Disclaimer: Disney owns Star Wars, not me. All the characters and places (except for my OC Analise) belong to them. General trigger warning is in effect.
"aaaa"-talking out loud. "aaaa" (bold and italics)-talking through a holo or com. 'aaaaa'-inner thoughts. "aaaaa"-talking through a Bond or talking during a Force Vision. aaaa-Force Vision. "aaaa" (bold)-talking in another language. ("aaa") (bold, italics, and parenthesis)-talking through a holo or com in another language.
AN: Back from my break and ready to go! It was nice to take a little time for myself and relax before diving right back into Star Wars:)
Thank you to BanzEye, SW AU addict, AngelElmarlienHenning, Jake, and Carrot52 for the reviews:) I am so glad that everyone loved and enjoyed Crossing Battlefields, my version of Clone Wars:) Now it's time to move onto the next story. Which will be a whole lot shorter than Crossing Battlefields because of how I am dividing up the chapters this time around. In fact if I stick to the posting schedule I should have it done before Halloween! Might get a little tricky when I start school, but I am determined to get it done:) I'm a little worried about how this will turn out because of the changes I've made, but I hope everyone will enjoy:)
The war is racing towards its end. And both sides are are doing their best to ensure that they will have victory in the end...
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Prologue
He could feel the eyes of Tarkin and Mas Amedda on him as he paced back and forth in his office. He could sense their worry, their fear over his mood. Over the news that had been rushed to his office that very morning. Tarkin did a better job at hiding his fear than Amedda, but he expected nothing less from a man of his background.
Palpatine glanced at the datapad laying on his desk and sneered in disgust. The news it contained was the cause of his dark mood. Even though he was doing everything he could to ensure that the war was continuing onward in the path he wanted, those damn Senators from Alderaan, Chandrila, and Naboo. Those three had always been thorns in his side ever since they had come together years ago on some throwaway committee dealing with construction materials or some such.
He had thought that Padme would flounder. That her connection to him would lead to Organa and Mothma's group eyeing her with distrust. He had thought that the rumors he had paid to have fill the news would have the public laughing at her. Instead the young Senator had risen to the challenge, overcome it, and become one of the loudest voices in the Senate against the war, against him. She was popular. They were all popular and nothing he did seemed to put a dent in it.
Now those thorns had become daggers digging deeper and deeper into his side. The bill to give Clones the same rights as all Republic citizens had cleared the committee and was now ready to be brought before the Senate. In a few days it would be brought to the other Senators and Representatives to be debated and possibly even voted on.
And Palpatine wasn't confident that he and his allies would be able to defeat the bill.
Which meant that he needed to act sooner rather than later.
Tarkin kept his hands behind his back. Only his eyes moved as they tracked the Chancellor, his future Emperor across the room. It was rare to see the man nervous, but Tarkin didn't blame him. He had only recently been lucky enough to become a part of the inner circle, to learn the Chancellor's secret.
Frankly he couldn't wait for the Republic to explode and become the Empire. He couldn't wait for the Jedi to be destroyed and wiped from the face of the galaxy. They only made things worse. They were weak, allowing women and aliens to reach positions of power when few were made for them. The galaxy didn't them. All they needed was the Empire. Soon everybody would be put into their proper place.
"The time has come," he finally spoke at last. Palpatine felt some small satisfaction when Takin jumped just the smallest bit. "We can not wait any longer." He pulled up the hood of the heavy robe he favored when it was time to be his true self. When it was time for him to become Sidious. Amedda was already pressing the controls to lower the blinds in the office, ensuring that no one was waiting outside as the Chancellor took his seat.
With practiced ease, Palpatine set up a secure line and place his call. He tapped his fingers together, waiting as the blue holo of Dooku, kneeling deeply took shape upon his desk. "What is your command my Master?" Beneath his hood, Palpatine glowered at the man, ready to be rid of the former Jedi.
"It is time you paid a visit to Coruscant Lord Tyranus. And past time that you had a meeting with the Chancellor."
