Now to part 2… (Sorry this took so long. GL's toys are so much fun to play with, but they can be tougher than you think to write). Part 3 will hopefully be coming much more quickly.

For some reason, no one detected the Mandalorian ship as it made its way towards Naboo. None of them dared question their mission, or what was so important about that small outer rim planet. While they were used to receiving strange orders, they had always had some meaning – or something Sidious wanted destroyed. Such an easy mission, though - the Naboo were peace-loving and should have no reason to think that anything could possibly happen to them. Had they learned nothing from the Trade Federation's attack ten years before? Of course, that had been ten years before – such short memories

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Insanely furious that his own mentor would treat him as a nameless enemy, he could do nothing as the fire, both internal and external, raged. Any coherent thought stopped. All the lies and half truths and broken promises suddenly disappeared in a sea of pain. Maybe it was better this way – let the fires burn and eat away at him and take away the ones that had always been in his heart. There was no use even trying to break free. This was the end. What a noble cause it had seemed at the time – to be free. But whenever had that happened? Never. Maybe that had been the truth after all – he was never going to be free – and of course he hadn't kept his promise.

*As he lay perfectly still in her lap, Anakin could sense that something was wrong.

"What is it, angel?", he asked, sitting up to face her.

"Can we really ever truly be together? I know you're dedicated to the Jedi, you've wanted to be one since you were nine. I wouldn't ever want to be the reason you left the Order, but would the Council ever agree to us being married?"

"I don't care what they say, I love you. I've always been in love with you, and I always will, no matter what happens. I know we're destined to be together, that's enough for them." *

Suddenly, something came out of the dark and grabbed him…

When the Mandalorians reached the plains of Naboo, planning to set a trail of fire on their way to the capital city, they found themselves looking straight into hundreds of blasters. How had they ever even known they were coming? It didn't matter, really, in any case. It wasn't as though they didn't have their own weapons or thought any mission would be too easy.

Although many of them didn't make it, enough still managed to reach Theed…

When news of the attack reached Alderaan, Padme immediately prepared to leave. Bail thought it was his duty to stop her.

"It's too dangerous. Besides, the outcome will have already been decided when you get there".

"I'm not abandoning my planet when everyone there needs me the most. You wouldn't stay away from Alderaan if it was in trouble."

He couldn't disagree with that. And without another word, she was out the door and onto the ship.