Meanwhile inside the Jedi Council...

Anakin and Obi-Wan arrived to find Yoda, Mace, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Plo Koon, Eeth Koth, Depa Billaba, Stass Allie, Adi Gallia, Kit Fisto, Aayla Secura, Oppo Rancisis, Saesee Tiin, Agen Kolar, Quinlan Vos, Luminara Unduli, Barriss Offee, and some other members of the Council: Jrr'ak Derrick, Talon Weir, Pablo Jill, Will Tunic, Zen Lao, Burt Yim, and lastly Jenny Renna. They all had very stern, unappreciative looks. The Council's chairs are tattered, torn, badly needing repairs and remodeling, the Temple is also in need of repairs and wallpapering, designing, and repainting. Here they'd begin their interrogation and here they'd begin constituting and composing questions pertaining to the incident aboard Grievous's flagship. Yoda started first with a riddle, than began interrogating Obi-Wan first. Obi-Wan gave Anakin a sore eye look and began to open his mouth. "Obi-Wan. Here before the Council you are. Like to know we would what happened today." Yoda required. "Acquiring and attaining information we want. We will take the procured information and then give you an analysis and Anakin's fate later. For now proceed."

"Anakin first went through things like a good Lieutenant, but then he dove into action without thinking, we faced Grievous's droids, we faced Grievous as a team, but also he made me fight him solo which I nearly almost died several times, and then he defied your wishes by bringing Dooku back alive. He and Palpatine claimed he did it in self-defense and it was the only way, but something feels uncertain, feels not right. I believe Palpatine is masquerading and disguising his true motives and I believe he is pretending to be Anakin's friend to gain something, something hidden, and something none of us can intercept." Obi-Wan decreed.

Anakin stood there, holding his ground, but angered by Obi-Wan's remark of Palpatine. Palpatine had become over the years more of a loving father than Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan became self-indulged and worrisome, but Palpatine always was kind, soft, and gentle, always willing to present himself as someone who cares.

"Hmm...too bent on himself and his own impulses young Skywalker has become." Ki-Adi said.

"Too bent on pleasing Palpatine also and not the Jedi Code." Plo said.

"His mother died and he could not save her. The image still haunts him every now and then. He tried to save her and please her, but he could not save her in time. Now, he looks for the only figure he has in his life that can bring him...comfort and sanctity." Adi said.

"Still...we owe a lot of debt and loyal service to Anakin for bringing Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and one of our own back alive. Even though sixty clones were killed, Ric Olie's Naboo Starfighters lost a great deal of ships, and Grievous escaped. We still won and we owe a lot of gratitude for Anakin and Obi-Wan even though the mission went unsatisfactorily and inadequately." Mace said. Yoda's ears began drooping and lowering, but then raising and flopping when he heard Mace's speech.

"There is another thing I must tell you..." Anakin spoke up approaching the Council.

"Go on..." Yoda said, listening intently.

"I know love is forbidden. I know it is a thing that makes us do crazy things. Brings fear, anger, hate, and suffering. Brings jealousy. Brings mixed feelings and emotions, but I do know that I love Padme and after the Battle of Genoisis had ended I proposed to her and we exchanged our vows to always be there for each other and on a lakeside where the trees all stay leafy and green, where the water always smell fresh and ripened like the Naboo fruits. We got married with Threepio and R2-D2 as our witnesses. I wanted to tell you for so long, but I was afraid of disgracing and dishonoring the Code, while also facing banishment..." Anakin ended, gulping a bit, his eyes on Yoda's.

He waited for this a long time. Three years he spent keeping it a secret, keeping his fondest, deepest, greatest moment ever a lie, keeping it hidden, and now he revealed it. All of it. Now, he was going to the face the shunning, departing, exiling, condemning, and expatriating wrath of the Council.

"It is a prohibition of our Code, an outlawing, inexcusable offence. I made it clear to you not to get too attached to her. Love is forbidden! Those three simple words and you can't even comprehend them! Am I not loud enough? Are you mindless, or deaf!?" Obi-Wan shouted at him. Mace however shushed him and told him to remain quiet as they sorted this out and told them to come back in an hour. The verdict however would be consequential and punishable.

The two Jedi Masters leave out the magnetically sealed doors and go down a hallway where Obi-Wan throws Anakin into a pillar and begins yelling at him like mad.

"What do you think you're doing? Do you think your Jedi training, your time in this Order has been a game? Has been a test to see how far you can push me, or cause me to go bonkers? I mean are you deliberately doing this to frazzle me up, push my buttons, make me fumigate and pull out my hair? I have tried to provide the best possible training for you, the best ever, but what do I have to do to get through to you. DO I HAVE TO SPEAK LIKE THIS? Do I have to act like a clown for you just to make you listen? I mean sheesh Anakin!" Obi-Wan paces for a few minutes scratching and itching his beard, fuming, emitting and exuding off steam, and venting a bit. Anakin tries to apologize but Obi-Wan cuts him off.

"Sorry...sorry...You're sorry? Well, that's just great! That's just blooming great! You're sorry! Do you even know the emphasis or the true meaning of the word? Because if you did you'd known not to bust my chops and not done what you've done. I told you not to trust a senator and you did twice. I told you not to let your feelings reject you and you did. I told you to be mindful of the living Force and nothing else and you betrayed that order too. I guess I must stink at handing and barking out orders and reciting the same damn line again and again just to make you understand, because most pupils and learners would have gotten the meaning of the word by----NOW!"

