Disclaimer is in the beginning of the story. The only thing I own in this chapter is Antellica.

Author's Note: I am pleased to say that there's a lot of new material in this chapter. Looking over at it this morning when I was about to post it, I realized there was so much I wanted to add and change. Anakin and Palpatine's conversation during the Opera performance has been changed a lot with the Chancellor telling him more the Sith of old and his distain for the Jedi. Plus Antellica tells him of the Jedi's suspicions of him. The makeup to Anakin and Padme's argument from the last chapter is also included. (Nothing to sappy, I assure you. Mainly because Padme isn't even sure if she wants to forgive him.)

Look for Obi-Wan confronting Padme about her relationship with Anakin in the next chapter.

Chapters 24-25 have been edited. Chapter 24 includes a geographical description of Geonosis, while 25 has some descriptions on the execution arena.

Chapter 60 responses:

Twisted Words (): She provoked him to anger and deserved being kicked. A Padme/Anakin name mixture might be a bit hard. I'm not even going to try because I'll simply embarrass myself! I know what you mean now about Padme's previous childish behavior. Going back to edit Episode III, I was horrified with how crappy and pathetic some of the dialogue was. I am pleased to say that a lot of it was deleted and perfected a bit.

G-Anakin 13: I know she is extremely evil, but I will give no info on her death except that it's action-filled.

Sica Meni: I like to think that Sith are anger maniacs. Put a bunch of them together in a room and they'd probably end up killing each other. (Ha, ha!)
I totally understand what it's like to be high on sugar. You're talking to a person who once ate candy all day as breakfast, lunch and dinner. Boy, did I pay for it later!
Chapter 59 was a type error (I hate those), but I changed it.

Booksaboutnothing: I can promise you a lot of shock, action, and death during Palpatine's confrontation in Chapter 24. More Jedi are there then the four in the movie.
As I was telling G-Anakin 13 a few chapters ago, once Anakin turns, that's when things really start to go down hill in their relationship. It's quite tragic when she finally tells him she never loved him from the get. And the way he reacts is, well I won't give away too much, but it's a mixture of anguish and rage.

Chapter 17: Tragedy of Darth Plagueis

Leaving her mistress' mansion behind, Antellica arrived at the Galaxies Opera House for the Annual Water Ballet Performance of 'Squid Lake' by the Mon Calamari Dancers. She hadn't been able to attend the previous year due to being sick, but Baynetta had gone and told her about it. It sounded interesting, so here she was.

Upon arriving on the red carpet, she saw Chancellor Palpatine and a surprisingly small entourage of aids and assistants heading up the red carpeted stairs.

"Chancellor!" she called, making her way towards him.

Palpatine recognized her voice and turned with a smile. "Antellica child, I wondered if I might see you here. How are you? Well I hope?"

"Oh yes, quite." Antellica briefly turned her eyes away from the Supreme Ruler of the Republic to see whom had accompanied him to the event. Speaker of the Senate, Mas Amedda, Administrative Aid of the Chancellor, Sly Moore, and an alien assistant Antellica recognized by face only. A few Royal Guards were also with him.

As they began to climb the staircase that led inside the theater, the Chancellor suggested that she sit with him in the top box.

"You can see the performance better from there," he explained. "Unless of course you'd prefer sitting by yourself."

It was never Antellica's intention to sit by herself to begin with. It was her plan to bunk up with Palpatine and inform him of the Jedi's treachery against him. She accepted his invitation with a warm smile. "I'd be delighted to join you Chancellor."

Arriving outside the top box, two of Palpatine's Royal Guards stationed themselves outside the door as Antellica, the Chancellor, and the others entered.

They got comfortable in their chairs and the show started not long after, but Antellica was barely paying attention. The conversation she'd had with Anakin and Obi-Wan earlier kept coming back to her as she attempted to get into the performance.

"The Council wants you to report on all the Chancellor's dealings. They want to know what he's up to."

"They want me to spy on the Chancellor? That's treason!"

"Master Windu traced Darth Sidious to Five Hundred Republica. We think the Sith Lord is someone within Palpatine's innercircle of advisors."

