Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related.
CH. 1
"FALL OF A HERO"
A silent tear ran down the Jedi's cheek. He had hoped with all his heart that Yoda was wrong, but now he knew for sure…his padawan had been consumed by the dark side. There was no denying it. He knelt beside the corpse of one of the finest Jedi Master's the Order had ever known. Mace Windu had been murdered by Obi-Wan's own apprentice – the so-called 'Chosen One'. How they had been wrong about him…
"Did you find anything?" he heard her enter the room just as he discretely slipped the weapon into his robes and stood up. "Obi-Wan?"
The first thing Padme Amidala saw when she entered the room was the body of one of the most notorious Jedi's in the galaxy sprawled out on the floor. She raised her hand to her mouth and gasped in shock at the horrifying sight.
"Master Windu!" was all she managed to get out.
"We must get back to the others," Obi-Wan replied. "Yoda is expecting us."
"What about Anakin?" Padme questioned, barely managing to tear her gaze away from the fallen Jedi Master.
Obi-Wan called on the Force to retrieve Mace's lightsaber from the floor and clipped it to his belt as he moved past her to leave. "Anakin will be fine."
Padme watched Obi-Wan brush past her and step out of the room. Something in his uneasy manner led her to believe something other than his former Master's death was bothering him. He was of course distressed over his passing and their current situation, but there was something else…she just knew it. However, for now she would let it go. It would be best to give Obi-Wan some space and time to grieve, she thought to herself. He has lost a lot of friends these past few hours. Perhaps it is finally taking its toll on him…
Padme hastily followed him out of the room without pressing the matter of Anakin's search any further. She knew the remaining Jedi were doing their best to find him and her nagging wasn't going to help. She desperately hoped he would be alright and they would find him soon…she didn't know what she would do if anything were to happen to him. The image of Mace Windu was still fresh in her mind and she couldn't help but fear for the worst.
He marched up the steps he had been up and down more times than he could count – his identity concealed by the hooded cloak he wore. Only this time there was a difference…this time a group of clone soldiers marched up them behind him. Using the Force to push open the doors once he reached them, he stepped into the Jedi Temple and led the soldiers inside.
After making his way further into the massive building he stopped dead in his tracks. The clones accompanying him immediately followed suit and silently waited for him to give his orders. He remained where he was for a long time and glanced around the area before abruptly turning around and heading back towards the doors.
"They're all gone", he said in an irritated tone. "They already evacuated everybody. Follow me, we will find them."
The clone soldiers obediently followed the dark figure back out into the cool night air.
A crude smile tugged at the corner of Darth Sidious' mouth as his new apprentice updated him on his progress.
"There were none?" he asked.
"I reached out in the Force," the Sith responded, his face still hidden beneath his hood. "They have already moved the survivors."
"Very well," Sidious replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Nevermind the Jedi, their time will come to pass. I have more important business for you…"
"Whatever you ask of me, my Master."
Sidious' smile curved upward even more. "Tell me, Lord Vader…have you ever heard of a planet called Mustafar?"
The dark side clouded everything. Yoda was having trouble maintaining focus during his meditation. He had felt a great tremor in the Force quite some time ago and feared it was due to the death of yet another Jedi. As he felt Obi-Wan Kenobi's presence getting closer, and the dread and sorrow he carried within him, he knew his assumptions were correct. He could also feel Senator Amidala's despair and concerns and knew she was with him.
He opened his eyes when the two of them entered the room. "Returned safely, you have."
"Yes, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan greeted the small Jedi Master with a respectful nod. "But I'm afraid I have some terrible news."
"A disturbance in the Force, I felt," Yoda replied sadly. "Fallen, another Jedi has."
Obi-Wan's frown deepened. Yes, another Jedi had lost his life this day. During the Clone Wars countless members of the Order had died, but these passed few hours they had suffered far more losses than ever before. Never in history had so many perished in such a short period of time. All over the galaxy Order 66 was being carried out, having been given by Chancellor Palpatine, now known to be none other than the evil Sith Lord; Darth Sidious himself.
Order 66.
What a monstrous thing it was. The execution of such an act was unheard of. The Jedi had suddenly been declared enemies of the Republic and were falling victim to the sinister plans of Sidious – his plot to rule over the galaxy as its emperor quickly falling into place. Soon there would be no stopping him, Obi-Wan knew this. The Jedi Order was close to being completely eradicated, the purge nearly making the age-old foundation of the Order a thing of the past. They were almost extinct. They had been denounced by those they swore to protect and were now labeled among common criminals. It was a sad day indeed…
"Master Windu is now one with the Force," Obi-Wan said as he took the unmistakable lightsaber that once belonged to the great Mace Windu from his belt. Without another word, he delicately set the graceful weapon before Yoda with a solemn expression.
Yoda's face fell at the sight of it. "Tragic, Master Windu's passing is. Honored, his memory will be."
"That's not all, Master."
"Hmm?" the older Jedi's brow furrowed, the look on his face urging Obi-Wan to continue. "More, you have to tell me?"
"Yes…" Obi-Wan didn't quite know how to proceed, especially with Padme in the room. He turned to her with a reassuring smile. "Senator Amidala, would you mind excusing me and Master Yoda for a moment?"
Padme's hands instantly went to her hips as she protested. "Do not feel the need to shield me from anything taking place during this crisis, Obi-Wan Kenobi, I assure you it is not necessary."
Before Obi-Wan could even open his mouth to voice his own opinion, Yoda spoke up and got the attention of both of them. "Many troubling things, these dark days have brought forth. Not our place, is it, to decide what the good Senator should and should not be told. We all must learn what has happened."
Obi-Wan hesitated, but after a short pause he finally reached into his robes and pulled out another lightsaber. This one was easily identified as well – though the hilt of it was now singed and blackened. Understanding washed over Yoda's withered face as he looked the object over.
"I found this beside Master Windu," Obi-Wan explained. "It is the lightsaber that was used against him. It was just as you had feared…"
"An unfortunate turn of events, this is," Yoda replied.
Padme curiously looked down at the damaged weapon. What were they talking about? "I don't understand…what does that mean?"
Obi-Wan let out a labored sigh before answering. "It means a Jedi has turned."
"An agent of the dark side, its owner has become," Yoda continued. "To a member of the Jedi Order, it belongs. To one of our own…"
Padme looked between the two Jedi with a mixture of shock and disbelief. Who could do such a despicable thing? she thought to herself. Who would be capable of something so horrendous?
A long silence ensued between the three of them until she finally spoke up again and broke the silence.
"Who?"
"I felt the fear and pain, followed by rage and hate," Yoda said with sorrowful eyes. He let out a heavy breath and slowly closed his tired eyelids, allowing the Force to surround him and soothe his body and mind – something he often did to help relieve himself of the strain and wariness he felt during these trying times. "The 'Chosen One'. Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber, this is…"