Across Coruscant, Bail Organa was receiving some very strange messages. It seems that a number of clones had attacked Senators. On the orders of their Jedi Generals! Unlike most Senators, Bail actually had good relations with the Jedi, counting Masters Yoda, Windu and Kenobi among his closest friends. Things just didn't add up. On top of that, the Chancellor had sent a very odd message shortly after the attacks had started. Something along the lines of, "I have taken personal control of our Clone Army and am preparing to crush the Jedi Rebellion." Bail was rarely ever confused, but he freely admitted he was now. He also couldn't seem to reach anyone at the Temple to find out what was going on. Right as he made up his mind to head to the Temple himself, his communicator went off. Once he saw who it was, he gave a huge sigh of relief. "Padme! You don't know how relived I am to hear from you. When I heard about the attacks, I was afraid they might have targeted you."
"What attacks are you talking about Bail? And why would they target me? I'll grant you, I've been an outspoken opponent of the war, but I highly doubt I'd be targeted in a terrorist attack," Padme answered, growing just a bit confused herself now.
"So you haven't heard then. Padme, the Chancellor issued a statement that the Jedi have turned on us. Ordered the Clones under their command to attack members of the Senate to stage a coup. Mon Mothma, Garm bel Iblis, Orn Free Taa and about 100 others have been killed. Palpatine stated that he had assumed personal control of the GAR and was leading an attack on the Jedi."
The news of so many of her fellow Senators being killed hit Padme like a ton of durasteel. This couldn't be happening! An attack on the Senate and on the Jedi? What was Palpatine playing at? Suddenly, as if a light grid had been illuminated directly over her, she saw it. When you put what Bail knew and what she knew together, Palpatine's plan was suddenly crystal clear.
"Are you still there Padme?"
"Yes, Bail, I am. I need you to listen carefully, I don't have much time. Palpatine isn't who we all thought he was. He's the Sith Lord the Jedi have been looking for. He's been playing the entire Galaxy for the sake of power. Palpatine ordered the attack on the Senators. They attacked me. But I was in a meeting with Master Kenobi. He and Anakin saved my life. The Clones attacked them as well. And now Palpatine is outside the Temple trying to kill everyone inside. Bail, if Palpatine convinces the Senate that the Jedi ordered the attack on them, what do you think would happen? The Senate would fall all over itself giving him even more power and direct control of the Army. Plus, it would destroy public opinion of the Jedi. He would have a free hand to do whatever he wanted."
"Dear lord," breathed Bail as what Padme said sank in. It all made sense now. The war, the way Palpatine kept accruing more and more power. "What have we done?"
"Bail, listen to me. There's still a chance. The Jedi have a plan to preserve the Order. As long as we have the Jedi, we're not powerless. But they're going to need help on the inside if they can't defeat Palpatine here and now. Almost the entire Army is outside the Temple right now. We're preparing to evacuate."
"'We'?'"
"I'm in the Temple. After the attack on me, Obi-wan and Anakin brought me to the Temple for safety. And Yoda wished to talk to me. But Palpatine attacked before we could meet."
"I see. Why don't we do this. I'm going to head off planet. Send me rendezvous coordinates. Perhaps we can come up with a plan to save the Republic."
"I will. Be careful."
"You as well Padme."
Jedi Master Plo Koon still couldn't believe that his men, the men who called themselves "Plo's Bros" had turned on him. Even despite the carbon scoring on his starfighter proving that they had. What had happened to cause this? He was utterly at a loss. Thank the Force he had received the warning message from Master Yoda mere seconds before his men opened fire. Only his Force Enhanced reflexes and natural skill as a pilot had saved him. It had broken his heart to fire on his men. But given no other options, he had. Though he had done his best to just disable their craft instead of outright killing them. Once he had gotten just a little breathing room, he had docked with his hyperdrive ring and shot into hyperspace. After a few more redirects and backtracking, he'd head to the rendezvous point. He just hoped his fellow Jedi had gotten the warning in time. Sadly, he knew some hadn't as he had felt their presences in the Force wink out.
Ki-Adi-Mundi had been hiding in the bombed out ruins of the city on Mygeeto for hours now. Yoda's message had reached him just as he was about to lead his men in an another assault. While making his was to his ship, he had overheard a voice instruct a clone trooper to, "Execute Order 66." His immediate reaction was, "Not good." While Cereans were certainly not known for their athletic ability, he did have the Force on his side and used it to put on a burst of speed and clear the area. Too late. He had been spotted and his Marines, the men he had fought and bled beside, fired on him. Would have killed him too had he not reached the city ruins just then and lost them within. He could hear them out there still looking for him. He dare not ignite his lightsaber if any found him, it's distinctive snap-hiss would surely give him away. Seeing some of the Clones approaching, he used the Force and shifted some of the rubble about 200 yards away. It worked. The men converged on the spot. Momentarily distracted, Ki slipped out of the rubble and to a landing pad, appropriated a ship with a hyperdrive and burned into the sky. Destination: Tython.
