Chapter 13: A New Light
Location: Coruscant - Monument Plaza
The last few weeks had been taxing for the Republic
Overnight, the Jedi Order had been declared traitors of the Republic as their clone troops turned on them seemingly without warning. Only those who were lucky, smart, or strong survived if they were out in the galaxy. The Jedi Temple suffered no such fate, but the Jedi there were still forced to flee amongst the confusion that was gripping the galaxy.
As the hours went by, news poured in that made the citizens of the Republic more confused than they were before. Chancellor Palpatine had been killed when Anakin Skywalker had put a lightsaber through his chest. Rumors were abound that the Chancellor had been something called a 'Sith', which were the mortal enemies of the Jedi. He had set the clones against the Jedi as part of a plan millenia in the making. But then Admiral Tarkin had taken the floor in a special hearing in the Senate. He'd produced audio recordings that made it clear the Jedi had come to depose or execute a helpless old man. But how did the clones know that the Jedi had betrayed him? To make matters even more confusing, the Jedi had returned to their temple, although no word had been sent from there as to their intentions. It was as if they held an as of yet unlit lightsaber above the heads of everyone on the planet.
The people of the Republic were uncertain, and the conflicting messages had done little to ease their minds. Citizens of all species across the Republic watched aghast as new information was brought to light. Senator Bail Organa, at great risk to himself, had exposed the fact that Palpatine was playing both sides of the Clone War, leading the Separatists under the name of Darth Sidious. Mas Amedda had aided and abetted him along the way, and it was only due to the Senator's diligence that his corruption had been revealed.
There were even reports that Mas Amedda had tried to have Senator Amidala killed. Beloved by both the people of Naboo and all Republic citizens who still held out hope for a brighter future, the fact that she hadn't been heard from since the incident was troubling indeed.
It was the rumors of her death that sparked demonstrations in Monument Square. The famed location for debate and protest in the heart of the Federal District was now home to dueling mobs that were shouting at each other as the hopelessly outnumbered Coruscant Security Forces looked on apprehensively.
"Palpatine was a traitor!" one of them roared. "Bring the Jedi back, we need order in the Republic!"
"We had order, and then the Jedi killed the man who was giving it to us!" bellowed another back at him. "Don't believe the lies of the Jedi! They're all traitors and they should burn for their crimes!"
On and on it went, neither side having a clear advantage as the situation threatened to turn ugly. Only the arrival of Admiral Tarkin to the scene made a difference, restoring order to a particularly brutal situation.
"Attention, citizens of the Republic." Tarkin announced from the loudspeakers of the riot-suppressing speeders. "You are in violation of martial law. Upon orders of Acting Chancellor Bail Organa, you are hereby ordered to return to your homes. The situation is under control and you will be informed shortly."
"Informed of what? We want answers!" came a cry from a Nikito hanging off one of the statues in the plaza. An electro-blast from a cannon attached to the speeder gave him enough of a shock that he fell from a statue with a yelp.
Although the other rioters were wise enough not to climb the statues and make themselves an easy target, the Nikito's cry was enough to fully develop similar feelings many of them had over the situation.
"We want answers, Tarkin!" they screamed, lighting firebombs and throwing them at the ships. "Tell us of the Jedi, of Palpatine, of the Republic!"
"We want answers!"
Location: Coruscant - Jedi High Council Chambers
Across the Federal Distant, but all too close to the smoke rising from monument plaza, Yoda was deep in thought searching for answers as well.
It troubled him how easily the Sith had been able to manipulate the Jedi into almost being entirely wiped out. Were it not for the quick thinking of Anakin Skywalker, almost the entire order would have perished.
Many were still in danger. Hiding, alone in the galaxy, the prey of bounty hunters or worse that were looking to score credits by bringing in the most dangerous prey in the galaxy: a Jedi on the run.
Which brought him back to how easy it had been for the Jedi to fall from the height of their power. They had been the most influential order in the entire Republic, but had not been able to see the creation of the clone army that almost led to their downfall. They had been too blind to see a Sith ruling the Galactic Republic. And most of all, they had been blind to the growing supremacy of the Dark Side itself.
