Disclaimer: George Lucas used to own Star Wars, and it's now owned by Disney.

Warnings: This story is rated M for strong sexual situations, language and violence. You have been warned.

AN: It's become obvious now that this story is not going to be finished by the end of April. However, the story is moving along. :-) We have all the chapters planned out now, and we just have to write them. Check another one off the list of the ones that are left.

Re: ULTRA SONIC: Very astute observations there, on all accounts. Yes, Serra has essentially suffered a Heroic Blue Screen of Death, as it's known on TV Tropes. :-) Part of what makes the Jedi Code so despicable is how it encourages you to stay distant from people, and not get close to anyone. How can you care about anyone, if you can't get close to someone? :-/ You can't fight for vague ideas or words, you fight for people. :-) Anakin understands that, even if it gets him into trouble sometimes. Anakin fights for people closest to him, and that's why he gets so emotional about things, sometimes to his detriment. Serra has been trained by the Jedi Code to remain unattached, and to regard other Jedi as mere colleagues. However, now she is learning that she cannot remain unattached, that she does love Cin Drallig, and she is finally able to mourn him, as a man and a father figure, not just as a Jedi Master. :-) That leads to a revelation for her. Serra will change drastically as a character over the following chapter, although she won't get as many scenes as the main characters, obviously. I hope you're looking forward to it.

AN 2: You're really going to want to slap Yoda after this, readers. :-) Just giving you a little forewarning. Please try to see his side of it, although we know it's wrong, from other things in the story. ;-) He's still an important character in the story, so we can't have you detesting him fully after this.

Chapter 37: Aftermath

The blackness of space surrounded the asteroid, with various machinery and droids going about their tasks. The ship was now settled on the surface of the asteroid, having docked there for the next few days. It was morning on the asteroid, or what passed for morning, on the asteroid's artificially regulated time. The machines and settlements continued their mining operations like any other occasion, oblivious to the importance of what was being discussed on the small, bulky Alderaanian ship docked among its structures.

Yoda sat meditating in the common room of the ship. A lot of things had happened today, and he now needed to meditate in order to figure out their significance in the long run. The Galactic Republic had been dissolved by the Galactic Empire. The Sith Lord had taken over and nearly exterminated the Jedi. Obi-Wan had betrayed them all to the Sith, and nearly destroyed what was left of their Order. Events of such massive significance had happened in such a short amount of time, Yoda was amazed that so many world changing events could happen so quickly. The balance of power had swung drastically toward the dark side, in favor of the Sith. Yoda frowned in deep contemplation. A resistance would have to be organized. The Emperor would need to be deposed from his throne, eventually. Many things would have to be done over a great period of time, in order to ensure they all came out of this intact. That was to say nothing of all the concerns he had about the Order, and how they would proceed from now on, from this massive devastation.

Yoda couldn't help but feel that he had failed them. He had failed to foresee this. He should have foreseen all this and he hadn't. They had been caught unprepared, and had failed to make even a decent resistance. And as a result, his children had died. There was no doubt about it, Yoda considered them all his children, even the ones that tried his patience most insufferably. And the thought that he had failed them, that he had failed to protect them and perhaps even led them to their deaths, was almost too much for the elder Jedi Master. He felt a heavy heart in his chest, stemming from the burden that the Order now consisted of only a few scattered individuals and 30 untrained younglings.

"I always told you the Jedi Order was headed for a fall, unless it changed its ways," a gruff voice said.

Yoda looked to his left to see the spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn shimmering in. "Smug in your assessment you should not be. A devastating loss for the Jedi Order this is," Yoda said gruffly, chiding him a bit.

Qui-Gon answered him seriously, staring him in the eyes. "I am not being smug, Master. I am simply being honest," he said.

Yoda gave a non-committal grunt of response, as if to say "you and I disagree on that."

"I warned you of this, all those years ago," Qui-Gon said, looking at him sternly. "Other Jedi warned you of this, going all the way back to my Master," he said emphasizing every word. Yoda looked away.

"Your master betrayed the Jedi," Yoda reminded him, a bit harsh in his voice. "Went over to the dark side, Dooku did. In no position to lecture the Jedi, he was," he sniffed haughtily, with a slight air of superiority.

"That doesn't mean he wasn't right," Qui-Gon countered, still undaunted. "Before he…went insane my master had several ideas about the Order. Ideas which you did not take seriously," Qui-Gon reminded him, failing not to sound a bit accusing. He had warned Yoda over and over again, and other Jedi had warned him, that there were things wrong with the Jedi, and the old Master had always failed to listen. And now they were in the situation they were in.