Depa Billaba, Jedi Master and High Council member knew she would not live out the day. She had gotten the warning from Yoda and immediately began preparing to escape. She and her Padawan, Caleb Dume, had boarded a shuttle and were just preparing to take off when the clones arrived and began to fire on them. Telling Caleb where to go and ordering him to take off, she rushed down the ramp and engaged the kriffing clones as they tried to kill them both. Sinking deeply into the Force, she let it guide her movements as she had for her entire life. The Force sang as she blocked shot after shot from the Clones. Just as Caleb reached orbit, a well placed blaster shot slipped through her defenses and hit her squarely in the chest. Her lightsaber dropping from suddenly nerveless fingers, she fell to her knees, the clones pumping bolt after bolt into her. As she fell face first into the dirt, she used the last of her strength withthe Force to send a comforting thought to her Padawan: There is no death, there is the Force. And then she was gone.
After disconnecting with Bail, Padme used the number Anakin had given her and reached out to Ahsoka. After what seemed an interminable delay, Ahsoka answered. "Oh thank the Force you're alive Ahsoka!"
"Padme, what is it? You look and feel like you're in shock," the young Togruta said to her.
"I am a bit. Anakin wanted me to reach you. Chancellor Palpatine is a Sith. He's ordered the Clone Army to turn on the Jedi. They're attacking the Temple as we speak. He wants me to tell you that, 'they're going home.'"
"Wow. Ok. I'm packing now. Tell Skyguy I'll be there. Thank you, Senator. May the Force be with you."
Well, thought Padme, that's two calls down. Only about a thousand more to go. Force, she hoped she'd be able to accomplish some good here.
"Acknowledged Commander, moving in now," Captain Rex reported to Commander Cody. Ordering the forces under his command to move in on the command net, he then disabled the comm channel. Looking at General Skywalker outside the Temple Hanger he told him, "Well, hopefully that little performance buys us a little time before they figure it out."
"I'm sure it well Rex. I can't thank you enough for this. I know it wasn't easy for you," Skywalker replied. "If there's anything I can ever do for you or your men, you have my word, it's yours."
"No sir. We're just doing what's right. Now lets get these kids out of here."
"Right. Leave a third of your men here to guard the hanger. The rest of the Order has been informed that you and your men are friendlies. Position another third along the route to the hanger from the Crèche and we'll use the other third for close escort. And tell the men, if they have to fire, use stun if they can. I don't want this is on their conscience."
"Yes, sir. I've already told them sir. But thank you."
"Ok, I've got the kids from the 23rd level. There's another two children's dorms on levels 24 and 25. That'll be our job. I'll go with you just in case." Looking at the Knights and Padawans with him, he picked out two Knights to accompany him and ordered the rest to get the children on the shuttles and prepare to take off. What he really wanted to do just then however, was run into the Hanger and check on Padme; then rush down to the Atrium and fight alongside his fellow Jedi. Clamping down on his personal feelings for the moment, he headed back to the Crèche to get more Younglings.
As the doors to the Temple finally gave way, Yoda gathered the Force to him and flipped back into the first rank of defenders. Drawing his lightsaber he, along with the other Jedi, ignited their blades and prepared to defend their home. Surprisingly, the Clones didn't enter at a rush. Instead, Darth Sidious walked in. Alone. Upon seeing him, Yoda leveled his lightsaber at the Dark Lord and said, "Entered our home, unbidden you have. Leave it intact, you will not."
With a snarl, Sidious' lightsaber shot into his hand, it's blood red blade igniting with a snap-hiss. Giving a loud scream, he flew threw the air, straight a Master Yoda. Leaping to meet him, Yoda traded blow for blow with the Sith Master. Neither one gaining an advantage. The Master of Juyo dueling the Ataru Master. Both focused totally on the other. Only vaguely was either combatant aware that the Clones had now entered the Temple and a full scale battle had erupted.
Obi-wan could only watch helplessly as the Clones cut down Agen Koler and Eeth Koth. The battle had only just started and yet over 200 clones were lying dead on the floor of the Temple along with over 30 Jedi, among them several Masters. He could plainly pick out Mace's distinctive purple blade, right in the midst of the fighting. Mace's Vaapad style of fighting giving him an unpredictability that the Clones found hard to match. With a thud and a grunt, Yoda flew into the Column next to him, being on the receiving end of a massive Force Push from Palpatine. In a flash, Yoda was back up and bounding back into the fight. Literally flinging his lightsaber into and through the Clones, a small green ball of energy. With a start, Obi-wan realized he could no longer see Sidious' red blade. The Force suddenly flaring with warning, Obi-wan's lightsaber was out and lit before he had even consciously recognized the danger. His blue blade intercepting a blast of Force Lightning milliseconds before it would have caught him squarely in the chest. Deflecting and redirecting it, he faced Sidious, the lightning arcing back on Sidious. Just as suddenly as it started, it stopped. Looking at Obi-wan with eyes of burning yellow, Sidious lunged at him, his lightsaber swinging in low before lunging up, Obi-wan's blade catching the attack and turning the red blade aside.The madness of Juyo against the impenetrable defense of Soresu. As Yoda had before him, Obi-wan dueled the Sith across the Atrium, completely focused on his opponent, waiting for the slightest opening to strike.
