Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars.
AN: By popular demand, here's chapter 52 already! Thanks for all the great reviews!
Forever Destined
Chapter 52: Frightening Truth
The Red Guards outside Chancellor Palpatine's office fell to the floor silently, thanks to Mace, as the sleeping mist took them out. Quickly and quietly, while covering their noses and mouths with their cloaks, they slipped into the Chancellor's office and turned on the light to a dim glow. They sat down at the desk and began the painstaking task of searching the contents of every file and datapad in it...
Anakin twisted the wrench hard, securing the bolt in place. Sparks flew, as Artoo welded it into place. Anakin took off his safety goggles and examined the part.
"It looks good, Artoo. I'll let you finish welding and then we'll try it," Anakin said, as he stood up. He felt his senses tingling again and had since they had started back from Mos Espa. He was sensing a familiar presence, though he couldn't put his finger on it. Suddenly, the presence became filled with rage and anger, startling him at how well it had been hidden...even from him. He ran up the ramp, just as he heard Padme's frightened cry...
A few minutes earlier...
Padme was inside the ship with the twins, trying to put them down for a nap. Leia was already asleep in the crib and Padme tried to calm a very fussy Luke.
"Oh baby, what's wrong? Mommy fed and changed you," Padme said, as she looked in his mouth and felt his forehead.
"You don't seem sick," Padme said, as she rocked him back and forth.
"Mama...mama..." he whined.
"Mama is here, sweet boy," she cooed to him.
"Daddy," he cried.
"Oh, daddy is fixing the ship sweetheart. He's almost done and then we're going home! We'll get to see grandma and grandpa and your great grandparents. And of course, Uncle Ben and Aunt Sola too," Padme said. Luke's cried continued and Padme would soon know why he was inconsolable.
"You may want to put that family reunion on permanent hold..."
The female voice startled Padme and she whirled around, cradling a crying Luke against her chest.
"Who...are you?!" Padme demanded an answer from the hooded figure. The female dropped her hood and Padme gasped, as she stared at the angry visage of Serra Keto.
"Serra?" Padme asked in confusion. Serra was supposed to be dead and this Serra was not he warm, friendly person she had met before. It was then that Padme noticed her discolored, yellow eyes. She gasped and clutched Luke tighter to her chest, as his cries increased in volume.
"That brat is very attuned to the Force. He could be useful to my Master," Serra said, as she drew a long, silver cylinder from her cloak.
"Serra, what's happened to you?" Padme asked, tears threatening to fall down her cheeks.
"Serra is dead and you killed her. I am Darth Xana and I will have my revenge on all those who wronged me...starting with you!" Serra screamed.
"Serra...I don't understand! We thought you were dead! Anakin was devastated by the news. He always spoke of what a great friend you were!" Padme pleaded with her.
"Friend? A FRIEND?!" Xana screamed at her.
"He was mine! He was mine and you stole him from me! I'm supposed to be the one he loves! It is time you pay for destroying my life!" Xana screamed, as she ignited her crimson blade. Padme turned away, shielding Luke with her body. But the blow never came, as her husband's sapphire blade blocked the Sith's. Anakin looked at the woman he once called a best friend in disbelief.
"Serra...you're alive? What's happened to you?" he asked.
"Yes, I am alive, but you wouldn't know that since you never bothered looking for me! You were too busy playing house with your precious angel, while Grievous was torturing me!" Serra screamed.
"Serra, I'm sorry! I didn't know! We thought you died in that bunker explosion! We found evidence!" Anakin cried.
"And if it had been your precious Senator, would that 'evidence' have stopped you from looking for her?" Xana screamed. His silence was her answer.
"I have loved you all my life, but you never loved me back! And when you married her...you squelched every dream and hope I had for us!" Xana screamed.
"Serra, I'm sorry, but turning to the Sith is not the answer!" Anakin yelled. Xana snarled and poured Force lightning into him. Padme screamed, as her husband writhed in terrible agony.
"No...please stop!" Padme pleaded. The attack ceased and Xana approached her. Padme yelped, as Serra grabbed her by the hair from behind.
"You might want to get rid of the brat. He shouldn't have to see his mother die," Xana taunted. Tears slipped down Padme's cheeks, as Luke sobbed in her arms.
"Threepio!" Padme called fiercely.
"Yes, Miss Padme?" he asked.
"Take Luke and lock yourselves in the nursery with Leia," Padme said, as she handed her son to Threepio. The droid did what she said without question. Padme whimpered, as Xana raised her blade to her throat and turned her back toward Anakin, who was still trying to regain his bearings from the Force lightning.
"Is there anything you'd like to say to your husband before I kill you?" Xana taunted.
