An ominous sense of dread slowly began to percolate as Anakin considered the likelihood of the Jedi Masters' success. It was expected that by nightfall, Palpatine would be in chains and the threat of the Sith would have ended before it began. But something in the crevices of his mind sensed something far worse than Palpatine's probable escape. Was this just his fear getting the better of him?

Fear

The fear that always clung to him, that lay in wait in the lower chambers of his heart, was facing life after Padme's assassin was brought justice. After it was all said and done, he'd still have to face the void…the emptiness that awaited him in the quiet hours of the night. For all his efforts in bringing the case to a close would do nothing to bring Padme back to him. There would be no escape, neither by substance nor distraction, to save him from facing the rawest reality. The impact of Padme's absence would be more keenly felt in these days. This was his secret dread and private nightmare.

As his solitude continued in the Jedi council chambers, Anakin turned his thoughts to his resistance to the allure of the darkside. As difficult as the decision was to turn his back on restoring Padme, a harsher reality of what he'd become if he had given in would have set in place. Achieving what he wanted most would spell the doom of all and make him a man Padme would have never recognized. After the vision in the garden, Qui-gon said Padme was not at his side. Whether it was by choice or by fate, she wasn't there and by then it would be too late to go back. A small part of him that lay dormant seemed to have awakened after he left Palpatine's office. His senses seemed to have heighted by some small measure. It was like a reclaiming a lost fragment of himself. The fog of self-doubt and distrust was beginning to thin, bringing the promise of healing.

Seated in one of the chairs, he sat with his forearms balanced on his knees. His cerulean eyes scanned the windows, floors and doors of the chamber. It had been a long time since he last stood in this room. He remembered his first time as a boy standing with Obi-wan and Qui-gon. He looked at the circular design on the marble floor and remembered a time when it looked so much bigger than it appeared now. He remembered standing on the same spot and being assigned his first mission to protect Padme. He remembered standing there, with Padme just outside the door, as he announced his marriage to her. Anakin didn't realize this room would remind him so much of the man he once was…the man Padme loved. It was startling that there now existed a growing part of him that wanted to reclaim that identity and be that man once again.

Be a knight again?

It was impossible. Impossible to be the same man he was before she died…impossible to see life as he did back then. He was permanently altered…damaged.

Anakin scoffed and disregarded the notion, choosing to bury it in another thought to preoccupy his mind. As if sensing the need for a distraction his holotransceiver sounded. Drawing it from his pocket, Anakin activated the transmission and his droids immediately came into view in the palm of his hand.

"Yes, Threepio. What is it?"

"Master Anakin, you wanted to be notified as soon as Artoo completed the traceroute. If you wish to review the results, he will forward them to you."

"Of course. Send it to me." Anakin set the holotransceiver on the arm of the chair and withdrew his datapad.

The golden droid turned to the off screen mech droid and said, "Go ahead, Artoo." He turned his luminescent eyes back to Anakin and continued, "Also a 'Ms. Silver' attempted to contact you through the encrypted channel."

Anakin furled his brow. "What about?"

"She didn't say…only that she urgently needs to meet with you."

The red indicator on datapad signaled the arrival of the transmission. He activated it and studied the traceroute path and results. Anakin allowed a long moment of silence as he stared at the coordinates. He couldn't believe what he was seeing and nearly willed it to somehow make sense. With his thumb and index finger, he rubbed his eyes, blinking and widening them as if believing his eyes to be deceiving him.

"Is anything wrong, sir?" Threepio cocked his head to the side.

"Artoo, are you sure these coordinates are correct?" He asked without looking. It wasn't that he doubted Artoo's quality of work. It was just that the results were so questionable.

Artoo whistled to the affirmative.

"I know." Anakin sighed, resigning to the validity of the results. "It's just that this implies that…No, it can't right." He stood up and started to pace. "It can't be."

"There is probably a good explanation for it, Master Anakin."

"There probably is."

"Master Anakin, you look tired. Perhaps you should return and get some rest. By tomorrow you'll have this all sorted out."

