Munkustrap looked at the other three Jedi with him. The news they had just received from Coricopat meant that the war was all but over and it was time for the Chancellor to return his gained power. He headed toward the gunship.

"Master, wait!" Macavity yelled across the floor, heading toward them.

He paused, turning, "What is it, Macavity? We've just received word that Coricopat has won against Growltiger. We're due to speak with the Chancellor regarding the return of the emergency powers."

"Yeah, need to talk to you before that happens," Macavity told him, shifting awkwardly.

"Make it fast."

Macavity paused a long moment. "I..."

Munkustrap sighed, reining his impatience in, "What is it, Macavity?"

"I don't think he's going to give up his power," Macavity said, voice strained. "I have reason to believe he's a... Sith Lord."

The other Jedi paled, "A Sith Lord? How do you know this?"

"He knows the ways of the Force... and specifically the Dark Side," Macavity answered.

"You're certain of this?"

"Absolutely."

"Then we must move quickly if we hope for the Order to survive." He turned to continue on his way.

"He's very powerful," Macavity said, taking a step to follow him. "You'll need my help."

Munkustrap shook his head, glancing at the other, "I can sense a great deal of confusion. For your own good, stay out of this affair. We will see to it."

"I have to go," Macavity protested, something like an edge of fear entering his voice.

"Macavity, the amount of fear I can feel clouds your judgment. If what you're saying is true, you have my trust from now until our deaths, but for now. Stay here."

"But..." Macavity took a deep breath and stepped back. "Yes Master."

Munkustrap looked him over for a long moment, "You've done well, Macavity." He turned and boarded the gunship. Watching them depart, Macavity bit back a curse.

The Jedi gunship landed at the Senate office building and the four Jedi on board disembarked, heading into the building and up to the Chancellor's office.

Deuteronomy glanced up. "Master Munkustrap, I suppose you're here to tell me of Growltiger's destruction. I must say you're here sooner than expected."

Munkustrap frowned, not answering that, "In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you are under arrest, Chancellor."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm certain you heard me. You're under arrest, Chancellor." His hand moved to rest on his light saber.

"Are you threatening me, Master Jedi?" Deuteronomy said, voice low.

"I wouldn't presume to do that. It's the Senate's job to decide your fate." Munkus glanced at the other Jedi who drew their lightsabers.

"I am the Senate!" Deuteronomy thundered.

The Jedi Master drew his own lightsaber finally, "Not yet you aren't!"

A long, slick lightsaber suddenly appeared out of the Chancellor's sleeve. "I think not."

The four Jedi took ready stances to face him. Munkustrap's gaze flickered over their opponent, sizing him up.

For looking old, the Sith moved quickly, cutting down two of the Jedi before they really knew what was going on, and squaring off against the other two. The remaining two Jedi blocked his blows, one on each side. Munkustrap stepped back, put fully on the defensive as Deuteronomy killed the third Jedi.

The Sith started driving him down the hallway toward the sitting room with its large window.

Munkustrap blocked the blows as best he could, but he was in unfamiliar territory and he found himself backing up further and further, his lightsaber moving more rapidly to avoid the blows. They finally emerged into the sitting room and the Jedi spared a glance to get a feeling for what the terrain looked like before swinging his blade toward the Sith's head.

The Chancellor blocked the blow easily, cutting down toward Munkustrap's stomach. The Jedi dodged back, moving rapidly across the room, trying to give himself enough breathing room to better be able to deal with his opponent. Rather, Deuteronomy shoved him back toward the wall as Macavity suddenly burst in.

Munkustrap swore as he fell back against the wall, his lightsaber hitting the window and catching a flaw in it. The window shattered completely, leaving a gaping hole with only a small ledge between the interior and a deadly fall down the side of the building.

Macavity scoped out the situation, paling as the Chancellor advanced on where the other Jedi was.

Munkustrap sidestepped, starting to circle away from the window, his lightsaber at the ready as he moved to meet the Sith. He swept his blade toward his opponent's abdomen, hoping to catch the other enough off-guard to get past his defenses even a little.

It worked in that it finally knocked the lightsaber away from the Chancellor, whose entire body language suddenly changed. "I told you it would come to this!" he told Macavity, sagging against the wall in what looked like fear.