"The Jedi Order must change, Master. It is the only way for us to gain an advantage against the Sith," Qui-Gon elaborated, going on with his insight despite Yoda's silence. "The Jedi Order is a force for good. But we have to be more, Master, and change with the times. If we do not adapt, the Jedi will be rendered extinct by the Sith, and the galaxy will be left with nothing but darkness," he told him, giving him a grim picture of the future in the galaxy without the Jedi. He knew the ancient Master didn't want to listen to it, but Yoda needed to hear it.

"Our methods are not in need of changing, Master Qui-Gon," Yoda said chidingly, looking away. "Caught us off-guard, the Sith did. Revise our strategy, we must. Too drained by the Clone Wars, we were, and too clouded was our vision, to identify the identity of the culprit. Be prepared for them next time, the Jedi will," Yoda said defiantly. He almost sounded as if he truly believed it.

Qui-Gon gave him a look of disbelief. "You must be joking, Master," he said, in a harsh tone. "The Clone Wars were not the reason for the Jedi's vision being clouded," he said, furrowing his brow. It seemed the ancient Master was in need of a reality check.

Qui-Gon gave him a pointed look. "The Sith have achieved control by having access to the one weapon the Jedi do not have," he said, formally correcting the Jedi Master. If the old Jedi was to lead his remaining people effectively, he needed to see the realities of his situation.

Yoda gave him a dirty look. "Suggest you do, that the Jedi turn to the ways of anger and hatred?" he asked, barely holding in his temper.

Qui-Gon stared at him as if it was obvious. "Of course not. But if we are to defeat the Sith, we must have access to the one weapon that the Sith do not have: Love," he said casually, in strained patient tones. "The rule regarding attachments must be reevaluated, and possibly lifted. The Jedi must be allowed to interact with the galaxy at large again as normal human beings and sentient beings, not isolated away in a cold marble temple. The Jedi need to be allowed to love whoever they please, so that they can gain motivation from the attachment. It may be the only way we gain enough motivation and strength to defeat the Sith," he said.

The old Jedi Master remained silent. Qui-Gon peered with a scrutinizing stare at him to see whether Yoda would have the breakthrough that he needed, but the old Master remained silent. It wasn't surprising. Yoda was of the traditional old guard, and he would probably need several months to come to terms with the new reality of his complex situation. Qui-Gon bitterly swallowed his disappointment and turned to address another topic with the Jedi Master, one that he could change now.

"Anakin has shown great determination," Qui-Gon said, moving past that prior subject. "His promise that I first saw when I recruited him for the Jedi has finally born fruit. And he's done well away from the Jedi on Naboo, hasn't he?" he stated, giving Yoda a serious stare. "Perhaps now that he has proven himself, you will finally regard him with seriousness and begin to accept him into your command decisions?" Qui-Gon said, narrowing his eyes at the green Jedi Master.

Yoda stared at him curiously. "What to do with this, does young Skywalker have?" he asked curiously, his eyes wide and suspicious, as if he truly did not understand what Qui-Gon was getting at. Qui-Gon was surprised Yoda hadn't put the pieces together yet, but then perhaps the old Master was going senile. A nasty little part of his mind whispered that was deserved even though he felt bad about it, the one that was disappointed at Yoda for his lack of foresight. It wouldn't be the first time that had happened.

"Anakin knows far more about Obi-Wan's fall than you believe," Qui-Gon responded, with a grim face. "In fact, it was his prime impetus for leaving the Order. Did you truly believe he would abandon everything he loved without a good reason? I know you have disagreed on his effectiveness, but please try to have some faith in him, Master," he replied, a bit overwhelmed by disappointment. The idea that Yoda hadn't even made the connection that was so blatantly obvious was not a pleasant one.

"Are you saying that young Skywalker knew about Obi-Wan's falling to the dark side, and chose to tell us he did not?" Yoda asked, sounding incredulous. Qui-Gon could hear the accusation in his voice. The idea that Anakin knew information critical to the Jedi Order, and hadn't told the great Jedi Council, was unbelievable to the old Master. Unfortunately, Yoda was missing the primary reason for that.

"Would you have believed him if he had?" Qui-Gon asked, looking straight into Yoda's eyes. The truth was that the old Master knew what the proper response was, and it wasn't one that he was able to deny. Unfortunately Yoda wasn't willing to back down. They held that gaze for a moment, and then backed away from each other.

