Padmé hadn't been able to get back to sleep. She alternated between pacing around the apartment, staring out at the smouldering Temple, and curling up on the couch in the grips of anxiety attacks. It wasn't until a sliver of the sun rise above the horizon that this cycle broke.

"Miss Padmé," Threepio called out. "There seems to be a delsev approaching from the direction of the Jedi Temple."

Padmé bolted upright and looked out the window. Sure enough, a yellow delsev was coming towards the apartment building. More specifically, the apartment's roost.

Padmé rushed out just as Anakin climbed down from the delsev. They both held out their arms and Padmé held Anakin as tightly as she could. She sobbed loudly, overjoyed to see her husband safe. Artu chirped from the delsev's saddle.

Anakin put his wife's head to his chest as he so often did. "Shh, it's okay."

Padmé took a stuttering breath. The smell of smoke from Anakin's robes stung her throat but she didn't mind. Having him there was the most important thing in the world to her.

Anakin rocked Padmé side to side, trying to calm her down. After a few minutes she spoke, her voice coming out as little more than a croak. "What happened? Was there an attack on the Temple?"

"Everything's fine now. I came by to see if you and the baby were safe."

"We are, but what's going on?"

Anakin sighed. "The Jedi have tried to overthrow the Republic."

Padmé's reddened eyes went wide and she snapped her head up to look at Anakin. "What?! I- I can't believe it!"

"I'm afraid it's true. I witnessed Master Windu attempt to assassinate the Chancellor myself."

Padmé was aghast. "Oh, gods! Anakin, what are you going to do?"

Anakin released Padmé and returned to his delsev to hitch it up. "...I will not betray the Republic." He turned back after tying off the reins. "My loyalties lie with the Chancellor, with the Senate, and with you."

She gave a slight smile, but it quickly faded. "What about Obi-Wan?"

"I don't know. Many Jedi have already been killed. If he's still alive, we can only hope that he's remained loyal to the Chancellor."

Padmé hugged back on to Anakin. "This is all so much to take in... I'm terrified."

Anakin ran his fingers through her hair, a gesture that always helped soothe her anxieties. "Shh... Have faith, my love. Everything will soon be set right." He gently lifted her chin and kissed her. "I can't stay for too much longer, though. The Chancellor has given me an important mission."

"What kind of mission?"

"The remaining Separatists are hiding on the island of Mustafar. I'm going there to finally end this war. Wait for me until I get back. There are going to be a lot of changes over the coming days, but we'll still have each other. I promise."

Anakin leaned down and they kissed once more. When they broke the kiss, Anakin gave Padmé a reassuring smile. "I'm sorry to have stressed you so much. I'll be fine on Mustafar, so please, for both my sake and the baby's, try to get some rest."

"I'll try," she said as she wiped a single tear from her cheek.

"I shouldn't be long. I'll see you when I get back." Anakin untied the hitch and mounted the yellow delsev.

Padmé watched as he left, saying a silent prayer for his safe return. Threepio, who had arrived a minute or so prior walked up to her hesitantly. "Oh, my lady, is there anything I might do?"

"What? Oh, no thank you, Threepio," Padmé said, still looking at the sky.

Threepio's metal shoulders fell. "Oh." He started to walk back towards the apartment. "I feel so... Helpless."

In the open ocean near Kashyyyk, Obi-Wan and the belbullab landed on the deck of the Tantive. He wasn't sure what would become of the beast, but he couldn't help but pity it after all it had been through.

Obi-Wan found Senator Organa and Master Yoda in the senator's cabin. The three of them conversed, sharing what they had witnessed and experienced. Each story chilled and mortified, but none more than Bail's.

A contemplative silence descended upon them for several minutes. Obi-Wan was the first to speak again. "How many other Jedi do you think managed to survive?"

Yoda shook his head. "Heard from no one, we have. The last of the Council, we may be."

Obi-Wan's heart sank.

"I saw thousands of homunculi march on the Jedi Temple," said Senator Organa. "I left Coruscant to try to save anyone I could."

"I suppose there hasn't been any contact with the Temple?"

"Received a coded retreat message, we have."

"It requests that all Jedi return to the Temple," replied Bail. "It claims that the war is over."

Obi-Wan's eyes widened. "Well, then we must go back. If there are any stragglers, there's a great risk of them falling into the trap and getting killed."

