Chapter 9

THE CHANGING GALAXY

HYPERSPACE

Anakin Skywalker still contemplated if this was the right decision. Was he making a mistake, or was he changing the future? He asked himself these questions on the journey to Serenno. The plan played out like this-

He would give himself up to the Separatists, and hopefully come in contact with Ahsoka. From his visions, he knew that it would become a situation where someone - probably Dooku - would order her to kill him. But if the visions were true, Ahsoka wouldn't listen. He hoped that these visions were true, for the sake of himself and the rest of the galaxy. He sighed, and sat down. Anakin waited for the old ship to arrive over Serenno, and then his plan would be set into motion.

Hyperspace dissipated, and came the Separatist blockade around Serenno. It was more like just a meeting of an army, not really a blockade.

"Unidentified cruiser - state your name and purpose." a droid's voice asked through the holocom.

"This is Anakin Skywalker. I wish to land at Count Dooku's castle." Anakin replied. The droid did not respond for a moment, and then there were footsteps.

"Skywalker. You really think you can get back your Padawan? You are mistaken, you will die here." Count Dooku's voice stated. Anakin smirked, although Dooku couldn't see it.

"I think you are the one who is mistaken." Anakin shot back. The Count laughed.

"We will see."

CORUSCANT

Sidious lunged at Plagueis, and the two began a fierce duel. Sidious blocked a fatal blow to his abdomen almost immediately, and then attempted to impale Plagueis. Plagueis darted to the side, and swung at his arm. Sidious flipped backwards onto the table, and swiped at Plagueis' leg. He blocked the blow, and then pushed forward, closer to the window. Sidious noticed this and jumped closer to the entrance. Plagueis snarled and attempted to stab him. Sidious prevented that, and moved backwards, continuing to block eachothers' blows.

"You have grown stronger, apprentice." Plagueis stated. Sidious growled.

"Still stronger than you, Master." Sidious replied, emphasizing 'Master'. Plagueis blocked a blow to his arm, then stabbed through Sidious' defenses. He grazed his elbow, and Sidious clenched his teeth and pushed forward. Plagueis jumped onto a chair, and threw a nearby pot at him. Sidious sliced it in half with ease, and began to swing at Plagueis. Plagueis jumped to the next chair, and threw more objects at Sidious.

Sidious blocked the objects, and unleashed Force lightning at the Muun. Plagueis blocked it with his lightsaber, before they both began to unleash force lightning upon eachother, causing sparks to fly across the room. The carpet was set aflame, and Sidious stopped his assault, and ducked. Plagueis didn't know what was happening until Sidious' legs kicked him and he fell forwards on to the flames.

Plagueis stood up and moved backwards, igniting his blade once again. The door swung open, and an aide looked inside. She screamed before clutching at her throat as Plagueis lifted her off her feet and smashed her into the mirror nearby. The aide slumped to the floor, several glass shards puncturing her neck. Plagueis then returned to Sidious, as blood began to soak into the carpet. The flames worked their way towards Sidious' desk.

"You can never defeat me, Plagueis." Sidious taunted.

"We will see about that, boy." Plagueis replied. Sidious lunged forward.

SERENNO

Anakin sat in a small cell, the same cell that Ahsoka was trapped in for months. But he had only been in there for a few minutes, when Vagorum arrived, no mask.

"Ahsoka, why are you doing this? You know you're maki-" Anakin started, but Vagorum cut him off.

"No. The Jedi and you abandoned me and didn't care. You all deserve to die." Vagorum snarled. Anakin looked to the ground.

"I was the only one who looked for you, Ahsoka. Can't you see that?" Anakin said.

"THAT'S NOT MY NAME!" Vagorum howled. Anakin looked back, and put his hands around the metal bars.

"It still is, and you know it still is. Come back, Ahsoka!" Anakin pleaded.

"NO!" she yelled. Vagorum turned around and rushed off. Dooku replaced her spot, and smiled at Anakin, who only glared back at the Sith.

"You see, Skywalker, you can't save her. She's mine." Dooku stated calmly.

"She won't be yours for long, Dooku. You won't be able to keep a hold on her forever!" Anakin returned. Dooku shook his head. Anakin pulled on the bars. He tried to reason with Ahsoka, but somewhere, he had doubts. He had doubts that he would die here.

