Star Wars: Heir of the Force
Episode 3: Chapter 7
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Sidious did nothing to hide the anger in his expression as he finally reached the confines of his secured bunker. It had been a trap and looking back he should have noticed the obvious signs as such. Bail Organa had just officially earned a spot on his list of those to purge after he took power.
Assuming he now was able to do so.
The vote of 'no confidence' had been withheld for the time being due to the impending investigation into the attempted assassination, the capture of the Separatist leaders, and the potential ending of the conflict.
It was too soon though, too soon for the Clone Wars to come to a complete end. If Grievous truly was destroyed, and the useless Confederate council members captured, he would simply invent another way to continue the crisis. Perhaps he could still swing public opinion against the Jedi enough to declare a continued 'state of emergency'.
Still, first things first. A small holographic image of a clone commander appeared at his desk. "Commander, execute Order 66."
The image paused for a moment as the soldier's neural override activated, "It will be done my lord."
With that the Jedi across the galaxy would find their 'loyal' soldiers turning blasters against them. Next was the far more pressing concern, those still located on Coruscant.
"Prepare the 501st for their operation." He demanded, earning the nod of an assistant. Even if he could not take control of the galaxy by vote he would still eliminate the Jedi. Afterwards he would have two armies under his control and be unopposed in terms of power.
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A massive ship appears out of hyperspace, coordinates locked in on a planet far away from the galactic turmoil, far away from any Republic forces. It lands minutes later, touching down in a clearing surrounded by a thick forest. Those aboard are happy to be off the ship, happy to breathe in natural, unrecycled, air and to feel solid ground beneath their feet.
It had been too long for many of the Jedi to be away from the richness of natural, planetside, life. "Commander, what are our orders?" It is one of the techs who inquires, and their leader turns with a smile, "For now just do some maintenance, both on the ship and yourselves. We have saved as many as we can, now we wait for the stragglers to catch up and plan our next move."
Within hours other, far smaller, ships begin to arrive. Transports from across the galaxy. Most carry one or two Jedi, some carry small groups. One, however, is full of those who had escaped Coruscant, and happy reunions fill the air.
"Who else are we waiting for?" One of the counsel members inquires, his question being met with an uncomfortable silence. What was truly being asked was 'who else do we think made it?'
"Few still, there remain." An aged, tired voice answers, shifting attention to the eldest Jedi as he walked into the area from nearby, having been unnoticed by all until now. "Three, arriving soon will be, from there answers will be given."
Sure enough another shuttle landed nearby, one bearing the markings of the Republic and causing concern throughout those gathered until Yoda walked to meet it. From within, just as he foretold, three emerged. One elderly, whose appearance sent relief through his former padawan; one fill with youth and power, that most could not perceive; and finally, one who was bound and yet without hands.
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"What did you just say?"
The man shifted nervously where he stood after giving his report to the chancellor, "I uhm… the clones have reported back that the Jedi Temple is empty… my lord. F-further investigation into the vaults caused some sort of explosive device to trigger. The belief is that any further attempts will set off further traps…"
Screams interrupted any further explanation as lightning ripped forth from the Sith Lord's fingertips. Normally, he would have been more discreet about such actions, or even holding back from killing the young man, but his anger would not be sated without blood.
Seconds later all that remained was a corpse, which Palpatine gestured towards a nearby soldier to dispose of. This was not what he had planned. Not only had the bulk of the Jedi escaped the Temple, but it would be some time before he could excavate the relics himself. Even worse was that without another Force user it would have to be him, clones or droids would undoubtedly set off the traps set by the Order.
Turning towards another, now fearful, attendant the aged man sneered before giving an order. "Lock down the planet, no ship leaves without being first inspected by clone soldiers for any stowaway Jedi. Find them, now!"
Rather than arguing that such an order was, logistically, impossible the alien merely nodded in haste and quickly left the room, leaving Palpatine to his thoughts. His mood continued to darken even as the reports from the front lines began filtering in.
Few had been caught in the trap, even fewer who fell to the attack. Most had been seemingly warned before the order had been issued, and then had either commandeered a transport, or had been picked up by other Republic forces.
Instead of a massacre, it had ended up being fewer casualties than the war would normally have provided. The only hope he still had of a triumphant success was from his apprentice. Perhaps Windu was using the Jedi on Yavin as bait for the others? Maybe he was keeping communication silence to prevent others from knowing he had found them. Perhaps he was picking them up and slaughtering them by the hundreds.
Yes, yes that had to be it, yet somewhere deep-down Sidious had doubts.
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Bail Organa would admit, he did not think that such a reaction was warranted to his move against the chancellor.
Did he assume he would be targeted? Yes.
Did the Senator figure there would be an attempt on his life? Almost certainly.