"Look, the only person who has ever been more than a father to me has been you and Palpatine. All I have tried to be is good enough, try and make you both proud. Try and see past the dominance, the arbitrariness of the Jedi, and be my own person, but also a person like you and a person Jedi Master Jinn was, but I guess I can't fulfill both shoes. I guess I just amount to nothing..." Anakin said shedding a tear in dismay. Even as much as he had matured and grown, he still felt burdened inside.

Obi-Wan looked distressed and afflicted. He felt sorry for Anakin, but wanted to be tough as nails and wanted to teach him as he wanted him to turn out, but even if he thought it was the right idea, the right path, Obi-Wan did feel he put a lot of pressure and hardships on him.

"You should've left me on Tattooine. All I've been is a burden. A constant disappointment." Anakin choked up. "And today I thought Grievous was going to kill you, so I didn't want to see you die so I did all I could in defense. I killed Dooku in defense I swear. I slaughtered him like the Tuskens."

"Tuskens?"

"When I was on Tattooine a disturbance happened in the Force. I could hear voices screaming no. One was you, another my insides, and the last was Qui-Gon's voice, but even with that sudden mergence of voices I knew it was the right thing to do and when Dooku stood before I heard Palpatine's voice, my voice, and Qui-Gon's urging me on and encouraging me to finish him off." Anakin said. "The Tuskens captured my mother and killed her. They deserved to die that day and whether yes, or no Dooku deserved the same fate. He killed millions and worked for the Dark Lord of the Sith!" Anakin plead.

Obi-Wan was now confounded as much as he wanted to hold Anakin to his fate, hold him in silence and in contempt. Let the Jedi treat him as if he were on trial in front of a massive courtroom filled with all his friends, well-known allies, and Padme looking on in disgust at Anakin being an embarrassment, a humiliation, abashment, and mortification to the Jedi and the galaxy. However, though Obi-Wan was not that cruel and would not subject himself to that. Anakin after all was like a little brother, or son to him and if he were to make the boy go through an ordeal like that...it would be unbearable. He would never forgive himself for the heartlessness and cold-heartedness he bestowed on the boy.

"Let the Council decide. Let's just think of something else for now. How about a walk? That'll do us good. Fresh air, clean space, and who knows maybe we'll run into Jar Jar, or someone we know..." Obi-Wan suggested. The thought suddenly aroused Anakin's interests and in no time at all they went down to the elevator shaft, as two of Palpatine's Red Royal Guards passed by them with pikes and battleaxes in their hands.

Meanwhile...

Poggle the Lesser and Tarkin were having a discussion on the bridge of one of their newly tested Star Destroyers. "Sidious is putting a lot of effort to make sure this last stand against our battleships and the Republic's will not go empty-handed..." Poggle said in his distinct voice.

"The Jedi and the Republic have been impeding and hindering our forces for too long, but they have been laying wary of a surprise attack, or a sudden forceful attack that would lay to rest the emancipations and freedoms they have and bring on a new era, a new glorious, dawning era. Prepare our embattlements. We shall do a test run elsewhere I know some Trandoshans who need assisting on Kashyyk. After, the abolishment of the anti-slavery laws, it's legal now to fry those greasy, mangy, fur ridden fur balls. "Tarkin said delicately.

Elsewhere inside the Jedi Temple...

Yoda awoke from meditating as the Council stopped their verdicts and listened to what he had to say.

"Impeding doom is coming, I feel. The Darkside's power drawing nearer. The enemy's warships are coming, bigger than planets, with guns stationed all around the tops and bottoms. Tarkin has joined with the remaining Separatists and the Darkside to test their newest armada on the peaceful Wookies of Kashyyk. A deep urgency we must attend to. This emergency must not go unattended, or uncivilized."

"Disperse our Jedi Fighters we will, destroy their commanders and ambassadors we will. The Republic's peace we will bring back. Restitution and reparation of what was once known as the Old Republic will come back into balance." Yoda told the few Jedi Masters seated beside him, along with the new teenaged and preteen versions of the former Bear Clan. Yoda's eyes began panning and scanning looking at his newest Jedi who he once taught as children.

"A few of you will go with Master Yoda and me to Kashykk, but our youngest and brightest will stay here to attend to measures and proceedings, while the rest of us will see what we can do to thwart and ward off the increasing powers of the Separatists." Ki-Adi-Mundi instructed.

"I think I should go with you. I mean you might need me if the situation gets more hotter than we anticipated." Mace said, but Yoda refused shaking his green head. "Here you are needed Master Windu. My time calls for me to attend to matters here, yours remains here. I fear for young Master Skywalker. You and Obi-Wan might be the only ones to tame and rightfully train the boy. Mistakes he has made in the past, the Darkside is strong in him..." Yoda's word always was a promise, his word was his bond, and he kept that to the very end of his direr life.

