Padme and several other Senators are watching the smoke rise from the Jedi Temple. It had been years since she had personal had contact with any of the Jedi. She had wondered what had happened to the few she had met that were not on the High Council. Though as she came to Coruscant the first time the Jedi Order was talked about in only rare moments when another Senator was accused of breaking the Law. Then bill after bill was proposed in an attempt to reduce their authority most failing until they were caught misusing the funds that they were given. Yet, she still could not justify what she was witnessing at the moment from her apartments.

The sound of a growing rumble arrived at about the same time as the Temple began to fall in on itself. The shock wave hit not too long after that and she nearly lost her balance. Then she watched through the glass of the balcony wall as the Temple grounds turned into a cloud of dust. She felt herself scream as the rest of the Temple suddenly vanished as Artoo beeped and whistled his fear. Padme saw the ripple in the lower buildings as the larger shock way rolled to the base of the 500 Republica Building. Her eye grew as screams of other Senators running from their balconies could be heard as dozens of speeders roared to life. Several of her guests had run out not even remembering she was their.

"Padme we have to go!" Sabe rushed to her side to pull her away. However, she fought her friend and bodyguard to remain for one moment longer. She had voted against the bill that would see all the Jedi labeled as criminals. This was the point in her mind where the Republic was no longer savable. Then her heart jumped as a large speeder neatly came up to the railing without bumping it.

"Everyone get on now!" It was an order and one that got most of the guests and the staff in her apartment to turn around and jump into the awaiting speeder. Padme suddenly got up and in one smooth motion she jumped into the speeder pulling Sabe with her. Captain Typho was right behind her. It was not until the speeder started to sink that it flew away from the soon to be swaying high rise. The pilot wore a helmet that would have made her giggle if she saw it any other time, but her fear and adrenaline prevented her from even speaking to tell him to slow down. Then several of his passengers cried out as 500 Republica was hit by several shock waves causing it to dance like a noodle. Several falling dots reminded her that could have been her. Only the craftbeingship allowed the building not to fall as dozens of emergency repulsor lit generators activated to stabilize the building like many of the other buildings enjoyed. Though a few failed to protect their charges and those buildings crashed down into the artificial ravines or against other buildings threatening to knock them over as well.

She didn't even notice where they were going until the slammed down on to a landing platform that lead into the spaceport. Everyone scrambled out of the speeder and the mysterious pilot helped her and Sabe out of the speeder. It was not until he moved to take off his helmet that she realized she was still holding his hand. As her cheeks burned the helmet came off revealing loose blond hair and a young but chiseled face. One that instantly smiled and brought her to smile as well. Then his deep silver blue eyes seemed to bore into her while her stomach did several flips. Artoo bumped into her pushing her farther into his arms. He caught her and he then blushed with her, but it also felt as if he pulled her farther into him.

"Hello Padme." His voice was deeper and he was now much taller, but there was only one blond that had ever learned her name and the last time she saw him was when he had just turned ten.

"Ani?" he laughed as he hugged her a bit more before allowing her to get some distance, but she felt less safe the farther away he was from her.

"Small galaxy right?" He shrugged with this twinkle in his eye that made her giggle.

"Senator Amidala we should get going. There will most likely be an emergency Senate meeting." Padme's awkwardness vanished as the politician side of her took over.

"Right but we can't." Panaka and Sabe stared at her as they both spoke.

"What?!"

"It is a long story but I will explain it on the way to Naboo."

"You need to explain it now. You have a responsibility to the queen and to the rest of the Chommell Sector."

"No, we leave now. There were secret meetings and we are not in a secure location." Padme looked up at Anakin and could not compare him to the boy she had once comforted as he was so cold or celebrated privately as he had helped free her people. Now he was this armored warrior like the Mandalorians of the holodramas or these new clone troopers, but without the blank white armor as his was painted blue and silver like his eyes. Though there were other smaller pieces that carried different colors as if they held meaning as there was small symbols or pictures surrounded by these other colors.

