The Book of Splitting Up
"Across the walkway," Obi-Wan commanded, pushing the two senators onto the narrow bridge that spanned from the base of the Senate Complex to another unidentified structure.
Reluctantly Bail Organa and Padmé Amidala obeyed, racing between the two Jedi. They were about halfway across when the apprentice shrieked and stumbled, nearly toppling over the edge if it were not for Obi-Wan and Senator Organa's quick hands.
The older Jedi's heart fluttered in panic at the thought of losing Bali. His grip was powerful, refusing to lighten as he pulled the weeping youth closer. Brushing fingers through sweat dampened spikes he spoke softly to Bali. "Tighten your shields. You have to trust your training and instincts now."
"But—"
"You must do this, Padawan. There is too much pain in the Force to filter it out right now."
Obeying, the hurt in Bali's tear streaked face eased slightly as the strangled training bond was completely closed off. "Why—why are they doing this?" the youth asked, wrapping his fingers around the folds of Obi-Wan's cloak.
Again Halla Keizian's maddened words came back to the Jedi.
My master will see to it…all Jedi will die and the Sith will control the galaxy.
"Because Emperor Palpatine is in a power grab," Bail Organa growled as he helped Bali to his feet.
"Emperor?" Obi-Wan repeated hoarsely.
The walkway shook with the devastation above.
"That is what those Republican soldiers called him. He had no intentions of giving up the power, he was cementing a dictatorship," the dark haired senator added, the anger clear in his voice. "Had we acted—"
"We couldn't have known this was the result," Padmé interjected.
"This is no one's fault," Obi-Wan said evenly as he studied the two politicians. They could not have known. The Jedi did not know. His gaze fell to his padawan's stricken face and he knew what had to be done. Taking Bali by his shoulders, he shook the apprentice until bright green eyes focused on him. "Listen to me." He prayed his words were even and strong. "Take the senators, find safe transport and go to Dex, got it?"
"Master—"
Tightening his grip on Bali's shivering shoulders, he shifted so his pale blues were entirely focused on the youth. "If you never do anything I say again, do this."
Bali's grip tightened on his master's tunic. "No, please. No, Master."
"Go to Dex."
"No," Bali sobbed still tightening his grip. "Please, Master, no."
"I have to try." The older Jedi reluctantly pulled his gaze from Bali fearing it would be the last time he saw the youth and wishing for more time. Looking at the two senators, he said. "You must get to Dex, he will help you."
Bali argued, "But the Jedi—"
"Have their own problems right now." Brushing callused fingers over the youth's tear stained cheeks, he continued, "Nothing has changed, your duty is still to protect Senator Amidala."
"Master."
"Go." Obi-Wan let go of Bali and nodded to the two senators. "Coruscant's not a safe place. Dexter Jettster will help you find a way back to your respective home worlds."
"Master Jedi," Padmé began to argue but was silenced by another quake of the walkway.
"You can do nothing to fight this if you are dead," Obi-Wan said evenly. Turning back to his apprentice, he said softly, "Take care of them. Stay close to Amidala." After a pause and placing a comforting hand on the youth's shoulder, he whispered, "Be good. Be safe."
With that, he turned and raced back toward the besieged Senate Complex.
The Book of Manipulations
"I would offer to hand over the reins of the Republican Army right now, but I fear you have more pressing concerns," Palpatine's voice cut through the fog that seemed to be silently suffocating Anakin.
The younger man managed to drag his attention from the destruction unfolding before him. The window view had grown dim as the light filtered through the smoke and dust rising in the distance. "Sir?" He shook his head trying to free himself of the pall that seemed to cling to his very being.
Relaxing his shields slightly once more, he reached out to brush the pain and terror raging through the Force. Yet, he sensed that there was something blocking him. Something—
"Come see, General Skywalker," Palpatine said with a hint of urgency in his voice as he grasped Anakin's arm and drew him away from the window.
Dully, Anakin watched the politician activate a panel on his desk triggering the large holoimaging unit a couple of meters away. Ignoring the older man, he tried to focus his attention on that strange sense he had felt moments earlier.
"A few of the outlaw Jedi have taken your wife prisoner. I am sure they will try to use her as a bargaining chip before they mercilessly kill her."
Anakin's dazed thoughts snapped to the three-dimensional image that flickered to life before him. Padmé pulling away, only to be grabbed by Bali and pushed forward by Obi-Wan as she is pulled out of the camera range. The image looped allowing Anakin to focus on his wife's face, the terror filling it as she was repeatedly pulled from the scene.