After, Yoda's speech, Obi-Wan and Anakin came back into the grand entrance awaiting the Jedi's verdict on the matter. An hour had past since Obi-Wan and Anakin fought, since the Jedi dismissed them, and an hour since they took a walk to clear their heads, now things got serious. Now, it was up to vote to settle the score; to determine Anakin's fate. Obi-Wan and Anakin both were unsure what that verdict would be, but all this depended on chance. Anakin remembered when Qui-Gon placed a bet with Watto over his Podracer and him and how "chance" decided his future. If it weren't for Qui-Gon he wouldn't be in this mess. Somehow, a flame of hate lit inside his belly. He hated Watto for selling his mother to a man like Cliegg who just let her be taken by those freaks, those monsters. He hated his stepbrother and his wife for not going out to find her, but staying home farming, harvesting, and moisturizing. He hated that the Jedi were so weak, so disciplinary, so bent on keeping some kind of fabled code of conduct when in the galaxy it was all bent on "dog eat dog." A fire was arising inside him and if they were to send him out their doors he would have something to say. Payback would be initiated.

Anakin stood there alongside Obi-Wan, robes oversized and basically hanging off their bodies like large cloaks put on a shrunken men. Anakin's long matted, tangled hair swayed across his face as he lowered his hood and so did Obi-Wan, even though his hair was now whitening and bleaching and also graying. "Anakin Skywalker. You are here to await a verdict. A verdict petitioned by everyone of our Jedi elite. This verdict is a vote that'll determine whether or not you have place here in our home and in our roster. The verdict is final...You are not banished."

Obi-Wan's eyebrows lifted, Anakin's heart skipped beats, and some of the Councilmen gave their best shallow, disappointed faces and expressions ever as Plo Koon read off the verdict.

"We feel you need time off. Time to be home. Time to sit and think about other things. You and Obi-Wan have been nothing but great to us. We just feel the both of you need time alone from here and each other. This isn't a splitting up of a friendship, or a team. We just think you two need time off after your service and debt to the galaxy and your loyalties to the Council. It's been three long years fought and we think you deserve a vacation." Saesee Tiin said as Kit Fitso nodded and gave them both a toothy smile.

Obi-Wan however did not show his unhappiness. He thought there was a minor conspiracy, or misinterpretation. Anakin not banished? That's unheard of!

"You two are dismissed..." Mace spoke. Anakin headed for the door, but Obi-Wan stayed posted at his ground, the Jedi all looked at each other wondering why he did not move, or follow a direct order. "Master Kenobi. More you have to say?" Yoda asked.

Anakin looked at his friend wondering why he'd stay and try and oppose their order, but Obi-Wan waved him away with his hand and told him to leave. Anakin objected, but Obi-Wan snapped at him. "Do as I've told you young one. Do not defy me anymore!" Anakin slammed the door shut and walked away enraged, steam bristling and suffixing from his nose.

"Master Yoda, Master Windu, and fellow esteem Councilmen and esteem Jedi. I do not agree with your plea. Anakin does not deserve free time, or a vacation. Hell, we all know he doesn't! The boy is too hotheaded and too arrogant. He disobeys me and the Council's orders all the time. He cares more in his infectious infatuation with Senator Amidala and pleasing Chancellor Palpatine and when I spoke to him outside he revealed that he secretly wedded her without telling anyone, that he had a run in with some Tuskens on Tattooine who took his birth mother away from him, and that he feels something inside of him, something still, but almost like a dragon waiting to be awaken, something unknown. I do believe the boy has a lot of the Darkside's traits inside of him, if pushed, or compelled he could use it against us." Obi-Wan spoke.

"I believe Sidious has set his sights on Anakin, but I do not know why?" Obi-Wan continued.

"Probably wants him as a drone, or a soldier for the Empire. Probably he sees that Anakin has no flaws, or weaknesses. He probably wants Anakin to lead his army of Separatists." Mace responded. The Jedi all gave an eyeful look at him, a little stunned.

"But I do not believe Anakin would bow down before their demanding, or instructing. He has made a commitment to the Jedi arts, a commitment not easily broken. Yet still he has broken many commitments before..." Obi-Wan sidetracked.

"He has broken the code by proposing, betrothing, wedding, and marrying a wife. What makes it any different if he joined the Dark Arts?" Mace asked.

"Hmm...since the time you brought him here to do his training, to start learning and indulging in the Jedi arts, to start emptying his head of burdens and woes, and replenishing, restoring, and refilling it with good happy thoughts, he has been a boy with uncertainties. He is a boy who...(begins coughing, burbling, gurgling, and choking a little) lacks in disciplinary skills and control. The Darkside is too much in him. I told you when he came here he was too old to teach, but you and Qui-Gon were so eager and took it upon yourself in a convenience and honor to train the boy." Yoda said mumbling, grumbling, and murmuring something under his breath.

"I've tried my best. I promised him I wouldn't fail him, or Qui-Gon." Obi-Wan responded.

"You have tried your best, but Qui-Gon never foreseen, or never took the time to look at this apprentice he was tutoring the things we saw at the beginning. The boy should've never came here to our Temple. The Dark side will soon be enslaving and erasing the good of the galaxy and replacing it with the wicked part. I suggest you follow Anakin and see where he is headed. Make sure no one, or anything gets in his way. He may still be the 'Chosen One', but in these gray times I fear he will only be the 'Chosen One' for the Sith!" Mace snorted.

"I shall do as the Council wishes..." Obi-Wan nodded and bowed before them regally and royally.

"Stop him you must. (Grunts) For if Anakin is turned you and Padme will be the first people he'll come after in an assassination attempt." Yoda said a bit of doom in his voice.

