Chapter Eighteen: Flight

"We must flee. We have no choice."

Obi-Wan shook his head at Mace Windu's command. "No. We can't leave."

"Palpatine fears the Jedi. If we remain, he will hunt us down. There will be no one left to fight him."

"Better to gather our strength, Obi-Wan, then attack," Bail Organa said rationally.

"I can't leave Anakin like this. He can be turned back!"

"Once chosen, forever will the Dark Side dominate your destiny."

Obi-Wan shook his head, but before he could say another word, a terrible pain went through him, a scream sounded in his head. He stumbled. "What was it?" he asked, after catching his breath. "It felt as if a thousand voices cried out, and we suddenly silenced."

Yoda's eyes held pain. "The Temple it was."

Windu closed his eyes, focused on the Jedi around him. Obi-Wan followed suit. He should have been able to sense them all, their presences in the Force. Instead he felt a huge void.

"Can they all be dead?" he murmured.

"There is no death, there is the Force," Yoda murmured. But Obi-Wan could see the suffering in his eyes.

Just then, Garm Bel Iblis entered the room, his stride hurried, eyes wide. "The Jedi Temple has just been destroyed. Palpatine's apprentice- your young Skywalker," he sneered at Obi-Wan, "stormed the building with the clone troopers. They blew it up… with the Jedi inside."

Obi-Wan felt the world spinning beneath him. It was happening too fast. Too hurried. Palpatine must have had this planned for years, waiting to swing it into motion. He couldn't deny it. His apprentice, little Ani, had just murdered a thousand Jedi.

He wasn't paying attention to the conversation around him, but it was going on anyway. It was a few minutes before he could focus on the words being said around him and when he did, it was to hear loud arguing.

"Out and out rebellion? Are you insane? Mon, the emperor has barely been elected and he's taken out the most powerful order in the galaxy! Imagine what he could do to Alderaan!"

"So you would support him?" Mon Mothma demanded.

"I have no choice but to support him! I back you in my heart and my thoughts. I will do what I can, but I will not endanger my people!"

Mon Mothma glared at Bail , blue eyes flashing dangerously. "Its not good enough! We need support! A rebellion cannot be built on intentions alone!"

"You are a silly little girl, Mon!"

"Better to be a silly little girl than a cynical old man! The emperor is out there, killing people whose only crimes are wanting to bring peace and justice to the galaxy! And you say you will support him!"

"I have a planet to take care of!"

"Tyrants are not tyrannical to one system alone! Palpatine will not play favorites, not with you! When he decides Alderaan is unnecessary or a nuisance, you *will* be destroyed!"

She finished her speech angrily and spun. Bail called out after her, "Mon?" She stopped. "May the Force be with you."

Mon Mothma barely turned her head. "And with us all."

*

Windu's logic and Bail's pragmatism won out over Obi-Wan's wish to stay and help his apprentice. Rarely did the council issue an actual order, but they did in this case. They were to split into three groups. It was safer to travel separately and in disguise. Obi-Wan and Padme were to leave immediately and head for an unpopulated Outer Rim system, so they were unlikely to be found.

Bail provided them with a small transport. It was untraceable and simple, so it wouldn't draw attention. They boarded it and took off before Coruscant's artificial dawn.

Obi-Wan exited the 'fresher of the small ship as they lifted off. He'd shaved his beard, but left his hair long and shaggy. He looked like a pirate or smuggler, not in the least like the Jedi Knight and General he truly was.

Padme smiled. "You look ten years younger."

He tried to return the friendly grin; managed only with a wry smile. "I feel ten years older."

"Obi-Wan-"

He cut her off. "No. The Imperials will be looking for General Obi-Wan Kenobi and Senator Amidala. We can't be them."

"So I'm Padme Nabierre again."

"And I'm Ben Kenobi. I haven't been Ben since I left my family."

"Ben?"

"My older sister couldn't say Obi-Wan. So I was Ben… It's all I remember of her." He looked away. "I never told Anakin that. I never told him so many things… and now I'd give everything to tell him anything."

Padme didn't know how to reply, so she merely laid a warm hand on his and said, "Ben… It's a good name for disappearing."

With disappearing in mind, the two looked out over the fading cityscape, and said goodbye to Coruscant.

*

"Where is she?"

Jar Jar Binks struggled for breath under the intimidating glare of Anakin Skywalker. "Mesa no know, Ani!"

The strong mechanical hand around his throat tightened. "Lord Skywalker to you, Binks! Now where is my wife!"

"Mesa not sure," he said. A tightening of the hand made him add in a gasp, "Lord Skywalker."

"When did she leave?"

"This morning. Mesa sure she's safe, Lord Ani. She was with Obi."

Anakin's handsome face darkened angrily. "She left with Kenobi?"

"Yes," Jar Jar replied.

Anakin's hand slipped from the Gungan's long neck. "Thank you for your help, Jar Jar Binks." He turned away, and Jar Jar gasped for air. He was surprised to find that he couldn't breath any.

Anakin slipped away, but the invisible hand around Jar Jar's neck didn't loosen. As Anakin left the Gungan's apartments, Jar Jar slid limply to the ground, dead.

A/N: The death of Jar Jar, mwahahahaha! Ok, enough with the evil laughing. I actually don't mind Jar Jar, but I had to tie up his lose end somehow.