"What else does young Skywalker know?" Yoda asked, turning away from the other. Qui-Gon breathed a sigh of relief. "What else does he have knowledge of, that we should know about? Hmm?" the old Master queried, sounding curious despite himself. Qui-Gon knew he at least had the old Jedi's attention. That was a good thing. Even if he wasn't willing to listen, he was at least processing the words. He could think more about them later.

"Anakin is hiding a terrible secret," Qui-Gon replied, shaking his head. "The burden he carries is a powerful one, one I would not wish on anyone. It is one that carries tremendous implications for the Jedi Order. However, it is Anakin's prerogative to wait for when the time is right," Qui-Gon said. That was one line he was not willing to cross.

"You will tell me what he is hiding," Yoda demanded, staring with wide eyes at Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon could sense the old Master's frustration from where he stood, simmering in the Force. The fact the Master was slipping out of his signature syntax showed he was getting agitated. Qui-Gon could feel the authority in the old Master's tone and the nudging in the Force weighing down on him, but he wasn't going to bend to it.

Qui-Gon shook his head. "I cannot tell you. Anakin must be the one to do it," he said, as he replied. "Anakin is afraid, Master; afraid that you will see him as less of a Jedi for what happened, and less of a man as well. He is ashamed of what happened, and feels great remorse for it. Even though he did nothing wrong, he feels that he has had to conceal what happened for the good of everyone. And that in turn, has led to him making some mistakes that he shouldn't have. It is Anakin's prerogative that he tell you the secret he is hiding. To do that, you must develop a trust with him. You must unite the current Jedi, and encourage them to work together. Only then will you be able to stand against the Sith. You must welcome him into your circle of decision making, and encourage him to partake in the Order's priorities. You require for Anakin to come to you with the secret he is concealing, and he must be able to feel that he can trust you with this," Qui-Gon finished. There, he was done with his task. As much as he wanted to, that was a line he couldn't cross. He couldn't reveal the secret Anakin was hiding without his permission, and Anakin had to be the one to decide when the time was right. It would be an insult to the man, and a disservice to the Jedi he had become. Having dealt with the issue, Qui-Gon settled back and allowed the Grand Master some space to gather his thoughts.

Qui-Gon peered closely at the old Jedi Master. Yoda hummed deeply in contemplation, sounding very disgruntled in his demeanor. It looked like there was no major breakthrough coming today. Yoda would need hundreds of hours of meditation to process everything he had learned today, and there was no hurrying along the process. He had done all he can. There was no point in Qui-Gon staying here any longer in this shimmering form, and continuing to frustrate himself with the Jedi Master's inability to change.

Qui-Gon disappeared back into the aether, leaving Yoda in a fouler mood than when he first visited him.

Anakin entered into the meeting room in a rush. He had been summoned for a meeting by the others to decide their futures, and he was now late. The others had already started, and he was guessing they would now decide their next moves and each would be assigned his or her own assignment. He had spent the past half hour comforting Padmé, and telling her everything would be all right, and sharing in their pain. Anakin didn't regret it, but he knew Yoda would give him hell to pay for missing part of the meeting, and probably give him another lecture. Hopefully the elder Grand Master wouldn't be too cross with him about it. He got into the meeting room and saw Yoda and Bail Organa waiting for him. He was surprised to see only Yoda and Bail Organa, but perhaps they had their reasons for speaking to him alone.

"Ah, Anakin. We've been waiting for you," Bail Organa greeted him, smiling genially at him. "Have a seat, will you?" he gestured towards one of the seats surrounding the table.

Anakin did as asked. He settled at the table, and paid close attention as they resumed their discussion. "So what's our next move?" he asked.

"We've been discussing precisely our next actions," Bail said, already delving straight into the issue at hand. He waited a moment before continuing. "It has been agreed that Master Shaak Ti will travel to Chandrilla to begin forming a rebellion against the Empire," Bail said, gesturing at Yoda. The small Jedi Master nodded slightly. "Master Aayla, Serra, and Jade will travel to different planets and hide for the time being. For security reasons, they will not tell us their locations until they actually get there. "Knight Shryne and Master Ariella will look after the younglings on different planets, to ensure that the entire group is not compromised in one go."

Anakin nodded. It made sense for them not to know where the other Jedi were going right away. They could still be captured until they were in secure locations, and the last thing they needed was for Vader to ascertain the locations of all the Jedi at the same time, if any one of them was interrogated.

It also made sense for the younglings to be put into two separate groups. That way, all of their younglings wouldn't be seized in one go if their location were to be identified. While they could all be split into one or two with one separate caretaker, that would make it harder to keep track of them, and it would also render them defenseless if trouble were to arise and someone out to find them showed up. 30 younglings with lightsabers were still a formidable threat to any regular attacker, even if they were split into groups of fifteen.

