PROLOGUE

The Jedi have lost hope. The mission to end the war, formed by Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan, involving the remaining Jedi to extract Count Dooku and bring him to order in the Galactic Senate, has failed. Against her handmaiden's and family's wishes, Padme Skywalker has begun trying to find out where her husband is, unaware that he was in fact one of the leaders in the devastating operation. Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu, two of the three surviving Jedi from the mission, return to Coruscant to see if Master Yoda has found the source of the evil that is destroying the Republic and plaguing the galaxy.
CHAPTER XVII

The two Jedi Starfighters flew into Coruscant airspace next to each other. The ships were scorched from battle, with black holes on the wings and dirt and ash covering the cockpit window. One of the ships was Mace Windu's with the Jedi Master flying and thinking of what to tell Master Yoda about the Jedi. He had lost his R2 unit on his left wing about halfway into the battle. When he heard R2-T3 scream, he knew that the Force was the only thing he could rely on while TIEs blasted all around him. The other ship was Anakin's, with R2-D2 positioned in the back, thinking of all the stories he had to tell C-3PO when he saw him again. However, inside the ship was Obi-Wan Kenobi. Sorrow built up in him as he thought about the dozens of Jedi that died that day. He knew so many of them, and they were gone with him not being able to do a single thing about it. The other part of his mind was thinking of Anakin. Where was he? Did he get off of the ship before it blew? Obi-Wan asked himself. Anakin was very important to him. He is the Chosen One, as Qui-Gon put it. "Where are we going?" Obi-Wan asked over his comlink. "To the Temple," Mace answered. "We have to tell Master Yoda." A pain shot in Obi-Wan's stomach when he heard that name. Poor Yoda, who taught each of those Jedi that died in space and on Nkllon's surface, thought Obi-Wan. I wonder what he'll say? The Jedi traveled across Coruscant's skyscrapers until they reached the Jedi Temple. They landed on a platform used only for the members of the Jedi Council. Since Mace and Yoda were the only survivors, three ships remained as Obi-Wan and Mace got out of theirs. The two Jedi walked towards each other. As they met, no words were exchanged. Words couldn't describe or comfort the way each of them was feeling. A few moments passed until the two Jedi walked to the entrance of the temple with their arms on each other's shoulders.

The doors to the Jedi Council chamber opened as Yoda's eyes opened from meditation. He grabbed his cane and stood up as the two Jedi approached him. The three bowed to one another with the deepest respect for each other. Words were still not exchanged as the Jedi all sat on the center of the chamber floor. "Come to a decision I have," began Yoda. "Leave I shall." Mace was surprised by this as he stated, "Leave? We need you." "Need me?" Yoda questioned. "Too old I have become to fight. Meditate is only the good I can do." "But Master Yoda," began Obi-Wan, "the war and Dooku-" "Do not worry me, the war and Dooku do," responded Yoda. "To draw us away from the truth, I believe they do." "What is the truth?" asked Mace. "Darkness," answered Yoda. "Darkness, I see, for the Republic." "What else?" continued Mace. "A dark figure," Yoda said. "Rising to power with the Sith Master. The Sith Master I must find. Clouded he is from the Dark Side." "Where are you going?" asked Obi-Wan. Yoda sighed and looked toward the Jedi as he said, "Cannot tell you now. When the time comes, contact you I will." The Jedi Master stood up as his two fellow Jedi sat watching him leave the room.

CHAPTER XVIII

Padme stood in her bedroom staring off as night began to fall. She had been standing there for the past hour or two thinking about Anakin. She couldn't believe that he would go against her word and continue to fight. She knew that thinking about him would just hurt her even more. She had to remember their wedding day. That was the happiest day of her life, until the storm came. The two were married early in the morning when they arrived on Naboo. It was a few days after the battle of Geonosis and Padme was shook up. Anakin volunteered to take her home, and the two embarked on their travel. While the ship was halfway there, just outside of Rhommamool, Anakin and Padme lied next to each other. While talking, C-3PO and R2-D2 looked over the ship while it was on automatic. While the droids were looking things over, Anakin and Padme talked and talked. The two were made for each other. Anakin's sarcasm and Padme's gullibility made the two laugh so hard. They talked for nearly hours, as the ship stayed on course. A few times they would keep the ship out of hyperspeed just so they could spend more time together. But as the talking and laughing wore on, the two grew closer and closer. They had both admitted their love for one another and nothing could stop that. Just before arriving on Naboo, Anakin got on one knee and confessed to Padme. He had already purchased a ring in a Coruscant jewelry before they had left for the planet. Padme cried and embraced him, knowing that their lives would be much better from that day forward. She knew that Jedi weren't aloud to marry, but nothing could keep true love away. As she embraced Anakin on the ship, thoughts flew through her mind about what to tell her family. She knew they would be happy, but something told her they should keep the wedding small. When the two arrived on Naboo, they had planned earlier to go to see Padme's family, but instead went to the Lake Retreat. There Padme was able to contact a holy man she knew. While Anakin stood on the balcony, awaiting the holy man, Padme looked through her closet, searching for her grandmother's wedding dress. Her mother had put it in there; always teasing her that she should wear it on her wedding day. Padme put it on and walked out to greet her fiancé. Anakin remained in his Jedi clothes, but that didn't bother Padme. She just wanted this to be the day she would always remember. As soon as the holy man arrived, C-3PO and R2-D2 came out from their wandering to act as witnesses of the marriage. Later, after the two kissed to show that they were married, they stared off into the distance at the rising sun, representing the bright future they had together. However, almost by some magic, the sun was covered by dark, black clouds. Lightning struck in the distance and thunder rumbled, getting closer and closer. The two newly-weds looked at each other, hoping that it wasn't an omen. Instead, as the rain began to pour, the two began to laugh. The two embraced while C-3PO ran inside screaming from what he had never experienced. R2-D2 followed while the two newly weds kissed in the rain on the balcony. As the storm calmed down, the two went inside to change. Padme called her mother to tell her the good news. However, her mother didn't answer the phone, but rather the local police. When Anakin came into the room, Padme was curled up in ball in the corner of the room. Practically hyperventilating, she told Anakin that her father, Ruwee, was killed in the storm. He was out fishing, planning on bringing home breakfast, when the storm sent his boat overboard. While attempting to get back on the boat, lighting struck the water sending electricity through the boat and Ruwee. As Padme recalled that memory, a tear rolled down her cheek. She loved her father very much and knew he would have loved the fact that she was married. But he would never know. Padme continued to stare off into the night sky above Coruscant's skyscrapers.
CHAPTER XIX

Yoda carried a bag towards his Jedi Starfighter. He looked up to the night sky as millions of stars blinked back at him. He never thought that this day would have come. The day that he had to leave the temple that he had been teaching in for centuries. The day that the Republic was in the most danger it ever had been in. The day that the Jedi were becoming extinct. Yoda closed his eyes as he set his bag in his ship. Pain flowed through his body whenever he thought of the remaining Jedi. He wasn't concerned of Obi-Wan, Mace, or the other eight Jedi in the temple, but for Anakin. That boy had always worried him, ever since he was brought in those twelve years ago. Qui-Gon had a persistence that would never die. His confidence that Anakin was the Chosen One surprised the council members, as well as his Apprentice, Obi-Wan. Yoda sensed much fear in him, even though the boy denied it. He didn't know what it was at the time, but he also sensed danger if he were to be trained. The prophecy of the Chosen One said that it would bring balance to the Force. However, with more and more Jedi dying and the unknown Sith Master and Apprentice, the Jedi might be brought down to only two Jedi. Yoda tried to see the remaining Jedi, but it was clouded. Everything was clouded for him: the Sith, Anakin, the future of the Republic. Nothing was what it was. It was anything but. As Yoda climbed up the ladder into his ship, he used the Force to feel someone approach. He turned around to see Obi-Wan running towards him. "Master Yoda!" he shouted waving his hand. Yoda remained on the ladder as Obi-Wan approached. He felt a disturbance as he read Obi-Wan's thoughts. "We have a message," Obi-Wan stated. "A message that you should see." Yoda jumped down from the second step on the ladder, grabbed his cane, and followed Obi-Wan back into the Temple.

Mace stood in his apartment messing with the knobs and buttons on a hologram presenter. He turned a few more knobs when the doors behind him opened and the two Jedi walked in the room. Mace left the presenter he was working on and approached Yoda. "I've received a message from Dooku's ship," Mace began. "The same ship that was destroyed earlier." He then walked over to what he was working on and connected two cords together. At that instant, a hologram fluttered and crackled and then went out. Mace frowned and tapped the side of the box. By hitting it, the hologram returned showing Plo Koon and Ki- Adi-Mundi standing next to each other. This interested Yoda and he walked closer to the hologram. "Master Windu," began Plo, "We regret to say that it is impossible to shut down the self-destruct on the Destroyer and our mission to bring Count Dooku to order has failed. We have found designs in this ship's database for some kind of weapon." "We don't know its internal structure," started Ki-Adi as the plans were projected for the watching Jedi, "but we don't think its used for peace. We've looked farther into the database, and the entire designs are located in the factory on Nkllon's surface. It hasn't been destroyed by the lava and it in never will be. It was designed to take the hit of lava, and won't melt under the extreme temperatures." "You need to get those plans into the Jedi's hands," returned Plo. "If Dooku or the Emperor were to get them into their hands, it could spell doom for the Republic. If this weapon is capable of doing what it says, it will make the Clone Wars look like a kid's game." "All we can do," returned Ki-Adi, "is pray that you can save the galaxy by getting these plans into your hands and destroying them." At that moment, the two figures shook as the ship was beginning to explode. They both stated, "May the Forc-" The hologram shut off as the recording ended. Mace's hand was covering his mouth in sadness at the view of his fellow Jedi's death. Obi-Wan stood with a worried look on his face, but shook himself out of it and stared at Yoda. Yoda was staring straight ahead, his eyes darting back and forth as he concentrated on the moment. "Leave I still must," he stated. "But my Jedi, follow Plo's and Ki- Adi's orders. The Dark Side I sense behind this weapon." "I will find it, Master," Obi-Wan said. "And I have help." "Good," Yoda said. "Contact Master Windu you must, when the plans are found." "Understood," Obi-Wan returned. "Master Windu?" Yoda asked. Mace had moved over to his apartment window, staring off into the night sky. His head was facing down as he said, "Understood."