"I know of a ship we can use. Get us there in no time." Panaka stepped near Anakin's tall frame bringing Padme's eyes back down a bit.

"Your ship is in this building we don't need this stranger's help."

"Captain this is Anakin Skywalker." Sabe blurted out before blushing at her own impulsiveness. Padme giggled as she realized she was not the only one to find the grown up Anakin attractive. He seemed to glow as he stood there Padme only realized she was still holding his arm when Typho looked at their arms as he looked from one to the other. His one remaining eye grew as he noticed the armor under his cloak as he had a better look at the distinctive helm.

"I thought he was going to be a Jedi and not a Mandalorian?"

"Captain that I am Jetii, Matukai, and Mandalorian. Clan Sky."

"Not Skywalker?"

"No, I can tell you later or my mother can."

"Senator, I still insist we use your ship." Padme looked to Typho and then back to Anakin. She was torn as her head was telling her that her ship would be better and her heart yearned to go with him. Completely unlike her to be so drawn to someone.

"I am glad that you saved us, but I have to go."

"I'll go with you." Sabe giggled as Padme fought with herself. This was not how she ever felt before and it was driving her to despair.

"No Ani it was nice to see you again, but I have my duty to my sector." Anakin smiled and then winked before he shoved his bucket back on his head. Padme relax slightly as it was a tad bit easier to walk away from this armored man. As she stepped away from him she could hear he was talking under his helmet. Then she turned to look again and nearly jumped as his imposing form was there next to her. With as electronic ton to his voice he spoke.

"Our ship is parked right next to yours. The Force must have made that happen."

"You should still stay back from us." Typho growled. "A full Mandalorian attracts too much attention." Anakin only turned his head to them as the spaceport became even more crowded. Even to the point that they were pressing in on the three of them, but Anakin was not hindered as the beings pushed closer to him pushed back to keep from getting closer.

"I think I like attracting attention. Plug your ears." They looked at him in confusion as he raised up the device he held and all three of them complied as Anakin pressed a button. It was not a grenade as Typho had thought or some other type of normal weapon, but when it was held over his head it slowly got louder in several different pitches. He could then feel as the sound pulsed a few times as this calm came over him. The crowd was still moving in places but the longer the device was held over his head the more it started to flow.

"What is that device?" Padme asked and not getting an answer. Anakin just pointed to the overhead signs and it was enough to relay that they should move faster. He held it up until they entered the private ship berthing. The crowd was thinner here, but only because the type of beings here had more money or owned the ships that were parked here. Many were haggling frantically with crew members to get off the planet. As they move farther up into the spaceport the crowd thinned even more as this was the level on which Senators and the very rich stored their personal ships. Anakin held up one of his vambrace covered arms to the door before Typho could get closer signaling it to open.

"How did you get the code to the door?" Typho asked at the same time Sabe spoke as Anakin took off his helmet again.

"What was that annoying device?" Anakin looked to Padme to answer as he gestured with his arm.

"It was a pattern of different sounds that upset the nature of dozens of beings to panic with a constant suggestion from the Force to follow. Without the Force they would all have just stopped, and I did say our ships were together." His arm moved to wave at the few that were moving around the Ebon Hawk and two fighters. Sabe rushed over to the Naboo cruiser joining several of the others as Jenica moved over to the three.

"Padme it has been a long time. Who is this morsel of Naboo?" Typho was suddenly taken aback by her suddenly being next to him. The girl had met so long ago was definitely a woman now. Padme giggled at his discomfort and Anakin groaned as this must not have been the first time, but one of many.

"Must you Jenica?"

"Oh Anakin why not. Do you not find him edible?"

"I am not into males."

"Are you sure? There was this one time with a..."

"How was I supposed to know, and this is not the time."

"Party pooper. Anakin you will have to fly one of the fighters. I will take the other one. Probably best we all fly together as our clearance codes are no longer valid."

"What name are we now?"

"The Kang's Destiny." Anakin rolled his eyes.