"Don't be too sure, Skywalker." Dooku said, before walking away. Anakin sighed, and fell on to the floor, holding his eyes. Was Dooku right? Was Ahsoka truly gone?

CORUSCANT

Sidious clashed with Plagueis' blade, red against red, as the flames engulfed Palpatine's office. Sidious frowned, he knew that after this encounter, the Jedi would find out about his masquerade. No matter, he would kill them after dealing with this baffoon. Plagueis flipped backwards, over the desk. Sidious jumped over to his location, and slashed at him, only for his chair to be sliced in half instead. Plagueis put his hand out backwards and crushed the glass behind him. Sidious reached out with the Force and grasped a comlink and pocketed it for later use.

Plagueis looked at it suspiciously, then returned to the fight. He attempted to strike a blow at Sidious' leg, but Sidious jumped out of the way. Plagueis continued to swipe at Sidious, who easily jumped out of the way until a lightsaber hit his ankle. He winced, then Force-pushed Plagueis towards the wall. Sidious moved toward him, only to be thrown into the other wall by Plagueis' lightning. Sidious blocked it with a lightsaber, and then forced Plagueis to the window.

"Now, you die!" Sidious wailed, before kicking him out of the window. Plagueis merely smiled, and dissapeared out of the Senate building. The last Sidious saw of him was a blinding flash of white light, and then Plagueis' soaring body dissapeared. Sidious raised an eyebrow, and took out his personal comlink.

"Execute Order 66." he commanded into it. Clones all around the galaxy got the message.

FELUCIA

Jedi Knight Aayla Secura surveyed the landscape of Felucia. She stopped, sensing something. Clone Commander Bly and his men were pointing their guns at her. She was about to put up her hands in surrender, when they fired blaster bolts at her back. She fell to the ground, but they continued to fire. The Twi'lek's body was completely destroyed, and soon Bly and his men stopped firing.

SALEUCAMI

Jedi Master Stass Allie was overseeing the battle on Saleucami by speeder. Clone Commander Neyo and a second clone followed behind. Neyo received Order 66, and nodded at his fellow clone. Their speeders pulled back. Stass didn't expect a sudden shot to her speeder to occur. It was fatal, and the speeder smashed into a nearby rock wall, sending her body flying to the waters below. The speeder continued to fling, from a tree and then smashed into her body on the ground, and exploded, pulverizing the Tholothian's body.

MYGEETO

Jedi Master Ki-Adi Mundi was leading the charge against the Separatists on the planet of Mygeeto. The snow carpeted the landscape, as Ki-Adi, Commander Bacara and their men continued their assault.

"Come on!" Ki-Adi exclaimed. But the clones stopped dead in their tracks. They cocked their blasters at their general, and fired. Ki-Adi deflected five shots, and they caused several troops to fall to the ground. A Separatist rocket blew up a large portion of the clones, but the droids had no idea what was happening. A shot by Bacara hit him in the knee, and he fell to the floor. More shots rang out, and soon the Cerean Master was dead.

KASHYYYK

Grand Master Yoda had arrived on the planet of Kashyyyk, home to the Wookies, and oversaw the important battle taking place. But in the middle of it, his gimer stick fell to the ground. Yoda gripped his forehead, and began to collapse to the ground. Jedi were dying across the galaxy, and he felt it, as many others in the galaxy would. Tarfful and Chewbacca looked in concern at their friend.

Meanwhile on Kashyyyk, Jedi Master Luminara Unduli was leading the charge. The clones received the order, and fired. She deflected many of the shots, and escaped to the forest. She navigated the dense forest, but when she turned around, there were a dozen clones behind her. She attempted to kill them, but more appeared and one shot her fatally in the head, causing the Mirialan Master to crumble to the floor.

FELUCIA

Jedi Knight Barriss Offee was in a different location on Felucia, fighting off a troop of battle droids. The men in the AT-AT behind her received Order 66, and fired. Offee was killed in the explosion, but they shot again, and turned the Mirialan's remains to ashes. Her Padawan Zonder watched in surprise and confusion, and quickly ran off, but was ambushed by several clones. He killed most of them, but ultimately, he fell to the ground with several blaster wounds.