CHAPTER XX

In Palpatine's office, the Emperor sat behind his desk, but another figure was in the room with him. Anakin sat in front of him with his head in his hands. Anakin arrived in Palpatine's office a little under an hour ago. When he arrived, the two exchanged a few words, but as soon as he sat down, silence remained. "I can't believe I failed," Anakin said as he broke the silence. "I had him right there. I could have blown to him bits, but I had to save my friends. You understand, don't you?" Palpatine nodded, saying, "Anakin, you had a choice: your friends or the enemy. You chose your friends and still failed. What you need to learn is that friends come and go. Enemies don't. If you had killed Dooku, we wouldn't still be in this mess." "I'm sorry, your Excellency," apologized Anakin. "The Jedi were dying. I wanted to save what was left of them." Palpatine slammed his fist down on the table. "I am sick and tired of the Jedi, Anakin," he stated. "What?" a shocked Anakin asked. "Listen to you!" Palpatine said. "You failed a mission because of the Jedi, Anakin. Your judgment has been impaired by their lack of. By attempting to save your friends, you let the enemy escape. That will not happen again." "No, it will not," Anakin reassured. "Good," Palpatine said. "And do you know why that is?" "Why?" Anakin wondered. "Because you have a second chance," Palpatine stated as Anakin leaned forward. "We know where Dooku is, don't we, Anakin?" Anakin shook his head. "Search your feelings," Palpatine commanded. "Where would Dooku be? The leaders of the CIS are dead. You damaged the sail to his ship, so he has a limited distance. He has no defenses." "But he has facilities set up all over the galaxy for him," Anakin said. "But he doesn't have one thing," Palpatine said. "What is that?" asked Anakin. "A weapon," answered Palpatine. "Well, more like plans for a weapon; one that could destroy the Republic. It could bring us to our knees, Anakin. If he were in control of these plans, he would control your life, your freedom, your wife even." Anakin's eyes glared at Palpatine for even the suggestion that Dooku would touch Padme. "I won't let that happen," Anakin sternly stated. "I promise." "Excellent," Palpatine said. "See here, Anakin." Palpatine then pressed a button on his desk. A hologram was presented on the nearby wall of the droid factory on Nkllon. It was larger than the shield generator, but rather than being built inside an abandoned volcano, it seemed to sit on the edge of a cliff. The cliff was hundreds of feet from the pool of lava at the bottom. It proved that lava could never reach this building. "These plans are located in this building," began Palpatine. "All you have to do is get them and escape. It's as simple as that. If you pull this off, Anakin, I can assure you that great things will come to the name Skywalker. I'm sure your wife would enjoy if you were 'awarded' again." Anakin sat there staring at the hologram. Less than 24 hours ago, he was sitting in this very room being offered a job that would be impossible to reject. It was hard to go against the word he gave his wife, and accept the mission. But now the Emperor was asking the very same thing. "I'm sorry, your Excellency," Anakin began as he stood up, "but I can't. I made a promise to my wife, and I'm going to keep it. Until we meet again." With that, Anakin bowed and turned to walk out of the room. "What about Dooku, Anakin?" Palpatine asked. Anakin paused and turned around. "Are you going to let him get away, again? Are you going to fail, again? Do you want to keep your promise and return empty handed, or break it and return with everything you've ever dreamed of?" "I have all I've ever dreamed of," Anakin said. "I have a wife." "But that's not enough, is it, Anakin?" Palpatine asked. "You've always wanted more. That's why you couldn't stop fighting in the this war. You needed to keep on fighting. To prove the Jedi Council wrong, isn't that right? To prove who else wrong? Mrs. Skywalker, Master Kenobi, your moth-" "Don't," Anakin cut in, "talk about my mother." "Why not?" a confused Palpatine asked. Anakin forgot that the Emperor had no idea about his mother's death. No one did except for his wife, the Lars', and his two trusty droids. "My mother passed away two years ago," Anakin answered. "I'm still having trouble accepting her death. I couldn't save her, but I promised I would never fail her." "I'm sorry, Anakin," Palpatine agreed. "But how wonderful an experience this is, to prove to your mother that you won't fail. You can be the person who will single-handedly save the galaxy." Anakin had to smile at that. His mother would be so proud of him if she saw him right then. Anakin could almost picture himself delivering the designs to the Emperor, with crowds cheering his name, and Padme running into his waiting arms. He didn't need anymore convincing. "When do we start?" Anakin asked Palpatine. "Now," he answered.

CHAPTER XXI

The Jedi Temple was quiet. Yoda had departed a few hours ago and Mace had shut down the lights in the council's chamber. It had never been darker. From afar the temple blended in with all of the buildings. With a few lights hear and there on it, it looked like a normal building. Inside, Mace sat in his apartment writing in his journal. He wrote everyday in it. As a matter of fact, this was his 58th journal. He started when he became a Jedi Apprentice at the age of twelve. He never would forget the day when he was training and was called by Master Yoda to meet his new Master. It was a glorious day. Mace remembered how alive the temple was then. Then, Jedi were all over the place. It almost overran with them, he chuckled to himself. But those times were gone, and maybe would return. For now, Mace continued to write while the rest of the Temple was quiet. Three Jedi walked around the temple separately, meditating on what was happening in the Republic. Only one was in the library, reading up on what comforted her most. Another practiced his lightsaber techniques, taking on three training remotes at a time. Two sat talking to one another on a flight of steps leading to the archives. The other one was asleep; battling her nightmares, which was the only way to get rid of them. However, in an exclusive section of the temple, Obi-Wan sat in an apartment staring off into the distance. The night sky was still alive with traffic, but the streets weren't. Crime had gone up tenfold ever since the Clone Wars began. The streets seemed dirtier, the air thicker with pollution, and the people crueler. Obi-Wan would know, for at times when he wasn't fighting in the war, he visited some places that he went to as a kid. Dex's Diner, Grendle's Club or Trewtek's Station were some of the many places he loved to revisit. They brought back so many memories, but lacked the kindness and friendship he once had with the patrons. Obi-Wan knew that Republic was crumbling, and that if something weren't done to fix it, it would be replaced. He hoped that day would never come. But the one thing that was stuck in his mind was Anakin. Ever since he left Dooku's ship, he prayed that his Apprentice had escaped in time. He knew that it was a bad idea to have him participate in the mission. His training wasn't complete, and he was way too impatient. Obi-Wan hoped that one day he might learn his place in the galaxy, and not give into his anger. Ever since Obi-Wan began Anakin's training, the boy always had anger with him. About seven years ago, when Anakin was fourteen, the two were interrogating a Rodian on Rodia who participated in the assassination of a Senator. Anakin's blood was boiling ever since the tough Rodian spit at him at the beginning of the interrogation. As it continued, Anakin demanded answers and wasn't getting them. A few minutes later, Anakin hit the Rodian across the face sending him falling onto the floor. His hit cut the creatures face badly. As Obi-Wan tried to wake the unconscious Rodian, Anakin stormed out of the room with blood on his hand. That memory was one of the many that were stored in the back of Obi- Wan's brain. He hated to remember the bad ones, but there were still plenty of good ones.

While Obi-Wan remembered moments with Anakin, a small speeder pulled away from the traffic and approached the Jedi Temple. It was very small and sleek, with a tail jutting out of the back. It was completely back, and if it weren't for the two headlights, it would be impossible to see in the night sky. It landed on the special platform that Mace and Obi-Wan had landed earlier. As the speeder's cockpit silently opened a figure got out. It quickly ran over to Anakin's ship and pulled a device out of its pocket. At a press of a button, R2-D2 woke up from its shut down mode and turned its head to the dark figure. The blue droid began whistling and beeping very loud to announce an intruder. As it did that, the dark figure came out of the shadows and tried to quiet the droid. The droid shut up as soon as he recognized the person. It was Anakin. "Quiet down, Artoo," Anakin said. "You need to come with me." R2 whistled, "OK" and slid out of the Jedi Starfighter. He rolled over to Anakin and started bumping him, showing that he missed him. "Okay, okay," Anakin laughed, pushing the droid away. "I need you to record a message for me." R2 beeped and began recording Anakin's message.

Obi-Wan left the window and sat over on the bed. He closed his eyes and began meditating. Not soon enough did he open his eyes and jump up from the bed. He grabbed his lightaber and ran out the door. Obi-Wan sprinted up the stairs to the landing platform. Sensing an intruder he ignited his lightsaber and ran out to the platform to find no one. Nothing was there but the two Jedi Starfighters he and Mace arrived in earlier. Turning away and shaking his head, Obi-Wan thought he was just imagining things. As he reached the door, he turned to look at Anakin's ship to find R2 missing. He ran over to it, to see if he was just imagining things. Upon closer inspection, he saw tracks made by the droid go to an empty spot. The empty spot had a black stain on it made from the exhaust of a speeder. As Obi-Wan thought about the speeder mark and the missing droid, he smiled to himself and said, "Anakin." At that, he went back into the Temple knowing that his Apprentice was still alive.

In Padme's apartment, Dorme was the only one awake. She had been lying in her bed the past few hours thinking of two things. Padme's sadness was not only affecting Padme, but also Dorme. She always responded to Padme's feelings. Ever since they were little, the two played together, cried together, and laughed together. But these times were the saddest Dorme had ever seen Padme. Before Padme fell asleep, she heard her crying to herself. Sobbing Anakin's name, until the word had no more meaning and she fell asleep. C-3PO asked Dorme if he should go and comfort Padme, but she said not to. One thing Dorme learned from the rusted droid was that he wasn't very good with human emotions. The other thing that was in Dorme's mind was another person: Bail Organa. The man was not as important to her as Padme, but she still thought of him whenever she got the chance. He would always be on her mind, no matter what happened.

Meanwhile, outside of the living room, the same black speeder that had arrived at the Jedi Temple, hovered and a device came out splitting the security field protecting the window glass. When the assassination attempts began on Padme years ago, the security field was installed in order for protection. But even though those times had passed and she didn't live there, the shield remained. As the device finished splitting the shield, it then removed the glass. The speeder then backed up to the open window and the tail lowered revealing R2 rolling out into the living room. When the droid landed, the ship turned around and Anakin jumped from the ship into the room. He landed with total silence and was sure to put his finger up to his mouth to silence R2. As the droid remained in the living room, Anakin walked to his wife's bedroom. He walked down the carpeted hallway he had done years ago. Those years ago, when he saw Padme for the first time in ten years. He never forgot that day, for it was as if he saw her for the first time again. Back then Padme didn't share the same feelings that Anakin felt for her. She probably couldn't have, for Anakin's love for her was so strong, it couldn't be described. When Anakin reached Padme's bedroom, he stopped dead in his tracks. Right then he remembered how beautiful she was when she slept. Her eyes were closed gently and her face was emotionless. Anakin walked closer to Padme and watched as she shifted her position in bed to face him. The sheet was covering her up to her arms. Her right arm stretched over to the empty spot on the bed. She was still asleep, but it didn't matter to Anakin. She was alive enough by just lying there. It had seemed so long since Anakin had seen Padme. As Anakin looked at her hand on the empty spot on the bed, imagined lying there. He would be right next to her, when there wouldn't be a worry in the world. At that thought, Anakin sat on the bed next to her and touched her empty hand. Grabbing it, he pulled it to his mouth and kissed it gently. He held it to his mouth and whispered, "I'll be right back." Anakin leaned forward and kissed Padme gently on the forehead. Before he a tear rolled down his face, he stood up and walked out of the bedroom, not looking back.

As Anakin's speeder flew off, R2 rolled to window, watching. As the speeder turned around a building and disappeared, the blue droid let out a sad noise. It then turned around and proceeded into Padme's bedroom. When it entered, it approached the sleeping Padme. When R2 looked closer, he saw a single tear roll down her face and hit a pillow. Until she would wake up, R2 stayed in the corner of the room, thinking of all the stories he was going to tell C-3PO.

The sun shined through Padme's bedroom windows waking her up. She stayed in the same position as her eyes moved around the room. She had had the most realistic dream about Anakin. She dreamed he came and visited her. He was sitting right next to her, holding her hand. He even kissed it. A smile came over Padme's face when she thought of that. As she remembered her dream, R2 gave out a whistle and came out from the corner. A shocked look went over Padme as she exclaimed, "Artoo! What are you doing here?!" The droid answered with a few beeps and then it activated the hologram. A hologram of Anakin was produced. Padme's face showed happiness and shock as she saw her husband standing before her. It was a life size hologram, and except for the flickering, it was an accurate image of Anakin. The hologram smiled at Padme, and she smiled back with tears in her eyes. "Hello, Padme," Anakin's hologram began. "Please don't worry, I'm perfectly fine. Oh, but Padme, I miss you so much. So much. I want you to know that this war will end. And I will return to you. It will be great. The Republic will be restored, the galaxy will be safer, and we'll be together forever. I know I promised I would return earlier, but there is one more thing I need to do. Please forgive me, but the Emperor himself has positioned me to lead a mission to the planet Nkllon. I shall leave in three weeks, but the Emperor himself wanted me to train with a new group of soldiers called storm troopers. They are to replace the Republic's remaining clone troopers, which are also going with me, but just a few. To let you know where I've been, I was just on Nkllon fighting with the Jedi. I'm sorry to say that only a few survived. This war is killing the Jedi, and I want it to end. But more importantly I want to be with you. I never want to leave you again. I will always love you. You know that, don't you? I'll be right back." With that, the hologram shook with static and went out. R2 gave out a worried noise and turned its head to Padme. She sat on the bed, with the covers pulled up to her chin. Her face was at first happy to see Anakin, even if it were a hologram, but now it was a face of fear and worry. Outside the window, it began to storm. Lightning crashed and thunder rumbled off in the distance. It hadn't rained on Coruscant for over one hundred years. Padme turned to the window to see the rain. She felt this had to be an omen. She knew something was wrong with this mission. Just like all of the ones in past, she thought. Maybe Anakin will die. She didn't want to think about that. She knew that there was only one person she could talk to. She just hoped he wasn't killed.

