Padme's Apartment,
Anakin tried to hail the Jedi Temple again, but there was no response. No one was hailing his calls. The GAR headquarters, Obi-wan, Commander Cody, no one was responding to him. Anakin was beyond frustrated. He had felt the wave of death spreading throughout the galaxy, the Jedi dying in fear and shock. Padme had been contacting her fellow Senators and they were just as confused about the attack on the Senate. The Chancellor's status was unknown.
"Dammit!" Padme yelled, throwing her comlink across the room into the wall, breaking it. "No one knows what's going on, Ani. Everyone is just as confused and worried as we are."
Anakin ran his hands through his hair before approaching Padme and embracing her in a hug. "Everything will be alright. We just need to wait. We need to have patience. "
"Ironic coming from you," Padme said with a smile.
Both of them stayed in the embrace for what seemed like forever to them. Neither one wanted to break it.
"Remind me of what's going to happen after this is all over," Padme requested softly.
Anakin gave a low smile and took Padme's hand, leading her to the couch. They both sat down and Anakin turned to Padme. "Once the war is over, with peace finally in the galaxy again, we are going back to Naboo. We're going to have a nice, small wedding, with our friends and family there. At the lake house. We will live there, raising our children and watching them grow. Eventually, when they are all grown up, we will be at the lake, growing old with each other. That will be our future, my love."
Padme looked at Anakin with loving eyes, yearning for that future to happen soon, wanting it to happen now. It had been their dream to be married soon, but it felt wrong to do so during the war. It wouldn't be proper and they wouldn't be able to celebrate with friends and family properly.
She opened her mouth to respond, but the display screen in the room turned on, with a simple message displaying.
"We interrupt your time with an important announcement from the office of the Supreme Chancellor"
Anakin and Padme shot up, their attention on the broadcast before them. Palpatine sat in an office with two Royal Guards by his side.
"Citizens of the civilized galaxy, on this day we mark a transition. For a thousand years, the Republic stood as the crowning achievement of civilized beings. But there were those who would set us against one another, and we took up arms to defend our way of life against the Separatists. In so doing, we never suspected that the greatest threat came from within.
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 natures.
The Jedi hoped to unleash their destructive power against the Republic by assassinating the head of government and usurping control of the clone army. But the aims of would-be tyrants were valiantly opposed by those without elitist, dangerous powers. Our loyal clone troopers are containing the insurrection within the Jedi Temple and quelled uprisings on a thousand worlds.
The remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated! Any collaborators will suffer the same fate. These have been trying times, but we have passed the test. The attempt on my life has left me scarred and deformed, but I assure you my resolve has never been stronger!
In order to preserve the peace in the galaxy, I am moving forward with the motion to reorganize the Republic into the first Galactic Empire! I urge all of my Senators to come and vote. The peace of the galaxy depends on it"
The transmission ended and both of them stood there, shocked. Anakin could finally see clearly. The darkness that surrounded Coruscant, that was the Chancellor! He was the Sith Lord! He was behind everything all along! They had been played like a fiddle.
Padme raced to her speeder, with Anakin close behind her.
"Where do you think you're going?" Anakin asked furiously, already knowing the answer. He was taken aback by Padme's impulsiveness.
"To the Senate. Someone has to stop this bill from passing."
"It's not safe there!"
"Neither is a battlefield, Ani! We have responsibilities!"
Anakin grumbled before accepting her words. "I'm coming with-"
"No, you're not. Didn't you hear the broadcast? Palpatine is having the clones attack the Temple. You need to go help them! Save the Jedi. I know they haven't treated you well, but it's the right thing to do." Padme cupped Anakin's face and looked him in the eyes. "It's the right thing to do, Ani."
Anakin nodded, putting his hand to hers. Giving her a soft kiss, he leaped over to his own speeder. He looked up at her. "I love you, angel."
"I know, Ani. I know."
And with that, Anakin's speeder took off, racing towards the Jedi Temple.
