Anakin and Kenobi saw the smoke coming from the mountain where the temple was hidden. Obi Wan was in disbelief. All this time, the Emperor must have known where the temple lay. He turned to see Anakin. The younger man's expression was unreadable as he scanned the area around him.
"There are guards standing by the entrance," he said.
"How did they know?" Obi Wan asked. "How did they know where we were?"
Anakin said nothing. A vain in his temple throbbed, knowing what the older Jedi would guess by his silence.
"You knew," Obi Wan said, almost accusingly.
"I didn't think he did," Anakin said simply. "I didn't tell him, if that's what you think. Listen, we can get into this impending argument, but at this point, you'll just have to take my word for it. We need to go in there and stop them, don't you think?"
"Fine, but we aren't finished," Obi Wan insisted, unsure of the young man beside him.
"Is there another way into the temple?" Anakin asked.
"Just the front entrance," Obi Wan replied.
"Great," Anakin said, "then we're just going to have to blast our way through."
Bariss Orfee looked down at Padme and sighed. She knew that she couldn't stay around to save the Senator. The others needed her, especially the younglings that needed to be taken out of the temple to safety. Padme slowly opened her eyes and saw Orfee's face swim before her.
"Are they safe?" she asked, tears streamed down her face.
"They were our first priority," Bariss told her in earnest. "They are safe now. No harm can come to them. Commander, I must leave now. The others need me."
As she saw Padme's eyes flutter shut, she doubted the Commander heard her at all. She sighed, felt pity for the young woman, but knew that her duty now was with the younglings that needed her.
Padme Amidala felt numb. She felt weak, unable to move. She had heard the Jedi Healer say that she was perfectly healthy, but was willing herself to die. Padme just couldn't face what she'd done. She betrayed everything she stood for and the people that believe in her, all in one night. The look of pity in her friend's eyes when they saw her seared her soul. She couldn't face the chaos inside her, the empty loss she felt at not seeing Anakin again. A sob escaped her, hoping the end would come soon. At least, she thought, Luke and Leia are safe.
Anakin fought beside Obi Wan. They managed to fight off the Stormtroopers at the entrance of the temple. Obi Wan tried to remain calm, even when he saw other Jedi dead around him. Anakin kept his own senses leveled. Anger at the Emperor and at himself seethed inside him. He vowed with each stroke of his saber that he would make the Emperor pay.
"Where is Padme?" he asked as he deflected a blast from Stormtrooper fire.
"She would be in the medical ward, down that other hall," Obi Wan said, pointing toward the direction.
"Why is she there?" Anakin asked, alarmed. "I'm going after her!"
"Wait, we need to take down the Stormtroopers fist!" Obi Wan reminded him. "We need to take care of them before we make sure that anyone is fine!"
"What?" Anakin said, disagreeing with the older man's logic. "I can't leave her!"
"Even if you wanted to, you'll need to get through those other soldiers by the adjacent corridor! Look! They're heading this way!"
As Anakin and Obi Wan fought their way through the barrage of attacks, General Cody noticed that his troops were taking heavy blows. Even with all the Jedi dead, those remaining were able to make considerable damage to his troops.
"Sir!" General Cody called out to cloaked figure beside him. "Vader has been spotted. He's with that other Jedi, an Obi Wan Kenobi."
"That traitor won't escape us," promised Darth Maul in a cold raspy voice. "Leave him to me."
As Obi Wan and Anakin fought their way through the burning temple, Maul appeared though the thick smoke, blocking their way. His expression showed one of intense hatred. Anakin knew that the Emperor would eventually send someone to hunt him down. He suspected that Maul had only been too eager to take his place at the Emperor's side. If Darth Vader was said to have no heart, Maul existed without a soul. He didn't flinch or give anything or anyone a second thought. As far as he was concerned, only the Emperor and the Dark Side of the Force was what mattered.
"I'll take care of him," Anakin told Obi Wan.
"There isn't time," Obi Wan said. "You must get to the Commander. It's imperative that you help her first. I'll take care of him."
"No!" Anakin insisted. "He's here because of me. I need to deal with him first."
"This isn't the time to argue!" insisted Kenobi. He nudged Anakin toward the direction where Padme was. "Take my word for it! Padme needs you more now than the Emperor's personal vendetta."
Anakin hesitated, thinking that the older Jedi was out of his league where Maul was concerned. Yet Kenobi's insistence about Padme and the fact that she might be in danger forced the young man to walk away from yet another battle.
Maul sneered as he saw Anakin turn away from him. He was about to follow when the other Jedi stepped in front of his path.
"Remember me?" Kenobi asked, removing his robe.
"Jedi!" Maul said in disgust. "Killing you will only take a second. I have a greater foe to face in Vader."
"I'm sorry to have to cancel your appointment," began Kenobi. "I'm afraid you won't be able to make it."
"Jedi, it's you who will be sorry!" seethed Maul.