CATO NEIMOIDIA

Jedi Master Plo Koon was flying through the atmosphere of Cato Neimoidia, fighting off the Separatist presence there. With Captain Jag close behind, he didn't expect for when Chancellor Palpatine gave the order to eliminate him. Jag followed orders, and fired several shots at the Kel Dor. As his ship bursted into flames, Plo attempted to cover his face for the inevitable.

Although he wished it would work, it did not, and Plo's ship plummeted into a tower nearby, then skidded across a roof, before finally exploding on the ground, pulverizing the Jedi Master's body, leaving nothing behind.

KASHYYYK

Clone Commander Gree stood behind Yoda, guarding his position overlooking the battle. Wookiees and Clones battled droids, and many fell in battle. A hologram appeared in Gree's hand.

"Execute Order 66." the hologram stated.

"It will be done, my lord." Gree replied. He motioned for another trooper to follow, as they approached Yoda, Tarfful and Chewbacca. They aimed at the Jedi, but before they could fire, Yoda flipped over and decapitated both troopers. Tarfful and Chewbacca grunted in confusion, but Yoda motioned for them to follow. They followed, and found Jedi Master Quinlan Vos fighting off several clones. Once they were dealt with, the two of them attempted to contact the Temple, but it was jammed.

"Blast it! We have to get off this planet if we must contact the Temple!" Quinlan exclaimed. Tarfful growled to Chewbacca, and the Wookiee nodded. They led the two to a small ship they had hidden in the trees.

"Goodbye, Tarfful. Goodbye, Chewbacca." Yoda stated, and both him and Quinlan boarded the ship, and left the planet.

SERENNO

Dooku led Anakin to a large room, where Dooku sat behind his desk. Anakin kneeled on the floor, and Vagorum stood before him. She ignited her blades in a V around his neck.

"Ahsoka, don't do this." Anakin pleaded for a final time. Vagorum didn't respond. Her Sith yellow eyes were all Anakin could see, and Anakin knew this were he would die, to his former Padawan no less.

"Kill him, Vagorum, and you will become a true Sith." Dooku ordered. Anakin looked into her eyes, trying to find even a glimmer of hope that Ahsoka still remained inside of her.

CORUSCANT

Yoda and Quinlan arrived at the Temple, to see it burning, clones ravaging it. As they entered, they noticed that it was an all-out brawl. Mace and Obi-Wan were leading the charge, several other Masters including Kit, Agen and Saesee following behind. Yoda and Quinlan quickly executed several of the clones, and began to speak with the others.

"Who caused the Order?" Agen asked his friends.

"Chancellor Palpatine was the only one with this kind of authority." Windu replied. Obi-Wan stroked his beard.

"We need to contact any surviving Jedi and get them back here. We have to get everyone to Tython." he stated. Yoda nodded. Obi-Wan stopped, and looked in the direction of another building. "Oh no."

"What is it, Master Kenobi?" Kit asked inquisitively.

"We need to get Anakin, something is wrong with- oh wait." Obi-Wan responded, then paused.

"With what?" Windu questioned.

"I have to deal with something. I will be back soon." Obi-Wan replied, before rushing off to a taxi.

"Uhh, okay." Quinlan stated, before shrugging.

Obi-Wan's speeder descended towards the 500 Republica. He sensed that Padmé had gone into labor. He rushed inside, went up the elevator and found Padmé and Threepio rushing out, with Bail Organa close behind.

"Padmé, we need to get you to a hospital." Bail was telling her. He looked up when he noticed Obi-Wan. "Why are you-" Bail began, but Obi-Wan shook his head, and helped the three of them into the elevator. Artoo quickly followed out.

"I knew all about it. We currently have a big situation at the Jedi Temple, however." Obi-Wan stated. Bail raised an eyebrow, but Obi-Wan cut him off from saying any more. "Clones have turned on their Jedi Generals. Windu informed me that a maid had seen Chancellor Palpatine fighting a Sith... with a Sith's lightsaber. Apparently he's a Sith Lord, and attempting to destroy the Jedi."

"What happened to Anakin?" Padmé asked.