CHAPTER XXII

Obi-Wan stood in the lift taking its way to Padme's apartment. He looked at the detail and colors of the pod. The last time he was in it was over a two years ago with his apprentice. A little smile formed on Obi-Wan's face as he remembered that day. It wasn't a big day for Obi-Wan, just meeting with the Senator from Naboo to talk about protection from assassination attempts. However, it was one of the biggest days of Anakin's life. While they were traveling back from Ansion, meeting Padme was all Anakin was thinking about. He couldn't hide the fact that he had feelings for her. Obi- Wan didn't agree with Padme being on Anakin's mind all the time. She would cloud his mind and not let him focus on the Force. His mind would always wander if Padme were on it. But that day, those years ago, when the elevator rose to Padme's apartment, Obi-Wan had to tease his apprentice. Anakin was sweating and shaking ever since they arrived on Coruscant. Just at the mention of Padme, Anakin began to shake and a few drops of sweat would form on his forehead. Strange how Anakin showed great bravery when facing gundarks or chasing a speeder, but when it came to a woman, he was the biggest coward, Obi-Wan thought. A few beeps woke Obi-Wan out of his daydream and made him realize that he had arrived at the penthouse. He walked out of the elevator and was not greeted by anyone. As he turned his head either way, he walked further into the apartment. When he reached the main room, he heard voices off into the distance. He walked by a few pieces of furniture and proceeded down the curving hallway to the bedroom. When he arrived he saw Padme lying in bed watching a hologram. The hologram depicted a human taller than Obi-Wan. The figure was broad and wore a long robe. Obi-Wan could hear the voice very well, but as he entered the room he realized it was Anakin. A smile formed on his face to see that his apprentice was alive and well. He shook his head, thinking that he shouldn't have thought that Anakin couldn't survive a fight like they experienced. But as Obi-Wan listened to Anakin's message, he realized that he was talking about Padme. He turned to Padme in the bed, who was hugging the covers with tears in her eyes. A few more moments passed until the hologram faded. Padme sniffled a little bit and told R2 to repeat it. The droid began to do so as Padme leaned over to the side of the bed Obi-Wan was standing at to get a tissue for her face. When she saw the Jedi standing there, she gasped and pulled her hand back to her covers. It took a few seconds later for Padme to realize that it was Obi-Wan. "Oh, Obi-Wan!" she exclaimed. "Thank you for coming." "You're quite welcome, m'lady," he stated. "I do hope you're feeling alright." "Yes, I'm fine. Why do you ask?" "Well the sun has just set and you are still in bed. You are all right, aren't you?" "Yes, yes," Padme answered. "Don't worry about me. But thank you so much for coming so quickly." A frown formed on Obi-Wan's face when he heard that. "I'm sorry?" he asked. "Well I did contact you not too long ago," Padme said. "M'lady, you contacted me three weeks ago." A look of shock went over Padme's face upon hearing this. "What did you say?" "You contacted me three weeks ago," Obi-Wan began. "I arrived that day, but your handmaiden, Dorme, told me that you were sick in bed. Dorme told me she would contact me when you feel better. Don't you remember being sick?" "I.don't." Padme muttered to herself. While she was trying to remember, Dorme walked in with C-3PO carrying a tray with medication on it.

"Obi-Wan!" Dorme said. "Thank you so much for coming! I told you she would be about sometime." "What is happening Dorme?" Padme asked. "I've been unconscious for three weeks?" "You have, m'lady," Dorme said. "I'm sorry, but you had just woken up when I called Obi-Wan. I figured you needed to talk to him badly." "I do, I do," Padme repeated to herself, while pondering that she had been asleep for three weeks. "Dorme, would you excuse us, please?" "Yes, m'lady," Dorme said with a bow and left the room with 3PO following. When the handmaiden and the droid left, Padme ordered, "Play it, Artoo." After a whistle and a beep, the hologram of Anakin started. Obi-Wan listened to the message for Padme and asked, "How old is this?" "This is the part," Padme answered, wanting Obi-Wan to listen to a certain spot. ".the Emperor himself has positioned me to lead a mission to the planet Nkllon," the hologram said. "I shall leave in three weeks, but the Emperor himself wanted me to train with a new group of soldiers called storm troopers. They are to." "Pause it, Artoo," interrupted Padme. R2 beeped a response and Anakin's hologram froze in place. Nkllon? Obi-Wan thought. "I didn't know I was so late to tell you." She kept her eyes on Anakin's face as she continued. "But you know what I'm going to ask you, don't you?" "Yes, I do," Obi-Wan responded. "But you have to understand that it is dangerous. Practically the rest of the Jedi died there at the Battle of Nkllon. People have called it "the final battle, for the end of the Republic". Obi-Wan sighed as he remembered reading an article in the Holonet News, listing all of the Jedi that had died. "You have to save him! I know something's wrong! I've never felt this much pain before! You have to save him! Please!" She moved over to Obi-Wan and hugged him. Her head only came to his chest as she sobbed, "He is going to die.please, save him. He needs to know." "Know what?" Obi-Wan asked. Tears rolled down the Jedi's robes. As Padme's arms pulled Obi-Wan tighter, he only could comfort her by putting his hands on her back. As the sobbing continued, Obi-Wan realized that tears had never touched his robe.

CHAPTER XXIII

The ship rocked with great force as it was hit by a ball of fire, shot out from a nearby volcano. There were a few holes in the ship, but they didn't matter. It was the largest military ship the Republic had. When the number of clones thinned out, the ships became emptier and emptier. Facing a debt issue, the Emperor decided to sell them to Kaut of Kaut Drive Yards. With the funding, he set up new recruiting agency. This idea was not agreed by the Coalition to Protect the Republic, but they were for the idea for clones to be produced on Kaimino. Senators turned to side with the Emperor's "new army", when the fact arose that the Jango Fett, the template, had been killed. However, the CPR found out from Kaimino's database that an exact replica of Jango was made, but no one had heard of him since the battle of Geonosis. All the Senate knew was that this exact clone was named Boba and that he was long gone from Kaimino. When the CPR learned that the boy was missing, they knew that they had failed again at going against the Emperor's ideas. Since the CPR's plans had failed, the Emperor and the rest of the Senate agreed upon new weaponry for the Republic. Due to low spending for training the newest armies, the Senate agreed that the rest of the money should be spent towards ships and weapons. Anakin was very happy with the new soldiers. He had gotten to know many of them in the past few weeks during his training. He had actually made a few friends. Dagrith Kolter was from Tatooine and he and Anakin hit it off immediately. The two shared the same ideas for the Republic and thought that the Emperor was a genius. Dagrith had a girlfriend back on Tatooine and planned on getting married when returning. Whenever he spoke of her, Anakin wasn't listening. All he could think about was his own love in life: Padme. He never told Dagrith he was married. He did tell him he was a Jedi and would be the leading commander in this mission, and he figured if he said he was married, it would show a careless Jedi. Anakin didn't know why, but he didn't want anyone to think he was careless. If lying about his marriage made people think he was strong and determined, then so be it. He wasn't ashamed about lying because he knew that he truly loved Padme, and that's what really mattered. The ship took another hit from the flying fire and shook it a bit. Anakin gritted his teeth as he hit his head on a metal bar near his head. As he rubbed the bump on his head, he looked at the five hundred storm troopers and clone troopers standing in perfect formation in the enormous room. The ship was smaller than those that carried the clones. It was in fact dwarfed by the size of the original ship. This ship was designed to carry six hundred and was still cramped with the five hundred that were in it now. Another hit from outside the ship caused Anakin to hit his head again on the metal bar. Anger built in him and breathing very heavily, he ripped the bar right out of its place on the wall. A few of the storm troopers saw him do this and whispered to each other about the strength in this young Jedi. As Anakin repeated the mission in his head, a voice came over a speaker announcing, "Destination arrival in thirty seconds." Anakin stood up tall as he heard that voice. "You hear that!" he shouted to his fellow soldiers. "We've been waiting for this moment for the past three weeks! I don't want anyone to die out there! This part of the mission requires the first hundred! Are you ready?" "YES, SIR!" the first hundred soldiers screamed. Some of them were storm troopers and others were clone troopers. From a distance they all looked the same. They all had white armor, but the only thing that differed were the helmets. The clone troopers' helmets followed the design of Jango Fett's, while the storm troopers' helmets were more of a gas mask design. They had two black spaces for the eyes and holes coming from the sides to the front. The armor matched almost identically, with the storm troopers having more things to access on their belt. One thing that Anakin noticed as he stared at the approaching one hundred soldiers, they were all the same height. It seemed that the Republic recruited men of all the same height and build. Anakin shook the observations out of his head as the ship landed. The landing was rough, as the ground broke apart. The doors to the ship opened and Anakin and the one hundred soldiers stormed out onto the black rock. Anakin looked all around him to find volcanoes erupting in the distance. He stared through the smoke in the distance to see the droid factory on the edge of a cliff. As Anakin waved for the troops to follow, he stared off into the distance to see a large mass moving towards him. The smoke grew thicker and thicker and the droid factory was hidden. "Move in with caution!" Anakin shouted as he and the troops moved in. The drop-off ship sat where it had landed. When the platoon arrived to the shield of smoke, Anakin gave the signal for everyone to stop. "Those of you with the smoke vision, give a report!" Anakin ordered. A few clone troopers pressed the side of their helmets to see through the smoke. As soon as they activated their sight, they immediately pulled their weapons to fire. At that moment, hundreds of shots fired through the smoke. The front line was shot down and the rear scattered for cover. Anakin dived behind a large boulder and activated his lightsaber. He shook his head in disbelief. Palpatine told him that it would be a surprise attack on the CIS, and that they would have no idea that Anakin would be there. As Anakin looked to see where his platoon stood, literally half of them lay on the ground dead. The others were either being shot down or hiding behind boulders, waiting for their chance. Anakin grabbed his comlink and shouted for reinforcements. At that command, he saw a white blob pour out of the ship, in the distance. The white blob became clearer and the clone troopers and storm troopers blazed away at the battle droids, which were charging out of the smoke. Anakin smiled as he knew he wouldn't fail this mission.

CHAPTER XXIV

On Coruscant, the Senate had its first session in over two weeks. The dispute between Palpatine and Bail drew much attention from the viewing public, and now Senate sessions have a small audience at the top of the chamber. A little over two hundred Coruscant citizens were staring from the top window with hopes that a large argument would break out, which would be the highlight of their day. But today was different than expected. Emperor Palpatine stood up to address the Senate. Voices were heard discussing the previous session as anyone could guess. Palpatine stood for only a few seconds until the voices faded out. Looking over the Senators, Palpatine had to smile, for so many of them were friends of him. Practically everyone that wasn't in the CPR was his friend, but those who were in the CPR were low in numbers. Palpatine shook away his smirk and raised his hand to make a point. "Before I begin, I am fortunate say that Senator Organa will not be wasting our time today," Palpatine stated. Bail Organa called in sick earlier that morning, and didn't bother to have a replacement fill in for him. Feigned laughs came from the Senate hall. Jar Jar Binks looked at those who were laughing and frowned at how pathetic they were. "But on a serious matter, I would like to state the present status on our fight against the CIS: they are finished." A large round of applause followed the Emperor's news. Palpatine "attempted" to calm it down. "Please, please my fellow Senators. It is not me you should be thanking, but rather the bravery of a Jedi." A few Senators whispered Jedi? to each other. For the past few weeks, Palpatine had nothing good to say about the Jedi. Enough to encourage everyone to object their services. "Yes, yes, a Jedi. A Jedi by the name of Anakin Skywalker. This young man has proved himself to be the most worthy person I know of caring for the Republic. He is brave, cunning, and head-strong. I have awarded him in the past, and had the opportunity to position him as the leader of the last mission of the Clone Wars. I spoke of this last time, and I repeat: when Anakin completes this mission with the remaining clone troopers, and our new legion of storm troopers, he will have saved the Republic from ultimate doom!" The Senate again erupts in applause and loud cheers come from different areas. From over the loud cheering and applause, a Senator tries to get the Emperor's attention. "Emperor! Emperor!" Jar Jar shouts over the applause. He repeats it many times trying to get his attention. But after repeating time after time, other Senators do the same. A few seconds later, and the entire Senate is cheering, "Emperor! Emperor!" Jar Jar does nothing but sit down in his seat sighing and putting his chin on his hand. He turned to his bodyguard, Captain Typho. The captain sat there shaking his head at the cheering. He had attended every Senate hearing that Jar Jar had for the past two and a half years. Through all of that time, he noticed how the corruption grew and grew. He sometimes referred to Palpatine as a puppet-master and all the Senators were his own marionettes. Jar Jar thought that was a great analogy and used it once or twice if a debate broke out. Out of the entire Senate, Jar Jar was one of the best debaters. Aside from pronouncing words, which he was mocked for at times, Jar Jar had made a great Senator. No one would have guessed, not even himself, when Padme asked him those years ago to replace her as the Senator of Naboo. The gungans had moved up since the Battle of Naboo. Back then they were considered nothing by the Naboo, but after the battle they received citizenship. The Senate finally died down from the applause and Jar Jar used this moment to voice his concern. "Emperor Palpatine!" he shouted over the remaining Senators' cheers. When he shouted, Palpatine looked up at the Senator and the remaining Senators stooped their noise. "The chair recognizes Senator Jar Jar Binks of the planet Naboo," Mas Amedda stated to the Senate. Palpatine stared coldly at Jar Jar, who cleared his throat as he began to speak. "Fellogates of de Senate, I can't believa thissa. Those years ago, mesa proposed emergency powers to di Chancellor. Those powers are not inneeda anymoresa. Thisa war wesa been fighting has not been helpedid by di Emperor. Insteada, it has been continuedid by di Emperor. Disa Jedi are what keep da Republic stable. But di Emperor's decisionions have eliminateed any hopey of restoring da Republic. All of you outta theresa that support him, are just as corrupt and deceiving as he isa. As I have warneda before, I have nosa choicea, but to stepa downa from my position in de Senate." Gasps came from the chamber, but so did a little applause, as Jar Jar grabbed his Senate medallion he was awarded a year ago by the Emperor, and threw it down on his pod floor. His pod glided back into its space, and the now former Senator and Captain Typho walked out. When the door closed behind them, everyone began discussing with each other. The talking grew louder and louder. It grew so loud, that some Senators began fighting with each other. Screaming and chaos began in the Senate chamber. "ORDER! WE WILL HAVE ORDER!" Mas shouted. He looked all around to see Senators shouting, some throwing little objects from their pods at each other. As Mas tried to settle everyone down, all Palpatine did was watch the empty pod of Jar Jar. Anger boiled inside of him from the Senator that created a huge ruckus in Palpatine's Senate chamber. With Jar Jar still on his mind he leaned over to Sly Moore and commanded, "Bring me my shuttle." She responded with a nod and grabbed her comlink.

