Hey folks, Grubkiller here.
Here's part 15 of my 'Rise of the Empire' story. Based on the title, I'm sure you know what's going to happen. But parts of this chapter are inspired by the Revenge of the Sith video game.
Hope you enjoy.
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Coruscant, Jedi Temple Hanger.
Mace Windu and three fellow council members, Agen Kolar, Kit Fisto, and Saesee Tiin, were in the Temple's hanger, preparing to board a Gunship to go to the Senate Building. As the clone technicians were making final preparations before take-off, Anakin came running into the hanger.
"Master Windu, I must talk to you," he said, slightly out of breath.
"What is it, Skywalker? We are in a hurry. We have just received word that Obi-Wan has destroyed General Grievous. We are on our way to make sure the Chancellor returns emergency powers back to the Senate," The experienced Jedi Master explained to Anakin.
"He won't give up his power. I've just learned a terrible truth. I think Chancellor Palpatine is a Sith Lord," Anakin said.
All four council members stopped dead in their tracks, to look at Anakin.
Mace turned to face Anakin. "A Sith Lord?" He asked.
"Yes. The one we have been looking for," Anakin said.
"How do you know this?" Mace pressed.
"He knows the ways of the Force. He has been trained to use the dark side," Anakin explained.
"Are you sure?" Mace asked.
"Absolutely," Anakin confirmed.
"Then our worst fears have been realized," Mace said as his three companions entered the Gunship, which was filled with a squad of clone troopers from the Coruscant Guard. "We must move quickly if the Jedi Order is to survive".
"Master, the Chancellor is very powerful. You will need my help if you are going to arrest him," Anakin said.
"For your own good, stay out of this affair. I sense a great deal of confusion in you, young Skywalker. There is much fear that clouds your judgment," Mace said as he turned to board the transport.
"I must go, Master," Anakin protested.
"No. If what you told me is true, you will have gained my trust, but for now remain here," Mace said.
That confused the young Jedi. 'You never trusted me?' He thought to himself. "Yes, Master," Anakin ultimately said with a slight, hesitant bow.
"Wait for us in the Council Chamber until we return," Mace ordered as he boarded the ship.
"Yes, Master," Anakin said again.
The engines on the gunship got louder as it lifted off of the deck.
Skywalker watched as it flew away in the direction of the Senate Building. He then went up to the council chamber as ordered.
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Jedi Temple, Council Chamber.
Anakin walked into the Council Chamber, which was unsettlingly empty. He then found a seat and occupied it. The young Jedi was doing as Master Windu had ordered hi to do. He was to wait in the chamber until they returned from their mission to deal with Palpatine.
But he couldn't help but feel conflicted. He started to think of what Palpatine told him before he left his office to warn the Council.
"You do know, don't you, if the Jedi destroy me, any chance of saving her will be lost," Palpatine's voice said, echoing in Anakin's mind.
Over at 500 Republica, Padme sat on her couch, deep in thought. She was thinking of what Obi-Wan told her earlier, about how Anakin had become moody and difficult since they came back from their mission in orbit. Anakin was close to Palpatine. Perhaps too close. She walked up from her couch and walked over to one of the large curved windows that gave her a good view of Coruscant's dusk skyline. Across it, through the forest of skyscrapers, she could see the Jedi Temple, where her husband was.
Back in the Council Chamber, Anakin stood up from the chair and walked over to the window. He could see 500 Republic, where his wife lived.
His pregnant wife, who he cared for.
Who he feared for.
Neither he or Padme realized this, but they were actually staring at each other from a distance of 5 miles. But somehow, they could feel each other's presence.
"I truly, deeply love you. Before I die. I want you to know," imaginary Padme said in Anakin's head, before she died in childbirth. As this vision came across his mind, his eyes began to well up, and a single tear flowed down his cheek.
'I can't let this happen,' Anakin thought to himself.
Anakin rushed out of the Council Chamber and rushed down to the main hanger below. He grabbed R2-D2, and took a green Jedi-Starfighter. The hangar door opens and he lifts off.
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Senate Building, Coruscant, Dusk.