"I'm afraid I don't know." Obi-Wan responded. Bail sighed. "From what I can gather, he left on an unidentified ship yesterday. I don't know what he's doing." Padmé held onto both Bail and Obi-Wan, as the elevator arrived on the first floor, and they rushed her to a hospital.

JEDI TEMPLE, CORUSCANT

"Contact Skywalker, we must." Yoda said.

"Nobody knows where he is, we have tried that before and nothing came of it." Kit replied. Saesee and Agen began to clear out remaining clones, while Windu and Quinlan took Younglings and Padawans first to shuttles, and Yoda informed them of the location of Tython. But Yoda's holocom beeped, and he answered the call to find Obi-Wan Kenobi. Kit and Yoda both looked at him.

"I'm afraid Anakin didn't tell you something, and that has caused some problems that I had to adress." Obi-Wan stated, before clearing his throat. "He married Senator Amidala- now Senator Skywalker in secret, and currently she is in labor with twins." Kit frowned.

"Is anyone else there with you?" the Nautolan inquired.

"Senator Organa is there, I'm going to have to stay here. I will be with you shortly." Obi-Wan replied, before the hologram faded. Kit and Yoda looked at eachother.

"Strong with the Force, the twins will be." Yoda stated. Kit nodded.

"We have to deal with the Sith first, I'm sure we will have to bring Senator Ami-Senator Skywalker with us to Tython with the children. Let us hope Skywalker will come soon." Kit stated. Kit began to help Mace and Quinlan with the younglings and Padawans, and several other Masters and Knights followed. Healers, including Bant Eerin, tended to some wounds.

All the Jedi on Coruscant and who survived knew that this would be a new start for them, and for the Republic. Kit quickly informed the other important masters, including Windu, of the situation with Anakin's children. They did not care at this point, and knew that punishment would have to be dealt with later.

SERENNO

Ahsoka looked Anakin in the eyes, still yellow with hate. Anakin stared back.

"Do it." Dooku ordered. A single tear rolled down Anakin's cheek.

"Ahsoka..." he whispered.

SENATE BUILDING, CORUSCANT

Darth Sidious was displeased. The attack on the Temple had failed, but he knew there was something he could do to help finish his plans. He pressed a button, and a wall panel opened revealing a very beaten-up Darth Maul in a cage. Maul snarled at Sidious, but Sidious just laughed, and walked towards him.

"I think you would love to attack the Temple, wouldn't you? I'd offer you a position as a very strong apprentice, Maul." Sidious offered.

"Really?" Maul asked. He was broken, and thought this would finally give him an opportunity of revenge on Kenobi.

"Really." Sidious replied. Maul licked his lips.

"I'd love to." Maul responded. Sidious smiled, before releasing Maul from his cage and handing him a lightsaber. Maul jumped out of the window to a waiting speeder, and sped off to the Temple.

CORUSCANT MEDICAL CENTER, CORUSCANT

"You have to push, Padmé." Bail stated to Padmé, lying on a medical bed. She nodded, when the first baby came out.

"It's a boy." one of the nurses stated.

"Luke." Padmé replied, as she struggled to hold on. Obi-Wan and Bail stood next to her, as replacements for Anakin, but Padmé knew this was different without Anakin. The girl came out next.

"Leia..." Padmé stated, as she looked to the little people warmed in blankets. Obi-Wan looked to them, and noticed that they already had an immense connection to the Force. He smiled, as he took Luke in his arms. Bail took Leia, and they lowered the babies down to Padmé, who touched Leia's forehead.

"They're... beautiful..." Padmé whispered. Obi-wan and Bail looked at eachother, before the nurses came and put the two children into cribs.

"Padmé, I have to deal with the situation at the Temple." Obi-Wan stated. Padmé nodded. Obi-Wan turned to Bail. "Keep an eye on her, I'll try to get in contact with Anakin." Bail nodded.

"May the Force be with you." Bail stated, remembering what Jedi would say as a goodbye.

"And with the babies, too." Obi-Wan responded with a grin, before walking out of the medical center, and into a taxi that led him back to the Jedi Temple, where he encountered Darth Maul fighting Mace Windu and Agen Kolar at the same time.

"What in the world..." Obi-Wan started, but was interrupted by a tap from Yoda's gimer stick.

