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Polis Massa - 19 BBY

James was stunned by the information Lily and Bail provided upon their return. He thought back to what Barriss Offee had said before her arrest: I did it, because I've come to realize what many people in the Republic have come to realize - that the Jedi are the ones responsible for this war. That we've so lost our way that we have become villains in this conflict, that we are the ones that should be put on trial - all of us. And my attack on the Temple was an attack on what the Jedi have become. An army fighting for the dark side, fallen from the light that we once held so dear, this Republic is failing. It's only a matter of time.

"It's hard to believe," James noted, "that Barriss Offee was right. The Republic was under Sith influence, and we continued to serve it."

"We retreated from Coruscant in time, Father," Harry assured him. "Barriss was right, but at least the light can survive. This time, we won't foolishly tie ourselves to the Senate, so that we cannot function without them."

"Yes," James agreed, "but had we left earlier, we could have saved many lives. Remus, Oppo, Saesee, Kit . . . they wouldn't be dead now."

"Stop this we must," Yoda said. "Solve nothing this does."

"You're right, Master," James agreed.

Yoda nodded. "Until the time is right disappear we will."

By this time, Padme had given birth to her and Anakin's twins - a boy named Luke and a girl named Leia.

"They're our last hope," Anakin said. "We must hide them out - where Palpatine will never find them until it's too late."

"We should split them up," Obi-Wan agreed. "Even if the Sith find one, the other may survive."

"That's a good plan," Padme said.

"I'll take Luke to Tatooine." Anakin's face contorted with emotional pain. He clearly would rather not return to the desert planet. "It is the last place Palpatine would expect me to go."

Siri nodded. "Obi-Wan and I will go with you, and help watch after the boy."

Obi-Wan smiled. "Lile an eccentric aunt and uncle," he said. "We will keep watch over your son, Anakin."

"Thank you, Obi-Wan," Anakin said.

"If you two don't mind," Bail said, looking at Anakin and Padme, "Breha and I - well, we've always talked of adopting a baby girl. IF you have no objection, I would like to take Leia to Alderaan. She would be loved with us."

"I don't mind," Padme said. "I'll go with you to Alderaan, to hide out. I may not be able to see Naboo for many years, but it's worth it to be with my daughter. I can watch her in secret. Palpatine shouldn't know that I am her mother - Leia would be in danger."

"I'll go with you, Senator," Ferus said, then he turned to Anakin. "I know we've had our differences, Anakin, but I will protect your daughter."

Anakin smiled. "Thank you, Ferus."

"Most of the Jedi can hide out safely on Belsavis," Cin decided. "When the time is right, we will meet again to strike against the Empire."

"I'll return to Earth, James," Lily said. "When the time is right, will you or Sirius contact me."

"Of course," James said. He threw an object at Lily, and she caught it. It was a mirror. "Sirius has the other one," the Marauder went on. "It's a two-way mirror. Padfoot and I used to use them when we were in detention."

Sirius grinned. "I'd forgotten about those. Here, James, you take the other one. You need more than I do."

"Thank you, mate." James accepted the mirror, pocketing it in his robes.

"We'll go to Belsavis," Harry said. "Galilea and I."

"I must also disappear," Bail said. "Metaphorically, I mean. You may hear . . . disturbing things . . . about what I do in the Senate. I must appear to support the new Empire, and my comrades with me. Please trust that what we do is only a cover for our true task. We will never betray the legacy of the Jedi. I will never surrender the Republic to the Sith."

"Trust in this we always will," Yoda assured the Prince.

"You will take my place, Bail," Lily said. "You will be the Senator of Alderaan."

"I must go." Bail stood up. "Breha will be waiting. Padme, General Olin."

Padme with Leia in her arms and Ferus followed Bail to the Tantive IV.

"Good-bye, my love," the former Queen told Anakin. "We will meet again."

Anakin smiled. "I don't doubt that."

The three Humans with the little girl boarded the CR90 corvette. The Tantive took off.

Anakin looked at Sirius. "You'll watch after my mother on Corellia? I wouldn't want Palpatine to unleash his wrath upon her."

Sirius nodded. "Of course, Anakin."

"Jedi, wait a moment," Yoda said. "As in exile we all go, training I have for you."

Mace's brow furrowed. "Training?"

"An old friend has learned the path to immortality," Yoda explained. "One who has returned from the Netherworld of the Force."

"Immortality?" repeated James.

"Like Darth Voldemort this is not," Yoda said. "Learn this power a Sith could not."

"Who is this old friend?" Harry asked.

Yoda looked at Obi-Wan. "Your old Master."

"Qui-Gon!" James chorused with Obi-Wan and Anakin.

"How to commune with him I will teach you," Yoda said.

Emperor Palpatine's Surgical Reconstruction Center - Imperial Center - 19 BBY

Darth Sidious watched as the medical droids worked on his chosen disciple. The man was powerful in the Force, but he lacked the courage to become the Emperor's executer. Sidious hoped that this project would solve that. The surgery performed on the Human's brain damaged too many follicles - he would never grow hair again. The surgery numbed his sense of fear, while increasing his sense of anger. As hatred replaced his fear, Sidious watched as the watery blue eyes hardened and burned scarlet. The rage within the Human caused his skin to pale. The surgery the droids performed created a new man - a powerful weapon, rather than a cowardly bureaucrat. He would never be political again; he'd be military. He was as dangerous as Sidious's old apprentice Darth Maul.

The droids chopped off limb after limb. Replacing each appendage was a black-armored prosthetic. His body was covered in black Sith armor. Where the man had once stood less than 1.7 meters, the new man created by the armor and cybernetics stood over two meters tall. He wore long black Sith robes. Sidious's new apprentice was a cyborg, but unlike that coward Grievous, he would never have trouble breathing. He created this monster without damaging his lungs. This new Dark Lord would be powerful, unstoppable. He would send the Emperor's enemies running. Any resistance against the Empire would be crushed.

"Wormtail," Sidious said, when the surgery came to completion. "Can you hear me?"

The man who had once been Viceroy Peter "Wormtail" Pettigrew of the Trade Federation rose to his feet. He towered the tyrant who would come to serve for the remainder of his life.

"Yes, Master." His voice had transformed from a squeaky whimper to a gravelly baritone, caused by surgery of the larynx.

Sidious cackled. "You will no longer be known as Peter Pettigrew or Wormtail, my new apprentice. From this day forward, the truth of you, now and forevermore, will be Darth Vader."

"Yes, my Master," the Emperor's apprentice growled.

Sidious laughed with mirth. Darth Vader would be the bane of the Jedi. The Emperor had failed to terminate the ones in the Temple. But his newest apprentice would make up for that.

Run, Jedi, he thought. Lord Vader will destroy you all.