To my DEAR reviewers...:

X-Smasher 3: Heheh.... yes, I checked it out. Thanks for your review. Post your story on my site...? You JOINED, after all...

Anchente: Hi, fellow JNeter!! Uhh... Darthe! HI! Heh. I'm glad you love my idea... original... yes... yes, I will update on JNet... someday. Heh.

Audreidi: I can't escape you, dear Master, can I. I KNOW you want longer chapters, but I'm kinda busy on LotG, you know... LIVE WITH IT. Uhh... at the time of your review, no I wasn't anywhere near done this chapter. I'm sorry this one is so short too.... but it's interesting, right? /cackle/ I'm sorry that it moves so fast. And I'm sorry I have to apologize so much... yes, overly picky because you know me. I'll TRY for a longer chapter next time. Maybe I'll actually be inspired, this one is only posted to satisfy impatient peoples. Plot twists are coming up.......... PH34R THE PLOT BUNNY!!!!!!

Smenzer: REVIEWED BY ONE OF MY FAV AUTHORS! AWESOMENESS!! /grins/ Thanks for reviewing. Uhh... the time travel stuff will be explained in due time. No spoilers for anyone, not even my betas.... heh. And Jaina was merely tired, that's why she didn't recognize the name. Little details.... fun. I need to write more of them, so that AUDREIDI is happy with my chapter lengths. Leia will discover that, yes. And yes, Palpy will be in the story as well. Just... no comment why or how.


Chapter Four

The familiar feel of being in outer space came quickly to Obi-Wan as Jaina pulled their ship into hyperspace. Her style of flying had a very dare-devilish feel to him-- the style that made him dislike flying even more than he already did. Obi-Wan never exactly had appreciated heights, and flying-- the dare-devil style made him dislike it even more.

The other occupant of the ship smiled quirkily, and set his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "You should see her fly against the Vong-- now that's scary." Obi-Wan found himself wondering what, exactly, these Vong were-- he was sure he had heard more than one mention of them while they had decided who would go with whom-- that was when Jaina had brought him back to the ships. Confusion was nearly at the point that he wanted to ask a million questions, wanted to know what had happened to Tatooine, wanted to know where Qui-Gon was...

He had almost been in a trance, leaving the planet behind-- now he was confused. Jaina hadn't felt evil, but he had been confused, and disoriented. Appearing on a jungle planet after being on Tatooine wasn't exactly an everyday occurence.

Obi-Wan felt quite at ease with the other occupant-- presumably this Jaina's brother; they looked similar enough, anyhow, to be related. He looked him up and down-- this one was probably also a Jedi, he had the wisdom showing in his eyes of a Jedi Master, Obi-Wan found himself thinking, as he looked him over. He seems so young, merely a Padawan, but looks to have withstood the trials of a grown man. There was something not quite right about him, but Obi-Wan couldn't place it. Something little that should've seemed almost wrong, but he wasn't catching it, though it whisped at the back of his mind.

Then they were safely in hyperspace, and Jacen-- for that was who it was-- took a closer look at Obi-Wan. "Jacen Solo," he introduced himself, holding out his hand.

Obi-Wan took his hand, though slightly hesitantly, and shook. "Obi-Wan Kenobi."

By the almost shadowed expression that suddenly reflected on Jacen's face, there was obviously more to that name then Obi-Wan knew. It was an expression of disbelief, sudden mistrust... but all that was swiftly gone-- too quickly for Obi-Wan to latch onto it. Jacen threw a slight glance over at his sister, but she didn't notice it, concentrating on her piloting at the moment. In answer to the unasked question, Jacen commented, "Our uncle Luke knew an Obi-Wan Kenobi once-- he was his first master, back on Tatooine. But he was killed by Darth Vader at the height of the Rebellion, is all." His face was impassive, not revealing a thing about his thoughts on that. Inside... Now, that's very interesting... Jacen Solo found himself thinking over the possibilities of it being the same Obi-Wan.

The strange appearance, and seeming Jedi-like bearings, when yet Jacen didn't recognize him at all. He narrowed his eyes just slightly, and observed the slightly confused-- Jedi?-- who was attempting to get his bearings after entering hyperspace.

Obi-Wan nodded, not understanding a word Jacen meant. He shivered at the mention of Darth Vader-- the name gave him the chills, though he didn't know why-- something whispered to him through the Force... it was the Force that was causing him to react to the name. Something in the future. He recalled Qui-Gon instructing him to be mindful of the Living Force not too long ago-- and yet it seemed so long ago. "That's... very interesting," he commented quietly, holding back his true thoughts, and questions for the moment. "A Sith Lord, then," he added, even softer. Were the Sith making a return? But, no... they couldn't be... their flame had been removed from the galaxy long ago. They couldn't be!

Jacen shook himself out of a sudden trance he seemed to fall into. "So, you're a Jedi too?" he asked, more a statement than a question, however. Obi-Wan noted that Jacen evaded the comment of Sith quite easily, as if he didn't want to talk about it.