"Found Anakin within the Force, I have. Dealing with something of his own, he is." Yoda stated.

"What do you mean?" Obi-Wan inquired.

"Attempting to return young Ahsoka to the Light, he is." Yoda responded.

"Oh Anakin." Obi-Wan whispered, but was interrupted by seeing Maul's lightsaber impale Agen through the heart. Kit quickly blocked Maul from striking a fatal blow to Mace.

"Go, we must." Yoda said. Obi-Wan followed him to a ship filled with younglings, padawans and Shaak Ti. Many of them were shivering in fear, and he tried to calm them down as Yoda hobbled to the cockpit where he entered in the coordinates for Tython. There were still many ships left in the Temple, and they followed.

LOWER LEVELS OF CORUSCANT

A robed figure walked through the lower levels of Coruscant, trying to locate someone. He bumped into a Muun in their twenties, who quickly recognized them.

"Uncle?" the Muun asked.

"Dagann?" Darth Plagueis replied. The Muun pulled at his arm, and they entered an alleyway.

"Uncle, we have to get out of here. Palpatine will most likely try to hunt you down." Dagann stated. Plagueis nodded. "For safety reasons, I am going to call you Hego for safety reasons."

"Understoon, Dagann. We should go to your mother's place here." Hego replied. Dagann shook his head.

"My mother was killed, that is why I was searching for you. My older brother is across the planet, we have to go there." Dagann replied. Hego sighed.

"Well then we go there, Dagann." Hego responded. They both left the alleyway and found a taxi that would take them to near where Dagann's brother, Haznal, lived.

CORUSCANT

As Darth Maul fended off both Mace Windu and Kit Fisto's attacks, he noticed that most, almost all, the Jedi had made it out of the Temple. He didn't like that, so continued his push and slashed a nearby Knight on the chest, who fell to the ground. A Padawan rushed over to him, but Maul drove his lightsaber through the two of them. Mace winced at the sight, and began to wildly attack Maul, using Vaapad. Kit flipped over Maul and kicked him forward, and Mace's lightsaber drove itself into Maul's side. Maul grunted, and then kicked Mace forward. Now, he only had to deal with Kit.

Maul spun in a circle and grazed Kit's knee. Kit fell back, and Maul drove forward. Mace returned to the fight, and threw a chair at Maul, who fell to the ground. He attempted to stand back up, but Kit slashed at his robotic leg, which forced him to crawl back to avoid the hit. Maul got up, and attempted to slash Mace's side, who jumped out of the way. Mace swung his blade at Maul, who Force-pushed him backwards into the wall, as Saesee Tiin arrived. Mace returned and picked up Agen's body, and placed it on a table to rest for a later funeral.

Maul spun in a circle, blocking both Kit and Saesee's attacks with ease. Eventually, Kit Force-pushed him into a speeder, which he used as an escape route, to go somewhere that the Jedi didn't know of.

"We have to get out of here, now." Mace said, hoisting up Agen's body as they all returned to a shuttle. Yoda transmitted them the coordinates to Tython as they entered the shuttle, and set the coordinates. Now, almost every Jedi at the temple had gotten out, but the same couldn't be said for the ones on mission. Quinlan had managed to get on a ship soon after with several Knights, and soon the Temple was empty.

TYTHON

As all the Jedi arrived at Tython, Yoda knew this would be a new start to the Jedi. Obi-Wan worried for what Anakin was doing, as Bail Organa's ship, the Tantive IV arrived at Tython with Padmé and the babies. They had to rebuild the Republic from the ground-up, as now the Sith ruled the old Republic. Few Senators remained who openly opposed Palpatine's rule, and they had "mysterious deaths".

But now, the Jedi were few. And they had to rebuild on Tython.

And they had to live on only hope that they could win.

CLIFFHANGER! Yep, you'll have to wait longer to find out what happened to Anakin. Fun! Also, to answer some questions you may have-

1. Dagann and Haznal are both OCs, but Plagueis' actual name is Hego Damask II, so I'm using Hego for the time being.

Next chapter(s);

What happens on Serenno, Plagueis plots revenge, Maul finds Plagueis and Dagann, The Skywalker twins, Tython and lots more!