Coruscant

Mid Afternoon

The Doctor stood nearby their transport, watching as the TARDIS was loaded inside while Amy and Rory looked around the planet in a bit of awe. Which he could understand, the planet was magnificent after all.

Once Grievous's ship had fallen, miraculously crashing into a shipyard, the rest of Grievous's forces had retreated. Palpatine was being examined by a nearby medic while Anakin and Obi-Wan were talking nearby.

"Doctor."

Hearing his name, The Doctor turned around, seeing Palpatine had apparently finished his check up and had approached him.

"Chancellor. Everything good I hope?" The Doctor asked brightly and Palpatine chuckled.

"As well as can be expected. In any case, the medic did not find anything that some rest should not cure. Unfortunately, rest is not something I have the luxury of with this war going on," Palpatine said, his face darkening. "With Grievous still out there, this war shall continue. The Senate will vote to continue the war as long as he is alive."

"Well, I'm sure the Jedi will be able to handle it," The Doctor said calmly and a sad smile flashed across Palpatine's face.

"I truly hope so. I wanted to thank you, we would never have escaped if it weren't for your ship," Palpatine said, his gaze flickering to where the TARDIS was being loaded onto the transport. "Time travel. The technology has been lost for centuries to the universe."

"Perhaps a good thing. Time travel is a messy business," The Doctor said calmly, seeing the hungry glint in Palpatine's eyes as he looked at the TARDIS before the other man hid it.

"Perhaps you are right," Palpatine said as he composed himself. "I and the Republic owe you a debt Doctor. If there should be anything you need, just ask. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must return to my office. There is work to be done."

The Doctor didn't say another word, merely watching as Palpatine walked over to a group of other Senators, heading into the Senate Building. The Doctor watched them leave when he felt Amy and Rory walk up behind him.

"You don't trust him," Rory noted knowingly.

"Do you?" The Doctor asked although he had a feeling he already knew the answer.

"About as far as I could throw him," Rory agreed. "There's just something off about him."

"You're learning," The Doctor said with a slight smile.

"So what do we do now?" Amy asked.

"Well, for the moment, I need to speak with Yoda. So come along Ponds," The Doctor said, gesturing them forward as he headed towards the transport.

Amy and Rory exchanged a weary glance, wondering what mess The Doctor had dragged them into this time before, communicating without words, husband and wife followed after their friend. They headed towards the transport, where they met Anakin and Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan was talking into his commlink when he saw them approach and lowered his wrist to his side.

"I've been in contact with the Jedi Council. They've requested the presence of you and your…Companions," Obi-Wan told The Doctor as his eyes swept over Amy and Rory briefly before turning back to The Doctor.

"Well, that's good. I do need to speak to Yoda," The Doctor said cheerily.

"Um, why exactly do they want to speak to us?" Rory questioned as he and Amy looked confused.

"The Council will want to hear your side of what happened. They don't like not knowing things, not that it stops them from keeping secrets," Anakin said, a hint of bitterness entering his voice.

Obi-Wan shot Anakin a look as the Ponds looked lost. The Doctor raised an eyebrow, sensing Anakin had issues with the Council for some reason. But he would have time to figure that out later.

"Anakin, I'll see you back at the Temple for the briefing. Have fun with the politicians," Obi-Wan said, his lips twitching upward in a smirk.

The tension drained from Anakin as he laughed.

"You owe me. And not just for saving your skin for the tenth time," Anakin told him.

"Ninth time. That business on Cato Neimodia doesn't count," Obi-Wan insisted.

Anakin merely laughed before turning to the others.

"I suppose this is where I take my leave. Thank you for…thank you," Anakin said awkwardly as he and The Doctor remembered Dooku.

"Just because someone loses their way doesn't mean you can't find it again. You're a good man Anakin, you just need a little help remembering it sometimes," The Doctor told him gently.

Obi-Wan watched curiously as Anakin nodded with a tight smile, wondering what he was missing. But he would have time to ask another time. The Council was summoning them.