Dark storm clouds loom over the Republic Capital as a Gunship, silhouetted against the rapidly setting sun, lands on the Senate Office Building landing platform. Four Jedi Masters and a squad of clones from the Coruscant Guard exit the ship and enter the Senate Office Building. Mace Windu, Agen Kolar, Kit Fisto, and Saesee Tiin, and their troopers, like gunfighters out of the Old West, walk through the massive hallway, four across.
The four Jedi and their clone escort enter the lobby.
It was deserted, except for a group of red-cloaked guards, who moved to block their entry, by crossing their staffs in an 'X' shape over the door. The Jedi masters merely used the force to grab the staffs out of their hands, before the clones used their stun blasts to knock out the guards.
When it was all clear, they stormed into the Chancellor's office. Palpatine was sitting in the same room that he was sitting in when Anakin learned the truth about Palpatine, looking out of a window. His chair rotated when he heard the four Jedi enter the room.
"Master Windu. I take it General Grievous has been destroyed then." Palpatine said somewhat innocently, acting like they were here for a different reason. But then he noticed their stone cold silence, making him raise one eyebrow over the other. But he continued speaking. "I must say, you're here sooner than expected."
But the unfazed Jedi and their escort merely stood there with cold expressions as they reached for their belts. "In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you are under arrest, Chancellor," Mace said as he and the others masters ignited and raised their blades, while the clones fanned out, raised their blasters, and aimed at the Chancellor from several directions.
"Are you threatening me, Master Jedi?" Palpatine asked with venom in his voice.
"The Senate will decide your fate," Mace said, his face showing no emotion.
Palpatine sat up straighter in his chair.
"I am," The chancellor burst out angrily, with venom in his voice, "The Senate!"
"Not yet!" Mace said.
Palpatine stood up. A lightsaber appeared out of each sleeve and into his hands. Each Jedi and clone tensed up and assumed a defensive stance.
"It's treason, then," Palpatine hissed as he ignited his crimson red blades, all but confirming the Council's suspicions. He then let out a sickening screech from his throat.
He spun around as he jumped towards the four Jedi, and the clones opened fire. Blue blaster bolts flashed off of the dark walls, illuminating the dimly lit room. Before he landed, he continued spinning in a circle with his two blades extended. Before he could defend himself properly, Agen Kolar was sliced across his chest in a circular motion before he screamed in pain, and half of the clones were slashed by the Chancellor's expert saber handling.
"Scatter!" Mace ordered.
Kit and Saesee fanned out, with Mace in the middle of the group, and the clones circled the Chancellor.
"Take him down!" The lead clone called out.
The clones complied, firing from all directions. As the Chancellor deflected their blaster bolts, The three Jadi masters all advanced and surrounded Palpatine, hoping to try and take him while he was distracted. The Sith Lord swung his blades wildly as he parried each of the three master's strikes and deflected the blaster bolts.
He leaned down and placed his hand on the ground, using the force to release a shockwave that pushed all of the masters back, and threw the remaining clones into the wall. Palpatine then used his lightning on all three jedi and the clones.
All three of them swiftly blocked the deadly blow, but the clones all screamed as their armor and skin were cooked and electrocuted by the Sith's awesome powers.
The Jedi soon realized that they were in a precarious situation. Agen Kolar and the clones were dead, and Saesee Tiin was isolated near the window, while Kit and Mace were right next to each other on the other side of Palpatine near the door they came through.
The Sith Lord pointed his swords behind him and dashed backwards. Both of his swords plunged into Saesee's body, the swords piercing through his body and cooking his organs from the inside out. Tiin gasped in pain, and tried to suck in a breath, which was difficult since both of his lungs were run through. Palpatine withdrew his blades, his kill slumping to the ground, dead.
It was just Mace and Kit versus the most powerful man in the galaxy, both literally and figuratively.
They looked at each other and nodded.
Sidious looked at the two remaining Jedi. He yelled out a battle cry and lunged at them, continuing the battle. Kit and Mace carefully parried their attacker's strikes. They also slowly withdrew into the hallway. They were going to move the battlefield in the main office.
All three combatants fight their way down the hallway and into the main office area, their swinging swords slashing the narrow hallway before clashing. Palpatine is able to use the Force to slam Kit Fisto against the wall, but he recovers before the Chancellor can turn around to focus solely on Mace.