But did he think for even a moment it would be at the hands of one of the most feared, and effective, bounty hunters alive? Definitely not.
He didn't think his life had been worth that much to the ruler of the Republic, yet sure enough here he was, standing at the business end of a blaster pistol and staring into the faceplate of Jango Fett. Knowing that others had been here before did nothing to ease the dread in his stomach. Hopefully, the man would be quick and would leave his family alone afterwards. Still, it did present him with a rather unique opportunity, being caught holding some of his paperwork, and with subtlety he didn't know his hands could manage, a communicator was turned on to spread the conversation.
Hopefully, one more nail in Palpatine's coffin.
"May I at least know what I have done to warrant an execution by the legendary Jango Fett?"
"It's just a job, nothing personal," the robotic voice replied, "You looked a little too deep into secrets you shouldn't have, and the chancellor doesn't appreciate it."
Good, a confession, now if he could just get a little more then he could at least protect others. "So, chancellor Palpatine did order you to kill me then? For my actions in the Senate?"
"That, and for all of the other dirt you dug up on him. Gotta say Senator, despite being the one who has to kill you it was a hell of a job you did."
Organa wished he could take credit for all of it, but rather than correcting the man he merely gave his best 'politician' grin. Hopefully, it would buy the real hero some time, maybe even spare their lives. "Thank you for the compliment."
The helmet nodded slightly, "Are you ready?"
A final sigh escaped his lips, "As I will ever be."
Just as the trigger was pulled the armored man was thrown forward, flipping haphazardly as his jetpack ignited in steady bursts to level himself out. Bail merely blinked in confusion, before he turned to see a nearby cloaked individual, hand extended walk steadily towards them.
"Sorry about the close call Senator. I figured someone would make an attempt on your life just not so soon." The covering was tossed aside, revealing orange skin, and two lightsabers blazing to life, projecting a white glow.
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The Jedi counsel was a shadow of its former self, though all had survived, despite one of their own now being imprisoned, their strength and will seemed diminished. Had it been a result of the war or the betrayal? Perhaps it was the knowledge that despite all the lives they had saved, some had not been able to escape.
Lives lost, all because of their own lack of sight.
"The Sith must be destroyed," Mundi urged, earning nods of agreement from many others. "It does not matter what our state is or of the galaxy. Sidious is far too dangerous to be left with any control over the Senate or the armies."
Fisto leaned back against the tree he had taken as a makeshift chair, "But how? He will likely control two armies. We could not hope to defeat the Separatists without the clones and now they are hunting us as well."
"We are together though," Shaak Ti noted, "stronger and more determined. We know our target and where he is."
"Powerful, the dark lord is." The oldest voice rang out, "Underestimate him, you all do. Cunning and manipulative he has grown over the years. Deep, his influence runs."
A voice called to them from nearby as Padme entered the small group, Anakin at her side. "Not as deep as it once was though. We managed to pick up a holonet transmission, Palpatine was ousted as a Sith in front of the entire Senate. There is a vote of 'no confidence' scheduled in the next week once the war settles down."
Glimmers of hope emerged in the eyes of many, "If he loses control of the Republic then our task will be that much easier. We will be able to strike and…"
"Assassinate the former supreme chancellor after he has just survived another attempted murder by the grand master of the Order?"
Qui-Gon, who had been allowed to sit in due to his undeclared leadership of the segmented Jedi, had felt the need to add in his comment after hearing what the outcomes had been of the situation thus far. In his heart he knew that Sidious would spin any further attack as justification for his actions, and potentially seize control once more.
Silence fell as each considered the consequences, with only Yoda paying more attention to The Force and the life around them. He was tired, exhausted from the scheming and the war.
"Me" the youngest suddenly spoke, "it has to be me. If it is a member of the Jedi Order or anyone directly linked, then it will create further rifts. I have to do it… alone."
"Anakin…" Padme replied, worry and desperation in her voice. "This isn't your fight. You have done enough, it's not your responsibility to solve every problem."
He nodded, a smile emerging onto his face, "I know, but if it saves even one life it will be worth it."
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The bounty hunter warily looked towards his target, and the one standing between them. Organa wasn't an easy target to begin with, no Senator was during a wartime situation and anxiety at an all-time high, but with a Jedi guarding him.
Memories resurfaced of the last time Jango had taken on a member of that damned cult. Unfortunately for the girl he had learned, and adapted, to their kind. With a flick of the wrist he drew his pistol, alternating fire between both her head and feet to put her onto the defensive.
It failed to work, instead she spun forward, twin lightsabers moving in perfect sync as they easily deflected the barrage while moving towards him at a dizzying pace. One thing he had learned though, never let them get close and his jetpack ignited, putting distance between them. This time the Force wielder would not wait for him to make a move, and reached out to pull him back, attempting to stop his escape and potentially throw him off balance.