"Even with her Jedi captor hiding in the senate pod forcing her to denounce me, the Jedi failed. Now I am afraid they feel she will find some other way to serve their needs," Palpatine said as he shook his head sadly. "I would want you commanding the armies but your wife—"
Reaching out for that warm sense that was Padmé, Anakin bolted from the office.
The Book of Strong Will
Yoda stood calmly in the center of what would normally be a busy atrium. All around him smoke billowed up from the crumbling walls and collapsing ceilings.
The little master closed his eyes, remaining the perfect image calm as a rumbling filled the air and the shockwave of the continuing assault on the temple destroyed more levels.
In its death throes the temple groaned and drowned out the cries and hastily barked orders. Yoda appeared oblivious to it all as the Force swirled around him, bending at his silent command. Buckling walls held and the trembling ceiling remained firm as desperate figures raced toward the safety of the lower levels.
Through one of these Force protected areas the tall, thin Master Na'tho hastily guided a group of younglings through the crumbling corridor. "Come, little ones, we must hurry," he urged them on pausing only long enough to glance at the ancient master. The elder master reached out and wrapped the terrified group in protective arms and hurried them along toward a more stable section where they were guided to a spiralling staircase. Other escaping Jedi grabbed up straggling younglings and raced them down the curving steps to safety.
The Book of the Tiny
Every section had fallen into an unnatural silence save for the sound of patrolling soldiers marching through the corridors. All who had survived the arrests were held in smaller chambers about the grand Senate Complex. The fallen had been removed returning the structure to a sense of normalcy even amidst total upheaval.
From a narrow maintenance corridor, a soft whistle was heard. After a few moments, the timid cry was repeated. Deep in the narrow hall, at a sharp turn sat the abandoned mech reader. Its interface screen still functioning, repeating the last image recorded.
Bali Tiro's horror stricken face as he retreated from the station and grabbed Senator Amidala's wrist before racing away from the station.
Abandoning Warbler.
A searching chip left the tiny droid with its gold and black antenna drooping miserably. The small shaped was still plugged into the mech reader station waiting for its boy to return.
After a few more wondering calls, the PodBot's two-colored antenna perked up and swiveled about. Determined to seek out its missing boy, Warbler pulled at the interface it was so rudely plugged into.
The reader screen exploded into static and the image of Bali running away vanished as an irritated series of chirps and blips ripped from Warbler, as it broke free of the station. Zipping about the corridor the tiny droid let loose a string of unhappy squeals directed at the maintenance station before flying off in search of its lost boy.
The Book of Racing Toward Destiny
Praying that Bali would obey this one time, Obi-Wan raced back across the walkway, but instead of going into the Senate Complex, he took a series of damaged bridges and paths that lead him to the surface just beyond the surrounded senate.
Pale sunlight cast over the Jedi as he was momentarily blinded. When his vision returned to him, the first image that came was that of the smoke and dust rising from where Jedi Temple stood, if it still stood. Visually the upper levels were gone and he remained frozen as a low rumble moved over the planet surface.
Occasionally through the thick haze, the stunned Jedi caught sight of gun ships still firing into the broiling mass as if determined to leave nothing but a crater where the ancient temple had once stood.
The weary Jedi's heart ached at the image before him. Obi-Wan could not pull himself away from the destruction before him. His shields still held, but the tears continued unabated.
At the sound of an approaching speeder bike, Obi-Wan returned to the task set before him. Everything within him believed that the Chancellor, né Emperor, was the Sith master Halla had spoken of. Only a creature of such darkness and cruelty could bring such wanton destruction.
Opening himself slightly to the Force a tidal wave of pain laced through the energy field, slamming into the Jedi. Biting back the instinctive cry, he tried to focus on anything but the pain washing over him. He reached out for his padawan, but just as he had ordered, Bali was holding his shields tight. He could feel the padawan's Force signature growing more distanced with ever beat and knew the young man was heading for safety.
With a renewed sense of hope, Obi-Wan drew his attention to the sleek gunmetal gray vehicle with the white armored Republican soldier astride it. Ducking behind a protective wall, the ginger haired Jedi closed his eyes and took one last moment to prepare before further opening himself to the Force. Reaching out, he mentally sent a small pulse of energy to interrupt the power flow causing the bike to sputter to a stop.