The vicious battle for the fate of the galaxy continued, as both Jedi masters started to gang up on Palpatine. Sidious slashed at Kit Fisto's chest, used an arch of Sith lightning on the gash in his chest to electrocute his organs, and force pushed him back across the room while still using force lightning on him. Kit was thrown against a wall in a lifeless, crumpled heap.
But since Palpatine was distracted by the younger nautolan Jedi, Mace raised his blade and began to swing it down. Before Palpatine could refocus his efforts back on Mace, the powerful 53 year old Jedi master swung his purple blade at the perfect angle. He slashed his blade through Palpatine's second blade and barely grazed his hand.
Palpatine shouted in pain. He then turned on Windu in a fit of rage with his one remaining saber.
Their battle raged on with renewed intensity.
They crossed their blades together in a saber lock. They both tried to push all of their strength into their swords, hoping to break the stalemate, as they stared into each others eyes with a fierce warrior-like glare.
Meanwhile, outside, Anakin flew his fighter outside of the building, and was able to see through the window to the Chancellor's office, where he saw the battle of a lifetime taking place between Mace Windu and the man who claimed to be Darth Sidious. Ripping his attention away from the fight, Anakin landed his fighter at the Senate building's grand entrance hall and jumped out.
"Artoo, stay with the ship," Anakin ordered and ran down a long corridor toward the Chancellor's office. Artoo beeped a reply.
In the heat of battle, both combatants had gotten out of the saber lock by taking a couple steps back from each other. They both began to step sideways in the opposite direction, circling each other. Mace Windu raised his blade over his head and began to strike. He swung his blade at Palpatine, who parried the blows and moved back as he did. He flipped back and jumped onto a conduit before flipping off of it, still parrying Windu's strikes. Palpatine walked back up the three short steps that led to his desk.
As they carried the battle behind Palpatine's desk, they continued to strike at each other. During the fight, Mace cuts the window behind the Chancellor's desk, and it completely shatters, alowing the gustling wind to howl, making a whistling sound and making their robes flap in the breeze. Mace is forced out onto the ledge, which is twenty stories up. They take a couple small steps away from each other, and Mace twirls his lightsaber in his hands as he waits for Palpatine to strike. He does, and they fight over the precipice of the ledge that led down to the streets below.
Mace dashes forward with his blade aiming at Palpatine's neck, but he slides and ducks underneath the purple blade. They continue to circle each other while on the ledge, their purple and crimson swords clashing.
In order to combat Sidious' furious technique, Windu gave himself completely over to Vaapad, a force ability that allowed the wielder to channel his own inner darkness into the duel, and accept the fury of the opponent. He allowed it to fully channel his own inner darkness, as well as accepting and using the darkness of Sidious. When fully immersed in his form, Windu's fighting prowess was such that he could allow his body to fight automatically for him without needing to direct it with his mind.
Vaapad allowed Windu to hold out as long as he did, but he didn't believe that it could help him break the stalemate of the fight. He needed a new plan.
As Mace Windu allowed Vaapad to control the way he fought Palpatine automatically, he put a great deal of his mind into concentrating on a force ability called shatterpoint. Shatterpoints were akin to fault lines, similar to different pathways of actions. Adept Force users were able to perceive these faults through the Force, and influence them. Basically, Mace Windu was able to view the person in front of as a shattered window, and he was able to analyze each little piece and look for any weaknesses in Darth Sidious.
Question was, what was Palpatine's weakness?
That's when Master Windu, as he continued fighting Palpatine, sensed a familiar presence approaching them.
It was Anakin Skywalker, who was approaching the office surrounded by an overwhelming sense of fear.
This was the tipping point. Mace Windu deduced that Skywalker was Sidious' shatterpoint. As the Jedi realized the depth of the Sith Lord's trust in Skywalker, Sidious let out a snarl as he lunged forward with his blade and tried to knock Windu over the ledge.
Big mistake.
Windu delivered a well-placed kick to Sidious' face, which caused him to drop his saber into the streets below.
As Mace gains the upper hand and forces Palpatine to drop his sword. Windu pointed his blade at the fallen, fear-stricken chancellor, who scooted back to the other side of the window, trying to get away from the purple blade that was in his face.