Yoda grumbled in thought. "Suggest rewriting the coded message, do you?"

"Yes, Master. There's far too much at stake."

"I agree. Perhaps more light will be shed on what happened and better warn any survivors, we can."

Mustafar was a moderately sized island in the northern reaches of the world. Thick clouds of ash spewed from the volcano at the island's center. So thick was the ash cloud that the only light illuminating the island came from the glowing rivers of red hot lava.

Mustafar wasn't always such a blasted hellscape though. About a century before the founding of the Old Republic, the island was a lush paradise. Forests of towering ironwood trees blanketed Mustafar, with red ferns and tall mushrooms growing in their shadows. Clear springs flowed with naturally effervescent water and great crowned elk were plentiful.

Everything changed when a woman only identified by the name of Corvax arrived. The deeply superstitious Mustafarians possessed an ancient crystalline artifact they called the Bright Star. This crescent shaped crystal was found in the caldera of the island's long extinct volcano, perfectly situated at the conflux of three powerful leylines.

Disregarding the warnings of the Mustafarians, Lady Corvax tried to use the magic of the Bright Star to resurrect her dead lover. The Dark ritual backfired catastrophically. According to the legend, a blinding red flash burst forth from the top of the mountain, for an instant turning the night into day. Less than a minute later, cataclysmic groundquakes shook the island and the long extinct volcano roared back into life.

What few Mustafarians survived rebuilt what they could, but they abandoned their religion overnight. The island had become indelibly corrupted by whatever foul magics had caused the disaster. During the Sith Wars, this taint led many aspiring students of the Dark Ways to make pilgrimage to hone their skills.

By the time of the Great War, Mustafar was known for its metals. Mustafarians and automata, both shielded by cooling wards gathered the iron-rich lava to be refined in the island's ironworks. It was in this foundry built on the banks of Mustafar's largest lava flow that the Separatist leadership had taken refuge. They huddled in the ironworks' overseer's office as the communication font bubbled to life.

"The plan has gone as you had promised, my Lord," said Viceroy Gunray to the silver form of Palpatine.

"You have done well, Viceroy. When my new apprentice, Darth Vader arrives, he will ensure that you are... Taken care of." The Dark Lord's silver form melted away.

The Tantive emerged from a Hyperion gate off the coast of Coruscant in the midst of a group of several other ships. Captain Antilles was intrigued. Many of them were Republic Naval vessels, but there were also ships in the styles of several different nations.

Down below, one of the crewmen entered Senator Organa's cabin. "Sir, you are receiving a message from the Chancellor's office."

"I'll be right there."

A minute later, Bail was in the communication room looking at the silver Vice Chancellor. "Senator Organa, the Supreme Chancellor is requesting your presence at a special session of the Senate."

"I will be there."

"He will be expecting you." The Vice Chancellor melted away.

Obi-Wan and Yoda had been listening from the doorway. They entered after the transmission ended. Bail turned to his Jedi friends. "It sounds like a trap."

Obi-Wan furrowed his brow. "I don't think so. The Chancellor will not be able to control the many nations of the Republic without keeping the Senate intact."

Yoda nodded, more in realization than agreement. "If a special session of the Senate, there is, easier for us to enter the Jedi Temple, it will be."

The Tantive pulled into the midmorning traffic of the Grand Harbor alongside the many other ships. To all aboard, something felt off. The sailors knew the feeling well; it was that of an oncoming storm.

A yellow delsev flew under the thick ash cloud of Mustafar. For both the rider and the delsev itself, the hot particles burned their throats and lungs, but they carried on. Due to the ash, practically all travel to Mustafar was by sea rather than air, so the only place Anakin had to land was at the docks.

The Mustafarian dockworkers paid this new arrival little mind. After all, many strange travellers had visited Mustafar over the course of the war. They always found it best to stay out of business that didn't concern them.

Anakin climbed down from the delsev and lowered Artu to the ground. He began walking up the road towards the ironworks when he heard the little nautomaton whistle after him. "No, Artu. Stay here," said Anakin without looking back.

The Separatist leadership chattered with one another, wondering what to do once the war was over. They felt as though the Republic would try to negotiate an armistice, not realizing that General Grievous was dead. Surely Darth Vader was meant to be their representative in this upcoming peace talk.