Even now they were blind. With Sidious' death, Yoda thought the Force would become the calm, cool pond that it had been in his childhood. But even with the black hole in the Force that Palpatine had been out of the picture, the Force still remained dark and murky, endless waves crashing down and destroying any semblance of peace that the Light Side had.
It was in times like this that Yoda reminisced about the ancient Force users in the galaxy. On Tython, they had practiced both the Light and the Dark in equal measure. There were no Jedi, there were no Sith. It was only the Force, and it guided their every action. Perhaps in only following the dogmatic path of the Light, funneled through the narrow view of Jedi teachings over thousands of years, had resulted in Yoda and the rest of the Order coming perilously close to destruction.
"Master Yoda?" Obi-Wan asked, pulling the wizened master from his reverie.
"Hmm?" Yoda asked, seeing the faces of the remaining Jedi Masters looking at him with concern. "Sorry I am. Lost in thought, I was. Continue, masters."
There weren't many remaining Jedi Masters left on the High Council now. Mace Windu had died saving younglings from the hands of the Black Sun while Saesee Tiin, Agen Kolar, and Kit Fisto had all perished fighting against Sidious. Plo Koon, Ki-Adi-Mundi and Stass Allie were all gunned down by their clones while Oppo Rancis had vanished with neither lead nor rumor as to where he might be.
Himself, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Shaak Ti, Coleman Kjac, and a recently reinstated Eeth Koth. That was all that remained of the once mighty Jedi Council. There was much work to be done if the Order was to survive.
Thankfully they were not alone in their struggle. The Jedi still had many friends in the Republic, and they were still eager to help the Order rebuild.
One of those friends, Acting Chancellor Bail Organa, was attending their meeting, the first time in hundreds of years an outsider was granted such an honor. It was hoped that in an era of mistrust and hidden schemes, such a show of mutual support and honor would heal old wounds.
"As I was saying." Obi-Wan continued, "the Sith holocron that Anakin and I found aboard the Great Pyramid is strange. Clearly the Zygerians didn't have it for long, or else we might never have been able to stop them. Master Jocasta Nu has helped me look through the archives and we discovered that this was one of several holocrons that belonged to Darth Vectivus, a being that I can say with utmost certainty was one of the most dangerous Sith to ever live."
"Worse than Sidious?." asked Shaak Ti with a solemn shake of her head.
"Worse." Obi-Wan confirmed. "This Sith dealt with finances. As a successful businessman before he became a Sith, the entire Dark Side order has used his teachings to become wealthy and influential beings in the Republic. By comparing what we have in our archives with what was taken from Chancellor Palpatine's office, it is clear that Hego Damask was one such individual. The worst part is that he's the only one we can pinpoint with any sort of accuracy. With tools like these at their hands, I shudder to think what the Zygerians would have accomplished."
"Attacked by credits, Skywalker was not." Yoda said with a grave tone. "Slaves to the Dark Side, the Zygerians would have become. Servants to their new master, their provider of the holocron."
"New master?" Bail Organa questioned, barely keeping up with what was being discussed. "I thought that with the deaths of Dooku and Palpatine that the Sith have been extinguished."
"Someone had to have given the Zygerians that holocron." Eeth Koth said, a frown on his face. "The same individual that is behind all of the kidnappings of force sensitive children from the Outer Rim. I take it you sense it too, masters?"
They all nodded in agreement. It was clear that there was another player on the board right now, but none of them could see it. Whomever they were, they were gifted at cloaking themselves in shadow, ensuring that they would not be found until they wanted to be.
"Nowhere, does this discussion take us." Yoda continued. "The Dark Side clouds our enemies from us, but dwell on this too long and see the spaceport for the starships, we will not."
"On that we agree, Master Yoda." Bail said with an apologetic nod. "Though you are weakened, I am afraid that we need the help of the Jedi Order. The situation in the Republic is grim indeed. It's simultaneous collapse alongside the Confederacy has led to to the fall of order in the galaxy. Criminals prowl the Outer Rim, working their way towards the Mid Rim as we speak. Trust in the government has never been lower, and many still see the Jedi as traitors to the Republic."