Anakin shook his head and turned toward Threepio's image. "This can't wait, Threepio. I'm going to get to the bottom of this now." Scooping up the transceiver from chair, Anakin quickly started out of the council chambers. "Patch all encrypted incoming transmissions to my comlink."

"Of course, sir." Threepio nodded. "And what should I tell Ms. Silver?"

"I'll see her when I return." Anakin ended the transmission as soon as he passed through the doors.

The order to annihilate the Jedi could be given on any day at any moment and against the enormous threat looming in the fog of the darkside, there could be no defense. The knights were scattered across the galaxy in a thin layer of defense against separatists, leading an army of millions that could turn against them in a heartbeat. The assault would be unexpected and astounding. While the sheer count of Jedi was nothing to scoff at since they prospered in the millennia following the Sith wars, it paled in comparison to the number of clones under each Jedi knight's command. Knowing Order 66 could only be initiated by the direct order of the chancellor only added to the girth of danger surrounding the Jedi.

Was the chancellor being influenced by the Sith?

Previously the notion would have been absurd to consider, but now it's certainly plausible. Like the other members of the council, Obi-wan's distrust of the Chancellor grew with each passing year he held office beyond the end of his term. With the war being the chancellor's excuse for staying in office, Obi-wan knew as well as any Jedi or politician that war often led to the accumulation of power. It was exactly what transpired before the eyes of the Republic with some unsuccessful objections. It only pronounced the depth of political corruption.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. It was something the Jedi observed in their often cool relationship with politicians. It was something Obi-wan kept in the back of his mind during the early days of the clone war, emergency powers coalesced around Palpatine. There is some other will at work, yet the intention is still unclear.

Amid his musings, Obi-wan considered the battle station which had taken a backseat to the discovery of Order 66. According to Hoyt this abomination would bring the galaxy to its knees. Everyone would feel the yoke of tyranny and all would suffer. Danger encompassed not only the Jedi but also the republic and with the threat of the clones under the direct control of the chancellor, the end was inevitable. The separatists couldn't possibly intended to go this far to win the war. It would only suggest the hand of a darker power.

Why would the Sith choose to influence the senate through the chancellor, if they were clearly influencing the Separatist movement? What could they have to gain by manipulating both sides of the war?

Perhaps the Sith planned to eliminate Palpatine and take his place…still, all the facts didn't add up. There were still much to learn.

With Hoyt walking in front, Obi-wan made his way out of the room and along the corridor. As they moved further away from the conference room and toward the west elevator banks. They could both hear the distant sounds of combat.

Hoyt looked over his shoulders in annoyance, "What. You brought your clones? For little ole me? I'm flattered."

Hearing the conflict, the Jedi master wasn't sure what the conflict could be, but something urged him not to go toward it. It couldn't have been the clones as they were ordered to maintain orbit until summoned for additional support. Instead of heading toward the west elevators, Obi-wan and Hoyt turned and headed in the opposite direction to the east elevator bank. The control console between the elevators didn't indicate any activity. In fact it was deactivated.

Obi-wan looked at Hoyt. "The elevators are deactivated."

"To keep you from escaping when Rubrik and I discovered you were here."

"Activate them now."

Hoyt rolled his eyes and sighed. With his wrists still linked together by the force, Hoyt punched in a sequence code and spoke his passcode. "Delta 8, 5,9 - 10…Hoyt."

With a soothing voice, the computer complied. "Programmer, Hoyt. Security protocol deactivated." The elevator indicator lights came alive and the doors opened.

Hoyt looked over his shoulder at Obi-wan with a wry expression. "Happy?"

"Not until we are clear of this system."

As they stepped into the elevator, Hoyt spoke, "Do you really think you are going to make it out of here? The fortress guards have the place surrounded and you are severely outnumbered."

"Right now, it sounds like they are pre-occupied." Obi-wan pushed a button, "I'm certain a solution will present itself."

"So you don't have a plan." He said flatly as the elevator began its descent.

"Not one I care to share with you, Hoyt." Obi-wan said with a pleasant smile.