"Spying on someone like the Chancellor to simply find a Sith Lord? Is it really worth it?"

"Child, are you alright?"

Antellica was abruptly broken out her thoughts by the Chancellor's voice. Turning she saw him looking at her in concern.

She was silent a moment. "Yes, I-I'm fine. I simply-" She paused. "Is there any way I can speak with you about something of importance? It concerns...the outcome of the war...in a matter of speaking."

Palpatine rose an eyebrow, but she knew that he was aware of what she meant. This was their way of speaking in code about the Sith in public.

"Of course you can child." He allowed an almost sly smile. "I have a few words to say about it myself."

He turned to those seated behind them and barked, "Leave us!"

Silently, they rose from their seats and exited the room.

The Chancellor turned back to Antellica when he had assurance his entourage was gone. "Now that we are alone...you had something to tell me concerning the Jedi using Anakin as their spy against me didn't you?"

Antellica was flabbergasted. "How did you..."

He flashed her a smirk. "I have my ways Antellica. Besides it was quite obvious." Moving himself more comfortably in his seat, he continued. "With all the stress between myself and the Jedi, why else would they agree to Anakin's appointment if not to use him to spy on me?"

Antellica thought over his words. "True, but you should know that Anakin didn't approve of it. I don't even know if he's going to go through with it..."

She explained in a great amount of detail Anakin's appointment to the Council as the Chancellor's Representative and the conversation she had with he and Obi-Wan. Palpatine listened silently and thoughtfully; never once interrupting.

Upon finishing, the Chancellor sat in silence for a long moment. Going over all the information that'd just been told to him. Antellica knew she'd done the right thing by telling him, even if the Jedi's suspicions were no threat to their plans. But if this were so, why was she so shocked and disturbed upon learning Anakin was standing behind them towards the entrance of the room, listening in to their conversation silently?

"Antellica?" his voice abruptly asked in a calm tone.

Her eyes widened in dread and she slowly turned around to face him. His tall form was slightly hidden in the shadows of a corner the lights of the Ballet performance didn't reach. And though his face was obscured in the shadow of his Jedi cloak, she knew that the eyes underneath were looking at her accusingly.

She was panicked and had risen to a stand. Oh no! How long has he been standing there?

Not long child, Sidious said calmingly in her mind. I can assure you.

Palpatine turned in his chair to greet his Jedi Representative, "Anakin, my boy!", but was ignored. Anakin had lowered his hood with his eyes locked onto Antellica alone. He was looking at her in disbelief.

"Antellica? How could- What did you- Obi-Wan told us out of pure trust that we wouldn't tell anyone."

Antellica was happy when the Chancellor came to her defense because she wasn't entirely sure what to say. She couldn't look at the betrayal in Anakin's eyes and averted her gaze.

"It's perfectly fine Anakin," Palpatine said with a smile and stood beside Antellica, giving her a clap on the back. "I thank Antellica for telling me. She did the right thing. There's no reason for secrecy after all. Please sit down son. I asked you hear for a reason."

Antellica moved out of the seat next to the Chancellor and over to the next while Anakin took her old seat. She still refused to look at him.

"I'm very pleased with the news I have Anakin," the Chancellor said as he seated himself once more. "And I know you will be too." He allowed himself to get comfortable in his chair before continuing. "Our Clone Intelligence units have discovered the location of General Grievous. She's hiding, in the Utapau system."

"At last." Anakin was thoroughly pleased. "We'll be able to capture that female beast and end this war."

Antellica resisted the urge to spit out an insult for Anakin wanting her sister dead and instead examined her fingernails in rude interest.

Palpatine looked approvingly at his future apprentice. "I would worry about the collective wisdom of the Council if they didn't select you for this assignment. You're the best choice, by far."

Anakin looked slightly uncomfortable at this pronouncement, but brushed it off with a forced smile. "I thank you for the compliment, Chancellor."

