SEQUEL
Into the Shadow
Chapter One: A deal with the Bounty Hunter
Anakin's vision had been blurred as he had slipped in and out of consciousness; but he knew that he had to find a way to save Padme, Sabé, and the twins; he finally gathered all of the strength that he could muster, and tried to stand up. His legs were weak, and since he had just regained consciousness. His legs began to shake until they eventually buckled and Anakin fell to the floor with a loud groan.
He knew that he had to find a way; to him, pain was an obstacle. Before regaining his strength, Anakin scooted out of the twins' room, and began to make his way down the hallway. His arm felt as though it was going to fall off, but he continued to make his way to his and Padme's room...he had to send a hologram.
000
Felix Redblade walked down the corridor with confidence; he had caught his catch of the day. Senator Bail Organa had been accused of trying to start up a rebellion against the Emperor. The poor Senator had tried to run, but it was useless to do so when a great bounty hunter like Felix Redblade was on his tail.
The blond bounty hunter approached the guards who were standing outside of the two massive doors.
"I have to speak with the Emperor immediately," he said with overconfidence. "...about Senator Organa--and the credits that he owes me."
"You will have to wait," one guard said mechanically, "He is currently engaged in a discussion."
"Well tell him that I'm here, alright? And that I'm waiting for him--and my money."
The guards just stood there, much like robots.
"Well, go ahead and tell him! I haven't got all day," he said, getting agitated. Felix Redblade wasn't bothered that a Sith a risen and was trying to wipe out all of the Jedi and their allies. In fact, he didn't mind at all for it kept the credits coming.
"We will not disturb the Emperor; he will be with you shortly."
000
"Padme Amidala--how unfortunate that we must meet under such circumstances," Palpatine said mockingly. "And who might you be?" he snapped, turning to Sabé.
Sabé glanced at Padme nervously, but she said nothing.
"Speak!" the Emperor commanded.
"I--I'm Sabé, I am her handmaiden," she said in a weak and low voice.
"Why do you have us here?" Padme demanded. "You're nothing but a traitor!"
"I assumed that you would think so. But I have a proposition for you."
"I do not care to make a deal with you--your very presence disgusts me."
Padme and Sabé wanted to get away from Mustafar as soon as possible; but when they were brought to the planet, something bittersweet took place. They were healed by Sith.
Palpatine refrained from his anger, for he knew that Padme would be no good to him dead. "I am assuming that you want to see your children."
Padme instantly froze, but said nothing; for once she let Palpatine continue.
"If you wish to see your children then you will do as I say--it will not be hard."
"What is it that you want?" she finally managed to say.
"You will send Anakin a hologram, saying where you are. It is just that simple."
"Don't do it, Milady!" Sabé suddenly burst out. "It's a trap!"
"I have no use for you handmaiden, so do not think that I will hesitate to dispose of you."
Padme knew that there was some sort of catch, but as a mother she had to see her children, and she realized that she could probably give Anakin a hidden clue that it was a trap. "You have your wish, Palpatine; I will do it."
"Good; I thought that you would say so, now--" he was cut off when the huge doors slid open. "I made it clear that I was not to be disturbed!" he shouted.
The guard quivered. "But my lord, Felix Redblade is threatening to leave with Senator Organa if you do not see to him immediately."
Padme almost gasped "Bail! Oh no!" she thought to herself.
"Very well; send him in," the Emperor said calmly.
The guard stepped outside for a moment, and then returned with a tall blond man; his expression was one of overconfidence and he didn't seem frightened of Palpatine in the least. He wasn't a bad looking man--especially to Sabé, although the sight of his bounty hunter gear made her look away instantly. He had longish hair and he looked to be a man of his early thirties.
Before Palpatine uttered his first words, Felix glanced over at Sabé and Padme; he hadn't seen either one of them before, but he thought that they bore a resemblance to each other. He tore his gaze away from Sabé as Palpatine spoke.
"I understand that you have succeeded in finding Senator Organa; but your impatience continues to displease me."
"For that I apologize, Emperor; I am a very busy man; Senator Organa is in my ship. Your guards can feel free to take him when they wish."
"Good; you will be paid handsomely for your deed," said Palpatine said. Then turning back to Sabé he said, "I have no use for handmaidens; you shall be...disposed of."
A look of fear and dread came across Sabé's face, but she wasn't about to beg the Emperor to save her life.
Sabé looked away from the Emperor, only to meet Felix's eyes; his expression was not an arrogant one anymore; instead it was one of resolve.
"Emperor Palpatine," he began. "Perhaps I could make this a little easier for you."
Palpatine rested his sunken in eyes on the young man. "What is it that you want, Felix?"
"I understand that you have no use for a handmaiden, but I do; I've considered trying to find a partner in 'crime' but I never really had the time, and seeing that you'll dispose of her otherwise, I think it'd be best if she came with me."
Sabé and Padme exchanged glances; Sabé didn't want to go with the bounty hunter, she felt that it was her place to stay with Padme and the twins--no matter what fate she might meet.
Padme knew that even though going with a bounty hunter was dangerous--especially considering the fact that he worked for the Empire, but she was just glad that there was a way that her friend's life could be spared.
Palpatine sighed. "Very well, as you wish; take her and be gone."
"But what about my credits?" he asked.
"She is your payment, now be gone."
Refusing to take back his decision, Felix quickly took Sabé by the arm in a firm yet gentle way, and led her back to his ship.
Before they left the throne room, Sabé looked back at Padme one last time.
When they had gone, Palpatine turned back to Padme.
"It is time for you to keep your end of the bargain, Amidala," he said bitterly.
000
Anakin had been able to make it to the hologram, and had managed to get in contact with Jedi Master Mace Windu and Aayla Secura. He had briefly told them where he was and what had happened. They did not say their whereabouts though, but said that they were on their way.
Anakin slumped against the wall in pain and frustration. His wife and children were gone. Taken by the Sith; he didn't know what was going to become of them if he didn't save them. Out of frustration, he reached up to the table, grabbed the hologram, and threw it across the room. He watched it as it created a dent against the wall, then fell helplessly to the ground.
He felt as though he was living in a nightmare--one that he would never wake up from.
000
Peace is only a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me.
Obi-Wan awakened; he was lying on a hard rocky hill. He had simply been dumped on the planet with nothing but the clothes on his back and his lightsaber--his crimson lightsaber.