"Yes... well, I'm a Jedi Apprentice, anyhow," Obi-Wan corrected. "My master is Qui-Gon Jinn." He took a deep breath, let it go, trying to remove the tention that was growing within him. If the Sith were making a comeback...

Jacen shook his head, the name meant nothing to him. "Yeah, so you two were on Coruscant to help with the rescue mission too, then?"

This young Jedi's questions bothered Obi-Wan slightly-- they were shrewd, and made him really have to think to come up with an answer, well all the while seeming innocent, and making him wonder whether they weren't just harmless questions. But why did he feel the need to evade the deeper questions? It wasn't like Jacen was evil-- merely another Jedi Padawan like himself-- he was sure of it.

What did this Jacen know, anyhow?

"No, we were on Tatooine, headed back to Coruscant from a mission on Naboo," Obi-Wan answered automatically. Then what he had just said connected to Jacen's words, and he jerked slightly. "Coruscant... we were on Coruscant?" I was just on Tatooine! And, by the Force, what did happen to Qui-Gon...

The question was immediately regretted as soon as he said it-- it was obviously a blunder, and something he should've known. The very dark expression that flitted across Jacen's face, and the look Jaina's eyes took on just then proved that.

"No, you were on Dagobah," Jaina answered sarcastically. She scoffed. "Where else did you think you were, Kenobi? What other planet was completely Vong-formed to look like their alleged homeplanet?"

Obi-Wan shook his head, a response to the impossible things they were saying. As if denying it would fix what had just happened. "That's not Coruscant." What in the galaxy... no Jedi I know would intentionally lie like that! Why would they? I mean... that can't be Coruscant. It must be a mistake.He brought up images of the closest thing he had to a homeplanet-- majestic skyscrapers, all the people, the buildings that stretched all the way down, and around, the metal, the lack of green... the whole planet was large city. "It can't be..." He voiced his growing throughts under a quiet statement... a near whisper. It said enough-- the horror at what would've happened to turn Coruscant into a jungle was beyond his thoughts, and he hated to even think of what person could do such a thing. "It can't be." Again, a whisper.

"Well, it is the truth-- what rock have you been hiding under?" That was Jaina, once again with a sarcastic comment. Jacen said nothing, but looked at him with a sharp gaze, as if he could see beneath Obi-Wan's cover. Obi-Wan was once again struck by this Jacen-- how he seemed so wise for such a young age. His attention was momentarily brought to something he had noticed earlier, but given no thought to-- or a lack of something. Jacen did not wear a braid. Jedi Knight? he wondered. He's so young. The eyes Jacen wore were anything but young-- eyes that showed hardship, darkness, and grief. The same things which were now slipping into Obi-Wan's heart, and mind. A shadow. It's all... wrong. He closed his eyes for almost a moment, reaching out with the Force... searching...

Qui-Gon!

He shook his head. No...

There. It flickered, and he rocognized his Master's signature, albeit distantly. Alive, though, and not in any trouble. Obi-Wan didn't think the Qui-Gon was sensing him, however, but he stiffled the panic for the sake of the moment.

"I grew up on Coruscant, I should know my own planet," Obi-Wan replied sharply. That cannot be Coruscant. Who would've done that to the planet in such sort a time? He stood up, muttered a brief excuse and walked to the back of the ship. Jacen watched him go-- let him be for a while, as Jaina muttered something about people who refused to accept the truth.

While Obi-Wan's thoughts reflected a sudden darkness, and a panic beyond anything he had ever felt, Jacen's were of a sudden questioning feel... that there was something that just did not add up to this moment. Obi-Wan Kenobi... He formed the same words as Obi-Wan had, silently, but with a different meaning. It can't be...

Jacen stood up as well, then. "You're all right up here, Jaina... I'm going to talk to our new... friend." He spoke quietly, but narrowed his eyes. "Something doesn't feel quite right here." He left his twin in the cockpit, and walked down to the back, where Obi-Wan sat, staring dully at the wall. He didn't even glance up as Jacen entered the room silently, like a shadow crossing the wall. When the young Jedi sat down beside him, Obi-Wan looked over at him, his eyes glazed over with a shadow that hid panic, fear, and many, many questions.

"I think you have some explaining to do." One simple statement, and spoken calmly-- but in it, Jacen felt everything that Obi-Wan felt-- the anger, frusteration, and panic. He had felt the same way-- but had understood. Jacen had nearly killed what would become the planet's mind ((In Traitor))-- and he felt similar emotions pouring from Obi-Wan.

Jacen turned to face him, his eyes dark. "We both have explaining to do, Obi-Wan Kenobi... you as much as I." But he began to tell the tale of Coruscant's fall with ease.