His strength was precious and he could not spend it fighting soldiers all the way to the Senate Complex. With a pause, he drew the Force close bolstering his waning strength.
When the soldier got off to examine the troublesome bike, Obi-Wan leapt from his hiding place. The armored form got off two shots that were easily deflected by the flash of a blue lightsaber striking the soldier down. Taking the speeder in hand, Obi-Wan geared it up and sped away from the Senate Complex, until he found a slow but functioning traffic line and flew along it until the ribbon of vehicles arched away from the senate.
Using the momentum of the climb, he guided the bike about, ducking it behind several surrounding political office buildings until he was lined up with the Entrance of Law. The massive doors remained open as troops marched into the formerly free house of the Republic.
Suffering the pain of the dying temple, he pushed back the tears that threatened to blur his vision. Racing the bike at speeds near its limit, Obi-Wan guided it toward the maw of the entrance. Blaster fire cut through the air as his presence was quickly discovered. The orange bolts closed in on him as he slowed slightly to better control the racing bike.
Then pressing the vehicle forward, he directed it into a bolt flying up through the air. The ensuing explosion sheltered his escape as a little push from the Force gave him that extra distance to land at the top of the Entrance of Law's arching entrance.
Stifling a pained oomph, he struggled to his feet and raced over the sloping surface of the senate building's roof as cold winds violently cut through his cloak and tunic as the acrid smell of the surrounding devastation poisoned his senses.
The Book of Needing Help
The dust choked corridor provided little refuge as the attack outside cut deeper into the Jedi Temple. The walls quaked and groaned all around those huddling in the protected area.
Bant Eerin wiped dust from her salmon skin, her large silver eyes tearing from the pain lacing through the Force as she spun around and studied the soft glow of lightsabers and emergency lanterns that filled the small area. Kneeling down next to the figure wrapped on the floor, she grabbed the dull green hand that lay across the prone figure's chest. "It will be all right," she said softly, hoping her voice was strong as she tended to the injured knight.
It really was not all right, but she had to say it, not only for the dying Rodian but also for herself as a thunderous rumble rolled through the trembling structure.
Never in her life had she been afraid of the Temple, a few times in the Temple but never of. But now terror laced through her knowing the crumbling walls would not hold against the continued attack.
And it was an attack. The alert had come over the comms to head inward and lower. Only a moment later, a warning burst through the Force and they were mobilizing under the guidance of the council member, Eeth Koth. They had nearly cleared the healing center when the attack began.
Master Koth waded through the dusty air and whipped his heavy cloak off wrapping it around the shoulders of an injured padawan. The girl gratefully took the cloak as she was helped to her feet. "We must go deeper," he announced, his voice carrying above the constant rumble. "The Bendu Temple is in a fortified area, we must head that way."
"We will be trapped!" an older knight barked from the gloom.
"They are killing anyone who leaves. They are killing us if we stay. The Bendu is our only hope."
As she listened, Bant shuffled some of the injured and the help toward a more open area of the temple. She trudged over the debris to the fallen Rodian knight. "We cannot stay." She reached out to help him to his feet.
The injured Jedi pushed her hands away. "Leave me," he whispered. "Save those that can be." Eyelids drooped over large black eyes.
"No," Bant said, trying to shake the Rodian awake. Emotions swirled in the young healer as she fought for control. Any other time, the injury could have been healed but not now. The healing center was gone.
"Go." With the last bit of his strength, the knight Force pushed Bant away.
She started to reach for him, but even shielded against the pain in the Force, she knew the Jedi's spirit had drifted and faded. She just stood there, frozen as tears blurred her vision.
A comforting hand fell to her shoulder and she saw the Zabrak councillor standing there. "You could have done nothing to help him," he said. "We must move."
Shaking her head sadly, she obeyed, helping the nearest Jedi to his feet.
For all the tumultuous energy bursting through the Force at the moment, it did nothing to dull the sharp spike of pain from the training link with her padawan.
"Liril!" she shrieked, handing off the knight to another Jedi and racing into the darkened corridor where smoke and dust enveloped her.
The Book of Friendly Faces
"Can we trust this Dex?" Bail Organa asked as he eyed the dingy surroundings of the upper level street he, Padmé and Bali cautiously walked across. The tall senator tugged as the long robes of his office before finally pulling the dark blue material free and folding it over his arm. The simpler Alderaani business suite was far less conspicuous than his senatorial attire.