"I will not let you down! I'm on my way!" Obi-Wan shouted as he raced out of there to the hangar.

Meanwhile back inside the Senate...

The giant bowl that was the Galactic Senate was bustling with voices as the senators and representatives waited for the emergency session to begin. Although filled with thousands of beings of countless differing species, the senate was only two-thirds full. The seats were empty not because the senators hadn't been able to return in time for the emergency session, but because those systems had abandoned the Republic in favor of the Separatists.

The loss had been quite an embarrassment for Palpatine, so he had attempted to fill those empty seats by creating new delegate positions and by allowing VIPs to sit in on sessions, which had caused even more controversy and claims that Palpatine was only appointing those that were favorable to him. The most contentious of these new positions was the Delegate of Military Affairs because the seat was allowed not only a voice, but a vote as well. Such a thing was unheard of in the Republic. That, and the confrontational manner of the delegation's appointed speaker, made him rather unpopular in certain circles.

Mas Amedda got to his feet in the chancellor's platform located in the center of the senate and moved to stand at the podium. Talking within the senate quieted, then stopped completely as everyone waited for him to speak.

"Our first order of business must be to recognize the return of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine," Mas Amedda finally said.

Echoes of agreement rang out from the majority of the senators.

"As vice-chair of the senate," Mas continued, "I hereby call for the immediate reinstatement of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and the returning of all powers currently related to that office."

Numerous senators once again voiced their agreement, and applause broke out.

A lone pod floated into the center of the rotunda and came to stop just in front of the chancellor's podium.

"Senators, instead of reinstating Palpatine, I move that the senate choose a new Supreme Chancellor," Padmé Amidala said.

The overwhelming negative response that ensued was powerful, but there were also dispersed voices of consent.

"Chancellor Palpatine has served the Republic diligently," Padmé continued calmly, ignoring the shouts, "but his service has far exceeded the allotted term limit. Count Dooku is dead and the crisis of the Clone Wars is near its end. Therefore, I believe that for the good of the Republic it is time that a new leader be selected."

"Don't be a fool, Senator Amidala," the occupant of another approaching pod, a tall Dangu, said. "The Clone Wars are far from over with General Grievous still out there. The Republic still needs Palpatine. He must remain in office until this crisis is fully resolved!"

Cheers of agreement filled the giant room. Padmé stood in her pod in the middle of it all, not believing what she heard. "Senators," she called, but her voice was lost in the din. "Senators!!" she yelled, finally bringing pause to the shouts. "Have we lost sight of our democratic ideals so much that we no longer follow them? The office of the Supreme Chancellor has a limited term to safeguard against the dangers of life-long rulers. These rules are there to protect us—to protect our very freedoms!"

"Freedoms. We have no freedoms anymore..." snorted a senator from the planet Ord Mantell. A red-eyed Chiss nodded his head and spoke up also. "Senator Ryux is right. I mean who is better equipped as a leader to protect us from the armies of the Separatists?" The hawk-nosed, gaunt-faced Delegate of Military Affairs asked as his pod floated forward. "You, Senator Amidala?"

"I do not seek this position, Senator Thrawn. I like others am merely here to petitioned that Chancellor Palpatine get a job more suitable for him and his terms." Padme said. "All I want is to see the laws of our government upheld."

"Even if doing so meant the destruction of our government—our very way of life?"

What do you mean?" Padmé asked.

"Appointing a new chancellor now, while we are in the middle of such a fierce war, would certainly ensure the Separatists' victory. Why, the time needed for the senate to agree on a suitable replacement alone would be long enough for General Grievous and his droid armies to conquer our forces. Not to mention the time it would take for a new chancellor to gather enough support to be an effectual leader."

"I agree with Senator Amidala," Bail Organa said, his own pod floating into the fray. "Palpatine has served long enough. A new chancellor must be appointed."

"Ah... And now we hear from another of The Great Appeasers. So, tell me Senator Organa, what was the outcome of those unsanctioned peace talks you initiated with General Grievous? Are your emissaries well?"

Three months prior, Bail had sent members of his personal staff to Duro to open prisoner exchange and temporary ceasefire negotiations with General Grievous. There were several Separatist-occupied worlds in the Duro region where political prisoners and captured citizens were starving, and Bail wished for relief supplies to be shipped in unharmed. Grievous had welcomed Bail's aides under a banner of peace only to kill them and all of the political prisoners they had asked to be released. It had been a terrible political embarrassment for Bail, as well as a painful, personal loss. Bail retorted, "And how did your most recent campaign against the Separatists fair?"

Thrawn looked as if he might spit venom. The forces of a campaign he'd organized had been utterly and completely destroyed in an ambush of Grievous' just a few weeks ago. It had been a terrible blow to Thrawn's growing reputation as a great military strategist and the only one capable of standing up to Grievous' military brilliance.

"At least I have the courage to face our enemies head-on," Thrawn seethed. "If it were left to you, our forces would crumble under the banners of pacifism and peace. Grievous would've sent our Republic into a fiery inferno."

"At least we know which of us actually wants peace," Bail said with a casual air.

Infuriated, Thrawn was about to respond, but he was cut off.