He put his hand to his forehead; he had felt so hot a moment ago, now he felt as though he was freezing. And worst of all, the voices did not stop; they continued to chant the Sith code as though they were trying to mold it into his mind.
He knew that the planet was evil, but he had never thought of anything like this in his wildest dreams. The voices sounded as though they were a thousand ghosts whispering in unison
Peace is only a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me.
Chapter Two: The plan fails
By the time Sabé and Felix reached his ship The Dark Star, Bail Organa was already gone; taken to be imprisoned, accused of trying to free the galaxy from a certain tyrant.
Felix led the reluctant handmaiden into his ship. It was small by certain standards; it was only big enough to hold a small sleeping cabin—and of course, the cockpit.
Sabé stepped in uneasily and slowly took in her surroundings.
"She doesn't look like much, but I added a whole lotta modifications; she's one of the fastest in her class."
"Why did you do that?" Sabé asked, changing the subject.
"You mean why did I save you from a certain death?" Felix asked with a raised eyebrow.
Sabé nodded. "Yes."
"Well," said Felix, walking closer to her; "I wouldn't have been able to live with myself knowing that I'd let Palpatine do anything to ruin you pretty little face," he smiled slyly.
When he got close enough, Sabé slapped him as hard as she could manage.
Felix's smile disappeared. "Well Miss, maybe you could try to show me a little more respect," he said settling into his chair in the cockpit.
"I don't owe anyone who kills for a living any respect," Sabé said angrily. "You should have just left with your money; I would have rather stayed and died."
"I don't think you mean that, Miss," Felix replied darkly.
"What do you know about loyalty? I have been by Lady Amidala's side for years now; I am loyal to her, and I should have stayed, even if Palpatine intended to kill me today."
Felix sighed. "Well, you're gonna have to settle for living, sweetheart. And by the way, you might want to sit down."
Sabé scowled when he called her 'sweetheart' but sat down when she noticed that he was about to takeoff.
"Where are we going?" she asked after a few moments of silence.
"Good old Tatooine."
Mustafar
Padmé was led down a narrow corridor by two guards—and of course, the Emperor. They stopped when they reached a door at the end of the hall. One of the guards pressed a combination on the buttons at the side of the door. In five seconds the door slid open, revealing a gray room which was all but empty, save for a stool, and a hologram which rested on a nearby shelf.
"Do sit down, Amidala," Palpatine said in a croaky voice.
"I would rather stand," Padmé protested.
"I said sit," Palpatine ordered.
Padmé obeyed.
"Good," Palpatine stated.
All was silent for a moment, until Padmé looked up and saw Palpatine staring at her intensely.
"I see your mind, Amidala; you intend to inform Anakin Skywalker that this is indeed a trap," Palpatine said, clearly agitated.
Padmé didn't know whether to confirm or deny his accusation, all she knew was that she had a very slim chance of warning Anakin; but she knew that she had to, or their lives would be doomed forever.
"Well," said Palpatine, pleased that he had uncovered her plan. "Shall we start now?"
Padmé nodded, knowing not what else to say.
The guards activated the device and soon let Palpatine know that everything was ready.
"Excellent," he said; then turning to Padmé, "Tell Skywalker that you are on Mustafar and that I will dispose of you quickly, seeing that you are of no use to me."
It was impossible to warn Anakin, especially since Palpatine was already telling her what to say. Padmé just hoped that Anakin would be sensible enough to know that it was a trap. But something in her doubted that he would do that, she could imagine him letting his anger get in the way and rush off trying to save her without realizing that he had made things worse.
"Speak!" Palpatine ordered.
Apparently she had been sitting deep in thought; Padmé snapped put of it, sat up straight, and began to recite her message.
"Anakin, Palpatine is holding me on Mustafar," she began, "And he intends to dispose of me quickly seeing that I am of no use to him."
The hologram cut off immediately after she had said 'him'. Palpatine seemed rather pleased with everything.
"Take her back to her holding cell," Palpatine said coldly.
"What! But you said that I could see my children if I did this for you!" Padmé said, her voice rising out of anger.
"At the mention of her children, a mother will eagerly agree to anything," Palpatine said wickedly. "And you also broke your half of the agreement when you plotted to tell Skywalker that it was a trap."
"But I didn't!" Padmé shouted.
"I didn't allow you," Palpatine corrected. "Take her back to her cell," he ordered.
The guards seized Padmé a carried her, kicking and screaming, back to her holding cell.
Naboo
It seemed to take forever until Aayla and Mace arrived; but they eventually did.
Anakin was still slumped against the wall in despair. It didn't take long for Aayla and Mace to find him; when they did, Aayla immediately examined his wound while Mace talked with him.
"What exactly happened, Anakin?" Mace asked. "Tell us everything."
"It all started last night when Padmé, Sabé and I were all awakened by a commotion; Padmé and I were worried sick—we thought that something bad had happened to the twins…" he shifted for a moment, and then grimaced from the pain of his wound.
"Hold still," Aayla reminded him.
Mace waited patiently for Anakin to continue.
"…we were right about that part. We met up with Sabé in the hallway, and from there we made our way to the twins' room; there we saw…a Sith. I believe that she was Siri, although she neither confirmed nor denied it."
"Siri?" Mace and Aayla asked in unison.
"There must be some mistake, Anakin. Siri Tachi is dead," Aayla said.
"I don't know. But if she is alive then she's somehow been turned," he looked away, thinking of how close he had come to forsaking the very people whom he was supposedly trying to protect; and then how someone else took the fall for him.
"I know that this is emotional for you, Anakin; but you must continue," Mace encouraged.
Anakin told them all that he could remember, even though most of his tale was botched due to the fact that he slipped in and out of consciousness.
As he finished telling his story, he noticed that his left arm was not hurting him half as badly. He looked to his left and saw Aayla wrapping the wound with some cloth.
"I healed you the best I could, but it isn't enough; I was never as good as Obi—" she cut herself off when she realized what she had said.
Anakin looked down in shame. "He is taking the path that I should have taken; just because he wanted nothing more than for me to be with my family. And now they aren't here anymore either. What have I done!" he exclaimed.
"Anakin, you made a mistake; but we will find your family," Aayla said reassuringly.
"What about Obi-Wan?" he asked suddenly.
Aayla and Mace exchanged glances. They both decided that it would be best if that conversation was brought up later. Mace spoke up.
