Chapter 8: The Day The Republic Died, Part 2

The blast from the droid's laser rifle struck the small transmitter, igniting its fuel cell in a brilliant flash, temporarily blinding him; the concussion of the small, yet powerful explosion sent Obi-Wan flying backwards into the hard stone wall behind him, as the group of battle droids suddenly charged into the small, dark corner of the tunnel where he had concealed himself and opened fire.

He grimaced as he struck the wall hard behind him, and then fell to the hard stone floor in a blur of confusion and pain. Obi-Wan blinked his eyes as he struggled to regain his bearings; he reached, as quickly as he could, for his weapon at his side as the droids charged into the chamber toward him.

Obi-Wan had been so obsessed with completing his transmission to the Council that he hadn't heard them approaching; stupid, stupid, stupid, he chastised himself, as he rolled onto his back on the cold, hard floor, scrambling for his weapon in the sudden darkness. A third year padawan could have heard them coming.

He still couldn't see; he might as well have looked into a fusing arc, such was the brilliance of the fuel cell explosion when the transmitter went up. In an instant, he closed his eyes and reached deeply into the Force, allowing it to take control of his actions as he powered up his weapon and swung it up in front of him, deflecting the first laser blast that surged toward him.

He struggled to get to his feet, blinking his eyes hard, several times, as he looked back down the tunnel toward the group of droids that ran toward him. Through his blurry, but slowly returning vision, he saw the first two droids open fire on him again, as he swung his blade up in front of him.

He caught the first blast, sending the brilliant orange burst of energy back toward the group of droids, striking the one to his right squarely in the chest. He swung his weapon hard to his right, as fast as he could, as he attempted to catch the next one that surged toward him in the dark corridor.

He cried out loudly as he felt the surge of heat as the blast caught the hilt of his weapon just below the blade emitter; he recoiled, instinctively, as the blade of his weapon suddenly flashed brightly as the force of the blast stripped it from his hand. As he turned and struggled to catch it, he lost his footing and stumbled backwards, falling to the hard ground again as his weapon clattered to the stone floor a short distance from him.

Obi-Wan looked up, as he saw the blurry group of droids surround him. "Don't move, Jedi," he heard the monotone, metallic voice say, as he saw the one nearest him lower his weapon directly at him. He rolled, slowly, onto his back, raising his hands submissively in front of him, as he watched the other droids close in on him, and then grimaced as the two closest to him grabbed him by the arms and jerked him, very strongly and impolitely, to his feet.

"It's no use, Master," Anakin said, shaking his head as he continued to scan for Obi-Wan's tracking signal. He looked up at Yoda, who was seated on the bench across from him. "I can't locate him anywhere on the planet," he said, his expression deeply worried and concerned. "He must still be underground."

Yoda nodded his head, slowly. "If captured, he was," the Jedi master said thoughtfully, "Logical, that would be."

Anakin took a deep breath, nodding his head, and then turned his worried face to the ship's window and watched the stars streak by for a long moment.

"Any response, has there been," Yoda asked, "to your request to the Council for his clone battalion's beacon frequency?"

"No, Master," Anakin said with a deep sigh, shaking his head slowly. "I can't get anyone at the Council, either," he said, and then looked back at Yoda. "They must have all gone to confront Chancellor Palpatine."

Anakin and Yoda both turned and looked back out the window for a long moment. Anakin sat thoughtfully for a moment, and then he turned his eyes back toward Yoda. "If we can't get in touch with Obi-Wan or the Council," Anakin said, turning his attention back to the console in front of him, "maybe we can reach Arfour instead."

"Hmmm," Yoda mused, nodding his head thoughtfully at Anakin's suggestion. "Locate his droid, you may be able too. Still in his ship, he should be, yes?"

"He should be, Master," Anakin said, nodding his head. "If we can get in touch with Arfour," he said, quickly switching the transmitter over and searching for the little droid's beacon frequency, "we can let him know that Obi-Wan's in trouble," he said, and then looked back up to Yoda as he pressed the search button and engaged the transmitter.

"With any luck," Anakin said, shrugging his shoulders, "Arfour can relay the message to the clone battalion, and we can let them know what's happening."

Yoda nodded his head and sighed deeply. "Trust to luck, I usually do not," he said, looking at Anakin thoughtfully. "But a welcome thing it would be, in light of what has happened."

Anakin looked at Yoda's deeply concerned face for a moment, and then turned his attention back to the transmitter, as he watched the ship's computer scan for the little droid's beacon.

Mace Windu stood silently in the lift, watching the city skyline below them through the large ornate windows as they made their way up the outside of the Republic Senate building. He squeezed the handrail in front of him tightly, as he watched the speeders weave in and out of the buildings below them as he and the other Council members made their way up the massive building toward Chancellor Palpatine's offices at the top of the building.

"How could we not have known?" Mace asked, turning his troubled face to Ki-Adi Mundi, who stood silently beside him.

"How could we not have known about this?" Mace asked again, as Ki-Adi turned his face toward his companion and regarded him as he spoke. "We have worked alongside him for years," Mace continued. "We have worked with him and met with him on countless occasions," he said. "How could we not have foreseen this?"

"The Book of the Whills speaks extensively of the elusiveness of the Dark Side, and its influences," Mundi said quietly, as the other Jedi in the lift turned and listened as he spoke.