Of course, they would have help. Anakin knew that Bail would assign them a series of highly selective agents, helpers, and families to assist them with the younglings, as befitting of a man who prepared for every contingency. It wouldn't just be Shryne and Ariella taking care of the younglings by themselves.

There was an uncomfortable pause. "Master Yoda has some concerns about the twins," Bail said, gesturing at Yoda in the chair. The Jedi Master sat in the chair with his fingers touching in a contemplating position, with a troubled look on his face.

Anakin turned his attention back to the conversation. He was expecting this. He knew that Obi-Wan would try to go after the twins, now that he knew they existed. The old Jedi Master's concerns were entirely warranted, but Anakin knew that he would fight with everything in his power to keep his children from falling into the hands of Obi-Wan and the Emperor. Never mind Obi-Wan, he did not want that godforsaken monster Palpatine getting his hands on his children.

"Separated, the children must be."

…What? Anakin didn't know if he had heard that right. Was Yoda actually suggesting what he thought he was suggesting? No, there was no way. There was no way he could possibly be suggesting what Anakin thought he was suggesting. Even Yoda couldn't be that clueless. But the situation was not looking good; there was a terrible feeling gnawing at him in his gut. He looked to Bail possibly for confirmation, but the older man just looked grim.

"Master Yoda is concerned about the twins coming under Imperial influence," Bail said, looking apologetic in his expression. "He believes the best option would be for Luke to be given to another Jedi Master for safekeeping, and Leia would travel with me to Alderaan to assimilate into our household," Bail said, wincing as he spoke those words to the Jedi. It was obvious he did not approve of the whole idea; he looked uncomfortable sitting here, and he did not want to be the one to take another man's little girl from him. But Yoda had some news to deliver, and Bail had been chosen to be the one to deliver it, if only to mitigate the damage that occurred when he did. If he had to guess, Anakin was probably going "to go nuclear", to use an expression used on some planets. Bail could only hope it wasn't catastrophic to their fledgling rebellion.

Anakin grimaced. Now he knew why the other Jedi weren't here, and why Yoda and Bail had insisted on speaking to him alone. They knew the explosion that was coming, and they wanted no part of it whatsoever. Or else, they agreed with him, and didn't want to face Anakin's expression when they said so. If they supported Anakin, Yoda would be upset, but on the other hand, if Yoda was disappointed in them, there would be dire consequences for them later on. The best option was simply to cut and run, and avoid the whole issue together. Anakin wished he had some of the other Jedi backing him up, and he didn't like to think of his fellow Jedi being cowards, but he couldn't blame them for not wanting to be part of the infernal explosion that was building in this room. He sighed.

Anakin looked incredulously at the Jedi Master. Did he truly believe that he was just going to give up his children to him with no effort whatsoever? If so, then he was more cracked than Anakin had thought he was. He just couldn't believe the Jedi Master actually expected this of him, to top off this whole godforsaken situation. It would be one thing if it was Aayla or Serra, although he wouldn't trust them with his children either. But Anakin knew Yoda was just going to look for whatever conservative Master had survived, and then hand them off to him, so that they would be raised not to know attachment and love. There was no way Yoda was going to take them himself, after having them suitably raised by Bail, of course; Yoda loved being around the younglings, but he didn't know anything about children, and Anakin couldn't see him taking care of two babies. This had a disastrous situation written all over it, and Anakin wasn't going to allow it. Anakin gave a single, thunderously resounding statement that echoed clearly his feelings on this subject matter.

"No. They are not going to be separated," Anakin said clearly.

"Anakin, Master Yoda is simply concerned about the twins' well-being," Bail said, trying to mediate in the upcoming argument. He could sense that things were close to boiling over. "He is simply trying to suggest a course of action that would be beneficial to everyone, and make sense under the rigid guidelines of the Jedi," he said, keeping his voice as neutral as possible. He could sense that tensions were rising, and he wanted no part of it, but unfortunately he had to deliver this. He knew all about the rules of the Jedi, and though he didn't agree with it, now wasn't the time to argue about the matter. He hoped Anakin understood that, and didn't react to it explosively. He could not afford to alienate their greatest ally. The loss of the Jedi in their support would be a devastating blow to the Rebellion.

Anakin turned on him. "If you were told to entrust another man you didn't know with your daughter's well-being, would you?" he asked Bail sharply, rounding on him with a judgmental tone. Bail didn't answer, but the look on his face told Anakin everything. No, he wouldn't. Bail Organa would not entrust his daughter to some common stranger to look after her, if he was fully capable of doing it himself.