CHAPTER XXV

It had been nearly an hour of fighting, and Anakin and his platoon were getting closer to the factory. They had gotten through the smoke that had blinded most of them from the marching battle droids. Anakin thought it strange that the smoke just stayed at one section of this enormous cliff they were on. Lava ran all around them, but it was over one hundred feet below them. The cliff was falling apart. Some troopers stepped too close to the edge and the ground below them just cracked and fell apart like a burnt piece of wood. What a great place for a factory, Anakin thought. When only a few droids remained, Anakin looked off at the near factory to find nothing but lava stretching below it for miles and miles. He had never seen something so grand. It reminded him of Tatooine; when the suns would be setting, the distance would look like a lake of lava. He remembered the colors from when he was a boy: the colors of the suns as they rose or set, the color of the mountains and rock formations when he was searching for his moth---. Anakin immediately shook the thought from his head. A tear almost came out of his eye, but he growled and charged the six remaining droids. The troopers stopped firing as he came into their range. Anakin sliced down on the first one, cutting it in half. He then jumped forward twirling his lightsaber in a circle, cutting the heads off of three. And then he used the Force to knock one right into the other. The two droids sat dazed, with one sitting on the other. Their weapons had been knocked away and they sat there with sparks coming out of their necks. Anakin walked up to them and started swinging. He sliced their heads off, but didn't stop there. He continued by slicing their arms, torsos, and legs until all that remained were little heaps of black, burnt metal. Anakin panted hard after slicing them up and looked at the remaining troops. The remaining platoon consisted of eighteen soldiers. This was the fourth platoon Anakin had gone through, while marching up to the factory. He couldn't believe he went through so many, but then again he turned to look at the ship that he arrived in which was nearly half a mile away. He saw its silver sides and the trail of white armored troopers lying on the ground in front of it all the way up to him. Anakin looked at his remaining troopers and shouted for them to organize. "Alright, to let everyone know, it should be gravy from here," he began, but then a sudden rumble began, and a loud screeching sound filled everyone's ears. Some of the soldiers threw off their helmets to plug their ears from the unbearable sound. A few storm troopers screamed as the sound grew louder and louder and louder. It grew until a thunderous explosion of lava shot out from around them. The lava landed on the ground, and due to its frailty, it just ate right through it. Some of it landed on the troopers and burned right through their armor to their flesh. Screams of pain filled the air along with the explosions of the sea of lava deep below them. Anakin looked in horror to see his friend, Dagrith, holding his ears in pain from the sound, get hit square in the face from a ball of lava. Anakin screamed at his friend who fell down on the ground with little bits of the lava splashing and burning through him. With only a few troopers remaining, Anakin had no choice but to abandon his men. He looked around and found a large domed boulder. He ran towards it at high speed, hoping not to be hit with the raining lava. He dived over bits of metal and white armor, until he tripped on a rock. He dived with skill and regained his footing only to be nearly hit by a flaming rock. The rock sent bits of lava from it as it flew by Anakin. As Anakin continued to run, his arm caught on fire due to lava that had landed in and on his sleeve. As soon as he made to the boulder, Anakin ripped off his smoking, right sleeve. To his horror, the lava had burned through parts of his metal arm. He tried to cool the spots by blowing on the holes. He could only count five burnt spots on the arm. He flexed and stretched it in order to find any damages with it. After finding none, he took off his black glove. His hand remained unharmed from the flying lava. He put his black glove back on and watched as the eruptions from below settled down. A few minutes had passed since the last bit of lava had fallen, and Anakin came out from his safe spot. He looked around to see troopers with burnt holes in the chests or arms. Smoke slowly rose from those spots filling the smoky air with burning flesh. As Anakin carefully jumped from spot to spot in order to avoid sitting lava and the open gaps in the cliff, he made it to his friend Dagrith's body. Or what was left of it. All what remained were bits of melted armor, incased around a smoking body. The head of Dagrith was nothing but a skull, with the mouth open to the sky. Anakin looked tearfully at his friend and closed his eyes. He tried to feel his spirit through the Force, but too much was traveling through his head at the moment. Anakin stood up and looked at the droid factory. I will not fail, he told himself as he walked towards the factory. He grabbed his comlink and ordered the ship to travel to the factory for reinforcements. When no one responded, he continued ordering until he shouted at it and threw it off the cliff. He began to run to the ship fearing the worst. When its landing space came into view, nothing was there. In fact the landing space was gone as well, burnt away from the lava. A shiver went through Anakin as he feared he was alone on this cliff, surrounded by a sea of lava, and at the remaining factory for the CIS. He decided to devote his time to meditation as he sat down. He began to have a clear vision of Padme. She sat alone in a chair on Naboo. Her face was wrinkled and her hair had turned gray. Tears rolled slowly down her face as she stared at a grave marked: ANAKIN SKYWALKER. Fear shot through Anakin's body again as a black-gloved hand came up from the ground in front of the tombstone. It reached for Padme, who jumped up screaming. The hand began to grip the ground and pull the rest of its body out. The full body came out of Anakin's grave. It had a black and red tattooed face, similar to the dead Sith, Darth Maul. Wait, Anakin thought, it is Darth Maul! The Sith came out of the grave and reached for a lightsaber. Run, Padme! Run! A red blade shot out from the handle. Anakin looked closely at the lightsaber and saw that it was Count Dooku's. The old, curved handle fit perfectly into the Sith's hand. As a screaming Padme stared at the Sith, another figure jumped into the scene. He wielded a blue lightsaber and sliced the arm off of the Sith. Anakin smiled, as he knew the hero figure was him, protecting Padme. But as the figure turned to Padme, it was Obi-Wan. He smiled at Padme, who smiled back. He looked much older than Padme, with white hair and wrinkles covering his face. He lifted Padme up and the two embraced in a kiss. Not just a kiss, but a kiss of love. Anakin shouted in horror at this vision. Tears rolled down his face as he saw his master and wife together. But the vision turned away from the embraced two and focused on the dead Sith. As it moved up the dead body, Anakin saw that it had a Jedi belt and cloak. Stranger was that the arm that was cut off was metallic. But what was worse was the lightsaber it was holding. It wasn't Count Dooku's, but Anakin's. The metal hand gripped it strongly, and Anakin could see the detail matched his own. But to Anakin's horror, as he stared at the face, expecting to see a red and black tattooed one, he stared back at his own. His eyes were completely black and empty. His facial expression was one of betrayal and anger. His face was completely white and did not have any hair. Instead, it had a long cut on the top of the head, and some burn wounds on the left cheek. As Anakin didn't think it could get any worse, his body in the vision opened its mouth and took in a loud, rough, and coarse breath and let it out. This frightened Anakin more than anything, and he woke from the vision with tears in his eyes and sweat pouring down his forehead. He didn't know what any of it meant. All he did know is that he hoped it would never come true. Anakin looked back to the factory and knew what he had to do. He stood up and charged forward, but immediately fell down. What's going on? he thought. He stood up to find himself chained around the waist and around his hands. The chains were about five feet long and all were locked into a space right behind him. With all of his strength, he pulled at the chains, trying to break them. He then used the Force to try to open the lock keeping the chains on the ground. Focusing very hard on them, he didn't notice the figure walking out of the smoke in front of him. "The Force cannot help you, young Skywalker," said the hidden figure. Anakin gasped at the voice and stared into the smoky distance. "Who are you?" Anakin asked. "Show yourself!" "Very well," answered the figure. From the smoke came Count Dooku. He was wearing his usual black outfit, but donned a black hood. He walked closer to Anakin, but stayed back enough so the Jedi couldn't reach him. "What are you doing here?" he asked rhetorically. "Come to capture me? Come to take back for questioning, my dear Jedi?" He laughs at his suggestions. But his smile immediately disappears as he states, "Or maybe you've come to kill me." Anakin does nothing, but stare at the evilness before him. "Why do you do this to yourself? Chasing something you can't catch. Always looking off into the distance. Hoping that someday you will find that one adventure that will prove who you are. That one adventure that you will conquer and prove to everyone that you are the Chosen One. The one who will bring balance to the Force." Anakin stared at Dooku, remembering someone saying that to him. "Sound familiar, Skywalker? Something Master Yoda once said. My Master. The Master who told me I could be the One. The One who will be the most powerful Jedi ever. The Jedi who will bring balance to the Force. The balance that can only exist with equal Sith and Jedi. And when that balance forms, the Sith will break it. And then the Jedi will be no more, and the Sith will be forever." Anakin remained staring at Dooku. "What you don't understand is that the Si---" Dooku was cut off as a small explosion that sent bits of fire and ash to where he and Anakin were. The ash missed Dooku, but hit Anakin's right hand. It burned through the glove and the metal. It continued burning down his hand, as bits of flaming glove landed on his leg, burning him. He growled in pain from the burning, and tried as hard as he could to shake it away. "Oh, poor Jedi," Dooku said. "Burning can hurt at times. But you must remember not to accept the pain. Let it become one with the Force." He laughed again at his sarcasm. "I thought that the Chosen One wouldn't even feel pain." Another laugh. "You have to understand, Skywalker. You are nothing. You're not worthy of being a Jedi. You never were and never will be." Dooku stared at the Jedi in pain from the burning, and turned away. "This will mark the beginning of the balance. My master and I have a few more Jedi in the galaxy to take care of before the balance is complete. Sorry, dear Skywalker, but you're not the final Jedi to complete the balance. You're nothing." As Dooku walked back to the droid factory, Anakin chuckled, "You're mistaken." Turning around, Dooku asked, "Really?" "There's a few things you're not noticing, Dooku," Anakin stated. "Oh, and what are they?" Dooku asked. "I am a Jedi," Anakin stated. "And I am the Chosen One." With that Anakin screamed and threw his now freed right arm toward Dooku. At the end of the arm, Anakin held part of the chain. The chain whipped Dooku right across the face and sent him falling across the ground. He landed on a rock jutting out of the ground and grabbed his back in pain. As Anakin smiled at his cleverness, he eyed his lightsaber on Dooku's belt. With the Force, he grabbed it and called it to him. He was lucky that the fiery ash that ran down his hand reached the first chain, and burned right through it. He used his lightsaber to slice through the remaining chains. He cut the rings off of his wrists and around his waist. He then got into his Jedi position awaiting Dooku's attack. But to his surprise Dooku was gone. Anakin ran up to the factory casting a blue glow to the surrounding. When the front gate came into Anakin's view, rumbling began as and the ground from underneath him broke apart. Not being able to escape it, Anakin went with it. He got hit by rocks and hot pieces of coal. Instead of falling the one hundred feet to the lava, Anakin grabbed a hold of the edge of the cliff. Holding on for dear life, Anakin looked below to see the lava bubbling and beginning to explode. Focusing on the Force, he attempted to jump up onto the cliff. But with death so close to him he couldn't. As the lava began to slightly explode reaching twenty feet below Anakin, his robotic hand began to slip. The rock his hand is holding onto begins to break apart, and Anakin tried all he could to pull himself up. When trying to pull himself up, the rock broke completely. But before Anakin fell two inches, he felt something grab him. A hand pulled him up by his arm. Then a second hand grabbed his other hand. Anakin looked up to see someone he would never had guessed to see. It was Obi-Wan.

