Scarease - it's a bit too late. The Sith have a well-thought-out plan and things will go quickly from this point on.
Phantom-jedi1 - Everyone survived, but things are not going to get much easier on them.
Kaylee42 - Thank you for reading. I do enjoy this universe.
Gryffindorjedi41 - Thank you for reading
*** I am sorry for so long between posts. My real life continues to be stressful and busy. For those of you who originally read this on and have patiently waited through my rewrite and repost of the story, this marks the first continuation post from where the story originally left off.
Chapter 68
Bail wasn't quite sure why he found their current circumstances amusing. He had now broken into the ancient Jedi temple with three actual Jedi. Despite the structure usually being a busy tourist attraction, no one was around. He supposed a bombing at the Senate would shut this part of the city-planet down. They had tried communications, but all frequencies were still down. After breaking into the snack bar at the entrance for food and water, they had found the first aid station so they could attempt to treat Mon's injured leg and broke into it as well. Lightsabers were phenomenally useful, Bail decided. The senators would of course make a generous donation at a later date to cover repairs and anything they had borrowed.
"I found bacta patches," Bail called as he returned to a small examination room from the back storage area. Mon was stretched out on her side, skirts modestly pulled up to reveal the wound on her lower thigh. Obi-Wan was sitting at her side, eyes closed with his hands hovering slightly over the wound. To Bail's amazement, the wound was only completely healed, new pink skin the only indication there had once been a wound.
"I guess we don't need them," the senator murmured.
"We will still use them," Obi-Wan said. "I am hardly a trained healer, but I have done what I can."
"Thank you," Mon said softly as Obi-Wan patched the partially healed wound. "What should we do now?"
"I think we should stay here for the time being and wait for communications to be restored," Adi said, offering her opinion.
"You don't think we are needed?" Mon replied. "It is sure to be chaos out there."
"Adi's right," Bail responded. "The chaos makes it dangerous to just wander around. We still aren't sure who was responsible or their intended target."
"Jun will probably send Yong and Tao out to look for our tracking chips," Mace said, looking toward Obi-Wan. "They don't need communications if they get close enough. They may think to look here."
"I know where we can wait," Obi-Wan said.
The small group followed the Jedi senator in silence and he led them to the beautiful gardens that the Jedi called The Room of a Thousand Fountains. As they stepped out onto one of the paths, Bail was surprised to see a figure a short way from them. Impossible as it seemed, Master Yoda, the eldest member of the Jedi order, was sitting in the grass with eyes closed, walking stick crossed over his lap.
Bail quickly glanced to Obi-Wan who looked as confused as he felt. "Mace, I have to ask," Obi-Wan began, "Is Master Yoda really sitting in front of us?"
It seemed like an odd question until Yoda answered, "A vision this is not Young One. Here I am."
"How? Why?" Obi-Wan asked, dropping down to sit in the grass in front of him.
"After Siri left, spoke to my apprentice I did. Sensed that needed on Coruscant I was. Led me to this place, the Force did." The small master looked around at the small group and smiled sadly. "Burdened you are and weary … yes. Rest you must. Keep watch I will."
Bail couldn't argue with the ancient Jedi. He stretched out on the grass and quickly fell asleep.
A slight groan from behind him caused Byram to pause. It was the first he had heard from Garen in the last three hours. He carefully laid down the makeshift stretcher he had fashioned from debris. It wasn't pretty but it was lightweight and had served to keep Garen's injuries immobilized. And it was certainly better than simply dragging his friend or carrying him over a shoulder.
Scurrying to Garen's side, Byram reached out and channeled more healing injury into the Jedi's body. Surprisingly lucid eyes stared up at him from a sickly face.
"How long?" Garen whispered.
"About three hours … you passed out when I … you know." Byram grimaced. He had a feeling that should they both survive this, the image of his blade cutting into Garen's flesh would forever be frozen in his memory. "The blast appears to have come from the arena. I have been working my way towards a less damaged area of the building."
"Tunnels underneath …" Garen offered weakly.
"It would put us in the depths of Coruscant and we aren't in a position to deal with that hellhole. Besides," Byram said matter-of-factly. There was no sense in sugar-coating their situation. "You've lost a lot of blood. You don't have that long."
Garen simply nodded.