"If we're going to find Padmé and the twins, we have to start searching for anything that the intruders left behind, so that we can have some kind of clue as to where they are. Or perhaps Padmé was able to send a hologram; it sounds unlikely, but you never know."
Anakin looked at the dented wall and the crumpled device that lay on the ground and buried his head in his hands in frustration. Couldn't he do anything right?
"I smashed it," he said angrily.
Korriban
Obi-Wan stumbled up the hills; he didn't even know where he was going. He just wanted to escape the voices.
In his short time on the planet, he felt that he was already going insane; the voices now seemed to be calling to him, beckoning him to the Dark Side.
"Come, Darth Obsidian; you cannot escape…the Dark Side. Obi-Wan Kenobi is no more!"
"Nnnooooo!" Obi-Wan screamed into the open air. "I am not a Sith; I am a Jedi!"
"You cannot escape, Darth Obsidian!" The voices taunted.
Obi-Wan knelt down on the ground in despair; as he did, he could feel a hand on his shoulder; shaking, Obi-Wan turned around and found himself face to face with the person who Obi-Wan had killed through sheer anger: Darth Maul.
Obi-Wan immediately staggered away from the Sith, and drew his own lightsaber. "I am not afraid of you," he said firmly. "You robbed me of my Master. I have killed you before, and I will do it again." At this moment, Obi-Wan did not care if he was wielding a Sith lightsaber. He only cared for defeating Darth Maul.
The Sith laughed wickedly, igniting Obi-Wan's anger. The two circled around each other defensively. Darth Maul activated his dual sided light saber and advanced on Obi-Wan.
Surprised by Maul's straightforwardness, Obi-Wan immediately moved into a defensive stance; the Sith was satisfied that he had caught Obi-Wan off guard and began to move quickly and offensively without giving Obi-Wan any time to recuperate.
Obi-Wan finally managed to gain some ground, but he still remained at a disadvantage. He was also beginning to tire, while Darth Maul seemed to be getting stronger.
Finally, in one swift stroke, Darth Maul knocked the lightsaber out of Obi-Wan's hand. Obi-Wan fell on his rear and stared up at the towering Sith.
To his surprise, Darth Maul lifted his lightsaber to strike the final blow, but he vanished into thin air.
Obi-Wan reached for his weapon, and then shakily stood to the ground. "Where are you?" he called. "I'm not afraid to face you again!"
But his calls echoed hopelessly. Obi-Wan sank to the ground in despair.
He had barely been on Korriban for a day, and yet, was he questioning his sanity?
Chapter Three: Jabba's Palace
It seemed like forever until the ship finally landed. Sabé was glad that they could finally take in some fresh air, but at the same time she was dreading the heat of Tatooine. She could already feel the small ship getting hotter and hotter. Felix felt it too, but wasn't bothered in the least.
"Well, here we are," he said calmly.
Sabé looked around. There was nothing; just sand.
"Where the heck are we!" she demanded.
"Easy, sweetheart; we just have a little bit of walking to do, and then we'll be at the…palace."
"Palace? What palace?"
Felix smiled slyly. "You'll see."
Sabé sighed. How in the galaxy did she wind up in such a predicament?
It didn't take them long to exit the ship, and when they did hot air hit Sabé's face, making her wish that she had stayed in the ship.
"Come on," Felix urged, walking ahead of her.
"I'm coming," she mumbled.
0-0
They walked on for about three miles when a decrepit looking structure came into view.
"Where are we?" Sabé asked, breaking the silence.
"Jabba's palace," Felix announced.
Sabé didn't like the sound of things; she had heard about Jabba the Hutt, and knew that he was a feared crime lord. She didn't want to be anywhere near him.
"Are you coming?" Felix asked.
Sabé stood frozen. "No; I'm not coming. I don't want to anywhere near Jabba."
"I don't think that you have much of a choice sweetheart," he said.
Sabé scowled. "Don't call me that."
000
"You smashed it?" Aayla asked.
Anakin nodded. "Yeah; I—I can't believe that I couldn't protect Padmé…and the twins," he rested his head in his hands in despair. "And now I've smashed the very thing that could help me find them!"
Mace rested a reassuring hand on Anakin's shoulder. "It will be alright, Anakin; we'll find them."
Suddenly, Anakin's eyes lit up. "Wait a minute!" he said, standing up. "We have another hologram in the living room!"
Before Mace or Aayla could say anything, Anakin dashed past them. Eventually they followed him.
They arrived just in time to see Anakin activate it. Suddenly an image appeared and they could see Padmé sitting on a stool in the middle of an empty room.
"Anakin, Palpatine is holding me on Mustafar; and he intends to dispose of me quickly, seeing that I am of no use to him."
The image fuzzed until eventually fading away.
Anakin's hands were balled into fists as he still stared at the hologram.
"Anakin…" Aayla didn't finish, as Anakin turned around, and his eyes burned with fury.
"I have to find her; I can't just leave her there to die."
Mace and Aayla could hear the anger rising in his voice and they could both sense his fury. The anger that led him to the dark side had not diminished; it had only been suppressed, as they could now see with their own two eyes.
Mace was determined to help Anakin think logical; when he saw the hologram, it seemed as though Padmé was rehearsing a message, rather than desperately calling for help. He didn't doubt that she was being held captive, but he had a hunch that there was more to it than met the eye. "Anakin, don't trust what you just saw," he began. "It could very well be a trap; didn't it sound rehearsed to you?"
"What do you want me to do? Stand back and let him kill her!" Anakin roared.
"No," Aayla said. "We just want you to not let your anger get in the way; think it through. It did sound rehearsed to me too; perhaps this is another one of Palpatine's schemes."
"That's a risk I'm willing to take; I have to go after her!"
"No, Anakin!" shouted Mace. Anakin had already turned to the dark side once and Mace feared that they would not be able to save him a second time. Mace used the force to close the living room door, therefore preventing Anakin from leaving.
But Anakin was determined to save Padmé, and so he used the force to send an unsuspecting Mace crashing into a wall. Aayla tried also, but Anakin did the same to her.
Now that his 'obstacles' had been taken care of, Anakin raced outside to find his Jedi starfighter.
"I'm coming, Padmé," he muttered under his breath.
000
He was fueled by sheer anger, and the thirst for revenge as he fought the Sith.