The sounds of gunfire, shouts and blaster bolts grew louder as the elevator dropped closer to the lower floors.

"What's going on out there?" Obi-wan muttered to himself as the sounds were now above and below them.

The shouting of one combatant was heard over the din of the battle. It was unmistakable. Hoyt shot a glance at him from the corner of his eye and smirked. "It sounds like your clones are introducing themselves to the guards."

Obi-wan knew that the clones would never disobey a direct order unless they received orders by someone with more authority. The hairs on Obi-wan's neck began to stand as realization set in. It was very likely that Order 66 was executed and that, unbeknownst to the fortress guards, he was the target of this attack.

Withdrawing the comlink from the pouch on his belt, he glanced at Hoyt. "Can you communicate with a mech droid?"

"Why?" Hoyt asked with narrowed eyes.

Obi-wan turned to face him and said, "Because I need you to translate…truthfully."

"Only if you let me go."

"To the clones? Of course."

Shaking his head, Hoyt gestured a thumb at himself. "They're not after me, Kenobi." He pointed a finger toward the Jedi and widened his eyes. "They're after you."

"It's fair to believe that those who created Order 66 to rid themselves of the Jedi are same persons behind the senator's death. And that party has recently declared a desire for your death to sever any connection to the murder. If my conclusive powers have not failed me, I would think if Order 66 is indeed in effect, and they would now know whatever the clones know. If they catch you, you will be interrogated and then put to death."

Unable to argue with the Jedi, Hoyt answered through clenched teeth. "Fine."

"Glad we have finally found common ground. Now, translate exactly what you hear. I will know if you try to deceive me." Obi-wan spoke into the comlink. "R4, there is unauthorized clone movement. Can you tell me what's going on?"

After the droid uttered a long series of sounds, Hoyt looked at Obi-wan in surprise and smirked. "Looks like your number is up, Kenobi. Your droid says that the clones have been trying to make contact with you for the last hour. They have sent transmissions asking that you return to the cruiser. He spotted three shuttles, landing near the fortress."

"Then if we are going to make it out of here alive, we are going to have to work together." Obi-wan turned back to the comlink. "R4 continue radio silence, until I contact you again."

"Can I assume a plan has presented itself?"

Before Obi-wan could respond, the elevator stopped. With the activation and movement of the elevator, it was possible that it drew the attention of the clones. They both exchanged wary glances, wondering what was on the other side of the doors. There was no sound of combat, no shouting or blaster bolts slamming into flesh. Obi-wan jerked his chin toward the opposite side of the doors, suggesting they both stand on either side. Silently Hoyt raised his wrists, and looked pointedly at them, mouthing, "Release me."

Obi-wan knew that once freed, Hoyt would be looking to escape his custody as well as the clones. Without the customary wave of a hand, Obi-wan released Hoyt's wrists. They both stood flush against the panels, waiting for the doors to open.

The doors slowly opened, allowing smoke and the stench of burnt flesh to sail into the metal box. Obi-wan and Hoyt slowly peered out. There were bodies littered about the floor, debris scattered everywhere...and no clone trooper was in sight, though their voices and footsteps could be heard nearby.

"Any sign of Kenobi?"

"No reports of him from the teams outside."

"We'll get him soon enough. The teams are on their way to the upper levels now. By now the exits and the docking bay are covered. He's got no way out."

"What if he's already left the fortress?"

"No matter. There are troopers combing the debris field."

With his worst fears confirmed, Obi-wan turned to Hoyt, "It looks like there are a two of them patrolling this level."

"And there are stationed guards near the level exits." Hoyt still peering out of the doors.

Obi-wan took a moment to consider the next move.

"Well? We can't stay here."

"We'll have to get to the ships docked in the docking bay."

Hoyt furled his brow, "This is your plan? You heard the clones! There are teams scouting the grounds as we speak. The docking bay is covered. They are making sure we don't make it out of here. How the hell are we going to take off, let alone make it to the ship? You came here in your own ship. Where is it? Why can't we take yours?"