"Enough!" Palpatine said from his spot on the central dais, and all eyes turned to him. "Commandant Thrawn is right; the situation in the galaxy is still too unstable to consider the appointment of a new Supreme Chancellor at this time. Besides, if Senator Tarkin was here, he too, would agree with Thrawn's idea, but unfortunately he is on a diplomatic mission with the Mustafarians."

"Chancellor, if I may be allowed to—"Padmé interjected.

"Furthermore!" Palpatine cut her off with a raised hand. Padmé quieted, and Palpatine's face became saddened, regretful as he said, "I fear recent events have left me with no choice but to use my Emergency Powers and take complete control of the Republic's military forces."

Padmé stared in disbelief, as did Bail, and a collective hush filled the room at this unexpected change. A small smile spread across Tarkin's face.

"The senate has become far too indecisive, too divided to handle these military matters. This attack on Coruscant—the very heart of the Republic!—has finalized my resolve on the issue. General Grievous and his forces must be dealt with swiftly if we hope to end this war."

Sporadic applause broke out.

"This is not a time for debate, but for victory. I promise you—I will not allow our forces to fail!"

Cheers and applause erupted all around the rotunda. Padmé and Bail stood unmoving, their shocked eyes on Palpatine as their pods drifted back and forth in front of his podium.

"And as my first order of business, I will increase the security forces here on Coruscant. I will place a soldier on every corner, a patrol on ever street."

Clapping broke out again.

"The defense of this great planet will never again be compromised by the forces of the Separatists!"

The cheers became deafening.

Padmé stood in her pod in the middle of it all, not believing what she was hearing.

Anger filled Padmé's face as she led the group of senators into the office of the Supreme Chancellor. Her jaw was tight and her eyes stared directly at Palpatine, who was standing behind his desk conversing quietly with his two aides, Mas Amedda and Sly Moore. Senators Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, Fang Zar, Giddean Danu, Bana Breemu, Nee Alavar, and a handful of others, followed behind Padmé, all equally as troubled.

"Chancellor—what is the meaning of this!?" Padmé demanded as they approached the small circle of chairs in front of Palpatine's desk. "You had no right—"

"Senator Amidala," Palpatine cut her off, a stern expression on his face. "I will not allow such unruly behavior in my office. Nor will I tolerate such disrespect. Is that clear?"

The two locked eyes for several seconds. Padmé was so upset she was tempted to go on another diatribe, but knew that it would get her nowhere. Still, it wasn't easy for her and she bit her cheek as she bowed ever so slightly. "Forgive me, Chancellor."

Palpatine regarded her for several seconds, as if he were weighing whether or not to accept the apology. Then, he moved to the chair at his desk and said, "Please, sit, and I will hear what you have to say."

There was only a limited number of chairs available. Padmé, Fang Zar, Mon Mothma and Bail sat while the other senators stood behind them. The late morning sunlight spilled in through the wide window behind Palpatine's desk. Thick spires of smoke could be seen all throughout the city—harsh reminders of the Separatists' attack. It lent an odd effect to the sunlight, misting its warmth in a snaking darkness.

With everyone settled, Bail leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and spoke as diplomatically as he could. "We are concerned with your decision to remain in office. Some of us feel it was not your place to close the matter the way you did. This is an issue that the senate must decide, not you."

"You over-stepped your authority, Palpatine," Senator Zar said in his raspy voice.

"I did no such thing," Palpatine countered. "I had the right to do so under the Emergency Powers Act."

"But given the fact that Count Dooku is dead and the Separatist Leadership is fractured those powers should no longer be applicable," Padmé said. "There is no reason for you to have them any longer. They need to be rescinded."

"That is an issue for the senate, as I'm sure you all know. And the senate has voiced its opinion that I should keep my Emergency Powers," Palpatine said.

"You could give them up yourself—as you said you would when they were first given to you," Senator Mon Mothma said in her regal tone.

Palpatine said nothing for some time as he seemed to think the matter over. The senators waited for his response, hope in their minds.

"No," Palpatine finally said, and the senators sagged with disappointment. "Not at this time. Not while The Wars are still being fought."

"Chancellor," Padmé said, anger creeping back into her tone, "there is no guarantee that there ever will be a good time. Who knows how much longer these wars will go on? For the good of the Republic you must give up your powers and step down."

"I cannot in good conscience abandon the Republic to utter desolation. My abilities as a leader are needed far too much at this critical time."

"Then at the very least reconsider taking control of military operations away from the senate," Bail said. "There needs to be some distribution of power."

"I will do what I think is in the best interest of the Republic," Palpatine stated.

"But Chancellor—" Mon Mothma began, but she was cut off as Palpatine suddenly got to his feet.

"Senators, debate on this issue is closed. I will not be giving up my Emergency Powers, nor will I be stepping down from office unless the senate votes otherwise. Now, if you'll excuse me, there are many pressing matters I must address."

The group of senators were stunned—so much so that for several seconds none of them moved. Never before had Palpatine cut them off in such a manner and ordered a meeting to a close. Finally, those that were seated got to their feet and they all walked out of the office—each of them eager to be away from there so that they could discuss these alarming events amongst themselves.

A few senators entered into the room congratulating Palpatine on his extreme actions and measures. They were senators who isolated, insulated, and detached themselves from Bail and the other notably known senators; senators Brax Gigga, Yikkit Mubber, and Palpatine's highest supporter Thrawn.

