Author's Notes: This is one of those linking chapters, so don't expect too much from it… I've just got to get the Part 24 sorted, then, after that, I'll have a good three chapters to post at once. ^_^ They're all fairly chaotic, but I think you guys'll like them – I mean, if you're still here as it is, then nothing should stop you now!
Thanks for your ever-continuing support - you guys rock!
Strider's Girl: *bows* I am most honoured. u_u My thanks.
SilverWolf47: Be greedy - I need more people to tug on my sleeves and whine at me for constant updates - it helps to get me going! I do hope you enjoy the following instalments, and do keep nagging. I'll get there in the end!
Dark Poetic: You're one of my longest-standing readers, methinks! Thank you for continuing to read me twisted fic!
Ms8309: ó_0 ?
Kathy: The pleasure's all mine – just thank you for reading-&-reviewing!
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"ECLIPSE"
Part 23
"The kid was right - ventilation shafts have been sabotaged in all the expected places across the city. It would seem that this renegade Jedi got in through the mines, and then accessed the shafts around there with aid of a lightsabre."
The mayor of the Sullustan capital nodded slowly, rubbing his head in thought whilst the security guard reported to him; "Yes… but how did he get into the mines in the first place?" he queried, "We know that the two craft the Jedi ambassadors arrived in can definitely only carry one person each…"
"Certainly, sir," the guard agreed, "But we can't ignore the fact that there have been disputes as of late regarding the ease with which pirates seem to be able to sneak into our mines - they manage to skilfully hide their ships beneath our freighters whilst they enter the planet. This Jedi 'Skywalker' is an expert pilot - it would be easy for him to steal in unnoticed in a similar manner… And with their having been reports of a stray third Jedi craft in our orbit at the ideal time, as it is, I think we can safely put two-and-two together."
Again, the mayor nodded; "We will contact the Republic."
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Palpatine put a hand to his mouth as he heard the news, "Murdered? How? By whom?"
Kit Fisto, charged with making the report to the Chancellor, shook his head slowly, "They say by one of our own, by a Jedi Knight."
The Chancellor made a nervous laugh, finding it all very incredulous, "A Jedi? But that's impossible. Only Master Kenobi and Master Windu are present on that planet, and they certainly wouldn't kill in cold blood." He paced across his office, hand over his mouth; "In fact, I doubt they'd kill at all," he added as his hands shifted to his hips.
"But San Hill is dead, no doubt, and killed by a lightsabre" Fisto reminded the Chancellor, "It puts all of my kin in a bad light… we must find the culprit and get this case closed. Rumours are circulating already of the finalising of several more planet's decisions to defect to the secessionist movement, this crime acting as nothing but the catalyst."
If he didn't respect his position so much, the Chancellor would have sworn; "So who has done it?" he demanded to know, "Who is responsible for this?"
"They claim there to have been one witness, a young boy in the Separatist camp present there," Kit replied, "He saw the Jedi they believe committed the deed."
"And…?"
"They say it was Anakin Skywalker."
Palpatine's gaze faded slowly in horror, "Anakin? Young Anakin? But that's surely not possible…"
"We cannot find him here on Coruscant," Fisto continued regretfully, "And we are missing a starfighter. This boy-witness has also apparently said that the Jedi he saw sported a metal limb. It all falls into place too easily."
"No…" Palpatine sighed, dropping into his chair and staring out to the traffic crawling across the horizon beyond.
"We must get this issue sorted and get it sorted cleanly," Fisto heartily recommended, "Our Order and the Republic that we serve cannot afford this kind of degradation. People are losing faith ever the more quickly…"
"Kenobi and Windu," the Chancellor abruptly queried, seeming to suddenly recall their position in this affair, "Are they safe?"
"They'll be fine providing justice is done," Kit said, "If we don't bring Anakin to justice - and that is assuming that this is his crime - then people will be able to use this incident to clarify all the rumours of corruption in the Republic. We will lose the moral war, and then the military one will swiftly follow…"
"I know…" Palpatine growled bitterly, "I know… But don't you see how all this just gives a fine reason for another unwelcome Separatist campaign?"
There was a brief pause whilst the two thought.
"What shall we do, your Excellency?" Fisto eventually asked, "We need to get Obi-Wan and Mace out of there before we can get everything else sorted. Or so I would advise."