"Master trusts him," Bali said evenly, even as he struggled against the driving pain that still tried to get to him through his shields. Still, he could not miss the look of disgust that managed to gloss over the two senator's faces.
Putting on a brave face, Padmé wrapped herself tighter around Bali's arm. "That is good enough for me," she said.
Bali looked to the worried senator's face and offered her a warm smile. He did not feel very brave and did not know what he was going to do to protect the people in his care. He was only a padawan, whose master raced off to try to stop…stop what? The destruction of everything he knew. His master was gone and there was no other Jedi to help him. Still, he struggled to maintain a brave front because that was all he had.
At the sight of the silvery bullet shape of Dex's diner relief fluttered through the youth. Life was still going on around it. The city, almost as far as he could see continued. It had slowed due to the shock of the Republican army but beings were still out. Some watching the smoke on the horizon others trying to figure out what to do next but there was life. They were not alone.
Circling behind the diner so they would not be seen from the street. As the trio approached they were immediately assaulted by the stench of whatever was cooking inside. The strong whiff of engine grease mixed in with fried dishes made Bali wince. For all of the times he had visited with his master, he had never gotten over the olfactory sensation of a repair shop or the unique flavor of the ardees served up inside.
Padmé groaned pressing a sleeved hand to her nose. "What is that?"
"Good grub," Bali said with a grin before gently guiding the senator into the protective circle of the taller man. He and the Alderaan senator's gazes met and the youth sensed Bail Organa had faith in his decisions.
If only the padawan had such faith in his abilities.
Brushing rough fingers over pain inspired tears, Bali straightened, doing his best to pose as the image of the calm and collected Jedi. At the kitchen door, he found the delivery bell and rang it. Turning to the senators, he motioned them back to the wall so they were not immediately noticeable.
Senator Organa obeyed and guided a reluctant Padmé to safety.
The door of the silver diner flung open and a large, rustic colored creature with four arms barreled out. "Ain't got scraps!" he barked menacingly between chomps on his short cigar. He broke into a big smile. "Baby Jedi! Long time no see." He gathered Bali up into a friendly hug with all four arms then pushed the young man back and studied him. Nodding back toward the diner he said, "From the looks of you, what I'm hearing in there is true."
Bali nodded. "The senate is under siege, the Jedi Temple is under attack and Republican forces have marched on Coruscant. Master—Master's—"
"Doing his own thing," Dexter Jettster finished. The large Besalisk sadly shook his head. "Never in my life did I imagine an army marching on the galactic center. Never did trust that Palpatine."
"How would you know?" Padmé asked stepping from the shadows with Bail a step behind her.
"I trust no politicians, girl," Dexter replied showing no surprise in their presence. Folding his upper to arms, he added, "But you would have thought the senate would have taken notice of an army appearing out of no where under no one's control but the Chancellor's."
"We did and we tried to stop him through the proper motions," Senator Organa quickly replied has he followed close behind Padmé.
"Looks like ya did a grand old job of it too, Senators," Dexter smirked. Turning his attention back to Bali, he asked, "What can I do for ya?"
The Book of Not Being Alone
The heavy white dust that choked the air coated everything, even the small green Jedi master that moved through the debris-strewn corridor. Every few steps he would pause as another canon blast shook the Temple's outer walls.
Yoda had known for many centuries that the ancient temple was a fortress like no other. The Force fortified its walls as the ancient structure had been built on a well of energy. The outer layers and additions of recent millennia had not been capable of utilizing the Force flow and now they suffered under the chancellor's wrath.
It was not truly the chancellor though, the little master conceded. The powerful darkness told him that the Sith were behind the temple's destruction.
Hope remained in his heart that the temple would not fall to the avatars of the darkness. Even now, though abandoned for so long, the Bendu Temple and the shrines of the monks still existed at the deepest levels. Close to the soil that had once seen light so many millennia ago.
That was where the Jedi were going now, as the outer levels of the temple crumbled and fell. The inner levels were fortified against attack and siege. It had to be during the dark years when the Sith roamed freely, when the Temple was a target for all those who stood against the light.
The diminutive master knew there would be nothing but sky over his head soon if he too did not seek shelter. His arduous trek was brought to pause at the sound of soft weeping escaping over the rumble of the falling walls. Opening himself to the Force—for eyes aided little in the near darkness of the corridor—Yoda sought out the source of the sound.