"Didn't we use that one on Terminus?"

"Don't remind me, but it is too late. So your Majesty yours or mine?" Jenica thumbed behind her pointing at both of the ships.

"I am no longer queen. Senator if you want to be formal or Padme." She looked to the thin narrow ship that did not have much room to the bigger ship.

"The choice is yours, but your clearance codes we'll need or we can fly in your sensor shadow." Anakin looked to Jenica like that had not worked out so well in the past.

"What?!"

"That ship is smaller then ours." Captain Typho then put his hand to his ear as he listened. His face sudden much more dour then before.

"What is it?"

"No time. Motee, Sabe, get on this other ship! Pilots this ship is now the Senator's transport. Mical may the goddess protect you. You will be the decoy. Head straight to Naboo. We have less than a minute." Zerdy came running out of the Ebon Hawk.

"They are locking down the spaceport. A full division of these clone troopers are entering from all sides. We need to leave."

"Good we'll use the panic to hide even more." The group ran to the ramp and disappeared inside as the ramp rose. Jenica and Anakin jumped and smoothly flew the short distance to the drop down inside their cockpits as the Naboo-1J fighter pilots scramble inside their ships. Nearly as one the eight ships took off and joined the hundreds of ships fleeing the capital.

They all had good reason as the proposal that removed the Jedi Order from the Republic also contained further allowances and concessions that gave the Chancellor even more power. The position was never to hold any true power. All the Chancellor was supposed to be was the voice of the Senate and one who was tasked with maintaining order while they were in session. Now he was nearly the absolute ruler of the Republic. The Senate could still remove him, but after today any of his enemies would not have the power to do so without the few remaining and politically active Jedi. The orders that came from the Chancellor would capture any Jedi that tried to flee, but unknown to the Senate was the apprehension of hundreds of other Senators that had worked against him over and over again.

The Jedi had set him back with the removal of most of his more corrupt supporters, but this he turned to his advantage as he gained more sector focused senators that he could deal with and not have to rely so heavily on incriminating evidence, but even Padme one of the most innocent of Senators had things to hide. Though her few dalliances with her handmaidens would shock only certain factions on Naboo. Here on Coruscant it was nothing, but he will have to word it just right to make it appear even worse to her if it ever came out.

Unknown to them Padme, Organa, Mon Mothma were some of the ones on this list. Fortunately they were way ahead of the clone troopers but not the sudden arrival of a fleet of Venators. They were smoothly prepositioned in a dozen different exit lanes. Not close enough to cause the pilots to manually evade the large ships, but close enough that any ship of interest would instantly be detained. The Ebon Hawk now the Kang's Destiny moved right by the nearest lumbering ship. Her name painted several stories high on her hull. The Resolute turned slowly to match Coruscant's solar plain showing her large bank of turbo lasers.

"Now that is a battleship." Anakin relayed over the comlink.

"In complete violation of the Ruusan Reformations." Shmi countered.

"Probably best if the Naboo pilot put the Destiny between them and the cruiser."

"Rodger that, Ebon one." The four Naboo-1J fighters moved fluidly around as Jenica and Anakin brought their fighters into view of the large ship. Each of the large ships were actively scanning, but even with the Golan defense Platforms it was not enough to truly scan all the out going ships from Coruscant. However, that did not deter the commanders of those vessels as dozens were halted in their tractor beams. Hours passed as traffic out of the system was slowly brought to a crawl. Anakin and Jenica felt for the fighter pilots as they docked in with the Ebon Hawk.

"We should have the fighters come in. They are sure to run out of air."

"Shmi have them magnetically attach to the hull. That is if they can space walk to get in?"

"Relaying the message." They moved to the lounge to see the other four talking quietly between themselves. A moment later Shmi walked in from the cockpit.

"The pilots say they are good for several more hours but will attach to the ship." Several bumps are felt but not more than that.

