DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.

The docks on Coruscant had been abandoned years ago following Emperor Palpatine's take over. One morning a few months after he had ordered all the Jedi to be killed and had revealed his true identity to the masses, Palpatine had commanded a raid on the docks. He had known for years that it was the fastest way for someone to smuggle anything into Coruscant and he knew that his enemies would recognise this fact too. So without remorse, he'd ordered the massacre that had occurred that fateful morning.

There had been no bias. Humans, aliens, women, children – all had been sacrificed in one of Palpatine's most vicious rulings. The people instantly understood. You use the docks; you die by order of the Emperor. And so it had been abandoned, left as a nasty reminder of who now ruled the galaxy.

But on this day, a small spacecraft entered the Coruscant atmosphere and made straight for the depths of its lower levels. There it found one of the empty hangers of the docks and landed. For a few moments, nothing happened.

Then the door opened and a ramp lowered to the ground. Five figures emerged, moving quickly. They were all wrapped in dark cloaks, hoods covering their heads. Without a word the five moved away from the now-silent ship and into the dark shadows that haunted the docks.

No one had seen a thing. No one would know they were there.

Obi Wan Kenobi surveyed the area silently. He stood at the top step of the old Jedi Temple. It was nothing but ruins now. Palpatine had also ensured that. He didn't want any of the Jedi that had somehow escaped Order 66 to see it still standing and see it as a beacon of hope.

Behind Obi Wan stood three men, their backs to him, and hands inside their cloaks on the butts of their weapons. They were keeping an eye out for any Separatist patrols. To his left, also eyeing the destruction was a tall, lithe Togrutan female.

"This is just terrible," Ahsoka Tano murmured.

Obi Wan nodded his acquiesce. He'd seen the destruction of the Temple in person before he left Coruscant in his escape but he'd forgotten just how bad it was. A wave of sorrow passed over him and he bowed his head.

"Come on young one," he said as he turned away.

Ahsoka and he joined the three men and together the five raised the deep cowls of their cloaks and ran back down the steps, disappearing into the night.

Padme exited the fresher, still drying her hair with a towel. She had given up on finding a way out of the room. Nobody had shown any interest in her since the collar around her throat had activated. Someone had come in after she'd fallen unconscious and placed her on the bed, pulling her hands out from under the steel band.

Other than that, she'd had no contact with anything, not even a droid, since being thrown into the room. Her collar had also stayed suspiciously quiet. It was only on that first day that it had nearly strangled her to death. She was terrified that it could activate at any moment and she wouldn't be able to stop it.

But even more terrifying was the unknown fates of her children and husband. More than anything Padme wanted to know where they were, whether they were alright and in the twins' case, whether they were together. She knew Palpatine was behind everything and that scared her as well. Palpatine was one of the few people who knew just how strong Anakin was and he had trained his whole life to be prepared to take her husband on.

With a sign, Padme picked up her latest novel and lay back on the bed. She couldn't help them yet but when the moment came, she would be ready to help in any way she could.

Palpatine had continued to reinforce the lessons he'd already taught Anakin for another two days before he was satisfied. Although his cuff didn't actually activate, Anakin had started retching at just the sight of a weapon. Palpatine hadn't anticipated such a strong aversion to occur but it pleased and encouraged him greatly. Apparently it was possible for his teaching to become a snap reaction, even without the cuffs influence.

When Palpatine walked into the room, Anakin didn't lift his head. He was back in the corner, furthest from the door. Anakin simply raised himself onto his knees, biting back a grimace at his sore muscles and kept his eyes firmly on the ground in front of him. Then he waited.

The sound of droids entering caught Anakin's attention but he still didn't look up. Palpatine moved closer to him and finally squatted down to Anakin's level. Then, without a word, the Sith slapped a set of stun cuffs around his wrists and hauled him to his feet. Confused, Anakin stood silently behind the Emperor, his eyes on the ground, wondering what was going on. He'd not left the cell in a week so why all of a sudden was he surrounded by commando droids with his hands cuffed in front of him.

Palpatine then blindfolded him. Anakin felt him fiddling with his collar and if he wasn't mistaken he felt something attach to it. Then without warning, Anakin felt a sharp tug from his collar – it was a leash! – and he stumbled forward. Bound and blindfolded, Palpatine led Anakin from his cell by the strong chain he'd connected to the front of his collar.

Putting all his faith in Palpatine, Anakin allowed himself to be led. His steps were cautious but hurried as the Emperor hastened down corridor after corridor. Anakin tried to keep tabs on where they turned and how many steps between each corner but there was simply too many to navigate while blind.

When they finally arrived at their destination, Palpatine sat Anakin down in a chair before locking his bound wrists to a clip on the seat of the chair between his legs. Then he removed the blindfold.

Instantly Anakin lowered his gaze in case the Emperor was in front of him. He didn't want the cuff to start up again. From the corners of his eyes he could see that the room was plain white with nothing else in it besides the chair he was chained to and a desk in front of him.

The commando droids had all stayed outside so it was just Palpatine and him in the room. Anakin watched as Palpatine's feet disappeared from in front of him as he walked behind him. Next thing he knew something was placed over his eyes and fastened behind his head. Everything went black again.

"Before I turn this on, I need you to remember your first lesson," Palpatine instructed.

Anakin nodded to show he knew what he was talking about. Just thinking about not thinking about harming the Emperor was making his stomach cramp.

"Now we're going to extend that lesson. You must not let any harm come to me, even if it puts your life on the line."

Anakin swallowed and then the thing covering his eyes came to life.