"Forget what those neigh Sayers say. You resigning and retiring from this post and this office would be a crime to the Republic." Thrawn said.

"Bail and Mon are just pieces of the fallen Valorum. Trying to fulfill his unfulfilled duties and trying to become like him." Yikkit the Falleen said exotically and strikingly moving towards Palpatine, her black hair bunched up in a pony tail flowing down from the back of her head, and her breasts provocatively and vexingly swaying back and forth like a pendulum with her every movement.

"Grugga seega vosla biff-junda-dalee-dali-suu'..." Brax the Noghri said. (Translation: "Yikkit's right. Don't listen to them. They will be out of commission before long.")

Palpatine's Red Guards stood their posts, but under their helmets they made a long smile at Yikkit's comment, almost wanting to applaud under their long ruby blood red robes, but they remained still. Palpatine gave a slight smile, but the three senators did not say anything justly or anything that he didn't already know. He knew Bail Organa had wanted him out of office for years, but Bail had a long history of using peace over action. While on the planet of Vixus III, Bail brought unity to the competing clans of the Vixuns and Vibians, both races who pledged and abstained war on each other. For their atonement of deficiencies and actions, Bail's harmonizing consonance and correspondence brought them together and they gave up their fighting and raised their blasters high into the air and apologized to each other. Bail was a threat and so was Fang.

Fang and Mon Mothma were great congregators of peace; they built food shelters for needy planets, rejuvenated the sick and weak, and brought things others would barely take a second glance to, or just spit at. Palpatine as much as he admired Padme, saw her as more of a drawer of support to their ideals than his, and that made him and his manipulation seem weak and inefficient, but he knew one day, one great day, Anakin would be the source to bring her into his power... Soon, she'd be his.

Meanwhile on Tatooine...

The suns had begun to set and the winds were picking up as many of the moisture farms and homesteads were suddenly swept up in a sandstorm. Sandstorms were normal on this desolate, barren planet. Too normal. Anakin was use to its warm climate, it's seclusion, and it's solitude. He promised himself never to return to this wasteland after the untimely death of his mother, but somehow, someway, it seemed like that didn't matter anymore. As soon as him and Amidala got married they settled down and got a hut near the borders, close to where Jabba the Hutt's cousins Zarballa and Snafu the Hutt kept their homes. Watto was long gone now. The Podracing games had dispelled and diffused. Tatooine had now become a gangster, low-life territory than before now that Jabba took over and rule everything. He had bounty hunters, space pirates, smugglers, and mercenaries everywhere, on every street, on every block, on every sector. Doing his bidding, doing his chores, and being his little errand boys. Tatooine had now become the "Lair of the Hutt."

Watto however long foresaw the days when his business would be overrun and put out of commission, along with him too. His swindling, defrauding, and deceptive side had gotten the best of him, but also pissed off Jabba so incredibly that Jabba had the winged creature have his wings broken and torn off and fed to his new pet, a Rancor, who hung out in the slums underneath his fabulous, luscious palace. Watto made a terrific meal for the slobbering, drooling, and always-hungry Rancor.

The Lars Homestead still stood where Anakin left saw it/last left it. Owen and his wife Beru had now become the owners of his father, the late Clieg Lars's estate. Clieg died after the travesty of losing his wife. After, he buried her that day he became lost inside, he gave up eating, he gave up sleeping, he gave up talking, all he did was stare off into the distance, and forget. Forget who he was, forget what he had to do, and forget that he even existed. Somehow he thought that he died inside, when he saw/knew his wife died, and the thought killed him, it literally killed him. Eventually, his body gave up, but his heart still found restitution and compensation in the fact he got to see his darling wife Shmi.

Anakin and Padme arose from their hut. Anakin swished his hair back to the side and felt the briskness, the sandiness, dustiness, the hotness, heatedness, and sunniest of the sun and sand come across his face, making his skin and pores feel the immense heat that Tatooine had to offer. The storm was coming towards their hut, Anakin had already been out when he and Padme arrived at their home, and been skimming, viewing, overlooking, and scanning the area for any certain danger, or detections not detected, or seen. Padme takes a glance at him and his handsomeness, ruggedness, and muscularity and gives a brief smile, but she is still bothered by the Senate's decision and Palpatine being the overbearing, dictating prick he had become and not the good man he had begotten.

The sun was scorching and blazing hot on their skin, burning everything in it's path, if you stayed outside for a mere two minutes you'd probably be tanned and browned before you could say "Your mother is a Bantha-ass-kisser..." Anakin turns his head and sees the sand come sweeping down the canyons and the ridged, gaping, gapping hilltop mesas, but is suddenly stopped by the beautifulness, radiance, prettiness, and gorgeousness of Padme's slender body, not to mention her attractiveness, sweetness, goodness, kindheartedness, sensitiveness, niceness, and ladylikeness. Her slenderness and skinniness was so sexy and so alluring. She had grown even more and more amazingly, surprisingly, and shockingly beautiful each day. It was as though instead of aging or changing into an older woman, she was transforming, or regressing to a younger version, a youthful, spirited young version with sexiness, cuteness, hotness, and seductiveness to lust for, or cringe, or drool for.