"As I'm sure you 've deciphered from what Kenobi told you and Antellica earlier," Palpatine continued. "You must sense what I have come to suspect. The Jedi Council want control of the Republic. They're planning to betray me."

"I don't think that-" Anakin started, but Palpatine cut him off. "Anakin. Search your feelings. You know. Don't you?"

Anakin remained silent. His discomfort was easily seen through his posture. "I know they don't trust you," he finally said, "but I'm sure Antellica already told you that."

He glanced over at her, but she kept her eyes averted elsewhere.

Palpatine nodded. "The Jedi don't seem to trust anyone these days," he allowed. "Except themselves. And it's that type of arrogant behavior I will not stand for."

"I have to admit," Anakin said with slight hesitation, "my trust in them has been shaken."

"But of course it has," Palpatine encouraged. "Asking you to spy on a friend just so they can know what I'm up to." He gave a dry laugh. "It's remarkable. The prospect of a Sith Lord being in my own innercircle of advisors and I not knowing about it." He gave a humored smile. "It just goes to show how haywire the Jedi have gone with their point of stopping at nothing for the war to end and things to go their way, with little to no thought or concern for anyone else."

"Chancellor-"

"Remember back to your early teachings," Palpatine interrupted. "All who gain power are afraid to lose it. Even the Jedi."

"The Jedi use their power for good," Anakin argued.

Palpatine held back a snort. "Good is a point of view Anakin," he said slightly amused. "The Sith and the Jedi are similar in almost every way. Including their quest for greater power."

"The Sith rely on their passion for their strength," Anakin pointed out. "They think inwards, only about themselves."

"And the Jedi don't?" Palpatine asked.

"The Jedi are selfless," Anakin replied, even more uncomfortable, if that were possible. "They only care about others."

The Chancellor exchanged a brief look with Antellica that Anakin didn't see, for he was fixedly making himself watch the performance to ease his discomfort.

Several moments of silence went by until it was broken by Palpatine asking Anakin something that easily surprised him.

"You ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?"

Anakin turned his attention away from the performance and back to the Chancellor. With a shake of his head, he said, "No."

"I thought not," Palpatine said with a slight chuckle. "It's not a story the Jedi would tell you. It's a Sith Legend."

He paused a moment before recounting his former Master. "Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith, so powerful and so wise, he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life."

He paused again, watching Anakin intently. "He had such a knowledge of the dark side, he could even keep the ones he cared about...from dying."

Time stopped for Anakin. This Dark Lord could save people from death? But Sith are supposed to be evil. They're not supposed to save people.

He turned to look at the Chancellor, obviously thinking he heard him wrong. "He could actually…save people from death?"

"The dark side of the Force is a path way to many abilities some consider to be unnatural," was Palpatine's only reply.

"What happened to him?" Anakin asked in curiosity.

"He became so powerful, the only thing we was afraid of was..."

He allowed a wry smile.

"...losing his power, which eventually of course he did. Unfortunately he taught his apprentice everything he knew. Then his apprentice killed him in his sleep."

He smirked. "Ironic, he could save others from death, but not himself. Of course, this was during the original Sith Empire over a thousand years ago. Before the formation of the New Republic and after the crumpling of the old. It was during that time that thousands of Sith occupied the galaxy under the rule of their Supreme Master, Darth Bane. All was well; the galaxy flourished wondrously. But then, the Great Sith War started. The rise of the Jedi and New Galactic Republic. The thousand year millennium of the Sith Empire was defeated at the end of the five year war. The Sith were outlawed and sentenced to death. By the years end, the Sith were eliminated and the New Galactic Republic reigned supreme with the Jedi as their 'Keepers of the Peace.' But then the Chosen One prophecy arose," he nodded at Anakin. "It stated that the Sith would rise again, but more powerful then before. The midi-chlorians would impregnate a virgin woman and she would bare son. His destiny in life would be to bring balance to the Force, forever destroying the Sith. This prophecy was not acted on though. The Jedi gave it no thought and was eventually dismissed as a myth...until you came along."

By now both Anakin and Antellica had long forgotten the performance and were listening to the Chancellor with interest.