Coruscant
Obi-wan and Eeth Koth crept in the shadows, their cloaks and the Force helping them blend into the crowd and hide from any observant eyes. Yoda stayed in Eeth Koth's arms, pretending to be an infant. But it was also to protect Yoda and allow him time to recover.
Ever since the Clones had turned on them outside the Senate Building, every Jedi felt the wave of death, fear, and anguish flood the galaxy. Yoda suffered the worst. When escaping, he was brought to his knees and shook as he felt each death pass through him. Yet his resolve, his will remained unbroken, but his body was not the same as it was.
"We need to keep moving. Past this plaza, there will be a speeder. The driver will keep us safe. I trust him," Obi-wan said quietly as they navigated their way through the busy crowd. Several people stumbled out of a nearby bar, erupting in drunken laughter when they bumped into each other. Wandering around, trying to find their way to a shuttle, their loud antics began to garner attention. Unwanted attention. Several Riot troopers approached them, standing in the path of the Jedi.
The Jedi tried to turn around, but the large crowd began to push them forwards. They were on a collision course for the Clones. Moving with the crowd, trying to blend in, the three Jedi Masters did their best to distance themselves without drawing too much attention. But Fate is never that kind.
"Hey!" A riot trooper yelled out, grabbing Obi-wan's shoulder. Eeth reached for his lightsaber, watching Kenobi's body movement, but Kenobi didn't give off any signs of aggression. He just moved his hands up, his fingers wiggling and titled to one side.
"What's your problem, man? I'm trying to just live a little!"
The clone looked at him, shook his head, and left without a word. Quickly, Obi-wan returned to Eeth and Yoda and took the lead, guiding them to the point of his contact.
"Mind-trick?" Eeth asked softly as they neared a docking station.
"Yes, the clones don't have the best resistance to them, surprisingly enough," Obi-wan replied with a soft smile, which faded after the reality of the situation came back to him. His formers allies were not his enemies. He had felt his brothers and sisters die on the battlefield. Leading their clones in battle, distracted by the battle before them, only to have the clones gun them down from behind.
Putting his thoughts to rest, Obi-wan approached a blue speeder, whose pilot wore black goggles and a scarf that covered his upper face. The pilot approached the two cloaked figures.
"Obi-wan?" The pilot asked softly, leaning forward.
"Hello there, Bail," Obi-wan nodded.
"Quickly, get aboard."
The four allies quickly boarded and Bail's speeder raced across the city, back to his apartment.
"Bail, what's going on?"
"The Jedi have been declared traitors. The Clones are executing them across the galaxy and the Temple is under attack."
"What?! By who? We need to defend the temple!" Eeth shouted, still reeling from the shock.
"It was the Chancellor. He accused you all of setting a bomb in his office. That was the explosion."
Yoda stirred and pushed himself up. "Lifted, the veil of the Dark side is. Coming from Palpatine, it is. The dark lord he is. Sidious, he is."
Obi-wan and Eeth Koth listened to the Grand Master and found what he was saying was true. A dark storm hovered over the Senate building. It radiated from the Chancellor. How many times did the Jedi sit before him, discussing the war? How many times could they have stopped the Sith Lord from rising to power, or even end his reign? Too many. The Dark Side was now in control.
"Survive, we must. To the Temple, we must go. Evacuate survivors. No longer safe, Coruscant is," Yoda said solemnly. Bail nodded and spun the speeder around, breaking out of the traffic and plotting his own course to the Jedi Temple.
Jedi Temple
Impetus spun his saber around like a deadly fan, rotating his body as he did so. His blade created a barrier around him, enveloping him. Hands and sabers fell to the ground as the Jedi Temple Guards around him dropped to the ground, their bodies laced in cuts and smoke hissing from their wounds. Impetus looked at them for a short moment, before returning to the mission.