"The strength the twins possess in the Force is incredible; a great connection it is," Yoda said, placing his hands together on his cane deep in thought. "Enhances their connection to the Force, their closeness does. The closer they are to each other, the more their power will grow. Attract the attention of the Sith, that will," Yoda said warningly to Anakin, scolding one clawed finger at the much younger Jedi Knight. It was clear that he was serious about this, and he was not going to take no for an answer. The idea that he could bully Anakin into surrendering his children was probably not one of the brightest the Jedi Master had ever had, however. Unfortunately he had a very worthy opponent. And that person was not going to give up easily.

"Then I'll fight them," Anakin said simply, frowning at the Jedi Master. "I'll fight them with everything I have, if Obi-Wan and Sidious come for my children. And I'll kill them," Anakin said, fully brimming with certainty. He had failed to kill Obi-Wan during their last confrontation, but now he had the proper motivation and he was certain he would easily defeat him this time. He would not hold back against him this time. He would not allow Obi-Wan and his bastard master Sidious to lay a finger on his children's hair, as long as he lived. He would rather die, before allowing that to come to pass. That was a promise, and he felt the feeling of that rush of motivation pumping through his veins, as he stared back at Yoda and composedly held his gaze. Padmé would never forgive him, if he allowed something to happen to their children. He stared back at Yoda and easily held his gaze, not allowing him to intimidate him or sway him in any way.

"Too attached to them, you are. Too unable to give away control of their fate," Yoda said, shaking his head. "You must consider their good interests. Being separated would allow them to mature as greater individuals, and free from the influence of each other. Muted their Force signatures would be, and more difficult for the Emperor and his apprentice to track. They would grow to be detached from greater influences, and become strong Jedi who can challenge the Emperor. Not considering the many reasons to separate them you are, and letting your attachment to them cloud what's in their best interest. Allow your emotions to rule your judgment, you cannot," Yoda said. It was clear the Jedi Master was still not convinced that Anakin not letting go of them was a good thing, and in his eyes letting their lives be ruled by attachment was the most unforgivable sin he could commit in his eyes. Unfortunately, that was not going to change with his words. The father-to-be opposite him had no intention of handing over his children to him.

"They're our children! What part of that don't you get?!" Anakin snapped at Yoda, his temper flaring furiously. "Are you really going to snatch a mother's children out of her arms in her time of most need? Have you always been this insane, or did you all lose your faculties in the past few years and I somehow missed it?" Anakin snapped, not caring how disrespectful and uncaring he sounded. He was fed up with this. To hell with the Order, he thought. "Do you have any idea what that would do to her? To me?! I am not dying because of your stupidity in taking Padmé's children away from her!" Anakin screamed at the others, unable to restrain his temper. He didn't need to exaggerate, because everyone in the room knew it was true. Padmé would kill him if he allowed them to take her children away from her. She would do it, and she would aim low. There was no doubt of it in his mind. "Padmé would wreak terrible vengeance if you took her children away from her, and everyone in this room knows it," Anakin said warningly, enjoying the looks of mild discomfort on their faces. The nerve of some people! Force, he was growing tired of these sanctimonious assholes and their judgmental rules, and their mute little accomplice that sat in his chair and did not interfere. He saw the arrogance on that smug, wrinkled face, and for one moment Anakin had the urge to reach out and Force choke that lousy little toad. The dark impulses flowed through him, urging him with the fantasies of what would happen.

Yoda's eyes widened, as he sensed the dark impulses, and Bail backed up in his chair, as he sensed that something bad was about to happen. Knowing what he was looking like, Anakin forced himself to take a step back.

Anakin held up his hands and spread his fingers wide, and he took several deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. He reined in his temper, forcing the dark impulses to go away, until he felt nothing but calm. He looked at the others, and saw that the two men were surprised at how quickly he regained control of himself.

"They will not be separated. I will not let you take them from their mother, to be thrust into the hands of strangers. I will not allow you to raise them to know no love and compassion, and that's final," Anakin said, with an air of finality. The tones in his voice were calm measured tones, but there was an air of icy determination behind the words. There was no way Anakin was going to allow them to take his children. They were going to have to go through him, and they both knew that there was no one on board who would make that possible. So much for their plans. He glared at the Jedi Master and the former senator, daring them to disagree. Bail could not order him to give up his children as a monarch, and Yoda had no authority over him as a Jedi – not in this regard at least. He was outside the Order. You will talk to me respectfully, he could hear Yoda's voice inside his imagination, and he didn't care. He had made his point. The twins were going to stay with them, and that was final. Luke and Leia were not props to be bargained with. It was time the Jedi Order learn that.