Darth Maul had delivered the deadly blow to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan was determined to avenge him.
The intense fighting continued, and Obi-Wan could see that Darth Maul was beginning to tire a little; that gave him more motivation, as he relentlessly attacked the Sith, until finally the opportune moment came when Obi-Wan's lightsaber met with Darth Maul's torso; with hesitation, Obi-Wan cut him asunder, and watched as the Sith fell into the seemingly bottomless shaft…
Obi-Wan sat up in a cold sweat. He hadn't even realized that he had gone to sleep.
He thought about that sad day everyday of his life. If he had continued down that path, he would have joined the dark side for sure; because as he looked back on that moment, he remembered the fury that he had felt. He had wanted nothing more than to avenge Qui-Gon; and so he did.
Obi-Wan struggled to his feet and surveyed his desolate surroundings; how long did Palpatine intend to keep him there?
For it had been a while since he had eaten; he had been able to find an almost dry stream not long ago. Still, how long would he last under such extreme circumstances?
000
Sabé and Felix stood before the large featureless gate; Sabé felt uneasy, and in truth, did not wish to enter into Jabba's palace, but she feared what might happen to her if she were to stay outside alone.
Suddenly, a perimeter droid, little more than an electronic eyeball, poked out and spoke to them gruffly in a language that Sabé didn't understand. But Felix seemed to.
"This is my companion…uh…Myah; I'm here at Jabba's request. He asked me to come to discuss…business."
The droid muttered something before the gate opened, revealing a dank and dark passageway.
Sabé stayed next to Felix, for although she wasn't particularly fond of the roguish bounty hunter, she preferred to spend eternity with him, than spend a single day in the dingy palace.
They were met by two Gamorrean guards, and the smell which omitted from them was not very pleasant.
"I'm here to see Jabba," Felix repeated.
The foul creatures grunted and led them down a large corridor to Jabba's throne room. The Hutt was seated on a large dais, and was currently feasting on live gorgs. Even Felix was disgusted by this, but he approached Jabba nonetheless.
Sabé reluctantly followed.
Jabba began to speak in Huttese "(Felix Redblade; your arrival is overdue,)," he stated.
"I know, Jabba; but I've been busy. Now that Palpatine has executed order 66, there have been a whole lotta Jedi to track down."
"(And who is this—a gift for me?)"
Felix was quick to shoot that down. "No Jabba; she's my companion. Now who do you want me to track down?"
Jabba chuckled. "(Straight to business, I like that. A dancer escaped, she cannot be far, seeing that she is quite docile. But she is from Naboo, which makes her rare and very valuable. I suspect that she is in Mos Eisley.)."
"Sounds like an interesting job, but I'm not tracking down anyone until you give me a good price," stated Felix, folding his arms across his chest.
"(One thousand credits.)"
"Higher," Felix pushed.
"(Three thousand,)," the Hutt argued.
"Not enough; if you aren't going to pay me a decent sum, I can always find business elsewhere."
Jabba sighed. "(Ten thousand credits)."
A smile spread across Felix's face. "Perfect; now if you'll just pay me up front…"
"(If you continue to prod me, your luck will run out!)" Jabba snapped.
"Alright, alright," Felix said. "We'll show ourselves out."
He didn't even have to motion for Sabé to follow him; she was so desperate to get out of the palace which reeked with the stench of Gamorreans.
Chapter Four: The exchange of power
When Sabé and Felix returned to The Dark Star, it seemed that Felix had everything precisely planned. Just as she was about to ask him how they were to acquire a speeder, he opened a secret compartment, revealing a brand new speeder.
Felix got on the vehicle first, and then extended his hand to help Sabé. "Hop on," he insisted.
Sabé rejected his help and got on by herself. She was now beginning to feel more annoyed by him than plain outrage, but she knew that it would be wise to stay close to him while they were in Mos Eisley.
Felix started up the speeder and Sabé found herself having to put her arms around him to hold on, for he was going at an incredible speed.
And now that she started to think about it, Sabé had an idea of his origin. It was a known fact that Corellians were roguish scoundrels. Perhaps she was wrong, but she seemed to be set on that theory.
000
The stubborn man wildly steered his Jedi Starfighter through space. He was determined to reach Mustafar before Palpatine had a chance to harm Padmé; and he also had to protect his children.
"I can't let him harm them," he thought to himself.
He had been to Mustafar once, and so he knew the way; he was going to find Padmé, Luke, and Leia and save them from Palpatine's clutches. He had no choice.
But during his worrying for his family, he had forgotten someone who had risked her life to try to protect Padmé and the twins; he had not intentionally forgotten about Sabé, but his family was the most important thing to him. He remembered how painful it had been when his mother had died in his arms…oh how he had avenged her death! Not one Tuskan remained—he had made sure of that. He didn't care if they were man, woman, child, or beast. As far as he was concerned, they all deserved death.
And he still did not regret his actions…he felt no remorse for a single Tuskan which he had slaughtered that day, and he would do it again. He was prepared to do it again.
"I'm coming, Padmé," he said aloud. "I'm coming for you."
000
The Chiss walked almost soundlessly down the hall; her master had summoned her and she had come almost immediately.
The guards stood aside and let Sev'Rance enter, for Palpatine had ordered them to do so.
The Emperor was seated upon his throne in meditation, when General Tann entered.
"You asked to see me, my lord," Sev'Rance stated, breaking his meditative trance.
Palpatine turned to look in her direction. "Yes; I have an assignment for you," he said dryly.
"I am ready," Sev'Rance said; ready to accept any task, no matter how difficult.
"It is not what you are thinking of: I trust you to stay here in my stead. As you know, Lady Pariah and several other Sith lords and Ladies are going to Korriban to oversee the constructions of the Sith temple and the Sith academy, well I must go to deal with lord Obsidian personally; for it seems that he still wants to hold on to Jedi Master Kenobi; but my intentions for him are quite different. He shall be a great asset to our cause. It is undeniable that he is very powerful."
"Yes master," Sev'Rance agreed, sounding as though she was a droid programmed to say 'yes' to everything that her master said.
"Lady Pariah and I are leaving today; I trust that you will be able to maintain order until I return."
"Yes Emperor," said Sev'Rance, bowing her head in reverence. "It is an honor to undertake such a task."
"Good; I have high hopes for you Sev'Rance; don't fail me."