"Because my ship is at least five miles from here. We'd have to traverse the maze of debris out there, plus avoid drawing attention to ourselves…on foot."

"I know my way through the maze and you could help with distracting the clones. There are speeders in the transport bay to side of the main gate."

"Hoyt, by the time we get to my ship, the clones may have already discovered it. If the docking bay is covered then we can assume the transport bay is covered as well. It won't work. The best thing to do, is to get to the nearest ship without calling their attention. Once aboard we can engage the deflector shields and off this planet. The docking bay is the best choice. We will at least know what we are dealing with."

Hoyt took a deep breath and nodded in agreement. "Ok, Kenobi. There are three ways to get to the docking bay," enumerating on his fingers, he continued, "the east tower, the main docking bay doors and the maintenance sublevel."

"Obviously the main docking bay doors will not work. They will know that is an obvious access point. What about the other two ways?"

"The maintenance sublevel runs directly under the docking bay."

"We can take that way."

Hoyt shook his head, "The exit hatches are located towards the center of the bay. We come out there and the clones will have us for sure. The only way is the east tower. We can come out directly in front of the boarding ramp to one of the ships. We'll have to take the overpass to get to the east tower. I can magnetically seal the doors to the overpass. That will stop them from following us if they find out. It's just a few meters down the hall." He pointed towards his left.

"Then we'd better get going."

Through the various twists and turns of the corridor, the unlikely pair quietly made their way to the overpass doors. They found themselves going from one room to another corridor and from one corridor to another room to avoid being seen. Captor and captive; fugitives, strangely working as a team for mutual survival. It was something Obi-wan marveled at throughout their movement. He and Hoyt found themselves hunched down with their backs against two cargo bins for cover. They each turned and looked over their shoulders to see two troopers both standing at attention with their backs facing them. One stood before Obi-wan and the other in front of Hoyt.

Obi-wan whispered, "I thought you said it was a few meters down the hall?"

"I didn't realize we were on the far side of the tower. So instead of taking the long way around, I took a short cut." Hoyt whispered back.

"You call that a short cut?"

Hoyt rolled his eyes. "I didn't know there would be so many clones in the near the atrium."

"Are we any closer?"

"Look over your shoulder, Kenobi."

Obi-wan peered out around the trooper and saw a large round door with what looked like a biometric control panel to the side of it. "Can you get us through?"

"Yes."

"Let's go." Obi-wan and Hoyt stood up and grabbed a trooper and yanked them behind the cargo bin. Hoyt didn't prove to be handy in a fight, being quickly overcome by one of the troopers. Obi-wan's lightsaber came to life slicing the arm off of one trooper while narrowing missing the blast bolt from the other trooper. Obi-wan turned around in time to see the clone aiming a blaster at him. A blaster went off and the clone collapsed to the floor, revealing Hoyt standing there holding a smoking blaster. They each exchanged nods of acknowledgement and headed for the overpass door before any patrolling troopers stumble upon the scene.

Without wasting time, Hoyt punched in a 5 digit code and pressed his hand against the palm reader. With a soft ding the overpass door slid up with a hiss. Obi-wan stepped in first and realized that the top half the tube shaped bridge was made of glass. With a clear view of the docking bay, Obi-wan spied two large docked ships, both surrounded by several clones. He couldn't help noticing the location of maintenance hatches and realized that exit would have easily spelled their doom. He turned back to Hoyt and said, "Seal the doors. We'll have to crawl across so they will not see us."

"I can open the doors on the other side from here. Go ahead I'll be right behind you."

Obi-wan hesitated at first as he began to feel the first tendrils of deception from Hoyt. As Hoyt turned to seal the door, he got down on his hands and knees and started crawling. What the Obi-wan didn't see as he started to move along the overpass, was that Hoyt did not magnetically seal the door. Instead, he engaged the regular locking mechanism meant to slow down the clones. Hoyt did not crawl on his hands and knees as Obi-wan said. Instead he walked along the overpass ensuring that the clones would see their location. Just before Obi-wan stopped to look over his shoulder at Hoyt, the scoundrel assumed the position and was now crawling behind the Jedi.