Anakin turned and left the room without looking back, standing straight while brimming with pride in what he'd done. The discussion was over. He could feel the other two men staring as he left, and he paid them no mind. Yoda and Bail had to learn that they could not bully him around. They could not control everything, and that was something they had to live with. He would chart his own destiny, and that included taking care of his family. He faintly heard that they attempted to call him back, but he was already halfway out the door. Force damn them, they didn't understand.

t wasn't until much later on, eventually, that he would realize exactly what Yoda had said: "challenge the Emperor".

The ship Bail had secured them on was a spacious craft, and that carried with it some very distinct advantages. Specifically, it gave the advantage of privacy, and of being able to avoid someone when you didn't want to talk to them. Anakin roamed the ship with a brisk pace. He had a mission to accomplish. He had heard no further word from Yoda or Bail. He hoped for their sake they did not try to contact him. The halls were deserted. He encountered no other Jedi on the way. Perhaps they had been warned to stay away. Or perhaps they were sensible people who had sensed it already, and knew to take appropriate action. Good for them. He took a bit more time to get to his destination than he needed. He needed some time to calm down. Force knows he couldn't go before his beloved with the rage he was feeling, or else he would only frighten her. Temperament was an important thing when delivering news like this, and it was something he was still learning to achieve, he was ashamed to admit.

Padmé was waiting for him in another part of the ship. She was patiently waiting for an update on the situation when he arrived. She had ordered him to report to him after the meeting, and tell her every detail of what Yoda and Bail during that time. Padmé had stayed close to the meeting room in case she needed to interfere, but Anakin had told her he could handle everything. Since then, Padmé had lain patiently in wait for his report. Now she waited for him to explain everything that had happened, and give her insight on it.

Anakin told her what happened during the meeting. He explained, in clear, precise detail, everything Yoda and Bail had said, the arguments that had transpired during the meeting, and his reaction to it all. He laid it out, in painful, clear detail, what the Jedi's intention were, and what they were willing to do to accomplish it. And when he was finished laying out all of it, she was, as expected, outraged. Anakin had to wince as he saw the look of rage that came across his angel's face. She could be rather frightening herself sometimes, when the situation called for it. First there was the disbelief, and then there were some definite signs of anger.

"They want to what?!" Padmé exclaimed in disbelief. There was the disbelief. It colored her every note in the words she spoke, as if her whole world had been shattered, and everything she believed before was false. Anakin supposed in a way, it had. "Why? I – how," she stumbled, searching for some way to explain this. It certainly wasn't her ideal vision of the Jedi she had had before, even after it had been ground into the floor all this time.

"Yoda doesn't care about attachment, Padmé," Anakin explained to her, cutting right down to it. "He accepted me before because we were in a different situation, and he was desperate. Now that there are children involved, they want to go back to the same crap the Jedi have been doing since forever. They want to train them to know no attachment, and be unattached from everything around them, and to know no love. Or at least, Yoda does – I don't know about the others, and I pray that they haven't gone along with this," Anakin answered, explaining the details of the Jedi Master's thinking. It was his one hope for her, that Aayla and Shaak Ti and Serra would stand against this lunacy. "But he will have help. There are other Jedi Masters who have survived, probably, and they will come to him to aid the cause. And when they do, he will have his choice of conservative Masters who will join him in trying to take our children away from us," Anakin informed her.

"I…how, I don't understand. What the hell is wrong with them?!" Padmé burst out in outrage. And now there was the anger. Her face was red from how furious she was. Anakin didn't blame her, because he'd been feeling that same fury barely half an hour ago. She looked like she was two seconds away from going and putting a blaster bolt in between Bail and Yoda's eyes. He could feel her anger in the Force, and the roiling turbulence it was causing in her. She was shaking, from how distraught she was and the emotion she was feeling. Anakin wanted nothing more than to hold her and tell her it would be all right. Once again, he damned the Jedi for doing this to her.

"Padmé, this isn't good for the babies. Don't get worked up over this," Anakin said, trying to get her to calm down. He understood fully her emotional state, but he also had her health to worry about, and she couldn't afford to be getting into a frenzy over this. She needed to stay calm, both for her sake and that of the twins. "I swear to you, this will be resolved okay. Everything will be all right," he said, trying to reassure her with whatever he could.