"I will not, master; but I must ask what I am to do when Anakin Skywalker comes here looking for Amidala."
An evil smile spread across Palpatine's decrepit face. "Notify me."
000
Mos Eisley was a crowded spaceport, and Sabé wished that she didn't have to go any further, but Felix continued to steer the vehicle into the town; the only good thing that Sabé noticed was that he had slowed his pace.
"Where do we start to look?" Sabé asked, not really sure if she wanted to know the answer, but once the words had escaped her lips it was too late.
"Where everyone goes when they want a passage out of this rock," was his reply.
"And where would that be?"
"A Cantina!" Felix exclaimed. "That's where most pilots kill time. I thought that you'd at least know that."
Sabé was about to think up a witty reply, but Felix stopped the speeder at the entrance of a Cantina.
"This is the most popular," he explained. "You can find good pilots here…and for a decent price—sometimes."
They dismounted and entered; the Cantina was crowded, mostly pilots having what they called a good time. Felix, who had tracked down many people in Mos Eisley, immediately headed to the front counter and began talking with the bartender. Sabé followed him, but could barely make out the words that were exchanged between the two.
Felix followed the bartender's gaze to a woman sitting in a corner; she did seem to stick out and she looked insecure.
"Thanks for the help," Felix said, casually sliding some credits on the counter. The man counted the credits and smiled greedily.
"I'm glad that I could be of help to you."
Felix smiled and then motioned for Sabé to follow him.
But his triumph was short-lived, for in an instant, a blaster shot was fired, missing Felix's head by an inch. Commotion immediately erupted in the Cantina as debris fell from the wall. Felix looked to his right just in time to move out of the way as another shot was fired at him.
He looked to his left and saw that Sabé remained unnaturally calm, although she didn't want to stay.
"Let's get out of here!" she shouted, her voice barely audible due to the commotion.
"I'm not leaving without my prize," Felix stated stubbornly. He drew his two blasters and fired back at the attacker, who was—to Sabé's surprise—a woman.
Felix immediately recognized her. "Aurra Sing," he muttered under his breath. "I should've gotten rid of you a long time ago.
Aurra had come to Mos Eisley for the same reason as Felix: Jabba had also hired her to track down the girl from Naboo and Aurra refused to let anyone come between her and her prey.
Everyone began to file out of the Cantina by now, for deadly shots were being exchanged. Two determined bounty hunters, both were intending to catch their prey.
They began to unintentionally take the fight outside, and they were both able to turn their heads in unison just in time to see the girl slip into a flight hangar.
The race was on.
Aurra had the better lead, and she was able to dodge Felix's shots while keeping up the deadly fast pace. Finally, Aurra managed to turn around and aim a shot at Sabé. Felix saw this, much to his horror, and just as the shot was fired, he pushed Sabé out of the way, and he was almost clear of danger himself, but the shot grazed his left shoulder.
Aurra smiled evilly as she saw blood appear, then she ran off to catch the unfortunate girl.
Chapter Five: Mustafar
A grim smile spread across Anakin's face as he approached Mustafar. He had only spent a short time on the planet, yet it already held such bitter memories for him. He didn't think about what would happen to him if it was a trap or if he failed Padmé and the twins. The only thing on his mind was to find them and bring them back safely.
Failure was not an option.
000
"Are you alright?" Mace asked Aayla, extending his hand to help her up.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied accepting Mace's help. "But Anakin…we have to go after him," she said.
Mace nodded. "I know; and finding him shouldn't prove difficult. After all, where else would he go besides Mustafar?"
Aayla nodded in agreement. "Let's go."
000
"I'm fine," Felix insisted, standing up defiantly.
"We both know that you aren't fine; that woman shot you!"
Felix looked ahead to where Aurra Sing had been just moments ago. "Darn that…humanoid," he spat. "She's always gettin' in my way."
"Well we won't get in hers. Come on, let's get out of here," Sabé said. She had never been fond of the boiling planet and she would rather be any place else.
"Yeah, let's get back to the ship," Felix agreed.
"So I can treat your wound properly," Sabé finished.
The ship
Once they were on the ship, Felix immediately set their course for Corellia. Sabé, who had walked into the cockpit moments earlier with the medical supplies, stared at him in confusion.
"Why Corellia?" she asked.
"Because that's where the girl is going," Felix said casually. Then seeing the look on Sabé's face, said, "You didn't think that I'd give up that easily now, did you?"
Sabé scowled. "I suppose this is as much as one could expect from a bounty hunter. Now sit still so I can examine your wound."
"It's nothing," Felix protested.
It was too late; Sabé had rolled up his sleeve and had already begun treating the wound. "You're lucky," she said. "It just grazed you."
"I told you it was nothing," Felix said.
"But if it would have been left untreated then you could have developed an infection," Sabé said, she soon found herself locked into a gaze with him. "And by the way," she said, hoping to break the silence. "Thanks for doing what you did."
Felix was shocked at her remark and it showed in his face. He hadn't really done much selfless things in his life, but in the short space of time he had known Sabé, he had grown to like her. Yes, he had thought of her as a pretty face when he first met her on Mustafar, but now he was strangely beginning to discover that he cared for her.
000
Anakin's mind was solely on getting Padmé and the twins back. He knew where they were most likely being held captive, and so he landed not far from the structure. He emerged form his Jedi Starfighter, armed with his lightsaber; he was ready to cut down anyone who stood in his way.
He knew that he had to be cautious, for the building was heavily guarded. He hid behind a mound of ash just in time, for the main door slid open and several Sith emerged. Anakin held his breath. He hoped that the Sith wouldn't sense the presence of an enemy. This was his only chance and he had to get it right.
But he wasn't so lucky.
The Sith were walking in his direction. They sensed the light side of the Force; and they knew that whoever it was was hiding behind the mound.
Anakin could hear them walking slowly in his direction; he wanted to kick himself for not being more cautious, but now he knew that he had no choice but to go forward. He considered his options; it would give him a slight advantage if he emerged and surprised them. He would also get a chance to give some of the first blows. But he knew that once he emerged, he would have to kill every Sith so that they wouldn't have a chance to alert anyone else.
Without giving it another moments thought, Anakin emerged from his hiding place with his lightsaber ignited. The Sith were definitely taken off balance, but they soon composed themselves—especially when they saw that he was the only one to emerge.
