Part Eleven
Willow had decided that instead of hauling her ass across the galaxy to Tattoine she would go back to Coruscant and appeal to Darth Sidious directly. In the worse case he would kill her, best giver her another assignment. And she almost didn't care. Nothing had seemed right, nor gone right since the death of Tara. Killing Warren hadn't done anything except fulfill a primal urge for revenge. It hadn't satiated her pain.
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"As soon as we have a chance to send you, you are going to live with my step brother and his father. Don't try to protest Padme. When it's safe I'll come get you."
"Anakin, don't be ridiculous. You can't fight. You aren't allowed to use the Force anymore. At the most you'll get yourself killed."
"We need him. You have to understand Amidala that your safety is important. Whether or not you're a queen your life is in danger, and now more so because you're pregnant." Buffy said.
"Let's go everyone. Amidala, stay with ship. We're going to have a look around. I bet the dark Side already knows you're here. Call back to Coruscant. See what's keeping that Clone army." Buffy followed Obi Wan and Anakin out of the ship.
"This place is a complete 180 from Naboo isn't it?"
"Welcome to my home." Anakin said, gesturing to the expanse of desert.
"At least no one will be able to sneak up on us, like they did on Coruscant."
"It's funny." Buffy said with a snort. "Back home, I had never left Southern California, and now, well I've been to other planets before I've been to other countries on my own planet."
"Funny." Anakin agreed flatly. "What do you think Master Obi Wan Kenobi?"
"I think a sandstorm is coming. Let's get inside." They were to far from the ship so they made their way to an outlying building, which turned out to be a sleazy bar, a popular tourist attraction on Tattoine, for the scum buckets of the universe.
"Has it really been that long that I didn't recognize it coming?" Anakin asked himself, watching the dust start to kick up.
"Your observational skills have been clouded by love, young …Anakin." Anakin was waiting for Obi Wan to say Padawan. He missed the derisive tone, much to his surprise.
"Maybe we can find some useful information while we're here at least." Buffy offered, scanning the room.
"What would they know?" Anakin asked, dubious.
"More than you would think." Obi Wan sat down on a stool.
"Anakin? Is that you?" Anakin turned to face an olive skinned teen. "I thought you were becoming a Jedi?" The curious young man nodded to Obi Wan. Anakin held up his hand.
"Seek! I got married, just recently. To the Senator of Naboo."
"Then what are you doing on Tattoine?" Anakin glanced between his old friend, and his old master.
"There's a war going on, between The Republic and The Independent Systems. A battle is going to be fought here."
"You're not serious, are you? Tattoine isn't even part of the Republic! Or the Independent Systems." Seek looked at Anakin, his head cocked.
"That's why." Obi Wan said gravely. "It's less inhabited and it's neutral territory."
"You know the locals are going to be furious."
"We had no choice."
"I bet you didn't."
"Seek, please, we need all the allies we can get here."
"Well, since it's you Ani. We did hear something." Seek guided them over to a booth so they could talk more privately. "I heard once, maybe a year ago, about an empire. I didn't know what they were talking about. But it makes sense doesn't it? Why would they have a war if not to destroy the Republic and create an empire."
"But the independent Systems don't have enough power to do that." Anakin argued. He looked to Obi Wan to support him. Obi Wan nodded.
"It's true. They don't."
"Ahem. May we look to within the Republic? That is why people split isn't it?" Buffy spoke up. "Maybe an outsider is the only one who can properly observe this."
"The Jedi council would know of such things."
"We aren't omnipotent Anakin. We make mistakes."
"I'm not arguing that. But something as big as the creation of an empire couldn't go under their noses. I don't believe it."
"I'm just telling you what I heard." Seek stood up. "I hope you don't mind but I have to go. It was nice seeing you again Anakin."
"See you around Seek." Seek nodded to the others and disappeared through the crowd with a sinister smile on his face.
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The Sith paced back and forth in his ship, waiting to dock. The sand storm had delayed their arrival on Tattoine. He was eager to get off and search for the boy, especially after the mast message from his Master. The scratchy voice still echoed in the air.
Was it really his fault that they were outnumbered? Willow was no help. It was him against The Jedi and Buffy and the little twerps. He would make up for it now. The ships with the Droids were on their way. They would slaughter the Jedi and their little clones. The Republic would worry. They would look to Chancellor Palpatine who would lead them to disaster.
"We're ready to dock."
"Excellent." Spike licked his finger and pressed it against his sharpened horns. His tattooed finger came back bloody. "Round three."