The clones were moving through the temple with expertise and precision, much of which was a credit to Impetus' leadership. They swarmed all entrences of the Temple. Windu knew that the Jedi would not leave unless ordered by the Council. The leading members were missing and they would be too caught up in trying to survive and protect that they would be unable to initiate the exit
Impetus knocked down a pair of large metal doors with the force and walked out on the series of walkways. It was chaos around him. The Jedi were being routed back, their numbers falling. Impetus admired the irony of the situation. The clones, the Jedi's friends and trusted allies, were the ones cutting them down. No one expected such an attack. No one would even have expected that the mighty Jedi, heroes of the Republic for thousands of years, would be wiped out by men with guns. A grim smile came across Impetus' scarred face. He walked across the platform, uninterrupted. The clones and Jedi around him were too busy fighting each other to deal with him.
One foolish padawan leaped at him, hate and fear across his face. He wanted revenge. He wanted answers. He was confused. Impetus simply used the Force to throw him off the platform, his body sailing to the ground far below them.
As he walked, memories came to him. Memories of Mace Windu chasing his friends across this very same platform. Him listening to his master explain the complexity of the Jedi as they came back from a mission. Depa and Windu sharing a moment after her knighting ceremony. With each step he took, Impetus found himself being flooded with a storm of emotions and memories. But with each step, his anger rose. Impetus was doing what needed to be done. Windu would never have been able to. Summoning all his hate and rage, Impetus pushed the memories aside. They weren't his memories. Not anymore.
Jedi Temple
Kit Fisto and Cin Drallig stood firm, their green sabers deflecting blaster fire back towards the advancing clones. Behind the two Council members were a group of younglings. Their fear burned like a beacon in the Force. The Jedi Masters could sense it, and they sensed more Clones coming towards them.
"Fear not, younglings. There is no death, there is only the Force!" Cin Drallig shouted as he moved faster and faster, deflecting more shots back to the clones. But the odds weren't in their favor. The corridor would run out of space and the Jedi would miss more shots and the younglings would-
The window above them shattered and Obi-wan Kenobi, Yoda, and Eeth Koth landed between the two parties.
"Hello there!" Obi-wan said to his fellow Council members before the three of them released an enormous Force push that toppled and crushed the Clones attacking them.
"It's Master Kenobi!"
"And Yoda!"
"Master Koth, you're alive!"
The younglings' fear dissipated and they cheered at the sight of their heroes who saved them. Obi-wan gave them all a smile, before raising a finger to his lips signaling to all of them to be silent. The younglings followed his example and quieted down. Obi-wan turned to his fellow council members.
"Masters, we have to evacuate the Temple. It is lost."
"But this is our home! It has been for thousands of years! We-" Cin Drallig protested but was quickly shot down by Kit.
"Look around us, Cin. Our troopers, our allies, turned on us. Can you not feel the Darkness? The Dark Side? It's no longer hiding."
"Behind this the chancellor is. The sith lord we have been looking for he is. To survive and defeat him if we are, we need to protect the young ones. Escape to Tython we will," Yoda said grimly.
Cin nodded as the realization set in on him. "How will we notify everyone?"
"Take care of that, I will," Yoda said as he rested both hands on his cane, closing his eyes. His face strained at the effort he was taking before Obi-wan heard a voice in his head.
Brothers and sisters, brothers and sisters, master Yoda this is. Lost the temple is. Retreat to the hangars. Flee, we must. Safe there we will be. Hurry, much time there is not.
Yoda let out a heavy sigh, leaning into his cane. He looked up as Obi-wan, who knelt down and allowed the Grandmaster to rest on his shoulder.
"What did you do?" Eeth asked in curiosity.
"Sent a message, I did. Only those attuned to the Force can hear it. Now come, to the hangars, we must go."
Jedi Temple
Anakin raced through the Temple halls, cutting down clones as he did. The entire Temple was being desecrated. Walls were scorched with blaster marks and saber cuts. Clone and Jedi bodies and limbs were strewn everywhere. The Jedi Temple had become a battlefield, something that no one expected. Not that Anakin was doing much to try and avoid that from happening.