It was a fight that Anakin would gladly face. And one that he would likely lose, Anakin thought grimly. But even if he died, maybe the effort of resisting them would be enough to convince them to leave Padmé and his children alone. The prospect of facing Yoda was a scary one. Anakin wasn't above sacrificing his life for Padmé and the children. He'd rather not do it, but he would if he had to. Maybe that was the best he could hope for.

It was ironic. He had been full-on confident about facing the Jedi earlier today, but the truth was the prospect of facing Yoda was intimidating. He had never figured out which one of them was more powerful. Despite the Jedi Master's recent defeat at Palpatine's hands, Yoda was still a formidable warrior. There was every possibility the Jedi Master would defeat him in a fight, and possibly kill him, if Yoda wanted the children bad enough and decided Anakin had to get out of his way. Anakin knew the Jedi was supposed to be merciful, but it was all-hands-off when it came to acquiring children for the Jedi. He didn't trust Yoda or the others as far as he could throw them, and that was saying a lot.

"Why is everything falling apart now, Ani?" Padmé sobbed, brushing one hand over her face. She was shaking with slight body-wracking cries, tears sliding out of her eyes and her skin getting flushed, as she was getting more and more distraught and on the verge of a breakdown. "First the Republic gets destroyed, the Jedi get wiped out, then we're forced to go on the run, and now this," she cried, begging Anakin for an explanation about all the chaos that was transpiring. She was emotional because of the pregnancy, and the destruction that was being wreaked across the galaxy, and then the losses she had endured, and now she had this added to her plate. It wasn't fair, for Padmé to have to deal with this. She shouldn't have to deal with this in her condition, Anakin thought sourly to himself. Padmé was a strong woman, but even the strongest person had limits. Anakin himself was feeling battered and bloody. And he couldn't even begin to understand what Padmé was feeling, having her best friend dead and now facing the destruction of her whole life's work. Now she had to worry about her children too, thanks to the Jedi.

Anakin wrapped his arms around her, placing his arms around the light blue dress that covered her shoulders. He gripped her close to him, cradling her hair as he comforted her. Padmé hid her face in his shoulder, crying lightly despite her attempts to restrain herself, and get back some semblance of control. Anakin could only hold her, offering her what little comfort he could, useless as it was, and using the Force to soothe her frazzled emotions. There was one thing he had to correct her on, though. Much as he hated to raise the subject, this was one misconception he couldn't allow to go unnoticed. After that, the subject would not be raised again.

Anakin pulled back from her. "Padmé, we were always going to face this situation. The Jedi Order is one of non-attachment, with emphasis placed on teaching the children the traditional way. They take children from their parents without any thought as to their feelings, or emotions. While they focus on orphans or rescued individuals, sometimes there's no avoiding it. That's why I wanted to leave, and why I resisted when you didn't let me," he clarified, without any negativity in his voice. He wasn't blaming her definitely, but she needed to know the truth. "It wasn't just for my sake. It was for the sake of any future children we might have had. If the Jedi had had their way, I never would have known my mother," he said roughly, his voice thick with emotion. He still missed the woman who had nurtured him so dearly in his youth. "I was already in enough trouble, just by having an attachment in the first place. Unless I resigned, the Jedi were always going to target any children that would result from our marriage, because it's their incentive to take all Force sensitive children under associated Republic laws. As a Jedi Knight, if they allowed my attachment, I would be doubly expected to give up my children to them. They were never going to allow us to keep Luke and Leia, no matter what we did. That doesn't matter now though, because I am never going to let them get close to our children," Anakin explained to her compassionately. He promised her that he would not let the Jedi take their children, no matter what.

Padmé pulled back and sniffled a bit. "I can't believe anyone would go along with that. And Bail, what was he thinking…just sitting there?!" she asked him in outrage. "Breha wants to be a mother. Bail knows that. She really wants it. How would it be if the case was the reverse, and it was his daughter the Jedi wanted; would he still feel the same way?" Padmé asked, not understanding it. She couldn't believe her old friend had done that. Or perhaps he wasn't her friend at all, she thought sourly. Perhaps she would have to reassess their friendship professionally after this.

Anakin narrowed his eyes past her. "Er, I think he wanted our daughter, Padmé," he said darkly. There was no doubt about it in his mind. Bail wanted their daughter. It would be the easiest way for him to acquire a daughter, considering Breha was barren, and the Alderaanian adoption procedures were in dispute.