Munkustrap frowned at that, glancing toward Macavity before returning his attention to the Sith before him, "Are you out of your mind? Your plot to regain control of the Republic has failed. You're under arrest, you old fool."

"No!" Deuteronomy declared. "You will die!" Suddenly he raised his hands and lightening shot out.

Munkustrap cried out, but managed to get his lightsaber up in time to absorb much of the initial bolt, fighting to hold onto the blade as the lightning continued.

"He's a traitor!" Deuteronomy yelled when Macavity didn't move.

Munkustrap growled lowly at that, "He's the traitor, Macavity. Stop him!"

"I..." Macavity wavered, eyes huge.

"If he kills me, who will save your love?" Deuteronomy asked.

The Master Jedi almost let his guard drop at that, but kept up his fight, though his blue gaze darted to Macavity, "Don't listen to him, Macavity."

"You think they can save her? They've tried!" Deuteronomy said, dropping his guard for a second as if exhausted.

"We can't kill him," Macavity said quickly. "He has to be brought in for questioning."

Munkustrap took a step nearer the Sith, his lightsaber still at the ready, "He has too much control of the Senate and the Courts. You know this. He's too dangerous to be kept alive."

"We can't be judge, jury, and executioner!" Macavity yelled, stomach twisting.

"If he lives he'll throw us all back into another war in his fight for power!"

"It's not the Jedi way!" Macavity yelped as the Chancellor groaned, as if in pain.

Munkustrap's gaze darted back to the Sith, "When there is no other way. We are sworn to protect the Republic, Macavity. This is a war. The Sith is a threat that cannot be allowed to survive."

"We can't turn into assassins in the dark of the night!" Macavity yelped.

"We are not that. We are never that," the Jedi master replied.

"Then what do you call this?" Macavity demanded, hotly.

"Ending a war. Protection of the Republic. Neither the Senate nor the Courts will do so."

Macavity wavered, hesitating just a second too long before the Chancellor suddenly lunged forward again, wrestling for Munkustrap's lightsaber on the ledge.

Munkustrap struggled with the older man, surprised at the unexpected strength he found in his opponent. He felt his footing slipping even as he finally regained control of his lightsaber. The release of the counter-pull sent him stumbling backward and over the edge, plummeting the twenty plus stories to his death.

Macavity had remained frozen the entire time and Deuteronomy finally turned to him. "They would have killed me." The Jedi nodded mutely. "They've betrayed the republic." Macavity didn't look convinced. "If you help me eliminate the threat of the Jedi order, I'll show you how to cure your dear queen."

Finally Macavity reacted, jerking back and swallowing before nodding.

"You must learn the ways of the Sith to achieve that."

"I... I will," Macavity managed finally. "Just tell me how to save her."

Having sent Macavity off, Deuteronomy turned to his communication consol. "Commander," he said, pulling it up.

The clone commander turned his attention to his communicator, Coricopat having just left from checking on how things were, "Yes, sir?"

"I'm starting with you. Take special care of your particular Jedi, and spread out the word. Order 66," Deuteronomy told the commander through the small holographic image.

"It will be done, My Lord." He shut off the communicator, turning to a nearby trooper in charge of a cannon. "Blast him."

Coricopat sensed something and glanced back in time to see the blast fired, taking out the rock his steed was perched on, sending both of them tumbling into the water filled crevasse below.

The Commander watched, and beneath his helmet perhaps there was a brief expression of regret before he turned to his comlink, making sure the order was sent out.

o.o.o.

Reaching the Jedi Temple, followed by battalions of clone troopers, Macavity advanced through it, trying to close his ears off to sounds of war and pain everywhere around him. Striding upstairs, he paused as he found an empty corridor, pushing open one of the doors. A few moments later several children came out from behind the chairs they were hiding under. "Jedi Macavity!" a blond boy declared. "There are too many of them. What do we do?"

For a long, almost endless moment Macavity just stared at him before taking a step back, shaking his head. "No. No, just stay here, and no matter what you do, or what you hear, do not come out, do you hear? You hide, and you don't ever come out of that door. Understand? I'll be back for you later."