"But there was the one Sith whom survived all those years," he continued. "One Sith the Jedi never tracked down. And that Sith was Plagueis' apprentice, Darth Sidious."

Anakin was fascinated. "Wow, you seem to know a lot about this," he said in wonder. "The way you were saying it was as if you were actually there."

Palpatine allowed a mysterious smile. "Galactic History was a major of mine at the University of Naboo when I was younger. Originally, I was supposed to teach it after I graduated, but then I got wrapped up in politics. I've always found the history of the galaxy to be very intriguing."

Anakin nodded. "But about Sidious, how do you know he never died?"

"There is no record of his death," the secret Sith informed. "He was simply presumed dead after he'd gone missing and never turned up. Besides, I thought you said the name of the Sith that was Count Dooku's master, the same one who's supposed to be among my advisors, was Darth Sidious?"

"But you can't think it's the same person, do you?" Anakin asked in disbelief.

"The dark side is a very unnatural element of power, remember that Anakin."

Anakin was still looking at Palpatine with interest, but Sidious didn't want to get the boy suspicious. He waved his hand with a dismissive air to it. "Of course the book I read could've been out of context. Simply the overheated imagination of a philosopher. Nothing more."

"But if this really is the same Sidious," Anakin pressed, "that would make him over a thousand years old."

Palpatine nodded. "That it would."

Another moment of silence went by in which Anakin went over the information concerning the saving of death.

"Do you think, it would be possible to learn the power of stopping death?" Anakin asked, almost hesitantly.

Palpatine slowly turned to face him. "Well surely not from a Jedi."

The rest of the two-hour performance of 'Squid Lake' went on in silence with Anakin in deep thought about everything the Chancellor had said about Darth Plageuis and the Sith. When it ended, he vaguely registered Antellica thanking Palpatine for allowing her to sit in the top box with him. He waved her thanks aside and told her to say good night to Padme for him.

Coming back to reality at the feeling of being tapped on the shoulder, Anakin looked up to see the Chancellor smiling down at him.

"Are you all right my boy? The performance is over you know."

"Oh yes, Chancellor. I'm fine." Anakin groggily got up, said good night to Palpatine and left the building. As he walked down the red carpet stairs that led to the sidewalk, he saw Antellica exiting the carpet ahead and ran to catch up with her.

"Antellica!"

She turned to him with a frown. "You're actually speaking to me after what I did?"

He waved his hand. "You did the right thing. I'm sorry. I should've been listening in on your conversation to begin with."

"You're acting as the Jedi's spy," she said simply. "It's your job to do that."

"Antellica-"

"Anakin, chill. It was just a joke." She smiled at him and he was compelled to smile back. They began to walk together.

"So, how are you getting home?" he asked.

"The same way I got here."

"Which is…?"

Antellica laughed. "Walking of course."

"Walking?" Anakin asked in confusion, for the Opera House was a relatively great distance from the Amidala Mansion.

"Yes. You know, it's when a person uses their legs to move around," Antellica said with a sly smile.

Anakin rose an eyebrow. "And uh…what are legs Antellica?" he asked with a smirk.

"What are legs!" Antellica repeated in exasperation. "They're these," she said pointing to her own set of legs.

Anakin's smirk became even more pronounced. "And…what are these?" he asked, pointing to her legs.

"Idiot," she said in mock anger before walking off as Anakin laughed. "Antellica come back here."

When she didn't, he ran after her. "Come on now, I can't have you walking the streets of Galactic City at night. Come on." He grabbed her arm. "I'll drop you off in my speeder."

"Drop me off?" Antellica repeated and looked around, checking for eavesdroppers. Finding none, she whispered, "Don't you mean, 'take me with you'?"

"Oh." Anakin's eyes became distant. "I'm afraid I won't be staying at Padme's tonight. I'll have to stay at the temple."

"OK." She was mildly confused, but choose not to show it too much. "Do you want be to tell her?"

"No, no you don't have to." He had the same distant look in his eyes. "I'll tell her myself."

"Oh all right. Well I'll see you Anakin." Antellica began to walk off.