Padme was now someone who didn't believe she could change the political system because it had already changed over the past few years. It was as though all the arguments, all the disagreements, all the conflicts, all the squabbling, all the complaining, all the name-calling, all the gossiping, all the blackmailing, and all the masterminding going on in was not for her because the Senate and the Republic had now met its course. It was now an infected, morbid disease horribly and terribly shifting in power and ailing in control. Her once trusted friend Palpatine had now made her more and more skeptic about his true intentions, his true ideals, and now giving all Emergency Powers to himself, was like awarding a soldier who did nothing in battle, but just sat in a trench scared out of his wits and now he would soon become Emperor Palpatine. Two words that filled her with dread. She shunned and shook off the thought and laid her head on his shoulder as she wore a blue skintight bodysuit and a white cloth cape, embroidered and jeweled with red, purple, pink, green, orange, and turquoise jewels, diamonds, and sapphires.

"It's beautiful when it wants to be out here. I suppose we should get inside." Padme said nestling and rubbing her head gently on his shoulder.

"Imagine going through this 10 years and then leaving it for another 10 years? Too bad my mother cannot see this...she always loved waking up to a morning sunlight. Seeing it somehow "wake up the people and the inhabitants" of this planet as she would say. My thoughts keep dwelling upon her. The visions, or dreams are getting worse they are now becoming appalling and sickening to watch. I tried my best to save her, I tried my best to be what the Council wanted, I tried to be a good husband, a good man, everything, but I feel like I've failed everyone, but the one person that hurts the most that I've failed is Obi-Wan..." Anakin said his eyes distinctly looking at the oncoming storm; hatred, yet sadness in his eyes.

"I'm sure he is ok with it. He loves you like a son dear. His love for you will never change. He only wants the best for you like a good father, or mentor would. The same goes for Mace and Master Yoda. They're just looking out for you. Making sure you go down the right path, but also choose wisely where you want to lead yourself on it." Padme looked at him, but he did not want to look back at her.

"Every night I see the Raiders behind her whipping her back, stroking, slapping, and smacking the whip upon her back. She bleeds, but holds her ground, holds her own, and waits for more. She hears them ridiculing her, embarrassing her, and humiliating her. I see her again tensing up, fidgeting, shivering, quivering, and trembling in fear as the whip comes down upon her backside once again. She begins crying out to me, wailing, hollering, whimpering, yelling, shouting, and proclaiming louder and louder for me to rescue her, but I can't. Soon, I see myself making it to the entrance, she is nearly almost dead, but still breathing, still showing life inside her. I enter through the entrance, lightsaber in hand. I kill off the guards and make my way towards her, she sees me, I see her, but I notice the place I am standing is an arena. She is on a stake I run to rescue her, but a rancor comes out and grabs me. Soon, I see myself in its jaws; the jaws begin devouring me, concealing, trapping, and penning, or caging me in its mouth. I see the tongue licking, lashing, and slurping me up and down, tonguing my body, then it begins swallowing and digesting me down. Eating me and picking my bones with its teeth. The Tuskens laugh at this sight and begin the sacrifice...my mother. I see her in my dream cursing me, blaming and accusing me for not rescuing her, or saving her. Then, it picks her up and pulls off her head and then, and then, and then..." He continues on about his dream. Padme could not help but hug him and hold him close, reassuring him and comforting him, making sure he'd be fine, but he breaks down in front of her. He cries in her arms hugging her and holding her close, kissing her on the cheek by pecking her with his lips, but yet he still begins moping and frowning.

"You may have lost your mother due to an unexplained tragedy, but you still have me. You still have me in your life. You still have Obi-Wan, Yoda, Jar- Jar, Mace, your brother and sister-in-law. You still have all these things and more. You are blessed hon, you are lucky." She assured him, but it unfortunately didn't work. He brushed her off and looked at her with a cold stare that made her want to retreat, or cry before him, but she held her ground and kept her chin up. "Funny though...I don't feel lucky. I feel blessed, but yet also punished, I feel happy, but also pain-stricken, I feel joyful, but yet tormented. Basically, my feelings tend to go in patterns, or moods. I no longer know what I am supposed to feel, or how my reactions are suppose to be. I just can't think anymore. It's so complicating and confusing..."

"A lot has happen in these past 3 years, but now we are still married, destined to have a family, and to live a life of solitude."Padme consoled him.

Anakin looked at her. He loved her so much, but he did not want to fight with her, but he was so messed up inside, so filled with butterflies, and mixed emotions. "You're always trying to look for the positive of things not the negative. You're always trying to misplace, or replace the two with something anew. Why? Why can't you accept the negative of life and see that life is an unfair game of winners and losers? Why can't you see that by the end of these wars inside the Senate and outside the Senate that things will be at an uncontrolled balance unless Palpatine is handed over the position of Emperor? Without him, without me this galaxy will be overrun with more Grievouses and more Dookus.You or I have no place to go, or no place to hide. All we must do is turn to Palpatine. He is a good man, a man who knows the galaxy by the front and back of his hand. He holds the answers in his hand. He's a much better politician than Valorum was and a much better one than your friend Bail Organa is too!"

Padme wanted to interject, but he cut her off and went into their hut, ripping the burlap sack off their door and throwing it into the wind to get sucked up and sent away.

She looked for an instant and saw the sand coming down and immediately followed behind him inside their hut as the magnetic door sealed behind her.

Meanwhile on Mustafar...