Anakin rushed around a corner, and walked into the room to see Windu with his blade pointed Palpatine's face. He walked up to them.
"You are under arrest, My Lord," Mace said mockingly. He glanced over to see Anakin walking up to them. He put his free hand up slightly, motioning for Anakin to stop, while still pointing his blade at Palpatine.
"Anakin! I told you it would come to this. I was right. The Jedi are taking over," Palpatine said in between heavy breaths. Anakin didn't say anything. He just watched the scene in front of him with a blank stare.
"You old fool. The oppression of the Sith will never return. Your plot to regain control of the Galaxy is over . . . you have lost . . ." Mace said, his blade still pointed at Palpatine.
The Dark Lord shook his head. "No! No! You will die!" Palpatine hissed as he shot lightning out of his fingertips at Mace, who used his blade to absorb the lightning.
Palpatine stood up on one knee, still shooting out lightning.
"He is a traitor!" Palpatine shouted.
"He... is the traitor. Aarrrrggghhhh, Stop him!" Windu said, struggling to hold his ground.
"Come to your senses, boy. The Jedi are in revolt. They will betray you, just as they betrayed me," Palpatine begged. "You are not one of them, Anakin. Don't let him kill me. I am your pathway to power. I have the power to save the one you love. You must choose. You must stop him".
"Don't listen to him, Anakin, Aarrrggghhhh!" Mace shouted out to Anakinover the sound of the crackling lightning that was being used on him.
"Help me! Don't let him kill me. I can't hold on any longer," Palpatine said.
Mace summoned a force push through his arms while still holding his blade. He sent it back towards Palpatine, pushing him onto his back. As the Jedi moves closer, the bolts from Palpatine's hands begin to deflect from Mace's sword and back on him. His face began to become wrinkled and deformed. He went from a 70 year old man to a 200 year old man instantaneously.
Anakin shielded his eyes from the intense light.
Palpatine screamed in pain. He stopped shooting his lightning, in order to save himself from his own powers.
"I can't ... I give up. Help me. I am weak ... I am too weak. Don't kill me. I give up. I'm dying. I can't hold on any longer," Palpatine begged.
Mace raised his blade. "You Sith disease. I am going to end this once and for all," he threatened.
"You can't." Someone said. Mace looked to his right to see that the speaker was Anakin. "You can't kill him, Master. He must stand trial," Anakin said, catching Mace off guard for a split second.
"He has too much control of the Senate and the Courts. He is too dangerous to be kept alive," Mace explained to the young Jedi, trying to get him to come to his senses.
"I'm too weak. Don't kill me. Please," Palpatine begged.
"It is not the Jedi way..." Anakin protested.
Mace raises his sword to kill the chancellor.
"He must live..." Anakin continued to protest.
"Please don't, please don't . . ." Palpatine begged.
"I need him..." Anakin said at last.
"Please don't..." Palpatine begged, more frantically this time as Windu swung the blade down.
"NO!" Anakin shouted as he ignited his blade and started to swing it, aiming for Mace's sword arm.
But before Anakin could sever his hand, Mace redirected his efforts into defending himself, blocking Anakin's blade just in time. The two men looked at each other, as they locked their blue and purple blades together.
Mace swiped his blade around to shake Anakin off, and the two started stepping to the sides, with their blades raised.
"I need him alive. And letting you kill him is against our Jedi beliefs. I won't allow it," Anakin said to Mace, who had a look of concern and amusement on his face, as he raised his blade over his head and tried to bring it down on Mace.
But again, Mace defended himself and they entered into a saber lock. "Anakin," Mace said as he pushed back, bringing their blades close to Anakin's face, "Come to your senses. He's a traitor to the Republic. Letting him live is to dangerous."
As Mace tried to reason with Anakin, the young and confused Jedi leaned back and tripped Mace, making the experienced Master flip over him. He then swiftly turned around and force pushed Mace down the hallway. He slid across the polished floor and ended up in the Chancellor's private study, where the dead clones and Jedi masters lay dead.
Mace stood up and dusted himself off, as Anakin entered the room, his lightsaber at the ready.
When he realized that reasoning with Anakin was out of the question, Mace stared at Anakin with a look that could kill. "So be it," Mace said, as a flash of lightning split the could outside, giving the scene a dark tone.
