Chapter 2: Fall From Grace

Anakin Skywalker paced the bridge of the Galatic Empire's lead battleship, the Legionario, impatient to confer with his Master, Emperor Palpatine. He had a lock on Cassiopeia's whereabouts through the Force and he deducted that she had found the remainder of the Jedi and a few of the Rebellion's stragglers. Palpatine would be extremely pleased at Anakin's discovery of the remnants of the Jedi Order and would most likely reward Anakin immensely.

'Perhaps I'll finally be put in command of a ship,' he thought and smiled broadly. He looked around. 'Hmm, this ship would be nice.'

Anakin thought back over the last three years. He remembered how tattered and weak in numbers the Jedi Order had been after the battle at Geonosis and the beginning of the clone war. Shortly after his return to Coruscant after having married his one true love Padme Amidala on Naboo, Anakin had been expelled from the Order. His own Master, his former Master, Obi Wan Kenobi had personally begun the proceedings against him to have him expelled. Anakin had done his best to keep his marriage to Padme a secret, but Obi Wan had sensed something was amiss when Anakin repeatedly made excuses to contact Padme and was overly distracted and irritated. Anakin knew that his Master, because of his own love for a woman, understood where his actions and reactions were really stemming from. Before he had left in his search for Cassiopeia, Obi Wan had asked him point blank what had occurred between he and Padme and Anakin had admitted the truth.

To his knowledge, no Jedi had ever married and then attempted to remain in the Order. Faced with this unusual circumstance, the Jedi Council, or what was left of it, had acted rashly, expelling Anakin outright within a matter of hours of Anakin's confession to Obi Wan. Anakin had been shocked by the Councils' action. Because of the dwindling number of Jedi, and the fact that everyone perceived him to be the Chosen One, Anakin had been certain that concessions would be made in his case. Because of the changing times, he was sure the Order would change as well and make certain accommodations in order to keep as many of its members as possible. He had been wrong.

Anakin remembered the proceedings as clearly as if they had occurred yesterday. He remembered how fervently Obi Wan had argued for his dismissal from the Order. He remembered his own fevered pleadings to Master Yoda and Master Windu to overlook his latest trespass. Anakin had practically begged them to remember his desire to be a Jedi and to serve the Order faithfully.

"But how do you possibly expect to do that, Anakin, when your commitments now include a wife? Surely the Jedi Order cannot be at the top of your priorities." Obi Wan had asked him.

That had absolutely infuriated Anakin. How dare Obi Wan talk to him about commitments and priorities when for the last ten years he had hidden his love for a woman from the Jedi Council and from his own Padawan. Anakin debated about revealing this knowledge to Obi Wan and the Council but decided against it, there would be another time for it, and then Obi Wan would receive everything he deserved.

"Master Kenobi," Anakin had swallowed his pride. "I am here now. That should be an indication of my commitment to the Order."

"However, defied the Jedi Code you have," Yoda had replied. "Sense your emotions we can. Distracted your mind is of thoughts for your wife. Fear you do for her. Hinder your training this does."

"But Master Yoda," Anakin had countered gently. "I have learned all I can learn from Master Kenobi." At this, everyone in the room had raised their eyebrows at his brashness. "I am ready for the trials and I promise you that my marriage will in no way interfere with my commitment to the Order and the assignments I am given."

"Anakin, it is not just your marriage that concerns us," Mace Windu had interjected then. "This is the final straw in a long list of problematic behavior from you." He paused but Anakin had had no response. "Since you were brought before us ten years ago, you have defied your Master, broken Order and Temple rules and probably public laws as well that we don't know about. You speak out of turn, you do not heed advice and guidance, and you have worn our patience thin."

"But I am the Chosen One," Anakin had stated curtly.

"Anakin," Obi Wan had said gently, "you have hidden behind that excuse for too long now. The fact that you may be the Chosen One means that you have a great deal of responsibility that you must live up to."

"But I never asked for that responsibility," Anakin had nearly yelled at Obi Wan.

"Then do not use the Chosen One idea as a shield," Obi Wan had replied. "to keep from doing what you know you should. You say your commitment to the Order is strong, and yet you defy the Order at seemingly every turn. Your actions speak louder than your words, Anakin."

"Strong the Force is with you, young Skywalker," Yoda had concluded, the decision made. "But a Jedi you will not be. Find out your own destiny you must. On your own you are." Yoda had sighed and his demeanor dropped. "Expelled from the Order you are."

"What?" Anakin had shouted, stunned. "You can't do that! Don't you know how important this is to me? What am I supposed to do now?"

"Just what Master Yoda said, 'figure out your own destiny', Anakin, and decide where your path will take you," Obi Wan had moved to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. "And no matter what, we will always be friends."

Anakin had put his right hand up and pushed Obi Wan's hand away with the Force. "Don't touch me," he had glared at Obi Wan. "This is all your fault. I've always said you were jealous of me. You're jealous of my abilities. Now you're having them expel me so that I won't be able to show you up anymore." He had paused and faced Obi Wan venomously. "Friends?" He had spat. "We will never be friends."

