said to the young padawans before starting back down the hall.

The handmaiden worriedly watched Padme disappear down the long hallway, eventually turning to the younglings once she had gone. "Come with me."

Anakin watched while the assassin grew desperate and reached for its belt – frantically pulling a metallic cylinder from it. He couldn't quite tell what exactly the object was at first, but realization sank in a moment later when the figure hurled it in their direction.

"Get down!" he exclaimed.

Both he and Aayla dove out of its path as the explosive device activated and blew a large chunk out of the ground where they had been standing. Anakin heard a loud ringing in his ears due to the close proximity of the eruption, but ignored it and quickly climbed back to his feet, tightly gripping the hilt of his glowing lightsaber.

"Aayla, are you alright?" he asked, only sparing her a brief glance as to not make himself vulnerable to their attacker.

"I'm fine," he heard her voice shakily respond.

Detecting the strain in her unleveled tone, Anakin momentarily let his guard down and looked back over at the other Jedi. She was clearly dazed by the unexpected explosion. She was unsuccessfully attempting to push herself up from the freezing snow and struggling to gather her bearings – for the time being, she was obviously in no condition to be defending herself. Rushing over to block her susceptible position and provide her with cover, Anakin protectively stood between his partner and their masked visitor.

"That was a very bad mistake," Anakin growled as he glared at the approaching figure.

The assassin cautiously kept its blaster trained on him and continued to inch its way closer to its prey, its finger tightly pressed against the trigger. Anakin's eyes remained locked on the stranger while he braced himself for the next strike.

"Give it up, Jedi," the figure said with a subtle accent, an eerie calmness to its voice. "There's no way you're going to survive the rise of the Empire. You might as well face it…you're already dead."

"Maybe," Anakin angrily retorted. "But you won't be the one to kill me."

Without saying another word, he expertly flipped through the air and landed in front of the stunned assassin. Dodging the shots concentrated at him and advancing on the figure while it took a step back in a futile attempt to escape, he cut clean through its forearm with one swift motion – an anguished cry of shock and pain sounding from the helmet it wore as its blaster pistol dropped to the ground at their feet, its severed hand still wrapped around it. The figure stumbled back and struggled to compose itself, grasping the stump where its hand had been mere seconds earlier.

Anakin's eyes widened a moment later when a stream of fire suddenly burst from the intruders' wrist that was still intact and set his gloved hand aflame, igniting his arm and causing him to release the hold he had on his lightsaber. He instantly called upon the Force to shove the assassin away – knocking it a safe distance back – and hastily patted his burning tunic down before returning his gaze to the fallen figure. As a result of the powerful push and the impact of the fall, its helmet had been dislodged from its place on its head. Anakin's eyes widened a second time when he saw its face…

"Who are you?" he blurted out. The dumbfounded Jedi Knight couldn't believe his eyes…he had seen this assassin before. He had seen him almost every day since the start of the Clone Wars – had fought beside him during numerous battles against the Separatists. He had grown accustomed to his face, yet he despised it at the same time. It was the same face that belonged to the many troopers he had served with for the past several years of his life. "Who sent you? Tell me, now!"

The defeated mercenary stayed silent and didn't answer as he slowly rose, staring daggers through the one who had taken his hand.

"Tell me who sent you!" Anakin repeated, extending his own hand out in front of him.

Using the Force to take a secure hold around the familiar mans neck, he applied enough pressure to restrict his air passage. The man – whoever or whatever he was – reacted by reaching for his throat as an expression of pure terror spread across his features. He dropped to his knees and gasped for air, his horrified eyes pleading but failing to gain any sympathy from the enraged Jedi.

Anakin felt the hatred rise in him and tightened his hold, his anger consuming his every thought. He didn't even notice the calls coming from behind him until he felt a firm hand grab his arm.

"Skywalker!" he finally identified the voice as Aayla's and turned to her. "Skywalker, let him go!"

"What?" Anakin asked, not able to comprehend her words through the overwhelming fury that seemed to blind his thoughts from all else.

"Let him go!" she exclaimed.

Glancing back over at the assassins choking form, he suddenly understood and released his throat. He felt numb as he watched the man crumble to the ground. He had not even realized what he was doing – he had been devoured by his hatred and had allowed it to rule his emotions and actions…he had lost control again.

Leaving his side, Aayla made her way to where their assassin lay and knelt down beside him to inspect his condition.

"He's alive, but his pulse is weak," she said, glancing up at Padme and a large group of royal guards as they rushed towards them.

"What happened?" Padme questioned once they had reached them.

"There's no time to explain, Senator," Aayla replied. "Right now we need to get him inside so he can receive some medical attention."

"Captain, get this man to the infirmary," Padme ordered, turning to Captain Panaka and his entourage.

"Right away, milady."

Though he had grown to become a beloved leader of Alderaan, Senator Bail Organa's ascent to the position was not without controversy. For a brief time before he had inherited the Viceroy title, there was a dispute regarding the appropriate lineage of ascendancy. After three deadlocked votes, a special dispatch from the Republic government in the form of a Jedi by the name of Jorus C'baoth had been sent to oversee the transitional period. Jedi C'baoth had guided the tribunal to the decision that saw to Organa's eventual appointment.