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It was a sight that Qui-Gon never thought he would see.
The great Jedi Master, Mace Windu, kneeling in front of a young Padawan and fussing over him. Caleb Dume for his part was taking Mace's fussing in stride even as the Clones on either side of him kept turning their heads to hide their smiles. Caleb's Master and Mace's former Padawan, Depa Billaba had sent her Padawan and foster son back to Coruscant with her two most trusted Clones, Grey and Styles. She had not wanted to risk Caleb's life and made the hard choice.
"But I want to stay with you or Master!" Caleb's voice was one of many young voices protesting in the hanger. His eyes were determined, his jaw set even as Mace for the hundredth time tugged at his robes, hitching the collar up higher. Space was cold after all and he didn't want his grand-Padawan to get cold.
The Master shook his head. "You will be safer with the others. You need to be a leader and help the vod'e and elders." The Padawan made a face, but didn't say anything.
Caleb would joining the younglings and Padawans under the age of seventeen with no official ranks as they went into hiding. Dechipped Clones like Grey and Styles would go with the children and the retired or Temple-grounded Jedi to help protect them. They were being smuggled out on cargo ships, the Order using the war and the certain liberties it gave them. They would be scattered all over the Republic, to planets friendly with the Jedi. To Temples so old that the public had forgotten they had even existed. Caleb for instance would be going to Lothal. A planet that the war had yet to reach.
'And hopefully it never does.'
"Da?" The Grey Master jumped a little, so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't seen or sensed his daughter as she came up beside him. "Is everything okay?" Qui-Gon thought for a moment that he should lie. That he should tell Analise that he was okay even as the future of the Order were sent into hiding.
But he couldn't.
Instead he gave her a half-smile. "How is Fives doing?"
Analise snorted and gestured with her hand. Fives stood with a group of Clones known as Bad Batch. Cody had recommended them and they had been rushed through the chip removal. They would be going to Naboo with some of the youngest children. Younglings who were fascinated by the Clones who looked and acted so different from the Clones they were use to. Qui-Gon knew that Fives had been complaining earlier about being sent away while Echo stayed on Coruscant, but now the ARC-Trooper looked pleased as he watch a little Zabrak girl climb all over Hunter.
"He's enjoying his trip to Naboo a little bit more now. Fives told me that Wrecker had been complaining about babysitting duty after what they did on Skako Minor. There's apparently a few bets going around about which Clone will crack first."
Qui-Gon slowly nodded his head. While Hunter was content to let his little climber continue, Wrecker had apparently decided that toddlers made excellent weights, much to the alarm of one of the creche Masters even as the toddlers giggle. The other two members, Tech and Crosshair were staring at the children as though they were creatures they had never seen before.
It did make Qui-Gon smile a little. The younglings all knew about the war of course, but they were being careful in not letting the littlest of them know why they were suddenly going on an adventure with so many Clones and older Jedi. To them, these midnight marches to the hangers and onto ships were an adventure. A chance to see the galaxy beyond the Temple walls.
An order echoed through the hanger. Clones, younglings, and elders started to make their way to their assigned ship. Qui-Gon and Analise watched as Caleb, flanked by Grey and Styles made his way to Nebula-class freighter where a pair of sisters stood at the bottom of the ramp. Ahsoka had sent them and after learning about how their parents had died, the Order had been happy to hire them as pilots. The younger one happily greeted each of the younglings while the oldest rolled her eyes. Though she did seem to laugh at the sight of the Bad Batch with their little monkey-lizards.
Next to him Analise shifted. "What's wrong?" Qui-Gon saw his daughter's eyes flash silver for a moment. He could sense the faint pain drifting through her body. But she pushed it away to focus.
"The Darkness. What we are doing...this has to be enough. If the worst happens, this has to be enough to save the Order and the Clones. To save our future!"
Her words sent shivers down Qui-Gon's spine and he did wonder.
In the end, would all this be enough?
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Translations
vod'e: brothers, sisters, comrades