"I agree with you," the Chancellor concurred, "They deserve not to be in the middle of this… They wouldn't have been there at all if Antilles hadn't attempted to get some vain final 'negotiations' on the cards…"
Kit made no comment, deciding not to get himself involved with Palpatine's personal matters or squabbles.
"I will make contact with the Sullustans and we will hopefully get those two Jedi out of there, as soon as possible," the Chancellor affirmed, "Then we must find Anakin and settle this terrible matter…" He paused, sighing; "This has all come at such a bad time.."
Fisto again remained quiet, just nodding his assent.
Suddenly, Palpatine's brow furrowed, "But why would Anakin want to be on Sullust in the first place?"
Kit vacillated, "There is rumour, your excellency…"
The Chancellor's eyebrows rose, "Of what?"
Fisto swallowed slowly, "Of the Padawan being infatuated, hell-bent on finding Senator Padmé Amidala, who, we all know, has turned to the Separatist cause…"
Palpatine gaped slightly, "Infatuated enough to kill in order to find her?"
Fisto nodded, "Yes, your excellency… the boy has quite a temper."
The Chancellor shook his head, "My word…" he sighed, "I wager that he would realise that his master, Obi-Wan, had business on Sullust with the Confederacy and would want to follow… He would probably believe that, if his master was to see the Separatists, then Senator Amidala would be there, too, and that would be his chance to 'rescue' her."
"Exactly, your excellency," Fisto quietly agreed.
The Chancellor sighed again, "Find him. I will do my best to deal with everything else…"
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Dirt flew up from beneath the gualaras' hooves as they sped across the green hillocks of the Nubian landscape. Padmé rode ahead of Dooku, half-suspecting that he'd come with her to just keep an eye on her more than anything...
Padmé couldn't wait to reach her family and just be out of Dooku's sight for a while - he was a major irritant, and she simply couldn't shake the terrible gut-feeling that she constantly had around him, a sure inkling that he was more than what he often seemed… And that 'more' was a dark one.
A herd of shaaks cleared out of their way as they traversed a small stream, and then the rooftops of the far Theed suburbs began to rise up in the distance.
Padmé slowed her gualara, pulling back on its reigns; the best snorted, though obeyed her command, and reduced its pace. Serenn followed suit, slowing his charger and keeping pace with Padmé.
"This is it," she said, nodding ahead to an estate of quaint little houses, with cobbled streets and ornamental archways running between them.
Serenn got the hint; "Fine. Off you go. I will see you later."
She watched him for a second, "Do I have to be 'home before dark'?" she jested sourly.
He harshly laughed, "Of course," he said as his gualara fidgeted restlessly beneath him, whilst Padmé's, in contrast, behaved much more civilly.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
His mount brayed, tossing its head; "Where I'm bade," he replied.
She frowned, "What does that mean?"
"Enough to me - it doesn't have to mean anything to you."
She turned her beast in the right direction, "Until later, then…" she said, taking her leave across the fields and back into the city.
Serenn sat back on his equine and watched her disappear. He then wrenched the reigns of his mount about, dug his heels into its pelt, and sped off back the way he had come.
"So she is finally out of the way?" the hologram of the Sith Master asked, whilst Dooku paced about it, back in his provisional lodgings in the Palace.
"Yes… I ensured that she was far from me," Tyranus replied, eyes fixed on the shimmering image of Darth Sidious, "She's with her family, so she won't be back for some time, whilst I, Count Dooku, am 'having some time to myself'."
"Or so she thinks…" Sidious chuckled, before his demeanour changed and he enquired, "You are completely alone?"
"Yes," Dooku nodded, "I've searched this chamber from top to bottom, and have found no 'bugs' or small devices… as if the Naboo would have the guts to employ such espionage, anyway..."
Sidious laughed again, "No.. they are a conscience-ruled people."
Tyranus' hands hung from his belt as he nodded his acquiescence, his face an epitome of self-assurance.
"Well, friend," Sidious pushed on with matters, "Have you heard the news?"
Dooku blinked, "News…?"
"I guess not," the Sith Master mused.