The door to the overseer's office opened suddenly. All went quiet as a man in black robes and a hooded cloak entered. Viceroy Gunray stepped forward. "Welcome, Lord Vader. We have been expecting you."

Anakin held up his hand and did a quick gesture. All of the office's exits closed and locked. With another gesture, the metal blast shields outside the windows closed, leaving the office in darkness.

"L- Lord Vader?"

A blue Lightblade lit the room.

Smoke still rose in columns from the Jedi Temple. The statues of masters past around the base lay toppled and broken. Glass crunched under Obi-Wan's and Yoda's feet as they walked across the landing to the last set of steps.

A group of men clad in brown Jedi cloaks stood at the main door. As the two masters approached, they turned and waved. One of them walked towards Obi-Wan and Yoda.

"Masters, thank goodness you're both safe. Myself and a handful of others have recaptured the Temple, but there's no telling when more homunculi could arrive."

Yoda looked up at the man before him. Although most of his face was hidden by the shadow of his hood, Yoda still recognized him. He had seen that face many times during the war.

Obi-Wan chuckled in disgust. "You homunculi make terrible Jedi."

The homunculi produced pistols from under their cloaks and opened fire. The one who had spoken to the Jedi was the first to fall, Master Yoda plunging his Lightblade into the soldier's chest. Several more of the imposters were killed before white and blue armored homunculi of the 501st that had been laying in ambush streamed out the front door. Despite their vastly superior numbers, the Jedi masters made quick work of them.

While the Jedi attempted to gain access to the Temple, Chancellor Palpatine addressed a packed Senate from his pulpit. "...and the Jedi rebellion has been foiled." Applause erupted.

Senator Organa walked onto Padmé's platform and sat next to her. "What have I missed?"

"The Chancellor's been elaborating on a plot by the Jedi to overthrow the Senate."

Palpatine continued. "The remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated!" More applause.

The sight of so many slain Jedi horrified the two masters. Not even the fight in the Geonosian arena had been this terrible. Corpses lay where they had fallen, surrounded by veritable lakes of drying blood. The smells of copper and smoke were overpowering.

Obi-Wan felt sick. "Not even the Younglings were spared..."

Yoda examined one of the bodies more closely. "Killed not by homunculi, but by a Lightblade, this Padawan was."

Obi-Wan knelt down and tentatively rolled the Padawan's body over. A long charred gash stretched across his torso. This was not an accidental kill. "Who- who could have done this?"

The Separatists clawed at the doors and windows, desperate to escape. Anakin relished their cries of terror. They made him feel powerful. He had purposefully cut down the bodyguards and automata first so that the Separatists could die knowing that nothing could save them.

A man from the Techno Union clumsily pulled out a clockwork pistol and fired at Anakin. With how much his hands were shaking, it should come as no surprise that the shot went wide. Anakin snapped his head to look at the metal clad man and stretched out his hand. The man clutched at the tall metal collar that covered the lower half of his face and the entirety of his neck and upper shoulders. Anakin clenched his hand and the metal collar crumpled like parchment. The man instantly went limp.

Palpatine continued his address. "The attempt on my life has left me scarred and deformed... But I assure you, my resolve has never been stronger!" Again, most of the Senate applauded.

A Nemoidian dropped to his knees and pitifully begged for his life. Anakin said nothing as he ran his Lightblade down into the man's chest. He cut a member of the Banking Clan in half at the waist and watched him try to crawl away.

Palpatine's address had reached its climax. He was putting so much energy into it that he almost didn't need a broadcast crystal to be heard. "In order to ensure security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the first... pangaeic... Empire! For a safe and secure society!"

The loudest applause yet erupted. Padmé shook her head in disgust and disbelief. "So, this is how liberty dies... With thunderous applause..."

Anakin fixed his eyes on Viceroy Gunray. The sight of those eyes glowing like burning coals paralyzed the Nemoidian. Memories of what the Viceroy had done to Naboo and how he had tried to have Padmé assassinated flooded Anakin's mind. He was going to savor this one.

Gunray fell to his knees. "Please, no! Th- the war is over! Lord Sidious promised us peace!"

Anakin sneered and took the Viceroy by the throat. He lifted him to his feet and put his Lightblade into his gut and held it there. Viceroy Gunray screamed and thrashed as his viscera cooked around the magic blade. Smoke billowed from the entry and exit wounds. Anakin drank in the suffering like a fine wine, but all too soon for his liking, it was over.