During the spanning crisis of the Clone Wars, the Senator had forged a friendship with many Masters among the ranks of the Jedi Council. He had been the first to investigate when the fabricated claims that the Jedi had turned on the Republic surfaced in Coruscant. He knew them to be lies, but the corrupt congress had rolled over without preamble…they had accepted the betrayal without question. The Senate had no quarries with Chancellor Palpatine issuing Order 66 and the following eradication of the very Order that had defended them for so many decades.

Bail could still remember the carnage that had destroyed the Jedi Temple. He had tried to get to the bottom of the assault, but instead he had been shooed away by the implacable clone soldiers that had told him a Jedi rebellion was afoot. He had fled from the blazing Temple – but not before he had witnessed the troopers gun down a young padawan learner that had been trying to escape the ruthless attacks.

In retrospect, he should have seen it coming. He had watched the Republic transform during the years of the war. The Senate had willingly relinquished more executive powers to Palpatine all in the name of increasing security. However, to criticize such actions would have resulted in being denounced as a traitor, so he had been careful to conceal his misgivings from everybody other than a small audience of like-minded Senators. Among them had been Senator Amidala of Naboo. As far as he knew, he was the only person with any knowledge of the safe haven her world now provided for the surviving Jedi.

Alert to the likelihood that the Supreme Chancellor would not give up his power once the Clone Wars came to an end, Bail and Senator Mon Mothma had already put proactive plans into motion. They envisioned an organization dedicated to preserving the ideals of the old Republic – one that drew membership from idealists within the Senate but operated outside the Senate chambers. Though they skirted around the word in the early tentative days of its formation, they knew that they were planning a rebellion. Such an act against the new Empire would most definitely be met with resistance, but they were more than willing to fight the odds in order to end Palpatine's reign and restore peace to the galaxy.

Fully aware that the surviving Jedi were all at great risk, Bail had attempted to contact Master Kenobi and Master Yoda prior to the wake of the purges. He had homed in on their respective distress signals and had miraculously located the elder Jedi, but Obi-Wan's fate was still not determined. His spirits sank as he considered what might have befallen his old friend and peered up into the dark sky.

Far off in the distance, he could see the expected transport descending from high above. The shuttle landed within a few minutes and he stepped up to the boarding ramp as his new guest emerged from the hull of the ship.

"Master Yoda, it is good to see you are safe," he greeted the small Jedi Master.

"Warms my heart, it does, to see you as well, Senator Organa."

Senator and Jedi walked side by side as they exited the spacious hangar bay…

Padme watched while Panaka locked restraints around the unconscious assassins ankles and his remaining wrist. Once their captive was securely bound to the medical bed he lay in, she turned her attention to the occupants of the room. Other than her, there were doctors looking over the critical patient while several palace guards stood at his bedside. She knew that Master Secura had gone to tend to the younglings that she had left in Sabe's care, but she had no idea where their other Jedi visitor had disappeared to.

"Captain, is everything okay here?" she asked.

"Yes, milady, we are all set here," Captain Panaka replied.

"Good," she said as she turned to leave the infirmary. "Keep me updated. I would like to know if anything should change."

"You will be notified, milady."

Stepping out into the hallway, her eyes immediately found Anakin Skywalker standing with his back to her. He stood at the end of the hall with his hands clasped behind his back, staring through the tall window that rested directly in front of him. He didn't seem to notice her presence as she walked up behind him.

"Master Skywalker?" she tentatively spoke up.

"Senator," he responded, not even turning around to face her.

There was a long pause before she hesitantly broke the silence. "Is everything alright?"

"Is he alive?" Anakin asked in a neutral tone, ignoring her own question.

"Yes, he is alive," Padme answered. She watched the Knight with a furrowed brow, not understanding his unusual behavior. "What's wrong? Tell me…"

"Nothing is wrong, milady."

His answer was unconvincing, but Padme could detect his reluctance to discuss anything with her at the moment and decided to drop the topic. She didn't want to push him. There was obviously something bothering him and she didn't know how he would react to being pressured. Sighing, she glanced down and saw his scorched arm – the glint of silver visible beyond the holes burnt through his gloved hand.

"You're hurt!" she gasped.

"Huh?" Anakin finally turned around to face her, following her gaze to his newly inflicted damage.

"You are injured," she said more clearly, reaching for his arm. She stared at him in puzzlement as he shied away from her touch. "Anakin, what is it?"

"I'm fine, it's just my replacement," he replied.

Padme felt a swell of guilt when an unmistakable look of sorrow flashed in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"There's no need to apologize, milady," Anakin assured her, a weak smile tugging at the corners of his lips. It faded just as quickly as it had come. "I should probably be checking on the younglings with Master Secura. Have a good evening, Senator."

"You too, Master Skywalker," Padme curiously watched the Jedi as he drifted down the long hallway.