Apologies to everyone for being so long in updating - I was gone for the weekend, and had no internet. Anyways, here's two new chapters to make up for it. And, as always, thank you to everyone who reads this story and continues to comment! May the Force be with you:)
End of an Era
The Clone Wars have raged across the galaxy for several years now. A punctuated series of periods of violence and death, earning the name of plural wars, have left many planets scarred and many gone forever.
The start of it all was unexpected, and those meant to protect the Republic balked at the thought of having to fight a war for it. In time the Jedi gave in, and as the wars dragged on, they did so many times. Darkness grew around them, shrouding their foresight. More and more the future became fogged, and the people they protected turned against them.
Arms twisted into leading the newly created Army of the Republic, Jedi found themselves losing battles on front after front. The Cloners always seemed to know their plans, no attack could come as a surprise, not once did the Jedi outnumber their enemy. There were even times where battles were lost because of insubordination to the Jedi by Republican civilians and military personnel alike.
One by one, freedoms were lost to combat the threat of the Separatists. Civilians were forced to make way for Republic troops, taxes were raised to pay for the new army. Ill words against the government were frowned upon – those criticizing Palpatine, and his Senate, were labeled as traitorous separatists.
The Jedi tried all they could to stop these changes, but even their powers were limited. After all, they have no representation in the Senate. They serve nothing; hold no power to anyone but the Force. According to the dictates of their strict Code, they were not allowed to take political sides.
With their hands tied, they could only watch as Palpatine gained more power, coming to understand what the cheering Senate could not: that there was no Senate, that the only thing keeping him from being dictator was the fact that no one had declared him as such yet. They could only watch as the Republic they served fell to pieces around them, torn apart by war. They could only watch as the people they served turned against them.
Times were dangerous if you were a Jedi.
Darkness surrounded everything, hunting you and those you knew.
The last hope, the Chosen One, had simply vanished. No one had seen or heard from Anakin Skywalker for a month. Only rumors are heard about what might have happened to him; he could even be dead now that Jedi are starting to disappear in the outskirts of the Republic.
The Senate even voted to pull you out of the war, citing that you were useless and that the war should be left to those trained to fight it. On top of that, you now answer directly to Palpatine, never mind the purpose of the Council, since you are too dangerous and not to be trusted with the safety of those living under the Republic.
With all the changes, all the sudden surprises, it seemed as if there could be nothing left to deliver a shock. Everyone was numbed to the fighting, seeing no end. No one could remember clearly the days where the Holonet was not filled with death tolls from grievous battles.
But no one, not even the Jedi, expected it when the fighting stopped.
Suddenly, Palpatine recognized the Separatists. He acknowledged their government, if it could be called a government, and let them keep the systems they now controlled. Surprisingly, no one cared.
The fighting was over, and that was all that mattered.
The galaxy held its breath, waiting to see what life would bring on the other side of war. Surely it could be nothing worse.
To be continued...