"Have they not seen the evidence against Chancellor Palpatine?" Obi-Wan asked, shocked that such a falsehood could find purchase on otherwise sensible people. "Surely the majority wish for us to return."
"Your Order's reputation waned considerably during the last months of the Clone Wars, I'm afraid." the Chancellor said with a sorrowful glance. "Though no doubt done through the scheming of Palpatine, it will take time for the people to trust you again. It is why I suggest that you lend your aid to the Republic at large to secure systems that wish to take advantage."
"In addition, the political pressure from Admiral Tarkin's faction continues to grow." Bail continued. "His hardline stance gives assurances to those who have no courage of their own, and I fear for the safety of the Republic if he is given more power and authority. His change of heart when Padme and I brought evidence against Mas Amedda and Palpatine was too quick for my liking. Clearly he knows more than he's letting on, yet another reason not to trust him."
"Master Yoda, you know me, you know that I would not ask such a thing if I did not think it was necessary. Without the Jedi, we might still lose the Republic we have sacrificed so much to save. I would rather perish than to see it ruled by authoritarians and petty tyrants."
Yoda frowned at that. Not because he doubted anything that Bail Organa said, but because all of this he had heard before. Was it not the Jedi Order's involvement in politics that got them into so much trouble in the first place? Though his foresight was clouded, Yoda saw that this path could easily lead to ruin of the Jedi Order once again. If the Jedi were to survive, they must reform, they needed to become truly neutral. Just one more religious order in a galaxy teeming with them.
Besides, they had a new foe, skilled in the Dark Side, that must be hunted down. Should they be allowed to flourish because they Jedi were too distracted to search, then who knows how much blood would be spilled before they were stopped.
But that was never really an option, and Yoda knew it. The Republic needed them, and they needed the Republic. So he said nothing as he felt the doom of the Jedi uttered once again. Perhaps this time they would be saved from it.
"We shall help you, Chancellor." Shaak Ti said with a stately nod. "But only if you agree to help us improve our image with the public. The ties between the Republic and the Jedi will need to be much deeper now, and that must start with us."
"I could not agree more." Bail said, visibly relieved by the Jedi support that would quickly come his way. "If there is nothing else, I shall leave you to your business that you have amongst yourselves. May the Force be with you all."
As the Acting Chancellor, although Yoda thought he would drop the 'acting' part of his title, left the room, the remaining Jedi were content to stare out of the windows in silence, dreading what was to come next on their agenda.
"Apologies, my friends, but I can avoid the topic no longer." Eeth Koth said, with a tone in his voice that indicated he knew full well how uncomfortable this was about to be.
"There are only five of us here, but that is not an accurate count of all Council Members who survived Order 66. There is one more that remains absent. Tell me, Master Kenobi, where is Anakin Skywalker?
"He… he is with his wife, Padme Amidala." Obi-Wan said, his lips pursed together in frustration. "They are expecting the birth of their first child as we speak."
"Just as I expected." Coleman Kjac said as he chimed in for the first time. "Skywalker has once again acted in defiance on the Jedi Code, only this time he has gone too far! Marriage, attachment, children, this is madness! He must be expelled."
"Need I remind the council that without Anakin, a good many more of us would be dead?" Obi-Wan asked, trying desperately to defend his friend. "He acted like a true Jedi during his confrontation with the Sith holocron at the Great Pyramid. Could any of us claim to do so well against the Darkness as he has, and two separate times no less? Does that not at least allow for a closer look at his circumstances?"
"I am sorry Obi-Wan, truly I am, but the Code exists for a reason." Shaak Ti said, her large eyes were full of sorrow as she gazed at Obi-Wan. "Anakin broke it, and did so in a way that threatened us all. What would the Republic think if they knew one of our own carried on a secret marriage with a Senator? I wish there was another way, but there isn't. We must uphold our Code and protect our image. Skywalker must be forced to leave the order."
"No."
The sound of Yoda's cane on the floor was not a loud one, but it made each and every other member of that council sit up straighter as one who had the authority of centuries stand up and walk to the center of the room.