A gigantic Separatist cruiser began to arise from the docking bay like a puppeteer's marionette on strings. The cruiser was in the shape of a shark, with a haul that was wide and toothy, and it had a fin and tail to add to the look. Grievous looked at his grand ship and stood by his Master, Darth Sidious, admiring the detail and design. "Simply breathtaking isn't she? Absolutely exquisite." Grievous said a bit of charm in hisgravely cold, deepened voice.

"Young Skywalker will be no match against you alone in heavy one-on-one combat. He'll give himself up and be forced to join the true side and see his true potential and his true colors..." Sidious snarled as he legions upon legions of battle droids entering Grievous's ship, along with Nute Gunray and Rune Haako boarding their own ship with members of the Intergalactic Banking Clan and the Techno Union.

"No foul ups this time." Nute said boarding onto their ship.

Poggle the Lesser joined the two Neimodonians on board and pushed the two aside. He and Tarkin despised Nute ever since his trade Federation franchise went nowhere. He hated having to resort to their primitive star fleet, their easily breakable droids, and their inability to perform.

"Putrid slime," Grievous said as he heard Nute's words. "If I had the chance I'd step on him like an insect, or a mosquito and make sure he'd never get up to see another day..."

"Tarkin is a more qualified commander and experienced in sky-combat. Before long, Nute will receive what's coming to him. Along, with the rest of the Techno Union and our other big supporters. Before long, they will all being nothing, but figments of the past..." Sidious gnashed his teeth and sent Grievous on board.

Grievous got onboard, but hated the thought of this Skywalker plan. Skywalker was just some runny nose, punk, little snot who had made a name for himself. The supposed "Chosen One" everyone claimed to be he was. Grievous however saw much potential in him during their last battle, but he also saw inside of him that he did not have the same grievousness, fatalness, and deadliness he shared, but probably because it was hidden to him and it only took time to see.

Onboard the ship...

Grievous sat in his chair while Tarkin sat beside him on his right. Having Tarkin by him made him feel good, but Nute was plainly a monkey on his back. A damn thorn pinching, nipping, and stinting his style. The Neimodonian was moronically and idiotically ignominious. His inferior ways would change the course of this mission, but Grievous knew that they were headed to Kashykk, home world of the Wookies, while Tarkin and Grievous headed for Naboo to find young Skywalker.

"I'm keeping watch on you so that you won't have any more screw ups. We've spared no expense on this mission. "Nute said over the com link of Wat Tambor's armada ship The Bee Stinger. Grievous quickly shut him off fast. "Enough of his filthy mouth. The being belongs in a zoo along with his other Neimodonian monkey friends." Tarkin said. Grievous chuckled and they took off.

As Grievous flew off he remembered his discussion with Sidious prior to all of this when he first came aboard this whole "significant plan."

"The boy will not join you. He'll fight his way out, he'll battle and use extensive and aggressive force just to stay alive and not let you take him as a prisoner. Either that, or he'll send Obi-Wan, or one of those blundering, blooming idiots after you."

"They do know of my existence, but little they know of me in generally. For if they knew the truth it would be more than they could handle...I want you and Dooku to find the boy and bring him to me as soon as possible. The war is growing more and more rapidly each day I say we end it now, bring in this new servant, or soldier of the Empire and crush the Republic before they stand a chance against our flanks, against our army."

He also remembered having his helmet-like mask off, revealing his true face. His true face was worse than Darth Maul's. His face was tinted with a brownish, orangish, creamy color, covered with brown and black freckles and spots, yellow raptor like eyes, and teeth yellowish, brownish, golden color, jagged and pointed.

Meanwhile back in Coruscant...

"Janill doggo fallah me juba delawanga Calrissian yorpi yorpi!" Inside a hall located in the capital and heart of Coruscant Mon Mothma, Jar Jar Binks, Fang, Bana, Nee, and Bail Organa, along with senators Alexis De' Vega, Olden Sweet, Ban Jo, and Gui Tar.

Olden addressed the group saying that he thought seeking help on Alderran would be the best solution with the problem, he knew of a man like Organa, named Lando Calrissian Sr. who if Palpatine had enacted his power farther and furthermore than anticipated that Lando would have the fleets to defend him off if he went mad. "Snall gayala poojoo moo manna be booka." He continued on saying that they must go and seek him out.

Jar Jar nodded his head. "Mesa think Olden is right. Mesa believen he is the man for the job. Wesa should seek him out as Olden said, if not, than wesa are in bombad doom."

"But how will get off the city streets, or perimeter Palpatine has gotten so incredibly mad that he has blocked off everything and secured every sector. Everything is on lock down surveillance." Ban Jo the two-headed brother of Gui said.

"Musha, mushka, rio randa, bazzpa noola nabba." Gui his two-headed brother in agreement.

"We'll find a way. Palpatine can't keep us under his watch forever. I already informed Ric Olie' of our plan. If we can round up a few Jedi to help us we'll be on easy street. Unfortunately, Obi-Wan has gone to Tatooine and some of the Jedi are headed to Kashykk, but Master Yoda could be persuaded in helping us, or some of his younglings." Bail said, but suddenly was cut off, but an appearance by Captain Typho who had hidden himself by the door.

"I can give you as much security as possible to gain access off of this planet. My people have a ship ready if you need it. It's called the Tantive IV."