Tendrils of smoke still rose from mountainous ash piles in the Jedi Temple's Archives. Those piles were all that was left of thousands of years of the Order's history. Lessons, techniques, biographies, and scriptures, anything and everything relating to the Jedi was gone. Largely, what remained on the Archives' shelves was information that was indispensable such as maps, charts, scientific journals, and the history of the Republic.

Obi-Wan and Yoda had split up to investigate the damage and look for any more evidence of what had happened. They regrouped at the entrance to the Holocron Vault. The great door to the Vault was open wide, but bore no evidence that it had been forced open. Many of the holocrons vital to the Order were missing.

Obi-Wan looked to Yoda somberly. "Were you able to find Master Jocasta?"

Yoda shook his head. "Nor many of her students."

Obi-Wan furrowed his brow. "Do you think they were captured?"

"Hard to say, it is. Possible, it is that they escaped..." He had worried for a second that Master Jocasta's absence was suspect considering the other evidence they had so far found, but dismissed the notion. Yoda was almost certain he knew who had actually done this.

Obi-Wan absentmindedly stroked his beard. "The missing holocrons... Do you think she could have taken them with her?"

Yoda grumbled. "Quite possible. Few others knew what each contained."

Obi-Wan stared at the empty slots. Being on the Council, he had access to the Vault, but had little need to access it during his tenure. He thought back to when Cad Bane had stolen one of the holocrons and all the chaos it had caused. He hoped that it was indeed Master Jocasta who had the missing ones.

Obi-Wan and Yoda turned to leave before Obi-Wan stopped. "Master?"

Yoda looked up to him expectantly.

"With your permission, I would like to take some of the blank holocrons. I have an idea for them."

The Temple's security center looked almost untouched. Stray bullets had left holes in the walls and a couple of the scrying mirrors, but for the most part, the homunculi seemed to have purposefully left it undamaged. It didn't take long for the Jedi to discover that it was because the coded message was being sent out from there.

Obi-Wan quickly set to work rewriting the message. "There we go," he said, replacing the freshly etched disc. "I've rewritten it to warn all surviving Jedi to stay away."

"For the homunculi to discover the alteration, a long time it will take."

Obi-Wan and Yoda started to leave, but Obi-Wan paused by the drums that held the security recordings. Yoda sensed the conflicting feelings in Obi-Wan and turned.

Obi-Wan's gaze slowly turned to Yoda. "Master... I have to know."

"If into the recordings you go, only pain will you find."

"Even so... I must know the truth." He mounted the most recent drum on the playback spindle. He spun it through several hours of recordings, watching the rapidly moving figures on the playback font. The sight of a Lightblade prompted him to resume normal playback speed.

Obi-Wan went as cold as ice at the sight. "It can't be..."

Yoda groaned softly and hung his head as he saw his suspicions confirmed. The looking glass showed Anakin remorselessly cutting down any Jedi in his path with a brutality neither Jedi master had seen in him before. Obi-Wan couldn't take his eyes off the recording. "It can't be..."

He sped the recording forward again and stopped it as Anakin knelt in front of someone in hooded robes. Obi-Wan pressed a rune and the sound began playing.

"...done well, my new apprentice. Now, Lord Vader, go forth and bring peace to our fledgling Empire."

Anakin stood. "Yes, my Master."

Obi-Wan shakily pulled the drum off the spindle. While the sight and smell when he had entered the Temple nauseated him, after seeing the recording, he was actively fighting back the urge to vomit.

"Destroy the Sith, we must." Yoda punctuated his statement by rapping the tip of his walking stick on the floor.

Obi-Wan's expression turned from a look of illness to one of dismay. "For the love of everything, send me to kill Sidious. I cannot kill Anakin."

Yoda's face was set. "To fight this Sidious, strong enough, you are not."

Obi-Wan glanced away. "Anakin... He- he is like a younger brother to me... I don't know if I can bring myself to..."

Yoda heaved a sigh. "Twisted by the Dark Side, young Skywalker has become. The boy you trained, gone he is. Consumed by Darth Vader."

Obi-Wan nodded sadly. "I don't know where Sidious would have sent him. I don't even know where to begin to look."

"Search your feelings, Obi-Wan. Come to you, it will."