"Foolish we are, if we allow Skywalker to leave." the wise old master continued. "Blind we have become, to old ideas, to old way, and to old mistakes. Think you do, of how Skywalker could have been made to hurt us, but not who would have done the hurting. Spoken I have to young Padawan Tano, and informed me she has of how Sidious spoke to Skywalker. Power, he said, could be Skywalkers, power to save those he loved, if only he could use gifts Jedi would not give him. Lucky we are, to stand here today. And yet make the same mistakes, we are about to do."
"Change, the Order must, if it is to survive." Yoda said. "In the Living Force, we shall put our trust. Come, has the time to reform our Order. For survive the next great battle we will not, unless great changes we undertake."
Though he saw one or two struggle with the decision, every master there knew that Yoda was right. The old Jedi Order had barely survived, although what was left would be a poor excuse for a life. It needed to be reformed, to have its dead branches cut off so that the new ones could flourish and have a life of their own.
One by one, the remaining members of the Jedi High Council agreed. Anakin Skywalker could stay in the order as a Jedi in full standing, and the Jedi themselves were in need of a reformation, a rededication to the principles that made them such a powerful body in the first place.
Yoda allowed himself a small glance at Obi-Wan, who seemed equal parts shocked and relieved that there was one other person who believed in Anakin as much as he did. And Yoda truly did believe in Anakin. For all misgivings he had about the young Knight's wisdom and patience, he more than made up for it with his skill, his kindness, and his connection to the Force. Perhaps that is what the Order was in need of right now. A new relationship with the Force, one driven by love and tempered by wisdom.
And so the five members of the Jedi Council sat well into the Coruscanti night, discussing what this so-called 'Coruscant Reformation' would entail. Even after a few hours, Yoda knew that without a doubt it would be greater than any change since the days of Ruusan.
In the end, they came to an agreement. A new way of governing themselves and the Order which Yoda hoped would prevent the oncoming tide of Darkness, or least blunt its edge.
Emotions should not be suppressed. Instead, one must be able to maintain control over their own beings, but not through abandoning attachments. Instead one must understand that emotions come from the Force and can guide a Jedi, though they must be wary to not let them blind them and force them into rash decisions. Serious contemplation and meditation would be the way. To be consumed by any one emotion would lead to being consumed by others and a Jedi must always be there to support their brothers and sisters. They must ensure that their minds do not fall into the trap that will lead them down the dark path.
Love would be the pillar of this newly reformed Jedi Order. Love, Compassion, and Wisdom. A truly formidable combination.
As they all rose and made to leave the Council Chambers, Yoda stayed behind, for he thought that he heard a voice calling to him very faintly.
"Well done, my old friend. The Jedi Order grows stronger, and it's future more secure, from what you have done today."
It was impossible. A true paradox, but Yoda knew that voice it was unmistakable.
It belonged to someone that was dead.
"Qui-Gon Jinn, back from the dead, are you?" Yoda asked.
"No, Yoda. I am dead. But I also live again." the voice replied.
"How is that possible?" Yoda questioned, his eyes wide and his mind reeling from the implications of this conversation.
"The Force is greater than we know." Qui-Gon replied, and though Yoda could not see him, he felt his presence all around the chamber. This was no trick of the Sith or his mind failing him in his old age. No, this was truly someone speaking to him from beyond the grave.
"I am one with the Living Force." the voice continued. "And that in turn allows me to exist with the Cosmic Force which binds all beings together, even you and me. It is truly wonderful Yoda, an energy and connectedness like I never could have believed."
"And I wish to share it with you."
Yoda could scarcely believe what he was hearing. Qui-Gon Jinn speaking from beyond the Void because of a new power of the Force? A power that was both newer and older than anything else there had ever been?
It was as if centuries of stress and worry were lifted from his shoulders. Yoda knew this is where he was supposed to be. His destiny was to commune with the Force and grow in his understanding of it. And then, when he was ready, to share it with the rest of the Jedi, to help them grow and become greater versions of themselves than they once were. He could think of no better use of his time.
"Tell me, where must I go, Qui-Gon?"