Both duelists circled one another, before they both struck at the same time. They crossed their blades in a saber lock. They stared each other down, daring each other to make a move.
Anakin pushed against Windu, making him lean back. Then Windu pushed back so that it looked like they were evenly matched. Both combatants knew that what happened next was going to be nothing less than a fight to the death.
Both combatants broke off to circle one another. After a few long seconds of staring at each other, Anakin used his aggressive Form V fighting style to start the attack, aiming for Master Windu's head.
But Mace responds with Vaapad, a variation of Form VII that Mace invented himself. It was an aggressive fighting style that allowed mace to channel the dark-side, while still remaining in the light.
Anakin began to clash against Mace's saber, the two of them engulfing in a battle more aggressive and fast then either of them have seen before. Blow after parry after blow, the two of them looked like streaks of blue and purple light, moving through the Chancellor's office as if floating through air, knocking over vases and paintings, and slashing through walls. Their surroundings were only a playground for their duel.
Anakin tried to swing at Mace's head agin, but the Jedi master dodged, making Anakin slash out the window instead.
That's when the crossed into another saber lock. Mace, instead of breaking the stalemate, tried to appeal to Anakin's better nature. "He's manipulating you. Making you betray the Jedi order. Can't you see that?"
"The only thing I see is a Jedi trying to keep me from my destiny, and assassinating a politician. You're the one who's betraying the Republic!" Anakin exclaimed with venom dripping from his lips, as he and Mace broke apart to stare each other down.
Mace shook his head.
That's Anakin withdrew his blade, swiping Mace's defenses open, before delivering a kick to the chest that sent Mace back out the window. But he back flipped and landing safely on a maintenance ledge. He then looked up just in time to see Anakin jumping down to continue the fight.
Windu quickly jumps back, as Anakin lands.
He then dashed forward to reengage the fight.
Windu quickly spins his lightsaber around, too fast for Anakin to see. Mace is moving faster than Anakin ever knew that he could. He quickly jumped back, trying to avoid the strikes, and is grazed in the shoulder pad, his skin stinging from the burn that it just endured. But Anakin didn't stop to dwell on the pain, for he knew that if he stopped for even a millisecond, he would be dead, Palpatine would follow, and then Padme would succumb to childbirth, just like Anakin saw in his nightmares.
He wouldn't allow it to happen.
Mace continued to spin around, like a tornado of lightsaber energy. He was clearly the most gifted fighter Anakin had ever crossed blades with. Faster then Dooku, more powerful than Obi-Wan.
The two broke off at the exact same time, and they began to square off in the middle of an array of antennae. Lightning struck the steal posts, illuninating the fight with a spectrum of dancing lights to compliment their blades.
"Palpatine is manipulating you, Skywalker. He's controlling your mind. Stop this foolishness. Don't make me do this." Mace warned. "Remember Obi-Wan, and Qui-Gon".
Something that Mace said caused him to freeze, before he thought back to memories of when the two Jedi took in off of Tatooine, and brought him into his life as a Jedi. He thought about how they rescued him from slavery. How Qui-Gon taught him about midi-clorians. How he and Obi-Wan stood side by side for over a decade, and went through thick and thin.
But then Mace's words pulled Anakin back into reality.
"Remember what the Jedi have fought to-" Mace began.
"The Jedi..." Anakin interrupted. "...protect nothing but their own self interests. They abuse their power, overthrowing anyone who doesn't fall in line with your beliefs and interests. They place their own status quo over the will of the Senate. Is that the way of the Jedi? Or is that the way of the corrupt council? You've all held me back this entire time, with your narrow-minded view of the force. I could've surpassed everyone's power, if you decided to train me with every aspect of the force, not just your own!"
Mace was taken aback by what Anakin said. Then he looked passed his shoulder and up at the building to see Darth Sidious standing at the window to look down at the fight, a wide smirk spread across his face.
"You want to know more about the force, Skywalker? Fine!" Mace said, before he damaged the steel and stone wall, dropping clouds of dust from above, creating a purple cloud of dust that obscured everyone's vision. "Study closely".
