*Author's note: Sorry about the evil cliff hanger. This chapter was actually part of the last chapter, but I felt it would be better as a new chapter. . . enjoy! Also I thank my padawan for helping me write the political part of this chapter.good job my young apprentice! PS: I forgot in the beginning of the last chapter that we needed to take a moment of silence for the fallen Crimson Guards. . . My padawan glavin69 reminded me (I think he's ready for the trials). Ok moment of silence done, on with the story.

Chapter 10:

"The Emperor would like to extend his apologies to the Senate for his absence, but he has commanded that we continue without him until he arrives." Mas Amedda, the speaker of the Senate began, calling the meeting to order. "We are honored to be visited by his highness Bail Organa from the sovereign system of Alderaan. The chair will now recognize his highness." Organa glanced around the room, he remembered a time when he himself was a senator, he knew exactly how to play the senate. "Honorable representatives of the Empire." He shuddered when he said Empire. "I come before you today because it has come to the attention of the people of Alderaan that the Emperor is now openly executing those who would oppose him. I of course am referring to recent events in which the Emperor himself extended an invitation to the leaders of the Rebel Alliance to entertain discussions of peace. Instead Palpatine butchered them. All of them except for ex chancellor Valorum which I am informed has an execution scheduled for dawn." He stopped for a moment to hear the gasps of the crowd. "Most of you are aware of these travesties, and for those who aren't I apologize for being the bearer of bad news."

He stopped one more time, to gage the reaction of the Senate, it was in complete silence. "Enough of my digression, I come before you today to ask for the freedom of Finis Valorum, on behalf of the people of the Republic! I say Palpatine has gone too far! He has stolen from us, our democracy, our livelihood, our freedom!" Cheers rang through the chamber and it was music to the ruler of Alderaan's ears.

"What sort of galaxy are we leaving our children? Palpatine will not be content until they are mindless slaves. I know many of you believe what I'm saying is treason, but it is not only our right but our duty to remove a tyrant. We will not stand for those atrocities I know that the Empire gives us peace, but at what cost? We are safe, but we are not free. Palpatine is using our fear against us to steal that which is most precious to us. I confess, I do not wish for war. Alderaan is peaceful, we have no weapons. We try to avoid war at all costs, but we know war sometimes is necessary, think of our children. Don't you want to leave them a galaxy free from pain, war and fear? Don't you want them to be free? Isn't that worth fighting for? Or dying for? I beseech you, please rally your systems. We must free Valorum! We must dethrone Palpatine! Raise your voice if I have your support!" Bail Organa let out a sigh as he finished his speech to the Senate, he felt like he said the whole thing in one breath to ensure that he wasn't interrupted. He waited for the reaction, almost afraid that the rebels no longer held any support in the Senate, he was wrong. The huge chamber was in an uproar after the politician's statements.

"Hazzah! Hazzah!" Came shouts throughout the room. "Order!" Mas Amedda screamed.

"I agree with King Organa, we must keep the Empire in check!" Mas Ti Dalli, the senator from Bogden exclaimed.

"If we listen to the rebels they will bring back the Trade Federation, and therefore bring back the war!" A senator across the room shouted in rebuttal.

A small smile crossed Organa's lips as he realized his words seemed to create more support for the rebels. He looked around and noticed the Emperor's aid trying to calm down the people with little success. "Is this all that you can conjure Palpatine?"

Suddenly a dark figure entered the chambers, a hush fell over the crowd. Palpatine took his place at the podium in the center of the room. Bail stared at him with hate in his eyes. Palpatine stared coldly at Bail Organa from under the hood of his dark cloak, then a sickly smile crossed his lips. "I believe, king Organa, that you may be startled when you realize exactly just what I can conjure." Palpatine hissed, his words echoing off the walls of the now eerily quiet Senate chamber. "His majesty's words seemed to touch many of you, however need I remind you who it was that protected you from the Separatists? Need I remind you the effects of war?" The crowd continued to stay silent. "Lord Vader is personally seeing to the rebels of Alderaan, he will guide them back to the Empire one way or the other." Palpatine smiled again at Organa whose eyes were as wide as plates. "So yes raise your voices if you still support Organa."

The silence was chilling. Organa looked around the room, even the senators that always lended their support seemed to hide in terror. He glared at Palpatine.

****

Vader watched as the woman slumped to the floor, he felt a wave of pride was over him as he knew he had now inflicted great pain on his former master. Siri's eyes glazed over with tears and she struggled to keep them open. She knew it was a battle she could not win.

Suddenly a strange sound caught the dark lord's attention. The silence was broken by the sound of blaster fire, the strange thing was that it wasn't real blaster fire. Vader turned to his right and stared at a young girl aiming a toy blaster in his direction. The 3 year old was crying and shaking in terror of what she had witnessed, and yet she held her ground and faced the murderer standing before her. Vader marveled at the audacity of this girl, and was impressed by her courage.

He continued to stare at the child and felt a strange connection to her that he couldn't figure out. He felt almost as if he knew this girl in some way. He held his light saber towards the young girl and her eyes grew wide with fear. As Vader moved to strike he stared into Leia's huge brown eyes and stopped suddenly. The dark lord felt a familiarity with the child and suddenly felt torn as what to do with the little one.

Tears rushed freely down Leia's cheeks as she watched the black armored man turn off his red sword and walk away. She then backed into a corner and hugged her knees as she continued to cry.

*****

Padme struggled under the weight of her friends body as he fought with consciousness. She was tired and wanted to rest, but she fueled by her motherly instinct to help her child, so she tregged on. The ship was in utter chaos as the evacuation process continued. She heard low moans of pain from her companion and she began to worry.

"Stay with me Ben, we're almost there." She pleaded with him as she tried to quicken their pace. Suddenly his body became a dead weight on her and they fell to the ground. The Jedi then began to go into convulsions and the former senator tried to stop them as best she could. "Shhh, relax." She tried to calm him down. She began to grow frantic with the situation. "We don't have time for this Kenobi." She cupped his face in her hands. "We have to get back to Alderaan, we have to save Leia, and Siri." She pleaded with him.

Tired blue/grey eyes slowly opened. He stared at his friend and felt his Jedi instincts of duty kick in. He tried to rise to his feet. "Alderaan. . . Leia. . . Siri. . ." He repeated. As he held onto the wall to help himself to his feet he noticed a wounded crimson guard walking towards them. Through the force the moment seemed to go in slow motion as the guard raised his blaster towards them and shot. Padme fell to the ground before Obi Wan could react.

He felt his heart stop when he saw his best friend hit the ground. He felt rage rise inside him, and he wanted to cut down the guard who shot her, he then remembered he no longer had his saber. He hobbled towards her motionless body and pulled out her vibro blade he then stared down the crimson guard and pointed the blade towards him. The fatally wounded guard backed away as best he could, not having the strength to raise his gun a second time. Obi Wan called to the force, and tried to suppress his anger. He left the guard and knelt next to Padme to fell her pulse, it was there. . . weak, but there. Suddenly darkness began to come from the sides of his vision and he began to feel extremely tired. He knew he had to get Padme to their ship, but reality told him that they wouldn't make it. He shook it off and gathered the force around him. He then picked up the woman and slumped her over his shoulder. He then hobbled all the way down the hall until he noticed a familiar form running towards him. Before Captain Typho could reach them his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he collapsed, dropping padme to the ground.

He then fell to the ground next to the former politician.