As Anakin turned a corner, he saw a group of Clones in the distance. They had cornered a Jedi, who was clutching their leg, which had be shot. With one arm, they did their best to deflect. A precise shot tore through their saber, shattering it and ruining their fighting hand. The Jedi slumped to the ground, breathing heavily.
Anakin picked up speed, racing towards them. He saw the clones raise their blasters ready to execute the Jedi before them. Anakin threw his saber like a fan at the clones, cutting their blasters and impaling one of them. Catching their attention, Anakin leaped forward and punched the closest one in the face, shattering the mouth of the helmet. Immediately after landing, he delivered a strong kick to the abdomen of the next clone. He grabbed his arm and flung him over his back into the ground. With the remaining clone, Anakin pulled the lightsaber back to him, impaling the trooper.
With the clones dispatched, Anakin rushed over to the Jedi. "I'm Anakin Skywalker, I'm here to help. Save your breath."
The Jedi grabbed Anakin's tunic and pulled him close. "Hangar bay... escape... go...GO!"
"We'll both make it to the hangar bay, you just gotta hang on!" Anakin said as he tried to use the Force to stabilize the Jedi.
The Jedi went limp and Anakin stopped, fearing the worst. He raised his hand to the Jedi's neck, trying to find a pulse.
There was nothing. Anakin lowered his head and closed the Jedi's eyes. This was the fifth Jedi Anakin had failed to save.
Standing up, Anakin reached into the Force, trying to find others in need of help. Cries of help were being snuffed out by clones. Others were being crushed and drowned by some darkness that moved through the Temple like a predator. It was a dark presence that seemed to suck the life and warmth out of wherever it was.
The Temple was being destroyed, absolutely desecrated. For over 4,000 years, this Temple was a beacon of the Jedi and their ideology. It was meant to be a place of hope, peace, tranquility, and nurturing. Now it was nothing but chaos and death. The clones were being strategic with the explosions. Despite not growing up in the Temple, Anakin was still shocked by it all. To see such a beautiful, ancient building be smashed to pieces like this felt wrong.
Taking a deep breath, Anakin broke into a sprint, trying to reach the hangar before the ominous presence did.
The remainder of the Jedi Council created a shield in front of the hangar bay entrance as younglings, Padawans, and Knights were being shepherded into the shuttles. Droids had been installed with random coordinates. Each shuttle was supposed to go to an old enclave or outpost.
Coleman Kjac fell to the ground, a smoking stump replaced where his left eye hung. Obi-wan pulled him back with the Force as he took his fellow Council member's place in the line of defense, and a healer began to treat his wound.
The Council would be the last to leave. If there were any ships left for them. They had to protect the future of the order. And they were willing to lay down their lives for it if the time called for it.
The Clones continued to fire at the Jedi in front of them. The captain leading them shouted at them, their communication hidden through their helmets. The clones turned around and began to fire at something else. The Council kept their sabers raised, unsure of what was going on in the corridors before them. Debris flew through the corridors, crushing the clones, as a blue lightsaber followed suit.
Anakin Skywalker leaped over the pillar that had been lodged in between the corridor walls. Calling his lightsaber back to him, he slashed the door control panels and the blast doors slammed shut. Deactivating his saber, he walked up to Obi-wan.
"Obi-wan! They said you were dead!" Anakin said with a smile as he embraced his friend in a hug.
"It takes more than an explosion to kill me, Anakin. You should know that."
They broke the hug and Anakin turned to the ships. "Is this all that is left?"
Kit lowered his head in remorse. "This is what we able to make it to the hangers. I can only hope that anyone else outside of the hangar is able to find another way to escape or hide until we can make our next move."
Anakin turned to Yoda. "Master Yoda, Sidious is at the Senate building, trying to reorganize the Republic into a Galatic Empire. Padme went there to try and led the opposition to it, but I fear the worst. We need to stop him, now. If we don't things are going to get worse."