"Take a ship to the Dagobah system, bring building materials. You shall be there for a long time. The Order shall survive without you for the few years I must teach you there, for it is a planet strong in both the Dark Side and the Light, and you will become what all Jedi should be."
"Thank you, I do, Master Qui-Gon." Yoda said, bowing to the room itself before walking towards the door with a smile spread wide across his face.
"Your new apprentice, I will be."
Location: Coruscant - Grand Republic Medical Facility
Though Anakin Skywalker had faced death countless times and recently purged his own inner darkness, there was nothing in his entire lifetime that scared him as much as the situation before him did right now.
Padme, his love, his wife, was about to deliver their child. It was not going to be easy. An assassin sent by Mas Amedda had given her medical complications, and the baby was coming whether he wanted it or not.
Miraculously, she had held on until Anakin had returned from Zygeria. It had been painful, but he was grateful for the chance to be here to witness the birth of his child.
His mind was racing with thoughts and possibilities. He and Padme hadn't even gotten around to deciding what the name of the child should be. Would it be a boy or a girl? What if she died on the delivery table like his visions had told him? The Dark Side had lied to him about many things, but he knew that there was always a kernel of truth at the center of all their deceptions. Perhaps this was the truth at the center of the lie.
Anakin's thoughts might have spiraled even further if Ahsoka had not been there for him. It had been quite a shock to her, to receive a call from her former master. The revelation that Anakin was married and that Padme was about to deliver his child was something that struck her to her core. She had always known that he was a maverick in the Jedi Order, but she had never imagined in all her wildest years that this was the big secret he was carrying.
Not that she much minded the secret. She was glad that Anakin had found someone who truly understood and cared for him. Throughout her time with her master, Ahsoka had come to realize that the Jedi Order didn't really satiate Anakin's hopes and dreams. He always longed for something more, and it looked as though it was Padme that finally filled that void.
"Master, relax." she said, putting a hand on his shoulder and speaking to him as if he were a startled Bluurg. "This is the best medical facility in the entire Republic. She's in good hands."
It did little to help Anakin's mood, but it did at least snap him out of his dark thoughts.
"I should be in there." he growled, his fist clenched tightly enough that the leather squealed in protest.
"Patience, Anakin." came a voice from behind them. "There is nothing you can do at the moment, and Padme will need you to be whole when the time does come."
Obi-Wan stepped through the door and moved to place his hand on Anakin's other shoulder. The presence of the two closest people in his life besides Padme was enough to make Anakin break out into an actual smile. He might not have been strong enough to get through this alone, but fortunately for him he would never be alone.
"Well, am I exiled from the Order?" Anakin asked with a weak chuckle.
"No, and you can thank Master Yoda for that." Obi-Wan replied. Though his tone was curt, it was clear that he was just as relieved as Anakin was and looked as if a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "It seems as though he has had quite an awakening to the Force. He claims that the Jedi are too rigid and we are in need of drastic reform."
"Oh?" Anakin asked, raising his eyebrow in surprise.
"Indeed." his master continued. "The fact that your attachment to Padme is what saved you from Palpatine's clutches was not lost on the council, or was your love for her when you were trapped by that Sith holocron. The council seems to be much more tolerant of relationships now, provided they are tempered with reason of course."
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He wasn't exiled from the Order? His marriage to Padme was allowed, even encouraged now? Anakin was astounded. This was a truly wonderful day.
It was about to get even better, and the medical droid emerged from the operating theater and moved towards the Jedi.
"It was close, but we managed to stabilize her." the droid droned. "We cannot delay the birth any longer. If we wait for her to fully recover, we risk losing the babies."
"Babies?" Obi-Wan asked, shocked.
"She is carrying twins." the droid said as it wheeled back from where it came.
Anakin didn't even bother to register the shock on his friends' faces. He was already moving towards his wife who was weakly stirring on the operating table.
"Ani?" she groaned, gingerly lifting up a finger to graze his jawline. "Is that you?"
"I'm here, Padme." Anakin said, clutching her hand tightly with both of his. "The medical droid says you're going to be alright. You'll get to see our babies. We're having twins!"
