Chapter 29

With their lightsabers the only light to lead the way, the Jedi made their way through the dark passageway and up into the streets above. As they emerged, Anakin went first, looking around for any signs of danger, then he waved the others to follow. Anakin's heart raced as he looked up at the Jedi temple. All the images, good and bad, flashed through his mind. His old life there, old friend long gone, the council meetings, and, that night...no, he couldn' t go there, not now. He turned back once more to look at his marching army of full grown Jedi, and it was hard to believe they were the same younglings he had turned on so long ago. He was so glad they were here, and had survived Order 66, though in the strangest of ways..

He recalled his last march into this place, with the clones at his back, and his memory was haunting him. Why, why, how could he have let Palpatine fool him? Then his downward thoughts turned to something else: he let them be replaced with determination, power for the right reasons, and atonement for mistakes of the past. Up the steps he marched, the music still blaring in his head. The others all marched behind him, except for Luke, who came up at his father's side to join him. He glanced over at Anakin and smiled. Anakin was too intense to say a word to him. He just nodded, and turned his head back forward. They marched on.

It was dark, and so quiet they could hear their own footsteps echo. Was this really such an important place to the rogue army? Or was it something else? Suddenly, Anakin froze in his tracks. He sensed it was a trap, they had a lookout who alerted them of their entrance and they were waiting to attack. Before he could speak, Luke told him he sensed the same thing. Apparently, all of their numbers did, because they all looked apprehensive, with lightsabers ready. There would be no surprising a large group of Jedi!

Then it happened, a noise creaked above, they all looked up, and immediately a bunch of droids were dropped onto them! They dodged the falling metal fighters and started into them as soon as they hit the ground! It was a slaughter! The well prepared Jedi did suffer any casualities at the hands of those droids, and it wasn't long before each and every metal body was in pieces on the floor. Luke walked over to one and inspected it. "Father, this is the one who worked on me in the hospital. I hate to think that some of the people acting up in the streets are only doing so because they are under the influence of the same implant I had." Luke looked honestly concerned. Anakin shared his worry, but knew it would be impossible to stop and inspect each and every person for the implant if they were attacking you, or the alliance army. But he did the best he could, he quickly contacted the MedCenter and spoke to XC-454. He told him which droid it was, and to alert all his human patients of the implant,and if possible have them all rounded up. He also spoke to an alliance commander about doing the same thing. They only hoped there would not be too many victims of this evil plot. From the looks of the rabble causing the uprising, it wasn't average citizens but former stormtroopers, bounty hunters and droids. Perhaps the end of the rogue droids would end their plot.

There was yet another sound, and lights ahead. All the Jedi looked up. Without another warning, the attack was on, all sorts of renegades with blasters! The Jedi flew into action, deflecting the shots, some going into the walls, others flying back into the assassins themselves. Others had to be cut down by lightsaber when they would not surrender to cease their attacks. After a heated battle, all the survivors were cornered, and Anakin used the force to make a downed pillar move to hold them in until the alliance army and medics could arrive.Anakin and Luke used the force to strip them of their weapons. They weren't going anywhere.

"All too easy." Anakin almost gloated as he put his lightsaber back onto his belt. He shouldn't have. Yet another barrage of enemies emerged through both doorways and began attacking!"It's not over yet!" Luke hollered out, and all the Jedi prepared to fight once again.

As the Millenium Falcon swooped down toward the Senate building, the scene was much worse. This being the head of power in the galaxy, everyone in the fight who was able to come had converged here. Thank goodness for Ackbar's blockade, Han thought, at least no more can come who are not already here! He had to use the Falcon's own guns to shoot away the groundfire. "I have a bad feeling about this." He said as he gave Leia one of those looks.

"Han, how are we going to get in there?"

"That's what everyone in this fight wants to know, sweetheart."

The building was surrounded. The causualties on both sides looked to be significant. What were their chances? They could only hope the force would be on their side as they made their power play. Han called to Lando on his communicator."Where are you, pal? I need you to cover me!"
Lando answered back, through static. "I see you down there, I'm in the middle of some trouble of my own, if I live, I will be right there."
What did he mean 'If he lives'? Han did not seem very positive about anyone's chances. "Oh," he smirked sarcastically. "great." He glanced over at Leia and Padme. "Look, uh, I don't know how much longer we can stay here without getting killed. Maybe we'd better retreat for now."