If two and two could be put together, then Padmé would've put them together, But there was no logical explanation to what had happened-- to what was going on. Coruscant was a planet she had never been to-- not in a long while-- but the wost that could've happened was that it grew bigger. The Trade Federation worked with machines... if they would've taken over the capital planet, they wouldn't've turned it to a jungle-like place.

Indeed, it was beautiful, she had to admit. Much fairer to look upon than the previous metal, and unnatural buildings. Now there were flowers, vines, and water to behold-- when one looked around the rubble that was there as well. If she did not know the planet to be Coruscant, she could've been happy there for a while. But, knowing the truth made her see nothing but destruction, feel nothing but anger.

All the people that must've died... or did people die? Padmé was quite confused, not to mention panicked as well. If someone could ruin Coruscant in that little of time, then what could they do to Naboo-- to her people?

The young queen was a compassionate person by nature: seeing what the Trade Federation was doing to her planet caused her frustration. She had hated to leave them there, though going to the Senate seemed the only answer. But there would be no help on a ruined planet-- with Coruscant Bio-formed, she realized, there would be no help for Naboo.

She traced pictures on the ground absentmindedly. Where are the Jedi? What will they say when they see this? Coruscant was as much a home planet to them as they could've had...Padmé would've denied the destruction, but it was too in her face to ignore.

Nothing added up. She sat there for a long while, thinking over what had happened. But there was no way that this could've happened by any means she could think of. It had only been a short while since the last transmission she had received from Coruscant on Naboo-- the bio-forming of the planet would've taken a lot longer than that time allowed for. No one had mentioned an entire planet's destruction when she spoke with Coruscant last-- that was not something easily forgotten.

And yet, the planet looked as if it had been formed such a long time ago-- long enough that most of the rubble from the endless city was covered. It has to be another planet. Maybe another planet has hawk-bats.In her heart she knew that was not the case. It was too much like to Coruscant to escape it. Anger welled up within, as well as tears for those who would've died in the attack. How anyone could destroy so much was beyond her.

An unnatural warmth was felt on her cheek, and Padmé realized, as she looked up at the sky, that she was crying softly. And not too far away from her, someone watched the young queen, devastated, angered, and a bitter torrent of emotions.

Once again, things went as planned.


There was a place, outside of time, outside or space, outside of light and darkness. A place where there was only the Force. Or, in all truthfulness, that is how it had been. Now there was a person there, a person that was neither dark nor light, living, nor dead. No, there were more people than that, but only one who looked upon the world with such hate.

Hate leads to the darkside...

Shadows existed here, darkness, and fear. The pain of death, and nothing beyond that until all faded away. Mist and shadows... this world was the realm of such. It was not a world, though, merely a place. And not even a place, for it was nothing. It was a space between the world and that which held it together-- a place where there was nothing but shadows.

The person in there was a shadow-- a shadow with dark goals, and dark means to achieve them. In life, which had been so long ago that he could not remember it clearly, he could've taken care of such things with the help of others. But trapped in a darkness that could not be escaped, and yet was not fully dark, there was no way but through his own means-- and the help of those who-- unknowingly-- followed him.

Divided they would fall, and darkness take all the worlds. In the confusion that already began to happen, the darkness would move in and begin its slow covering of all worlds. And then his strike would come, swift and fast, as sure as the darkness that covered his realm.

There was a scale that balanced all the worlds, and one by one it had began to tip... to fall into the arms of destiny.


Qui-Gon woke up, and found a sense of relief to being on the ship they had left Naboo on. He did wonder why he had-- seemingly-- fainted, however.

His sense of relief faded, though, when he realized that the ship was still on Tatooine, and Obi-Wan was not there. The lack of heat he had felt disappeared, and the full scorching heat of Tatooine came back to him. He looked around, searching for something-- and even more of his relief faded into darkness. "Obi-Wan?" he asked, standing up and looking around.

Everything looked normal-- as normal as Tatooine could be, more. It was scorching hot, and as light as it had been a moment before, when he had been fighting the Sith--

The Sith!

"Padawan? Anakin?" If he didn't know better, it was as if no one was there. The ship was there behind him, but no one was aboard it... where was Obi-Wan? Reaching through the training bond he felt-- nothing.

Nothing?!

"Anakin?!" The handmaiden... what about her? "Padmé?"

He almost panicked, and then realised that he was well justifyed for panicking. Had the Sith carted off Obi-Wan, and Anakin, and Padmé, and everyone else while he had been unconscious. For that matter, why was I unconscious...?

And then there was one more realisation that struck him like a brick dropped from a rooftop on Coruscant. I can't feel anyone. As if the Force had left him completely. The Jedi could still feel the basic area, and he felt sure that he could use the Force to levitate things, and other basics, but it was as if he was a Padawan once more. It's there, toying with my senses, but I can't grab it. All the old connections... gone.

And what happened to Obi-Wan?!


A/N: WARNING TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT'VE FORGOTTEN: THIS STORY IS VERY, VERY AU STARTING ABOUT NOW!!!!