Yoda hummed for a minute and turned to his fellow Council members. "Thoughts on the matters, you have?"
"We need to strike now."
"We're too weak! Our only choice now is to hide and rebuild."
"Sidious needs to pay."
"Do you feel that?" Ki-Adi Mundi asked, reigniting his saber. They turned to the blast door that was sealed. A large creaking sound groaned its way through the walls.
Obi-wan turned to the ships behind them. "GO! Get out of here, go!"
The ships rose into the air, their engines whirring. Each shuttle made its way out of the hangar, rushing to break the atmosphere and enter hyperspace. As the last ship began to exit the hangar, the blast door that Anakin had sealed burst forward, the doors sailing through the air like large razors. The huge slabs of metal impaled the Jedi shuttle, causing the droid pilot to lose control and it spun violently in the air.
Obi-wan screamed out in defiance, reaching out to try and grab the ship, but he couldn't. All he could do was watch from afar as the ship kept spinning and spinning until it exited his view. He didn't need to be Force-sensitive to notice the death of the passengers as it nose-dived into the streets below. He said a silent prayer to whatever being was out there watching, hoping that the passengers all passed quickly. It was a shuttle of younglings.
The remaining Jedi turned towards the figure that had destroyed the shuttle. Ki-Adi Mundi, Coleman Kjac, Eeth Koth, Yoda, Kit Fisto, Cin Drallig, Agen Kolar, Obi-wan, and Anakin stood firm, their lightsabers all activated and readied.
As the dust settled, horror and shock spread through them as they all saw their attacker. The man who had led the attack on the Temple. Mace Windu.
Words failed to leave their mouths, as they watched the man before them simply activate his lightsaber and point it at them. With his other hand, he tossed the head of Oppo Rancis towards them. It rolled to Yoda's feet, who scowled at the man before them.
"The time of the Jedi is over. Your treason, corruption, and sickness will be purged from the galaxy. After I kill all of you here, peace will come to the galaxy. My Republic will stand strong and firm. No war, no corruption. Just total peace and prosperity."
There was a silence for a moment, as the Jedi tried to process the words that came out of their friend's mouth. There were the words of a mad man. A killer. A Sith. The man who was raised in these very halls since birth was now leading an army through it, destroying centuries worth of knowledge and beauty. It meant nothing to him anymore. The same Jedi who looked up to the former Jedi were now dead because of him, what remained of their bodies strewn wildly around the desecrated Temple. Yoda could tell that no one was spared from his rampage.
"How could you?! How could you turn your back on everything you stood for, Mace?" Agen cried out in anguish as he kept his blade raised, though the shock and pain were written all over his face.
"Mace Windu is dead. He was killed by the Jedi who abandoned him, who went behind his back like rats and let the Order become corrupted. I am Darth Impetus. Lord of the Sith, savior of the Republic!" Mace yelled with such conviction and malice. It was shocking to see how far this former Master had fallen into the Dark Side.
"Mace, Chancellor Palpatine is trying to turn the Republic into an Empire as we speak. Can you not see he is using you? There will be no Republic left after that!" Anakin yelled back, silently hoping that his words somehow reached into the mind of the man before him.
The words seemed to reach Impetus, but only for a moment. He was a cup overflowing with hate, rage, bloodlust, and power. The memory of the secret meeting played in his mind. His allies, his friends, they all betrayed him. "Things must evolve in order to survive. In order for the Republic to survive, it too must evolve. It only came to this because of your inaction!" Impetus yelled, pointing his purple saber at Yoda. "The secret meeting? The vote? Sidious showed me what you all did. The cowardly lot. While you were too busy arguing in the tall tower of the Council chambers, the Republic and Galaxy suffered and rotted away! Because of you all!"
"You were a part of that same Council, Impetus. If we are guilty, then so are you," Fisto countered.