"Indeed," Plo Kloon replied, nodding his large, bearded head. "When the Sith first appeared over a millennia ago," he said, "even the founders of the Order were taken by surprise. It is not unfathomable," Plo said, shaking his head as his companions listened to him quietly, "that we were unable to sense these developments."

"I agree," Shaak Ti said, nodding her head slowly. "Even Master Yoda was unable to sense these dark tidings," she said, turning her attention toward Mace Windu as he stood silently at the window. "None of us foresaw any of this."

"Anakin did," Mace said, turning around slowly and facing his companions. "He sensed it four years ago," he said, as the Council members looked at each other in silence. "Though he may not have known that the Chancellor was, in fact, Sidious at that time," Mace said, "he sensed that something was wrong." Mace stood quietly for a moment.

"We should have been able to do the same," he said, thoughtfully. "We have allowed the Dark Side to cloud our vision," he said, and he turned and placed his hands on the handrail again, looking out thoughtfully over the city below them.

"Perhaps," Mace said, his face showing a sense of deep regret, "the Chancellor's assertions are not entirely false," he said. "Perhaps we have failed the Republic," he said.

The Council members stood in silence for a moment, and then Ki-Adi Mundi finally spoke. "We must hope," he said, as Mace turned his deeply worried expression toward him, "that we are not too late to stop him, and make amends for that failure."

Mace nodded his head slowly, and they all turned and looked toward the lift's large, ornate doors as they felt it slow, and then stop as they reached the Chancellor's main office level.

The four hooded, red-clad Republic guards turned and watched intently as the five members of the Jedi Council stepped off the lift and into the Chancellor's outer welcome chamber, their long electrified static pikes held tightly in their gloved hands.

"May I help you?" Needa, the Chancellor's Senate-appointed assistant asked, as she looked up from her desk with a puzzled, surprised expression.

"Yes, Needa," Mace said, as he and the others approached her desk. "It is extremely urgent that we speak with Chancellor Palpatine," he said, smiling politely and folding his hands in front of his robe.

"I'm sorry, Master Windu," Needa said, as she shook her head and smiled apologetically, her long, dark green hair shaking gently as she did so. "But I'm afraid the Chancellor has specifically requested that he not be disturbed this afternoon," she said. "I'm terribly sorry," Needa said, "but I'm afraid you'll have to come back tomorrow."

Mace had always been fond of the young Bothan intern who sat before him; she had always been more than helpful to him, and he had always found her pure, friendly tremor in the Force to be a delight. He couldn't allow her to remain here, not now.

"Needa," Mace said quietly, as his expression grew more serious, and he waved his hand slowly in front of her, "Would it be possible for us to wait until the Chancellor has a moment to speak with us?"

"If you'd like to wait a few moments," Needa said quietly, as a puzzled, somewhat befuddled look spread over her lovely young face, "perhaps the Chancellor could find a moment to speak with you."

"Thank you, Needa," Mace nodded, as he waved his hand again, slowly. "I believe that we are expecting several members from the Archives to join us," he said. "Would you mind going down to the Senate Rotunda and waiting for them? They should be there in a few moments. We can wait here until you return."

"Why don't I go down to the Rotunda and wait for your guests?" Needa said, standing up slowly and picking up her datapad that lay on the desk in front of her. "They should be here in a few moments," she said. "Would you mind waiting here until I return?" she asked, smiling at him pleasantly.

"That would be most convenient, Needa," Mace nodded, as he watched the young intern walk slowly toward the lift and enter it. He smiled back at her and nodded again as she pressed the button on the lift, and then smiled as the doors closed slowly.

Mace and Master Mundi exchanged glances for a moment, as they quickly eyed the four guards that stood, two at the sides of the room, and two near the door, watching them.

"Getting Needa out of harm's way was simple enough," Mace whispered quietly, as Ki-Adi nodded at him. "These guards, however," he said, "will most likely require a different kind of persuasion."

"I would suggest," Ki-Adi said quietly, nodding his head in agreement, "that the direct approach will likely serve us best."

Mace nodded, and then turned and looked at Shaak Ti, Plo Kloon, and Opo Rancisis; they all looked at each other for a moment, and then turned and followed Windu and Mundi as they walked around the side of Needa's desk and made their way toward the tall, ornate doors of the hallway that led to the Chancellor's office.

The two guards closest to the door took a step forward as they approached, and then lowered and crossed their static pikes in front of the doorway. "I'm sorry, Masters," the guard to Mace's left said, his voice muffled by his long red helmet. "I'm afraid that you'll have to remain here."

Mace stopped and looked at the two guards intently as Ki-Adi turned and watched the two near the sides of the room approach them, slowly. "We have urgent business with the Chancellor," Mace said, his expression growing deeply serious. "I would ask you to step aside and let us enter."

"I'm sorry, Master," the guard said, pressing the switch on the side of his long pike; Mace looked up at the tip of it, and watched as the brilliant blue arc surged across it. "But I'm afraid that you must leave these premises," he said, as the other guards energized their own pikes. "Now."

Mace turned and looked at Master Mundi for a moment, and the group of Jedi Masters exchanged glances as the guards watched them closely. Then, suddenly, they all turned toward the four guards that surrounded them; the Jedi Masters all extended their hands toward one of the guards, and their long, electrified pikes dropped to the floor as they all reached for their throats as the strong grip of the Force closed around their necks.

