A/N: As always, reviews are appreciated, and tend to keep me pumping out the frothy... uh... well, I can't say goodness. Uhm... Star Wars-y-ness is a definite, though.

A sidenote: is this story influencing Wikipedia? Just for kicks I looked up the entry on Order 66, and found that some of the characters that I've mentioned in the earlier chapters are listed as having died canon deaths in the Temple, when I'm really only sure of at least two: Drallig and Keto. I wouldn't suspect this, except for entries like the one on Bene: "Bene was killed by Darth Vader on Coruscant at the Jedi Temple when Vader force choke her, while fighting Cin Drallig.

//cough//

Is it the real deal, or is Kavek just paranoid?

Quatorze: Tragically Irreconcileable Differences

The cry that was wrenched from Anakin's throat was one of combined joy and wretched agony. He dropped his lightsaber, ignored the clatter as it bounced on the floor, and rushed to his wife. His arms wrapped around her and nearly crushed her in a hug as he began to sob.

The look on Padme's face exemplified shock. She returned his embrace, tears of wonder trickling down her pale face. Then, voice cracking with emotion: "But… you were dead…"

Obi-Wan sighed - he hadn't considered this problem in the chaos of the last few hours. Turning, he watched Yoda quickly close the door behind them and seal it. The Jedi Master then hobbled over to stand beside him, once again the picture of the tired, feeble old being.

As Padme and Anakin renewed their relationship with tender kisses and whispers of amazement and explanation, he knelt next to Yoda. "What is the next move?" he asked. His mind was screaming thirty different options at him - not the least of which was strike him down while his back is turned - but he could not see which path was the right.

Yoda gave him an infuriatingly serene look. "First, we leave this place. Then guide us, the Force will."

Obi-Wan nodded, uncomfortable, and stood. He gave a not-so-subtle cough, hoping Anakin would get the picture, and to his pleasure, his ex-Padawan understood perfectly.

Suddenly, Anakin's lightsaber flew into his hand, blade flashing, extended, point hovering underneath Obi-Wan's throat. Padme gave a cry - "Anakin, what are you doing?" - as her husband bored a look of contempt into his former master.

"Padme, fetch our child."

"But -"

He turned his gaze to fix her with a look of sorrow and love. "I'm sorry, my love… I will explain when I can. Hurry."

Her mouth snapped shut, and she went.

Then, he turned back to his foes. Obi-Wan resisted a scowl, trying not show how frustrated he was. Yoda was frozen, obviously not going to draw his weapon when Anakin could so obviously slit Obi-Wan's throat with a flick of the wrist…

"Don't do anything foolish, Anakin," Obi-Wan said evenly, trying his best to dissuade his… friend.

Anakin smiled, a glint of happiness showing through his pain. "I'm doing something right for the first time in years. And you're not going to stop me."

Obi-Wan scowled. "What - raise your chil-" he stumbled; Anakin apparently didn't know he had more than one child yet - "…raise your child to become a Sith?"

Anakin returned the scowl fourfold. "Never. If I teach my child, it will be because she asks me to. And I won't confine her to some silly doctrines. I'll teach her to follow the dictates of her conscience." Bitter hostility filled his voice as his expression whiplashed and twisted his features: "That's freedom. And that's love. Something you Jedi never taught me."

Obi-Wan let his mouth stand agape.

Just then, Padme returned, a small bag over her shoulder and Leia in her arms. Behind her, a familiar-looking golden protocol droid - followed a small, squat R2 unit - came, bearing some other items.

"Oh my! Master Obi-Wan! How nice to see you!" the protocol droid exclaimed, making a robotic waving motion that was nearly comical.

"Hello, Threepio," the Jedi replied smoothly.

"I am ready, my love," Padme said to Anakin, hefting Leia onto her hip. Her daughter was silent and scared, apprehensive of the strange-looking man and his thrumming lightsaber. Anakin nodded by way of reply, then directed his final statement to his enemies.

"I am sure the Imperials will be quite happy to find you here," he said, a trace of the old cockiness in his voice. "Tell Palpatine hello for me."

Then, backing away, lightsaber still extended, he waved his hand, and the entire band, sans the R2 unit, simply disappeared.

"Oh, that's interesting…" Palpatine croaked. Mas Amedda bowed low, his glistening blue scalp-tentacles dangling in the air. "I had thought you would appreciate it, Emperor," he said smoothly.

The Sith Lord stood from behind his desk. Turning to look out the panoramic window at the cityscape of Coruscant, he murmured softly to himself: "So Skywalker lives, as do Kenobi and… Yoda."

Then, to Amedda: "In your estimation, what are the chances that we will capture them?"

"They will be caught without fail. Our numbers there are too great." So saying, the alien smiled as he rearranged those glabrous lumps of flesh so that they hung against his chest a bit more… attractively. Secretly, Palpatine wished that he could find a better Chairman for the Senate so that he would have the pleasure of cleaving that singularly ugly head in two. Disgusting creature, he thought. The sooner you and your kind are exterminated, the happier I shall be.

Aloud, Palpatine said, "In other words, they shall escape."

The Chagrian looked slightly offended, but he kept his mouth shut. Sitting again, the Emperor pondered the situation for a moment, then glanced up at Amedda again. "How Jedi-hunting commando units saw action during the Jedi Purge?"

The Grand Vizier nodded - here was something he could answer. "Forty-seven, sir."

"And how many of those units yet remain?"

Anakin hurried along down the sterile, white passage, carrying a bag under one arm and shoving C-3PO ahead of him with the other. Behind him, Padme moved as quickly as her worn body would allow, Leia trotting along beside her with one thumb firmly jammed in her mouth.

"Where does this lead?" Anakin asked, throwing the question over his shoulder.

Padme was breathless: "Next to the palace, near the entrance to this compound."

"Dammit," Anakin muttered. "Surely there's a hangar or something… where can we get a ship?"

"Hangar's the opposite way," Padme replied as they turned left to follow the hallway.

"Great," Skywalker growled. "Just great."

"Great," Obi-Wan growled. "Just great."

Yoda nodded his acquiescence. "Time for remonstrance we have not, Master Obi-Wan. To young Luke we must go, before word of him Anakin receives."

Obi-Wan sighed as he brushed soot from his clothing. "Correct as usual, Master Yoda."

The aged Jedi Master was not listening. Instead, he had closed his eyes and seemed to be suddenly lost in the Force. He was…

…watching as four LAAT/i carriers disgorged a unit of stormtroopers, who quickly rappelled into the huge hole in the street. Two officers slid from their ships, and quickly began guiding their men into the attack, when one of them stopped short. "What the hell is that doing here?" he asked.

His gaze fell on a small starship that was resting in the midst of the street, its stubby wings barely fitting between the buildings. The sublights were idling, and the loading bay was lowered. Next to the bay lay an unmoving figure, clad in green armor…

…"A ride, we have," Yoda said.