Sidious was in his glory. Never had he felt the Dark Side flow so strongly through him before. Seeing the Jedi laying dead on the floor before him gave him all the assurance he needed to know that the time was now. The day that the Sith would take up their rightful mantle as the Rulers of the Galaxy. Orchestrating from the shadows was all well and good, but this, open combat against the best the Jedi Order had to give, his lightsaber in his hand, this is how the Sith were meant to be, their power on display for all to see. It seemed as if every moment he spent in combat raised his powers ever higher. The Dark Side taking him to heights he could scarcely believe existed. As he battled Obi-wan, he couldn't help but smirk. The foolish Jedi actually believed he could win. He could crush him like an insect. Finally slicing Obi-wan's lightsaber in two, he was just about to deliver the coup de grace when suddenly, the Force screamed a warning at him and he flipped back, watching the green blade of Yoda's lightsaber sail through the spot he had just been in less than a second earlier.
Calling Agen Koler's lightsaber to his hand, Obi-wan watched as Sidious quickly cut down 5 Jedi in the space of a single heartbeat. The first line was getting thinner and thinner. He'd have to bring his Knights and Padawans into the fray. Just as he was about to give the order, his communicator went off. It was Anakin.
"Master, I've got all the Younglings in the shuttles and Master Nu has loaded all the computer data and the artifacts that can be moved as well. We're ready to go as soon as everyone gets here. Captain Rex and his men are rigging the corridors and walls with explosives to seal the way behind you and slow the GAR. I'm warming up all the shuttles and our fighters now."
"Well done Anakin! We're on our way. Sending the retreat signal now."
"May the Force be with you Master."
"And with you, Anakin."
As soon as Obi-wan's message was transmitted, the Jedi began pulling back. Though the price theyhad already paid was high. Of the nearly one thousand Jedi that had been in the Temple at the start of the battle,only about seven hundred were left. And more fell as they retreated. All told, six hundred and sixty-eight Jedi made it to the Hangers. Master Windu was not among them. Reaching the last doorway before the Hanger, a well placed shot from one of the Clones fried the firing circuit to the charges placed there. As engineers from the 501st worked feverishly to repair it, Mace stood his ground holding off the onslaught. His blade flashing, deflecting the fire of the clones back at them, a blast caught him in the leg. Using the Force to hold him up, he refused to give in. Again and again he was hit. His reactions growing slower as the blasters took their toll. Collapsing just as the engineers from the 501st fixed the firing circuit, his last act was to Force Push the two clones through the doorway and trigger the blast with the Force. True to his word, Mace held the clones off for as long as he possibly could, then took out as many as he could as he became one with the Force.
Watching the Jedi get pushed deeper and deeper into their Temple, a satisfied smile spread across Palpatine's face. Dooku had certainly done a fine job in choosing Jango Fett to be the template for the Clones. They were more than up to the task. As the Clones pushed past the Archives, Sidious entered and froze in his tracks. "NOOOOOOOO!" He rushed to where the Sith artifacts should be. They were gone! The computers had been wiped as well. Giving a scream that shattered the screens of the computersin the room, he charged after the Clones. The Jedi must not be allowed to escape!
In the Hanger Bay, the surviving Jedi rushed into the shuttles, joined by the men of the 501st. Obi-wan Kenobi, with Anakin's help, was ensuring that the best pilots in the Order were flying the Jedi Starfighters that were in the Hanger. Yoda, observing this made his way to his personal fighter soon followed by Obi-wan and Anakin. Anakin of course first checked on Padme, asured her he was alright and made sureshe was. He also made sure one of the Healers was with her just in case she went into labor.
Above the planet, the Republic Navy was given emergency orders to block any escape from the Temple. The confusion this caused was enormous as no one had explained to them what was going on down on the surface. They were relying on fragmented comm calls and incomplete reports on the holonet. As the ships began to shift their orbits and reposition, a stream of Delta-7s and Eta-2s began hitting every turbolaser emplacement they could find. They also targeted the ships engines to try and strand them. This attack caught the fleet by surprise with their shields still down. Though some of the Jedi Starfighters were hit, the vast majority, and the transports they were escorting, managed to escape into hyperspace.
Reviewing the records after the battle showed that the craft piloted by Yoda and Anakin Skywalker had accounted for 65% of the hits by themselves. It also showed that some of the ship's officers were very reluctant to fire on the Jedi. Their fates were swift, and final. The Galactic Republic had given way to the Galactic Empire.