Reaching deeply into the Force, they lifted the four guards high off the floor, clutching at their throats and gasping for air; they held them there for a moment, until their violent thrashing began to subside as they each slipped slowly into air-starved unconsciousness. As the four guards went limp, they released their strong Force hold on them, allowing them to drop quietly to the floor.

Master Mundi turned and looked at Mace as they all looked at the guards lying unconscious on the smooth, marble floor. "I would say," Ki-Adi said, nodding his head, "that our persuasion seems to have been effective."

"And relatively silent," Shaak Ti said, nodding her head at her companions.

"We must hurry," Mace said, pulling his cloak back to his side and exposing his light saber as he turned and looked at his companions. "It is likely that the Chancellor was able to sense our use of the Force."

They all stepped over the two fallen guards as they pushed open the large ornate doors to the hallway in front of them, and made their way as quietly and quickly as they could down the long hallway toward the closed doors of the Chancellor's office ahead of them.

Obi-Wan grimaced as the droids led him through the doorway to the command center, and then threw him down, hard, onto the cold stone floor.

He looked up, as the tall, grey cloaked figure of General Grievous turned from the window where he stood and looked at him for a long moment, his catlike yellow eyes staring out at him from behind his faceless mask.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion, General," Obi-Wan said, smugly, as he rubbed his arm gingerly as he lifted himself up onto his knees. He placed his hand on the floor and started to stand up as the General started to walk quickly toward him.

Obi-Wan looked up, just in time to see the General reach out and seize him tightly by the neck. He reached up, wrapping his hands tightly around the General's long, cold cybernetic arm, as he gasped for breath as he felt Grievous' long, powerful fingers wrap tightly around his neck.

"I'm sure... this is all... just a big... misunderstanding..." Obi-Wan gasped, as the General glared at him and pulled Obi-Wan close to his face. Obi-Wan winced, as he felt his boots leave the floor as Grievous lifted him into the air and held him there, looking at him intently.

General Grievous watched, as he turned Obi-Wan slowly in his hand, looking at his bearded face intently as he struggled to breath. "You," Grievous' dark, deep voice said after a moment, as he tilted Obi-Wan's head slightly and pulled him closer to him.

"I would have thought you'd have perished on board that vessel when it went down, Jedi," Grievous said, watching as Obi-Wan pulled desperately at his long fingers, struggling for air as he held him tightly by the neck.

Obi-Wan felt his head starting to swim, as he struggled to gain another tiny breath of air, as the General squeezed his fingers even tighter. He looked up at Grievous' faceless gray mask, as he saw his sinister yellow eyes glaring at him angrily. Not exactly the last thing I wanted to see before I died, Obi-Wan thought to himself, as he closed his eyes and struggled for one more breath, as he felt the blackness closing in on him.

Obi-Wan felt the General's long, powerful fingers release him, suddenly, and he groaned with pain as Grievous threw him down hard onto the stone floor. He took a long, deep gasp of air, as he reached up and held his aching throat with his hand, trying to lift himself up on his elbow as he looked up and watched as the menacing cyborg turned and took a long powerful step away from him.

"You are alive for one reason, and one reason only," Grievous said, as he turned and looked back at the Jedi Knight lying on the floor in front of him.

"The recording disk in your transmitter was destroyed," General Grievous said, as he took a step back toward Obi-Wan. "I want to know what you told them," he said, as his menacing eyes glared at Obi-Wan hatefully. "Everything."

Obi-Wan looked up from the place where he lay on the floor, watching as the massive cyborg hovered over him, menacingly. "Tell me what I want to know," Grievous said, "And I give you my word that you will die quickly and painlessly," he said, and then gestured toward the sabers that hung around his belt. "Just as they did."

Obi-Wan rubbed his neck, taking another long deep breath of air, as he regarded the General with a look of utter contempt. "I'm afraid that I simply don't remember," he said, his voice laced with disgust.

"Then I hope that pain," the General said, reaching down to his belt with his long, cybernetic arm, "is something that you enjoy."

Obi-Wan watched, as the General reached down toward the blaster that hung at his hip, and then removed young Ardmak's translucent handled weapon from his belt. He took a long, deep breath, as he watched the General look at it for a long moment, and then, suddenly, toss the weapon toward him.

Obi-Wan reached out, instinctively, and caught the weapon in his hand as he looked back up and watched the General turn and take a step away from him. "You shall die, then, as a Jedi should," General Grievous said taking a few steps away from him, and then turning to face Obi-Wan, his long, gray cloak swirling around him as he did.

"On your feet," Grievous said, as he reached down and took two of the weapons from his belt and held them tightly in his hands. "I shall take great pleasure in taking you apart," he said, as he ignited the blades of his weapons, their brilliant green and yellow blades blazing forth and humming loudly at his sides, "one piece at a time."

Obi-Wan stood up slowly, watching the General warily, as he gripped young Ardmak's weapon tightly in his hand. Suddenly, he saw the General lunge at him, and he ignited the blue blade of the young Jedi's weapon and swung it up, reaching deeply into the Force, just in time to block the angry blow of the General's weapon.

Arfour sat quietly in the cockpit of Obi-Wan's fighter; he shifted his attention away from the engine maintenance he was performing toward the communications console, just as he detected the signal beacon, and he swung his sensor dome toward the flashing signal beacon on the console in the front of the ship's cockpit.

He spun the control wheels in front of him, and swung his dome around and watched as the small dish on the left wing of the ship changed position, tilting toward a point high in the reddish-orange sky, as he acknowledge the beacon and waited for the reply, from whoever it was that was trying to contact him.