"It would be best for me to go ahead and clear the way a bit … see what's ahead. I didn't want to leave you while you were out, but now that you're awake …"
"Go … I won't go anywhere." Garen attempted a smile, and Byram squeezed his hand firmly before scurrying ahead down a corridor. He was somewhat aware of what area of the Senate building they were in. His lightsaber made quick work of the debris blocking his path, and he had never been more thankful to have the ancient weapon of a Jedi at his disposal. He soon came to an intersection that seemed smoky, but clear of debris, the first area he had found untouched by the devastation. A quick glance at a plaque on the wall showed the section of the building. They were closer than he thought to an exit.
Byram turned to go back when he felt a brush at his shielded presence through the Force. Eyes sliding shut, he reached out to probe the area. Someone was near. Keeping his saber at ready, he cautiously made his way down the corridor. Emergency lighting strobed ominously in the dark. With Force enhanced hearing, he heard rustling and slowed breathing around the corner, someone attempting to be quiet. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he quickly slipped around the corner to find the last two people he expected.
"Not a Sith," Yong Windu called out. Both he and his sister had their hands raised in order to appear not threatening.
"How did you find me?" Byram asked.
"Trackers don't rely on normal communication channels at close range," Yong replied. "We've been searching for a while. We just had to get close enough."
"Where's Garen?" Tao asked with obvious concern.
"He's alive but severely wounded …"
"Lead the way," the young woman said, clutching her medical pack closer to her body.
Byram led them back towards Garen. The knight had fallen unconscious again while waiting and looked even paler.
Tao immediately dropped to his Garen's side. Byram was always amazed at watching a fully trained Jedi healer work, and this particular healer had been trained by the best. Reaching one hand to his forehead and placing the other on his chest, Tao first seemed to listen to the Force. She then closed her eyes and began to draw the Force to her powerfully before channeling it into Garen's body in a way that made Byram's earlier attempts look feeble. Even in the weak illumination provided by a glow stick that Yong was holding, Byram could see the color begin to return to his friend's face.
After a time, Tao opened her eyes and began to rummage around in her pack. She pulled two hypos and administered both. After covering the cauterized wound with a bacta spray, she carefully wrapped what remained of Garen's leg.
"This was caused by a lightsaber," Tao commented softly.
"He was pinned and the limb crushed," Byram replied. "I had a choice to make."
"You made the right one," she assured him. "He is stable enough now to move to a ship and transport."
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"Dantooine," Tao replied.
"There are hospitals on Coruscant without having to move him so far …"
"A lot has happened since the bombings," Yong replied. "Chancellor Palpatine declared executive control. He is using the clone army that Dad told us about to keep things under control and help with rescue efforts."
"You are both wanted for questioning in connection with the bombings," Tao continued. "And Anakin thinks the Chancellor is the Sith Master."
Byram let out a rush of breath. It was a lot to take in, but it felt right and answered a lot of questions and frustrations both he and Obi-Wan had felt working within the Senate. In fact, he wondered why they had not suspected it already - maybe Obi-Wan had.
"Have you found everyone else?" Byram asked.
"Anakin and Padme were rescued from the Senate arena. They are with Master Qui-Gon and Siri, looking for Obi-Wan and Dad. They all left the Command Center that was set up as soon as the clone army arrived. The Force told Master Qui-Gon it wasn't safe for them to stay anymore," Yong explained. "We don't know if Obi-Wan or Dad escaped or not. The arena was the direct target. Mom refused to leave the Command Center. She said her place is with the wounded."
"In other words, a hospital on Coruscant is not a safe place for Garen right now," Byram murmured.
"We might have to run a blockade to get off-planet," Yong said. "Dad's ship is fast enough. Garen made sure of it."
"I will pilot," Byram said.
"Like hell, you will," Garen whispered. "I have seen you fly a ship."
"I hate to point out the obvious," Byram replied. "You aren't in any condition ..."
"Do you have any adrenal stims, Tao?" Garen asked.
"Really bad idea," Tao shot back.
"But it would work, wouldn't it. I would be alert enough to run the blockade just until we jump to hyperspace."
"Yes," she answered begrudgingly. "It could also kill you."
"Sounds like I am dead already if I don't get off this planet."
"Do you really think that's where they will be?" Anakin asked Qui-Gon as they looked through the view panel at the Jedi Temple in the distance.