CHAPTER XXVI

Padme had been in her bedroom for over three weeks. Most of that time she had been asleep. But when she wasn't, she thought of Anakin. The days that had gone by weren't days anymore, but periods of time. There were no days or nights for Padme, but just time. There were no mornings or evenings, just time. There were no happy or sad moments, but an everlasting moment, where the one thing that Padme waited for would never come. As Padme sat in her bed staring off into the distance, Dorme came into the room with a small box in her hands. She stopped as Padme stared straight at her, unblinking. "Are you feeling better, m'lady?" Dorme asked. No response, just staring. "I have a private line to the Emperor's office," Dorme said, as she walked over to Padme's side, handing her the box. "Thank you, Dorme," Padme said in a monotone voice. She took the box and set it on her lap. She pressed two oval shaped buttons and turned a small knob. At that moment, a hologram popped up of Sly Moore. The bald, pale woman showed no facial expression of any kind when she said, "How can I be of service?" Padme of course didn't show it, but she always was a bit frightened by this woman. When she was a Senator, Padme always got a chill when she was in Palpatine's office, and Sly would just stand off in the background. She would stare into space forever, thinking of who knows what. "I'm looking for Emperor Palpatine, please," Padme stated. "I need to talk to him about my husband." "Ah, yes," answered Sly. "Anakin Skywalker. The Excellency has spoken very highl-" "Where is he?" Padme interrupted. Sly responded with a hard, cold stare. She hardly ever spoke but hated to be interrupted. "He has left for an.urgent call." "What does that mean?" Padme asked. "I'm not at liberty to say," Sly responded. Padme then returned Sly with a hard, cold stare. "Very well, when he gets in call me," Padme ordered. "Yes, m'la-" Sly said, but Padme cut the message off quickly. "Dreadful woman," Dorme said.

Outside the Emperor's office Sly stood at the hologram projector with a blank face. How dare she do that to me, she thought. As anger built up in the woman, she calmed herself. She smiled to herself. Enjoy the memories of your husband, the "great" Anakin Skywalker, sweetie, while they last. There was nothing Sly loved more, than knowing something that others didn't.

Anakin coughed loudly as he inhaled a large amount of smoke. He fell on his knees coughing and gasping for clean air. He even forgot who it was that pulled him up from the edge of the cliff. He looked in front of him to see Jedi boots in front of him. As he scanned up the figure, he pointed out the belt, the robe, and the lightsaber. He knew who it was now. "Obi-Wan.I can't breathe," Anakin gasped while on all fours. The Jedi Master pulled something from his belt and shoved it into Anakin's mouth. "Slow breaths, Anakin," Obi-Wan instructed. "Do you hear me?" Anakin nodded while breathing into a trapezoid shaped box. The breathing was a deep, wheezing sound that gave Obi-Wan chills just listening to it. "The sulfur here is poisoning your lungs," he explained. "If you were here for over an hour without clean air, you'd probably die. Looks like we were just in time." Obi-Wan chuckled. "W...w.weee?" Anakin gasped. Obi-Wan nodded and pointed behind him. Anakin looked and saw Bail Organa in his battle gear. He had heavy boots on and a white Alderaan army suit. He was armed with an Alderaan blast rifle that he held with both hands. "Have you ever seen something like that?" Obi-Wan asked, pointing at Bail. Anakin shook his head with a smile on it. "If you two are discussing my battle attire, I would like to address the point that I am a full fledged commander of the Republic," Bail stated. "Hey, we know Bail," Obi-Wan said. He turned back to Anakin. "Are you good?" Anakin nodded and Obi-Wan pulled the breathing device away from him. "Do you know why I'm here?" "Why?" Anakin asked. "Padme thought you were in danger," Obi-Wan said. Anakin sighed, "She doesn't understand, I'm fine. She's getting too worried. I left her a hologram and everything." "Yes, but she's getting sick," Obi-Wan said. "What?" a shocked Anakin asked. "She's been so worried about you, she---" Obi-Wan began. "N-no, w-what did you just say?!" Anakin demanded. "She's what?" "She's sick." "Wait! How sick? Is she dying?" "Anakin calm down. She-" "Don't tell me to calm down!" Anakin screamed, pushing Obi-Wan back. He didn't want Obi-Wan caring for his wife while he was gone. Especially not after the vision he had of he and his wife embracing each other. "Anakin," Obi-Wan said, "Padme is fine. She's so worried about you; she's made herself sick about it. All you need to do is come home." Anakin felt as though he just woke up from a deep sleep. A sleep where love didn't matter and war was everything. Now, that he had woken from that sleep he could feel nothing but love for his wife. "Where have I been?" Anakin asked. "I want to go home." "Its good to have you back," Obi-Wan said, putting his arm around his apprentice. The two walked to the small cargo ship, while Bail watched their backs. The two got in the ship, and Bail dived into the cockpit. "Where to?" Bail asked the two Jedi. "Coruscant," Obi-Wan said. "Right, Anakin?" Anakin sat motionless. "Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked as the ship lifted off. "I'll be right back," Anakin said, and he dived out of the ship and sprinted towards the droid factory. "ANAKIN! STOP!" Obi-Wan shouted.

CHAPTER XXVII

Anakin sprinted faster than he ever had before. Nothing was on his mind except for what Dooku had said. There was no way that he would let that man leave this planet alive. The dead Jedi, the crumbling Republic, the separation from Padme, was all Dooku's fault. Anakin didn't want to have him be taken to Coruscant and tried in the Senate. All of those corrupt Senators would probably have him be sentenced for a few years, Anakin thought. No, I want him dead. Now. He reached the factory and stared at its size. It was very small for a factory. Anakin couldn't believe that this was the CIS's main droid factory. The walls were decaying and burnt from the many lava eruptions, the ground around it was crumbling and eroding, and there was no security. No droids, no sensors, no cameras. Just a building and an open door leading into darkness. Anakin felt a disturbance walking into the building. A fast rush of cool, cool air hit him and gave him a quick chill. Part of the chill was due to the air and the other was fear pumping through Anakin. He had never been in this situation before. Of course he had chased after Dooku before, but when he was on Geonosis, Obi-Wan was with him and when he was on the Devastator, at least there was light. Anakin activated his lightsaber and used the blue beam as a light source through the dark building. The light from the lightsaber was bright, but produced only enough for Anakin to see five feet in front of him. He moved it from side to side, the humming of the lightsaber rising and falling with each swing. Moisture dripped from the ceiling and landed on Anakin's head. He quickly turned around to be face and face with a figure. He jumped back and swiped at it. Sparks flew when his lightsaber hit it. The head of the statue flew off and bumped on the floor, rolled, and stopped right in front of Anakin. Anakin lowered his lightsaber to see the face of the statue he beheaded. He focused hard at it to see that it was Dooku. He gave a frown, but noticed something different about it. The statue head portrayed Dooku, but looked as though it was made decades ago. There were no wrinkles on his face and his hair was short, as if he were a younger Jedi. Walking around the head, Anakin looked at the base of the statue to read the inscription: For those with heroic acts, comes great power. A big chill ran through Anakin's body this time from reading the inscription. That was the same inscription Palpatine gave me, Anakin thought. Then red blur of light shot out from behind the statue. Anakin lifted his lightsaber to meet the crimson color. The two met with incredible force, sending a loud explosion noise throughout the building. As Anakin gained proper footing he released his stance and stared at the dark figure. It was Dooku. His cloak billowed behind him as he charged Anakin with his lightsaber swinging. Anakin ran as well, and the two engaged in an intense duel. Their lightsabers clashed loudly, as the two bobbed and weaved their way around the room. Anakin swung his lightsaber with confidence, but also with lack of focus. He paid for this when Dooku delivered a kick to his chin, sending the young Jedi across the floor. "As you can see, I still have some of my youth left in me," Dooku chuckled to the fallen Anakin. He walked closer to Anakin as the Jedi slowly got up from the floor. Anakin looked up in pain to see the red glow coming closer, and a shadowed figure behind. The two came closer and closer until Anakin jumped up swiping at the redness. "Oh, quite good, young Skywalker," Dooku soothed. "Attack me, with all of your hate, if you must." Anakin screamed and swung carelessly at Dooku, to which he simply responded to by taking a step back. This sent Anakin sprawling forward, to which Dooku delivered a kick to the head. Blood came from Anakin's mouth, and he took a swing at Dooku's legs. He jumped from the swing, and landed back a few feet. "What are you doing?" Dooku asked. "You expect me to believe that you are this pathetic? So pathetic you cannot take me on? You're the Chosen One! You said it yourself and you can't last one minute with me!" Anakin slowly got up and wiped the blood from his chin. He blankly stared at Dooku. "You are a disgrace to everyone," Dooku said. "The Jedi, the Republic, your wife-" That sent Anakin into a charge. He screamed and sprinted towards Dooku. Dooku smiled and stuck his hand out sending lightning into Anakin. He remembered the last time he had done that. Anakin went sprawling back into the statue of Dooku. His back hit it in an odd way and Anakin responded by grabbing his back and screaming. "Oh, how history repeats itself," Dooku commented. "Do you surrender?" Anakin responded by trying to get up. "No?" Dooku asked. "Very well." He then shot more lightning into Anakin. "Now?" Anakin still tried to get up. "Now?" Dooku then strained and shot a thunderous amount of lightning into Anakin. By now he was screaming in pain as dozens of streaks of lightning shot all over the room, lighting it up. Big, fat bolts hit Anakin's stomach, legs and head. "Stop! Please!" Anakin screamed. "Obi-Wan, please!" Dooku didn't stop, he delivered more and more until he was sweating on his forehead, and his head began to shake. "Help me, please!" Anakin shot as he body began to shake violently. "That will be enough," a voice said from the shadows. A surprised Dooku stopped electrocuting Anakin and turned to the voice. He couldn't see anything, except for a cloaked figure standing on a platform of some kind. The figure lifted his hands up and shot balls of fire from his hands. The balls hit different spots on the wall, illuminating the room so everything could be seen. It looked like a dungeon, with its stone walls and burning spots on the walls. "Master," Dooku said, bowing to the figure. "Darth Tyranus," Darth Sidious began, "You have done excellent. This must be the young Skywalker." He looked at the body on the ground, which was smoking from the numerous shots of lightning to him. "It looks as though your Jedi powers are nothing compared to the Dark Side, are they, my friend?" Sidious asked Anakin, who did not respond. He laid on the ground, moving from side to side in pain. "Well, if this is how you chose your fate," Sidious began, "Then Skywalker, you will die." He smiled evilly and nodded for Dooku who walked towards the body of Anakin, lying on the floor in pain.

CHAPTER XXVIII

Obi-Wan and Bail returned to their ship, circling the factory. Obi- Wan wanted to go chase after Anakin, but Bail told him that the lava could erupt at any time. The only place the ship could land would be a couple of hundred feet from the factory. It wouldn't be worth the risk Bail had said. Obi-Wan sat as patiently as he could. He knew that it wouldn't be easy pulling Anakin away from a mission. But when he was the only survivor, he thought Anakin would have a little sense. "Do you see him?" Bail called to Obi-Wan from the pilot's seat. Obi-Wan shook his head. "No." "He better be back soon, or he'll be gone for good." Bail said. "What are you talking about?" Obi-Wan asked. "The ship is reading a lot of activity going on underneath the lava," Bail said. "How long till it erupts?" Obi-Wan asked. "Its not just going to erupt, Obi-Wan," Bail corrected. "It's going to obliterate this whole area. Nothing but lava for miles." Obi-Wan sat trying to send messages to Anakin.