"So Ani where have you all been?" Anakin set his helm down as he sat down. Several drink containers came floating in to the room to set themselves on the table. He shrugged as his mother glared at him as the others looked shocked. Jenica just opened one of them and took a long drink.

"Shmi they will get used to it. Sorry if using the Force in front of you is shocking."

"No it is okay. Must be nice to not have to get up to go to the cooler at times." Padme then reached out and took one of the bottles herself. Anakin drained a water bottle before opening another and sipping on it.

"So where have we not been..." From there he talked of Nar Shaddaa, Dxun, Onderon, Telos IV, Korriban, Malachor, Taris, Dantooine, Tatooine, Kashyyyk, Manaan, Lehon, Yavin and a dozen more before Threepio and Zerdy came out with a meal that started another list of planets from the foods offered. Throughout the entire day that had started in tragedy and ended in mild conversation. Several times they turned on the Holonews as Threepio noted there was something new, but each time either Anakin or Jenica turned it off a minute later. The day turned into night and though they took turns on the bridge they had barely moved from where they had been the day before.

Military craft moved around unhindered and any of the food and fuel freighters move unrestricted towards the planet, but movement out of the system had stalled. On the third day the pilots space walked to get inside the ship and the only excitement had been the mass remodeling of the two sleeping quarters and Anakin had turned one side into his apartment as had Shmi done as well to the other. Adding the pilot brought up the count to five females and five males, five droids which even was joked about if Jenica did not tip the balance to the female side. Though she still had her own cabin. One that Anakin Shmi, and Jenica vanished into daily for several hours.

She could not really believe she was getting Jealous but it was the only thing she could think of as he spent a lot of time with her and if not her he was tinkering with something or other in the forward hold. Either the speeder or one of the spar droids they had or even parts that looked like the belonged to the ship. Much of the time Sabe or Motee had been with her and they would talk and giggle later on. She was sure Motee would be the first to be so bold but so far she did not directly flirt with Anakin. Then late on the third day the Holonews showed something much different.

Master Yan Dooku was shown smoothly walking to a podium. His estate rising up behind him just before the many holocams zoomed in on his face. He looked out at the crowd of his own people as his sister came up to his side and nodded. To those who knew you could see Jocasta Nu in the background with several Jedi.

"Assembled citizens of Serrano it is an honor to stand before you, for you represent the future of our galaxy. The once great Republic and Jedi Order have become victims of their own ambitions. Those ambitions sadly drove the final nail in the coffin that the Jedi Order failed to realize they had been herded into. The Supreme Chancellor is no more than a pawn of corporate monopolies and corrupt Senators that formed a bill that called for the arrest and detention of every Jedi. For years the Jedi Order was growing smaller and smaller. The bill's accusation stated that the Jedi had over stepped their mandate. A mandate they were required to help the starving, the enslaved, and the sick."

"Not three days ago the Jedi Temple was reduced to dust and the once long buried mountain peak is all that remains of the Jedi Temple. It was a useless gesture as not a single Jedi lost their lives for they had already left. Countless living beings, these clones the Senate accused the Jedi of creating, have been sent to their deaths, many of the citizens of Coruscant lost their lives in the panic and the after shocks of such destruction that caused further buildings to collapse. Brought on by their misguided attack on the Jedi Temple. Because of this the remaining Jedi have gone into Recusal."

"We who have cried out for justice and fair trade were only tricked and lied to and eventually taxed to such an extent that many had to sell out to these large corporate monopolies that created the Separatist Crisis. No longer shall it be just a crisis. No longer can the beings of the Outer to Mid Rim Systems be denied due process and fair trade. No longer to be denied liberty and justice for I have been given the authority to announce the formation of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. We will gather together for mutual defense, fair trade, economic growth and development. Freedom from slavery and extortion of our homes and resources."

"We can no longer support a government that has become an Empire in all but name. Only the resignation of the Supreme Chancellor and the currently seated Senators along with a complete rewrite of the Republic Charter can they restore the faith of the people. We are fifty thousand systems strong join us and show the dying Republic what true liberty is."