"No...Serra please! Don't hurt her...please!" Anakin begged in a pained voice.
"I love you Ani," Padme cried freely. Anakin struggled to pull himself up, still begging Xana to spare her.
"Please Serra...I'll do anything! Please don't hurt her!" Anakin said, with a pained cry, as tears streamed down his own cheeks. Xana thought for a moment, realizing how useful Padme could be if she remained alive.
"You'd really do anything for her, wouldn't you?" Xana asked.
"Yes," Anakin answered.
"All right then. If you'd like her pretty little head to stay attached to her shoulders, then you'll tell your droid to set a course for...Mustafar," Serra said.
"Mustafar?" Anakin asked.
"My Master cannot have you interfering with his plans. If you want her and the brats to stay alive, then you'll do everything I say," Xana growled.
"What plans?" Anakin asked, as he watched Xana bind Padme's hands behind her back. Xana smirked and shoved Padme into a chair.
"The destruction of the Jedi, of course," she replied, as she concealed his light saber in her cloak.
"Don't be so naive, Anakin. My Master has had the means to destroy the Jedi for quite some time now. They've never been in control," she said, as she caressed his cheek. He shrugged away from her touch.
"There was a time when you used to love when I touched you," Serra said.
"Keep your hands of him!" Padme growled at her.
"I suggest you shut up and think about how lucky you are to still be alive," Xana spat at her, as she turned back to Anakin. She took hold os his wrists and bound his hands in front of him.
"Let's go to the cockpit and see what's taking your droid so long to take off," She said, as she nudged him forward.
"Don't worry, Senator, I'll take good care of him," she taunted. Padme struggled with her bonds, as Serra forced him to the cockpit. Once they were gone, Padme was shocked to see Siri creep up the ramp. She ran quietly over to Padme and cut the ropes on her wrists.
"Siri, what are you doing here?" Padme asked, though grateful for her assistance.
"I was just passing through and I sensed danger," Siri said.
"Serra has turned to the dark side," Padme said.
"Serra is the new Sith apprentice?" Siri asked in disbelief. Padme nodded.
"She said she was taking us to Mustafar so Anakin could not interfere with her Master's plans to destroy the Jedi Order," Padme whispered.
"The Sith Lord must fear his power more than we thought. He must get to Coruscant before it's too late," Siri whispered.
"What about Serra?" Padme asked.
"Leave her to me," Siri replied, as they crept toward the cockpit.
Serra smirked at her captive, as she tied his hands above his head to a bar so he couldn't get away. Anakin felt disgust, as she ran her fingers through his hair and he pulled against the course ropes.
"Sorry my love, but I can't have you getting away from me again. You had better just get used to your new life since you're mine now," Xana said.
"Serra, the dark side is not the answer. You're a good person, don't do this!" Come back to the light!" Anakin pleaded.
"The light left me alone and unhappy. Through the darkness, I shall claim you," she said, as she pressed her body against his.
"Ooohh...I almost forgot how good you feel," she said, as she finally forced her lips onto his. Anakin shrugged her off in disgust.
"I had almost forgotten how good you taste too," Xana said, as she kissed him again. She yelped in pain, however, when he bit her.
"I love my wife, so keep your hands and lips off me!" he yelled, as he lifted his feet up and kicked her in the chest. She went sailing into the co-pilot's seat and rolled over Artoo, landing hard on the floor. He paid for it, however, when her Force lightning struck him full force.
"Resist me again and I'll take my anger out on her!" Xana screamed, as she tortured him. Suddenly, Anakin felt the lightning cease and he opened his eyes to find a blonde woman in front of him, absorbing the attack with her emerald blade.
"Siri?" he asked, as Padme came beside him and started pulling at his ropes
"This is none of your concern, Tachi, so get lost. You always were good at that," Xana said.
"Rejection is painful, Serra. Believe me, I know. But turning to the dark side will only blacken your soul. Come back to the light before it is too late," Siri said.
"It is too late, you fool! Anakin is mine now and I'll kill you to get to him if I have to! I'll kill anyone that stands in my way!" Xana screamed, as she ignited her blade and fell into a defensive stance.
"Listen to me, very carefully Anakin. Once I get this Sith witch off the ship, you must take off," Siri said.
"I'm not going anywhere, fool," Xana growled.
"Siri, we can't just leave you!" Anakin said.
"You have to!" Siri roared, as Xana's blade met her own.
"You are the only hope the Jedi have for survival against whatever the Sith have planned! The survival of the Republic and the Jedi depends on you...Chosen One," she said, as she grabbed an overhead bar and kicked her legs into Xana as hard as she could. Xana screamed, as she went through the cockpit window and rolled down the nose of the ship, landing hard on the hot sand.