Padmé assumed a focused face. "Then I'll tell Breha, so she can slap him. And then she'll slap him again, harder," she said darkly, frowning in anger at him. Her eyes were smoldering with fury. Cold, stone silent, and beyond upset. The thought of what her best friend had wanted to do to her was disgusting, and she hoped Breha and he had a long talk over that, and that the older woman let him sleep on the palace grounds for a long time, showing him the error of his ways. That slime wasn't worthy of a bedroom.

Anakin smirked at her. "You're cute when you're angry," he chuckled. She looked positively angelic right there, even with eyes rimmed red from crying and her face a mess. It was a shame the Jedi couldn't appreciate what an incredible woman she was, and that they didn't need to take her children for her to have value.

Padmé laughed lightly at that, though she still sounded a little weak. "You're a flatterer," she said, failing to hide her smile despite herself. It was good to hear her laugh, and Anakin thought the sound was absolutely reinvigorating. They had had precious few of it in the past few days. They needed some joy.

"Oh." Anakin hugged her tight, gripping her close to him tightly in his arms. Padmé reciprocated the hug, hugging with all the affection she could muster. She clung to him with desperation, finding him to be the most stable thing in her life right now. Everything was going to be all right. They felt it somehow, that everything was going to work itself out in the end. The Jedi were not going to take their children. Somehow, they would find a way to avoid the ancient rule, and Yoda's meddling ways. There may have been a subtle message from the Force, but that didn't mean the road there was going to be easy. They held each other tightly, content to lay in each other's arms. For one single moment on this trying day, they were focused only on each other. It was a welcome break from the other stresses of the day. Everything was against them seemingly, but somehow they would get through this. Somehow they would get through this, together, like they always did. The Jedi Order was plotting against them – or at least Yoda, the Republic had been destroyed, and their children were now in danger, but at least they had each other. That was all that mattered. The rest they could figure out on their own, later. If only the universe would stop throwing them curve balls, they thought ruefully, shaking their heads metaphorically at all of the unpleasant surprises they had dealt with in the past day or so. They continued to hold each other, taking comfort in this one bit of peace in the universe before they went back to the remains of the galaxy.

The Star Destroyer hung in space in its enormous gray bulk, accompanied by two more of its kind. Several fighters surrounded the massive vessel, flying in cruise formation in case of an attack. The Star Destroyer moved slowly through space, its large bulk providing an intimidating sight to anyone who would have been nearby.

The crew members on the bridge winced in fear, as a dark figure stepped onto the bridge. The dark figure headed straight toward the view port, stopping next to a robed black figure. Darth Vader, formerly known as Obi-Wan Kenobi, glared solemnly in his dark robe as he stewed in the anger he had accumulated over the past several hours. The metal faceplate on the left side of his face shone subtly in the light of the bridge, reminding anyone who was nearby that this man had suffered a very horrific injury. Vader steeled himself in the dark side of the Force, harnessing his rage. The attack unleashed by Anakin had taken its toll. He had lost his eye, requiring a prosthetic, and the area around the eye was damaged, with the nerves now being dead. Had the tip of the lightsaber been one inch further into the cranial region, or even a few millimeters, he would have been dead. Vader felt his mood sour incredibly further, as he recalled exactly what his former apprentice had done to him in such humiliating fashion. He was no longer fully human now, thanks to Anakin. He was a freak now. A part of him was now metal, and he would always be seen differently for it. Part man, and part machine, like some kind of freakish cyborg – like Grievous or one of the other monstrosities he had fought, he thought disgustedly. He had lost his good looks. Obi-Wan had never been a vain person, but at least he had always had a certain sophistication about him. Vader delved deep into the dark side, focusing on his growing hatred for the boy. Vader clenched his fist in anger, remembering the agony he had endured in the past few days. Anakin would pay for this. He would pay, he swore, and when Vader was finished with him, there would be nothing left of him and his pretty little wife except a broken man, to use and discard at his whim. The darkness called to him easily, allowing him to fill himself with its encouraging energies. Vader crossed his arms, standing next to his master as they surveyed their secret project, a giant spherical object floating in space that would soon come to fruition in a few years.

Tarkin walked to the left to check on something, leaving the two men alone with their thoughts. He was surprised to see the former Jedi Master he knew quite well on board in this position, but he was not going to question it under any circumstances. Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader stood side-by-side at the view port, surveying the project that would bring order and justice to the galaxy in its ultimate form.

AN: That's it for now folks, stay tuned for next time! In the next chapter, several months have passed. And in case you're wondering, for those who have seen the grounds of the Alderaanian palace in ROTS, you know that it's frozen solid. For Breha to make Bail sleep there, as such, would definitely be a harsh punishment indeed, considering what he tried to do to his friend. ;-)