And so as Anakin made his way towards the Senate Building, the others boarded the transport. As they stepped on board, Amy and Rory looked around in a bit of awe at the inside of the ship. In some ways it was exactly like a bus from earth, in others it was even more futuristic than the TARDIS.

"Spaceships have grown even more advanced by this time," The Doctor said as he sat down, smiling slightly at their look of excitement.

"Clearly," Rory muttered as they all took their seats, Amy and Rory by the window while The Doctor and Obi-Wan sat across from them.

"We should arrive at the temple in less than an hour. Take some time to look at city. Coruscant is magnificent," The Doctor told his Companions.

The Ponds needed no further prompting; looking out the window as the transport took off, rising into the air.

"They're not from around here, are they?" Obi-Wan asked, seeing the reactions of The Ponds and realizing they'd never seen anything quite like this.

"They're from Earth," The Doctor said and Obi-Wan looked at him sharply. "From 2011 in fact."

"So your ship truly is a time machine," Obi-Wan muttered as he glanced at where the TARDIS had been loaded in.

"A bit slow, aren't you?" The Doctor joked and Obi-Wan shot him an unamused look. "I'm a Time Lord."

"A Time Lord. I'd heard you were all wiped out centuries ago," Obi-Wan said in surprise and a sad smile flashed across The Doctor's face.

"They were. I'm the last of them," The Doctor said sadly.

"I'm sorry," Obi-Wan said, cursing himself for his moment of insensitivity.

"It's quite alright. I get that reaction a lot," The Doctor quickly assured him. "What do you think of Palpatine?"

"He's the Chancellor officially, leading us to victory against the Separatists," Obi-Wan said immediately.

"And unofficially?" The Doctor asked and Obi-Wan paused as Amy and Rory paused in their site seeing, listening for Obi-Wan's answer.

"He has stayed in office long past the ending of his term, he's been granted a great deal of emergency powers by the Senate, he barely has need for it anymore. He has a hold on Anakin that I do not like. I do not trust him," Obi-Wan admitted.

"Nor do I," The Doctor admitted, looking away with a thoughtful look on his face. "Nor do I."

Jedi Temple

Late afternoon

The transport docked in the Hanger Bay of the Jedi Temple around an hour later, true to Obi-Wan's word. As the ship docked, The Doctor looked out the window and saw a little green creature standing with a black man and grinned.

"Come along Ponds! You're about to meet one of the wisest beings in the universe!" Doctor said excitedly.

Amy and Rory looked at him bewildered as he and Obi-Wan headed for the door. The ship's ramp lowered and The Doctor and Obi-Wan headed down. Rory and Amy followed behind at a slower pace as Yoda moved forward with his cane.

"Doctor, good to see you my old friend, it is," Yoda said happily as the group stepped off the ramp.

"Yoda, it has been too long," The Doctor said, kneeling down and grasping Yoda's free hand in a handshake. "I merely wish the circumstances were better."

"Grateful for your help I am Doctor. Things, I feel, would be dire, had not you come," Yoda said as they dropped hands.

"Doctor, it is an honor to meet you. Master Yoda has told us quite a bit about you," the black man said as he neared them, offering The Doctor his hand. "I'm Jedi Master Mace Windu."

"Hello. I'm The Doctor, but you knew that already," The Doctor said as he stood up, accepting Windu's hand. "These are my companions, Amy and Rory Pond."

"It's Williams," Rory corrected, knowing The Doctor was just trying to wind him up.

"No it's not," The Doctor said confidently and Rory shook his head in exasperation.

Obi-Wan smiled slightly at the interaction between them, reminded of many similar interactions between Anakin and Ashoka. His smile faded as he remembered the Tortuga while Yoda merely chuckled at the scene. Windu merely looked at them blankly.

"An honor to meet you, it is," Yoda said as he approached the Ponds. "Any friend of The Doctor, friend of mine, they are."

"Thank you," Rory said politely, shaking Yoda's hand when the Jedi offered it.

"There really are green men in space. Oh this is awesome," Amy almost squealed in excitement as she shook Yoda's hand.