The boy nodded and Macavity slipped into the hall, using the keypad by the door to lock it on his code. Moments later a clone trooper appeared at the end of the hall. "Is everything clear down here?" he called out.

The auburn haired Jedi nodded. "No one alive here," he lied.

o.o.o.

Sleep having been fitful for most of the night, a vision of Coricopat falling from a cliff, and faces floating before him Mistoffelees finally woke up with a scream, muscles unlocking as he woke. Hand on his heart, he panted for a moment before scrambling out of bed. Pulling on a robe he ran a hand through his hair and froze when he reached the sitting room, staring across the cityscape to the burning Jedi temple. He stood there frozen.

Victoria let herself into Mistoffelees' apartment, seeking him out, "M-Misto?"

He was still standing in the middle of the room, eyes on the burning temple. "Everlasting..." His hands held the robe around him, freezing. Finally, he turned. "Vic..."

She moved swiftly over to his side, her gaze fixed on the temple as well, "I...I saw it and I didn't know where else to go."

Reaching out a hand blindly, he pulled her to him. "W-what happened?"

"I-I don't know. I saw the flames and came here." The queen swallowed hard, leaning into Mistoffelees' embrace.

He tightened his arm around her waist. "I... The Senate. The Senate will probably be called. There... there must be news somewhere..." He swallowed hard, images of his dreams flashing back. "Oh everlasting force."

"S-surely the people there got out."

"I... I woke up screaming in pain not mine," he said softly. "Everywhere, across the galaxy, pain. I don't..."

She glanced at him, "Th-they...Coricopat and Macavity?"

"I... I don't know," he said, chest tight. "I... I saw Coricopat falling off a cliff and I don't know."

"Oh, Misto..." She reached up, resting a hand on his cheek. "H-he...you'd know." Her voice was more sure than she felt, "You would know."

"Would I?" he asked, shaking slightly but eyes still trained on the temple.

"Y-yes." Her gaze turned toward the temple again, "Everlasting Force..."

"What do we do?" he asked softly, sure the question had already been asked.

"I-I don't know. We... you attend any emergency senate meetings and I...I should see about returning to Naboo. Once this news spreads it will be all we can do to stave off panic."

Taking a few hitching breaths," Mistoffelees nodded. "Y-yeah."

"I...should return to my hotel in case Macavity tries to reach me. Do you...I mean... would you join me?"

He took another shaking breath. "I... I need to get dressed. Figure out what's going on with the Senate first. I-I..."

"Please come when you're able?"

He nodded quickly. "Yes. Yes." His stomach still twisted with hundreds of remembered pains that weren't his.

She glanced at him, "Are you going to be alright if I leave you alone?"

He swallowed and nodded. "Yes. I won't do anything foolish."

"That...wasn't quite what I meant. If you need me, I-I'll be reachable."

The smaller man nodded. "I'll reach you if I need to," he said.

"Take care, Misto. I-I'm sure they're fine."

Eyes still on the temple, he nodded again, unable to do anything else. She hesitated before finally stepping away and slipping out of his apartment to return to her hotel.

o.o.o.

Hours later, Macavity's speeder finally pulled up to Victoria's hotel, striding out and up to her rooms.

Victoria sat on the couch where she'd been for the last two hours, fiddling with the hem of her dress. She rose at the sound of someone entering, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw him, "Oh thank goodness..."

He moved forward, drawing her close to him again.

She wrapped her arms around him, her head resting on his chest, "W-when I saw the temple...oh, Mac..."

"I'm fine," Mac said, running a hand down her back. "I'm fine. I came to see if you and the baby are safe."

"We're safe. What's happening?"

Macavity paused for a long moment. "The Jedi tried to overthrow the government."

"Wh-what? That can't be!"

Again Macavity wavered, taking in a hitched breath. "I don't want to believe it myself but the Master council themselves tried to assassinate the Chancellor!"

Victoria paled, "What are you going to do?"

"I won't betray the republic," he said finally. "My loyalty is to the Chancellor and the Senate."

She hesitated for a long moment, "What about Coricopat? Have you heard from him?"

He shook his head. "I can only hope he's remained loyal to the republic, but no, I haven't heard from him."