Anakin knew that he was badly outnumbered, yet the odds meant nothing to him. He used the Force to send one of the Sith crashing against the wall of the building. But he had made a costly error.
The Sith took advantage of his lapse in concentration and in unison, used one of their darkest powers—Force lightning.
The impact knocked Anakin to the ground, writhing in pain. The Sith didn't stop until he was unconscious.
Normally, they would have killed him, but they were under strict orders to bring Anakin Skywalker into the building, alive.
000
Mace and Aayla weren't far behind Anakin. They landed further away from the headquarters than Anakin had.
"There's no telling who could be watching us," Mace said, looking around cautiously.
Aayla nodded. "We must be cautious."
They advanced slowly. Taking cover in the shadows to cloud them from any Sith's view. They unknowingly took a different route than Anakin—their route led to the academy. Their path began to get steeper and steeper until they stood not far from the edge of a cliff overlooking the Sith Academy.
Outside, the Sith were everywhere. Mace and Aayla looked on in despair, knowing that there was no way that they could fight them all, while still having to face more if they tried to find Anakin, who was no doubt already inside, looking for Padmé; or worse—captured.
Aayla looked at Mace, knowing that he was thinking the same thing; she only voiced it. "We have to head to Dagobah and get help; there's no way that we can do this alone."
Mace nodded. "Let's go; there's no time to lose."
000
After Sabé had tended to his wound, she silently joined him in the cockpit, and began to think of how much had happened since she had met the man on Mustafar; yes, he was cocky and overconfident at times. But that day he showed her a different side of him. He had risked his life to save hers, and that was something Sabé didn't take lightly.
She was a bodyguard to Padmé, and so she knew that in order to put your life at risk in order to save someone else's, you needed to be sincere. She had thanked him earlier, and she had seen the surprise in his face, and she began to blush as she recalled his words to her.
"Did you seriously think that I was gonna let her hurt you?"
Sabé sighed; of all the bounty hunters she could have ended up with, she was with one who actually had a heart. Maybe life wouldn't be as bad as she had thought.
Chapter Six: One long year later…
It had been approximately one year since Anakin Skywalker had been caught trying to free Padmé. He had undergone grueling long sessions of interrogation, but he refused to say where the Jedi were and he refused to admit his motives for returning to Mustafar.
It was now midday, though it was impossible to tell. The temperature was boiling, yet the sky was dull and gloomy as though a storm would emerge at any moment.
Yet there was no rest for Anakin; he had been led to a small interrogation room only to be questioned by the Chiss whom he had come to know as Sev'Rance Tann.
But despite her attempts, he was still being uncooperative. She had had enough.
Anakin's hands were bound behind him and she had made sure that he was too weak to use the Force.
Sev'Rance's patience had worn thin; she grabbed him by his neck, almost making him fall out of the metal chair he was sitting in. It had been a year, yet he had given them no information.
"My patience will only last so long, Jedi; so do yourself and your wife a favor and tell me want I want to know!" She said, narrowing her eyes at him in anger.
When she let go after a while, Anakin began to cough violently; yet he turned his head away. "I already told you that I don't know where the Jedi are—even if I did, you would have to kill me first!"
Sev'Rance smiled. "I don't need to do that; I can just ask your wife instead. I'm sure that she would know."
"Leave Padmé out of this!" Anakin said, fearful for Padmé but glad to know that she was still alive. If he played his cards right, then those long months of planning might just pay off.
"Then give me the information that I want!" she said angrily.
"I said I know nothing," Anakin repeated, this time calmer. "You're wasting your breath and your energy."
Sev'Rance sighed and ran her hand through her hair; four hours had gone by, yet she couldn't get any information out of him. She turned to a guard who was standing by the door. "Take him back to his cell; I'll deal with him again soon enough."
Anakin was glad that she was starting to lose her cool; even though it wasn't necessary for his plan to work, he was still happy that she wouldn't get her desired information.
0-0
When Anakin left, Sev'Rance kicked the door in frustration. She couldn't believe that Palpatine was still on Korriban after she had told him that Anakin had been captured—she had told him a year ago!
But she also knew that she was required to contact him after every interrogation, and she knew that he would be pleased with the results of their latest meeting…
000
A year was a long while when it came to Sabé and Felix; in a years time they had developed a bond; she had even convinced him not to track down the unfortunate girl who had escaped from Jabba's palace.
She had begun to care for him deeply also, and they had stayed on his home world of Correlia, for that was where they intended to get married. For Sabé's sake, Felix had just about given up on Bounty Hunting and was beginning to get into Swoop racing, which was becoming popular again.
Even though life for Sabé was beginning to smooth out, she still thought of Padmé and hoped that she was alright; yet she knew that she could do nothing to combat the Emperor.
000
Padmé was not alright; she sat with her back against the wall of her small cell. She was hungry.
Palpatine's men had not fed her for two straight days; the only thing that she had received was water. Padmé didn't know why they had suddenly decided to starve her, but she had given up hope—especially when Sev'Rance had come to her cell a year ago, to tell her that Anakin had been captured. She knew that it was impossible for her life to get any worse.
Hungry, alone, and in despair, Padmé slumped to the ground, barely conscious.
000
After going to Dagobah for backup, Mace and Aayla never returned to Mustafar. Yoda had told them that it was too risky, and they had agreed, despite the fact that they wanted to help Anakin.
Together they had helped train the young Jedi, and restore some sort of order amongst themselves.
They had also learned the harsh truth about Obi-Wan. Yoda had informed them that he wouldn't be welcomed back to the Order and he had refused to answer further questions.
So they had no choice but to ask themselves:
Has Obi-Wan completely turned to the dark side?
000
On Mustafar, Anakin was putting his plan together; he saw the Sith stand guard at his cell, and knew that the time for his escape had come. The Sith would be easy to defeat since Anakin had the element of surprise.
Anakin fell of his small bed with a thud and began coughing violently as he had his hand on his throat.
The Sith saw this, and thinking that Anakin wouldn't be able to do any physical harm to him, stepped inside to see what was wrong with the Jedi.
Anakin seized this opportunity and he knew that the only way to secure his victory was to tap into the dark part of him that remained. He was willing to risk his Force alignment for the safety of Padmé and the twins.
He stretched out his right hand and began to Force Choke the Sith man before he could react or do anything to prevent it.