Chancellor Palpatine turned slowly in his chair, his fingertips bridged thoughtfully in front of him, as he heard the tall doors to his chamber open. He watched, silently, as Mace Windu pushed the doors open wide with both of his hands, and then walked slowly toward him, the other Jedi following close behind him.

"Master Windu," Palpatine said flatly, turning his chair completely around to face the small entourage that approached him head on, "to what do I owe the honor of this delightful, albeit somewhat rude intrusion?"

"I believe you know why we're here, Chancellor," Mace said, as he stopped near the center of the Chancellor's chambers and regarded him coldly as the other council members fanned out, two on either side of him, as they all stopped and eyed the Chancellor warily.

"I'm afraid you've caught me at something of a disadvantage," Palpatine said, looking at each of the Jedi who stood before him with a curious, yet cold, expression.

Mace reached into his belt, slowly, pulling out the small, translucent data disk and holding it up in front of the Chancellor. "Perhaps this will help clear up your confusion, Chancellor," he said; he looked at the disk for another moment, and then tossed it onto the desk directly in front of the gray haired Chancellor.

"We found it quite enlightening," Mace said, nodding his head as he stared at Palpatine warily, watching the Chancellor pick up the disk and look at it curiously. "I'm quite certain that you will, too," he said, gesturing toward the display on the Chancellor's desk.

Chancellor Palpatine looked at Mace for a long moment, and then turned in his chair and placed the disk in the slot in the front of the display beside him. He pressed the switch on the side of the screen, and watched in silence as the display flashed brightly, and then began to play back the recording on the disk.

Mace and the other Jedi watched the Chancellor in nervous silence, as he sat silently, his hands folded quietly in front of him, watching the recording pop and crackle as it replayed the conversation that Obi-Wan had recorded.

Master Mundi watched Palpatine's face with keen interest, and he saw the Chancellor's expression grow dark and brooding as he watched the hooded figure on the display turn slowly toward him.

Chancellor Palpatine reached out with his hand, just as the hooded figure on the screen faced him full on, and pressed the button on the console, freezing the image in front of him. He sat motionless for a long time, looking at his own image staring back at him from the display before him. The Council members watched him, somewhat nervously, as he finally took a deep breath and slowly turned toward them.

"Well," Palpatine said, as he placed his hands on his desk and stood up from his chair, slowly. "It would seem that you've come across some rather convincing evidence, Masters," he said, as he looked up and stared at the Jedi in front of him coldly.

"Your secret is out, Master Sidious," Mace Windu said, flatly, regarding the Chancellor with a long, cold stare. "You can no longer hide behind that desk."

Chancellor Palpatine returned Mace's cold stare for a long moment, and watched as the Jedi Master in front of him placed his hands on his hip, sweeping his robe back and revealing the hilt of his light saber.

"We appeal to you, Chancellor," Master Mundi said, as Palpatine turned and regarded him with the same unfeeling coldness, "Surrender to us now, peacefully," he said, as he swept his own cloak back, the hilt of his weapon flashing in chamber's light, "so that we can avoid any further bloodshed, and bring this war to an end."

"I see," Chancellor Palpatine said, nodding his head, as he walked slowly out from behind his desk and stood quietly as the Council members watched him, warily.

Chancellor Palpatine turned slowly and walked toward the window behind him, looking out over the city as the afternoon sun shone brightly on the many buildings below the Senate building for a long moment. "I take it then," he said, finally, his tone somber and resolute, "that judgment in this matter has already been passed by the Council?"

"It has," Shaak Ti said, nodding her head slowly, as she watched the Chancellor stand silently at the window in front of them. "We have obtained all the proof that we need in this matter, Chancellor," she said. "All we require now is your admission to these crimes, and your surrender."

"Very well," Palpatine said, as he stood motionless by the window, nodding his head slowly as the five senior members of the Council watched him intently. "Then here is the admission that you seek."

Mace Windu caught only a brief glimpse of Sidious' glowing yellow eyes as the Dark Lord turned around quickly, stretching out his arms toward them, as two enormous, brilliant bolts of Force lightning surged from his outstretched fingertips and surged across the room toward them, illuminating the enormous room with a blinding blue light.

The blast struck the five Jedi Masters with incredible force, sending them flying across the Chancellor's chambers, stunned and disoriented. Mace rolled onto his back, as he reached into the Force, trying to throw off the numbing effect of the blast, and raised up and looked toward Sidious as he glared at them from his position near the window.

He watched with a growing feeling of dark foreboding as the Dark Lord reached under the edge of his black ceremonial robe and produced the smoothly curved hilt of his own lightsaber and gripped it tightly in his hand as he glared at Mace, his cold, glowing yellow eyes glaring at him hatefully.

Mace reached to his side, drawing his own weapon and igniting its brilliant purple blade quickly, as he watched the crimson red blade blaze forth in Sidious' hand. He struggled to get to his feet as quickly as he could as, with his sinister laugh echoing off the walls of the once peaceful chamber, Darth Sidious leapt toward the five Jedi, the blade of his weapon raised high over his head.

"Successfull, were you?" Yoda asked, as he watched Anakin touch the switch on the display and power down the transmitter at the copilot's station.

"I think so, Master," Anakin said, turning and looking back over his shoulder at Yoda as the Jedi Master stood behind him and watched with great interest. "Arfour acknowledged that he receive our signal," he said, looking somewhat relieved. "He's going to relay it to the commander of the clone battalion right away."