Anakin jumped into the purple fog, only to have all of his limbs lock up, before he was thrown into a wall on the other side of the roof. He then felt himself be pressed against the wall, and steel objects began to twist around his limbs, pinning him. He tried to struggle, but to no avail.
He saw Mace Windu walk up to him out of the dust cloud.
"I never should've trusted you, boy. I knew you were corrupt from the beginning. Now... stay here while I go finish your task for you, chosen one," Mace said in a mocking tone.
Anakin was now royally upset, and started to struggle out of the metal trap.
He used the force to activate his saber while it was still on the ground, and then made it fly like a spear towards one of his restraints, barely grazing his outfit.
One down, three to go.
Sidious leaned forward out his office window as his apprentice was thrown into a wall, and looked back at the purple dust cloud. He couldn't see anything. He was partially concerned that he had to find a new apprentice. But then Mace Windu jumped up out of the dust, and through the window.
The startled Sith Lord fired a bolt of Sith energy at the Jedi, who used his lightsaber to block the lightning, before swiping with his lightsaber, and sending the energy back at Sidious, who fell back out of his chair. He scooted back to the window with terror on his face.
Mace continued to advance, looking down on the deformed old man. "Your reign of evil ends now!"
But before Mace could strike the Dark Lord down, Anakin jumped back through the window in between Mace and Sidious, slashing through Mace's sword wrist as he passed.
"AAAAHHHH!" Mace screamed as his hand and blade fell out of the window and into the streets below. He continued to scream in pain as Darth Sidious smiled, and then swiftly raised his hands to unleash a volley of lightning that engulfed the Jedi master.
"Unlimited POWER!" Sidious shouted as he continued to cook the screaming master with his power, before using the force to throw him out the window and into the streets below.
When it was over, Sidious leaned back, and breathed a sigh of relief.
But Anakin was in deep despair, stumbling back until he sat on one of the dome-shaped conduits in the office.
"What have I done?" Anakin asked himself out loud, dropping his lightsaber to the floor.
Sidious stood up and walked up in front of the young, and powerful, force wielder.
"You are fulfilling your destiny, Anakin. Become my apprentice. Learn to use the dark side of the Force," Sidious said.
"I will do whatever you ask," Anakin said in between heavy breaths, almost on the verge of tears.
"Good," The Dark Lord of the Sith said.
"Just help me save Padme's life. I can't live without her. I won't let her die. I want the power to stop death," Anakin begged.
"To cheat death is a power only one has achieved..." Sidious said, referring to Plagieus. "...But if we work together, I know we can discover the secret".
Anakin, while shaking hysterically, slid off of the conduit, and knelt before Sidious. "I pledge myself to your teachings. To the ways of the Sith," Anakin said as he bowed before his new master.
"Good. Good. The Force is strong with you. A powerful Sith you will become. Henceforth, you shall be known as Darth . . . Vader," Sidious said, anointing the young dark sider.
"Thank you. my Master," Vader said.
"Rise, Darth Vader!"
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Kashyyyk.
Repeublic forces and their Wookie allies continued to hold off the tide of Droid forces crossing the lake to attack Kachirho. Wookie cadamarans and other flying vehicles swooped over the Republic tanks that continued to hold the beachhead.
But high above the raging battle, Yoda felt a hand over his heart. He stumbled across the ground before he leaned against a support beam. There was a great disturbance in the force.
Utapau, Pau City.
In the streets of Pau city, Obi-Wan began to ride his lizard, Boga, through the embattled streets.
Fires raged on some of the street corners and buildings. Republic walkers, speeders, and infantry continued to advance up the street, while taking fire from battle droids that were on the balconies above them.
Obi-Wan saw that one battle droid was trying to fire on him, raining down red plasma all around his lizard and passed his face. He ignited his saber and deflected one round back at the distant droid's face, before he sparked and collapsed to the ground.
A little later, he came up on a command station, where Obi-Wan's fight with Grievous began earlier. His lizard skidded to a halt right next to Cody and the clone officers that were around the holo-table.
He jumped down next to Cody, who walked up to him.
"Commander, I want you contact your troopers. Tell them to start moving to the higher levels," Obi-Wan said.
"Yes Sir," Cody said.