Padme closed her eyes as she lied in bed looking at the ceiling. Her eyes were half open and her mouth was slightly open, breathing rapidly. She had been on drugs for the past day or two and they had been keeping her in a dreamlike world. "Anakin." she whispered. After saying that, her chest fell down, and it did not come back up. C-3PO walked into the room with a beverage and pills for Padme to take. "Dear Padme," he began, "I'm sorry to bother you, but its tim-" He stared at the lifeless Padme before him. "Oh dear!" he exclaimed. "Dorme! Come quick! Artoo! Oh dear!" The droid did nothing but grab Padme's hand and prayed she would be alright.

Dooku stood before Anakin, watching the Jedi attempt to get to his feet. Every few seconds a little spark of lightning would go through Anakin's body. So much had absorbed into his body that a little was left stored in it. The little shocks would send Anakin back down to the floor if he attempted to get up. "Poor, pathetic fool," Dooku said. "Only now do you understand the power I behold. Say good-bye to all that you love." He then activated his red lightsaber and pointed it right on Anakin's head. All that you love echoed through Anakin's head. Padme, his mother, his childhood; everything ran through his head that he loved and treasured. He remembered working on bits for his podracer in Watto's shop, hugging his mother as she lied dying in her hands, and Padme smiling as they stood on their wedding balcony on Naboo, staring off into the sunset. Then that sunset turned into dark clouds, striking lightning in the distance, which was the cause of Padme's father's death. Then his mother's body lied on the ground as he slaughtered an entire Tusken camp. Then Watto would come in screaming and ordering him to work. All of those things he loved ended with tragedy. His wedding, his mother, his life as a slave. As Dooku stood over, prepared to give the final blow, Anakin pushed himself off of the ground. He stood before Dooku and Sidious, tall and proud to be a Jedi. As he stood, little shocks of stored electricity ran through his body, but he ignored them. All he did was stare at Dooku, waiting for him to strike. Dooku went into the attack, striking from left to right with one hand. Anakin did the same, showing that he could meet the Sith's lightsaber techniques. They parried from side to side, turning what was once an intense lightsaber duel, into a fencing match. Dooku kept his left hand to his side, while Anakin kept his tightly behind him, relying on the Force to balance him. The two moved around the room, gracefully. Sidious did nothing, but stare at the two, focusing how strong Anakin was with the Force. Anakin then began to pick up speed in his blows. He began to smile a few times, but Dooku kept his face stern and serious. The more Anakin charged, the more Dooku would frown and sweat. He was getting pushed back more and more, until he was few feet from a wall. Closer and closer he came, until he grabbed the lightsaber with both hands and swung at Anakin. The Jedi flipped twenty feet into the air, landing on a walkway above them. "You have improved much boy," Dooku commented. "The Force flows through you well." "More than you think," Anakin replied. He walked across the walkway, staring at Dooku. A few moments passed until Dooku decided to join the Jedi. He jumped up on the walkway and positioned himself. Anakin waited for his chance, and the two struck each other and began dueling again. This time Anakin felt woozy, as if energy was being drained out from him. His blows were slow, and he blocked Dooku with extreme laziness. As his fighting slowed, he turned to Sidious, whose arm was extended at Anakin. Anakin began to panic, as he grew weaker and weaker from Sidious draining him. As Dooku took a final swing at Anakin's head, the Jedi jumped off the walkway and fell on the ground. Looking up from the ground he eyed the statue of Dooku's head. He reached out with the Force and sent the object hurling towards Sidious. The Sith responded by stopping it before it even got close to him. "Become aggressive, Skywalker," Sidious said. "Let hate flow through you. It is you ally." "No," Anakin said. "The Force is." After saying that, he spun over on his back to block a blow given by Dooku. Dooku pressed harder down on Anakin, but Anakin held back. The lightsabers got closer and closer to Anakin's face. "Your whole life you have been afraid," Sidious continued. "Your fear has given you anger and hate. Anger and hate have made you powerful." Anakin began to whimper, as the glowing blades grew closer. "Young Skywalker, fight. Let go of you inner child and defeat him." Anakin tried to respond by pushing harder on Dooku, but failed. "You can't save yourself now. Just like your mother." Everything went quiet for Anakin. He stared at the red and blue light on Dooku's face. An evil face, with half of it glowing red, and the other glowing blue. He couldn't hear the lightsabers pushing against one another or Dooku's breathing. Instead all he could hear was his own breathing and heartbeat. His breathing was deep and rough, unlike anything he had ever heard before. It was if he was breathing through a machine. But aside from the breathing Anakin could hear Sidious's voice. Let go, Skywalker. Give into your hate. It will make you strong. Strike down what has destroyed your life. Fulfill the promise you made to your mother. Do not fail her. Anakin didn't want to give in, but his mother was the only thing on his mind. With immense hate and anger flowing through is body, Anakin pushed up on Dooku, lifting him off of him. The ex-Jedi was shocked at Anakin's strength and determination. He took a few steps back as Anakin shut off his lightsaber and hooked it to his belt. "Come and get me, Dooku," Anakin taunted "I'll prove to you who I am." "And who are you?" Dooku asked. "You'll see," Anakin answered. Dooku threw his hand up and shot lightning out of his hand. Anakin dived at incredible speed from the lightning. It hit the ground and exploded. Dooku continued to release it out of his hand, hitting Anakin head on, but having the Jedi dive out of the way in time. This amazed Dooku completely. Sidious had always taught him that Sith lightning was the most powerful weapon of the Dark Side of the Force. However, seeing his Apprentice using the Dark Side powerfully and Anakin avoiding it, Sidious had to smile. Not a smile of happiness towards Dooku, but rather towards the fact that Anakin is more powerful than he imagined. Anakin continued to quickly dart from all around the room, avoiding the lightning at all costs. He jumped closer and closer to Dooku, diving from spot to spot. Dooku took a few steps back, becoming frightened of the fast Jedi. Anakin's face possessed a face that no one had ever seen before. It looked as though an evil spirit had possessed him. He realized that his body was no longer his own. It felt as though someone was guiding him to avoid Dooku. Anakin had never felt this powerful before. Through all of his training and guidance from Obi-Wan, never had he felt this quick and cunning. He flipped over the headless statue of Dooku, which was soon destroyed by Dooku's lightning. Anakin nearly ran straight into a wall but caught himself and turned around to see the approaching Dooku. "Enough of this running," Dooku said. "Fight me like you mean it. Join us and be one of the most powerful Force wielders in the galaxy." "Never, Dooku," Anakin said. "Like I said before, I am a Jedi. I would rather die than join you." "Is that so Skywalker?" Sidious asked. "Then if that is your destiny, so be it. But I assure you, you wouldn't want your wife to become a widow, would you?" Anakin stared at Sidious and thought hard about Padme. He couldn't believe all of these things that flew through his mind at such a dangerous moment. But what about Padme, Anakin thought. Could I leave her to become a widow? "I'll never leave Padme," Anakin stated to the cloaked figure. "She loves me and I love her. And no one, not even you can stop me from my destiny." "Oh?" Dooku asked. "And what is that destiny?" "To be the most powerful Jedi with my wife," Anakin said. "Well, I'm sorry, but you're wrong about both of those things," Dooku said. "Your wife will die before you become worthy enough to be a Jedi Knight! She will die a pathetic person, who wasted her life with a nobody. A nobody who was destined to become the Chosen One, but couldn't even save his poor mother from death! You are nothing, Skywalker! You are weak, like your mother and your wife! You won't join us, so perhaps she will die!" "NEVER!" Anakin screamed and charged Dooku. The two exploded into their final duel. Light shot off from when the two warriors' weapons hit, sending sparks into air. The strikes were fast and hard upon Dooku. He was strong at the beginning, but was just pushed back more and more. The two locked onto each other's eyes. Dooku's were dark, but Anakin's were lit with fire of anger, fear, and aggression. They burned without blinking as Anakin struck Dooku's red blade again, again, and again. However, the final strike sliced Dooku's right arm off. He groaned in pain as he fell to the floor staring at his arm holding onto his lightsaber. Anakin stared at the suffering Dooku and said, "Now we're even." He turned away to face Sidious, unknowing that Dooku Force-grabbed his lightsaber and ignited it. Before he could get a hit, a clean swipe of a blue lightsaber wiped his head off. It popped off and rolled over to in front of Sidious. He stared at the expressionless head of his Apprentice.

Yoda sat crossed-legged on a rock in a dark place. His surroundings were black, and in front of him a fire burned. Above it a pot was resting, cooking his dinner. A few trees could be made out in the background, but his entire surroundings were that of a cavern of some kind. Mucky water could be heard dripping in the distance, and snakes and other creatures crawled up and down the trees. Yoda had been meditating for quite a long time now. But the darkness grew and grew in his mind, creating a barrier between his visions and reality. However, now the visions became clearer for the first time in over a decade. This time, all he could see was Anakin. But this time, the body of Count Dooku stood in front of him. The body, however, lacked a head. Yoda flinched at this, seeing one of his old Apprentices decapitated. Anakin pushed the body over, and ignited his lightsaber. He stared at the body and began to attack it. He struck it again and again, with nothing but darkness in his eyes. After panting hard enough, he turned to Yoda and smiled. A smile that almost gave Yoda chills looking at it. A smile that possessed all the evil that Yoda had tried so desperately to eliminate in the galaxy. The smiling continued even when the walls seem to disappear and were replaced by lava. Anakin then turned away from Yoda and stared at a figure in the distance. Yoda couldn't see the face, but knew that that was the Sith Master. The missing Sith Master that he had worked so hard to find. Yoda stared hard at that figure, trying to figure out who he was and what he planned to do with Anakin.