"Anakin, please, you need some time to calm down," Mace Windu had said. "Obi Wan was in the right to inform us of your marriage. Your excommunication from the Order is your own doing, not his."

"You fools don't even see your own demise quickly approaching," Anakin had said quietly. His demeanor had suddenly changed. He no longer seemed upset and rash, now he was calm and collected. A smile played across his lips, a smile that chilled the other Jedi to the core. "You are so rigid in your outdated, antique rules that you are setting free one of the strongest Jedi from your midst. Those rules will be your undoing. Mark my words, Jedi, the winds of change are beginning to bellow and they will sweep you away."

Undaunted, Obi Wan had moved closer to Anakin. "Anakin, do not allow your disappointment and anger to propel you toward the Dark Side. Go to your wife. Talk with her," he had paused and smiled. "Maybe you will find this was all for the best."

"You are no longer in a position to tell me what to do, old man," Anakin had stared icily at Obi Wan.

"Despite the outcome of our pairing, Anakin," Obi Wan had replied softly. "I do care for you immensely. Regardless of what you think, I only want what is best for you."

"What would have been best for me is if that Sith had killed you instead of Qui Gon." Anakin had hissed.

His words had stung Obi Wan deeply, and he had taken a step back ward.

"Anakin," Mace had called sharply. "That is enough. It is time for you to go."

Anakin had spun on his heels to head for the door. As he had walked past Obi Wan, he had leaned close and whispered in his former Master's ear so that only he could hear him. "You have a knack for pushing people away, Obi Wan. First Cassiopeia, now me. You're destined for a very lonely life." Obi Wan had stared at him, unaware until that moment just how much Anakin had known of his relationship with Cassi. Anakin had smiled icily at him and walked out the door.

Without being aware of it, Anakin wore the same exact smile now as he stood on the bridge of the Legionario and overlooked the pilots, engineers, and technicians that scurried about their tasks below. Anakin hadn't returned to Padme then. Instead, distraught, he had made his way to Chancellor Palpatine's office to enlist the wise man's advice. Palpatine had taken Anakin under his wing, slowly and secretly continued his training, and had gradually included him in his secret. Palpatine had played the Republic for a fool from the very beginning. He had orchestrated the entire clone war and he had secretly controlled both sides.

Within a year after the beginning of the war, Palpatine had drawn up plans for the murder of all of the Senators, their advisors and other assistants. During a meeting of the Senate in which nearly all of the Senators were in attendance, Palpatine had excused himself in the middle of the meeting, and the building had been blown to oblivion from space by Count Dooku's ship, the Legionario. The remaining Senators that had not been in attendance were quickly been tracked down by Anakin and a legion of clone troopers and killed. The only two exceptions had been Bail Organa, who had not attended the fateful meeting and had managed to escape Anakin's capture and Padme Amidala-Skywalker. Because of her marriage to Anakin, Palpatine had determined that she would remain unharmed given that she did not oppose them. Shortly after the Senators' murders, Palpatine had informed the leaders of all the planets that he, Emperor Palpatine, was now the reigning leader of the Galaxy and it was no longer to be called the Galactic Republic, but the Galactic Empire, his Empire.

Just then, Count Dooku walked up to Anakin, interrupting his reverie.

"Are we almost there, Dooku?" Anakin asked impatiently, his arms folded across his chest.

Dooku pursed his lips ever so slightly at his disdain for the boy. "Yes, Anakin," he answered finally in his deep baritone voice. "Just another few moments before we dock. Then I can finally be rid of you."

Anakin knew of Dooku's dislike for him and it amused him immensely. Despite the fact that the man had taken his arm three years ago, Anakin enjoyed being around him, if merely for the pleasure of getting him all riled up.

"So, Dooku," he smirked now. "I hear that your wife left you. Again."

Dooku stared straight ahead. It took every ounce of will he had to not turn and give the insolent boy a zap of blue - Force lightning. 'However,' thought Dooku, 'he is becoming more advanced in his training everyday. Soon he may even be able to out - match me.' He turned then and regarded Anakin coolly. "I'm sorry, son, did you say something? I wasn't listening."

Anakin smiled, he thoroughly enjoyed this game. "So tell me, Dooku: why did Cassiopeia leave? Are you just not able to satisfy her anymore? I mean I've heard that a man of your age.." Anakin's words were suddenly choked off by Dooku's hand around his throat.

"Don't you ever disrespect me like that again, boy," Dooku hissed into his ear. "Do I make myself clear?"

Anakin nodded, although the grin never left his face and his crystal blue eyes sparkled with delight. Dooku released him and returned to surveying the surroundings below them. Anakin continued smiling. He had learned from Palpatine how to bide his time and be patient. He had learned how to wait. He had learned a lot from Palpatine, much more than he felt he had ever learned under Kenobi's tutelage.

'Soon,' Anakin thought to himself as he pushed a piece of dark blonde hair out of his eyes. 'The day of reckoning is swiftly approaching. Then all of my enemies will rue the day they were born.' He turned his head slightly to glance at Dooku. 'And his day is coming soon, too.'