Frog – Thanks for the review.
Amazing – Thank you. Yeah, poor Han. LOL.
A Twist of Fate 7: Dark Lady Rampant
Anakira felt so empty when the babies were not in her arms. Palpatine told her there was no time for her to feed them herself. He had somehow gotten formula as well as the nurse. Anakira did trust that her intimidation of the woman would be sufficient to ensure she would take care of Lucina and Leia.
She knew she had no choice in the matter. She was not foolish enough to think that the Jedi Council would not sense the ripples in the Force caused by the birth of the babies and her joining the Sith. She had to be ready. She just hoped she could restrain the small part of her that still wanted to betray the Chancellor and stay true to the Jedi. No, the dark side was the only way to grow in power, keep her babies, and bring peace to the Galaxy. The Jedi were too weak and not as loyal to the Republic as they should be.
Palpatine came into her room and interrupted her thoughts. He had an unsettling little smile on his face.
"I think, my dear," he said, "that you are about to have your first test. A guest is approaching."
She asked, "A guest?"
"Yes," he sneered, "one of those fools on the Council must have sensed something. We are about to have a visit from Master Windu. Are you ready?"
She closed her eyes and nodded in reply.
"Good," said the Chancellor, "this is a chance to prove your loyalty and your skill. You will be strong in the Dark Side, young one. Just think of how he kept you from the rank of Master, even though you were on the Council. Think of how he would give your babies from to their father and make you an outcast."
Anakira could feel her anger growing and, with her, her strength. She would meet Windu.
"Yes," hissed Palpatine, "let your anger make you strong."
Windu barged past the guards who attempted to stop him and, when he saw Anakira and Palpatine, he immediately knew the situation. The younger Jedi saw his knowledge and stood in front of the Chancellor with her light saber drawn.
"Step aside, Anakira," he said, "he is a Sith lord."
Palpatine laughed and said, "She knows, Master Jedi. Don't congratulate yourself for knowing. I have chosen to reveal myself to you. Kill him, my apprentice."
"So be it," said Windu. He advanced on Anakira and their light sabers me with a hiss of electricity. Mace Windu had more physical strength and was strong in the Force as well but Anakira Skywalker was stronger and quicker. Still, she was hard pressed. She knew that, if Windu got a strike, it would be a killing one. She swirled and jumped as gracefully as a dancer to elude him while Palpatine cackled on the sidelines.
Finally, Palpatine got bored watching them fight and bolts of lightening flew from his fingers toward Windu. This was a mistake. The Jedi Master somehow absorbed them with his light saber and turned them back on the Chancellor, who began to shrivel in the instant it took Anakira to use Windu's distraction to plunge her light saber into his back.
With a member of the Jedi Council's body before her, the enormity of what she had done came home to her. She dropped her light saber and put her head in her hands.
"No time for that," snapped Palpatine, "you did well, young one but you must not falter now. With Windu's attempt on my life, the Jedi have proved their perfidy. The mark of the attempt is now on my face. It is time we went back to Coruscant."
Anakira was alarmed, "What about the babies?"
Coldly, Palpatine asked, "What about them? They will be useful and powerful, no doubt, when they get older. We will train them. I need you on Coruscant. They will be safe here in the care of their nurse, as long as you obey me…" The threat was unmistakable.
Anakira would not cry before the Chancellor but she felt like doing so at that moment. She was overwhelmed. She had given up the Jedi Order, given birth, and killed a Jedi Master. Well, the sooner she did what Palpatine wanted, the sooner she would get back to her daughters.
On the great city-planet, Palpatine announced his decision to outlaw the Jedi and make the Republic an Empire, with himself as Emperor. This announcement received much applause.
While this proclamation was being made, a tall, black-cloaked figure led ranks of white storm-troopers toward the Jedi Temple. Order 66 was being executed.
She went to investigate the Council Room. Palpatine told her that all the Jedi in the Temple must die, including the young ones. They had been hidden but, when she entered the room, they revealed themselves in hopes of rescue.
One walked up to her, a brave boy, and asked, "Mistress Skywalker, there are too many of them. What are we going to do?"
She thought of the rosebud mouths and soft, downy heads of her own babies. She had to do this for them. With tears rolling down her face, she drew her light saber.