CHAPTER XXIX

Anakin looked over the decapitated body of Count Dooku and spit on it. He knew that this man was the cause of all his anger and hatred. He knew that by killing him, he would be free of this emotional suffering. But he didn't. In fact he felt a need for anger and hate, almost a desire for it. Staring at the body of Dooku made him feel angrier and angrier. He ignited his lightsaber and brought it down on Dooku. He couldn't, yet wouldn't stop hitting the lifeless body. Sweat poured down his brow as he hacked. He drove his lightsaber down harder and harder until his hands began to blister. Panting very hard, Anakin stopped and shut off his lightsaber. He stared at the mutilated body of Dooku one last time. He turned away and began to walk out of the building, until a voice called out, "Well done." Anakin spun around startled by the voice. He had completely forgotten about the dark Sith Master. He did not know that much about the Sith, but recalled Mace and Yoda talking about them. "Do you know who you killed?" Sidious asked. Anakin was scared by that question. If I answer, what will he do to him? Anakin thought. "Count Dooku," Anakin answered. "And do you know who Dooku was?" Sidious asked. Anakin shook his head slowly like a child. "Dooku was my Apprentice," Sidious answered. "And being my Apprentice, he was a Sith. A dark lord of the Sith." "I know what a Sith is," Anakin said. "And I guarantee the Jedi will hunt you down." "Oh, no," Sidious mused. "I am quite safe from your friends. My power clouds their vision. And in time you will learn that power." "Never," Anakin said. "Don't avoid it," Sidious said. "It is your destiny." "Why do you think I would betray the Jedi?" Anakin asked. "Because they betrayed you first," Sidious answered. Anakin became somewhat curious. "You have visions, don't you? When you were younger it was that you were a leader. Later, it was the fear of your mother's safety. And now it's that your wife is safe. Who kept you from fulfilling all of these things? The Jedi." Anakin shook his head. Part of him believed what Sidious said. "They kept you from leading, fighting on your own. They kept you from protecting your mother. They kept you from being married. But you found a way around that and when you did, you were too late. Your mother's death, the Jedi's fault. Your separation from Padme, the Jedi's fault. Not being to move onto Jedi Knight, the Jedi's fault. Do you see the pattern here? They hate you because you are the best. You are the one that would be the best there ever was, and they wanted to take that from you." "Then why did they train me?" Anakin asked. "Because they wanted you to live the cursed life they did. No love, no hate, no anger, nothing. They wanted you to suffer because they were jealous. They kept you from your mother. From trying to save her, didn't they?" Anakin nodded. "And what happened when you went against their words to follow your own choice?" "I w...was t.too late," Anakin stuttered. "She died in my arms. She died because I couldn't save her." "And who was at fault?" Sidious asked. "I was," Anakin said. "No!" Sidious yelled. "The Jedi! The Jedi killed her! They were the ones who kept you from saving her! They butchered her by not letting you save her! She died crying and lost because of the Jedi! She died not loving you!" "No!" Anakin yelled back. "She did love me!" "And what was the last thing she said?" Sidious asked. "I love-" Anakin stopped, remembering that her mother never completed the sentence. She never said, "I love you", Anakin thought. "That was it, wasn't it?" Sidious asked. "That's all your mother said to you because she was ashamed. Ashamed that her son left her to become a Jedi." "No," Anakin said. "She said she was proud." His dying mother's speech came back to him. "Proud that you were a Jedi?" Sidious asked. "Proud that I grew up to be something," Anakin answered. "Proud I didn't live on Tatooine my whole life as a slave." "But you're not grown up, my friend," Sidious corrected. "You still have much to learn and I am your teacher." "What did you call me?" Anakin asked. Sidious just stared back at Anakin. "I am not you friend!" Anakin yelled. "You remember that!" "Oh, but I am!" Sidious cackled. "We are good friends. We have been for some time, Anakin." Darth Sidious removed his hood to reveal Emperor Palpatine. "Palpatine!" Anakin screamed in shock. "Why?!" He turned away in disgust. "Come, my friend," Palpatine said. "Learn the ways of the Dark Side. Only then can you truly be the one to bring balance to the Force!" "You low-down, no good." Anakin muttered. He reached out with his hand and ignited Dooku's fallen lightsaber. He threw it with the Force, straight for Palpatine. The lightsaber blade turned into one big, red blur as it spun at incredible speed. Expecting to see it strike Palpatine in the chest, Anakin stared wonderment as Palpatine stopped it inches from his face. He put his hand under it and the lightsaber began to spin slowly. "I can make you powerful," he soothed. "Within time, you will call me master." Anakin became entranced with the spinning lightsaber. So entranced he lost focus on what Palpatine was about to do. With a growl, Palpatine sent the lightsaber heading straight for Anakin. Anakin ignited his and blocked it. The red blade returned, floating in mid-air. It floated right in front of Anakin. It swung at him, and Anakin began fighting the lone lightsaber. Palpatine stood with one hand out, directing the lightsaber's moves. Anakin dived out of the way of its jabs. It leapt over his head, and Anakin responded by slicing behind him without even looking. The slice cut the lightsaber handle in half. The two pieces fell to the ground and Palpatine clapped his hands together. "Good, good," he commented. "Look how powerful you are. With my teachings, we can become the rulers of the universe! Take my hand, and I will show you things you never thought possible." Anakin stood there staring at the two pieces of Dooku's lightsaber, then to the body of Dooku and then to Palpatine, whose hand was outstretched to be shaken. He stood there, not saying anything, waiting for Anakin to make the decision.

Obi-Wan was sick of this waiting. The impatience in him grew and grew until he stood up in the ship. "Bail," he began, "I don't care, but put the ship down! I have to go get Anakin!" "Obi-Wan!" Bail exclaimed. "The lava!" "I don't care!" responded Obi-Wan. "That's my friend down there!" "Alright, alright," Bail said. "But you'll have to be one hell of a runner." Obi-Wan smiled at that little comment. But he couldn't believe how much he sounded like Anakin, ordering Bail to put the ship down. He remembered how Anakin barked the order at the battle of Geonosis because Padme fell out. Obi-Wan frowned though at the memory of how it seemed he didn't care for Padme. He did care for her, and he wanted to tell Anakin he was very happy for the two of them. He never had done so, due to the fact that their marriage was against the Jedi Code. Who really cares? Obi-Wan thought. These are dark times, everything is a mess. He then realized how much he wanted to find Anakin. The ship landed and Obi-Wan jumped out and ran to the factory. "Be back in less than-" Bails shouted, but his voice was cut out from a nearby eruption. Obi-Wan stared at it as he sprinted across the brimstone, breathing in toxic fumes. He coughed hard as he inhaled a deep breath of smoke. But he continued running. Running to save his Apprentice. No, he corrected, my friend.

Palpatine stood in his black cloak and still had his hand outstretched. A few mintues had passed, and Anakin still stood there thinking. "What will it be Anakin?" Palpatine asked. "The Jedi or me? If you go back, you'll have to report me. Coruscant will be a mess. Chaos will reign and you're life will be ruined. And don't forget what the Jedi will do to you. Back to being Obi-Wan's Apprentice? I don't think so. Come with me, and you'll be more than an Apprentice. You'll be a god." Anakin remained staring into space. He walked over to Palpatine slowly and took his hand. The old man did nothing but smile.

Obi-Wan was about halfway when he heard the first rumble. The ground below him shook and broke apart. He footed himself on the part nearest the factory, and watched as the other part broke and fell the one hundred feet to the lava below. He sprinted faster to the factory and grabbed his comlink. While running he shouted, "Bail? Bail?" No answer. "Bail, try to catch up with me! I think this was a bad idea!" Right then the ground right behind Obi-Wan exploded sending him thirty feet ahead. He regained his footing and continued running. He grabbed his comlink again and shouted, "Bail?! Bail?!" Still no answer. The ground below him began to shake violently and break apart again. He dived away just in time for it to plummet below. Obi-Wan continued running and reached many of the dead storm troopers and clone troopers that were in the fight. What remained were bits of melted white and bones. Obi-Wan turned away from the site and could see the factory more clearly. As he reached about one hundred feet from the factory, a third explosion shot up from in front of him. The ground broke up and fell. He turned around to find that the ground slowly started to break apart moving closer and closer to him. He was stuck on a one hundred foot tall piece of rock that was going to be nothing in a few moments. He grabbed his comlink and screamed into it, "Bail! Bail! Do you copy?" Still no response. He threw the comlink over the edge waiting for the ground to break from under him when he heard a thud. He turned around, where he threw the comlink and found Bail raising the ship up to meet him. He saw his comlink stuck on the cockpit window and grabbed it. "Can you hear me?" he shouted. "Yeah! Go ahead!" Bail responded. "Can you get me over to the factory?" Obi-Wan asked, pointing to his left. "Maybe, but you better get in!" Bail responded. He opened the ship's doors and Obi-Wan dived in just as the ground he was standing on broke apart falling into the lava. Obi-Wan got up from the ship's floor and shouted to Bail in the cockpit. "Why can't we land on the factory?" he asked. "Readings say its too hot land on," Bail said. "Its cool inside, but that roof would eat right through the ship!" "Alright! Just fly to the front and I'll jump!" Obi-Wan yelled. "Are you crazy?" Bail asked. "That's like a thirty foot dr-" Bail was cut off from a huge explosion as part of the factory blew up, sending half of it off the cliff. The rest of it stood there, but the ground holding it up began to crack and break. It soon fell apart dropping below. "Anakin!" Obi-Wan shouted to the factory as it fell to its doom below. As he closed his eyes in pain, all of the volcanoes in the distance erupted sending lava all over the place. The sea of lava below began to bubble and rise. "Let's get out of here!" Bail shouted, taking the ship straight up and away from the eruptions. Bits of lava shot out and hit the ship, burning through two of the wings. The holes weren't critical, but the ash that hit Obi-Wan square in the chest did. It burned through his clothes and met his skin only for a brief while. Obi-Wan ripped his clothes off of his chest and tried to bare the pain of the burn. His clothes began to catch fire and he threw them out the hatch. He closed it and reached for the first aid. As he bandaged himself up, he stared with tears in his eyes as lava poured from the mouths of the volcanoes, covering all what was once dry, rocky land.

CHAPTER XXX

A few days later, Obi-Wan had recovered from the burn and was fully functional. He was the only one in the medical ward in the Jedi Temple. It was unusual being there, for the medical droids would not leave him alone. They were used to treating a few people, but since Obi-Wan was the only one; they had to deal with treating only one. Surgery was simple for the wound. Bits of ash had burned their way into the flesh and were simply removed by the surgeon. The reason Obi-Wan had stayed in the Temple was not only to heal, but also to talk to Mace. He told him of Anakin's death and of the hundreds of soldiers that died so easily. Mace responded by speaking that the prophecy of the balancing of the Force might not come due to the Jedi's death. Obi-Wan agreed, but knew that he looked at Anakin much more than the Chosen One, but rather a friend. Obi-Wan was picked up by Bail and the two traveled to Padme's apartment in order to break the terrible news. The two wondered how they should handle the news, and they both agreed on telling her he died a fighter. Obi-Wan knew that Bail didn't know Anakin very well, and was going for his closeness to Padme, but he put that aside him. He remembered when Bail and he fought in a few battles; he sometimes asked how good of a fighter Anakin was. Obi-Wan had plenty stories to tell him of their days before the Clone Wars. Those were good times, Obi-Wan thought as the ship arrived on a landing platform, floating near Padme's apartment. The ship landed and the two got in a shuttle, staring at the night sky.

C-3PO had been waiting on Padme hand and foot, trying to please her in the best way he could. He didn't understand human behavior, but was trying to understand Padme's feelings at this moment. "M'lady Padme," the droid began, "its so great to see you fully functional again." "Thank you, Threepio," she responded. "Well, you know, I'm really not that functional. How long has I have been in bed?" "Three weeks, three days, eleven hours, thirty-eight minutes, and twenty-six...no, twenty-seven.no, twenty-eigh-" "That's fine, Threepio," Padme smiled. "Nonetheless, it has been quite a long time. Too long in fact." She trailed off, staring into space. "Where do you think he is?" "The maker?" 3PO asked. "Probably on some adventure. You know, when he created me, the first thing he told me was how much he wanted to see the entire galaxy. He would stay up for hours talking to me. I would listen and treasure the fact that I had such a caring master." "What about his mother?" Padme asked. "What was she was she like?" "You mean he didn't talk about her?" 3PO asked. "Never," Padme assured. "I remember before he left, he would speak her name in his sleep." "Well, she was very kind," 3PO said. "She was the one who completed me, you know. No matter what the conversation was, she'd always listen. I'm sure Anakin misses her." "Yes, he does," Padme said. "I'm sure he misses you as well." "Oh, thank you," 3PO responded. As the two ended their conversation, Dorme came in the room. "M'lady, you have some visitors," she simply said. "Anakin?" Padme asked with her eyes wide open. Dorme didn't respond and instead lowered her head as the two men walked in. Upon seeing Obi-Wan and Bail she broke into tears. Bail looked at Dorme and nodded. Dorme called 3PO and the two left the room. As Padme sat in bed with her face in her hands, Bail and Obi-Wan stood in front of the bed. A few moments passed until Padme was able to speak. "Bail." she began. "Would you excuse us?" "Absolutely," Bail said. He walked out, but put his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder before leaving. That touch spoke words Bail couldn't give. When Bail closed the door behind him, Obi-Wan wiped one of his eyes. Minutes passed without words until Padme asked, "How?" Obi-Wan swallowed and answered, "In an explosion on Nkllon." Padme then didn't know what to feel. She had a feeling this day would come, but knew she had to tell someone. "Obi-Wan," she started. "I.um.have something to tell you." Obi-Wan's head raised from the floor and looked at Padme. "Um." Padme seemed lost in thought of what to tell him. "Before Anakin left I found out something. I.um, I." "What is it?" Obi-Wan asked. "I'm pregnant," she stated. It felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Obi-Wan however felt as though a ton had been added to his. Pregnant? he thought. Oh, if Anakin were here. "Who else have you told?" "My family," Padme answered. "And Dorme knows, but she tells everyone I'm sick." "Well, are you?" Obi-Wan asked. "I have an unknown disease," Padme answered. "It's the same thing Coruscant and Naboo's medical facilities tell me. And Coruscant's facilities are supposed to be the best. Someday I hope to travel to Alderaan and see what they can do." "Is it a boy or a girl?" Obi-Wan asked. "A boy," Padme said with a small smile. "I'm sure Anakin would have been proud," Obi-Wan said. That comment brought the tears back into Padme's eyes. "Oh, Obi-Wan," she said. She pulled the covers away from her and attempted to get out of bed. She hadn't used her legs in over three weeks and struggled before Obi-Wan came over to give her a hand. Once she got up, he looked at her and saw that her stomach was larger. He hadn't seen it when he first saw her, for it was hidden under the covers. It wasn't that noticeable, but in her nightgown it was. Padme stood in front of Obi-Wan staring at him. "I want to thank you for going after Anakin." Obi-Wan smiled. "You risked your life and I.I." She then broke down completely and grabbed Obi-Wan. She poured her eyes out and Obi-Wan returned the hug. The two stood in Padme's bedroom, not knowing what to say to one another.