"Go now Anakin!" she said, as she crawled through the busted window.
"Come with us, Siri!" Anakin called.
"That is not where my destiny lies," she said, as she stood on the nose of the ship.
"You were always the little brother I never had, Ani. You take care of him and those babies, Padme," Siri said.
"I will," Padme squeaked, as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Siri, don't go!" Anakin pleaded.
"Go now Anakin! You're the galaxy's only hope! Do not let the Sith rise to power or billions will perish!" she said. The tears flowed down his cheeks, as he mourned her coming demise.
"Tell Obi-Wan...that I've always loved him," she said, as she jumped down onto the hot sand and engaged a bleeding, but no less weakened Darth Xana.
"Goodbye Siri," Anakin choked back a sob. Padme sniffed.
"I'll go strap the twins in," she sobbed, as she hurried into the back to care for their precious children.
"Seal the window and take off now, Artoo. We have to get back to Coruscant," Anakin sniffed. A black, air tight seal slid over the broken window and the ship lifted off, leaving Tatooine behind.
"You'll pay for interfering!" Xana screamed, as they watched the ship disappear out of sight.
"No, it is you and your Master that will pay when Anakin destroys you!" Siri replied. Xana let out a murderous howl, as she tripped Siri with a sweep kick. The female Jedi fell on her back and cried out, as Xana skewered her through the heart.
"Say goodnight, Jedi scum!" Xana screamed, as she extracted the blade viciously. But Siri died peacefully, knowing that the Sith would never prevail. She embraced the light of the Force and gladly became one with it. Xana left the body and ran toward her ship. Her Master would punish her severally for letting Skywalker get away. She had to catch up to him and keep him from discovering her Master until the final destruction of the Jedi was in motion and it was too late to stop him...
They'd been safely tucked away in hyperspace for the last two hours. The twins had finally calmed down and fell asleep in their arms, as they cried together on the sofa. Carefully, they laid the twins down in the play pin Threepio had set up and fell into each other's arms.
"Why did she do that Padme?" he asked.
"She did it to save us, Ani. She did it to save the Jedi. Everyone will know about her selfless sacrifice and she will be honored," Padme replied, as she hugged him tightly.
"I can't believe Serra turned...because of me," he said.
"This is not your fault, Ani. She made the choices she did all by herself," Padme assured him, as she kissed his forehead.
"What do you think she meant when she said her Master has had the means to destroy the Jedi at any time?" he asked.
"I don't know. I think it would take an awfully large group of people to take down thousands of Jedi though. In fact, it doesn't really seem possible. I'm sure she was just saying those things to scare us," Padme said. Something she said struck Anakin.
"What did you say, angel?" he asked.
"That it doesn't seem possible to take down so many Jedi at once. Not even a droid army could accomplish that successfully," she replied. Absolute terror struck Anakin's heart like a bolt of lightning.
"A droid army could not, perhaps...but a Clone army could. The ratio of Clones to Jedi is three to one," Anakin said.
"But the Jedi command the Clone army. The only other person that has any power over them is..." Padme paused, as she suddenly felt the same terror fill her own heart.
"Chancellor Palpatine," she said. Anakin felt the Force surge through his veins, as if to confirm to him the frightening truth.
"Oh Force Padme...it's him. It's been him all along," Anakin said.
"Chancellor Palpatine," she began.
"Is Darth Sidious," Anakin finished.
"He's going to turn the Clone army against the Jedi!" Padme cried.
"We have to try to raise grandfather on the comm!" he said, as they ran to the cockpit.
"But Ani, we still have no proof. The Senate will not believe it without evidence of such a claim," Padme replied.
"Then we have to hope that Zia and Master Windu find the proof in Palpatine's office..." Anakin said, as he opened a comm channel and hailed the Jedi Temple...
They had been looking through the contents of Palpatine's desk for hours and so far, there was nothing incriminating. Zia sighed in frustration and walked over to the book shelf. It was stacked with literature of all kinds, but particularly books of law and government.
"I wonder if these books taught him how to be corrupt," Zia joked. Mace looked up form the datapad he was scrolling through with a smirk.
"I'm pretty sure most of his corruptness was self taught," Mace quipped.
"Oh, look at this classic example. Understanding the Justice System," she read out loud.
"Ha, more like Manipulating the Justice System," Zia scoffed, as she tipped the book out of its slot and then put it back. Mace was startled when the desk began to move and then stopped when she put the book back .
"Zia, pull that book out again!" Mace said. She did so, and they both watched in disbelief, as a secret floor panel opened for them.
"You are good," Mace said.
"I assure you that one was pure luck," she replied. Mace started down the steps and took Zia's hand to lead her down the precarious walkway and into the secret room that Mace knew held the answers they were looking for...