Disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to George Lucas, I don't even deserve to lick the ground he walks on, blah be blahbitty blah… etc…

Wow, this is turning out to be a long prologue…

Agny: Yeah, I somehow knew you wouldn't be happy with her leaving… but I had to get from point A to point B somehow and that was the only way I could think of to do it (psst.. don't tell anyone but... -whispers- I'm not that good of a creative writer...lol) because I want to go somewhere specific with her character as well as her daughter… Carmena had to have some cause to leave…...it was sort of like Anakin's seemingly inane reasoning for turning to the Dark Side in RoTS…it had to happen somehow…

I'm also thinking perhaps my feelings toward Palpatine's character is a little less dynamic than yours may be…I'm probably going to portray him as flat out evil, not much light under the surface or anything…

LL- sorry that I was skipping the parts you wanted to read, the other questions you had will hopefully be answered later...if not...errr... sorry? I don't know much about the EU…so I know little of the Emperor and Mara Jade's relationship, so Palpatine may have had some heart that people seldom saw, I don't know…Maybe when I get the chance I'll read the books... from what I've heard they are good.. I've only ever read the Jedi Apprentice books (I know they are for like… fifth-graders… BUT I DON'T CARE! OBI-WAN RULZ!).

darth mojo: It will probably go to through the time peroid of RotJ, if I don't get a massive writer's block before that point...which is a distinct possibility...


Note: err…. Reading some of the Reviews I think I may have given the wrong impression about Carmena… ummm… she's a blonde….not a red-head…I think I may have accidentally edited that out in the first part with my repeated goings-over …yeah….Carmena is Blonde… (If you look I never said her hair color…I only said "radiant wild hair" I believe…which was supposed to be "radiant blonde hair" or something of the like, I'll edit that when I get the chance). It's not all that important as far as the story is concerned, and I suppose it doesn't really matter, so if you want her to be a red-head you can imagine she's a red-head if you like, it doesn't really matter…


Prologue

Palpatine glanced down at the datapad that had been sent to him via the Jedi Temple.

So, Carmena had left the Order. How unfortunate.

From what he gathered from their conversations being a Jedi Master was her crowning achievement.

The only reason that she would have cause to leave was if his plan had finally come to pass.

Carmena was carrying his child.

It was quite inconvenient that she chose to leave; perhaps his influence on her wasn't quite as strong as he had hoped.

His fist tightened around the datapad in anger. Not only had she made him a fool, she was running off with his child.

"Jedi.", the word rolled off his toungue with utter distaste and left behind a foul taste in his mouth.

Carmena was a Jedi, and as such, her actions should have been expected.

He wouldn't go so far as say he had loved her, but he had grown fond of her during their time together... in a way.

Time with her had been mildly enjoyable.

Certainly not as enjoyable as it was going to be to kill her, as well as the rest of the Jedi when he finally got the chance.

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine got up in a quick motion taking hold of the datapad on his desk and, in a show of strength most were unaware he had, threw the datapad clear across the room where it shattered into millions of pieces against the far wall as if it were glass.

Ah, that made him feel much better. Palpatine took his seat once again.

No matter, he would get the child eventually.

Once Palpatine had complete control over the galaxy and his true nature was revealed, there was no doubt in his mind that Carmena would feel the need to train the child to be a Jedi in some vain attempt to prevent him or her from being turned.

It was a foolish notion really, that she would be able to do anything to stop the inevitable.

It would make no difference what she attempted to teach their child; it would, however, save him the trouble of training his future apprentice.

Hmmm... yes... he would only have to turn the child, which shouldn't prove difficult.

Palpatine was a patient man. He had waited many years for his plans of ruling the galaxy to come to pass, so too would he wait for his perfect apprentice.

Yes, for now, Anakin Skywalker would do.

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Carmena sat in the back of a transport headed toward Corellia.

Her home planet.

It was the first place she had thought to go.

She had only visited it three or four times in her life, but it was where she was born.

Carmena had always seen the Jedi Temple on Coruscant as her home, butshe was leaving that life forever.

She would have to find a new home.

She would look for her family.

Carmena had not seen her father and mother in years, for all she knew they weren't even still alive.

What was she doing?

Carmena Ellis wasn't even sure herself to be truthful, this was a completely irrational decision she was making…

To a casual observer it would appear she had let the words of one man she had only met several times make her betray the only man she had ever loved.

She had always followed the path the Force laid out for her no matter how unorthodox for it usually proved to be the right course, and this case would be no different.

Carmena felt that leaving was the correct path, even though her emotions told her otherwise.

She knew she couldn't do that which she selfishly wanted for herself, she had to do what was right for her child. To protect it at all costs.

Her eyes drifted down to her belly. She was surprised that she had failed to notice it before; her stomach was already starting to grow.

But then again, she had other things on her mind apart from watching her figure.

Her child would have a good life.

She would see to that, even if it was the last thing she ever did.

Fin Prologue.