What Ahsoka hadn't known was that Fett had invested in counter measures after the last humiliating defeat, and a small computer installed in the device itself worked separate, smaller, jets to stabilize his flight rather than spinning out of control.
Pointing his wrist forward, the bounty hunter sent a stream of deadly flames roaring forth, forcing the girl to move one hand backwards to push the senator out of harm's way. Her right hand swept forward creating a barrier between herself and the heat.
A few moments later and the fire sputtered to a halt, the fuel running out and revealing a grinning young girl, "That can't be the best you've got."
The helmet prevented her from seeing the man's eye twitch, but he was certain, based on the widening of her grin, that she somehow knew his reaction regardless.
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The soft tapping of a wooden cane upon metal floors sounded through the hall, warning the sole occupant of the ship's prison of who was approaching. A scowl formed at once, deepening as his former master slowly made his way towards their inevitable confrontation.
Sure enough, Yoda walked up to the energy barrier moments later, dismissing the two guards as he sat upon the floor. A weary sigh escaped the elder, while the fallen Jedi merely glared in anger.
Would it be another lecture? Or perhaps a disappointing stare down? Maybe the smaller creature would go into how 'very disappointed' he was and how he had 'expected so much more'. Either way Windu's rage built and built up until his 'guest' spoke.
"Apologize, I do, for having failed you."
Flames were snuffed out as the dark-skinned man blinked in confusion.
"Saw what was happening, I did. Act, I did not. Counseled and guided you I should have, not judged. Pushed you towards this fate, I did."
Mace wasn't quite sure what to say in response. For the first time in what felt like months his head was oddly clear, seeing the entirety of the situation, of his actions, for what they were. Was it truly the grand master's fault? Could Palpatine be to blame for everything he had done?
No, the actions had been his own and he would not let anyone take that from him. For far too long had others been stealing his accomplishments and glory, no one would take this as well. "You don't control me Yoda. No one controls me. I was the most powerful warrior in the galaxy until some brat got lucky."
This scathing reaction earned a bit of a chuckle from the green individual. "Believe in luck, you do now?" Seeing the man was not going to answer the grand master continued on, "Defeat you, he did. Not by luck, but by skill. Arrogance consumes you, part of your downfall it was. The chosen one he is, bring balance he will."
"By destroying the Sith?" Windu sneered, eyes flashing in anger and contempt. "You think that by destroying anything that doesn't believe what you believe that he is some sort of all powerful being?"
But Yoda had already considered such things, for a very long time. "No, not through death is balance achieved, but through life. Live he will, and for others, not himself. Save lives he will. Balanced he is, not Sith or Jedi but life itself."
"And yet you expect that life to kill the most powerful man in the galaxy? To plunge us into civil war and chaos!?"
Shaking his head, the elder finally saw how deep into delusion his former apprentice had fallen. Standing, Yoda looked back one last time to the rage etched upon the man's face, before departing.
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It had been a close call, far too close for the former Jedi's taste. One minute the bounty hunter had been on the ropes, a 'nudge' from The Force sending him careening back into a building, and the next she had just barely diverted a rocket that had been aimed for her and the Senator.
Why the man was still taking cover nearby rather than fleeing was beyond her, perhaps all politicians were either evil or foolish as her former master had once joked. A lasso wrapped around her ankles as the man began to lift off once again, slowly dragging her across the ground and then up into the air.
Ahsoka wasn't sure what Fett's plans were, but what she did know was that it wouldn't be good for her.
With a bit of momentum, she managed to swing forward, slice through the cable, and drop to the ground with a thud. Unfortunately, this meant that she was no longer positioned to prevent the bounty hunter from focusing on his original target.
A vision flashed before her eyes, of a man lying dead on the street, of a family mourning him, of a monster using the death to rally further war.
She acted without further consideration, one of the two blades leaving her hand, slicing end-over-end through the air.
A moment later and a second thud followed, the sound of an armored body falling to the ground. The remaining binds were cut from her feet, the other saber retrieved as Ahsoka Tano slowed moved towards the stilled corpse.
The helmet laid nearby, and the former Jedi knew what it now contained.
Sirens blared in the distance as emergency, and likely soldiers, made their way towards the commotion. Another few minutes and the man, who had moved forward from his cover, knew that they wouldn't be able to leave the area, and while it didn't matter much to him, he could only imagine what would happen to his savior should she be captured.
"Are you alright?" the politician gently inquired, earning a slow nod as she continued staring at the headless body, at the life she had just taken. "I know it isn't what you want to hear, and it won't make anything better but… thank you for saving me. I think we need to go."