"Well, I'm hardly likely to hear anything after leaving the Queen and her advisors in such an awkward position - I doubt listening to intergalactic news will much be on their minds, nor do I have the time to allow it to be on mine…"
"Well you certainly should consider keeping up with affairs…"
Serenn rose his eyebrows, but Sidious did not continue; "And why is that?" Dooku finally asked.
Sidious' robes shifted as he folded his arms beneath their folds, "San Hill," he stated.
The Count sighed, "What's he done now?"
"Very little," Darth rejoined, "He's dead."
Serenn's eyes faded in complete shock, " 'Dead?' " he laughed in a gesture of utter disbelief.
"It would seem," Sidious cogitated, "That Anakin has gone completely off track."
Dooku nodded dourly, pacing across the room, one hand to his chin, the other behind his back; "I would have guessed that he was involved somewhere along the line…"
"This is just as we planned, my apprentice."
"Planned?" Dooku scoffed, eyes darting in the direction of Sidious' hologram, "We didn't 'plan' the death - no, the murder - of San Hill!"
"No, but it could work to our advantage."
Serenn mulled it all over in his mind, staring; "Go on…" he insisted.
"The Jedi are weakened by this - a crime by one in their own ranks is the last thing they needed…"
"Indeed," Dooku concurred.
"And Anakin is only further removing himself from the Order by such behaviour…"
The Count nodded once more.
"And now," Sidious went on, "He will be coming for you."
"He knows I'm here?"
"I should think so… San Hill would have no doubt blathered about all he possibly could at the end."
"It would only be natural of such a spineless creature," Dooku agreed, sitting down on the edge of his bed, the cogs and gears of his mind trying to think how best to manipulate and work through this matter.
"Even so," Sidious muttered darkly, "Though Anakin has now gone off track, I must remind you not to…"
Dooku locked gazes with his master, and the robed figure just nodded once more, "Remember your place, my friend, and remember our aims."
"I'll remember, master," he murmured.
"Prepare yourself for the boy's arrival - keep him at bay, but use all the weapons you have in your 'arsenal' against him…"
"You mean for me still to taunt him?"
"If you feel it necessary."
"Just not to harm him?"
"No… do not injure him, or at least not badly."
"As you wish, my master."
"Good man," the Sith Master affirmed, before his image then fizzled and faded away.
Dooku paced over to the small holo-proj ' device that he'd placed in the room centre, before he picked it up and folded it away, storing it within his robes; "As you wish…" he repeated involuntarily.
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Darth Sidious sat back in silence; considering that there hadn't been a plan to frame the Jedi at all, and that the death of San Hill had occurred of its own accord, things were going even better than he had hoped. In fact, the Separatists were now guaranteed to get many more sympathy votes, and more planets would turn over to them, making the Republic's stability only the more fragile. It seemed that the Jedi were digging a fine hole for themselves - courtesy of Skywalker - before he and his apprentice, Tyranus, had even reached for a shovel! And, if Anakin did what the Sith Master expected, and went on to challenge Dooku once more himself, the Jedi would have a mighty fight on their hands, and this one would be for their survival, for the Keepers of the Peace were becoming the very cause of its destruction…
There was but one more piece of the plan that had to click into place before all would run smoothly, and that rested on the shoulders of both the Senator and the Separatist…
Sidious smiled to himself, fingers steepled, each pair tapping together in tandem; he would see to it that everything happened according to his design.
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Padmé tied her gualara up outside the front door to her parent's home, giving its flank a pat, before she ascended the stone steps to the door and knocked. She then took a firm grip on the handle, and walked in…
The hallway was quiet, but she could hear the cries of children playing from the garden, through the back of the abode. She stepped on through the house, looking from room-to-room as she went, in case she saw anyone still within. She then reached the kitchen and saw, out the window, her entire family - mother, father, sister and two nieces - sat out in the sunlight in the garden. Ryoo and Pooja were rushing about, playing tag with one-another, whilst the three adults smiled at their carefree play cheerfully.
Padmé too smiled - how she'd missed them all.
Plucking up the courage, she walked straight through the kitchen and out into the garden, where she halted on the patio.
It was the attentive Pooja who spotted her first; "Aunty Padmé!" she suddenly shrilled, rushing across the lawn as fast as her little legs would carry her.
The attention of the entire family was then diverted onto her, and, as one, they rose to their feet and rushed over to see her.
TBC…