"Oh, Han, no!" Leia cried. "We can't give up now, if we do, some of those insurgents might secure a stronghold and..."

A familiar voice came over the communicator. "Yeeeah, old buddy, I'm coming your way!" It was Lando! And he wasn't alone, he had Wedge right behind him!

"Ahhh! I knew you could do it!" Han called back. "Cover us, we're going for it!"

"You got it!" They both promised him. Now that he had backup, Han boldy fired away at the groundforces aggressively and offensively. He knew his friends would cover for him. This time, Lando had his back instead of stabbing it like he did in Bespin, though he had long since made up for that by helping rescue him from Jabba. The heroes of the battle of Endor had more work to do, and they weren't giving up. Soon it became apparent that there was no way they could get inside short of blasting a hole in the builiding, and they didn't want to do that. A few rouge speeders came by and had to be shot down by Lando and Wedge. The danger was great, and it was at risk of becoming a stalemate.

Then Padme had an idea. "Han, take the ship into the Senate landing area.I'm going inside."

Han turned and stared at her in shock. "Do you know how dangerous that is?"

She closed her eyes and bit her lip, and spoke again. "I'm not afraid. I'm going inside, on foot." She held up the blaster Leia had given her next to her face. "I came down here for one reason, and I'm not leaving until I get in there. We can't do it like this. Take her down, over there." She motioned to the old landing area.

"She's right, Han." Leia said, standing proudly next to her mother and holding up her own blaster. "We have to go in, and that's how we're getting in. The power play happens now."

Han did not disagree. He felt part of something bigger, something that had to be done. He did not think of danger, or greed, or anything else but the final prize. He didn't want to broadcast to Lando or Wedge where they were going to land in fear of someone intercepting, so he just told them to follow him and cover him. Of course, they did. The Falcon spun out and up, followed by Lando and Wedge as his wingmen, protecting the Falcon all the way.

Back at the Jedi temple, the fiercest of fights was on. Several of the younglings had been wounded in the fight, and Shaak Tii's niece had been killed. As devastated as everyone was, they couldn't stop now. For the former younglings who had lived together for so much of their lives, this was heartbreaking. They let it turn to something else, not the dark side, but strength, and emotion, and calling upon the force they screamed out in rage and attacked the rogues like they never thought they could. One by one they fell. They had to save city, and the galaxy. They got more violent than they had ever wanted to be, but maybe it was necessary.

Anakin and Luke stood again, back to back, and were unstoppable together to any who approached. They found themselves having to cut off a few hands and take away a few blasters, then using the force to move objects to keep enemies immobile. They did not speak of the youngling's rage, and did not feel the dark side in any of them. This was the Jedi temple, and some of them may not have acted exactly in th Jedi way. But this was no time to let up. Coruscant had to be freed. The temple had to be cleared out. Everyone was so hyped up, they hardly realized that other than their voices, the place had fallen silent. The survivors were disarmed and secured, and alliance fighters were on their way with a transport to take them all to prison. Those who needed medical care would be taken care of, and if anyone had an implant like Luke's that would be taken into consideration in their trials. At last the Jedi stopped, breathed heavily, and looked around. They were alone. They had successfully defeated all of the rogues. Though they sensed they were safe now, they did not let down their guard. Slowly, one by one, all of the former younglings went to surround the fallen body of Sheeka Ti. A few of the others were wounded, but not badly. They all knelt onto the ground around their friend and cried.

Their rage at her death had caused them to fight valiantly, though their anger was great, it never drove them to the dark side. Anakin's mind thought back to the Tusken camp, and how he had killed them all for revenge for his mother. He thought this was different, had he only killed the guilty ones, it would have been different. These Jedi had not attacked for no reason, they had been attacked by a vicious army intent on their own deaths, and that was no different than what the Jedi had done in the Clone wars. While guilt may not leave them, they had done well in battle today. Anakin and Luke went over, stepping over bodies of the enemies, and stood as brothers with their brave Jedi comrades. Anakin was so glad that they had not died all those years ago, and that he had done them no harm. Yet he could not escape the eeire irony of standing in the Jedi temple with them, amid dead bodies, just like that night so long ago.

As they stood in silent mourning, they watched as Sheeka's body slowly vanished, leaving only her clothing and her lightsaber behind. The others, who were not aware of the Jedi's new afterlife abilities, were shocked. Anakin knew that the spirits were near, and they had taken their brave little Jedi into the force with them. The force was with them, it would be, always.