"Very good," Yoda said with a nod, as he watched Anakin stand up from the copilot's station. "Help Obi-Wan, they may be able to, if in trouble he truly is."

"I hope so, Master," Anakin said, as he started to follow Yoda back toward the passenger's compartment behind the cockpit. "I just wish we could get in touch with him so that…"

Anakin stopped, suddenly, as the dark, enormous tremor struck him like a bolt of lightning; he stumbled, instinctively reaching out toward the wall beside him, as he squeezed his eyes shut tightly and clutched his forehead with his right hand.

Yoda felt the dark tremor that surged through the Force at the same time Anakin did; he took a long, deep breath, catching himself with his cane as the dark energy struck him. He turned, quickly, and watched with a sense of growing foreboding as Anakin stumbled again, and then dropped to his knees on the decking as he moaned and gasped, his breath coming in quick ragged gasps.

Yoda walked quickly to Anakin's side, taking hold of the young Jedi's shoulder as he reached out and touched the Force energy that flowed through Anakin's body. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, as the intensity of the dark tremor that struck Anakin traveled to him through the Force; it was the same thing that he had sensed just a second before, only much, much stronger, an overwhelming sense of pure, unbridled evil.

"Anakin," Yoda said, opening his eyes and looking at the young Jedi Knight. "What is it that you sense?"

"I'm not sure, Master," Anakin said, his eyes still clenched shut tightly as he took another ragged breath. "Something terrible," he said, as he moaned again and grit his teeth hard.

Yoda watched as Anakin looked back up at Yoda, his face in deep agony as he sensed the terrible tremor that flowed through the living Force. "Something terrible is happening, Master," he said weakly, as Yoda looked at him intently, his small face bearing a look of deep concern.

"We've got to get back to Coruscant," Anakin said, as he looked down and closed his eyes again. "Something terrible is happening."

Jobal felt her heart stop for an instant, as Padmé suddenly dropped her book into her lap and cried out in anguish.

"Padmé," Jobal said, as she jumped to her feet and ran quickly to the couch where, up until a moment ago, Padmé had been reading and talking with her happily. "Padmé, darling," Jobal said, as she knelt in front of Padmé and placed her hand on her daughter's face as she suddenly began to sob uncontrollably.

"What's wrong, honey?" Jobal asked, frantically. "Is something wrong with the babies?"

"No," Padmé sobbed, as she looked up at her mother, her eyes filling with tears. "It's Anakin," she sobbed, as she leaned forward and cupped her face in her hands. "Something's wrong with Anakin."

"I can feel it," Padmé sobbed, as her mother wrapped her arms around her shoulders, pulling her daughter close to her. "Something's wrong, something terrible has happened."

Jobal felt her own heart catch in her throat as she gently stroked Padmé's hair as she held her daughter close; she didn't understand the bond that existed between her youngest daughter and her husband, but she didn't need to. She looked up, just in time to see Ruwee, Darred and Sola rush into the living room.

"What's wrong, Jobal?" Ruwee asked, deeply concerned, as he walked quickly around the couch and knelt by his wife's side as she cradled Padmé in her arms.

"I don't know," Jobal said, as she shook her head and stroked Padmé's hair comfortingly as she sobbed in her arms. "Everything was fine, and then all of a sudden she just cried out and started crying," Jobal said, as she turned and watched Sola sit down by Padmé's side and place her arm over her younger sister's shoulders.

"She says that something's wrong with Anakin," Jobal said, as she turned a deeply worried gaze to her eldest daughter.

"Padmé," Sola said softly, as she leaned close to her sister's side, "Padmé, what's wrong? Is Anakin okay?"

"I don't know," Padmé sobbed, as she looked up at her sister's deeply worried face. "I've never felt anything like that before," she sobbed, and she cupped her face in her hands again. "Oh, Anakin," she sobbed again, "Please, Anakin…"

"Padmé," Sola said, as she knelt on the floor beside her mother and took Padmé's face in her hands, gently lifting her face so she could see her. "Padmé, calm down," Sola said, softly, gently stroking her younger sister's cheek.

"You can feel him, Padmé," Sola said quietly, as she looked comfortingly into Padmé's worried, tear stained face. "You can always feel him," she said. "But you've got to calm down before you can do that. Do you understand?"

Darred watched his wife, a look of deep concern on his face, as she spoke comfortingly to her sister. "You told me that whenever you're quiet, you can feel him, Padmé," Sola said, as she nodded her head and gazed into her younger sister's anguished eyes.

"Just calm down, okay?" she said, as Padmé closed her eyes and nodded her head, weakly. "Close your eyes, and just think about him for a minute," Sola said, as she placed her hands on Padmé's shoulders. "Don't think about what you felt," she said. "Just think about Anakin."

Padmé nodded again, as she held her mother's hands tightly as she lowered her head and closed her eyes, still sobbing softly. "Come on, Padmé," Sola said, comfortingly. "Just think about him, and how much you love him."

They all sat in tense, worried silence for a long time, with only Sola's comforting, soft voice and Padmé's slowly subsiding sobs to break the worried tension. Finally, when she saw that her sister seemed to be relaxing somewhat, Sola spoke to her again, softly.

"Can you feel him, Padmé?" Sola asked, as she gently stroked Padmé's long hair.