"How...how could this have happened, Macavity?"

"I don't know. We're in an unstable time. Everyone's trying to take advantage, and force only knows the Jedi order has been floundering."

"Oh, Mac...I..."

"What?" he asked, a bit hotly.

She drew back slightly at that, "I'm just worried, that's all."

"There's nothing to worry about anymore," he said.

"There's everything to worry about. The worlds are changing."

"A new order always has birthing pains," he replied. "The wars over. Peace will be here soon."

"And until it comes?"

"It'll be here in a matter of days," he replied.

"I..." She nodded very slightly.

"It's going to be alright love," he soothed.

Victoria swallowed, nodding again as she turned her head against his chest. "How long are you here?"

"I need to make sure the Senate is alright," he murmured. "How long do you want me to stay?"

"As long as you can. What do you mean alright?"

He paused. "Well, that they're not about to mutiny either. An emergency session has been called for this afternoon."

"Surely they wouldn't."

"I hope not," he said. "But I'm expected to be there just in case."

"...Alright. Then stay with me 'til then."

He nodded. "I will."

o.o.o.

Mistoffelees was sitting on the couch, still watching the burning temple, chest tight with pain and trying to remember how to breathe normally again. Quietly as he could, Threepio entered. "Master, a Pouncival Organa is here to see you," the droid said.

Mistoffelees' head snapped around and he rose quickly.

The senator entered quietly, looking his friend over, "Mistoffelees."

"Pounce," he said, voice strained. "How... what?"

"I..." He drew a deep breath, "I've just come from the Jedi Temple. It was the Clone troops. Hundreds of them."

"What?" Mistoffelees managed, sitting down again, feeling like all the air had been knocked out of his chest. "That... that's impossible."

"I wish it was. My speeder's got the marks from their blasters to prove it. And unless they've cleared the body there's a youngling on the landing pad whose body bears the same marks." Pounce looked toward the window where the flames could still be seen.

For a long moment the other Senator couldn't even move. "Why?" he asked softly. "Why?"

"I don't know. They've called an emergency Senate meeting...that I'm not sure I can be at."

"What?" Mistoffelees rose, taking a step forward. "Where are you going to be? Pounce, don't..."

"I'm going to see if I can contact any remaining Jedi. Make sure they don't walk into the middle of that disaster over there. I'm going to see if I can find Master Yoda. The Republic is falling to pieces, but there has to be something we can do," the Alderaan Senator's gaze remained focused out the window, his jaw set.

"I can come with you," Mistoffelees said abruptly.

"No." Pounce shook his head, firmly. "We need eyes and ears in the Senate."

"You don't understand I..." he took a deep breath, finally stepping back. "Right. You're right. Everlasting Force, you're right. Yoda... he was on Kashyyyk. A-and Coricopat was near Utapau. I-I don't know about any others."

"I'll do my best to locate them. I'll return soon. If anyone asks...my aides are already instructed to send my regrets that I am ill and indisposed. The same goes if they ask you. I haven't been here and you heard I'd taken ill."

Mistoffelees nodded. "Sick, never here. When is the Senate meeting?"

"Several hours."

He nodded. "I'll get dressed. Be careful, Pounce, and good luck. And if you find... tell him... I... Nevermind."

"You too. Take care, Misto." He hesitated, "Be careful. I don't know what's going on, but the world's gone to hell in the last twelve hours."

"It moves quickly," Mistoffelees managed. "Try... try to find as many Jedi as you can. Use the penthouse here if you need to."

"Thank you. I'll be back soon." With that, Pouncival slipped out of the apartment, heading to his ship.

Mistoffelees stood where he was for several minutes longer, a hand over his eyes and breathing.

"Sir?" Threepio offered quietly. "Are you alright?"

"I'm not crying," he replied.

"Sir?" The protocol droid asked in confusion.

"I'm not crying until I know he's dead," he said, voice thick before raising his head with another long breath, steeling his shoulders and going to make himself presentable, feeling the chill of the world bite into his skin more than ever.

Macavity has this habit of nearly derailing the plot. He tends to do it a lot. Nothing is ever easy with this muse is it? Go figure.