"You sure you don't want a lift?" Anakin called after her. She turned and smiled. "No. Thanks anyway, but I'll walk. Besides walking's good for you."

Anakin laughed. "And remind me what walking is again."

She playfully flipped him off and continued on her way. As Anakin rode by in his speeder, he waved, and she returned it.

Halfway to the Jedi Temple though, he stopped the speeder and simply sat motionless for a long time, eyes closed, resting his head against the edge of his mechanical hand. The speeder bobbed gently in the air-wakes of passing traffic; he didn't feel it. Klaxons blared, rising and fading as angry pilots swerved around him; he didn't hear them. He was just too lost in thought about the Siths' ability to stop death. He had to know this power. If only he'd known about this sooner, maybe his mother wouldn't of…

Shaking his head he lectured himself. There's no reason to think about what could have happened, when it didn't happen.

However he was not willing to let Padme endure the same fate his mother did. He just wouldn't have it. Finally, he sighed and lifted his head. He stroked a private code into the speeder's comm screen. He could only hope that Padme wasn't still angry with him and would answer the call.

Baynetta was currently in bed trying to go to sleep when she heard her comlink communicator beep.

After her fight with Anakin, she'd spent the rest of the day in her room clutching a pillow to her belly and having 3PO bring her cups of tea while she read over reports and used the dark side to ease her pain.

Glancing at the clock, it read 2254. She growled as she reached onto her bedside nightstand for the comlink.

Who would be bold enough to call at this hour?

She clicked the hologram feature on the comlink and the image of Anakin sitting in a speeder appeared. She held back another growl. "Anakin?" She said in a level tone. "What do you want?"

"Padme I can't-" He stopped himself, huffing a sigh out through his nose. "Listen Padme, something's come up. I have to spend the night at the temple."

Baynetta gave him a smug look. "Of course I wouldn't let you back in the house after what you did to me anyway. It's just as well."

She was about to turn off the comlink when Anakin started apologizing. "Padme I'm so sorry. You have to believe me." He looked beyond frantic. "I would never intentionally hurt or harm you. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. Please. I'm begging you."

Though Baynetta was slightly amused by Anakin's begging, she didn't show it. She studied his pleading face, which looked genuine. "Alright, fine. You're forgiven. Good night than Anakin. I'll miss you," she added as an afterthought.

"I'll miss you too. I miss you already," Anakin said sighing. "We'll be together tomorrow. And soon for the rest of our lives. (That's what you think.) We'll never have to be apart again."

Baynetta simply nodded. "Rest well, my love," she said blowing him a kiss.

"I'll do my best. You too."

The transmission ended and Baynetta went to sleep.

After the screen went blank, ending the transmission with Padme, Anakin fired the speeder's thrusters and slid it expertly back into traffic, anguling toward the Jedi Temple again, because that part-the part about spending the night at the Temple-was the part that wasn't a lie.

The lie was that he was going to rest. That he was going to even try. How could he rest when every time he closed his eyes he could see her screaming on the birthing table?

Now the Council's insult burned even hotter than ever; he had a name, a story, a place to start-but how could he explain to the achieves Master why he needed to research a Sith legend about immortality? Jedi Masters after all were the only ones allowed to have access to the restricted section of the Library Achieves, where Sith Holocrons and other dark things laid.

Yet maybe he didn't need to look in the achieves after all.

The Temple was still the greatest nexus of Force energy on the planet, perhaps even the galaxy, and it was questionably the best place in the galaxy for intense, focused meditation. He had much he needed the Force to teach him and a very short time to learn.

He would start by thinking inward.

Thinking about himself…

Antellica was challenged and bothered by no one on her way home. But perhaps that was because she had her lightsaber activated and swung it around threateningly at anyone she passed.

Upon arriving home at 2307, she saw a note from Baynetta saying she'd gone to bed early because she didn't feel well.

'More on that in the morning.' It said at the bottom.

I wonder what that means, Antellica pondered as she went up to her room and prepared for bed. Ah well. I guess I'll find out tomorrow.