This finally earned her attention as the orange-skinned girl pushed the previous events into her mind for later. "You're right. Come along Senator, I think it is time you enter protective custody."
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Palpatine snarled in rage at those surrounding him, no longer having a reason to conceal his anger towards them. After the attempted assassination of Organa, attempted being the key word since the useless bounty hunter had failed in the end, the man had gone and released the audio he had taken before the attack through the media. Afterwards it had been announced the man would be going into hiding for fear of his and his family's safety.
Any previous allies had immediately distanced themselves from him. Being accused of manipulations and various crimes without proof was one thing, having a direct confession of involvement in a plot to murder a senator in retaliation was quite something different. The politicians had reconvened the next day and the vote, which had previously been suspended until the war had been settled, was immediately called.
It was a sweeping majority that were now attempting to force him out of the office he had empowered, had controlled, had owned.
Did they think he would take such a thing kindly? That he would step aside from plans that had been put into motion decades prior?
Never
He would be emperor, or see the galaxy burn around him, "Then it appears I have no choice hm?" Expressions around the circular chamber seemed to relax a bit, as if they knew he would step aside peacefully.
Oh, how little they knew.
"I declare every senator who has voted 'yes' to be an enemy of the Republic. You will all be placed under arrest until trials can be conducted for your attempts at treason." Silence followed, which was shattered by cries of outrage and refusals. It didn't matter though, he had complete control of both the Separatist and Republic armies. Clone soldiers were already positioned across Coruscant, including as guards around the very building they stood in.
The next phase of his plan would be moved ahead with immediately.
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Noticing the two men seated on the nearby hill, the diminutive Jedi made his way up to them and took a seat where the older had gestured. It was a good spot with a warm breeze passing through the forest below them and carrying sounds that two had not heard in a very long time. They were the sounds of peace. Children playing and laughing with Jedi, both old and young, teaching both them and those that had aided in their rescue.
But it wasn't just those who were Force sensitive that were teaching. Mechanics, technicians, and medics instructed others on their crafts. Even the pilots gave hands-on instructions in either ground vehicles or fight crafts that had been disabled.
Yoda gave a comforting sigh; this was something he could hold on for. To continue his long life for more war in conflict seemed an impossible task, but to continue living for peace? That was something he would certainly look forward to.
"How feel you?" He queried, almost to himself and the open air rather than to either of the men seated next to him.
The youngest of the three seemed to relax into the grass just a bit more, his eyes closed as he simply enjoyed the sun on his face. How long had it been since he could just enjoy the simple task of relaxation? "As if the war never happened, like there is no Sith lord, no destruction, no loss of life. As if we weren't on the run."
Qui-Gon nodded in agreement with his former padawan. "Now you know why I never came back. It wasn't to start a rebellion or competition for the Jedi, it was to find this."
"And now even I don't want to give it up… does that make me a bad person, a bad Jedi?" Obi-Wan questioned.
"Human, it makes you. Alive it makes you. Perhaps, more of a Jedi this makes you than you were before hm?"
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"Citizens of the Republic do not be alarmed. Though you have heard terrible things, terrible rumors in the past few months I can assure you that they are false. They were lies spread by my enemies, by the traitors amongst us to lead us astray. Many of these originated in the very Senate itself, culminating in an attempted coup against my leadership and protection of the many worlds I swore to keep safe. Fear not though, for the war that has consumed our lives is now coming to an end."
Palpatine paused, smiling up into sight of the hundreds of Senatorial platforms, and cameras, that surrounded his chair, his throne.
"We are not safe though, not from the evils of the galaxy. A new threat has emerged, one far greater than any before. The Jedi, so called keepers of peace, have attempted to assassinate me, to take over the government and enslave the populace of not just Coruscant, but the hundreds of planets that join with us. But we have prevailed! The monsters have been chased from our capital, have fled from our armies, and are on the run from our judgment. Now it is only a matter of time before this menace, like so many others, is snuffed out."
The Sith lord paused, allowed for scattered clapping of applause in the, now mostly empty, chamber. Most of the Senators had been arrested and were now imprisoned, just as he had threatened to do.
"For safety, some liberties must be lost. For security, some freedoms must be given up. With the emergency powers bestowed to me by the Senate I am hereby declaring the formation of the first Galactic Empire!"
In his mind Sidious heard the thunderous applause of billions, even trillions, as the Sith took control of the galaxy once more. Only a handful of the former politicians remained in power, and those were already being heavily monitored for treasonous through. A dark shroud fell upon Coruscant, and many other worlds across the galaxy, as the armies of both the droid and the clones took control of cities and even planets.
Where they had once been liberators, now they became conquerors and oppressors. The iron fist of the newly declared emperor had closed around the throat of the former republic, and only a small group still had the power to resist and change the course of the galaxy.
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