"I am positive," Qui-Gon answered. "Besides home, the Senate, and the University, it is the place he knows best. If they survived and were able to get out, they probably had to go beneath the Senate."
"There shouldn't be too many patrols in that part of Coruscant," Padme said. "They will stay centered around the Senate to maintain control."
"The Sith know he goes to the Temple," Anakin protested.
"That's definitely where he is," Siri said softly from the back of the vehicle. She had been deep in meditation trying to pick out her husband's presence from the chaos of Force energy on Coruscant. "He has always been drawn there."
"Okay, let's go," Anakin said. As the young Jedi moved into sparse lanes of traffic, he felt a whisper of warning in the Force. "Qui-Gon, take the controls."
"What do you sense?" Qui-Gon asked already moving to the controls as Anakin struggled out of his seat, tripping and falling to the floor.
"The Force has some sense …" Anakin murmured as he slipped into a trance, seeing more than his opened eyes could physically see.
A hot gust of wind ripped at his hair as Anakin surveyed the dismal landscape that surrounded him. Angry lava churned lapping black sand hillsides, exploding and sending bursts splattering into droplets in the air. Never had he felt such heat even at the height of the twin suns on Tatooine. Over the roar of unnatural rivers, Anakin could hear the hums and whines of lightsabers in combat - angry shrieks at full power. The speed of the strikes indicated the two combatants were highly skilled wielders of the ancient weapons. He started toward the sound, his own saber drawn.
The young Jedi ran along the shores of black glass, sweat beading and dripping down his back until he could see the glow of two sapphire blades coming toward him, the combatants continuing to battle even as they drifted on debris down the river of lava. Two other figures stood on the banks, his guides, both impassive observers to the events. He stood with them saying nothing as the figures drew closer. His lip trembled, breaths coming in short panicked gasps when he recognized Obi-Wan and them himself.
"What is this?" he cried out to his guides. "Where are we?"
Receiving no answer, Anakin watched as Obi-Wan somersaulted to one of the sandy hillsides.
"It's over, Anakin. I have the high ground!"
"You underestimate my power!"
Anakin realized that this vision of him was enraged and angry … consumed by the Dark Side. He had failed in his task to destroy the Sith and had become one of them.
"Don't try it," Obi-Wan pleaded.
Anakin watched his counterpart jump and knew the outcome before it even happened. Obi-Wan's blade came down swiftly, severing through this dark Anakin's knees and arm. The younger man tumbled down the embankment, landing dangerously close to the edge of the lava. Still enraged, this Anakin used a mechanical hand to pull himself up the embankment.
"You were the Chosen One!" Obi-Wan cried out. "It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them. It was you who would bring balance to the Force, not leave it in Darkness."
Obi-Wan picked up Anakin's lightsaber and began to walk away. He stopped and looked back as though trying to make himself believe what had happened, or perhaps he was looking for anything that might give him hope.
"I hate you!" Sith Anakin screamed in response.
"You were my brother, Anakin," Obi-Wan replied, grief etched across his face. The older Jedi was obviously devastated. "I loved you."
Anakin watched in horror as his counterpart's clothing ignited and burst into flames. Looking away couldn't block the screams.
The figure of Obi-Wan that was the guide in his visions turned to him."You will be tested," it said softly.
"Destiny is upon you," the figure of his master declared solemnly.
Obi-Wan woke, Anakin's screams echoing in his mind. Although he was in The Room of a Thousand Fountains, he could still feel the searing heat of the lava planet. The lingering stench of burning flesh churned his stomach and Obi-Wan scrambled to his feet and stumbled to the foliage at the edge of one of the pools of water. He dropped to his knees as his body heaved uncontrollably and emptied the contents of his stomach.
"Obi-Wan?" Mace asked.
"I need a moment to myself," Obi-Wan snapped, half sobbing as he tried to process what he saw, a sense of vertigo washing over him. He could hear voices.
"He was screaming. Is he injured?" Mon asked, her voice full of concern and compassion.
"Was it a vision? What did your Force show him?" Bail asked.
"Terrible things," Master Yoda said softly. "Time and space … give it to him please."
The small group dispersed and Obi-Wan was aware of a small, clawed hand on his shoulder.
"We need to find Anakin," he said.
"Coming to us my apprentice is." Yoda moved his hand to Obi-Wan's forehead and began to calm the younger Jedi. "Fear not for Anakin."