Fired blaster bolts began slamming into the overpass, hitting the metal underside as well as creating scorch holes through the glass windows. Obi-wan and Hoyt crawled quickly through the expanse, as it seemed the clones would close in on their location in only moments.

Nearing the exit, the two men got up and ran through and entering a circular shaped elevator bank. There was an elevator flank the sides of the overpass exit. Directly across was another door with magnetic seals and a control pad beside it.

Obi-wan could hear the din of orders being given from the docking bay and the court yard. He turned and said, "Seal off the overpass exit."

Again, Hoyt didn't engage the magnetic seal instead using the standard locking mechanism. As the door slid down, the two men looked at the elevators and realized the clones had already boarded the elevators and were on their way up.

Hoyt turned to the only other way out and started working on opening the door. This time, it seemed to have taken him longer than usual. Obi-wan watched him work the access codes over and over. Seeing that Hoyt was repeatedly getting a denial message, he turned to face the overpass exit and the two elevators.

"It seems they must have changed my access key code."

Removing his weapon Obi-wan, "Try to override it and get that door open. They will be here any second, I will cover you."

"Sure thing, Kenobi."

With barely moments left, Obi-wan centered himself and prepared for the attack. Considering that these clones would be coming from both elevators and the overpass exit, the possibility of escaping was now nil.

There sounds of approaching footsteps coming from the overpass. Obi-wan knew the clones had made it passed the locked overpass entry door and were beginning to work on the control pad to gain access to their location. Obi-wan realized that Hoyt had betrayed him. Magnetically sealed doors could not be opened unless a programmer could do it or a droid. From his years of experience leading the clones, he knew they won't have a droid with them now and none among them were programmers. Feeling a sudden draft on the back of his legs, Obi-wan turned around to see Hoyt now standing on the other side of the doorway. He started to run toward the door, but it had slid shut and the magnetic seal was engaged.

"Open this door, Hoyt!" Obi-wan shouted through the metal door.

"Sorry, Kenobi. I gotta save my own hide. You and your kind are going to be wiped out anyway. The clones want you more than me. They'll be too busy zeroing in on your location to notice me taking off in my ship. It was nice knowing you."

"Blast!" Obi-wan said under his breath. He turned around and saw the elevators were about stop on his floor. He looked straight ahead and saw the clones had succeeded in rising the overpass door 6 units off the floor. He hear the commanding clone ordering another to lay down flat and see if he could get a clear shot. His doom would arrive at any moment and there was no way to escape. Only other way out was now magnetically sealed.

Obi-wan parted his legs and positioned himself defensively. Igniting his lightsaber, he whispered a prayer to force and prepared for would be his end. Even through years of training to banish the fear from his heart, he couldn't help but to acknowledge it. He was afraid of what might happen next. His eyes moved from the elevators to the overpass door, waiting patiently to see who would come out first. It was impossible for a single Jedi to survive such an attack. He started to guesstimate how many would be in each elevator and how many would be in the overpass. Concentrating and focusing his thought and energy in the here and now, as Qui gon had always taught him, he couldn't deny there exist a shadow of fear cast against his heart.

But Obi-wan's heart was strong and he would not allow such an emotion to rule his judgment. He closed eyes and exhaled, finding his center, and placing all his faith in the force. Obi-wan relaxed himself to the point where he was almost numb. He opened his eyes again as the point of a blaster found its way through the small opening in the over pass door. In the corner of his eye he could see what looked like squared shaped covering, camouflaged to blend in with the design and color of the room. Extinguishing his weapon, he moved toward it and knelt down. With an index finger, Obi-wan raised the covering to see it was actually a garbage chute. Peering into it, Obi-wan could see it was dark smelly and ran along the side of the elevator shaft and would likely end on the maintenance sublevel. Looking over his shoulder, he could see he only had seconds before the elevator and the overpass doors would open. He clipped his light weapon to his belt and climbed in, feet first.

