Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling or George Lucas or Matthew Stover.

Tantive IV - above Utapau - 19 BBY

Ron Weasley was so delighted to see Hermione he could barely describe it.

"Ron?" she said.

"Missed me, sweetheart?" Ron grinned.

"Oh!" Hermione ran over and hugged him.

"I thought I'd lost you forever," she said.

"As did I," Ron said grimly. "I can't believe I ever joined Palpatine."

"Neither can I," said Senator Organa. "We elected him."

"Snap out of this, we must," said Master Yoda firmly.

"Yes," said Harry. "We must find out what the hell has happened?"

"Have we heard from any other Jedi?" Ginny asked.

"Yes," said Hermione. "We received a message saying for all Jedi to return to the capital."

"It says the war is over," Padawan Jukassa added.

Ron was alarmed. "Then we must go back! Before Palpatine and Skywalker completely wipe out the Jedi and the Republic."

"Ron," said Harry, "we don't know that Palpatine has turned Anakin yet."

"But he probably has," said Hermione. "The troopers I saw at the Temple were members of the 501st. Those are Skywalker's clones."

"Shab," said Ron. "We have to return to Triple Zero."

"True," said Harry.

"Seriously?" asked Bail. "The planet - it's a trap!"

"Haven't been there before, have we?" Ron grinned.

"Any surviving Jedi would fall into that trap and be killed," Ginny explained. "We have to retransmit the recording."

"And a little more knowledge might light our way," said Yoda.

Senate Arena - Coruscant - 19 BBY

Hermione slipped into Corellia's pod, sitting next to Senator Garm Bel Iblis. Bail went to sit by Senator Amidala. Harry, Ron, and Yoda snuck into the ruins of the Jedi Temple, while Ginny had taken a shuttle to Alderaan, in order to protect Jukassa.

"What's happened?" she whispered to Garm.

"Palpatine," the Senator muttered bitterly. "He claims the Jedi have betrayed the Republic, blames them for those scars. Harry Potter has been named an enemy of the state."

Scars? Hermione wondered.

She looked up to see the Naboo Sith Lord. It was a horrible shock. The man looked like a corpse, with yellowing skin, yellow feral eyes, and severely scarred and shriveled leathery skin. Over his expensive burgundy robes, he donned a dark black Sith cloak.

She tuned into what the Sith Lord was saying.

"The Jedi, and some within our own Senate, had conspired to create the shadow of Separatism using one of their own as the enemy's leader. They had hoped to grind the Republic into ruin. But the hatred in their hearts could not be hidden forever. At last there came a day when our enemies showed their true colors. We may have been safe from them had it not been for Harry Potter."

Hermione barely hid her surprise that Palpatine was blaming Harry for this.

"He conspired with select Senators to create a rebellious movement to wipe out the very nature of the Senate. Obi-Wan Kenobi, our great Jedi hero, discovered the plot and so was killed by Potter's greatest ally Revan, who in fact was the Jedi Ron Weasley.

"Potter and his allies are our greatest enemies, but they will be defeated. Our loyal clone troopers, led by the Republic hero Darth Vader, will wipe out every single Jedi. Any collaborators will suffer the same fate!"

Hermione blinked in surprise. Who was this Darth Vader?

"The war is over! These have been trying times, but we have passed the test. The treacherous Mace Windu left me scarred, left me deformed! But he and his fellow traitors could not scar my resolve, could not deform my integrity! In order to ensure our security and continuing stability, the Republic shall be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire, for a safe and secure society."

"What?" Hermione and Garm gasped at the same time.

"He can't do this!" said Hermione in complete umbrage.

"I'm afraid, he can, Diktat," Garm said sadly. "There's little we can do to stop him. He's already arrested Fang Zar and Tundra Dowmeia, and placed a death mark on Kal Skirata. I barely escaped arrest. Mon and I, upon your suggestion, tried to protest his continued radical amendments. I watched Mon be killed by that Imperial leader Vader. He's . . . "

"Anakin Skywalker," Hermione finished for him, confirming her worst fears.

"Let the enemies of the Empire take heed: those who challenge Imperial resolve will be crushed.

"We have taken on a task that will be difficult, but the people of the Empire are ready for the challenge. Because of our efforts, the galaxy has traded war for peace, anarchy for stability. Billions of beings now look forward to a secure future. The Empire will grow as more planets feel the call, from the Rim to the wilds of unknown space."

Merlin, he makes Voldemort look like a playground bully.

"Imperial citizens must do their part. Join our grand star fleet. Become the eyes of the Empire by reporting suspected insurrectionists. Travel to the corners of the galaxy to spread the principles of the New Order to barbarians. Build monuments and technical wonders that will speak of our glory for generations to come."

Hermione noticed what Sidious meant by that there. He was basically breeding mistrust and skeptism among his subjects. They wouldn't know who to trust.

"The clone troopers, now proudly wearing the name of Imperial stormtroopers, have tackled the dangerous work of fighting our enemies on the front lines. Many died in their devotion to the Empire. Imperial citizens would do well to remember their example.

"The New Order of peace has triumphed over the shadowy secrecy of shameful magicians. The direction of our course is clear. I will lead the Empire to goals beyond imagining.

"We have been tested, but we have emerged stronger. We move forward as one people: the Imperial citizens of the first Galactic Empire. We will prevail. Ten thousand years of peace begins today."

Or begins to end, Hermione thought ferociously.

The speech ended, and the entire Imperial Senate burst into roars of cheers. It was clear: The Republic, like the Jedi Order, was dead.