"I very much doubt that getting rid of you will make me sorry," Kenobi countered, blocking Mauls first waves of attacks.
Anakin raced down the corridor, trails of smoke filled the air. He stopped by a big brass door, he sensed other living beings on the other side. He readied his sword; unsure if through the doors was the best way to reach Padme. He decided to take a chance and pressed ahead.
The brass doors opened automatically. Anakin was surprised, not knowing what to expect. He entered the room with caution, noticing that the room held a certain air of power. It seemed to be a large conference room, with several furnitings positioned around in a circle. The room was darkly lit; he was about to leave when he heard soft whispers coming from behind the furnitings.
"Come out!" he commanded.
Almost instantly Anakin began to see younglings step out of hiding. Anakin stopped, a bit shock to realize that children might still be within the Temple. There were about eight children altogether; easy targets for those that sought to destroy them. Anakin could still hear the fighting outside. It was difficult to tell who was winning the battle, yet he knew that it was up to him to make sure that these children survived.
Not sure what to say to children, since he'd really never had to deal with them; one of the older children approached him. "What shall we do, Master?" he asked tentatively.
Anakin was taken aback. He looked around the expressive and innocent faces that looked at him with a mixture of hope and worry.
Anakin hesitated, knowing that he didn't have time to waste, but it wasn't as though he had the luxury to sacrifice the children to the Emperor either.Something about their air of innocence moved him. "You must follow me quietly," he told them, and just as soon as he said that, he wanted to kick himself for not knowing where exactly he should lead them to.
Another child brightened and smiled. "You are The Chosen One," he said in awe. "You've come to save us all."
The Jedi's continued to fight against the Emperor's troops. General Cody knew that it was a matter of time before the Rebels knew of the Temple's invasion. His troops wouldn't stand a chance of getting out. If Maul was engaged, he knew that it would be up to him to carry out the Emperors orders.
As he struck down another Padawan learner, General Cody singled out his troops to begin a massive search for Commander Padme. He relayed that they had no more than ten minutes to search out the Commander, ignite the bombs put in place at the Temple and leave before they were unable to get out.
Kenobi fought Maul and deflected the Sith's attacks. He acknowledged that perhaps the Dark Sith was more capable at sword fighting than he was. Kenobi trusted in the force to see him through and hoped that Master Yoda would soon be back with some of the elder Jedi in time to save what was left of the Temple and the few remaining Jedi.
Kenobi studied Mauls attacks. They were swift and calculating, almost taunting. Every stroke of Maul's blade felt as though it came closer to ending Kenobi's life, but the Jedi refused to flinch. He connected with the Force, allowing the energy flow through him. He channeled the energy, beginning to anticipate Mauls attacks. He let the Force speak to him, and as Mauls appeared to gain momentum, it was Kenobi who began to attack back with greater force. For a moment, Mauls eyes widen in surprise, but his expression retuned to that of resolve as he realized his fatal mistake in allowing Kenobi to take the defensive. Kenobi's weapon deflected Mauls. Maul raised his sword one more time, but his reaction was slow in coming. Kenobi saw a window of opportunity and took it; cutting through skin and bone. Maul looked at Kenobi, mouth agape as he fell down dead on the floor.
Anakin led the children through an empty corridor, trying to shield them from the horror around them. One of the younger children automatically clung to his robes; endearing him to Anakin. He led them away from the fighting, hoping to see another Jedi that could help take the children to safety. He motioned for the children to press up against a wall as footsteps were heard running through a corridor. Retreating down from where they came wasn't an option. Anakin was determined not to fail the younglings. This determination brought him a sense of empowerment he'd never felt before. He'd really never had to think about anyone else's safety other than his own. The fact that he was willing to die to protect these small beings gave him a surreal feeling, as if he was growing a second skin, evolving.
The footsteps came closer.
"Stay here," Anakin cautioned. "You must be brave. No one will hurt you. I promise you."
The children nodded, too shocked or too scared to speak.
As the footsteps approached, Anakin lit his saber, holding it up high, ready to strike. At that moment Iluminaria Undi stopped, her sword flashing in front of her. She saw the younglings Bariss had left in the conference room with Vader. A strange coldness crept within her breast. The hope of the Jedi was left with those few children. She wouldn't let Vader destroy them.
"Wait," Anakin said, deflecting her blows. "You don't understand. I mean them no harm!"
"Lies!" Iluminaria cried. "We suffer now because of you!"
"You don't understand!" Anakin tried to explain, resisting the urge to push back and end this once and for all. "I'm trying to help you!"
Iluminaria reached out with the Force and stopped when she felt an overwhelming energy surround Vader. She never felt such a strong power before. Master Yoda radiated something similar, yet the Force that surrounded Vader crackled with strength… hope.
"It's true what they say about you," she said. "Are you the Chosen One?"