Impetus glared daggers at Fisto. "Maybe so. But I am righting my wrongs by removing the origin of the sickness. The corruption will burn away. The Jedi with it! Peace will be spread throughout the galaxy, with me guiding it."
"Then, Darth Impetus, lost, you are," Yoda said grimly, as he held his lightsaber high. He accepted that the man who sat next to him for all those years was gone. Inside the heart of the 900-year-old Grandmaster, pain reverberated through his core. But now was not the time for such feelings.
The Jedi Council waited on Yoda's move, waiting to strike. They all heard the clamping of boots as more clone troopers drew near. The marching got louder and louder, but the Jedi remained confident in Yoda's plan. Just as the clones entered the hangar bay, Yoda reached up at the ceiling and pulled down with all his might. Impetus realized what he was doing and moved to stop him, but was pushed back by a combined Force push from the Jedi before him. The metal and stone caved to the command of the ancient green Jedi as he ripped apart the ceiling and it tumbled upon Impetus and his clone troopers. Dust blew all around them, creating a thin haze.
"Hurry!" Anakin yelled to the Jedi Council, motioning to them to get aboard the remaining speeders. Explosions went off around them and smoke began to fill the hangar quickly as the fire began to spread. The Jedi used their robes to cover their mouths as they boarded their speeders, as another explosion rocked the Temple itself.
"Follow me!" Kenobi shouted to his fellow Masters, as the three speeders flew out of the hangar as fast as they could.
Senate Building
Padme navigated her way through the crowd of Senators and pushed her way through to the pod area that Bail and Mon Mothma were in. The entire Senate was filled, eager to see Palpatine and to hear what he had to say. Everyone was completely thrown off guard by the announcement that he had made earlier and were curious to see what his plans were involving reforming the entire government into an Empire.
Palpatine's podium rose from his lower officer and the audience quickly quieted, awaiting his address. Donned in brown and black robes, Palpatine stood before his people.
Some gasps ricocheted through the Chambers at Palpatine's appearance. His face was disfigured, with massive wrinkles and cracks on his face. His eyes were golden, almost like they could sear holes inside of anyone who was unfortunate enough to make eye contact with him.
"My friends, I thank you for coming here at such short notice. As I said in my message on the Holonet, the Jedi have betrayed us. Our security is at risk. The very ones who we trusted to fight our battles for us and protect us have tried to kill me and take control of the government. Earlier today I was approached by two members of the Order, who demanded that I turn over control of the government to them. After refusing, they placed a bomb in my office to try and kill me and blame it on the Separatists, in an attempt to prolong the war and throw us into more chaos!"
"It is only by sheer luck that I survived the attempt on my life, but it has left me scarred and deformed. However, my resolve has never been stronger! My heart beats stronger for the people of the galaxy and their protection! As we speak, the Jedi Traitors are being dealt with."
"My desire to protect this galaxy and its people, from all forms of danger. That is why, Senators, I bring forth the motion to reform the Republic into our first Galactic Empire. Together, we will bring peace to the galaxy. It will take time and it will be hard, but together we will rise from this turbulent moment in our history!" Palpatine roared, raising his hands in the air. The crowd cheered as he finished his speech and they began chanting his name.
Padme looked around her in horror. People were going to sacrifice their liberty to Palpatine. They were so enthralled by him and believed his narrative without question. Someone had to do something. Before it was too late. She looked at Bail and Mon. Their faces said the same. It was now or never. As the crowd died down, Bail quickly pushed a button.
The pod refused to move.
Bail and Mon Mothma paled. Padme covered her mouth in horror. Palpatine was refusing to allow for anyone to try and disrupt him. Behind them, the door opened and Coruscant Guard clones moved in, blasters raised.
"Hands in the air! You're under arrest for high treason and threatening the security of the Empire," one clone said.
With no other choice, the three friends surrendered and were handcuffed. As Padme looked back at the Senate chamber, she took one last look at Palpatine. They made eye contact and he had an insidious smile on his face, yellow teeth and all. He knew.
Any and all criticism is desired.