Obi-Wan suddenly felt faint. There was a great disturbance in the force. He held his face and winced a little. Cody turned and noticed his general wincing. "General. Are you okay?" Cody asked with concern.
"I...I don't know. I sense something. A tremor in the force. I can't tell what it is," Obi-Wan said.
Sundari Royal Palace.
Back on Mandalore, Ahsoka and her troopers were getting ready to escort Maul to his final destination... a public execution on the steps of the war torn palace.
As they chained up the red-skinned Zabrak, Ahsoka felt a sudden feeling come over her. Her head started to beat, and she rubbed her eyes to massage the sudden feeling. But when she realized that it wasn't a headache, she tried to tap into the force.
"Commander?" She heard someone ask before placing a hand on her shoulder. It was Rex, who made a speedy recovery from his injuries, "Are you alright?"
"I... I sense something. A tremor in the force." She said with uncertainty. "I feel like, someone's in danger."
Rex and some of his troopers looked at her, confused and concerned.
"Who?"
Ahsoka tried to reach out with the force. But when she tried to pinpoint the origin of the tremor, all she got - for lack of a better term - was static.
"I don't know."
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Supreme Chancellor's office, Galactic Senate Building, Coruscant.
Back in the Chancellor's office on Coruscant, Sidious dressed up in a cloak to hide his scarred body.
"Because the Council did not trust you, my young apprentice, I believe you are the only Jedi with no knowledge of this plot. When the Jedi learn what has transpired here, they will kill us, along with all the Senators.
"I agree," Lord Vader said, as he stood before his new master, "The Jedi's next move will be against the Senate."
Sidious then pulled his hood over his head, obscuring his disfigured face from view, as he continued to speak with Anakin. "Every single Jedi, including your friend Obi-Wan Kenobi, is now an enemy of the Republic. You understand that, don't you?"
"I understand, Master."
"We must move quickly. The Jedi are relentless; if they are not all destroyed, it will be civil war without end." He said before turning to sit down. Anakin looked down at his feet iwith uncertainty for a split second, before Sidious looked back at him, as if sensing his waining willpower. "First, I want you to go to the Jedi Temple. We will catch them off balance. Do what must be done, Lord Vader. Do not hesitate. Show no mercy. Only then will you be strong enough with the dark side to save Padme."
"What about the other Jedi spread across the galaxy?" Vader asked as they walked parallel with each other, Sidious' desk in between them.
"Their betrayal will be dealt with." Sidious said as he sat down. "After you have killed all the Jedi in the Temple, go to the Mustafar system. Wipe out Viceroy Gunray and the other Separatist leaders." Sidious ordered, making Anakin nod his head ever so slightly.
Then Sidious smiled deviously.
"Once more, the Sith will rule the galaxy, and we shall have peace."
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Jedi Temple.
As Night fell over Coruscant, the capital of the Galactic Republic was lit up like the crown jewel that it was meant to be.
But it was unusually quiet, even though a large army was of clone troopers were marching up the steps to the temple... the same flight of stairs that Vader witnessed Ahsoka walking down when she left the Order. And despite the brightness of the city lights, they did nothing to flood the darkness that was at the center of the man leading them.
The newly christened Lord Vader took his army, the elite 501st Legion, up the steps. Their mission: Shut down the Jedi agitators at any cost.
For this operation, the entirety of the 501st that was on Coruscant, and any spec ops units that were attached to it that were recalled from the outer rim, would march into he temple, while the Coruscant Guard discreetly surrounded the temple in order to prevent any escape by ground, and a task force of Venator-Class Star Destroyers cruised by to prevent an aerial escape.
The thing that was most noticeable about this trip was... just how quiet it was. It was a silent march, save for the rhythmic sounds of their boot steps. They all knew what was about to happen... what they were about to do.
But did Vader or the clones have any doubts? Any private traitorous thoughts? Perhaps, but no one said a word. Not on the flight to this district, not when Order 66 came down, and not when they marched into the Jedi Temple.
Not a word.
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Well folks, that was part 15, the birth of Vader.
I hope that you enjoyed all of the little additions that I've made to this chapter.
I will be working on part 16 whenever I can. It may be a while, since I have school and work.
Anyway, until next time, as always, this is grubkiller, over and out.