Reaching out, the master found a tiny, trembling shoulder and revealed a dusty, frightened Togruta girl. She could not have been more than a couple years old and was no bigger than he.
Seeing the familiar, wrinkled face, the small girl bounded forward, grasping Yoda's neck. "Alone, alone," she kept whispering. "Not alone."
"Young one, come, find your crèche mates, we will," Yoda said gently, pulling the girl free but making sure to keep a clawed hand tight on her small red hand. Leading her toward the flow of life farther down the corridor as another blast rocked the temple and the thunder of another wall collapsing deafened them.
The Book of Changing the Future
Wicked, terrible laughter echoed through the Force sealed chamber as Palpatine reveled in the destruction brought about by his own hand. The view was magnificent from his office. The political forefathers who had designed the Senate Complex could not have done a better job if they had tried. His army had used the statuary plane surrounding the senate as their staging ground and he had a perfect view of his machine in motion.
The horizon was dark from the heavy amount of dust and smoke rising into the air from the continuing destruction of the Jedi Temple. Bright flashes of orange reflected menacingly against the billowing clouds as they rose into the clouding sky.
The commanders of his army had reported that most of the treacherous senate were either being held for arrest or were dead. To his chagrin though, Bail Organa and Padmé Amidala were still on the loose. He had warned his commanders that should either escape they would be punished.
It did not matter for soon all would be taken care of.
The Force writhed with the pain of the wounded and dying and the terror of the fearful. It only empowered Palpatine and he secretly hoped for more resistance so the continuing agony could continue.
From his palatial view of the city planet, he watched the smoke in the distance that was once the Jedi Temple. If only he had not been so pushed for time, if he had been able to wait for his super destroyers they would have easily destroyed the temple. At the current rate, it would take hours before the ancient structure was ground to rubble.
Fortunately for him—he had hours—in fact he had forever. With the army marching on Coruscant and his Imperial Navy spreading throughout the galaxy like a plague he was invincible.
More wicked laughter peeled from the dark lord. Soon the Jedi within the Temple would be dead, as all the Jedi throughout the galaxy as his newest proclamation traveled the networks. A high bounty and death warrants for all Jedi was now in effect.
The galaxy would bow before him and there was no one to stop him. Relishing in the glory of his plans coming to near perfect fruition the dark lord paused.
There was still one petty annoyance left to be taken care of, Nochian Spex's prophetic whisperings.
That weak minded fool Skywalker would not be allowed to betray him, nor would his offspring be allowed to interfere in his plans for galactic domination.
Pulling at his dark robes, the former chancellor retreated from the view and returned to his desk. Activating the built in communication unit in the desk, he drew up the cloak hood so the shadows covered his face.
"Your Excellency, Sir," a voice snapped to attention as a holographic image of a Praetorian appeared in the room.
"Captain, you will take your Praetorian Guard and find Skywalker." Exerting his authority with his tone of voice. "I want your former captain, his wife and anyone else with them killed. They are traitors. No mistakes."
"Of course not, my lord."
The Book of Saving the Future
A deep moan rose up from the depths of the temple as the outer walls began to buckle under the strain of the attack. A deeply felt shudder caused cries of shock and terror to drown out the rumble.
"Hurry, little ones," initiate supervisor Na'tho said herding his small group of younglings across an arching walkway. The path shook violently and deep cracks formed in the walkway as the younglings raced across it to the safety of the other side.
A jarring explosion knocked many from their feet as the last remaining façade collapsed, tearing into many of the city planet's utilities as the debris crashed into the remaining levels of the surrounding city.
The walkway under the tiny feet cracked and shattered.
Stopping partway across the walkway, the quiet master reached out long yellow arms and brought his substantial power in the Force to bear. The crumbling walkway shifted and hovered in place remaining solid enough for the younglings to cross safely.
Sweat beaded his long forehead from the incredible strain. "Run, little ones, go!" he commanded.
His young charges tentatively raced across the walkway even as the stones shifted under foot.
Slowly opening his eyes, the tall master was relieved all but one of his younglings had made it to the stable landing on the other side. Fear laced through his strained mind and body upon realizing one small human boy had stopped on the floating walkway trembling in terror. "Run across, Mian, go."
"Come on, Master Na'tho," the little boy said worriedly.
"You must go," Na'tho called out his strength quickly fading.