One child stepped forward, taking Anakin's hand. "He'll lead the way, Master."
Iluminaria looked at the children. There wasn't terror in their expression when they looked at Vader, but awe. There was hope in their young faces. Iluminaria still held doubts, but suspected that if Vader was the origin of the attacks of the Temple, he wouldn't have taken the time to speak to her, nor would he have cared about the children's safety.
"There must be a way out of here," Anakin said, not answering Iluminaria's question.
"There are too many soldiers," Iluminaria informed. "But there is a way through the next corridor. That's where I was going to take the children."
"Then go," Anakin prompted. "There is something I must do. The children will be safe with you." He hesitated then, thinking that he didn't know which way to proceed then.
"Your path lies that way," Iluminaria told him, pointing the way down another hall. "The troops will soon reach that area. I suspect you will find what you're looking for there."
Anakin and Iluminaria's eyes met a hint of knowing clouding her eyes. Anakin nodded and looked down at the small child still holding his hand. "Go with her now," he said.
General Cody looked at the woman lying on the medical bed. She looked frail, but very much alive. The sensors on the medical bed indicated that the woman was fighting off an infection. All this General Cody analyzed and read, pointing his weapon at the woman's temple. The whole place, he knew, was about to detonate in less than five minutes. He wouldn't have time to carry the woman out with him, but he knew that the Emperor would want to make sure that Padme were dead if he were unable to get her away. The beauty of the woman caught his eye. Never really taking an interest in the appearance of a female, something about the woman made him hesitate for a moment, a fraction of a second, just before he pulled the trigger.
Anakin saw the soldier standing beside Padme. He recognized him as General Cody. His heart lurched. Padme lay unmoving on the bed. Rage surged through Anakin. With a wave of his hand, he lifted General Cody's body up, just as the soldier took the first shot at Padme. The fire from his weapon barely missed Padme's temple. Anakin closed his fists, letting his anger control him. A series of crunches were heard coming from the suspended body. General Cody's body twitched until his limbs hung loosely by his sides. With another wave of his hand, Anakin hurled the body through the room, not caring about the end of a Stormtroopers life. Flecks of red gleamed in Anakin's eyes.
Master Yoda and Master Windu arrived at the temple just when Kenobi and the surviving Jedi stepped out.
"Masters," Kenobi said quickly, "The Temple is in chaos. There were several bombs placed inside, we were only able to find a few, but I'm afraid it's too late to search out for the rest!"
He gave the older Jedi Masters no time to react as they watched the burning Temple. Already they began to hear explosions go off inside.
Anakin looked down at Padme, tears clouding his eyes. He couldn't believe that he had the strength to leave her when he did. She seemed ethereal, unattainable. He pushed back a lock of hair letting his fingers trail the perfect form of her face. How he wanted to desperately kiss her, yet the place where they were and the danger they were in forced him to move quickly. She wasn't responding when he called out her name. As he lifted her from the bed, the first explosions began to rock the temple walls. Anakin held onto Padme, thinking that even if he didn't make it out of the Temple alive, he wouldn't care. He had what he came looking for. He didn't plan beyond that point and yet looking down at Padme's form, Anakin determined that he couldn't let them die. He wanted to wake up the next day knowing that she was still with him in this world.
"There is no way out of there," Master Windu said, seeing the explosions bring down boulders from the mountains.
"We were only able to save those remaining Jedi," Kenobi said, looking around at his companions.
Iluminaria stood beside him, letting the children cluster around them. A look of fear marred their young faces. "The Chosen One that Master Yoda speaks of is still in there," she said.
"So is Commander Padme," Kenobi added.
"It is a pity," Iluminaria said, "that we will never know if he was the Chosen One."
"Still doubt, do you?" Master Yoda asked. "The Emperor he must face. This will not be over until dead, the Emperor is."
Padme opened her eyes. She thought she was dreaming as she watched the face above hers. She never though she would feel his strong arms holding her again.
"Padme!" Anakin said, looking down at her. Floods of emotions coursed though both of them as their eyes locked. Padme reached up with her hand, her fingers tentatively touching his lower lips. A shudder went though Anakin as he closed his eyes; feeling her cool fingers tracing his mouth.
"Ani," she said, "I'm dreaming."
"No," Anakin whispered hoarsely. "I am such a fool!"
Another explosion rocked the temple as debris began to fall around them. Padme clung to Anakin, unsure of what was happening around her.
"Padme, I'd love for us to catch up, but we've got a problem in our hands," Anakin said, trying to remember what way Iluminaria and the children went.
Padme forced herself to look around; trying to remembering the pathway Bariss had spoken about that led outside the temple. "There should be a hatch close by," she said, pointing towards the way. "I think it leads outside."
"It's the only chance we've got before these walls topple over us," Anakin said, noticing that Padme began to close her eyes once again. "Just stay with me Padme," he silently implored as he tried to move them towards safety.