The Sith did try and hold on to what little oxygen he had left, but the fight didn't last for long. He soon fell lifeless to the ground.
Anakin quickly searched him and took his lightsaber, not realizing that he was acting more like a Sith than a Jedi. He then switched clothes between himself and the Sith and afterwards slid the cell door shut to stall time. He then slipped out of the cell block to find Padmé.
Chapter Seven: Darth Obsidian
Anakin tried to look as casual as possible, considering the fact that he was desperately trying to find his wife and children. The way that he had acted towards the Sith guard had shocked even him. His dark side had not completely diminished, and he found himself glad of that, for by tapping into the dark side, he was able to quickly dispatch of the Sith guard.
"I know that I'm close; I can feel it," he thought to himself. He knew that Padmé wasn't far away.
He made his way to the far end of the cell block; Padmé had to be there somewhere; for he soon realized that they separated the prisoners based on gender. But he didn't know where to begin to look for Padmé. There had to be at least a hundred cells which were all closed off by doors with slits under them only big enough to feed them.
Anakin knew that time was precious and it wasn't on his side. Then a plan occurred to him. While trying to find Padmé, he could create an uproar to buy them enough time to escape. He looked around anxiously; there were hardly any Sith around at the time.
Anakin knew that he had to make his move—even if it killed him. Without giving it a further thought, He used the Force to open up two of the cell block doors. Two wild looking women emerged, and the Sith immediately drew their weapons. Anakin saw a few speaking into their com-links, and two were making their way towards him with their weapons drawn.
Anakin sized up his opponents and attacked them with such fury that they, being Sith, had never seen. Anakin stood between both of them; his crimson lightsaber ignited.
He used the Force jump to side flip behind the one who was on his left; his new lightsaber easily burning the man's back. He stretched out his hand and the fallen Sith's lightsaber lifted into his hand. Before igniting it, he released yet another prisoner. He also saw another Sith lunging toward him with an ignited lightsaber.
He easily countered the attack and dispatched him. The Sith that now stood in his way was a woman; her looks were not spectacular; her hair was brunette and was not far past her shoulders, she kept it in a neat ponytail. Her dull grey eyes watched him intently. She had learned from her Master, that in order to defeat your opponent, you must first analyze their style.
After he dispatched the unfortunate Sith, she stood in an attack stance; while she was confused that this supposed Sith was attacking them, she would ask questions later, for it was clear that he was her enemy.
Yet, she wasn't surprised when she sensed the light side of the Force in him; but he wasn't completely light sided, for she sensed the Dark Side as well.
Anakin saw her and immediately held his two lightsabers in an attacking stance.
The woman, whose name was Zorah, was clearly impressed. "It is a shame that I have to kill you," she thought. And then she spoke directly to Anakin. "Whatever you want, you have to get through me first, intruder," as she spoke, her eyes narrowed at him in a way that made a chill run up Anakin's spine.
He guessed that she wasn't an apprentice, but was most likely a Sith Knight. "I will get past you," he said bitterly.
Zorah smiled evilly; "I'd like to see you try."
Anakin kept his expression serious; despite the fact that he was a little intimidated.
Without hesitation, Zorah attacked. She swung deadly strikes as she inched her way toward him; Anakin used the two lightsabers to defend himself; yet her attacks continued to gain speed—and she didn't seem to be tiring. Anakin could hear a lot of ruckus in the room. The prisoners were now freeing each other. He hoped that Padmé would be among those who were freed. Sith also began to enter the room; trying to contain the violence without killing the prisoners, for they al had essential information.
"Anakin!"
Anakin froze for a moment when he heard that voice which he had longed to hear again. It was Padmé.
Yet that moment was enough to put him at a disadvantage. Zorah seized the moment and sliced the hilt of one of his lightsabers in two.
Anakin gritted his teeth in anger and began to get a new strength. He no longer heard Padmé, but she was his motivation. He began attacking faster, shocking Zorah, who thought that she was close to winning. He was finally able to gain enough space from her to lift her in the air and Force Choke her. He knew that Padmé would find the deed horrendous, but she would understand his reason for doing so.
Zorah dropped her lightsaber and began to hold her neck whilst thrashing in vain.
"Anakin, stop!" Padmé cried, running up to them; she had been sidetracked, for the escapees had blocked her view.
Anakin saw Padmé and dropped Zorah. The woman fell to the ground with a sickening thud.
"What are you doing, Anakin?" Padmé said.
"She's a Sith; she deserves to die," Anakin wanted to say; but he knew better. "It was the only way—I had to hurry up and…and get to you and the twins."
"The Twins!" Padmé exclaimed; forgetting about the woman for a moment.
"We have to find them; let's go," Anakin said, grabbing her hand.
Padmé turned back to look at the unfortunate Zorah. "Is she…is she dead?" she asked; feeling guilty for what Anakin had done; she was certain that there was another way to defeat the woman.
Anakin saw the look on Padmé's face; and though he figured that Zorah was either dead or dying, he didn't want Padmé to think that he was returning to his dark habits. "No; she's still alive," he said, not knowing if he was lying or telling the truth. "Now let's find Luke and Leia."
000
Korriban
After over a year of being on a planet that was completely twisted by the Dark Side, Obi-Wan had given in; when Palpatine had arrived, he had done everything in his power to weaken Obi-Wan's will; he had even refused to return to Mustafar—for he so badly wanted to finish what he had begun.
Now the Dark lord of the Sith had finally gotten his wish. Obi-Wan Kenobi was no more; he would now be known as Darth Obsidian.
He didn't even look like Obi-Wan. He looked like a completely different man. His hair was now a dark brown; his eye color changed from blue to a brown which could be mistaken for black; and due to an unfortunate accident involving a cliff and some sharp rocks, and a facial reconstruction procedure ordered by Palpatine, his features had been altered. And Palpatine had used his dark powers to heal Darth Obsidian—the man that would now call him 'Master'.
He had called a trusted Sith to see the final outcome. He wanted Darth Pariah to see the man that had once been a strong Jedi Master.
Siri didn't think it possible for Obi-Wan to be turned into a Sith; this was something that she would have to see with her own eyes. Palpatine had kept Darth Obsidian away from the other Sith; he wanted to work on him alone.
As Siri approached the cave where she was told to meet the Emperor, she had mixed emotions. She also wondered what Palpatine had done to turn the former Jedi Master into a full blown Sith.