Jobal, Ruwee, and Darred watched intently as Padmé sat quietly for a moment, trembling, and then slowly nodded her head. "Yes," she finally said, softly, her eyes still closed tightly.

Jobal closed her eyes and sighed with relief, as Padmé seemed to calm down more with each passing moment; she turned and looked at Ruwee as he leaned forward and wiped his hand across his forehead, and then looked back up at his wife.

"That feeling's never led you wrong, Padmé," Sola said softly, as Padmé looked up at her sister and opened her eyes. "I don't know what's happened," Sola said, "but if you can feel him," she nodded, "then he's fine."

Padmé looked at Sola and took a long, trembling breath, and then nodded her head, slowly. "Thank you, Sola," Padmé whispered, her voice trembling as her breath still caught in her throat.

"Artoo can find him, can't he?" Sola asked, as Padmé looked at her older sister thoughtfully.

"Yes," Padmé said softly, her voice still trembling. "He knows Anakin's tracking signal," she said. "He should be able to find him anywhere."

"Good," Sola said, smiling reassuringly at her. "Just sit here and relax for a few minutes," she said, "and then we'll go down to the ship and have Artoo contact him."

"Okay," Padmé whispered, nodding her head as her voice caught in her throat again.

Sola looked up at Darred, allowing him to see her share his own worried expression, as she pulled Padmé into her arms and hugged her tightly as they all sat in a very worried silence.

Obi-Wan brought his weapon up, catching the blade in General Greivous' right hand, and then pushed it away from him with all of his might; he took a step forward, as he reached deeply into the Force and swung his blade back hard left, then right, his weapon moving in smooth, circular motions as he lashed out against the massive cyborg.

General Grievous took a step back, his long, powerful legs echoing loudly off the stone floor as they fought. He had anticipated that this Jedi Knight would have succumbed quickly, like the others; he found though, that the Force was much stronger with this particular Jedi than he had anticipated; as he moved his weapons quickly, barely managing to turn Obi-Wan's furious attacks aside. He bellowed angrily, as he took a hard step forward, and then swung the blade in his left hand around at Obi-Wan furiously.

Obi-Wan spun quickly, catching the brilliant yellow blade in Grievous' left hand as it spun toward him; he pushed it away, quickly lifting his weapon up and over his head, catching the green one that lunged out at him from behind, and then dropped to his knee, swinging his blade around full force toward the General's midsection.

Grievous cried out and stepped back quickly, just as the tip of Obi-Wan's saber sliced through the power cell of one of the sabers that hung at the General's waist; the cell exploded violently, and, taking advantage of the General's momentary distraction, Obi-Wan reached into the Force and pushed, hard, lifting the massive cyborg into the air and sending him flying backwards into the row of control stations behind him, sending a brilliant array of sparks throughout the command center as the General's weapons struck the displays at his sides.

Obi-Wan took a few deep breaths, as he watched the massive cyborg leap back up onto his powerful legs; he glared at Obi-Wan, his yellow eyes staring out at him from under his faceless gray mask angrily.

"You try my patience, Jedi," Grievous said, as he stretched his arms out straight at his sides; Obi-Wan watched in disbelief, his weapon humming at his side, as, directly below the General's forearms, another pair of long, slender hands slowly unfolded and swung toward his outstretched hands. As they extended fully, they dropped, suddenly, as his long, cybernetic arms slowly split in two, and then dropped down to his belt, retrieving the remaining two sabers that swung there.

Obi-Wan swallowed hard, as he watched the General ignite the other two sabers, and then swing the two blades at each of his sides in perfect symmetry, as he leaned forward and bellowed at Obi-Wan angrily.

"Now, General," Obi-Wan panted, as he instinctively took a step back away from Grievous as the angry cyborg took a huge step toward him, "don't you think that's a little unfair?"

Grievous bellowed angrily in reply, his yellow eyes flashing beneath his faceless mask, as he began to spin the four sabers in his hands quickly. Obi-wan brought his blade up, fast and furiously, as he reached, as deeply as he ever had, into the Force; his blade moved in lightning quick fashion, as he fought desperately to fend off the General's angry attack.

Mace Windu struggled to get to his feet, just as Sidious swung his blade down hard at Shaak Ti.

She had been thrown against the large, ornate credenza that stood near the side of the Chancellor's chambers; she had managed to get to her feet and ignite her weapon, just in time to bring the orange blade of her saber up and catch Sidious' brilliant crimson blade.

Mace, Ki-Ati, Plo Kloon, and Opo Rancisis all leapt to their feet, shaking off the numbing effect of Sidious' vicious attack, as they watched Shaak Ti swing her weapon wildly, as she attempted to fend off the ferocious attack that Sidious unleashed on her. He swung his blade down at her again, and she spun hard to her left, bringing her own crashing against his and pushing it hard away from her, as she swung it hard to her right and back toward the Dark Lord with a loud cry.

Sidious turned her blade aside with his own effortlessly, just as Plo Kloon ran up behind the Dark Lord and brought his weapon down toward him as hard as he could. Sidous spun, quickly, with a speed and agility that few of them had ever seen, catching Plo's blade, and then, stretching out his left hand toward him, he unleashed another incredible bolt of Force lightning, striking Plo squarely in the chest and sending him flying back toward the windows of the Chancellor's chambers.

Mace watched, in horror, as Plo's weapon pierced the thick glass; his body struck the window with full force, and, as the glass shattered into thousands of pieces, Mace and the others watched in horrified silence as Plo crashed through the glass and plummeted headlong to the depths of the city far below them.