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"What is it again? Look inward. Sense the Force in you and around you. Use it to guide yourself." Xander opened his eyes. Centering himself, as Yoda had taught him, did nothing to calm his nerves, nor help him to place Buffy among the masses of people on Tattoine. He was glad the ship landed just before the storm.
"You haven't seen a couple Jedi and a oh never mind." Xander backed away from the lumbering Bantha. "I've got to learn that mind control thingy." Even in the midst of the market Xander caught sight of the blond hair. It also helped that the woman was in bright earth clothing.
"Anya Christina Emmanuel Emerson , what are you doing here?" Xander roared in shock.
"I dunno. I came along for the ride. I figured you would need help."
"From you? What could you possibly do? I would expect this from Dawn, but not from you."
"This." Anya morphed into her Vengeance demon face which always made Xander jump.
"That's about it?"
"So."
"Do you at least have a weapon to defend yourself with?"
"Yes." Anya pulled out a light saber.
"You stole a light saber! You don't even know how to use it."
"Well then I'll give throw it away."
"Urgggg! You drive me crazy woman! If I wasn't worried about you I'd walk away right now."
"You're worried about me? That's great. Did you worry about me when you left me at-"
"Don't even say it!" Xander cut in, realizing people were staring. "Just be quiet. Follow me." Anya, to his surprise did quiet. He led her away from the scene, not even knowing he was heading towards his Jedi allies.
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Dawn looked at Mace Windu who was sitting in front of her, with his eyes closed.
"You remind me of this guy on earth. He acts in movies. His name is Samuel L. Jackson. I don't know what the L is for. But it sounds right. It wouldn't sound good without the L." Mace Windu cracked one eye open.
"You're supposed to be gathering strength."
"I'm too excited. I can do this. I know I can. Buffy never let me go patrolling with her, so now I'll show her."
"This isn't a game young one. This is dangerous. I have seen many Jedi slain in battle."
"Well my sister died for me. I know how it works. That's why I'm prepared to do all I can to repay her." the other Jedi's eye opened.
"Fight side by side and you might survive." Their ship was at the back of a convoy of Clone armies, that had been sent wrongly to Coruscant and had to be resent to Tattoine.
Willow had decided that instead of hauling her ass across the galaxy to Tattoine she would go back to Coruscant and appeal to Darth Sidious directly. In the worse case he would kill her, best giver her another assignment. And she almost didn't care. Nothing had seemed right, nor gone right since the death of Tara. Killing Warren hadn't done anything except fulfill a primal urge for revenge. It hadn't satiated her pain.
*************************************************************************************
"As soon as we have a chance to send you, you are going to live with my step brother and his father. Don't try to protest Padme. When it's safe I'll come get you."
"Anakin, don't be ridiculous. You can't fight. You aren't allowed to use the Force anymore. At the most you'll get yourself killed."
"We need him. You have to understand Amidala that your safety is important. Whether or not you're a queen your life is in danger, and now more so because you're pregnant." Buffy said.
"Let's go everyone. Amidala, stay with ship. We're going to have a look around. I bet the dark Side already knows you're here. Call back to Coruscant. See what's keeping that Clone army." Buffy followed Obi Wan and Anakin out of the ship.
"This place is a complete 180 from Naboo isn't it?"
"Welcome to my home." Anakin said, gesturing to the expanse of desert.
"At least no one will be able to sneak up on us, like they did on Coruscant."
"It's funny." Buffy said with a snort. "Back home, I had never left Southern California, and now, well I've been to other planets before I've been to other countries on my own planet."
"Funny." Anakin agreed flatly. "What do you think Master Obi Wan Kenobi?"
"I think a sandstorm is coming. Let's get inside." They were to far from the ship so they made their way to an outlying building, which turned out to be a sleazy bar, a popular tourist attraction on Tattoine, for the scum buckets of the universe.
"Has it really been that long that I didn't recognize it coming?" Anakin asked himself, watching the dust start to kick up.
"Your observational skills have been clouded by love, young …Anakin." Anakin was waiting for Obi Wan to say Padawan. He missed the derisive tone, much to his surprise.
"Maybe we can find some useful information while we're here at least." Buffy offered, scanning the room.
"What would they know?" Anakin asked, dubious.
"More than you would think." Obi Wan sat down on a stool.
"Anakin? Is that you?" Anakin turned to face an olive skinned teen. "I thought you were becoming a Jedi?" The curious young man nodded to Obi Wan. Anakin held up his hand.