As The Doctor and Yoda chuckled at her excitement and Rory looked at his wife fondly, Obi-Wan noted a look flash across Windu's face. And it wasn't one he liked. It usually the look he had when dealing with Anakin. Obi-Wan merely hoped whatever was bothering Windu, it didn't cause any problems.


Sometime later, they all stood in the Council Chamber. While Yoda, Obi-Wan and Windu had taken their seats, The Doctor, Amy and Rory stood in the center of the room.

The Ponds let The Doctor and Obi-Wan do most of the talking during the meeting. It was pretty straightforward, the pair explaining their separate endeavors up until they met up on The Invisible Hand. They then together detailed the events going forward, including Shaak-Ti's death. There was a moment of silence for the fallen Jedi.

"Shaak-Ti. Powerful Jedi was she. Missed, she will be," Yoda sighed sadly.

"Too many Jedi have fallen in this war," Plo Koon noted sadly.

"Shaak TI was not the first, and I doubt she will be the last Jedi to fall at Grievous's hand," Windu said, a hint of sadness slipping past his impassive mask before he turned towards Obi-Wan. "Continue Obi-Wan."

"After we escaped from Grievous, the five of us made our way to where the Chancellor was being held. Anakin and I engaged him, but I was knocked unconscious. When I awoke, Anakin was victorious against Dooku," Obi-Wan explained.

"Since Obi-Wan was unconscious, perhaps The Doctor could help us fill in the blanks," Pl Koon noted as they all turned towards The Doctor.

"What Obi-Wan says is true. Anakin and Dooku fought a little longer until Anakin removed Dooku's hands and put Dooku in the crosshairs of his own lightsaber," The Doctor said, almost smiling before remembering what happened next. "And then the Chancellor ordered Anakin to kill Dooku."

A stunned silence stretched through the room. Which The Doctor and Ponds could understand, they'd had a similar reaction.

"The Chancellor ordered Skywalker to execute Dooku?" Windu asked stunned shock on his normally blank expression.

"His exact words were 'kill him now'," Amy pitched in and The Doctor shot her a look before turning back to the Council.

"Amy's right, although Anakin did refuse to do it," The Doctor pointed out.

He did neglect to mention that Anakin was tempted to do it. That was for Anakin to disclose, should he choose to.

"Concerning, this news is," Yoda said grimly.

"The Chancellor has never been innocent, but to make Anakin a murderer," Obi-Wan said, horrified at the position the man he thought of as his brother was put in.

"I believe we should table this matter of discussion for when we are alone," Plo Koon pointed out, subtlety glancing at The Doctor and Ponds.

"Of course," Windu said, his face hardening again. "I assume Dooku is dead?"

"Yes. Grievous killed him, under the orders of someone called Sidious," Obi-Wan explained and a tense silken descended on the chamber once more. "And three years ago, Dooku did tell me that someone called Darth Sidious was influencing the Senate."

"Then it is as we feared. Dooku was the apprentice, not the Master," Windu said grimly.

"Before he was killed, Dooku did imply that this Darth Sidious was a member of the Senate," Obi-Wan said.

"That's impossible!" Ki-Adi-Mundi exclaimed.

"Said the same thing about the return of the Sith, did you not Master Mundi?" Yoda pointed out and the room was silent.

"If I may interject?" The Doctor inquired and they turned to him. "I knew Count Dooku when he was a Jedi. And no matter what he became, he was smart and cunning. He knew he was a dead man once he was defeated by Anakin. And a dying man has less incentive to lie."

"Right, The Doctor is," Yoda agreed softly. "Many things my old apprentice was. An idiot, he was not."

"Regardless, a more careful look at the Senate would benefit us all," Windu declared and no one disagreed.

"Grievous is still out there. And as long as he is alive, The Chancellor will not relinquish his emergency powers," Kit Fisto pointed out.

"Then finding Grievous must be our top priority," Windu said firmly.

"Thank you for your help my old friend," Yoda said as he looked towards The Doctor.