The night air was quiet as a black speeder arrived outside of Padme's apartment. It had visited her apartment a few weeks ago and now returned to do the same. It glided by the living room, and the pilot saw Bail and Dorme talking. The pilot ignored them and continued down the windows, arriving outside of her bedroom window. Inside, Padme's head was turned away as she was hugging Obi-Wan. Her hands gripped his back tightly as the two rocked back and forth. Obi-Wan did not just stand there, but was in fact returning the hug. The speeder sat there and the pilot stared into the bedroom.

Obi-Wan did not know what to feel as his Apprentice and friend's wife hugged him. At first, he didn't know what to do, but decided she was in immense pain. Her husband, Anakin, was gone forever and Obi-Wan understood that she needed someone to help get the pain out. Obi-Wan was also feeling pain, but one that was different from Padme. A pain where you felt as though you failed as a Jedi. A pain where you let your Apprentice die, and left his wife pregnant by herself. What about the child? Obi-Wan thought. He could be trained as Jedi! The thought raced through his mind as he glanced through the window to stare at a black speeder parked right outside. "Who is that?" Obi-Wan asked Padme. She turned away from the opposite wall, but still hung on to Obi-Wan. The two were now still embraced in a hug staring out the bedroom window. As they stared at the speeder for a couple of seconds, the pilot floored it and sped away. In the apartment, Padme stared at Obi-Wan and pulled away from the hug. "Thank you, Obi-Wan," she said. "I know that Anakin would want to thank you for caring about me." "Your welcome, m'lady," Obi-Wan responded. "Obi-Wan," Padme started, "call me Padme. I think we've known each other long enough." "Alright," Obi-Wan smiled. "However, I must depart, but I'm going to have two Jedi guarding your door." "Guarding?" Padme exclaimed. "From what?" "Anakin's death is going to create some angry people," Obi-Wan observed. "From what I've heard, the Emperor has had nothing but good things to say about Anakin. And since more than half of the Senate are supporters of him, when they find out about Anakin's death they will take it out on the Jedi and might blame you too." "That's ridiculous," Padme said. "Why would anyone come after me?" "Because of who you are," Obi-Wan answered. "Anakin was a powerful Jedi and friend to the Emperor. You're the wife of the Emperor's dead friend, who hasn't been a great speaker for the Jedi. Just trust me on this." "Alright," Padme answered. Obi-Wan grabbed his comlink to tell Bail he was ready to leave.

XXXI

Mace sat in his apartment with a hologram of Yoda in front of him. The hologram was the normal size of Yoda and showed the Jedi master standing with is cane in front of him. He contacted Mace a few minutes ago, but the two had trouble receiving a clear broadcast of each other. Mace had to tune the adjustments for the signal. So, for the first time Mace sat down ready to hear what Yoda had to say. "What have you found out?" Mace asked as he made the final adjustments to the hologram projector. "Much have I seen," Yoda began. "Growing the Dark Side is, no doubt of that." "What have you seen?" Mace asked the hologram. "The Emperor," Yoda answered. "What?!" a shocked Mace exclaimed. "Palpatine? Under the Dark Side? How corrupted is he?" "Unclear it is," Yoda answered. "The missing Sith Master he may be." Mace let out a big sigh and rested his chin on his hand. "Why have we unable to see this?" Mace asked. "That I do not know," Yoda admitted. "Know I do, that Skywalker is following Palpatine's path. Stop him you must." "Anakin?" Mace asked. "But he was killed a few days ago on Nkllon in a factory." Yoda's eyes opened wide hearing this news. "That I have not sensed," Yoda said. "But sensed I have that he is alive and is following the dark path. And if he is not stopped, forever will it dominate his destiny." "I must contact Obi-Wan," Mace said. "He has just received news that Padme Skywalker is pregnant." Yoda felt as though a brick had just hit him. He lowered his head and closed his eyes. "If Skywalker's child is born," Yoda began, "do everything he can to turn it to the Dark Side, the Emperor will. A threat to him, the child is, if born. Padme must leave the planet." "I will have Obi-Wan talk with her," Mace promised. "Where are you?" "That I cannot give at this time," Yoda said. "When the time is right, I will. May the Force be with you, Master Windu." "May the Force be with you, Master Yoda," Mace returned. The hologram of Yoda disappeared, but Mace continued to stare at where it was. What was happening? Mace thought. His whole life, he thought that the Jedi would always be there. But now during these dark times, Mace didn't know what to think. He stood up and walked to his comlink. "Obi-Wan," Mace said into the comlink. "Yes, Master?" Obi-Wan answered. He was walking in the tall halls thinking about what to tell Bail about Padme's pregnancy. He had left Mace's apartment no less than ten minutes ago when the Jedi master called him. "I just spoke with Master Yoda," Mace said into the comlink. "I have something to tell you about Padme and Anakin."

CHAPTER XXXII

Two Jedi from the temple stood outside the door of Padme's apartment. They were ordered there by Obi-Wan and were only told to make sure no one enters the apartment. They were doing their job by guarding the door, but didn't notice the black speeder that stopped in front of the bedroom window. It was the same speeder that arrived weeks ago and the same one that Padme and Obi-Wan spied. However this time it didn't just wait outside the window, but instead it cut through the security field like it did before. The cockpit opened and a black-cloaked figure jumped out onto the balcony. The lights were dim in the living room and the figure stayed in the shadows as he crept to the bedroom. R2 sat in the corner of the room in a sleep mode. The figure was so smooth that it moved by R2 unnoticed. As it reached the bedroom, it closed the door and walked over to the window it had spied through earlier. It just stood there, staring at Padme. She lied in bed with the covers up to her chin and she kept her eyes shut. When the figure took a step to the left and blocked the moonlight hitting Padme's face, she opened her eyes. As soon as she saw the figure she gasped and sat up keeping the covers to her chin. "Why did you do it?" the figure asked. "Who are you?!" Padme demanded. The figure just stood there, not answering Padme's question. "I asked, 'why did you do it'?" the figure asked again. "Do what?" Padme asked. "Who are you? Tell me or I'll call the Jedi!" The figure let out a laugh. "The Jedi?" the figure asked. "Oh, Padme. Are you having a relationship with those two as well? Did you think to tell Obi-Wan about them? I'm sure he would love to know that you betray your husband and then break the heart of another Jedi! Now tell me! Why did you do it?!" "Anakin?" Padme asked, realizing her husband's angry voice. "You betrayed me!" the figure continued, slightly breaking down. "I go to fight for you, and risk my life for you, and this is how you repay me?!" "Anakin, no." Padme tried to calm the figure down. She attempted to get out of the bed. "SIT DOWN!" Anakin screamed, using the Force to throw his wife down before she got the covers off. His blow threw her back into the headboard, to which she responded with a scream. She grabbed her back in pain just as the lights in the entire apartment turned on and the two Jedi ran in the room with their lightsabers ignited. The two green blades stood in the doorway held by the Jedi. "Hold it right there!" one of them shouted, to which the cloaked figure responded by igniting his blue lightsaber. He walked towards the two Jedi and stuck out his arm sending them flying back. One hit the wall and bounced off, landing in the living room, while the other broke through the glass and plummeted to her death, thousands of feet below. The scream could still be heard as the cloaked figure walked towards the Jedi who had landed on a sculpture and broken his leg. The Jedi reached out to the Force, trying to grab his lightsaber, when the cloaked figure stepped on his hand. "Don't try to fight we me," it said. It twisted its foot, snapping the wrist of the Jedi. "Who are you?" the whimpering Jedi asked. The cloaked figure leaned over to the Jedi and pulled back the hood. "Who do you think?" he said with a smile, grabbing the Jedi by the throat and lifting him up a few feet off the ground. "Anakin." the Jedi gasped as his air supply was being cut off. "Yes?" Anakin asked, holding the Jedi up in front of him. "I'm sorry," he said pointing a small blaster on Anakin's stomach. Anakin saw this and quickly threw the Jedi forward onto a glass table. The table exploded, sending glass in all directions. The Jedi lied motionless in the heap of broken glass as Anakin turned back to the bedroom. As he reached the door, it was locked. "Padme?" Anakin asked, tapping lightly on the door. "Let me in. I need to.talk with you." Inside Padme sat on the bed in the arms of Dorme. In front of the bed stood R2 with his little gadgets extended that could be used as weapons. 3PO however stayed hidden in the corner of room, saying that he was helping somehow. The group snuck into the room while Anakin was fighting with the Jedi and had locked the door behind them. Anakin continued to tap on the door, until he got fed up and ignited his lightsaber. He stuck it through the door, melting it. He could almost get through until he stooped when he heard a voice call, "ANAKIN!" He spun around to find Obi-Wan and Bail standing in the apartment doorway. Obi-Wan held his ignited lightsaber and Bail stood there with his blaster. "Anakin!" Obi-Wan exclaimed. "We thought you were dead!" "I bet you did!" Anakin screamed. "You didn't wait that long to take my wife away from me, did you?" Anakin began moving slowly towards the group in the living room. "What are you talking about?" Obi-Wan asked, watching his apprentice move closer to them. "Don't play games with me!" Anakin continued to scream. "I saw you two!" Anakin then moved away from the group and walked onto the balcony he had arrived at. "No, Anakin," Obi-Wan corrected. "She was grieving. She thought you were dead. We all thoug-" "No!" Anakin shouted with his back towards the two men. "That's not what you thought." He jumped onto the railing and took a look at his master. "Goodbye, Obi- Wan. Enjoy Padme. She's all yours." With that, Anakin jumped off the ledge. "NO!" Obi-Wan screamed running to the balcony. He and Bail looked below to see Anakin on top of his black speeder, scrambling to get inside the cockpit. The top opened and Anakin jumped inside, grabbing the controls. But before even moving a foot, the ship shook violently as Obi-Wan landed on top of it. He immediately took it into a nosedive, heading though lanes of Coruscant traffic. Anakin had to smile at the memory of him in the same position Obi-Wan was in. Those few years ago when the bounty hunter Zam Wessel flew through Coruscant traffic, with Anakin holding on for dear life. He recalled all of the techniques Zam used to try to shake him off, but Anakin knew he could do better. He pulled sharply to the left, sending Obi-Wan nearly falling off the right side. Anakin did a few barrel rolls, but the determined Jedi hung onto the side of the ship. Nosedives and barrel rolls wouldn't shake Obi- Wan off, so he decided to let something else do the job. He spied statues of old warriors of the Republic, their swords jutting thirty feet out from their hands. Anakin flew right by them hoping to snag Obi-Wan on the end. Instead, the sword sent Obi-Wan flying down, plummeting through Coruscant traffic. Anakin ignored the falling body and flew off into the distance. However, Obi-Wan fell one hundred feet before he landed on the back of a speeder. He crawled over to the cockpit and held onto two handles as the speeder turned sharply and landed on top of landing platform outside a group of closed jewelry stores. He remembered Anakin's flying skills were what saved him the last time, and he knew only one other person that had great pilot skills. Obi-Wan climbed off the ship and stood by the cockpit waiting for Bail to come out. But when the cockpit opened, Mace climbed out and stood by his friend. "I called Bail just as you 'jumped out'," he said to Obi-Wan. "Thanks," Obi-Wan said, patting Mace's shoulder. "I didn't know you were much of a pilot." He stared off into the distance, trying to find Anakin through the Force. "He's trying to block himself out," Mace said. "I've tried to reach him myself. He's falling down the dark path, Obi-Wan. But come, there is much we need to talk about." He put his arm around Obi-Wan and the two hopped into the speeder, heading back to Padme's apartment.