At the rate he was falling, he realized that he would likely be killed on impact. After all, the chute wasn't designed to transport people. He needed slow down as quickly as possible. He used the sleeves of his robe to absorb the fiction as braced his hands against the walls of the chute. Slowing down, he looked below and saw a dim light rushing toward him.

Obi-wan landed in a large pit recessed into the floor filled with garbage and metal. Luckily none were jagged pieces pointing at him. He took a moment to listen for anyone else in the area, before moving toward the edge. He jumped up and grabbed the rim of the pit. Slowly pulling himself up, he looked over the edge and realized that he was in a large poorly lit room. This was the room where all the trash was collected before removal. Obi-wan quickly climbed out of the pit and exited the room. He found himself in a corridor filled with maintenance and engineering tools and supplies. There were deactivated droids and droid parts littered throughout the length of the corridor. He turned left and followed the curvature of the corridor which led to a short dark tunnel. The tunnel led him to an open room with hatches on the ceiling and ladders leading up to them. Obi-wan realized he was standing directly beneath the docking bay. He realized he could easily climb up and board one of the ships. Once he was safely aboard with the boarding ramp secure, he could engage the shields making their clones' ground assault pointless. As he moved toward the ladders, he heard a blaster go off. It was so close by that he turned around immediately and looked to see where it was from. There were sounds of commotion and clone movement. Orders were given to guard the docking bay access from the east tower. Apparently Hoyt's plan was beginning to back fire on him.

It was clear that he could not take ships in the docking bay. Thanks to Hoyt there was too much attention being drawn to the area. Obi-wan realized the only way out was his ship docked five miles away. He remembered Hoyt mentioned the land transports on the other side of the west tower. If he could get to them, he could make it to his ship in a few minutes. But there he wasn't sure if the clones had discovered it yet. This effort could be in vain, but Obi-wan had to try. He had to make it out somehow. So much now depended on him.

Obi-wan turned and ran back down the corridor and into another dark tunnel. He followed the twists and turns, until it led him to another large opening similar to the docking bay maintenance level. He approached one of the ladders positioned just under one of the hatches, and climbed.

He could hear clones talking back and forth. Taking a little more risk, he raised the hatch just enough to see what he was up against. There were seventeen clones guarding four speeders as well as the main gate. Obi-wan realized a fight between himself and seventeen clones might not end well for him. Just as he started to consider a diversionary tactic, he could hear the orders coming through one of the clones transmitters.

"The Jedi has made aboard one of the ships in the docking bay. We are under heavy fire. We are going to need support now!"

Immediately ten of the clones broke formation and moved toward Obi-wan's position. He quickly closed the hatch and realized that they were stepping over it and heading toward the docking bay. He raised the hatch again, once the clones had gone.

Seven clones left. Good odds for any Jedi.

Obi-wan rose from the maintenance level and removed his weapon and ignited his lightsaber. Allowing the hatch to slam close, he said casually, "Looking for me?"

The clones immediately took aim and fired. Obi-wan bright blue blade deflected blast after blast, while he cut down two clones. He spun on his heels, cleaved weapons in two and force pushed one clone into a pile of cargo bins. He continued to deflect blaster bolts and removed the arm of one clone and the leg of another. Obi-wan turned toward the main gate. Taking in the size of it, he summoned as much of the force as he could and directed it toward the gate, blasting open with a force push. Mounting a speeder, he looked over his shoulder once more at the clones in his wake and took off.

As the fortress began to shrink into the distance, he heard a large explosion. He briefly looked over his shoulder to see a ship on fire and smoking. It had not yet cleared the fortress towers and had begun its short descent back to the surface…so ended Hoyt's attempt to escape. Never did he think he'd be end up being the distraction that would help Obi-wan escape.

Obi-wan removed his comlink and opened a channel to his ship.

"R4 is the ship still secure?"

The droid answered with an affirmative whistle. That was the limit of Obi-wan's grasp of droid translation.

"Ready the ship for takeoff. I will be there momentarily. Begin scanning the area for activity. If any clones appear before I get there, inform me."

Another affirmative whistle and the channel was closed.