"Seek! I got married, just recently. To the Senator of Naboo."
"Then what are you doing on Tattoine?" Anakin glanced between his old friend, and his old master.
"There's a war going on, between The Republic and The Independent Systems. A battle is going to be fought here."
"You're not serious, are you? Tattoine isn't even part of the Republic! Or the Independent Systems." Seek looked at Anakin, his head cocked.
"That's why." Obi Wan said gravely. "It's less inhabited and it's neutral territory."
"You know the locals are going to be furious."
"We had no choice."
"I bet you didn't."
"Seek, please, we need all the allies we can get here."
"Well, since it's you Ani. We did hear something." Seek guided them over to a booth so they could talk more privately. "I heard once, maybe a year ago, about an empire. I didn't know what they were talking about. But it makes sense doesn't it? Why would they have a war if not to destroy the Republic and create an empire."
"But the independent Systems don't have enough power to do that." Anakin argued. He looked to Obi Wan to support him. Obi Wan nodded.
"It's true. They don't."
"Ahem. May we look to within the Republic? That is why people split isn't it?" Buffy spoke up. "Maybe an outsider is the only one who can properly observe this."
"The Jedi council would know of such things."
"We aren't omnipotent Anakin. We make mistakes."
"I'm not arguing that. But something as big as the creation of an empire couldn't go under their noses. I don't believe it."
"I'm just telling you what I heard." Seek stood up. "I hope you don't mind but I have to go. It was nice seeing you again Anakin."
"See you around Seek." Seek nodded to the others and disappeared through the crowd with a sinister smile on his face.
*************************************************************************************
The Sith paced back and forth in his ship, waiting to dock. The sand storm had delayed their arrival on Tattoine. He was eager to get off and search for the boy, especially after the mast message from his Master. The scratchy voice still echoed in the air.
Was it really his fault that they were outnumbered? Willow was no help. It was him against The Jedi and Buffy and the little twerps. He would make up for it now. The ships with the Droids were on their way. They would slaughter the Jedi and their little clones. The Republic would worry. They would look to Chancellor Palpatine who would lead them to disaster.
"We're ready to dock."
"Excellent." Spike licked his finger and pressed it against his sharpened horns. His tattooed finger came back bloody. "Round three."
*************************************************************************************
"What is it again? Look inward. Sense the Force in you and around you. Use it to guide yourself." Xander opened his eyes. Centering himself, as Yoda had taught him, did nothing to calm his nerves, nor help him to place Buffy among the masses of people on Tattoine. He was glad the ship landed just before the storm.
"You haven't seen a couple Jedi and a oh never mind." Xander backed away from the lumbering Bantha. "I've got to learn that mind control thingy." Even in the midst of the market Xander caught sight of the blond hair. It also helped that the woman was in bright earth clothing.
"Anya Christina Emmanuel Emerson , what are you doing here?" Xander roared in shock.
"I dunno. I came along for the ride. I figured you would need help."
"From you? What could you possibly do? I would expect this from Dawn, but not from you."
"This." Anya morphed into her Vengeance demon face which always made Xander jump.
"That's about it?"
"So."
"Do you at least have a weapon to defend yourself with?"
"Yes." Anya pulled out a light saber.
"You stole a light saber! You don't even know how to use it."
"Well then I'll give throw it away."
"Urgggg! You drive me crazy woman! If I wasn't worried about you I'd walk away right now."
"You're worried about me? That's great. Did you worry about me when you left me at-"
"Don't even say it!" Xander cut in, realizing people were staring. "Just be quiet. Follow me." Anya, to his surprise did quiet. He led her away from the scene, not even knowing he was heading towards his Jedi allies.
*************************************************************************************
Dawn looked at Mace Windu who was sitting in front of her, with his eyes closed.
"You remind me of this guy on earth. He acts in movies. His name is Samuel L. Jackson. I don't know what the L is for. But it sounds right. It wouldn't sound good without the L." Mace Windu cracked one eye open.
"You're supposed to be gathering strength."
"I'm too excited. I can do this. I know I can. Buffy never let me go patrolling with her, so now I'll show her."
"This isn't a game young one. This is dangerous. I have seen many Jedi slain in battle."
"Well my sister died for me. I know how it works. That's why I'm prepared to do all I can to repay her." the other Jedi's eye opened.
"Fight side by side and you might survive." Their ship was at the back of a convoy of Clone armies, that had been sent wrongly to Coruscant and had to be resent to Tattoine.