Shaak Ti watched, in stunned silence, as Plo disappeared through the shattered window, as the strong winds outside the top of the Senate building whipped wildly through the room; it was an indulgence that would cost her her life, however, as Sidious spun around quickly, swinging his weapon toward her with incredible speed.

She only saw his haunting yellow eyes for a moment, as she struggled to raise her blade up to protect herself. "Nooooo!" Mace cried out, as he ran toward her, just as Sidious brought his brilliant crimson blade around cleanly, sending her headless body collapsing limply to the floor.

Obi-Wan stumbled, as the massive tremor in the Force coursed through his body; he paused, yet only for an instant, as the incredible sense of dark evil and despair overtook him, and then he swung his blade up in front of him as the General brought his own down on him with all of his might.

The combined force of the General's blow and the distraction of the dark tremor in the Force proved too much for Obi-Wan, and he tripped and stumbled backwards, just as the General leaned back on his powerful cybernetic leg and kicked out toward Obi-Wan as hard as he could with the other.

Obi-Wan saw a wave of stars flash in front of his eyes as Grievous' hard, steel foot caught him cleanly in the chest, sending him flying backwards against the wall of the command center with incredible force. He cried out in pain, as the console behind him bit into his back, and he rolled forward and dropped to the cold hard floor, his weapon clattering to the ground beside him.

Obi-Wan struggled to catch his breath, as he rolled onto his back and looked up at the massive cyborg as he approached him. He drew himself back, instinctively, as Grievous approached him and stood over him, the four sabers in his hands humming loudly at his sides.

"I promised you a painful death, Jedi," Grievous said, glaring down at Obi-Wan, his eyes flashing at him through his faceless mask as he looked at the helpless Jedi before him. "And I intend," Grievous said, as he raised the weapon in one of his right arms high over his head, "to keep that promise."

Obi-Wan looked at the General, as he felt that familiar sense of despair begin to overtake him. His eyes focused, as he glanced at the General's mid section, on the weapon belt around his waist; he saw the light of the chamber glint, for just an instant, off the hilt of the blaster pistol that hung just under the General's long gray cloak.

Reaching into the Force with all of his might, Obi-Wan stretched out his hand toward the General; the massive cyborg looked down, just in time to see the blaster pistol as it was stripped cleanly from its holster and fly through the air into Obi-Wan's outstretched hand.

Obi-Wan flipped the safety off and, squeezing the trigger and aiming directly at the General's mid section, he fired, over and over, as he cried out, loud and angrily.

Anakin turned and looked back at Yoda, as he sat quietly on the bench in the passenger's compartment of their ship, allowing the Force to flow though him as the dark tremors continued to come.

Yoda turned his own, deeply pained expression toward Anakin, as he sensed the same thing that Anakin had. He could see the pain, the sorrow and the agony that shone back to him from the young Jedi's eyes.

"They're dying, Master," Anakin said, his young face bearing a sorrow that stretched far beyond his relatively few years. "And there's nothing we can do about it."

Yoda looked at Anakin for a long moment, his own eyes sad and sorrowful, and then he slowly closed them and turned his face back down toward his folded hands.

Mace Windu stood, in horrified silence, as he watched Ki-Adi Mundi drop slowly to his knees, his weapon rolling from his hand to the floor beside him, as he looked down at the crimson blade that protruded from his chest.

Darth Sidious withdrew his blade quickly, and then, reaching into the dark energy that flowed so freely through him, he picked up Ki-Ati and threw him with incredible force against the wall of the Chancellor's office, and then spun quickly, catching Mace's blade neatly and turning it aside.

"Come now, Master Windu," Darth Sidious said, glaring at Mace with his haunting, glowing eyes and laughing at him tauntingly. "I expected more from you," he said, and then looked back at the three dead Jedi who lay on the floor near them, "and your associates."

Sidious lunged at him, swinging his blade furiously; Mace brought his blade up, catching Sidious' crimson blade, turning it aside, and then lashed out furiously with his own attack, swinging his brilliant purple blade left, right, and then left again.

Mace had fought many foes over the years; but none had proven as deadly as the one that he now faced. He was their last hope, he knew, as he reached deeply into the Force, trying desperately to stop the incredible power that surged from the Dark Side through the dark abomination that stood before him.

Mace swung his weapon down hard, pressing Sidious as hard as he could, as the Dark Lord caught his thrust with his own saber and held Mace's brilliant purple blade at bay. "It would appear," Darth Sidious said, as he glared up at Mace with an evil smile, their two blades crackling and hissing in violent opposition, "that Count Dooku was correct."

"Just what was it," Mace said, his teeth clenched tightly as he glared back at the Sith before him, "that Dooku told you?"

"He said that the Jedi had grown weak," Sidious said, smiling up at Mace and laughing as he spoke.

"We'll see just how weak we've become," Mace said, and he pushed Sidious' blade aside and swung his own around, as hard as he possibly could.

Sidous caught the angry thrust and, using Windu's own momentum to his advantage, he spun in concert with him, bringing his own weapon around in full circle. Mace cried out and leapt backwards, instinctively, as the crimson blade bit deeply into his shoulder.

Mace staggered backwards, clutching his shoulder in pain, his weapon glowing brightly at his side, as he watched the Dark Lord step slowly toward him, his evil laugh echoing through the chamber around him.