"Welcome, Lady Pariah," Palpatine said as he walked out of the cave to greet her. "I am glad that you came at my request; I have completed my task. His transformation is complete."
"This I must see with my own eyes, lord Sidious," Siri said coolly.
A smile crossed his decayed face. "Very well; Darth Obsidian, show yourself!"
In a moments time a man emerged from the cave entrance; Darth Obsidian. As Siri examined him, she saw that he looked nothing like the Obi-Wan which she had known…even his beard was gone.
He wielded a lightsaber, the hilt was larger than normal, and so she instantly knew that it was a dual sided lightsaber.
"I must say that you have changed him completely," Siri said dryly.
"Yes, I know; I am most pleased with my work," Sidious replied.
Darth Obsidian looked somewhat blank; he saw the way that Siri looked at him, and already knew what she was thinking. And then he saw his master; Palpatine looked upon him with such pride. "Obi-Wan Kenobi is no more; I am Darth Obsidian!"
000
Padmé and Anakin rushed through the cell blocks, trying to find their children. They just happened to be passing by a large window, when Anakin and Padme looked out and saw Luke, Leia, and Bail board a ship before they could do so much as try to reach them.
Padmé froze, "No, Anakin! They can't take our children!"
Anakin spotted a small ship not far from the large transport which was carrying their children. "Don't worry; they won't. Not if we can do anything to stop it. Come on, we can catch them in that ship."
Padmé saw it and began to run with Anakin; she knew that they couldn't give up, but what if they were too late?
Anakin felt as though he was dying when he saw his children being carried on the transport, but he knew that he had to be strong for Padmé; for this was their darkest hour.
000
But somewhere in Corellia, Sabé and Felix were sharing that brightest hour together; their wedding ceremony had just ended. Neither could have been happier.
They had already made arrangements to purchase a house on Corellia, and Felix had completely given up Bounty Hunting—all because he loved Sabé.
They had no idea that one of the strongest Jedi in the galaxy had succumbed to the dark side.
Chapter Eight: Darth Obsidian Part 2
Padmé and Anakin were stealthier than they had ever been in their entire lives; they were easily able to sneak into the small Sith ship. Anakin instantly went into the cockpit to start the ship up and activate its shields.
"Strap in," he ordered Padmé. "This won't be easy."
His last sentence unnerved her greatly, but she obediently sat down and tried to maintain as much faith in Anakin as was humanly possible.
000
Siri observed the work of Palpatine's twisted hands. "You have truly changed him, my lord," she murmured. "Truly he cannot be the same man."
"Of course he is not!" The Emperor scolded. "He is Darth Obsidian! My apprentice; together we will destroy all Jedi and restore order to the Galaxy! Is this not true, my apprentice?" he asked, directing his question to Darth Obsidian.
"Yes, master; the Jedi have destroyed the galaxy. We must reclaim it!"
Palpatine turned to Siri. "See? He is not the same man. All traces of his former self our gone. He is my prize!" Palpatine continued to rant and chortle about his newest accomplishment, but Siri no longer heard any of it, she was too busy trying to get eye contact with Darth Obsidian to see if Obi-Wan was in fact gone.
But in his eyes she saw coldness, hatred, and bitterness.
"Come Pariah," Palpatine said tauntingly. "Do you not want to test his skills in battle?"
Pariah shook her head. "No my lord; maybe another time, I'm quite worn out."
"Surely Darth Pariah can spare a few moments to show her prowess in a dual—surely he is not better than you, or is he? If an apprentice has already bested a Sith Lady before battle, than maybe you are as some Sith Knights have been saying about you," Palpatine stopped to let his words sink in; anger was rising in Siri. It was especially obvious since her eye color had changed.
"What have they been saying about me, master?" Siri asked, looking past him and concentrating on Obsidian.
"They are saying that you are weak and vulnerable," Palpatine said wickedly. "I took no heed of it until I saw you just now."
By the look on her face, Palpatine knew that it had worked. He had wanted to see how Obsidian would fight against someone whom he had once shared a great bond with—someone who shared important memories with him.
Without saying another word, Pariah ignited her crimson lightsaber and charged at Darth Obsidian.
She made a deadly swing at his head, which he easily countered, and soon he gained the advantage by continuously having her on the defensive. It seemed as though he didn't tire. What was fueling his rage? Only Palpatine knew.
While Pariah was still marveling at his fighting skills, Obsidian tripped her, causing her to lose her balance and fall onto the ground. She could soon feel the heat of the lightsaber as he held it just an inch from her throat.
Obsidian then looked to Palpatine.
"Let her live; I think that Lady Pariah has had enough for one day," Palpatine said in a taunting manner.
Obsidian deactivated his lightsaber and held out his hand to help Pariah up; the woman promptly slapped his hand away and stood up.
She grabbed her lightsaber and looked begrudgingly at Darth Obsidian.
"Save your temper, Lady Pariah," Palpatine said. "Perhaps there will be time for another battle—but I want you back at the academy for now…I advise that you rest."
His tone of mockery struck Darth Pariah terribly, as she remembered when he used to have unwavering faith in her abilities and now Darth Obsidian, a machine trained by Palpatine, had taken her place.
She said nothing to either of them as she brushed herself off and then headed back to the Sith Academy.
"You have done well, my apprentice," Palpatine congratulated.
"Thank you, master," Obsidian said, grateful that Palpatine was pleased.
0-0
Pariah was still within hearing distance when she heard the words exchanged between Palpatine and Obsidian, she now began to wonder what devices Palpatine had used to change the man completely…inside and out.
000
Meanwhile, three Jedi Starfighters landed on the desolate ground. These Jedi had been in contact with Master Yoda and the other Jedi on Dagobah, but they had been watching Korriban intently and had seen many Sith's ships entering; they had felt that it was the opportune time to investigate.
They moved as stealthily as possible, trying to keep away from the Sith's prying eyes whilst investigating the situation. They were going to report to Yoda after the completion of the mission. As they moved closer to the edge of the cliff, neither could hold back a gasp. Palpatine was quietly but surely rebuilding the Sith empire.
The two main buildings which were the Sith Temple and the Sith Academy stood tall as many Sith apprentices, Ladies and lords bustled about, sometimes even training in the open.
But as the three Jedi stood there, they did not know that they had set off an alarm that only Palpatine, Darth Pariah, and Darth Obsidian could hear.