Life and Death
Sidious paced in his quarters, turning his back on the holo the held the image of his mercenary. "My Lord, we traced Master Kenobi to Polis Massa, but he has since left the system and we have found no trace of the senator."
"She has slipped through your fingers yet again," Sidious growled. "I said I wanted her destroyed, and you assured me that it would be done."
"It shall be, my Lord," the holo of the mercenary insisted.
"Do not report back to me until you are certain that she is dead," Sidious said.
Even as the image was just bowing to say, "Yes, Lord", Sidious deactivated the device.
"Incompetent fool," he snarled to himself. Returning to his chair behind the large desk, he considered the situation. "It is time to escalate my plans."
There was a moment's pause, and then another message went out from Sidious. "All of them, Commander," Sidious instructed the clone. "I want every last jedi to be destroyed . . . except one. Bring me Anakin Skywalker, alive."
----------------------------------
"Master, Master," the young padawan came bursting into the meditation chamber. "Attack-, they are attacking-"
Shaak Ti opened her eyes with a start. The padawan looked back at her, as though pleading for safety. Shaak Ti rose and went to the window, and then she saw it. Legions of troopers were marching toward the temple, destroying any jedi that tried to stop them. Then she felt it, through the force, many jedi across the galaxy were dying.
For a moment, Shaak Ti was overwhelmed. It was not a trait of a jedi to feel panic, but for a moment, she did. It was the still voice of the padawan that brought her back, "Master? What are we going to do?"
"We can not win this fight," she said, sadly. Every knight and master knew there was no way to win. Those that attacked the troopers were sacrificing their own lives for those that remained in the temple, so that they might have a chance at survival. "We must run."
--------------------------------------
There was a quiet knock at the door. Padmé looked down at Leia, who lay sleeping in her arms. Rising, she went first to her bed chamber, and gently, she placed her baby into the crib she had been given. Bracing herself for the worst, she went to answer the door.
Her new hiding place was the safest that Obi-Wan could think of, yet still she couldn't shake the feeling of danger. She had a child the think of now, not just her own life. She opened the door to find a young Alderaanian woman, a handmaiden of the palace, standing before her. "Lady Organa," she addressed Padmé. "The King and Queen request your presence immediately."
Padmé nodded grimly, before closing the door behind her and following the girl down the hall. I'll be back in a moment, Leia, I promise.
Padmé looked about the halls of the palace that had become her surrogate home. The lives of royals were very private here on Alderaan. It was unknown to the public if Bail or his wife had any siblings, but when Padmé showed up seeking refuge with her daughter, Bail claimed her to be the wife of his late brother, a commander who had died in the wars. The explanation was accepted, since there was no knowledge otherwise. Both Padmé and her daughter took the last name Organa.
At last they reached a pair of tall doors. Using a panel to the left, the attendant opened the door, and the handmaiden led Padmé inside. As she did, she announced, "My Lord, I present Lady Ala Organa."
Bail nodded from where he sat next to his wife. "Thank you."
The woman excused herself, closing the door behind her. In the solitude, Padmé hurried over to join Bail and the Queen where they sat at a small table. Flimsiplasts were scattered over the tabletop, and as Padmé took her seat, she distinctly saw Bail give her a sympathetic and sorrowful look.
"I'm sorry, Pa- Ala," Bail began. "We've just received word that war has been declared on the jedi. This flimsiplast arrived just moments ago."
Padmé took the flimsiplast from his hand and studied it carefully. The data told of an attack on the jedi temple, to put down a "jedi rebellion". The newsnet was blaming the Jedi for the war and for all the terrible things that were happening.
Padmé shook her head, fighting back tears. "How many have been killed?"
Bail shook his head, "By the reports, my guess would be that Palpatine has ordered their complete genocide."
Padmé couldn't hold back the tears then. Her hand went to her mouth, covering her trembling chin. Tears slipped down her cheeks, even as she tried to hold on to her brave façade.
"Padmé, we called you here, because there is more news." Bail said, forgetting covertness. "There have been reports . . . well, rumors, that Jedi may be escaping the system."
A look of hope came over the former senator's saddened features. All she could do was pray to the force that Anakin was able to escape.
-----------------------------------------
Anger, rage, Anakin was struggling against the swell of emotion. Obi-Wan had taken everything from him, everything that ever mattered. How could this man stand before him, asking to be allowed to explain?
"What Master?" Anakin asked, beginning to pace back and forth before Obi-Wan. "You did all this for my sake? For Padmé's sake? How can you even justify what you have done?"
"She is safe, Anakin, I promise, and so is your child," Obi-Wan thought perhaps the mention of a child might be a mistake, but he had to find something. He had to find a piece of Anakin that wasn't torn, some loyalty that he could use to bring Anakin back.
"My child?" Anakin blinked.
"Anakin, you must understand, the Order-"
Anakin stopped in his tracks. "The Order demanded this!"
"No, Anakin, you don't-"
Anakin didn't hear anything else. He found himself on his knees, pain coursing through him, torment coursing through the force. Pain was all that he was conscious of, an agony that was leading toward darkness.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Apologies, this was supposed to be posted yesterday. However, I was dragged to a movie marathon (no chick flics thankfully) by my friends, and between the hours and hours of movie theater hopping and then sleeping, I did not see my computer until early this evening.
Alright now, reviewers, you guys have been excellent. Bookwrm17, SML, and LadyKelina, thank you for your kind words. Alley Parker, Padme17, Nautica7mk, I promise that this AU will stay true . . . hopefully. Koriaena, I agree that a fight on Tattoine lacks the "pizzazz" of Mustafar, but the next chapter should make everything clear. AnimaEssentia, thank you for your review, your words about Obi-Wan were wise and true. He's trying to be a good friend, but his actions are not making things easy for Anakin. This is my first fan fic that I've posted, so I'm glad to hear that you think I'm keeping the characters in character.
Thanks again, as said before, you guys rock.
Chapter 11 should be posted Monday sometime or early Tuesday, it just needs a little tweaking. In the meantime I appreciate your reviews, be it one word or many. Hearing from my readers makes me want to keep writing.
WizardWriter86