Mace glanced around the room, for a moment, as he turned his eyes to the bodies of his friends that lie scattered throughout the chamber; he felt his own heart cry out in agony, as he felt the dark tremors that coursed through the Force, and he tried, desperately to shrug them off, along with the pain that coursed through his shoulder. He had to stop him, and he had to stop him now; otherwise, he thought to himself, all hope is lost.

Mace turned and looked over his shoulder, as he heard the door to the chamber open behind him; he watched, warily, as the dark, hooded figure entered the room and stopped just a short distance from him, and turned to face the wounded Jedi Master.

Mace looked at the face underneath the thick, black hood in bewilderment. "Anakin?" he asked, as he saw the familiar face looking back at him. They must have been closer to Coruscant than we thought they were, he thought to himself, as he turned and looked back at Sidious, who stood quietly a short distance from him, his cold, yellow eyes watching him attentively.

"Where's Master Yoda?" Mace asked, as he took a step closer to Sidious, bringing his blade up closer to his side, as he turned and watched the young Jedi take a step closer toward him.

"He's on his way, Master," he heard the familiar voice call to him; Mace stopped for a moment, as something in that voice reverberated through his mind. Something doesn't feel right, Mace thought to himself, as he turned and glanced back as the young Jedi took a step closer to him, and then turned and glared back at Darth Sidious; Mace turned and looked back at Sidious, just in time to see him return the young Jedi's hateful gaze, and then swing his crimson blade at his side with a sinister laugh.

It must be Sidious, he's clouding my mind, Mace thought, as he turned his attention back to the Dark Lord and took another step closer to him. "You go in on the right, Anakin," Mace said, as he took a step slowly toward the left side of the room. "We'll take him together," Mace said, and he glanced over his shoulder at the young Jedi, who nodded his head and reached under his thick black cloak to retrieve his weapon.

Mace turned his eyes back toward Sidious as he took a long, deep breath. "There's only one problem with that plan, Master," Mace heard the familiar voice say, as he heard the lightsaber power up behind him as he took another step closer to Sidious; he looked up, as the Dark Lord glared at him with an evil, haunting smile.

Mace suddenly felt an incredible, searing heat travel through his body; he looked down, just in time to see the bright, crimson blade burst through his tunic, as the sordid smell of cauterized flesh and burning material filled his nostrils.

He looked back, slowly, over his shoulder, to the familiar face that glared at him with the same cold, yellow, unfeeling eyes. "You're not Anakin," Mace gasped, as the young Sith's lip curled into an evil, unfeeling smile.

"You're right," Vader said, as he withdrew his crimson blade from the Jedi master's chest, "but don't worry, he said, his eyes flashing in the dim light. "He'll be next."

Vader watched with dark satisfaction as Mace Windu dropped to his knees on the chamber floor in front of him, his weapon clattering to the floor beside him. Vader walked around in front of him slowly, his long black cloak swirling around his boots, as he watched the Jedi master struggle to take another breath.

Mace looked up, and watched as the Sith Lord and his apprentice stood in front of him, watching him with a dark satisfaction as he struggled to speak. "You haven't won this," Mace said, struggling to take another breath. "The prophecy will be fulfilled," he said, as he grimaced and clutched his hand to his chest. "We will restore balance to the Force."

"Balance this," Vader said, his face twisted with dark anger, as he took a step back away from Mace Windu and lifted his weapon up to his side, it's brilliant crimson blade humming loudly.

Darth Sidous' sinister laughter filled the Chancellor's office, a room that was once the symbol of peace and harmony in the Republic, as he watched Mace Windu close his eyes as his young apprentice swung his crimson blade around hard at Mace's neck.

Darth Vader turned around, his weapon glowing crimson red in his gloved hand, as he dropped slowly to one knee as his dark master approached him.

"How can I serve you, Master?" Vader said, casting his gaze down at his Master's feet as he approached him.

"Arise, my young apprentice," Sidious said, regarding his apprentice with a sinister pride as he stood up and bowed reverently before him.

"You have done well, Lord Vader," Sidious said, as he looked over the young Sith lord's shoulder at Mace Windu's lifeless body. "Our final attack against the Jedi has begun."

"Thank you, my Master," Vader said, bowing reverently again, the glowing crimson blade of his saber still humming at his side.

"Go to the Jedi Temple, as we discussed," Darth Sidious said, flatly. "Activate the homing beacon," he said, "and tie up any loose ends that remain there."

"Understood, my Master," Vader said, bowing again, as he extinguished the blade of his weapon and returned it to his belt beneath his cloak.

"On your way, then," Sidious said, as he watched Vader bow again reverently. "I will take care of the Jedi on the outlying systems," Sidious said, and then he turned and looked at the bodies of the fallen Jedi that lay strewn about his chambers. "I will call an emergency meeting of the Senate," Sidious said, regarding his young apprentice with a sinister smile, "to deal with the situation here."

"Yes, Master," Lord Vader said, and, placing his hood back over his head, he turned and made his way through the shattered Chancellor's office and back down the long hallway toward the exit.

Darth Sidious pressed the igniter on his weapon, returning it to the belt hidden beneath his robes, as he turned and looked once more at the fallen Jedi that lay strewn about his chambers. He turned, slowly, and walked to the shattered window where Plo Kloon had fallen and, the wind blowing strongly through his gray hair and robes, he looked out over the city as the sun began to slip below the tallest buildings, as Coruscant's night began to fall.

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