Padme's smile was cut short as she screamed out in pain as the matron droid cooed her on through the delivery, encouraging her to push with all her strength.
Soon the cries of a newborn filled the room, as the droid presented the babe into its father's arms.
"Padme, it's a boy." Anakin said, though he could not see either her or the baby through all the tears in his eyes.
"Luke." she said, smiling at them both. "His name is Luke."
Padme just stroked his head with her hand, placing a delicate kiss on his forehead before falling back down flat on the operating table, screaming in pain as round two of her delivery began.
"A girl." Anakin said as the droid placed her in her mother's arms.
"Leia." Padme sobbed, tears of joy streaming down her face.
The twins started to wail, which drew Obi-Wan and Anakin into the room. Both of them had grins that threatened to split their faces as they approached the children who stopped their crying to look at the newcomers with wide eyes.
"A boy and a girl." Anakin said in a daze, lost in the beauty of the moment, "Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, these are my children, Luke and Leia."
As if the Force drew them to one another, Obi-Wan took Luke in his arms while Ahsoka cradled Leia. Bonds in the Force, stronger than any foe that could seek to divide them, were forged that day.
"Hi Leia." Ahsoka cooed, tickling the baby girl's nose with her finger. "I'm your Aunt Ahsoka."
"I doubt they'll be able to say Obi-Wan for many years." Obi-Wan said with a rueful grin. "Perhaps I shall be Uncle Ben for now."
Anakin just held Padme's hand as she rested her head on his shoulders. The medical droid kept insisting that there were still things that needed to be done, but Anakin assured them that it was nothing pressing. She was safe, the children were healthy, and all was well.
As he thought this, the Coruscant sun crested over the horizon, exposing Luke and Leia to the light for the first time. Without coordination or prompting, both babies giggled softly as they extended their hands to the sun with toothless grins plastered over their face. The rest of the people in the room couldn't help but smile at it. Not only were the babies incredibly cute, but they represented something that had been in short supply.
The embodied Hope. The past three years had been bleak. Wars, and rumors of wars had been ever present in their life. But these two, they represented a new hope for the world. The dawning of Coruscant's sun represented the new dawn these two would bring.
They would be a new light for the Jedi Order, for the Republic, and for the galaxy.
And as Anakin Skywalker looked out at the skyline with everyone in his life that he considered family, he felt himself truly relax for the first time in years. There were still problems that needed to be solved, but for now, he was at peace. He was surrounded by his family and loved ones, he had saved the Republic, and his destiny as a Jedi was one that would lead him to honor and glory.
All in all, not bad for a former slave boy from Tatooine.
AN:
Well here we are, everyone. It's been a wild ride. With only the Epilogue left to write, it's been an incredible journey, and I hope that you have enjoyed my writing about the journeys of these Heralds of the Force.
One of my readers on here (and I'm grateful for the feedback) said that he wished that there was a more clear picture about what the political situation of the Republic is. I decided that this was a good chapter to discuss what is happening in the galaxy right now in addition to planting some seeds for future conflict. I hope this allows you all to see where I picture the state of politics in this universe, and my fervent wish is that you look at it and go "yeah, that makes sense".
As for Qui-Gon's reveal, I realize that in canon, Yoda spoke to him months before the events of Revenge of the Sith (and I usually like to stay as close to canon as possible as for when things happened), but my reasoning is that Qui-Gon appeared to Yoda because he could see the end of the Jedi Order and needed to train his former master so that Yoda could tell Obi-Wan and set up the events of A New Hope. Here, Ahsoka's continued presence in the Order means that while they'll get bloodied, the Jedi won't be wiped out. Yoda can take years away from the Temple to train on Dagobah without feeling like he's on a pressed timetable. Hopefully your suspension of disbelief can carry you the rest of the way.
Thanks for being loyal listeners that have stuck with me and read this story. This has grown to be a big part of my life, and I'm not quite ready to leave this universe yet. Like I said on my last Author's Note, I have big plans for where I take this story in the future.
Please feel free to leave a review. Whether they're good or bad, I can't get enough of them. Any and all feedback is appreciated. Stay strong, stay safe, and I hope you enjoy the Epilogue.
- Klick