"If I may, I would like to make a request of the Jedi," The Doctor said, taking all of them aback.

"You may," Windu said, gesturing for The Doctor to continue.

"I would like to stay here, at the Jedi Temple for the time being," The Doctor declared, once more surprising them all. "There are things I want to look into, and I would also like to request access to the Jedi Archives for assistance in my investigation."

"You ask much of us Doctor," Windu said, his face stony.

"I know. But the Jedi are my friends, and I wish to uncover something that may explain what is happening to them and around them," The Doctor said as he and Windu had a stare down.

"Trust you, I do old friend. You shall have what you need," Yoda declared, breaking the standoff between The Doctor and Windu. "Quarters for you and your companions, arranged they will be."

"Thank you old friend," The Doctor said as he bowed.

Utapau

Same time

After arriving, Grievous stepped into the communications room, where the holographic form of Darth Sidious greeted him.

"General Grievous, I suggest you move the Separatist leaders to Mustafar," Sidious ordered.

"It shall be done, My Lord," Grievous said with a slight bow.

"The end of the war is near, General. Soon I will have a new apprentice. One far younger and more powerful," Sidious promised. "In the meantime, we have a new enemy. The Doctor. I want him killed."

"As you wish," Grievous promised.

The Jedi Temple

Night

"I don't trust him," The Doctor told Amy and Rory as the three were led to the guest quarters.

"Palpatine or Master Windu?" Rory asked, having noticed the tension with the Jedi and The Doctor.

"He has a point, you two looked like you were going to row," Amy pointed out.

"Neither. But at the very least, Windu seems to be on the same side as us. I'm more concerned with Palpatine," The Doctor admitted.

"Is that why we're staying here?" Amy inquired.

"Partly. Something is going on with history. I need to investigate," The Doctor said as they came to a stop.

"Mr. and Mrs. Pond, here are your quarters. Doctor, yours are a few doors down," their guide told them.

"Well, I'm off Ponds. Try to keep the kissing to a minimum," The Doctor said before walking off with the guide.

Shaking their head at The Doctor's antics, Amy and Rory entered their quarters.

It was nice, Rory decided as they looked around. While it was largely futuristic, it wasn't that different from what his old flat back in Leadworth had been prior to marrying Amy. There was a couch, a kitchen fit with a sink, a small table and two doors. Walking over to one, he opened it to reveal a small bedroom.

"Well, I guess some things are universal," Rory said as he turned around.

Only to be tackled by Amy as she grabbed him into a kiss. Although surprised, Rory quickly returned the kiss.

"You have no idea how hard it was not to take this off you all day," Amy hissed between kisses as she searched for the clap on Rory's Centurion suit.

Rory didn't respond as they stepped deeper into the room, the automated door closer behind him as he pushed Amy against the wall. Amy moaned as he pulled her.

No more words were exchanged that night. At least not coherent ones.

Coruscant

Later that night

In the apartment he shared with his secret wife, Anakin tossed and turned in his sleep, his mind tormented by visions.


Anakin saw his former apprentice, Ashoka Tano using her lightsabers to deflect blaster fire, although he couldn't see who was firing at her.


The Jedi Temple was on fire.


Anakin himself was walking with Obi-Wan, Ashoka, and Rory, all of them carrying Lightsabers.


The Doctor stood facing a cloaked figure, their features impossible for Anakin to make out. A dark crossed The Doctor's face.


"I should have known it would be you," The Doctor sneered.


The cloaked figure then stood over Padme, who was on the ground, unconscious. The figure ignited a red lightsaber before he moved to strike Padme's unmoving form.


Anakin gasped as the force of the vision made him wake up. Out of breath, Anakin glanced over at Padme's unmoving form, relieved to see she was alright. Anakin then ran a hand through his hair, wondering what he had just seen.

So, this chapter was mainly to set up the plot of the story, most importantly The Doctor and Palpatine's distrust of each other. That'll be important.

Anakin's vision was different than in canon, although it's no less important or grim. For what this means for Anakin's ultimate fate, well, you'll see.